#cielizzyweek2017

Sorry I’m a day late on this. Will try to write out Day three for the next part asap. This is a short story for @cielizzydefencesquad

Cielizzy week: Day 2: Wedding

Nervous. Why was she so nervous? This wasn’t the time for that. Lady Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford sat, hands folded properly on her lap, in her family’s carriage as they rode through the streets of London. Dressed in a white gown with light purple flowers carefully embroidered onto the dress she nervously peeked out and looked at the bright sunny street. People were busy bustling about, not noticing the carriage heading for the church. Edward, who sat beside her, dressed in a dark blue suit with tie nudged her slightly.

“Stop fretting Lizzy. You’ll do fine.”

She looked away from the street scene and over to her brother, a smile slipped onto her lips. “Do you really think so?”

“I don’t think, I know,” he said simply and looked away for a moment from his cute younger sister. She was adorable dressed in the white bridesmaid dress that their cousin had purchased for her. “Now, stop worrying. You’ll be just fine.”

Elizabeth smiled brightly and seemed to ease up some. Her eyes moved over to her mother who seemed preoccupied with something, although she glanced over and smiled softly at her daughter. Alexis on the other hand was wiping his eyes as he seemed to blubber some next to his wife. “You’re growing up so fast Elizabeth,” he told her and sniffed when she asked what was wrong. “You look so lovely. Not that long ago you were small enough that I could carry you in my arms, and now you’re a beautiful bride…”

“She’s not getting married yet,” quipped Frances, and shook her head. “She’s only a bridesmaid today dear. Calm yourself, your god daughter is going to see you. Are you ready to give her away?”

“Ah, yes, of course!” Alexis took the kerchief out of his breast pocket and wiped his eyes. He too was dressed up for the occasion in a black morning coat, dark vest with a lavender buttoner and a lighter gray waist coat with a sharp looking lavender bow tie as requested by the bride. Both Frances and Edward were in their Sunday best with a hint of the lavender color to their attire out of respect for the Bride’s wishes.

Frances handed her husband a new handkerchief then looked at Lizzy directly. “You remember what you learned at the practice?”

“Straight back, walk slowly, head up, and do not look more elegant then the bride. Be humble but also smile slightly, and stay in a straight line as you walk and hold onto the groomsman’s arm, don’t look left or right and try to keep pace to the music.” Lizzy recited and her mother nodded, pleased by her daughter’s attention.

“I think that’s all of it,” Frances said as the coach reached the church. Outside there were people walking in readying to get seats. The other bridesmaids and their families were there as well, each dressed in the same white gown with lavender flowers lightly stitched onto them. As Lizzie’s father helped her and then her mother out of the carriage, she caught sight of a dark cape blowing slightly in the warm wind. A familiar face came into view and Lizzy stared with surprise. Ciel stood out like a black storm cloud amidst the billowing white of the bride’s party. As usual he was dressed in his dark colors, only this time it was violet in nature, and he had a more elaborate suit on. Sebastian, standing beside him, gave a nod to aknowledge that he’d seen the family.

Lizzy made to move towards him, wanting to say hello, but her mother quickly caught her by the arm and fixed her veil.

“You’re needed in the church, my love. No time for greetings. I’ll say hello to Ciel for you inside.”

“What’s he doing here?” Lizzy asked as her mother made sure the flower crown and veil sat and stayed pinned to her daughters golden updo. For a change Lizzy had her hair swept up at the sides, and layers of ringlets cascaded down from the back.

Frances shrugged, “He’s the Earl, it’s custom to invite noble houses to weddings. Some come, some don’t. He chose to come to this one.”

“He doesn’t know Miss Gwendoline though, does he?”

“No, I believe he does not,” Frances admitted as she ushered Lizzy up the stairs of the church. “But that’s neither here nor…” she and Lizzy paused upon seeing the scene in the bridal area of the church… “There.”

Both women blinked hard at what they saw. Alexis was trying to comfort the bride who was sobbing, and the groomsmen were looking unsure of what to do. The bridesmaids were aghast and the groom was furiously yelling at the best man, who was trying to calm the groom down as he furiously waved his finger, pointing at a man that was slouched in a chair snoring.

Frances took one look at the scene and cleared her throat gaining everyone’s attention. Lizzy hid a smile behind her hands. Her mother was, after all, the Aunt of the Queens watchdog, if anything she knew how to get attention in a room.

“What in the world is going on here?” she asked upfront, and then looked at the Best man, a noble Lizzy only knew as Sir Hardy. “You there, John, what is the matter with that man?”

“He’s gone and gotten himself drunk, cousin Frances,” John said shaking his head as the groom went over and shook the man hard by the coat. John grabbed him and pulled him back. “Confound it Westly. You can’t just shake him like that. He’ll vomit on you. You don’t want this day ruined.”

“But we don’t have the right number of groomsmen,” Westly insisted and looked over at the bride. He let out a long sigh. “Gwen, must we have the ten?”

She nodded, “It was a request of my mother, for luck, she’ll be upset if I don’t have the same number as her wedding to my father.”

The groom let out a long sigh again. Lizzy had heard the story before. Gwendoline had lost her father several years before during a boating accident on the Atlantic where he’d gone fishing with friends. Her mother was a supersticious woman who believed that luck came by numbers, and that in order for Gwen to have a happy wedding she need ten bridesmaids and grooms, or else the wedding wouldn’t go through.

“What do we do Cousin Alexis?” Gwen sobbed onto the Marquess chest as he tried to calm her down.

“There, there, Gwen, you’ll get married today I promise.” He tried to sooth her and looked to his wife and daughter for some guidance. Lizzy glanced at her mother.

“Who can we get at such a short time?”

“We could probably use an usher, but then that would be short and Hilda would have another fit on that,” Frances muttered to herself, when Lizzy was struck with an idea. She grabbed a boquet and hurried out the door from the back room her mother telling her to wait, she didn’t.

Walking quickly, almost at a slight run, she burst through one of the back doors away from the main aisle. Guests were already taking their places and she scanned the pews for a familiar face. The tall black hair of Sebastian lingered near the back corner, hiding out away from most of the crowd. Lizzy knew that where Sebastian lurked Ciel was never far behind.

She quickly and quietly made her way over, ignoring the glances of the guests who found her sudden appearance rather odd, and sat down next to him. Ciel had taken a seat near the back of the church, alone. He’d done so, she assumed, so he could leave right away once the ceremony was over.

At first he made no motion to indicate he’d noticed her until Sebastian cleared his throat, “You look lovely, Lady Elizabeth. Don’t you think so, young master?”

Ciel didn’t quiet look at her, for a moment, then turned to face her and turned away again just as fast, covering a red tinge that had moved up his cheeks. “You look well Lizzy. What are you doing here? Isn’t this breaking protocol.”

“Ciel, I need your help.” She whispered and he cocked his head, then turned to face her looking worried.

“What’s the matter?” there was that serious look to his eye again, the one that he always got when he was thinking of things. She grabbed his arm and pulled him up. “Lizzy! What on earth are you doing?!”

“We have to get to the back of the church. Mother will fill you in on the directions that the bride wants,” Lizzy explained as she yanked him to his feet, much to the shock of the other guests. She ignored this, at the moment and Sebastian stepped lightly between her and Ciel.

