Chapter Twenty-Eight

Butler, in an Isolated Castle. Bride, A Maid

Rising in the morning can be a difficult thing to do, but it was always easier when there was someone else to do it for you. As was the case with Sebastian as he entered a stone tower bedchamber. His hair had grown and was pulled back into a low ponytail with a dark grey ribbon, and he was dressed in a fine dark coat and white shirt and cravat. A tea tray was held in his hands. Outside, the birds could be heard singing. The demon smiled quietly and walked towards the large double bed in the centre of the room. Two pairs of white legs were sticking out from beneath the tangled sheets. Sebastian poured piping hot tea into two teacups.

"I have prepared your tea, Master," he said.

"That is not how I am referred to!" a voice snapped.

Sebastian looked up from his work and bowed his head in apology.

"Please forgive the mistake. I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

Rising from the bed was a blond-haired boy, on the cusp of becoming a teenager, with dark blue eyes. A younger boy with matching blond hair was curled up at his side. The young child was hugging a skull.


How this came about was an interesting story…


Earlier, back at the Phantomhive manor, a new task had been delivered to Ciel.

"Ludlow Castle?" he asked, staring at his butler. "As I recall, we are remodelling that building into a hotel."

He was sat in a bath full of water, Sebastian at his side with towels at the ready, along with the letter in question.

"A petition from the builders," said Sebastian as Ciel took the letter. "They want to hold construction and absolve the contract."

The boy glared up at him through his wet hair, and stood up. Sebastian responded by wrapping a towel around his body. As Ciel read the petition, his brand was prominent on his side.


The two of them, along with Marianne in her customary disguise, travelled to Ludlow Castle by carriage.

"Pathetic!" Ciel exclaimed. "Are these contractors children? Cancelling construction because of ghosts? There's no such thing."

When the carriage dropped them off, the trio entered the castle through the door and walked into the courtyard. Scaffolding was set up all around the borders, completely abandoned by the workers. As they were walking, Marianne giggled at the irony of Ciel's statement.

"Are you sure about that, considering we have a Demon Hound at the manor, deal with Reapers on a regular basis, and there is a demon standing right next to you?" she asked.

Ciel grunted irritably, unwilling to admit she had a point.

"Oh, be quiet," he moaned. "Let's just wrap this up and go home."

Sebastian smirked as he pushed open the door that led them into the castle interior.

"Of course, Young Master."


As they stepped inside the darkened corridor, a painting caught Marianne's eye. Two blond boys stared back at her with beautiful blue eyes. Ciel hummed thoughtfully.

"I've seen this painting before," he said. "Is it a replica?"

The doors slammed forcefully shut behind them.

"I don't think we're alone in this place…" muttered Marianne.

A chill ran down the length of her spine at the thought of someone's hidden eyes watching them.


Candlelight flickered at the end of another corridor, as they followed it until they reached a large banquet hall, where the standing candelabras lit up upon their entering.

"Who gave you three vagrants permission to enter this castle?" a voice asked, echoing around them.

"So, that's it?" Ciel asked. "A travelling minstrel is squatting here?"

Before their eyes, a blond boy materialised in front of them, dressed in clothes predating the Tudor era. His hair sat at his shoulders in loose curls, and his eyes were a piercing blue, far older than his youthful face belied.

"You dare insult me? Me, the King of all England?" he asked. "I am Edward V."

Ciel looked at Marianne out of the corner of his eye, then back to the ghost boy, uncertain about what he was seeing.

"This doesn't make any sense."

"It appears that ghosts do exist." Sebastian commented.

The demon then started to tell the story of the two princes.

"Approximately four hundred years ago, on the verge of his coronation, Edward V was confined to the Tower of London, along with his little brother, Richard. They say the two were eventually murdered by jealous relatives," he explained. "This castle is where the brothers spent their time when they were young. I'd venture a guess that their souls have returned."

Ciel sighed heavily.

"It may have been a few months, but he was still our King. I can't change that."

He nodded at Sebastian and Marianne.

"Understood, My Lord."

The girl nodded her head in agreement.

"What are you whispering about?" Edward asked.

The trio bowed in unison to him.

"Your Majesty, may I present the Right Honourable Lord Phantomhive." Sebastian introduced.

Ciel walked forward and stopped before the boy. He went down on one knee and bowed low.

