Chapter Sixteen
Butler, Supremely Talented. Bride, Courting
"This makes twenty victims so far!"
"This is the son of the King of Bengal. Soma Asman Kadar."
"Agni is deadly, but he is human enough."
"With strength like that, he could easily hang those men upside-down."
"There are some things you can never get back. No matter how hard you struggle."
"You're going to take me to Hell?"
"As our bond grows stronger, you will be closer and closer to becoming a demon."
Marianne remembered all these sentences as she sat on the rooftop beside Sebastian. Watching Agni go from the estate was expected by the demon butler. He nipped Marianne on the cheek with a smirk, and swung himself down to the view of the open parlour window, much in the manner of a bat with how he remained upside-down.
"How are you doing that?" Marianne whispered in awe.
Sebastian merely smiled and turned his gaze to Ciel as he sat by the parlour window.
"Young Master, he has made his move," he said.
Ciel got to his feet.
"Good. Let's follow him."
"Take me with you!" cried a voice.
Ciel turned to see Soma standing at the door.
"You? Why?" he asked.
The prince nodded his head and explained.
"I know that Agni has been sneaking out after I fall asleep. I want to know what he has been up to. That is my right!"
The boy and his demon looked at one another, and then back to Soma.
It wasn't long before Ciel, Sebastian, Marianne, Soma, and Lau stood watching Agni enter through the gates of a large mansion from an alleyway.
"A nice place… Who lives here?" Soma asked.
"This estate belongs to Harold West Jeb." Ciel explained. "He imports a wide range of goods from India. He also owns various stores, coffeehouses, and the like. I've met him once. He's disgustingly obsessed with his social status."
Marianne agreed with his assessment, having had to stand in the same room as him during the meeting. A pompous prat as there ever was one, in her honest opinion, and held too much love for branded names for her liking.
"People have been trussed up at one of his businesses and hung upside-down. Mr West happened to away at the time however, so fortunately for him he managed to escape unharmed." Sebastian told them.
The girl tapped her lip in thought.
"Makes you wonder if it was intentional or not. But it could also be coincidence," she muttered.
Ciel glanced at Sebastian.
"Shall we have a look?"
Sebastian bowed.
"Indeed."
The demon gathered both Ciel and Marianne into his arms and leapt over the wall surrounding the estate.
Inside the mansion, they snuck through the corridors with nary a sound. They crept up the stairs and opened a door where they could hear voices behind. Peeking inside, they watched West pour a glass of scotch.
"Why not relax with a nice scotch? An excellent one from Josterini and Brooks. They hold the Royal Warrant, you know." West said with a laugh.
He offered Agni the scotch, but the Indian man remained seated on the chaise. West shrugged his shoulders and smiled.
"Our plan has been perfect so far. You've done well for me, Agni." His smile transformed into a smirk. "I think we have done all we need to. Stringing up anyone else won't be necessary."
He tossed the newspaper into the seat beside Agni. Jeb then reached out and grabbed onto the Indian man's right wrist.
"With this blessed hand of yours, the Royal Warrant may already be in my pocket."
Agni's eyes trembled as he stared into the cold eyes of Harold West Jeb.
Meanwhile, Ciel was surprised.
"The Royal Warrant? So that's what this is," he whispered.
Marianne shushed him and pointed towards the door.
Agni sighed heavily.
"If I carry out the plan as promised, then Mina…"
Soma immediately burst through the door when he heard the woman's name.
"Where is Mina?" he bellowed.
The two men turned towards the prince.
"What the-?"
"My prince!"
Ciel nearly went into the room after him, but Sebastian managed to pull him back before he could and clapped a hand over his mouth to keep him silent.
"West is almost certain to recognise us, My Lord. We must stay back," he whispered.
Marianne nodded her head with a wince and forced herself to watch the drama unfold through the door.
Soma grabbed Agni by the lapels, his anger bubbling beneath the surface.
"What is this?" he demanded. "You have known where Mina was all along, Agni?!"
West smirked.
"I see. This intrusive young man is your master."
Soma turned his head towards him and pushed Agni away.
"And you are the man who took Mina away!" he shouted. He turned to his servant. "Get him! Do you hear me?"
Agni visibly began to shake, sweat beaded at his temples and slid down his face. Soma was confused, but did not acknowledge his struggle.
"What are you waiting for?"
Ciel sat on the floor in the corridor, arms folded and a scowl on his face.
