Chapter Thirteen

Butler, However You Please. Bride, Captured

Even though it was midway through December, the snow had melted and the ground came peeking through the cracks; the leaves piled up were swept away by the Phantomhive servants. Finny, with his broom in hand sweeping away the snow, sighed heavily.

"I just don't understand why we can't celebrate. Tomorrow is an important day for the Young Master after all."

MeyRin looked up from her place on the ground, crunchy leaves bundled in her hands.

"It's a special occasion. I wish we could make it lovely for him, yes I do," she bemoaned wistfully.

Just then, they caught sight of a carriage coming up the drive, small bells jingling with every turn of the wheel. Elizabeth in all her pink attired glory waved out of the carriage window with a brilliant smile on her face.

"I'm here!" she screamed.

Finny and MeyRin were immediately terrified of her presence.

"LADY ELIZABETH!"


Lizzie burst through the front doors, Paula following behind her as best she could.

"CIEL!"

Ciel was standing at the top of the stairs in the foyer when he saw her speeding up to him with a stream of smoke nipping at her heels. The girl latched onto him in an instant and spun him around so quickly he felt the contents of his stomach beginning to consider taking a return journey. She merely laughed happily at being in his presence. Sebastian was impassive at Ciel's side when his fiancée finally decided to stop spinning him like one of her dolls. Elizabeth then placed a small box wrapped in pretty red paper in his hand.

"Here. This is for you. Open it!" she beamed. "I can't wait!"

Ciel managed to get himself unsteadily to his feet and cast his one-eyed gaze down to the gift. As he made to pull on the ribbon, Lizzy gasped when she saw the dark blue jewel of his ring glinting back at her. Latching onto his wrist, she brought the ringed hand to her face.

"Hold on a moment! I thought I broke this ring a while ago!" she gasped.

The boy stared at her.

"Fortunately Edward found all the pieces and Sebastian was able to repair it," he explained.


Marianne then came down the stairs with a bouquet of white roses in her hands.

"Was there something you needed before I made my way to Town, My Lord?" she asked.

She was dressed in her winter clothes over her butler's uniform, her wig neatly in place under her baker's cap. Ciel shook his head.

"No, you're fine. Have a safe journey and don't be out too late, or I shall send Sebastian after you."

Marianne smiled.

"Of course, Young Master."


Elizabeth then spoke up again.

"But's that's impossible! Your ring was chipped! You can't even see a single crack!"

Sebastian bowed his head politely at the compliment.

"That is true, but if I couldn't do something so simple…"

"What kind of butler would he be really?" Ciel finished his sentence with a dismissive calmness.

"You took the words out of my mouth, Sir," said Sebastian with a deep bow.

"You say it that often, Sebastian, I think anyone could." Marianne said.

Lizzie however seemed despondent in the familial atmosphere.

"Oh, he fixed it… That's fantastic news…" she sighed.

Paula came up behind her with a concerned look on her pretty face.

"Are you alright, My Lady?" she asked.

"So Lady Elizabeth, what do you have in the box there?" Sebastian asked.

The girl gasped and tried to think of something to say.

"Oh nothing!" she cried, snatching the box out of Ciel's hand. "It's a secret!"

Ciel was greatly confused.

"A secret? But you just told me to open it, didn't you?" he retorted.

Elizabeth smiled as she tucked the box behind her back.

"I was teasing you, silly! No proper lady would try to win a gentleman with material things. That would be unseemly."

She then turned to her maid.

"Now, are you ready Paula? Ring the bells!"

Paula didn't understand why her mistress was asking her such a thing, but obliged happily to her request by ringing her new bells with a smile on her face.

"Well that's all! Have a good day!" Lizzie said as she took Paula by the arm and hurried out of the manor.


The door slammed behind them loudly, a cloud of dust bloomed with its resounding thud. Ciel looked up at the two servants in confusion.

"She came here to ring some bells for me…?"

The demon smiled.

"Tomorrow is your birthday, Young Master. I'm sure that's why she came."

There was silence for a moment before Marianne placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"What do you think, Ciel? Shall we hold a birthday party? It seems some people want to celebrate with you." Sebastian said.

She ran a hand through Ciel's hair.

"While I would like to, I don't think you want to, Ciel. Am I wrong?" she asked softly.

Ciel sighed heavily.

"Tomorrow… is my birthday."

