"It's the Queen," you heard hushed whispers come from around you and you couldn't help but stare in shock at the small figure that was dressed in black and you knew that it had to be the Queen. She wore a full body dress and a hat with garner preventing anyone from seeing her face. Your gaze drifted to the male clad in white beside's her and your eyes narrowed. That was definitely Angela or should you say Ash.
It was then that the crowd instantly began to sing as the Queen made her way down the red carpet that had been rolled out to where the judges were at. "God save our precious Queen, long live our noble Queen-"
You however remained quiet as the crowd continued to sing. You didn't really owe any sort of loyalty to this queen and it seemed that you were not the only one who thought the same. Baldroy, Lau, Ran-Mao, and Sebastian all remained quiet as the Queen made her way to the crowned chair.
You watched as Ash leaned in to the Queen, most likely going to relay her message to the crows and you watched as he straightened up to address the crowd. "Her majesty bids me tell you, I am so sorry I've been unable to appear in front of you however, I am now in such perfect health that I may even enjoy curry again. My late husband was quite fond of curry and I look forward to your food."
Everyone cheered upon hearing this and it was then that the announcer announced that the curry festival would begin and that the participates would begin cooking. You paid no attention to this, to worried over the fact that Prince Soma had disappeared into the crowd.
You glance around the place wondering just where he was and you couldn't catch sight of him anywhere. Noticing that Ciel and the others were to focus in on the curry festival that was going on, you slink off into the crowd, set on finding where Prince Soma had gone to.
Finally managing to make your way out of the crowd, you left behind the loud crowd as you made your way throughout the rest of the Crystal Palace. Getting further away from the curry festival behind you, you noticed that much of the rest of the convention was quiet. 'It seems like a majority of the people here are at the festival,' you thought to yourself as you made yourself around the place.
'Where could Prince Soma be at?' You thought to yourself to lost in thought to have noticed a figure walking directly in front of you. It was suddenly then that you felt yourself bump into something hard and you immediately snapped yourself back to reality.
"I'm so sorry about that!" You cried out saying and it was then that you heard a low chuckle and the words, "It's alright." Upon recognizing the familiar voice, you looked up and soon came face to face with James. "James! I wasn't expecting to see you here," you told the shop keeper with a polite smile.
"Neither did I for you," the forty year old man said with a smile. "I'm quite interested in curry and ever since those rumors of the Queen coming here I had to see myself for sure."
"Oh.. well that's nice to hear," you said though your eyes kept looking around the place in hopes of spotting Prince Soma somewhere.
"Where are you of to?" James asked you making you direct your attention over toward him. "From what I know the curry festival is that way."
"There's a friend of mine I'm looking for," you told him, your eyes still darting around the room. There was a good chance that he was in a place away from people so you would only have to look for a place like that.
"Oh then sorry if I'm keeping you busy," James said before heading past you. "Be sure to stop by the shop anytime now, you're my number one customer. Good luck in finding your friend."
"Thanks James," you called out to him before turning back to try to find Prince Soma. You wandered your way through the Crystal Palace and it was then that you noticed that you were in an area alone. The sound of water was heard from further up and you could only assume that it was a water fountain.
Upon turning around the corner it was then that you noticed the plum purple hair of Prince Soma from where he sat on the stone edge of a fountain. You watched him for a second, noting the disheartened expression on his face.
"Prince Soma so that's where you were," you said out loud catching his attention causing him to widen his eyes and glance to the side desolate.
"(Y/N) what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the curry festival? Hasn't it started yet?" Prince Some asked you quietly as you made your way over toward him to sit next to his side.
"Yeah it has, but I was more worried about you," you said to him instantly gaining his attention. "I saw you leaving the curry festival and decided to follow you. I had to see how you were doing. What's wrong? I can tell you are upset."
Prince Soma was quiet for a second before he let out a sigh. "I ran into Mina when we first came here," he said quietly.
"Shouldn't that be a good thing?" You asked him only to then notice that his hands had clinched on his sherwani and knew that what she had said was definitely a bad thing.
"She said that she hated me, that it was my fault for the torment she went through back in India," Prince Soma said sadly. "She said due to her being born into a lower cast in the caste system, that raising me was nothing but torture," he let out a choked sob and you could only stare at him distressed.
"Sebastian was right," Prince Soma said bitterly. "I really do lose everybody I love. Nobody loves me and everything I have is nothing but from my parents. I really am nothing but a child."
"Prince Soma don't think that way," you went on to say as you placed your hand onto his arm causing him to glance at you. "I can understand what Mina means with the struggle of being born into a lower caste. In a way I sorta went through the same thing when I was younger," you said bitterly.
"But," you glanced up into his wide eyes. "This wasn't ever your fault at all. You were never the one who implanted the caste system nor could you be blamed for the difficulty that she went through. You were nothing but a child so you shouldn't have been blamed. And don't go saying that no one loves you. Agni loves you and I know that for a fact just look at what's he's doing."
