Black Butler: I Never Asked You

I Never Asked You: Chapter 30

Sieglinde looked shocked. The guests gasped.

Aleistor quickly covered himself. "I meant, a witch only insofar as she has cast a spell on my son - and me! My dear, we adore you. We cannot wait for you to join into our house."

"Awwww," said the guests.

A middle-aged man in the crowd turned to his much younger companion. "See, Chloe, aren't you glad I made you come tonight? I told you, Lord Druitt never throws a dull party!"

Maureen looked raptly at Ambrose and Wolfram, her shining eyes darting from one to the other. "Ooh, am I glad you made me come! But who will she choose? They are both so handsome!"

He tickled her slender waist. "Not as handsome as me!"

She squealed. "Ooh, you bad boy! Good thing your wife is out of town for another week."

The rest of the crowd was in a similar mood. One man starting taking bets, collecting paper money for the pot.

Sieglinde made a dash for Wolf. Ambrose moved in front of her, blocking the way.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't. You are going to be my wife."

"I don't love you, Ambrose. I love him."

Aleistor snorted. "That Mr. Gelzer there. Your servant. So confused, you are. Here, this will clear things up." He reached into his lapel and took out a piece of paper. He shook it out and held it up to the guests ( who really were not guests anymore but an audience). Aleistor took out a pair of spectacles and put them on. 'I Victoria, empress of Britannia and India do decree that in the event of my incapacitation, Viscount of Druitt will find a husband for Miss Sullivan post haste.' So, as her Majesty wishes, we had best not waste anymore - "

"WHO is incapacitated?" boomed a voice. Queen Victoria appeared, her great wide black dress sweeping the ground. Grey supported her on the left, Phipps on her right.

"That actress looks nothing like Victoria," said the woman who had given Wolfram a lift to the wedding.

Aleistor blanched and stuttered, "H-How wonderful to see you up and about, y-your Majesty!"

"What are you doing with my daughter, Druitt?"

"Only c-carrying out your wishes as d-dictated in this missive." He frowned, pretending to be shocked. "Are you saying that this is a forgery? I had no idea!"

Ambrose stepped forward. "She belongs to me already. The marriage has already been consummated."

Wolf lunged for Ambrose. Without taking his eyes off Sieglinde, Ambrose drew his sword and thrust it at Wolf.

Wolf dodged and lifted his arm, holding his hand out like an ax blade. One chop would neatly disarm Ambrose. It was the same trick he had done as a boy to impress his "father" at Wolffschlucht.

But Ambrose was faster than Gunther had been.

Aleistor seized the girl's elbow. His purple eyes were like roiling storms. With the family dagger in his hand, he pulled her towards the altar. Her metal legs collapsed and became locked. She struggled to free herself.

Ambrose struck Wolf's ribs with the flat of his sword. A few of the wedding guests cheered. More hands stuck up with pound notes, and the self-appointed betting master collected them.

Wolf felt a sharp pain where the sword had struck his side. As his rival swung his sword to smash his other side, Wolf tossed a chair at Ambrose. It didn't hit him but it blocked his sword. The empty chair crashed next to the altar.

"Huzzah!" A portion of the audience cheered for Wolf.

Ambrose took cover behind the altar. Wolf scanned the grounds for a weapon.

That's when Ambrose noticed something.

The Bible wasn't really a bible. The opened pages showed strange drawings and a language that was indecipherable.

Ambrose looked at his father. "You're insane."

"All this talk about flowers when two young people need to be wed," his father said. "Let's do it the old-fashioned way, since you've already fucked her. Just a little blood on the family Bible." He pinned Sieglinde's wrist down and before she could react he cut her palm.

"Aaaah!" she cried out.

Aleister watched the blood drip on the pages with a crazy hunger in his eyes.

"And now, I summon Krantos! Lord of Death, that you may serve my house and I will have power over ALL of you!"

He raised his arms in triumph. Nothing happened.

The mad glee in his eyes turned to disbelief.

"It did not work ... I do not understand." He slid to the ground where he sat slumped in defeat.

Wolf took a covered silver serving tray. In his left hand he held the cover; his right held the tray.

He gave the altar a mighty kick and sent it flying. Ambrose had no cover so he was forced to stand.

With a flick of her metal clawed leg, Sieglinde caused Ambrose to drop his sword. He knew there was no time to pick it up, because Wolf was coming for him fast.

"Aaaaarrrgh!" He swung his fists at Wolf. First the left then the right. Wolf did not bother to dodge them. He stopped the fists with the serving cover and tray As Ambrose looked at him in disbelief, Wolf pulled his right arm back and delivered a tremendous right hook squarely on Ambrose's chin. Ambrose fell back, out cold before he hit the ground.

Wolf walked down the bridal aisle on the runner. He put a finger under her chin. "Look at me. Do not have any shame. I also strayed once when we were apart. Sieglinde Sullivan, I love you. There is no other girl in the world for me. "

"Nor for me, my love."

"ACHTUNG!" a deep voice with a German accent shouted.

Everyone turned to look. Diedrich strode up to the podium. "My name is Baron Diedrich and I have here proof that Mr. Wolfram Gelzer is no servant."

"I am a former intelligence army officer. You will find my credentials check out. Twenty-five years ago, a secret division of the German military needed money and a base for their secret project. The head of the operation murdered a king and his wife and made it look like an accident. A young boy was left behind."

The audience was on the edge of their seats.

"They were going to dispatch him; however they were impressed by not only his father's military record and his mother's pedigree, but the fact that he fought them tooth and nail at only nine years old."

Diedrich turned to Wolf.

"My boy: you are a prince, and the rightful heir of Obenbader Castle on the edge of the Baltic Sea."

TO BE CONTINUED