Revelations

Chapter twenty one

AN: So, what do you peeps think Alois is planning? Ciel obviously wants to know. XD
SUPER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!: I've now surpassed 1000 hits on AO3 for Revelations!!!! (currently 1075) THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR READING NOT JUST THIS STORY, BUT MY OTHER PAST (maybe not so good) WORKS! I'M LIKE ECSTATIC THAT YOU PEOPLE ACTUALLY READ MY STUFF AND ENJOY IT!!!
Sorry, was that too much?
I'll stop.
But really, I'm SO happy right now!!!!
One more thing though, just to set the record straight, I DO NOT ship Alois and Ciel together (Ciel is Sebby's bae!) however, I endorse anything to do with a friendship between them!
Anyway, that's all...
Enjoy, friends! :D

When the young boy finally catches up to Alois, he's not surprised to see that the other boy is sitting next to none other than Claude Faustus.
Ciel hadn't even seen the demon spider butler in the room earlier when Mey-Rin was being questioned, had not seen the way his yellow eyes seemed to glow even in the now very bright courthouse.
But, he sees him now, dressed in his usual attire and staring straight ahead at the tall desk where Her Majesty is getting ready to proceed with the case. The young Earl can't help but think that for maybe once in his long life, Claude actually looks relaxed as he sits on the wooden bench beside Alois, both of them sitting close enough that their kneecaps just touch slightly and their hands are not visible from Ciel's place on the bench, but he's sure that no doubt they are clasped together, as if losing the other's contact is not a negotiable thing for either.
The sight makes the boy jealous, after all, he can't even go near HIS butler without the queen's guards stepping in, to hurriedly push him roughly back to his seat, not even bothering to say they're sorry or offer him any sort of consolation.
'But, why would they?', Ciel can't help but think.
'After all, they are just guards...'
Sighing, he returns his focus to the front of the room, where Oliver is now talking again, telling those gathered that they will now have Lizzy's lawyer bring forth their first witness.
Once he finishes speaking, the room goes still, almost as if everyone is holding their breath simultaneously and will not exhale till said witness appears.
And they do, Ciel's heart starting to pound instantly the moment he sees them.
But honestly though, he didn't really expect anything less from a girl who thinks frills are a must and hates anything that doesn't live up to the standard that is 'cute'.
Even so, he is very surprised and wonders what she'll say to the court, once finally isolated inside that wooden box.
Lizzy Middleford strides over to the witness box, lifts a dainty, white, lacy, gloved hand and slowly pushes the little box's door open before finally stepping inside and stopping abruptly in the middle of it. She then takes a moment to gather her bearings and then looks up slowly at the sea of people before her, her green eyes filled with pity but mostly rage as she takes a deep, calming breath of air.
"Are you ready to begin, Lady Middleford?", her lawyer, a man Ciel doesn't really recognize asks, and the girl jumps clearly startled, before nodding her head.
"Very well. Now then, please tell the court your name."
There's a long pause, Ciel then notices his 'fiancée' has a handkerchief in one of her lacy gloved hands, and she appears to be wiping at her eyes repeatedly.
"Miss Middleford?"
"I-It's Lizzy. Lizzy Middleford."
Ciel rolls his one crystalline blue eye, dramatically.
Of course his cousin would insist on being called 'Lizzy', even in a court of law.
The man doesn't object to this, and neither does anyone else.
He nods.
"Indeed. Now then, Lizzy, can you tell us about what happened on June 12th of this exact year? What you saw, perhaps? Anything remotely suspicious?"
"Objection!", Undertaker suddenly yells, getting up from his place beside Ciel.
"Targeting multiple questions at the witness, before having answered."
"Overruled.", Oliver says, looking clearly bored and that quickly silences everyone again.
"Yes, now then, Miss Lizzy?"
The girl seems to be shaking now, and she refuses to look directly at her lawyer.
