Author's note: Wow! Sorry you had to wait so long for an update ya'll, but I'm finally back to working on this and my Inuyasha fic! Yay~! \(^0^)/
I hope you like it ^_^
I own nothing but my OC.
That Butler, Victorious
≤speech in Indian language≥
'thoughts'
"speech"
"Demonic speech"
{setting/stage directions?}
SOUND EFFECTS
An entire sentence like this, without quotes, is narration for dreams or stuff like written letters.
=†=†=†=†= scene shift/time shift
—^—^—^— change of perspective/area of action within one specific time frame/location
Previously:
"Congratulations, Chef Sebastian! A few words on your victory, if you please!" The MC said excitedly, drawing Sebastian's attention away from watching Chêne's spaz.
"Heh!" Sebastian laughed softly, smirking slightly. "I am not a chef. I am merely... one hell of a butler." He replied smoothly.
"I... lost..." Agni mumbled, shocked. He looked so stricken, like a man who'd just been given a death sentence.
"Master Agni... is that right?" Queen Victoria asked as she turned to address the Indian man. "Your curry most certainly did not lose on the criteria of taste. It was a curry I should like to enjoy at leisure at my manor on the Isle of Wight." She said graciously, smiling kindly at him.
"I do not deserve... such kind words." Agni said regretfully, unable to look her in the eye.
He had failed... He had failed his prince, and now...
"My plan... My Royal Warrant..." West mumbled numbly. Agni flinched, startled, when he saw what had become of West.
The man had turned blue with shock, and was stumbling around the room, wobbling back and forth, threatening to topple over with the faintest hint of a breeze...
Chêne tiptoed up to West and blew on him. Sebastian smirked slightly as West started to fall. He might be a bad influence on that girl after all... She'd been acting rather mischievous lately.
"My Lord!" A woman cried out as she rushed forth from the crowd to support West.
"!!" Soma gasped, his eyes widening in shock when he saw the woman.
He'd recognize those silky black locks, glowing brown skin, and beautiful amber eyes anywhere—It was her!
"Mina!?" Soma yelled anxiously.
"Eh...?" Mina said, pausing as she turned to look at him, stunned.
"Ha!" Agni gasped in realization. This...!
"Prince... Soma...?" Mina asked hesitantly, as though she couldn't believe her eyes.
Sebastian, Chêne, Ciel, and Lau stared at her, with varying degrees of surprised looks on their faces, as Ran-Mao munched away on a curry bun. So she had been there the whole time...!?
"I've... finally found you...!! Mina...!!" Soma cried as he threw his arms around Mina, embracing her.
Sebastian glanced at Chêne when he heard sniffling. Somehow she had ended up right next to him on the stage without anyone noticing...
"... Are you... crying?" Sebastian asked her, raising an eyebrow. Was there something the matter with her?
"I-I just can't help it, okay! I'm weak against stuff like this—I always cry whenever Sarah gets reunited with her father in The Little Princess, too!" Chêne said defensively as she patted her face with her handkerchief.
"I see..." Sebastian said, smiling wryly, as he sweat dropped and patted her on the head. Chêne could be so mercurial sometimes... just like a whimsical little kitten.
"I've been looking up and down and all over for you. I was so worried when you were taken away to Great Britain. At long last... I'm so glad I found you." Soma said as he held Mina close to him, causing the Indian maid to blush slightly. "You have nothing to worry about anymore. Let's go back to the palace together!" Soma said, smiling in relief now that he had Mina back safe and sound again.
"Prince...!" Mina said as she gazed up into his eyes. "Are you an idiot?" She asked bluntly as her attitude suddenly changed completely, and she stared contemptuously at Soma as a vein throbbed on her forehead, her eyes full off disgust.
"Eh...?" Soma asked, shocked, as he stared back at his loving (?) wet-nurse. What was this...? This... This was Mina, wasn't it? Why was she looking at him with such hateful eyes? His sweet, beloved Mina...
"Here you are, hunting me down all the way in England and making a fine nuisance of yourself. Who do you think you are!?" Mina shouted, outraged, as she pulled away from Soma and moved closer to West again. "'Let's go back together'? Don't make me laugh. Who in their right mind would want to go back to a place like that?"
"Ah... Aah..." Agni said weakly as he collapsed onto his knees, horrified. How could she...!? After everything he'd done... Just what had he been fighting so desperately for, now that his worst fears had come to pass!? Everything had been in vain!
"..." Chêne said as she watched the tragedy unfolding before them, eyes slightly wide from shock. It couldn't be... Then Agni... Agni's real goal had been...! Chêne glanced between the Indian butler and his prince, her eyes full of sympathy and understanding.
"... You..." Sebastian said calmly as he looked down at Agni, coming to the same conclusion as Chêne. "... wanted to keep this... a secret from your prince." He stated, glancing at Soma. The prince was just standing there, shell-shocked, too hurt and horrified by Mina's words to move.
