Chapter 4

Well~ Here it is my lovlies. The next chapter to this wondrous tale ^-^ I do hope you'll forgive any and all mistakes though I've tried to weed them out before uploading.

The disclaimer still applies and I, unfortunately, do not own Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji

Thanks to all of you that have favorited/followed and left reviews for me. They've all been wonderful(:

Chao~

Majix

The young Earl found his eyes being dragged to the face of the grandfather clock on the other side of the room and he sighed. Elizabeth would most definitely be ready by now and if he failed to appear, she would come looking for him.

Dancing with Elizabeth now felt more tedious than ever and the boy was beginning to dread going down the stairs to meet her. That was not to say that he disliked Elizabeth, quite the opposite. He loved her more than any woman alive, he cherished her and wanted her to have an exquisite life. He hoped that she remained pure and happy until the day she passed on, but it could never be that way while he was around.

Ciel stood in front of the mirror on the far wall and took his eye patch off, gazing sadly into the eyes of his reflection. The glowing violet contract was a double edged sword. It gave him the means to do his job, to hunt for the Queen as well as to strike with terrible vengeance against the ones responsible for his humiliation and his pain. But it also closed him off from the world that he knew.

Ciel Phantomhive was surrounded by darkness, a darkness that he could not escape. He looked after the shady life of the underworld, and put them back in line when they pushed the envelope, just as his forefathers had before him.

He dealt with drugs, suspicion and death around every single corner, but worst of all, he had death breathing down his neck every second of the day. When he looked at Elizabeth, he saw every part of himself that had been lost. When he saw that beautiful smile that she wore so proudly, it made him feel empty and more alone than ever. They lived in two different worlds, separated only by a fog, a thin veil of knowledge.

He reached out and touched the fingers of his reflection with a half smile, "Some closets hold a single set of bones, while others house an entire graveyard."

The Earl straightened his posture and took a deep breath, letting it out nice and slow before turning to his desk and taking a large bite of the cake that Sebastian had left.

Ciel sighed happily as the sugar instantly soothed his nerves and his demons faded to the back of his mind, leaving him to breathe freely. It was just a dance, and it would be over by the end of the night. Then he'd be able to fade back into the life that he knew.

The bluenette smirked and slid his eye cover back into place before turning his back on the reflection and smoothly walking out of the study without a single backwards glance.

As the eye patch slid back into place, Sebastian released his grip on the counters edge. The demon had no clue what had just happened. One moment he'd been pacing anxiously, wondering when the Earl was going to meet his fiancée, and the next, the most intense and crippling wave of sadness had poured through his body, leaving no stone unturned. He'd never felt such a foreign and uncalled for burst of human emotion in his entire demonic life.

What worried the demon even more was that he had no idea why it had happened. His thoughts instantly turned to the young master and he rushed out of the kitchen at record speed.

What if something or someone had hurt the Lord without him noticing? What if the emotional burst had been a diversion?

Sebastian weaved through the halls effortlessly as he made his way towards the entrance hall. The butler quickly stopped just before he made his appearance in the ballroom as he heard Lady Elizabeth's excited squeal.

"Ciel!"

The Earl looked down at his finacée and smiled softly. She really did look beautiful, just like she'd promised. Her gorgeous blonde curls had somehow become bouncier the light pink of her dress made her skin look pale and perfect. She looked as lovely as ever and any man would be truly lucky to have her for a wife.

He looked around the room and internally submitted to defeat. The ballroom was even more over the top than it had been before. There were high stacks of candles clustered in the corners of the large room. Vases practically bursting with flowers covered every single open surface and the room smelled of lilies and rose petals.

The servants were all standing along the wall and they looked as though they had not been spared. Elizabeth's quest for cuteness knew no bounds. The only one who seemed to have escaped was Mey-Rin. Bard, Finny and Tanaka were not so lucky.

Bard and Finny had both been forced into dresses, but while Finny was wearing an over the top maids outfit, Bard was dressed in a sailors uniform with a blonde wig. Tanaka was wearing long Japanese dress robes and holding a fan.

