Chapter 15: Elizabeth's Struggle
Clapping, toasting and shouts of joy and laughter filled the sparklingly ballroom as Elizabeth continued to be pranced around like a prize trophy. The grandeur of the moment, she felt was a little too much for her body as she felt faint and light headed. Still, she held tightly on to Ciel's arm and gently extended her ringed hand to eager palms. She smiled her best smile and walked as graciously as she could. This was her moment, after all…wasn't it? The moment she had dreamed about for years since her youth to come and now it was finally a lovely and strange reality. Elizabeth could not think of whether to cry or laugh with joy at this triumphal instant. In a separate part of her heart, she felt like she was the queen of all…none the less the aching of another heart dampened her own happiness. Yet in spite of it all, she continued to let Ciel swiftly guide her around the ballroom and introduce her to his most prominent endorsers and supporters of Funtom Co. Elizabeth continued to smile, even though her small feet began to ache from the heels that Nina Hopkins had suggested for her. Elizabeth sighed as she thought about the dramatic and exaggerated woman…she had been quite a handful.
"Are you alright Elizabeth?" Ciel whispered to her, patting her arm gently. Elizabeth jumped a little bit, not ready for his sudden question. She nodded and gestured towards a couple speaking with others.
"I know those people, Ciel. That is Mrs. Glaudusa Annabelle Huddersfield and Sir Harrison Ward Huddersfield…the Deans of St. Augusta's School. I had no idea that you knew them!"
"Sir Harrison Ward and Lady Glaudusa Huddersfield are both high-ranking nobles, and so it was certainly appropriate for me to invite them, Elizabeth. It's only second nature that I know such people." Ciel whispered.
"Yes, yes of course. If you don't mind, can I speak with them?" Ciel nodded.
"Should I go with you?" Elizabeth smiled and leaned on his shoulder.
"Of course, Ciel. You must meet them! I have not seen them since I left…" Elizabeth mused.
"You enjoyed their company?" She shook her head, thinking about her time in the Americans.
"Sir Harrison Ward was a most kind man…Lady Glaudusa was quite…strict…I never got along with her and she treated the natives quite rudely. But it is only polite that I speak to her, isn't it?" Ciel shrugged and twirled Elizabeth's cow lick around his finger.
"If you wish. You don't have to." Elizabeth nodded.
Mrs. Glaudusa...she is the only one who can tell me what has become of my friends. I have to speak to her! She must know…what's become of them!
Elizabeth tugged on Ciel's sleeve and he followed her towards the couple. Elizabeth felt her heart beating much faster with each step she took. Perhaps…this was the moment she could have closure…this was the moment she could finally lay her restless wandering to rest. Standing just several feet away from her, Elizabeth felt like turning away. She and Lady Glaudusa had not parted on good terms…but she summoned up whatever courage she had and walked to her with Ciel by her side.
"Sir Harrison Ward, Lady Glaudusa." To Elizabeth it seemed that her heart skipped a beat once Lady Glaudasu turned to face her. The expression on the elderly woman's face slightly bestowed surprise, but quickly turned into the old familiar scowl that Elizabeth vividly remembered.
"Young Elizabeth! Darling aren't you beautiful? I remember when you were just a little wee girl." Sir Harrison Ward laughed loudly. He shook Ciel's hand eagerly.
"You've got yourself a real jewel there, Earl." He winked at Elizabeth.
"Ah, young Lady Middleford, or should I say the Countess Phantomhive?"
"I am not married yet, Lady Glaudusa. You may call me Lady Elizabeth. Has life treated you well?" The elderly woman looked at her husband and he shrugged.
"As to be expected. St. Josephina Augusta's School is still standing and the integration program is still strong. We have over a hundred natives in the school now. I am proud to say that we are the first ladies school to teach civil ways to the less fortunate." Elizabeth resisted the urge to tightly grasp Ciel's hand in spite. She smiled and swallowed her temper.
