CHAPTER 21 - "IN SEARCH OF FAMILY"
"You can't mean that," Ciel said incredulously, as he stared down at his butler at the top of the main staircase. "I gave you an order! You are to protect my brother at all costs!
"Regrettably, our contract supersedes that order. You are my foremost priority." Sebastian moved away from the twins on the floor and traversed the distance to the other servants, checking on their vital signs. He plucked the darts out from their necks. He handed them to Savannah. "I believe these are yours."
Savannah took them carefully without a word said.
"We don't want to harm the boy," Mathu Kelvin said. "We merely want what's in Lukas Phantomhive's brain. To do so, however, we must lift the amnesia he is suffering from. We have a phrase that will do so, it was programmed into his subconscious by the Inner Circle members to activate his brainwashing to kill his brother and replace him as head of the house of Phantomhive."
"What?" Ciel protested.
"I assure you, that will not happen," Sebastian said straightly. "Thus, if Master Lukas' programming is to be activated, that is grounds to eliminate him beforehand. I will not see any harm done to my master." Sebastian looked at Ciel, his eyes serious.
Ciel sighed melancholy, looking away. He did say that Sebastian was his and his alone. But he could not believe the sudden state of affairs. Sebastian vowed to kill Lukas just to protect their covenant?
"Notwithstanding," Sebastian continued. "If a way can be found to safeguard both my master and his brother, then that opinion will be considered. If not, Lukas Phantomhive will die. I will not have you return to harm my master once your bodies are restored. You will leave us now, and I will summon you when and if I locate the child. The search will be mine." His eyes glowed, as if to argue with him was forbidden.
"Fair enough," Mathu Kelvin said, putting his hands up in submission. "If a way can be found; all we want is the information in the boy's brain. You can keep the boy, do whatever you want with him afterwards. I assure you, once we get what we want, we will leave you in peace."
"Then we are in agreement."
"Traitor!" Ciel declared.
Sebastian looked at Ciel with surprise. Ciel eyed Sebastian with a hatred he had never given anyone before, not even those he branded to die for murdering his parents. And his covenant eye glowed with an deep shade of red to emphasis his abhorrence.
"When this is all said and done, butler of mine," Ciel said coolly, but with a look of complete distain. "Vengeance will be upon you, and not even the very fires of Hell will save you from me!"
But it only seemed to amuse Sebastian.
When the house was emptied of the unwelcome - the Fallen Reapers and the Reapers - and the servants were revived and told a fictional story. Despite their skills as defenders of the mansion, they were clueless, and the story Sebastian had told them seemed to settle their minds, they returned to their duties. Tanaka was found unconscious in one of the backrooms and also revived. The Fallen Reapers had struck him first, coming through the back terrace and into the house.
A search of the mansion found that Lukas was no where to be found and a search party was to be held. Lukas could be anywhere. The last time Ciel had seen his brother was last night at the night meal. Sebastian had informed him that Lukas had spoken with him later that night in the study, but after that, he had not slept in his bed, and a few provisions had been taken. Also, one of pistols that had been used in the duel the day before.
Had Lukas run away because he embarrassed his brother and showed skills Lukas himself had no knowledge of during and after the duel? What did Bryon Kelvin and his associates do to his brother over these last seven years? Psychologically, his brother must be feeling very confused. He had told Sebastian that he was thinking of leaving because there can only be one master of a household, and in defeating the "master" of the house in a duel, it made Ciel lose face in front of his servants.
But he couldn't blame his brother, not anymore. Lukas had been stolen, and brainwashed, but now he remembered nothing of the past seven years because of his amnesia, and very little of his family before then. Ciel could not imagine the emotional turmoil Lukas must be feeling. But now a spoken programmed phrase can remove his amnesia? But what would his brother become then with all his programming? Would Lukas attempt to fulfill the Inner Circle's plan to kill Ciel and put himself in Ciel's place?
He fretted to think about it.
However now, he had a more pressing matter to contend with. A traitorous butler who was willing to murder Lukas to usurp the Fallen Reapers and to save Ciel for his own personal agenda, namely Ciel's soul. It was the first time he ever regretted making the covenant with this demon.
He sat on his bed as Sebastian dressed him, the butler was on his knees as he should be, slipping on Ciel's left leg stocking. The window of his quarters had been bordered up with plywood from the explosion earlier and the debris and glass had been removed, but the walls were still somewhat blackened with soot from the damage.
