The Devil's Bride *Sebastian Love*

Her Butler, Merrymaking

  Ciel frowned at the splashes and cries from the servants frolicking in the lake.
"Don't you care to bathe with them, young master? Oh, I see. Is that the problem? The master can't--" Alette sits beside him, in a light blue dress that compliments her eyes. Before Sebastian can finish, Selima pops out of the changing tent, in an evergreen dress that reveals a majority of her legs, causing Sebastian to stare. Her legs are long, smooth and pale, just as she is.
"Mistress, you are going to bathe." She declares, towel slung over her shoulder, heels sinking into the sand.
"No." she replies simply. "I don't feel like it." Selima advances.
"You are going to bathe. You look filthy."
"Selima what are you doing--" She picks the young master up, tossing her over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Look at yourself, your hair is getting all raggedy!" she proclaims. Alette begins to struggle, pounding at Selimas back, but her grip remains iron strong. She carries the struggling girl over to the pond with ease.
"Selima, I order you to--." Selima shoves the towel in her young masters mouth, to shut her up.
"Can we really do that?" asks Sebastian, intrigued.
"Don't be getting any ideas." Grumbles Ciel, a small smirk creeping across his face at watching his friend's resistance. Selima smiles, then grabs a hold of her mistress's hands, and starts to spin. Alette spits out the towel.
"Selima don't you dare!" she screams, as she clings to her butler for dear life.
"Lighten up, master." She giggles as she taunts her mistress. She then lets go, sending Alette flying into the water, casting a large splash that gets all the servants and Ciel, very wet. Selima laughs at her mistress' distress as she pops up, gasping for air, Selima follows her in. She starts to scrub and massage her master's scalp as she pouts.
"That woman is sadistic." Comments Ciel.
"I like that about her." Smiles Sebastian.
"I don't see why they're making such a fuss about this little pond. Just because you can bathe doesn't make it a resort." Complains Ciel.
"You still intend to make this place into a resort then?"
"Naturally." He drawls
"But what about this great demon hound?" he asked
"Surely you know as well as I by now. This demon hound is no dog. Shall we discuss it further?" By this time, Alette had escaped Selima's grasp and had returned to her spot on the beach.
"You look happy." Smirked Ciel.
"Shut up." She hissed. Selima walks out of the water, dress clinging to her, dripping wet. Sebastian stares and she wraps her hair around her shoulder and wrings it out. She feels incredibly short without the effect of her heels.
"You look beautiful." He whispers as she approaches him. "Your eyes shine like the stars aligned." She blushes, then wraps her arms around his slender waist, pulling him close. He feels the moisture seep through his previously dry clothing. "Oh dear..."
"You looked a little too dry." She smirks. The crew calls to the maid, who sits on a blanket with Tanaka. The two break away as their lords beckon them over, each whispering something different.
"Yes, my lord." They echo.
"You may consider it done." Adds Sebastian
"You're very cooperative. Especially for someone who hates dogs." Selima frowns; not eager to assist with the task either.
"Yes, I detest them. That's why I'd like to finish this as quickly as possible. Preferably, before it all goes to hell." He growls, making Selima blush. Suddenly, a group in the distance begins to yell.
"We got him! The bad dog's been caught! We got James's dog! Hurry, the punishment is about to begin!" A bell tolls in the distance. Alette gets up and rushes ahead, much to the dismay of Selima. She hurries and pushes to the front of the crowd, and is horrified to see a dog chained up.
"He's got something in his mouth!"
"Get it from him!" A man advances toward the dog and begins to beat it , trying to retrieve the bit of mystery item.
"Stop it!" screams Alette.
"Bad dog, let go! Bad dog, give it to me! Let go! Let go!!" he yelled, berating the dog and letting down the stick with each word.
"What a bad dog. He deserves punishment. Get started!" growled Lord Barrymore. The crowd roars in agreement, waving weapons in agreement. They release the other dogs and for a moment, Alette is paralyzed by fear as they dogs sink their teeth into the "bad dogs." flesh. Over and over they strike, and a lone tear leaks out of Alette's eyes.
