This is chapter 3! *Happy Dance* I hope you all like it :)

I heard the curtains being pulled open so I turned my head to the sound. I opened my eyes to see Sebastian tying knots as I sat up to stretch. Last night had been a nice reprieve from my duties as a bodyguard. Ciel had gone out for a chaperoned walk with Elizabeth and Sebastian had gone with me. But because there was nothing to do, I had simply taken in the night's beauty.

"Elena, I hope you slept well," Sebastian said as he handed me a cup of tea.

"Better than the first day," I yawned before taking a sip of the tea, "is the young master awake yet?"

"I was going to him after you. It is half seven and there is a bath waiting for you," Sebastian replied as he took the empty cup of tea and helped me out of bed.

"Thank you," I said as I stood.

He undid the ribbon around my throat for the nightdress before leaving me. I walked to the bathroom and undid the rest of the dress before slipping into the water. It was warm and the bubbles covered me. I dipped my head under the water to wash it before reclining. I put my hands on the rim of the bath and closed my eyes. I hummed softly under my breath as I wondered what we were going to do today. Did Ciel want to go into town?

"Elena?" a voice called out and I opened my eyes to see MeyRin, "Sebastian sent me up to help you dress."

"You don't have to," I said calmly, "I wouldn't want to put you out."

"Don't worry about it," MeyRin replied before washing my hair and wrapping me in a towel.

I brushed my hair out before drying it. Once it was dry, I put on the wig carefully and pulled at the fringe. MeyRin put the hair in a low bun as she dried my back. Once I was dry, I put on my underclothes before she helped me into my corset. It covered my visible ribs, the scars from my brief stay at the cult and the bullet mark from my walk through the Queen's palace. Fond memories…mixed with bad ones. Scars from the days at the Tower Of London, Alois Trancy and Henry Berrymore. Burns on my hands from surviving my burning home so long ago. The memory of my dog Julius saving me came to the fore of my mind as a lilac dress was put on me. Ribbons were tied and buttons fastened.

"We're going to the floodgates today, yes we are," MeyRin enthused as I sat down at the vanity to style my hair.

"Funtom does a lot for the community," I said softly as I pulled a few strands into a higher chignon twist.

"You seem to be in a good mood," MeyRin said as she watched me in the mirror.

"It's a day to be happy," I smiled at my reflection.

I stood and walked into the hall, spotting Ciel getting dressed. He looked up at me and motioned for me to come in. I walked in, holding my hands in front of me while keeping my eyes on his. It was something I was trying to do, to stop the habit Alois and Claude had given me. Keep eye contact on Ciel when he spoke with me…or when anyone spoke with me really.

"We are going to a ceremony today, where Funtom while announce funds that will be going to the restoration of old floodgates," Ciel said as he sipped his tea.

"Very good sir," I replied simply.

"Did you sleep well?" Ciel asked as Sebastian finished with his shoes.

"Better than usual," I replied simply, "how did you sleep?"

"Not well," Ciel yawned.

"I'm certain you will fall asleep on the boat, young master," Sebastian stated matter-of-factly.

"I will have Elizabeth to attend to, I cannot fall asleep," Ciel yawned again.

"When are we leaving sir?" I asked and Ciel looked up at me.

"In an hour," he replied.

I had taken off my boots and placed them beside Elizabeth. My stockings had followed and she had merely giggled when I had proclaimed I was letting the water run across my feet. I tilted my head back to rest against Sebastian's leg and he didn't comment on the contact. The wig tickled my back as the sun warmed my skin. I opened my eyes to see a school of fish swim past my feet. I turned my head to see Ciel's little 'I'll just close my eyes' had turned into a nap. He even snored…which didn't seem to suit the image I had of him in my head.

Elizabeth giggled with her umbrella protecting her from the sunlight as I closed my eyes again. The sun painted my eyelids a bright red. A shuffling sound made me turn my head reluctantly back to Ciel to see him looking in our direction.

"Sebastian," Ciel said calmly, his hands interlocked on his chest as I had placed them before taking off my boots.

"You were sleeping very soundly," Sebastian replied, "Elena made sure you were comfortable."

He sat up to see Elizabeth giggle before looking over at me. The sound of another boat coming down beside ours made us look to our right where the servants were smiling. It was a day trip for the whole household.

