Aurora was walking silently down the hall. Her heels clicking solemnly, tapping with each step, her pain evident in her movements. Body rigid with fear, the flesh on her hers sparking into gooseflesh, and fists shaking in a somewhat violent fashion.
He didn't deserve to die.
No matter how much evil he's done in his life, he still didn't deserve to die for it.
The Fallen paused, resting her back against the wall as she composed herself. Her fingers shakily reaching up to the engagement ring, clutching it tightly to her chest, fingers quickly heating the metal .
Sebastian had died.
Cold, alone, and in the middle of an empty room that was anything but warm.
He didn't deserve that end.
He should have been in my room with me... He should've...
Her lungs began to feel tight, constricting even, and she sniffed, sinking down against the wall, ignorant to the rough wood against her spine, and holding back a sob of pain before burying her face in her knees and letting it all out.
It's too much...
As much as she had hated to admit it, Mister Woodley was right. Sebastian had lied. He hadn't shared his concerns with her. He knew he was going to die, so why not just spend one more night with her?
Just a little longer... Anything.
He had been perfectly content to just leave. To let her find his stone cold corpse in the morning, to cradle his head in her hands while she sobbed over him, her tears splashing onto his face to leave little red marks.
How could he have let himself die? If he'd known- how could he let her suffer? He knew to well something like this would kill her. She could feel the parts of her that ached growing numb, and she smiled, knowing the heartbreak was finally taking it's full toll on her. "They're all right... He's gone. And... I know nothing about myself, and clearly nothing about him."
She coughed, grimacing as a chunk of blood came onto her hand. "I don't seem to be getting any better, either..." She whispered to herself, wiping the blood away on her skirt. "Only... worse." She winced, tossing her head back against the wall and letting out a short flurry of coughs.
"Oh Malphas... I may join you sooner than I was planning..."
She hummed, "I'll need to find someone to care for Noire... I can't let her... be alone..." Aurora shut her eyes, trying to think of whom she could put the cat with.
Finny would adore her... So would Mey-Rin... But they'll listen to Ciel if he says otherwise...
She coughed, more blood splattering across her suddenly pale lips and running in a slow bead down her chin. She supposed it was the stress. The pain even. She winced. If I die, I die on my own terms. She stifled a small cry, knees tucked into her chest.
Just hold on a little longer...
She pleaded with herself, not yet.
As she pushed open the door to the kitchen, Aurora's face fell the moment she saw the others sitting around the table. "What on earth are the lot of you doing?" She demanded, "Dinner should be at least halfway done by now!"
Bard frowned, "It would be." He agreed, "If we weren't completely out of food." Aurora's eyes seemed to widen a bit. "We can't be." She said coolly, "Sebastian and I made certain we would have more than enough food. The two of us-"
"I know." Bard cut her off. "You guys bought plenty."
Aurora felt his eyes burning into her, and folded her arms over her chest, suddenly felt self conscious of herself. "Just because Sebastian and I... were a thing, doesn't mean we didn't get our fair share of work done." She blurted, palms squeezing onto her upper arms and nails digging deep into the skin.
The chef frowned, looking somewhat sympathetic. "Not accusing the two of you of anything, it's just that Lord Grey seems to be eating everything in sight." Aurora scoffed at the mention of the man donned in white attire, "That man deserves a good thrashing for what he just did to Sebastian."
That made all eyes narrow at her. "He did what to Sebastian?"
Aurora sighed, "He kicked him in the face. And prepared to do it again. He did it right in front of me. If the young lord hadn't been there, I really would have become a murderer." Her silver blue eyes narrowed then, a darkened shadow coming over them. "Whoever killed him deserves what's coming to them..."
The room fell quiet.
A deep breath escaped the housekeeper's lips, "I'm sorry... I'm just not myself right now... I need to sit down." She sunk into the rickety wooden stool beside the table, hands clutching her head tightly, as if there was immense pain to do the action. Mey-Rin frowned, sharing a glance with the other two servants.
"No food... Except beans and vegetables What can we make with beans and vegetables?" Aurora mumbled to herself, repeatedly, bumping her head into her fist, trying to wrack her brain for ideas.
A curt knock on the door disrupted her train of thought. The housekeeper grit her teeth while the other servants panicked.
"No way, it better not be that guy in white again!"
"Shh! Let's pretend we're not here!"
Another knock, this time accompanied with a voice. "Hello? Won't you open the door?"
"Jeremy?" Finny asked, going to open the door straight away. Aurora moaned as the young gardener opened the door. "I regret to inform you, Monsieur Rathbone, that if you are looking to find something to eat, sir, we have nothing aside from vegetables."
She glanced at the chef suddenly. "How about ratatouille? We could manage that, could we not?" Jeremy chuckled, "I am afraid you would require a couple more ingredients." Aurora glared at him, then looked to the gardener. "Finny? Could you run out to the garden and gather anything you can find?" She nodded to Mey-Rin. "You should go as well, just to watch out for him."
They ran out, one after another, almost looking like a pair of children. The moment the two were gone, she hummed to herself and Bard watched her with some concern as she began to pace the kitchen, mumbling quietly in French and another language he couldn't quite place.
Jeremy frowned, "Does something trouble her? Aside from the butler's death?" He asked quietly. Bard sighed, "She's runnin' things now. She's never done anything alone, considering that Sebastian took care of most everything."
The housekeeper was murmuring in frenzied French, and Jeremy frowned. "You have beans, do you not?" He mentioned, "Why not make Hamburg steaks with those?" The housekeeper's eyes snapped up at the idea. "Bean steaks!" She gasped, "Why didn't I think of that?!"
She looked at Bard, "Go get the other two, we need these steaks done in time for dinner!" The chef saluted her. "Yes, ma'am!" When he was gone, the blonde glared at Jeremy suspiciously.
"I know you're not who you say you are."
Jeremy cocked his head slightly. "Oh?" He asked, "How do you mean?"
The blonde glared, "I know of no such 'Jeremy Rathbone' in the village. There was at one point, but he is no longer present." She glared coldly. "I know you're not human. Otherwise you would have some ailment of sorts for running about in the rain for a prolonged period of time. And secondly, you wouldn't be able to move from one room to the next so quickly."
She reached for the beans before continuing, "I know you have to be the one who killed Sebastian. And the moment you leave this manor-" She slammed a rolling pin down, and the other man blinked, not having seen her finish the preparation of at least seven steaks within a mere second.
Something metallic poked at his neck, and he glanced down at her, the knife she had previously been using to pry open the can of beans at his throat. Her eyes were wet, red, and filled with grief and pain. "Know that I will kill you..." She finished in a rasp. "For what you've done, you deserve to suffer."