"Let us grab that idiot prince and get out of here!" he snapped.
Marianne patted his shoulder sympathetically, and glanced up at the deer head mounted up on the wall above their heads.
"West shall surely recognise you as soon as you walk in." Lau cautioned.
Sebastian smirked.
"I'll take care of it."
West sneered at the young prince.
"Well Agni, are you going to take care of this brat for me?"
"This brat?!" Soma snapped.
Agni was visibly pained, his muscles kept clenching and unclenching between his clothes. West's smile became positively feral.
"Well?"
Agni was wild when he raised his right hand towards Soma. The intended blow was blocked however by Sebastian, who was wearing a deer's head.
"…Deer…?"
The other three occupants in the room stared at him, utterly confused. West was the first to snap out of his trance.
"A deer man? What's going on here?!" he cried.
Sebastian turned towards him.
"Yes, thank you for stating the obvious. I am a deer."
He bowed as though it was perfectly normal to be wearing a deer's head.
"I've come for the prince."
West, being as incredibly foolish as he was, cried out to Agni.
"He's a foreign spy! Get him!"
Sebastian smiled under his disguise.
"Oh no, I am simply one Hell of a deer."
His words were ignored.
"Kill him!" West ordered. Agni fumbled in his response so West made his threat. "Do something or our agreement is over! Now!"
Agni's right hand clenched into a fist. Tears of blood spilled down his cheeks.
"Since I was reborn, I have only had one God and master. I vowed that I would never swing my fist for anyone but him. I am guilty of betraying that vow! Please forgive me!" he pleaded.
Soma cried out to him.
"Don't do it, Agni!"
Sebastian was nonchalant as he pulled on the edges of his gloves. Agni removed the bandages from his right hand, his entire fist and body glowed bright blue as he lunged for them, his eyes lost their pupils and became completely white.
Sebastian dodged out of the way with Soma slung over his shoulder like a heavy sack. Agni continued to pursue them and destroy everything in his path. West screamed at the destruction of his possessions.
"The crystal glasses I got at Thomas Goodman's! Do you know how much they're worth?!"
Ciel and Marianne watched the action from the door. Marianne was silently laughing at the whole scene, especially Sebastian and the deer head. Lau merely smiled.
"Sounds like trouble. Perhaps we should leave now?"
He picked up the boy.
"Come, my Lord, it's time to go."
Marianne and Ciel agreed.
"Hey!" Ciel called out. "We're drawing too much attention! Grab the kid and get out of here, Sebastian!"
Lau turned around with him on his shoulder and hurried away, Marianne following behind them as quickly as she could.
Sebastian leapt out of Agni's way again.
"Yes Sir."
He leapt out the window with Soma, glass shattering all around him. Agni could only watch them go with blood tears streaming down his face.
Back at the town house, Sebastian and Marianne had prepared tea for everyone. Lau was sat in an armchair sipping from his cup.
"With that kind of punch, this fellow is no ordinary human being," he commented.
Soma rested his chin in his hand, sat pondering in a second armchair.
"It is a mental technique he uses called Samadhe. When he gets like that, no one can touch him," he explained.
"Never heard of it." Ciel said as he sat in the third armchair.
Sebastian looked down at them all and smiled.
"I imagine it is a type of trance. Agni has absolute faith in his master. Consequentially from that faith, he is able to produce superhuman power. His skills are born of something we can never understand, the power of complete love and trust in another person," he explained, looking at Marianne as he said those words.
Marianne blushed prettily under his red-eyed stare.
Soma remained desolate.
"But this betrayal… Why would he do it?" he asked. He slammed his fists onto the table. "Why do people close to me always leave?!"
He pushed all the china off the table, spilling boiling hot tea onto the carpet and shattering the intricate tea set.
"Prince Soma…!" Ciel gasped.
The prince was unhearing of anything but his own pain.
"All of them… Why…?"
Soma ran away as fast as he could, pushing Marianne out of the way and sending her tumbling to the floor.
Her hands landed on top of the fragmented shards of china, cutting through the thin fabric of her gloves. She cried out when she saw the blood staining through the white.
"Oh no… The Havilland tea set, there's no chance of repairing it…" she whispered.
Sebastian was immediately kneeling by her side and bringing her to her feet.
"We shall worry about the tea set later. For now, your hands need tending to," he said with a stern expression.
