A/N Hello people, now here is chapter 9. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did writing it. Chapter 10 is already in the works but it will have some objectional stuff that will not be posted on FF. If you are of age it will be posted on AO3 in it's complete form. Just thought I would give you all a heads up about that but I hope that does not deter you from enjoying this chapter. Thank you
Storm
Chapter 9
October 29, 1884
July's attack on his brother was like a turning point in young Ciel's life. The thankfully minor injury had spurred their father into taking more of an interest in him. Not that Hadrian was ignored after that, and the one time he had mentioned his concern had left the older boy bent in laughter. So instead of worrying about it, the blue-eyed boy relaxed and enjoyed lessons with his father.
However, he quickly found that Hadrian was better than him at just about everything. Of course while growing up Ciel had known his brother was perfect, but it was a bitter pill to swallow that he could not match that reputation. The older boy was always willing to help him though and the blue-eyed boy loved his brother even more for it. Still, the work was hard and Ciel often found himself exhausted by the end of the night. He did not know how his brother was able to take on three times the amount of work as him and still wake up early every morning.
Ciel had to admit that learning the ins and outs of his father's work was interesting. His father had him mostly working with the tenants who used Phantomhive land for one reason or other and Funtom Industry paperwork, but he knew Hadrian was dealing with the darker aspects of being a Phantomhive. As the spare Ciel knew he would eventually learn about being the Guard Dog, just incase, but his true purpose was to help his brother in any way he could with the smaller stuff. He was not jealous of the green-eyed boy and his destiny, being the Queen's Dog was not an easy task and required a great deal of skills that Ciel just did not have at that moment.
"Ciel," Hadrian's voice knocked him from his thoughts and Ciel could not help but blush at being caught so unaware. "Are you not suppose to be working?"
"I am sorry brother," The young boy said softly. He looked at his brother only to notice the sparkle in those green eyes and he knew he was not really in trouble. "I was just caught in my thoughts."
"I see," Hadrian replied with a soft smile. He ruffled Ciel's hair as he sat himself on the corner of the desk the younger was sitting at. "They must be some lofty thoughts indeed to distract you from your work so."
Ciel looked down at the report he had been reading, it was from some farmer about crop rotation and was boring, so it was no wonder that he had lost himself in thought. He handed the paper to his brother who looked over the first page with a practiced glance before smiling wider. He handed the report back to Ciel with a little laugh.
"I know that it is not as stimulating as some other things, but Farmer Patrick's reports are extremely important," Hadrian said as he stood and stretched his back. "If you look closer you might just find something interesting."
Ciel watched his brother leave with the same cryptic smile their father was so well known for on his face. He glanced down at the report with a sceptical look and decided to reread the document, if a little more thoroughly. Surely enough after a closer second read he found that the man was actually reporting on the movement of groups of people across the country. He looked over his shoulder at his brother who was seated at another desk and wondered how long it had taken the other to figure out the secret to reading the documents. He smiled and shook his head as he turned to grab another 'boring' report from his pile.
~0~
November 9,1884
Angelina had to admit that marrying Gregory Burnett was probably one of the best things she had ever done. For the first time since Rachel and Vincent got married she felt truly content; however it was known between the two of them that she did not love him as a wife should love her husband, but Gregory said he did not care. It was perhaps the best she could have asked for, but she would forever be a little disappointed that he was not Vincent.
"Doctor Burnett," A sharp male voice startled her from behind and for all of a second she was no longer in the Royal London Hospital. She was back in the darkness of that night she tried so hard to forget. But then it was over, and she was standing in the hospital with the Senior Doctor on staff bearing down on her. Angelina turned to met the decrepit old man whose white hair barely reached his chin. "If you are done staring into space then it hold behoove you to get back to work."
"Yes Doctor." She nodded respectfully and waited for the man to walk away, his cane tapping out a rhythm as he moved, before sighing softly. Behind her Angelina could hear the snickers of her fellows but she refused to let them see her weak or affected by their cruelty.
Angelina was proud to be the first female doctor in Britain, but sometimes she was reminded that she had only gotten so far on the backs of others. Dear Vincent, without whom she would have never gotten into the Royal College of Surgeons, and sweet Gregory, who had helped get her fellowship. Both men had allowed her to follow her dream even with all of the social pressure against it. She was determined to prove to them that their faith in her was not misplaced and she refused to blend in with the background.
