Fool's Gold
For about a week after the masquerade ball, Ciel held his breath, waiting for the horrible and humiliating news to reach other nobles' ears that he, the host, had gotten drunk. It was inevitable that Elizabeth would find out, and she was enraged for a few days, but Ciel was finally able to let out a breath of relief when it became apparent that George wouldn't talk about what he'd seen to the other servants.
Sebastian just smirked at him more often.
Nevertheless, their secret was still safe and his reputation was untarnished. November passed without too much event. It only seemed to get colder as winter approached, and frost made its appearance every morning.
As usual, he hadn't really thought about it, but his birthday came and was celebrated. He had woken up alone, only for Elizabeth and much of the staff to come in only minutes later with a huge bed in breakfast. Ciel tried as hard as he could not to squirm out of bed when they all started to sing a song he had never heard before. It was simple, but got the point across that it was his birthday. Elizabeth later explained that it was the new "Happy Birthday" song that had been conceived the year before, and that it was very popular across Europe.
So as he ate his breakfast with Elizabeth by his side once the staff had left, Ciel dressed for the day, figuring that that would be the only thing he'd have to deal with for today.
It wasn't something that he dreaded, but rather found himself claiming unnecessary. Even Sebastian joined in with the rest of the staff to make sure everything was absolutely perfect for him, whether it be the meals or conditions of a room. Elizabeth spent most of the day with him, urging him to take a day off from work and to play chess. His mother had called a little after teatime, wishing him a happy birthday.
At the end of the day after dinner, Ciel was presented with a cake and various cards from the servants, and the staff embarrassed him one last time as they sang the song again. That night, Elizabeth made sure that he had a perfect ending to his day, and Ciel couldn't do anything but say yes, letting her do whatever she wanted, as uncomfortable as it was.
The following evening while Elizabeth was busy with Paula over some order for new stockings, Sebastian delivered his own present, and Ciel couldn't refuse such a gift.
After that, however, everything turned hectic as the household prepared for the upcoming holiday. Decorations were pinned up all over the mansion and one snowy afternoon, the servants hauled in a pine tree, which Elizabeth took great delight in decorating with garland made of popcorn and paper cutouts among other small and shiny trinkets.
Ciel focused mainly on his sales most days, and his overseas expansions were thriving better than he had first imagined. Reports of empty stocks came regularly, and manufacturing the toys and candy boosted considerably. Shipments were sent out nearly every other day, and profits rose far beyond Ciel's expectations.
Elizabeth made sure that they regularly went to the church functions and ceremonies that accompanied the festive season. He donated a fair amount of his products through these gatherings as well as money to some small businesses and orphanages. As expected, his reputation increased, but he paid little to no mind to it. Elizabeth also dragged him to various winter festivals and they listened to carolers and watched performances relating to the early origins of Christmas.
After making sure that he had given his servants all a considerate raise in their salaries, he and Elizabeth had traveled to the Middleford estate for the holiday. They'd be spending at least a week there, and Ciel tried to remain stoic about Sebastian not coming with them, as he had personally urged the man to spend time with his family. To his surprise, Sebastian almost seemed too happy to go, but then he realized that Sebastian never had too many days off to actually spend time with his family in the first place.
Feeling a little guilty about not giving Sebastian that many days off, Ciel managed to put the butler to the back of his mind as they spent time with the Middlefords. His Aunt Frances actually seemed less strict during their visit, but Ciel didn't push his luck in any way with her good mood. Uncle Alexis was his usual self, enjoying just about everything they did.
On Christmas morning, the family attended church in their finest clothes and went through the same ceremony that was held every year. When they returned to the estate, Frances motioned for their butler to make tea and to bring out snacks. They sat in the warmth of the parlor with the decorated tree and eventually exchanged gifts.
Elizabeth ogled over the imported tea set Ciel had bought her from India, as well as some jewelry from France. Alexis and Frances had both gifted them with new recipes they had picked up during their last trip to Spain. In return, they were given tickets for a cruise in late spring to the Americas. From his wife, Ciel was given new riding pants and other accessories for the daily hunts he went on, which was enough for him. They spent the night telling stories and dancing before retiring to bed.
The following day they paid charity to Boxing Day. Many of the poor and lower middle class children came to their doorsteps as well as other nobles' homes, asking for donations, whether it be food or money. The Middlefords and Phantomhives generously bequeathed what they could.
