Chapter 2
A new start.
Before Lizzy could even process what she had just said the dog turned away. "I will go fetch your Ciel from the underworld." He glanced back at her "and rest assured I will return." Then he vanished and Lizzy opened her eyes. She was lying in her bed in the Midford mansion. She shook her head thinking it was all some crazy dream. So assuming her overactive imagination was acting up again she dressed and headed downstairs. But it was nice, even to dream about having Ciel back. The thought made her smile and she decided to see if she would dream about her fiancé tonight as well.
Upon arriving to the dining hall, her maid Victoria was already there setting out plates for her father, mother and brother, who were all siting around the table solemnly eating their breakfast. "Good morning everyone."
Upon hearing her voice all heads whipped around to her, their eyes filled with… was that shock, no, not quite fear, it was disbelief. The only noise in the whole Midford dining room was the sound of rustling chairs and clanging dishes as the maid dropped the tray in surprise.
Her father reached her first throwing his arms around her. "Elizabeth, darling you're alright. Tell me how you are feeling." He unclenched his fists which had been squeezing her dress as though he was trying to hold onto her, protecting her from some unforeseen fate.
Needless to say Elizabeth had no clue what was going on. "Of course I'm fine father." Clearly dad is just being overprotective again, he must realize how difficult it is for me now that Ciel has die… yes he is probably trying to offer emotionally support. But when she saw her brother, the unshakable Edward Midford, look at her with those unbelieving eyes and hug her tightly she knew, something was wrong.
"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked not caring that her father, he protector was clutching her dress crying like a baby. She need to know what was going on. Her brother looked her straight in the eyes. "Sis, you were unconscious for several days after you ran away from the funeral. We found you by a tree. The doctors said you might never wake up and if you did, you would be paralyzed from the waist down. But your awake and moving, were so glad you're okay." Her brother smiled as though finally allowing himself to accept that things were going to be fine.
"I'm fine, really, but I did have the most peculiar dream." Lizzy said while helping her father up. "I saw this weird black dog, who said he was a demon. And he was going to bring Ciel back to life. But that was just a dream." She sighed thinking about her lost love. Despite his initially changing into the queen's guard dog she still could see his old self inside. He just couldn't let it show for fear of being hurt.
"No Lizzy tell me you didn't. Tell me you made that up!" Her father screamed, shocking poor Lizzy.
"Of course I had that dream, why would I lie. But Ciel is still…" her voice sank "he's gone, I wish I had traded my soul for a life with him. We could have been so happy together." Then she heard a voice that made her heart skip, no stop altogether, but it couldn't be him, it was just a dream. He couldn't, but it sounded so much like…
"Elizabeth… it wasn't a dream, I'm back for you." She turned slowly fearing if she moved to fast she might wake up from this dream. Standing at the door with his hand held out to her was the last Phantomhive heir, the young lord Ciel Phantomhive, her fiancé returned from the dead.
"Ciel" she couldn't believe her eyes. She walked towards him praying that this was real.
He smirked, but it wasn't a cold smirk, it was a happy grin smirk. "I missed you Lizzy." That was all it took to break the spell of fear. "Ciel" she cried running towards him. She flung her arms around him tackling him with a gripping hug.
"Stop crying Liz, it's alright." She looked up at him. Yes, she thought everything was going to be alright.
"Although I am a bit hungry, do you have anything to eat?" Lizzy stopped to process that for a moment, then smiled while still crying.
"Yes." Then she got off of him and stood up. "Ciel Phantomhive, would you like to join us for breakfast." He nodded, and whispered in her ear "Thank you Lizzy for reminding me how to smile." This of course made Lizzy smile as well.
