I am your king.

Chapter III | Part I

Ciel hovered around Vincent as if he were his very shadow. He mimicked him in every way. Most people found this amusing. The Queen had thought it so hilarious she practically forgot Ciel hadn't been there all along. He was welcomed by everyone. He even offered some opinions on the coronation decorations. Adrian, however, was growing tired of the kid. He could hardly make a move on Vincent with a child in the room at all times. Not to mention the fact that Ciel thought for sure Rachel and Adrian were true lovers.

"Are you nervous?" Ciel looked up at Vincent. He was terrified of what was going to happen. The official knighting of Vincent as the personal guard of Prince Adrian, soon to be King Adrian. In just a few days time the coronation would take place with Vincent crowning the king reciting the age old verse.

"Why would I be nervous? I knew this day was going to get here eventually. It's just ensuring my spot as guard. There can't be any more changes after this. I'll have to serve till I die."

"Isn't that scary?"

"No," Vincent smiled, ruffling Ciel's hair. "All I have to do is walk into the room, say a few vows as if I'm getting married, and drink from the chalice of loyalty."

"Come along now, Ciel, if you want to get a good spot to watch," Rachel grabbed Ciel's hand and led him into the room.

Vincent took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then exhaled before opening his eyes again. The music started. The doors opened. Vincent walked the aisles of the church-like building. He ignored the pews of people staring at him with disgust and kept walking. William stood at the front, dressed in ceremonial armor, with the holiest sword in hand.

Vincent kneeled at the steps. William spoke. "Vincent Phantomhive, former Phantom and winner of the royal challenge, are you prepared to uphold the role of personal guard to the prince, soon to be king, till the end of your days?"

"I am."

William outstretched his arm to cut the rope of the curtain. The prince sat in ceremonial robes of his own. "Do you solemnly swear that from the day the prince becomes king, you will follow his every command, be at his side, be his most trusted ally, and protect him even if Death should stare you in the face?"

"I do."

William pointed the tip of his sword towards the chalice on the top step. "Drink from the chalice of loyalty to prove to me, the Queen, and the people of the kingdom that you swear by these words."

Vincent stared into the chalice. Loyalty? No. This was poisoned. He could smell it. Someone had intended to kill him before he could begin. If he announced this, he would be considered a coward. He wouldn't have upheld his earlier oath of 'should Death stare you in the face.' This was a public trap. Vincent picked up the chalice with both hands.

"Stop!" Ciel ran down the aisle, tripping over his feet. "Stop it right now! It's poisoned!" Guards attempted to hold him back but he dodged and slipped right though their grasp. He snatched the chalice from Vincent and chugged all of whatever combinations of deadly poisons lurked in there. They wouldn't trust his word without proof.

"Ciel!" Vincent caught him as he fell. His small body wouldn't last long against a serving of poison like that.

"I'm so cold," Ciel clung to Vincent's sleeve. His eyes flooding with tears. "I don't want to die."

"Why did you do something so foolish?"

"Because," blood pooled out of his mouth. He coughed. "More than anything, I don't want you to die either. There was no other way to prove-" all light left his eyes. His body went limp.

There have only been two times Adrian has felt true, unbelievable, despair. The first was when his brother was believed to be dead after his trip. The moment he received the news his responsibility to become "the king" had been bestowed. The pain he felt then is exactly the pain he felt now listening  to Vincent's weeping scream. Vincent clutched Ciel's body in his arms as his body glowed a faint blue. The broken symbol on his hand and the beauty mark on his face morphed into lines that followed his veins across his body. Phantom Break. A skill not many had and even fewer could master. It allowed them to break the constraints of human limits.

Adrian blinked and Vincent was before him. "Give me your dagger," he held out his hand. "I know you have it on you." Adrian, not sure why he listened, handed the dagger to Vincent. He promptly threw it behind him without turning his head to see where it would land. A small growl escaped the audience. Adrian blinked again and Vincent was fighting Sebastian. They moved at a speed that his eyes couldn't follow. Sebastian barely keeping up.

"I didn't do it! I'm just a spy!" Sebastian struggled to dodge and never once tried to attack. "Vincent, listen to me!"

Adrian stood up. He remained as cold as he could muster despite everything that happened. "Vincent, this is an order, stop," Vincent's body froze pinning Sebastian's to the ground. He'd finally gotten him in a spot where he could kill him. The audience gasped. Their prince had just controlled a Phantom at his best power level. And he hadn't even raised a finger. Adrian walked down the steps. He picked up the chalice and wiped it with his finger. Adrian moved to Vincent and traced his lips with his finger.

"The ceremony is over. Everyone out." Whispers amongst the crowd, but they all listened. William assisted in the chaos.

The doors finally closed leaving just Vincent, Sebastian, and the prince. "I didn't poison it," Sebastian's voice cracked. "You have to believe me. I didn't! I would never do something to harm Ciel."

"Don't say his name," Vincent wasn't able to move but his eyes threw enough daggers for him.

"The chalice was for Vincent. You could've poisoned it for him, no?" Adrian poked Sebastian's cheek.

"I would never do something to harm Ciel. Killing Vincent would be much worse than physically wounding him. Ciel was the one that brought me into the Phantoms to begin with!"

"You loved him?" Adrian found that slightly hard to believe.

"I love him! I'll always love him," Sebastian snapped.

"Vincent," Adrian placed his hand on Vincent's shoulder. "You have to look for the real villain now."

"No," Vincent's Phantom Break ceased. "She will come to us," he muttered, falling to the ground for a deep sleep.