"I was right! The outfit I picked makes you look sooooo ADORABLE!" Lizzy pulled him into a tight hug before dragging him down into the middle of the dance floor, inspecting all of him.

"I was a little unsure of the hat but I'm so glad I chose it! And the blue! Dark blue looks so good on you Ciel!" She grabbed his hand, looking for the ring that she'd picked out, but her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she didn't immediately find it.

"Where's the ring I picked out for you?" She grabbed his other hand and quickly inspected it before she started to pout, "Cielll!"

The way she drew his name out so heavily made the boy sigh and roll his eyes, pulling his hand back, "Lizzy, this ring is fine."

Suddenly her eyes seemed to hold balls of raging fire, "I went to a lot of trouble to get you stuff to look cute, Ciel! and that ring isn't cute at ALL!"

Just as quickly as her anger surfaced, it was smothered mercilessly with tears threatening to spill over her pretty green eyes. Her lower lip started to quiver and she clasped her hands together in front of her, "A-are you saying you don't like the things that I bought for you, Ciel...?"

The Earl grit his teeth. Oh how she resembled her mother with her reasoning and manipulation. "This ring is -"

Lizzy came forward as to hug him only to snatch the thick banded ring off the Earl's the thumb, "Mine now!" "I took it!" She giggled mischievously as she danced away from him while examining it.

"It's so old and it's much to big for you! Mine will actually fit you."

"Give it back!"

Startled, everyone looked to the Earl of Phantomhive as he held his hand out to Elizabeth, his eyes void of everything but flat icy anger.

Elizabeth's eyes brimmed with tears and she clenched her fingers around the Earl's ring, "Why are you s-so angry?"

"Give me the ring, Elizabeth. Right. Now."

Tears spilled down over her cheeks as his eyes blazed with fury, "I just wanted to make you look cute!"

Elizabeth raised her clenched fist and threw the heavy blue ring on the ground with all her might, "I hate this ring!"

The moment the thick band cracked apart and the large blue stone shattered, the Earl lost himself. Memories of his childhood flashed across his vision, engulfing him in the past, a past before darkness had wrapped its loving arms around him and refused to let go. He could see it as clear as day, it was right before bed and Ciel had to be no more than nine or ten.

His father slid the blue ring off his finger and kneeled in front of the young boys bed. "Ciel, one day you will carry my name and make it your own."

He slid the ring onto one of his sons fingers and grasped his hand in both of his own, "One day, when I am gone, you will be the Earl of Phantomhive and the Queen will look to you to protect her people. This ring will fall to you, and everyone of importance that you meet will see it and know where you came from. Your mother and I."

The memory faded away, along with the remembrance of his father's love. The only thing left of his original childhood, was gone. Sebastian had remade the manor, just as it was, in fact, but it was all fake. A shell of what it had been. The laughter was no longer embedded within the walls, and his father's study didn't feel the same. The bathrooms no longer smelt of his mother's perfume and the warmth had been replaced with something lacking.

It was all gone.

Instant hatred and betrayal left his blood boiling and rage overwhelmed his mind. Was everything to be taken?! Until he had nothing? There was nothing left for him, nothing left of his father, all because it wasn't CUTE?!

Sebastian watched in horror as Ciel pulled his hand back and prepared to slap Elizabeth. It couldn't happen! If it was ever known that Lady Elizabeth's fiancée had slapped her, the Phantomhive name would crumble. The Queen could revoke his right to her affairs and shame him as a noble.

Ciel could lose everything.

As his open palm arced, the demon raced to his side at inhuman speed and gripped the boys wrist, stopping him in mid swing.

"Master, forgive me, you forgot your newly acquired walking stick."

Sebastian wrapped his arm across the boys frame and slid the cane into his palm, looking down at him with warning.

Ciel instantly snapped out of his anger and took a step back. Lizzy was leaning away from him with her eyes squeezed shut, cowering with her palms held up in surrender as she prepared to get hit.

