Sebastian had surprised himself when he said those words. He knew Aurora and Stolas- and possibly even his father, would be shocked. But in those few moments as he prepared to make the announcement public, he saw the looked of adoration in his sister's eyes, and a near equal look in that of the Duke's. He couldn't let his sister pay for something that was his own quarrel. He cursed himself silently, being a demon with the ability to feel and understand human and angel emotion. Ilia tackled him in a hug after the announcement, "Thank you! Thank you so much Malphas!" Sebastian held his little sister close, silently hoping that he had made the right decision. "Of course, how could I deny my little sister anything?" Ilia giggled, "Careful Malphas! Your angelic side is showing!" His eyes flashed crimson and swirled with the dark fires of Hell. "I assure you, I have nothing of the sort, Ilia. Now go, be with your fiancé and arrange your wedding." Ilia squealed happily and ran off with Vapula. Stolas stared, "Malphas-" Sebastian turned, "Lady Angelica and I will be retiring for the night." He said not another word before starting to leave, pausing only to the Phantomhive staff. "Make sure the carriage is prepared to leave. We head towards the city at dawn." Bardroy, Mey-Rin, Snake, and Finny all nodded. Ciel was still off to the side. Sebastian's eyes fell on the boy and he held out his hand, "Come along, my lord. It is time for bed." Ciel yawned and followed him and Aurora upstairs. Sebastian was quiet, he put Ciel to bed and tucked the boy in before he brought him and Aurora back to their room. He immediately shed himself of his formal attire and into a set of dark silk pajamas before flopping down onto the bed in a matter of moments. Aurora was staring at him, silver blue eyes wide at his quick movements. "Well?" Sebastian's gruff growl caught her off guard and made her jump a bit, "Huh?" Sebastian growled, "Are you coming to bed or not?" Aurora nodded and moved quickly across the room to change into a night gown.
The nightgown was a simple white colored, and reached the floor. She undid her hair and put it into a long braid going down her back. She pulled the braid over her left shoulder before joining her mate in the bed and rolling over to look at him. His face was buried in the pillow. "Malph-" He cut her off, "I'm tired, Angelica. Go to sleep." She frowned and sat up, "Alright, what is it?" Her mate groaned, "Angelica..." Aurora spoke, "I don't know what's gotten into you. But if you think brooding about it is going to help you are sorely mistaking." She gently rolled him over to face her, "Please talk to me." She reasoned, "You cannot keep secrets from me Malphas. You've never been able to." She smiled and leaned down to kiss him, "At least tell me what it is that bothers you." He sighed and reached up to cup her face. "Darling, sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky to have you." Aurora smiled, "Easy. You listened to me." Sebastian pulled her face down to meet his for a moment before his lips parted gently from hers and their foreheads rested against each others. He sighed, "I have failed you." Aurora frowned, "Failed me? However so?" Sebastian held her close to his chest and she felt his breathing change to something a little more frantic. Something she never expected from him. "I allowed you to be hurt in the most worst way possible, and I allowed you to suffer in silence for it." His grip on her tightened. "I couldn't protect you. And I couldn't protect our child." Aurora's face fell as his voice cracked as he said that. His face buried into her collarbone, his lips against her skin, quaking with rare, very rare, emotion. When he spoke again, she was shocked at how meek he sounded. "Why do you think I'm overprotective? I have good reason to be! I've failed you and allowed you to be hurt!" Aurora tilted his chin up and her eyes widened in surprise to see his crimson red eyes leaking with tears. "Because I wasn't paying enough attention- I almost lost you! And because of me, the Undertaker took our child! It's my fault!" Aurora pulled him close, allowing him to cry into her bosom. "Malphas, I don't blame you for anything. You shouldn't blame yourself at all, my love." Her mate shook his head, "But-" Aurora sighed, "I love you, Malphas Desideriis. And i don't blame you for something you had absolutely no control over! And neither of us knew about the child until the moment it happened! The reason I tried to keep it from you was so that this wouldn't happen!" She took his face in her hands, "I knew you would blame yourself one way or another." She looked at him sadly. "I'm just as upset as you are about the baby, but we can't change what happened. We just have to deal with it and move on." She laid down on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Sebastian tugged her into his arms and held her tightly. "I promise you, Angelica, I will never fail you again." Aurora smiled, "Even if you do, it won't change how I feel about you. I love you, for all eternity." Sebastian smiled and pulled one of her hand to his face and pressed a kiss onto her palm. "For all eternity, Malphas."