His thoughts drifted back to two years ago…


Snow was drifting slowly to the crowd. Christmas decorations lined the luminescent streets. Ciel, a young boy with sapphire blue eyes as pure and innocent as a cherub's, was smiling with the greatest enthusiasm.

"Hey Mister!" he said to a man. "Today's my birthday. Exciting, huh?"

Rachel Phantomhive, a beautiful woman with strawberry blonde hair and the same blue eyes she had bestowed upon her beloved son, rushed up to her little boy.

"Oh Ciel please! I'm so sorry Sir, please forgive him," she apologised with a blush blooming on her cheeks.

"It's not a problem, Madam. Your son is a charming young man," the man said as he tipped his hat.

"Mother said that since it's my birthday, I can sleep in the same room as her and Father tonight. And she's going to read as many stories as I want."

"Then, later that night…"

Flames were consuming the entirety of the manor. Smoke billowed up into black plumes throughout the darkened sky. Ciel ran through one of the burning corridors.

"Mother! Father!" he cried out. "Where are you?!"

He opened the door of the parlour, and saw the shape of his father sat in one of the high-backed armchairs.

"My mother was going to read me stories… My father was going to give me a present…"

Surrounded by many men in white robes and masks, he trembled as a white hot brand hovering inches away from the skin of his side.

"From this day you shall be marked by the sign of the Lowly Beast."

"I was so excited about it…"

He let out a scream when the metal met his flesh…

"Yes, Happy Birthday to me."


Ciel turned and walked away.

"Master?" called Sebastian.

The boy shook his head.

"This is ridiculous. Bring me my tea."

Sebastian bowed.

"Certainly. Right away."

As the master disappeared up the stairs, the demon and Marianne watched his retreating back.

The couple looked at one another.

"I shall see you this evening, my dear."

Marianne smiled at Sebastian's words.

"Of course."

She left not long after that.


When evening encroached on the busy London streets, Elizabeth was sat in her carriage with Paula, sighing heavily as she looked into the gift box.

"Construction on the Underground maybe?" Paula wondered.

She then saw the look on her young mistress' face.

"Oh I know! How about some music to pass the time? Jingle, jingle, jingle!"

She shook the bells with a smile, but it did nothing to raise Lizzie's spirits.

"Paula, you always seem so happy about everything," said Elizabeth.

"Oh I'm sorry, My Lady!" Paula gasped.

"No, I'm not criticising you at all. You just seem so carefree and I envy that in you."

The maid looked at her.

"So do you, My Lady. Usually you're such a happy person. I'm sorry- I mean-! Anyway, this traffic is truly awful, isn't it?"

As Paula was speaking, Lizzie saw the ring's jewel begin to glow bright blue. The sound of 'London Bridge is falling down' sang in her ears. She looked out of the carriage window and saw a man playing his organ before he stepped back into the shadows. Elizabeth, being a curious creature by nature, climbed out of the carriage and disappeared into the crowd.

The maid looked over her shoulder and saw her charge was missing.

"Lady Elizabeth! Lady Elizabeth!" she cried.

On the seat Lizzie had sat in, an empty ring box lay overturned.


Elizabeth made her way through the darkened alleys, ring in hand, desperately following the music singing in her ears. The buildings towered over her, dark and looming with black eyes staring down at her with searching ardour. As she turned a corner of one of the streets, she found herself colliding with another person.

"Sorry!" she cried out.

Lizzie looked up and met the eyes of the other person.

"Oh, Edward!"

Marianne bowed her head in greeting.

"Lady Elizabeth. What are you doing out here by yourself? Where's Paula?" she asked.

"I was following the music. It was just so pretty…" Elizabeth sighed.

Her bright green eyes then caught sight of a lit building at the end of the alley, like a beacon through the darkness.

"Come, Edward. You must escort me!"

She grabbed Marianne's hand and dragged her up to the building's window. It was a little shop, with its windows filled with ornate lamps and pretty, glass-eyed dolls.

"Oh, how cute!" Lizzie giggled.


Leading the way, she opened the door of the shop and the two girls stepped inside.

"Welcome, little girl, young man."

They whipped their heads around and saw the colourfully dressed man sat in a chair with his organ in his lap.

"Oh… I…" Lizzie tried to speak, but found herself unable to form a single word.

"I see that you have the ring. Yes, I see that you have it. Unfortunately, it has not chosen you to be its new master."

