Strong Body, Fragile Hearts

Her Gardener, sweet

Bell's POV

I smiled up at Finni. I loved gardens. They were so pretty, filled with new smells and sights. Open as well. I threaded my finger through Finni's. He looked down at our hands, startled. I gave him a reassuring smile and said, "Don't worry, you're not hurting me, see?" I swung our hands back and forth, showing Finni he could hang on a little tighter. "Let's go. I can show you the PhantomHive gardens." We left the circus smiling and laughing. I had never had a better time in my life. It was so easy with Finni, almost as if he'd had my experiences. My expression faded a little, thinking of the time before the circus found me. It was impossible, no one could understand what happened to me. Even Beast, our animal tamer, and Joker couldn't understand it properly.

Finni noticed the pause in our laughter and swung our arms to get my attention. "Bells, are you alright?" He asked quietly. I shook my head to dispel thoughts of those dark times. I smiled up at Finni, "Nothing Finni, just... thinking." He smiled and nodded. He stopped before a carriage and opened the door. "Only the best for you milady!" He laughed doing a mock bow. I stepped inside, looking around in a marvel. I had never ridden in such a nice carriage before. I normally rode in a cart when the circus moved places. Finni stepped in behind me. I turned and my lips parted in confusion. "But, aren't you driving?" Then with a lurch the carriage began to move, throwing me off balance. I fell, straight into Finni's arms. He had caught me, most likely preventing me from banging my arm, a welcomed idea. I blushed bright red and looked at the floor. I straightened up and sat down on the opposite side of the carriage. "S-sorry." I stammered, and began to play with my hair, looking anywhere but at Finni. Equally as red, he wrenched open the little thing, that allows you to talk to the driver and began to yell. "BARD! I told ya, not to move the carriage until I told you to!" Bard laughed and said in a completely fake sincere tone, "Sorry Finni, Miss Bells, I just figured you'd already sat down..." Then he burst into laughter again. I rolled my eyes at mischievous cook. "Really? You are ridiculous." He only chuckled and resumed his focus on driving.

Bard's POV (WHAT could I possibly be up to? Read on and find out what Bard and Mey-Rin are plotting)

I cocked an ear listening for conversation within the carriage. There was none. They were most likely staring at the floor, too awkward to talk. It was up to me and Mey-Rin then. We had seen it. Our boy Finni had it bad for the pretty tightrope walker. They would never get anywhere on their own. Clearly, some intervention was needed. I slid the window open and spoke to the twosome. 'We will be at the manor soon. Perhaps you can tell her about the master and Sebastian, yeah Finni?" I said then shut the window quickly. I heard the chatter pick up and Finni tell Bells about the butler, Sebastian, and the Lord PhantomHive.

We pulled up onto the manor front area and I nodded to Mey-Rin, who saluted and moved to pick up a picnic dinner she had packed for the plan. As Finni helped Bells out of the carriage I nodded my approval. Ladies always went for the chivalrous ones. Mey-Rin marched forward, carrying the basket and thrust it a Finni, who took it with a startled expression, and listened to Mey-Rin's instructions, bewildered. Bells stood of to his side, giggling behind her hand. A good sign. Now for the most important part of the plan. Music. It was also the most difficult part. Neither Mey-Rin nor I could play an instrument. The butler Sebastian could play the violin however. The difficult bit was convincing him to play it for us however.

"Please Sebastian! Please! It would help Finni so much!" The butler looked down at me with closed eyes. "As I've said Bardroy, I have too much work to do." I continued to beg the butler. "Come on Sebastian, it's not like I'm asking you to cook with dynamite! Just a wee bit of music." The butler sighed then looked down at me and said, 'And you'll stop pestering me if I do this?" I nodded enthusiastically. He sighed and fixed his gloves. "Then I suppose I have no choice." and he went to fetch his violin.