“I must ask, my lady, that you kindly explain what’s going on. The young master has nothing to do with this wedding and is merely a guest here, and it seems rather rude of you to just pull him along like this.” He bowed to her slightly and Lizzy flushed some, embaressed as the guests gaped and whispered at her. She smoothed out her dress and tried to look as dignified as possible, keeping her voice low.

“We need another groomsman,” she explained to both of them and Sebastian looked amused as Ciel looked on confused.

“What for, Lizzy?”

Elizabeth crinkled her gloves on her hands as she looked around, noticing that people were starting to talk more and kept her eyes down, “One of the grooms men looks…what was that word that Cousin Matilda said her sister gets when she gets too much drink in her?”

“Sloshed,” suggested Sebastian and she nodded. He chuckled, “I see, so one of the groomsmen is too drunk to go on, and you need the young master to replace him. How…charming.”

Ciel huffed, “No it is not. I don’t even know the bride or groom.”

“Then why did you come?” Lizzy asked incredulously. “I know that sometimes noble families are invited to the weddings of some retainers to the royal family but...I didn’t think you were one to…”

“Well the Young master felt that it was a nice day to travel, and he heard that you were going to be in the wedding party and wanted to see what the fuss was all about…” Sebastian stated and Ciel looked mortified, flashing daggers at his demon butler.

“Sebastian!”

Lizzy felt heat creep up her face, “I…I um…well, tha…Thank you Ciel that makes me very happy to hear that.” She said and he gave a slight nod of welcome, although clearly he wasn’t too thrilled with Sebastian opening his mouth up. Lizzy though forced herself to ignore the heart beats that were quickening in her chest. “But…there’s no time for that. Please, I’m asking you, could you please stand in?”

“Do I really have a choice in this,” he asked and she gave him a pleading look. Ciel gritted his teeth, huffed, “Fine,” and then walked quickly before her as Lizzy gave him a grateful smile. All the while the dark butler trailed, whispering comments to him.

“How sweet of the young master to be so willing to step in and help. I’m sure the daily papers will be pleased to report on this in the society pages.”

“Knock it off Sebastian.”

“She does look quite stunning though,” he teased him about Lizzy as they hurried along to the back of the church, Ciel trying to ignore the facts. He’d noticed Lizzy right away, out of all the girls there she was like a perfect rose among a bunch of peonies. He couldn’t help but stare, if not for her being there he would have skipped the invite, but Frances had mentioned that it was Alexis’s goddaughter and then told him that Lizzy was going to be in the bridal party. Sebastian had suggested they go, as a show of good faith, and to his surprise Ciel had not expected Lizzy to look so grown up.

They wandered into the back of the church were Frances was waiting. Before Ciel could protest he was whisked away from Sebastian, who held his cloak, by a group of four older young women who at once cooed about how cute he was.

“Sebastian!” he called out as they dragged him away.

“Fear not, my lord, I’m sure that this will be quiet interesting a lesson for you on the decorum for your own future wedding,” Sebastian called out as the door was shut, and chuckled seeing the poor boy being mauled by the bridesmaids as they fixed his suit for use in the wedding.

“Aunt Frances what exactly…don’t touch me!...What’s going on?!” he begged her as he pulled back from the women who seemed to pout. Frances glared at them sending them scurrying back to the bride’s side. She bent over and fixed his jacket.

“As you can see,’ she motioned to drunken groomsman, “we have a bit of a problem. You’ll walk down with Lizzy. If you please Ciel, it would be a favor to me and to her.”

He sighed, “Alright Aunt Frances. I’ll do what I can.” She nodded and then escorted him over to the bride, and the groom, who were talking quietly in the corner.

“Gwendoline, Westly, I would like to introduce you to your new groomsman, Earl Ciel Phantomhive. Earl, this is Westly Sonderhim, and Alexis’s goddaughter Lady Gwendoline Harrington.”

“A pleasure to meet you both,” Ciel gave courtesy to the two adults. He looked between them and then focused on the bride. “Is there anything that I need to know before this starts?”

Gwen looked happy to see the young boy and patted his cheek, something Ciel did not find endearing.

“Well, simply put, you just need to walk slowly down the aisle with Elizabeth, then stand with her off to the side during the ceremony. Once that’s finished, escort her back out of the church, and that’s it.”

Ciel raised a brow, “That’s all you need me to do, are you sure?”

She nodded, “Yes, that’s it. It’s quiet simple. Don’t go too fast, or slow, and look forward. Oh and one arm should be linked with hers and the other…”

“At my side, I’m sure,’ he said slightly bored by it all. She nodded again.

“You’re very clever for your age.”

Ciel gave a weak smile, but took the compliment, even though it felt more like an insult to him and Frances hurried him over by Lizzy. “Is she always that condescending.”

“Only to you it seems,” Frances said bluntly. “And it was meant as a compliment Ciel, do try to take it as such.”

“I’m almost fifteen now, Aunt Frances,” he pointed out as they walked over to Lizzy, “I’m not a child …”

“And neither is she,” Frances motioned to her daughter who was trying to seem polite to the young men in the grooms party as they flirted with her. Ciel clenched his fist. What were they doing with his fiancée? He could see that she was wearing heels this time, and the dress curved to her figure more than her normal outfits did. If her face wasn’t the normally cheerful one that she always had, he wouldn’t have recognized her at that moment.

Feeling what he couldn’t describe, jealousy, annoyance, Ciel didn’t know, he walked over and cleared his throat loudly. One of the men looked down at him, “What is it boy.”

“I believe Lady Elizabeth is to be my partner in this, and I would like you to step away from my Fiancée.” He said in the coldest tone that Lizzy had ever heard him use. His eyes narrowed as the groomsmen moved back and Lizzy smiled at him, grateful, that he’d come beside her.

“I wasn’t sure how much longer I could take their comments.” She said taking his arm as he offered it.

“You don’t have to, you know. You’re engaged to me,” he pointed out and again looked away. Lizzy giggled some and he relaxed until she joked.

“You know it’s almost like we’re getting married.”

“Lizzy!” he felt his face flush and tried to recover. “There’s a time and place for such things. And here and now is not that time or that place.”

“Sorry,” she said softly and smiled, “Ciel, thank you.”

“For what?” He stared at her and tried to ignore the beating of his own heart seeing her like this. Lizzy grinned happily.

“For being willing to stand up to this wedding with me. For dealing with all this. I know this isn’t something that you like to do, or deal with, but thank you again.”

Ciel shrugged, “It’s nothing to big, besides, if you didn’t ask I’m sure Aunt Frances would have.”

He felt her squeeze his hand, “I’m glad I’m walking down with you though. I won’t feel as nervous.”

Ciel nodded, “Me too. Or embarrassed.”

“Ciel, do you think, one day we’ll be able to walk down like this?” she asked quietly. He gave her hand a pat as the ushers came over to line them up.

“It’s time to go Lizzy.”

A day in the garden. 

Hope people like this for the Third day of Cielizzy week. Thanks again @cielizzydefencesquad for coming up with these cool prompts. 

He watched her moving among the roses as he stood off to the side. The warm air from the spring afternoon wafted through the garden, sending the smell on a wave from a random breeze. It had been less than a week since Lizzy and the others had come for Easter, and now the warmer weather was setting in. For the moment Ciel could relax and enjoy some of the peace, though he knew it couldn’t last forever, still it was nice.

