He knew his human form was appealing. People were so agreeable to the good-looking. His demon form would send them screaming, even though he thought it had it's own dark appeal. To those willing to not run screaming. We're in for one HELL of a surp...
After dinner, Elizabeth declined tea in the salon with Serena and went to check on the progress of her rooms. Having nothing better to do, the red head decided to go to her own rooms until it was time for bed. Mei-Rin showed up soon after to help her bathe and dress for bed. The maid didn't seem to be put out at all to help on her day off and spent time telling Serena all about the service that she had missed. The local gossip kept Mei-Rin busy and allowed her to sink into her own thoughts while the maid brushed out her hair in front of the fire.
When Mei-Rin excused herself, Serena slipped out of the constricting nightgown and into another of the nightshirts that she had taken from Ciel. Sitting at the small table in her room, she thought about everything that had happened. There were too many questions. The red head looked at the mantle clock and figured that Ciel would still be awake and hiding in his office. She used the same technique to stay in the shadows as she tip toed down the corridor. It was a blessing that the servants had the day off as it kept Sebastian at chores longer and the hallways empty.
At the Earl's office door, she quickly opened it and slid inside.
"I was wondering when you would come." Ciel had his chair turned to stare out the window at the slowly falling snow that had started not long ago.
"What the hell is going on here?" Serena crossed her arms as she came across the room.
The Earl turned and jumped at her appearance. "Is that my nightshirt?"
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"Yes?" She looked down with guilt. "Well, have you ever slept in one of those flannel nightgowns? It's like being strangled and roasted at the same time. Besides, I didn't think that you would miss one. You have plenty."
"That's not the point." He swallowed as he stared at her legs.
Serena raised an eyebrow and brought her hands up to the first button. "Do you want it back?"
"No, that's fine!" The teen's face was bright red as he held up a hand to stop her.
"That's what I thought," she said. "Now, why is Elizabeth staying here? And who decided that I was some old maid fit to play chaperone?"
Ciel's head dropped to his arms that were folded on the desk. "Elizabeth and my aunt decided that you were suitable as an escort."
The red head thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think that I'm still offended."
"She backed me into a corner. I didn't know what else to do."
Serena took pity on him and came around the desk. She put a hand on his back and felt him jump beneath her fingers before relaxing. The hand rubbed gentle circles, the same as she had done the night that he had cried in her arms.
"Alright. Let's take a moment to think."
"That's what I've been doing since I came in here." His voice was mumbled by his arms.
"That may be, but you're still in reactive mode instead of thinking proactively." She smiled when he finally looked up at her. "Who suggested that Elizabeth stay here?"
Ciel sat up with a deep breath. "She did."
"That was how she got you into a corner. It shocked you and put you on the defensive. You're used to being on the offensive."
He thought about what she said and realized that the red head was right. All thoughts flew out the window when she jumped up to sit on his desk. Serena wasn't paying attention as she tried to figure out why the blonde would practically invite herself to the manor.
"It had to be about that night you all talked at the Arden's." She mused.
"She said that she didn't know if she fit into my life." The Earl swallowed hard. "Could you not sit there?"
"Why?" She crossed her legs, making the shirt ride up farther.
"It's very distracting." He rubbed a hand over his face, carefully not looking at her.
"Distracting?"
"I know that killing me now would mean that Sebastian wouldn't get my soul, but I think that he wouldn't much care if he caught you sitting there like that. And I would rather see the end of my contract, despite the consequences."
"Good point." Serena hopped off the desk and went back to her chair.
"Anyway," Ciel stood and went to the sideboard. There was a bottle of scotch that was always kept there for meetings with business contacts and the amber liquid seemed rather inviting tonight. "I didn't think that Lizzy had it in her to be so...strategic."
"I have a feeling that there is a side of Elizabeth that she doesn't show you." She watched him pour a glass. "Someone recently told me that alcohol is a crutch that people use to not have to face reality."
"I would bet that I know who that was." He took a drink.
"Considering tonight, I would take a glass."
The teen smirked but poured another drink.
"Aren't you a little young for scotch, my lord?" She teased while taking the glass he held out.
"Were you not the one that told me that I should 'live it up'?"
"True." Serena drank deep from the glass. "She had to have this planned out. I bet that any argument that you could have come up with, she would have had an answer for."
"It did appear that way. I'm not used to seeing her like that."
"In the manga, it showed a conversation between Elizabeth and Madame Red. Your aunt told her that a lady should always appear weak and cute in front of her lord." She held the glass against her cheek as she tried to remember if there was anything else.
"Why would she think that I would rather she be annoying?"
"There was also a scene where you told Lizzy that you didn't want a strong wife."
Ciel gasped as that particular conversation came back to him. "I did. It was after Aunt Francis had beaten me mercilessly in a fencing lesson."
"I would bet that she's a lot stronger than you think and that she hides it well."
"I wanted to ask, why did you draw Lizzy with a pair of swords?"
"In the manga, Elizabeth is a master with swords. She took what you had said that day seriously and decided that she would never let you see that she was more like her mother than you would be comfortable with."
"Actually, that would make me feel better." He sat down in the chair opposite the red head and leaned his head back against it. His own glass dangled from his fingertips as he thought about the dreams he had experienced. Dreams of Lizzy's death in his burning home. "After the mansion burned, after I came back, I was worried about Elizabeth being my wife. I didn't want her to die like my mother."
"If the manga is right than she is more than capable of taking care of herself." Serena reached out a hand and laid it on his arm. "You should ask her about it."