Jeremy raised a brow. "Why tell me this?" He asked, "Surely informing me of my demise is rather pointless." Aurora sneered, jabbing the knife at his throat again. "Because I don't believe in cowardice. I don't believe in stabbing someone the moment their back is turned. Knowing your fate makes it a fair fight."
The demon before her stilled, and she turned her back on him just as his eyes flashed behind the brown contacts.
Those words...
He could remember when she had said the such words to him before. It'd happened on one of their days beside the lake, when she'd offered to teach him about angelic combat. He'd been so headstrong, certain he didn't need any guidance. And in the midst of their faux battle, she had called out every move, giving him a far better advantage.
She'd given him a bit of a challenge of course, but ultimately he'd won- though he was sure he wouldn't have if she hadn't called out every move she made.
Later on, they'd been under a tree- a willow, he remembered resting his head in her lap and watching how her hair blew alongside the weeping leaves. He'd asked why she'd so foolishly given him the advantage, calling out each one of her movements. She'd paused her petting of his dark locks, looking a little surprised before she laughed.
"I don't believe in cowardice, Malphas." She'd said it so casually, a kind gleam in her eyes as he looked up at her. "I don't believe in stabbing someone the moment their back is turned." She had kissed him gently on the lips then. "Knowing your fate makes it a fair fight."
Something felt like it pinched at where his heart should be. When he looked at her now, standing in front of him with her hair pinned up and holding back tears, face pale, the only markings of makeup being the slight smear of blush on her cheeks.
Clearly she hadn't bothered to fix it after this morning. What with all the crying, she'd lost all care.
What hurt the most was how he failed to recognize her.
She looked much more like a deprecated Marchioness Midford than her usual cheery self. The blonde curls, normally so bouncy and full of life, clung tightly to her head, though a few strands escaped the tight confine of the bun. He could see her face muscles twitch every so often, with the occasional sob held back.
Then he noticed her silent tears.
They were barely there- the human eye might not even realise she was crying- but there were soft streams of tears slowly making their way down her face, settling on her cheeks before sinking into her reddened pores.
To know he'd caused this pain was...
He paused.
He didn't know how it felt.
His head quirked a little to the side, like curious cat or something of the sort. Usually, he'd always felt something around the angel. Anything.
Now it was just a dull numbness. In a strange way, it felt empty.
He caught a glimpse of her eyes then. The silver he'd grown up with, flecked with a blue iridescence that reminded him of the flowers that grew in the world between hell and earth- were vacant.
Even the human guise of blue was dulled to a strange blue gray. Even so, there was no emotion in her eyes. Her body moved in a repeating cycle, the stifle of a sob, the pop of a can, the knife on the cutting board.. Then followed again by the stifled sob and popped can.
If anything, she hadn't seemed to notice his presence.
Lately, it had been enough for her to remember him. It'd been enough to have her by his side again. But the seed of doubt was beginning to sow further in as he learned he could not utter a single word about their youth- as she lacked most memories of it, and the notion brought tears to her eyes.
Then it was the rejection. Something akin to fear had flickered in those bright silver irises when he'd offered marriage.
Those same irises he'd so often seen love and passion in feared him. Why, he hadn't a clue. And she hadn't been able to offer any explanation as her becoming Fallen began taking its toll on her.
She had been descending into a state that not even he could pull her from. It was as if her mind was picking itself apart, caving in on her- determined to crush her under it's weight.
Watching her now, under the guise of Jeremy, she seemed more distraught than he'd ever seen her. She believed she was as alone as she could be, so she was letting one of the walls she built up fall. With each stroke of her knife on the cutting board, he could have heard another stone come clattering to the ground, smashing just feet from her.
Her quiet, with held sobs were heard only to him, released under her breath, a small hiccupped wail that fell on deaf ears. He couldn't imagine how strained her vocal cords must have been by now.
He'd been wracking his mind all day, trying to think of some sort of loophole, but so far he'd come up with nothing.
Under no circumstances was he to reveal himself, in any way shape or form. He could not speak to her as per usual, he could not notion to her, he could not look at her with such affection. Even a simple note wouldn't prevail.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
She'd felt him watching her just a moment ago, and now fear was beginning to creep into her voice. Something about the man was frightening. What exactly, she still couldn't say. He stared back at her, wide eyed for a moment, then frowned.
"Was I? Terribly sorry, allow me to apologize."
She hesitated, eyeing him with some degree of suspicion, her eyes flickering over his form, as if trying to determine if he were really a threat.
Don't be ridiculous, Angelica... He's human as they come. If he tries anything it'll be fairly easy to just-
She stilled, realising how tightly she'd been holding the knife. Jeremy was watching her hand, eyes darting between the blade in her hand, her face, and whatever was around him.
seemed to hesitate, standing there for a moment, eyeing him with some degree of suspicion, brow furrowed as if she were trying to figure his intentions- an action that made him momentarily freeze before pulling up the Jeremy façade once more. "Is there something troubling you, Miss Magné?"
Aurora silently rolled her eyes, then went back to her cooking. Her silence seemed to be answer enough for him as she tossed aside what the man behind her counted as the fifteenth Hamburg steak, then glanced at the clock above her head. It'd been about ten minutes since she sent the other three outside.
Where are those three? She grit her teeth, trying to calm herself. I can't very well make all of these myself!
Just then they ran in, sprinting. "We're back! Finny chirped. "And we've got fennel!" Mey giggled. Aurora stared. "Fennel?" She asked, "Why ever would you-?"
"Cause Old Man Tanaka mentioned it would lessen the guests hunger. We season the steaks with this stuff, and we won't have any more Lord Grey coming in for more food!" Bard exclaimed. The housekeeper stared blankly.
That's... actually genius...
I should have thought of that.
"Right- well, I've prepared some over there, just season them appropriately and finish with them." She said, grimacing as the three rushed by her, setting to work- along with three pairs of very muddy boots. She inwardly groaned.
Lovely. Now the floors need to be cleaned.
"Oh!" Mey-Rin suddenly cried, "I just remembered something strange I saw earlier! In Miss Irene's baggage!" Aurora sighed, "What is it this time, Mey?"
"A bottle with dark red liquid!" Mey-Rin squeaked. "The young master and the others were talking about a vampire after they saw Mister Phelps body!"
Aurora groaned at the thought, "That's ridiculous, Mey-Rin! Vampyre's are about as real as-"
"Devils and angels, I would say." Jeremy said, glancing her way. Aurora snapped her mouth shut, a curling sensation of dread filling her.