Edward eyed Ciel with an air of suspicion, but he didn't have any reason to believe Ciel was in the wrong, and he made Elizabeth happy, but still. Something just wasn't quite right. Edward was suspicious by nature and very protective of his younger sister. His story seemed straightforward enough, the carriage had been attacked by assassins and he was mortally injured, but Sebastian managed to save his life. However in order to get the assassins off his back he let them believe he had died. Then secretly he made arrangements and brought the whole organization down in the short week that he was supposedly dead. Ciel had done things similar to this, bringing down entire criminal organizations as the queen's guard dog, but never so quickly. And he healed from a grave injury so quickly. For now he decided to simply watch and see if Ciel did anything out of place, and if not he would certainly bless the marriage, but if not, Ciel would regret it he would make sure of that.
They Midfords and their guest had only been eating for a few minutes, well Ciel was just pretending to eat, when the doors of the hall where flung open and a deeply accented voice of a certain prince could be heard shrieking, causing the maid to once again drop her tray. "Ciel" screamed one teary eyed overjoyed Bengali prince.
"Soma, how did you get here so quickly" Ciel asked, before Soma threw his arms around Ciel in a massive bear hug. "Get off me you big lug." Soma did not comply with Ciel's request and kept hugging him while, Elizabeth smiled and laughed at what she referred to as "cute".
"My prince where are you?" A loud voice echoed out form outside the mansion, forcing poor Victoria to drop he tray once more. While the Midfords began mourning all their lost china Soma stood up and began yelling to his servant. "I am up here Agni." Soma pushed open a window and motioned for Agni to join them. Francis scolded the maid for dropping the china claiming there soon wouldn't be any more for her to drop if she kept it up.
Alexis got Soma's attention with a quick wave and started explaining to him where the front entrance was so he could help Agni get up here when Soma replied that Agni could just jump up. "Were on the second floor, there's no way…" but he was cut short by the sound Agni climbing in through the window, holding a strange looking red haired man, or women no one in the room could tell.
"Young lord, please do not run of like that." Agni turned to Alexis and bowed while still holding the wo/man in his hand. "I found this suspicious character climbing the wall, what should I do with him."
"I don't care, I'm going back to sleep, wake me when the crazy is over." The master of the house replied.
"Grell what are you doing here?" Ciel asked a little frustrated but also curious why s/he was here.
"Unhand me you oaf, I am not suspicious. I just sensed the energy of a de…" Before Grell could continue Ciel using his demonic peed, covered the distance between them and clamped his hand over her mouth. Fortunately no one seemed to notice.
Chuckling nervously he tried to stop her from talking "A deal, Grell sensed a deal. Grell is an associate of mine and we need to discuss something privately." With that Agni put him/her down and Ciel dragged Grell over to the next, room, where Ciel began scolding the reaper for almost giving away his secret.
"Don't ever mention demons near Elizabeth again, do you understand me. If you do you will sorely regret it." Ciel angrily threatened her causing Grell to begin rapidly apologizing. But upon remembering why she was here she stood up.
"I have a problem and I was thinking I could get Basie's help. I sensed a demonic presence and so I came, but the presence seems to be emanating from… you, which means Basie isn't here. But how are you radiating demonic energy?"
"Be quiet" Ciel snapped, and without realizing it his eyes flashed purple. Grell smiled.
"Ah so you are a demon now. Well then maybe you can help me with my problem. You see a monster, called an Ingrot has been sealed away for many years, but he has been freed and we need some help to track him down. We need all the help we can get, this guy is a menace and we need to catch him soon.' Seeing Grell this serious surprised Ciel, clearly this was something big.
"Alright, I'll help. But what is an Ingrot?" Ciel asked.
"A legendary beats that is half demon wolf and half dragon. The only mix in history. He was sealed away before his true powers realized, and he seemed to barely contain the killer instinct he had inside of him. But whoever released him probably will unlock hos full power, and could bring out Armageddon."
"I'll inform Lizzy I'm going out on business, and I'll get Sebastian. Wait here."
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How long have I been hanging here, forever and never. Has it been seconds, centuries, minutes, months, days, years? Time is a blur in this prison that I myself created. Space is not what it seems to be either. A torch hangs on what seems to be merely inches away, but no warmth or light emit from it that I can perceive. Similarly, there is a flower patch outside my cell and I can smell them though there is a wall in between us.