His eye drifted onto Lizzy who was busy with Finny tending to the flowers, seemingly amused by the collection of odd mixes that they had gathered in the short time that Finny had been the gardener. He let his mind wander back to when they were kids, in that very yard, playing. There were days he couldn’t go out, his asthma would cause him to not be able to be out among the pollen. On those days he would sit in his room watching Lizzy play with Sebastian, their dog, and he had to smile.

Those days, when he wasn’t sure if he was ever going to be strong enough to make it to his teens, were always fraught with worry. Yet here he was, only a few months shy from his thirteenth birthday and Lizzy well on her way to her fifteenth year.

Thirteen years, he had to wonder what his mother and father would have said, what would they have done. Watching Lizzy with Finny he soon got up and walked over, setting aside the paper that he had been looking at. Snake was helping Mey-rin with the laundry, Sebastian was seeing to the cooking with Bardroy, and there had been no word from either of the Charles, nor the Queen. Peaceful was how he was looking at it.

Finny glanced up at seeing him, “Oh, young Master. Care to join us?”

“Finny was just showing me how he planted the tulipls.” Lizzy explained and pulled him down closer, pointing to a young sprout just starting to come from the ground. “See they’re just starting to grow.”

“You’re right,” Ciel noticed and glanced at Finny. “So how long do you think it’ll take for all of them to bloom?”

“Oh a while I’d say. But with some love and care they’ll sprout.” Finny grinned happily. He stood up and gathered some of the tools he had on his person. “Well I’m going to go check on the green house. You’re welcome to come along.”

Ciel shook his head, getting dirty in the mud wasn’t his plan today. Finny smiled, “Suit yourselves.” With that he headed off leaving the two young teens alone. It had been a while since they had been left on their own like this and Ciel felt uncomfortable. Not so much with Lizzy, but with the situation. Being alone with a girl, even if it was Lizzy, wasn’t seen as respectable, and he, though not seen exactly as such, at least tried to keep the apprence of proper etiquette.

Lizzy on the other hand was having none of that, and stopped him from getting up and leaving. “Where are you off to?”

“I just thought of going back to read.” She took his hand and Ciel paused and looked at her.

“Do you remember when we were younger and played out here.”

Ciel sighed, “Of course I do Lizzy. Why would you ask that?”

She seemed thoughtful for a moment, then smiled again, “It’s nothing. I was thinking maybe we could walk around some?”

“Sure,” he gave a nod and the two strolled down one of the paths now alive with some early blooming flowers. They were quiet for a while, as if not sure what to talk about, until Lizzy let out a yelp that sent him stumbling some. She covered her mouth, as he dusted off his knees. “Lizzy, what was that for?”

“I…I just remembered, Paula mended your jacket and we had it tailored. It’s still at the house, waiting for you. I’ll bring it next time I come.”

Ciel sighed, “Is that all. I thought you saw one of Snake’s snakes on the ground or something.”

She laughed. “I’m not scared of them,” and took his arm. “Here, you can hold on to me so you don’t stumble.”

“I don’t need you clinging on to me like this,” he admonished her, but didn’t push her off. Lizzy laughed and smiled softly at him.

“I’m just glad you’re alright. When were on the Campania…”

“I was worried about you too,” he admitted then quickly added, “And Aunt Frances and Uncle Alexis and Edward too, of course.”

“Of course,” she echoed and he fixed the sleeve of his jacket. After another long moment or so of silence, Ciel finally managed to speak, he’d been debating asking some questions.

“So, how long have you been training? I mean, that seriously? Is it just swords or…?”

“Can I shoot like mother?” Lizzy seemed embaressed. “Well, not as well. I can fire a gun, but, nothing like her. Mother is amazing.”

“You can say that again,” Ciel commented thinking of all the insane things that his Aunt did to him over the course of the three years he’d been the Earl. His thoughts turned back to his parents, and he had to wonder if they knew Lizzy was training to protect him.  “How long have you known about my being the watchdog?”

“Mother told me about it when we were little.” Lizzy admitted and he had to wonder what other information she’d been told as well. “But she never went into too many details. She said it wouldn’t be proper of me to know till I was much older.”

“I suppose not, but you did see what happens,” Ciel said pointedly. “I’m sorry that you had to see that.”

“No, it’s just a part of your job, it’s not who you are Ciel.” She was saying when he stopped walking. “Ciel?”

“Do you really think you know me that well Lizzy?” he wasn’t looking at her now. He was suddenly worried she’d find out the truth and he wanted her to stay away from it. Stay away from her heart breaking. “I’m not exactly a good man.”

“No, but I’m not exactly a perfect lady either,” Lizzy pointedly said and he looked back, a smug smile on his face for a second, then it vanished and he let her arm go to walk before her.

“Ciel?”

“Are you really going to be happy with knowing what I do, Lizzy? I mean really happy? I don’t want to burden you, you know.” He was being distant again, but it was one of the ways he could keep her at bay. If he got to close then he would want to stay around, want to be with her, and once his mission to find his parents killers was done, he was going to leave this world and let Sebastian have his dinner. That was the plan right? So why was it starting to seem harder and harder to abide by this contract. Why, after seeing her fight for him, did he want to find a way to nullify it?

“I…I know I will Ciel,” she said softly and cut in front of him, then hugged him close. “Don’t worry, I’m not scared of you. I’ll never be afraid of you. Ever.”

He closed his eyes and allowed himself to hug her back. “Thank you Lizzy. That…means a lot to me.”

Her hand suddenly grabbed his and she dragged him off, pulling him at a run. “Hey. Where are we going?”

“I remember where we are now! Come on, there’s something I want to show you.” She encouraged him to run, his heels digging into the stone and dirt, her flat shoes making a crunch as they pattered around corners and through the hedges until Lizzy drew him out to a small grassy knoll area just a bit farther away from the house. They were near a small hill and she was already starting to climb.

“Damn it,” he muttered and hurried after her. “Lizzy, wait up!”

Up and up they went, Lizzy calling him to follow along. Eventually, with some great effort, they rose to the top of the small hill and Lizzy turned him around. “See! Isn’t it wonderful?”

From where he stood Ciel could see a good portion of the garden. Finny was talking with Snake and Mey-rin, Bardroy and Tanaka were sitting in his chairs, both drinking some tea, and Sebastian, well from what he could tell, his demonic butler was playing with a cat, again. He was going to have to talk to him about his collection.

“It is stunning Lizzy,” he was saying as she sat down among some small white flowers. Ciel carefully joined her. “Clover?”

Lizzy nodded, “Mmmhummm.” She held some out to him. “For luck.”

Ciel took them and looked at her confused, “What do you want me to do with these?”

“Make a chain silly!” she said and stared to braid the stems together. Ciel watched her, and tried to mimic but soon grew frustrated and was about to throw them down and head back down the hill, when she grabbed his hands again. “Here, I’ll show you. Honestly Ciel, you don’t remember making these?”

He did, but he wasn’t about to say he’d forgotten how to braid them, “It was just silly kid stuff.”

“You used to like making them,” she started to say and he let her fingers weave into his.

“Then show me again how to do them.”

