"Please young master, don't go, this is our fault, let us doit." Mey-Rin pleaded.
"What's your fault?" Ciel asked helping Rachel pack a small bag, he had spoken to Ann earlier that day and she agreed to care for them.
"Well, we tried young master, yes we did, Finny and Bard went with me, we begged the king not to take Mr. Sebastian away but he wouldn't let us take his place!" She sobbed.
Ciel turned to her. "The three of you offered to take Sebastian's place in the war?"
"Yes, but we failed, the king-"
"Come here Mey- Rin." Ciel said gently, the maid obeyed and found herself embraced by the young demon.
"You didn't fail Mey-Rin, none of you. Thank you for trying, but your job right now is to take care of the children."
"You can't go alone, you could get hurt or worse."
"He won't be going alone, I'm going too." Alois said.
"Then, we should go too young master, to-"
"We can't all go Mey-Rin, someone has to be around for the children."
"But-"
"Don't argue, your job is to do what you're told."
"Mommy, when will you come home, I love grandmother a lot but she is not my mommy."
"I'll be back very soon, and I'm going to try to bring your father back with me."
"I love my daddy, he is very good at being daddy."
"Do you want to take some dolls and-"
"Mommy, can I please take the pretty blue tea set to play with, I know it is your favorite and I will be extra careful, please?"
"Go ask Cynna for it." Rachel smiled as she ran off and Ciel finished the packing.
"Can you put this with the others Mey-Rin?"
"Of course young master, right away." The maid picked up the luggage and carried it from the room.
"Mama, can I take Mama Bunny?"
"Yes Evian." The boy held Bitter Rabbit close to his chest.
"You will not let the monsters make you sleep will you?" His red eyes searched Ciel's for answers.
"No. The monsters won't have the chance, everything will be alright. I love you Evian." The child hugged his mother tightly.
"I am very afraid that you will not come home. Dad will not come home and then we will be all alone."
"Evian, I won't let that happen. I promise you. I will never ever leave you and not come back." His son's fear reminded him of the pain and his own fear the day he lost his parents, shortly after Evian was born, he swore his child would never feel the same torment.
"But there were so many monsters,they all want to take you away from us!" Evian sobbed. Ciel knelt in front of him, looking into Evian's eyes.
"Listen to me, It's going to take a lot to take me away from you, there's nothing that a hundred monsters or more will ever be able to do to make that possible. Do you know why?" Evian shook his head.
"Because you and your brothers and sister are my babies and I love you so very much, the four of you are the most precious things in the world to me, and I will always come home to you."
"How do you know?"
"Because I'm not afraid of these monsters, they won't hurt me, and by the time I'm done, they're going to be afraid of me."
"I hope I can be brave like you someday mama, you are even braver than grandfather!" Ciel chuckled.
"My little one, you already are. Take care of your brothers and sister for me."
"But I do not want you to go."
"I'll come back."
"How do I know you will keep the promise and you are not just saying it to make me not afraid?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Because you love us, that is what good mamas do when they leave."
"Good mothers keep their promises, I'll-" he thought for a moment. Ciel sighed, he took off the necklace which had his children's pictures and his rings. He handed the chain to Evian.
"This is my promise to you that I'll be home again. You get to keep it until I return. When I get back, you'll give it back because I would have kept my promise." Evian nodded and put the chain around his neck.
"I will take good care of it.'
"I know you will." Ciel then gave his engagement ring to Rachel and his bonding ring to Vincent, finally he came to Rowan.
"You have no promise for me mum?" He asked tearfully.
"Of course I do, something that means a lot to me." He kissed the boy's head and gave him one of the family photos Sebastian had given him. Rowan held it close.
"Thank you mum, now I know you will come home, this is your favorite one, you will want it back."
"That's right Rowan, I want each of you to take good care of these things." He instructed. Soon, the children were ready and Ciel and Alois stood by them.
"Are you sure I can't talk you out of this?" Tanaka asked.
"I'm sure."
"Will you at least take two of us?"
"I want people I can trust around my children, that's all of you."
"You will need someone to help lady Elizabeth get away and someone to help you with finding Sebastian, that is your intention is it not?"
"It is." Ciel admitted.
"Take me young master, I'm good with weapons." Mey-Rin volunteered.
"I'm really strong, I could help."
"I've fought a war before, it doesn't scare me." Bard boasted.
"Mey-Rin and Bard, come with me. Tanaka, Finny and Cynna stay with the children. Tell Ann I said thank you for doing this."
After a tearful goodbye, Ciel, Alois and the servants walked out onto the lawn.
"Are you ready for this?" Ciel asked.
"Yes young master!" The two Phantomhive servants cried.
"As I'll ever be." Alois answered.
"Good. Before we leave, I want to thank you, none of you had to come, it means a lot to me that you're all here.
"Course we are, we're your servants, your guard. If we're goin' out, I'm doin' it as a proud member of your staff young master. It's an honor to be here no matter what." Bard declared.
"Yes, that's true, I couldn't have it any other way,no."
"We're best friends Ciel, to the very end. I'm with you." Alois assured him.
"Good, let's go end this war, I want my mate back."