UWAAAAH! Gomenasai! I had the best birthday ever and wrote about half of this, and then I got MAJOR writer's block!
Moony: Said block had several causes; math, stress, birthday, hair, contacts, MATH, projects, and general depression.
Muh-hoony! I'm so sad! T.T Okay, so math=horrible. What else is new? And my mother decided I needed a makeover, so my hair now looks like France's from Hetalia. It used to be down to my waist. WTH? General depression? Yeah, I just got through my first breakup. Four days after my birthday. Sadness.
Moony: They don't care...
I know, and you all probably hate me for not updating, right? Well, let's just say that I got my hair cut on Thursday, made the France connection on Friday, got inspired, and finished the chapter today, on Monday. That's 5000 words in 3.3 days! I really busted my butt, so I hope y'all like it!
Moony: Maya-chan doesn't own Kuro/Black Butler. After this chapter, you will be very glad of that fact.
The gale-force winds tore Anya's screams from her lips, dragging them from the back of her throat, smothering her. Her eyes had been forced to scrunch closed against the biting speed of the frigid air whipping by them.
Claude's arm was too tight around her waist as he carried Anya along at the frightening pace. This wasn't the natural flight of arcing into the air and coming back down; this was something wild and far beyond human control. Anya forced her tearing eyes open and saw a world of color pass by her in an instant. She struggled to loosen Claude's arm, which was nearly crushing the breath from her lungs.
"Don't," Claude yelled over the whooshing of the hurricane. "You'll fall. We're almost there." And suddenly, the universe was silent again. Claude finally released Anya, and her weak knees gave out on her. She sat on the cold marble floor and tried to calm her shuddering breaths. The bespectacled butler stood a respectful distance away while she gathered her wits.
"What was that?" she finally gasped. "W-Where are we?" She pried her streaming eyes from the cool marble to take in a small but homey bedroom. The walls were painted a clear, icy blue, and the bedclothes were light green. Gauzy curtains veiled a wall-to-wall window by the bed. A small fire sputtered in a stone fireplace against the far wall. Anya instinctively drew closer, relishing the warmth after her chilling journey.
"Welcome to le Hôtel Bourgogne & Montana," Claude informed her as he reached over her shoulder to stoke the fire. "Compliments of my master, this will be your suite this evening."
"My suite?" Anya grew suspicious. "Y-You said that after I met with Alois, you would bring me home. Why would I need a hotel room?" Nonetheless, she inched closer to the flames, and gave Claude a grateful smile.
The butler raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry my lady, but that was quite a feat I just pulled. Do you think that I would be able to travel the distance between London and Paris like that twice in one evening?"
"Paris!" Anya exclaimed. She pushed herself off the floor and ran to the window, snapping the curtains aside. Light spilled into the dim room, and Anya reeled back at the sight of the window's historic view.
"The Eiffel Tower does look lovely tonight, doesn't it?" Claude remarked. "You will have to visit it before you leave Paris." Anya stumbled backward, away from the strange butler.
"How did you do that?" she whispered. "Claude… Who- What are you?"
"I need not answer," Claude bowed. "You must know yourself, my lady. How else do your wounds heal instantly? How else would you still be alive, even after I snapped your neck?" Anya's eyes widened. She had assumed that it had been William's spear that almost ended her life, but she did recall that Alois had ordered Claude to kill her as well.
"I forgot about that," Anya breathed. Her hand arose involuntarily to her throat, and she viewed Claude with guarded eyes. The butler actually smiled at her. He smiled as they recounted how he had nearly killed her.
"I hope that means that you do not hold a grudge against me, my lady." Anya felt a jolt run up her spine as Claude smirked at her, the expression sparking recognition in her mind. He looks rather like Sebastian, Anya realized. When they're being cheeky, they both have this… aura around them. And whenever Anya glimpsed that dark side of the Phantomhive butler, bad fortune was usually not far behind.
"Where's Alois?" Anya asked abruptly. "The quicker I meet with him, the quicker I can go home." Claude's smirk fell from his face instantly, resuming its stoic impression of a statue.
"The Earl awaits you in the dining room of the hotel. He thought it best to discuss this over dinner." He said this as if having dinner in the middle of the night was perfectly normal. Maybe there was a time skip between the two countries? No, that wouldn't be much better… While Anya contemplated the strange ways of Alois Trancy, Claude looked her up and down. "Forgive me, my lady, but might you consider a change of attire? This is a very classy place, and my master insisted that you look your best."
"Let me think about that," Anya deadpanned. "You teleport me across the country without warning, and you expect me to be able to just pull eveningwear out of-"
Claude produced the frilly pink dress from the gala seemingly from thin air. "I assume this to be in your tastes, my lady?"
"… Darn stalkers," the maid mumbled. She hesitantly took the dress from Claude's hands. It was indeed the very gown from the Equinox. Exactly what I want to be reminded of now that I'm supposed to be meeting Alois civilly. Wonderful.
"I will leave you to change, my lady," Claude bowed and backed slowly to the door. "If you need anything, simply call for me."
"Wait," Anya blurted. "Claude, why are you suddenly being so formal with me? You never called me 'lady' anything before." She watched as the butler cast a curious glance over his shoulder.
"I am merely a butler, my lady," he bowed again. "As such, I shall address nobility by their proper titles. I will return, Lady Criel." With that, he closed the door on her. Anya tried not to be irritated by the soft click that followed.