Could it possibly be?
She stared at him out of the corner of her eye. He didn't look like a demon. He didn't look like an angel. But he did make her think of a vampyre. She shuddered at the thought, already feeling herself growing ill at the idea.
Don't be ridiculous Angelica, vampyres aren't real. The best comparison would at best be some stupid-
She froze.
Demon.
Suddenly throwing down her work with a loud clatter, she swallowed back the sick that threatened to make itself known. Her hand shot to her mouth, and she tried to fix her gaze at a spot on the table before the urge to vomit became overpowering.
The others were already staring.
"Miss Aurora?" Finny asked carefully, "Are you alright?" The blonde was quiet for a moment, eyes darting around a bit as if she were reading or in deep thought before she suddenly stumbled from the room with a croaked apologetic, "Excuse me!" As she dashed from the room and out one of the back doors, she began retching into the bushes beside the mansion.
She cried out as blood burned her throat, emerging alongside her vomit, becoming a mess on the ground, and then quickly washing away as quickly as it had appeared. Falling onto her knees, she gagged more, crying as she did.
This is it...
She retched again, heavy sobs of pain and sadness wracking her body.
I'm going to die.
She coughed, dry heaving as she tried to expel the remaining sickness from her body. Her eyes are suddenly squeezed shut in pain, throat spasming as she forces what remained of her stomach out- as if the action would rid her of her ailment.
There was a hand on her back, it suddenly pulled her to her feet, and she fell into whomever it was. She hummed in pain, a dull numbness slowly stretching across her form until she could no longer feel any part of her body.
Everything was a blur as she was brought quickly inside, and she was soon greeted with dull yells and a few cries. Barely coherent, she realised the lack of numbness when her back hit something hard. She tried to toss her head, some weak attempt to regain control of her body.
What was that? A rock? A wall? The floor?
Her vision faded rather quickly, then suddenly she could feel her limbs again. Forcing her eyes open, she'd intended to sit up- only to find the task grueling, her teeth grit as she used her arms to lift her upper body up against the headboard. Every muscle and bone roared in painful protest, pleading her to stop.
"Ow..." She mumbled, rubbing at her temples, trying to relieve whatever pain still lingered. It was then she heard the young boy in the seat beside her bed clear his throat.
The young lord was glaring at her, seated in the chair at her desk, one leg crossed elegantly over the other, and his exposed cerulean eye glaring at her with a coldness she'd never seen from him before.
"You lied." He said, his voice somewhat strained, eyes red- it couldn't be, the great earl never cried, but she was soon proven wrong as her silvery blue gaze fell upon the salty tears rushing down his cheeks in occasional soft rivers.
She sighed, raising her palm to put some pressure over her temple, as if moving any way else was too painful.
"Ciel..."
"You're dying. Aren't you?" He asked, a touch of authority in his voice this time.
Aurora winced, "Not if I can help it." Her usually soft and gentle voice sounded like harsh sandpaper as she spoke. She reached up, feeling her throat, trying to soothe it. "What happened?"
"You ran outside and were sick in the roses. Bard came to get you."
She groaned, "Perfect. I look like a mess then."
Ciel frowned, "It isn't your fault. You're dying."
Aurora smiled sadly, "That may be so," she agreed, "But at least it means..." she coughed, blood running down her lip. "I get to be with him again." She drew in a shuddering breath, rasping, trying to force her the air into her lungs so she might breath. "Ah, if I'd never made that oath with you... I'd be just fine..." She hummed, sleep pulling her into it's warm, fuzzy embrace.
"Why didn't I listen to him..."
Ciel's eye widened in horror. "Aurora?! Don't fall asleep! That's an order!" Her eyes dimly flickered white gold, and she chuckled at his worry for her, reaching a shaking and weak hand out to him. "Oh Ciel... I'm not going anywhere... Not until this is all over... I promise." She coughed harshly, and her face seemed paler than before.
The child Earl before her looked on with horror. It was like watching his mother die before him.
Since when did he get so attached to her? He wasn't before?
The spell was broken as she coughed again, and he stood. "Rest." He ordered. "I'll make sure you aren't disturbed. Join us when you feel ready." She gave him a half hearted mutter of agreement before dropping back into unconsciousness.
As Ciel stepped out of the housekeeper's room, shutting the door behind him, he paused. I didn't think angels could die... He was quiet for another moment, lost in thought.
If she dies I Iose power.
And if she died, surely Sebastian would deteriorate as well.
What am I do about that?
It's not as if I can keep her alive.
And if she suddenly finds out about Sebastian, people will be suspicious if her attitude towards Jeremy changes.
He sighed then, walking to the neighboring room, and letting his hand linger on the knob, checking both ways down the hall before entering.
Sebastian was Ciel had never seen him- sitting on the edge of his bed, and head cradled tightly within his hands. The demon looked completely distraught, even a bit angered as the boy heard him muttering in some form of Ancient Latin.
The demon seemed to be in a twisted state of emotion- and considering his lack of knowledge for the subject, that made it all the more dangerous. Ciel quietly stared at him, before finally asking,
"Did you know?"
Sebastian finally stilled, his mutters silenced in a moment. "No." The soft growl in his voice making terrified shivers run up Ciel's spine. The demon continued, demonic tone wavering as he spoke. "I knew she was sick. I knew she was getting better. She was going to be fine." He glared at the boy then, and Ciel saw a faint redness creeping into the demon's eyes. "If you had not insisted she be kept in the dark, she might be fine."
The boy's fear vanished at the insinuated blame. Ciel scoffed, staring at him coldly. "I don't want you uttering a word yet. In fact, I think this should teach you a lesson about obedience." The demon's lip quirked up in what could have been a half hearted snarl, but then it fell as his master began slowly removing his eye patch, revealing the dark indigo contract seal beneath.
The demon grit his teeth, but relaxed his body. He knew it was a lost cause to argue.
Ciel's eye began to glow an otherworldly violet as he uttered softly, "This is an order Sebastian..."
And Sebastian fell straight back into the hands of his master.
Light filtered through her eyelids.
Light?
Aurora hummed sleepily, rolling over. Impossible... The window isn't truly that big enough.
Her eyes shot open when she realised the sheets she was snuggled into were far more comfortable than they had been as of late.
Slowly pulling herself to sit, she stared in disbelief at the bedroom. Home. She was... home.
"What?" She murmured, looking down and finding herself in a light blue nightgown. "How did I get here?! When did I get here?!"
