Eternal Damnation [Black Butler]

~ Chapter 17 ~

~Cecilia's POV~

I found Ashe in the kitchen once again, but he was alone and staring out the window above the kitchen sink. He turned with a smile, "Good morning, Lady Cecilia."

"What are you doing here?" I growled.

"Another message from the queen." He smiled, but something was off about him, he seemed a little more touched in the head than usual; like he was beginning to lose control. There was hopelessness in his eyes as he looked at me. Was I standing in his way? Was I keeping him from accomplishing his goal, whatever goal that may be?

"You couldn't just deliver the message to one of the servants and leave?" I pondered as I stepped toward the knife drawer.

"Afraid not, the Queen asked me to deliver it in person, couldn't risk it being on parchment." He smirked and held up the meat cleaver, "Looking for this?"

I glared at him, "What exactly are you planning, Ashe?"

"Simply to make this world a much better place." He smiled a wicked smile.

I withdrew a knife from my skirt and was about to attack him when Ciel entered the kitchen with Sebastian. They stared at the two of us each holding a deadly weapon in our hands.

"What's going on?" Ciel pondered looking from me to Ashe questioningly.

"Deliver your message and leave." I snapped at him.

Sebastian stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. I felt myself relax exponentially. I still wanted to tear the man standing in the kitchen to shreds but I'd wait until Ciel was far away, he didn't need to see any more bloodshed.

"A body was found in London this morning, a man by the name of John Stanley he was part of the Underworld and worked for the queen, unfortunately he had a valuable item on him that the queen needs you to retrieve and destroy." Ashe said to my brother as he side stepped me.

"What type of item?" Ciel pondered.

"That's a secret." Ashe smirked.

Something felt very off about the whole thing. Ashe left after that and we headed to London. Sebastian seemed a little unsettled about the whole ordeal himself. We arrived at the crime scene as Detective Aberline was informing Sir Arthur that the man was unidentified.

"His name is John Stanley." Ciel said as he strutted forward like a king.

I smiled at my younger brother and extended the envelope of information we'd be given to the detective.

"There's everything you'll need to know." Ciel smirked.

"Why are you here?" Sir Randal snapped angrily.

"Merely doing my civic duty." Ciel smirked and I held back a laugh, my big brother was playing hard ball with the big boys and he'd spent his life in nobility he was trained to talk down to every other man just as I was trained in word manipulation.

Sir Randal was about to say something else but I stepped forward as he was starting to get edgy, he hated my brother and I didn't know why and frankly I didn't care but if he dared try anything I'd have his head on a silver platter, commissioner of the Scotland Yard or not. His eyes met mine and I glared at him, he shut his mouth and we took our leave.

"I don't like that man." I grumbled as I got in the carriage beside Ciel.

Ciel smiled at me and placed his hand in mine, "Thank you for always taking my side."