CHAPTER 6: MY BOY AND DANGER THEY SPEAK OF

~RISSA~

I was so happy to see Ciel. I had been so worried, all this time, that he was dead. And now, having him in my arms, and hearing him say he loved me once more. I missed that child. I missed him so much. And to have him in my arms once again, was all I had wished for since that night.

Ciel gave me a spare servant room, despite my asking him to let me sleep on a chair somewhere. He was trying to take care of me, and I had grown accustomed to taking care of myself. But I couldn't say no. Not to him. I told him he didn't need to give me a room, but he insisted. He was still my master after all. I couldn't refuse his kind offers. Not after what we both went through. He was so kind back then, and now, he was opening up. He was learning to be kind once again. That's what I had hoped for. I hoped that if I was granted the miracle of seeing Ciel again, he would still be kind and nurturing.

I was lying on the bed in the room Ciel had given me, when I heard the door open. My eyes were closed, and I was so tired, I decided not to look. I felt someone sit down beside me. I knew it wasn't Ciel. I pretended to sleep. I assume whoever it was didn't notice. I heard a young child's hushed voice,

"Bard! Come 'ere! There's a girl sleeping in Sebastian's room!" I didn't know it was Sebastian's room. I guessed he gave the room up so I would have a place to sleep. I knew I would have to talk with him later.

"Finn! What are you doin'? If Sebastian finds you in here he'll kill ya'!" I heard another male voice reply, accompanied by footsteps. I could tell by the closeness of the two voices, that now both men were in the room. I was scared. I started to think of all the possibilities. I didn't know what was going to happen to me. Then I heard footsteps from heeled shoes enter the room.

"Bard! Finn! What are you doin' in 'ere?" A high-pitched welsh woman's voiced pierced the air. It was a woman this time. I instantly felt more comfortable, but I still pretended to sleep.

"Mey-Rin! Shut up! You're gonna wake 'er!" That was the more masculine voice. They called him Bard. The other boy's voice was sweeter, almost like that of a child. They called that boy Finn. And the girl, her name was Mey-Rin. I felt their presence looming over me, like a cloud of mischief and wonder.

"Who is she? And what is she doing in Sebastian's room?" Mey-Rin inquired. Then I felt him. I felt Sebastian's presence exerting itself. He wasn't in the room, but I felt him coming. Even over the loud bickering of the people in the room, I heard Sebastian's footsteps. Every sound of every step he was taking echoed through my head. Then I heard his voice,

"Mey-Rin, Bard, Finn, what are you doing here? We have a guest sleeping, can't you see?" His voice was slightly monotone, but contained enough emotion to silence the three in my room.

"Sebastian! I…we…didn't hear you coming…" Finn replied. He seemed so upset.

"Sorry Sebastian! I just was curious. Who is she?" Bard tried to cover up for Finn. That was sweet of him.

"That is none of your concern at the moment. You will find out in due time. Please, escort yourselves out. I need to check on our…guest." Sebastian seemed much crueler than earlier.

I heard Finn and Bard exiting. One pair of footsteps was gone, then another. The girl never left. I heard footsteps rushing in and I heard the girl's heels dragging against the floor. Then Mey-Rin began calling after him.

"Im so sorry! Oh Sebastian! I didn't—" And her voice faded off into the distance. Sebastian sat down next to me. I could feel his gaze. His sharp red eyes trying to read my soul. HE began to run his fingers through my hair, before saying,

"Rissa, Rissa, Rissa. What am I to do with you? Pretending to be asleep are we?" And as he said this, I bolted upright, only to find my face millimeters away from him. He smiled…he always smiled. He always gave me that look of serenity, but also that look of confusion. Ever since I met him, he was always trying to read me. I could tell I was reading him much better than he could look inside my soul.

"Sir…I…how did you know I wasn't asleep?" I asked him.

"Sir? Now, now. My name is Sebastian. And that is what you will call me from now on. If you'd please." With each word I felt his warm breath on my face. It was so warm…but it wasn't human. And with those words, he slowly moved his face away from mine.

"What are you?" I asked. "What are you that makes you so different than anyone else?"

"Don't you already know?" He smiled at me. Did this mean that I was right? Was he really a demon?

"Does this mean—never mind." I replied. I eased my way off the bed and walked over toward the window. The sun had begun to set. I guess I had stayed in there much longer than I thought. Time had seemed to pass so quickly. I placed my hand against the window. It was still cold. I had become so use to the cold…it was almost refreshing. Just feeling the cold against my fingertips…reminding me of the pain—and then I realized the feeling wasn't refreshing anymore. It hurt so much. A tear began to fall down my cheek. It was warm—my tears were always warm.