"Please forgive my rudeness. I was unaware that Your Majesty was currently in residence," he said.

Edward looked at him.

"You are forgiven. I don't get many guests, after all."

"I am not a guest, Sire." Ciel responded. "In fact, my company actually owns this castle."

"Oh! So, you would be the new caretaker then?"

"Not exactly. If I may be frank, Sire, I'd like you to vacate the premises."

Edward arched a brow.

"You're trying to evict the King of England, and his brother, who have lived here for more than four hundred years?"

Ciel smirked.

"Naturally we will offer you compensation for the castle. I shall pay every regard to your wishes. I'm sure we can come to an amicable agreement."

As they were talking, Sebastian was looking behind Edward. He saw a younger boy, Prince Richard no doubt, hiding behind a corner with a skull in his hands. Richard peeked around and smiled at Sebastian. Edward looked over his shoulder at his brother.

"Well, well, it seems as though my brother Richard has taken a liking to your butler."

Ciel was unsure what to make of this development.

"He is my loyal servant, Sebastian Michaelis, Your Majesty."

He then gestured to Marianne.

"And this is his apprentice, Edward Montague."

Marianne kept her head bowed low. Edward arched a brow, eyed her up and down before saying anything.

"Why do you have a woman dressed as a man?" he asked. "Surely it would be better if she was dressed as a maid."

Ciel winced. He knew Marianne wouldn't be happy at being ousted as a girl, even if it was by a ghost.

"It makes travelling easier, and she has always been more comfortable in the butler's uniform, if only for the better movement."

The ghost sighed.

"Very well," he capitulated. "But at the very least, remove your hat so we can see you are a lady."

Marianne bit her lip, and reached up to her head with trembling hands. She removed her hat and wig, and shook out her hair, the tips brushing over the tops of her shoulders.

"Much better." Edward smirked.

She caught Richard staring at her with wide eyes, a sparkling glee glowing within them.

"He's taken a liking to her as well. She is quite a pretty creature."

Richard looked down at the skull in his hands and smiled.

"We would have so much more fun if there was a butler around, and a maid to look after us," he said.

"Indeed." Edward agreed. "They do seem to be quite unusual. I think this could become interesting."

Marianne couldn't supress a shudder at his words.


Later, a chess set was assembled between Edward and Ciel; Edward had the white pieces, and Ciel had the black.

"If I win the game, you will turn over your butler and maid to me. If you win, you can do whatever you like with the castle." Edward said.

Ciel smirked.

"Alright. I hope you don't regret it."

Marianne and Sebastian stood to the side, the demon holding Ciel's hat and coat. Richard was standing behind his brother, the skull still in his hands. Marianne felt uneasy as she watched the ghost move a white pawn forward.

"Let's make sure we both play fairly, otherwise it won't be fun, will it?" said Edward.

Ciel retaliated against the move.

"Yes, I agree."

Looking up at Sebastian, who was watching the game with an impassive expression on his face, Marianne spoke to him through their connection.

I have a feeling this is going to end badly…

The demon glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

There is little we can do, my darling mate, but we both know where our true loyalties lie.

She frowned at his thoughts.

I just don't trust the ghost to play fairly. And he is a child in a position of power with no real understanding of it. I sense a temper lurking behind that cherubic face.

He smirked.

You are very wise to air on the side of caution. Maybe it will teach the Young Master a little humility.

The game went on for a long time. Pieces moved around the board. Every move and countermove was made with keen precision. Ciel smiled as one of his knights took Edward's queen.

"I am holding you to the wager we made," he said with a smirk.

Edward didn't react, and chose to pick up one of his own knights.

"Of course you are."

The piece glowed blue in his hand, and seemed to come to life. Ciel watched with a wide eye as the knight shifted into a white queen. Edward used his piece to knock down Ciel's king.

"My, I believe that's checkmate."

Clenching his fist in his lap, the boy glared at the ghost opposite.

"Majesty, were you lying to me when you said we were going to play a fair game?" he snapped.

A dark aura tinged with dark blue enveloped around Edward.

"Excuse me? What did you say?" he bellowed.

"Sire…"

"Don't you accuse me of lying! I hate liars!" Edward picked up the piece he transformed into a king. "This is still my chess piece! I merely used my power to its full potential! That's not unfair!"

