Snow was taking it's place on the rolling green hills. It lay glistening in the concealed sun, the sky overhead a misty gray to which the sunlight barely escaped.
The walk to the fishery warehouse was an unpleasant one.
The dirt path leading outside of the town to the docks was all but covered in a fresh layer of fallen snow and the white landscape became disorienting. The earls only arrived by following the sounds of seagulls and the smell of the sea.
The harbor held few boats and among them was the majestic Arista. The boat sway in the deep greyed waters, snow piling on its mast, sails, and decks. The grand wooden vessel sported the carving of a mermaid on it's bowsprit.
Isabelle panted lightly as she gazed up onto the decks. Men wolf whistled, specifically at her maid, shouting lewdly. However Enobria ignored them as both earls step forward.
"To the crew of this vessel, we wish to speak with your captain," Ciel called to them, "now."
They all exchanged glances before one man in particular tapped his cigar with a cough of smoke, "'oos askin'?!" he yelled back, choking a laugh.
Ciel gritted his teeth, "listen here you-!"
"What're ye' all goin' on about?!" shouted a voice as the warehouse doors slid wide open. A girl stepped out eyes narrowed as she massaged her lips together, staining them pink with subtle lipstick. Then she noticed the earls and help.
She tilted her head and curiously wandering over. She tilted her head the other direction, hands over her hips as she met Ciel's gaze with her sky blue eyes. Her white cotton skirt stained with dirt and a leather corset fitted her curved form.
With a soft smile she spoke up, hands on her hips, "what can I do for ye'?"
" w-we… We're looking for the captain."
"Oh?"
"Yes! I demand you take us to him." Ciel ordered, stern with his eyes narrowed, eyepatch furrowing with it. However, he couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her bright, crimson hair, tied up in a messy bun with wavy locks falling out of the clips.
The women let out a laugh, throwing her head back, "yer' lookin' at her lad." she cooed.
Ciel took a step back into Isabelle, muttering, "a-a women…?"
"Somethin' wron' with that?" she asked, voice suddenly stern, almost as if the question had become rhetorical.
"No. Of course not." Isabelle spoke up, holding Ciel's arm reassuringly as their butler and maid stepped up behind them protectively. The women, however, seemed unphased.
"Then come aboard." she cooed.
Sebastian led the way through the warehouse, built up with cold, steel walls, and followed the women as she glanced around at a crew of 27 men working vigorously in the cold of the building.
"By the way, I'm Betty Halligan. Miss… Betty Halligan." she repeated, glancing at Sebastian who returned the glance with a polite bow.
Ciel stepped beside Sebastian as Enobria did the same with Isabelle when they came onto the deck of the ship through a loading bay, avoiding rolling carts of boxes and other cargo skating on board the vessel.
Betty swung open the door to the captain's quarters, glancing at the earls, "one at a time."
Ciel and Isabelle quickly glanced at each other and Ciel nodded, giving Isabelle's hand a reassuring squeeze, "see if you can gather some information. This won't take long," he cooed, "just stay with Enobria and Snake." he shouted, heading inside the cabin with Sebastian as the door shut and locked.
They were separated.
… … … … … … … … … … … … …. …. … …. …. …. …. … … … … … … … … … … …
Ciel narrowed his eyes at the room.
The captain's room, Beth's office, was decorated with finely crafted and shined wood, a desk with the infamous mermaid chiseled onto the oak. A glass lantern, resembling an hourglass was lit as Ms. Halligan blew out a match with a smirk.
"Take a seat ah-"
"Thomas," Ciel spoke up, sitting after Sebastian pulled out the seat, "and this is my father's friend, Alexander Pershing."
Sebastian nodded, casting a brief yet understanding glance at his master, "a pleasure to meet you Miss Halligan." he cooed.
She raised her eyebrows, "never heard ah ye'."
Ciel hesitated, cursing himself. He knew he couldn't reveal his true identity but now he was against a wall.
"We're visiting town. My friend Abraham has recently been involved in the string of disappearances and I've come to console his wife, daughter and nephew Thomas, here." Sebastian responded. Beth tensed slightly and Ciel mentally sighed in relief, thanking Sebastian for his quick thinking.
"A-ah yes… Abraham Oresy did indeed disappea' with the others. It's a tragedy it is." she breathed, sitting across from Ciel, head resting on her laced fingers with elbows propped up on her desk.
"Yes, it is." Sebastian continued, "we've come to see if there was any evidence of his reappearance here. We're aware you're indeed the one conducting searches for the men."
Beth took advantage of Ciel's straying gaze, a painting catching his eye, "you like it?" she whispered softly, Ciel tensing in surprise as he refocused.
"It was given to me by my grandfathe. Poor fellow was obsessed with em." Beth said, standing as she admired the painting of a beautiful girl with the tail of a fish, perched atop a cliffside.
"...with what may I ask?"
"Sirens. Er' mermaids in paticula'."
"I see…" Ciel sighed. she's crazy. he thought, choosing to ignore her as she continued.
"Did ya know this town's cursed by a siren?"
Ciel blinked in surprise, Sebastian narrowing his eyes while listening to his master, "cursed?"
