A/N Hey guys here is chapter 8 straight from my lovely beta. so a few things, i am part way through chapter 9 but my tablet is being a pain so i dont know when it will be done, that being said i am posting from my phone. now i dont know why but the ff email for chapter 7 just went out even though i posted last week, so yes i am aware. i hope you guys enjoy and review because i love hearing from all of you. be sure to check out my facebook which is linked in my profile. bye.

Chapter 8

June 30, 1882

Ciel was in a good mood as he played in one of the sitting rooms with Lizzie. They were playing with one of the Funtom toys that his father had given him. It was a wooden Noah's Ark, it opened and small figures of men and animals could be moved around. The only thing that would have made him happier was if his brother, who sat on the other side of the room, would join in. However the eight year old was busy with some document that their father had given him that morning after breakfast and had refused to play with them.

Ciel frowned as he looked over at the busy green eyed boy, his brother always seemed to have something he was doing and barely had time for him. It had recently become very lonely in the Phantomhive Manor as far as the youngest member was concerned; that had lead his mother to invite Lizzie and her mother over more often. The six year old was grateful, truly, but he missed his brother.

"Are you alright Ciel?" Lizzie asked, her blue eyes looking at him in concern. He blinked in surprise at the question and distantly noticed the shuffle of paper from behind him had stopped.

"Yes," He replied and tried to go back to his happiness but he failed to find it. He moved one of the little people around for a few moments before a sigh echoed through the room. He turned to find Hadrian putting his papers down and standing from his chair. The green-eyed boy stretched his back before making his way towards them. Ciel felt a smile creeping across his face as his brother flopped onto the ground next to him.

Nothing was said between them but the blue-eyed boy figured that Hadrian had caught him looking and had decided to humor him. Still he was glad his brother was there, it seemed like it had been an age since the older boy had played with him or Lizzie, and when he glanced at the girl he saw that she too was smiling. They played like that for what felt like hours, laughing and just enjoying each other's company.

~0~

March 9, 1883

At twenty-nine Angelina was well into her spinsterhood, not that the men of the ton knew her reasons for denying every suiter. She had healed slowly from her wounds but scars, both physical and mental, remained to remind her of what had happened. However she had fought back against the dark memories, against the madness that surfaced in her mind. She changed herself; built an image of red to hide the black stains of her soul. She kept her ruby hair short, remembering the way they had gripped the length with strong hands, and dawned a scarlet dress. She became Madam Red.

She sipped her drink slowly as the dancers circled the room; the party was winding down but she did not feel like leaving. Instead she wandered to the balcony where she stood looking toward the pale false dawn. Thankfully the couples that had journeyed to the gardens were nowhere to be seen and she was alone, at least she was for a few minutes.

Angelina was leaning against the balcony rail when someone cleared their throat behind her. She jumped slightly and turned to find a tall fair haired man standing near the doors with a weak, timid smile on his lips. The redhead wanted to run. Even though the attack had been years before, she still felt vulnerable being alone around men.

"Miss Dallas, I am Baron Burnett." He said quietly as he bowed to her.

"It is an honor to meet you, Baron Burnett." She responded with a curtsy. Angelina looked into the man's blue eyes and found kindness within them. They were so different from the eyes of all other men she had known and they intrigued her. She felt a blush touch her cheeks as he smiled at her. Her ruby eyes gleamed as they held his and she was for the first time not reminded of her love for another.

~0~

May 21, 1883

The waters of fate had been stirring all day and had left Hadrian more than a little on edge. He stood next to his father in the crowded salon watching the coming and goings of the room while also keeping an eye on Ciel. His brother was still terribly shy and tended to hang on to one of their hands, but with so many potential enemies in such a tiny place it was ideal to keep a closer watch than normal. A man that sent the hairs on the back of his neck on edge entered from a side room.

