Chapter 6
The nobles returned to the mansion which seemed a lot busy than it usually was. Every worker from most to least importance, busy with the preparations of their mistress' big day. Not one of them was allowed to sit in peace without getting their destined work done even if their honored lady was back home already. There wasn't a soul in the place, sitting idle.
A few hours passed and by sundown, the preparations were all done. The guests started gushing in and occupying the lavish ballroom the Middlefords owned. A chandelier taller than an average human hung from the very top of the room, its sparkling luminous beauty radiating the hall but not as beautifully as the ivory skinned, Middlford princess and fiance of the Phantomhive boy. Elizabeth stepped down the marble staircase, the clanking of her heels being the only sound heard so far as the crowd watched in awe. She was draped in the same scarlet dress her beloved gifted her earlier in the morning, her golden hair fell down her bun, falling perfectly effortlessly.
Hundreds of eyes must have been on her at the moment but her emerald eyes longed for only one man, her fiance, Ciel Phantomhive. The man whom she seeked seemed to have been lost in the crowd. How was that even possible? Wasn't he very easily distinguishable? Not this time, he was literally lost within the mass of a crowd gathered there. Her eyes seeked but couldn't find, shattering her instantly. It was as though the day she spent with him was merely a dream but, how could it be? She had the dress he bought her. Stepping down into the people, flooding all at once and greeting her, she looked around for her beloved with a look of anxiety over her face. With not a word to each person whom she came across, she looked around restlessly for Ciel around the hall until a point where she was looking up to giving up the whole wild goose chase.
Out of nowhere, a hand reached out and grabbed hold of her frail arm, pulling her closer to the person and gently placed his free arm around her slender waist. The girl was surprised at first, a look of rage on her face before it slowly dove down on realizing who it was.
"C-Ciel...I...was looking...for you..." she said in a light stutter.
The tall gentleman smiled down at her, his single sapphire eye staring down at her affectionately as his hand grazed its fingers against her soft cheek then down to her chin and applied a small amount of force as his index finger curled below it and thumb held the front of her chin to pull her against him. Leaning down a little, the man neared the lady with no sense of embarrassment what so ever. Their noses met but departed to a different position as the young demon's lips met Elizabeth's and stayed there to savor the moment.
Elizabeth could literally feel her blood rush up to her cheeks, reddening them up unlike ever before. Her eyes grew wide on feeling his soft pale lips against hers but then slowly closed down while her lips applied a little pressure back to his, kissing him back. Inside her body it was like fireworks bursting, like time had stopped for both of them and the best, her Ciel was found and with her. It must have been their first kiss, even if it wasn't, it did feel like the first of ever.
As they parted, Lizzy began to think of this being the most memorable eighteenth birthday ever.
Chapter 7
The party had ended or could have been going on for all the drunk noblemen out there, filling their guts up with the finest wine and alcohols. The servants did do their job in sending them home and did it with the ut - most politeness. Once the hall was all empty, they could clean it up in peace before getting a good nights rest. It sure would be hard being a servant during the time of all these parties and balls though they didn't seem to mind for today, after all it did make their young mistress happy after that long period of misery in her life.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth was chatting with her fiance and filling his ears up with all sorts things she wanted to tell him. Something about their past as kids, about how he was looking so different now and what not. As they spoke, the young woman raised her hand up to her mouth to contain a yawn that came her way. It seemed like the sand man had been working his magic on her again though, she tried her best to fight it and shove it aside. She didn't want to miss out on a single minute with her beloved fiance. Her sleep seemed no where as important as spending time with her Ciel.
"I suppose I should let you rest before you collapse from exhaustion..." Ciel teased, not the least bit affected by the sleepy vibe she let, just like his demon butler.
"I'm fine!" Lizzy protested, "I don't need to sleep yet..." she added, crossing her arms childishly across her chest with a little pout to her rose lips.
A quick lean down and the young gentleman stole a kiss from his lady under the dark sky, illuminated by the bright moon above them while they chatted in her balcony. The kiss not only ran sparks inside Elizabeth's body, but Ciel's body as well. It was like two lovers reunited finally though the kiss was short lived.
A smirk ran across the man's face on seeing her pale face show a hint of pink by her cheeks. Taking his hand up to her face, his thumb brushed across the elevated cheek bone of hers and his sapphire blue admired her radiance.
"I'll meet you tomorrow, I promise. For now, get some sleep and take good care of yourself.." he said in a soft, alluring tone, parting his hand away from her face and motioned for his butler to follow as he exited the room.