He turned away and desperately tried to put his indifferent mask back together. He buried the part of him that felt shattered and broken, and pushed aside his anger at her for destroying it.

Sebastian stepped in front of the young Earl, allowing him a brief moment to recover, "Please forgive the young Master, Lady Elizabeth." He looked down at her tear streaked face and frowned, "The ring was very important to him. It was a Phantomhive family heirloom that has been passed down for many generations. It was the only thing that survived the fire."

Elizabeth looked absolutely heartbroken as she realized the amount of pain that she'd just inflicted upon her beloved. She felt increasingly awful as she imagined how alone he felt under all his independence and she burst into tears.

"Ciel! I-I'm so S-sorry!" She hiccupped as she tried to speak to him, her eyes quickly becoming puffy.

Ciel pushed aside all emotion and went over to pick up the broken shards and pieces. Lizzy watched him through blurry tear filled eyes as she tried again and again to apologize for breaking his ring. The Earl ignored her and made his way over to the window. He threw the large panes open and threw the remains of his childhood out into the darkness.

"Ciel! What are you doing?!" Lizzy ran to the open window and leaned almost half way out as she desperately looked into the darkness for the priceless heirloom he'd just thrown away.

Ciel grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her back into the manor before reaching around to close and latch the window. He stood in front of her and pulled a handkerchief out of his breast pocket, "Your face looks dreadful, Elizabeth."

He started dabbing at her face and wiping the tears from her eyes, "But Ciel, I.. I... Your ring!"

He smiled carelessly at her, "I mean, really, I can't dance with a true lady if she's crying."

She perked up and looked at him in wonder, her eyes glittered in rekindled hope as he smiled at her and offered her his hand, "Let's forget about all that negativity and dance the night away. Just the two of us."

Her eyes twinkled and she eagerly look Ciel's hand. Her smile returned and immediately the atmosphere changed. Her radiance spread like wild fire and soon all the servants had joined them on the dance floor.

Sebastian stood off to the side and played the violin flawlessly as he watched the Earl dance with his future wife. As the demon gazed into the boys eyes, a sadness filled his heart.

The boy's eyes looked lost, the small spark that had remained had significantly dwindled and the elder frowned in displeasure. Elizabeth seemed blind to the loss, but to Sebastian, it was clear as day.

Ciel easily relayed the steps that he had learned with Sebastian as he held and lead Elizabeth. Waves of happiness came off of her as they danced together, but he felt nothing. He didn't find the inner peace that he had before when he'd let Sebastian lead the way. His heart felt full of stones and he looked to Sebastian, as if to ask for answers.

As their eyes met, Ciel dared to flash him a smile, and as he did, his heart felt less heavy. Sebastian knew him, the parts that nobody else could ever know about.

Sebastian miss stroked a note as he saw a flicker of flame in the boy's eye return before his back was once again turned to the butler.


Ciel Phantomhive drifted silently down the halls of his manor before he stopped at Elizabeth's closed door. The boy laid his palm against the wood and closed his eyes. He thought back to earlier in the evening, and he instantly felt more than ashamed. He had almost hit Elizabeth.

The young Phantomhive could almost hear his father's displeased voice in his ear, "Women are meant to be cherished, Ciel. Never hurt them. If a woman comes at you with the intention to harm you, defend yourself, but the moment she is subdued, walk away. Never intentionally strike women, Ciel."

Sure, she destroyed something important to him, but she was his fiancée. Not that he really felt that way about her. He just couldn't.

Whenever she saw him, her eyes lit up with love and adoration for him, but all he could return was gratefulness for her well being, and the love of their childhood friendship.

Ciel opened her door as quietly as possible and peered into her room, watching quietly as she slept peacefully, no doubt dreaming of them together in yet another overly romantic situation.

Envy wrapped its scaly green claws around his heart and squeezed as he watched her sleep peacefully, without a worry in the world. This was why he could never love her. He was unworthy of her purity.