“Okay, well you start by taking three flowers and braiding the stems like this,” Lizzy held up three flowers and carefully moved his fingers to craft the braid, he couldn’t help but enjoy the sensation of her fingers flowing over his. Though he would never say it to her. “Then you add another one and…”

Slowly, carefully, two crowns of flowers were made and not to his surprise Lizzy donned one and sweetly put the other on his head. He was glad Sebastian wasn’t there, if he had been the butler would have teased him for days given the red glow of his face. Lizzy though didn’t seem to be paying attention to that, she was leaning back in the grass and enjoying the view of the sky. Ciel reclined some, to watch the clouds with her, his eye closed and he thought to himself.

I know it’s late! Hopefully I can get the last two done tomorrow, or get at least one done later tonight before I go to bed and the other done tomorrow.  Hope people like this really short piece for Cielizzy Week 2017 @cielizzydefencesquad

Vincent was the first born and everyone said he looked just like his father. That same smug sort of look that showed he was up to something, those large eyes that reminded people of Rachel, and that confidence that told everyone that he was a Phantomhive. The thing was Vincent had his late great Aunt Ann’s hair. Red as a rose, but not as bright due to the blond in there from his mother. His blue eyes shown under strictly trimmed bangs.

He’s always seen walking after his father, trying to have the same air of dignity that Ciel has, but also hiding a sweeter side. Unlike his father’s shadowy nature, Vincent is a gentle soul who wants to do right by his family and prefers using a sword to a gun, as he sees them as being a vulgar weapon of choice. Crafty like his old man, he’s a slight trickster when he wants to be, but genuinely prefers to be direct about things.

Ever since he was a kid he’s walked in his father’s shadow. The servants around the manor house always took note of the fact that when he was eight Vincent would follow along after his father as Ciel read his notes for his business and mirror his father’s posture. It’s said that Ciel would purposely walk slower so his son could keep up and pretend to not notice the boy, though the whole time he keeps a hidden smile on his face under the cover of reading the papers. It’s clear that the Earl cares deeply for this boy.

Rachel Frances was the first girl and considered the jewel in the Phantomhive crown. Born with her mother’s eyes, she had a knowing look to her face as she smiled brightly at everyone in the house. Rachel, with her dark black blue hair, with curls that bounced as she ran around the halls after her brother, was one for mischief. For all her angelic looks under every one of her smiles was a trick waiting to come out. Her only care seemed to be for her family and she let that be known to everyone in ear shot.

Like part of her namesake, she was blunt with everyone regarding what they were doing and how they were doing it. Yet her giddy energy knew no bounds. As a child she would keep the staff busy, discovering new ways to bother Paula who’d been retained to stay on as the new governess. She was a wild one, rushing here and there, playing games with the shadows as she danced across the floors of the phatomhive manor.

Rachel never left her brother’s side, always trying different ways to get him to become involved in her activities. Vincent, and by extension Ciel, were constantly being dragged into playing games with her and Lizzy. Dancing and singing seemed her sport, but she was adept at chess just like her father. She always seemed to be thinking three steps ahead and always viewed the world through the eyes of “What needs to be done,” rather than simply, “what can be done.”

Yet still there was the twins, Anne and Sebastian. Two parts of a whole, as their mother Elizabeth always put it. If Vincent and Rachel were the night then these two were the day. Twin blondes with brown eyes, they puttered about the yard with abandon, chasing after one another through the gardens seeking oiut butterflies and lighting bugs in the summer days and nights.

Anne, with a pair of braided tails, would be in the lead, helping the smaller Sebastian along. Laughing and giggling the two would never be without the other, and always laughing at some sort of personal joke between them. Anne seemed to enjoy the snakes that occupied the grounds, and Sebastian preferred the pet dog that they had gotten when he was a baby named Tanaka. Anne was the louder of the two, raising her voice so that everyone could here, while Sebastian would try to keep her firery temper at bay by teasing her and making her laugh with his horrible puns and silly jokes.

For Sebastian calm was something that he liked, and cooking, always with the cooking. He would follow his mother around watching her as she worked on her swordsmanship, or entertained the ladies that came to call. Even though at times he was scared of his father, who seemed to him a distant man, he still loved him and Ciel treated Sebastian tenderly, more so then the other kids.

Both he and Anne talked of the strangers that would visit from time to time. They would make up stories about the man with the funny grass cutter that puttered along some nights, of the red haired beauty that seemed to sometimes weep for some missing person that she called out by name but they never answered, and Sebastian was never sure if she was calling to him or not. Then there was the staunch man with the book in hand. He, with the clippers, would stand outside near some of the roses and wait, as if waiting for someone to come.

Once they saw their mother and father come out to talk to the man, whom their father called William, but they never asked what the matter was about. Still they were the most curious and as neither Vincent nor Rachel could see the visitors they tried to come up with stories as to who they were and why they were here.

These children were the line that continued the succession of the Queens Watchdog until this very day.

Cielizzy Week 2017 @cielizzydefencesquad

Day 1: Protection/Hope

Couldn’t chose and I realized a story I’ve been working on (getting all the pieces together) would fit both aspects well, so I combined them. Hope people like, this is only a small section of it.

Time: Taking place during debutant season, thus late spring and early summer. Keep in mind this is after the Blue Cult arc, so I’m only hinting at those developments. I have to wait and see what develops.

 By the Lake

So it had come to this, Ciel thought as he crouched down among the taller grass around the lake at Mooring Manor. Here he was, in the dead of night, dressed in a night dress and night cap, crawling around in the mud like some common spy and Sebastian nowhere in sight. He gritted his teeth as he painstakingly moved through the rain covered grass, all the while trying both not to make a sound and not to get dirty so that the other girls in the manor wouldn’t ask questions. The droplets on his bare legs made him shiver and he had to wonder why he didn’t think to put on pants before running out. Of course that would mean waking up Mey rin, and also would lose him time. Time he didn’t have, and every second counted if he wanted to know what was going on.

For the past several weeks he’d been undercover on the behest of his Aunt Frances, and then of the Queen herself. As it had happened one of Frances friend’s daughters had gone missing and had not returned home. The two women had shown up at his estate surprisingly early five weeks ago, a few days after he’d finished yet another mission for the Queen.

“Aunt Frances? To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” he’d been genuinely surprised to see her come and glanced around. Lizzie wasn’t with her, something he felt a bit sad about, as usually if his Aunt came Lizzie would be right behind her. However, since the situation with the Blue cult, things had been tense between the two teens and it was something that Ciel felt he was going to have to deal with. He’d given Lizzie space to deal with things on her own, but her distance to him made him feel, lonely. He didn’t know how else to describe it.

“Your hair is messed up as usual,” Frances had said, and Ciel glanced at Sebastian who had his hair slicked back by his Aunt. Ciel had readied for her to march over and do the same to him, but surprisingly she didn’t. He glanced over her form, dressed as impeccable as always, his Aunt Frances was a woman that you didn’t mess with and normally she had the look of a woman determined to get something done. And yet, for today at least, she seemed far more worried than anything else.

Ciel dutifully slicked his own hair back and she seemed to smile, even as it fell out of place just as fast. “You never could keep your hair fixed, just like your father.”

Ciel shrugged at this and took a sip of tea, “I suppose in that way we are alike.”

“Would you care for some breakfast?” Sebastian asked, offering her a seat and Frances took it. “We have a lovely set up of…”

Holding up her hand she silenced him, making Sebastian pause as she spoke, “Black tea and some toast. I’m honestly not hungry.”

“As you wish, Madam,” Sebastian gave a bow as he went to retrieve her requested and Ciel offered her some jam choices for when the toast came back.

