I'm afraid once something is lost, it can never be regained – Ciel Phantomhive.
It was past five in the morning when birds began their melodic songs, the sounds of horse hooves trotting against the cobblestone street and low clamor from passerby woke Zoe. Slightly lifting her head to check the time, the Duchess flopped her back onto the pillow groaning as she did. Her body was still heavy with fatigue and it was just too early in her book for activity. Zoe wrapped the pillow around her head to help block out the boisterous outdoor noise, the sounds dying away leaving only silence behind.
Perfect to wander back to dreamland once more.
The door to the room slammed opened, followed by small (but noisy) clatter of dishes being pushed on a trolley by a white-clad man. "Your Grace, wake up!" The butler's voice ring clear through the air. The sounds of his impeccable white dress shoes were muffled by the carpet as he briskly walked to the now fake sleeping girl. "Get up, up, up! I know you are not sleeping Your Grace." He snatched the pillow from over her head earning a vocal complaint. The butler then ambled toward the window, pulling back the black curtains to allow light to flow in the dreary room. Once he had them secured with ties, he turned around seeing the Duchess sending him a hot gaze.
"Ah, don't give me that look," the youthful male said, pouring tea from the kettle into a small white teacup.
"Hmm." Zoe's lips tugged to a frown. "I've had a long night, Noah. Can't I sleep in just this once? It won't hurt anything I'm sure," she protested, taking the cup offered to her.
Noah shook his head. "No. I'm afraid that is not an option."
"Well, why not? I have nothing to do this morning I'm sure! My eyes hurt from staring at those letters!"
"And whose fault is that?" Noah pointed out, walking to the nearest wardrobe to pick her attire.
Zoe pouted, but didn't argue on the subject knowing it to be pointless. Instead she drank her tea quietly, gaze breaking from Noah who was taking his sweet time prodding through the dresses. The sense that something was off about the room had carried over into the morning and the Duchess found her eyes wandering back to the nightstand. The lamp was there, picture of the late Duke and Duchess, the box…wait…Zoe eyes narrowed seeing the empty little space on the surface."Um, N-N-Noah? Where is the box?" She queried getting out the bed. The Duchess pushed the other objects out the way not seeing the missing item. "Noah! Where is the box?" She frantically demanded.
Noah sighed. "What box, Your Grace?" He turned to the frantic Duchess being met with her dark eyes that were misted over and her chest rising up and down quickly. It appeared the girl would have a heart attack at any given moment.
"You know what box!" She hissed, stepping aside so the butler could see that empty space on the nightstand. Noah's blue eyes widened slightly. The Duchess's jeweled box was gone. Noah sauntered over, blue eyes intently combing over the surface ensuring Zoe didn't over look anything but is wasn't there or under the bed, on the vanity or in the bathroom! It was just gone.
Zoe's bottom lips began quivering and tears threatened to fall over. Just where could the box have gone? Nobody was allowed in the room except her and Noah. Despite the butler's youthful appearance, he wasn't some foolish buffoon as most were. He knew what and whatnot to touch in the Duchess's room and knew to never as much as breathe near her beloved box. Moreover, clumsy wasn't part of his traits.
However, he was the only servant allowed, period.
"Noah, are you positive somehow you didn't knock the box down and forget to tell me?" Zoe's voice came out quietly as she glared at the other.
Noah shook his head saying, "I would never touch something you wished I didn't." He confirmed it with a dip of his head. The butler knew why the Duchess was upset over what other noblewomen would call "A plain box." His eyes wandered over the Duchess's face, trying to sort out all the possibilities on how the box went missing but found no logical answer.
Noah stepped up to the Duchess, pulling out his handkerchief and gingerly wiping some of her fallen tears. "I will look for your box before I attend to any of my duties. Now, we need to get you dressed and down for breakfast." Noah gave the girl a sincere smile.
Zoe sniffed, taking the rag and dabbing up any extra moisture travelling down her cheeks. Her gaze then set intently on the butler. The butler always held true to his word. If he said it, he meant it.
She looked down at the floor and whispered, "Alright."
"Now, Your Grace, mark my word. I shall return the box for if not, then I'm not worthy to be your butler." Noah smiled, gracefully bowing at Zoe who simply poked at her Eggs Benedict.
The youthful butler turned on his heels, passing by the chef. "Ensure that Her Grace doesn't do anything rash," he whispered quietly to the woman as he exited the dining hall. Thus, the quest for the box began. Noah knew one of two things, and that was Zoe had not lost the box nor did he touch it. The only logical explanation there was is that one of the maids had to of have gone in the room without their knowledge. Maybe they miss placed the box or simply bumped into the nightstand; the box toppled over, broke and said maid hid the box in hopes that nobody would notice.