His rage was interrupted by the timely interference of Sebastian.

"Your Majesty."

Edward looked at him and took a deep breath. A strange thing, Marianne thought to herself, considering he was a ghost.

"Butler, you have leave to speak."

The demon nodded his head and continued.

"Unfortunately, I believe my Master has forgotten his own creed."

"Excuse me?!" Ciel protested.

"Surely my Master remembers that his belief that those who do not use their pawns to the utmost are fools." Sebastian went on. "My Master does not believe in holding back."

Casting his eyes down, realising Sebastian was right, Ciel gritted his teeth and clenched his fist in his lap.

"Well then," said Edward. "It seems that our problem is resolved, right, Richard?"

Richard came out from behind his brother's chair, and happily pranced over to Sebastian and Marianne. He gripped the sleeve of Sebastian's tailcoat with a smile.

"I order you," said Ciel. "Care for these two boys. Do anything your new masters may ask of you."

There was a moment of silence.

"Are you certain, Master?" asked Sebastian.

Ciel pouted.

"I'm sure. I'm the one who lost."

The demon bowed.

"Indeed. As you wish then."

Edward smiled slightly.

"Very well, it is settled. I'm guessing that a butler like this won't tire easily. I'm sure Sebastian will be our servant for many years to come."

Sebastian bowed his head.

"I will do my best."

The ghost then turned to Marianne.

"You have been awfully quiet, girl. I would prefer to have your name though."

She clenched her fists quietly for a moment before she spoke.

"Marianne Blackmore, Your Majesty."

Edward smirked slightly.

"Very good. I look forward to your years of service." He turned back to Ciel. "Come, Phantomhive, I would like to play some more, so you will stay here as my guest."

Ciel nodded his head.

"I would be honoured, Your Majesty."

Marianne stepped forward.

"I volunteer to seeing to the care of our guest."

Edward pursed his lips at her offer, and saw there was nothing he could do to stop her without being rude.

"Very well."

He got to his feet and led the way through a door at the side of the room, Richard followed close behind him, tugging Sebastian by the sleeve.

"Now that you belong to me," he said to Sebastian. "We will get rid of that horrible tailcoat. You look like a crow."

Marianne sweatdropped at those words.

"I wonder if he'll realise how close to the mark he is…"


Back to where everything began, Sebastian was ironing shirts while young Richard watched him with wide blue eyes. Hot water was boiling in the fireplace while the demon prepared the morning tea. Richard looked down at his skull and smiled.

"Hey, do you know what that is?" he asked.

Sebastian smiled.

"These are Indian tea leaves, they were only recently discovered," he explained. "Your Royal Highness."

He went on to continue with the ironing, namely laces. Richard turned to the skull.

"He's even ironing the laces of all my shoes? Why's he doing that?" he asked.

The boy continued to watch as Sebastian polished their shoes.

"You're a man of noble birth, this is simply the proper way to treat your footwear." Sebastian told him.

"Oh, I've never thought of it like that." Richard said. "I never even go outside."

The demon merely looked at him through hooded eyes.

As he was pressing ruffs, Sebastian asked his question.

"Your Highness, do you wish to change clothes before you have supper?"

"Yes!" Richard cried.

"Very good, then let me hold onto that for you."

Sebastian offered to take the skull from his hands, but Richard pulled away.

"Don't! No!"

The demon arched a brow.

"But how are you going to change your clothes if your hands are full?"

"I can't!" protested Richard. "This is something very, very important!"

He nuzzled his cheek against the hard bone.

"Who did it belong to?" asked Sebastian.

"Not telling!" the boy snapped.

Sebastian sighed silently through his nose.

"Very well, as you wish, Your Highness."

He stepped away and moved to polish the silver.

Richard's eyes followed him.

"You really want to know?" he asked.

Sebastian didn't look at him.

"Are you at liberty to tell me?" he retorted.

The boy pouted.

"Not telling."

"As you wish." Sebastian shrugged.

Richard looked down at the skull again.

"But I can't give you away. If I did, he would be sad. Right?"

The skull didn't answer.

"It's your decision, Highness." Sebastian said as he offered a cup of freshly brewed tea to the young boy.