She didn't slip gracefully out of bed, as she'd done almost every morning, her exit was far from it. Intent to jump to her feet and rush back to the mansion, she'd only succeeded in slipping on the floor with a loud shriek, falling to the quartz tile with a loud crash.
"Ow..." She mumbled, reaching up to the back of her head, happy to find there was no blood. Sighing, she managed to stand, steadying herself on the bed post, then grabbing a hold of her robe.
She relished at the feeling of the fluffy sleeves covering her arms, encompassing her body like a warm blanket. The robe had been a gift from her father for her last birthday- the memory made her heart ache.
That was the last birthday she'd ever spent with her father.
Tears quickly began to fill her eyes, and she tugged the garment tighter around her. The soft embrace of the robe had her feeling as if she were wrapped in the warm embrace of her father's wings, a comfort she'd so often sought when she was young.
She wiped away the brimming tears, sniffling, and quickly began walking towards her en suite bath, feet slapping against her bare feet with a melancholy pace. She could feel shivers and nonexistent pin pricks creeping up her spine as she set foot into the room, and slowly turned her head to the mirror.
Silver blue eyes widened. The angel in the mirror couldn't possibly be her, not now at least.
The face staring back at her in the mirror was flawless. Perfect creamy skin- void of sickly splotches and tiny divets left by her own fingernails, and utterly barren of the pain etched into her features.
She was the picture of health.
Healthy.
It was the one word she could use to describe her appearance. "No... This isn't possible. Not even by immortal standards. How-" She caught a glimpse of it then. And leaned over the counter, staring at herself in the mirror in disbelief. She could feel the blood in her body freeze as she realised just what she was looking at.
A small, faint rim of violet hellfire circling around her silver irises, slowly leaking further in with each delicate swirl.
"No..." She whispered, "No... This can't be happening..." She pulled her arms around herself in a tight hug.
So this is what it was.
Why she hadn't gotten any better.
"It's a long process, princess. Especially for one of noble blood."
She looked over her shoulder, and suddenly she was in the hall, the robe suddenly gone, and now replaced with a pale lavender silk dress that stopped just past her ankles. "What do you mean?" She asked.
The figure, taller than she, maybe slightly shorter than Sebastian, came forward, white wing appearing as a long cloak, a proud emerald brooch on his collar. Lucian frowned at her.
"Falling." He stated, as if it were obvious.
"For one of your status, a half breed, I can't tell you what will happen. Because I myself don't even know." Aurora stared at him. "Lucian. Why am I here?" She asked, completely disregarding the issue at hand. "Why am I here and not at the Phantomhive Manor?"
Lucian smiled, "You are. Technically."
He came forward, and it was then she realised the golden hue around his eyes. "This is a dream." She said. "I'm dreaming. Aren't I?" Lucian smiled, "Always a quick study." He nodded, "Come. I have something to show you."
She followed him down the hall, quiet as they passed countless paintings. "I suppose I should congratulate you," he began, "You are nearly the perfect candidate to be a demon's mate." He paused, "Once you have completely Fallen, that is."
Aurora frowned, "I had thought I was a Fallen already?" Lucian shook his head, "You began the process, yes. But becoming a Fallen does not happen overnight." He frowned, "You have been ill for some time, I tried to assist as best I could, blessing those pastries your lover made for you, and giving him the recipes. But even that isn't enough to reverse a sin of genocide."
The younger angel cringed, "But I didn't-"
"Not willingly, not purposefully. It was your bonded seals that ruined you." Lucian narrowed his eyes, "It is why I advised you not to make a pact with that boy." Aurora sighed, "I didn't see the harm. He was a child. And Malphas-"
"Would have managed. He did not need your help, Angelica. Even he knew that." Lucian sighed deeply. "Now, tell me, do you recognize this?" He gestured with the tip of his wing to a particular painting, one of two angels, one the Arch, the other being his estranged wife, with larger wings, dipped in the darkness of Hell.
Aurora frowned. "Of course." She said. "That's the portrait my father had commissioned for his and mother's engagement."
Lucian nodded, "Correct. But pay close attention to your mother."
Aurora's eyes fixated onto the portrait. Her mother's brown curls mirrored her own blonde, and the Fallen Angel's own violet eyes mirrored the growing ring around her own. "Her eyes. They're demonic."
"Indeed." Lucian confirmed, "But as you saw last time, they appear more red. Do you know why that is?"
Aurora nodded, "Of course. When she killed her previous mate she took on a new power. As his surviving mate, she inherited some of his power. Lucifer awarded her the title of The Demon Angel." Lucian hummed, "You are correct in terms her amass of power changed her eyes, but less so about her title."
He continued, "Lady Luciana Veronika Magné, your mother, earned her title less so by simply ending the life of her mate." He glanced at the younger, "She slaughtered his entire clan as well." Aurora swallowed. "Why?"
"It was the only way she could repent and be allowed to marry the Arch." He frowned, "And protect you." Aurora narrowed her eyes, "Protect me? I wasn't even born yet. I was born a year after they married."
Lucian sighed, "The gestation period was... complicated. You were born at eight months. Which is classed as premature among angels. Among Fallen, that's changed. In the event a Fallen doesn't find themselves infertile-"
"What?!" Aurora could already feel the tears coming back. "You- you mean I- I- I..." Lucian looked at her sympathetically. "It is what make Fallen popular among demons who've no lineage to speak of or those who have no care for an heir." He sighed, "It's not completely unheard of for Fallen to have a halfbreed child, most don't live that long, slaughtered by other demons, or weak genetics. But sadly, most Fallen have a much harder time dealing with pregnancies. Most are known to miscarry."
He smiled, "But I don't think you need to worry, you're mother was Fallen when she had you after all, and your Arch heritage could always prevail. But it is still a concern. Your mother was awfully sick during her pregnancy with you. No one could give a definitive answer for your condition or hers."
He rested his wing on her shoulder. "Don't worry about this now, you and that demon of yours are still new in a relationship-"
"He's dead, Lucian." The younger pulled her arms tighter around herself. "Malphas is dead. I don't know how, I just know he's gone." Lucian narrowed his eyes, "I would doubt that." He muttered, too quiet for her to hear. "I know I haven't heard anything, and such response is mandatory, considering his status."
Aurora frowned, "His status? As a Demon Prince? There's so many why would-?"
"His father was Asmodel. Now Asmodeous. Lucifer's Second."
The younger stared back at him, her eyes wide at the mention of it. "I had... almost forgotten his position..." She frowned, "But then why-"
"I can't be certain. Perhaps the fact he is on contract delaying the news. However," Lucian sighed, "Regardless, it is neither of our places to address it." He cleared his throat, "Now, let's continue."