He stepped towards her, brought his hand down to graze the tips of his fingers over her cheek.

"But my, how lovely those eyes are."

Marianne felt uncomfortable by the atmosphere, and she wasn't the only one.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I'm betrothed. Ciel is the only man I care for." Elizabeth said with a blush.

"Your eyes are like deep green pools. There's so much sorrow in them," the man said. Elizabeth gasped as he continued. "You can't hide it from me. I can tell you're very sad."

Tears immediately sprang to Lizzie's eyes, causing Marianne to reach down and wipe them with a motherly hand.

The man watched her every move intently. Watched her eyes move to the clock on the wall.

"I'm afraid I must return to the manor. You will wait here for Paula to come for you, won't you, Lady Elizabeth?" Marianne asked.

Lizzie looked up at her and nodded her head. Marianne didn't feel that it was the best course of action, but the way the man was staring at her, it was like he was tearing away the layers of her disguise piece by piece…


Not long after Marianne had gone, Lizzie was sat in a chair opposite the man as she cried.

"I understand," said the man. "A birthday present, was it?"

"Yes, for Ciel! I want to make him happy!" Elizabeth wept.

The man extended his hands to her, his fingers topped with puppets.

"As you can see, we sell many things in the shop. Any one of them would make a wonderful gift."

The clock on the wall chimed, and out of its doors came a dancing couple. The organ on the table began to play of its own accord. Lizzie's eyes danced around the room, and landed on the row of beautiful dolls, who gazed back at her with their shining eyes.

"Lovely, aren't they? You can have your pick of them," said the man. "Please choose whichever one you would like."

"But I…" Elizabeth murmured.

"Yes I understand. You are looking, but there doesn't seem to be anything unique enough for him." The man's head tilted sideways with a jolt. "So then I think to myself, you must be searching for a very special present for a very special person I believe I know just the thing for him."

Lizzie grew more frightened.

"It's perfect," he said as his purple eyes caught her in their trap. "We'll give him you."


Marianne rubbed her hands over her face as she walked through the corridors of the manor, the sound of the phone ringing in her ears. She had gotten back not long before the sky turned completely black and was in search of Sebastian. When she found him, he had the phone pressed to his ear.

"Phantomhive Manor… Yes… I see… I shall inform the Master immediately. Thank you."

He placed the phone down and caught sight of her.

"Marianne, are you alright?" he asked.

The girl pressed her hands together.

"What's happened? Is something wrong?"

Sebastian extended a hand towards her.

"Come with me. We shall go inform the Young Master together."


"Elizabeth's disappeared?" Ciel asked.

He, Sebastian and Marianne had gathered in his study.

"Yes. Her maid said she lost track of her when they were stuck in traffic in Islington," the demon explained.

Marianne, realising she may have been the last person to have seen the girl, spoke up.

"I bumped into her as I was making my way back here. She dragged me into this little shop filled with dolls because she was following some music. The man who seemed to be the owner was most unusual, I thought him to be speaking in riddles most of the time, and he looked at both of us very strangely… There was a moment where I thought he had seen through my disguise, but he didn't do anything then." Tears then started to roll down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry… I thought she would be safer inside than wandering the streets on her own. I assumed her maid would find her soon enough. I should have stayed with her…"

Ciel got to his feet.

"If that is the case, then Islington is where we are headed. Honestly, what was she thinking? Wandering about on her own and going into a strange shop," he complained.

Sebastian handed Marianne the handkerchief from his breast pocket to wipe her eyes, and spoke to his master.

"First, you should look at this."

He showed Ciel a letter with a red seal on a silver tray, the Royal Coat of Arms staring back at him. The boy took the letter and began to read.

"Scotland Yard has been investigating a series of kidnappings. The targets are always young girls. Their bodies haven't turned up yet, but they're most likely dead. The kidnapper sends a piece of the Hope Diamond to his victims before taking them. The very diamond meant to set a curse on whoever owns it," he said. His brows drooped in remembrance. "The very gem we were recently chasing after. Who knew we would hear about it again like this?"

Sebastian bowed his head.

"What shall we do, My Lord?" he inquired.

"We shall do what the Queen has asked us. That is always our first priority. My job as Guardian of the Underworld." Ciel answered firmly.

Marianne blotted her eyes with a sigh, and used the handkerchief to cover the slight frown that pulled on her lips.


