Cielizzy Week 2017: Protection and Hope
Cielizzy Week 2017 @cielizzydefencesquad
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.
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.
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.
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?”
“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.”
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.
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.
“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.
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.”
Things would get better between them, they had to. Time would ease some of the pain that they had suffered, but Lizzie had always been his light, and she was the one thing that kept him going forward. He secretly hoped that somehow he was the same thing for her.