Meanwhile, Ciel and Marianne were in the library. She was dressed in the traditional clothes of a fifteenth century servant, consisting of a long gown, kirtle, and chemise. Her hair was tied back into an intricate braid. Marianne looked over Ciel's shoulder down at the book he was reading.

"In 1483, two princes disappeared from the Tower of London. Almost two hundred years later, the remains of the children's bodies are discovered. Were they the two princes that had been missing so long? And if so, who killed them?" he read.

On that last sentence, another voice joined his. Ciel and Marianne looked up and saw Edward watching them from another chair.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But if you want to find out, you'll have to ask other dead people. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to answer you."

Ciel made to rise to his feet, but Marianne placed a hand on his shoulder, so he sat down again. Edward looked between them, and went on to explain what he meant.

"I don't remember anything from the day I was killed. It's a blank. One day I woke up in this castle, nothing more than a ghost."

Ciel smiled slightly.

"What a kind man you are," he said.

"What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"If I was treated as despicably as Your Majesty has been, I would never forget those who were responsible."

Marianne's hand twitched. She wanted to stroke his hair as she always did, but couldn't because she was meant to be playing the part of a maid to a ghost king. Edward stared at them for a moment, and then sighed.

"Well, it was long ago…" he said. "Our killers are dead now, and the people who protected us, they are all long gone from this Earth. And as for me, I can't even remember how it felt when it was happening."

Ciel glanced up at Marianne, whose blue-eyed gaze smiled back at him.

"Pain tends to heal as time passes. But personally, I don't want time to heal my wounds," he proclaimed.

Edward smiled at him.

"You're strong. Stronger than most."


Just then, Sebastian began to bang the dinner gong. Marianne winced as she covered her ears. Edward and Ciel leapt to their feet.

"What's that?" asked Edward.

"My guess would be that dinner is ready." Ciel answered.

Marianne rubbed her ears to stop the ringing in them.

"I wish he had chosen another way to let us know. My ears are going to ringing for the rest of the day after that."

Ciel snorted at that. Edward smiled at their banter.

"Oh, I see. Time seems to pass more quickly when I'm talking to you, Phantomhive."


Ciel was more than a little displeased by the dinner arrangements. Marianne had kindly pulled out a chair for him, but he was unable to sit down until Edward gave him leave to do so. Edward was sat at the head of the table with Richard at his right hand.

"Please, sit," said Edward. "You don't need to stand on ceremony."

Ciel sat down without complaint, thanking Marianne with a nod of his head. Sebastian placed a dinner plate in front of Edward.

"This is hare, lovingly roasted and served with redcurrant jelly and local leeks," he said.

Richard smiled down at his skull.

"We're eating a bunny!" he giggled.

Marianne bit her lip as she moved away from Ciel's side and poured drinks for the two princes. She breathed slowly as she felt Edward's gaze on her face as she moved.

"You look much better in those clothes rather than your old attire," he commented.

She gripped the jug tightly.

"As you say, Your Highness."

He arched a brow at her response.

"You do not agree?" he inquired.

The corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

"I wear whatever uniform is required of me, regardless of personal preference. It is what a servant does."

"You should have been a highborn lady." Edward sighed. "You are wasted in this line of work."

She would have pointed out that she was only doing her job, but she kept her mouth shut and continued to serve the drinks.


At the other end of the table, as Sebastian served Ciel his dinner, the boy asked his question.

"Have you found anything yet?" When the demon didn't answer, he continued to prod for a response. "Hey! Sebastian!"

"I must ask our guest to mind his manners." Sebastian retorted with a shit-eating smile. "Common courtesy dictates that you carry on a conversation with the person next to you."

A vein throbbed on Ciel's forehead as Sebastian walked away.

"No one's sitting next to me! Honestly!" he snapped. "How am I supposed to talk to them when I'm sitting so far away?!"

Marianne looked at the table in question.

"It is a very long table."

Edward didn't hear her and looked at Ciel questionably.

"I wonder what our guest is making such a fuss about?"

Ciel feigned a smile.

"Nothing!" he cried. "I just wanted to make sure my butler was behaving properly!"

Richard looked at his brother.

"But I thought Sebastian was our butler now, and Miss Marianne was our maid?" he asked.

Marianne sighed and shook her head.

Edward lifted the glass of wine with a smile.

"Now, I propose a toast to our new friend, our new butler, and our new maid."

