{Pandora Hearts} ℱℴℓℓℴω ℳℯ ∂ℴωη

{Pandora Hearts} ℱℴℓℓℴω ℳℯ ∂ℴωη {Retrace: 4}

Oz gasped, his eyes widening, a terror clenching his heart tightly. "Lady Sharon!" Oscar interrupts, growing concerned for his nephew. His father was a sore subject for the young master, after all.

"So, please do not forget," Sharon continued unabashed, her hold on Oz's hand tightening slightly. "- those who have always stood by your side and supported you." Here Sharon smiled again, releasing Oz's hand and curtsying once more. "If you do not fail to keep these things in mind you shall never lose yourself..."

And with those words Sharon turned, heading towards the nearest door where a tall silver-haired man, stood dressed in a long coat and a strange doll upon his shoulder.

Sharon passed him by, though the man didn't follow at first. Instead he turned and glanced at Oz and Isla before inclining his head and then following Sharon outside.

Oz blinked, though his mind was soon focused on Sharon once again. Isla wasn't so easily turned from the subject however. What were with those parting words, it seemed like they had some sort of a double meaning behind them - or was that Isla just reading to much into things? She didn't believe so.

And that man... Who was he?

Her train of thought was broken as Oscar spoke up, informing Oz (who was still fawning over Sharon to Ada) that it was time for the ceremony. Oz was soon rushed off, up the large flight of steps to what was called 'The Silent Clock Tower' - or so Isla had heard it called. There he kneeled, Oscar in front of him as another servant, dressed in handsome clothes as well, held out a sword on a pillow to Oz's uncle.

Oscar took the sword in his hands, taping the flat side of the blade to each of Oz's shoulders as he stated aloud for everyone to hear; "With this baptismal sword the impurities of thy flesh have been expunged." Oz glanced up to catch the proud grin of his uncle before the boy began to make his way up the second flight of stairs, where the clock tower stood.

Oscar placed the sword away, into its casing as another woman had come up beside him with said case. From the crowd, where Isla hid within from those who knew her to be thirteen, Isla smiled as she spotted Gilbert up near the clock tower, the robe he would drape over Oz's shoulders in his arms.

Oz soon reached the tower, kneeling before it as he stated his own oath;

"Until the day when the crimson heartbeat of this body falls silent I will continue to protect the name and pride of 'Vessalius.' This I now vow upon this land and my friends..." Finishing his vow, Oz placed his gloved hand upon the tower where he kneeled before. Before anyone could react the hand of the clock moved, twitching the last miniscule space to the 'XII' numeral before letting out a loud 'gong' breaking the silence that had followed.

Hearts began to beat rapidly in fear, what was going on? Eyes widened and all in the party looked confused. A dread settled upon Isla's heart. Something didn't feel right....

In seconds several red-cloaked people surrounded Oz, seemingly teleporting there from nowhere, and the dread in Isla's heart only increased as Gilbert wrapped an arm around Oz's neck from behind and pulled out a dagger.

"Gil?!" Oz cries out in dismay, confusion and shock running through his body.

"The one for whom we have been waiting for appears, and the bell has tolled." cackled a deranged female voice from behind one of the red cloaks. "The next thing we must do is..."

Isla, from the crowd had to wonder why no one was doing anything. Surely someone should have been trying to stop this sudden interruption. But no one was. Her hands were shaking and her heart was pounding wildly in her ears but Isla had to do something...