Revelation

The coal room was draped in shadows by the descending moon. Flickering orange light straining from a lone candle illuminated a small radius and allowed Blaire scant ability to see the space in front of her as she knelt on all fours. Her arms burned from the effort of holding herself up while scouring the floor. Nobody else, besides Sebastian of course, would be awake yet and he hardly ever disturbed her mornings anymore.

A loud knock on the backdoor drew her up from the floor with a start. Pausing for a second, she pondered who could possibly be outside when it wasn't even light yet. That entrance was usually reserved for servants and deliveries. All of the servants would be in bed and Royal Mail didn't deliver on Sunday. She waited, hoping that Sebastian would answer the door. But when moments passed and there came another insistent knock, she scowled.

Wiping the oily sheen from her forehead with the back of her hand, she heaved a sigh as she got to her feet. "Not fit enough for this. It's a wonder I'm not built like fuckin' She Hulk yet."

Swinging the door open, she gasped when she saw none other than Ash Landers stood there, wearing all white and looking as serene as the wintry dawn he was standing in. He smiled gently, his violet eyes pinning her. He looked strange and small without his wings towering behind him and yet he still towered over her. "A very good morning to you." He tipped his top hat. "I apologize, my duties prevent me from taking my lunar form. I hope I do not displease you."

"What are you doing here?!" Blaire whispered harshly. "He'll know you're here!"

"Why, I'm merely delivering a message from the Queen to the young lord of this estate. Won't you invite me in, little flower?"

Blaire felt her cheeks warm and she averted her eyes. "I-I can take a message."

"I am told that this particular message must be delivered in person."

"You're a little early. He won't be up for another hour and then he needs to have his breakfast. I'm sure you don't want to wait around here all day." Crisp morning air blew through the threshold at that precise moment, causing Blaire to shiver. She silently willed him to go away so that she could close the door.

Ash narrowed his eyes at her for a moment so brief, she questioned if it even happened. "Nonsense!" He clapped his hands together, pushing past her. "I have you to keep me company, don't I? The time will fly by!"

Blaire stared after him with a frown as he made his way into the kitchen, slowly shutting the door behind them. Hesitantly, she followed after him. She was unsure why, but she suddenly felt more relaxed, even as she wondered why Sebastian wasn't here telling her off and starting a fight with the angel. Had he gone out?

The sounds of Ash potting about preceded him and a feeling of cold dread washed over her. First, she let Ash of all people push his way past her into Ciel's house and now he was rummaging around freely! Oh, what was Sebastian going to say? Hurrying after him to make sure that he wasn't wrecking the place, she was disturbed to find him with tea leaves in hand.

"I'll make you tea. You're the guest, please sit down." She went to take the tea leaves from him but before she could manage, he held them up out of her reach. He smiled down at her.

Reading his smile as cruel, Blaire flinched and took a step back.

"They have you trained well. However, there is no need. When is the last time anyone made you tea? Please… allow me."

"But-"

"I insist." He was firm and the water had already begun to boil of its own accord.

Blaire sighed. She didn't even like tea. "I'd better go and finish cleaning while you do that, then." She turned to pick up the broom which was leaning against the cabinet. "But listen, I need to talk to you about something. Sebastian was telling me about something you apparently did and I don't understand-" She yelped when an arm encircled her middle. The broom she had picked up clattered to the ground and she found herself being spun around to face the angel. She was flush against, his arm still ensnaring her middle. She swallowed, her garbled words dying in her throat. She didn't know where to look. He smelled strongly of lavender. The scent enveloped her and made her feel as though she was floating through a hazy dream. Her eyelids felt too heavy to keep open.

"My dear, you look utterly spent. Have a seat, I will do the cleaning."

Blaire adamantly shook her head. "Sebastian will have my skin if I let a guest do the cleaning. It's bad enough you're making the tea." She mumbled, a flash of fear searing her like a lightning bolt in an otherwise pleasant storm.

Ash tutted, releasing her and causing her to stumble back. He snapped his fingers and Blaire's jaw dropped when the fallen brush jerked to life, jolting upright and beginning to sweep the floor, hovering in the air like a puppet on a string.

Casting the self-cleaning broom one final glance of despair, Blaire finally collapsed into a chair, her legs feeling like jelly. She watched, becoming increasingly enraged as the room cleaned itself. It should have taken her hours. Her elbow rested on the table, propping up her head.

Ash placed a cup of tea in front of her, the earthy aroma calling her attention like the hypnotic pull of a swinging pendulum. He was suddenly behind her, rubbing tender circles into her shoulders. "You do realize that your dear Sebastian is quite capable of doing the same? It is quite awful really, how he makes you exhaust yourself each day when he can do the same work with the snap of his fingers."