As much as I enjoy the taste of your blood, I should rather not have it staining your beautiful skin. He thought to her.
Marianne blushed and did her best to think a response back at him.
You intend to heal me with your saliva again?
The demon merely smiled as he led her out the room. He then stared off in the direction Soma had run off in.
"Children. It seems that this one in particular will require some personal disciplining."
The girl stared up at him with her dark blue eyes.
"If there is anything you need me to do to help, let me know and I'll do it."
Sebastian smirked.
"I may just take you up on that offer."
Later that night, Soma was curled up in bed, hidden under the covers he had bundled around him in a cocoon. Footsteps padded softly on the carpeted floor, and the sheet was whipped away from the bed. Soma went tumbling to the floor, flinching when he landed on his back.
"You careless pig!" he snapped.
"I'm the careless one?"
Soma looked up and saw Sebastian staring down at him with cold, red eyes.
"You are in England at the estate of my master Lord Phantomhive. What you childishly don't seem to recognise is that as it stands, your presence in this household amounts to little more than a nuisance." The demon said without expression.
The prince's mouth dropped open in shock as Sebastian continued in his disparaging speech.
"You are a helpless child who can do nothing without Agni at his side. And now your pillar of strength has left you."
Soma's head drooped.
"You're right. I've lost everyone… Everyone who mattered to me…"
Sebastian laughed demonically, sending a chill throughout the room.
"Lost? You are more than a child than I thought," he sneered. "You haven't lost anything, Prince. Don't you understand? You can't have lost what you never had to begin with."
He then listed them all.
"Status from your parents. A palace from your parents. Servants from your parents. Never before in your life has anything actually belonged to you. Isn't that right?"
"It's not!" Soma protested fervently.
"Some part of you must have known the truth about Agni. But you were too much of a coward to face the truth, weren't you?" The demon smirked.
The prince covered his ears to block out the accusations, repeating the same words over and over again.
"You're wrong! You're wrong! You're wrong!"
He tried to run out of the room to escape, but he was stopped by Marianne walking into the room and closing the door behind her. Sebastian leant a hand on her shoulder and smirked down at his prey.
"You know I'm not wrong. You're finally seeing the truth. And now you want to play the tragic hero. What a hopelessly pathetic brat you are."
Marianne stared down at the prince as he fell to his knees in despair.
"They said they would be with me forever…" he wept.
Sebastian arched a brow.
"And you actually believed them? You're so naïve. Why would they stay when they got nothing in return? That's something most three-year-olds understand."
The girl laced her fingers together.
"You think of your own desires, and do not show any consideration in another's perspective. You do not realise that not everyone is simply going to bow to you because of your status. You have to earn that right," she said. Removing the gloves from her hands, she continued. "In your rush to escape the truth, you knocked me into the china you broke, and I was bleeding severely. I have access to excellent medical attention, but what would have happened if it was someone who didn't have such things? Your selfishness may just have led to you seriously hurting someone, maybe even killing them. Do you think of the consequences of your actions?"
Sebastian glared down at Soma.
"Time to face facts. Nobody ever loved you."
Soma was in tears.
"That's enough of that."
The couple turned to see Ciel leaning against the doorframe.
"Master…"
"Who knows? I could have easily ended up the same way as him. If it hadn't been for that month."
Soma managed to bring himself to his feet.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
Ciel looked at him with one steely sapphire eye.
"My family, they were killed and my home was burned down. I was treated worse than you would treat any animal. I was helpless… Just a child." He clenched his fist, the Hope Diamond on his thumb glittering in the darkness. "But I came back. To make the people who did all that to me suffer the same humiliation. And I will find them. My parents were killed for a reason. If I remain the family head and make myself a nuisance to the people who hurt them, they'll target me. That's what I'm waiting for. Someday they'll come to take my life too."
Marianne wrapped her hand around Sebastian's, completely hidden from the prince's view as he focused his attention on Ciel.
"But why? Why do it?" he cried.
"Because the alternative is grief and melancholy." Ciel answered. "If I stand still, I might as well be dead with them. But I'm alive and still standing, moving on my own two feet. I'm going to die someday, and I would rather do it without regrets. I'm not going to pretend I'm doing anything noble. This is no grand revenge. This is just a game, and I'm waiting to see who wins. However far I fall, as long as there is so much as a thread left to me, I will use it to climb. I will take hold of it and refuse to give up. I am still human. I can do that much."