“So why did you come? Is Lizzie coming with you today?”

“No, quite frankly I don’t want her here for this.” Frances told him and this gave the young Earl a moment of surprise, though he tried to hide it.

“Oh?” he set down his cup as he had stopped mid drink and looked at her curiously. This was a first and something he’d not seen from his Aunt. “This isn’t about the Blue…”

“We won’t be talking about that Ciel,” she said briskly. Ciel knew not to press, his Aunt was dealing with Lizzie in her own way, and he hoped that she could sort things out for her. He was worried that there was going to be lingering effects from that case, and he knew he’d have to eventually deal with them.

“Then what exactly?”

Sebastian brought over the tea and toast, which Frances thanked him, and set about spreading some strawberry jam on the slice of bread, after taking care of her tea. “I’ve invited a friend over to come and speak with you. She needs,” Frances looked at her tea as she spoke cautiously, “assistance.”

Ciel gave her a quizzical look, “Assistance in what?”

“Her daughter…” started Frances and Ciel raised an eyebrow as if to ask his Aunt if she was trying to set him up to go to a ball or something with this girl.

“I don’t think I have time for…”

“Ciel, it’s not a gentleman’s role that’s needed here,” Frances snapped, and stirred her tea. She seemed nervous, annoyed, and slightly frightened. Ciel folded his hands listening as she spoke. “Her daughter has gone missing it seems.”

“Missing?” Ciel asked and Frances quickly shook her head.

“I don’t know everything. She said she would explain in detail when she arrived, but the Countess is a woman that is easily emotional about her child. Agatha was sent for lessons for her debut, she was supposed to come out this season, but has not returned home. She last wrote her mother saying that she had no intention of coming out, and that she was going to be a woman of the world.”

Ciel stared a bit dumbfounded by this. “A woman of the world? What does that mean?”

“I’m not sure myself,” admitted Frances. “I assume that means travel, but it could be code for something else. She has the letter, if you ask I’m sure Countess Lauding would let you look at it.”

Ciel nodded, “And what time was she supposed to arrive?”

“A half hour after I did,” Frances told him and Sebastian quickly slipped out of the room to start preparing for the Countesses arrival. This wasn’t enough time for a normal butler, but for Sebastian, well this wasn’t a huge challenge either.

Exactly a half hour on the mark a carriage pulled up with an older, shorter woman, dressed in a garish green dress and hat. She had on furs and looked like she had been crying as she tried to hide her red face behind a veil.

“Countess Olga Lauding,” Sebastian introduced her to Ciel as he came over to greet her with his Aunt. The woman looked at him, sniffled and then said in a voice that sounded much like that of a frog croaking.

“Oh he looks like the sweetest boy. Such an angelic face, much like my…my…my AGATHA!” she started to sob again and Ciel winced with the loud crying sound the woman made as Frances went over to console her friend.

“Perhaps it would be best to take this meeting in the solarium,” Sebastian had whispered and Ciel had him quickly usher the sobbing woman and his Aunt there. He was already feeling exhausted by the lady that was visiting. Joining them not that long after he found she’d settled in nicely, munching on biscuits and tea, and seemingly calmer than before. Although she was still crying behind her veil.

“Countess Lauding,” Ciel sat opposite the two women who were sharing a bench across the table from him. “My Aunt was telling me that you want me to look into a matter for you?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” croaked the woman as she ate. “Frances said that you were one of the best at resolving issues in a discreet manner. And I need this resolved, my poor baby is out there and I’m so worried for her.”

Ciel sighed, this was reminding him of the situation with Derick Arden, though he didn’t want to think of that situation as the outcome would not be beneficial to the woman that sat before him. Ciel crossed his legs and watched her carefully, trying to read her face and body language, something he’d picked up from Sebastian when he was playing the Vicar Jeremy. The one thing that he managed to pull in was the fact that this woman was trying to control her own emotions and clearly was distraught by her missing child.

“Can you tell me, in brief, what happened?” he’d asked and the Countess began to relate the events as quickly as she could.

“My daughter Agatha is turning nineteen this year, it’s her debutant event, as custom with our family to have our girl’s come out when they’re nineteen. Well, she’s been training for several years now, and learning all the things that a refined young woman must learn. Her teacher, Ms. Mary Smithson, has for a final lesson every year the young ladies go to Mooring Manor, it’s just off the Northern coast near Whitby in North Yorkshire.”

Ciel glanced at his Aunt for some confirmation as she added directly, “Various schools will take small trips out to a location where the young ladies can practice more candidly. Sometimes the younger students will go visit the older students there for refined lessons, although it’s not for long periods.”

“So how does this connect to your daughter going missing?” Ciel inquired as he folded his fingers watching the older Countess as she shook sipping her tea. Frances had to hold her arm to keep her from spilling it.

“Well, as it is, Agatha was chosen as one of the leaders of her class for Ms. Smithson’s school. Leader’s help refine the younger girls and she had to leave early for Mooring, about a month before the other girls come. At first I got letters weekly, telling me all about what was happening, but then, the letters started to slow down. I only received them two times every two weeks. Agatha knows I like to keep in strict contact with her so I found it odd. Then I got no response from her when I told her that we were making arrangements for this spring for her to have her own ball to welcome her to society. And I heard nothing back at all.”

The woman looked like she was about to cry again, and Ciel quickly handed her a handkerchief which she gratefully took to wipe her eyes. “So no responses to any letter you wrote after that?”

“None,” the Countess told him directly. “Earl Phantomhive, I can’t tell you how worried I’ve been. I’ve written Ms. Smithson, but she only said that Agatha was busy and that she didn’t have time to write. Yet other girls in her class certainly were keeping their mothers abreast of their works at the school.”

“Could it be that she simply is too busy to write?” Ciel suggested casually, and the woman shook her head vehemently.

“No, I know my daughter. She wouldn’t have just left off like this! She’s a very attentive girl, your grace.” The countess sighed and whimpered some. “More recently I received a letter from my daughter, but it doesn’t sound like her.” She pulled a small envelop from her bag and handed it over to Ciel who looked it over as the Countess quietly sobbed into his kerchief.

Ciel furrowed his brows as he read the elegant scrawl.

‘Dearest Mother,’ it began, ‘I’m writing to inform you that I have no need of a debutant ball. My life is fulfilled and I am excited to begin it.

Dear Mother, whom I adore, do not worry about me as I’ve found myself and have become a woman of the world. I shall strive to make others as fulfilled as I am. Do not seek me out, nor write to me again until I write to you. I have no need for the past now, and no need of social structures.

Mother I shall not be writing again, but known that I love you.

You’re dearest Agatha.’

Ciel stared at the letter, slightly intrigued, but also more confused. The letter seemed to be a normal decoration of independence from her family. Yet there did seem to be something odd about it. The structure, the way it felt like it was a form letter, and the insistence of not writing to her or seeking her out.

Handing the letter over to Sebastian, who quickly tucked it away, Ciel gazed at the Countess.

“I have a few questions I need answering, Countess Lunding,” she nodded as he leaned forward and watched her eyes as he asked. “Firstly, has your daughter been in contact with less than desirable people?”

The Countess paused, “What…what do you mean by that?”

“I mean has she been associating with men and women that frequent opium dens, or in areas of town where noble young women normally do not frequent?”

