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"I knew it! That slob! Does he really think I'm that stupid?"
"Why not throw him out this instant?"
"I can't, Sebastian! Didn't you hear what he said? I have bumped into the opportunity of meeting someone, who would be quite fond of being acquainted to you. And, between us two, I have spoken to marchioness Midford about this and she seemed quite pleased. It's my aunt we're talking about!"
"Well then let us treat him with kindness and respect, shall we?" Sebastian smiled delighted, the hand he placed on the dinning table pressing so hard, it broke both the table and the floor.
"I'll meet with this guy..." she dropped her head.
"And then what?" he arched an eyebrow.
"I don't know! Stop asking me those questions!"
"You do realize that if you get married to a man, not only will the whole country find out, but the Queen too."
"I KNOW! So cut the useless talk and think about something."
"How about you simply refuse."
"If I refuse Francis she will tell everyone I'm a woman and because I have no right in front of her she's going to take everything away from me, including Funtom. That's why I pretended to be my brother, because the only one who has priority is a man, but I'm not, so the next heir is her. Neither me nor my mother would have won. My only way out is marrying." her one breath drivel earned another one of her butler's careless crack in the floor. "Look... we'll solve this one way or another." she continued disappointed that she was actually the one who said it and not Sebastian, as he usually did.
"When is our second uninvited guest arriving, then?" he spat, his face contorted in utter disgust.
"Tomorrow... And Sebastian, try to be rational... I don't want to be giving explanations to the wrong people at the end of this." she turned her back to him, to face the window, which was hiding a beautiful white, winter image.
"Very well, my lady. I will see to the preparations. Excuse me."
After the door shut, a deafening silence seized every corner of the room in a tormenting sadness, unimaginable thoughts and awful scenarios about her being deprived of everything, popping in the girl's mind with excruciating head aches. Everything, absolutely everything gone and by everything, of course, she meant the only being she truly cared about: Sebastian and, rather than having everything forcibly taken away, she would prefer taking her own life.
'What...' she questioned the odd feeling suddenly harboring within her, wondering how come, without falter, killing herself crossed her mind, indeed seeming like a dignified solution and, for a split second, she even thought of any possible way to do it... poison, strangling, cutting through vital spots in her body and, yes, Sebastian took care so that she would know each and every one of them. A sharp icy needle pierced her heart, leaving her almost breathless, when the relentless urge to go seek for his protection appeared and that was exactly when the young lady asked herself another question: 'Am I... in love?' A shaken pant commenced, as she ran out of the room and down the hall towards... the kitchen?
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Long hours passed, sapphire eyes fixated in the white horizon, out the steamed windows, as it was endlessly snowing, layers after layers of silvery, cold powder mercilessly fell one on top of the other, forming quite an appalling view that even made the dead shiver. Celia sat with frozen feet on the marble sill in the intimacy of her own dormitory, pondering quietly on how to assault this dreadful situation, at the same time suicidal imaged never ceasing to fly around her. There were two possible answers to give to the unexpected proposition and, either way, she was screwed, whether it was a no or a yes, her life was yet to become more miserable that it ever was. The girl almost started hating her demon butler for not eating her soul when he should have... but... 'Better late than never...' she wept, rubbing her index finger over cool, hard silver hidden up her sleeve. A sorrowful tear traced wet lines on her fury flushed cheeks, all the way down on the marble material.
Upon returning, the girl victoriously brought unseen with her a most unwanted guest, an object that, in her opinion, would quickly put an end to the countless problems suddenly coming out of nowhere... Sebastian's trustworthy sharp kitchen knives. With a flick of her fingers she released the eye patch in an instant.
"You called?" the well known soothing voice appeared in a second.
"I need to talk to you."
"Oh. I thought there was something urgent. If not-"
"It is urgent!" she cried out.
"I am deeply sorry, if there is only talking to do I will take my leave and come back after my chores are finished, my lady." pure indifference was settled in his words.
"What is wrong with you?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Didn't you hear me?! Or do you want me to speak louder." her tone easily started raising.
"I think it is loud enough." he looked at her with cool, crimson eyes.
"I'm asking again: What the Hell is wrong with you?"
"Me-"
"One moment you promise me the fucking Moon in the sky and the second you leave me dead to rot. Will you make up your fucking mind?" her voice cracked, ending her rhetorical question.
"I have no business to interfere with your family affairs, nor do I have any power in this situation." he spoke highly.
"What the fuck..."
"I have a contract with you not your family. You will have to solve your own problems."
"Why are you so upset about?" she barely uttered in a shout, the knot in her throat evidently growing.
"I cannot allow myself to be upset." and she swore she saw him almost flickering a smile.