That all seemed very likely in Noah's mind, however, his gut lurched with another possibility. What if one of the maids had stolen the box and therefore the contents inside? The majority of the Rowell manor's staff hailed from the East End, some with dodgy backgrounds. He already knew a few thieveries were not beyond them.
His hand twisted the handle and he entered the Duchess's bedroom, eyes scanning every surface there was. Noah observed the shelves that held several handmade crafts, slowly and gingerly pushing things aside in case anything was hidden away. Nothing. Not on the vanity, in the wardrobe and closet or bathroom (hey, he just liked being sure). A sigh tumbled pass Noah's lip, and he stopped in the middle of the room, white gloved fingers rubbing his chin.
The butler was perplexed. It was not anywhere in this entire bedroom! If the box wasn't here then surely one of the maids had taken it. The problem was getting a confession. Noah's thoughts were broken by the shrill sounds of a ringing bell in the room, his blue eyes looked down seeing the resident hound Ruby crawling from under the bed.
The canine stretched her back legs and proceeded to flop on the plush carpet to chew her foot until ultimately satisfied. Noah's eyes narrowed at the hound. 'Is it possible that Ruby ate the box and its contents? Wait, no that is foolish to have even considered!' Noah frowned at his thought. While Ruby was notorious for eating things not allowed to her, it was impossible for her to have eaten the box and contents as the box alone would have shredded her insides. Noah sauntered over to the hound, picking her up with both hands. The canine's long tail wagged and her pink tongue flicked forward, touching the butler's nose.
The box could have hit the floor, fell open and Ruby snacked on the contents.
However, that still didn't explain what could have happened to the box in that scenario.
He sighed, placing Ruby on the bed. Noah watched Ruby roll all over the silky sheets. After a while his gaze broke from the canine to the nightstand. 'Everything accounted for here as well.' His hand ran over the items carefully. Noah knew his options were limited; even if Ruby ate the object, it still didn't explain where the box had wandered off too. His hand touched the empty spot briefly before retracting it. Noah plainly stared at his hand, weighting his choices when something caught his attention.
A thin strand of hair lay perfectly in the middle. Noah pinched the lone hair between his fingers, holding it to the sunlight to inspect it more thorouit to the sunlight to inspect it more thoroughly. 'Green? Only one person has that colored hair in the entire house.' White eyebrows furrowed together. It couldn't have been her! Could it? There was only one way to find out. As Noah clutched the hand holding the hair in a fist, he briskly went to the door turning the handle and opening it to the door to the hallway. He collided into something—or someone…"Nonie!" Noah watched as the child tumbled backwards into the wall, gray eyes bugged out from her head from the sudden contact with the butler.
"Mister Noah! W-W-What are you doing?" Nonie's voice shook as Noah stepped in her direction, his arms hidden away behind his back.
"I believe that is my line, Nonie. Pardon my bluntness, but what exactly are you doing in here?" He folded his arms.
"W-W-Well, you see as I was sweeping the mess on the front walk, I found Ruby's collar lying in the grass! I just figured I'd come to put it on her…" Nonie quickly explained.
"That may have worked Nonie, if not for the fact that I just saw Ruby." He gestured to the door. "Her collar is around her neck as it should be. Now, I will ask one more time and I best get the correct answer, why exactly are you going into Her Grace's bedroom?" His expression was calm yet cold and his voice carried its typical kindness but the child could hear Noah's patience wearing thin. Nonie looked down at the floor; her pale hand reached inside the pocket of her apron; reemerging, her hand was clutched in a fist, which opened revealing a silver ring broken in two pieces.
Swiftly, Noah removed the pieces from Nonie's hand. "So, you were going to try selling Her Grace's engagement ring, am I correct?" His blue eyes bored into the child maid, who only continued staring at the floor.
It meant yes.
He sighed, tucking the item away in his breast pocket. That explained the odd mess in the garden he found early that morning. Nonie must have dropped the box as she attempted stealing it and must not have finished cleaning the mess. Noah stared intently at Nonie. He knew by right he should take her straight to Zoe for such a heinous act.
However, Noah felt he understood the girl's situation. Having lived in poverty himself, Noah recalled the struggle trying to meet ends. The job he had held wasn't enough and stealing was the only way he had supported himself for as long as he had. Of course, that was centuries ago. Sounds of quiet sobs broke Noah from his thoughts and he saw Nonie wipe away her tears with the sleeve of her dress. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to drop her box! Or break the ring! D-D-D-D-Do you have to tell Her Grace? I understand I screwed up majorly and I'm sorry!"
"You know I must. It's my job as a butler," He replied, offering her his handkerchief. Nonie took it, trying to clean her face up. "However, I'm sure Her Grace will understand." Noah said with a soft smile.
"B-B-But I broke her box and ring…" Nonie sniffled.
"That you did." The butler dipped his head, before turning on his heels, "Her Grace is more understanding then most of her class," he replied as he walked away. He turned his head slightly, capturing Nonie still standing there with streams of tears rolling down her red cheeks. "She forgave you once; I'm sure she will again."
