Scotland.
Rolling hills into jagged cliffs and overhangs. Lakes and rivers of azure blue. And the ocean bordering the northern region. Snow had already found it's way onto the landscape, even in early autumn, as Isabelle and Ciel journeyed north. The small fishing town skimmed the icy ocean shores of smoothed pebbles instead of sand. It was truly freezing, just as the Queen had expressed.
Isabelle snuggled up in her winter coat, hiding her face in the fur before shutting her eyes with an icy breath. Her breath condensed in mist and dissolved into the air of the carriage. Noticing, Enobria rubbed Isabelle's shoulder. Ciel glanced up, sitting across from them, and narrowed his eye before calling out the window.
"How much longer Sebastian?!" he yelled, his teeth chattering with soft, but consistent, clicks.
Sebastian glanced back, holding the reins with the Phantomhive footman beside him, "just a little longer, I assure you My Lord."
Ciel sighed, ducking back into the carriage, shooting a glare at a slithering box beside him. "I can't believe we had to bring these things," he muttered, looking away in disgust, "damn you Snake."
Isabelle, on the other hand, attempted to completely ignore the shifting box. Who knows how many snakes are in there she thought.
With a nervous sigh she glanced away, curling her trembling legs against the wood of the seat. The winter dress adorning her body was not nearly sufficient for such cold. Enobria frowned subtly.
Ciel suddenly lay his coat across her legs.
Isabelle glanced up in utter surprise when she noticed the heavy coat fixed over her legs. Ciel flashed her a small smirk before sneezing. He was freezing. Isabelle frowned slightly and stood from her seat before sitting beside the earl.
She wrapped his coat over his shoulders as he held himself before snuggling against his side. Ciel's eyes widened as he stuttered. He was completely flustered with Lady Isabelle clinging to him for warmth.
"Shut up." Isabelle cooed.
"A-ah..U-uh… ugh…" Ciel sighed in defeat, looking out the window, cheeks flushed with embarrassment before shyly wrapping an arm around the girl. He narrowed his eyes, gaze and grip softening as he felt her body relax in his hold, her breath slowing as she dozed off in the cold.
"We've arrived, Young Master." Sebastian shouted from the coach.
Ciel opened his eyes in surprise before peeking his head out, narrowing his eye in the icy fog. Through the haze was the small town of Renan. The carriage road across the uneven dirt path, patches of ice catching the wheels and horses' hooves. Ciel watched as people exited their homes to watch them cross through town.
He shook Isabelle's shoulder, stirring her from her slumber as he mumbled, "what an eerie place."
Isabelle blinked a few times before following his gaze. People were watching them. Whispering about them "Indeed, it's unsettling…" Isabelle whispered, straightening herself up as the carriage stopped.
An inn lay outside the door. It was built of wood with cobblestone details, a torch on either side of the two-door entrance. The windows appeared like colorless stained glass, detailed with pictures of what appeared to be fish-like, humanoid creatures: mermaids.
The butler and maid both took hold of their masters' luggage before Snake led them indoor, his precious box with snakes inside in his arms protectively.
"What's the purpose of those snakes anyway?" Isabelle muttered, holding Ciel's arm as he escorted her out of the carriage.
"I believe they're his friends but they also act as his voice mostly. It's the only way we really communicate. He needs them no matter where he goes. After all, he rarely speaks and without them he might as well be mute." Ciel sighed. They both suddenly froze.
Warmth. A roaring fireplace with heads of deer above the mantle lay inside.
Isabelle and Ciel both groaned in relief as the warm air washed over them, thawing their stiff bodies. Sebastian cleared his throat as he presented Ciel with keys to a single room, to which Ciel didn't notice. At least not until he was complaining about there only being 3 beds.
"There's no way the help can all fit in one bed~!" Snake shouted before clearing his throat, "says Emily."
Enobria narrowed her eyes, "it would be unbecoming for the help to even consider sharing a bed with the masters."
Sebastian nodded, rubbing his jaw in thought, "I suppose we could-"
"The two earls should share a bed yes they should!" Snake chimed, clearing his throat once more, "says Wadsworth."
The two earls glared at the snake as it was almost dancing victoriously on Snake's shoulder with silent fits of laughter.
With a light blush, Isabelle finally spoke up, pointing to each bed while attempting to hid her flustered voice, "C-Ciel and I shall share this bed. Enobria and Sebastian in this one a-and Snake and all his… snakes- in this one! Clear?!" she boomed, eyes spinning and face red.
Enobria simply gave her a reassuring pat on the head as the men all gave hesitant nods.
"Then it's settled! … says Emily." Snake said, stoic as ever.
Exhausted from their trip, the group decided to rest for the remainder of the day, Ciel and Isabelle laying back to back in their bed as they silently appreciated the warmth of sleeping together. Only until they awoke in each other's arms.
Isabelle shrieked, stirring Enobria from her preparations of morning tea as Ciel flew back off the bed and into Sebastian's arms as the butler chuckled. Both panted, equally flustered as they composed themselves, Snake laughing in a myriad of voices as his snakes chorused in laughter to which he stoically acknowledged each.
All of the luggage was thrown haphazardly out of the way to be unpacked later as the earls discussed their plan of attack. Laying a map of the town on one of the beds, Sebastian stepped back, allowing Isabelle and Ciel to look over it quietly, enjoying their morning tea and breakfast.
Ciel narrowed his eyes, "because we have little information on this case we might as well get information on the men who have disappeared- backgrounds and such."