"Pardon the intrusion," said the man as he pushed open the double doors.

His master sat in his chair facing away from the entrance.

"My apologies, I'm very sorry for keeping you waiting, Master." The man went down on his knees and bowed his body low. "The next doll, she is nearly ready."

Build it up with wax and stone
Wax and stone
Wax and stone
Build it up with wax and stone
My fair lady

His master sang those words in a merry tune. The man lifted his head.

"As you wish, Master. It shall be done."


In the light of the crescent moon, the party of three rode in their carriage. Ciel stared silently out the window with Sebastian sat by his side, and Marianne sat opposite with her hands wringing in her lap, her disguise still in place.

"What is it?" Sebastian asked Ciel.

"I… have… I have an order to give you." Ciel answered.

"Yes?"

"Question everyone who knew the victims. Friends, family, and make up a suspect list. Get names and addresses, and search the crime scenes. It shouldn't take long. Three hours should be enough." Ciel met Sebastian's eyes in the glass. "While you're seeing to that, I have some other business to take care of. Am I understood?"

"Perfectly Sir," replied the demon.

Ciel closed his eye and scowled.

"Then hurry and get on with it!"

"Of course. As you wish, My Lord."

Sebastian leapt off the carriage and landed on the ground behind it, then dashed off in the opposite direction the carriage was travelling.


Ciel sat back in his seat. Marianne looked at him as she twisted her fingers together.

"You're going to look for her, aren't you?" she said.

He said nothing in response.


Grell leapt from roof to roof through the darkness of London.

"I'm getting close!" he cried, sharp teeth grinning madly. "It can only mean a gorgeous gentleman is nearby!"

His body was silhouetted by the moon, his red coat flapping against the wind like a cardinal's wings.


The two of them arrived in the empty streets of Islington. Ciel looked up at Marianne.

"Paula said she lost Lizzie somewhere around here. But why did we have to bring him with us?"

On a lead at his side was a fully dressed Pluto. Both Ciel and Marianne remembered how Sebastian had gifted them with the Demon Hound in proper attire…


"Take this with you, Young Master. I think you might find it useful."

"How so?"

"Well, Sir, if necessary, you can throw it at an attacker and run."


Marianne could understand the use of a Demon Hound's excellent sense of smell. The girl sighed and explained.

"Because even though I know the last place she was seen; it doesn't mean I can actually lead you on the same route she took to get there. Pluto can by following her scent, he is a dog after all."

The boy scowled and nodded his head, pulling a ribbon out of his coat pocket. He knelt down and held it to Pluto's nose.

"Here is the ribbon from Lizzie's gift."

Pluto was nonchalant.

"You stupid little mongrel! Is Sebastian the only one you will listen to?!"

The Demon Hound then began to run, leading Ciel by the leash attached to his wrist. Marianne sweatdropped.

"Oh dear…"

She hurried after them.


Pluto took them down the first alley, and the pair found themselves heading straight towards a female dog with white fur. Ciel struggled to hold the Hound at bay, so Marianne grabbed hold of his waist and assisted him.

"Why do you have to start looking for a mate now?!" the boy snapped.

"Why do you think I try to avoid him at all costs? I swear he tries to make me uncomfortable by strutting about without his clothes on!" complained Marianne.

Ciel arched a brow.

"I would have thought Sebastian would do that to you, not the dog."

She paused for a moment.

"I don't think I should dignify that with a response."


"Looking for a mate? Perhaps I can help."

The two of them looked up as the female dog ran off. Grell stood on a roof above them.

"I am a hunter of love, and at last my prey is before me. Red is the colour of fiery passion, and I am flaming."

Ciel gasped at the Reaper's presence, remembering how he had killed Madame Red without so much as a flinch. It was most discerning. He gritted his teeth and prepared for their next meeting.

"A gorgeous man, right there!" cried Grell as he pointed to Pluto.

"You again?!" snarled Ciel.

Grell smirked.

"A deadly efficient butler, that's me!"

He struck a pose, his tongue sticking out. Shrugging his shoulders, he continued to speak.

"However, I do find myself without a master at the moment."

As Grell leapt down into the alleyway, he glanced over the strange trio.

"After the Madame Red incident, I was temporarily demoted. And now I only get the lowliest of jobs," he bemoaned. "That brute Will said I wouldn't get my old post back until I collect some truly troublesome souls. Rotten sadist. Although I must confess, I like rotten fruit every now and then. And those cold brooding eyes of his will certainly keep me warm on a freezing night."