Richard raised his glass.

"Me too!"

Ciel didn't raise his glass.

"What's the matter? You're not drinking." Edward asked.

Tapping his fingers against his wine glass, he glared at Sebastian. The demon smirked at him while Marianne peered into the wine jug.

"How did we run out so quickly? Wasn't there enough for three?" she wondered.


That night, after Marianne had tucked Ciel into his bed for the night, he woke up and looked around the dark room.

"Sebastian?" he called out.

He spotted his clothes folded up on a nearby chair. Climbing out of bed, he pulled them on, rumpled and untidy as they were without assistance. At least his shoelaces were right; Marianne had drilled that into him quite determinedly, insisting a boy his age should at least know how to tie his own shoes.

"I see Marianne has taught you well." Sebastian said, emerging from the shadows. "She really has become your family, hasn't she?"

Ciel looked up at him in surprise.

"Sebastian? Where's Marianne?" he asked. "What about the princes? Or did you come here for no other reason than to laugh at me?"

The demon smiled.

"You just look so troubled, like a child left vulnerable without their guardians to watch over them. To see the great Lord Phantomhive lost without his butler and mother figure, I must admit, it was a rather entertaining picture," he said.

"Shut up!" Ciel snapped.

"I am here because I was told to look after our guests. But more importantly, because Marianne cares about your well-being, so you being cared for makes her happy." Sebastian bowed. "If that's all, I bid you goodnight."

He walked away after that.


Marianne wandered through the castle corridors, a crumpled handkerchief clutched in her hand. Her cheeks were wet from the tears she had wiped away with a determined air. She had released her hair from her braid and let it hang loose around her shoulders. On soft feet, she walked without making a sound. Hearing movement from down the corridor, Marianne looked towards the source and saw Edward move into the library. She hurried over when she spotted Ciel following close behind him. Ciel jumped when she touched his shoulder.

"Shh!"

They followed the ghost king until they saw him disappear through a large bookcase. Ciel ran his finger over the binding.

"These books… They're fake," he said.

"A secret passageway, then? Castles are usually filled with them so nobles could escape when they were under attack." Marianne added. "It's just a matter of knowing how to open it."

They were interrupted by Sebastian's entrance.

"Pardon me."

Ciel scowled.

"What do you want?"

The butler moved over to the bookcase with a key in hand. He pressed against one of the books. The binding popped open to reveal a keyhole.

"I say, Sebastian…!" the boy protested.

Sebastian glanced at him over his shoulder.

"How can I help you, honoured guest? You want to go inside, don't you?"

Marianne smiled slightly.

"I'm starting to think that demons thrive on looking for loopholes," she teased.

Ciel only grew more annoyed.

"I haven't given you a direct order. What do you think you are doing? I make the decisions around here!"

Sebastian smiled.

"It's just good service."

"What?"

"The trick to satisfying a guest is to think ahead, anticipate his needs and perform accordingly." The demon gave a shit-eating smile. "What kind of royal butler would I be if I couldn't do something as simple as that?"

A vein mark throbbed on the boy's forehead.

"That's it, I'm going to kill you."

Marianne sweatdropped with a grimace.

"Please don't, I'm rather attached to him…" she muttered.

Sebastian chuckled.

"So the guest does not want me to open the secret door?"

Ciel's face went blank.

"Open it."

"I would be happy to."

The girl could only shake her head at their banter, wondering why she was always stuck in the middle.


Sebastian slid the key into the keyhole, twisted, and the bookcase moved out of the way with an almighty groan. Marianne couldn't understand why Edward hadn't come back when he heard the noise. Surely, he would have heard it. There was no time to ponder on it though, considering their passageway was staring back at them with a great, gaping black maw. As Ciel took the first step into the darkness, Sebastian reached over to Marianne's cheek, and wiped the salty residue from her skin.

"Don't worry, my dear, our family will be reunited at the end of this night. I am certain of it."

She sniffed and gave him a grateful smile.


Down the stairs, they went, and when they reached the bottom, Ciel stared at the room before him with a widened eye.

"What is this?"

All around the room, there were skeletons. They were mounted up on the walls in funeral garments, splayed out on the floor in disarray, bones littered and scattered like breadcrumbs. The empty sockets of the skulls stared back at them unseeing. Marianne shuddered as she felt ghostly fingers running over her spine, as though hoping to entice her to join them in the afterlife. While she may have wanted death in the past, now that she had people to hold onto, to make her stay, she had no wish to jump into her own grave.