"Stop lying." she immediately cut him.
"I am not lying." he turned away.
"Are you for real? Sebastian! Don't you dare move!" she halted him with an unbreakable order.
"Yes, my lady."
"What the fuck are you talking about... After all you taught me, after all we've been together, after all we did... last night... and after all you've told me... You expect me to believe this shit?"
"I am only here to fulfill my lady's desires." he lifted his painful gaze and turned to leave once more.
"Sebastian!" she shouted, but seeing him still walking, her head span so hard, almost felt like fainting and without a second thought, she shouted to him three words, that, indeed, made him stop, but terribly regretting them later: "I love you!"
Still facing his back to her, he whispered the words she knew fairly well and wished she never heard from him, voice almost seeming disgusted: "What a thing to say to a mere butler... Yours is a crass soul who would give her love to a butler-" he barely finished but she already knew the continuation.
"GET OUT!"
"As you wish." he almost seemed like relieved to be given such an order.
The door was shut a second time upon her sad form, by the same person tormenting her to the bone and fell sick on her knees, the shimmering object she had hiding, shamelessly stumbling on the floor. A moment's impulse is all that it's needed to drive even the sanest of people mad. She looked at the knife with wide dark eyes, before picking it up placing a sharp edge against her throat, although in that crazed streak the girl entered , she would still think... not too well, but even so, enough to realize she wouldn't want to die choking on her blood. So she agreed the wrist veins would be the easiest to attack, so she clustered a handful of snow off the window sill from outside and placed it on her targeted arm. At least it was better to not feel a thing... what if she called for Sebastian unwillingly?
A thousands of images filled her mind about how things would occur after she was gone, how would everything go at the mansion, who'd take care of Funtom, what about the servants... would they be kicked out or allowed to stay... what would his remaining family say... what would Sebastian say... and most importantly what would he do after that? Would he find another master or mistress, or would he feel at least a bit of remorse... or simply live on as he was meant to... And, as thoughts traveled, a swift move swept the cold sharp material against the thin, smooth skin, soon covering them in a thick liquid of anguish. She left out a soft cry, mouth slightly opened, trying to look away from the painful sight as right cut left mercilessly. Biting her lower lip to refrain from calling or crying out, she perfectly ended her task, feeling fresh, warm stains drop on her knees and night gown, forcing herself to gaze at the wonderful accomplishment she carried out.
"Disgusting." she heard the most loved voice spit grossed. "You are no lady, but only a mere brat who'd gamble her life for a butler." the tone almost felt like rising, continuing: "You should be ashamed." and indeed ashamed she was, hearing his voice barely concerned, but more belligerent.
"Is that what ladies do now days? Pitiful if you asked me!" a rough voice interrupted, which almost seemed like Bard's. It was clear she was hearing voices they didn't exist.
"No mistress of mine would do such a thing..." she heard Finny actually cry. Or was she hearing voices?
"My lady is absolutely despicable, yes she is." Mey-Rin stated upset and the girl really started to question her sanity.
"My lady Celia is not worthy of the name given to her." Tanaka spoke wisely, although no matter how many more reprimands were thrown at her, she knew everything would be over soon.
"Good Lord, Celia! Why would you do it?! You know mother, father and I love you so much!" Elizabeth barged in, as always.
"Poor boy... And I wanted to bring him all the way from another city to meet you... Oh well." her uncle's voice seemed as indifferent.
Barely being able to even keep her balance, she dropped the stained knife, instantly slamming her full body on the cool floor, dirtying the carpet with the endless flow blood bursting out in tandem with every pulse of her drumming heart beat. Shivering and in pain, the girl thought of her last spent moments with Sebastian, the unforgettable night before when he took his time to pleasure her, inch by inch and how she wished it would have continued.
'It's too late know.' she muttered, her eyes shutting close, as a groggy feeling took her to unconsciousness. 'Soon...' her own voice echoed, with a shallow fear settling on her lids to close over the lost and no longer beaming cerulean eyes.
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Sebastian never knew what brought him to patrol around the manor in the middle of the night, especially in the kitchen, but seeing himself not wanting to even look at his young mistress, he thought it was best to start an early morning. He washed all the dishes, prepared the table cloth for the next day, even some cold appetizers to serve the guest the next day. Of course, while doing his work, there wasn't a single second to not think about the young mistress left alone upstairs, having severe qualms of conscience, because even though she wasn't to blame for the risky situation they found themselves in, he still acted like she was and wondered if it would be a good idea to make up for a spiteful behavior with a cup of tea, maybe? Even so, he also considered it was truly foolish of him to think he, a demon from the deep pits of Hell, would ever be able to peacefully live with a puny, mortal girl. The best option was to go with whichever decision his mistress saw fit, without any falter and try everything in his power to mend the conflict between them. After drying and wiping everything sparkling clean, he felt like something was incomplete... missing... something was literally missing. He frowned when he pulled the drawer to notice that one of the silverware had gone missing. A sore pain shot his chest with the cruel truth of realization and stumbled out the kitchen, dashing up the stairs, straight towards the young mistress's chamber, hoping, with every inch of his soul, that he was wrong.
