Prologue
"Ciel!" I coughed through the thin fabric of my nightgown as I ran through the rapidly burning mansion on my five year old legs in search for my older brother. Where is he, I thought frantically, and where is Mommy and Daddy?
"Ariel!" came a faint reply from my left down a hallway that led to Ciel and my wing. I stopped dead in my tracks to listen again to find out who had called my name and where.
"Ariel!" My heart lept with joy at the sound of my brother's voice. Ciel is alive and he's calling for me!
"I'm over here Ciel," I cried, racing towards the hallway. As I ran, the smoke drifted down to rest at the level of my head; causing tears to fall down my cheeks in attempts to keep my eyes moist. In moments I saw the outline of my brother's body.
"Ciel!" I exclaimed with joy, right before I noticed the beam overhead that was hanging on a thread that still connected it to the ceiling directly above my brother. "Ciel, look out!" I sped up into an all-out run to launch myself at him while a foreign, but familiar warm feeling settled over me that seemed to make me fly through the air. An "oomph" left Ciel when I collided with him before we both landed on the ground with a thud.
"Ariel," he uttered in confusion until the beam crashed to the ground. "C'mon Ariel, we'll get out through your balcony." He helped me to my feet while a lingering sensation washed over my body. It made me feel like I could do anything as we stumbled down the hallway to make our way to my room that was yet untouched by the fire. We passed my pink, white, and silver luxurious room to burst out of the mansion into the fresh, cold night air. I then coughed so violently that I was forced to my hands and knees as the fresh air forced the smoke from my lungs.
"C'mon Ariel, Grandpa Tanaka is waiting for us in our secret hideout," Ciel coaxed me as he tried to help me to my feet. By now the tingling sensation had vanished and it seemed like my strength had vanished with it. No longer did I feel strong and energetic, now I felt weak and oh so tired.
"Ciel, I can't get up," I managed to choke out of my now raw throat. He nodded in understanding before he scooped me up, then padded down the steps of my balcony to head into the large hedge maze in the garden. Effortlessly he walked through the path to come to the solid square in the middle, or that is what you would think and feel unless you knew about the small vulnerable spot that led you into an empty space surrounded by the square middle that held a small cottage and small pond.
"Young Master and Young Mistress," Grandpa Tanaka sighed in relief when he saw the two of us.
"Watch over Ariel Grandpa Tanaka. I need to find Mother and Father." Wait, I protested in my head since I was now unable to speak because of my throat and my rapidly fading consciousness. Please…let me…come with you.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o A Demon's Angel o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0o
Six months later found me staying with my Auntie Frances. Six months of being holed up in my temporary, hopefully, room sitting in the window seat in front of a large picture window always watching and waiting for my brother's return. I often found myself praying to God for the safety of my brother which brought me a sense of serenity. However, I could not bring myself to eat or drink a thing since my stay with Auntie Frances; and I could only sleep when I was too exhausted to stay awake. Numerous times Lizzie had tried to get me out of my room at first succeeded a few times, until I learned of the death of my parents. A missing brother is something I could stand with the comfort of my parents, but because they were not able to give me comfort anymore, I couldn't bare it. The only thing I did now was pray as my once healthy body turned to skin and bones, my shiny hair turn to lifeless and white straw, my skin changed from a creamy ivory to a pasty white, and my once bright, sparkling blue eyes were now dim with dark circles underneath them.
"Ariel," came Lizzie's soft tone from the other side of my door. Ever since she learned of my despair, she had softened her tone and mannerisms around me.
"Come in," I called in a gravelly voice form lack of use. She quickly and silently slipped into the room to stand in the middle of the room, visibly bouncing from contained excitement.
"Ciel is back," she breathed all at once. My whole body froze in shock at the news while my brain whirred to process it. "He just sent word and Mother, Edward and I were readying to go see him." By then the news had finally sunk in and I was struggling to stand while tears ran unchecked down my cheeks.
"Help me Lizzy, I want to see Ciel." A smile lit her face like a star at my words and she hastened to help my frail form onto wobbly legs with no difficulty.
"Oh my word Ariel," she gasped. "How much weight did you lose? Paula!" My cousin's brunette maid was quick to rush into the room.
"Yes, Lady Elizabeth?"
"Could you please carry Ariel for me?" she requested close to tears. "I cannot bare to do it."
"Of course my Lady." I was then easily passed over to Paula who looked at me with silent alarm at my weight. Lizzie was the first to leave the room in a rush, leaving Paula alone me with me.
"Why don't we go see your brother?" she offered softly. I weakly nodded my head which Paula smiled at and then carried me out of the room, down the grand staircase, and out of the mansion.
"Ariel," Auntie Frances greeted me when she saw me in Paula's arms. I smiled at her while my eyes fought to adjust to the onslaught of bright light from the sun. "You look even more horrid in the sunlight." Lizzie's looked close to tears at her mother's words while Edward's face held shock and horror that his mother would say that.
"It's alright Lizzie, Edward," I assured the blondes. "She's probably right." Edward's face held worry while Lizzie burst into tears.
For the whole twenty minute ride to my home, I dozed off and on to conserve my energy for when I saw my brother again. Once we had stopped, I instantly saw my brother through the carriage window. He looked the same as I had last saw him except now he was dressed in his day wear and wore an eye patch over his right eye.
"Paula," I whispered softly.
"Yes, Lady Ariel?"
"Will you let me out first?"
"Of course my Lady." The door was then opened by the driver so Paula stood and exited the carriage to set me own on my feet.
"Ciel!" I exclaimed, launching myself from my spot into his waiting arms. He held me tightly in his arms while I clung to him for dear life until I pulled away to see if he was unharmed.
"Ariel?" he questioned as he took in my sickly, weak form. I only gave him a weak smile before I clung to him again.
"I've missed you so much," I cried into his chest, my body going limp after such exertion of my body. He was quick to catch me. My brother is back home! He's back and he is holding me, I couldn't help but rejoice in my head.
"Sebastian," he said. My hearing perked up at that name. Was our darling Sebastian still around as well? My hopes were dashed when Ciel turned to face a tall pale man with uneasy wine colored eyes with slightly long inky black hair that reminded me of crow feathers.
"Yes, Young Master?"
"Hold Ariel for me?" A look of agitation and disgust came over his face. I could understand his feelings, because I refused to take care of myself I probably didn't smell nice.
"Are you who brought my brother back to me?" I found myself asking the man.
"Yes," he replied softly with kind eyes. My eyes watered at the thought that this man had saved the only family I had left and I couldn't help but hug the man as tight as I could around the waist.
"Thank you," I breathed before I blacked out.