"Traitor," he muttered under his breath.
Sebastian didn't respond to it. Although with Sebastian's keen hearing, he knew the demon heard him. The butler remained straight-faced.
With a wicked slap to his face, Sebastian still didn't respond and continued to dress Ciel, moving over to his right leg, to slip on the right stocking.
Ciel stood, and Sebastian buttoned his vest. "You disgust me," he said to the butler. Sebastian didn't respond, neither did he look Ciel in the face. "How are the servants recovering?"
"They are groggy, my lord, but functioning well," Sebastian said professionally.
"I can't believe you allowed those Fallen Reapers to leave on their own accord when they knew something about the circumstances of my parents' murder. That is why the covenant stands. If you will not adhere to it, then the contract between us will be canceled. Do I make myself clear?"
This grabbed Sebastian's attention and he looked at Ciel with a gravity Ciel had never witnessed from the demon before. Ciel's own reflection stared back at him in the dark pools of the demon's eyes. "You will not cancel the contract, nor has my loyalty wavered from you, master."
"The Fallen Reapers will not keep their word, you know this." Ciel went to slap Sebastian again, but the butler grabbed Ciel's wrist in midair. "Get your hands off me!"
"You come first, Ciel Phantomhive," Sebastian said, using Ciel's name for the first time instead of his rightful title. "I will not let anything happen to your soul until the end. This is the terms of our contract. If you will not adhere to them, then I will cancel the contract and devour your soul here and now, and your brother will be left to the mercy, or lack thereof, of the Fallen Reapers."
Sebastian released Ciel, and Ciel felt his wrist. Sebastian had squeezed it hard. "But until then, and as long as each of us adhere to the contract, you are mine! Let me make this absolutely clear. I hold your leash."
Sebastian stood and bowed. "Yes, my lord."
"And never use my name disrespectfully again!"
Sebastian apologized.
"Did you know I named you after my dog, who was also killed on that fateful night?" Ciel said, just to be mean. "He was a Borzoi, a Russian Wolfhound, a most beautiful creature. So kind and compassionate. I named you after him because you came to my help in the amphitheatre that night. Despite being a demon, I honored you with that respect. I was greatly wrong after your disgusting, traitorous display downstairs."
"I was not aware of that, and you know how I dislike dogs." Was all he said.
Ciel snorted. "But you like cats, so-called demon animals. Your senses befall you when you see one, you forget yourself, and everything around you. There is a name for cats that is rude and crass that I now call you…" And Ciel said it, and Sebastian's eyes widened with shock.
"Master, such vulgar language. Where in the world did you learn a word like that?"
"You may home school me, Sebastian, but I am verse of the world with much allowance. Not everything I know comes from literature in books."
"But such language is not appropriate for a person in your social standing and for someone so young."
"And yet you use vulgarities. Those jokes you tell the Undertaker are crass, and yet he laughs at them. Do you not think I can not overhear them even when standing outside?"
Sebastian frowned embarrassed. "My apologizes, sir. I will endeavor to watch my language."
"And they are not even funny."
"It all depends on the delivery. But you were never one to have a sense of humor."
"What was that?"
"We will search for Master Lukas between the mansion and town, sending the servants out in each direction," Sebastian said, changing the subject. "He could not have traveled far by foot. At best, he is in town, or in the surrounding countryside, but my wager is he has reached the city."
"If he shows the same cunning in eluding us as he did in defeating me in the duel, I imagine he will have much to teach you in the art of covert operations like my parents' missions for the Queen. Some skills can be trained upon or are inherited, indeed."
"Indeed. Perhaps that is why he was chosen by Bryon Kelvin. But I have an idea where to start. I will tell the servants, and ready the carriage and horses for the journey."
When Sebastian opened Ciel's bed chambers door, Finny, Mey-Rin and Bardroy, were all standing in the hallway.
"We apologize for disturbing you, sir, but we will like to help search for Master Lukas," Finny said.
"Tanaka's told us the master's disappeared, and no one knows where he went," Bardroy said.
"Oh, I hope he's okay, yes I do," Mey-Rin said.