"Well master, we are very nearly arrived," Sebastian replied as he held up his oar, "now there is work to be done."

"Yes, the floodgates," Ciel yawned as he stretched, and Sebastian returned to steering the boat.

Elizabeth handed me a towel to dry my feet before I put my stockings back on and then tied up the boots.

"Oh Ciel!" Elizabeth said simply, "have you met my friend Lucy?"

"Lucy?" Ciel asked as I moved to sit beside Elizabeth, who handed me another umbrella, "what are you doing Elena?"

"If I recall, young master," Sebastian said as he touched the top of my umbrella, "you agreed to Elizabeth using Elena as her female companion today. Her name is Lucy…"

"And she's Sebastian's young wife!" Elizabeth said which made me giggle.

"Oh darling Lizzy," I said when I gently touched her arm.

Elizabeth turned to hug me tight, which made me freeze from the contact. Elizabeth was crying, and wanted to hide those tears in my dress. I held her tight, using my wig to hide her eyes before she pulled away with a smile. Sebastian had said she had suffered the most with the news about Ciel. He was her fiancé after all.

"Lucy…" Ciel smiled slightly as the boat was brought to dock, "Lucy Michaelis. I didn't think Sebastian would settle down and marry anyone…"

"It seems I've changed my ways," Sebastian said with a smile.

"Apparently," I said with a sigh as I undid our umbrellas and put them down near his feet, "Lizzy! Look at that!"

I pointed to a woman wearing a bright pink dress, and Elizabeth giggled before dismounting and grabbing my hand. We walked past the woman and straight up the hill before sitting down. I looked to Elizabeth and she seemed to be thinking hard on a subject.

"Lucy," Elizabeth whispered as we watched Ciel walk onto the stonework that held the floodgates, "how did you cope with Ciel?"

"I didn't," I whispered softly, "I couldn't stop grieving for him."

"Sebastian said you were someone else's maid for a while," Elizabeth whispered.

"It was a distraction," I whispered as we heard Ciel clear his throat, "he's starting his speech now."

"This area has been plagued by floods for many years. It is my hope that the addition of new floodgates will restore Phantomhive lands to peace and safety. Additionally, I would like to thank you all for your continued support in this grand endeavour. I shall commit myself to the task of flood prevention as my family has for generations before me in the hope of bettering all our lives."

Ciel bowed to everyone and we all clapped. Elizabeth sat there for a moment longer as I stood, feeling agitated and paranoid. I touched her shoulder and she didn't look up at me.

"I'll be back in a minute, Elizabeth," I said as I walked up the rest of the hill to the tents.

Something told me I was being watched, and my skin was crawling with the sensation. I ran towards the forests surrounding the tents and kept running. I was being watched, and I wanted to know by whom. I spotted a glimmer when I stopped, and that glimmer could only belong to binoculars. I put my back against a tree before I undid a strap in my dress to pull out a knife. I turned quickly and threw it, hitting a target that screamed, "hell!" before falling to the ground. I moved towards it with my baton out, seeing a man clad in brown.

"And you are?" I asked as I put the baton under his chin.

"Oh no!" he gasped as he turned to brace himself against a tree to look at me, "you weren't supposed to see me!"

"Who hired you?!" I snapped, "believe me when I tell you my aim was off with that throw."

"You hit my arm!" he croaked.

"I'm out of practise," I said as I raised the baton, "but I won't miss from this distance. Who hired you?"

"He told me to follow you, that you were trouble. He didn't give me a name, just told me if I found you, I was to report back to him."

"Describe him," I snapped as I dropped to look into his eyes.

"Em…black hair, black clothes, yellow eyes…I don't know his name, I swear!" the man said as I sighed. I pulled my knife out of his arm and ended his life.

I put the baton back at my thigh before I wrapped my arms around myself. Tremors made the dress ripple and move. Claude Faustus knew I was alive, and he had sent people to find me. Had he hired them or had Alois? Did it matter? They knew I was still kicking and they wouldn't stop until I was dead. I gripped my arms tighter as I walked out of the woods and away from the body. Were there more surveillance groups? What was their objective? Were they only there to find me or were they there to retrieve me? My teeth chattered as I dropped behind a tent.

"I can't go back," I whispered as I wiped my eyes roughly, "I won't go back."