"I suppose I'd better get this over with," she sighed. "But if that creep tries anything else, I might not mind some limb tearing."
The dining room of the hotel was completely empty, just as Anya had anticipated. The lights were dim, setting a soft glow to the lavish décor. It seemed that every piece of furniture in the hall was either gold or rich, light mahogany. A single table for two was set in the corner, illuminated by two flickering candles.
"Lady Criel!" Alois called out. He leapt up from his waiting position in one of the two high backed chairs. Anya noted that he was wearing the same sort of outfit as he had been on the night of the gala as well. Alois bowed slightly, and when Anya approached, he placed a gentle kiss on her hand. "You don't know what it means to me that you agreed to meet with me tonight. Thank you for honoring me with your time, my lady."
Anya stumbled back, clutching her hand as if she had touched a hot stove. She wanted to ask the boy who he was and what on earth he had done with that jerk Alois Trancy, but realized that such a statement would be rather rude. So she settled for a shallow curtsy and a mumbled greeting. Alois gestured for them to sit, pulling Anya's chair out for her to sit before seating himself.
"I hope your Christmas Eve has been pleasurable," Alois commented. "It has been a lovely night, hasn't it?"
"Earl Trancy," Anya ignored him stiffly. "I was told that you had information for me. I agreed to this meeting so I could obtain this information and return home as soon as possible."
Alois's bright eyes clouded. He actually looked a little bit hurt. "O-Of course. Your father. I just… I just wanted to make this easier; do it smoothly. But if you want to get down to it, then I won't keep you waiting."
Anya's brain was in overdrive, trying to process the impossible situation that had presented itself. Was Alois Trancy, Alois Trancy, trying to be considerate? It was too much to take in at once.
"No," she said automatically. Then she wanted to kick herself in the face. "I mean, I suppose it was some trouble setting all this up. And in Paris, no less! Claude told me that he can't take me back tonight anyway, so we might as well take our time, right?"
Alois's face brightened in an instant. "Oh, I'm so glad, Lady Criel. I wanted to apologize for my horrid behavior when last we met, and it saddened me to think that you wouldn't give me the chance."
The maid squirmed under his intense gaze. Anya knew that Alois was an exceptional actor, but this seemed genuine enough. Oh, well. Just play along until you find out what you need to know.
"Please don't address me by that title," she requested softly. "You can call me Anya if you like, but I don't like it when people speak to me as if I'm nobility."
"But you are nobility, aren't you?" Alois asked, confused. "Shouldn't you take pride in your status?"
"A status that means I have to wear dresses all the time and attend idiotic parties and be married off to some stranger for money? No, thank you."
The Earl settled his chin on his hands. "You're a very strange girl, Anya. I really can see how lucky Ciel is to have you."
"Lord Trancy-"
"Alois."
"Alright, Alois. I don't know where you got the idea that Ciel and I are l-lovers," Anya spat the word out. "But you're wrong. I am a maid to the core, and Lord Phantomhive has become a wonderful friend to me. If anything more, he's like the brother I never had. That's all."
"But I thought-!" Alois was cut off by a waiter who had crept up on them in the darkness of the dining room. The waiter smiled and said several unfamiliar phrases in French before looking at Anya expectantly. Anya realized that she hadn't even looked at the small menu in front of her, not that it would have done her any good if she had. It was all completely in French.
"It's alright," Alois assured her. "I'll take care of it." He promptly spat out their orders in rapid-fire French, and the waiter jotted it all down before retreating with a smile and a wave.
"Why are we the only ones in here?" Anya asked, trying to steer away from their previous topic of conversation. "Shouldn't the hall at least be closed for the night?"
Alois grinned cheekily at her, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "You could say I pulled a few strings. It doesn't hurt to throw your title around every once in a while, see? By the way, I just ordered some beignets for now. If you want something heavier, you can just tell me. I wasn't sure if you'd eaten yet… "
A strange feeling fluttered in Anya's chest, and it took her a moment to place it before almost laughing out loud. Alois Trancy was trying to charm her! And, she realized with a jolt, it seemed to be working. She had expected the worst only to be pleasantly surprised at every turn. Anya felt herself relax.
"Th-That's fine," Anya said. "I'm not all that hungry, just getting a little tired. I'm sorry, but do you think you could tell me what you wanted to say, Alois? When I get drowsy I start forgetting things more easily."
Alois gave her a friendly smile. "Very well. Like I said, this will be a shock, but try to not ask any questions until I finish, okay Anya?"
Finny whistled tunelessly as he took his routine patrol around the garden. The sun would be rising in a few hours, and then it would officially be Christmas day. He wondered what Anya would want to do on their day off, and then blushed. Thinking about Anya tended to make him do that. Finny could still hardly believe that last night had actually happened.
He had hardly slept last night for the adrenaline pumping through him with every pounding beat of his heart. Finny had finally confessed his feelings to Anya, something that he had never thought possible for him to accomplish. The backwash of satisfaction was blown into ecstasy when Anya had confessed that she loved him, too. After the initial hyper energy wore off from the thought, Finny found himself strolling through a world of silver perfection and peace.
He rounded a bush to find himself nearing the bench under the old willow. Finny frowned. At the foot of the small bench was a sodden wool blanket that had been left in the snow. His brow creased in confusion.