On New Year's Day, Ciel and Elizabeth left and returned home. Sebastian was already there and waiting for them, and within the next couple days, all the servants returned, rested and ready to begin work again.
It was near the tenth of January that Ciel's father called, requesting that he and Elizabeth come and visit for a couple days. There was a new case at hand, and as his father described it, Ciel understood why he wanted Elizabeth to come with him.
"Three nobles have been killed in the last two weeks," Ciel explained as he pulled on his coat in his bedroom. Sebastian was finishing packing their things. "I'd rather have Elizabeth with me, and of course you're coming too."
Sebastian chuckled. "It's nice to know you care for my wellbeing, my lord."
Ciel finished closing his jacket and looked back at his butler through the mirror as he reached for his top hat. "Even though I have no intentions in telling her of these murders, I want extra protection either way."
"That's very sentimental of you, master."
Turning around as Sebastian came up behind him, Ciel pulled on the ever present tie the butler wore and kissed him. "It's just a duty of a husband, you know that."
"Of course," Sebastian replied with a glint in his eyes before capturing his master's lips once more.
They arrived at the Phantomhive estate the next day just after noon. Ciel watched as his mother took Elizabeth off while Sebastian helped Tanaka with the luggage. His father quickly collected him, and they went right down to business.
"Lord and Lady Ridell were found murdered in their bed on the twenty-ninth. Lord Byron was found in an alleyway just outside of London on the first, and Lady Halbrook and her daughter were seen being towed away by those who'd cover their faces near the East End of London on the third," his father informed him, shuffling through various papers. "They are currently presumed dead as well."
"Are there any concrete connections?" Ciel asked.
His father handed him a piece of paper. "There were notes found on the Ridells and Lord Byron, and a letter was sent to the Halbrook estate. They weren't all the same, but it's been deduced that it came from one source based on the handwriting. There were threats over various things such as property and wealth and other relations. The note to Lord Byron actually threatened the Queen, since he is a distant relative."
Ciel sat back in his chair, mulling the current information over. "Do the victims have any specific relations to one another?"
"Just the usual parties that they socialize at," his father told him. "I've contacted Lord Randall and had him go through some files, but he hasn't found any connections of the business type between them. If anything, our killers are choosing at random. Or when they have the opportunity."
"So the notes are just to scare us off?" Ciel took a better look at the paper in his hand. "If they're just having a random killing spree of nobles, why leave a letter? Do you think they want us to find them?"
His father shrugged. "There have been such odd cases. Some people just want the attention, and this could just be another one of those." There was knock on the door and Tanaka let himself in. "Thank you, you're dismissed," his father told him as he took the sealed letter from the old butler. He didn't open it immediately.
"Could it be a lower class citizen, like an immigrant? Or another noble?" Ciel asked.
"I don't think that a low class citizen could have gotten this far without connections, and the handwriting is quite educated," his father said. "If it were a noble, he could be after property, or if this person is killing relatives and knows that these people are connected in some way, he could be after their savings."
Placing the note back on his father's desk, Ciel jumped as the telephone suddenly rang. His father picked it up and listened to the other person talking for about a minute before looking urgently at his son. He hung the phone up as he stood, all the while saying, "We need to go."
With a gun hidden in his coat, Ciel and his father made the necessary orders to secure the mansion while they were gone. Sebastian and Tanaka were to inform the other servants of the house to stay indoors and to not let anyone in. Lord Phantomhive quickly had a carriage pulled out front, and he made quick orders of where to go.
Ciel and his father ended up at a warehouse not four miles from the estate. They cautiously made their way around the structure in case the murderers were still around before heading inside. Less than half a dozen local officers arrived shortly after they did and made doubly sure that the area was secure before following the nobles inside.
The sight wasn't a pretty one. Corpses of a family he knew well lay in a heap of their own blood. Ciel had seen Lord and Lady Krage and their two children not two weeks ago at a church gathering. He couldn't recall the lord or lady doing anything suspicious except for owning a share through one of the railroad companies in England.
Covering his nose and mouth with a gloved hand, Ciel inspected the bodies for anything unusual with his father. He could see gun wounds, and not too far off were shells from the bullets. His father slid a note out from one of the children's haphazard hands and read it over.
"It's just like the others," his father explained, but then took another scrutinizing look. Ciel came to look over his shoulder, ignoring the fact that the parchment was half smeared in blood.
"Were the others like this?" he asked, rereading the note. "Some of the letters are…off."
