"Ciel, listen to me. I have something of utmost importance to tell you."
Ciel broke free of his thoughts as he heard the very urgent tone in the commander's voice. He blinked and stared up at Sebastian, a slight twinge of apprehension filling him. "Yes?"
Despite having made up his mind, Sebastian was silent for a moment. There was a part of him that didn't wish to give the child up. He knew that he would never see Ciel again once his plan was carried out, and he was only now fully understanding the consequences this would ultimately have. He quickly looked down at Ciel, halting any further consideration. "Have you ever thought of escape?"
Ciel was taken by surprise. It was the last thing he ever expected the commander to ask him, and the apprehension he had felt quickly turned to suspicion. "W-what?"
Sebastian must have sensed his hesitance, for his gaze softened slightly. "You don't need to be afraid. Just answer the question."
Ciel was still confused over the sudden interest the commander was showing and wasn't quite sure how to reply. Of course he had thought of escape. He had even had a plan before Sebastian had separated him from Abberline and ruined all hope of ever leaving.
But why was the commander asking him now? He figured it could be some sort of plan to get him to admit to wanting to escape. Perhaps something the commander wished to use against him. Though when he thought about it, he realized that Sebastian did not need a reason to hurt him. He could do anything he wanted at any time.
And yet he didn't. Ciel knew what Sebastian wanted from him. It was there, hiding under the surface of everything he did. The reason the man hadn't already claimed what he desired only left the boy with more unanswered questions. Questions he didn't really want to ask.
"Yes..of course I want to leave." His voice was low, as if he was afraid of what Sebastian might think of such an answer. "I mean.."
The older man placed a finger to the boy's lips, halting the flow of words as well as drawing a small blush from the child. "There is no need to explain yourself. Anyone would want freedom." His finger slid slowly from the boy's lips.
Ciel shivered. "But why..?"
"Why am I asking? I suppose you would wonder. After all, I am the devil who keeps you locked up in here, aren't I?" There was a distinct note of self loathing in his words, though not so much from his occupation as from the feelings he was trying so hard to ignore.
Ciel picked up on the strange tone the commander's voice seemed to hold and stayed silent, only nodding his head very slightly.
Sebastian looked down at him. "Faustus plans on causing dissension among us. I see now that no matter what I do, I cannot run from the past." He paused. "The fact is, I'm not invincible and despite being the commander of this camp, I do not hold all the power."
Ciel opened his mouth to speak, but Sebastian continued. "You've already been harmed in an effort to get to me and I will not allow that to happen again. I've decided the best course of action would be for you to escape."
Ciel was once again speechless. He had never expected Sebastian to say such a thing. There was a moment of initial shock and then his mind started to doubt the words he heard. He looked up, searching Sebastian's face to see if there was any sign of amusement, any indication that he was playing a cruel joke on him. But as all the times before this, he could see nothing that would reassure him either way. "A-are you serious?"
Sebastian could see the way the child still distrusted him, and that bothered him more than he would admit. "I wouldn't say it if I wasn't serious."
Ciel looked down, nodding slowly. He was given a choice. A choice to leave this camp and all the hell that it had caused for him. And yet it wasn't as easy as he had at first thought it would be. It wasn't as if he didn't want to leave. He had wanted that since the beginning, and he was not one to give up. But he was unsure. Hope as thin as a spider's thread was held out in front of him, and though he was ready to grab a hold of it, he wanted to save others as well, not just himself. "I-"
Sebastian said nothing, waiting for him to speak.
Ciel took a deep breath, his eyes anywhere but on Sebastian's face. He had promised Abberline that they would do this together. Was it too much to ask the commander that another man escape with him? "What about Fred Abberline?"
Sebastian gave him a bemused glance, clearly having no clue as to whom the boy spoke of. "Who?"
"Someone I met when I was first brought here." He knew speaking of other prisoners to the commander could be potentially dangerous, but it was not as if he had any other options. "He was kind to me after one of the guards beat me. I promised him that if I ever..." He trailed off. "I can't just let him stay here while I escape."
"Ciel."
The tone the man used was enough to bring the boy's head up. He stared at the commander silently.
"Just because I may treat you differently does not mean that I will extend that to everyone." There was a very strange edge to his voice as he spoke. "Sparing your life is an exception, not a rule."
