It's warm, and bright. Is that the sun, and I'm laying on something rather comfortable. Where am I? Did I die from all that torture? No, if I were dead I wouldn't be able to feel any pain and there's still a burning in my throat...so where?

I open my eyes and see through my blurry vision, an unfamiliar ceiling. I sit up slowly and look around, I seem to be in some kind of Estate but I don't recognize anything so I can't be back with my uncle and cousins. I sigh in relief at that thought and look out the window to see a serene garden outside.

"Oh good, you finally woke up. I was beginning to worry."

The voice speaking behind me is one I know all too well and it snaps me back to my senses before I turn my head in surprise.

"Hannah..."

The beautiful woman smiles warmly and comes to sit beside me before feeling my head.

"Why? How? Where?"

She chuckles lightly.

"Easy now. Not so many questions all at once. We're at the royal family's retreat courtesy of Prince Claude. And I was given a royal reprieve by his highness to come here and look after a special guest. Your uncle wasn't happy of course but he couldn't say anything since it came from the prince. Mey-Rin would have come as well but they had to leave him with someone."

I nod my head as everything she just told me registers in my brain.

"The prince, Sebastian, and even the prison guard came up with a plan to get you out of there. And it was good timing too, they were about to announce the day of your execution."

My face pales upon hearing this and I look down. I notice I have been changed into what looks to be a clean white robe, and my hair and skin have been cleaned as well.

Seeing me look over myself, Hannah smiles.

"When the prince brought you here, you looked a mess. So I cleaned you up and changed you into something more comfortable. You still look like skin and bones though so here, eat up."

Saying this she hands me a bowl of my favorite cinnamon, sugar and raisin porridge. I thank her before taking the bowl and timidly eating it all since opening my mouth still hurt considerably. After finishing my meal she hands me some herbal tea to help sooth my throat, and it does. The warm liquid with a hint of mint and lemon pour down my throat and I sigh in relief.

"Lilly, I'm so sorry."

This takes me aback and I look at her in confusion.

"We overheard everything and couldn't do anything about it. And because of that you..."

I shake my head and place my hand on top of hers. This startles her for a moment before she in turn squeezes my hand and smiles through teary eyes.

"You should get some more rest. You've been through a great ordeal."

With that she takes my cup and bowl and stands up, leaving the room behind her. I look out the window once more and close my eyes as I feel the warm breeze gently caress my skin, I then lay back down and soon drift off to sleep.

A few weeks later.

I have gotten enough of my strength back to walk around, and I'm starting to look like my old self again. I'm currently sitting in the garden, my favorite place to go during the day to enjoy the weather and listen to the birds sing their beautiful songs when.

"LILLY!"

I jump up in surprise only to be tackled to the ground moments later by a crying Lizzy.

"Lizzy? What are you doing here?"

"I brought her to see you, Miss Lilly."

I look up to see Sebastian staring down at us with a smile.

"OhLillyI'msosorryIneverwantedtobemeantoyouIonlydidwhatfatherandAloisdidinfearthatthey'dtreatmebadlyaswellIneverwantedtoseeyouhurtIloveyou!"

She's hysterical and speaking so fast I can barely understand a word she's saying. But I can sense how she feels and I wrap my arms around my little cousin in a gentle hug.

"Calm yourself Lizzy, everything's alright." I say while stroking her hair.

After she's calmed herself down she sits up and wipes her tears away, I sit up as well and rub her back.

"Now, tell me. What's got you crying like this?"

"Lilly, I never wanted to be mean to you. I always liked you as a friend, and loved you as my only female cousin. What father and brother did to you, I'm so sorry." She says looking crestfallen.

I smile and shake my head.

"There's nothing to forgive Lizzy. I never held and grudge against you or them. You're the only family I have left, and I love you all."

Lizzy looks up at me with wide eyes after hearing this and her small shoulders seem to tremble more as more tears come to her eyes.

"You're too kind Lilly! I wish you would hate us! It would make me feel better!"

I chuckle at this and pat her head.

"OK, than I hate them for what they have done to me. But Lizzy, I could never hate you. You're such a sweet, kind and energetic girl."

That makes her cry harder and she throws herself against my chest, I in turn hold her close and stroke her hair.

"Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavenders green. When I am King, dilly dilly, you shall be Queen."

Lizzy looks up at me with both surprise and nostalgia on her face. This was a song my mother sang to me long ago when I was sad, and I sang it to her when she was younger.

Sebastian seems surprised as well as he stands there and listens.

Upon hearing me sing, Hannah and two others that accompanied Sebastian come out into the garden, but I don't register their presence and continue to sing while smiling down at Lizzy.