"That's odd," his father agreed. "The others weren't like this. The handwriting switches every so often from cursive to print."
Ciel suddenly felt very, very stupid for not putting two and two together before. Their killer was getting exasperated with them; it was obvious he was trying to meet up with them for some reason. He probably knew that the Queen would send notice to his father when nobles were targeted, and this person was getting so impatient that he purposely switched his writing style.
"The printed letters, father. Put them together and you get…" he tried to hastily explain, a sinking feeling settling in his gut.
"…'Phantomhive'," his father finished for him, that same urgency now in his voice as well. Quickly, he let the note drift back to the floor and he started toward the nearest officer, enlisting him and the others to follow, all the while shouting orders to the footman.
Nearly running into the carriage and slamming the door behind them, the footman became the definition of haste as he wheeled the horses around and started them at the fastest pace they could go. Within fifteen minutes, the Phantomhive estate came into view, appearing untouched.
With the officers on the road behind them, Ciel and his father carefully surveyed the manor for any intruders before cautiously getting out, drawing their handguns. The footman was behind them with his own weapon, ready to protect his employers at any cost.
"Please, for your safety my lords, let me go in first," the loyal man said as they reached the front doors, and Ciel felt his stomach lurch at the prospect of the killer already being in the mansion. Surely his mother and Elizabeth were safe in the hands of the servants…right?
The footman unlocked the door and stepped gingerly inside weapon first, and the only sound the trio could hear was silence. The man opened the door wider, showing his masters that it was safe. Ciel and his father filed in, weapons ready and their eyes searching.
Everything happened in a blur for the next few moments. There was suddenly a loud bang and the footman slammed into the linoleum floor with a sickening thud. Ciel's eyes darted wildly and he spotted a man near the top of the staircase dash off. His father took after him within a second, and Ciel knew that he had to find the others, knowing his father could take care of himself in this situation.
Running through the mansion on alert for other attackers as well as keeping an eye out for his family was dizzying, but Ciel listened hard for any unusual sounds, as well as familiar ones. Rounding one of the corners that led out of the kitchen, he came upon another man standing over Philips, who was soaked in his own blood. Without a second thought, Ciel shot, and the assailant fell to the ground without a word.
Not looking at the dead cook as he passed him and swallowing as his throat tightened with unexpected emotion, Ciel found other well-known servants already dead, but he pressed on. His main concern was finding Elizabeth and his mother. If anything, they were in good hands with Sebastian. He had even given the butler a pistol before he left, just in case anything like this were to happen.
Over his head, Ciel could hear gunshots. Instinctively, he made way for the staircase, trying not to expect the worst. What he found made his blood run cold.
His mother was sobbing uncontrollably, her head locked under an attacker's arm. Not ten feet before him, his father lay curled on his side, blood soaking his jacket, his body shaking in the shock. Ciel could hear his last breaths rattle in his lungs, as well as his mother desperately shouting her husband's name, as well as his to get away.
"I suggest you unhand her," Ciel managed to say, the shock still numbing. He aimed his weapon, but the invader said nothing, only tightening his hold around his mother and placing the barrel of his own gun to the woman's head. "I said unhand her!" Ciel shouted, not daring to take a step closer as beady eyes watched his every move.
There was a loud click and Ciel thought he screamed as the click escalated into an ear piercing explosion. His own gun went off and the man fell. Ciel could feel his own breath rattling in his chest as he tried not to look at the mess. He felt unstable as his knees threatened to give out as he realized that his mother had stopped crying. Then another gunshot reached his ears.
Pressing a hand to his mouth, he ran down the hall. A dead man he didn't recognize suddenly flew out one of the numerous doorways, and Ciel made that room his destination.
Elizabeth was half hidden underneath the table, her arms around her shaking form. He ran past Sebastian who was reloading the gun and grasped his wife's shoulders, shaking her lightly.
"It's alright, I'm here," he said as evenly as he could, trying to calm her down. She let out a relieved cry at the sight of her husband and arms flew around him as she broke down into tears.
"Ta-Tana-ka…and P-Paula-a, they, they try-tried," she cried and Ciel shushed her, the corner of his eye making out two slumped bodies across the room. Swallowing, he helped her to her feet, wrapping a supportive arm around her waist.
"Sebastian," he ordered softly, the butler's serious face turning at his words. "You're taking the lead. Find the safest route."
