1692

Act VI

Cake of the day: European Pear and Blackberry Cake

I sat at the foot of my bed, tremulously staring at the wall. I bit my lip out of anxiety as I replayed the scene with Ciel over and over in my mind, she just sang a simple song and all my pain had vanished.

Bram had often said incantations to releive pain, but nothing that had worked quite so affectively, or quickly. It was like magic.

But then... If it had taken away all of my pain... Could it do the same for that poor girl downstairs?

Outside, the snow was falling at an even heavier rate, I looked up as I walked to the inn, big snowflakes cascaded beautifully from a grey sky. In the rapture of the moment, I stood on my highest point with my tongue out, catching cold drops of snow. I got off point and held my hands out, tossing my head back and twirling, my dark hair flowing, suddenly flooded with an amazing calm.

I trotted over to the inn and hastily knocked on Blair and Ciel's room door. "Yeah, yeah, it's open," I heard Blair answer.

"Oh, um, yes, quite good!" I said, a sudden wave of anxiety rising around me. Suddenly nervous, I gently pushed their door open; waiting in silence as the rusty hinges creaked eerily as the door swung slowly inward, revealing Blair and Ciel looking back at me.

"Oh Katrina!" Ciel said sweetly, immediately rushing up to me. "How are you feeling now? Better?"

"Much better, thank you," I gently replied.

"You took a vicious fall," Blair added "your butler carried you inside after you fell asleep after Ciel healed you."

She healed me?

"Um, speaking of, healing, that is... There was a girl who came here a few days ago, I can't really say how she found the Cove, but she stumpled in, dripping from the rain and vomiting blood, hysterical, and she's been this way since she came here, would it be too much to ask if you could help her?" I asked, my voice shaking from how the women would take it.

"You know..." Blair said, walking over to Ciel and me. "Ciel isn't the only one who can heal."

~

"Is this the one?" Blair asked, looking over the sleeping form of the girl. "She is the one," I replied gently.

Blair frowned, looking sympathetically at the girl, gently placing her hands on the girl's back, as her huge blue eyes shot open violently.

'Hush now my love..." Blair said soothingly. "You've been through so much, I'm so proud of you for continuing on like this..."

Silent tears began to roll down the girl's cheeks.

"In the name of the wind, and the water within thee, unbind her. Blessed be.

And who are you, the proud lord said, that I must bow so low?

Only a cat of a different coat, that's all the truth I know.

In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws,

And mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours.

And so he spoke, and so he spoke, that Lord of Castamere,

But now the rains weep o'er his hall, with no one there to hear. Yes now the rains weep o'er his hall, and not a soul to hear."

The girl buried her face, crying more heavily. "What is your name?" Ciel asked.

"M-Mertyl..." The girl answered quietly. "I'm from Salem."

"I see. Don't worry, you're safe here," Blair added quickly, shuddering when Mertyl metioned Salem.

"Katrina, would you be a dear and go fetch Mertyl here a bucket of hot water?" Ciel said sweetly.

"Oh, yes, of course." I replied, hurrying up the stairs to the kitchen.

~

The click of my heels on the tile floor was the only sound that echoed through the eerie silence of the dark, empty house. I rushed through the dining hall, running Blair's song over in my head.

She seemed disturbed when Mertyl mentioned Salem, what was the meaning of that? Oh, but wouldn't Bram be happy when I told him that I had found a way to help Mertyl!

Oh, I'm sure he'd just be pleased. He wou-

My thoughts were cut short when I suddenly felt myself barrel into a solid force, and a cold, silky material cover my exosed skin as I felt the bitterly chilled floor meet my back.

I opened my eyes to see my dress covered with pear and blackberry cake, and Sebastian standing over me, looking horrifyied. "Good heavens, my lady, do forgive me. I am so sorry..." Sebastian said, helping me to my feet. "It's okay, Sebastian. I was walking without thought, it was my fault."

"Can I help you clean up at least?" Sebastian asked, concern in his voice.

He tugged at the corner of my sleeve, and that's when I felt it.

There was no other word for the sensation besides, well, a tinge of attraction.

He brushed off the cake from my stomach, and his touch felt almost tingly as he ran his fingers around. I knew it wasn't right, but that didn't weigh so heavily on my heart as the fact that maybe my feelings weren't returned.

"Oh," I said quietly, backing away slowly. I looked up at Sebastian, his eyes were soft, and I knew he felt nothing but concern for me.

But in that moment, in the dark quiet of the dining hall, everything seemed perfect.

He grabbed my shoulders, pulled me slightly to his level, and kissed me.

It was glorious.

Bram starved me of affection, I knew he did, and he was cold.

But Sebastian just felt so light, so warm, fluttery like a bird.

He released, his hands still placed sweetly around my shoulders, when I realized the gravity of what I had just done.

I was married; to the preacher at that, and I had just kissed my butler.

That's when it hit me, standing with him in the eerie quiet of the dining hall, the raw, guilty feeling.

"I have to go," I said quickly, walking briskly away.

"Wait, Katri-"

That was all I heard from Sebastian before I hastily walked out the front door, hair flowing, to be met with cold air.