“No!” insisted the Countess. “At least I don’t think she has. We never go out unless it’s as a family. Agatha is our only child. I…I could not carry another to term, so we decided that she was to be our only heir and angel.”

“I see, I am sorry for your losses,” Ciel said then quickly added, “What of her friends? Does she have any?”

“She normally associates with young ladies at the debutante school, or at the ladies college that she attends, oh and she does charity work at some work houses,” the Countess explained. “But she normally goes with me to the work houses as part of our church.”

“So she’s fairly dutiful as far as being a daughter is concerned,” Ciel inquired and the Countess nodded. “What of the school run by Ms. Smithson? How is that?”

“Well we were invited through one of our family friends, their daughter attends it. It seemed to be a good fit for Agatha, and we’ve only heard good things from the girls that graduated from there.”

Ciel again looked to his Aunt for any input that she could give. Frances shook her head, and he figured she’d talk later. Back and forth this went, the Countess answering questions about Agatha and what she could about the school, who ran it, and how one got an invitation. It all seemed normal and fairly familiar as far as Ciel understood about ladies debutant schools and teachers.

“Well,” he finally said to her as they were wrapping up the interview and the day had gotten late. “I will certainly see what I can do, but I can’t promise much as there’s not a lot to go on, Countess, but I will do my best.”

“That’s all I ask,” Countess Olga said as she mounted her carriage. “Take care of yourself, young Earl. I’m sure that one day you’ll be invited to a ball as well.”

Ciel gave her a slight smile at this, as her carriage departed. Once it was gone he went in with his Aunt and turned on her asking.

“How does this all concern you?”

“Olga is a friend of Alexis’s Aunt Eunice,” Frances told him and he tilted his head. “You’re wondering what I think?”

“Yes.”

“Honestly I suspect she may have gotten married or run off with a young man that she met in Whitby. But without proof I can’t make that argument to her.” Frances told him as they made their way into a parlor.

“I suspect you’re staying for dinner?”

“No, I can’t. But I do want you to at least look into this matter Ciel. It might not be as important as your other matters, but it’s something that would certainly do me a favor.”

Ciel paused and gave her a slight glance, “You’re my Aunt, Marquees. How can I say no to you?”

“You could, but I’m pleased that you’re not.” Frances smiled at him and added. “You’ve grown, Ciel. Matured from where you were three years ago.”

He nodded, but felt unsure of that himself. While Ciel certainly had Sebastian look into the matter, he wasn’t completely sure that there was much he could do about it. Without proof of some form of foul play, or a way to learn more about Agatha, other then what her few friends told him –“She’s sweet, honest, loyal and a wonderful young woman that you can trust and depend on” –he could only guess about what happened to Agatha. So he put the case on the back burner to focus on more pressing matters.

Things changed though when the Queen sent the double Charles to bring him a note at his London estate while he was visiting there. The letter pertained to a similar case, only in this case it was a friend of the Queen’s daughter, and she and several other high ranked nobles had gone missing. The one thing connecting all the girls was the fact that they all went to Mooring Manor through different debutant schools.

So it was because of the Queen’s order that Ciel had to go to his Aunt and ask how to make inquires at Mooring Manor.

“You can’t.” Frances had explained when he had come to visit her.

“What do you mean I can’t?” Ciel had questioned. “That makes no sense.”

“During the time that the Manor is being used by the debutant schools, men are not allowed on the premises. Only girls, and only girls that are connected to a school.”

Ciel stared at her hard, “So you’re telling me I can’t simply go there to ask questions.”

“No.”

He scowled, “How does one get into Ms. Smithson’s classes?”

Frances paused in reading her book, “Don’t expect to, Ciel. Her classes are all booked up. There’s no way a new young woman can join.”

“So then another school or class?” he inquired and Frances seemed to think for a moment then shut her book. She seemed to mull over something and looked thoughtfully at her nephew.

“If you can get someone inside to make inquires then you’ll have your information, correct? And you will look for the Countess’s daughter?”

“Yes, of course, I have been making inquiries but hit a wall in them until now.” He admitted to her and Frances gave him a small smile. She shook her head and chuckled.

“Just like your father.”

Ciel tilted his head, “Aunt Frances, what do you know?”

“Nothing, but I can give you an in. I’ll write you an invitation and get you a meeting with the school that I went to. Miss Candomire’s Finishing school is excellent. Not the new modern one like Ms. Smithson’s but it has its own charms, and it teaches the basics very well.”

“Thank you Aunt Frances,” Ciel meant every word of it. This wasn’t going to be easy and he made a face. “When should I expect a call from the school?”

“In a week’s time,” Frances told him. True to her word Ciel received a letter at his home asking for a meeting with the young lady of the Violet household. This surprised him but decided to find out details later. There was work that needed to be done and he knew sadly what that meant. Visiting Nina Hopkins for the costumes he was going to need was not something that he wanted to do, but he did so any way. Of course she had been excited about making the dress for him, and true to her word she had the outfit ready for him two days before the meeting.

Ciel sucked in all his embarrassment as he went to the school’s main building with Sebastian in tow. The demon was, as usual, acting smug about the whole thing.

“Don’t you dare laugh about this, or tell anyone.” He’d warned Sebastian as he sat there in a dark blue dress and long blue braided wig. He’d been careful to have his eye hidden, but if he got in, he knew he couldn’t keep it that way forever, so he covered it with an elegant looking eye patch and had hoped that the whole thing would play off to the Headmistress as an unfortunate case of the young woman having been blind in one eye at an early age.

Thankfully everything went according to the plan. Cecilia Violet, cousin to the former Prefect Gregory Violet of the Weston Academy, was a young woman who wished to have a chance to advance her placement in society and learn to be one of the best. The only thing that made Ciel take pause, as Sebastian looked over the information at the school was that there was no butler’s allowed, only maids could help serve them.

In the carriage Ceil grimaced as Sebastian shrugged his shoulders and seemed to let out the weakest remorseful sigh ever. “It seems like I won’t be able to be by your side there, my lord.”

“But you’ll still be on the grounds. I’ll make that happen,” Ciel told him and Sebastian smiled.

“But of course,” he looked over the recommendation letter that Gregory Violet’s mother had sent. “It seems your Aunt has turned and gotten the aid from your Master Violet’s family. I suppose this is a thanks for our work helping them with their son, no doubt.”

Ciel nodded, he was going to have to thank Violet in some way later for this. Of the P4, Violet was the one that he trusted and the one that he got along with. He watched out the carriage as people passed in the early spring weather and made a face.

“This means I’m going to have to bring Mey-rin with me. I’m not sure she’s up to the challenge, but…” he paused thinking that she was the only female servant he had, and she’d have to be trained in how to dress him.

“Fear not my lord,” Sebastian smiled at him. “I will personally make sure she’s fully trained and that she’s ready for your lessons.”

The smile on his face didn’t instill courage in Ciel. He knew that Sebastian could train Mey-rin, but he was sure that the maid wouldn’t remember half of it. He could only hope that they could pull this off. Exactly two weeks to the day Ciel and Mey-rin arrived at their first lesson at the Harrington estate where the girls from Miss Candomire’s Finishing school was being hosted.