"I believe it's a crypt," said Sebastian, prompting the girl out of her thoughts.

As they walked, Ciel stepped on one of the bones. It crunched loudly beneath his foot.

"Please, be careful."

Edward appeared before them in all his ghostly glory.

"This place has been untouched by humans for a very long time."

"Your Majesty, where are we?" Ciel asked.

Edward glanced over them before he spoke.

"Originally it had been a dungeon. Criminals who the church refused to bury were thrown in here and forgotten."

He picked up one of the skulls.

"Even the Grim Reaper. The path to Heaven is forever closed to them now. These lost souls can't be saved."

A black swirl danced over the skull before it moved to the chandelier above their heads and lit the candles.

"Once, on a whim, I made something to remember them by."

Edward stepped aside and showed them what he had created.

It was a casket with a chess board design on the top. Set on it was a collection of skulls put in the place of chess pieces. Marianne noticed one of the knights was missing.

"Here, let me introduce you." Edward offered. "The king is my father, and the queen is my mother. I suppose I could have been a bit more original. Our uncle over there is the bishop. Our family reunited."

"And the missing knight?" Marianne inquired.

"That place is for Richard." Edward answered.

"You can't find him?" asked Ciel.

"That's not it. He's here. I have the bones that came from the Tower two hundred years ago, but Richard found the skull and he won't let it go." Edward turned to them, his voice filled with desperation. "Don't you see? Surely, you must! All I want is to send my brother on. I want him to live with God, where there is no pain."

A darkness went over Ciel's face.

"Send him to Heaven, with God…" he murmured.

Marianne clenched her fists, but remained tight-lipped, barely holding back a snort of indignation. Sebastian smirked devilishly beside her.

"Yes," said Edward. "And that wish will come true if I can complete this set."

The boy nodded his head.

"Alright. In other words, if you can get that skull, he'll be satisfied. All you want is to have the skull, no matter what the sacrifice?" he asked.

"That's right. If I can do that, then…"

Ciel was quick to give the order.

"Sebastian, I order you, go get that skull!"

Sebastian went down on his knee with a smirk on his face.

"Indeed, My Young Lord."

Marianne placed her hands on the boy's shoulders as he continued.

"And bring the chess board to the Hall."

"Yes, Sir."

Edward then spoke up, confused by the proceedings.

"I don't understand, what are you doing?" he asked.

Ciel turned to him, eye glinting and lips smirking.

"I am simply fulfilling your most dire wish, Majesty," he replied. "That is the easiest method."


Back where it all began, where they first came upon the ghostly princes; the chess board and skulls lay waiting. Ciel was sat in a high-backed chair with Marianne at his right hand. Edward stood beside them, waiting.

"No! Stop it!" cried Richard. "Please, just let me down, Sebastian!"

Sebastian came in with the boy under his arm.

"Terribly sorry, Your Highness."

He held Richard up by the collar of his shirt. Ciel smiled.

"How sad. I was so looking forward to a fight between a demon and a ghost. What a pity."

Marianne shook her head.

"There is no need for such sadistic thoughts right now. The sooner this is done, the sooner we can go home," she chastised.

Richard continued to scream.

"Let me go, Sebastian! Brother! Brother, help!"

Edward's eyes widened, his body tensed.

"I'm sorry!" he cried. He turned to Ciel. "Come now, don't you think you can be a little bit more gentle?"

"You got yourself into this. Really, this has been going on for two hundred years. Don't you think it's silly?" said Ciel.

"I don't want to see my brother cry. It isn't silly!"

"And yet you have no quells with making a woman weep."

Edward gulped and looked at Marianne.

"I made you cry?"

Marianne glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Your actions nearly forced me and Sebastian to leave Ciel's side. I won't forgive anyone who tries to tear us apart," she said solemnly.


Meanwhile, Sebastian reached for the skull in Richard's pale hands.

"No!" the boy screamed.

"What are you doing?!" demanded Edward.

"Nothing more than giving you what you asked for." Ciel said with a smirk.

The demon was successful in taking the skull, despite Richard's attempts to reach for it.