Dawn came and Sebastian sat up in bed, he hadn't really slept. Aurora was sleeping soundly beside him, her face peaceful as she lay curled into his embrace. Sebastian slipped out of bed, leaving her curled into his pillow. He pulled on a long robe and walked down the hall to Ciel's room. He opened the door to see the boy curled up in the large bed. Ciel was whimpering in his sleep, and Sebastian remembered a long, long time ago when Stolas was young.
Stolas had been a fledgling, and Malphas was supposed to be watching him while his father was on a contract and his mother on a vacation of sorts. Ilia had been contracted at the time as well. While Sebastian had appeared to be at the age of seventeen, Stolas had been about the age of nine. Malphas had walked into his little brother's room, it had been not long after Angelica had disappeared from his life, and he believed her to be both dead and betrayed him.
"Stolas!" Malphas snapped walking into his brother's room, "What is it?!" Stolas sniffed, "I heard a noise." Malphas growled, "Your a demon, your afraid of a little noise?" Stolas snapped, "Nuh uh! I'm not scared!" Malphas scoffed, "Sure your not. If your not afraid, then stop your whimpering and whining and go to sleep." Stolas shook his head, "No! I want to stay up like you!" Malphas chuckled, "Yeah, I know. But all fledglings need sleep." Stolas snapped, "Sleep is for humans and stupid reapers and angels!" Malphas frowned, his hand was in his pocket and squeezed the blue diamond necklace in his hand. "Not all angels are bad, Stolas." He said quietly. Stolas sat up, "Yeah cause you like an angel!" Malphas snapped, "I do not!" Stolas hummed, rocking back and forth. "Yeah huh!" Malphas snarled, "I do not like an angel!" Stolas snickered, "No- you love one! Malphas and angel sitting in a tree-" Malphas grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt. "I swear, if you don't shut up, your going to regret it!" Stolas laughed, "Can't make me, Malphas!" Malphas smirked, "I assure you, little brother, I can make you."
"This is fun!" Stolas chirped not ten minutes later. Malphas sighed, "Yes... Fun..." The two were sitting on a roof of a building, watching Ilia's contract play out. Stolas stared in awe, "Wow! So's Ilia has to act like a servant to her contractor?" Malphas nodded, "That is generally how it goes, yes." Stolas made a face. "But we're part of the Ars Goetia! Why do we have to become the servants for humans?!" Malphas sighed, "We don't necessarily have to form contracts. But it is preferred. Contracts make the soul taste better, more refined." Stolas frowned, "But we have food in Hell?" Malphas nodded, "Yes, but it isn't as sustaining. A demon could survive off of any soul. A soul is a soul, it matters not from where it comes. But the best souls come from humans. Because humans are naturally greedy and far too selfish. He smirked, "They embody the seven deadly sins as we demons do." Stolas nodded slowly, his eyes on their sister as she prepared to take the soul of her contractor. "Now, watch Ilia." Ilia's eyes glowed fuchsia, and she bowed over, two fingers extended as she reached with her right hand, contract seal glowing, and reached into the mouth of her contractor, and withdrew a dark coloured soul. As the dark orb of a soul left the body, the body fell lifeless to the ground and Ilia popped the orb into her mouth, swallowing it with a small sigh. "Delicious." Stolas and Malphas made their way over, Malphas with his hands in his pockets. "Ilia!" Stolas exclaimed, "That was so cool!" Ilia turned, a little surprised. "Brethren? What are you both doing here?" Malphas shrugged, "Couldn't get the fledgling to take a nap." Ilia nodded, "Yes... I see that." Stolas stared up at them, "What does a soul taste like?" Ilia hummed thoughtfully, "A quality soul tastes perfect. Like a fine wine or a fine meal. Some demons choose to be wreckless and form multiple contracts at a time, but I choose to do one at a time. It makes the end result even better." Stolas nodded, "Then when I'm older- I'll only eat the best souls! I promise!"
