The Curse of Strings

Chapter 10

The Night Is At An End

Drozell stood up from the bed and set to straighten himself up. He felt stronger now than he did at the beginning of his adventure with Linda and David in the sense of his health being in concern. He looked at David as he slid on his boots and smiled. "I think it's time that we left. I'm sure that Mary is very worried about you since you are well passed curfew and I'm sure that the lovely Linda wouldn't mind that we walk her home."

"You seem energetic just now. Are you sure you're feeling up to moving around this late at night?" David stood up to help Drozell with his coat.

The satin lining of the blue jacket helped his arms slide easily into the wool jacket and sighed. "I'm not an invalid. I can dress myself. Yes, I seem to be better at night than I am during the day. It's strange, but I've been like this for a while now."

Linda giggled at the antics and stood up to reach for her shawl that she had draped on the hat rack while grabbing Drozell's top hat and handed to him with a smile. "It's good to see the heavy weight lifted from this evening." She leans up to give Drozell a peck on the cheek. "I still think that you're a good man despite what happened."

Drozell blinked at that moment with a look upon his face of someone that had just eaten the last cookie. A mixture of guilt and pleasure etched on his gentle brow. "I had a wonderful time getting to know you despite the circumstances. Although, I can't help but think you'll try to follow me back to London."

David smirked and snorted. "That's my cousin."

Linda lightly punched David in the arm. "You're such a jerk at times." She put her hands behind her back and twisted at her waist, feigning an innocent appearance. "I'll do whatever it takes to make Drozell happy on his last days."

Drozell chuckled softly and started toward the door. "Then I suppose it can't be helped. You're going to follow me whether I like you to or not." He took a deep breath and opened the door.

The tavern seemed quiet and those patrons that caused the raucous earlier that night had long been gone. Drozell bid a good evening to the tavern keepter and set the money down to pay for his tab. The tavern owner didn't seem to pay much mind since he was busy taking care of the glasses and dishes that were left from those patrons that had left for the night. With a tip of his hat, he had left the tavern without a word. David and Linda quietly followed the thin, smaller man with a smile. Drozell felt like a leader tonight. He diffused an ugly situation that he had caused in a genteel and calm manner. He felt better knowing that he wasn't alone and he had the support of two people that took care of him. One directly, one indirectly and he was thankful for them both.

The three walked down the path that led to Linda's house on the opposite side of the hill. The road went into a circle so it wasn't hard to get back to the point of origin. Drozell had looked up the hill to see a manor sitting atop it and sighed. "It seems that getting away from the nobles in a place like this isn't feasible either." The picturesque manor reminded Drozell of the manor that his master resided in.

"I wouldn't worry so much. That manor belongs to the Phantomhives." David and Linda both stopped to look at the manor on the side of the road. "The rumor around here states that the Earl of Phantomhive is a rather handsome man but he is known as the Devil Count because of the dealings that he has to the underground. It's only rumor, mind you and not many of us have actually seen him in person." David chuckled at his own words.

Drozell looked up at the manor and tilted his head. "Could it be that they don't want a lot of visitors because they are so reclusive? I'm not so sure that they would be a demonic family. Rumors tend to have some element of truth to back the claim, but I'm only but a servant in one home. Although it would be interesting to see just kind of family they are."

Linda spoke up in concern. "I don't think you fully understand. No one knows about that family other than what the rumors state. Just because you're about to die shouldn't mean that you have to put the rest of us at risk. Just leave it be and you'll live longer." Linda grabbed Drozell's arm as she brought her other hand toward his face which forced Drozell to break sight of the manor that had captivated him. "Promise me."

Drozell didn't pay much attention to what Linda had said and nodded in agreement. "I promise. Tell me," Drozell's eyes were now on Linda with an inquisitive look in his eyes, "you mentioned that it's only rumor about this family, but yet you speak with such urgency. Are they as bad as the rumors state or are you going by assumption because it's the popular thought?"

Linda stood there for a moment to think about what Drozell had said. "No. I'm going by what I saw. The family is haughty and they don't talk to use common folk all that often unless it's to gather information. I'm not sure that I can get into much more detail than that. The Earl himself is a bit of a terse fellow when he's talking business. Although, I have seen him at the clinic once or twice to inquire about a few missing people. Nothing more, I'm afraid."

"I see." Drozell took a few steps away and the other two had followed behind him. David looked at Drozell's back with a concerned expression on his face. "You seem to really want to know that family. Like Linda had said, there isn't much to tell. They keep to their own and that is with other nobility. They don't associate with the likes of us. You being a butler in a noble house, you should know this just as well as the rest of us where our place is in the heirarchy."

Drozell lowered his head slightly as he walked. He knew that what David said was true to the very fabric of the social pattern. He too was born of a common house so he knew just as well as the two that were walking with him just how nobles would treat the common folk. "At least they don't come down from their perches to torment. That's a plus in the very least."
Linda giggled. "You're right about that. At least they don't go out of their way to make us feel worse about our station either."

The small group had made it to Linda's house with little incident and Drozell started to look a little tired. Linda hadn't noticed until she saw Drozell's face in the pale moon accented by the dim light of her porch light. "Would you like to come inside for something to drink?"

As tempting as the offer was, he would have welcomed the rest. David spoke up before Drozell had the chance to respond. "No thank you. I think it's best that we returned home before the wife sends out a search party. I'm already overdue as it stands. Maybe some other time."