He strode further down the hall, Aurora trailing after him. "What happens when the process of Falling is complete? What will become of me?" Lucian kept walking. "Lucian!" She snapped, "Lucian, what's going to happen?!"
He failed to answer her cries again. "Lu!" She screeched, her breath suddenly restricted within her chest. "What. Is. Going. To. Happen. To. Me?"
Lucian's solemn footsteps finally ceased, and he stopped on one square tile in the hall.
"You may be the daughter of and Arch and a Fallen... your mother an exceptional one at that- but she is still leagues away from you."
He took a breath, "Becoming a Fallen... It depends on the power contained. And often the angel's determination, and what their sin was. Acceptance makes it easier, denial is far more painful. But most regular angels see two thresholds. The incident itself, and sickness afterwards."
He glanced back at her, head tossed over his shoulder, neat blonde hair becoming undone from it's finely gelled prison. "Your mother saw four. The incident, the sickness, feigning betterment, and finally the transformation itself." He frowned at her, "Because of your heritage, I am expecting you will reach six thresholds. Much like the Ancient Archs had seven."
Aurora was biting back shivers, her skin turning to gooseflesh, and hands quivering in fear, only finding solace in the pits of her arms. "S-Six?" She questioned, "How so?" Lucian frowned, "After feigning betterment, you would be expected to relapse and suffer a painful death before being reborn, hence the transformation being complete."
She was shaking still.
Lucian sighed, "I am only sorry you need bare the pain of death once more."
Aurora stared at him, "You say that as if I've seen death more than once before." She whispered shakily, "I met it once, I don't mind meeting it again if I don't have a life with Malphas."
"What madness are you speaking of?" Lucian demanded, "Of course you do. You don't need him to be happy." He sighed, "Part of the process of Falling is depression with illness, so I suppose that I should cut you some slack."
Aurora stared, "None of this makes any sense..."
Lucian cleared his throat, "Let me explain this way, your mother saw thresholds one; the cause, two; sickness, three; feigning betterment, four, the final transformation." He looked at the younger, "You are expected to be reborn as a Fallen. Meaning this illness will kill you for a brief time."
He glanced back at her with worry. "I am worried what is to become of you. You display characteristics of Falling that even I haven't seen before."
Aurora swallowed. "So you're telling me that I'm going to die? Am I going to remember anything this time?"
Lucian stood tall before her. "I think you already know without me having to tell it to you." His voice was soft, comforting, gentle even. She felt the tears flooding again. "What if I don't want this?" She whispered, "Is there any way to-?"
"We wouldn't know," Lucian answered. "No Arch has been turned to a Fallen. And you would be a different case entirely. You're mother was born an angel, but when she had you, she was a Fallen. And your father had just become the Arch."
He frowned, "There is no telling what will become of you. You could do as predicted, die and be reborn, as Archs can't be killed by anything other than death scythes. But I would not shelve the idea of a true death."
Aurora's hands fisted against the skirt of her dress. "So either way... I die in some sense?"
Lucian nodded, "Regretfully."
She shut her eyes, pushing her back to the wall and sinking to the ground. Her hands locked around her knees, and buried her face into them.
"I'm sorry." Lucian murmured, laying his wing over her shoulder, "I wish there was something I could do... I do... I truly do." Aurora sniffed, batting his hand away, "It isn't your fault." She whispered, "It's mine for being stupid. For not listening to anyone, thinking I knew what I was doing- but I don't! I can't remember anything! And since I that mess at the circus happened, I haven't remembered anything more!"
She snarled, "I'm hopeless!"
Lucian sighed, "You are nothing of the sort. You have always been the most headstrong and confident of angels. You've done what you believe is right. You never hesitated to speak your mind." He smiled proudly down at her, "So you are anything but hopeless, princess." He reached down his hand, affectionately ruffling her hair. Something he rarely did, as an angel, most acts of comfort were conveyed with a use of wings.
But this, this was pure human. "Angelica, I have full confidence that you will be happy in life. Just as I have confidence that you will work your way past any other obstacle. You have done so before, I see no reason you would fail this time."
The younger looked at him, fat tears rolling down her face. "But- how am I supposed to overcome something if I'm a completely different being now? I don't remember much of anything, Lu- and I'm scared. It's the only reason I ever turned Malphas down, because I can't remember things!"
She coughed, "I- I can't remember why I love him. I know I do, but that's it!"
She looked at the older angel, weakness evident within her eyes. "And it doesn't matter what I do, Lucian... I can't change things. I can't remember. I never will at this rate..." She smiled sadly, "And... the worst part, is I'm okay with it. Because soon enough, I'll be with him again."
Lucian's face softened. "Angelica..." He knelt down beside her, arm rested on his knee, and hand reached out to tilt her chin up. "Whatever happens, you know that I am here for you."
The younger leaned on his shoulder, her face burying into his shoulder, as she had done so often when she was a cherub.
Only this time, he wasn't soothing her nightmares, or her training wounds.
His larger, pale white wing pulled around her embracing her in a gentle embrace, as he'd done for so many years, and rested his chin atop her head, frowning as she cried. "There, there," he soothed, "I'm here. I'm here."
She sniffled, wiping snot and tears from her face. She looked as she had so many years ago.
A small child whose parents had left her all alone in a big house with no one to care for her.
It was the day after her mother left for the Hellscape, and that very morning her father had left suddenly, ignorant of his young daughter, claiming he'd an urgent business trip.
He'd intended to leave the little girl in her uncle's care. Gabriel, who couldn't care for the little one. So he'd called upon the Arch's apprentice- barely a teenager at the time, and pushed forward the young one with a harsh flap of his wing.
Lucian could remember how the young princess stared up at him with tear filled eyes, snot dripping down her nose, and eyes red and puffy. They'd stared at one another for some time, analyzing the other. Eventually, Lucian smiled and leaned down to her height, attempting to soothe her of her worries, even offering to play a game of her choice.
Angelica had clung to him like a little parasite from that moment on.
Lucian couldn't complain of course- he did grow annoyed with the young one dragging on his wings from time to time, but she was his Magister's child, and a princess at that. Saying no simply wasn't an option.
As she clung to him now, fingers wrapped tightly around his arm, her sobs loud and mournful, he couldn't help but soothe her again, as he'd had for so long. And would continue to do.
"Why can't- why can't this just take me now?" She choked, "I just want to be with him again... He was all I had..." Lucian scowled at that, "Never let me hear you speak like that again." He commanded, wings flared. "You do not need the demon to be happy. Just as you did not need the Arch. You have always managed fine alone. I cannot imagine stealing your record did such damage."