It was there that Ciel got the surprise that he wasn’t ready for. Lizzie was there as well, and was in one of the later stage classes. This meant that at times they were going to have to not only meet but also Lizzie was going to have to mentor him as Cecilia. And so it went, for days and weeks, Ciel trying to not only gather information but avoid Lizzie out of fear of her both seeing him dressed as a girl, and finding out what he was doing there.

Time passed slowly for the young Earl and he made friends with the lower girls, trying to find out about Agatha and the Queen’s Daughter’s friend. It wasn’t until almost a full month in that he was able to get to know a select group of girls calling themselves the Dancing Princesses. These were the most well off and the girls in the classes. Young women that were close to coming out and who had family that had the bluest of the blue blood. They were catty in some cases, and in others overly charming. Ciel despised them, but they became useful as he quickly discovered that Agatha had been involved with the group.

So it went, Ciel carefully laying the ground work to get involved with the Dancing Princesses, and hearing whispers about them going out to a weekly party hidden away from all the eyes of the watching teachers. The school had gone to Mooring Manor as part of a retreat for the girls, and it was there, while in his room, that Ciel had seen the lantern lights floating across the moors.

Intrigued, he’d gone out to investigate, minus Mey-rin and Sebastian, and was now crawling around trying to follow the group of girls, dressed in full on regalia, crossing the sea of grass like a bunch of ghostly ships in the dead of night.

As he got closer to the assembly he spotted at least three of the girls from the Dancing princess group that he’d come to recognize as ring leaders and tried to listen to what they were saying. That’s when he felt something watching him and was sure that he was being followed.

Ciel turned quickly in the darkness, but the sound of his body moving caught the attention of one of the girls at the end of the line and they stopped walking. Ciel froze realizing the moon was coming out of the clouds. He was about to be spotted when, whatever was following him, knocked him down into the dirt and he held in a scream. A warm, but cool, hand covered his mouth and shushed him.

“Stay quiet please,” a voice whispered, and in the glint of moonlight Ciel could make out long blonde locks. He froze and listened as the girl got a bit closer, then seemed to search for a moment, before turning and rejoining her friends. There was quite chatter, and then they moved on.

Once the cluster of girls had walked a bit farther Ciel felt the hand move from his mouth. He could feel the weight of a body on his, and, as a part of him swallowed nervously as his hand touched the back of his assalient. He could also feel a chest pressing against his, a growing female chest at that, and it made him turn red. His eyes quickly moved to the face that hovered over his, Lizzie. But she wasn’t looking at him, her green eyes were on the girls that were heading farther out.

“I think…yes they can’t hear us now,” she sat up and moved back some looking down at Ciel who stared up at her. There was a small scowl on her face although she looked more worried.

“What are you doing out here?” They both questioned at the same time, and Lizzie was the first to respond.

“Trying to find out what you’re up to.”

Ciel quickly tried to put on a fake voice in reply, “Me? Oh nothing. I just wanted to see the stars.”

Lizzie grew annoyed by this and quickly ripped the night cap off his head.

“Lizzie, no!” he yelped and reached to pull it back. Ciel was ready for her to jump in surprise, but she didn’t.

“Why…” he could see hot tears in her face. “Why didn’t you tell me you were on a case here! Why have you been avoiding me Ciel?! Tell me!”

She threw the cap back at him, “After all this time, after everything with…” she clenched her fists, “have you come to distrust me so much?”

“I could ask you the same question, you’ve been avoiding me too,” he started to say then bit his lip and closed his eyes. Seeing those tears hurt. “Lizzie…I…I’m sorry. You’re mother asked me to get involved in this. I didn’t want you having to deal with…I could never…”

He was babbling again. Why only around her, when she was upset like this, when she was embarrassed or honest with him could he never get his words right. He cleared his throat. “How long have you known.”

“Since about a week or so after Cecelia first was introduced to me. I recognized Mey-rin and Paula had to help her out, so it didn’t take much for me to put things together.” She stared at him, a pained look crossed her face. “Do you hate me now? After what happened? Do you hate me?”

“No! Lizzie I could never hate you! You of all people,” he looked away, not sure what to say. Blavat had done a number on their trust.

“So why not tell me?”

“Because other people would find out Lizzie, and then, things could get out of hand. And I won’t have you hurt.” He told her looking her in the eye. “I couldn’t tell you for your own protection.”

“My protection?!” she shook her head. “Ciel, I’m perfectly capable of keeping myself safe, you on the other hand…”

She looked at him, dirty night gown, hair a mess, pale skin covered in mud. This was so not like the Ciel she knew, and it made her suddenly giggle. They were outside, in the middle of the night, in a light rain, covered in mud and dirt, and fighting about…did it really matter. Lizzie reached out and brushed the mud from his cheek.

“Here, at least let me clean you up.”

Ciel froze, not sure what to do. This was different than normal. Normally Lizzie would be crying and upset. Normally she would be acting like a child, but here, in this place, she had to be more mature to follow the rules. Around him, she always acted the way she did to please him, and yet, right now, he wasn’t sure what to say. A flush covered his face, this wasn’t what he was used to and he didn’t know how to deal with it.

“Thank you,” he said closing his eyes and letting her clean his face. The moment the hand was gone he missed it. But there was matters to deal with. Lizzie had since moved off him, and again he missed her weight, oddly. He wasn’t sure why but he did.

She’d folded her night dress and robe over her knees and waited to see what he was thinking.

“Did you’re mother tell you I was here on a mission for her?”

“No,” Lizzie admitted, “Though I assume it’s about the girls that have gone missing.”

Ciel looked at her surprised, “You know about that?”

Lizzie looked embarrassed. “Girls will gossip around here. I’m not that well liked because of my skills, but, some do tell me things. There’s rumors about a weekly dance.” She looked up. “Should we follow them?”

Ciel nodded and got up, they were far enough away that they could still see the lights but not so far that they had lost them, and he was sure they wouldn’t be seen. Following quietly he explained to her what was happening and Lizzie, taking in everything, seemed at first shocked, then angry.

“Do you think someone is kidnapping the girls?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, “But I intend to at least find out. That’s why I wanted to get in close to the Dancing princesses. They seem to know something.”

Ciel kicked at the grass as he tried to move, “This gown is too long.” Suddenly he felt something tug at the hem and looked back to see Lizzie take off the tie to her robe and loop it around his night gown. With deft movement she tucked up the lower skirt just enough to allow him to move freely. His legs were colder now, but he could easily run.

“That should help some,” she commented and Ciel nodded as they moved on.

“Thank you, again. How long were you following me?”

“Since you left the manor house,” Lizzie admitted as she hiked up her skirt to follow him through the moors. “The farther we go the more it turns into a swamp. How did they get across this?”

Ciel snorted, “I bet they know a path or they were given a map where there are boards set up.”

Lizzie watched as the lights grew dimmer. “We can’t go any farther then this and they’re moving way to fast.”

“Not to mention someone will notice us missing. I’m sure they have a way back in,” Ciel muttered as he yanked his foot out of the mud and shook his head. “Why would they go off into marshes in the middle of the night to dance at a party?”

“We could come in the morning,” Lizzie suggested and Ciel looked up at her from his musings. She smiled, “Every weekend there’s free time to spend. Some girls go off into town. We can go exploring the moors to look for flowers and the like. They won’t question that at all, and we can look for a path that could lead us across here.”

Ciel stared for a moment then laughed, “Lizzie, that’s a brilliant idea.” And it would work. It was something that he could easily do without Sebastian. “Alright, tomorrow I’ll…”

“We’ll …” she corrected, again he stared. “I’m coming with you.”

