Elise's first thought when she woke was 'I helped a demon kill my Sisters and directly interfered with an Order bounty. I don't even want to think about the number that want my head on a platter right now...'
Actually, no, that was her second thought. Her first thought was simpler and far more severe..
'This nightgown is awful.'
Her third thought was, 'I feel like I've swallowed broken glass. Where the hell is the water in this place?'
Promptly, she bolted upright, the realization that the 'place' in question was her family home hitting her fully for the first time since waking. Dazed, the witch blinked, sleep filled eyes blurring for a moment. A couple more blinks, and her vision had adjusted.
Elise looked around, immediately alighting on the water jug placed on the bedside table. It was wonderfully convenient, the witch mused as she grasped the adjacent glass tumbler; she didnt even need to move. Which was a good thing, considering that her body felt like someone had filled her with metal weights.
As she filled the glass to the brim, and Elise wondered how long ago the jug had been filled. The water was almost entirely fresh, by her estimate, meaning it can't have been long.
As she drank, the blunette took in her surroundings more clearly. The room was rather grand, as most of the rooms in the manor were, given her family's wealth.
A thought suddenly dawned on her; everything was so familiar, so very much the same as it had been all those years ago, before the night Elise tried to forget about.
But...her home had burned. She had been in the building when it happened and there was no mistaking that memory. There had been barely anything left.
So how had Ciel managed to rebuild it so...precisely?
Ciel.
Elise placed her glass down carefully, nerves and guilt beginning to churn in her stomach. Or perhaps that was hunger? She was not certain how long she had been sleeping; potentially, she may not have eaten for days.
Ciel.
Eating did not seen appealing. It was definitely guilt gnawing at her, rather than hunger. Yes, perhaps he was just grateful for the moment that she was alive, which was how she would prefer him to be, but the witch knew it wouldn't be long before he started asking questions.
How are you alive?
What happened to you?
Why did you let me believe you were dead, Elly?
All very fair questions. All very fair questions she had rather not answer.
A faint pain in her abdomen reminded her of another problem.
She had been recently stabbed...twice.
Spotting a mirror (ornate, polished to perfection, full length - only the very best for the Phantomhives), Elise lifted the thick duvet and, with care, got to her feet, with the plan of inspecting her wounds.
Her legs did not agree with this plan, it seemed. Perhaps she was weak from lack of sustenance, or they were out of practice; either way, the moment her full weight was on them, they gave out.
"Shit!" Elise shouted. Hitting the carpet was unpleasant enough. Hitting the carpet with an injury was very unpleasant. The previously dull ache she had been experiencing instantly flared with hot white pain and she hissed, biting the urge to shout out again. She didn't want to bother anyone.
Luck was not on her side, apparently. Moments after her fall, she was greeted with a polite knock on the door.
"My lady?" it was the demon. There was a second knock, equally polite."Forgive me, but the young master has tasked me with your care whilst you are healing so I must check on your progress periodically.I understand you are now awake so I must ask your permission to enter, out of courtesy."
It was...odd, to hear him be so perfectly polite and formal, now that she knew he was no ordinary butler. How on earth had Ciel gotten a demon to fulfill such a mundane role?
"Yes, you may enter," Elise, though wary, saw no current harm in letting him in. After all, she could apparently do with the assistance, considering her legs were misbehaving.
She heard the door swing open and light, almost silent footfalls on the carpet pile as the butler entered the room. The door closed behind him with a neat click.
In an instant, he was beside her, his speed unnerving. Elise bit down her natural, uncomfortable shiver at his presence, instead patiently waiting for him to speak.
"Are you alright, my lady?"
Elise forced a smile,"Yes, I just...underestimated how well my legs were working."
The butler-Sebastian, she now recalled-smiled that innocent, disturbing closed eye smile, chuckling,"Ah, I see. Please, allow me to help you up."
"That would be..." briefly, her mind flared with warning as it reminded her that this was not just an overly helpful butler but a literal devil in disguise. With effort, she pushed the worry away for now."Very useful, thank you."
The demon grasped her arm carefully, allowing the blunette to lean on him for support as she got to her feet.
