Chapter Thirty-Eight
Clawed Butler. Watchful Bride
The darkness…
The darkness…
The darkness…
A boy sat in a large bed, covered with only a thin sheet. His body was scattered with small bruises. His blond hair shone in the moonlight that streamed through the window.
"Darkness coils its inpluckable fingers around me…" he whispered.
High above his head in a corner of the room, a spider sat in its web, spinning its threads around a bright blue butterfly.
The boy climbed out of the bed, turning his back on the occupant sleeping noisily beside him.
"I am ever ensnared by it," he said, stepping out from the sheets and walking to the window. "Its dark blades pierce me to the core. I can feel them, drawing every last drop of warm blood… Slowly…"
The butterfly was trapped in the web. The spider lowered itself closer to the floor.
"Even so…" a voice said.
The boy continued to walk forward.
"Even so, I choose this."
The spider's shadow consumed his own. Its multiple eyes watched him closely.
"So now…"
The boy found himself surrounded by numerous webs.
"I'll scream it."
The spider clicked its mandables eagerly.
"Rend the darkness with your voice."
The boy's eyes narrowed, a fine crystal blue pierced through the shadows.
"I want this! I want you!" he screamed.
The spider sat on his tongue. It disintergrated into nothing, and was replaced with a burning orange seal.
A large mansion stood surrounded by blissful countryside. A quiet lake with drifting swans was settled on the grounds. It was silent until the first words of the day were spoken.
"Here we are, Master."
In his master's bedchamber, the butler, Claude Faustus, poured tea into a fine blue and white china cup with gold trim.
"This morning's tea is Her Majesty's blend from Ridgeway's, most excellent."
The blond boy, Alois Trancy, stretched languidly before he looked up at Claude.
Claude, a tall man with short black hair and golden eyes tucked behind a pair of wire-framed glasses, placed the boy's nightshirt on the freshly made bed. He then set about buttoning his master's shirt. As he worked his way down, Alois opened the buttons and smiled down at him.
"Aww, not now," he said.
Claude adjusted his glasses.
"No."
He finished the job of dressing Alois. He glanced at the ring on the bedside table. A large ruby stared back at him, held in a gold setting crafted into the shape of an eye.
"Please, excuse me."
He left the room soon after that.
As soon as he was gone, Alois began to laugh. In his hysterics, he rolled around on the bed, and pressed his face into the quilt.
"Hannah, don't you find fried eggs rather pathetic?" he said, poking at the egg set before him on the breakfast table. "Nakedly exposed for all eyes to see."
Hannah, the head maid, had tanned skin, navy blue eyes, and long lavender hair that swept down to her waist in a partial braid. A trio of purple haired butlers stood behind them. She watched Alois as he continued to prod at his food.
"Indeed, they almost look like eyes themselves," he continued. "They don't ever become eyes of course, or anything but my breakfast. All that possibility…"
Alois stabbed through the yolk brutally.
"Wiped out by me."
He looked over at Hannah over his shoulder. She kept her eyes downcast. Alois sighed and twirled his knife, using it to tobble over his glass. The bright red liquid spilled out onto the tablecloth.
"Hannah."
She came over to clean up the mess. Alois let out a cry. Hannah's head bolted upright at the sound of his distress. He then cackled cruelly.
"Yes, truly pathetic indeed."
He grabbed her head, and plunged his fingers into her eye socket.
As he twirled his fingers around inside the socket, he mocked her.
"Hasn't Claude taught you any better?" he said. "A maid mustn't directly look at her Master. It's rude."
Bloody tears trickled down Hannah's left cheek.
"Do forgive me. Claude will be most upset if I don't punish you. So…"
He ripped his fingers out and released her. She clutched her wounded eye as red drops slid between her fingers and onto the wooden floor. The three butlers whispered to one another.
Claude then came through the door. Alois smiled brightly at him.
"Clean this up at once." Claude ordered.
