All Through The Night (A Black Butler Love Story)

Chapter Two

Chapter Two
Sebastian helped Ciel into the carriage first. Then, offering me his hand, which I gratefully took, helped me into the carriage as well. When our hands met, I was shocked to feel a sudden electric jolt shoot through my body. Sebastian's eyes widened slightly. Had he felt it too? Letting go almost immediately, I sat down on the bench across from my lord.

He looked exactly the same as he did two years ago. Except, somehow, his maturity level seems to have aged about twenty years. He was no longer the happy, carefree child I helped raise. He was harder. Tougher. More determined. I could see in his eyes he had a goal he wished to achieve. The coldness in his eyes suggested he was after revenge. Just then, the young lords eyes shifted to me and I could see his features soften into the child he once was.

"I really missed you, Ella." Ciel confided in me.

"I missed you too, my Blue Jay." I replied using the name I had given him as a young child when he told me he wished he could fly like one of the Blue Jay's that soared through the sky above the manor garden.

"You can. If you try really hard and stay as wonderful and good as you are, then you can fly just like them. You'll be my own little Blue Jay." I had told him.

I was suddenly pulled out of my reverie as Ciel tossed himself into my arms, effectively placing him into my lap. I smiled and wrapped my arms tightly around him.

No matter how stoic he seemed on the outside, no matter how cold, he's still only just a child. And children often have times when they just need to be held and never let go.

"Ella....will you sing to me?" Ciel asked quietly. My smile grew softer and filled with love as I looked down at the small boy.

"Of course, my young lord. What will you have me sing?"

"Would you sing me....my lullaby?"

"Yes, my dear baby bird. I shall sing it to you as often as you would like." Ciel smiled as I closed my eyes and began humming the beginning melody, the familiar tune passed down for centuries through my family filling the carriage. Then came the lyrics.

Sleep my child, and peace attend thee
All through the night;
Guardian angels God will lend thee,
All through the night,
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and vale in slumber steeping,
I my loving vigil keeping,
All through the night.

Angels watching ever round thee,
All through the night,
In thy slumbers close surround thee,
All through the night,
They should let no fears disarm thee,
No forebodings should alarm thee,
They will let no peril harm thee,
All through the night.

Love, to thee my thoughts are turning
All through the night
All for thee my heart is yearning,
All through the night.
Though sad fate our lives may sever
Parting will not last forever,
There's a hope that leaves me never,
All through the night.
All through the night.
All through the night.

I opened my eyes after the last note faded into the air and looked down at Ciel, only to find him fast asleep with the faintest smile upon his lips.

I held him a few minutes longer until I felt the carriage roll to a stop. Sebastian came to the side and opened the door for me and our master.

Not having the heart to wake the sleeping Earl, I stood and carefully maneuvered the child in my arms and myself out of the carriage and down the steps. Sebastian eyed us curiously as he finally got a good look at the both of us.

"Is the young master alright, Miss?" Sebastian inquired.

"He is perfectly fine, Sebastian. The poor boy is just all tuckered out." Meeting his gaze, I narrowed my eyes. "What time did he go to bed last night?"

"It was very late, my lady. The Queens Guard Dog had a job to take care of last night and took much longer than expected. I would have allowed him to sleep in had he not ordered me to wake him at the usual time in order to search for you. However, I must follow orders. What kind of butler would I be if I could not obey my master?"

"Very well. But from now on, he is on a strict bed time schedule. At 9:30, he will have his bath and brush his teeth. By 9:45 he will be dressed in his sleep attire and ready for bed. Lights out at 10:00. Is that understood?"

Sebastian's eyes lit up in amusement as a smile played at the corner of his lips. "Yes Ma'am."

"Good. Now let's get him inside and into bed. He'll catch his death out here in this cold."

"Yes, my lady. Please, follow me."