"Yeah, I suppose. Ciel told him to use human methods, though." Her head was heavy on her palm as she allowed the contact. She shut her eyes, feeling a familiar caress at the back of her mind lulling her to sleep. A couple of seconds couldn't hurt, ri-

Her head snapped up abruptly at the sound of Sebastian's voice. It was suddenly very light outside as the sun split the trees and seeped in through the window.

Oh, sweet suffering Jesus.

"Come now, Sebastian. All of her duties have been tended to."

"Be that as it may, the master of this house has forbidden the use of non-human methods. Besides which, you should not be fraternizing with the servants."

"The girl was asleep." Said Ash.

"The girl has a name." Snapped Sebastian, his eyes drifting to Blaire. "I see you have awoken from your slumber. I trust your dreams were pleasant?" He sneered.

Blaire shot up like a shuttle, heart hammering, pumping blood like rocket fuel at a dizzying pace. "Oh, sir, I'm so sorry-! What time is it?!"

She yelped when she felt Ash's hand on her shoulder, shoving her back down onto the chair. Sebastian stepped forward, his expression becoming unearthly and his voice barely contained to its human veneer. "Do not manhandle my staff-"

"As if I could harm her… Allow her some rest."

Blaire could feel the angel playing with her hair. Sebastian's gaze seared into her and she felt increasingly flustered, before an inexplicable wave of calm washed over her like a salve.

Sebastian loomed over her, staring down at her with an expression that was quite clear. Get back to work.

Moving Ash's hand from her shoulder, her second attempt to stand was a success. She clasped her hands in front of her and turned her gaze to the floor. This time when she spoke, was proud of herself because she did not stutter or sound timid.

"I'm really sorry sir. I'll get back to work now."

She hurried past Sebastian, stopping when she felt his hand on her arm. His hold was gentle and when their eyes met, his gaze was not unkind. "The fault is not yours. Even so, you require more sleep than you are getting. You will wake up an hour later from now on."

"Um…Yes sir?"

Blaire, finally recognizing the familiar scene playing out, shot a bullet of a glance over her shoulder to the ethereal being that was Ash, standing in a perfectly ordinary kitchen. The sight was disconcerting enough, and then she realized this was an episode in the TV show. But something was slightly off. They shouldn't have been in the kitchen and Ciel should have been with Sebastian. Ash should have been reading Tanaka's tea leaves instead of making tea for her. She looked back at Ash with a thoughtful frown but he was too busy glaring daggers at Sebastian.

"…Ash?"

His gaze turned on her, instantly softening. "Yes, little flower?"

Sebastian's hand tightened around her arm. "Can you read tea leaves?" She asked.

He smiled brightly. "Oh but of course I can! Would you like me to read yours?"

"…Maybe some other time." She wrenched her arm away from Sebastian's grip and wandered out from the kitchen, suddenly completely unsure what to do with herself now that her tasks were done. Worry began to consume her as she impulsively made her way towards the library.

If Ash was here to deliver a message from the queen, then that meant it was nearly time for Ciel to discover the truth about who killed his parents. Would his contract with Sebastian come to an end? Or would Claude steal Ciel's soul? Should she warn Sebastian? If she did warn Sebastian and he was able to subvert Claude's efforts, what would happen to her when Ciel's soul had been eaten? Would that make her responsible for Ciel's death?

Suddenly feeling the need to scream the place down, Blaire paused in the middle of the hallway, reaching back to pull her hair in desperation. Her hands stilled when she felt something foreign in her strands. She grabbed hold of whatever it was and pulled it free. In her hand was a large, white feather.

"Coleman." Sebastian's voiced pulled her back to reality, saving her from wading through the swamp of her mind.

She turned, hiding the feather behind her back. Sebastian's eyes were tracking her movements as he advanced and one look at his face told her that he had already seen the feather. Her throat felt so tight that she couldn't speak. She could barely even breathe. He stopped in front of her, eyes narrowed but he did not address the feather in her hand.

"What troubles you? Are you hurt?" He leaned closer into her personal space, searching.

Adamantly, she shook her head. Trying to swallow down the sensation of being choked by her own barely contained hysteria. "N-no."

Sebastian was silent for a moment, his eyes drifting to the familiar pattern of blisters marking her neck like a work of art. After an eon of a moment, finally he broke the creeping silence.

"We are going to see the Undertaker. That thing in the kitchen wishes to say goodbye to you before it departs." He sneered.

Blaire snorted; her mood momentarily lightened. "You mean I'm actually allowed to go and see her? …Him?"