Two of the trio helped Hannah out of the room, while the third cleaned up the blood left behind. Claude produced a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood from Alois's fingers. Alois didn't have a single emotion on his face.
Later, Alois and Claude were in the study.
"Master, we're receiving a guest today. Arnold Trancy will be dining at the mansion with us." Claude said.
Alois sighed, his head resting on the desk.
"Only because he wants my money."
"This time, a priest will be at supper as well. It seems he has some doubts about your time held hostage by the fairies."
The boy gasped.
"No, Claude, what do I do?" he cried. "I changed all the old loon's decorations. The nasty curtains, the ugly rugs, the old knic-knacs…"
Claude adjusted his glasses.
"Please, don't worry yourself. I'll take care of it at once. Everything."
They shone in the light.
"Really?" Alois asked.
The butler went down on his knee.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Things began in the dining room. Claude stood on the railing overlooking the whole room.
"One… Two… Three!"
He danced atop the railing, like a flamenco dancer. His steps were firm and precise. When he had finished, he turned to the room and took off his glasses.
"And now…"
He leapt down, grabbed hold of the chandelier, and used the momentum to flip himself over to the other side of the long table. Claude grabbed hold of the rug underneath, and whipped it out like one would a tablecloth. The table and chairs went flying. He then drew out a set of golden knives, and threw them. Followed by a collection of red plates thrown like discus as he ran along the windowsills. Finally, he lowered a long red tablecloth down over the table as it and the chairs fell back into their places. The table was set, and everything was in order. When he landed on one knee, the butler tilted his head up, and allowed his glasses to fall back into place on his face. He got up and adjusted them.
"I transform day into night. Sugar into salt. Creatures to corpses. And in this case, I transform navy into golden," he said.
"That's what makes a Trancy butler!" Alois smiled.
Claude turned his head and saw the boy admiring the purple roses that had been arranged on the table. Alois took one with a smile.
"That's my Claude," he said. "As long as I have you, I don't need those other useless clods."
He then approached the butler.
"One more thing, I prefer my roses displayed like this."
Alois put the rose between Claude's teeth. He danced happily around like another flamenco dancer, and clapped his hands.
"Ole!"
He continued to dance for a moment more, and then he stopped. His face darkened almost immediately.
"The morons arrive."
Meanwhile, two carriages were riding up to Trancy Manor. Arnold Trancy, a portly gentleman with light blond hair, was speaking to the reverend.
"I am deeply honoured that you made time in your busy schedule to come today, Father," he said. "Also, I appreciate the presence of the Viscount Druitt."
Druitt, the third person in the carriage, smiled brightly and waved his hand.
"Oh, of course. It was the least I could do. I am happy to oblige. I owe dear Uncle Trancy a great deal, yes," he said. He clasped a hand to his chest. "He helped me in trying times! And when someone does that, the Viscount Druitt pays him back two-fold! My devotion gives rise to generosity…"
Arnold waved away the man's exuberance.
"Yes, quite."
The reverend then spoke up.
"Anyway, am I right in assuming you asked me to accompany you today because you find the current Head of the Trancy Household suspicious?" he asked.
Arnold nodded his head.
"Yes, my nephew, Alois Trancy, was kidnapped soon after his birth in mysterious circumstances. Out of despair, my sister-in-law killed herself. My brother searched for his son. He looked everywhere," he explained. "And then, one day, Alois returned home. He had a new butler in tow. But shortly afterwards, my brother died of a horrible infection. Alois succeeded him as the Trancy family Head."
"I see," said the reverend. "And the concern is there's no proof he's Earl Trancy's legitimate son."
They pulled up in front of the mansion, and stepped out of the carriage. Arnold glanced at the reverend.
"That's exactly right," he said. "But I know your holy eyes will see the truth, Father. And you, Lord Druitt, had close ties to the previous Earl. I would like you to uncover who that child really is."
Alois ran through the corridors of the mansion, and burst through the front doors.
