Chapter 5: Alena's Story
"Where did Sebastian go?" Lizzy asked on their ride back to Ciel's London townhouse. The ball had ended late and there was no use in sending Lizzy all the way back to her parent's manor in the country. So for the night, she would stay in one of the guestrooms of the townhouse.
"He had something personal come up expectantly," Ciel said as he watched the dark London skyline outside of the carriage window, never looking back at her.
Yet, Ciel was worried. Sebastian had always answered every command that Ciel had given him without hesitation. But not tonight.
No when Ciel had ordered him to tell him who Alena was, Sebastian had hesitated. Yes, he had been given a slight explanation as to why he had not been able to answer him – yet even that was not enough to satisfy him. Even though he had ordered Sebastian to find out what was exactly going on, Ciel only hoped that it did not take his demon butler that long to discover the answers that were needed.
Sighing to herself, Lizzy could tell that something was bothering Ciel since he was being even more standoffish then normal. Silently, she hoped that whatever it was would be resolved soon. She did not like to see Ciel upset or worried about things. Yet she knew that this was just how life had become since Ciel had miraculously returned from the dead a few months after his parents had been murdered and the Phantomhive mansion burned to the ground. Oh what she wouldn't give for him to smile once again.
"Love?" Sebastian asked a bit confused as he sat next to her at a table in her flat.
He and Alena had traveled by carriage into London, to the small flat above a pub where Alena lived. Hopefully it would not take him long to discover why Alena had returned after all this time and why he was recalling their life together.
Alena nodded as she reached out and took ahold of Sebastian's gloved hand. He watched as she removed the white glove that covered his contract with Ciel before gently tracing the seal with her fingertip. She looked up at him and smiled before she began to explain further. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
"Even past death?" he asked as he gripped her hand with his un-gloved one.
"It can. Depends on the strength."
"Even between a demon and an angel?"
Alena shrugged her shoulders. "Not that I am aware of."
"Then why are you here?"
"As an watcher, I retained my human memories. I remembered and longed for the love that we shared even in the afterlife. Angels and watchers do take mates that are other angels and watchers, yet I was in love with a demon. I knew what you had done and even become as a result of my death. Because of that I was determined to win back your love and change you from a follower of darkness to one that embraces the light. There are those who believe my actions are unnecessary and even tried to stop me, since no demon has ever recanted and returned to the light. But I do not care. I will do anything to be able to even have the chance…"
Alena pulled her hand away from him as she looked down at her lap. Sebastian reached over and lifted her chin up as he turned her face towards him. Tears were welding up in the corners of her eyes. Sebastian looked at her with a bit of concern etched across his face. "I'm so sorry Sebastian," she sniffed as she turned over her wrist to show him three small Hebrew symbols that where burned into the underside of her wrist – the same three symbols.
Sebastian's eyes went wide as he looked back up into her eyes. Had she made a deal with Satan himself? What would possess her to do such a thing?
"What are the terms?" he asked. "What do you get out of this and what does he get?"
"The ability to return your human memories to you with a chance at winning you back. That's what I get. It was the only way that I would be allowed to pursue this venture."
"And if you fail?"
"I will be cast into the deepest pits of hell."
"The ninth circle?"
Alena nodded.
"How long do you have until the contract expires?"
"I don't know…" she whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek. Sebastian reached out and wiped it away before placing a hand where the tear had just been.
"What exactly needs to happen?" he asked.
"You have to love me just as much as you did when you summoned him and made that pact to avenge my death. You, as a demon, have to display true love towards me even over the commands of your current contract holder."
"I have noticed a few things since seeing you for the first time a few days ago…and even tonight, I was unable to answer my master's request when he asked who you were."
"And while those are admirable, it needs to be more than that. I'm just not sure exactly what it has to be."
"Therefore we will find out together," he said as he moved his hand and grasped her wrist where the seal was emblazoned. He brought his lips close to her wrist and pressed a kiss against the raised symbols. While he did not know how exactly he would be able to love once again, since he had only known darkness for so long – there was a nagging felling deep inside of him that was letting him know that he would do whatever it took to help his beloved. This new feeling was eerily similar to the feeling that he had felt towards her when she had been in his arms while they had danced earlier that night.
Alena smiled at him as his eyes met hers once again. She only hoped that she had not lost too much time in trying to figure out a way to approach him.
"Now," he said, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Why don't you show me more memories of our life together when we both were mortal?"
She nodded as she reached out and grasped his un-gloved hand once again. Sebastian closed his eyes as the warm memory washed over him.
AN: Sorry for the lack of an update! It's been a hectic week….and hopefully my plans aren't ruined for this weekend….stupid winter. Anyways, let me know what you think! Thanks to all my readers and reviewers.
I did quote 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 in this chapter.