He could let you fall again. He probably will. He is evil, you know.
Elise gritted her teeth, again pushing away her (truthful, yet rather irritating) thoughts.
Still, just in case...she shifted away from him, instead grasping the bed post. Not wanting him to sense her mistrust, Elise began to speak as a distraction.
"I was trying to inspect my wounds," the witch gestured to the mirror. She noticed the state of her hand then, and realized she hadn't felt any pain there despite the...shoe injury, as it technically had been.
It was unbandaged, and undamaged, save for a slightly raw looking patch of skin where Timora Tarrow's heel had penetrated her flesh. Elise exhaled, pleased at her progress as she inspected the appendage more closely.
"Your hand healed itself to near fullness some time ago, my lady," Sebastian's voice interrupted her examination."I must say, the young master and myself are rather impressed with the speed of your recovery. Quite...magical."
Elise heard the passive aggressive, goading last part of his sentence and chose to ignore it, knowing the demon was looking for a reaction. Instead, she oh-so-carefully put her weight on her right foot, testing the waters. When it seemed like she was stable, Elise ventured another step, leaving her supportive bed post for a moment.
Thankfully, her legs had decided they rather liked her again, so Elise followed her original plan and made her way to the mirror. She gripped the bottom of the ugly, frilled gown and pulled it over her head, eyes glued to her abdomen.
Sebastian cleared his throat, and Elise could see with a brief glance he was pointedly looking away from her now naked form, save for the gauze around her middle and a plain pair of undergarments.
"Would you prefer that I leave, my lady?"
"Why?" Elise responded, pausing in the removal of the gauze to look back at him with a quirked brow."I'm sure it's nothing you haven't seen before, being...the type of 'butler' you are."
The demon met her gaze then, expression carefully blank. Like she had, he ignored the goading undertones of that last part of her sentence.
Elise couldn't help the amused smile that quirked up her lips, the sudden urge to be a little mischievous too strong to ignore.
After all, what was more fun than trying to tease a demon?
"Or perhaps you are shy," she fully unwrapped the gauze now, giggling to herself as he remained resolutely blank faced."Are you shy? Hmm...this is healing better than I expected, given the amount of venom on the dagger. I estimate full health in a few more days, perhaps a week at most if the healing process plateaus."
She lifted her gaze from the puncture wound (it had closed up by this point, though was still red raw, scarring and painful externally and internally), a thought coming to her.
"How long have I been asleep?" Elise plucked (reluctantly-it really was ugly) the nightgown back off the floor, sliding it over her head again.
"5 days, my lady."
"5-oh, that's not good," Elise muttered, running her hands through her hair. She took a moment to collect herself, face carefully blank as she faced the butler properly."Has there been further trouble?"
"No, there has not," Sebastian then raised a dark brow."Should further trouble be expected?"
The tone was accusatory, and Elise did not appreciate it.
"Quite possibly," she saw no point in lying, despite her irritation. Not particularly wanting to discuss the current (probably sizeable) bounty that was inevitably on her head any further, Elise decided to move on quickly."The wound is healed well enough for me to make myself useful. May I have some clothing other than this...thing I am wearing?"
"Of course, my lady, I will see to that for you."
Elise cleared her throat, not being able to stand it much longer,"You don't have to refer to me as 'my lady'. In fact, please don't. I'm not really a lady anymore and it has always made me...uncomfortable, anyway."
The demon was suddenly was by her side, making her visibly jump. The smirk on his lips showed that he was rather amused by this and silently she cursed him out.
"I apologize, I do not mean to offend," the urge to curse him out loud became stronger at the very unapologetic little smirk on his lips."But I must insist I refer to you properly. My lady."
Perhaps she had only herself to blame for his sudden teasing. She had, after all, started it. Still, Elise couldn't help the scowl that made it's way onto her features.
His amusement visibly grew.
"May I have some proper clothing?" Elise requested icily, features shifting to careful nonchalance."And no, I am not offended. It merely irritates me, but by all means, please continue to irritate the woman who was recently stabbed twice doing your job of protecting your master."