Marianne's brows arched.

"A good punishment for someone who loves their job so much…" she muttered. "Although your tastes aren't exactly fit for speaking of."

Grell then caught sight of Pluto.

"And who is this wild one? He's a cutie."

Ciel growled.

"Oh dear. You aren't thinking of avenging your dear old aunt, are you? I mean, that would just be silly." Grell commented.

The boy only glared at him.

"Shut up!"

"Now, now. Be nice. I don't see Bassy anywhere. What could a brat like you do without him?"

"Quiet!" Ciel snarled.

Marianne held him by the shoulders. Pluto growled viciously at the Reaper.

"Oh! Is he your protector for the evening?" teased Grell. "Why does this kid and the flat-chested female get all the good-looking men?"

This stopped Marianne short.

Flat-chested?! He calls 32DD flat-chested?! Oh, I am kicking his butt when I have the chance! She thought to herself as she glared at the man.

She tapped Ciel on the shoulder and released her hold on the leash. Pluto was strong enough to break free and charge at the red-haired man.

"Oh! He's going to attack me!" Grell gasped, thrilled at the prospect. He opened his arms as though to embrace the beast. "How exciting! I'm all yours, but please be gentle!"

He went completely ignored as Pluto ran past him, followed by Ciel and Marianne.

"Hey, what am I?! Chopped liver?!" Grell snapped.

Marianne called out to the young master.

"We're near where I met up with her! We need to keep going!"


It wasn't long before they reached the exact spot where she and Lizzie had bumped into one another. The two of them spotted the shop's lit window in the distance, but there was one key difference. Sat in the window was a doll that looked identical to Elizabeth.

"Lizzie…" Ciel gasped.

"Well," sneered Grell, who suddenly appeared behind them. "Look who we have here. Number 493 on the To-Die List. Butler and puppeteer to the House of Mandalay. A Mister Drossel Keinz."

Up ahead, the window of the shop shattered, followed by Pluto barking. The three of them hurried into the shop, and found the Demon Hound on the floor with the Lizzie doll held firmly in his mouth. He wasn't listening to Ciel as he tried to order him to heel, so the girl was left with no other alternative as she unleashed her wrath.

"Pluto, come here now." Marianne ordered.

Her aura was black and imposing, a glimmer of magenta flickered in her left eye as her voice rumbled with dark energy. The Demon Hound actually whimpered, bowed his body low in submission. Ciel looked at her in surprise.

"How the Hell did you do that?!" he asked indignantly.

"I haven't the faintest idea…" she murmured.

Pluto bounded over and dropped the doll into Ciel's waiting hands. Ciel's eye widened when he recognised the ribbon tied around the doll's waist; it was one of Elizabeth's, from when she had been wearing it in her hair.

Lizzie…


A breeze rustled through the room, cold and ominous as it sent a shudder through Marianne's body. With slow footsteps, she walked towards the open door and stepped out into a clearing surrounded by trees. In the centre was the towering figure of a castle straight out of a fairy tale, with turrets and arches and spires.

"Is this meant to be the cursed castle?" she asked herself. "Because it looks nothing like a mansion."

Ciel came up behind her and stared at the imposing structure in determination.

Lizzie is somewhere in that mansion. I know it.

"Goodness!" Grell cried. "Not exactly the most welcoming of places, is it?"

An idea then sprung to Ciel's mind.

This is the man who killed Madame Red. But I need him…

His thoughts drifted to the memories of Elizabeth's dazzlingly bright smile.

"Fine, Grell. Come in with us," he said. "Protect us and I'll grant you a request."

The Reaper huffed.

"How insulting! Earl or not, do you think I am the type of woman you can buy with money?"

Ciel smirked.

"I'll give you Sebastian for a day. You can do whatever you want with him."

Those words opened a black hole in Marianne's stomach. A sharp pain rattled through her chest and drove a dagger deeply into the small of her back. She trembled quietly as Grell thought over the proposition.

"Sebastian and whatever I want to do, eh? OH! Even kissing?!" he shouted in glee.

His eyes immediately filled with stars at the very thought.

"If that's what you want." Ciel sniggered.

"Does that mean I can use tongue?"

"Do anything you please with him."

The poor girl shook her head.