"You can't! Give it back to me!" he cried. "He'll help me! My brother will help me!"

Edward instantly reacted.

"I am your sovereign. I order you to let him go!" he ordered.

Sebastian smirked, unfazed by the angered ghost.

Edward's power soon began to seep out into the air. He floated towards Sebastian and attempted to strike him with his sceptre. The demon dodged out of the way like he would a child. Tumbling to the floor, Edward hit the ground hard.

"I'm sorry to say this, Your Majesty," said Sebastian with feigned sorrow. "But for a king, I find you to be extraordinarily powerless."

Richard renewed his struggles.

"No!"

"Please, no!" Edward cried.

He gasped. The image before his eyes with Sebastian holding his brother shifted to the night they died. He saw a guard holding Richard by his collar, with a sword in his other hand. The sword drew closer to the younger boy's face…

"Stop it!"

Edward found himself staring back at Ciel, Sebastian and Marianne. Marianne was now holding the skull.

"I ordered you to stop it. I am your king!"

Ciel shook his head, and urged Marianne towards the chess board.

"You said this skull was what you wanted, no matter what the sacrifice might be," he declared. "If you take that statement back now, well then, you're no better than the liars you claim to hate!"

Gritting his teeth, Edward tried to give another order.

"Sebastian, listen to me!" he cried. "You must obey, you and the girl belong to us now!"

Sebastian sighed.

"I'm sorry, Sire." He gave a smile. "You have never been my master. I am contractually obligated to the Earl Phantomhive. I only served you and your brother, because I was ordered to."

Marianne nodded her head.

"Just as I took the first loophole I could find to remain by Ciel's side. I belong with the people I care about the most, and that is with Ciel and Sebastian," she declared.

The demon looked at her with pride.

"All this time, I have faithfully carried out the orders of my true master."

The girl continued.

"And I have remained by his side, until we could all reunite as we always have when we are separated."


Edward was shaking in fury throughout their speeches.

"You? You betrayed us, too?" he demanded.

Sebastian turned to him, and spoke to him in a calm, unaffected manner.

"No, there has been no betrayal. I have always been faithful to the master I truly serve."

Edward gritted his teeth and looked away. Ciel looked to Marianne.

"Marianne, if you would be so kind as to place the skull on the square?" he asked. "We might as well help them get to see this Heaven place they want to see so badly. I suppose we can be your chief mourners."

Marianne walked up to the chess board, and proceeded to put the skull in place.

"No! My brother! Edward!" Richard continued to scream, struggling desperately against the demon's grasp.

"It's alright, Richard, I promise." Edward assured him. "I will always be with you."

He turned to Ciel and Marianne.

"And now, we can end this."

He closed his eyes.

Marianne stared down at the empty square.

"Once we do this," she said. "You can move on."

She set the skull down.


They waited in silence. The girl looked at both Edward and Richard to see if they had begu to fade away, but nothing happened. Edward opened his eyes, gasped when he saw he was still on the mortal plane.

"What's wrong?" he demanded. "Why is nothing happening?"

Sebastian placed Richard on his feet as the prince approached the board. The demon looked at the youngest boy out of the corner of his eye.

"I think there's something Prince Richard would like to tell His Majesty," he said.

Richard nodded his head in agreement.

"I couldn't…" he explained with teary eyes. "If I'd told, Brother would have been sad."

He walked over to Edward and embraced him.

"I'm sorry, Brother. I shouldn't have lied to you like that."

Edward's eyes widened.

"Lied…?" he whispered. "Richard, I don't understand."

"That skull, the one I carry?" Richard asked. "It isn't mine. It isn't even part of the family. The skull belongs to someone else, someone that we don't even know."

Edward trembled at his words.

"No… That… That can't be…"

"You forgot. Our bones don't exist. They have already gone away. Since that day, they've been lost."

It was then that Edward remembered.

"You're right. That day, they were lost," he said.

Richard nodded his head, thinking back to when they had been asleep in their bed within the Tower of London.

"That nice guard said goodnight to us, just like he always did," he continued.

"But he was the one who let the assassin in."

Edward thought of the shadow looming over them as they slept.

"He said we didn't have to worry about anything, because he would protect us."

The young king remembered how he'd awoken, and found himself staring up at the tip of a blade.