"Uncle Arnold, how good to see you!" he cried out, leaping down the steps.
He ran up to them and gave a blinding smile. Arnold gave a cautious smile in return.
"Yes… Alois."
Druitt gasped.
"But, surely God, thou hast made a grievous mistake! Facing such great beauty in someone so young as this boy! But I shall perservere! Forgive me for this transgression, My Lord! Amen!"
He crossed himself. The reverend sweatdropped at his actions.
"Well… eh…"
Claude then stepped out of the mansion and approached the small party. He bowed eloquently. Immediately, he led them inside.
"Oh my!" Druitt cried. "It all remains as it was when Uncle Trancy still lived among us! The mansion's glittering gold, bringing the legend of Chi-Hungu springs to life again!"
Alois gave a sad smile.
"Yes. I haven't changed a thing, I preserved it all since Father's time. I had to."
His blond hair fell into his eyes. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes.
"I couldn't lose the warm essence of him the mansion contains."
Arnold eyed the boy suspiciously, but the reverend was sympathetic.
"I can tell you loved him very much," he said.
They were taken to the dining room.
"For a very long time, I lived in a village." Alois explained. "The memory sickens me still. To this day, I don't know what it was called. I don't even know how long I remained there."
Claude placed bowls of soup in front of them.
"They worked me like a slave. They didn't even let me go outside."
Druitt and the reverend were saddened by the tale.
"You poor boy," said the reverend.
"There was one other child who was treated in the same way I was. Sounds silly, but I thought of him as a younger brother."
Claude paused in his work at those words.
"And then, one night, one dark night…"
A young Alois was running. All around him, all the people were frozen. Dead, with their eyes wide open and unseeing.
"What's happening? What is it?"
"Inside the rippling flames, the horror of dying screams, there could only be one thing. Darkness."
"There you are!" he cried out with a smile.
He picked up a little boy with rust red hair and dark grey eyes. The little boy didn't move.
"Come on, wake up! What's wrong with you?" he asked. He wiped a tear from the boy's eye. "No… You can't be…"
Alois clutched him desperately.
"Oh no! Please, no! Don't leave me alone! Please, don't leave me alone!"
"What happened to the village that night?" the reverend asked.
Alois sighed as Claude placed the next course in front of them.
"That is something I will never know. But… At least my father came to take me home, finally," he replied. "I thought, 'at last I'm not alone. I have a family to love me.'"
His head drooped.
"But then he… he left too."
"How terrible for you," the reverend consoled.
Druitt cried out in despair and wrapped his hands around the reverend's neck.
"Oh Lord, I take it back! I cannot forgive you after all!"
He shook the man before releasing him immediately after.
"Come now, Lord Druitt, despair is a sin," the reverend said, getting to his feet and crossing himself. He then turned to Alois. "Young man, I pledge to help you any way I can. I pray you find solace in this world."
Alois got to his feet.
"Thank you very much, Father," he said respectfully.
Arnold glared at him as the boy continued to speak.
"But I think I'll manage." He walked over to Arnold and embraced him. "Because I still have Uncle Arnold, don't I?"
Arnold patted his arm gently.
"Yes, of course you do."
Alois then leant down to whisper in the man's ear.
"Uncle Arnold, if I may say?"
"Yes, my boy?" Arnold asked.
"Don't lean your face so close to mine, you have disgusting old man's breath."
He smirked when he saw Arnold's reddened cheeks.
Later that evening, a carriage with the reverend and Druitt drove away. Arnold stared up at the mansion and snarled.
"I can't stand that damn brat!"
He turned to enter his carriage when a voice called out to him.
"Wait! Come back, Uncle Arnold!"
Arnold turned back to the mansion and saw Alois and Claude standing on the balcony.
"I know you only came here because you want money!" Alois shouted. He took a suitcase from Claude and opened it, revealing a collection of bank notes. "So here, you can have this!"
Arnold gasped.
"I have no use for them. I wouldn't feed a goat with these mouldy old notes!"