The words shocked Ciel though he knew they shouldn't have. Of course he had expected the commander to be opposed to the idea, but the way he worded it almost came across as cruel. It was as if Sebastian wanted to be sure he understood how lucky he was, and how he should just shut his mouth and be grateful that someone with so much power had taken pity on him.
His eyes dropped to his lap. Just when he thought Sebastian might actually care in some way, he would do or say something like this. And it hurt him deeply.
"Why then?" he whispered. "Why me?"
Sebastian heard the boy's words, though they were spoken very low. It was a simple question, but the answer was not an easy one, nor was it something he wished to speak of. What could he say? That this small child had entranced him? That Ciel had drawn his interest like no other? That he had somehow grown to feel an attachment to him despite social propriety and circumstance?
Ciel's eyes flickered upward, catching the heated gaze Sebastian had trained on him. It was frightening, for he had never seen such desire in the man's eyes before. He felt his face heat up and looked away, unable to hold such an intense stare. But it had answered his question.
Sebastian stood up without warning, picking Ciel up from his lap and setting him on his feet.
The boy watched him in bewilderment. It seemed as if every time he was close to getting the truth from the man, the commander would retreat. He would touch him almost lovingly one moment, and in the next, close himself off from Ciel rather than speak whatever was on his mind.
Ciel watched as Sebastian walked past the bed without a word, bending to pick up his hat in the tangle of blankets. It was slightly crushed from the way Ciel had slept with it while he had been away, but he placed it on his head nonetheless.
The boy blushed even though Sebastian's eyes were not on him. He had meant to put the hat back on the floor where the commander had thrown it, but now the man knew that he had found comfort in it.
Ciel had been expecting Sebastian to remark on it, and was both relieved and frustrated that he did not. The commander simply left, saying nothing to him in way of explanation.
Sebastian leaned against the wall of the dimply lit stairwell, his hand running through his hair as he tried to keep from turning around. The fact that he could still feel such lust for the child even after he had read the boy's diary was enough to make him feel as if he needed to be as far away from that room as possible. Truthfully, he did not trust himself. Having Ciel so close drove him nearly mad, both in mind and body, and he knew without a doubt that he would have given into the urge had he stayed a moment longer.
The fact that he had found his hat on Ciel's bed only reinforced the decision he had made. It showed that the boy had indeed come to feel something for him. Something that he never should have felt. It only made the temptation of taking what should be forbidden all the more irresistible.
He turned and started up the stairs, his mind on what Ciel had asked of him. It was true he did not care about any of the others who were imprisoned in this camp, but he did suppose the question had affected him more than that. It wasn't like him to admit to feeling protective toward someone, but just the thought of another man gaining Ciel's trust and respect so very easily almost angered him.
And yet, though he had made it very clear that he would not do what Ciel had asked of him, he found himself walking toward the prisoner area.
Everything was still on lock down as a result of the murder. The guards would only feed the prisoners every few days since they were not out working. As a result, there were high casualties. As the barracks in which the prisoners were kept were only small wooden huts, it was quite normal for a good number of them to found dead when the guards finally decided to check in on them.
This, of course, mattered not to the commander, for had the prisoners not died of starvation, he
would have simply been forced to get rid of them by other means. In a way, he was almost wishing that the man he sought after would be dead as well, for it would save him a bit of trouble.
Ronald Knox happened to be posted outside the block Ciel had originally been kept in. Sebastian knew he would have trouble dealing with him, for he was loyal to Claude and had a history of insubordination.
The commander approached slowly, his eyes on the slouched figure beside the barrack. "Knox, has this block been inspected today?"
The blond man looked up lazily, his expression clearly showing defiance. "Maybe."
Sebastian ignored his impertinence, making his way to the door. "Open it."
Ronald waited for a few moments, leaving the commander to stare at him in silence before he finally did as he was asked.
The prisoners all looked up as the commander and the guard entered the room. They said nothing, simply staring at the men in silent fear.
"Which of you speak German?" Sebastian's voice was harsh and demanding, causing a few of the prisoners to raise their hands in obedience. The commander nodded to one. "Ask which of them is called Fred Abberline."
The man who was chosen repeated the question in a few other languages and then shook his head. "They say there was a man by that name, but he was taken away some time ago. He has not been seen since."
Sebastian did not bother with a reply, turning as he motioned Ronald to follow. "Where have prisoners from this block been taken recently?"