The man was slightly thick around the middle with brown hair that was 'fashionably' cut and wore almost dainty looking circular glasses that gleamed in the candlelight. He looked around until his eyes fell onto Burnett, the man who had taken fancy with Hadrian's Aunt Angelina. The two of them exchanged greetings, but before Hadrian could see more Ciel pulled on his arm distracting him. Frustratingly enough the men had moved when he was able to look up again; only they reappeared in a flash right there in front of his small family.

He let the men's words fade into the background, only bowing when his name was called, as he tried to catch the new man's eyes. Hadrian knew that his use of Legilimency on a 'muggle', no matter how weak his magic was, was a serious affair and that he should not take the use of it lightly, but sometimes he just needed to know what was in store for his family. The man, Baron Kelvin his mind supplied, pulled his eyes from his father's face and stared at Ciel with a stunned look. His father had a smile on his face but the Baron's silence was more than a little rude, and even Burnett was almost edging away from the situation.

Finally the brown haired man's eyes met Hadrian's and the world exploded. Or, that was what it felt like to the boy. The visions of brilliance in Baron Kelvin's mind was almost too much, everything was fate touched and left the green-eyed boy shivering at the mania he could see blooming before him. They stayed locked in each other's gaze for several long minutes until his father's voice called Hadrian back to himself. He broke the Occlumency to find a familiar blond lifting Ciel high into the air. The sight of Chlaus, beloved family friend, however was not enough to distract the boy from his now dark thoughts.

Thomas Hamilton or Baron Kelvin was a man who thought himself to be kind. Hadrian however could see the madness and desires that he kept sealed away in the darkest parts of his soul. Deep inside Hadrian the waters of fate had stilled and he grit his teeth as he walked past the Baron. He knew that their meeting, fate tinged as it was, would come back to haunt him later, but he followed dutifully behind his father and Chlaus as they left behind the man.

~0~

July 19,1883

Panic coursed through his blood with each sharp, burning inhale that Ciel tried to drag into his heaving chest. Every wheezing exhale left him weak and trembling where he lay on the side lawn. Somewhere in the background he knew Lizzie was screaming but all he could hear was the deep thud of his heart as it raced in his ears. His vision was quickly narrowing while white spots danced in his sight.

He gasped and coughed; clutching his chest and throat with iron fists as he struggled to draw in each breath. Logically, with that distant and quiet part of his brain, he knew that he was having another asthma attack but with every passing moment his senses slipped further from his grasp. Ciel clawed at the grass and his own skin with a growing sense of his own mortality.

He was going to die.

He shuddered and tears slid down his cheeks as he fought desperately for each life giving breath. Darkness started to touch the edges of his vision and his head swam. Ciel felt himself weakening as his lips and lungs burned just when someone grabbed his arms. The person pulled his limp frame up and he could faintly feel hands scrambling at his clothes.

Suddenly Ciel could feel cool skin against his burning flesh and the softest of glows filled his dim gaze. Everything stopped; his breathing, the burning and his vision faded. Only he blinked and the darkness receded; he could feel the strain of his breathing ease and he coughed. Sweet, cool air filled his lungs and he opened his eyes.

"Oh thank god," A voice whispered above him. Ciel glanced toward the voice and found his brother's face hovering over him. Sweat stained the other's brow and Hadrian's breath came quickly, but a relieved smile touched his lips. "Welcome back little brother."

~0~

July 19, 1883

Hadrian knew that it was cheating to use his magic to ease his brother's asthma but when he'd seen the dark figure of the death standing over the crumpled body he had panicked. It was like that night his father was injured all over again only this time he had been quick enough to help. The manifestation of death did not vanish as the other had; his face set in a frown, his two tone green eyes staring down at the two boys with an unreadable look.

Hadrian knew that he meddling with things and that the forces of the world were probably not happy but what could he do, just watch people he had come to care for die? He ignored the people that had gathered around them as he all but glared at the creature while he pulled the recovering boy closer to himself. The green-eyed boy finally turned to face his brother and was relieved to see those blue orbs looking back at him.

