The Devil's Bride *Sebastian Love*

Her Butler, Asleep

  She did not have a heart, but it was shattering. She did not need to, but she could not breathe. She had never shook so hard before. Selima fell to her knees in a puddle of her beloved's blood.
"What the hell is this?" asked Grimsby as Irene covered her mouth.
"How horrible."
"I didn't expect this..."
"We're so sorry Miss Lovelace!" sobbed Mey-Rin.
"How will we tell the young master?" Ciel burst through the crowd, and stopped dead by Alette. Selima was a mess, she touched her face; it was wet. Why was her face wet?
"Sebas...tian..." stammered Ciel, taking in the scene. He edged closer but Mey Rin grabbed him.
"No you can't! You can't be in here, young master!" she squealed.
"Get off me!"
"Don't, young master!" Selima encircled closer, then rested her head on the cold, unmoving chest. She was aware of the blood staining her pale legs and dress, but she did not care. She ran her hand and ensnared their hands together one last time.
"Don't order your master around!" yelled Ciel. "Sebastian!" He ran toward the cadaver, but Alette stopped him, enveloping him in a hug. He stopped, body going limp. "It can't be...I thought he'd be by my side to the very end." He whispered.
"If we leave him here he'll start to rot. It'd probably be better if we moved him." Drawled Charles Grey
"Right." Affirms Bardroy.
"Selima..." She got up, and left the room. Alette was worried, she had never seen her butler so distraught.
"Oh right! The earl and countess were locked up all night so they couldn't be responsible for this murder." Realizes Lau. "This is getting interesting." Alette lets go of Ciel and he freezes, staring at his dead butler. Finny drapes his jacket over the Earl.
"There are signs of trauma in the head." Examined Arthur. "He might have been hit from behind while clearing the ashes."
"But that didn't kill them so they tried again. So that means the killer finished him off with a poker to the chest."
"Or they just attacked twice without checking his pulse. Two blows would definitely be more effective." Suggests Charles.
"Or maybe, there's more than one killer." Proposes Arthur. "Even if the blow to the head wasn't fatal, I can't see why they would stab him from the front."
"In that case, it's natural to assume there were two killers. Hmph, I see."
"With or without an accomplice, I don't sense an ounce of mercy or hesitation." Notices Lau. "The culprit managed to kill that butler so they must be pretty— "
"Stop it already!" interjected Finny. "Talking like that when the young master is here, think how he must feel!"
"Finny!" Scolded Mey-Rin. "Please excuse him sir."
"Well, he does have a point." Muttered Charles, scratching the back of his neck. "We can't stand around this corpse forever. Let's just take it to the basement for now."
"You're right. Haste will get us nowhere." Specified Lau.
"It's decided then!" declares Charles, stretching. "You guys take care of that thing, okay?" He began walking away, as everyone stared. "Oh and you guys better make breakfast too." Tanaka bows and Alette has immense suspicion about the man, maybe it was his lack of giving a damn about this shocking death. Everyone followed Charles out the door, eventually leaving the servants, Ciel and Alette alone with the corpse.
"They're right." Sighs Ciel coldly, splatters of blood on his pale skin. "Take Sebastian to the cellar. Sorry for losing my composure."
"That's not--!" Alette silences Mey-Rin with a look, letting her know that she would handle it.
"Young Master..."
"Tanaka. Sebastian is dead." He starts. The detached tone he uses makes Alette want to cry. "As of today, you are my butler. I entrust you with managing the manor and its servants. This pin, is yours once more."
"The head butlers pin?" croaks Tanaka. Mey -Rin and Finny dab at their eyes. "How nostalgic. I'm not sure a dotard like me can fill the position..."
"It's just until I find a replacement." Assured Ciel.
"Understood. I will keep it safe for you. Then, first, we shall prepare the morning bath. Mey-Rin, the hot water. After you two move Sebastian, please carry the hot water to the young master's bath."
"Yes!" Tanaka bows at their obedience.
