I don't own Black Butler or any of its characters!

Influenza

Chapter 7

Lies

Over the next five days, Ciel rested and has moved from his bed only to shower and go to the bathroom. Over the next five days, ten men had died with their ribcage open, their organs cut and moved around and their penises shoved down their throat. Their deaths were never announced. The Queen thought the Earl was done with his work and gave up, so she had the bodies burned before anyone would notice. Anyone other than their families. Elizabeth's depression grew, as well as her stomach. It was barely noticeable if it wasn't for her corset. She hoped to be married by now and has consummate her marriage with Ciel before she started to show. Elizabeth prayed her fiancée was getting better since she hasn't seen him or passed through his room since he got sick. Sebastian has been in and out of Ciel's room, bringing him food and cold cloths to reduce his fever.

Ciel looked out the window miserably. In two days he would be married. He wished for a quick death. Sebastian poured some hot tea into his cup and went to his side to sit him up against the pillows. He brought the tea to the fifteen year old's lips but he shook his head. The demon put down the tea on the tray and sat down next to him on the messed up bed.

"I'm to be married in two days…and I have yet to catch the killer," Ciel spoke quietly.

Sebastian said nothing; instead he held the male's hand in his. He had never seen his master so down before. As Ciel spoke, Sebastian could feel his master's heart break into little pieces. "Is Lizzie pregnant?"

Sebastian nodded lightly in reply. "If her corset gets any tighter, she'll have a miscarriage."

Ciel nodded, not really caring. He looked into the demon's eyes, feeling as if his heart would give out anytime. I have to let you go, Sebastian… "Take me to my study," he said. "And bring me some ginger tea."

Sebastian got up and put his arm underneath Ciel's legs and another one on his back. Carefully, Sebastian picked up the fifteen year old in his arms. Walking towards Ciel's study, Elizabeth took off her night dress in her room and grabbed her corset, sighing. She put the corset on and wrapped it tighter to her body, pain in her stomach and chest moderately increasing. Once she finished wrapping the corset, she took various deep breaths, her heart beating fast.

Sebastian placed Ciel on his chair and opened the curtains to let light in. Closing the door behind him, Ciel opened his drawer and took out his journal. Elizabeth chose a gray dress and had put her hair in a ponytail, not caring about her appearance whatsoever.

I'm sick. Sebastian is indifferent. Lizzie's... Elizabeth's pregnant. I'm getting married in two days. I want… Ciel sighed and leaned back into his chair, rubbing his eyes. His breathing was hard and his skin was white but his fever was gone and his heart returned to its normal rhythm. He had let his guard down over the past few days and he hated and scolded himself for it. Every chance he got, he would kiss Sebastian's cheek or neck. Every chance he got, he would show Sebastian another side Ciel didn't even know he had. He got up and noticed he wasn't dizzy. He was feeling just fine. He started to laugh.

"It's just a flu…people are dying because of the flu," Ciel laughed. "People are so stupid."

Once in the kitchen, Sebastian started to prepare the tea for his master and some snacks. He was utterly confused by Ciel's behavior over the past few days. He wasn't sure what the fifteen year old was playing at. Elizabeth passed through Ciel's study and saw him writing on his journal. Excitement filled her whilst she entered the room and closed the door. Ciel heard her come in and rolled his eyes but only the left one was visible since the right eyes was concealed by the patch. She closed the door and locked it, trying to hide her excitement and smile. Ciel sighed.

"What are you doing?" Ciel demanded.

"I came to see if you were well." Elizabeth moved to his desk and sat on it, pain shooting through her side due to her corset being so tight. She took a jagged breath and forced a smile on him. Go. Away. Elizabeth grabbed his hand and kissed it. Ciel was disgusted by this, but even more disgusted when his hand was placed on her breast. He quickly jerked his hand away.

Elizabeth felt insulted. "I'm carrying your child and we are to be married in two days," she said before she could stop herself. "At least try to pretend you want to be with me." Her words spat poison to him.

I'm carrying your child. Those words haunted Ciel. Out of what she said, the mention of him impregnating his cousin was what caught his attention. "What are you playing at? You're not pregnant; and if you are, it's not mine." Ciel closed his journal and tried to control his anger.