"Now what's this doing out here?" He stooped down to shake out the blanket, but a small, glowing shape caught his eye. Abandoning the coverlet, Finny plucked a crisp white envelope from the armrest of the bench. The front was addressed to 'The Earl Ciel Phantomhive'. Unease poked at Finny's stomach. Why would the mail be in the garden? He flipped the envelope over, and his heart nearly gave out.
"Oh, no," Finny shook his head. He glanced from the card in his hands to the blanket on the ground and back again several times. Now that he thought about it, the material would probably much lighter if it were dry, and would look exactly like the warm blanket that Mey-rin had given to-
"Anya." Finny spun on his heel and ran back to the house, his legs pumping as fast as they could through the icy snow and grass. He barreled through the back gate and down the servants' corridor before stumbling to a stop at Anya and Mey-rin's room. He knocked harshly, and hardly waited for a tired voice to mumble, "Come in…" before charging into the room.
"What's wrong, Finny?" Mey-rin yawned, reaching for her glasses. "Is there trouble?" When she didn't receive an answer, Mey-rin let her spectacles fall over her ears and looked up, only to find the room completely empty. She was about to roll over and go back to sleep, but did a double take when she realized that 'completely empty' also meant that her roommate was absent, as well. Her bed was made neatly, and hadn't been slept in.
Finny raced upstairs to the Earl's sleeping quarters, and didn't even bother knocking on the door this time.
Ciel was sound asleep. Or at least he was, until a bundle of panicked nerves broke the handle from his very expensive bedroom doors.
"Finian," he groaned irritably. "It is the middle of the night. What do you think you're doing here?" Ciel stuck his hand out blindly for the eye patch on his nightstand. Even when he first woke up, Ciel knew better than to let anyone see his contract seal.
"Young master," Finny said loudly. "I'm sorry for the intrusion, but I need your help now!" He shoved the letter in Ciel's face, which now sported a rather sloppily tied eyepiece. The Earl rubbed the sleep from his eye and blinked at the writing.
"Finian, it's the mail. Can't it wait until later? Maybe when the sun is up?"
Finny shook his head emphatically. "No, my lord! Oh, here, just look!" Finny turned the card over with shaking hands, revealing the wax seal of the Trancy family to the Earl. Ciel snatched it, instantly awake. He ripped the envelope open without a second thought, and Finny could only watch as Ciel's clear blue eye scanned the page quickly. When he finished, the look on his face confirmed Finny's worst suspicions.
"Get Sebastian," Ciel ordered simply. "And tell him to hurry it up."
"But my lord, what-?"
"That's an order, Finny. I promise we're going to fix this." Ciel was switching between the two personalities he knew were needed; a leader to organize things, and someone to make sure Finny's head didn't explode. "You need to get him now, before-"
"There's no need, my lord," a silvery voice flowed into the room. Sebastian entered, straightening his tailcoat as he came. "Is there a problem? And Finian, how many times have I told you to be careful when you open the doors? This makes the second-"
"There's no time for that now," Ciel snapped. He tossed the letter to Sebastian, who read it in seconds and nodded grimly.
"I'll leave immediately."
"I'm going, too!" Finny cried. Surprised, the Earl and his amazing butler turned to the tearful gardener. In the midst of the planning, they had forgotten that Finny was even there. Ciel gave Sebastian a look, and Sebastian sighed.
"We're leaving in five minutes."
Finny bowed hurriedly and went to get ready. As he passed Sebastian on his way out the door, the butler folded the envelope into his hand. Finny read while he ran; an incredible feat for some, but the gardener took it in stride as his mind sharpened and cleared.
You have such a darling new pet; I really think I've taken a liking to her. Her grandfather- Count Rosenbloom, that is. Did you know? - has asked for my assistance in rescuing his poor, defenseless little girl from the despicable Earl who has kept her away from home for so long. You wouldn't want to cause an old man such worry, would you? However, if you wish to take up the matter with me… You know where to find me. I hope you aren't long, because I'm getting rather bored already, and I have a sort of debt to settle with your maid. I plan on having some fun until you arrive.
Yours, Alois Trancy.
Oh, yes. Alois Trancy was going to pay dearly.
Sebastian sighed. "Young master, he'll only be a burden. You know this is a trap; why are you letting him go at all?"
Ciel glared as his butler helped him dress quickly. "Finny's in a state where he will be an utter nuisance if he's left out. While you're off gallivanting with Claude, our gardener will go break all of the other doors just to let off steam. That energy will be better used when focused on rescuing Anya."
"He'll be insufferably reckless," Sebastian warned, almost complaining. "I'll have a lot on my hands with an ambush and a lovesick teenager. Finian will run right in there without any thought, and get himself killed." The butler fastened the last buckles on Ciel's shoes and stood abruptly. "Against my own kind, I don't think even I could handle this."
"You can, and you will," Ciel growled. "You are my butler, and I am ordering you not to fail this task. You are going to defeat Alois, rescue Anya, and keep Finny safe. After you find her, Finny will calm down enough to help you. If you couldn't accomplish even this, you wouldn't be a proper butler."
Sebastian bowed reluctantly. "Understood. Is there anything you require before we go?"
Ciel took his hat and walking stick from the table. "Tell Bard to give Finny some sort of firearms; brute strength won't always work at a distance, and I have a feeling that there may be humans involved this time."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "You suspect Count Rosenbloom?"