“Sebastian can come…” he started to say and she quickly pointed out.

“If they see you with one of the servants here that’s not your own someone will talk. It’s better to have a friend with you, then Sebastian.”

Ciel sighed somewhat reluctantly. “Very well,” he crossed his arms. “You’ll come with me to find out how they’re walking across this quagmire. But that’s it. I don’t want you getting involved in all this.” He started to walk back and she grabbed him by the arm.

“Ciel, I am involved. You’re here, and I….” Lizzie blushed some and tried to look lady like, “I need to keep you safe. You don’t know what those girls are capable of.”

“And you do?” he inquired, almost with a smirk. Lizzie nodded and Ciel looked concerned.

“They can be very petty and catty. One girl had her hair cut here last year because she had asked one of the boys that came to the practice dances to put his name on her card. The boy, I heard, was liked by one of the older girls, and she threw a fit and cut her hair because of it. There has been dead mice and bugs found in peoples beds and dressers. It’s not safe to start questioning them if you don’t know how to move in their circles.”

Ciel glanced down at Lizzie’s hand and took it in his. “Alright. Let’s get out of here. I can’t stay in this chill much longer.”

Lizzie nodded and helped him to navigate out of the marsh area till they were on dry land. There, the ground was a bit warmer, so Ciel could feel his toes once more. He looked over her then himself. Both were covered in dry mud, speckled on like freckles over their skin from the walk.

“How are we going to cover this?” He could make out Sebastian’s smirk among the larger rock formations that dotted the moors, clearly the demon was enjoying this show. He’d have to deal with him later.

“When we get back in, we can set up a bath for you. I don’t have to get up early in this case since my classes start later and Paula can cover for that. You do though,” Lizzie pointed out as they walked hand in hand under the dark sky. It was during this walk that Ciel noticed that neither had let go and he thought for a moment.

“Lizzie,” she looked back at him as she was in the lead.

“Yes, Ciel?”

He turned away, partly embarrassed, “If you’re going to help me, you’re going to need to be my knight and protect me. Are you ready to do that? There’s a chance that things could get out of control. People could be hurt, and there are things I must do for Her Majesty. You do understand this?”

Lizzie nodded then let go, turned and curtsied to him. This surprised Ciel who watched her, then took on his normal noble air as she spoke.

“Earl of Phantomhive, I Lady Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford, daughter of Marquess Alexis Leon Midford, leader of the British knights, will protect you with my life and be your sword and shield until your mission as the Queen’s Watchdog has ended. This I swear.”

Ciel covered a small laugh at this but seemed rather pleased as Lizzy stood up and held out her hand to his. He took it and silently pledged to himself.

“I Earl Ciel Phatomhive, will protect you Elizabeth, with my life.”

A bit of a late submission for day 4 Cielizzy week, @cielizzydefencesquad

I hope you enjoy

The story of Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi

Once there were two halves of a whole, the sun, a maiden of beauty who’s gold hair shown so brightly that no one could directly look at her radiance, and the moon, a book of grace and unearthly cold splendor whose looks seemed to have a supernatural effect on anyone who saw him. These two halves lived quietly in their corners on the earth along with the storm who had come from the same god.

Moon seemed to like the solidarity of his life, and Storm was always visiting him. The young boy with his blue hair and blue clothing seemed to pass away time dreaming of his past and swallowed up in his own world of regret and need for changing things. However when he thought no one was looking he would look over at the Sun and watch her as she seemed to flitter between the rows of flowers, behind the trees, and glide over the grass and water that dotted the earth.

At times Moon would feel jealous of Sun for what he perceived was her ignorance. She could do as she wanted as there was no care in the world for her. Yet at other times he couldn’t help but feel happy being around Sun, and saw her as the one thing that would warm up his lonely cold corner of the earth. So he would watch her for days and try to come up with reasons to talk to her, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t able to find the words he wanted to say because he was afraid that, if he did say them, they would become far too real and thus break the taught rope that connected them.

So Moon would sit in his ice castle, and watch quietly from his windows, as Sun ran around outside his lonely world. But Sun wasn’t having this. For you see, Sun wanted Moon to come out and enjoy the world that they shared. Every day she would come to visit trying to lure him outside, but the Storm was always there, casting a shadow, covering her chances to fully get to him. Storm wanted Sun and Moon together for his own reasons, but Storm also didn’t want Moon too happy. Happiness would cause Moon to want to stay out longer and be closer to Sun, and he couldn’t have that.

Storm concocted a plan, one that he thought could help keep the two apart but together. He told Sun that Moon liked flowers, and so told her to bring him flowers, great bushels of them. So Sun, in her quest to make Moon happy, brought over a ton of flowers. But because of her brightness, because she was so warm, all the flowers wilted and seemed dead upon her arrival.

Sun started to cry, and Storm simply said he would give them to Moon, yet to Storm’s surprise, Moon thought the gift was sweet. Dried flowers wouldn’t die in the cold of his home, and so he put them out. Even in their delicate state they were still beautiful. But still Moon refused to come out and visit Sun. So Storm tried again and told Sun to bring Moon a gift of sweets as Moon had a sweet tooth.

Sun thought and thought, and thought of lots of things. She thought of straweberrys from the summer, and pumpkins from the fall. She thought of lemon tarts, and cotton candy, but couldn’t figure out what to bring. Finally she decided just to bring him a jar of sugar. So Sun gathered up a lot of sugar, threw it into the jar, and walked over to Moon’s castle. But when she got there her heat had changed the sugar into caramel and she felt defeated.

Once more Storm took the gift and gave it to Moon, who at first wasn’t sure what to make of the sweet brown mixture, but then tried some on a spoon and declaired that it was, “Alright” then proceeded to insist upon it being put on all his foods even though he “didn’t totally enjoy it.”

Storm of course was finding this all funny, so he again told Sun to bring Moon a gift, only this time it was something rare. So Sun went off looking and she searched and searched. For days she went looking and in that time Storm noticed that Moon became more and more worried as the time passed. To Storm’s surprise, and possible delight because it meant he could leave the ice palace as well, Moon insisted upon looking for Sun. So the two went off, seeking out the Sun who had wandered off high into the hills.

It took the two weeks, but all the while as they got farther from the icy lands of the Moon, his heart began to thaw and the cold nature of his being melted. While it wasn’t perfect he started to feel things he had not in a long time, and this pleased Storm as he knew that he could use this later. Then, one day, while they were wandering in search of Sun they found her near the river, crying.

Her gold hair was a mess, and her curls were languid and had since lost their luster to the change of the season. Moon came over and sat down next to her and asked, “Why are you crying?”

Sun was surprised to see him. “I…Moon, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in your castle?”

“I came looking for you, you haven’t visited in days,” he protested and tried to help her up, but she held fast to the ground. “Why are you being stubborn like this?”

“Because I need to find you a gift,” Sun explained and pouted, “I want to find you something rare, but in all my travels I haven’t found anything that you would find exceptional.”

Moon sighed, “But you have though.” Sun looked at him confused and he motioned around him. “You got me to come out of the castle. I’ve seen nature because of you, and that’s something that I haven’t seen before.”

“Are you pleased with it?” Sun asked and Moon nodded.

“Well yes, thank you Sun.”