Alois threw the money down in a rainfall of papers. Claude extended a silver tray, and the boy threw down some more papers.
"Let's see, deeds to some land! And some horses too! Take all! They're yours!"
Arnold started grasping at them, then ordered his carriage driver to collect them for him. Alois laughed at the man's greed.
"Just look at him, Claude! Like a cow learning to dance, what a pitiful sight!"
He continued to laugh until he realised that his butler wasn't joining in.
"Waiting, Claude."
"Master?" Claude asked.
"I want you to laugh too."
The butler didn't respond, so Alois huffed.
A cold air swept over them. The clouds rumbled loudly, and lightning flashed in its crevices. Rain started to pummel down from the heavens.
"There's a storm coming."
Meanwhile, through the rain, a man clothed in black walked towards the mansion.
Claude walked through the dark corridors with a candelabra in hand, bringing light with its flickering flames. He heard a booming knock at the door. Claude went to the front door and opened it. On the other side was a man dressed in a long black coat with a very high collar and a top hat, carrying a large suitcase.
"A storm has blown in," the man said.
"What brings you to our door at this late hour?" Claude inquired.
"I had been caught outside in this wicked storm. I was hoping I might trouble you for lodgings tonight."
Alois then appeared from behind Claude's back. He giggled with excitement.
"Look at you! You're so filthy! You look just like a drowned rat!"
Standing on the tips of his toes, he leant closer and inhaled deeply.
"But still, you do smell rather nice. So, what's your name, hm?"
The man didn't answer, but that didn't seem to bother the boy.
"This man will be staying with us!" he announced. "Understood, Claude?"
They went to the dining room, where a hot meal was placed in front of the man. Alois offered him a plate of bread rolls.
"Try this one!" he said. "Claude's cooking is simply delicious!"
The man bowed his head.
"Yes, I'm sure it tastes quite nice," he replied. "However, please observe the speck of sauce on the rim of the plate."
There was a beat of silence.
"I assume it would have been too great an inconvenience to dab it with a cloth?"
Claude bowed.
"My apologies, Sir. I'll clean this," he said, picking up the plate. "I didn't realise a man who doesn't remove his coat at the dining table would have such delicate sensibilities."
"You flatter me," the man responded.
Later that night, the man was sat on the bed in his guest quarters. He lifted his head when the door opened and Hannah came in. A bandage was wrapped around her left eye, slightly stained with blood.
"Some hot water for you, Sir," she said.
She placed the large jug on the bedside table, and picked up the empty one.
"May I ask why you wear a bandage over your eye?" he asked.
"It's nothing," she replied.
"I'm surprised you can still work."
She said nothing in response.
"Hannah!"
Alois stood in the doorway with a smirk on his face.
"What are you doing in here?" he asked. "Tell me."
Hannah shivered.
"I-I came to change the water."
"Oh?" he said, strolling towards her. "Or perhaps you were seeking pity by wearing that silly bandage and acting pathetic for our guest?"
He smacked the jug out of her hands and grabbed her by her hair.
"Get out of here now, you stupid tart!" he ordered.
She fell to the floor, curtsied, and hurried out the room. Alois then turned to the guest.
"Very sorry, Sir. Forgive her."
"Are you certain she'll be alright?" the guest asked.
"Who knows?" Alois huffed. "I don't care for her much anyway, she's such an embarrassment. What is she thinking?"
He paused for a moment.
"Well, for that matter, I suppose I don't know what anyone's thinking."
His attention then turned to the guest's trunk sat on the floor.
"So, what's in that trunk of yours? Clothing? Sweets? Weaponry?" he asked. "I'm jealous of you. I bet you've travelled to all sorts of fine places, don't you? I wish that I could travel some time. This mansion's so dull."
The guest stared at him.
"It's dull?"
A smirk pulled at his lips.
"But I've been told something interesting lies underneath this mansion."
Alois smiled at him.
"Yes, like what?" he asked.
