Midford drabbles

Lizzy knew, if he was on board, Ciel would be there when she woke up. After everything he'd done on the ship, she didn't doubt that he cared for her. And if he wasn't on the rescue ship, he couldn't have possibly survived...

Somewhere in the real world, outside of her desperate thoughts, she heard her brother's voice. He was hugging her now, yet his voice seemed so far away. It didn't matter, really, not to her. She didn't want to be comforted. She couldn't believe everything would be okay. Nothing was okay now. Ciel was her only reason to try, to live and laugh and do her best. And now he was gone, just like that, and the world was empty and lonely.

But she knew she would keep living, and someday, she would be laughing again. Her mother was calling her to listen, to talk to her, so Lizzy pulled herself out of her thoughts. She wiped away her tears to see her family, the only people she cared for now.

Her father was smiling and taking her somewhere, so Lizzy followed him, confused, on shaky legs. Edward was helping her walk and asked father over and over if he was sure about something. She must have missed something important, Lizzy realized. „What could possibly be important right now, anyway?“ she asked herself, looking up at a group of people in front of them.

She recognized the tall butler standing at a side, she saw the overjoyed servants move one by one and finally, she discovered who they were all hugging. Ciel.

He looked unharmed, a bit tired, and he was smiling back at her. He was alive.

Elizabeth ran and hugged him, throwing herself in his embrace with...considerable force, probably, seeing they were on the floor now. She laughed and cried and said his name, over and over, thanking heavens and luck and fate for their mercy.

Half an hour later, after the servants still couldn’t find the children, Frances went to her room for a second. She opened the door to see her daughter and son watching their friend who was, apparently, playing with her makeup. Lizzy’s face was covered in bright colours, and if Frances wasn’t so mad, she would admire the kid’s skill. However, she was mad, so the trio got an earful of scolding, and the Cheslocks went home.

“You’re not gonna forbid Chess to come again, are you?” Lizzy asked quietly, looking up at her mother.

“Even if I don’t, I doubt his mother would let him. And he is a bad influence for the two of you” Frances replied.

“But I like him” Lizzy whispered, then covered her mouth with a panicked look, “uh, I mean...”

Frances looked surprised for a second, before she burst out laughing.

Lizzy muttered: “I mean, I know...uh, that I’m engaged and...uh...but, it’s just...”

Frances stopped her with a hug, still laughing. “I know”, she said, “it’s alright.”

“Liking someone isn’t really a sin, as long as you remember that Ciel is your fiancee. You’ll probably stop liking Chess eventually, it’s just a passing thing.”

“Yeah”, Lizzy seemed relieved, and she added shyly, “So...

You’re gonna ask the Countess to let him come again?”

“No.”

She commanded, pleaded, begged him to let her go. “At least take someone! Tanaka, Diedrich, anyone, just don’t go all alone!” she yelled.

Vincent looked at her tear-stained face. She was afraid, that much was obvious. Afraid that he wouldn’t come back alive, just like their mother. But this time, he needed to go by himself, or everything would fail. He took his sister’s face in his hands, wiping the tears away.

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

“I do, or I try to”, she replied with a shaky voice, “But...”

He stopped her, and asked again: ”Do you believe me?”

“Yes”, she said, “You wouldn’t lie to me.”

“Then trust me, when I tell you to stay, and believe me, when I promise to come back.”

An hour later, Frances watched his carriage leave, wondering if she’ll regret it. The decision to trust him, and believe him.