Me: Hey guys! It's me again with another chapter of 'Pandora Hearts: Connect By A Watch'! Hope you enjoy it. And remember, I don't own anything to do with Pandora Hearts. Only Grace, my character.
Gil: This chapter is also dedicated to MCRDamine!
Oz: Thanks for the review!
All: HAPPY READING!
In a place no human has voyaged before, there was a boy. He was floating above water within the never ending darkness, with his head in his knees.
He heard music. He lifted his head.
"Such a nostalgic melody… Is it calling for me?"
I was waiting in one of the many rooms within the mansion for the right time to make my way to the ceremony. I was looking outside the window, watching the many people arrive in coaches light by candle-light. I could hear Mrs. Kate as well as the other maids greet the guests and praise them on their attire, but the familiar melody was playing in my head lightly in the background. Suddenly it stopped. I turned towards the door.
"Even though it's a bit early, I should just go." I walked to the door and closed it behind me.
I was walking through the hallway when I saw Eda and Oscar looking into a room. I walked forward cautiously, and Eda eventually spotted me out of the corner of her eye. "Grace-chan!"
Oscar turned. "Oh, Grace you're here."
He held out an arm beckoning me to come, and I walked forward. They parted and looked at me as I walked between them. I looked at them in confusion, then turned to inside the room. The room was filled with flowers.
Oscar noticed my amazement and realised what it was. "These are all flowers that the Reinsworth household sent us."
I turned to him. "Reinsworth? You mean…?"
Oscar bent down and whispered to me. "Yes, you're sister is here."
I looked around and found Oz staring at a girl sitting in a seat sipping a cup of tea.
Her pinky-orange hair was long and tied back in a ribbon as it contrasted with her plum-purple shaded dress. As per usual, she looked beautiful without even trying. Curse her beauty. Her red-brown eyes shone when she noticed Oz.
She stood up and walked over to Oz, whom I just then took a moment to look over once. He looked very dashing in his ceremony attire. I felt heat rush to my face, so I lightly shook my head to make it ware off.
Oscar walked in-between them. "Allow me. This is the granddaughter of Duke Reinsworth, and Grace's sister," The girl curtsied as Oscar continued, "Ms. Sharon Reinsworth."
Sharon stood up again. "Nice to meet you, my name is Sharon Reinsworth."
Oz began to twitch, so I knew he was blushing. Eda didn't know what this meant however. "Big brother?"
Oz twitched before standing in a formal position. "Nice to meet you too, I'm Oscar Bezarius."
Sharon curtsied again. "I truly congratulate you on your fifteenth birthday, Master Oz."
Oz scratched his head sheepishly. "Thank you."
Sharon's eyes dropped.
"I apologize. My mother should have been here instead of me, but she felt ill ever since last evening."
My eyes widened in shock, though I remained silent. Mother?
"To express my atonement, I came to visit in place of my mother."
Oz continued to stare at my sister in awe. "Please tell your mother that I'm grateful for her care, and I wish her a swift recovery."
"Thank you."
Oz started to twiddle with his fingers. "May I ask if you'll join the ceremony?"
"Regarding that, I'd love to if I could, but unfortunately I'm not yet fifteen."
An imaginary arrow shot through Oz's heart. "Younger than me?" Letters formed around his head saying. 'Exactly what's wanted'.
I shook my head and rolled my eyes. Typical Oz.
Oscar cut in. "Non-adults can't participate in the party." He looked down to Eda and patted her head. "Kids like Eda will be afraid."
As Sharon giggled and Oz turned away to hide his childish fasination of her, Eda started to cry and ran and hooked onto my legs.
"Grace-chan! It's not fair! I want to go and see the party!"
I laughed and knelt down as I patted her head. "Aww, don't worry Eda-chan! I'll tell you all about it when I get back."
Eda looked up sniffling. "Really?"
I held out my pinky finger. "I promise."