"We can strike a bargain. Show it to me, and I'll show you what's in this trunk."
The boy giggled in delight, unknowing of the dark smile hidden on the man's face before it pulled into a frown.
Alois opened the door of the cellar, candelabra in hand and the guest behind him.
"Just follow me," he said.
He began to walk down the stairs. The man followed behind him with his trunk in hand. When they reached the bottom, they strolled among the shelves, filled with wine bottles and imported teas. The man gestured up to one of the shelves.
"There, that's it," he said.
Alois looked up and saw the box. It read 'New Moon Drop'. He reached for it and presented it to the guest.
"What? It's just tea."
"It's New Moon Drop," the guest explained. "People say the tea leaves plucked at the full moon give off a clear, sweet smell. These are the opposite however. When plucked at the new moon, the distinct aroma can bring the mind to total, bottomless darkness. It has another name. It is called the Soul's Temperature."
He reached for the box, but Alois pulled it out of his reach.
"Not quite yet."
"Oh?"
"No need to get prickly. I promise I'll show it to you. But one thing first."
A voice then interrupted them.
"That's right." Claude said, coming up from behind. "First, you'll hand over that trunk."
The man glanced behind him, and saw the butler armed with his golden knives. Claude threw them, and they shredded through the man's coat and hat, revealed his face.
Sebastian stared back at him, his face impassive.
"Sebastian Michaelis." Claude said.
He threw more knives, but Sebastian used his coat to catch them. Sebastian threw the coat over Claude, took the box of tea, and began running up the stairs.
"He's getting away!" Alois cried.
Claude immediately gave chase.
"Don't kill him! I want him alive!" Alois ordered.
The butler took off his glasses.
Meanwhile, Sebastian continued to dodge the flying knives. He threw the trunk to the floor, and used his body to protect it, accepting three knives in the chest for his troubles. Claude stepped towards him.
"Do you value that trunk more than your own life?" he asked. Sebastian didn't answer. "Pity."
He threw plates next. Sebastian dodged out of the way, still hauling the trunk.
But the catch was loose. It popped open, and exposed its contents. Within the trunk was Ciel, curled up in an unmoving ball.
"Ciel Phantomhive?!" Alois cried out.
The boy ran into the kitchen, smiling manically.
"I finally have you! You're mine!"
Sebastian scowled.
"You're wrong about that."
He tore out the knives in his chest, and aimed for Alois's head. Claude caught them when they were a millimetre from the boy's nose.
"I would never let the likes of you touch him. Someone as vulgar as yourself isn't worthy to come anywhere near this trunk, nor will you ever be." Sebastian said with a devilish smile. "Your mere touch would defile my… Young Master."
Alois stared at him with wide eyes.
"What?!"
Sebastian leapt onto a nearby table with the trunk, and used the wheels to speed away.
"You put your feet on something that's meant to carry food. What kind of butler are you?" Claude demanded as the chase began yet again.
Sebastian smiled at him.
"What kind of butler am I?" he asked. "Why, I am simply one…"
He paused and pressed a finger to his smirking lips.
"No, it's not quite time for that yet."
He drove the wheeled table into the foyer, and manoeuvred it down one of the twin staircases. Claude slid down the bannister of the other.
"You flee instead of fighting?" he asked.
Sebastian leapt off and stood on the chandelier. Claude stared up at him.
"I believe I recall your ways," said Sebastian. "Turning day into night. Sugar into salt. Navy into golden."
He pressed a hand to his chest.
"It seems I will have to turn golden, into black."
The chandelier came crashing down.
The entire room was consumed in darkness. Alois screamed loudly.
"It's dark…" he whimpered. "Claude, I'm scared."
Claude sighed.
"Lights," he ordered.
The candles lit up. Hannah came into the room holding a candelabra, followed by the triplets. Alois was kneeling on the floor, gasping for breath. His head shot up when he heard a loud crash. Sebastian had leapt out a window.