"Young master, let's start with a change of clothing. The master of the Phantomhive manor can't afford to waver at the mere death of s servant. My master would never lose his composure over something so trivial."
"You're as strict as ever, old man." Smirks Ciel. This expression makes Alette a smidge less worried.
* * *
Selima rolled over, cuddling the plushy snake that smelled of him. She did not breath. Simply lay, somewhere in between the world of veracity and the world of slumber. She saw gray fog, her window creeping open. She felt conscious, but her body was not. It was a state of sleep paralysis humans always hated. She saw him, his wet ebony hair matted to his face, red eyes glowing fuchsia. His pale skin was dotted with beads of water as he slipped off his white gloves. She could feel his cold finger tips touch to her chin, lift her face up. His lips brushed against her own, spreading warmth throughout her now cold body. The kiss was long, but to her it felt so short, it should have lasted for an eternity because she was not ready to let go. Her hands were searching for him, her arms were outstretched for him, she felt him on her fingertips.
"Don't forget me, my love."
She awoke, sitting up with her arms extended. Had it all been really a dream? As reality hit her, she fell back into bed, clutching the snake and squeezing her eyes shut.
After Ciel has been bathed and dressed, Alette approaches him.
"You know I would offer the protection of my butler." She offers. "But..."
"But?"
"But she's a bit of a mess." She grabs Ciel's arms and pulls him back up the stairs to the butler's room She pushes her servant's door open, inside there is a lump of flesh on the bed emitting the scent of roses.
"Is she...?"
"Just asleep."
"But she doesn't have to."
"Exactly. She is willfully sleeping, just to get away from the reality of what is happening."
"Try ordering her."
"Selima, I order you to."
"Please don't." Alette and Ciel were so taken aback; the squeak of a voice that had emitted from the once formidable butler was out of character. She rolled out of bed, looking as if she detested every movement she made without him. She had lost her purpose. Alette sighed as her butler entered the bathroom, and exited the room along with Ciel.
"This smells good! Let's eat!" boomed a joyous Charles. Alette was sickened; could he not feel the tension? The heartbreak?
"Please wait." Instructed Arthur. Selima entered the room, listless, wearing the same dress, now free of blood. She had been sitting at the bottom of the shower for what must have been at least an hour. Everyone watched as she went straight to the bar, where Tanaka poured her a glass of wine. Usually it would be Sebastian pouring the wine. "That seat is..." Everyone turns their attention to the vacant spot.
"How strange." Comments Irene. "We're all here, aren't we? Oh! Mr. Phelps isn't here!"
"He's so quiet I didn't even notice." Chuckles Grimsby. Alette, Ciel and Arthur seem to be the only ones taking the absence seriously.
"He's having quite a lie in." Smiles Carl.
"Excuse me!" interrupts Arthur, standing up. "Would you mind...if we check? His room, that is." Everyone rushes upstairs, minus Selima who sat, sipping the red wine. "Wasn't Mr. Phelps..." started Alette
"He refused to stay next to Lord Siemens, so he should be sleeping in mine." Confirmed Ciel.
"Mr. Phelps! Mr. Phelps!! If you're in there please answer." Yells Arthur, jiggling the knob. "Countess, where is the key?" Alette ponders for a moment then frowns.
"Usually it would be Selima who managed them, but she and Sebastian split the work since the party staying the night was so large. SELIMA!" she calls. Selima appears behind her, languid, almost immediately.
"Yes, my lady?"
"Where was the key to this room kept?"
"I'm afraid only he knew where it was kept my lady. Now that he is no longer here, even I have no idea." There was once a fire in her eye but now there was not even a spark. Her voice was monotone, and did not even choke up once. Just...void of emotion.
"Move." Commanded Charles, his pure ivory hair in his eyes. Arthur jumps on top of Alette and Ciel, protecting them from the lashes made by Charles.
"Well." Exhales Alette. "That was reckless." The doors fall to pieces
"Hurry it up. We haven't had dessert." He growls. And again, Alette can't help but feel annoyed.