"But of course. If I may inquire…what has become of White Owl and Running Fawn? My dearest friends…" Elizabeth noted her voice was shaky…but she needed to know. Ciel looked at her, his face concerned. Sir Harrison Ward glanced at his wife who appeared most uncomfortable. The atmosphere had changed significantly, and Elizabeth sensed it suffocating her. Lady Glaudusa stared into Elizabeth's eyes and breathed deeply.
"If I may speak to you in private, Lady Elizabeth." Lady Glaudusa glanced at Ciel eagerly. Ciel scanned over the crowd and met his butler's eye. Sebastian came over to the group.
"Sebastian, show Lady Glaudusa and Elizabeth the lounge so they may converse in private."
Elizabeth closed the doors behind her and leaned against them, using them for support. She slowed her breathing as she sensed her heart beat quicker.
She stared at Lady Glaudusa who stood near the window. After all those years…she needed to know.
"Tell me please. What's become of my dear friends? Tell me." The elderly woman turned to Elizabeth, her gaze demeaning.
"Why do you want to know such a thing? They were only natives and I do not see the need to speak of them. They're such disagreeable individuals."
"You do not understand me. White Owl and Running Fawn were my dearest friends. After I left…after the fire…Lady Glaudusa I implore you to please tell me what has become of them!"
"The young ladies you speak of, White Owl and Running Fawn moved on, Lady Elizabeth. They were chosen for a special program and are now actively participating. You need not worry. You'll be seeing them soon." Elizabeth stared at Lady Glaudusa…what did she mean? The elderly woman frowned.
"I did not want it to come to this, Lady Elizabeth." As the moonlight shown through the window, Elizabeth gasped as Lady Glaudusa slowly pulled out a blade from her purse. Elizabeth moved to open the wooden doors only to find that they were locked shut. She turned to Lady Glaudusa, not in terror but disbelief. For some unknown reason her mind could not register what was happening…Glaudusa wanted to kill her? But why?
"W-what…what is the meaning of this? What have you done with White Owl and Running Fawn?" Elizabeth yelled. She ran from the door as Lady Glaudusa lunged for her and hid behind the couch. Again Lady Glaudusa dove for Elizabeth only to have the blade stick into the cushion of the couch as Elizabeth moved out of the way.
"You wicked, vile woman! What have you done?" Elizabeth screamed. Suddenly, shouts and sounds of terror came from the ballroom. Elizabeth ran to the door, trying desperately to open them only to find that they were still stuck fast. Lady Glaudusa shook her head as if disappointed in Elizabeth's reaction. She walked back slowly to the window, and allowed herself to bask in the moonlight. Elizabeth watched as she raised her hand and clinched it shut. At that moment the window exploded behind her and Elizabeth dove to the floor, behind the sofa and covered her face. Three figures stood in the window seal, clad in what appeared to be circus attire. Their long black hair was pulled back tightly into long pony tails and braids and on their skin were colorful tattoos…
Those tattoos! I've seen them somewhere before…somewhere in the past!
"There is a path of bread crumbs laid before you, Elizabeth! Now the question is…will you follow them?" Elizabeth screamed and lunged at Glaudusa knocking them both to the ground. She grabbed hold of her hand, and forced the blade out. Glaudusa kicked Elizabeth off of her and scrambled for the blade that had fallen away. Elizabeth ran after her and tackled her to the ground, taking hold of the blade. She turned on Glaudusa, ready to plunge the blade into her neck, a certain death. Suddenly, Elizabeth was against the wall, a small hand around her throat, nearly squeezing the air out of her. She kicked and yelled, stabbing at the hand until she met a pair of brown eyes…that she recognized.
"No…no…you can't be…"
"You're Elizabeth? The girl that Lady Glaudusa speaks of who resembles an eyesore?" Elizabeth gasped in pain as she was thrown against the wall and crumbled to the floor. She quickly rolled to the side to avoid a foot being smashed straight through the wall. Quickly, Elizabeth flicked the blade in front of her, eyeing the dark skinned person before her.
