Summary: Elizabeth has been declared old enough to do the Queen's work. As a noble of the Middleford Knights, she is given a case to handle. Ciel hears about it and decides to find out for himself if Lizzie is ready for this dark line of work. Via snooping and the demon siblings' intervention. (I'm giving you guys a nice long chapter ahead of my other stories because I get the most reviews here! Thank you and keep reviewing~)

'Lizzie, I can try to talk…' Her father started, eyes understanding. But Lizzie wasn't fazed one bit.

'Father, I wouldn't dream of backing out of this. I'm glad to do it as the wife of the Queen's Watchdog but doing it as a noble of the Middleford Knights makes me happy too.' Lizzie said, her hand holding the Queen's letter with the utmost care. Catherine waited by the other personal servants. Each one of them had talents beyond ordinary but they were human, unlike Catherine.

'Will you be alright, Lizzie? I can go with you.' Edward offered, ever protective of his little sister.

'You'll only slow her down, Edward.' Frances said, harsh and blunt. No one knew better just how good Elizabeth was, no one except the ones who taught her, her parents. 'But you'll take Catherine with you.' She demanded, turning to her daughter.

'Of course, Mother. I will leave this evening.' Lizzie spoke, her eyes soft. Her mother cared, really, she just didn't show it so much. Her mother also knew that Sebastian was something dangerous and Catherine, being his sister, shared some of his skills. Her mother knew it could be somewhat… dark skills but if they would keep Lizzie alive, she'd allow all sorts.

'Will you not need more time to prepare?' Her father asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

'I saw to it that all preparations were completed when the letter arrived, my lord.' Catherine smiled. The man relaxed and nodded. The Middleford men got along with strong women, Frances was proof of that.

'You wish to keep this from Ciel.' Her mother stated bluntly. Lizzie's eyes narrowed, just a tiny bit.

'Sharp as always, Mother. He will only kick up a fuss. I want to avoid that till after I'm finished.' She sighed. That wasn't all of course, she… still didn't want to show him this. Elizabeth, daughter of the Middleford knights. It would repulse him, she truly believed that. 'I shall practice before I leave then.' She dismissed herself.

Catherine followed her lady out the door and into her room where she immediately picked up her swords, moving in deadly precise movements. But she dropped them soon after as Catherine knew she would. If she had wanted to practice, she would have moved herself to the fencing room. This was just her trying to take out her frustration.

'What would he think if he saw this?' she asked in a hard voice, gesturing in mock grandness to the weapons on her bed. Bladed fans, poison rings and hairpins, parasol rapiers were just a few of these.

'He's seen you fight before, my lady.' Catherine said, dodging the question. How was she to know what a tormented soul would think?

'Not at my best. He hasn't seen me kill a man. I wonder if he knows I have. He doesn't know, Catherine. That's the only thing that lets me be close to him. He'd... run. If he knew who I am and what I do, he'd run.' The young happy girl said bitterly and to anyone it would've seemed wrong. Lizzie Middleford… bitter? Impossible. But Catherine knew better.

Lizzie had a delicious soul. Not like Ciel's but close enough to attract any demon into a haze of lusting hunger. The only reason she hadn't formed a contract was because Elizabeth never lost hope enough to summon a demon. She could have been just like Ciel. The demon witch was pleased that she chose witchcraft instead. Her soul could now form into something too dangerous to devour yet more delicious than anything.

'My lady, he is not an idiot. He knows he is a lucky man. And if he doesn't, then you'll just have to show him.' Catherine said strongly, tucking away the weaponry. Lizzie had a tendency to fly into a convenient rage with weapons lying around.

The young girl scoffed. 'Lucky? To be engaged to a girl who has sold her humanity to immerse herself in dark crafts? I think not.'

'And a boy who sold his soul to live a life of vengeance and hate is much better, I assume?' The witch snorted sarcastically. Lizzie said nothing but stepped over to the side of her bed, crouching down by it and wincing for a moment before pulling out her journal and began to write. And Catherine had a wonderful idea. It was in the contract for her to help Lizzie and Ciel's relationship…

PART TWO

Ciel knew if he was caught, Aunt Frances would shoot him dead and Edward would flay him limb from him. It was a bad idea. But Lizzie on the Queen's mission was a bad idea too. Why would Queen Victoria send Lizzie of all people on her missions?! Images of a little girl, laughing and smiling with him as a child entered his mind. Quickly interrupted by a memory of the gleam of her sword. He shook his head. That didn't matter. She wasn't ready, skilled as she may be, her heart was too soft.