"Elena?" a voice called out and I moved into better cover. The voice had belonged to MeyRin and she was looking around for me. I stood slowly and moved away from her. They were looking for me, and there was nowhere for me to hide. I walked into a stall and found it had a hairdresser who looked tired. I touched my pockets and felt the gold coins Ciel had given me as a wage for the last two weeks.

"Mademoiselle!" the man said as he looked me over, "what can I do for you today?"

"Do you sell wigs?" I asked and he pointed to his display. There were red ones, black ones, brown ones…but my eyes settled on a blonde one. It was a little shorter than the one I was wearing but since Claude had sent people to find a black haired girl, they wouldn't see me as a blonde.

"How much for that one?" I asked.

"One pound," he replied and I pulled out the money and handed to him, "this is far too much!"

"I don't have change," I said as he handed the wig to me.

"You want to change hair colour, no?" he asked and I nodded, "I'll bleach your hair and style the wig for this."

It took an hour for the black to disappear, leaving me a bright blonde head that matched the wig to perfection. It was a touch lighter than Elizabeth's and the way the man had styled it, he had made me look a little older. He stuck in white lace to act as a hair piece before letting me go. I walked out of the tent and grabbed an old coat to hide my lilac dress, exposing only the ends. I touched the hair, and smiled before I spotted Elizabeth. She was pulling at dresses in another tent, pointing at the pink ones in particular.

"That one is just adorable!" Elizabeth said as she pointed to an orange dress, "and I do like those frills! Not fair! I don't want to choose! I wish I could run back at once!"

"Please lady, take all the time you like to decide," the man said as he spotted me.

"Yes miss," MeyRin replied as Elizabeth pointed her in another direction.

"Maybe you should go with the blue one," I said softly as I stepped into the tent, "it would suit your blonde hair."

"Who are you?" Elizabeth asked as she turned to look at me.

"That was silly of me," I put my hand out to her, "my name is Lucy Michaelis."

"Lucy?" Elizabeth asked and I nodded, "where did you go Elena?"

"I thought I saw someone I recognised," I waved it off as I reached behind her to pull up the blue dress with a brown belt, "you should wear this one. Lord Phantomhive will surely be impressed."

"Are you coming with us?" she asked as the man took my hand and showed me other dresses.

"What are we going boating for, Lizzy?" I asked her as I was shown a pale pink dress.

"Oh Lucy!" Elizabeth sobbed as she wrapped her arms around me, "Ciel and Sebastian went looking for you. MeyRin!"

MeyRin walked back, looking out of breath as Elizabeth pulled me forward.

"MeyRin, I found her," Elizabeth said softly before she looked over the dresses, "but Lucy's tired."

That seemed to be a code for something as the man pointed out a baby pink dress with a white ribbon around the waist. The skirt was a little flatter than what Elizabeth had worn today and it came with a white rose choker in lace.

"That's so cute, Lucy," she said as I picked it up.

"Are we allowed to keep them?" I asked her and she nodded as she paid the man for the blue dress and mine.

MeyRin helped Elizabeth into her dress before Elizabeth helped me. She looked at me in the mirror as she handed MeyRin my dress to throw out.

"Elizabeth," I turned to clasp her hands, "you need to be careful."

"Why?" she asked.

"I'm not safe to be around alone. So please stay near Ciel or Sebastian," I was handed white gloves to go with the white lace sleeves.

"Alright," she said as she took my hand and brought me outside, clipping a hat to my head that had a white rose on the angled part.

"Lady Elizabeth," Ciel said as he appeared, his blue suit gone as Elizabeth took his hand.

"Ciel," she said in a soft whisper.

I followed behind, hearing only people clapping as I sought out any more binoculars. Had Claude stopped looking for me? No, he wasn't one to give up. I heard a scream from behind me and knew someone had found the body. How long would it take Claude to find out? Did he already know? I shook my head gently and felt loose curls touch my neck.

Ciel stepped onto the boat and helped Elizabeth in, and she said something to him in a low voice before he put a hand out to me.

"Lady Lucy," he said as I took his hand, "allow me to assist you."

"Thank you, my Lord," I replied as I took a seat beside Elizabeth.

"I told him you were different, and that you have to stay nearby," she whispered to me quickly.

