It was still night out. Mute wandered through the forest not too far from the Trancy Estate. She was panting heavily. With each breath she took she could see her own breath. Her eyes were now yellow, and her skin was much paler than before. 6 tendrils were sprawled out from her back and her hands were blackened, along with a fire black marking appearing on her face. Her dress was torn from the knees down, and she was also barefoot.
Blood dropped from her blackened hands as she took one step after the other. Her low growls could be heard throughout the forest, scaring away any animal that had been lurking nearby. 'Why...' She growled with her thoughts, her voice mutilated between a demon's and her own. 'Everybody wants to hurt the pretty little thing... What did I ever do to keep getting mistreated in any sort of way that they see fit!?'
Mute screamed while knocking over a full-grown tree with her blackened hand. 'I killed before... I've killed many creatures before I was like this!' She knocked over another tree, this time it was one of her tendrils doing the deed. 'How many more lives do I have to take!?'
She covered her eyes and grunted when images flashed in her head. Each one was her when she was human. An image of herself being man-handled. An image of her crying. An image of her bruised and curled on the floor. An image with her sitting against a bookshelf. And another image of her holding a bloody covered knife. Each picture in her head made her cry out.
I never wanted to become this monster...
'I never wanted to kill... I never wanted to shed somebody else's blood... I was once good... Human...'
A twig snapped into two, causing Mute to scream in the direction where she had heard the sound. Her scream was a like a banshee, ripping away the bushes from its roots. The space was empty, but Mute kept her guard up.
"Crying really doesn't suit you, Maeve."
Her eyes widened when hearing her real name. 'You...' Her expression softened when seeing Undertaker step out of the shadows. She dropped to her knees, relieved to see a face she could trust. Undertaker walked over to the weeping creature and examined her features. "What are you doing here?..." Mute couldn't help but ask.
"If this is how you keep a low profile on yourself, I must say, this surely isn't the best method, my dear! Hehehe~" Undertaker replied with his infamous giggle. Mute lifted her head up for her demonic yellow eyes to meet his emerald, green ones. "Whatever has you in this state?" He extended his hand out and held her chin with his curled index finger and the tip of his thumb resting on her chin.
Mute whimpered again and closed her eyes, letting more tears spill down her cheeks. "I didn't want to... I-I was overwhelmed, and I needed to protect myself!" She cried out the last part of her sentence.
"Shhh shhh breathe for me, darling..." Undertaker's soothing voice reached her spiraling mind. "Then what happened?"
"I tore him apart... He will regenerate, despite my attacks on him... Once I saw what I did to his body, I couldn't control it...! The bloodlust. I wanted more, but I couldn't do it!" Mute shoved herself away and covered her eyes again, balling her hands into fist in the process. "So I came out here, hoping to get rid of it... But all I could see was-"
"Maeve," Undertaker placed his hand on her head, causing her to stop in her sentence and flinch ever so slightly. "No need for further explanations. You did very well. Never apologize for their vile desires... Now, look up at me." He frowned while moving some of her hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear. Mute did as he requested, lifting her head up to meet his eyes once more.
Whatever black markings that were on her face were no longer visible, and her eyes had returned to her natural gray ones. Undertaker smiled at her now calm appearance before taking off his black tailcoat and wrapping it around her shoulders. Mute's lower lip quivered before lunging into Undertaker's arms. The two stayed where they were for a while until Mute had calmed herself down from crying. Undertaker kept his arms wrapped protectively around her with his eyes closed with patience.
"Any better?" He questioned, slightly pulling away from the embrace. Mute nodded her head with closed eyes.
"Why haven't you reaped my soul yet?..." She suddenly asked. Mute pulled herself away enough to look up at the Reaper. Undertaker was quite taken aback with this question but knew he couldn't avoid it. After all, he did see her records back in the Chapel.
"Because your time is not here yet. Despite your new form, you still have much to do." Undertaker smirked.
"It's not fair... I never wanted to become for this way. Not some creature with black wings with a corrupted form. Not a creature with enchanting songs... I never asked to be this way." Mute frowned.
"But you wanted to take your life back." He stated, his expression now unreadable. "You want what was stolen from you, no matter what the cost would be. No matter who you had to take out." He stated again, recalling a certain memory.
"They gave me no choice!" She clenched Undertaker's clothing. Her teeth baring already sharp and her pupils slit with fiery.
"Precisely." He smirked again. Mute caught onto by what he meant before sighing to herself. She recalls her own memories better than anybody else. "Your soul is not yet ready to be on the list for harvesting, my dear. You have a purpose with this new form. All you need to do is learn how to use it. And you already know how, don't you?" He cupped her cheek while drawing his face closer.
"Hmmm..." She hummed before sighing again. "Let's be honest for a moment... You know everything there is to know about me. You have helped me more than one occasion. Why are you the only one not after me like the others?"