Ronald shrugged. "Haven't moved any lately. They don't seem to die in there all that fast." He shook his head. "Well actually, a few attacked William a while back. Took 'em to block 11. They're probably dead by now." He snickered, leaning up against the door of the building.
"I see. " Sebastian walked away, leaving no excuse as to why he was searching for a certain prisoner.
Grell let out a long, dramatic sigh as he flipped through countless files, checking them as Tanaka had instructed him. They were now undertaking the long and arduous task of looking through the large lab for evidence they may have missed, or interesting facts that may lead them to the killer.
To Grell it was all a horrendous waste of time, for he was there to make sure Sebastian was convicted no matter what. Quite frankly he was getting impatient. He would much rather be back in his pretty little office than in this reached camp. If only the one person he loved wasn't here as well...
Tossing the files carelessly to the floor, he started off in the direction of Faustus' office.
"Claaaaude."
The dark haired man looked up, annoyance flickering in his usually cold eyes. "I would prefer if you did not speak to me on such familiar terms, Sutcliff."
"Well aren't you charming." Grell ignored Claude's obvious displeasure, leaning on the side of his desk. "Here I am, slaving away for you, and you really haven't held up your end of the deal."
Claude stood up, closing the door that had been carelessly left ajar, before turning back to the unwanted intruder. "Your only job is to make sure Sebastian is convicted of this crime. And then, only then, can you see Spears. That was our agreement."
"Yes, I know." Grell shook his head, a slight smirk creasing his lips. "But I'm changing that agreement now. You need my help. And though I want to see Bassy in chains as much as you do, I will not do another thing to help you until you allow me to see my William."
Claude stared at the other man, his eyes narrowing slightly. There was anger in his gaze, for his patience was slowly but surely running out. "Very well." He knew it had been a bad idea getting the redhead involved in this. He was far more trouble than he was worth.
Sebastian opened the large metal door slowly, ready for whatever sight would be waiting for him on the other side. He usually reserved this job for the men under him, for it was not pleasant to deal with the unsightly effects of a standing cell. The stench of unwashed bodies and excrement were more than enough to put off even the most hearty soldier.
It was a rule that prisoners be taken out every three days and given food and water, though that was a guideline that was rarely ever followed. Men could be held in a standing cell for days on end with absolutely no relief. People were likely to go mad from being held in such a small cell, and as there were reportedly more than one person inside, he knew that it would only complicate matters.
The sight that greeted him as the door opened was just as he had expected. The man Sebastian assumed to be Abberline raised his eyes at the sound of the door opening. The fact that he could do nothing but stand was the only reason the man was still upright, for he looked as if he were at death's door.
The boy who had been placed in the cell along with the other man had either passed out from exhaustion and lack of food, or had died from suffocation for he was not moving at all. Sebastian could not tell from where he stood, but hoped it was not the latter, for it was quite difficult to remove bodies from such a place once they had started to stiffen.
The commander had not brought anyone with him, for he had known that the prisoners would be in no state to move, let alone fight him. They had been in the cell for far too long, and he was surprised they were even alive.
Again he wondered why he was bothering with such a thing. Was it simply because Ciel had asked for it? Did he really care for the child so much that he would go to such lengths to make him happy? Or had it merely been curiosity? Had he wanted to know who Abberline was; the man Ciel seemed to trust so very much. It was an absurd question, for even he knew the answer to it. And yet here he was, doing something he would never have have thought to do otherwise. All for a certain blue eyed child.
After some inner debate and quite a bit of maneuvering, he managed to drag Abberline out of the cell. It was not an easy task, for he had been forced to lift the man out and set him down on the floor a few feet away.
A groan escaped the man's lips as he was moved from the cramped container, his muscles no doubt paining him from the lack of use. Sebastian didn't give it much thought or care, turning his attention to the teenage boy once Abberline was taken care of. Upon closer inspection, he found that the boy was alive, although just barely. Pulling him from the cell proved to be an easier task than it had been for his cell-mate, for he was both lighter and smaller than Abberline.
Sebastian set him on the ground beside Abberline, taking a small bottle from his pocket when he had finished. He knelt over Abberline, holding his head up as he dribbled a small amount of water into the man's mouth. "Can you understand me?"
Abberline nodded slightly, though the movement appeared painful. He had been surprised to see the commander of the camp, even in his weakened state, for it was unusual that the man would do something like this. Though he had tried for Soma's sake to keep his spirits up, he had believed they would both die in that small little cell. They had only been given a break once, and the food and water they had been given had been close to nothing.