The amusement didn't leave, much to her added irritation,"My apologies once more, my lady. I shall fetch suitable clothing at once for you."
He was gone before she could even contemplate grabbing the water jug and throwing it at his head. Instead, Elise pushed her teeth together, in an attempt to calm her temper. It wouldn't do her any good to show any sort of emotion to the demon, anger or otherwise.
The witch exhaled "There. Calm again."
crack
Elise winced, jumping away instinctively as the sharp, wet sound of the glass water jug fracturing assaulted her ears. Cold liquid soaked the carpet pile as the fragile structure gave up, collapsing into a pile of clear, glinting shards.
The blunette exhaled again, inwardly cursing her lack of restraint. At least it hadn't exploded.
"Get a hold of yourself, Elise," the witch snapped, pinching her wrist sharply in punishment."You cannot go around destroying things because the demon is an arse."
You could. If you wanted to. You aren't part of the Order anymore. You can do whatever you wish and who will stop you?
Elise ignored the treacherous little power hungry voice resolutely. Witches always had that; the voice in their head, goading them, willing them to take more and do more. The trick was resisting it.
The ones who didn't...they did not fare well.
She had to get out, of the room she was in anyway. The dark panelling and dead quiet was suddenly rather suffocating.
That, and she did not wish to explain the broken glass until she absolutely had to.
Elise pinched herself again, still displeased at her flagrant lack of control, before exhaling and stepping out into the corridor.
It was...too perfect, again. She found she did not find it the slightest bit comforting or heartwarming. It was disconcerting in it's accuracy.
She was busy trailing a finger over the (disturbingly-so disturbingly) nostalgic glass of the hallway window when an explosion rocked the manor.
Elise tore away from the glass instantly, heart racing. Her first thought was simple yet horrifying.
The Order. Here to finish the earl and punish the traitor.
Her second thought was equally horrifying.
There is something coming this way. I can hear it. The Order is round the corner and...I'm wearing a nightgown.
Elise shifted into something resembling a defensive stance, raising palms in wait, wincing as her side twinged painfully. She was not strong enough for this and was probably going to die if it came to a battle of any kind.
She didnt know what was more dreadful to think about. The fact the she could die, or the fact that she could die whilst covered in horrible off white frills.
At least I got to see Ciel again
"WAH! FIRE! THERE'S A FIRE! FIIIIIIIRE!"
"...what?" Elise blinked, mouth dropping open in an admittedly idiotic fashion. But in her defence, she was incredibly confused.
Either the Order had become filled with lunatics since she had left...or someone else entirely was hurtling towards her.
No. Not figuratively.Therewas someone literally sprinting straight at her and she needed to move before-
SMACK!
The figure slammed into her and they both fell to the group in a graceless heap of white, navy and...glasses?
"Ahh! I am so sorry! I didn't see you!" The figure's voice was panicked, and this panic seemed to make it shriller by the second.
Elise didn't care, though, because the pain searing through her abdomen was rather pre occupying.
The blunette's teeth ground together harshly, fighting back the tears pricking her eyes,"Yes. I gathered that."
Her assailant flushed, her face painted with embarrassment. Large glasses flashed at her as the witch forced herself to focus through the pain, framed by magenta hued hair.
When the second figure came charging round the corner, Elise was ready for it. Before the inevitable second crash occurred, Elise hooked her leg around the bespectacled woman awkwardly straddling her waist and rolled them out the way.
"S-SEBASTIAN! THERE'S A FIRE!" The second shouter shot past them without incident, his blonde hair flying about and turquoise eyes wide with panic. He skid to a halt as the butler suddenly appeared around the corner, a fresh dress for Elise draped neatly over his arm. His tall, impeccable figure contrasted quite amusingly with small, disheveled blonde in front of him.
The demon did not look amused,"A fire, you say. And how did this happen?"
"W-Well Bard was watching the oven like you told him to, to make sure the master's pie didnt burn and...well, he thought it was being a bit slow to cook...and the flamethrower got a bit out of control..."
