His fair lady
(A/N: Sort of a response to Still Hoping, but not really. As per usual, I doth nary own Black Butler (lucky lucky Yana Toboso doth), and that maketh myself verily unjoyous. Did that make sense? Yeah, it did. Warning: a bit of fluff, but not enough to ruin the serious tone. Sort of Ciel/Lizzy, but not so much.)
Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford. It was a distinguished name, one which would immediately think of a lady, duchess or even perhaps a princess or queen. Well, she WAS a lady, but Ciel would be damned if she acted like one. That bloody girl… sometimes the thought of her made him want to tear his hair out.
And at other times, it was mildly comforting. For all her faults, she did try. And she was, for lack of a better word, determined.
Of course, Ciel would never let her know THAT. It would set her off like a firecracker. She was predictable, in that way, but unpredictable in others. Ciel Phantomhive did not like unpredictable. He liked order. He liked a schedule. His daily schedule was predictable and (thanks to Sebastian) very reliable, and generally went as such;
-Wake up
-(have Sebastian) bathe
-Tea
-Breakfast
-Lessons (history, languages, violin, and (ugh) dancing) with Sebastian
-Tea
-Paperwork
-Snack
-More bloody paperwork
-Lunch
-Read
-Try to beat Sebastian at something (and fail)
-Snack
-Be the Queen's Watchdog
-Business meeting (maybe with some chess)
-Tea and snack
-Supper
-Pretend to do paperwork
-(have Sebastian) prepare for bed
-Sleep
He liked his schedule. And Elizabeth was not part of it. She forced herself into it. interrupting his routine. But at times, her presence could almost be a welcome distraction. Not that he would admit it.
She liked dancing, and balls, and dress-up. Childish things. He liked money, plotting and chess. More adult things. Ciel Phantomhive was not a child any longer. He had important things to do, like getting revenge. He didn't want to take part in her immature whims, or fancies, or daydreams, or happiness. And most of all, her fetish for 'cute' things. It was a downright obsession with the girl.
One almost would wonder how, with such a serious, harsh, and strict mother that Elizabeth could be so spoiled (although, it was rather unfair of Ciel to say that, as he was an even worse brat, but he had his pride). But then, she was just like her father. How such a man could be the Head Knight of England… But England was all shot to hell anyway. What kind of Queen lets a thirteen-year-old boy do all her detective work? She was mad.
At any rate, it wasn't his place to say. He was meant to follow orders, toe the line, etc, etc. How boring.
Elizabeth wasn't like that. Or like him at all. She was bright where he was dark. Happy where he was brooding. Smiling when he was scowling. Showed all her emotions when he hid all his.
In a funny way, you could say that they complemented each other.
All in all, you could say that his perspective of her was more or less neutral. Not a significant amount of hate, not a significant amount of love.
Until of course, the Campania. After that, nothing was ever the same.
He had seen a different side of Elizabeth, er, Lizzy then. When he thought that she was going to be eaten by the Bizarre Dolls, he had felt pathetic. Unable to defend her like he had promised, or even himself. He had felt like a child. And Ciel was a child, in the truest sense of the word. Young, small, unable to take care of himself… he couldn't even do up his own shirt or eyepatch, for goodness sake! He would have sooner submitted to another one of Sebastian's dancing lessons before saying it, though.
It would have been putting it mildly to say that he was surprised to see Lizzy snatch the blades from the wall and obliterate the Bizarre Dolls. He was even more shocked to see her start to cry after it, claiming that she had an 'uncute' appearance. It was truly amazing. After saving his sorry arse from being eaten alive, she was upset that she didn't look 'cute'. She had then reminded him of a day so long ago, he was surprised she was still upset about it. It had been years ago, a lifetime ago, really.
After a rather unsuccessful fencing lesson, Frances leaves the room.
Ciel groaned.
"Haaa, that was scary."
Smiling, Lizzy handed him a towel.
"It's because Mother is so strict."
"Aunt Frances is pretty, but such a strong wife... it scares me."
Lizzy's face was an expression of pure horror. Ciel didn't notice.
"I'm glad that you're the one that's going to be my wife, Lizzy."
She smiled again, but it was not natural like her first one. It looked more like she knew she was faking it. Ciel still didn't notice.
"I'm the kind of scary girl Ciel hates!"
"What the devil?"
Sebastian had smirked at that.
Lizzy still sobbed.
"But that's what you said before, didn't you? You don't want a strong wife!"
"That was… in the past. I should apologize now."
She perked up slightly at that.
"Then you will still marry me? You don't hate me?"
"I could never-"
He wouldn't say more than that. That would set her off. Ciel had felt his face turn red, and it had heated up like a wildfire. And Sebastian was no help at all, snickering. He had wanted to say that he could never hate her. And that in that moment, when she was cutting down Bizarre Dolls, that she had never looked cuter. And that he would have taken back the statement about a 'strong wife' in an instant. The child Ciel had said that. This Ciel would never deign to utter such a travesty. He honestly had never really wanted to marry her, except in that one moment. In that moment, he might have even deluded himself into thinking that he loved her.
But it would have been a rather childish thing to tell her, and Ciel was not a child.
(A/N: Done! Whatcha think? Review! Press the button. If you do, then I will be happy and write better. And check out Still Hoping. These two stories kind of go together, but you can read in whatever order. Have fun! And personally, I love Ciel/Lizzy but it isn't very plausible. Or maybe it is. Ciel is an enigma. Writing from his perspective is such a pain. Brat. He does love his snacks, don't he. And we all know how the Brits are 'bout their tea. For another thing, I personally think that when Lizzy cut up those zombies, Ciel was probably thinking: Damn. No way in HELL would a guy not want a pretty girl who kicks zombie ass. Just my opinion.)