"Of course. Alois would need information before pulling a stunt like this after spending weeks in hiding. The only invader to ever leave this house alive is Eugene, and I doubt he kept quiet about it. Now get Finny and go." In a flash, Sebastian had seemingly evaporated on the spot. Ciel clenched his fists and stalked out of his bedroom, making his way to the study.
Looking around, he shut the door softly behind him before peeking through the curtains. In the faint starlight, he saw Finny and Sebastian each mount a horse and set off at a canter. The rifle strapped to the younger boy's back winked at him through the window. The Earl felt a twinge of doubt; his butler would have been able to reach the Trancy estate in minutes without having to keep up his human façade.
Perhaps I shouldn't have let Finny go…
The thought was wiped from his mind as his gardener's panicked face flashed before his eye. The boy had looked confused and angry, and so scared. Ciel decided that, however inconvenient, he had made the right decision. But just in case…
Ciel sighed and slowly picked up the receiving end of his telephone. He dialed the number that he knew by heart, and waited anxiously while it rang. Finally, there was a soft click at the other end.
"Hello, this is the Phantomhive residence. The Earl is not currently-"
"Agni, it's me," the Earl cut in. "I need you to listen carefully…"
Anya slumped back into the ornate chair, gasping for breath. Could everything that Alois had told her really be true? Alois reached across the table slowly and patted her hand. Anya drew it back and set it in her lap; not rudely, but not exactly politely, either.
"It's alright," Alois sympathized. "I know this is a lot to take in so suddenly, but I promise, it isn't as bad as it seems."
"Alright?" Anya repeated hysterically. "How can this possibly be alright? The man who raised me as his daughter is my grandfather, and on top of it all, he shot my father!" She tried to force back the tears that were welling in her eyes, but they refused to obey. Alois procured a handkerchief for her and courteously looked away so Anya could compose herself.
"Y-You're doing it again," she sniffed. "Why are you being so n-nice? You were very cruel the last time we met." Alois hung his head.
"I apologize again for that," he said, shamefaced. "I thought- I thought that Ciel was in love with you. When he showed up to the party without Elizabeth, I figured that you were together."
"I've had a rough past with Ciel," Alois explained, reaching for the untouched platter of pastries. "We've crossed each other too many times to count. I wanted revenge so badly, it made me crazy. So I wanted to make it up to you for the way I acted. I did some digging, and uncovered all of this."
"But Ciel knew everything the Yard knew about my parents," Anya argued. "Why wouldn't he have known all of this, too? Wouldn't there have been birth certificates, marriage licenses?" She also took one of the powdery beignets. They were actually extremely delicious.
Alois shrugged. "You were searching for the cause of your father's death, correct? Ciel just probably never thought to look at your mother's maiden name or your parents' marriage records. They were irrelevant to the case at hand."
"I guess that makes sense," Anya mused as she gulped down the last of the sweet. "Alois, thank you for telling me all this, but could Claude please take me home now? I need to go back and think about everything."
Alois frowned. "Didn't Claude tell you? He can't make a trip like that again tonight. You wouldn't believe how much it takes out of him." He glanced quizzically at his butler, who was standing nearby in the shadows. Anya hadn't noticed before, but Alois was right. Claude looked even paler than normal, and there was a hint of a slouch in his usually perfect posture.
"About that," Anya began. "How was that even possible? Nobody could ever travel that quickly; it goes against all modern laws of physics!" She twisted a lock of hair between her fingers in frustration. "Claude, you can't be human!"
Alois and Claude exchanged a brief look. To Anya's confusion and amazement, they started laughing. She glared indignantly at them, and they reigned in their chuckles with their apologies.
"Why was that funny?" Anya demanded. "You can't- you don't honestly mean…" She trailed off, thinking of the strange and impossible happenings of the past few weeks. "Did somebody do things to you, like they did to Finny?" she asked softly.
Claude shook his head. "I assure you, my essence has been the same for as long as I have lived."
"Anya," Alois cut in. "That night, I think I must have said something to you when you called the Earl by his first name? I thought you would have known then, actually. Do you remember what it was?"
Anya closed her eyes. She had pushed those memories to the very back of her consciousness, but they had continued to linger where they weren't wanted. Now she let them wash over her. Snatches of conversation ghosted across her senses.
Claude…
She will wake soon…
She doesn't like your voice…
Yes, your highness…
You're my key to Ciel…
Not even his precious demon…
Demon.
This talk of demons was madness!
"You were being serious," Anya gasped, feeling green. She whipped her head around to stare at Claude. "So you… and Sebastian… you're both… demons?"
"That's one of the names for them, yes," Alois supplied casually. "Haven't you ever wondered why your butler friend says that tired old phrase of his with that smirk on his face? He's proclaiming himself to the world, but no one even notices." Alois slowly stuck his tongue out of his mouth, revealing a startling pattern engraved there.
"That is the seal binding me to my master," Claude whispered at her shoulder. Anya jumped, not having heard him approach. He tugged loosely at his gloved hand, revealing the same mark. "I will serve and protect him until our contract is complete."
"And what happens when the contract is complete?"
"You don't want to know," Alois advised. "Now, our question is: What are you?"
Anya gaped at him, indignation kick-starting her brain into functioning again. "I'm a girl, thank you very much! I think I would know if I wasn't human, don't you?"