"Running Fawn! Running Fawn it's me! It's Elizabeth! Don't you remember?" Elizabeth shouted at her. The native cocked her head to one side statically.
"Should I remember you? Hm…think, think, think…no I don't remember you. I apologize." Elizabeth stared at the girl standing in the moonlight…it was then she realized Running Fawn had not aged a day since the fire at St. Augusta Josephina School.
"But that's impossible…there's no way…that's possible!" The face before Elizabeth was that of a child, not a young adult. Running Fawn's eyes seemed glazed over and her body movement stoic. With each movement, her body seemed to creak loudly as if her limbs were rusted. Elizabeth cringed at the sound and backed away looking around the room for anything she could defend herself with. Her eyes caught sight of the sword decoration on the mantle and with a quick sprint and roll she snatched two swords, resuming her stance.
"You want to fight me? I'm not sure that's a good thing to do. I am very strong."
"So am I."
Running Fawn cocked her head to the side in questioning, her eyes completely void of all emotion. Elizabeth gazed into her eyes…there was nothing there. No fear, no emotions…this person…thing was not Running Fawn. Hardened resolve set in as she gripped the sword tightly, turning her knuckles near white.
"Lady Glaudusa said this body used to be your friend. Aren't you afraid of ruining it?" Elizabeth ground her teeth together, trying to hold back the flow of tears that wanted to fall at the knowledge of what had become of her dear friend.
"It is apparent that you would not care either way!" Elizabeth lunged, swinging the swords out in front of her. The screams from outside still resonated loudly in her ears and drove her sword straight. Loud crashing and booms came from outside the room, and the ground shook. Running Fawn jumped out of the way and brandished a long steel in front of her and clashed with Elizabeth, causing sparks to fly. They jumped back and met again in the middle of the room, clashing once more. Dancing a dangerous dance, Elizabeth dodged a thrust for her waist and countered it with a slash from her left side. She threw herself against the wall in time to dodge another assault.
"Elizabeth! Elizabeth!"
"Ciel!" Elizabeth yelled and she dove to the floor. Pieces of wood flew past her face as Running Fawn crushed the wall next to her. Elizabeth rolled over to the door and leaned against it yelling through it.
"Ciel! Get away! This is my battle!"
"Elizabeth! Damn you open this door! Elizabeth!" Ciel pushed against the door violently, spewing profanities. Elizabeth held herself against it with all her might. She glared at Lady Glaudusa and the other tattooed natives who stood silently in the window, watching her with their dark eyes. Elizabeth's gaze fell to the tattoos that covered their bodies and faces.
"Those tattoos…I've seen them somewhere before, but I can't recall where. Tell me…just where I have seen them…" Elizabeth ignored the pounding against the door and the yelling of her name. She only focused on the foes before her. Glaudusa breathed deeply and gestured towards Running Fawn. The Indian girl stood in front of Glaudusa.
"Ask your fiancée why you do not recall. Or perhaps you could think harder, Elizabeth. It happened over a month ago…the last time you saw such tattoos. Don't you remember…how they broke into your bedroom and tied you up to take you away? Don't you remember?"
"No…n-no…wait!"
"Yes." Glaudusa whispered harshly.
"You remember those men? Can you speculate who sent them? Think long and hard, Lady Elizabeth." Glaudusa mocked.
"Who was the one person you had to inform of your whereabouts? The one person…who followed you everywhere you went." Elizabeth's eyes widened at the realization of things coming together. In a flashing moment, everything seemed to come together and she could remember. Suddenly, memories flooded her head like a breaking water dam and she screamed out in horrified doubt.
"T-that's impossible! She couldn't! There's no way! No!"
"Yes…Lady Elizabeth you know. And now, Helen Eckard has come to retrieve what is rightfully hers." Without warning the door behind them burst open causing wooden debris to fly everywhere. Elizabeth yelled in shock and at the surge of pain that unexpectedly ran up her side and across her face as she dove behind the under the desk. The heavy wooden doors came flying past her so quickly that had she ducked moments later she might have been crushed on the opposite wall.
"Elizabeth!"