She winced at that, head hung low. "I haven't remembered a thing since the genocide." She whispered, "I doubt I'd remember anyways." She sighed, "I never got to properly apologise, Lu... He died thinking I didn't love him."
Lucian frowned, "I am certain he knew you cared. You've no need to mourn that fact at the least." He sighed, "If there was something I could do, trust me. I would. But your genetics will fight until the end." He stood then, "No one knows if this will put you through rebirth, or if it will truly end you. But judging on your current state... I fear the latter may prevail."
Angelica smiled sadly, "I get to see Malphas again. And I'll see father too."
Lucian glared, "I told you not to speak like that. Whether death calls to you or not, there will be a solution. If you live, you will find a way to carry on. I trust that. I know that. You are not a meager little princess. You are not what your uncle claims you are. You have the capability, Angelica. You just need to recognise that."
There was a loud clash, something that sounded as if two rocks had collided. "What was that?!" Angelica asked. Lucian sighed, "Our time here is ending. I can only hold a void for so long." He looked at her, and she noticed his tiring eyes. "Please, when the opportunity presents itself, take care of yourself. And should you need anything, you know where to find me."
The younger angel smiled and crashed into him, eliciting a soft grunt from the elder Angel, and hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Lucian..." She whispered, "I always know you're in my corner." The space around them began to fade, and she smiled, holding his hands, all the way until the blackness enveloped them both, leaving the last light being in his eyes before she saw nothing more.
Seated at the bedside throughout her dreamlike state, was Sebastian. The latex face of Jeremy sat crumpled in his hand. He hadn't felt this helpless since the day he'd nearly lost her all those years ago.
Angelica... How many times can I lose you?
He grimaced at the thought. How many times had she fallen victim to unnecessary harm because of his own stupidity. First he'd let her leave his side for what he'd imagined to be less than thirty minutes. Then- when she miraculously found her way back into his life, he'd been responsible for her death.
Even if it had resulted in a cycle of rebirth, allowing her to come back to him with most of her memories intact- albeit quite jumbled, he'd still been responsible. He'd held himself responsible again when she had made that oath with his master, and he'd held himself responsible when Claude dared to lay a hand on her- traumatising her so that she still couldn't find the words to speak of the encounter.
It'd only progressed from there, the entire mess at the circus he'd shamed himself as her friend and lover when he failed to hear her cries.
She'd been Falling the second they set foot in that cursed place. He'd failed to notice her depression, failed to listen to her- failed to do everything he'd promised her he would.
In every way, he was a disease that had done harm unto her.
His shaking hands, as they now were, reached out to press against her skin, grimacing at the look on her face as she whimpered in sleep, lips moving every so often, with no sound.
How much pain can I give you?
He sighed, bowing his head. "Angelica... Darling, please... don't do this to me again." She brought out the more human side of him, he supposed. He never felt this revolting when she wasn't with him.
Granted, she was a being of divinity, a creature like her was never meant for something as dark, unholy and disgusting like him.
He knew she had been affianced once before. In their false tale that they had crafted for the humans, that part remained true. She had been promised to another at one point.
It was why he'd been so jealous before.
Raphael Delacroix had been the Arch Angel's first choice for his daughter. The demon himself was never on the registry. Never an option.
He remembered so vividly the day he'd joined her beside the lake, finding her in tears and incredibly unhappy.
"You're crying." He'd said, as if it were the most ridiculous thing he'd ever seen. "Why?"
As the one word left his mouth, he felt the burning rage, with the desire to kill whomever had hurt her. That was when he'd seen the new bracelet around her wrist. Written in the Angelic language, reading the words: Angel of my heart.
"Papa finally decided to..." She was gritting her teeth, biting back a half snarl half sob. "Finally decided to... marry me off." She looked at the demon heartbreak evident in her eyes. "I love Raphy! I do! Just not like that! I don't want to marry him!" She slumped into the demon's side.
"I want to marry you."
Those words had set something off inside of him. It was the day they began their affair. The day they began sharing short passion filled kisses with one another. The day he promised to protect her from anything and everything.
He remembered how those five little words made him something else entirely. How they made him push her down into the grass, watching the her blonde curls fan out amoungst the coloured flowers around them. How she'd stared at him, with those bright, silver and blue flecked eyes, confused for a moment, then pulling him down to her, humming happily into his mouth.
It'd been the best day of his life. At some point in what might have been the tail end of April or May. From that day, their relationship had changed. No longer the teasing flirts of best friends, but of lovers.
Every morning he would rush to the border, not bothering with his other siblings, just to get to her. The moment their eyes met, their lips did a moment later in a deep kiss that the demon would treasure for the rest of eternity.
Now before him, that same angel laid unconscious. Completely due to his actions. Since when had they become so wrong for each other? He frowned at the ring around her neck. He never should have hidden it somewhere she would find it. Why had he?
Was it even an order? He didn't remember.
She seemed to drive him up a wall when it came to everything else.
She moaned in her sleep, drawing him from his reverie. His eyes shot onto her, trying to figure if she was in danger or whatnot. He detected that subtle change in her breathing, as she was about to stir. He stood at once, kissing her gently and caressing her face.
"I will see you soon..."
And when her eyes opened, he was gone.
Aurora swung her legs over the edge of the bed, wincing as she stood on her own two feet. Her entire body burned as if she'd used an excessive amount of power and fought off at least a dozen enemies. She felt drained, tired, and exceptionally weak.
She hummed, trying to force herself to stay awake, forcing herself to take steps forward. Half slumped against the wall, she crept down the halls of the manor, fingers digging into the wooden engravements decorating the walls at roughly waist level.
She grit her teeth in pain before pushing open the door to the kitchen, surprised to find it empty. Where are they? The Fallen attempted to see where they were within the home, only for a sharp stabbing pain to strike through her as she tried. A choked gasp left her and she whimpered more in pain.
She took another few steps to hear Ciel yelp from one of the other rooms. It was as if someone had shot her up with adrenaline, and in seconds she was outside of a bedroom where everyone stood. Earl Grey was holding a snake, and Jeremy was explaining how the murders occurred. No one seemed to have noticed her yet, so the blonde propped herself against the wall, eavesdropping from just outside.
"But the butler and the housekeeper!" Woodley exclaimed, "Aren't they the most likely suspects?! Why aren't we detaining the surviving one?!"