He then looked at Soma.
"But every person must decide on his own whether to grab it." Ciel shook his head and shifted away from the doorframe. "Enough of this idle talk. Sebastian, Edward, we need to talk about West now. Come."
Sebastian and Marianne followed after the boy as he left the room.
"Yes, My Lord."
Watching them go, Soma thought to himself.
Every person must decide on his own to grab it.
"Ciel!" he called out.
The trio stopped at his words.
"I am seventeen, but you are right. Compared to you, I am still only a child. I am nothing more than a spoiled brat." The prince sighed heavily. "I knew there was something that was bothering Agni, but I never bothered to ask, did I? But now I want to know, I want to see them in person and ask why they left me. I'm begging you! Let me come!"
Ciel raised his hand.
"Don't be absurd. You're a naïve idiot, I don't want to chaperone you." He paused for a moment. "Of course, it's not as though I am going to go to the trouble of locking you in here."
Soma stared after him as he walked away, the sound of cherub trumpets singing in his ears. He latched onto Ciel in an embrace.
"Thank you!" he cried.
"Get off!" Ciel snapped.
The prince then clasped his hands together in apology.
"I am sorry I lost my temper earlier, and destroyed your tea set." He also turned to Marianne. "And I apologise for the injuries I caused you during my outburst. Please forgive me."
Soma then caught sight of Sebastian lurking in the shadows behind him. Quickly, he ducked behind Ciel and Marianne.
"Oh yeah, and you too! I'm very sorry!"
Marianne barely managed to hold back a chuckle at the sheer terror in the poor man's voice. Sebastian smirked darkly.
"That's alright. I find you entertaining."
The girl wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not…
Later, they were gathered in the parlour once again over tea. Ciel steeped his fingers under his chin as he thought out loud.
"I didn't realise that West was after a Royal Warrant. Although, given his obsession with status, it does make sense."
Marianne handed Sebastian a cup of tea for Soma and watched with a smile as he made his way over to the prince. Soma was oblivious to the oncoming demon.
"I was wondering, what exactly is a Royal Warrant?" he asked.
When he saw Sebastian, he pinned himself into the opposite side of the armchair, just to get away from him. Lau, who still hadn't left the town house, spoke up.
"It's an endorsement bestowed by the Royal Family upon their favourite vendors," he explained. "Royal Warrant holders are official purveyors to the Crown."
Sebastian nodded his head.
"Yes indeed. And in one week, a Curry Exhibition will be held as part of the festivities at the Crystal Palace. I am told it should be quite the event."
Soma's eyes widened.
"Curry?"
"What's more," continued Sebastian. "From what I've heard, Her Majesty, who is widely known to be a lover of curry, will be in attendance that day."
Ciel shook his head.
"Nothing more than a rumour," he dismissed. "Ever since her husband, Prince Albert, passed away, Her Majesty rarely condescends to make any public appearances."
"What do the Curry Exhibition and the recent crimes have to do with each other?" asked Soma.
"The connection is the curry. It's the specialty at West's coffeehouse. If he obtains a Royal Warrant for his curry, his sales are sure to increase dramatically." Ciel answered. "My guess is he was using Agni to target specific men. They were probably his rivals for the Curry Exhibition. When he hanged the men, he included notes that were insulting to the English. That was done to make it seem as if the attacks were carried out by a bitter Indian. Likely, Mina was West's bait. She's probably the only reason Agni got involved."
Marianne handed the boy one of the notes from the crime scenes.
"I'm guessing he did it all for you." Ciel said.
He slid the paper towards Soma, the tongue that acted as a signature on all the notes stared back at him.
"You worship Kali, a goddess who was depicted with her tongue sticking out. Agni worships you as his God, along with Kali." Ciel smiled. "The connection seems obvious. He clearly signed those letters as a way of apologising to you."
Sebastian smirked.
"He may indeed have left, but everything he does is still for you, no one else. Agni lives only for you. He is a fine butler."
Soma stared at the note, his amber eyes almost brimming with tears.
"Agni…" he whispered.
Lau clapped his hands.
"My, my! I do love a happy ending. It looks like everything is all wrapped up, no need to get more involved. I'm sure the Yard can handle the rest," he smiled.
The prince sprung to his feet and slammed his hands down on the table.
"Wait, no! There's Agni and Mina! What will happen to them?" he asked.