"Yes," Alois mused. "You would think so, wouldn't you? But there's no denying that you are no ordinary human, Anya Criel. You're special." He ignored the maid's flaming face and ticked things off on his fingers. "You heal at a remarkable rate, although you seemingly have no extraordinary skills. You've somehow beguiled the entire Phantomhive household. William Spears, one of the best Shinigami currently in business, was unable to take your soul. Are those the qualities of a normal human?"
"… William is a what?"
"Think of them as grim reapers," Claude explained. "And of course, there's the fact that your destiny was interfered with. It's why the reaper couldn't take your soul."
Anya nodded, struggling to keep a level head. "What do mean, my destiny was interfered with? Who changed it?"
"That is a very interesting question. Claude, are you sure she doesn't smell like a demon?" Alois chose not to notice Anya's injured look. After all, calling a young lady a demon is not the best way to befriend her.
"I am positive, your highness," the demon butler answered, inhaling deeply. His voice took on a wistful note. "There is something else, however. I- I haven't sensed this presence in centuries." He snapped his fingers, finally coming to a realization. "Your highness, she has the Blessing of an angel!"
"Is that so?" Alois didn't seem very surprised. "Then she could be very useful to us."
"That's enough!" Anya cried, standing. "Don't talk about me as if I'm not even here. I'm going home, whether you take me or not." She stalked away from the table in a huff, ready to go to her 'suite' and retrieve her own clothes.
"Wait," Alois backpedaled, scraping to his feet as well. "I apologize; that was extremely rude of us." He motioned for someone to approach the table. A silver-haired girl stepped forward and curtsied. "This is Hannah. She's only just arrived." Anya waved shyly, and Hannah gave her a sad smile.
"Hannah," Claude ordered. "You will escort Lady Criel… home." The older girl curtsied again and gestured for Anya to follow her. As soon as they were beyond the doorway, Alois whirled on Claude.
"You said it would work," he snarled. "Why didn't she stay? The Count wants her happy!"
"When I said, 'Be charming,' I didn't mean to treat her as an asset, young master," Claude spoke cautiously. "Count Rosenbloom was very clear about the terms of the agreement. If you can wean her away from the Phantomhives-"
"I know the terms," Alois snapped. "And I thought I was being perfectly cordial. What else can I do? And now you've gone and let her go! Are you some sort of idiot?"
"Force definitely hasn't worked before," the butler reminded him. "The only way to convince Lady Criel is to win her over gradually. Think of trying to train a wild horse without breaking it." Which is basically impossible, was the sentence that hung in the air, unspoken.
"I was going to do that here," the blonde grumbled. "This is Paris, the most magical city in the world! If you want to talk a girl into anything, this is the place to do it. People fawn over the lights and the language, and they turn to mush. I didn't tell you to let her go, so why on earth would you send her back to our enemies?"
"I didn't," Claude stated. "I told Hannah to take her home. Trust me; she understood."
Alois's face broke into a wide grin. "Well, you're not as idiotic as I thought, are you? Is the butler on his way?"
"He's bringing the gardener with him. Strange, seeing as he must know it's a trap."
"Not strange at all," Alois sang. His were the eyes of someone who knew a secret. "Didn't you see her face when she asked you if you'd been experimented on? She's not in love with Ciel; she loves that clumsy gardener of his!"
"And that means…?" Claude smirked.
"Yes. Tonight is going to be very interesting."
"So, Hannah," Anya said. "Are- Are you a demon, too?"
"Yes, my lady," the older maid answered. "I serve my master loyally, and do my best to fulfill his wish." The two girls were walked up the numerous flights of stairs to Anya's room and entered. Anya stepped into the washroom to change while Hannah put out the fire.
"What is Alois's wish?" Anya called through the door.
Hannah froze at the question. "Alois Trancy is not my master," she whispered. Anya returned then, dressed in her winter work clothes with the pink dress draped over her arm. She stared at Hannah, confused.
"What? Then why are you working for him?"
"It is his brother that I have a contract with, my lady. Master Luka's dearest wish is to make his brother happy, and that is what I have to do." Hannah walked to stand by Anya and held out her hand. "Are you ready to go home, my lady?"
"Yes," Anya said. "But please, call me Anya." She smiled warmly. "I never had many girlfriends to talk to… the only other girl I really know is Mey-rin. Will you please be my friend, Hannah? We can write to each other and everything!"
Hannah looked surprised, but composed her face quickly. "I look forward to it, Anya." Anya braced herself and clutched Hannah's hand tightly. She barely saw the maid move before she felt an aching pain in the back of her head. As the world once again melted into light and shadows, Anya's consciousness finally slipped. She felt herself falling into a deep chasm. Anya heard only one thing above the rushing wind.
"I'm sorry, my friend," Hannah cried sadly. "I've doomed you!"
Finny crept along behind Sebastian, doing his best to keep quiet. The Trancy manor house loomed before them, and every window was devoid of light. Unease rose like bile in the gardener's throat, threatening to turn the rifle in his hands to splinters. Finny's worry was making him lose control; literally.
"Finny," Sebastian whispered. "They know that we're coming, so keep sharp. You can't afford to be… how you normally are."
Finny let the insult roll off of him and grunted his assent. The rescue party of two approached the front doors of the mansion… which swung open for them without a sound. Without speaking, Sebastian motioned for Finny to follow him slowly. The hall was flooded with moonlight as they cautiously crossed the floor. The butler walked at a steady pace and remained perfectly placid. The gardener trailed behind with a noticeable twitch.
