Hello everyone! Been a little longer this time – and it might get worse, I have to admit. I've only written this far in the story. But I'm planning on writing whenever I have the time (Math class, perhaps?) so I'll try to post as often as I can.

A note on the universe – mostly manga, but I suppose the events from the anime up until around episode 16 also happened.

Warnings for this chapter: Violence

This belongs to its rightful owners.

The next few days blurred into nothing – or at least, that was how it felt to Ciel. Work, tedium, the occasional moments of strange connection between himself and Sebastian. Flashes of guilt for how he had left things with Elizabeth – not only had he not explained things to her, he had pushed her away and physically hurt her. His sleep was full of nightmares – though Sebastian had not returned to his room since.

The jet flower, however, showed no sign of wilt or decay.

Exactly a week from the incident with Elizabeth, the next letter from the Queen arrived.

This time, it was another smuggling case. He accepted the letter from Double Charles without questions – it would become clear enough once he read it.

As it did. Diamonds were the object this time, smuggled from Amsterdam in cargo ships – interesting, but simple enough. Ciel could use a purpose for a while – it didn't matter how fixated he was on revenge, if his plan was going nowhere, he had nothing to occupy himself with. He drifted.

He turned the letter over in his hands, thinking.

"Sebastian, find the details of ships from Holland along the coast," he said, detached. "We might have to go there in person later."

"Of course, sir."

Diamonds were funny things, thought Ciel once he had gone. Beautiful enough. Strong – a quick flash of memory hit him, painless this time – and brittle. Like the ice he had been standing on at the time he learned that from Undertaker, they shattered because of the very strength that made them so sought-after.

Diamonds symbolized romance as well, he thought – hadn't Lizzy asked him for a diamond ring? He smiled sharply, looking at the blue stone on his finger. His ring was far from romantic – it was more of a burden, a memory in its own right.

Perhaps.

He rose from his chair and glanced around. No matter what ended up happening, this ought to be interesting.

Ciel drummed his fingers impatiently on the side of the carriage door, looking out at the clouded countryside. "I fail to see why we didn't travel by train, Sebastian," he said flatly. "This takes longer, and it's hardly efficient for traveling across the country like this."

"Ah, but my master's health is delicate," said Sebastian, unfazed. "A crowded train full of other people would displease him."

A scoff from Ciel, but he didn't argue the point. The hand not on the door turned an uncut diamond over, the sharp-edged crystal casting strange shadows on the slight light that touched it.

"Besides, we will be arriving within the hour – it is hardly the time to change our means of transport."

Ciel nodded, staring at the unchanging landscape. The diamond's shadows splintered into several facets, then became whole again.

He wondered if that had happened to him. If it would happen to him.

He wondered if he cared.

The next hour passed as quickly and easily as the rest of the ride. By the time they arrived in Southampton, a fairly large shipping port, Ciel was dusty and irritated. He stowed the diamond away and turned to Sebastian.

"You've found an inn for us to stay in, haven't you?"

"Indeed."

He glared at the docks. There should have been many more ships than there were, he realized – rumors of the smugglings had likely brought about more stringent security, which would lead to fewer imports. The empty, silent workplace was a little eerie, he thought, watching the sole fisherman in his line of vision. The carriage swayed a bit as they turned from the sea, and Ciel grimaced. The sooner he was out of here, the better.

In the more sheltered roads, it was hardly more reassuring. The silence pressed in, making his skin crawl, but he knew better than to break it - Several ragged townspeople glared at them from behind broken windows, and he didn't want to do anything that might push the quiet into something worse.

But it appeared the situation didn't need Ciel's help to go wrong, and quickly.

"Oi! State your business here!" The voice was rough, issuing from an even rougher-looking man. He crossed his arms, glaring at the driver as though that alone would stop him.

Apparently, it would. The horses were reined in, to Ciel's surprise and Sebastian's slight irritation. The former raised one eyebrow.

"We come on business from the Queen, which is none of your concern," he called. "What is the meaning of this?"

"What's the meanin' of your meddling?" He glared, and Sebastian sighed.

"I don't need to tell you his intentions, do I, master?"

"No." Ciel frowned. "But we don't want to call attention to ourselves. Don't attack until they do, understood?"

A cool nod. Outside, the man was still speaking. "Well?"

"Let us pass," said Ciel boredly, but his hand reached for the small pistol he kept. "As I said, this is no concern of yours."

"Oh, but we're quite willing to make it our concern," said the man. "Especially if you're here to bother with the restrictions on trading. That's our business, not some Londoner's."

"And what would you know about that?" Ciel smirked. "So even those as low as you have heard the rumors. Interesting."

"Much though I hate to end this conversation," he said, "Go back to where you came from, noble. You're not wanted."

A scoff, and the Earl beckoned for the driver to continue.

The next thing he knew, he was pressed against the floor of the carriage, Sebastian having flung them to the ground. He had half-expected this, but that didn't stop him from flinching as the gunshot tore through the window above them.

"Are you quite all right?" Sebastian's face was, once again, far too close. Ciel was suddenly very aware of the fact that, as he always did, the demon had protected him by essentially falling atop him.

"I'm fine!" He said with perhaps too much acting. "Just go get rid of them. They'll be a pain later if we don't appear strong, but don't kill them if you can avoid it."

"Of course, my lord." Sebastian vanished without another word. Ciel quickly loaded the pistol and waited.

There were many of them – it seemed everyone in the immediate area had come to help. And many of those were quite capable. Nothing touched him, of course – no human, no matter how skilled, would manage that – but bullets rocked the frame of the carriage.

And then a figure appeared. It didn't target him, perhaps to throw Sebastian off, but it lifted a dagger to the driver. The man didn't even have time to scream.

His blood spattered across Ciel's face, and even in death, his hands grasped at the front of the Earl's clothes as though asking for help. Ciel pushed the body away, feeling suddenly ill and dizzy.

Hands out, reaching for help – hit away as they shrank back, hoping not to be the one killed that day. No one had taken his hand until –

Without stopping or hesitating, he shot the attacker through the head. This one coughed, falling a little to one side.
Ciel closed his eyes. He still felt the warmth of the blood, though. So he shot again. And again. And again.

Die. Stop. Stop bleeding. Stop bringing back the memories. Get rid of them. Die.

Ciel stopped only when Sebastian's hands pulled the gun from his grip. Throughout the slaughter, he never opened his eyes.

"Master." The voice was not upset, but confused. It was well-hidden, but Sebastian was startled. "Are you all right?"

Ciel's breath caught.

And then he found himself in Sebastian's arms, half-cradled like he was still ten, the blood of their enemies staining them as rain finally began to fall.