Ciel thought back to his time in captivity and how he'd been abused and tainted. He didn't want that for her. He never wanted her to even think about such things existing.

After a moment, Ciel no longer felt that he was alone. He could feel the demon's presence against his back and he lowered his voice to a notch just below a whisper, "I do love her, Sebastian, but I can barely stand to look at her face."

The butler looked down at the young Lord with a look of bewilderment at the unexpected and overly venerable statement, "Why is that, young Master?"

The Phantomhive's hand slid off the doorknob and he stared into Elizabeth's guest room, "She is everything that was taken from me. Every single time she shows me that innocent loving smile, I instantly know that she was never purposefully humiliated. Her innocence wasn't stolen from her while she cried."

The boy unconsciously touched his side, wincing as his fingers met the up risen scar just below his shirt, "When she looks in the mirror, she's whole. She doesn't look like a shadow. She doesn't have death over looking her every moment."

Without another word, the boy closed the door to her room and walked away. He didn't look at Sebastian, and as he made his way to his room, he avoided all thoughts of the hopeful flicker of life, above death, that he'd felt with his butler.


Sebastian sat quietly at the small table and directed all of his focus to the tiny pieces in front of him. He could have just recreated the small treasure just as he had done with the rest of the manor, but somehow he felt that wouldn't do.

It'd taken him just over an hour to find every single fragment of the rare blue gemstone as well as both halves of the silver band, and now under the bright light, he fit each shard into it's correct place. The band was easy, with the right amount of heat and a bit of pressure, the fracture site wouldn't even be visible. The gem stone was a tad bit more complicated. Once all of the pieces were in the right spots, he would have to tamper with it to erase the damage.

As the night wore on and Sebastian thought back on the evening, he realized with a start that he'd been feeling sad most of the night. Even now, he was doing this the overly hard way because he felt sad that the young Lord had lost so much, and he wanted to give him one tiny reminder of his childhood.

The demon immediately dropped what he was doing and stood from his chair. What was this foolishness? A demon as old and powerful as himself, feeling petty human emotions? How could this happen?

His train of thought halted as he recalled the burst of sadness that had filled his black and withered soul earlier in the kitchen. Such sadness, a feeling of growing loss. There had been no obvious reason for it, and the master hadn't been injured or threatened.

The demon idly began to pace as the cogs in his mind struggled through the murky and unknown situation.

Could it be the master?

The small thought opened the flood gate and he recalled the dim look the young Earl's eyes portrayed as he danced with Elizabeth, along with his words just before he'd left for bed. The butler dropped back into his seat and turned over the new theory in his mind.

If it was the boy, how deep did his sadness run, and why had Sebastian been able to experience it as well? More importantly, why was the elder now starting to feel sadness himself?

The endless circle of questions answering themselves with more unknowns felt like a noose around the butler's mind and he quickly began to feel slightly weary. Only time would tell.

He cast the unsolved puzzle to the back of his thoughts as he continued with his earlier project.

As Sebastian finished with the treasured heirloom he smiled faintly. It looked as good as new, however the demon had left a small chip in the bottom left corner. A small signature of what the gem had endured, as well as a silent promise that the demon had put time and effort into the repair instead of merely recreating it from the boy's memory.

He made his way though the manor like a ghost as he drifted from hall to hall, finding the young Master's private bedroom without pause. Sebastian silently entered the room and laid the ring on the Master's bedside table. With the angle and placement, the moment Sebastian opened the curtains in the morning, the blue gem would sparkle and glitter. There would be no way the boy could miss it.

He glanced over at Ciel as he slept, frowning as he once again saw the faint lines of tension that never seemed to go away. Except for when they were dancing in the study. The sudden thought left the demon in another endless loop of questions without answers.

In the dead of night, as Sebastian soundlessly exited the Phantomhive's bedroom, he felt busier than ever, and within his ever brilliant mind, the cogs refused to turn.