"Because there's no possible way that Aurora would have killed anyone." Ciel said, "Besides, she's beyond sick at this point." He glanced at Bard, "How did you say she was when you found her?" Bard swallowed, "Looked half dead. If she was out there any longer, don't think she'd have made it."
Woodley snapped again, "Guilt! I chalk it up to guilt! Suicide for-"
"Miss Aurora would never do that!" Finny yelled, glaring at the other man. Mey-Rin piped up. "He's right! She'd never kill anyone!"
Aurora smiled, it was soothing to know they had such faith in her.
Ciel glared, "And I would highly suggest you refrain from slandering my elite staff, Mister Woodley." The angel bit back a small smirk. She could only imagine the look on Woodley's face right about now.
"A snake?!" Ciel cried, "That's ridiculous!"
Doctor Arthur sounded rather curious. "It's hard to believe, but it really came to get the young lady wearing the Earl's clothes."
Aurora's eyes widened in surprise. Just what had the lot of them been doing? How long was she asleep?
"To compensate their lack of sight, snakes have a highly developed sense of smell and hearing," Jeremy was saying, glancing at the knotted snake. "That's why they are able to find their prey in the dark through sound vibrations and smell." Aurora could hear the man's face falling.
"In other words... the snake was most likely trained by being fed right after it was exposed to the Earl's scent."
Aurora's face paled. If someone used a snake, it wouldn't matter if they had a key, or an alibi. She swallowed heavily.
"This is a Black Mamba in particular," Jeremy continued, they inhabit South Africa and possess a strong neurotoxin. The victim will inevitably die within one hour of being bitten. Finally, it possesses special characteristics such as the world's fastest movement and excellence in climbing trees."
"In other words it's the perfect murderer..!" Aurora whispered to herself.
She stilled. But if that's what those bite marks were... Then Monsieur Jeremy...
Could he still be some sort of immortal?
Her leg started to fall out from under her, and she gasped, barely catching herself against the wall. Eyes looking quickly to the others, she was pleased no one seemed to have noticed her.
Ciel suddenly yelped, and Aurora smiled hearing Ran Mao. "Glad you're safe.."
"Wha! Wait! At least put something on!!!"
Oh he's going to have quite the day when he and Lady Elizabeth get married. In say... five to ten years? She leaned back against the wall, feeling weaker by the second. What a shame... Malphas and I never got to the altar... She bit down on her lip, keeping herself from screaming in pain. Maybe... They'll be lucky enough to get there...
How I'd have loved to wear a white dress... Maybe a light blue or silver even? Cream?
Her eyes began to flutter shut and she forced herself into the empty neighboring room, shutting the door behind her.
This is it then...
I'm going to die...
She cried out a bit, then quickly muffled herself with a hand. Malphas... I'll be with you again soon enough...
She jumped as something landed on top of her, mewing and pawing at her face. She blinked, eyes adjusting to the darkness. Noire sat perched on her lap, now hissing at her and with a claw raised brought it down on the side of her face.
A breath of surprise escaped her. "Noire!" The cat hissed, then ran off. The blonde sat in the dark for just another minute before she heard yelling.
"No! No! It wasn't me!"
At the sound of the yell, she climbed to her feet, forcing herself out of the room and towards the others. Her body in pain, she clung to the wall for support until Bard and Mey spotted her, the two instantly diving to help support her.
Ciel shot her a look. "I thought you were sick?" Aurora coughed. "Needed to... be here for this..." She glared at Woodley as he rattled on. "T-Trading is Kun Lun's thing isn't it?!"
Lau chuckled, "We don't do business with any African companies."
Earl Grey sighed, "Well, it really is a bit much to be deciding the killer based on the snake being from Africa alone."
"Th-That's right!" Woodley cried, "And what about when Siemens was killed?! I have an alibi!"
Aurora hissed, "From what I heard- your 'alibi' might not be worth all that much!" She was seething, clinging to Mey-Rin while Bard stood beside her, ready to assist if need be.
"What?!" Woodley yelped.
"It's true." Jeremy agreed, "What if the corpse the butler and housekeeper found wasn't truly a corpse?"
Aurora and Mey-Rin shrieked, clinging to one another. "What?!"
"But there was blood on his chest!" Arthur argued, "He didn't even have a pulse!"
"And I fell in that blood! It had to be real!" Aurora protested, "I have no doubt that it was!"
Jeremy held up a book and Aurora narrowed her eyes. "Hey! That's-"
"Does everyone know of the potion Juliet drank in 'Romeo and Juliet'?"
Aurora paused, "You mean where she fell into a death like coma and came back to life?" She narrowed her eyes, "You mean to say that such a thing exists?"
"Indeed. A substance does exist called Tetrodotoxin that was recently discovered and being studied. It seems that if you refine it in a certain way you will be able to achieve an apparent death like state, much like Juliet's."
Aurora frowned, "I've heard of that poison. It's the one found in puffer fish and octopuses, isn't it?"
Arthur nodded, "It is."
Jeremy continued, "When I investigated Lord Siemens body, I noticed a faint odor of the sea. Perhaps that was the scent of a poison made using puffer fish."
He cleared his throat, "I just have one question here. Why would the scent of poison come from someone who had been allegedly stabbed?"
"It was a set up?" Ciel inquired. Jeremy gave an affirmative nod. "Indeed. He himself drank the poison, got rid of the bottle and pretended to be dead."
Aurora frowned, "He probably figured that people lacking specific medical knowledge wouldn't examine the wound closely." She paused, "It would have worked as a temporary deception at the least." She hummed, "Why didn't I take the time to actually examine the body?"
Mey-Rin patted her on the back. "You were frightened," She comforted, "It isn't your fault."
Woodley snapped, "She's the only one here with the medical knowledge! She should have recognised it! That fact she didn't should prove her guilt!" Aurora grit her teeth.
This man is by far the most irritating..
"Moving on." Jeremy said pointedly, "When I checked the body now, he was most certainly stabbed to death."
"What?" Arthur exclaimed. "So what was meant to be a fake turned out to be a real murder?" Lau asked, arms folded over his chest and eyes narrowed with interest.
Aurora glanced at Ciel. "The killer possibly wanted to lure the young master into a trap."
"Me?" Ciel asked. She nodded, "It would be impossible to know whether Lord Siemens was an accomplice though, he seemed quite out of bounds once he had some alcohol in him. The killer might have incited him to 'give everyone a good fright' or something along those lines."
The boy frowned, "But the Lord and myself had never met before, there is no reason for him to want to lure me into a trap." He sighed, "We can just look at it as him being used and then silenced by being killed."
Arthur shook his head. "How sad."