"I see; I shall be there presently," Sebastian then noticed Elise, still straddling the maid and looking incredibly confused."Ah, my lady, I was on my way to deliver fresh clothing as requested. I apologize, but it appears there is an emergency I must attend to before I can assist you further."
Elise blinked, a thousand questions burning on her tongue. She settled for merely nodding in understanding, climbing up off the floor to free the beetroot red maid.
"No, that is fine, you go deal with the...flamethrower..." the witch shook her head, making a note to discuss what on earth was going on in the estate with Ciel later."I can dress myself, thank you."
She held out a hand, expectantly, for the garment but the butler did not relinquish it.
"But my lady, you are injured," Elise was certain the concern in his eyes was faked and he was doing this to try to frustrate her."I must insist that someone aid you, in case you are to take a bad turn."
"I am not an invalid, I do not need help dressing myself."
"I did not say you were, I merely pointed out you are injured," Sebastian's response was smooth and quick. The two servants stood there, heads snapping back and forth between the demon and the witch like they were watching a tennis match.
"Its minor, a flesh wound," Elise knew she was lying, but this was a matter of dignity. She didnt appreciate the thought of being dressed as if she were a little girl again."Barely noticeable anymore, actually. Give me the dress."
"Er, Sebastian, th-the fire was bad, yes it was," the maid stammered, interrupting their battle of wits.
Elise sighed, reluctantly realizing that stopping her childhood home from burning down a second time was more important than arguing about a dress. She could do that later.
"Nevermind, you should go extinguish the kitchen. This can wait."
Sebastian smiled with closed eyes, bowing politely. She did not miss the smugness that touched his features at her temporary surrender
"Thank you, my lady. I shall not be long."
And with that, the butler swept away, the blonde and the magenta haired servants scampering along behind him like eager, if clumsy, worker bees.
"Being stabbed is not a minor injury. Or have you grown stupid since you've been missing?"
Elise's head shot around instantly.
Ciel's cane hit the carpet with soft thuds as he walked forward. The expression on his young face was neutral, almost bored.
She struggled to find her voice for a moment, his sudden presence a shock. The witch shuffled through a hundred things to say to him, that she should say to him, not quite knowing how to approach the conversation.
She settled on defending herself.
"I am not stupid," Elise insisted, lightly poking her abdomen to prove her point (resolutely ignoring the flash of pain that this caused)."See? Minor. I am perfectly fine."
The earl stared at her blankly with his visible eye, and jabbed her with his cane.
"Agh!" Elise yelped, clutching her wound as it throbbed harshly.
Did he actually just do that?
Brat!
"Liar," Ciel accused, flatly and icily.
Elise gritted her teeth, forcing a smile on her face as she straightened herself up again, stubbornly ignoring the pain in a last attempt to protect her dignity.
"See, I'm alright. You just took me a little by sur-FUCK!"
She probably shouldn't have cursed in front of her little brother, but as said brother had just jammed his cane into her injury once again she wasn't so bothered about propriety.
The second jab had hurt. So much so that she had ended up on her knees on the plush carpet pile, clutching her poor abdomen.
Elise was so glad that she could see Ciel again, really she was...but good God, he was making her want to slap him.
She settled for glaring up at him,"I should box your ears."
"I should ask you why you pretended to be dead," the earl retorted coldly. He then sighed, shifting the cane so he could lean on it (Elise flinched, half expecting another attack)."Get up, I didn't cripple you."
"You were trying to," Elise accused, still scowling as she got to her feet gingerly.
Ciel scoffed,"Hardly, but if I had you would deserve it. Now hurry up, I do not wish to have this conversation in a corridor."
With that, the earl walked away, beckoning her coldly to follow.
Elise swallowed, and obliged.
This was not going to be pleasant.
Hi guys, sorry for the delay. Sort of got a block with it again but hopefully I'm back
Some more Ciel and a bit of the servants. I hope I captured them all well, especially Ciel. He's kind of hard to write because he's a cynical cold little shit but also a vulnerable kid at the same time.
Please review if you have the time :) thanks!
After next chapter we will start the first proper story arc so stay tuned