"We know the criminal underworld isn't involved in this, which means it has nothing to do with us." Ciel answered.
Soma clenched his fist, but nodded in agreement.
"You're right. This is my problem. I need to be strong, and need to find a way to handle it on my own."
The boy smirked, stretching his arms and cracking his fingers.
"That's the right attitude, and it affords me the liberty to look after my own agenda," he explained. "I was called to the city during winter for this idiotic case. I think I deserve to be compensated for the inconvenience, don't you?"
He leaned back in his armchair and continued.
"Thanks to West's nefarious activities, the competition at the Curry Exhibition will be considerably slimmer than it normally would be. So perhaps the Phantomhive Company should enter its own curry. We would only have to beat West. Then the Royal Warrant will fall into our hands. I was already considering expanding into the food industry anyway. Winning a Royal Warrant for our curry would generate some buzz. It would be an excellent way to get started."
"But you only have a week before the contest!" Lau protested. "Can you find an adequate curry chef and gather equipment in time?"
Ciel looked up at Sebastian and smiled.
"I don't think that would be necessary, isn't that right, Sebastian?"
The demon bowed eloquently.
"If I couldn't make a good curry for my master, then what kind of butler would I be?" he smiled. "I shall secure the Royal Warrant…"
"Impossible!" Soma interrupted, sending everyone silent. "There's no way you can win. They have Agni cooking for them, and his hand was blessed by the Goddess Kali."
Ciel stared at Soma.
"Yes, I am willing to admit that Agni is a remarkable fighter. But this is a cooking competition. It's not combat," he said.
Soma shook his head.
"That is what I am saying. None of you have even glimpsed Agni's true power yet." His golden stare was powerful, and unwavering. "You don't know real curry."
Marianne, having had enough of being silent for so long, spoke up.
"What is this real curry?" she asked.
The prince smiled.
"The key to curry is a mixture of spices, the possibilities are infinite. Choosing the right ones is a very difficult task. It is like trying to find one truth in a vast universe. But Agni can do it. He creates words out of nothingness, his power is on the same plain as the gods! That is why he is known as the Godly Right-Hand of Kali!" he cried. "Never in my life have I tasted a bowl of curry that could even begin to compare to his."
Lau smiled in his chair.
"How interesting! Agni's true power is creating the curry of Kali," he chuckled.
Turning to Sebastian, the boy spoke.
"Well? What do you think?"
The demon smirked.
"Fascinating indeed. Sounds like a challenge."
Marianne sweatdropped.
Why do I get the feeling I'm going to need to expand my stomach?
Within a day, Sebastian had created rows upon rows of curry filled pots. Marianne stared at the sheer number with a small amount of fear. Soma was at her side looking positively gobsmacked.
"You made all of these curries by yourself?" he asked.
Sebastian couldn't resist smirking.
"Yes. You're the only one on the estate who has tasted Agni's curry before. I would like you to perform a taste test for me."
He plated up a bowl of curry and handed it to the prince.
"Which one should we use to defeat your butler?"
Soma was scared for a moment, but he steeled his nerve.
"Yes, okay, I will! If I can repay your kindness by eating curry, I will eat as much as you want me to!"
Sebastian nodded his head.
"Thank you, I appreciate it."
"I'll do it for Mina and Agni!" Soma swore.
Meanwhile, at West's estate, Agni was meeting West in his office.
"Thanks to you, every one of our rivals has withdrawn their entry." West sneered. "The rest are third rate brands I've never heard of before, and some company that makes children's toys."
He tossed the list onto the desk. Agni picked it up and began to read.
"The Funtom Company… Does that mean…?" he asked.
"No need to worry. With that godly right hand of yours, we're sure to win the Royal Warrant."
Agni could only close his eyes and nod his head.
Over the course of the week, the quest for the perfect curry continued. Ciel was sat at his desk. Sebastian knocked on the door and walked inside with Marianne.
"Pardon me, Sir. For today's tea we have Ode du Chocolat."
Marianne stared longingly at the slice of chocolate cake, even though Sebastian had allowed her to lick the spoon like a child when they had been baking it. Ciel didn't spare them a glance as he worked.
"I'll need proper dress for a royal audience," he said.
Sebastian chuckled.
"You insist she won't come, yet you dress up anyway. How amusing, the Queen's Guard Dog is a well-trained little pup, eh?"
The girl slapped him on the arm.
"Sebastian, really!" she chastised.