"Ciel!"
"Elizabeth, hurry while Sebastian takes care of them!" Ciel yelled. He ran to her, and grabbing her hand ran out the room. Glaudusa watched them leave, her gray eyes scanning the still chaotic ballroom. She turned her attention to the figure in clad in black, a small grin on her face.
"You must be the Earl's demon butler." Sebastian smiled.
"How remarkable Lady Glaudusa, that you would realize such a thing." Sebastian said. The two other Indian girls jumped from the window and in front of Glaudusa, their eyes glowing brightly with a strange yellow glow. However, their eyes, Sebastian sensed were not the eyes of a human…instead…somehow reminded him of a doll…an empty soulless doll.
"You made a mistake targeting the object of my young master's affections. He will not allow you to live after this." Sebastian said, pulling on his gloves tightly. Glaudusa wiped her skirts down, a red streak following her movement. Sebastian's eyes widened at the scent of the blood…
"That is…if his affections are not wasted on a dead woman."
"Finnian! Throw one round of cannon!" Bard yelled as he jumped behind a column in the ballroom. The young man let out a shout an took hold of a large statue and threw it at the assailant. The girl jumped out of the way and ran towards Bard, her whip cracking in her hand. Finnian jumped back just as another tattooed enemy came in front of him and threw a punch. He dodged the hit, just barely in time to see the column behind him crumble into pieces. Meylene was still ushering the last guests out of the mansion, yelling for Finnian and Bard to be careful.
"Not again! I'm not into that type of thing! What do chick robbers carry with them nowa' days?" Bard shouted as he blocked it with a frying pan.
"I don't know but they're strong!" Finnian yelled. He shouted as a kicked landed on the side of his head sending him flying into the stairs and crushed the ground. Finnian shook his head to clear, trying to regain his field of vision. Bard ran over to him, lightly patting his shoulder.
"Do these guys look familiar to you?" Bard asked. Finnian bit his lip, gazing at the intruders...they were dressed in what appeared to be circus attire and had many tattoos. He nodded but his eyes held a measure of confusion and anger.
"They remind me of the guys that one night...who tried to kidnap the young master several years ago...when Lady Elizabeth was younger. I remember...they look just like them!"
"Are you going to fight or talk!" The whip girl yelled. Bard yelled as he jumped out of the way of the whip, watching it smack into the wooden railing.
"Mr. Sebastian's not gonna be happy about that...he just polished it!"
"Ciel let me go! You don't understand let me go!" Elizabeth cried as she ran with Ciel down the hall. Pain like a needle shot up her side, as she tried to firmly hold her other hand against it. Upon pulling it away, blood covered her hand...and she felt faint. It seemed like Ciel was running much to fast for her...she could not keep up...
"Elizabeth! Elizabeth! What's the matter?" Ciel grabbed hold of her swaying form, just before she crumbled to the floor. It was then he caught sight of the blood from her side. There was so much...he couldn't think of what to do.
"Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Stay with me!" Ciel yelled. Suddenly from behind, he sensed a menacing presence. He grabbed Elizabeth and held her against him as he rolled to the side. The wall caved in behind him from some unknown, invisible force. Ciel sat against the wall, with Elizabeth's bleeding body, holding her gently. He could hardly see down the hallway, from the dust that the impact had on the wall had spread down the hall. Ciel coughed violently from it entering his lungs. Then, through the mist he could see a figure...
"Lady Elizabeth belongs to me, Earl. I must obey the Doctors orders. I've come to collect what is ours."
Hello everyone! First off, let me say I am so sorry about not updating like I should! Please forgive me! I'm taking 12 credit hours at college, but all four classes are very detailed and extensive. I really hope to update every other week, perhaps once a month, I hope not though! I thoroughly loved working on this chapter and I did my best to make sure some plot points were known and at least introduced. Please review and tell me what you think! I'm so excited for this story, because I can see wrapping up the ending pretty soon with a solid base...at least before the year is over. Thank you all for your patience! Please don't forget to favorite, review! :)