Sebastian pretended to pick the lock on Lizzie's window before entering and setting his young master down. Catherine took down all her magic wards and a locked window wasn't going to stop Sebastian so why lock it anyway? His sister had already explained it to him to goad Ciel into coming to search Lizzie's room for something he named 'the essence of her'. It was utter bullshit.

Why was he doing it? Well, he enjoyed teasing his young master about his little love and of course, because Catherine had asked him to. Ciel went for the typical search while Sebastian went to where Catherine instructed him. Had she not told him, it would have taken him quite a while. He pretended to search the edge of the bed before sticking his hand into the compartment he located at the base of the wall. He stuck his hand in, not minding the sting of the four needles that sank into his skin. But his eyes twitched at the poison. His demon blood destroyed it quickly but it did make him respect the young Middleford.

'I believe I've found something of interest, young master.' Sebastian said, nonchalantly, standing up with the book in hand. Ciel blinked calmly and took the book, running his fingers across the black leather cover. Letters to Ciel. The Journal of Elizabeth Middleford.

This is exactly what Ciel had been looking for. The essence of her. 'Make sure we are not found.' He ordered Sebastian before he sat down at her desk and opened the book that smelled of ink, age and Lizzie.

'Yes, my Lord.' But he already planned to read over Ciel's shoulder discreetly. He was as curious as to why his sister would choose this young girl to apprentice.

Hello, Ciel. I found out from Mother today that we're engaged. Isn't that great? I'm going to be the best wife ever, I promise. I know because I love making you smile! Your laugh is the prettiest I've ever heard. When I was playing with you today, you looked so cute. Except when you pinched me. It wasn't nice but I still felt bad when Aunt Rachael scolded you. Father gave me a ring as a gift and told me not to show anyone. It's got poison in it and Father has started me on some. It made me sick but I think I'm getting better. I wonder if all girls have things to protect their fiancées with. But then, how come I can't show anyone? Aunt Anne says it's not cute. I want to be cute, a cute wife to match a cute husband! Sorry for keeping the secret!

Ciel stared at the entry. It was years back. Before he had been kidnapped. He remembered playing with her that day. She seemed a bit ill but he never thought… He flipped the pages, reading more and more. Poison, hand to hand combat, foreign languages and secret codes… defeating knights of noble houses. There was so much of it.

You told me today, you were happy I was going to be your wife. That made me happy. It made me sad too. Because you don't want a strong wife. But I already am. I'm too strong. You were pathetic against Mother. I was going to teach you. Until you said that. I wanted to give it up. I want to be a wife you want. I told Mother I didn't want to learn anymore. I already knew too much. A hundred different ways to kill for you and be a too-strong wife. Mother slapped me. It didn't hurt. I've been trained to handle pain. It disgusted me… for the first time because I knew it would disgust you too. But Mother wouldn't let me, she told me I had to, in case you needed me. I won't let you find out. If you find out, you'd hate me. So many secrets… I'm sorry.

He remembered that too. He really was pathetic then and Lizzie, cute, adorable Lizzie had been so strong already. He would have never known. She was good at hiding herself. He flipped the pages again. Then he paused at one. The ink had run as if water had soaked through. The words were written with a shaking hand.

A fire burned your house down. Uncle Vincent and Aunt Rachael are dead. I didn't know what but I knew something was wrong when Mother's face went so pale and Edward was shaking. Father's eyes were wide open. It was Tanaka who told me. He came, burnt and so sad, his shoulders sagged. They couldn't find you. Maybe there's nothing of you left. Where are you, Ciel? They keep telling me you're gone. I waited for you but every day you're not there, I'm less too. Is that nonsense? Am I Elizabeth? No, Elizabeth is your wife. If you're gone, you have no wife. But that's all I ever was, all I wanted to be. I was ready to protect you with everything I had. Now all I know, it's useless. You're gone. And because of that, it only makes sense if I had never existed. You're the light of my world. It's so dark, it's like I'm not even there. Please don't be dead, Ciel. Come back.

The next page skipped the entire time of his kidnapping. But the letters was still scrawled and the page, wet with tears. Lizzie's tears. He touched the pages and he could feel her as if she was talking to him.

You came back! You were cold and stiff when I hugged you but it was you! I was so happy. You had a patch over your eye. Someone did something to it. You didn't smile. Someone took away your smile. You looked empty but I swore I'd bring you back. Even if you came back different. I don't care. I'm going to make sure you're alright. Then when you're not looking, I'll kill whoever hurt you. That month when you were gone was my hell. Wearing my pitch-black clothes with my pitch-black feelings. One month of a pitch-black winter had passed when suddenly, you came back along with a pitch-black butler. Sebastian. He must have saved you, right? Why else would you come back with him like that? I owe him a lot. But he looked at you funny. It made me feel like a mouse under a cat's paw. If he ever hurts you, I'll kill him too.

