Author Notes: A neutral fic! I read chapter 44 and was simply touched! I was on the edge of crying along with Finnie… Hence this fic! But then again, this fic doesn't really represent much of that brother-like relationship between the two? It's not exactly, a brotherly bond, but I can't think of a better way to phrase it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji or anything related to it.
"…and they lived happily ever after. The end."
The clock on the wall struck midnight sharp, the elegant hands of the clock overlapping each other. Bard was fast asleep, dead to the world in the bed further away in the room. But the room's other occupant was still wide awake.
"That was boring," Finnie said as he stared blankly up at the narrator of the story, his near turquoise eyes showing no hint of fatigue. "Why did Cinderella forgive her step sisters? Is it even possible to have a slipper made entirely of glass? I don't understand how Cinderella could have resisted revenge on her step sisters."
The older man who had settled in chair for the storytelling snapped the hardcover book shut with the faint sound of crackling ancient yellowed pages and sighed, cutting off the blonde's relentless series of questions. He placed the volume on the bedside table, the motion causing the candle which was placed there to flutter warily. The black haired man returned Finnie's stare in silence. The gardener-in-training sunk deeper beneath the covers, feeling slightly intimidated by his stare. When the man spoke, his voice was soothing and gentle but held an underlying tone of chastise, "Finnie, shall I tell you a tale about what happens to those who are too curious?"
"What happens?"
The heavy silence that had settled in the room unnerved Finnie as he gulped, suddenly feeling much more colder than he had previously, even with his blankets pulled up to his chin. The candle light casted chilling shadows onto the walls of the room and gave the black haired man an unsettling aura, the light seemingly making his burgundy eyes burn a scarlet shade.
Impatient, Finnie said abruptly, "Mr Sebastian?"
A wry smile snaked across Sebastian's lips as his red eyes flickered to the mesmerizing glow of the candle light; watching as a bead of wax trickled down the candle's side and eventually harden into an opaque white droplet. "There was once a wealthy nobleman who had everything anyone could wish for. But this man was unfortunate to have a blue beard, which made him so frightfully ugly that all the women and girls ran away from him. One of his neighbours had two daughters who were perfect beauties. He desired one of them in marriage, leaving to their mother her choice which of the two she would bestow on him. Neither of them would have him, not being able to bear the thoughts of marrying a man who had a blue beard. Adding to their disgust and aversion was the fact that he had already been married several times, but nobody knew what had become of his wives.
"Blue Beard, to engage their affection, took them with their mother and three or four of their acquaintance, with other young people of the neighbourhood, to one of his country houses where they stayed. The time was filled with parties, hunting, fishing, dancing, mirth, and feasting. In short, everything succeeded so well that the youngest daughter began to think that the man's beard was not so very blue after all, and that he was a mighty civil gentleman. As soon as they returned home, the marriage was concluded. About a month afterwards, Blue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to take a country journey for at least six weeks regarding affairs of very great consequence and that she was free to invite acquaintances over.
"Before his departure, he handed to his wife the keys to access two great wardrobes, silver and gold plates, strongboxes, caskets of jewels, a master key to all his apartments and a key that led to a closet on the ground floor. However the nobleman then stated clearly that he forbids the entry of that little closet and if she does open it, she will expect his anger and resentment. She promised to observe, very exactly, whatever he had ordered. Then he got into his coach and proceeded on his journey. Of course, her neighbours and friends didn't wait to be invited to visit the newly married lady – they were afraid to visit when her husband was around but now that he was gone, they were impatient to see the riches in the house. But the lady was constantly bothered by the growing curiosity about the forbidden closet. She was so pressed by her curiosity that without considering that it was very uncivil to leave her company, she went down a little back staircase to the closet."
"Having come to the closet door, she made a stop for some time, thinking about her husband's orders, and considering what unhappiness might attend her if she was disobedient; but the temptation was so strong that she could not overcome it," Here Sebastian paused in his narration and suddenly took the candle holder into one of his hands and held it on his lap so that the candle light enlarged his shadow behind him on the wall, the outline bending this way and that eerily, "She then took the little key, and opened it, trembling. At first she could not see anything plainly, because the windows were shut. After some moments she saw that the floor was all covered over with clotted blood, on which lay the bodies of several dead women, ranged against the walls and she thought she should have died for fear, and the key, which she, pulled out of the lock, fell out of her hand."
"Mr Sebastian," Finnie peered from beneath his covers, his voice small and muffled, "Were those women…?"
The grin on the butler's face widened as the pale man replied, "Yes, they are Blue Beard's previous wives."
Finnie himself wasn't particularly disturbed considering his own track record. But a part of him shook with fear. Fear of what he wasn't quite sure, but there was something uncomforting that he felt. Taking the lack of response, Sebastian took it that he was to continue with the story.
"After having somewhat recovered from shock, she picked up the key, locked the door and went upstairs into her chamber; but she could not, so much was she frightened. Realizing that the key to the closet was stained with blood, she tried to wipe it off but the blood would not go; in vain did she wash it, and even rub it with soap and sand. Blue Beard returned from his journey the same evening, saying that he had received letters upon the road, informing him that the affair he went about had concluded to his advantage. His wife did all she could to convince him that she was extremely happy about his speedy return.
"The next morning he asked her for the keys, which she gave him, but with such a trembling hand that he easily guessed what had happened. Blue Beard was enraged and he declared that she was to take her place among the corpses in the closet. Upon this she threw herself at her husband's feet, and begged his pardon with all the signs of a true repentance, vowing that she would never more be disobedient. But Blue Beard's heart was harder than any rock and he repeated his decision again. At this, his wife begged for time to say prayers before her death which was granted. When the time came, Blue Beard took hold of her hair with one hand and raised his sword high in the air and the wife met her end. No one has heard or seen her ever since."
Finnie was at a loss for words. Outside a cat screeched and the gardener's eyes were immediately searching the room, on alert. The story itself wasn't scary at all. It was the raconteur who had made him tremble in dread. The way the butler had pronounced each phrase with that sly voice and the way the candle light shuddered, giving life to the shadows in the room. The gardener possessed great respect for the black haired butler of the Phantomhive family but a certain amount of fear outweighed that respect.
Withdrawing his silver pocket watch from his pocket, Sebastian frowned at the time displayed by the device. With one of his trademark dazzling smiles, the butler stood from his seat with the candle holder in hand. "I've done enough talking today and it's very late. You need to wake early and work hard tomorrow as well and I still have some duties left to attend to. Rest well, Finnie," Sebastian said as he crossed the room and let his gloved hand rest on the door knob, "Ah yes, have you learnt anything from this story about Blue Beard?"
In all honesty, Finnie had been so immersed into the story that he had forgotten why the butler was telling him this story anymore and his lack of intelligence wasn't helping in anyway. He shook his head. The butler chuckled inwardly as he watched Finnie eye the corners of the room suspiciously.
"Curiosity kills the cat, Finnie. Inquire too much and you'll have to pay a dear price." Sebastian whispered at the doorway before he disappeared into the hallway outside, shutting the door behind him, his footsteps echoing hollowly along the hallway. He had changed the ending of the tale drastically – predictable happy endings where the wife's two brothers come charging in just in time to save the damsel in distress and kill the villain didn't suit his tastes. Perhaps he should try storytelling with the young master too, just to see his reaction; he doubted the boy would be affected at all, but any reaction would serve to amuse him to no end.