She had to throw back her shoulders and hold her head up high. After all, she was Baroness Angelina Burnett nee Dallas, and even though the world looked down on her for being a woman, she would beat them all at their own games. She smiled widely and tossed her ruby hair from her face as she walked towards her next patient.
~0~
March 6, 1885
Hadrian knew his aunt was pregnant before she said anything, but he could not bring up any emotion because as he looked at her and her husband standing there he could feel the waters of fate stirring in his heart. Her pregnancy would not lead to anything good, of that he was sure, but he did not dare to open his mouth to warn them. He had played with Death and Fate too much in his life to not know when things were unavoidable and the fate that awaited his aunt's family was not something he could tamper with.
He turned from the celebrating family, his heart hurt to look at them. Hadrian knew that if he stayed he would break. He walked away slowly, every fiber of his body protesting with every move, his loved ones far too caught up in the happiness to notice as he left the house. It was raining outside so the hot tears that streamed down his face were hidden, though the shaking of his shoulders would have given him away.
Hadrian stood out there for a long time, long enough for a chill to settle into his bones and the clouds to shift. When the rain stopped and the weak sun peeked out he allowed himself to breath a little easier. His green eyes were clear when he headed back into the manor; he had mourned for the lives caught in Fate's hand and while he could do nothing to aide them he would try to sop up the aftermath.
~0~
October 2, 1885
Hadrian knew of the deaths of Baron Burnett and the unborn child of the Baroness long before word reached the rest of the Phantomhives. Like a whisper the shiver of death washed over him, so faintly that he would have missed it if he had been otherwise preoccupied, and he knew the shy friendly blond his aunt had married had passed. He was extremely shaken by it because he had never truly felt a death like that before. In fact, bar the times he had seen the strange Death manifestations and his encounters with Undertaker, the entity had been quiet.
Even in his life as Harry, which he tried his best not to think about, Death had had a presence; it had not been unlike a subtle sound that you never noticed was there until it was gone. He was starting to think that Death was using a different method to collect souls in his new world; could the manifestations actually be more like vessels, separate beings granted a task instead of a living breathing part of the unlimited essence that was Death? He suspected that in his original world that the abundant magic allowed the entity to pull the souls to a singular side realm, some place not unlike the ghostly King's Cross Station, but the place he had been reborn into was not so saturated in magic.
Hadrian almost missed the secondary smaller shiver that announced to him the baby's death but he had been straining his senses, throwing out almost wild magic waiting for the other shoe to drop. He was still in his room anticipating a third whisper soft shiver when the messenger reached the manor. His mother's devastated scream rang through the whole house and he solemnly wandered toward the sound while the rest of the household ran at top speed. He stood on the landing of the grand stairs watching as everyone gathered around the fallen woman who clutched the black trimmed letter to her chest.
"What has happened?" He heard his father shout above the noise of so many people. Like the red sea the group parted and allowed the man to approach his wife who looked up at him in despair. "Rachel, what news has you so upset?"
He could not hear his mother's words but he could read her lips, a carriage had struck the small family. Gregory had died almost instantly but Angelina had been rushed to the hospital, word on her condition was not looking well. Hadrian finished descending the stairs and the crowd of servants parted again, allowing him to see his mother, father and brother at the center of the circle. His heart froze, for the light dusting of gold that touched their skin could be nothing but the kiss of Fate upon them.
Hadrian had no idea what to do, the tragedy of the day had already had him a little shaken, but as he gazed at his grieving family his whole foundation seemed to crumble beneath his very feet. However, his legs were as strong as ever as he slowly approached them, his face set straight as he helped pull his mother to her feet and guide her to the nearest sitting room. He could not break, his father had explained the world he would have to inherit, and if he broke he would never be able to face the challenges that awaited him. So instead he allowed the events to be pushed down, added to those of his past life, and just went with the motions.
~0~
December 14, 1885
Vincent had known for a long while that his time was coming, but he had not expected it to happen in such a manner. He clutched desperately at the bleeding wound to his chest as he glared at the white haired gentleman who stood over him. Purple eyes stared back at him as the man flicked the black gloved hand holding his rapier. Blood spattered across the furniture of the sitting room where the Earl had been resting prior to his son's party.
