Mute - Revised (A Black Butler Fanfiction)

Chapter 10

Dana's POV

MC is thrown to the floor, her head hitting the ground with a sickening thud. I move through the pain in my leg and let the panic pulsing in my veins push me forward to cradle her limp body. Blood is seeping from somewhere on her scalp, turning her hair red.

Mistress steps closer to us, and I instinctively wrap myself around MC, shielding her from the wretched woman. My leg is still screaming, and I can't move away from the approaching threat. MC's gun bumps my arm, and I consider grabbing it. I have my own, too, but I've never had to use it. I don't ever want to.

"Don't help the traitorous thing, go tend to yourself and let her bleed to death," Mistress instructs, seeming to whole-heartedly expect me to comply.

"You leave her alone now," my voice breaks and trembles, but I can't help it: the water obscuring my line of sight is causing the heaving in my chest. "She's never done anything to upset or provoke you, ever, and she is beaten down and broken because of it. If you do one more thing, one more thing to hurt her, I will reveal you, destroy the Aumtumnvale name, and you will be ruined."

I see Mistress freeze, assessing my determination and the truth behind the threat, before reaching out slowly for an item on the table. Carlotta gasps and backs away. The gun seems so cold, it's like ice to my skin.

"You think I'd let someone like you leave here alive, knowing what you know, seeing what you've seen? You can't even run away - this won't take more than a second. Carlotta, close your eyes and cover your ears." Mistress rushes at us, silver flashing in her fist, silver aimed at MC's and my hearts.

I turn, trying my best to protect as much of MC as I can, waiting for the blow, and the blood, and the pain.

It never comes.

I slowly raise my head, seeing in a new light the situation of the room. Sebastian has her arm in a death lock, a calm smile on his unmoving face, in such juxtaposition to her shocked and panicked look it's almost comical.

I turn my head at the click-click-click of the Phantomhive Earl's cane against the floor. He's striding in through the door, completely at ease. Was he just now entering? Was he watching what was happening?

"I think that's quite enough now, Lady Autumnvale," he drawls, reaching up and removing the long steak knife from her hand. "Your guests are still here, and it'd be rather rude to attempt a murder with them still present, would it not?

"But you needn't worry much about us, as I've made my decision and will be leaving shortly."

"Wh - what?" Mistress blinks, stepping back warily after Sebastian releases her, eyeing the knife just out of arms reach. "What decision?"

The Earl stops and stares at for a moment as if she asked why the sun rises. "The decision regarding my new fiance. The entire reason for my visit. That decision."

Mistress is, if possible, in more shock now than she was before. "Your . . . fiance? You've decided?"

He nods curtly. "Yes, I have, precisely." He pivots and walks toward us.

I clutch MC tighter as he approaches, feeling her head injury start to soak into my jacket. He leans down and brushes the hair out of her face, observing with interest the blood on his glove's fingertips as a result. "I have chosen MC as my new fiance."

He meets my eyes. "Everything you said was true, wasn't it?"

"Every word." I mumble through numb lips.

"What?!" Carlotta cries, "Why?! Why would you ever choose her over me? I know how to act like a proper lady - I would be the perfect wife, I would never do anything to risk tarnishing the Phantomhive name! She cares about no one but herself, she'll ruin you! Why would you choose her?"

"Because," The Earl starts, "she has surprised me so many times in such a short amount of time I'm left in the dust. Breathless, blind and lost. She has shown loyalty by standing up for her butler. Bravery by facing down one much stronger and powerful than herself. Love when she ran at midnight to her horses, knowing fully well she could have been attacked by wolves. Kindness when she stood outside with the doorman, just sharing the same air as him so he wouldn't be lonely. Logic when she steered us away from dinner to give the chef more time to cook, realizing it was early and the food wouldn't yet be ready." He glanced at her over his shoulder. "And self-pity when you walked down those stairs in a beautiful dress, where she had on something much simpler."

He turned his gaze back to them. "The only way that she would have ever felt self-pity with those traits is if you'd put her down, telling her she's not deserving of a good home, a good life. So, for the safety of my fiance's sanity, I will be taking her back to the Phantomhive estate with me. She will live with me until she comes of age, where she'll be free to move out if she chooses."

He turns after his speech and begins to walk out. Sebastian clears his throat, and the Earl turns back to us again. "Oh, and I'll be taking her personal butler and horses with me. My fiance must be happy and satisfied."

"B-but the horses," Mistress stutters, Sebastian gone now, "we already found a buyer. An anonymous call just came in offering a surplus of money, it's already been confirmed-"

"Yes," he sighs, "that was Finny."

"Who?"

"He is the caretaker of my mansion. He keeps the gardens and lawns weeded and luscious." He turns to me. "Please come with me . . . uh-"

"Dana Rowe, sir," I say as I try to stand. My knees give out and I start to fall, Sebastian behind me to support me, slipping MC out of my arms and into his own.

He smiles, "You should have listened; I told you that leg was going to take healing, didn't I?"

"You did," I recalled. I can feel his arm through his coat the same way I could feel the gun. And they're both the same temperature.

I don't look back as we exit the breakfast hall. Sebastian hands MC to Lauren at the door so I can go back in and get some of MC's clothes.

I get to her room, tearing open a bag and throwing in her favorite shirts, pants, trousers, undergarments, etc. I bury the cartridges and spare revolver parts under her piles of clothes, buttoning up the bag and swinging it over my shoulder and limping to the doors again. I'm sure they have clothes at the mansion for me, and all my personal belongings are with Lauren, who I know will keep them safe and secure for me.

As I enter the chamber connected to the main doorway, I see two other figures, laden with bags and hand-in-hand approach the door as well.

"Henry? Grace? Where are you going?" I ask, pausing against a wall to catch my breath as they both turn to me.

"Oh, Dana!" Henry laughs. "We've decided to quit."

"You have? I'm assuming it's because MC'll be gone."

"That's right," Grace smiles.

"Well, what are you planning on doing now?"

"We plan to start a restaurant, but it'll be hard work, and slow progress," Henry scratches the back of his head, holding up their intertwined fingers in a show of trust, "but we'll have each other, so I have no doubt it'll all work out."

I smile, nodding and hugging them both. "Good luck to you, then. I hope to visit someday!"

"Definitely!" Grace calls, disappearing out the doors.

I turn and stare for a moment at the broken window across the room before picking up MC's bag and stepping into the sunlight.

We're all in the carriage, except for Sebastian, who is driving, and Ciel is across from MC, while I am next to her. She's still unconscious.

"I hope she'll be okay. It's been such an insane week for her...." I mutter, reaching back and feeling the lump already starting to form on her head. It's not huge, but it'll be sore, that's certain.

"She'll be okay," The Earl reassures. "She needs rest and food, both of which she'll have plenty.

I wonder what MC'll think when she hears all of this.