He made a small and rushed bow. "Yes, my lord." He quickly finished reloading the revolver as Ciel quietly explained to Elizabeth that she had to be quiet. Sebastian took all precautions and carefully checked for other shooters before giving the signal to Ciel that all was clear.
With Elizabeth pressed into his shoulder, Ciel followed his butler, keeping his own pistol ready as he repeatedly glanced back. Sebastian stopped just short of the staircase upon hearing voices, and motioned that they head back.
Ciel remembered that there was an escape route in one of the back rooms that the servants used to do laundry, and he told this to Sebastian, who nodded and started in that direction. However, they were stopped short as a man ran out of one of the rooms ahead of them, spotting them instantly and aiming his handgun.
Pulling Elizabeth closer to him, Ciel softly ordered with clear intent, "Sebastian."
A bullet whizzed by his ear as numerous shots were fired and he flung himself and Elizabeth against the wall as the man and Sebastian started shooting. There were a couple thuds and strangled shouts, and then silence.
In a way, Ciel supposed that another assailant had heard them from downstairs and had run up. He supposed that Sebastian had quickly disposed of the first man, and then had turned on the second from behind. Ciel was right.
The two unknown men lay shot and dead in the hallway, and Ciel didn't hear any other attackers running in their general direction. Elizabeth cried into his chest at the noise and death as he pulled her up, but then he felt indescribably numb.
He had supposed that Sebastian would be quick enough to save himself. Ciel was wrong.
Blood pounded painfully loud in his ears and his hands felt cold. His legs moved on their own accord, and he didn't register Elizabeth crying out not to leave her.
"Sebastian?" he asked in just over a whisper as he looked down over his butler's body. The man was a horrid sight, but he couldn't look away. His heart thudded slowly now. Sebastian couldn't die. Sebastian couldn't die. "Sebastian?" he asked, his voice on the edge of hysterics. Something was tugging on his arm now. "Sebastian!"
Tears didn't come to his eyes as he bent over, now aware of Elizabeth trying to draw him away from the dead body, trying to get him away from other possible attackers. He couldn't hear himself as his butler's name slipped from his lips uncontrollably, for sure notifying others in the house to their location.
Somewhere along the line, Elizabeth started shouting at him and he pushed her away as she tried to force him up. He knew that it was futile for Sebastian to come back, but he didn't want to believe this fact.
Suddenly Elizabeth shrieked and something white hot and painful hit his back with a force he couldn't comprehend. A metallic taste filled his mouth and he gagged as the sensation came again. He cried out –
– only to suddenly find himself unable to see and moving at an impossibly fast speed. Something warm cradled his weakened but unhurt body, holding him close, and he felt dizzy. Loud sounds echoed with every touchdown he felt.
There was an exceptionally loud slam and Ciel gasped. He quickly realized that his eyes were screwed shut on their own accord, and he blinked them open. His vision was just as disoriented as his mind as everything moved much too fast. Blurs of black and grey and dark blue flashed almost uncontrollably. The whooshing air filled his ears, as well as a low, daemonic sounding growl every few seconds.
Feeling sick with the constant blur and confusion, Ciel unconsciously curled into whatever was holding him, his fingers grasping the fabric underneath them as tightly as humanly possible. Whatever gripped him drew him in closer, protecting him. It took Ciel several moments to realize what he was clutching so securely.
"Sebastian?" His voice came out in a croak, sounding unbearably weak. Ciel suddenly realized how dry his mouth and throat were, as if he'd been starved of any liquids for months. He was excruciatingly parched.
He felt lightheaded and dazed as the said man answered back unperturbed. "I will end this at once, young master." There was without warning a sound Ciel couldn't decipher and another whoosh of now rancid air. Then there was that growl again, but it was now much more fearsome than before.
"Excuse me, young master," Sebastian said once more, and Ciel's breath caught in his throat painfully as a gloved hand descended over his eyes, blocking his view of the rapidly changing colored scenery.
Wherever they were suddenly chilled, and Ciel felt the edges of the air prickle with something he couldn't name. He jerked as a loud shriek that morphed between high and low pitches echoed hauntingly in his ears, and then nothing. Everything stopped moving all at once, and Ciel felt sicker than before.
Ciel barely noticed Sebastian removing his hand from his face, and his eyes flew open. Without warning to the other man, he surged up, wrapping his arms tightly around his butler's neck, never wanting to let go, even as he succumbed to the darkness that suddenly snuck up on him.
A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Next one is the last, sadly. But thanks for reading and please review!