I stood and moved to sit by the edge, my paranoia acting up as Ciel took my vacated seat. Goosebumps had risen on my arms and I turned my head to see a glimmer. Someone was watching…but were they looking at me?

(Surveillance POV)

"Damn it!" I snapped as I looked at the boat that held Ciel Phantomhive and Elizabeth Midford, "I lost her!"

The mission had been simple; I had to locate the one and only Elena Hamilton and inform our employer of her whereabouts. I had asked why she was so important and he had answered on behalf of his master.

"She was to be my master's betrothed, but she ran. Lord Trancy wants her found and returned to him, by any means necessary," the butler had said.

"Why did she run?" another man had asked.

"I believe her uncle made her worry about her safety," the butler had answered, "Lord Trancy wants her returned to him. Understood?"

"Yes sir," the three of us had replied.

I had seen her run into the forest and come out a moment later. Her clothes had been a little damp from dew. I had even heard someone calling her name. A woman with plum coloured hair had wandered around before the Elizabeth girl had called for her assistance. I had hoped that Elena would be with Elizabeth and I had turned to look, and hadn't found Elena after that. The radios were blaring with people asking where was she. I had noted her lilac dress and black hair before she had disappeared.

A young blonde had gone into the tent for changing ten minutes after Elizabeth had and her dress had been covered by some sort of jacket. The ends had shown to be a pale grey so she couldn't be Elena Hamilton. I moved my binoculars to the butler as he put the boat out to the river, the young blonde girl leaning on the edge and she was watching me.

"She can't see me," I said as I looked her over, "but who the hell is she?"

"Lucy Michaelis," the radio replied, "she came from the country to visit her friend Elizabeth, the earl's fiancée."

"What's her story?" I asked as I looked her over.

"No one knows. The Phantomhive group lost sight of her for an hour and then she's back. That's why Ciel is treating her a little better than that Hamilton girl."

"She's just a maid," I muttered, "and we have to find her. Is she with the other servants?"

"No, she seems to have vanished," the radio replied and then said with awe, "the maid vanishes."

(Elena POV)

Elizabeth had come to join me as Ciel stayed where he was. I touched my hair before sighing.

"Lucy?" Ciel asked and I turned to the name, "can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Yes sir," I said as I crawled over to sit beside him.

"Elena," he whispered, "why are you blonde?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I whispered back as Elizabeth sat up alert, "the chess game has changed, and I don't know who I'm playing against anymore."

"Look! I saw something over there!" Elizabeth pointed to her left and Sebastian adjusted the boat to move towards the object.

"Drat, I was certain the stag was somewhere over in this direction," Elizabeth said as she viewed the bank we had almost collided with.

"I found the stag!" Bard called out and we turned to see he was holding…three swans, and one was fighting back. It obviously didn't want to be held. That made me giggle…which made Ciel look at me.

"Look! I got him!" MeyRin called out as she ran holding four rabbits in her arms.

"Here we go!" Finny called as he held a horse upside down.

MeyRin tripped and dropped her four rabbits as Finny adjusted his grip on the moving horse. Elizabeth giggled as I laughed, covering my mouth as she turned to look at me.

"Surely you're joking? Those look like deer to you lot?" Ciel asked as he put his hand to his head.

"Deer?" Bard asked before he turned to put the swans back.

Finny took the horse back as MeyRin fixed her dress, the rabbits hopping away from her on their own. Elizabeth pointed them out to me and I laughed. I moved to sit beside her as she took one of my hands, trying to soothe me no doubt and that only made me want to move away. I couldn't stay here if I was putting them all in danger…it would only hurt me if they were hurt.

"Lady Elizabeth," Ciel said softly, "do you mind if we stop for something to eat?"

"That sounds nice," she said as Sebastian tied off the boat and got boxes from the servants' boat. I threw out a blanket for them to sit on as I lay down on the grass.

"Lucy? Are you joining us?" Ciel asked and I shook my head.

"If it is alright with you, I would like to take a walk," I said as I stood and dusted down the dress.

"Are you alright?" Ciel asked and I didn't answer, "be back in twenty minutes."

I started walking past them, hearing Sebastian rooting through the boxes. I passed the servants as they talked about cooking pigeons which didn't even bring a smile to my lips. I hit a rock with my shoe and watched as it fell into the water. I moved to the edge and looked down into the pale blue depths and wondered if that was all there was. Where were the fish?