But if he were to be wrong, he couldn't simply wake his mistress up for nothing and slowly pressed the knob, the door easily creaking to open over a very unsightly scene and, if not for his usual calm composure and coherent thinking, he would've remained pinned in the doorway, staring dumbfounded at the gruesome mess caused by his beloved mistress, in a simple moment of craziness. A second breath didn't even have time to catch him in the same position, as he already flew to kneel right next to her cold, still body, in an instant uncovering his right hand, harshly pulling the two split edges of skin together and pressed his palm to grip her wrist so tightly, the bone was this close to break. There was very little blood left to be spilled, but even that counted immensely, if it was still coming out, then she still had a pulse. It shouldn't have happened long before he last left, as her body was pale white, cold and stiff, circles around her eyes more prominent, lips turned from gorgeous lively, cerise shade to an eerie rusty rose and the red stains from her clothes and carpet long gone dark. Sebastian folded his free arm around her waist, picked up the motionless girl, placing her on the bed and hovered over her so weakened form, channeling his concentration to only process on what had to be done next. With his hand still pressing onto hers, he loosened a thick thread from the embroidered nightstand decoration near them, tying it right above the wretched wound.
"What a mischievous way to handle your problems, my lady." the butler whispered, an easy sarcasm read in his words, although filled with despair and hope, despite his well maintained self. He leaned above her to place his lips right under her nose, only to scarcely feel a thin response of her lungs exhaling the bit of air they were struggling to breath in.
He knew... he simply knew and felt it wasn't her time... but if his arrival would have been a second later, who knew what might have happened? Settling his head on her shoulder, nuzzling the dearest smell of his young lady's navy blue hair, he ground his teeth at the anger instantly piling within his chest, nearly exploding, but keeping himself restrained as the poor soul in front of him needed him there and then the most. He cupped her cheek with a firm hand, bringing his lips to her ear, eyes shimmering with crimson fire and sharp fangs evidently overgrown, as he muttered some words, with a fierce, out-of-this-world voice, in a language unknown to the human he was whispering them to, something that seemed like an ancient incantation, fondling her ashen face with his thumb. Relentlessly continuing with his actions for a few minutes, a soft moan almost startled him, but he didn't halt and kept on going with his acrostics.
"Uh... Seb..." she barely gasped.
Something tickled her awake and, after opening her eyes she realized it was her butler's raven strands brushing her nose.
"C-Cold..." she mumbled and he immediately complied, dragging the covers over her. It didn't last long before the skin began to regain it's natural rosy color and while she could hear him blabbering nonsense, her curiosity piqued: "What... are y-you s-saying...?" although, he finished, stroking her lurid cheeks a few last times and spoke:
"This color fits you better, my lady." he smiled at her shocked expression. Celia could barely even begin to understand what happened, until she felt a strong hold on her left wrist slightly being released.
"Oh... that..." she muttered. "But when did... how did you...?" she fixated her wandering glare on his beaming grin, when placing an index finger on his lips.
"A magician's tricks are only showed once." he chuckled.
"That's not a trick! That's against the nature!" she rose her tone.
"I understand you are not happy to still be alive, my lady."
"Obviously! Why the Hell do you think I did it?" she jumped.
"Oh. Well, do it again then... I promise not to stop you this time." she grimaced at the harsh words spoken and turned her shameful glare in another direction.
"What now..." she looked down at her lap.
Still with a light grip on her hand, he held it high in front of her: "We will find a solution."
"We?" she repeated.
"Yes, my lady. We. We will. I will never leave your side again. I promise you on this blood you have shed." he tightened the grasp and kissed the spot where a deadly wound used to lay there only moments ago.
"I thought you were mad at me."
"Look at me." he encouraged her, placing long, thin fingers under her chin, just to meet the so missed cerulean gaze. "Nothing. There is absolutely nothing in this world, that would make me so upset that I would let you die. And trust me, there is absolutely nothing in this world that would make me let you go."
Somehow, despite the fact that she even for a second considered those words to be idle rubbish, they settled quite a reassuring feeling inside her, which made the girl smile relieved.
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