"Call up your men, dilly dilly, set them to work. Some to the plow, dilly dilly, some to the fork. Some to make hay, dilly dilly, some to cut corn. While you and I, dilly dilly, keep ourselves warm."

I then stand up with her and take her hands in mine, swaying to the gentle tune and she begins to smile, we soon begin to dance and sing the song together.

"Lavender's green, dilly dilly, lavender's blue. If you love me, dilly dilly, I will love you. Let the birds sing, dilly dilly, let the lambs play. We shall be safe, dilly dilly, out of harms way."

When we finish we smile and giggle at one another before hearing several people clapping. We start in surprise and turn to look at them, there stands Hannah, Sebastian, and both the princes.

We look back at one another, both blushing like crazy before bursting out laughing.

"That was truly amazing, Miss Lilly." Says Sebastian.

"You were great too, Elizabeth." Says Ciel.

The others all nod in agreement before Claude walks up to me and brings a hand up to cup my cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb as he smiles down at me fondly.

Seeing this, the others go back into the house to give us some alone time.

As we stare into each others eyes, his face inches closer to mine slowly.

"I cannot deny the feelings in my heart any longer, Lilly."

He whispers softly and I blush at how close he's getting.

"From the first time we met, I always seemed to be coming to your rescue. But in turn, you came to mine as well and taught me things I had forgotten."
As he says this, I can feel the gentle warmth of his breath caress my lips and my eyes flutter shut.

"I'm in love with you."

And then his soft lips press against mine gently, causing me to moan softly from the sensation and my knees to go weak. Sensing this he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him, I in turn wrap my arms around his neck as the kiss deepens and his tongue flicks against my lips slightly as if asking to come in. I allow it and part my lips before his tongue enters and tastes every inch of my mouth, soon our tongues are dancing around one another and we gasp for air every time our lips part before finding one another again.

"AWWE, I'M SO HAPPY FOR THEM!"

Lizzy squeals in excitement while jumping up and down and clapping.

They have all been watching the two of them from around the corner of the door and nod in agreement at Lizzy's words.

Suddenly, Ciel blushes and stands up straight before turning to Lizzy.

"Elizabeth Chambers."

She stops her excited jumping and clapping and looks towards Ciel curiously.

"I would like to ask you something."

"Yes?"

She says in anticipation, bringing her hands to her chest at the seriousness in his eyes.

"Would you do me the honor of letting me court you, Miss Elizabeth?"

As he says this he gets down on one knee and brings a hand up to his chest.

She's speechless and blushes bright red before nodding her head vigorously.

"Yes! Oh and call me Lizzy."

She says with a bright smile and Ciel sighs in relief before standing up once more and taking her hand in his.

"Thank you, Lizzy."

"Hehe, congratulations."

At this everyone turns around and sees Claude and I standing there hand in hand and everyone except Sebastian smiles.
Sebastian clears his throat and looks towards us with a stern look on his face.

"Your highness, I don't think your father would be pleased with a union between a commoner and the eldest prince."

Ouch.

"She's not a commoner!"

We all look toward, Lizzy who has a determined look on her face.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said she's not a commoner. Her father was Earl Thomas Chambers, and her mother was Duchess Vivian Delacriox!"

At this we're all taken aback, my reason for this is different then the others. I had never thought Lizzy would stick up for me like this.

Everyone suddenly has their eyes on me and I look down to the side.

Sebastian then looks back at Lizzy.

"Then why was she a maid in your house?"

"Because my father despised his brother for stealing away the woman he loved. Lilly has her mothers hair color but the eye color of her father. Seeing the two combined was a constant reminder of the love he lost, so after her fathers passing he made her into our maid as a sort of revenge towards his brother."

Everyone is stunned at this information and are struck speechless.

"And in recent events we know that he and his son framed Lilly for a crime she did not commit. So we must do what we can to clear her name."

States Ciel and everyone nods in agreement.

"Speaking of which. I think I may have a lead on the matter."

Everyone looks at Claude as he explains what he found out.

"So let me get this straight, Aleister and Lau have been secretly smuggling Opium out of Japan, and when things seemed to come out in the open he fled to London?"

Claude nods at Sebastian.

"And then to take the heat off himself he made it look like Lilly was the one behind it all."

Everyone looks down with furrowed brows in thought. That information's still not enough to bring Aleister to justice, the would need more to go on.

"I have an idea."

Says Lizzy and everyone turns to her.

"We can sneak into my fathers study and search for documents showing he's responsible."

And with that everyone starts to go over how it would be done.