Aurora sighed, "There would have been plenty a chance for conversation at the buffet party. But that would mean that everyone here is fair game."
"We could inquire as to what everyone talked about with Lord Siemens, but... let's not." Jeremy stated suddenly.
Aurora looked a little surprised and frowned, "But why-"
"Humans are lying creatures."
Her body stilled. She looked at Jeremy closely. Brown eyes...
They could easily be concealing red.
She tensed. Rathbone isn't a vampyre...
He's a demon!
Her mind began wracking itself for a more plausible explanation, that Jeremy was human. He couldn't be responsible for Sebastian's death. Not all humans were evil. She may have disliked the man, but humans were all foolish. Yet Jeremy was picking up on things only a supernatural being might.
"That's right, there was a ridiculous amount of wood in the fire! We definitely wouldn't find it there. And if he collected it once the afterglow had died out-"
Aurora cut in. "Not possible." She choked, suddenly finding it difficult to breath. "Not... possible... Because of Sebastian." She took another breath. "Sebastian had already come to collect ashes before he could rid of the evidence." She hiccupped, "He was just a casualty..."
The word raced in her head, casualty- Sebastian's death couldn't even mean anything. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. A sick feeling began stirring in her again. If I'd just... If I made him stay...
She slowly staggered back into the comforting embrace of Mey-Rin and Bardroy. "He- he was just... If he hadn't even been there... If I-"
Casualty.
"If he found the proof of a set up, Woodley's precious alibi would go up in smoke. He acted quickly and immediately murdered Sebastian. Next he recovered the evidence and returned to his room." Arthur deduced.
Casualty... He's dead for no reason...
Aurora seemed to stagger again, though this time she made sure to slip just a little closer towards Bard. A hand came over her mouth to muffle her sobs, and she still prayed this was all a dream. A dream so that she could wake up tomorrow morning, and find Sebastian snuggled around her.
He should be here to protect me... He should be holding me...
"I don't have any such thing! You searched us all, didn't you?!" Woodley yelled. Ciel smirked, "That's right. Outside the hearth that is."
The perfect hiding place... It isn't like we'd search the room again...
"That's a false accusation! There's nothing like that here!"
"Then show us!" Grimsby cried, rushing forward to grab the fire poke and clear away the ash and soot, sending the mess everywhere. Aurora quickly snatched Ciel and pulled him towards her, away from the dust.
"I'm fine!" He grumbled, shoving her off, "Stop mothering me!" Aurora coughed, "Someone needs to." She stifled a breath as the dust cleared to reveal shards of glass.
Jeremy didn't waste a second piecing the thing back together, something Aurora was almost certain was impossible for a human.
When he had finished, the shards took on the shape of a medicinal vial. Her eyes narrowed, and she found herself fixating at the sword attached to Earl Grey's hip as arguing ensued.
So he killed him. Her hands shook vigorously.
He killed him. Her finger twitched.
He killed Malphas. It suddenly felt hard to breath.
He destroyed my life.
....
I'll destroy his.
"I'm being set up here! By this kid-"
The sword from Earl Grey's sheathe was gone in a matter of seconds, and Aurora had Woodley's arms pinned behind his back, a snarl on her face as she let the blade dig into the man's flesh.
"You killed him!" She wailed, "You killed him for nothing! You let him die for nothing! What kind of monster-"
"Aurora! Let him-"
"No!" She snarled, "He is going to pay for what he's done!"
Ciel stared at her, having never seen the angel is such a state. Is it because she's dying?
Does she really have nothing more to live for?
The angel looked entirely deranged. Her blue eyes were glazed over with a sheet of shimmering silver- the boy couldn't tell if it was from tears, or angelic prowess. Aurora held the rapier, barely an inch from Woodley's eye.
Either way, it seemed like her last bout of adrenaline had kicked in the moment she had a name and a face to put to Sebastian's killer.
The other man's eye seemed to quiver, wide and fearful at the threat before him. "I- I- please, I-" Aurora jabbed the rapier forward, sending the man stumbling into the wall. "You-" She sneered, "You took my life from me. I'm going to take yours!"
She raised the weapon above her head, barely seeing Finny and Jeremy out of the corner of her eye. Tears were already cascading down her face, while her arm felt as if it refused to move. The limb holding the blade shook, as if some unseen force might be preventing it, she bit down on her lip, hard until she could taste the bitter copper of her own blood.
It doesn't matter anymore... I'm doomed either way...
Why can't I just...
She became aware then, of Finny's arms around her midsection, prying her off of Woodley, and Jeremy's hand around the blade. Aurora gripped it tightly, determined not to let go.
"Aurora!" Ciel snapped, "Stop that! That's an order!"
She didn't listen. Aurora could feel the seal on her hand beginning to burn. She grit her teeth, trying to move her wrist so she could shove the blade into Woodley's chest.
"He died alone, because of you." She managed to snarl at her would be victim, "He died. Cold and alone, when he should have been anywhere else but in that room." She swallowed, pushing against Jeremy, angry tears pushing past her lashes.
Why is it so hard to just-?
Something akin to a lash hit her heart, and for a brief moment she saw Sebastian on the other end of the blade, his head tilt back, the blade tip piercing his neck.
Her eyes widened at the sight, fear coursing through her. She didn't move, staring at the image for a minute.
"Angelica..."
She could have sworn she heard his voice, so soft, sympathetic even. She rarely heard that tone in the past, but it seemed now- it was the only one she heard. The rapier in her hand shook, before her arm waivered before she slowly released the sword, sending it down towards the floor, caught only by Jeremy, in his bloody hand.
"I..." The blonde swallowed. "I don't..." Finny held onto her as she sunk towards the floor, her eyes wide.
"Finny, Mey-Rin. Take her to her room. Now." Ciel.
Her mind felt as if it had been thrown into a tumbling river, and the next thing she was conscious of was Finny leaving the room and Mey-Rin's gentle promise of return before she was completely alone.
What's happening to me? Is this what's supposed to happen?
Glancing downwards, it was hard to notice how her hands seemed to have a slight shiver. Shaking so quick that her flesh appeared like a small blur. There was a faint palpitation drumming away in her heart, most likely from the stress of the situation.
It felt like her whole body had been set on fire, then shocked with some amount of high voltage, making her shiver in pain.
"Hah...Hah..." Her breathing had already begun to waver, becoming heavy, half hearted pants while her vision began to flicker.
This has to be it... I'm dying...
She forced a smile on her face, and shut her eyes, hearing the door open and feeling someone shaking her out desperation.
And then she felt nothing.