Suddenly, the door slammed behind them, cutting off all light. Finny moved so he was back to back with Sebastian, straining for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Sebastian could feel his friend shaking.
"So you came."
"Whaaaa!" Finny whirled toward the single lantern hovering to his right. He trained his rifle right in between the twin pools of reflected hazel light. "Who's there?"
"Why, gardener! I can't believe you would forget me so easily," Eugene grinned, lifting the lamp close to his face. Bumps and scratches were still scattered across his features, and Finny felt an ephemeral spurt of satisfaction. Sebastian joined him and, to the gardener's outrage, bowed lightly to the stable hand.
"We have come to retrieve Miss Criel. If you would be so kind, where can we find her?"
Eugene stared, and then laughed out loud. "Why, she's at home, of course! Why would she have moved into Lord Trancy's home already?" His carefree tone didn't match his eyes; they were bitterly sad.
"No, she isn't," Finny growled. All traces of fear gone, he menaced Eugene with the rifle. "Trancy took her, so she isn't home. And why would she move here? Anya lives with us." Eugene just shook his head and laughed again.
"Not anymore," he jeered. "She's with her real family now, and that could soon very well include Earl Trancy. Why do you think I'm here? You thought I was your welcoming committee? I was just bringing Lady Criel's things to her new room. After she talks with her grandfather, Anya will be living under the Earl's protection."
"Protection!" Finny shouted. "Alois is the one that Anya needs protecting from! You're crazy!"
"Finian," Sebastian barked. To Eugene, he snapped, "You spoke of Anya's grandfather? Just who would that be?"
"Count Rosenbloom, of course," Eugene mumbled. He seemed much more willing to talk with Sebastian civilly than Finny. "He adopted her as his daughter, but Amelia Criel was his blood daughter." He watched Sebastian warily. "Like I said, she'll be here soon. If you want to wait-"
"Don't lie to me, boy," Sebastian scoffed. "You're not very good at it. I can sense that Anya is here, or I wouldn't have bothered with you at all. That essence isn't easy to miss." Eugene blanched.
"I knew it," he whispered. "You're freaks, all of you!" He turned to run up the stairs, but Sebastian caught his arm and sent the lantern flying. The light was snuffed out instantly, leaving the trio in darkness once again.
Sebastian sighed. "Finian, hold on to my arm. We're going upstairs to retrieve your girlfriend."
"She's not my-!" Finny spurted.
"Wait!" Eugene wailed. "Look, I don't want this any more than you do." His tone was desperate now. "You care for Anya, don't you gardener? Well, I do too. I don't want her to be stuck with that creep for the rest of her life, either."
Finny froze, glaring into the darkness. Sebastian was forced to come to a halt as well. The gardener walked forward until he reached Eugene, and gripped him by the collar.
"I'm giving you thirty seconds to explain whatever you just said."
"Count Rosenbloom made a deal," Eugene blurted instantly, scrabbling at Finny's hand vainly. "If Trancy returned Anya to us, she would be b-betrothed to him." Tears slid down his cheeks and onto Finny's hand. "He wants her to be happy, but I know she won't be able to live with him day after day. If there is anything I ever learned about my best friend, it's that she is incredibly stubborn. If she doesn't have a good reason for doing something, there's no one in the world who can make her do it. It- It's one of the things I love most about her!"
Finny released the older boy. "Betrothed? Why would Trancy marry her? For crying out loud, she's only fourteen!"
"Fifteen in two weeks," Eugene mumbled. "But you're right; he wouldn't marry her until they were both old enough. Appearances, and all that."
"But what would he do until then? Keep her in a cage?" The hitch in Eugene's breath showed Finny just how accurate his suspicion could be. Both boys started as a light appeared near them. They squinted at the relit lantern in Sebastian's hand.
"As I understand it, you are saying that you would be willing to help us?"
Eugene shivered under the butler's glare. "Of course. I never thought that the Count would take things this far, and I never wanted to hurt Anya like this."
"Why now?" Finny shot back suspiciously. "I thought you wanted to get some sort of demon out of Anya. What made you change your mind?"
"I know now what a real demon is like," Eugene promised, still shrinking away from Sebastian. "And Anya definitely isn't one." He fixed his eyes on his shoes. "And- And I know that you can take better care of her than I can."
"That settles it, then," Sebastian smiled. "Follow me, gentlemen."
"But Sebastian," Finny protested. "How do you know where-?"
"Just trust him, gardener," Eugene assured him. "I'm positive that he knows what he is doing." Sebastian thanked the lad with a grin and raced up the stairs. Finny and Eugene stared at each other in the receding lamplight.
"Truce, gardener?"
"Until we find her." They nodded and took off after the butler.
Not again, Anya despaired. How many times is this going to happen to me? She made herself focus her mind, and the befuddling fog cleared quickly. She peeled her eyes open to a familiar sight; her bedroom at Rosenbloom manor. Everything was just as she had left it; a small collection of stuffed animals from her younger years sat forgotten in the corner, her bookshelf was in its usual disarray, and the stars twinkled merrily at her through the curtains.
The only difference was the company.
"Sweet holy mother of Jesus!" Anya hurled herself from her bed, falling ungracefully to the floor. She pulled her nightgown down across her legs and peeked over the top of the comforter at the rousing figure in her bed.