Before I could realize what had happened, before the tear hit my lip, I felt Sebastian's hand brush across my cheek.

"You cry at such a beautiful sight. Why is that?" He asked. He stared deep into my eyes. His red ones gazing into my green ones. He just stared at me, attempting to look deep into my soul. Attempting to find something he couldn't see on the outside.

"I remembered…I remembered how happy I used to be with Ci—the young Lord when he was a child. We used to watch the sun set together. I used to be happy then…"

"Aren't you happy now? Or are you upset that you have returned?"

"I'm very happy, and equally grateful…I just…I'm not used to this. I'm not used to being able to take care of the Master. I love him so dearly. I just…I'm just so amazed and overjoyed tjat I get to have these moments again." I walked back over to the bed and sat down.

"So, Rissa, what you're saying is," Sebastian followed me, and sat down beside me. "You are so happy to be back, that you cry tears if sadness?"

"Sir—Sebastian, you don't understand. All the pain and abuse I've been put through and all the things I've done to myself, have given me comfort. They've reminded me about everything. The cold window…it reminds me of the cold streets I used to beg on every day. And the pain…it isn't refreshing anymore," I held back the tears. "It isn't Ciel that makes me sad. It's realizing that all the pain has been hurting me and I never even noticed-"

"Why? Why can't I see this in you? You are one hell of a human." And he put his arm around me, and held me close. "Would you mind telling me, what you are? What makes you different? I find it quite amusing." He chuckled endearingly.

"I don't know…I don't know what I am anymore. I'm just lost. What makes me so amusing to you? I never say or do anything. Nothing of interest, at least."

"Nothing. You just amuse me." And he kissed my temple, stood up, and held the door open for me. I stood and followed him out into the hall.

He led me down a series of corridors, until we reached what I could tell used to be the late Lord Phantomhive's office. It looked exactly the same as I remembered it. The carvings in the door were practically identical. It was a melancholy feeling, to see the same office, where my old Lord used to stay in his study, and call Ciel in for tea. This room was also where he had died.

Sebastian knocked on the door three times. The sound echoed through the hallway.

"Enter, Sebastian." I heard Ciel's voice from behind the door. Sebastian opened the door, and gestured his hand inside the room. I cautiously entered one step at a time, until I realized it was no trick at all. Ciel was sitting in his father's chair, gazing out of the window to his right. His eyes—eye seemed focused on something. His father used to look like that when he was pondering some sort of aspect of his life. Ciel stood and approached me, cautiously, yet happily.

"Mari. It's been a while since I've seen you last. You look different. I'm not so sure it's a good thing." Ciel softly chuckled as he poked fun at me. I got on my knees, so our eyes were meeting and I laughed as I ruffled his greyish-purple hair.

"Ciel, my silly boy, you must have forgotten. People change over the years. But a few bruises won't bring me down. I've always been strong." And I smiled at him. What he didn't know, however, is that I was lying to him. I wasn't always a strong person. Especially after the fire…that's when I lost a lot of my strength. But for Ciel, I had to stay strong. He was my boy. He was always my boy. He had always been my boy, since the moment my Gran brought me to work for the Earl of Phantomhive.

"Ms. Brookes? The young Lord needs to relay some important information to you. I apologize for ruining your bonding moment, but this is far more important. I know you haven't seen the young Lord in a long while, but it is very important and it is a matter of life and death. The latter will most likely occur if he fails to relay this information to you." Sebastian spoke, as he approached me from behind and put his hand on my shoulder. He bent over, so that way his face was right next to mine, and he was speaking into my ear. I glanced over at him, in a curious manner, to see if he was lying to me. He wasn't. I looked at Ciel, and he simply turned around and sat back in the replica of his Father's chair. I shot up from my kneeling position and glared at the demon, straight in the face.

"I told you to call me by my full name Sebastian. And what is this danger you speak of?" There was no reply to my question. "What are you talking about? What is going on?" I turned towards Ciel at the desk, and nearly slammed my hands down in anger and frustration. "Ciel…what is going on?"

"Stay away from London at night Mari. Just do that much, and everything will be ok. Trust me. It is in your best interest." I was furious. No one was giving me a direct answer…it was sickening. To see this strange man who had seemed so kind, polite, nurturing, caring, and to see Ciel, my boy, being utterly indirect to my own face…it hurt me deeply. I turned around and stormed out of the room. My boy wasn't telling me the whole truth…and that hurt me deeply.