Ciel looked at the downtrodden three; they looked so apologetic. They had apologized earlier for being caught off-guard by Mathu Kelvin and Savannah, whom Sebastian had explained had broken into the mansion to capture Lukas, much like before, but left empty-handed thanks to Sebastian.
Ciel knew it was not their fault.
Ciel smiled, which was unusual for him. "I will welcome your company," he said. "In fact, I would like to have people around me that I can trust." That was a direct jab at Sebastian, and he knew Sebastian knew it. "So, let us look for my dear brother together, shall we?"
With Tanaka left to look after the mansion, the five of them set off in search of Lukas.
Ciel had disregarded the idea of the servants separating in different directions, wanting his true allies close to him. Finny, Mey-Rin and Bardroy, sat in the cabin of the carriage with him, as Sebastian drove the horses out front, setting off on the winding dirt road that lead into town. It would take them approximately an hour.
During this time, Ciel was mindful of his thoughts, and he was even ashamed of himself for ever being jealous of his brother. He was curious how Lukas learned his secret skills, but he hoped answers would reveal themselves soon.
The whole concept of Fallen Reapers was bizarre, but having a demon as a butler made it conceivable. He would need to find a way to stop the Fallen Reapers, even his own butler, to save his brother from death. But how could Lukas know something thousands of years before he was even born?
He had heard stories of people believing they were reincarnated, that they had knowledge of past lives. Their spirit had lived thousands of years before only to resurface in modern times; people who had no connection to ancient civilizations were suddenly bombarded with secrets thought lost long ago.
Then he recalled Savannah, the fortune-teller, who had invaded his mansion with Mathu Kelvin. She was a medium. She could probably awaken this hidden information inside Lukas's mind, so the Fallen Reaper's bodies' could be recalled and restored to solid form. But then that would entail a deep dwelling into Lukas's subconscious mind, and the pressure might kill him.
This was why it was so important to find a way to stop them before they got their hands on Lukas, and if he can, stop his butler too. But how could he stop three supernatural beings? He was only human. The Reapers - Grell and Knox - would be no help. They were sent on their way like the Fallen Reapers. But he knew they would probably keep watching from afar.
Then there was the rumor that Bryon Kelvin was still alive. The children kidnappings were continuing, but there had been no direct correlation between years past and the kidnappings today with Kelvin, only that Kelvin was somehow involved in Lukas's deception to his parents, saying that he had died on the operating table during surgery to fix his face of the deformities he had.
If that was a lie, then so was Bryon Kelvin's so-called death by a staff-infection when he underwent surgery to correct an imperfection, as he called it, according to Tanaka. But where would Kelvin be hiding? And if he was ever found, Ciel vowed bloody murder on him!
The trip in fact took longer than Ciel had anticipated, but he it paid the extra time no mind. Instead, when the carriage stopped, he found it curious Sebastian would lead him here, of all places.
"This is where you want to start, Sebastian?" Ciel said, looking out the window at the Undertaker's shop.
"He doesn't think Master Lukas is dead, does he?" Finny said worriedly.
"On the contrary," Sebastian said, stepping off the carriage. "Where better to broker information then from someone who dabbles in it more than anyone, who sees more, hears more than the average ear."
"Anyone have a good joke to tell?" Bardroy said, knowing the price of information from the Undertaker was a joke that would send the man into insatiable laughter.
Ciel sighed. He was not in a jocular mood. He stepped out of the carriage when Sebastian opened the door. The others followed him, all of them standing in front of the shop. "Sebastian, you seem to be in a fickle mood today. I'm sure the Undertaker would appreciate your dark humor. You do the honor."
Ciel saw the butler's facial expression change from one of conceit to that of acquiesce, knowing Sebastian knew the hidden meaning behind Ciel's words - that he had been two-faced in sporting his own agenda when it came to disobeying his orders. Ciel knew the other servants would not get the double-entendre.
Sebastian opened the shop door for Ciel and the others, and they all filed in.
"Welcome to my parlor, gentlemen," the Undertaker greeted darkly. He smiled broadly, and was standing next to a standard size coffin on the floor. "How may I be of service, my lord? Can I measure you for one of these beauties?" The Undertaker pointed to a coffin lending against the wall. "This one is just your size - "
"Why must you always insist on measuring me for a coffin every time I come in here?" Ciel said.
"It is my job. I am an undertaker, after all."