"Mr. Phelps!" pleas Arthur. Everyone's pupils dilate at the sight; the sickly, pale and frail man is clutching at his bed sheets, not breathing. "Mr. Phelps..." Arthur take the pulse, and shakes his head. Everyone gasps, except Selima. Now that the one person she had a genuine connection with was gone, she had no will to care. She had one goal. She would stalk the investigation and once it had come to fruition, she would shred the man or woman that had killed her beloved.
"Why..." wonders Ciel.
"Rigor Mortis has already set in." Observes Arthur. "So he's been here a while... I don't see any signs of physical trauma like the others, but it looks like something pricked his neck." Alette peers in, seeing two parallel marks with crimson around the edges. "These are...from a needle? Was he poisoned?"
"Countess, you live in such a nice room!" compliments Lau, going through her drawers; Ran-Mao has a bra on her head. Alette blushes and Selima, instinctively covers Ciel's eyes.
"Who said you could search through my room?" she barks.
"Hey, the Earl gave you the dress I gave him? Did he at least try it on!"
"Of course I didn't!" snarls Ciel. "LISTEN WHEN I'M TALKING!"
"These wounds..." continues Arthur. "Also resemble a bite mark."
"But who would be that kinky?" asks Lau
"LAU!!" shouts Ciel.
"Bite marks on the neck...It's just like Carmilla." Notices Irene.
"Le Fanil's, Carmilla?" asks Alette, familiar with the story.
"Yes...You're familiar with the tale?"
"You're saying he was killed by a vampire?" Alette glances at Selima, silently asking if they existed. She sends back an incredulous "you figure it out" look. Great. Demons, Grim Reapers, and now the possibility of vampires? What was next?
"Don't be absurd! It's the nineteenth century!" reminds Carl. "It couldn't be anything so blatantly unscientific!" Selima whistles while Alette stares at her feet.
"2:38. He probably knocked it over while afflicted." Considers Arthur.
"Which means, Mr. Phelps died at the time shown on this clock." Arthur picks up the clock and analyzes it. "Why don't we take a moment and analyze the situation?"
"We need to go over the time and order of each murder. And discuss who had the opportunity."
"That seems wise." Decides Ciel. Alette nods. "Tanaka, show our guests to the drawing room."
"As you wish." Obeys Tanaka.
"Piecing the testimonies together, we know the first murder was Lord Siemens. Time of death was approximately 1:10 a.m. The second was Phelps. At roughly 2:38. That makes Sebastian the last murder." Perceives Arthur
"The butler was last?"
"Yes. That's because..." Finny raises his hand, as if he were in a classroom setting.
"We all saw Mr. Sebastian that night!" he intervenes.
"It was about 2:50." Remembers Bardroy.
"What did he want that hour?"
"He asked me to check the food stocks." Recalls Bard. "and told Finny to clean the fireplaces."
"He brought me a carrier...owl?" Evokes Mey-Rin, she had been so sleepy at the time she had thought it had all been a dream. Then scolded herself for dreaming about a taken man. The things Miss. Selima would do to her if she knew! "And asked me to release it at dawn."
"An owl?"
"Owls can fly through storms, unlike pigeons."
"Well, yeah, but I'm just trying to think of where we had an owl. And how I didn't know about it..." contemplates Alette.
"That guy really knows what he's doing."
"What was in the letter?" questions Charles.
"I already released it without looking." Confesses Mey-Rin.
"He might have sent a letter to the police." Suggests Arthur
"After all, the telephone would be useless in this storm"
"If we list everyone's alibis with the time lines. This is what we get. Lord Phantomhive or Countess Alette is the only one who could have killed Lord Siemens. Sebastian or Selima must have killed Mr. Phelps, because they had the Earls room key, and was the only one who could lock the door. After that, anyone but myself, the Earl, Selima, Alette or Irene could have murdered Sebastian. In other words, no one could have killed all three victims." Everyone looks surprised, but this is where the plot thickens