"I didn't want to live my entire life tied to the social position I was born into." Mina continued to explain as she grit her teeth in frustration. "And then, finally, I got my ticket out of India!" Soma glanced hesitantly at West, who was still in his own little corner of woe, mumbling incoherently about losing 'his' Royal Warrant.
"So, you willingly came here with West..." Soma asked weakly, his eyes silently begging his beloved maid to deny it, hoping it was all some cruel joke, that Mina didn't really mean all these harsh things she was saying...
"That's right." Mina said bitterly, smiling cynically at the spoiled prince. "Life as a servant? Or life as a rich man's wife? Even a child knows which is better. And besides... I've had more than enough of baby sitting a selfish brat like you!" Soma's eyes widened in shock as he stared numbly at the woman in front of him. It was true... Mina... Mina was really... She really meant everything she had just said...
This was really happening.
Ciel, Lau, Sebastian, and Chêne quietly watched the scene unfolding before them. Though they had helped Soma get this far and stopped West from winning, they knew this was something that the prince and his two servants had to confront and overcome on their own. The young earl, Chinese merchant/gangster, demon, and time-traveler were outsiders in this conversation, reduced to silent observers until a conclusion was reached among the three Indians, and they could all once again move forward, together, to take whatever actions would be required, whatever the outcome.
"Ugh... uu...!" Agni sobbed quietly from his position on the floor, clenching his fist. "...!"
Drip. Drip.
Tears of blood fell on his bandaged right hand and the stage floor as Agni trembled, overcome with despair.
'My Prince alone... My Prince, who sought Mina so desperately... to him alone did I not this awful truth revealed...!!' Agni cried out in his mind, his anguish written plainly on his face as the faithful khansama bowed his head in defeat, remembering how Mina had scorned him when he first found her with West, and how he pleaded for her to at least meet with Soma. She and West grinned wickedly as Mina suggested he do their bidding in return for keeping her real, hateful feelings a secret from the prince. Mina had always pretended to smile so innocently and affectionately at Soma... 'If he, with his pure heart, was to discover Mina's true nature... My Prince... My Prince would—!!' Agni cried internally.
"—I see." Soma said simply, smiling sadly at Mina. "I'm sorry." He apologized sincerely. Agni froze, his eyes widening in shock when he heard his prince speak so calmly, his voice full of gentle understanding. "We were together all that time, but I didn't understand how you were feeling at all." Soma said regretfully, his eyes full of sorrow. "Forgive me for chasing you to Great Britain without stopping to think about the trouble I would be causing you. And also... I want to thank you for all you've for me till now." He told Mina, smiling softly at her. Ciel watched calmly as Soma silently passed his old maid by, finally letting her go, and began to climb the steps leading onto the stage. "I've always passed the blame onto other people." Soma admitted calmly. "My being alone in the palace was father and mother's fault. Mina going away was West's. But the reality was different." Sebastian and Chêne watched as Soma strode past them as well. There was no trace of hesitation in his steps. "I, who did nothing but complain whilst sponging off of my parents, was truly the one at fault. No one would love such a brat. However..." Soma said, coming to a stop once he had finally reached the person he had wanted to speak with most of all, Agni. "... However, you remained by this foolish prince's side... and you continued to do so, even after you'd left me. Forgive me for making you shoulder such heavy burdens all this time."
Agni's eyes widened in surprise as he raised his head to face his prince. H-He couldn't believe it... after everything he had done... Why was his prince the one asking for forgiveness...!?
"Won't you come back to my side and be my ≤khansama≥ again? Agni?" Soma asked hopefully, smiling self-depreciatingly, as he held his hand out to his faithful servant. Agni closed his eyes, and clear tears of joy and relief streamed down his face as he gasped Soma's hand in his own, as if he were his lifeline.
"≤Jo... Aagyaa≥..." Agni sobbed gratefully. It wasn't too late... His god had forgiven him! They could still go back to the way things used to be!
Chêne and Sebastian smiled as they watched their heartfelt reunion. It was about time!
Down in audience, their fellow servants grinned, glad to see that it had turned out to be a happy ending after all. Lau smiled calmly as well, and Ran-Mao finally finished munching on her curry bun.
"One way or another," The Queen spoke up, drawing Ciel's attention away from the stage, "everything seems to have been settled. Is that not wonderful... My Boy?" Victoria asked Ciel, smiling kindly at them all as her own faithful servant, John, stood calmly beside her.
'My Boy...?' Lau, Ran-Mao, and the three stooges thought, positively stupefied. D... Did she really just call Ciel by such a cute little nickname!?
"Sh-She means the Young Master..." Bard snickered as he, Mei-Rin, and Finni started to shake from trying to control their laughter.
"She's talking about that earl..." Lau said, also shaking from trying to contain his laughter.
"Pffft!" They all laughed, unable to hold back any longer. Chêne smiled wryly. Poor Ciel... She and Sebastian had reacted the same way the first time they heard Victoria's affectionate nickname for him, but they had at least managed to contain themselves...
