Traded to the Archbishop of Hell (Black Butler Fanfic)

Ch 11- The Shot That Rang Out

(Two Weeks Later)

"Come out, come out. Where ever you are!" Maria called, tip toeing aroung the garden.

After breakfast that morning, the boys had insisted upon Maria and the servants playing hide-and-seek. Minus Meena, of course. She was MIA, and the boys did not want to be near her even though Meena cringed at the very thought of being near Maria.

Sebastian had agreed to let them have the day off from their studies and chores, but he had declined from playing himself. He had so much work to do.

Somehow, the children had gotten Maria to be it. She had found all the servants, now she was looking for the boys. She knew where they were, she just wanted to have some fun with them. She was currently looking in the hedge maze for them.

Maria heard a light giggle behind her and quickly turned, pulling Alois into her arms, earning a shreak.

"Hey! No fair!" Alois laughed.

"All is fair in love and war! Now where is your brother?" Maria asked playfully, Alois still in her arms.

"I shall not tell! The game shall continue!" Alois said, sounding as if he were a general comanding his troups.

"Oh, really?" Maria asked teasingly. "Oh, Luca! You may want to come quick! I have Alois her and I do not intend to keep prisoners for long!"

Maria started to tickle Alois, earning loud laughter.

After a moment, Maria stopped. Usually, whenever she started tickling Alois, Luca would run and try to 'help' his brother. Now, there was no sign of him.

Maria looked around, her ears twitching, trying to catch any sound. Suddenly, she heard light footsteps coming towards them.

Maria had memorized the footsteps of everyone in the mansion. She did not regonize these.

"Mom?" Alois asked, looking up at her. The boys had long since started calling her and Sebastian mom and dad, or, when they wanted something badly, mommy and daddy.

"Shhhhh," Maria whispered, setting him on the ground and turning him to look at her as she kneeled down to eyelevel with him. "Alois, honey, I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?" Alois nodded. "I want you to go back to the mansion, find Uncle Claude, and tell him, 'There is a hornet in the spiders web.' Can you do that?" Maria knew Alois trusted Claude the most after Sebastian. (Ironic, huh?) In fact, the boys called him Uncle Claude regularly.

"Okay. What about you?" Alois asked, wondering why he had to tell Claude that.

Maria gave her best smile and said, "Do not worry. I am just going to look for Luca. Now, run as fast as you can. Do not stop, alright?"

Alois nodded and ran off. They all knew the maze like the backs of their hands.

Maria watched him go and turned, listening for the footsteps. What she heard next nearly made her heart stop.

(Outside the Maze)

"Where do you think they could be?" Joker asked, having long since been found.

All the servants stood outside the maze, waiting for Maria and the boys to come out. Joker had been the first to be found and Claude had been the last servant. Everyone was surprised when he walked out of the maze, thinking he would be the hardest to find.

"I do not know, but if they do not come out soon, we will have to..." Ash began before he was interupted.

"Claude! Claude!" they all heard Alois scream as he turned a corner.