This cannot be good… I don't even want to think about what is going on through that bloody Reaper's head. She thought to herself.

Grell was quick to shout out his agreement.

"Oh my, yes! That is an offer I couldn't possibly refuse! I'm deadly serious!"


Build it up with wax and stone
Wax and stone
Wax and stone
Build it up with wax and stone
My fair lady

Drossel stood at a pot of boiling wax. All around him were pieces of dolls and mannequins, along with paints and brushes and other tools for doll making. Lizzie was lying on a table, unconscious. The man turned from the pot and removed his gloves with his mouth, tossing them onto a chair where he had placed her coat. His hand was a collection of balls and joints, bending and cracking as naturally as a human hand as he pulled away the ribbon that wrapped around Elizabeth's waist. Drossel continued to hum the same tune while he worked.


Grell slammed the doors open with a smile.

"Alright, here we go."

Ciel, Marianne and Pluto followed behind him. They were surprised to see a girl with strawberry blonde waves and a ruffled blue dress standing on a platform before them. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, as blue as Ciel's one glinting sapphire. Running up to her, they spotted a blue-stoned ring sat on her thumb.

"Oh look!" Grell smiled. "That ring's a lot like yours, isn't it?"

The Hope Diamond?! Ciel thought. This doll looks like…

He immediately thought of one of the missing girls.

Impossible!

"Is this one of the missing girls?" asked Marianne. "She looks a lot like one of the dolls that were on display in the shop. Could they have been replicas for all of those girls?"

And then, the girl's eyes moved. They landed on Ciel. Her hand shot out and wrapped around his neck. The boy choked under her unrelenting grasp. He struggled and writhed and called out to Pluto.

"Help, Pluto!"

Pluto merely shook a doll between his teeth.

"You useless mongrel!"

Marianne, who had staggered back when she saw the girl lash out, drew her dagger from its holster strapped to her thigh. She used the pommel to strike the girl's wrist, which easily loosened her grip.


A crystal dropped onto the girl's head, causing her to release the boy altogether. Ciel fell to the floor, his hand clutched to his throat as he massaged air back into his lungs. Marianne knelt down at his side, her dagger poised between them and the disorientated girl.

"Now why would you call the puppy when you should be calling on me?" Grell called out.

The two of them looked up to see the Reaper standing on the metalwork of a chandelier above their heads.

"So that's where you got to," smiled Marianne.

"You know, as a Reaper, I have all the tools necessary for harvesting a soul." Grell pulled out two pairs of scissors from his coat. "See? My Death Scythe."

Ciel got to his feet and his brows arched in surprise.

"But aren't those just scissors?"

Those words caused the red Reaper to react very angrily.

"Well what do you want me to do?! Will took away my personally modified Death Scythe! I miss it so much!"

Grell then smirked.

"But I'll show you! I'll snip her into bits!"

Leaping down, he moved towards the girl.

"Hold on!" cried Ciel. "Don't hurt her! She isn't actually a doll!"

Grell ignored him.

"Welcome to the afterlife!"

He sliced into the girl's neck and landed in a crouch before the noble and his caretaker. Marianne gasped when she saw the sawdust spilling out onto the marble floor.

"Maybe she was a doll after all…" Ciel murmured as he reached for the doll's hand and pulled the ring off its thumb.


Wood and clay will wash away
Wash away
Wash away

They could hear the singing coming from the other side of the door before them. The doors creaked open and Drossel stood before them with a candelabra in his hand.

"What a useless doll. She was an utter failure," he said. "So then I thought to myself, in order to succeed, I must make them considerably stronger than this."

His voice was cold and chilling in its melodious song and his free hand moved and clutched the air before him.

Build it up with iron and steel
Iron and steel
Iron and steel
Build it up with iron and steel
My fair lady

Out of the shadows emerged more dolls. All of them moved with the military precision of a soldier. Drossel stepped back through the door and disappeared into the darkness.

"I've seen them before." Ciel gasped.

"They look like the dolls from the shop." Marianne agreed.

"Rather the dolls in the shop look like the kidnapped girls."

Grell shook his head and shouted.

"I'm not going to let anyone take away my day with dear sweet Bassy!"

The boy tried to stop him.

"Grell, wait!"

"Take this, dolls!" snarled the Reaper.

But when he lashed out at them, they were impenetrable to his blades. Grell landed with a thud on the ground.