"Lifeless…dead," I said as I moved away and touched my blonde hair, "not worth thinking about."

I moved on, hearing the servants complain before I sat down and wrapped my arms around my legs. The dress covered me and acted as a soft spot to sit. I had wandered away from the others, but what had I gained? Did I want to be alone? Did I want to think about Alois Trancy?

"You," a voice called and I looked up.

The man was brunet with bright blue eyes. He had mutton chops by his ears and a lift beard. His lips were far too thin and his eyes were a touch small. His ears seemed a little flat and he was dressed in a brown suit. His shoes suggested he was a labourer and that only served to confuse me.

"I was looking for someone…" he said as he pulled me up to my feet and closer, "and you fit her bill."

A cloth was brought to my face, covering my nose and mouth. I tried to scream but that meant I inhaled the noxious thing. Chloroform…my brain told me as I felt my vision blur.

"The Trancy boy will be happy about you," he whispered as my body sagged against him.

(Ciel POV)

"Sebastian, it has been twenty minutes, locate Elena now," I ordered and the demon nodded.

"Yes, young master," he said, placing a hand over his heart before running off in the direction she had taken.

"I wonder where Lucy went," Elizabeth said as she looked at me, "she seemed worried when she got her new dress."

"Worried how?" I asked and Elizabeth put her hand to her chin to consider it.

"She arrived at the tent and just…watched. When she got her dress, she wanted to get rid of the lilac dress as quickly as possible. It was almost like she was worried she was being followed."

"Young master, I found this, but no Elena or Lucy," Sebastian said as he held out her hat and her white lace choker.

"She must have been hurt!" Elizabeth cried, "that choker was doubled tied around her neck."

"Sebastian, steer the boat. We'll look for her as we look for the stag."

(Elena POV)

It's so cold, so quiet. That is until I hear a voice, a chuckle…and then someone strokes my arm.

"She's a pretty girl," a man said, "she just sat there when I found her."

"I didn't think she'd dye her hair," another man said as he pulled at the curls.

"The hairdresser was just too easy," the first man said and I coughed, "she seems to be coming around."

I opened my eyes to find I was on a boat, the water was choppy and my hair was damp. I lifted myself up and looked to the two men. One was the man that had spoken with me while the other was someone I didn't recognise.

"Trancy put up quite a reward on your pretty little head," the brunet said as I coughed.

"We'll get the reward money," the other, a redhead, said calmly, as he lifted a gun to show me.

"No sudden moves, darling," the brunet said, "or we bring you back damaged."

There was no way I was going back to Alois Trancy, not in this lifetime, not in any. I brought my hands out in front before I threw myself over the lip of the boat. Guns went off; bullets flew by as I sank under the water. One caught my arm before the water covered me and then all I heard were curses. They had hoped that waving their guns in front of me would frighten me into obedience.

The water was freezing as rain hit it from above. My dress tried to float me to the surface as I went to one of the banks. I had to run, and run as fast as I could. I got to the bank and pulled myself up with one hand. I pulled my boots off as the men tried to move their boat to follow me. Bullets hit the grass near me as I ran in my stockings.

Water had collected on the grassy surfaces to make puddles. My feet fell into the water which only made me feel colder. There was no one for me to scream for, and I wasn't sure where I was going. I just had to find someone to help me.

"Help!" I screamed as I ran faster, using one hand to cover my arm, "somebody help me!"

"Elizabeth!" I heard being called so I lifted my head and kept running.

I heard someone yelling behind me so I looked over my shoulder to see the men were closer than before. They were determined to get the reward money…so I would make it as hard as possible. I turned to my right and jumped into the raging waters and felt them wrap around me. I couldn't determine which way was up or which was down until I saw a piece of rope. I grabbed a hold of it and held on tight as I used my other hand to move up it. I gasped for air before another wave caught me. The last thing I saw was Ciel's startled glance and then I was gone again…

Where am I? I thought as water lapped at my face, where am I?

I clenched my hand and felt sand underneath. I let go and opened my eyes as I coughed water. The sun was bright and the sky was virtually cloudless. I put both my hands in front of me to push myself up, as my arm started to throb. Right, the redhead shot me. I sat up after another moment and looked at my clothes, not sure where I was. Had I seen Ciel or dreamt him? Was I dead?