Ciel capitulated to that. He put up a hand, and said, "No coffins. We are looking for some information. If you can help us, we would be grateful."
"And what sort of information do you require, my lord?"
"Master Lukas has gone missing," Sebastian said. "We hope you may know of his whereabouts."
"Your brother, you say," the Undertaker said, musing, his hand cupped around his chin. "You have only been reunited with him after seven long years, and now you lose him again? Tisk. How careless."
"The circumstances of his disappearance are unimportant. What we need is a starting point of his possible location. We came here to get information, which you might have."
"And what hence did you come that conclusion, butler?"
"We are in possession of certain information that has lead us to you. We know you were a member of my master's father's secret sect of aristocrats, told to us by Tanaka."
Ciel looked at Sebastian curiously. "And when were you going to tell me this little bit of important information, butler of mine? Why didn't Tanaka tell me this?" Why hadn't Tanaka ever told him this? And he had never seen the Undertaker come to the mansion, ever.
"He told me this just before our departure. This is why I wanted to come here first."
Yet another form of deception on your part, Ciel thought.
"I see," the Undertaker said. "How is the old man doing?"
"He is well," Sebastian said.
"Allow me to clarify certain untruths. I knew Vincent Phantomhive, but as for being a member of his secret sect of aristocrats, an amusing notion to say the least, and for which I am not an aristocrat, your elder butler is feeding you fabrications. I must have a conversion with Tanaka and set him straight on things."
"We have no time for dishonesty. We believe Master Lukas may be in danger."
"Life in its infancy is dangerous. But I will tell you what I can to help bring Lukas Phantomhive back home. So, who will start?" The Undertaker looked around to everyone for his obvious payment.
"Sebastian, go on," Ciel said.
"Of course, sir." And the butler began.
It probably wouldn't take a lot to make the Undertaker crack up, Ciel thought, but Sebastian had decided to tell a lengthy joke, filled with character narration and pragmatic undertones.
And Ciel had no intention of listening. None of Sebastian's jokes were funny anyhow.
The Undertaker being a member of his father's secret sect of aristocrats was news to him, and he wondered why Tanaka did not reveal this information to him at an earlier time. Perhaps it equalized the same information of his brother, for which Tanaka knew but did not tell him, until Lukas' appearance seven years after he was kidnapped, for which Ciel's mind was "erased" of him by his parents so he would not fret.
Indeed, even now he was still learning new information about their secret lives two years after his parents' deaths. So many mysteries had fallen into his lap in such a short time, that he was beginning to wonder if his quest to avenge his parents was in fact as honorable as he had obviously surmised.
He tossed the thought away. His parents' were murdered. What sort of lives they lead was of no consequence to what had befell them. No one wrongs a Phantomhive; he still believed his vengeance was justified. This was merely another stepping stone to finding all those who had conspired against his parents.
The Fallen Reaper known as Mathu Kelvin said he didn't knew who had murdered Vincent and Rachel Phantomhive, burning them to death inside their own mansion, but Ciel knew they had to know something they were hiding. If he could only get to Lukas first, then he could barter with them to get what he wanted. He would make them tell them him what they knew.
He wanted to save his brother, but in truth, what could he do? Vengeance on those who murdered his parents was first and foremost. It may have felt callous to think this way, but if he could get this information first, have Sebastian murder those responsible, then Lukas may still be spared…
Or was he completely misinterpreting the situation? What if the Fallen Reaper's could extract the information they needed from Lukas without killing him?
No, then everyone who knew the Fallen Reaper's secret would then be killed. No witnesses. That was the mentality of sadistic death entities like these Fallen Reaper's; he knew humans who shared the same traits. So, he knew any truth between the Fallen Reapers was deception on their part to only get what they wanted. And Sebastian should know this. But he was demon out for himself. What did he care?
He had to get to Lukas before anyone did!
As the others were distracted with Sebastian's joke, Ciel sniffed, detecting a hint of Rosemary in the air. Had the Undertaker been preparing a body just before they arrived? It seemed to be coming from a coffin near-by, if so, then there was a dead body in the shop.
