Mute (A Black Butler Fanfic)

Chapter 9

The door opens. A familiar voice fills the room. "Really Sebastian, I can walk on my own."

Dana's POV

"Sebastian, you don't need to do this." I say as we walk down the hall, his arm around my waist to support me as I limp to the breakfast hall.

"I don't, but you were shot in the leg, and I don't expect it to heal immediately."

He pushes open the door. "Really Sebastian, I can walk on my own." I say.

A small body slams into mine, knocking the breath out of me. We both stumble a bit, off balance. I look down to see MC, her face in my stomach and her small arms hugging me. I feel my shirt start to get wet.

I push her arm length away and wipe her tears. "Why are you crying?" I whisper, concerned.

She smiles through her tears and signs something that takes my breath away.

I love you.

MC's POV

I love you. I sign, a strange feeling in my head.

Happiness?

A hand on my shoulder whirls me around, turning me away from Dana.

Fire explodes in my cheek as Mother slaps me, throwing me to the ground. "What do you think you're doing? You can't just punch Carlotta like that! Now she'll have a black eye and it's all your fault!"

I try to get up and fall back down.

"MC, you haven't had anything to eat at all!" Dana says, pulling me up by the arm. "Come on let's-"

SMACK

Mother has slapped Dana. "What kind of butler are you!? My daughter is going to get a hideous bruise and you're worried about what that thing had to eat? Leave her! Go get my daughter some ice!"

We all freeze. I stare at Dana, Mother stares at Dana, and Dana's eyes are shadowed by her newly cut hair. The silence seems to drag on.

"No..."

"What was that?" Mother spits.

Dana's head snaps up. "I said no. Your other daughter will pass out from lack of food if we don't get her something to eat. She has had a traumatizing weekend and desperately requires rest and relaxation. She won't get that in this place. Her friends are horses, her family the servants! She spends her days with us because you'd never do anything with her! All you ever do is dote over Carlotta, never giving MC the time of day. She is kinder and sweeter than anyone I've ever met and you're too caught up in your own world to see it!"

Mother took a step closer to Dana. "I never asked for your opinion on how I run my house! Stay in line; you're just a butler."

I raised my chin, stepping in front of Dana. I signed something and pointed to Dana. I heard her shocked intake of breath.

"What?" Mother snarled. "What did she say?"

"She..." Dana began, her gold eyes boring into mine. "She said I am her mother."

I turn to face Mother. Her clear blue eyes look wild and crazed. Her flawless, red lips are twisted in a grotesque grimace. Strands of blonde hair have strayed from her bun and stand on end.

She looks insane.

"You stupid child!" She screamed, grabbing a handful of my hair and yanking up. Not hard enough to lift me off the ground, but enough to cause me intense pain. I pinch my eyes shut, clutching her hand, trying to stop the flow of tears. My mouth opens and closes in a silent whimper. "I am your mother! I always have been and I always will be! Your horses are going to be sold, your personal butler is now fired, you have nothing to stand on! You can no longer defy me! You had no right to defy me to begin with! NO RIGHT!"

She throws me backward, the suddenness of it catching me off guard and my head slams into the floor. Black consumes my vision. The last thing I feel are a pair of arms cradling me.

Dana . . .