Ciel glared at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Have you concocted a curry better than Agni's yet?" he snapped.
The demon shook his head.
"No. According to the prince, something is still lacking."
Marianne remembered the empty plates in the kitchen, Soma's bulging belly, and the fact she was meant to be washing the dishes that night. It was going to be a long night… Her thoughts were interrupted when the boy brushed their presence away.
"Then get back to the kitchen and stop wasting your time baking cakes. You have more important things to do."
Sebastian took the slice of cake away.
"Yes, I understand, My Lord."
Ciel glanced back at them.
"And anyway, I'm not really in the mood for chocolate right now."
Marianne clutched her chest as though wounded.
"It is a well-known fact that women and children cannot resist chocolate. Some even believe it to be made by the angels. Personally, I think demons would have had a hand in it, since it is as delicious as sin," she teased.
The boy laughed.
"If you love it so much, why don't you toss it into the curry or something?"
Sebastian bowed gracefully.
"Indeed, my Young Master."
During the night, where the curry competition waited on the other side of the day, Agni stirred his curry, his thoughts remained on the words he said so long ago…
"Until that day, I wasn't a religious man. I was born into the Brahmins. We were the highest castes. People who managed to serve the gods, but I saw the greed and snobbery of the men around me, and I couldn't bring myself to believe in our righteousness. I committed many crimes. Until finally…"
"The man you were is dead now! You will be reborn with a new name and a new life!"
"I finally found something divine. It was in him."
"Now, you are Agni!"
Agni clenched his right hand.
I vowed only to use this hand only for the god I found in him.
At the Phantomhive house, Soma saw in the darkness, staring out of a window. The moon glowed in the sky and danced among the stars.
The following morning, Sebastian was helping Ciel dress for the event. The boy's attire could only be described as dark and dashing, with his black coat and hat, trimmed with white lace and silver chains and adornments; a sword was strapped to his side.
"Is this outfit fit for a royal audience, My Lord?" the demon inquired.
They stood in front of the mirror together, Sebastian staring over Ciel's shoulder to meet his eye. Ciel cast his gaze over his appearance critically.
"Yes, it's fine. Now drop it," he retorted. "Anyway, are you certain you can beat Agni's curry today?"
Sebastian smirked.
"Of course. I swear it on the Phantomhive name. I shall win a Royal Warrant without fail."
It was then that Marianne came into the room, dressed in her butler's uniform and black coat. The girl smiled affectionately when he saw Ciel in his fancy clothes.
"Don't you look handsome?" she said, brushing her black gloved hands over his shoulders.
Ciel blushed and looked away.
"Must you say that?" he replied. He shook his head and steeled himself. "Are you ready, Marianne?"
She looked up at Sebastian as he rested his hand on the small of her back.
"As I will ever be."
They arrived at the Great Exhibition. Marianne was in complete awe at the sights on display. There was a replica of the Taj Mahal, many exotic plants growing throughout the building, and the interesting smells tickling the insides of her nose. She stood in a line with the entirety of the Phantomhive party, which included Lau, Ran Mao, and the servant trio, along with her, Ciel, Sebastian and Soma.
"Well," said Sebastian. "I have certain preparations I have to make. I must excuse myself. Edward, if you would accompany me for a moment?"
Marianne nodded her head and followed after him as he walked away. Finny and Bard cheered Sebastian on in farewell.
"Bye! See you later!"
"Come on, Sebastian! Good luck!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Soma spotted an Indian woman walking among the crowd, whose presence was very familiar… He hurried after her before she could disappear from his sight.
Outside the room where Sebastian was meant to gather with the other competitors, he took Marianne into a shadowed part of the corridor. With a smirk on his face, he pinned her to the wall with one hand holding her wrists above her head, and crooked her chin up with the other. Marianne stared up at him with glittering blue eyes, which fluttered closed as his face drew close to hers and attached his mouth to her own. His tongue sought refuge in her mouth, her fingers clenched and unclenched against his wrist. Moans spilled from her mouth, causing him to chuckle.
"Such a responsive little one," he smiled. "Will I get something special when I win the Royal Warrant?"
Marianne blushed.
"Maybe…"
The demon stole another kiss from her eager lips.
"Then I shall look forward to it."
He released her and stepped out of the shadows, leaving her to return to the others.
He stepped into the room. Agni bolted upright from his seat when he saw Sebastian.
