Eleanora loved sabotage. It was one of the few things which she was sure that she was good at.
The best part about sabotaging other teams to win a cricket game was that it helped keep her occupied. Her mind was so busy scheming and plotting that she didn't have much time to think about Drocell Vs. Sebastian: Round Two.
Unfortunately, she could only really plot and plan during the day. At night, she had to lie down and try to go to sleep, and that was when she had plenty of time and energy to think.
And think.
And think.
And feel so guilty she almost wanted to die.
And think.
And think.
And THINK.
She had a hotel reservation, but she canceled it once she got a good look at her spouse, the professor. Now she just slept in the same bed with him, which was fine, if only he wasn't so hot. And that was "hot" in a bad way; he had a horrible habit of rolling over and trying to hug her in his sleep, and he had the body temperature of a sauna.
Aside from his unnatural heat, Eleanora didn't like sleeping in the same bed with him because looking at him returned the guilt tenfold. She would just roll over and look at him and feel guilty. He was so different from Drocell…He was handsome, but it was a cold, statuesque kind of beauty. Drocell had been a doll, but even he had seemed more human than Sebastian. Sometimes she was sure that she hated him. Sometimes she wished that she had died before she could marry him. That or have not survived the zombie cruise ship. Then all of her problems would have been solved. He would have been happy and she would've been happy, and they could've gone on their merry ways hating each other till the end of time.
But then, sometimes he would wake up and notice her looking and he would smile and kiss her cheek and ask her if she was okay. If she said that she wasn't, he would get up, no matter the hour, and bring her some tea. If she said that she was, he would kiss her again and lie back down, still staring at her, still smiling; and he wouldn't close his eyes again until she had lain down next to him and had closed them first. Whenever he did that, she didn't feel as if she hated him. She almost felt as if she liked him—as in, really liked him.
But then she would remember Drocell again, and the guilt returned.
Sebastian tried to be understanding. He tried not to rush her and tried to be patient, only it was a bit hard for him to understand why she was feeling so bad about dumping the doll-freak. He was never sad to dispose of a piece of garbage. But he knew that she wouldn't have liked to hear that, so he just stayed quiet.
Ciel felt a bit sorry for her, but then again, if she was going through emotional turmoil, it made her more focused in her work. The big cricket game was just several days away, and they were still unprepared!
Eleanora had finished planning the latest sabotage and had just sat back in her seat, wondering what else to do. She had other plans, but those required the young Master's approval, and he was busy at the moment. She glanced out the window, where Ciel was trying to throw a cricket ball at Sebastian and failing miserably. They wouldn't be done for about another three hours or so—the butler could be rather tough at times.
But what else was there for her to do? Except for think about Drocell and feel guilty, of course, but she didn't want to do it.
…Aaand she was doing it.
This was ridiculous. She couldn't spend the rest of her life like this! She needed help. She glanced out the window again—not the young Master; he was too young and knew absolutely nothing of love. Not the butler either; he was a good actor, but she could tell that he wasn't going to encourage her to run back to Drocell, even if it was the right decision. And there was nobody else in the school that could help her…Everyone was just a dumber version of Ciel Phantomhive.
No, she needed a woman's help. And at the moment, only one woman was coming to mind.
There was a telephone in the butler's quarters; she got out her pocketbook, found the number, and hesitantly dialed it.
There was silence, and then a woman said,
"Michaeras domos; qui est hae?"
"H-Hello?" Eleanora said. "Is…Is Rose there?"
"Eleanora! Of course I'm here! What is it? What's going on? Oh, it's so nice to hear you again! Hold on a moment; let me get Jean; he'll be so happy!"
"I, uh…Actually, I just wanted to talk to you right now…I need some advice."
"Well then! Sit down, get comfortable; tell me what's on your mind!"
"But…We're talking on the telephone…"
"Doesn't mean we can't sit and be comfortable! Oh, I wish that you were here…I would've made some cookies! How's my darling baby boy, by the way? Is he eating well?"
"He's fine…"
"Tell him to eat more! I'm sure he looks like a skeleton by now! Maybe I should send something over…What do you think? Brownies or cake?"
Eleanora bit her lip to try to keep herself from laughing.
"Maybe both," Rose mused to herself. "And I'll also add a sausage or two. A growing boy needs his protein, after all! Now how many pies should I pack?"
"Actually, Rose…"
"Oh! Of course! I'm terribly sorry; I got distracted! What's on your mind, love?"
"Suppose," Eleanora hesitated again. How does one explain to the mother-in-law that you're in love with a man other than her son? "Suppose you have two men, and both of them have their equal flaws and strengths. Which one would you choose?"
Rose was silent. Eleanora bit her lip, wondering if she was angry. But when she spoke next, her voice was just as kind and as friendly as ever.
"Back in my beauty queen days—back when I still competed, I mean—I had many, many suitors, some of which were rather desirable. Kind, handsome, rich demons…But I, of course, could only pick one. At the time, as you probably know, the Michaelis was the second most-powerful family in Hell, and the Elengedes—my family—was the third most-powerful. There was talk of uniting the two families through marriage, and I was the only candidate. And Jean…Well, you remember Jean. He's brash and loud and moody and quick-tempered…but he's also the most affectionate man I have ever met in my life. He's loving and loyal and he would do anything to make the people he loves happy—even let them go, if they want to be released. Lots of people think that Sebastian just inherited his looks and little else, but that's not so. He also inherited his rashness and his temper, and his adoring heart."
Eleanora glanced out the window again; the Earl was chasing after the cricket ball while the butler looked on in irritation. Then he looked up, noticed her, and smiled. She went back to the phone.
"In the end," Rose continued, "I chose to marry Jean. It was the best option, and, in the end, he was the best man."
"So…Your advice would be…?"
"Jean made me happy," Rose said. "He loved me. The other suitors, while charming and polite, didn't make me feel as loved as he did. So, my advice would be to choose the man who loves you beyond anything and everything—the one who would do anything for your happiness."
They talked for another hour after that. When they were finished, Eleanora sat and thought about Rose's words. Choose the man who would do anything for your happiness? But they both would have done anything for her happiness. Drocell said so, and Sebastian…
Sebastian actually did so.
This was a new thought entirely. Eleanora looked out the window, where another child was joining the Earl and Sebastian. Drocell had said that he would make her happy, but then he had left for his Earl. And Sebastian?
Sebastian had given her painkillers after he had forced the contract on her. When she had fallen asleep on him, he had put his coat over her. He had looked after her, even when he had been "murdered." He had been patient when she had been afraid of him. When she had gotten sick at his parents' house, he had taken care of her. He had fought for her on that cruise ship. He had forgiven her, even when she had screwed up big time. He had always waited for her, even when she wasn't sure about her feelings. He hadn't minded her worries or her insecurities or her always blowing hot and cold…
Drocell had said a lot of pretty things. But Sebastian had always acted on them.
She looked out at the scene again. Now both children were running after their cricket balls and Sebastian was looking even more annoyed. But he still noticed her, and just seeing her made him smile and made all of his irritation disappear.
"He's a nice man," Eleanora thought. "He's very sweet—in his weird, demonic way. He'll make some lucky woman very happy…"
"Oh shit," she realized, "I'M that lucky woman."
"Oh SHIT," she realized again, "I think that I…that I…"
When Sebastian came back to his room later that evening, he was extraordinarily pleased to find that Eleanora was back to normal—her little regret about Drocell had completely passed.