Elizabeth panicked and decided to repeat the lie until somehow he would believe it. "Yes I am and yes it is yours, Ciel. Stop laying to yourself. The man whose mother your interrogated didn't rape me. It was you. You did before I left your house."

The fifteen year old didn't believe a word she said; however, he decided to play along. "If I did rape you, which I didn't, why did you come back?"

Elizabeth explained how she couldn't go back home, and then suddenly added her love for her cousin was too much. There was only one person in mind as she spoke, and it wasn't Ciel. He was just about ready to jump on her and strangle her but he had self-control. The atmosphere changed when Sebastian knocked on the door and had found it weird that his mater's door was locked. Ciel walked past Elizabeth and unlocked his door for his butler. Sebastian walked gracefully to his desk and started to prepare his tea and had a plate with his favorite snacks.

"Thank you," Ciel said, looking at the butler. "Elizabeth, this conversation is over. You're getting what you want so stop spreading unnecessary lies."

Sebastian caught on what was going on and escorted Elizabeth out of the room against her will. He offered somewhat of a smirk to her as he closed the door. He walked around the room and closed the curtains, leaving the candles to bring some light. Ciel had sat back down on his chair, sighing; Sebastian stood beside him with his hands in front of him.

"Did I…rape Elizabeth?" Ciel whispered.

Sebastian shook his head. "The only sexual contact you had was with me. Miss Elizabeth did not come near your room when you were sick."

Ciel mumbled a thank you. He got up and put the demon's arms around him, leaning on the demon. Sebastian blinked a couple of times, still confused. He decided not to say anything; he decided to let Ciel show his other side for it will be buried once he marries. Elizabeth walked to her room slowly, holding her stomach. The lie has been told…the seed has been planted. Soon he will eventually have to believe me. He will begin to doubt himself…and I can set him straight. It has to work. It…it just has to. Elizabeth started to breathe heavily in the middle of the long hallway. She noticed red stains on the bottom of her gray dress. She ran to her room and slammed the door shut. She thought it was her menstruation period, and that her bump was just bloating. Then she thought she set the corset too tight and had killed the baby. Then she thought she might have stabbed herself when she was lost in her thoughts.

Taking off the dress and the corset, she found it hard to breathe over all. Her windows her open and there was a cool, soft breeze coming in. Her head felt light as she took off her corset. That's when the pain shot up through her entire body and she dropped to her knees. She touched herself and took out her fingers which turned out bloody. She thought her first two thoughts again. She didn't know which one was true. It couldn't have been her baby. It was too small to be crushed by the corset. She wasn't even a month pregnant. In fact, she only got raped not more than two weeks ago. No…I'm not pregnant. My swollen stomach is due to bloating from my menstruation…yes, that's it. She stood up and walked to her little bathroom to wash her hands and her vagina. As she did, a new problem rose.

She told Ciel she's currently pregnant but she isn't now. Either because she killed her baby or she was never pregnant. She could say she had a miscarriage due to excess stress of the wedding and her fiancée not wanting her or loving her at all. Would he buy it? She could also say she tried a suicide attempt and her baby paid for it. Or…she could have sex with someone from Norfolk and keep that a secret. If one plan fails, she has others to try.

Sebastian watched Ciel become mentally weak by everything his cousin had told him. The Earl had no idea what to believe anymore or think. It took him a while to notice everything that he was feeling wasn't him. He changed. I'm weak. He's not the devious child anymore. And Sebastian noticed that. The demon waited patiently for Ciel to decide or act on something. But every time Ciel would make a move, he would hesitate greatly and drastically change his move. All thanks to Elizabeth.

"The fact that I doubt myself in everything I have, am and will do…does that mean I'm growing up?" Ciel asked quietly. He was scared to know the answer. If the answer was 'no', the Earl would have no other choice but to think he's just weak. If the answer was 'yes', then the Earl would wish to never grow up. The feeling of doubting himself was an excruciating pain that he could not handle.

"Who knows such things, my lord?" Sebastian calmly replied. "Doubting yourself can mean weakness but can also mean you care too much."

"Care too much…what of?"

The butler lips twitched a small smile. "Who knows such things, my lord?"