"I-It was the night Ciel hosted a ball in my honor at the Phantomhive estate. W-We danced a lot that night, but C-Ciel also danced with some other girls. I-I'm not too sure who they were, but I was a little surprised, is all. After all, C-Ciel is my fiancé and I didn't think he really liked dancing that much. I-I still think he only does it for me. Anyway, close to around C-Ciel's usual bedtime, S-Sebastian appeared in the room just when C-Ciel was about to dance with another girl, and told him that it was about time he went to sleep. So, C-Ciel dismissed himself from the ball and the girl I guess went off to dance with somebody else, I wasn't quite sure though because, I was across the room, drinking punch I think, and then I watched carefully as C-Ciel left and headed out of the ballroom with S-Sebastian. W-When I was sure they had gone, I-I went upstairs to go and see C-Ciel, just one last time before I too went home for the night. Anyway, once I got upstairs, I heard this really strange banging sound, almost as if something heavy was being thrown at the wall repeatedly, it was coming from C-Ciel's room so I-I went to his door and knocked lightly on it, but it was locked and neither he or S-Sebastian made to get up she open it. I figured they must've not heard me, so I-I looked into the door's keyhole to see if I could see either of them, but what I saw wasn't what I was expecting to see. C-Ciel was pinned against his bed, hands held down on either side by another pair of much larger hands, S-Sebastian's and-and he-he was pushing C-Ciel down into the bed's mattress roughly and C-Ciel was screaming and there were tears in his eyes, as if he was trying to fight S-Sebastian, and push him off of him. But, of course, that horrible man wouldn't let him go and continued to push him into the mattress, the springs squeaking as he did so. They had not an article of clothing on and S-Sebastian's eyes seemed to be a light with a glowing redness, almost as if he was enjoying the torture he was causing C-Ciel. Quickly, I looked away from the scene playing out before me and ran down the stairs so fast, it was a wonder I didn't break my leg or worst. I-I then ran outside to my awaiting carriage where my maid Paula was and immediately told her what I'd seen, crying into her shoulder. And, once I got back to my manor, I quickly told my mother and father and they told me that it was going to be okay and that we'd get help for C-Ciel and make sure S-Sebastian was safely behind bars.", as she finishes her explain action of that night, Lizzy breaks down into sobs, wrestling with the box's door, before flinging it open and running quickly back to her seat, sobbing as her mother slowly but very hesitantly wraps her arms around her daughter and holds her close.
Instantly, the room breaks into another fit of chatter and the queen raises up her gavel and slams it down again, silencing them all.
She then turns to Oliver and the pale-haired man speaks.
The next one of Undertaker's witness' approaches its Finny, and he quickly assures everyone that what Lizzy claimed to have seen wasn't what it was really to be. He also tells the room that Sebastian is not guilty and that Ciel gave his consent to what Sebastian did that night. But of course, Lizzy who will not by no means believe any of this, nor let Sebastian off as being 'not guilty' when she believes otherwise and he truly is, starts screaming her own arguments and pleas to the gathered court, as if she thinks that will someone make Ciel safe, happy even.
Even as one by one, each member of the Phantonhive staff takes to the witness box, Lizzy keeps hoping that one of them will object, to what they were most likely forced by Ciel's lawyer to say, she needs them to object, because if they don't, she will have lost not only this case but, also her Ciel. Her fiancé. The only man she believes she'll ever be able to love...To care for...
She will have lost him to that-that thing, Sebastian Michaelis, a man she believes to be from the very depths of hell, itself. Indeed, that's ironic considering the butler is really a demon, after all.
At last, her heart skips a trembling beat, when she sees who is now on the stand.
It's Ciel and he's not smiling as he tells the court the details of that night and what followed after. In fact, he delivers his whole explanation in a very much monotone voice, the same voice he often uses around his dear cousin and fiancée.
"So that, dear people, is why I am standing before you today. It is also why my butler, Sebastian Michaelis, now sits in this courtroom, being harshly judged for something he did not do. Despite, what my cousin Lizzy may have told all of you,", he pauses then, glancing at Lord and Lady Middleford.
"it is all lies. True, she saw me engaging in such relations with Sebastian, but it was NOT against my will! Yes, dear people, I WANTED my butler and LOVER Sebastian Michaelis, to do what he did WITH me! It was NOT by force and he did NOT abuse me in any such way that you all seem to think! The truth is dear people, I, Ciel Phantomhive the last surviving Earl of my deceased family am in love with my butler, the man you see before you today, Sebastian Michaelis!"