"Go after him, quickly!" Alois ordered.
Hannah and the triplets headed out. Claude made to do the same, but Alois grabbed hold of his leg.
"No, Claude. Not you! You can't go!"
"Master…"
"Don't leave… Don't leave me…"
"Don't leave me alone. Please don't leave me alone."
"You can't leave me all alone too. Please Claude, don't go."
A tear trickled down the boy's cheek. Claude sighed.
"Of course, Highness. We're companions. I'm not going anywhere."
He knelt down before the boy and held his hands.
"Day and night. Sugar and salt. Creature and corpse. Defiled and immaculate."
"No!" Alois cried. "I know that old man was right. I'm only a brat, foul and vulgar."
Claude slipped his glasses back on.
"You are more than that. You are my Master."
"Oh, be quiet. I know you feel the same way."
The butler cupped the boy's cheeks.
"Look at me. I'm still your loyal servant. There's no need to convince me of your worth. I grow hungrier each day. You'll make one Hell of a feast."
Alois stared up at the man with fearful eyes before he pushed his gloved hands away.
"Oh, just forget about it," he said, wiping his tears. "All of you, you can be swallowed by the darkness."
Sebastian ran through the night with his precious cargo in tow. He smiled as he remembered his conversation with Marianne only that morning…
Marianne was curled up under the white covers of their bed. The sheets were wrapped around her nakedness, and she clutched a pillow to her breasts as she lay on her stomach staring up at Sebastian as he dressed for the day.
"So, you are going to get his soul back today," she said.
Sebastian straightened his tie in front of the mirror.
"Yes, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Although I find the thought of entering the home of another demon, especially one who would stoop so low as to steal another's contracted soul, to be utterly revolting," he replied.
She sighed and pressed her cheek into his pillow.
"It is for our son though. I know you would do anything to get him back."
"As I know you would do the same."
As he put on his tailcoat, he knelt down beside her and pressed a kiss to her lips. Her hands moved to cup his cheeks, and he smiled as he rained kisses down the length of her neck.
"You know the plan?" he asked.
"Yes, I will meet you in the forest clearing when you come out of the mansion. You will take Ciel with you in case they think there is something suspicious."
The demon smiled.
"That's right, darling. I shall see you tomorrow morning."
Marianne rolled over and watched him as he walked to the door, picking up the empty trunk sat beside it.
"As long as you bring back our precious boy in one piece, I shall wait for you," she said.
"So long as you are here to curl up with me in our bed tomorrow night, I will make sure to be swift." Sebastian retorted.
He shut the door just as she threw a pillow at where his head would have been.
He arrived at the forest clearing. The sun had risen and the birds were singing. Marianne was sat on the grass beside him as he opened the catches of the trunk. Sebastian unfolded Ciel out of it. Ciel looked as though he was only sleeping. Marianne took the boy in her arms and propped him up against her. She pressed her lips to his forehead. Sebastian reached forward and stroked his hair.
"My poor child…" he sighed.
He took out the box of New Moon Drop and opened it. Out of it, the demon pulled out Ciel's Hope Diamond ring.
"How did that demon get a hold of it?" Marianne asked.
"Demons can get their hands on anything they desire, as long as they are determined enough." Sebastian replied as he slid the ring onto Ciel's thumb.
The ring glowed a brilliant blue. Sebastian smiled softly.
"Now, Ciel, it is time to wake up."
I can understand if many of you are disappointed that we didn't see any action from Marianne in this chapter, but I do have my reasons for it. If Claude would go through the trouble of stealing Ciel's soul when he thinks he is only Sebastian's contract, what do you think he would do if he got a hold of Marianne with the knowledge that she is Sebastian's bonded mate? And Marianne is still transitioning into a demon, so she is still vulnerable, so Sebastian would never put her at risk during such a crucial time.
We will be seeing more of her in the next chapter though, don't you worry! You can't keep a mother away from her child for too long.
Should you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Please read and review!