"Mistress!" cries Selima, shoving her face into her chest to shield her from the tragedy occurring.
"Stop..." whispers Finny, violently shaking under the pressure of his flashbacks. "You can't do it... It's awful...Just let the poor thing go! Stop this, nooo!" he cries, catching everyone's attention. Finny, in a rage at this injustice, rips off a stake from the ground and swipes it, shooing away the dogs. An old woman screams then faints as the crowd stares at them in astonishment. Everyone rushes to Finny, especially Alette who had by this time, pulled away from Selima.
"Finny, thank god!" she gasped.
"They interfered. They interrupted! Punish them!" demanded the congregation.
"They must be punished like bad dogs!" In the blink of an eye Ciel and Alette are chained up, the crew is tied up and gagged, and neither butler is to be seen.
"Not so powerful now, are you?" taunts Lord Barrymore.
"Where do you think our butlers are?" whispered Ciel
"Probably off snogging somewhere." Protests Alette, mildly irritated by their lack of presence.
"Master, I beg you, show mercy this one time! These people don't deserve the punishment!" pleads Angela.
"You have a point. This little Pomeranian is the Queen's guard dog after all. If he can be made to see reason, perhaps I'll decide to let him go. Leave this village immediately, and advise Her Majesty never to send her minions near it again!" mandates Barrymore.
"You're so pathetic. You rely on lowly tricks to retain your meager power. If there's a stubborn dog here, I'd say I'm looking at him." Accuses a defiant Ciel. Alette gives him a nod, proud to be his friend until the end.
"Is that your final choice? You can learn what happens to a dog that challenges me! Get him!" roars Barrymore, fuming. The dogs rush toward them and for a moment, Alette almost lost faith in her butler. She closes her eyes and accepts her faith. She then heard the whinnies of dogs whines, as Selima and Sebastian arrive. They kick the dogs with power, sending them flying back.
"You cut that close." Comments Ciel, calm as ever. Alette's heart was racing; she wasn't used to being in these situations.
"It won't happen again, trust me." Selima winks at Alette
"You dare to interfere, dog? Well, what are you mangy mutts waiting for?! Kill both of them now!" he ordered. Selima and Sebastian assume a defensive stance, ready to fight for their master's safety.
"Shameful. What coarse, noisy growls they have... One of the reasons I despise these creatures." Sebastian observes.
"Indeed." Agrees Selima. Both of their eyes glow ominously, making the dog's heel and lay down, in fear.
"What the hell?! What did you do?!" snarls Barrymore.
"Your pitiful farce ends here, Barrymore! Listen, there is no demon hound! It's all a lie! There's just him, an old man obsessed with power, determined to keep it no matter what!" proclaims Ciel.
"What?! What evidence do you have?" acknowledged Barrymore.
"There's this. We found it in your mansion. I took the liberty of confirming that the teeth marks on James matched the teeth in this skull." Clarified Sebastian, holding up a skull.
"Do you see it now? The truth behind the demon hound. Its shadow is nothing but a projection. Just a transparent trick. The glowing is phosphorescent dust sprinkled on a normal dog." Explained Selima, giving a demonstration by setting out the glowing powder
"The demon dog is merely an illusion, a story made up by an evil man. The man you let rule your village. This man, Henry Barrymore!" reveals Ciel.
"No! It's all nonsense! You can't fool them! Where's your evidence?" stutters Barrymore.
"You can rest. Your duty is done. I'll take it from here. What fine material. I wonder why the dog was eager to hold on to it until the last moment. Interesting behavior, don't you think?" relieves Sebastian's, patting the panting beast.
"Wh-What the hell?!"
"Yours."
"A scrap of cloth from your pants, torn off by James' dog when you attacked his master."
"You recognize it, yes?" The case was closed and he jig was up; the mob rounds on Barrymore, accusing him.
"Give up, Barrymore! It's all over now!" They pick up the man and reveal the bite mark on the Lord's leg. He is carried away and yells nonsense, just as the butler's free their masters.
"He's coming for me!" screams the man down in his jail cell.