Alrighty then.

Chapter 3.

How about I skip the formalities and go straight into it?

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Now onto the story, I'm sure you've all been waiting…

Disclaimer: No I don't own it. At all. Not even a little.


After All This Time, Who Stands Before Me?

Chapter 3: Planned

Elizabeth Midford

Voices came into focus, cold and calculating. Both now foreign to her ears, even though she had been listening to one for the past years constantly, lovingly. Now it was unrecognizable in its greed, its malice, its cold pride.

"So, the shipment is here?" her husband leaned forward.

"Not yet. There was a delay," Cassius replied, seeming reserved.

"What kind of delay?" Clarence demanded angrily.

"I am not at liberty to say." Now Elizabeth was sure he was doing it to spite Clarence. Good, she thought, let life be hard for this lying bastard.

Her husband leapt to his feet, red faced at the impertinence of a man he considered to be his underling, a mere pawn. "You watch your damn tongue, lowlife, before I cut it off! You are not at liberty to keep a thing from me!" Cassius only smiled serenely, looking entertained by Clarence's fury. If it was at all possible, Mr. Knightly's face reddened even further. "I demand you tell me! Now!" His voice had raised to almost a shout, and the prideful man, whose demeanor had once been of humble kindness and patience, shook with barely contained rage. Cassius's smile only widened into what can only be described as a devilish grin.

"Your lordship," he spoke the title with a mocking tone, "in accordance with a polite request on your part I will tell you precisely what happened."

"WHAT?! I'LL-"

"Now, now," Cassius interrupted him. "Do you want to know how your largest shipment of drugs, illegal weapons, black market goods, and your entire criminal franchise was diverted, or what?" Elizabeth had to stifle a gasp. Her Clarence, in dealings like that? The ringmaster, no less? Who exactly was the man she had married?

"But I pay you to stop things like that!"

"Then wouldn't you like to know exactly which force stopped me from fulfilling my job?" The dark stranger's smile never left him. It was beginning to look sinister to Elizabeth, and so was the dangerous gleam in his eye. After a moment of what looked like internal debate Clarence sat down and gave Cassius his consent to continue.

"It came when we came to port. In London."

"What came?" Elizabeth could tell that Clarence had taken the bait, and Cassius's smirk still grew. He sat back, contented, and continued with his explanation.

"If you ask the sailors of the ship, I'm sure they'll say it was a shadow in the night, or a murderous spirit. Ask the people who live near the port, and I am sure they will say it was an avenging angel."

"Now what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean? Are you trying to be cryptic with me? That didn't answer my question!" Cassius was about to retort when Clarence sat up, noticing something. His expression clouded in confusion. This piqued Cassius's interest and caused him to stay silent a moment longer. A minute later Clarence voiced his thoughts.

"Since when did you have an eyepatch?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I know this is our first meeting, but I have heard detailed descriptions of you, so I would know who to approach at the party." Lizzy wondered at this turn of events. What exactly was her husband implying? "So," he continued, "why would it be left out that you had such a discernible trait?" Cassius's smile melted off his face.

"I'm afraid I don't follow, Sir." Clarence's eyes narrowed, recognizing the man's now cautious attitude.

"I am saying you are not who you claim to be Mr. Cassius Price. Reveal your identity at once!" he commanded smugly. Elizabeth's head spun. So many revelations in such a short time was almost too much to handle.

Almost.

"Hmph," Cassius, no… the man, whoever he was, stood. "So you're not so dull as I had first hoped. Ah, well, I suppose plan B will also work just fine."

"And what exactly is that? While you're at it, lowlife, how about telling me your name?"

The eye patched man lowered his head, debating something. Elizabeth could have sworn his eye flicked in her direction, but there was no reaction to her presence. It must have been her imagination. He raised his head, now looking resigned and grim. What was with this sudden change of demeanor? The man stepped forward menacingly, and began to explain himself.

"I am an investigator for her Majesty, and the what brought you to her attention was a series of unexplainable deaths. After a bit of digging it was revealed that they all had one thing in common. Have you any idea what that is?" Clarence was given no chance to respond: the newly dubbed investigator continued without pause. "Your drug. The experimental new product on the market, which is oh so popular. It was very easy to track it to your doorstep. So I was sent to take care of the situation" He now stood nose-to-nose with Clarence, and Clarence's face was filled with fear.

"W-who are you?" he asked shakily. "How could you have traced it back to me? I hid my involvement perfectly! I even married a woman from the house of knights! I was totally clear of suspicion!" Oh, that explained it all. Just that one statement. He had married her to clear himself of any suspicion. How cold. Elizabeth was close to tears, but she bit them back. Now was not the time for emotion.

Now in response to Clarence, the man sighed heavily, and then did something that sent Elizabeth's blood cold.

He stared straight at her.

She had been found out.

But wait, this didn't add up. He must have known she was there earlier if he had looked at her precise location now. If so, why wouldn't he say anything, and why did he only acknowledge her now? Wouldn't he want his dealings a secret? A terrible thought occurred to Elizabeth: Is he going to kill me?

Through all of her swirling thoughts a voice called her name. She looked up to the man in an eyepatch, who spoke to her.

"Elizabeth, I do believe you deserve to know the whole truth of this situation, and be allowed to enact your own judgement based on that knowledge. You married a man in good faith, and he lied to you the entire time, hiding his true nature. Please come stand before him." She swallowed nervously. She had such a bad feeling about this. Why did this man act so respectfully, and even familiarly towards her? She stepped forward, her heart in her throat, and continued until she stood beside the strange man.

He turned back to her husband, looking at him with a dark gaze. Slowly, he reached up to his eye, and lifted the eyepatch off of his head. Clarence stiffened in horror and Lizzy leapt forward to see for herself what had scared him. She couldn't believe her eyes. Where this man's pupil should have been was a glowing pentagram, which turned his iris purple. As she stared, he smiled ruefully at her, and something even more unbelievable happened. His normal eye flashed red for a split second, blood red crimson with a slitted pupil. Elizabeth thought hard. She had seen this once before, but it had been her imagination, hadn't it, those ten years ago? As she stood still and utterly speechless the man in front of her made a simple statement that shattered Elizabeth's whole world.

"My name is Ciel Phantomhive, and I am so sorry, Lizzy."


Woohoo Chapter 3 is finished!

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~TheFullmetalSociopath