05. Fragments.
We'll never get free, lamb to the slaughter, what you gon' do when there's blood in the water? — blood / water, grandson.
It didn't take long for Eden to decide it was time to return her obligations to the Queen. Visiting the castle was becoming one of her chores too, it was her way of forgetting a little about dreams and spending time in London.
In her free period before returning to school, she was trying to do her job properly, She's a little tiring, but she liked to be tired of being helpful.
That morning, she was still staying at Castle. It was complicated to stay away from her family, but she was satisfied and for now, that was enough. Her silk and musseline dress set on her body, Eden put a hand on her stomach feeling the grip of the corset.
"Thank you, Daisy."
"Do you need anything else, my lady?"
Eden was distracted by staring at her own image in the mirror, her eyes were more susceptible than those of her amother, but not as innocent as Lizzy's, her skin was paler than that of the rest of her family, Her hair was very curly and less brilliant compared to her sister and mother's.
Sometimes it was hard for her to recognize herself in the mirror. She was constantly living other people's memories and a slight confusion took over her vision at times.
"It's all right, Daisy, thank you."
The maid nodded and prepared to leave, Daisy turned her back and opened the door in front of the entrance, Eden saw the boy's reflection of symmetrically cut hair and malicious eyes.
"My lord." Daisy greeted her by holding the skirt of her dress and bowing politely.
"I see you're getting ready for a new dinghy, Miss Midford."
Daisy left without waiting for more words from the Count, Eden got up from the dressing table showing no expression on her pale face.
"I don't believe we've even talked with each other before to hear such words from you, Mr. Grey."
He gave an annoying smile.
"I don't know what kind of words I would use with you after you eluding the poor Phipps." He said, but he didn't really seem to care. "All women are really poisonous snakes."
"It's not my fault if you're the only one putting your sex in the victim position." He made a disgusted expression and Eden deflected her gaze, impatient. "Do you want something more than insult me, Mr. Grey? "
"A letter, the Queen asked to be delivered by me into your hands." He shook the envelope and dropped it, the paper floated to the floor of the room." Oops, my bad."
Eden went to the door and closed it tightly, snoffed. She knew Charles Grey didn't like her, his hostility was nothing new, she just didn't want to have to deal with him so early in the morning.
She ducked and took the letter, walked to her dressing table drawer and pulled the letter opener out.
Removed the seal and read the content carefully.
Aunt Angelina.
Immediately walked out, she needed to return home.
The whole family was shaken, her aunt had lost her baby and her husband. She visited her at the hospital once, never thought that one day she would see her aunt so broken.
Eden couldn't find the right words, she could never measure the pain of losing someone, she had only memories of nonexistent people suffering their respective mournings. Herself, she was too privileged to say what her heartbroken aunt would like to hear.
She just sat next to her, and stood there, quietly, for the rest of her visiting minutes.
On leaving, she put a kiss on her beloved aunt's forehead.
"I will always be here for you." She whispered in the end, Angelina, who remained motionless throughout her presence, stared at her with eyes full of tears.
She cried on her shoulder and Eden wanted her to take at least part of her pain so her beloved aunt wouldn't suffer so much.
She returned to school the next month, her income in grades had fallen. She couldn't concentrate on anything, her sleep nights were getting worse and worse.
Her only success had been in one of the cooking classes, she had managed to make a cake stuffed with chocolate. It wasn't decorated or looked very attractive, but it was delicious, she was the dorm leader's assistant and the girl had liked at least.
"I heard your mother hasn't organized your engagement yet, Eden." Eloise, the dorm leader, caught her eye with a too kind smile.
Eden was finishing cleaning up the mess the cake ingredients had left.
"Yes, Louie."
"My younger brother doesn't have a fiancée either."
"I didn't know you had brothers, Louie." Eden commented not paying much attention to what her superior said.
"Yes, I do. My brother's name is Gregory, he's a student in Weston."
"Weston, hn?" Eden nodded, returning the wheat flour to the closet. "My uncle and father studied in Weston."
Eloise gave a satisfied smile.
"Look, this can only be a sign."
Eden found that she should be more careful with the prefect's suggestions, her mother sent her a letter just two weeks later informing her of an alleged encounter with the Violet family.
Upon meeting the girl at lunchtime, she only faced Eden with her eyes full of presumption.
"You are two introspective people who were without a companion, I needed to put you in each other's way, it was my destiny."
