Yes, Your Highness

Chapter 16 ~ Tarnished Crowns

"Please tell me why." Alois pleaded, continuing to walk by Beth's side, hands in his sweatshirt pockets. Beth shook her head. She wore a bandanna over her nose. Alois suddenly stopped walking, looking over at the girl. She turned around to face him and he suddenly tugged the bandanna off her face, revealing her three stitched cuts across her face. "What happened!?" Alois gasped, almost in tears, but he was in too much shock.

"You wouldn't get it." Beth frowned a bit, hanging her head slightly.

"Oh-ho-ho, I'm pretty sure I would." He chuckled. Beth finally met her eyes with his, accepting his challenge.

"A demon of some kind has been haunting me for the passed two days and I said some things I shouldn't have and he smashed my rib cage and cut my face with his talons. Now just last night I woke up with stitches, fresh bandages, and the demon by my side trying to molest me. That good enough for an explanation?" She snapped, voice cracking a few times in her speech. Alois stood there for a moment, eyes wide, then sinking back to normal.

"I can believe it."

"What!? What do you mean believe it!?"

Alois chuckled a bit.

"You really don't know much about me, do you?" He smirked. Beth lost a bit of her color, backing up a step.

"What are you?"

"A human. Just like you. It's who I know is what you should be questioning." Alois replied plainly. Beth shifted her jaw a bit, but kept a steady expression. "Are you afraid of spiders?"

"Yes..."

Alois paused a moment. "You're pretty, I'll make an exception." He grinned. Beth smiled, too, quite flattered, but a little scared of what the hell he's talking about. "If you don't like spiders, that you probably won't want to live with me."

"You're attractive, I'll make an exception." Beth goofed. Alois grinned brightly.

"Maybe you should just visit first and see if you can handle it."

"Challenge accepted." She smirked. Alois grinned and walked up to her side, locking his fingers with hers.

"Want to now?"

"Sure, why not?" She chirped, smiling brightly. Alois grinned, kissing her cheek.

"You're so cute." He giggled. Alois then guided Beth the way of his house. She had only been there once, and that was in the ball room. Other than that, she had no knowledge of what was beyond that room.

When they arrived, Alois walked up to the front door and he looked like he was going to walk right into the door, but it was pulled open before he could run into it. Beth still followed him inside and when they walked in, it was the room the ball had taken place, only this time it was more empty. Alois looked over his shoulder at her and she was too focused on him to notice who or what had opened the door. "Come up to my study with me." He smiled, letting go of her hand and skipping up the stairs. Beth trotted up behind him and he lead her to his study.

At arrival, he twisted the knob and pushed the door open, revealing a rather large room. A large window sat behind a desk across from her and various furniture and what not was in the other parts of the room. Alois plopped down in his desk chair, the chair spinning in a 360 degree angle. He then smirked, patting his lap. Beth sheepishly shuffled over to him and scooted up on his lap. He pulled her down into a hug until she was practically laying on him, head on his shoulder. This made Alois stop and think for a moment. "Beth..." He began. Beth remained still

"Yes?"

"You like Phantomhive don't you?"

Beth froze a second at that question, not knowing how to answer. Finally, she sucked up some courage and replied.

"No, what makes you think that?"

"Well..." He began. "You were with Ciel at the ball... And you live with him... So I was just curious."

"No." She giggled. "He's just been taking care of me. Wording it that way, it makes me feel kind of uncomfortable..."

Alois smirked, sitting her up a bit and setting his index finger under her chin.

"You know, doll..." He began, giving her a once-over. "If you come to the mansion and live with me... I can guarantee I can make you feel all kinds of comfortable." He winked, then kissing her abruptly. Beth sunk into the kiss, completely used to the hugs and kisses and flirtations by now, her arms snaking around his neck. But, there was one thing she could not get used to. The fact that Alois... Just slipped his hands down the back of her pants. Beth jumped a bit, shocked by his sudden approach, but only making the moment more intense. Intense enough for Alois to lick her bottom lip, asking for entrance. However, she didn't feel very generous, so she just ignored him. This time, he bit her bottom lip with his little fangs of teeth, making her gasp. This is what he wanted, and he took full advantage of it, nearly shoving his tongue down her throat. He smirked at this, but being a cock block, a light rapping was heard on the door.

"Your highness," Began a male voice from the other side. A sudden noise that broke the silence made Beth jump so high that she burst from Alois's arms and collide to the ground in a grumbling mess of a look on her face that said, "What the hell could it possibly be?". Alois noticed this and put on a stone cold glare, quickly wiping the gloss off his lips. This glare was not towards her, but towards the door.

"Damn it, what!?" He snapped. A tall man with dark hair and gold eyes covered by glasses stepped in. He was the same cock block from the ball, too. "Damn it, Claude, this better be important!" Alois growled. Claude kept a stoic expression, ignoring the blonde's hateful tone. Beth casually glided her thumb along the outside of her lips, trimming the smeared gloss from her face.

"I assure you, your highness, it is. Although, I'm not sure it's for you. There is a guest at the door that asked for Miss Levi." Claude replied, his gaze taking a glance at the young girl who slowly, sheepishly, and uneasily stood up.

"Alright... But Beth," Alois stopped her before she could leave the doorway. She gazed over her shoulder at the blonde and he put on a quick smirk. "Be back soon."

Beth smiled, nodding. Claude laughed at her innocence on the inside and took a quick bow to Alois, then exiting the room and remaining behind Beth the entire time.

When she made it to the staircase, she trotted downstairs and up to the door, pulling it open. Who she saw on the other side made her say a word that not even God could imagine.

"Oh, shit..."