A/N: Kuro ain't mine
It was funny, she thought, how he believed his secret was safe.
Looking out onto the blossoming garden from the pristine white gazebo, the golden-haired woman keenly observed the movements of her fiancée and his shadow.
Or, rather the butler.
The slight summer breeze ruffled the folds of lace and silk that hung about her willowy frame, carrying the scent of lilac and sterling silver roses from across the expansive gardens to grace her delicate senses. Breathing deeply, she allowed her mind to wander back to her childhood, back to when life had seemed only a game at which there were no losers nor winners, only peaceful bliss.
If only she could retrieve that childlike innocence, revel in all its pleasant ignorance.
Green eyes skimmed over the distant figures and fixed on the untouched tea set placed ever so carefully on the white table behind her. She had set it herself, chosen the dishes the light snack would be served upon, adjusted the angle of each perfectly cut sweet on the tray. She had even picked a few of the roses he loved so much and had placed them gently in the center of the arrangement.
She had wanted to make him something that she alone had created, something from someone who truly loved him.
Checking the weathered pocket watch her father had given her, the woman noted that it was a half hour past the time they had agreed to meet. Her eyes flicked back towards the figures wandering through the garden.
He thought she didn't know.
But then again, he thought no one knew.
She could sense his puzzlement when people whispered and stared at social gatherings, taste the questions on his lips when they kissed, the tenseness of his muscles when holding hands. He believed he knew things others did not, that he was one step ahead of everyone else.
But of course, the proud Earl of Phantomhive had never excelled in the social aspects of life.
He did not see her efforts to conceal his secret, to protect him from prying eyes of vicious nobles and the ever-suspicious Scotland Yard. He was oblivious to all except what he deemed vital, though it seemed as their days together grew in number, she herself was not among these vital things.
She watched as the figures strolled closer to the gazebo, taking their time as they closely examined the gardens, clearly unaware of the green eyes that had followed their every move.
Turning away from them, she sat in one of the two seats placed at the table and neatly crossed one leg over the other like her mother had taught her to.
She thought that perhaps she would be able to uphold the union, take care of her fiancée as she had vowed to do those many years ago. She was thrilled when he proposed, readily accepting the responsibility of looking after her dearest companion, prepared to sacrifice anything for his sake. She knew what it meant to be the wife of the Queen's Guard Dog and resolved herself to fulfill her role to the best of her ability.
But as she gazed out at the pair in the garden, she knew that this was a feat even she could not hope to conquer.
Rising from her seat, Elizabeth Midford plucked a begonia from an overhanging bush and slipped off her engagement ring, threading it onto the stem of the flower and placing both on the chair that should have been occupied by the young man in the garden. Not sparing a glance behind her, she strode from the shelter of the gazebo and into the waiting day.
A/N: No idea where this came from, hope you enjoyed it though! I really wanted to delve a little deeper into Elizabeth's character and portray her as more than a ditzy little girl. Another little note, begonias signify deep thinking and cautiousness, something I can imagine a mature version of Elizabeth leaving as a last farewell to Ciel. Anywho, reviews are appreciated! Thanks as always for reading.
Wordsmith8