The idea of getting married was not so absurd, Eden always knew that the freedom her mother gave her was not extended to her suitors. The problem was not knowing the boy properly, knowing that he would have to strive to know about the issues he would like to talk about and what his favorite food was seemed simply boring.
The months passed fast, Eden's mother wanted her to meet Charles Phipps too at the Phipps's Christmas ball. Eden was anxious and didn't want to go, particularly, anything about a possible marriage to a groom she manipulated to get a good contact with the queen.
"There's him... Also." Eden murmured by raising her trunk from the direction of the table in front of the chair. The angel of her dreams, a faceless smoke that caused strange emotions in her.
She sank her face into hands, ashamed of being so pathetic and childish.
That being was part of a dream, her loyalty was a delirium of her mind in a state of sleep deprivation.
Eden's mother sent her another letter almost in the same week in which she sent a letter about Christmas at the Phipps manor. She was worried because it wasn't normal.
It was a futile thought, believing it was no big deal, Eden was just days away from returning home when the news was given to her.
Eden's body trembled as she read the words in the letter, hed hand kneaded the paper and she sat on the edge of the bed, unable to stand.
The Christmas ball was cancelled that year, the tragedy that followed the family was devastating.
Her aunt hadn't yet recovered from her first loss, at the funeral of her sister and brother-in-law, she was completely dressed in black. Her aunt was just a bark at that moment, a spectrum of the cheerful woman she had been.
Lizzy didn't cry at her uncle and aunt funeral, she had cried a lot the night before, her face was rosy and her green eyes were empty. She looked sideways, on the bench, her older sister held the rosary with force almost breaking the rope of the object, she was head down and Lizzy caught a glimpse of her eyes.
Anger.
Her sister was very angry.
And Elizabeth understood completely.
"Why are they here? Put them out, you have the power to do that."
"Eden, you can't go on with this revolt against the world forever."
Edward held his breath to hear his mother's words since the tragedy came about the Phantomhiverr, his sister was no longer asleep, any family member who stood up at night would see Eden traveling through the mansion alone.
Francis was worried, Alexis no longer knew what to do and Edward was hoping his sister wasn't become mad.
The Midford manor was always full after the death of Vincent Phantomhive, he was a beloved man and well known within high society. Eden came out of her room furious, and now they were trying to appease things.
Edward knew what would happen if some doctor said his sister was hysterical.
And only the thought left him scared.
"Do you think I don't understand anything? These people are sick, insane. I could see how they looked at my cousins! My baby cousins!" Francis frowned, speechless. Her daughter words were full of pain. "What did they do to them, Mother? Why can't anyone bring them back? Why did they kill my Uncle Vincent? Why did they kill my Aunt Rachel?"
Alexis got up from his chair, there was a silent understanding in their movements. Edward watched his father walk to his sister, Eden had wild eyes and her slim body still dressed in her sleeping attire, she was still trembling.
Alexis hugged his daughter, putting her head on his chest. Eden accepted the hug, but there wasn't even a tear falling from her eyes.
She seemed agitated, confused and very angry.
Edward remembered that Lizzy was still at his Aunt Angelina's house.
Francis kept quiet this time, just watching as his family tried to reunite all the shards left behind.
"What can I do? Tell me something I can do to make you happier." Charles told when he visited her, Eden was as beautiful as a flower that day.
However, Charles could see tiredness in her eyes.
"I just want them to come home, Mr. Phipps."
Francis was surprised when her eldest daughter became interested in learning fencing. She watched with evaluators eyes her two daughters fighting in the training hall.
Elizabeth was a ruthless genius and was obviously afraid to hurt her older sister. Eden was full of frustration, her movements were corrected, but nowhere was good as the rest of her family.
Lizzy subdued Eden's sword, knocked it to the ground.
Eden stared at the sword, no expression on her face.
"Again." Francis ordered it.
Eden took the sword again, taking her position.
Angelina wrapped her bandages in her niece's hands. Eden watched in silence, looking thoughtful.
She was not a prodigy, she was trying very hard, there were bruises on her body and she seemed exhausted.
Angelina touched Eden's blonde hair with kindness.
"You shouldn't try so hard, honey."
She raised her eyes.
"I know I need."
Angelina didn't say anything.
She just wanted, if God exist, he'd stop hurting all her precious children.
Ciel did not return with his brother, his body was so small and weak that Angelina could not stop wondering where he took the strength to stand.
Next to him was a man, a tall and dressed in black, waiting for his orders.