"I think the more appropriate question is, why am I always around?" The two of stand, his arm remains wrapped around the woman's waist. "And the answer is, because you are a soul worth looking after." Behind every word is a deep meaning that only she could understand. "I will not have such a unique soul be tainted again by mindless creatures. Your soul may have been tainted before, but it remains true with a deep, alternative passion." Again, his words spoke with deep meaning.
"You saw my memories back in that Chapel... You didn't need the records to see what I was like before. With your kind, you're able to see it as if it were a movie." Mute stated. "I've read, studied and practiced the miracles of this world when I was human... Who knew all it took was desperation to alternate the soul. But nobody told me what I would become once the deed was done." Another image flashed in her head.
Her standing in front of a few dead bodies with a knife in hand, her hair shading her eyes, and tears running down her blood-stained cheeks, but tendrils peeking out of her back, blending with the shadows of the room.
"Only you can ignite your potential to its highest peak. Do not be afraid to reveal what you can do to others. This world has already wronged you once. Don't let it do it a second time with this opportunity that you have gained."
Black feathered wings stretched out from her back. She didn't have to turn around to see them. Undertaker's words cast some sort of spell on Mute. With his words she was easily swooned. "And if I cannot control it?"
"You can, and you will. I know it." Undertaker gently smiled before releasing his hold on her.
"If I close that control... You, or Miko, will be there to help me, won't you?..." She frowned at the negative thought/possibility.
"Of course. You can consider me as your Guardian Angel."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weeks had passed. Mute was sitting next to Sebastian, and across from Ciel, in the carriage ride to the Trancy Manor once more. Sebastian informed her about the type of 'ball' Alois would be hosting before leaving the Phantomhive Mansion. 'A deadly dance between demons... Never heard of such a thing.' Mute comments in her head as the carriage came to a stop.
Upon arriving at the Trancy Estate Alois's eyes lit up when seeing Mute. "Mute!" He giggled as he made his way over to her. He grasps her hands and smiles, "I'm so happy to see you again!" Mute could only nod her head in response, followed by a light smile in return. Her smile quickly faded when she felt Claude's eyes gazing upon her.
His stare was piercing. He hadn't forgotten their last encounter. Claude remembered how brutally Mute torn him apart without hesitation after his threat. Subconsciously, Mute took a step closer towards Sebastian while trying to avoid Claude's cold stare on her. Sebastian took notice of this and glared directly at Claude. He hated how Claude was looking at her. It caused his eyes to turn momentarily, followed by a low growl.
"Come inside! The real fun has yet to begin." Alois smirks, snapping all demons/creatures from their mental intense battle. Everyone follows Alois into the manor and outside once again to reveal the back garden to be displayed as a game of Chess. "How about this? We have our butlers do the fighting, and whoever wins gets to do whatever the victor says? Sound fun!?" Alois claps with joy.
Mute can only sigh before turning her back and taking off to grab her seat, where Ciel and Alois will be watching their servants battle. She didn't want to take any part of this 'dance'. She had other things to be concerned about, and this, was not going to be it. Mute sat in between the two Earls as the Dance Macabre began.
'If only I get him to break the contract. Now would be a good time.' Mute glanced over at Alois. This could be the perfect opportunity to break his contract with Claude. With the butler being distracted with the 'dance', this could be her best chance. 'But will he intervene?' Mute glanced back at Claude, watching him still bark orders to the Triplets and Hannah.
"Does something entertain you, Claude?" Sebastian questioned. "I can't help but notice you looking at Milady."
'Now isn't the time.' Mute glared from above. 'Anything to get a reaction out of him.'
"How she gazes into the night sky, her music enchanting with meaning, and her features match who she is excites me." Claude answered with a sly smirk.
'How can he say that with confidence and without an ounce of disgust?' Mute sighed again and pinched the bridge of her nose. While the two demons were distracted, Mute walked over to where Alois was seated. He didn't say anything when she approached him. 'Do you trust me?' She asked.
"Yes?" Alois answered unsurely but nodded his head. Which was all Mute needed. Gently taking Alois's hand into hers while placing her other hand on the side of his head, cradling him. Mute gently smiled before glancing at Claude once more. When the two made eye contact, Claude's eyes widened, knowing what she was going to do.
"I'm counting on hearts like yours to keep me burning
To keep me up 'til two in the morning
You be bright when I'm starting to rust
You be why behind the what"
"Hannah!" Claude ordered. Hannah looked up and saw the shadows creeping into Her Highness's head as Mute began to sing. She lunged from her spot with her daggers in hand, ready to strike. However, she was quickly pinned against one of the giant chess pieces by Sebastian's silverware.
Sebastian glared before looking at Mute. 'What are you doing?' He thought.
"Oh~ I remember that feeling
I must be dreaming"
'I told you. I am saving this boy.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Song Title: Counting on Hearts by Icon for Hire