Yet here he lay, looking up into the harsh eyes of the last man he had ever expected to see, for some reason owing him their lives. The small bit of water the commander had given him had brought life back to his parched throat, giving him enough strength to speak. "S-soma? How..is.." He tried to turn, but fell back weakly.
"The boy?" Sebastian figured he was worried about his cell-mate. "He's unconscious, but he will live." He paused, thinking about what he was about to say. He still had time to walk away from all of this. He could tell Ciel he had not found Abberline, or that he was dead. Yet somehow he knew that it would break Ciel's heart. "Do you know a boy named Ciel Phantomhive?"
Abberline's eyes lit up ever so slightly, though he did not try to move again. "Is..he..alright..alive? If you harmed him..."
Sebastian watched him, noting the level of concern in his frail voice. Somehow it bothered him, his possessive nature reading far more into it than was probably there. "He's alive and in far better shape than he would have been had he been left with you." It was somewhat of a lie, considering what had happened. Truthfully he didn't know what would have been worse; a standing cell or what Claude and Ash had done to the child.
He could tell the man did not believe him. There was something in those eyes, some worldly wisdom that told him he could see right through everything he had fought so hard to hide. And it made him dislike the man all the more.
Though severely dehydrated and starved, Abberline's mind was functioning perfectly. He had been a soldier and was used to going without food or water for several days on end. He had also seen quite a bit of horrible things in his time, both in war and in the camp. His endurance had been tested on more than one occasion, and it was only that experience that had kept him from giving up, for they had been in the cell for a little more than a week.
A human body can only go about a week without some sort of liquid, and Abberline could only think it nothing short of a miracle that a guard had decided to show them mercy and give them water during one of those days. They would have been dead a few days before had it not been for that.
The light haired man glanced up at the commander with glassy eyes, a very bad feeling coming over him as he guessed the reason Ciel been taken. Perhaps it was the way Sebastian spoke of him, or maybe it was the way he worded his reply. Whatever it was, something deep down told him that Ciel had probably been harmed in one of the worst ways a child ever could be. He would have said something about it, but as he was still very weak, he found he no longer had the strength to speak.
Sebastian stood up without another word. He knew the prisoners were not going to be leaving the area in their present condition, and he needed someone to help him move them to another cell where they could recuperate. He had made up his mind to help this man, even though he disliked him in every possible way. It was only for Ciel that he did not simply shove them back into the standing cell and leave them there to rot.
The situation was soon taken care of, for Sebastian solicited Eric's assistance in relocating Abberline and Soma to another unused cell. It seemed as if Eric felt he owed Sebastian a debt for what he had done, and despite his earlier betrayal, Sebastian decided to continue to trust him. It wasn't the safest thing to do and under other circumstances the commander would never have considered it. But despite the warning signs, Eric seemed to be the only man who still respected him and trusted that he was innocent. And of course the fact that Eric disliked Claude's leadership helped immensely.
Granted, Eric most likely thought Sebastian had somehow lost his mind, for just a month earlier, the commander would never have done such a thing for prisoners. And revelation of Sebastian's greater plan only puzzled him further. The only conclusion he could come up with was that Sebastian had somehow changed, for never before would the commander have thought to help anyone escape from his camp. He could only think that Sebastian must have fallen in love with the boy, though he wisely refrained from saying so. The less he knew, the better off he would be.
The man who had been waiting in the forest had grown worried. He started to fear for his prince's life, for it had been a week without word or signal from him. It was on the ninth day that he had ceased to simply wait. He busied himself with scouting the area around the camp at night when security was slightly lower, hoping to find a way to liberate the teenage boy should he still be alive.
The camp was heavily guarded and completely impenetrable, of that he was sure. But though it would seem impossible for a normal human, he was convinced that given the right opportunity, he could get in and out undetected. He simply needed to wait for the precise moment.
A/N: After a great deal of procrastination, I finally finished editing this chapter. I apologize, for it had been nearly finished for some time, yet I kept putting off the final editing.
This is basically just a chapter that moves the plot along. Not much in the way of SebaCiel (or at least not what some people were probably hoping), but I plan on having several more chapters, so there shall be more in the future.
Thank you all for your favorites, follows and kind reviews. They are deeply appreciated.