After the incident at the masquerade ball, I discovered from my master that Sebastian and Claude had made a deal. The deal was confidential so I hadn't been able to get much information on it except that it involved Ciel regaining vengeance, only on a different enemy: Alois Trancy. Ciel had killed to get information on Alois, even though he had nothing to do with the death of Ciel's family. I felt a slight pang in my gut at the fact that these two boys whom I cared for dearly, although I think I pitied Alois more than I cared for him. No matter. I had to put on a brave face, but it was hard considering Alois decided to invite Ciel and Sebastian for another meeting. Just them. Private. Wonderful.
I prepared the battle field so that it replicated a chess board, and then assigned who would be fighting. Hannah would be using the guns, the triplets would be using an assortment of knives and staffs. Claude would pull the cliché and use his butter knives. I was about to grab myself a dagger when Claude held my hand down. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him.
"April Showers, when we are fighting with Sebastian I ask that you protect Ciel Phantomhive. Play the part of the Trancy's maid and such, but Ciel is more important than Alois. That is an order. Understood?" Claude said, emotionless.
I felt my eyes widen, a little bit confused, but I nodded.
"Yes my lord,"I said, confirming the order.
"Now go and ensure our young master is fed," Claude said, letting go of me and walking off.
I went to the kitchen and prepared Alois' lunch. I let my thoughts fester a bit. Claude didn't care about Alois. That must mean he knows that Ciel will try something. This also means that he anticipates that Alois might win unless Ciel gets help and he expects me to ensure that. I would end up hurting Alois, I'm sure of it. I heaved a sigh and went upstairs and handed Alois his meal.
He was about half way through it when he glanced up at me and frowned slightly.
"Is something wrong your highness?"I said, sounding slightly distracted.
"You look tired Avril. Also paler than normal. Is everything alright? Are you worred about seeing your brother again? You looked really sick after the ball,"the boy said, slight worry in his eyes.
I was surprised at how much this insane boy saw, and it never ceased to amaze me. He was pretty observant for someone who was supposed to only think of himself.
"I'm fine young master. I'll be okay. I promise,"I said with a smile.
He nodded, though he didn't look convinced.
"Are you fighting in the battle?"Alois said, taking a bite of his food.
"No sir. I am to stay with you and Lord Phantomhive and ensure you and his needs are tended too. I want to ensure your happiness my lord,"I said, again smiling.
Alois looked me over and looked back at his food.
"I wish I knew what people were thinking. I wish I knew what you were thinking. You are such a beautiful young lady. You shouldn't need to be suffering so much. You should be off at parties. Showing your beauty to the many sutors who would fancy your hand in marriage. Not serving the likes of me. I know this isn't the life you wanted Avril. I'm sure you wanted to do much bigger and better things with yourself. Not wait hand and foot to spoiled people," he said, sounding slightly frustrated.
"No, I don't think that I would have been receiving fancy suitors. Also, I don't mind serving you young lord. I didn't mind serving Ciel either. You both are very precious to me. I have served other's that I would have, rather not, but you are not anywhere close to one of those that I wish I could escape. However, you need not stress yourself over me my young highness. I am doing what I do best and that is pleasing those who need it. It's what I live for. So don't worry any master. Now we'd best prepare you for the Lord's arrival shouldn't we?"I said with a smile, holding a gentle hand out to him.
He took one last bite then nodded, taking my hand.
I had Hannah clean up his meal and then got him into his coat and we awaited Ciel's arrival. I wasn't pleased about this meeting and I hadn't a clue about what the outcome was to be. All I knew was that someone was going to get hurt. Badly.
Ciel and Sebastian arrived soon and so did an, unexpected, visitor. Lord Drwitt. I forced back my unhappiness at the sight of him. He was definatly annoying and just a plain out idiot. Nothing else but a flirtatious prick who had nothing in his head. He stayed and wasn't phased entirely at the fact the a group of demons were fighting together. Claude and Sebastian had decided to make a halftime snack, and made sculptures alongside with it out of the food. I rolled my eyes at the their immaturity. They were truly brother's. This was the longest I had seen them together. It was amusing however to see Sebastian's smug face as he hit Claude's glasses.
Alois and Ciel were giving each other death glares the entire battle time. Once the second part began, Ciel and Alois decided to go and have a dueling match. I had to watch over the boys, or Ciel I suppose, so I followed them to an empty room.
The two began their duel, Ciel trying to cheat, and then the two fought. Alois started winning and then he knocked Ciel off the landing and he fell. I caught him before he could do real damage to himself, but he still had the wind knocked out of him for a second. Then I had to catch Alois because he was a blooming idiot who decided to also jump off the landing. I stepped back and continued to let the boys fight. I already knew how this would turn out.
And sure enough, I was correct. Alois would look like he was winning, but then Ciel would come back with a fiery punch, or in this case, cutting Alois' side, near his chest. He was bleeding badly, but Ciel was only bleeding from his hands.
This was when Claude and Sebastian came in. It was the first time I had looked behind me, and I saw Alistair Chambers, Claude, and Sebastian. Sebastian looked angry but concerned for Ciel. Claude tried to come over and remove Ciel away from Alois, but was stunned when he tasted Ciel's blood, the essence of someone's soul, or so I have been told. Sebastian then interfered. He then took Ciel up in his arms and danced away with Ciel. I gave them a sad glance then looked down at Alois and began to put pressure on his wound. Claude was still really out of it however and I was getting frustrated. This boy was still in his contract.\
"Claude! Focus! He's bleeding to death over here!" I snapped, coldly.
I stabbed in him the leg with one of the swords. I was covered in Alois' blood and my hands were shaking slightly. I didn't want Alois to die. I cared about him too much.
Claude snapped out of his entranced phase and helped me carry Alois to his room and bandage him up. We finished and walked out of the room. He stopped and turned to me.
"Avril...I have a plan. Do whatever Lord Alois wants you to do. Go with him wherever he wants to go. Listen to anything he tells you. It'll help you understand the plan I have for not only him, but your brother. Understood?" he ordered.
"Yes my lord,"I said solemnly.
"Now Avril, I want you to go into my bedroom tonight. Show me a wonderful time. Your brother defiantly gave my head a spin, and I want to see you tonight," he ordered.
I cringed inside. I wanted to stay with Alois and make sure he was okay, but I couldn't. Orders are orders.
"Yes master. Anything you desire," I said, my voice sounding empty.
This was going to be a long night. I sighed and went to his room right away and stripped.
I was dreading this night and what was to come. None of this would turn out well for anyone.
Sometimes though, before my master would come in and have his way with me, I would imagine a better world. Where Ciel and I were raised together. Our parents were alive. Where everything was happy and normal. No one was dead, no demons existed, not even the Gentlemen. I imaged that even, and I knew it was wrong and I shouldn't have even considered it but, I imagined that Sebastian and I were together. That he was some gentleman that our parents chose instead of Lord Driwtt and we were married. I still loved him, even though it was wrong and he would never be mine.
However, imagining, wasn't going to get me anywhere. Nothing was ever going to get that good. It was only ever going to be a childish dream to help give me some peace of mind before engaging in what my life really was, being used as a harlot and a slave for other's I may have told Alois that it was okay, but it wasn't. I wanted a better life. I wished I could be at parties getting fawned over, but it was never to be. This was my life and it would be my life until I died. End of story.
I was never going to be free from this hell.