"He probably decided to help West because he didn't want me to know the truth about Mina," Prince Soma said and it was then that you began to notice that he was quivering in his place. "He probably wanted to protect me from what happened."
"Exactly, so don't say that no one loves you and I'm sure the household of Phantomhive will come to love you as well." You noticed that his eyes had begun to mist up and it was suddenly then that you felt two arms encircle around your body and you were stunned to find Prince Soma hugging you.
"Thank you, thank you so much (Y/N)," Prince Soma whispered in your ear causing you to widen your eyes.
"Prince Soma," you whispered out only for him to pull back from you.
"Soma," Prince Soma said suddenly catching you aback. "I would like it if you called me Soma."
A look of surprise cross your face before a smile appeared on it. "Alright, Soma," you told him sweetly. "Why don't we go somewhere," you said as you stood to your feet and reached a hand down to him. "We don't have to go to the curry festival right now, but we can just head around the exhibition."
"Well if you say so," Prince Soma- no Soma said. He took your hand and stood up from where he sat and you gave him a smile. The two of you began to make your way throughout the Crystal Palace. It was then that Soma came to a stop in front of a statue and you glanced over to see that it was the statue of Kali.
"I can't believe Agni knew about her," Soma said sadly. "And he did all this just to keep me protected."
"What are you doing here Prince Soma?" A stern voice came from behind you and you glanced around to see Ciel. "You're aware that your butler is competing up there. Are you not going to support him?"
"I have been talking with (Y/N). I have been so ignorant. I never even tried to understand. How Mina must have felt, how Agni still feels," Soma said.
"If you can see that much then what are you doing standing here?" Ciel said aloud as his eyes glanced over to you. They held some sort of understanding there before he nodded his head and turned away. "He has fought for you. how many times has it been now? Butler or not you owe him something for that."
"Oh look there they are! Your highness! (Y/N)!" You heard the exclamation of Finny and you turned to look in his direction to see him and the other servants running toward you.
"The tasting has started already," Mey-Rin said as she held a plate that had two of Sebastian's curry buns.
"The two of you should really hurry if you don't want to miss it," Bard exclaimed out
"Here try," Mey-Rin said as she held out the plate. Both you and Soma bit into it and immediately you felt a rush of flavor hit your mouth. "It's so good," you said.
"These buns are spectacular," Soma said with a sincere smile.
"I think I'm going to head back to see how things are going," you said with a smile and the others nodded your head.
"We'll see you there soon," Bard said with a smile and you waved to them though your eyes lingered to Soma with a worried expression. Watching him for a second, you turned back and began making your way toward the curry festival.
It was then that you heard chaos coming from the direction and you picked up your pace upon seeing people running your way. 'It must have started,' you thought to yourself as you ran in to find people wrecking the place. Your eyes glared at Ash knowing that he was the cause of the mess because of the curry.
"Sebastian I order you to stop Kali!" You happened to hear Ciel exclaimed out and your gaze located him standing to the side with Sebastian, surrounded by brainwashed people.
"Ciel!" You exclaimed out as you made your way over to where he stood just as Sebastian leaped into action, going to block the brainwashed Mina from attacking the Queen. "Be careful Ciel!" You exclaimed out to him as you dodged to the side from one of the attacks of the brainwashed victims.
Spinning around, you roundhouse kicked the figure in the side throwing the person to the other side of the room. "It might have been a cause of one of the curry's that must have been here," you informed Ciel who seemed to be thinking just as you knocked back several of the attackers.
Getting fed up you clenched your teeth as you chanted out, ""With the image i see in my mind, up from the utter depths of hell, come forth my lovely iron chains, to subdue my enemy be-forth me." Instantly, chains shot up from the ground, wrapping themselves around the brainwashed victims nearby, placing them in hold.
You noticed that Agni had gone to join Sebastian's side as they both tried to fight off the attackers. Dodging to this side from the attack of a brainwashed man, you began to deal several blows however the second that you had knocked him done, several more appears. 'Jeez they just seem to quadruple in numbers,' you thought tiredly to yourself. 'It's a good thing that I've been training with Sebastian. I think my skill's have increased.'
You backed your way over to where Ciel and the others were at on the small platform as you managed to rebound the attacks that had been thrown at you. It was suddenly then that you witnessed Mina racing her way toward where you, Ciel, Ash and the Queen was having had gotten by Sebastian.
Your eyes instantly widened upon seeing Soma race his way in front of you, holding his arms outstretched, "Wait no Mina!" He cried out as Mina charged toward you guys. In an undramatic, Mina ended up slipping on one of the lobsters that Agni had cooked for his curry.
'Well that's one way to stop her,' you thought to yourself as you watched as Mina slammed face forward onto the ground, only for Soma to step on her.
"Sebastian!" Ciel yelled out gaining the attention of the demon butler. "The curry buns. Fed them some of the buns you made!" He ordered out.