Linda approached Drozell and kissed him softly on his lips and her hands went straight for his buttocks which caused Drozell's eyes to snap open and he let out a yelp through the kiss. Linda giggled at the parting and winked at Drozell. "You're so much fun. I guess this is goodnight." She entered her house and the two men departed her porch back into the night.
Drozell had a blush on his face that made David laugh. "You're really not used to women, are you?" David asked to break Drozell from his thoughts.

The smaller man sighed and shook his head. "Sadly no. I never had the time to socialize much. I've been to a few balls, but none that I could socialize in. I was forbidden to. I remained the wall flower most of the time or I ended up becoming the entertainment if there were any that were held at the Mandalay house."

"Wait, did you say, Mandalay?" David raised his eyebrow in question.

"Yes." Drozell felt guilty for not telling David the name of the family that he worked for.

"Ahh. I heard that Sir Mandalay himself was forced out of acting because he shot his understudy for trying to upstage him. Is that true?" David inquired.

"You're query is sound. Yes. It's true. However, I'm not going to reveal what happened to him because I swore to protect his dignity. As his butler, that is my duty, but as my duty to a friend, I will not lie to you. All I ask is that if I choose not to answer a certain question that you ask, please respect that this is part of my job. There are some secrets that will go with me to the grave." Drozell didn't look at David. He didn't want to see the hurt on his friend's face.

"I understand." David replied solemnly. "Just know that what you tell me, I will keep with me."

Drozell stopped in his steps and looked up at the moon. "I know."

David stopped and turned around to regard his smaller friend and followed his gaze toward the moon, then turned his head again to look at Drozell again. The pale moonlight made his friend appear as if his skin was dyed blue. "Can I ask a few more questions?"

Drozell broke his gaze from the moon and looked at David. "I suppose." Drozell's expression was a bit more stoic than David was accustomed to and he took into account what Drozell had mentioned.

"I remember the first day that you came to become a guest at my house, I just have to ask. That doll that you're working on, you know, the lifesize one, who is it for?"

Drozell's eyes widened and his otherwise calm features gave way to fear. "What did you see?"

David put his hands up in defense, his baritone voice remained steady and calm. "I just saw doll parts. Nothing more. I swear to you."

Drozell lowered his shoulders and sighed. "I suppose it can't be helped but to answer the question. Since I have decided in the past that I wasn't going to have many friends, I was going to make one. I know this would sound silly to you, but it's the truth. I spent the last five years of my life in a desolate place and I wasn't about to let a single day go by when I can't have the very basic of human companionship. All I wanted was someone to talk to. Someone that would listen to me. It appears that I am now tied to complete this particular doll until my last breath. I'm so compelled that it's become an obsession. Every chance I get, I begin either carving or putting parts together." Drozell felt the need to return to the cottage. His reawakened desire seemed to drive his upper thoughts. He gripped the tie around his neck as if he were fending off a noose. "It's suffocating to think that when there is a task too great for one person to complete, it would mean the death of that person. I started to think about what you said." Drozell let go of the tie and the ends fell softly against his chest. "Making the doll in my own image would be my legacy. My last and greatest creation." Drozell's expression went from nervous to solemn. "I want you to have it. It was your suggestion, after all. Since I have no family left that I am aware as of this date, you're the only person that I trust to take proper care of it."

David put a caring hand on his smaller friend's shoulder and smiled warmly. "I will do my very best."

The rest of the night was spent in silence as they approached the tiny cabin at the other side of the hill. Drozell's steps seemed heavier to him as the night beckoned him to sleep off the day's events. He figured that it was well past midnight and he wasn't accustomed to staying up this late. His half lidded eyes shown David just how tired the smaller man was. Drozell did not once complain how his feet ached or how tired he was. Drozell did not want pity. The moment he reached the cabin door and David had opened it for him, he stepped inside lightly and went straight to his room to fetch the doll that he completed for Maggie. Her birthday was in the morning and he wanted her to be surprised. He took the doll from his room and set it on the rough wood nightstand in her room and stepped out quietly, taking extra care not to wake the sleeping child. He smiled at the sight of the little girl curled up in her bad with the rag doll that her mother had made for her. He whispered softly, "Sleep well, darling Maggie. I will not be here when you wake. The sun will shine on you forever."

Drozell exited the room and headed toward his own room to pack his belongings. Once dawn came, Drozell had left the tiny cottage. All that remained was a doll and a note left on the mantle of the fireplace in the small but cozy living room.

Dearest Blunt Family,

Thank you so much for taking care of me while I recovered from my fatigue. I hope that all will be well for you in the days that follow. Your kindness will never be forgotten and words can not express my gratitude. You have touched my life in ways that I wish that I could have stayed here forever. Alas, time would not allow me such a luxury. It is with a heavy heart that I returned home to finish what I had set out to do. I will be seeing you again.

With love and warm wishes,

Drozell Keinz

A/N I have plans now to make this fic 15 chapters long instead of 18. There were some parts that I had to cut out because it didn't seem to fit very well. I'll enclose a special chapter at the end of this fic with the deleted scenes with the chapters from whence they were cut from. I got the idea after reading Mokuba's Plan written my Pearl of the Dark Age. I thought that was a neat idea and I would like to see the reactions to the ones that were deleted versus the ones that were allowed to stay in the fic. ^__^