Chapter 13: Danny POV
I soaked my feet in the bathtub as I sat on the edge. The events of the day before, both the physical one of me having to spar with Lady Phantomhive and the emotional one that came afterwards, weighted heavy on my mind, on my body, and deep in my mind. I closed my eyes and let the calmness of the lilac bath fill my mind instead. I did hate being an emotional creature; the memories coming back of me being in war had overcome me when I took the sabers from Lady Phantomhive, taking me back to the men I killed, the men who tried to kill me.
I hung my head and moved my feet a bit. The memory of what I had done. A desperate act to keep my integrity and secret intact. I felt the emotions come back and I slid forward, sitting in the tub, holding by knees close to my chest, the water reaching around my waist.
After I took the letter to the town, I was sworn into the Army, no one questioning my name, who I was, readily accepting me. I was trained in weapons, how to shoot, how to use a knife, how to use a saber if needed. I was good at the hand to hand. I was flexible and strong. I was able to block the blows and see how best to land mine. And I could ride a horse while doing it. I was quickly moved up to a cavalry unit, and on the front line. I would ride first, scout land and the enemy, I would quietly slip through the trees and watch, come back by the next morning, or as dusk was falling, report, and we would attack.
Until the moment I was attacked. My fellow scout had crossed me, had told the enemy where I was. His cries of "they have my family!" and "I am sorry!" fell on my ears and dragged me into anger even as I was physically being dragged and fear was rapidly dissolving the anger. I was taken into a hut, thrown on the ground, kicked in the side. I was coughing up blood as another soldier came in and sat down beside me. He had grabbed my chin and looked at me, turning me from side to side.
"You a woman?" he asked, his face inches from mine.
"No sir!"
"You look too delicate to be a man. Maybe you are lucky and young." He looked at me and yanked my hair back. "What's your age, boy?"
"I'm 20."
"20 and not a spot of hair… you got some devil's trick? Maybe that's how you ghosting around. Your partner said you were quick and slick. Not so quick or slick now." He shoved me down and I landed on my hands, wincing; I hit a rock and my palm bursted open, the blood flowing out. "You are in enemy territory, boy. Best you wear one of our uniforms."
And he ripped the back of my jacket. I tried to stop him, claw at his hands, but I merely smeared my blood on his hands but it stopped him long enough before he got my shirt torn more than a little.
I was sobbing now, the same scene had kept me up. My act to keep the man from doing obscene acts once he found out I was not a boy, but a woman, disguised as a man, haunted me. I rubbed my palm, not healed, new, forever flawless. The cut of the rock zipped through me and I leaned back, gasping for air.
"Mr. Hyde are you - Oh!"
I whirled around and looked at the Demon who was standing in my bathroom doorway, concern and shock lacing his face as he turned a shade of pink and turned his head, his eyes sliding away slower.
"Many pardons. I heard you gasping and thought you were drowning."
I grabbed my legs and drew them up to my chest, a most definitely female chest. "No I was… I was most definitely not drowning."
"Yes, I see that quite clearly." He did not move. I looked at him.
I cleared my throat. "Perhaps you would be so kind and hand me the towel over on the rack?"
He looked at me again, his gaze came back to me, looking perplexed and then looked at where I was pointing. He walked over and picked up the towel, and seemed to try to figure out how best to hold it while trying to shield his eyes from my naked body.
"Ah, yes. I do apologize... "
"Mr. Hyde," I said, looking him squarely in the eyes as I grabbed the towel and slowly stood, quickly wrapping it around my chest and lower half. "Mister Hyde."
He nodded once and then offered his hand to me. I looked at it and looked back at him. He blushed. "The floor is wet. You rather were startled and the water came out," he said, looking down at the puddle his own fine shoes were standing in. "The towel you had down is rather soaked and you may injure yourself."
I stepped out of the tub, pushing his hand out of my way. It was strong and firm but budged enough for me to feel satisfied. "This does not change anything in this house or my position."
"Of course not, Mr. Hyde," he said.
He moved back a step and I looked away, wondering how I let myself become in this position. No one knew about my true sex in my latter Human years and in the almost 50 years of being a Reaper. And here was a Demon - of all creatures - who knew my identity.
"I will -"
"You can't say -"
We both talked at the same time. I sighed and slowly turned and looked at him. At least he didn't know I was a Reaper and was pretending to be a Tutor to make sure he only was Marking one Soul. I caught his gaze as he tried to look away from me, but his red eyes, the Demon eyes, slide back over me. I could see he was trying to figure out how I had deceived him so well. Years of practice would not sufficiently cover it; to Humans I was forever frozen at 20 years old.
"You can't say a thing, Mister Sebastian," I said finally. I clung to my towel as if it would slip and fall. "Please, I beg of you. Surely you know what would happen if the Earl found out. If anyone found out I was…"
"A woman?" he finished. He nodded and then looked at the bath. "I shall not breath a word of it to anyone." He looked back at me, and in that one look, I knew, for some reason, he would not break his word. It was a promise between the two of us, a secret we would share, and I hoped, as I nodded slightly, he would not bring up any more.
I turned and awkwardly walked to my clothes. "Can you… step outside?"
He blushed and reached down and undid the plug in the tub, his white glove wet as he pulled it back. "Yes, that would be best."
And he closed the door between the bathroom and the bedroom. I leaned against the wall and sighed. I wasted no time in getting dry and dressing. As I walked out of the bathroom, I was once more startled by him standing by the bed.
"Do you not have the Earl to look after?"
He smiled a little. "The Earl took the Lady and young Master out for a slayride with Baldroy. It will be Christmas in a week."
"Oh," I answered, looking out the window. Indeed the whole garden was draped in white. Snow had dumped piles of it on the ground last night, and I did not realize it. "It looks beautiful," I muttered.
"I was coming up to see if you were recovered from yesterday."
"Well, a bit," I said, turning to him. It felt liberating for someone to know who I was, or at least my true sex. I tugged at my vest and looked at the door. "I don't know if I would have preferred Mey-Rin finding me."
The Demon cocked his head and looked at me for a moment. "It may have been better for you. She is rather blind to certain things."
I nodded slowly and turned back to the window. "Is there, by chance, breakfast left?"
"Of course, it is only 7:35 in the morning. It hasn't been cleared away."
"Very good," I said, tugging my vest once more and checking my pocket watch. "I shall be in the dining room."
"Very good, Mr. Hyde," the Demon said, bowing as I briskly walked past him.
I paused at the door. "Thank you for checking on me. I am thoroughly embarrassed I let myself go in front of everyone," I said quietly, not looking at him. I heard his soft footsteps and his gloved hand reach out for the door handle.
"We shall not talk about it, Mr. Hyde," he breathed, tickling the back of my neck, much as his fingers had the night he was untangling my hair from the straw hat.