There were never any visitors here as only I live on this forsaken rock, left alone by those who hated me. Anyone who know of its existence isn't strong enough to pass through the gate and even if they could they wouldn't want to anyways. Visiting me is considered the equivalent of social suicide. No one dared to tread on this ground.
So when he showed up I took me completely by surprise. Looking back however, if anyone would come to me, he had the motive and the means, and he may have been the only person with even the first one.
I didn't see his face at first, his long dark robe covering it. Through the window I watched as he turned the door seemingly effortlessly, even though it was coated with strong seals. Regardless of the seal or even the guardian outside there he was standing at the door of my cell staring up at the rope I hung from. He inhaled deeply and muttered something I barely heard "Do you want to escape?"
I looked at him. Clearly he didn't know who I was. "I'm a monster you know, if you set me free you won't be able to control me. I am an Ingrot the legendary beast, and a murderer." Those last words were little more than a whisper. I stared at him and let my words sink in before adding "If you free me I'll end up killing you." He nodded and began to head out of the door. He stopped before exiting and then I fell. I looked up at the rope, it was burnt, charred black where it had held my hands before burning. "Why did you free me, now I am loose, and everyone is in danger?" He shook his head, but there was something unusual like when you stare at the same image for too long and you begin seeing double. "I can control you, but I don't need to. Would a beast and savage try and warn me about my possible fate. No savage I know of and certainly no monster."
"Alright."
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"Wait your leaving?" Lizzy asked Ciel. The demon promised me a life with Ciel, not fifteen minutes.
"Typical Ciel, comes back from the dead and not fifteen minutes later is off ready to fight evil." Edward laughed but the admiration in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Well I'm coming with you." Lizzy surprised everyone with that. But to be fair, she wasn't willing to even risk losing Ciel again, not if she could help it. He was too strong to die, that was what she told herself, but the world wanted him dead, as though to defy her wishes, and just faith might not be enough next time besides she was 15 now and she wanted to help.
"Elizabeth Midford, as your brother I forbid you from going with Ciel. And that is final.'' To say Edward was a bit overprotective was putting it lightly. And if his 15 year old sister went with another 15 year old boy who happened to be her finance, by themselves except for a seedy looking cross dresser, was crossing the line.
"He's right Liz it' too dangerous." Ciel agreed.
"Brother, listen to me, I can fight, and I know how to use the sword. If I were to lose Ciel again… I don't know what I would do." She started crying. The one thing that Edward could not stand more than anything else in the world was her tears. She bawled and bawled, and looked at Edward with those puppy dog eyes of hers.
"Lizzy don't cry, um, fine you can go." Edward said admitting defeat.
"I still don't like this but… fine." Ciel sighed, she always managed to get what she wanted.
"Yah" Lizzy squealed "Thank you brother" she ran and gave him a big hug, which he returned and whispered 'be safe' in her ear. Ciel wouldn't admit it but he was a bit jealous of Edward at the moment, but he shook his head, she was his brother for Pete's sake.
As Lizzy and Ciel headed out Grell was waiting for them. "You really convinced your brother well, but then again, you are so cute." Ciel said, teasing Lizzy, but she wouldn't have traded that moment for the world. "Fortunately your parents are at that business meeting or they surely would have stopped you. Your mother anyway." He laughed.
"What's so funny?'' Lizzy asked.
"I just hope they don't think were eloping when they discovered we've left." Ciel doubled over laughing.
Lizzy blushed but spoke "Why would we? Were engaged so were going to get married someday."
Ciel nodded. "Right."
"Can we just go now?" Grell asked impatiently. The trio headed out in their carriage towards the Phantomhive manor where they intended to rendezvous with Sebastian. Grell offered to drive claiming Ciel and Lizzy deserved some alone time to which they both blushed.
Ciel fell asleep shortly after the initial trip began and Elizabeth rolled up her sleeve and examined the mark on her shoulder. It must be from the demon, but where was he now. Ciel was back however so for now she was satisfied. Curios what Ciel's eye looked like under his eye patch she reached over to lift it up and…