"Who are you?" Vincent demanded with a sneer. The figure smiled as he licked his lips and leaned close to the injured man. Pale lips parted to answer him only to stop when the door to the room opened. Rachel walked in and the Earl felt his heart stop.
"Vincent⦠Oh my god!" She gasped as she rushed to his side, her view of the intruder blocked by the open door.
"No, Rachel! Run!" Vincent shouted as he tried to stand, but the pain from his many wounds stopped him. The second his attention slipped from the intruder the man struck, but not at him. The blood stained rapier slid easily through Rachel, her briefly confused look turned into one of great pain as the blade was ripped from her flesh. The earl knew she was gone as her body slipped sideways to lie slumped over.
He tried to drag himself across the floor to his beloved, but the man- no, beast- pinned him with the rapier through his leg. Vincent bit harshly at his tongue causing blood to pool and spill from his mouth but he reached his hand towards his wife in spite of the pain. He wanted to be with her in his final moments.
"So rude," The unknown creature said as he lent on the blade lodged in Vincent's leg. "Here I am, trying to purify you, and you ignore me!"
"Purify me?" Vincent asked, more blood flowing from his mouth. The monster did not answer, smiling wider as he twisted the blade in the blue-black haired man's leg. Darkness started to encroach on his vision and the Earl knew he was dead. His hand stretched out for Rachel, his fingers brushing hers for just a moment before the world went dark.
~0~
December 14, 1885
Hadrian had been on edge all day despite the festivity of Ciel's birthday. His nerves were so frazzled that he was useless at his work and ended up retiring to his room. He waited there, pacing the length of the room for hours until an odd presence descended on the manor. It was unlike anything he had ever felt and left his teeth aching for the sickly sweetness of it.
Hadrian immediately raced to his door, intent on finding the source only to floored when the presence all but exploded outward. It pressed him to his floor, causing his magic to wither beneath his skin as it fought to free him. He did not know how long he lay there stuck but eventually he was able to pry himself up and crawl to to his door.
The green-eyed boy was panting and sweating when he reached the door and used it prop himself back onto his feet. He turned the knob and slowly made his way out of his room. He leaned against the wall and slowly but surely made his way toward the presence. A maid come running toward him, her face frantic and eyes wild.
"Master Hadrian." She gushed as she rushed to his side. He pushed her away almost roughly and continued on towards the growing presence. Hadrian felt more sweat soaking his shirt as he trekked down the hall and his breathing was coming in quick pants. The energy was filling the manor but he fought toward the center until he was right above it.
Then, like a shadow in the sun, the presence vanished, leaving Hadrian almost bereft. He sunk to his knees as he gasped for breath, but the world rang with wrongness and he forced himself back to his feet. No longer weighed down by the presence, he noticed the fire that raged around him. It licked at the walls and ceiling with gusto, seeming as ravenous as fiendfyre. Below him the sounds of screams and the crackle of the fire as the very floor he stood on was eaten away at.
Hadrian started running hoping his family had made it out, but as he took the stairs two at a time he could hear his brother's screams for their parents. So instead of heading outside to safety, the green-eyed boy turned when he reached the entrance hall and headed toward Ciel's voice. He had sight of the boy just as Ciel threw open the door to one of the sitting rooms. Hadrian nearly lunged for his brother but the boy did not enter the room, instead he stood in horrified shock. The older boy skidded to a stop just next to his brother and grabbed his shoulder with a rough hand.
"Ciel, we have to go beforeā¦" Hadrian stopped speaking as the sickly sweet scent of burning flesh caught his attention. All the world slowed as he turned until he spotted a familiar silhouette seated at a burning table. He wanted to rush in, but he could feel the lifelessness of his father's figure. He was not sure how long the two of them stood there watching their father burn when old man Tanaka came through the smoke and flames that had all but sealed the two boys' fate.
"Run!" He shouted as he grabbed a shoulder of each boy and started back the way he had come. They made it almost out of the house when dark cloaked figures appeared from the fire. Tanaka quickly pushed the boys behind him but the older man was easily subdued by the larger group. Hadrian threw out his hand willing his magic to save them from the fire and kidnappers, but nothing happened. He drew his brother close as the men descended on them but could do nothing. Darkness was quick to follow.