I looked down at my chest and shook my head. There was no blood, no marks over my heart as I felt my head. There was a slight bump but that would go down with time. I touched my legs, feeling only small scratches.

"That's probably from being washed up here," I croaked as I touched my throat.

"Lucy!" a voice called out as another called out, "Elena!"

I moved to my knees before getting to my feet rather shakily. The river looked calm, and when I looked up…

"Isn't that the hairdresser's tent?" I asked as I used my good hand to cover my eyes.

"Elena!" a voice called out and I reached under my skirts for my baton. I extended it as I turned to see the two men.

"We found you," the redhead said, though he was now soaked to the bone.

"Come along," the brunet said as he held up his gun, "Lord Trancy is waiting for you."

"I'm not going with either of you," I croaked, "and nothing you do or say will change my mind."

"That's a shame, darling," the brunet said as he waved his gun, "but you have a fiancé waiting for you."

"I'm not going," I replied.

A bullet was shot at my feet, a warning. I looked down at my stocking clad feet and then back to the hairdresser's tent. If that was up there, the dress place ought to be there as well.

"We know you came here with that baby earl, and we will kill him. Him and everyone who came with him today to make you come with us," the redhead announced boldly.

"I change my mind," I said in the voice similar to that of a frog, "'ll go with you. But I cannot arrive to my…fiancé dressed like this. The tent there sold me this dress; I will get a new one."

They led the way and I walked into the shop with them following. I looked over all the dresses as I touched my sore head and saw the tent was unattended. I picked up Elizabeth's old pink dress and found clean underclothes. I went to the dressing room and undid my soaked clothes. I walked out and looked at the other dresses for a moment before picking out a vomit green affair. I used it to dry myself before undoing the corset. I didn't do up a new one, it was too hard a task to complete alone. I did up the dress slowly, pulling at the sore scab on my arm. It dotted the sleeve red as I looked at myself in the mirror. Water from the wig dripped down my back as I looked for escape.

I looked to the mirror and put my back against the opposite wall before hitting it with all my might. The glass shattered from the frame and I dropped down to grab pieces. I would never return to Alois, not in death or life. I held the glass tight, feeling it in my palms but I shook my head.

I opened the door quickly and threw a shard at one man, the redhead, and it caught his chest. I threw another and it hit his head like Sebastian had with the priest in the cult. The man fell to the floor and I hid behind another wall.

"Jerry! She ready or not?!" the brunet snapped.

Jerry was dead, his body had stopped twitching. When I heard someone loading the gun, I knew the brunet had found his friend.

"Come now little girl," the man said, "we don't want to make this a bloodbath."

I looked to the dressing room and knew I could run for cover there. I turned and threw glass at the man before I went into the cover. The gun went off above my right shoulder as I covered my ears. When all I heard was screaming, I moved away to see the man was on the floor, the glass in his left hand and the gun just in front of his fingers. I rushed forward and grabbed the gun. It felt heavy as I dropped the glass away from him.

"What are you going to do, darling? You can't kill me," he said calmly as I lifted the gun to aim at his head.

"I can't let you live," I croaked, "you'll tell them where I am."

"I won't tell anyone," he promised and I shook my head.

"The reward money is just too tempting to you," I said as I cried, "you'll send them to me and I'll be hurt again. I'm not going to be a punching bag again!"

"That's alright darling, I get it. You won't be a punching bag," he said as he raised his hands to surrender.

"How about this, darling?" I whispered as I fired the gun.

The man stopped moving after a moment, and I dropped the gun. Smoke still escaped the barrel as I kicked it away from the bodies. I stepped over the brunet and walked out into the sunlight. The tents were empty so I followed a path and hoped it brought me somewhere. There was one path and the road it led to was covered in rocks. My feet hurt with each step but I didn't care.

The path led to the outskirts of London and then, when the moon was high, I found the gates to the Phantomhive Manor. I opened the gates slowly before walking in. The trees surrounding the entrance made me wonder if I was being watched…but no tingle went up my spine. My paranoia wasn't acting up…which I took to be a good thing.

"Sebastian wouldn't let anyone close enough to hurt Ciel," I assured myself as I shuffled forward.