The room is completely silent for not the first time that day, so much so that one could easily have heard a pin drop.
The young boy who's usually pale face is suddenly flushed, almost like that of his maid's and his heart is literally pounding-no ricochetting back and forth inside his ribcage, as if at any second it will break loose and fly out of his chest.
Finally, Lizzy speaks, causing the people gathered to turn their attention to her.
"C-Ciel? I-Is that t-true?", she stammers, clearly disbelieving.
Slowly, the boy nods and then sighs.
"Yes, indeed it is, Lizzy."
There are tears in Lizzy's eyes as she nods her head, her blonde ringlets swinging back and forth, and whether she is crying because he finally told her the truth, or because he called her Lizzy, Ciel cannot be sure.
But, he has a pretty good idea...
"W-Why didn't you tell m-me?", she's still stammering and Ciel can't help but feel pity for her, now.
He sighs again, risks a glance at Sebastian who still won't meet his eyes, and then turns back toward her.
"I-I didn't think things would end up like this, Lizzy. Please understand that, I never meant to hurt you or keep this dark secret of mine hidden from you, but I was afraid-afraid that you would hate me, afraid that you would tell people, your parents... Bloody hell, Lizzy, I was scared shitless at the thought of your parents knowing...especially because, they must've thought that Sebastian was the best butler ever... But, now they know! They all know! But, you know what, Elizabeth Middleford? I do not care who knows! I do not care who gives a damn about what I have with Sebastian! Because, I have found the one thing I've lacked for SO long, dear cousin, I have found a love in Sebastian that is more than I could EVER dream of having with ANYONE else! I am not sure if you completely understand because, you have never REALLY been in love! YOU do not know WHAT it means to LOVE someone! But, I-I KNOW, Lizzy! I know and wish that I did not! I cannot change that, though! And, you will just have to learn to live with the fact that noble family crap or not, I will NEVER be able to give you my all like I can with Sebastian! I'll never be able to LOVE you like that, and I'm sorry.", as he stops his rant, his tirade, he notices that his cousin isn't crying anymore, in fact, she's smiling a little. Slightly, if anything.
She finally sighs and nods, before embracing Ciel in a long hug and then bursting into tears as she clings to the fabric of his navy blue dress coat, knowing that this will be the last time she'll be able to kiss him, be with him the way she'd always dreamed she'd be, and so she does bestow a kiss upon him. But, only to his cheek because, she knows that the love of his life is watching and doesn't want to end up pinned to the wall, bleeding out, with butter knives in her chest.
When Lizzy finally releases her grip on Ciel, the young Earl reaches up a hand to brush away some rapidly brimming tears from the girl's face. She giggles at this and Ciel Phantomhive can't help but feel like the worst person in the world, but also the happiest in that moment, alone.
A few seconds later after Lizzy steps back from Ciel, the room starts to rumble with clapping sounds, Alois no doubt the instigator of it. He's smiling ear to ear at Ciel and mouthing the words 'We did it' as the other boy nods and mouths back 'I know'.
And finally, there's the sound of the Queen Victoria's gavel slamming back down, but Ciel isn't afraid or worried anymore, like when he heard it the first time.
The queen glances at Oliver and the man quickly gets up from his place beside Her Majesty's chair and reads aloud the verdict from the piece of parchment in his hand. There was no case to begin with, so no jury needed to be consulted.
"We find the defendant, Sebastian Michaelis..."
Both Ciel and Lizzy hold their breath, now, hoping...waiting...
"Not guilty!"
Immediately, the room resounds with applause again and Alois yells out his excitement much to Ciel's dismay.
'Ugh, does that bastard EVER shut up?', but the young boy's grinning even as he says the words.
'I am afraid not, Young Master', a voice replies back, causing Ciel to suddenly whip around to see Sebastian who's now smiling at him, in that slight way the butler always does, as he quickly walks toward the young Earl, immediately scooping him up into his arms and kissing him swiftly, before letting him go, still holding him up so that the boy's eye-level with his face.
'I told you before you damned demon, call me, Ciel', he sends to his love through their bond, but although he meant the thought to be stern, his smile betrays any traces of that.