No matter, it was the Undertaker's profession, and Ciel had seen a number of dead bodies in his near 13 years, including that of his late aunt, who turned out to be Jack the Ripper, killing prostitutes. While she was a serial killer, there were times that he had missed her company. She was a strict woman at times, but she was ever loving when it came to him; she would never see any harm come to him. And even when she had her hand around his neck, strangling him in that dark alley in White Chapel, wishing that he had never been born, she couldn't kill him, despite it meaning she would be still be alive and continue killing prostitutes for her own personal agenda today. If it wasn't for her butler Grell Sutcliff, who turned out to be a Reaper, he may have suffered the say fate as his aunt's final victim, Mary Kelly.
Seeing that the other's backs were turned, he snuck away into the backroom to snoop. He was never one for sneaking around, he preferred the direct approach to getting answers. But as the opportunity arose, he took it, and wandered about the backroom where the Undertaker stored all his amenities. There were shelves and tables filled with every assortment of chemicals, salts and powders; all Ciel imagined the Undertaker used for his job. The smell of some things was putrid, and he covered his nose, turning away. He looked around.
Nothing seemed to catch his eye, however, nothing out of the ordinary, and he decided to leave.
But then he found something completely unusual for the Undertaker to have. It was a child's stocking, laying on the floor, and appeared to be pushed to the side under a shelf. He had only caught sight of it out of the corner of his eye when he turned to return to the showroom. He picked it up and examined it. There were no rips, snags or holes in it. It was fairly new, and expensive looking, something only the rich or elite could afford to wear. It must have been either pushed under here or hidden in a rush.
He shoved it into his trousers pocket and had another quick look around, but didn't see anything else unusual. He was almost certain this stocking belonged to Lukas. Of all places, why would it be here? Had Lukas come here after he left the mansion? Had Lukas' amnesia lifted, and he knew to come the Undertaker's shop, that he would be a safe here away from those who wanted to recapture him? Could Tanaka's information about the Undertaker being a member of his father's secret sect be true?
He was still missing something. If he didn't know about the Undertaker, how could Lukas know, being away from seven years? Unless he had privileged information, much like those special skills he exhibited during and after the duel. That, much like an instinct lead him to the mansion in the first place, could the same instinct have lead him to the Undertaker's shop because he knew it would be a safe haven?
He had to keep this to himself. If Sebastian knew, then he wouldn't rest until he choked the information out of the Undertaker of where he had possibly hid Lukas, so he could give his brother to the Fallen Reapers.
He heard insatiable laughter, and quickly slipped back out into the showroom unnoticed. The Undertaker was laughing so hard tears were coming out of his eyes, hidden underneath his thick, white hair.
Finny shrugged. "I don't get it?"
"The Undertaker has a weird sense of humor, yes he does," Mey-Rin said.
"Sebastian," Bardroy started, "explain the part about the monkey and the harmonica again?"
Even without hearing the majority of Sebastian's joke told to the Undertaker - but he had had heard it before during a dinner party for a number of guests he had had just last month, and a crass, drunken guest had told it - Ciel said, "The punchline is: blow is out your arse."
They all turned to him, and the Undertaker cracked up again, laughing uncontrollably. "Oh butler, you tell the most amusing jokes," the Undertaker said, when he began to compose himself. "And my lord, you make a most wonderful straight-man."
Sebastian seemed to smile at Ciel, for whatever reason.
"Enough," Ciel said. "Ask him a few questions and let's be on our way."
After a series of daunting and rudimentary questions which lead to nowhere, they left the shop. When they all gathered next to the carriage, Finny said, "I wonder where Master Lukas went off too?"
Ciel wondered where and if the Undertaker was hiding him.
"Did you find anything that could help us in the back room, my lord?" Sebastian asked.
Ciel snapped his attention to his butler, who produced a thin smile. "Back room?" He narrowed his gaze. He should have figured that despite telling the joke, Sebastian was still watching him. "No."
"You went into the back room, Master?" Finny said. "We didn't see you."
"That's because you were all focused on Sebastian's lame humor. I thought since everyone was distracted by the joke, even the Undertaker, I could sneak away and find something. It was a waste of time." But he knew that his brother was or had been in the shop at one time. One thing he did find disturbing, however, was why would he find Lukas - or indeed a child's stocking - inside the Undertaker's shop?
But the realization of what if he did find his brother or knew something of his whereabouts struck him. How could he hide this information from a powerful demon, who seemed to sense where Ciel was or knew exactly what he was thinking at any given moment?
"Let's go," Ciel said.
To be continued…