A Love Beyond Time

Chapter VIII

Before I had realized, the sun had already set over the horizon, plunging the sky into darkness, the stars and the moon taking their places overhead. My gaze fell on the gardens from where I stood behind my window. I gently tugged at the cuff of my black, silk gloves, pulling it up over my elbow until it reached the middle of my forearm. This was the most black I had worn in one period since my parent's funeral. I felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness at the mere thought of the funeral, yet I could not stop myself from reminiscing on that terrible day...

Thirteen years ago...

The entire morning all I could do was cry. There wasn't a moment when tears failed to stream down my cheeks, coating my face in a permanent paint of salty tears; a never ending canvas of sorrow upon my young face. Even as I gazed upon myself in the mirror my vision was clouded by wet tears. I stifled back a sob as I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hands, smearing my makeup for the umpteenth time. I quickly blew my nose into my handkerchief before shoving it back into my coat pocket. I took a deep, shuddering breath, prepping myself and making a desperate attempt to clear my mind before exiting my chambers to find my brother and Sebastian waiting just outside. Ciel kept a blank and cold expression on his face. It had been a few months since our parents passed, yet only now were we having a proper funeral, just a little after I turned 8. Ciel had grown distant and cold...seemingly overnight, and Sebastian had only been with us for a few days.

"Are you ready to depart, Young Mistress?" Sebastian asked in a soft tone. Ciel didn't utter a word, he simply turned on his heel and began walking, waving his hand as a signal for us to follow. I held Sebastian's hand and we walked closely behind him in silence.

The moment I stepped outside, the cold winter air stung my skin, sending a shiver down my spine and throughout my body. I used my other arm to rub up and down my body in an attempt to warm myself. The three of us walked through the gardens and deeper into the backyard of the estate. Once we got to the very back I could see a huge gathering of friends and other family members waiting for us. My breath got stuck in my lungs when I saw two caskets laying on the grass. Before I could even think I ripped my hand away from Sebastian and sprinted toward them, pushing Ciel out of my way.

"Young Mistress!" Sebastian shouted before following behind in a light jog.

I didn't stop until I reached the caskets and dropped down onto my knees. I swallowed hard and more tears threatened to spill from my eyes once more. My head turned over to the two headstones lodged into the dirt beside each other that read: Rachel Phantomhive and Vincent Phantomhive.

"M-Mother...Father..." I croaked out in a hoarse whisper while fighting back tears. I laid my head on the top of my mother's casket, my hand going to rest on my fathers as I began to cry again. I wasn't ready to let go. They were right here; right in front of me! But...I can't see them...and I'd never see them again, no matter how much I hope and pray.

"Young Mistress..." I heard Sebastian speak as he put a comforting hand on my back, slowly rubbing small circles with his thumb into my shoulder blades. "You have to let go..."

"No!" I exclaimed, immediately shaking my head. "I can't! I won't!"

"(Y/N), you are making a scene." Ciel said coldly to me.

I snapped my head up to meet his cold gaze, it was not the gaze of the once sweet brother that I used to know; this was empty, and full of disdain.

"How can you be so calm?" I asked, my voice laced with anger. "Our parents are dead! But you act like nothing ever happened!"

"I've accepted this fact. It's you that needs to move on." he said with a sigh. My jaw went slack for a moment. I couldn't believe he was serious about this.