"Whassamatter?" Alois yawned. "I was having a nice dream." He looked around until he spotted the top half of Anya's face blinking at him. "I say, what are you doing down there?"
"What are you doing in my bed?" Anya screamed. "For that matter, what was I doing there? I thought Hannah was taking me home!"
"You are home, darling," Alois crooned. He sat up further, and Anya blushed at the sight of his bare torso.
Please be wearing trousers please be wearing trousers please be wearing trousers!
"N-no I'm not," she stuttered. "This is Lord Rosenbloom's estate. This isn't my home anymore. I- I want to go back to the manor!" Anya finally stood, not liking talking to Alois while on her knees one bit. "And just who do you think you are, calling me 'darling'? I've never seen such impudence from a noble!"
"I'm impudent?" said noble chuckled. "You're the one who is being very rude to her fiancé." He threw back the comforter and pulled open the curtains. "And I'm sure you'll find that this isn't your grandfather's house."
"My fiancé?" Anya's voice dripped venom, although she was inwardly relieved to see that Alois wasn't completely naked; he was wearing soft cotton trousers. "Why was I not informed? Oh, wait- because there is no way on earth that we are engaged!"
"There is if your legal guardian gave his consent," Alois amended. "Which he did. You know nobility these days; marrying their daughters off to rich young men to get them out of their hair. And, as I may have mentioned, he has succeeded beautifully." He backed away from the window with a bow. Anya approached slowly, watching Alois with frightened eyes.
"This isn't Lord Rosenbloom's estate," she whispered. The garden, instead of the semi-well gardened landscape she was used to, was a desolate collection of twigs. It made Anya's heart ache; not only because of the sad little plants, but because it made her long for their garden, her and Finny's.
"Welcome home, darling."
Anya clenched her jaw against the hot breath on her cheek. A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind, draping tightly across her waist. She tried to shrug him off, but his grip was firm, and his embrace trapped her arms against her sides.
"Would it really be all that bad?" Alois asked huskily. "I already took all this trouble to make this room more familiar for you." He buried his face in the crook of Anya's neck, causing her no small deal of discomfort.
"Yes," she seethed. "It would. Why are you even doing this? For the money? If that's all you want, you can have it. Another small fortune wouldn't make a difference to you, anyway."
"I have a grudge," he spoke into her hair. "A score to settle, you might say."
"You already know that Ciel doesn't love me!"
"Doesn't matter," Alois teased. He pulled her in closer, tighter. "The chaos in his household is just a bonus. My new target has been you."
"Why?" Anya struggled again, but Alois just tightened his arms painfully. "What did I ever do to you?"
"Now, it isn't what you've done," he explained. "It's what you're going to do. Do you know what the Blessing means? The household of the Blessed is protected from misfortune; it's literally like a shield made of horseshoes and clover. The Blessing moves with you; first to your grandfather's house, then Ciel's. Imagine what will happen when you make your home here. I'll be able to beat Ciel easily."
"That will happen," Anya said calmly. "Over my dead body." She threw all of her weight forward, but Alois had anticipated it. He captured her wrists and held them over her head on the wall. He pinned Anya to the wall with all of his weight.
"Don't you get it?" he said irritably. "You can't get away. You might as well give up before you make me really angry. We both know that you aren't strong enough to defend yourself against me; shall we have a repeat of that night? We wouldn't be interrupted this time." Alois transferred both of her wrists into one hand, his free one fingering the collar of her nightgown.
"Keep your hands off of me," Anya hissed. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't wrench out of Alois's grip. Claustrophobia pressed in on her heart, sending it into overdrive. "Let me go, or I'll-"
"Do what, exactly? Every servant here is a demon under my control. They won't come if you call for help." He kissed the back of her neck lightly, chuckling at the shudder that coursed down her spine. "What's the matter? Wishing I was your gardener friend?"
"You don't know anything about-!"
"Oh, but I do," Alois smirked. "Did you know that you talk in your sleep?"
"… Stupid stalker!"
"You're cute, you know that? Now just keep-" He stopped midsentence, not moving a muscle. Anya tried to free herself again, but Alois paid her about as much mind as a mosquito. In one silent, fluid motion, he grabbed Anya by the waist and pulled her back to the bed.
"Don't make a sound," he threatened. He reached into the nightstand drawer with one hand and pulled out a small pistol. Then he positioned them so that they were facing the door, with Anya slightly in front of him. He grasped her elbow and rested the muzzle of the gun under her chin, reminding her not to move or speak. And he waited.
Seconds later, a soft click and the jingle of metal were heard as someone unlocked the door and slowly pushed it open.
"Whoa," Eugene said. "Am I interrupting something?" Anya knew him well enough to see through his perverted, twisted sarcasm to the shock and fear underneath. "I can come back later, if you want…"
"What are you doing here?" Alois snapped, not lowering the gun. "I gave explicit instructions not to be disturbed."
"Oh," the stable boy stalled. "Well, you see… there was this thing, and-"
Alois sighed and set the pistol down on the comforter. He was so focused on his scorn for Eugene's rambling that he didn't notice the shiny head of a rifle in the doorway at floor level.
A loud crack echoed through the room, and Alois reeled away from Anya, clutching at his shoulder. Anya didn't hesitate before running straight for the door. Eugene was right on her heels.