"That's why I hate liars so much," he whispered. "First me, and then my younger brother. I saw it from a body that couldn't move."

He turned to his little brother.

"I'm sorry, Richard. You must have been so frightened."

Richard smiled.

"But Brother, you know what? The scariest part was when I thought I would never get to see you again. I couldn't bear that."

They then thought of how they were hidden away from the world.

"Then they chopped our bodies into pieces, and threw us in the Thames," said Richard.

"The fish picked away at us. We sank into the mud. And our flesh and bones were gone." Edward cried, tears trickling down his pale cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Richard! How could I have forgotten something like that? How could I forget the night I failed to protect you?"

"Brother, please don't cry!" Richard pleaded.

Edward scrubbed the tears out of his eyes, and stared up at Ciel determinedly.

"Earl Phantomhive, you were right all along. All the hatred and all the pain, it has been with me for four hundred years!"

Marianne placed her hands on Ciel's shoulders as he spoke.

"Pain tends to heal as time passes. But personally, I don't want time to heal my wounds. You may think you have escaped the pain and forgotten it, but that's nothing more than stagnation. You can't move forward without the pain," he told them.

"And you can't love and appreciate what you have without knowing what pain feels like." Marianne added softly.

Embracing Richard, Edward's eyes widened.

"I see now… I've spent so much time hating liars, and all the while, I was the one lying to myself, and Richard!" he realised.


As they held one another, white light burst from their bodies.

"Brother, look!" Richard gasped. "You're glowing."

"What's going-?"

"Preparing for the funeral was never anything but a formality." Sebastian said. "It wasn't bones or ceremonies that had the true power to release your wandering souls."


Later, they went outside to the river near the castle. Sebastian and Marianne were happily back in their original uniforms, and the demon had his hair back in its usual style.

"I am forever in your debt, Lord Phantomhive." Richard said, shaking Ciel's hand. "I wish you a long life."

He and Richard were barely visible, and able to be seen through.

"Really, I didn't do much of anything." Ciel replied. "And one more thing, you don't need to fear for the castle. I'll take care of it, this much I promise you."

Edward smiled.

"That eases my mind. Thank you."

Richard hugged Sebastian and Marianne around their waists.

"Goodbye now, thank you. You were great, both of you."

Sebastian bowed slightly.

"Take care, Your Royal Highness," he said.

Marianne patted the boy lightly on the head.

"Goodbye, Prince Richard."

Together, the three of them watched a boatman shrouded in black row down the river with Edward and Richard in his charge. Richard waved them goodbye as they sailed away, and faded into nothingness.


Come morning, Ciel had erected two white gravestones for the princes and placed bouquets of white lilies before them. The boy knelt before the stones in respect. Sebastian and Marianne stood behind him, waiting. Ciel got to his feet and turned to them.

"Well, that's that. The nuisances are finally gone." He stared out at the construction workers assembled on the scaffolding. "Let's make up for lost time. Work! Work! Work!"

For a moment, he thought he heard Edward's voice calling him a liar. Marianne chuckled at his surprise, and rested her hand on his shoulder, straightening his top hat with her free hand.


Later, in the carriage ride home, Ciel stared silently out the window. Marianne sat at his side. Sebastian was opposite and staring at them with an undiscernible expression on his face.

Hatred and sorrow are power. They are yours to control. All you have to do is turn them into strength. And to use that strength to move forward.

Marianne smiled at his thoughts.

I would agree with you. My hatred of my family drove me to where I am now, and have made up a family far more precious to me than they could ever imagine.

Sebastian's eyes softened.

Are we a family?

The girl nodded her head as she stroked Ciel's hair, causing him to look up at her in confusion.

An unbreakable family.


And so, we are back in season one.

I will admit, this one proved to be more difficult in writing because I wasn't sure how I was going to incorporate Marianne into the episode. Richard sees Marianne as a potential mother figure, and wants to cling to her, but her love and loyalty for Ciel makes sure fix onto the best loophole she can find. Hence why she isn't helping Sebastian as the princes' butler.

I may be repeating myself with how the three of them are becoming a family, but Ciel hasn't completely accepted the fact, because Sebastian is a demon who wants to eat his soul, and Marianne is his mate, so he won't be willing to admit anything yet. Sebastian is getting used to the whole concept, and Marianne simply embraces it.

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

Please read and review!