"I-I couldn't cut them!" he gasped.

The only thing that had come away was the doll's skin, revealing the metal hands that lay beneath the surface. Ciel gritted his teeth and spoke in his master's voice.

"Grell, this is an order. You and Pluto stay here to keep the dolls occupied and play with them for as long as it takes."

The Reaper barely acknowledged the order as he moved to dodge one of the dolls surging forward to attack him. Ciel grabbed Marianne's hand and the two of them dashed towards the doors.

"Wait!" cried Grell. "You're going to leave me here? How not very human of you!"

Ciel snorted.

"I'm the inhuman one?"

He and Marianne went through the doors.


Up the stairs they went.

The dolls look just like the pictures of the kidnapped girls. Ciel thought to himself. No… The dolls are the girls. Which means… Lizzie…

Marianne gripped his hand as they burst through the doors at the top of the stairs.


They ran into a room completely barren of life. Above their heads, they heard Drossel's voice.

"Ciel Phantomhive."

Looking up to see him sat on a balcony overlooking the room, they listened to him speak.

"You are indeed a beautiful specimen. I'll have to make you into a doll worthy of such exquisite beauty."

"What have you done with Elizabeth?" Ciel bellowed.

Drossel touched his hat and tilted his head.

"Now, what materials shall we use for you? Clay will wash away too easily. But iron is far too crude for you. So then, I thought to myself…"

Build it up with silver and gold
Silver and gold
Silver and gold
Build it up with silver and gold
My fair lady

His gaze then drifted to Marianne, who stood as a barrier between him and Ciel as the boy made his way across the room and towards the next set of doors.

"You, on the other hand, are equally a beautiful creature, and must be brought away from the filth that clings to your flesh. I believe gold and ivory would be perfect for you…"

The girl's lip curled.

"I would rather be silver and obsidian, if you are so intent. But as I am inclined to refuse any such transformation, I would keep your mouth to yourself."

She and Ciel pushed through the doors and entered the next room.


They entered a room that was completely black, except for the white masks displayed across the length and breadth of the walls. The masks sang their song at them, bombarding them like stones thrown at a sinner.

Build it up with silver and gold
Silver and gold
Silver and gold
Build it up with silver and gold
My fair lady

"Cover your ears, Ciel!" Marianne ordered. "Run to the stairs!"

Ciel nodded his head and clamped his hands down over his ears. Marianne planned to do the same, but that song grated against her eardrums. She had heard it so many times; it haunted her nightmares for years, and burned her very soul with its scathing lyrics. It felt like her strength was being sapped from her body through the masks' gaping mouths. Her muscles slowly relaxed against her will, and her knees buckled and knocked together. Through blurring eyes, she watched Ciel run up the stairs, his steps pounding against the cold stone.

"That's it… Get away as fast as you can, Ciel."

With a thud, her knees hit the floor as her hands trembled in their path to cover her aching ears.


Faintly, she heard footsteps approaching her from behind…

"You cannot run from my master, Dear Mary."

The world faded to black before her eyes.


Ciel burst through the doors at the top of the stairs, slamming them behind him. He gasped for breath, his lungs heaved with the intense effort, straining against his ribcage and wanting to burst out of his chest. He caught sight of a symbol marked into the floor, his eyes widened. He remembered…

'That day… My birthday… My life changed forever.'

The smell of burning flesh as the brand scalded against his fragile skin… The sight of the dagger coming down to bury itself into his flesh…

'As long as I live, I will never know Happy Birthday again.'

The splatter of blood as it exploded from his abdomen…

His gaze focused. His lip turned down in determination.

Never!


The curtains rustled in the night air.

"Truly Master, nothing good ever happens on your birthday, does it?"

Ciel gasped and stared at the shadow outlined in the open window.

"You lost your parents, your home, and this time, you stand to lose Lady Elizabeth."

Sebastian emerged from behind the curtain, sat upon the windowsill, his red eyes glowing in the light of the moon. Ciel cried out to him.

"Sebastian!"


Oh dear! Sebastian is going to be bringing down all of Hell when he finds out that Marianne has been taken. I suppose it is time for people to learn never to get in the way of a demon and its mate…

I love playing with this episode! There is so much to get into the story. I will also be explaining the reason for Marianne being referred to as Mary, although I don't know which chapter that will be though… I will get to it though, I promise!

Should you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Please read and review!