"Why are you here?" asked the Indian man.
Sebastian smirked.
Soma continued to run through the crowd, becoming lost within the many masses. To be lost in such an enormous place was never a good thing, but he didn't care because at that moment, he spotted the woman he had been chasing.
"Mina!" he cried out.
The woman stopped, looked over her shoulder. Her skin was dark, her hair a flowing midnight curtain, and her eyes as dark as a stormy sky. Gold earrings dangled from her earlobes, and tingled with every movement of her head.
"Huh, what's that?" she called. "Prince Soma?"
Soma ran over and embraced her.
"Mina, I am so glad! Agni got you back!" He removed himself from her for a moment, and looked down at her with a smile. "You don't have to worry now. We can go back to the palace."
Mina stared at him, eyes wavering.
"Highness?"
Her expression then completely transformed. The air seemed to grow colder and darker as the next words spilled from her downturned lips.
"How stupid are you?"
Shocked, Soma was unable to speak as Mina continued with her callous words.
"Go back with you? Don't make me laugh! Why would I ever want to go back there?"
She smacked his hands away and turned around, arms folded indignantly.
"I already went to so much trouble to escape. People born into royalty can lounge around, never doing a day of work in their lives. Because I was born into lower caste, I was forever doomed to be a servant. I don't want to spend my whole life trapped by the caste system!"
The prince slowly began to put the pieces together.
"You went with him willingly? It was your decision?" he asked.
"Yes!" Mina snapped. "That's right! A lowly servant, or a rich man's wife? Even a child knows which one is better! I spent my whole life taking care of you, you selfish brat! I'm done with it!"
Her ire then cooled bit by bit.
"I promised I wouldn't tell you. But now, here you are. You're old enough to know the truth."
She walked away without another word.
From behind where Soma stood, Ciel and the others watched, Marianne joining them not long after.
Agni explained his side of the story to Sebastian.
"Mina and I came to an agreement. If I obeyed West, she would reveal nothing of her true feelings to the prince," he sighed heavily, wiping his bandaged hand across his forehead. "He can't know the truth. He's still too young for that."
Sebastian looked at him calmly.
"So that's what this is about."
"Don't you see?" Agni cried out. "This is for my prince! I cannot lose!"
The demon smirked.
"Funny you say that. Neither can I."
Neither of them noticed one of the other contestants slink out of the room with a frown on his face, glasses glinting from their place on the bridge of his nose and brown hair pulled back in a short ponytail.
The man slammed a fist into the wall. Pain etched itself across his face as he checked over his hand for anything broken.
"I'll never win with this swill! Something is still missing," he said.
He reached up and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"But what is it?"
Just then, he heard footsteps approaching him, light and delicate, a woman's.
"You seem quite troubled."
He turned and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, all dressed up in a lovely purple dress and dove grey gloves.
"Perhaps using this will help you."
She offered him a small brown sack, barely the size of her hands. The man gave into temptation and took the sack, sniffed it quietly.
"What the…?"
Angela smiled beneath the shadow of her bonnet.
The Curry Festival then began. The announcer greeted the amassed crowd with a smile.
"Thank you all for waiting! Welcome to the Curry Festival, and the best curry London can offer."
Four other chefs were lined up with Sebastian and Agni. And from the judges' side, it seemed Viscount Druitt was asked to join the proceedings once again.
"This guy again." Lau sighed from the crowd, his arm wrapped around Ran Mao.
Ciel shook his head by his side, Marianne standing behind him with her hands resting on his shoulders.
"Attention seeker." Ciel muttered.
Marianne chuckled.
"I can think of a few other things to call him, although none of them would be fit for polite society," she whispered.
"I should be worried that you know them in the first place," he countered.
Soma was with the others, feeling forlorn. He turned around and walked away.
Agni could only watch his beloved master leave.
Prince Soma… You can't stand to look at my face anymore, can you? He shook his head resolutely. No! I have to focus on the competition!
"And now, let the cooking begin!" cried the announcer.
The sound of trumpets burst through the silence. A red carpet was rolled out towards the stage. Everyone turned and saw two figures standing at the other end on the carpet. Ciel gasped at the sight.
"Her Majesty!"
I had to add Marianne's comment about the chocolate. It was just too good to resist. There still hasn't been time for her gender to be exposed to Soma and Agni, but it is coming soon, I promise.
Should you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Please read and review!