"The sacred bond between you does not grant me license to prevent it from seeing you. I will entertain its wishes so long as you are unhurt." He said with a voice so soft that it masked the darkness she could feel radiating off him.

Ting-a-ling.

"I'm coming in." Ciel announced as Sebastian held open the door.

Blaire loitered behind Ciel and stood deliberately near Sebastian. As they stepped into the Undertaker's gloomy shop, a familiar sounding and completely unhinged chuckle came from its shadowy innards.

"Welcome little lord." Croaked a voice from the shadows. It was then that Sebastian stepped in front of Blaire, the door slamming shut behind them with a click.

"Undertaker." Ciel coldly acknowledged. "I have something to ask of you."

"In that case…" A figure emerged into the dim light and it was then that Sebastian's odd behavior was explained.

"Grell?!" Ciel exclaimed.

Blaire cringed, recalling her last encounter with the reaper. She had run away from him and nearly fainted. Sebastian had to intervene, ripping her corset from her so that she didn't pass out. The last time she saw Grell, the sounds of his screaming followed her all the way to her bedroom. The question of what the grim reapers wanted with her had fallen from its cage when Angela crashed into her life. She had completely forgotten about the reapers interest in her. Grell, it appeared, had not. His piercing eyes met hers briefly, his drawn-on eyebrows knitting together.

"Hello my lord." The croaked a second voice and following the sound, Blaire spotted the Undertaker. He appeared to be taking a bath in a giant urn filled with salt.

"What are you doing in there?!" Ciel demanded.

"The bounder told me he wasn't afraid of grim reapers so I buried him in salt!" Grell answered.

"Yes, he did. All of the moisture is being sucked out of my body as we speak. It's a great feeling!"

"An interesting opinion." Muttered Sebastian, his voice muffled by the handkerchief he had pressed against his nose. Blaire was intrigued.

Stepping around Sebastian, she asked: "Got a cold?"

"No." He spat.

"Legend has it that demons, ghouls and phantoms cannot cross a line of salt until they have counted every grain. I think they're just allergic, though." Explained the Undertaker with an enormous toothy grin which contorted his face unnaturally. As he inclined his head to look at Blaire, the silver hair covering his eyes shifted slightly, allowing her to see the ugly scar mangling his face. It traversed the space from beneath his cheekbone and over the bridge of his nose, disappearing beneath his overgrown, shaggy fringe.

"Tell me Grell, what are you doing here?" Ciel's voice cut through Blaire's noise of fascination.

"Will gave me a job to investigate, that's all. But I couldn't find any information. It was getting late and I was tired. So, I laid down in a field of flowers. The next thing I know I'm waking up here in this shop. I should be careful in the future not to stop breathing while I sleep. But I was waiting for a certain prince to come along and revive me with his kiss!" Grell gazed at Sebastian dotingly.

"So, what are you investigating?" Asked Sebastian, pinning Grell with a gaze that could have flattened him into a bleeding shadow.

"Oh, nothing much." He replied lightly. "It's the grim reapers store of cinematic records. Some of them have been stolen."

"Cinematic records? What are they?" Ciel inquired.

"Not something a kid needs to know about." Snapped Grell.

Ciel's eyes fell on Sebastian and Blaire. The latter, recalling how Sebastian described it in the show, awaited his explanation. When none came, Blaire glanced around to see that all eyes were on her. Waiting. Why was everyone looking at her? She met Sebastian's eye, frowning in silent question.

"Any ideas?" He prompted.

"Why would-" She started, before sighing. They were testing her again. "Oh, um, they like, burst out of people when they die. Grim reapers watch them and humans can only see 'em when they die…or something like that."

"Poetically put as always, Coleman…" Said Ciel.

Grell raised an eyebrow, staring at her in fascination. Then Sebastian's red gaze landed on him and he straightened up. He didn't dare even speak to Blaire.

"And these records. How exactly is it they were allowed to be stolen?" Asked Sebastian.

"Well, you see. They are stored in the library when we aren't using them. Good and evil. The full past of everyone who is destined to die. All of their lives are stored there in the form of books." Grell replied.

"So, you reapers have a group of books written in preparation for doomsday… Undertaker." Ciel began. "If you will, there is something I need your help with."

The Undertaker chuckled. It was a gravelly, dark sound. "Well then. You do know the price for that, don't you...?" He turned his head in Blaire's general direction, though she was unable to see where his eyes were looking. "Oh, well on second thought, I suppose I'll do it for free."

There came the grating whisper of grains of salt shifting as the Undertaker rose from his powdery bindings. He clambered out of his oversized urn and retrieved his cloak from Grell.

Green eyes set beneath a silver mop locked onto Blaire and the Undertaker grinned.

"It's great to see you again."