Sebastian was pulled from his reverie, when Ciel started to wake, blinking the sleep from his eyes. Sebastian stood at the foot of the bed. "Young master, are you feeling better this morning?" Ciel just stared at him. The demon frowned at the boy, "I am going to check on the servants, would you like to come with?" Ciel climbed out of bed, and walked over to join him. Sebastian lead the way down the hall to where they looked out a large window of the chateau. The Phantomhive staff was loading the cart. Sebastian looked down at Ciel, "Let us get you breakfast before we depart." Ciel nodded and followed the demon back to his room where Sebastian dressed him. As they were walking, they stopped back by Sebastian's room. "Wait here, my lord." Sebastian stepped into his and Aurora's room and dressed in a dark suit,
(LEFT ONLY- instead of bow use regular butler tie)
He looked over at Aurora and walked over, gently shaking her awake. "Angelica. Angelica darling, it's time to get up." Aurora yawned and rolled over, "Can't I sleep a little longer, Malphas? Please?" Sebastian shook his head, "I'm afraid not. At least get up so we can break our fast, then when we get settled into the cart, you may sleep until we arrive in London." Aurora hummed, "That sounds fair." She got up and walked over to the ward robe and dressed in a pretty purple gown with light pink roses and gold accents.
Aurora linked her arm with Sebastian's and stepped out of the room. She slightly surprised to see Ciel, but smiled as Sebastian lead the way down to the dining hall. Stolas stopped them on the way, "Malphas! A word?" Sebastian turned, "Stolas, no. I don't have time." Stolas sighed, "I just want to know why in the seven circles you would approve the engagement?" Sebastian hummed, "Simple. I couldn't let my personal grudges against the duke get in the way of my little sister's eternity. I saw how they looked at each other, and if it pleases my sister I will allow her to become his bound mate for all of eternity. But if he does something to hurt her, rest assured, I will slaughter him." Stolas sighed, "Fair, I suppose. But I still don't like the fact you approved." Sebastian nodded, "Neither do I brother. Trust me." Stolas looked at Aurora and frowned, eyes becoming a bit sympathetic. "I apologize for your loss, my Lady. I do hope you'll forgive me for ever asking my brother about the subject." Aurora smiled, "Of course you are forgiven, Stolas. You didn't intend to cause harm." Stolas smiled, "Thank you, in that case I will see you both downstairs for breakfast? I hear it's positively delectable." Sebastian smirked, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Breakfast was perfect, clearly by Ciel's standards as he scarfed down all he could. Ilia giggled at the boy's antics. "Goodness Malphas, do you not feed the child? He's practically skin and bones!" Sebastian smiled from his seat beside Aurora. "I assure you, Ilia, I feed him plenty. It is a matter of what he will eat." There was a new laugh, and all eyes watched as Vapula entered, "Children are like that, aren't they, Lord Prince? Picky little things I say." Ilia was on her fiancé's arm in a second. Sebastian cleared his throat. "Yes. Quite. Now, have you two come to a decision of when the ceremony will be?" Ilia shook her head, "No. We haven't. Why?" Sebastian frowned, "I will not be staying, after breakfast Aurora and our young lord will be off to London. There's been some complications we need to deal with. And considering the contract seems to now involve a rogue reaper, there is no telling how long it will take." Ilia walked over, "Just inform me of whenever you are free. If you manage to get some free time, we will arrange the ceremony then." Sebastian went to object but his sister cut him off. "I want you there, Malphas. Your my big brother. And you've always been there for me." Sebastian smiled, "Your my little twin sister, I'll always be there when you have need of me."
Ilia looked over at Aurora, "You'll come as well, won't you Angelica?! Oh! Do you think by then you and my brother will have news of a little niece or nephew?!" Aurora laughed, "I don't know, time will tell, I suppose." Sebastian took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Who knows Ilia, maybe Stolas and Vermilla will pop out a little fledgling one of these days." Stolas choked on his drink, and burst into laughter. "Oh! I sincerely doubt that! Vermilla is not fond of the idea of children. She never has!" Vermilla, who walked up from the shadows behind him, slapped him on the back of the head. "I don't particularly like children, but the last time we tried you cried afterwards because your schlong hurt. Since then you never wanted to try again." Stolas looked humiliated and everyone was now staring at him. Sebastian and Ilia snickered quietly, "Your.... thing... hurt?" Ilia giggled. Sebastian chuckled, "Oh that's just precious! Stolas- Lord Prince Superbior can't ejaculate into his mate because it hurts?!" Ciel and Aurora watched Sebastian and his sister practically break into a fit of laughter. Stolas was turning red, "Malphas! Vulpes! it isn't funny!" Vermilla scoffed, "I think it's funny." Stolas snapped, "No one asked you, Vermilla!" Vermilla chuckled, "I'll take my leave." Stolas was red as a tomato as the room ceased it's laughter. Sebastian sighed, "Oh my dear brother, and here you told us Vermilla was the one who didn't want children." Stolas hissed,
"Oh shut it, Malphas!"