The light escaping the manor was incredible but I took my time to go to the servants' area. I knocked on the door slowly and it was opened by Bard. He was smiling and the cigarette on his lips sent smoke out into the evening air.

"Elena?" his voice asked and he helped me inside, "where did you go off to?"

He put me in the kitchen and brought me to the dining table to sit down.

"Bard?" I asked as I looked up and he knelt in front of me, "Bard!"

I held him and he held me tight. I had never killed a person, I had only injured them. To have someone else's blood on my hands was not a nice feeling. The problem I was facing was the fact that it had been too easy. When I had killed that first man, I hadn't given myself a chance to think about it…but I had now. We were so fragile.

"Elena, come on, I'll bring you up to your room," Bard said calmly as he got me standing.

He held me around my waist with the other hand in mine. My gloves were soaked through and my stockings were slippery. Bard brought me up slowly before bringing me into my room.

"The young master has been in bed a few minutes now," Bard said calmly, "he was looking for you."

"I killed people," I croaked as Bard opened my door and put me on the bed.

"Haven't we all?" Bard asked.

"Bard, it was too easy," I looked down at my hands.

"I was a soldier, this sort of thing happened a lot with the newbies," Bard sat down beside me, "you're just in shock. It will pass."

"I killed people," I repeated as Bard held me, "I killed people."

He stayed with me for a while before he wrapped me in a blanket and put me lying on my bed. He touched my head to move my hair out of my eyes before I closed them. He smiled at me before he whispered.

"Everything will be alright, Elena," he whispered and then left me in the dark to sleep.

I woke up screaming, the nightmare too fresh in my mind. I sat up and shivered as I remembered it. The men bleeding to death, the gun smoking in my hands. Elizabeth's dress has their blood on it and in that moment, I could smell the iron. I looked down at the pink dress and gasped when I saw the drops on the bodice. I had really killed three people…

"Elena?" a voice asked and I didn't turn.

"I killed them," I whispered as I rocked.

"Elena," another voice said as they moved closer to me. I kept my eyes on where my feet were as they sat down on the bed, using a gloved hand to lift my chin, "what happened?"

Sebastian looked calm as I reached out to hold his hand. I spotted another figure move from the door and sit on the other side of my bed. I looked over to see Ciel, sleep still evident in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," I croaked as Sebastian looked me over.

"Who did you kill?" Ciel asked as he looked me over, "my life wasn't in danger today."

"He sent people after me," I whispered, "he put a reward out for me."

"Who did?" Sebastian asked as I rubbed my eyes.

"Alois Trancy," I replied, "he told people I was his fiancée and that I must have run off. He wanted me back and sent people to look for me. If they found me, they were to report to Claude and he would come get me."

"Elena, we won't let that happen," Sebastian soothed.

"I can't go back there!" I sobbed as I leaned on Sebastian's shoulder, "I don't want to be a punching bag anymore."

"Why would this Alois want her back?" Ciel asked.

"Because she's considered his," Sebastian replied, "in his eyes, she is his property."

"She works for me though," Ciel muttered.

"That doesn't matter," Sebastian replied as he lifted me to look at him, "you said you killed them. What happened?"

"I walked away from you all; I needed a chance to think. One guy, he used chloroform on me and then I woke up on a boat. He tried to threaten me with a gun but I jumped. He shot me," and I pointed to the blood-stained arm, "and I got to the bank. I wanted to find someone to help me and I heard someone yell out Elizabeth so I followed it. They were fast; they were going to catch me but I jumped into the water."

"I saw you on the side of the boat," Ciel said and I nodded.

"I woke up on the banks, and they had found me. I told them I needed to change before I was brought back to Alois. They brought me for clothes and I broke a mirror. I threw glass at one man and then shot another…I had killed a man before that. They were following me, and I was scared. I was scared they'd hurt you if they wanted me."

"Sebastian, is the perimeter safe?" Ciel asked and Sebastian nodded, "no one will come through those gates, Elena."

"The chess game has changed, and I don't know who I'm playing against anymore," I whispered.

"You said that on the boat," Ciel said as he looked to Sebastian, "what the hell did this Tracy boy do to her?"

"Trancy…Alois Trancy," I croaked, "he won't stop looking until he has me…until death do we part…"

Yeah! That's the third chapter done! Hope you all liked it and please review it or PM me with your thoughts :) Chapter 4 will be up soon :)