The blonde had no chance to speak or protest this time, her eyes froze up to his when he spoke and slowly broke away to watch him leave her. Something about his words told her this time, this time he wouldn't leave her. She was so close to him all day, couldn't this mean he was really present with her? This wasn't a dream after all. A few minutes after he left and after she broke from her trance, she smiled. That smile she had forgotten to wear during his absence, she wore it again. How long has it been since? God only knew but yet again, she was happy at last. Taking her nightgown on her own, without the need for assistance from Paula, she slipped into it and dropped herself on her bed with a smile of a love struck teenager. How could she sleep after that wonderful day with her fiance? None the less, she could slowly drift into deep slumber with the entire day playing back like a movie before her shut eyes.
Once Ciel left the mansion, he took back his midnight blue carriage to the place which was once his home. Now that he was back, he couldn't really stay out in the open all night like the nocturnal being he turned into. Even if it was to put on a show, he had to pretend to go back to his old lifestyle.
"Doesn't this feel..rather nostalgic?" the butler cooed to his master with a devious smile like always.
A glance to the butler across him and he released a gush of air from his nostrils to display the displeasure with his words. Not that it meant anything different to him, only good thing that came out from coming back was the sight of his beloved.
The black horses stopped before the mansion that could have never looked any better. The Phantomhive manor. A place filled with mysteries and memories of all kinds. The place where the Queen's guard dog once resided. The same mansion that was burnt down thrice before it was reconstructed once again, this time which could be the final time.
"Home sweet home..." The butler chuckled.
"Aren't you rather talkative today..." the young man mumbled under his deep tone, glancing up at the structure of the building while recalling all the events that took place from the very beginning. From his very presence there, till the day he left it to ruin down into ashes. It all felt oddly nostalgic to return here after all these years. He wasn't surprised though to find it in a spic and span condition, finding things oddly arranged in place wasn't surprising him any more.
Chapter 8
As the mood stood high in the star spangled sky, the young Phantomhive stood outside the balcony of what was once his room. It still stood there no doubt but that feel was different with him rather different now. His midnight blue hair rustled with the calm breeze of the night as his sapphire eye gazed up at the silver orb in the sky, his mind blank with no thought to fill the void, not even the thought of his beloved. He just gazed blankly ahead until the faint smell of tea had captured his nostrils. Looking back, he could almost picture a film going before him. As though the scene inside his dark room that was merely illuminated by the light of the candles and moon, turning into a vintage movie scene. He could see his younger self, dressed in those midnight blues with his leg crossed over one. He watched his butler, walk up to his younger self and place down the tea he had prepared for him, watching his younger self's lips curl to a smile as he siphoned his tea. The flashback ended when the wind silently blew out one of the candles, dimming the room further and made him sigh. Being a demon, he lacked the need for liquids or food, his body lacked any materialistic nutrition since his only appetite was human souls. Souls... the one his new found interest, his demon sides new craving. Her soul... he thought now, thinking over his new found delicacy. His eyes turned a deep shade of blood red, his chest rose and fell visibly as his breathing grew heavy. He, wanted it...
A familiar voice broke the male from his thoughts, his dark desiring thoughts of his own fiance. The thoughts which couldn't be measured close to lust. Thoughts which couldn't even be defined as want. These thoughts were way too dark, filled with disgust for a human..for a lover.
"Are you alright master? you haven't responded when I called you." Sebastian spoke, standing there with a face emotionless as ever and a smile faked so flawlessly.
"I'm fine, I just...was recalling things..about the past..when we lived here..." Ciel mumbled under his breath, wiping his face to brush himself past all the unwanted thoughts he had come up with in his head, shaking his head violently for a while before looking back at Sebastian who had walked up to his side. He scoffed, recalling how there was once a time where he could barely reach the male's chest but now, he was towering the world at the same height as his butler.
"Her soul.." Sebastian started off, trailing his crimson eyes over to his master. "Has changed drastically..." he added, tilting his head to the side with a smile. "She isn't any longer the Elizabeth you knew back then. She's matured quite a lot hasn't she." the male said as his smile slowly turned sinister as he added. "Quite appetizing as yours seemed..."
The Phantomhive shot a glare over to the male as he felt something rush up his gut, a strong feeling of anger that made his non existent blood boil. Specially having his butler speak of his fiance that way. He didn't want to admit that he just craved for her soul as much as he was tempting him to, considering the fact that he loved her dearly.
"Hush Sebastian, speak only when you're asked to. And keep your filthy eyes off Lizzy's soul. I'll dismantle you if you even so much as think about her." Ciel growled, his hues having a bright and dangerous glow.
Sebastian had burst out into a loud laughter as he nodded to his master, not wanting to upset him how ever amusing it was seeming to him. He would continue this further though he wouldn't want to start a blood bath on their first day home. It would be fun though, he lacked any kind of entertainment ever since they had gone back to hell and earth was always interesting to be in. Humans, they were all so amusing. So complex yet simple, mixed with various emotions and ambitions that made them fun to be around.
"Yes, my Lord."