"Sebastian and Enobria can handle that. We should ask around town for information, consult the townsfolk for strange happenings," Isabelle retorted, tracing her index finger along the map, "Snake can accompany us."
Ciel blinked subtly in surprise, "w-well… yes I do suppose that would suffice."
"We are racing the elements here, Earl Phantomhive. We cannot afford to waste precious time. The cold kills out here. We should wrap up this case as soon as possible."
Enobria bowed her head respectively before excusing herself and Sebastian, Snake watching their exit with pursed lips. Ciel however narrowed his eye. Though he wasn't content with being told how to do his job, he silently acknowledged that Isabelle was indeed correct.
Their mission was pressed for time as winter slowly crawled over the town of Renan.
A soft flurry of snow had already begun ashing the town with white. People were ducking inside, fire places roaring orange with pillars of dark flowing from the smoke stacks. Time was surely against them.
Ciel and Isabelle, bundled in layers upon layers, travelled the emptying streets with Snake as an escort, his precious snakes in his suit lest they freeze to death.
They questioned those in the square.
Isabelle smiled, pulling a man aside, "excuse me sir. May I have a moment of your time-"
"GET AWAY FROM ME' YA WENCH!" he boomed, pushing her off. His eyes were bloodshot and bags lay deep under his eyes as he shuffled off in the blowing blizzard. Isabelle's eyes widened as she was simply thrown aside in the snow.
Ciel was immediately at Isabelle's side, helping her balance after the man had shoved her.
"What's these people's problems…" Ciel growled, gripping Isabelle's forearms from behind.
"He sure had a stick up his-" Isabelle covered Snake's mouth with a sigh as his brown python flicked it's tongue in his suit jacket.
"... says Emily."
Isabelle muttered quietly, flustered. Ciel then took notice and finally released her with a light blush on his cheeks.
A women had noticed them.
She wandered over and smiled sweetly, a toddler latched onto her side, "are you two alright?"
"Yes." Ciel answered coldly. The miss frowned as Isabelle put on a smile.
"We are indeed alright, thank you ma'am," Isabelle smiled, bowing politely, "though I am concerned about the attitude of the folks in this town…"
"Ah yes, they are just… scared…"
"Scared?"
"Yes miss! Of the Mermaid Curse they are."
Isabelle blinked in surprise, "Mermaid.. Curse…?"
The women nodded, adjusting the toddler on her hip, "yes, the mermaid's lure men into the night and drown them in the jetty yes they do… They drown in the night and their bodies just up and disappear! They're angry with us."
Ciel and Isabelle exchanged quick glances as the woman cooed to her child as she began to cry, "I actually lost me husband to the curse ah' did… now I got 'is debts to pay." she muttered, walking away with her crying child as she attempted to calm her.
The earls narrowed their eyes and tried to get more information, however, the townspeople simply ignored them. The earls, completely defeated, returned to their room at the inn, Sebastian and Enobria waiting.
As Snake emptied his coat of snakes into the warmth of his bed, Enobria and Sebastian presented Ciel and Isabelle with the information they had gathered.
Sebastian cleared his throat as Ciel dug through the stack of papers, Isabelle peeking at a few curiously, "all of the 26 men kidnapped appear to be over the age of 18. They differentiate between living alone or with families and but all remain as middle class citizens or peasants." Sebastian finished, glancing at Enobria as she sighed.
"They have thus all disappeared in the night and the Arista, a fishing vessel stationed at the warehouse outside of town, and her crew have been handling the searches. Their results have not yet been released to the public." Enobria said, glancing between the Earls as they lifted their heads.
"That's peculiar…" Ciel muttered, dropping the papers back in the stack, his eye narrowed in thought.
Isabelle nodded slowly, glancing at her maid, "we should ask them a few questions then, shall we? And also find out more about this rumored Mermaid's Curse. Though it sounds trivial..." she questioned, standing from her seat on the bed while rubbing her chin. Enobria nodded, hand over her heart.
"Yes, my lady."
"Wait what!?" Ciel retorted as Isabelle pulled on her coat, "where are you going- it's freezing outside for god sakes!" he boomed, grabbing Isabelle's arm roughly. Enobria grabbed Ciel's shoulder and held it firmly until he released Isabelle to which Sebastian grabbed Enobria's arm.
Isabelle narrowed her eyes, "to investigate. Where else?"
"In this weather? You'll catch your death of cold you stupid girl!" Ciel scowled, eyes narrowed as he watched her.
"We have to get this information as quick as possible." she responded coldly.
Ciel fell quiet as Isabelle left the room, Enobria behind her. Isabelle adjusted the fur on her hood with a shiver while exiting the inn onto the streets before a scarf covered her neck and a hand fell upon her shoulder gently.
"You really will catch a death of cold without me around." Ciel whispered in her ear, going to her side.
A light flush heated Isabelle's cheeks as a small smirk appeared on his lips. She looked away to conceal her fluster and both followed Enobria to the docks with Sebastian behind them.
"I'm actually quite curious as well you know." Ciel murmured, glancing at her as they walked side by side.
"About what?" Isabelle asked, meeting his gaze.
"About this curse."
Isabelle fell quiet for a moment before stifling a small laugh, "Oh come now Earl Phantomhive," she whispered, "there is no such thing as curses."
Ah ha! Scotland~ and mermaids? This one's gonna be an adventure AND a nice opportunity for Ciel to see what his new partner's made of! Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
Stay creative my friends~