Eda held out her pinky, giggled and we sang the pinky-swear song. I felt everyone turn around and smile at my compassion towards Eda, who wasn't even my relative. Sharon laughed cutely, as usual, which made Oz blush. I stood up as Eda walked over to Oscar and held his hand and we all watched the pair infront of us. As per usual, Sharon made her surroundings sparkle and shimmer to which I rolled my eyes, though hidden.
"Master Oz, I will be fifteen the year after the next. Please do be my dance partner when that time comes."
Oz walked over to one of the many bouquets, picked a red rose and kissed it. He poured a glass of wine and stood in a flirty manner. "That goes without saying." Suddenly he turned into a little munchkin-thingy and danced around. "This is bad. Little Sharon is just too cute!"
I glared at my sister with a flame aura behind me. Sharon noticed me. Just then. At that moment.
"Onee-chan! It's so good to see you again!" She ran up and hugged me, I laughed awkwardly and hugged her back.
"It's great to see you too, Sharon-chan. I apologise that you cannot stay for the party."
She parted the hug. "Please sister, don't apologise, for there is no need."
I smiled contently. "Why is she always like this? Always acting so innocent? Everyone who meets her falls for her act! Urgh!"
Sharon smiled back, but we both noticed what looked like a doll emerge from the shadows, and bow to us. We didn't react, Sharon just simply nodded her head.
"Well then, it's about time."
Oz snapped out of his dance, and we both walked over to him. "I apologize. Today I was supposed to leave shortly after paying my respect." She bowed and took Oz's hand, to which Oz blushed again. Sharon took my hand as well cupped Oz's and mine together, to which I blushed this time.
"In the future, in order to use you who has such a great social influence, many people will try and approach you."
I calmed myself, and Oz did the same.
"Some for your prestigious wealth, and some who simply envies your duke family's power. Moreover, all will try to find the shadow of Bezarius family in you. Please do not forget those who're quiescently supporting you. Only then, will you not become lost." Sharon parted our hands and curtsied again, and hugged me goodbye. She swiftly left to the door. "We're leaving, Break." A boy in his late teens followed Sharon. He had white silvery hair and was smirking. The same doll from just a moment ago was perched on his shoulder. They both bowed and left through the door.
Oz and I stared at the door for a moment until Oscar spoke up. "It's also about time for us to go, you two. But before that," He beckoned me over. "Grace, can you come over here please?"
I nodded in response and walked over with him to a corner of the room whilst Oz talked to Eda, both of them smiling.
"Grace, I haven't been truly honest with you. Tonight is actually conjoined between a coming-of-age ceremony and a betrothal ceremony."
My eyes widened.
"W-Wha-?"
It's… a Betrothal Ceremony.
You two are betrothed, that's why you two are completing the ceremony together tonight.
Young Mistress…
We're… betrothed…?
I sweat dropped.
"Whoops… Almost forgot about that…" I snapped my head to Oz. "We're betrothed! As in-" I started to wave my arms around blushing like a tomato, only being able to stutter. "Y-You know!"
Oz waked up to me and held my shoulders. "Grace, I know. Well, I didn't until Gil told us, but anyway. We have to go through with this whether we want to or not."
Whether we want to or not? What was he saying... that he doesn't like me? Well I know he doesn't, but to admit it... it still hurts.
I slapped his hands away, and I felt my eyes sting.
"So… do you hate me or something?" I knew I was overreacting, but for him to be so blunt about it. He deserves to be yelled at!
Oz realised what he said and panicked. "N-N-N-No, not at all! I could never hate you! But I wouldn't want to MARRY you! I mean-!"
"No, Oz." My eyes were threatening to spill. "It's okay." I walked to the door. Then I turned and curtsied. "I will see you tonight. Until then, goodbye." And I walked out the door, and waited for a reaction. I heard the muffled voice of Oz, asking where Gil was.
"What were you thinking? He doesn't even care about you. I mean… even as a friend." I ran down the hallways, and all was left behind was crystal clear tears, as solid as diamonds.
I was running through the rain to await outside the church. I had decided to take a walk, and I had finally stopped crying, having decided to continue on, not for my own feelings, but for the entire betrothal altogether. I looked up and saw Oz already outside, fixing his tie.