A smirk stretched across Beth's face as she strutted toward Ciel, heeling clicking on the wood floor as she set her hand's on each of his slender shoulders. Sebastian watched, eyes narrowed dangerously, as she spoke.
"A man was said to 'ave fished 'er out of the jetty there and when she begged to be freed. Howeva' he instead CUT off 'er tail!" she shouted, squeezing his shoulders while poking his knee, making him twitch and squirm, "and made her become his servant."
Beth released him much to Ciel's relief, but continued, "but, latea' she passed on from the infection 'er severed tail brought 'er and when she died, she cursed the selfish men a' this town to truly unfortunate ends," she breathed, glancing at Ciel with one hand rubbing the carving on her desk, "the Mermaid's Curse… it's real."
… … … … … … … … … … … … …. …. … …. …. …. …. … … … … … … … … … … …
Isabelle showed herself around the warehouse, her maid on her heels the entire managed to slip past several crew members to the storage bins lying deeper in the warehouse.
It smelt foul.
"What's that ungodly smell…" Isabelle breathed, holding her nose as Enobria continued ahead, taking a quick sniff of the air before fluttering her eyelashes.
"In there."
Isabelle furrowed her eyebrows, approached a storage room, locked tight with chains restraining the handles and a rusted lock at it's center. She ran her fingers over the lock, hesitantly releasing her nose as a deep waft hit her like a brick wall.
She grimaced and stepped back, "how foul! It smells like-"
"What're you doin' back here lass?!"
Isabelle tensed and turned as Enobria stepped in front of her protectively.
A man with a shattered toothy grin chuckled lowly, messing with a worn eyepatch over his right eye, "that's where all the naughty girls go…" he growled, looking her up and down, a lewd grin crossing his face.
Enobria scoffed, taking Isabelle's arm, "let us be off milady."
Isabelle nodded slowly before leading the way back to the main building, the man chuckling lowly and he teased them with fake pushes to touch them, their hair, arms or waists, as he followed them back.
Enobria "tsk"ed, glancing at Isabelle who peeked back at the storage room curiously, mumbling under her breath as she quickly slipped away, "stand watch."
"Milady!" Enobria called, clenching her jaw as the man turned back.
"Quickly…" Isabelle muttered under her breath, pulling the jammed door open where only a small crack lay between her and what lay inside, "just a peek."
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Ciel glanced back as the door burst open. Isabelle stood panting in the doorway, Enobria watching the men with narrowed eyes.
"I coulda sworn I locked that." Beth said as she blinked curiously, head tilted.
Ciel stood abruptly from his chair that flew back as he joined Isabelle at the door, glancing between her and Ms. Halligan. And narrowing his eyes knowingly, he spoke.
"We need to leave," he breathed, glancing at Beth as her eyes narrowed, "thank you for the lore, but we're done here." he cooed, wrapping his coat around the panting miss.
Beth nodded slowly as the quartet hastily made their way back to town, the crew watching them like gargoyles perched protectively on the Arista. Ciel kept his hand on the small of Isabelle's back, ushering her forward protectively as he whispered in her ear.
"What happened back there?"
"I'll tell you when we're safe at the inn."
"Safe…?" Ciel mumbled, furrowing his eyebrows. Isabelle simply gave him a quiet nod, watching her maid in front of her with Sebastian behind. When they successfully and safely made it back to the room, Snake glanced up from his seat on his bed, holding down the fort for them.
"Well you all look flustered yes you do! … says Emily."
Isabelle huffed, sitting on her side of the bed, running her fingers through her hair with a shaky hand. Ciel sat beside her only until she tensed. He took hold of her wrist firmly.
Blood.
He scowled, "what the hell happened…?" he growled, tightening his hold on her wrist. Isabelle yanked away from him with a scoff.
"He attacked us first!" she shouted, staring him down as they both rose from their seats on the bed. Their tempers flared. Snake pursed his lips, watching quietly with the butler and maid as the earls promptly screamed at each other.
"Did you actually-?!"
"Of course I did! He attacked us didn't you hear?!"
"You- you idiot! You insolent- what if they come after us!?"
"Oh come now we both know you're only concerned about yourself Earl Phantomhive!"
Ciel scowled, "you've put this entire investigation in jeopardy you stupid girl! I should have never listened to the Queen's request to work with someone so incompetent!"
Isabelle narrowed her eyes before striking him.
"Young Master!" Snake and Sebastian shouted, going to Ciel's side as he held his bruised cheek in disbelief. Isabelle's hand quaked, her knuckles red as she clenched her jaw with shaky breaths.
The help held them both apart until Isabelle swallowed dryly.
"... I-I'm leaving." she berated, walking past him with fists clenched as his eyes widened. He turned in time only to see the door slam as the girls stormed out.
It was silent for a few moments before Ciel dropped his head, muttering under his breath venomously.
"Fine."
Ahhhh lover's quarrel I mean what? But Isabelle got your back Ciel (hence the title huehuehue) But what's she have to protect him from is the better question. Things are bound to get interesting after this fight. Just you wait! Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
Stay creative my friends~