"Anya," Finny gasped. "Are you alright?" His hands hovered around her, unsure of what to do. "Are you hurt anywhere?" Anya didn't answer, but hugged him tightly. The rifle fell from Finny's hands as he hugged her back. It felt like weeks rather than hours since Anya had left, and both felt the crushing worry of the night lift from their shoulders. Then they both finally realized that Anya was wearing nothing but her lacy nightclothes.
"Um," Finny stammered. "We should leave before-"
"CLAUDE!"
"-he calls for help," the gardener finished.
"Get outside to the horses," Sebastian ordered. Anya jumped. She hadn't even noticed the butler until he had spoken. "I will handle Claude. Finian, get going, and remember your orders."
Finny nodded gravely. He shrugged out of his jacket and thrust it at Anya before making a break for the front doors. Eugene followed with the lantern. They made it all the way to the doors before a voice rang out behind them.
"That's enough!" Alois called. He stood on the top stair with a pistol in one hand and a key ring in the other. "That door is locked tight; you can thank the turncoat for that. It seems he dropped this on the way out." He dangled the keys in front of him, seemingly not feeling any pain from his bleeding shoulder.
Finny and Anya glared at Eugene, who looked like he wanted to pound his head into the wall. "Don't look at me like that! Gardener dropped his gun!" Finny clenched his fists and pushed Anya behind him. He could try to simply break the door down, but Trancy might shoot and hurt someone, including Anya. Anya pulled uselessly on the door handle, but it refused to yield.
"I'm surprised," Alois taunted, descending the stairs slowly. He knew he had all the time in the world. "I didn't think the stable boy would have the grit to double-cross me. What made you switch sides? Couldn't handle your girl being taken from you again?" He stopped only a few feet from the cornered trio.
"Don't come any closer," Finny barked. "Just let us go."
"You aren't in any position to give me orders, Finny," Alois laughed. "You don't have the guts to take me on, even if you have the strength. I could kill you now just to be done with you, but I don't think I will… just yet." He cocked the pistol. "Anya, walk over here if you don't want me to shoot."
"Not on your life," she spat. "I'd rather pull the trigger myself than go anywhere with you!" Then she realized that Alois wasn't aiming at her. The gun was locked on Finny's heart.
"As you wish."
Finny was far too slow to react. The bullet ripped through his shirt like tissue paper. He keeled over into Anya, knocking them both to the ground.
"Finny!" Anya hardly recognized the scream as her own. She frantically scrabbled at the buttons of his shirt to uncover the wound. Her fingers were trembling too much, however, and her vision was blurred with tears. Finally, Eugene helped her rip the garment off.
"That looks bad," Eugene winced. "Really bad."
"Alois!" Anya screeched. "You- you-!"
"Ah ah ah," Alois tutted. "You're the one who said to go ahead and shoot. This is where rebellion got you; with a traitor, a corpse, and nowhere to turn. I'll only ask once more." He pointed the smoking pistol at Eugene. "Get over here and go back to your room, or you'll be left with two bodies instead of one."
"You'll have to go through me first." Anya reluctantly let Finny's motionless form rest on the cold floor. She stood as if pulled by the strings of a marionette. She squared her shoulders at Alois and stood her ground. Grief had wiped away all traces of fear or timidity. "Eugene, get behind me. Now."
"You aren't indispensable, darling," said Alois. "A bullet in the leg would render you incapacitated just as well as one to the heart. I don't see the harm in breaking just a few of the old man's rules. It's not like he would know, anyway."
Anya sneaked a step forward. If she could keep him talking, she might have a chance to get that gun…
"What are you talking about?" she asked meekly, playing up her helpless position. "The Count actually agrees with all of this?"
"He did at first," Alois boasted. "I had him in the palm of my hand. He said if I could 'rescue' you from Ciel, he would promise you to me. But then we had a little… disagreement. He refused to lend a helping hand in my plans for Ciel. He was too drunk to think. I merely took advantage of the situation, and poof; he was out of the way. Hannah and the triplets are taking care of things at your old home as we speak."
"You killed him," Anya flamed. "He was the only relative I had left, and you killed him in cold blood!"
First father, then mother. Then Finny, then grandfather. Why do the people I love keep getting hurt?
The answer was there; she had known it all along. It was all her fault. When Anya was conceived, the Count shot Ian Criel. When Ian died, Amelia gave up on living. Because Anya ran away, Finny was shot. Because of Anya, people whom she had trusted and loved were dead.
Eugene wouldn't be next.
The next few seconds seemed to pass in slow motion. Anya pushed off with her back foot and charged Alois. Startled, he did the only thing that his brain was wired to do at the moment.
He pulled the trigger.
Yeah, breakup depression really shows, doesn't it? Now I understand old Billy S. a little better...
Moony: So why did you kill Finny? Do you really want to kill your first ex that badly?
Of course not! We were great friends before, and we're friends now, too. :) Nope, not awkward at all... Well, we'll see. I actually already have a coulpe hundred words of chappie 9 done already. This one was longer, but I cut it off just to leave y'all hanging^^
Moony: Don't say we didn't warn you! And thank you to helloXlove for that extra motivational push! Maya was too wrapped up in her new book (we type in the library at school a lot) but the notification email of your subscription kicked her into gear. This one's for you, you little random stranger, you!
Arigato gozaimas, minha!
Moony: The fudge are you trying to speak Japanese?
Feel like it^^
Moony: Okay... R&R everybody, and thanks for putting up with this crappy fanfic and Maya's love life.
I do not have a-
*dial tone*