As You Wish

Darkness

You moved quickly, dressing yourself with equal velocity, tearing down the hallway towards Ciel's office, trying not to run.

Something about what he said before he left indicated you should be on your best behaviour. Your pace slowed as you looked trough the adjacent windows, and you began to realise why Ciel had been dressed so nicely.

An incredibly ornate carriage was parked outside the manor. Whoever was here was rich. You wouldn't be leaving on any errand. Whatever importance the day was to bring had come to you. You inhaled as you approached the doorway to Ciel's study. Exhaling, you turned the handle, and stepped inside. You held your breath in astonishment, frozen in place.

A hand fell on your shoulder. You glanced up, angry at the man who seemed to be avoiding responding to your subtle attempts at recognition ever chance he got. He still gave you no visible sign. No nod, no smile, nothing, as he addressed you, using your full name.

"{Y/FN/LN}, may I present Her Majesty, Queen Victoria." You remained stunned into silence as she smiled at you. Hadn't this woman tried to kill your mother? Then again, in your father's letter, it did say she didn't want you harmed. Even so, why would she be here, knowing exactly where to find you? Sebastian squeezed your shoulder. You hoped he'd finally done something helpful, but that wasn't the case. He whispered. "It's customary to bow before the sovereign, {Y/N}."

Her Majesty rose as you stepped into the room, and following the worst and perhaps most masculine courtesy in a half-century, she nodded and beckoned you toward her. You were afraid, you had no idea what was going on, but you did what she asked. She was the Queen. She extended a hand, and you went to shake it, but instead were met with an action which surprised you almost as much as the ones which made you so happy the night before.

She hugged you. You finally were able to breathe again. She let you go almost at once.

"I've waited long enough to meet you, my child."

You couldn't believe this. This whole time, you were certain no one knew of your whereabouts, especially not The Queen herself! Where was she when you were kidnapped? Where was she when your father was killed? Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Ciel, sitting in a chair by the window, not at his desk. Two other men were there as well, both with white hair and equally white outfits. It appeared one of them had downed the entire pot of Earl Grey, drinking it all by himself, entitled, like it was his to take in the first place. You sensed it was permissible to speak, now that you had been spoken to. If it wasn't for the fact that it was the most powerful person in the nation, maybe even the world, who was talking to you, you'd have ignored that particularly infuriating custom. You could talk whenever you damn well pleased.

"Your...Majesty...I...I...you know me?"

She smiled as she sat back down. "Of course I do. You're my great-granddaughter, are you not?"

"Yes!" Your voice came out too high. "Of course I am. I just don't understand." How much did she know? What could you ask her?

"Well, I can't help you unless you be a little more specific, dear. What is it that you don't understand?"

Everything certainly wouldn't be specific, but that was about it. You thought carefully before responding. There was so much you needed to know, and you didn't want to ruin your chance and ask something you could figure out later on your own. "What exactly do I mean to you? That is, why did you come here, and if it relates to me, why now?"

"Good question." She replied. "I'm sure you, my boy, could help an old woman atone for the mistakes of her younger years?"