"He actually came? Well, I'm not surprised for some reason. Maybe his father, for as long as I've visited the Bezarius family, I've rarely seen Oz's dad. He might not want to anger him..." I snapped out of my own thougths when I heard Eda's voice through the rain.
"Brother, do your best."
I jumped to hide behind a statue, and watch them. Oz bent down to his sister, who was holding an umbrella. "Thank you, Eda." He held up his hand to whisper after looking around. "You'll be scolded if someone finds you here."
Eda nodded and ran away. Once Eda ran past me without noticing me, and walked forward in the rain.
"Grace!"
I turned around and was surprised when Eda ran into me, hugging me. "Do your best too! Okay?"
I smiled. "Okay. But hurry, you don't want to get caught around here." She nodded and ran away for the final time. I smiled at her innocence, and turned to the church. I stared, for Oz was looking right at me. His shocked face turned into a soft smile, which I returned. I ran up to him, up the church steps out of the rain.
We turned to each other. "Oz, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I mean, we're such great friends, and I don't know what I would do if our friendship was lost."
"No need to apologise, I shouldn't have blurted out what I said. I really didn't mean it! If I had to marry anyone, I would choose you."
I stared into his green eyes, and smiled.
"What about Sharon? Would you want to marry her?"
We stood next to each other upright, like soldiers. "Okay then, let's do this! Let's get this ceremony over with!"
I held out my hand. "Promise our friendship won't be damaged in any way after this."
Oz looked my hand in amusement, but after a moment, he took it.
"Promise."
We stood upright again, and heard Oscar's voice ring through the rafters. "Next, let's have the pair who will soon become united as adults,"
Oz sighed sadly, and I smiled, trying to encourage him. It seemed to work because he smiled kind of sheepishly and stood up straight again.
"Enter this sacred sanctuary."
We heard applauses and entered the chapel. We had to let go of our hands- of course-, put on straight faces and look straight forward as we walked down the long aisle together.
I heard Mrs. Kate cry in joy. "Young Master, you've finally grown up to be a man. A man with an amazing woman by your side."
I struggled not to react to that. Although in my head I was dancing around like a robot high on caffine-oil.
We stopped at the foot of the stairs, and looked up past Oscar, to the clock on the top level.
"The soundless wall clock." We made our way up the stairs, looking past Oscar to the clock. Out of the corner of our eyes, we spotted someone of to the side.
"Gilbert!"
He nodded, sensing our surprise. He was dressed in attire almost matching out own, and may i say he looked very dashing. Not even a bit shook by this event, not in the slightest.
We both stopped at Oscar, while he recited the traditional speech."In front of the soundless wall clock which had stopped ticking a hundred years ago, the actors enter the legendary ringing stage."
We both bowed to our knees.
"The light of truth, illuminate the path ahead of this pair. The winds of righteousness, grant them wisdom. The water of sanctity, please relief them of pain. By the blood and name of Bezarius, this now officially united pair are recognised as adults." Oscar closed and blessed the book he was reading from, and gave it to an altar server He then turned to another server who held up a sword. "Ah, the great Sword of Baptism, cleanse them of all foulness, and at the same time, bless them with life-long happiness." Oscar then tapped the sword on each of both of our shoulders, then held it up close to his face. "With this, all their foulness has been cleansed." He placed the sword to a server and they all stood out of our way. "At this moment, please pledge your oath."
We both stood up and walked towards the clock. We both walked up to the clock, knelt down, and placed one of our hands on the wall. We spoke simultaneously.
"I shall embed the family name into my heart, protecting it till I disappear. I hereby swear this to the great land and my close and distant friends."
GONG!
The clock's hand ticked to midnight. Oz's and my closed eyes shot open. We both looked up to the clock's face. I felt something wrap around my hand touching the wall. It burned. I flicked my hand from the wall in pain. I looked down to my hand and saw a golden ribbon wrapped around it, embedding itself into my skin. It wound itself around Oz's hand and done the same, but Oz was too shocked to even look down from the clock. I looked up too.
