Sebastian held Ciel close to him as they sat on the walkway where Sebastian had told Ciel guards used to patrol during the night in the times of knights as he called it. They gazed up at the stars silently, in truth neither knew what to say on their last night before Sebastian had to go.
"You don't have to do this." Ciel said wrapping his arms around his mate tightly.
"You and I both know that I have no choice my love."
"Tell him you're not going. You have small children and a mate that love you so much. Stay here."
"To do so would to bring shame and disgrace on my family, upon the crown."
"I wouldn't feel ashamed at all, as long as I have you who cares about the crown, you once said you'd give it up for me."
"And you said you would not ask that of me."
"Maybe I lied."
"Are you asking, you do understand that would mean our family would be banished from hell, from our home, my Mother would not be allowed to see her grandchildren, we are as good as dead to them. Anyone who associates with us after that would be banished as well."
"I don't care."
"I know this is painful, but I am doing this for us, if they get close enough, if they realize I have a mate and children, they will kill you all simply because you are my mate. I will not let that happen."
"The children will be safe with Ann, but if you die, I can't promise I won't follow."
"Ciel, I need you to live regardless, the children need their mother."
"They need you too, I need you."
"Did I not swear to return?"
"War doesn't work like that. Those things won't leave you alone just because you promised your family you would come home."
"No, but I want you to believe in me, the way you did as my young master, you did not doubt my ability then. Believe in my love for you, it will lead me back to you. Please do not ever think it is a good idea to leave our children in this way. I want you all to live and be healthy. You can raise them to be strong demons Ciel, but this is not something I want you to think of now. Just know that I love you more than you will ever know. I will communicate with you as often as possible. Be brave my dear one, for all of us."
"I can't."
"Yes you can Ciel, you are a very powerful demon, strong enough to rival my father if it came to that. If the devil fears you, you can manage a bit of bravery until I return."
"Are you sure I can't talk you out of this?"
"Unfortunately yes. Until then however, please allow me to hold you a while longer."
"I just wish you wouldn't let go."
"Precious one, please don't cry." Naveen said holding Alois close and rubbing his back gently.
"It's not fair, don't leave me."
"To protect you my beautiful one, I must. You will take Hannah and Luca to our cousin Ciel and then you will all go down and stay with the queen, you like aunt Ann don't you?"
"Ann's wonderful, but you won't be there. I love you Naveen."
"I love you too Alois, never question that, though I will not physically be by your side, my heart will foralways be with you."
"I couldn't stand to lose you, stay with us." Naveen placed a hand under his mate's chin and forced the cyan eyes to look into his sparkling emerald ones.
"You know there is nowhere else I want to be than with you. You have been hurt so much, I do not intend to add to your pain. You are without a doubt the best thing that has happened to me. We are both very young and have our whole lives a head of us, I will not allow that to be taken. I promised you the day we became mates that I would give you an eternity of love, loyalty and everything you should have had to start with. I will come back. You're far too important to me . It is only because I have you that my life holds such value." Naveen kissed his mate and wiped away his tears.
"Stay please, I'll do anything you want. I'll change my mind, we can try again if you stay, I know how much you want-"
"Alois, my love, my light in the dark, I would one day hope that you and I would have one, but I would never want you to do so unless you were ready, and after what happened- it has only been recently that you have allowed me to hold you. I fear that it would be too much for you at the present time, and the stress you are showing, the pain you have, I couldn't put you through it."
"I'll go too."
"You mustn't do that, if I lost you, my life would surely end."
"And you think I could be okay without you?"
"You have to be, your brother needs you to be, as does miss Hannah. Cousin Ciel will-"
"Ciel is a good friend, but he can't do anything to stop this."
"No, he can't take away your suffering, but the two of you could come together and help each other through a difficult time."
"But It's not the same."
"I know. For now, I want us to enjoy our time, and before I go, I would very much like to see you smile for me, you are so beautiful Alois, it pains me to see you in tears."
"Promise me you'll do whatever you have to do to come back Naveen." Alois pleaded.
"I swear on my life that if at all possible, I will make it back to you, and when once again, you are in my arms, that is where you will always stay."
Mey-Rin lowered herself onto a chair outside the throne room, her thoughts were on her young master and the tears that were often present when he believed he was alone.
"Do you think this is going to work?" Finny asked.
Don't know, we can only hope." Bard said.
"The poor young master loves Mr. Sebastian so much, it just has to work, for his sake and our little masters and mistress. Yes it does." The maid frowned.
"It will do you no good to worry about it, it either will or won't. Personally I am hoping for the best possible outcome." Claude said calmly.
"Why are you even here, you don't even like Alois and Naveen." Finny pointed out.
"That is not entirely true. Alois has suffered quite enough, at the hands of others as well as my own. The boy knows true pain, despair so deep it is most difficult to come back from, much like your Ciel. Like you, I cannot and will not sit by as this continues."
"You're nothing like us, we love our young master, we could never do anything to hurt him." Finny said angrily.
"You're right, I didn't care for Alois Trancy anywhere close to what you feel for Ciel. Even I have limits to what I would allow Alois to go through. I myself don't understand it, but since he lost the baby, and I - it doesn't matter now, I am here for the same reason you are. I want to prevent more pain for my former master. It is the very least I can do."
"I'll say it is, after what you did to that boy, you deserved what you got."
"Quite right, Sebastian Michaelis was not harsh enough, I have believed this for some time now."
"Pardon me, the king will see you know." The female demon said peering out of the room.
"Thank you Tani." Mey-Rin stood up and led the group inside. They stopped just steps away from the king and knelt down, their eyes cast to the floor.
"The four of you have come to me with a request I understand." The beast growled.
"Y-yes majesty, we have. Finny, Bard and myself would like to thank you for seeing us and ask rhat you excuse Mr. Sebastian from the war, in return, the three of us will take his place." Mey-Rin explained nervously, they could only hope that their request was accepted.