"Certainly sir," Sebastian said as he uncovered the top to the curry tray and began throwing them into the mouths of the brainwashed people.
'Isn't this an irony,' you thought to yourself. 'Curry created by a demon that can give people happiness. Now isn't this something.' The second that one of the brainwashed people had swallowed a bite of the curry bun, their malicious aura instantly faded away leaving a confused person. You watched the same be done to Mina, watching as she spat bitter words toward Soma, making you flinch and feel bad for him.
"What's happening?" Everyone else in the room said looking surprised at what had just happened in the moment and you knew for a fact that they wouldn't be able to understand just what had happened at all.
"The Queen bids me tell you," Ash suddenly stated out from behind you and Ciel and the two of you glanced around to look at him. "The goodness of your curry buns have defeated the effects of the demon spice and have healed those that had been victim to it. And therefore the winner of this Royal Warrant has been decided."
After a while the situation had been cleaned up and those that had fell victim to the demon spice were currently being looked after by doctors and the yard. The person who had been revealed to have place the spice in the curry had been taken in for questioning though you knew for a fact that he was innocent.
The good outcome of the situation was that Sebastian's curry had won the festival meaning that the Phantomhive Company would get the Royal Warrant. The winner had been given the a trophy, but Ciel didn't really wanted much to do with it so Sebastian would keep it. You made sure to remind yourself to beg Sebastian for it later on though.
"So how are you going to handle it?" Ciel asked Ash just as Mina was carried away in front of you and the group on a stretcher. You turned your narrowed gaze to Ash waiting for his answer to Ciel's question.
"They won't be treated bad," Ash reassured by saying to Ciel. "Thank you, you have done very well for today. I congratulate you on your success on obtaining a royal warrant. Her majesty has expressed her gratitude," he said glancing over to the cloaked Queen who stood behind him.
"She bids me tell you I'm sorry for your hardship, but know that I have been watching your work closely," Ash said. "I am in the light as you are in the shadows and although we may be different we strive for the same thing. I ask you so that you continue to aid her majesty."
"Yes," Ciel stated bluntly causing Ash to grin at him.
"Then I will bid you farewell," he said as he bowed down to him before turning as leaving.
'When he means the lights and shadows could he be referring to him as being a 'angel' since he's supposed to be pure,' you thought out as you watched as he left. 'And wait I know that he's that puppet guy's master... Drocell I think it was.' It was then that your eyes widened as you stared after his leaving figure. 'No way that must means that whoever he's working with... wants me!?'
"I have to thank you to Ciel and you as well (Y/N)," Soma said suddenly causing the two of you to look back at him. "If I had never met the two of you I would have been selfish and ignorant as I've always been. There are still so many things that I have to learn; all that England, no all of the world had much to teach me and I am a willing student."
You gave him a smile and you gave him a determined nod. "I'm sure that you can learn a lot of things!" You said determinedly.
"And I want to thank you," Agni said as he knelt on his knees in front of Sebastian. "Your household has taught the Prince and me many great things. What would we have done without you,"
Sebastian knelt down so that he was close to Agni as he held out a hand to him. "There's no need to thank me. Please lift up your head. I had my own reasons for my actions. You have absolutely no reason to be thanking me. The gods you believe in are Kali and Shiva they were able to understand their mistakes through mutual pain, just like you and Soma. You see the old adept is true, without pain you can never truly hope for good."
You watched as he held a hand out and help Agni onto his feet and you smiled upon seeing this. "I have relearned my gods teaching from an Englishman," Agni said. "That is quite embarrassing," he said with a laugh in his voice.
"Nationality is irrelevant," Sebastian said with a chuckle. "All places and all times are what matters. Human nature is a static thing."
"Yes I understand," Agni said with a smile on his face. "It is just like how a sun sets on the Ganji river and the settings are equally beautiful."
Suddenly, Soma let out a cry as he wrap his arms around your shoulders from behind catching you and everyone by surprise. He let out a wail and he nestled his face into your back. "Mina! My Mina left me! For good!" He sobbed out and you could feel the collar of your dress turn wet from his tears.
"It's okay Soma," you told him sweetly as you glanced behind you to see him crying heavily into your figure.
"Get your hands off of her!" Ciel exclaimed off as he attempted to pry Soma off of your figure and you could do nothing but sweat drop at this.
"Ciel it's perfectly fine," you told him in hopes of trying to reassure the boy.
"No it's not! He's getting snot all over you!" Ciel exclaimed out saying clearly upset. "For the love of god get a handkerchief!"
You couldn't help but let out a small giggle instantly drawing the attention of both Ciel and Soma. Soma pulled back from you letting out a couple of sniffles as he rubbed at his running nose. "Agni.. I think I want to stay here a couple of more days."
Agni glanced over toward Soma with a smile on his face watching as you attempted to calm the prince down and the way Ciel was fussing at the two of you. "Of course my prince."