"This…"
We both looked around and almost doubled-back in shock, the entire crowd below us was still, as if frozen in time.
Oz glared in worry. "What in the world happened?"
In that same place where the boy was listening to a melody he recognised, a light appeared within the oblivion surrounding him. He looked up from his crouched position.
"Has the path opened?"
z stared at the clock's face, and fell to his knees. As I stared too, my knees could barely hold my weight, and I stumbled backwards, a few feet away from Oz.
Suddenly the windows broke in and three hooded figures jumped down, surrounding us. One of them hit a pressure point in my neck and I fell to the ground.
Bump.
Oz's P.O.V:
I watched as Grace's unconscious body fell to the ground, and the hooded figure who attacked her meekly stood over her. Rage built up inside of me.
"GRACE!" Suddenly I felt an arm wrap around my neck, strangling me, arming themselves with a knife. I knew who it was. "Gil, what're you doing?"
"The destined one has descended, the clock has knelled. What needs to be done next is…"
I felt a knife stab me above my heart, across my shoulder. My breath was caught in my throat. "Gil... why?"
"A stab from a true friend, shimmering of red light,"
Gil pulled the knife from me, and I saw my own blood swallow the blade's cold metal surface. A drop of the crimson liquid fell from it.
One of the hooded figures walked over to Grace, knelt down to her, and swiftly grazed their blade across her outstretched neck, making her bleed.
I tried to break free from Gil's grasp. "Let her go! Don't touch her!"
"a cruel graze of a promised one, crimson liquid spilt,"
I began to cry. "Please! Don't hurt her!"
They continued regardless of my cries. The hooded figure who held the blade that held Grace's blood, walked away from her and flicked the blade once. A drop of Grace's blood fell to the floor.
"blood dripping down, opening the path of evil."
As the blood touched the floor, a purple lit symbol suddenly appeared around Gil and me.
"The time of judgement has arrived; the path to the Abyss has been opened!"
My eyes widened. "Abyss you say?"
Gil cackled crazily. "Your blood is different from that of other humans. The aroma smells delicious." His eyes widened in hunger, and one of the hooded figures fell to the ground. The other two looked to their fallen companion.
One of them spoke, "What's wrong, Zwei?"
The figure on the floor, a woman, kept her head focoused on the ground. "The Dorudam is breaking away…"
The others were shocked, "What did you say?"
Gil cackled again. I looked to him in worry. "Gil…"
"I want to see more of your blood." He licked my ear.
I shivered. "Stop, Gil."
He cackled even louder, and lifted his blade up again.
Suddenly a scythe swooped down and the circle turned into a huge whirling pink vortex, which ended up knocking Gil out of it.
"Gil!" Chains surrounded me and a giant eerie figure floating above me.
The hooded figures stood back in shock. "B-rabbit/Black Rabbit."
The figure looked down to me. "This is ugly, kid."
The figure turned out to be the girl from before. "When did you…"
She chuckled and looked at me. Lightening shone through the room from the storm outside.
The hooded figures armed themselves. "Are you trying to obstruct us?"
"Obstruct?" She chuckled again and smirked. "This truly disappoints me. You know, I helped you guys take care of the break-away kid." She directed her gaze to Gil, then stabbed my back with her heel. "Let me make this clear, he is my property. Don't even think about him, Soul Reapers."
I glared at her. "Property?"
Her gaze didn't move from the 'Soul Reapers'. "I just decided that a moment ago, shut up. Say, Mr. Soul Reapers, if you guys lay a hand on him, I'll go all out to stop you." Chains began to spread everywhere. "I do not allow my things to be robbed away."
The most muscular of the three figures armed himself with a giant sword. "You want to obstruct us? Like we'd let you."
The girl, who was caressing my face, looked to them. "Idiots who don't know their limits."
She jumped up and turned into a huge black rabbit, and chains flew everywhere. The man holding the sword attacked and ended up throwing her through the glass stained window! While the two men were outside battling the rabbit, I looked over to Gil and Grace.
"Gil, Grace, hang on!" I froze when a dagger came to my neck.