"Y-Your Majesty, I have implored you not to call me that—" Ciel sputtered nervously, blushing furiously out of embarrassment. He was an Earl now, for crying out loud!
"Oh, I say... Did you really now~?" Victoria asked innocently as she clapped her hands together and smiled so warmly, that flowers seemed to bloom in the air around her, like her smile was the very harbinger of spring itself. "But my boy, to me, you will always be my dear, lovely boy."
"Your Majesty!" Ciel whisper-yelled indignantly, frantically trying to keep her from saying anymore. That had been the breaking point for the three stooges, and they burst out in a roar of laughter.
Big mistake.
Ciel gave the three of them 'triple-decker icecream scoops' on their heads.
'That looks liked it hurts...' Chêne thought, sweat dropping, as she watched. The three stooges (even Bard) had comical tears streaming down their faces as they watched Ciel turn back to face the queen again, once they had been properly chastised for laughing at him.
"Ahem! Your Majesty." Ciel said, blushing slightly as he cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "What brings you to a place such as this today?"
"I was on my way to attend Saint Sophia Academy's choir concert." Victoria explained pleasantly, kindly choosing to pretend she hadn't just seen Ciel's little altercation with his servants. "But then I was told that my boy's corporation will be participating in the curry festival, so I came to see you. We always simply exchange letters and do not get to see each other very often."
"... One such as I..." Ciel said, furrowing his brow slightly as he avoided her gaze and removed his hat. "... Should not be meeting with Your Majesty too often..." He said humbly as he clutched his top hat.
"Do not say that." Victoria chided him kindly as she leaned down closer to Ciel's height and gently cupped his face with one her gloved hands. "My boy is still little, but he is fulfilling his duties splendidly just as his father Vincent did before him." She said, smiling a little wryly at the small but capable boy before her.
"..." Ciel said, furrowing his brow slightly as his queen placed her hand on top of his head. Chêne frowned slightly, concerned when she noticed the conflicted expression on the young earl's face. He looked troubled after being reminded of his father...
"Anyhow, much time has passed since I last came to the Crystal Palace. I feel like it was just yesterday that I attended the opening of the Great Exhibition with Albert..." Victoria said as she glanced around the place with a fond look of nostalgia. "Alberrrrrt!! Would that I could have come here today with you toooo!!" She cried dramatically as she suddenly fell to her knees, holding her face in her hands, as she remembered her beloved husband. In a flash, John was kneeling beside her, once again holding the Prince Albert puppet to cheer her up. Ciel sweat dropped. Not this again...
"She's kind of cute..." Chêne whispered softly behind her hand, smiling indulgently, like a parent humoring a silly but adorable child. Sebastian smiled a little wryly at her. Chêne was lucky he was the only one who had heard her speak of the Queen of England in such a manner. Even though she meant well, most people would probably take exception to their respected leader being referred to as 'cute'.
"Oh dear. I must be on my way..." Victoria said, sniffling as she used her silk handkerchief to dry her tears, like a proper lady, as she recovered from her little episode, and John readied her horse for her. "I shall have the Lord Chamberlain's office dispatch the Royal Warrant certificate to you. I look forward to enjoying the Curry Bun at the salon of Buckingham Palace." She told Ciel as John helped her onto her trusty steed again. "Thank you, John." Her horse neighed as Victoria pulled back on the reigns, turning her horse in the proper direction for her to ride off into the sunset, and she put her sunglasses back on. "Dear boy, do keep the playing around to a minimum." She added meaningfully as her parting shot to Ciel before galloping off, causing the citizens in her path to part like the Red Sea. You have to admit, the queen had style.
"..." John said as he stood next to Ciel, both boys watching stoically as the queen left them in her dust.
"... Are you all right staying behind?" Ciel asked calmly, causing John to flinch in shock and realization.
"Your Majesty, please wait!" John called after Victoria as he took off running, trying to catch up to the wild queen.
"She's still the same as ever..." Ciel said, sweat dropping as he watched them disappear from sight.
"Ciel!" Soma called out as he and Agni descended from the stage so they could rejoin the young earl. "Thank you for winning. You have my gratitude." Soma said humbly, truly grateful that he could be reunited with Agni again.
"I didn't do it for you. I did it for myself." Ciel stated coolly as he placed his top hat back on his head. "But... as a result, you babysitter has returned as well, so I suppose this is a case of killing two birds with one stone." Agni smiled bashfully as he scratched his nose shyly. There was no way he'd ever be able to repay these people for their kindness.
"Ciel... if I hadn't come to Great Britain... I might never have come to learn a number of truths. I would have stayed my narcissistic self, ignorant in the ways of the world. That is, if I hadn't met Ciel." Soma said seriously, his eyes glowing with resolve as he clenched his fist in determination, illuminated by the orange glow of the sunset that was streaming in through the glass walls of the Crystal Palace. "From now on, I'd like to see and learn about many things. And some day... I'll become a fine man, second to none! I'll show you!" He declared, grinning brightly, proud of his new resolution.