"Oh thank god," he breathed. Above him the unseen figure turned and walked away; Hadrian felt his shoulders relax slightly even though he knew he would more than likely have to pay a price for his interference. He dropped his head to hide his tears of joy as he heard his parents joining the circle around them. "Welcome back little brother."

Ciel gave a small smile even though it was still probably a little hard to breath, he had not cured the disease after all. Not that he had not tried, but he had never been very good at medical spells and with his wild magic it had been even more difficult. Hadrian quietly let his mother take his brother from him and stood from his place crouched on the ground. He watched as the crowd slowly followed the Countess back toward the manor but he remained rooted to the spot for several minutes.

Hadrian took deep breaths trying to keep himself from shaking. Every fiber of his being was split in two; one half wanting to follow his family, the other wanted to hunt down the creature who had almost taken his brother. Instead he reached up and grasped his hair in clenched fists as he held in the scream that wanted to escape him because in his heart the waters of fate stirred. It was unfair; had he not given everything to fate, even his own life. What more could he give?

~0~

February 12, 1884

The marriage of Baron Gregory Burnett and Miss Angelina Dallas was an event to be remembered, Vincent made sure of it. He felt he owed it to the woman, after all he was the first person to break her poor heart. He sighed as the bride walked towards the altar; she looked stunning, her ruby locks stood out strikingly against her white dress. It had been a struggle to get her to agree to the color, but it was tradition as her first wedding.

Burnett was a good man, if he had not been Vincent would never have agreed to the match, and the Earl completely expected the man to take care of the fragile Angelina. Not that the blue-black haired man thought she was weak because of her sex, but he had seen the dark look of insanity in her eyes when she thought herself alone. An insanity he had seen far to often in the eyes of his enemies, and he had feared that she would become one of those enemies. But Burnett was good for her.

The blond man stood at the altar smiling as his soon-to-be wife walked towards him. Angelina smiled softly as well though Vincent knew she did not love the other as he loved her. She had admitted as much to him in the weeks leading up to the wedding but he had pretended not to hear her so as to protect their family. She had understood, or at least that was the impression he had received when the red-eyed woman did not repeat herself.

Vincent settled down in his chair next to his family and watched his sister-in-law get married. Rachel was completely enthralled by the whole affair, Ciel seemed bored and Hadrian was watching the bridegroom with his sharp emerald eyes. The Earl wondered what the boy could see behind the Baron's smile, but he would not ask; some things were better left alone after all.

~0~

July 10, 1884

It was a cool day, far from the heat of the 21st century, and Hadrian had decided to take a ride. Riding a horse was not dissimilar from riding any of the many mythical beasts he had encountered in his first life and he found great comfort in the act. The blue-black haired boy and his painted yearling were out on one of the many trails that dotted the country estate enjoying the fresh air. They had just crested a hill when a shot rang out.

The yearling reared, nearly throwing the boy but Hadrian managed to hang on for dear life before setting off at a wild gallop. A second report sounded in the deadly silent area and the blue-black haired boy felt a burn in his dominate right arm. He was only just holding on as the barely trained colt ran haphazardly across the lands belonging to the Phantomhives.

Hadrian did not know how long it took for the horse to calm down enough to still, panting and shaking, but when he was finally able to look around he was surprised at how close the beast had gotten to the manor. He slid from the yearling's back and patted him gently on the shoulder before trying to urge the creature home. The stable master was the first to see them and came running with a sour look on his face.

"Master Hadrian, I told you not to run him so hard. Look at poor Mosaic…" The man, who was completely ordinary in every way, started only to stop when Hadrian turned slightly revealing his bloody sleeve. "What happened?"

"I was shot at, man," The boy said in an indignant voice as he passed the horse off to one of the stable hands. The man's face went white as he reached out and took hold of Hadrian's right shoulder, only to let go at the green-eyed boy's startled scream. Hadrian looked down at the injured area and was surprised at just how much blood stained the white cloth of his shirt. "I think the doctor will need to be called."