The female of the group stared down at me. "Don't move."
I glared at her. "B-Rabbit, Soul Reapers? Just what in the world is happening?"
After a minute of silence, the group came flying in through another window.
Grace's P.O.V:
When I came to, I tried to sit up, but pain shot up through my neck. My hand instantly clasped around my neck, but I felt something warm and wet. I retreated my hand to in front of my face. It has blood on it! I winced as I put my hand back on my neck, and I weakly got on my feet. I looked around and I saw a giant rabbit holding a scythe being confronted by those three figures from before. I whipped my head to find Gil and Oz on separate corners of the room. "Oz! Gil!"
The rabbit laughed and lifted it's scythe, then turned into a girl? The three figures let their guard down and relaxed.
The girl smirked. "I won't kill you guys." She chuckled and looked up giving a wild-eyed smile. "You guys want to bring this brat into Abyss correct?" Oz, Gil and I all looked up in complete shock. The girl continued. "The envoy of Abyss will come to those who have committed unspeakable sins. And it's said that he will be brought to that horrible place." She pointed to me. "And that girl too, I'm guessing."
I clutched my neck. "Wasn't that only a legend?"
The girl chuckled in a crazed way and jumped up again, turning into the giant black rabbit. "Come, let this brat come to my side." Chains spread through the room again.
The female in the room looked shocked. "What?"
Chains attached themselves to everything in sight.
"What a pleasant moment this is. Come, squeal and dance fools." She floated above Oz cuddling herself. "Let is all wish the little lamb which will enter the Abyss a great fortune." She laughed hysterically.
I heard Oz whisper, "How did this happen?" He turned to Gil, and I followed his gaze still listening to him. "Gil."
Gil was holding onto the main figure's cloak, obviously still in pain. "What sins have Young Master or Young Mistress committed?" He began to shake the man furiously. "You guys have no reason to bring any of them down to Abyss!"
I tried to walk forward but ended up stumbling backwards. "Stop Gil! Just hurry up and run!"
Gil held on tighter, then screeched. "Young Master is…" Lightening struck and Gil caught a glimpse of the man's face. He instantly let go and stuttered. The man pulled down his hood further. "You're…"
I let go of my neck and ran forward. "Gil!"
Oz looked around frantically and found the ceremonial sword beside him. He picked it up and charged, with his eyes now showing no emotion. "Get away from Gil!"
Gil turned to him. "Don't, Young Master, he's-" Oz closed him eyes and swung his sword.
There was silence.
I gasped in shock, eyes watering. Oz opened his eyes wide, just realising what he had done.
Gil's lifeless body fell to the floor, soon swallowing in his own pool of blood.
I dropped to my knees, still staring at my dear friend's body, my whole body shaking. Oz eventually dropped his sword and began to walk backwards till he was beside me.
"Gil. Why did it turn out like this?" He fell to his knees too. We both screamed.
"!"
The girl sat in the air smirking. "This really is a masterpiece."
A male figure cut the rabbit in half. "Disappear, the deceased soul of Abyss."
The rabbit dissolved into thousands of sparkles of dust. "Fine."
The girl reappeared and hugged Oz's emotionless body. "I'll wait for you. I'll wait for your return. I've finally found the lead which I need." Then she dissolved for the final time.
The female grabbed my arms and held me back and a male done the same to Oz, while the main male stood over Gil and stopped in front of us all.
"Oz Bezarius. I will now shackle you of your sin, placing a judgement upon you. Your partner, Grace Reinsworth, shall suffer the same fate." He removed half of each glove and let the rest fall. "The sin you've committed,"
Lightening.
"Is,"
Lightening. A great black raven appeared. The man grabbed both our heads. "your very existence in this world." A purple symbol lit up the floor beneath us, and the raven's feathers flew around us.
"We'll be both swallowed in by the dark wings."
Chains wrapped around the both of us, joint to joint. The floor beneath us disappeared and it was silent.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you." I fell.
"!"
Hope you all liked it! Sorry it's been so long, been roleplaying in the forums! Hehe.