Ciel smiled slightly and Sebastian held in the laughter in his throat. Yes, she sincerely impressed him. Ciel didn't stop, he read on and he saw more of her and her abilities. What she hid for his sake and how she saw him…

You're so serious now. So dark. I guess it's hard to be the Queen's Watchdog so early. You always want to seem like an adult. But I can see you care even when you're cold. You care about your servants and the Queen and me. You protect me and keep me far from your work. It's too bad, you don't know about me. You want to keep me save and I want to protect you but… I can see you, Ciel. I'll pretend to be cute and innocent and weak. The light to your dark, hold on to me and try to keep me safe while saving yourself from darkness. I'll become a wife you can protect.

I'm taller than you. I know it'll bother you. You wear high heels to make yourself taller. So I'll wear low heels and make you happy. For you, who is trying hard to be seen as an adult, I will smile and walk beside you in my childish low-heeled shoes. To take care of the husband is the wife's job, you know.

A bear came at me. I had a poison in my hairpin. I kept it in my hand. I was going to throw it. It would have dropped that bear instantly. But you jumped in front of me. I was so scared. I was going to push you away from it but I heard Mother's gun. And Sebastian's knife. Who throws a butter knife hard enough to pierce bone? That man is… not human. Mother won the hunting challenge. But you saved me…

The next one had Ciel shaking with rage. He traced the rough sketch of the Phantomhive crest on the page. It was drawn red and dripping.

I got caught. They carved it into my lower back. It hurt but I didn't mind. They wanted to hurt you by hurting me. I won't let you find out. I was so angry though. When they slept, I broke free and killed every single one. Mother and Father was furious, I didn't dare tell Ed. The servants bandaged me up and I visited you the next day. I didn't hug you. The blood on my hands was still there even though I scrubbed it off a million times and they looked clean. I wouldn't let such fresh deaths of your enemies touch you. My hands felt filthy.

The you that had returned to us had become thinner and shorter than I was. But soon I realized that it wasn't you who had become shorter; it was me who had grown taller. At that point in time, I made a decision. That I would become a wife capable of protecting you.

Low-heeled shoes, mother's teachings and a sword to protect you. These are the nice things my current self is made of. I will become a wife that can protect you. But I won't let you know. Sorry for the secrets, Ciel.

By the time he read through the whole things, his eye patch was torn off, his eyes were tired and his brain was spinning. It was early in the morning. He knew Sebastian had read it all. The demon said nothing and was solemn. Ciel's heart never felt so much. Then the door slammed open carelessly. Lizzie worked to finish the task quickly but her dress was wrecked and her contract seal was proudly displayed along with a cut or two. Lizzie looked tired but she stared at the misplaced males in the room. Her eyes found the book on the table and went perfectly wide with fear and then… anger.

'Catherine, get Sebastian out of here. Now.' She ordered, her eyes glaring at the demon's recently poisoned hand. She'd put magic in the poison next time.

'As my lady wishes.' Catherine murmured. Sebastian followed his sister without a problem and the two rushed up to the room above Lizzie's ears tuned.

'She did not look pleased. That book really was the essence of her.' Sebastian spoke quietly. Catherine gained a dry smile.

'If she doesn't murder Ciel, this will have fantastic results.' She promised.

PART THREE

She has never been so furious at Ciel before… or anyone actually. Her whole life trying to hide her ugly self from him and now he knew and because of his utter stupidity, he was going to run from her and break her into pieces. That foolish little… who wouldn't run from a monster?! She went through so much pain and effort to hide it all for his sake! She marched right past him and grabbed the book. Letters to Ciel. Letters never sent, reached anyway.

Ciel looked at her in a new light. This was Lizzie. And she was completely stunningly beautiful. When she turned to him, her eyes were full of tears. 'Those were my secrets! Why did you take them from me?!' She spat through her teeth. She hurt all over but it had nothing to do with her recent mission.

'Because I wanted to know you.'

Ciel stepped closer to her despite knowing she was angry enough to lash out any moment. His brain was processing what he read, what he was seeing. He never let himself feel so much. He was out of his bounds now. And he didn't care because he trusted her completely. His body moved on its own, grabbing her hands to him tightly. Her eyes widened and then… he kissed her.

He kissed her soundly on the lips and all the anger left her body as the tears spilled from her face. He wasn't running. He accepted her. He loved her with his entire being. Lizzie let go of all the pretence and secrets. Above them, Sebastian smirked as Catherine jumped all over the room in silent celebration.