With that, he merely disappeared around the corner.
The blue summer sky eventually turned into a deep orange mingled with pink clouds. Zoe stared out from the balcony watching birds fly by, singing their lilt songs and insects hovering briefly in air before zooming away. Her black gloved fingers silently drummed along the white railing. All day she had waited for Noah to return with her prized item. And yet, she hadn't seen hide nor tail of her butler after his departing that morning.
What was taking him so long? A butler of his abilities should have been able to find that box within an hour! No, half an hour! It was frustrating Zoe. Perhaps she should have ordered him to find it within that hour. But she just wasn't clear minded at the time.
What if Noah hadn't found the box? That meant her prized possession was gone forever! Just what would she do if that were case? All those questions swirled through the girl's mind. She didn't even notice that somebody had entered her bedroom uninvited, her fingers continued drumming on the balcony's railing, the impatient sound getting louder and louder as time went on until sounds of dress shoes broke her train of thought.
The butler bowed to her. "Forgive me for making you wait so long, Your Grace. But I have obtained your belongings."
"Hm. Took you long enough," Zoe muttered under her breath. "However, I guess I will pardon it." She turned to him, dark eyes focused on him. "Well? Are you going to tell where you found it and let me see it?"
"Yes, it would seem our newest maid, Nonie had stolen the ring in hopes of quick money. As she proceeded, she dropped the box breaking it and…the contents." Noah walked to her; carrying the broken ring in his hand, he held his hand out to her.
Zoe exhaled shapely, taking the engagement ring. "So, the idiot thinks she broke it?" She replied with a scoff.
Noah nodded. "Yes, and if I may ask if you will not be too harsh in the punishment."
"I'm not big on cruel punishing, you know that," She spoke with a sigh. "If anything, she can help out Marie in the kitchen and Ellen in the garden." Zoe stared at the engagement ring in her hand. Three years ago, the ring had slipped off her finger while she was playing with Ruby; it was slung toward the opposite side of the drawing room where it hit against the wall, busting into two pieces. Zoe felt heavy sadness weigh over her heart when she saw the state of it, for she felt guilty as it was something her dearest Silas had given her. Little did she know later that day, her sadness would turn to depression that seemed to lead into a never-ending hatred. That same day, her betrothed and his family burned to ash in a fire caused by unknown culprits. She felt as though living was no longer an option; each day was like a prolonged event. Matters only got worse when news came that her fiancé was found alive.
The joy she felt upon hearing the news caused her to make Noah stop everything that day and proceed to her fiancé's manor. Only to see that the news she had received was incorrect: her betrothed's brother was found alive, not him. Coming to find out later, the person who relayed the message to her had heard false information though social gossip circles. Zoe felt utterly stupid for taking word of those gossiping cretins. She had no clue why she believed them at all. Perhaps, she was just so desperate to hope that her beloved fiancé was alive. Hope that soon got burned to the ground, just like his manor.
Oh, but the hate that brewed that day. Why was it that, that boy, Ciel Phantomhive got to come back and not Silas? It just wasn't fair…
This broken ring was the thing that keep her going for so long. The thing made her push to find the bastard who took him away. This ring was the only thing pushing her. The Duchess jumped at the sudden feeling of being touched as Noah's smooth gloved hand ran over her cheek wiping away the clear moisture. Tears.
"Your Grace, are you okay?" He queried, true concern in his eyes.
Zoe sniffed. "Never better. Noah may I ask you something?"
"Of course, Your Grace."
"Y-You will be there to see everything to the end, right?" Zoe's eyes looked up at the tall male, waiting for his answer that came in a light chuckle. She frowned. "That is not an answer."
"I know, I know, Your Grace." Noah chuckled again, pushing some loose chestnut hair over Zoe's shoulder. He looked at her, a kind smile on his lips as he placed a firm hand on her arm. "You know I will. It is by your birthright that I shall ensure you a victory in this battle and in the ones to come afterwards. I am your loyal butler forever." His voice held sincerity, something that made Zoe smile.
Her hand turned in a fist, covering the ring.
"Thank you." She caught sight of a sapphire butterfly soaring in the air; it stopped for a while before hovering over her, as if it had taken just as much interest in the girl as the girl below had in it. Soon, it vanished like it wasn't even there.
Zoe just clutched the broken ring in her hand. 'I will avenge you, my love.'
A/N- Hey, hey folks been awhile sine my last publishing, eh? Well, this little piece could be the start of new and different multi-chapter story, of course starring these OCs (though some of you might know them). But, until then this piece will remain as complete.
I want to give a huge thanks to ShadowWolf2400 for beta-reading and getting to me on such a time crunch! I hope you guys get some decent entertainment and I'll see ya next time.