A/N - I'M STUCK WITH A NINE YEAR OLD WHO THINKS SEBASTIAN, GRELL, ALOIS AND CLAUDE ARE CREEP-- well actually I can't really argue with the two Trancy dudes but SEBBY??

R e c a p - Early February, 1890

"You will not be able to speak–"

"For how long?" Ciel asked before (Y/N).

"Only time will tell, I'm afraid."

|Learning to Smile :: Step One by cookiecat567|
IX.|His Maid, Troubled|

Late February, 1890
[First Person's PoV]

       "Go ahead."

       I shook my head, pushing the wheeled tray back towards him. He furrowed his eyebrows in disappointment. "So be it," he said as he readied his gloved hand over the door handle. "Young Master."

       "Come in," said Ciel's weak voice. A sigh escaped Sebastian's lips.

       "Certainly you do not mean to act like this forever," chided the butler. "Lady Elizabeth is due to arrive in a few hours."

       "I've no clue what you mean, Sebastian," replied the Earl, "but I do recall being the one to give orders here."

       Sebastian's crimson eyes drifted down to the tray, pouring of earl grey into a porcelain cup. I took a breath and stepped forward. In my hands was a tray holding a letter from the queen. I swallowed hard and gently bumped the tray to the door, making a small noise. Ciel's eyes never met mine, but flitted across my figure. He flinched.

       I opened my mouth, as if I could actually speak. I'd forgotten the feeling of a voice coming from my lips. I just walked closer. Just place one foot in front of the other. I reached his desk as Sebastian placed a fruit tart onto it. "I made that," I mouthed before putting down the tray.

       I licked my lips and pressed them together, fighting off the anxiousness. With a trembling hand, I passed the letter to Sebastian, who was equally as silent.

       "CI~IEL!" squealed Elizabeth's voice. I sighed immensely in relief, although no sound came out. The door opened and there was the blonde, emerald green eyes glistening with happiness... happiness. I haven't seen that in this household for a while. Her eyes swept over my form, and suddenly the happiness had gone. "(Y/N)..." she pursed her lips and took my hands in hers.

I took the palm of her hand and wrote out, "You're early."

She giggled sheepishly. "I couldn't wait!"

[Third Person's PoV]

Ciel watched as the girl's finger traced out letters into Lizzy's open palm. She giggled slightly at the touch, but replied nonetheless. "I couldn't wait!" He almost chuckled. Of course she couldn't. (Y/N) smiled gently in response and shook her head playfully.

       "Hm, (Y/N)?" said girl flashed a questioning look at the blonde. Her green eyes flitted to the right for a moment before she asked, "May I have a word with you?"

       The (h/c) haired girl nodded hesitantly, eyes glancing to the side as another attempt to meet those cerulean orbs of his. No such luck. Instead, she let Lady Elizabeth drag her to the gardens where, as they say on a bench, her hands were enclosed by Lizzy's gloved ones.

       "Are you faring well?" questioned the young mistress. (Y/N) nodded slowly. "I can see the sadness held within those eyes of yours."

       "...h... l... p." Help.

       Lizzy gasped. "S-say that again!"

       She tried. Opened her mouth. Forced sound to come from her throat. No sound. Elizabeth's face fell for a moment, going unnoticed by the maid. She put on that bright smile of hers and reassured, "No worries!" she tittered happily. "I've no doubt that your voice is going to return!"

       (Y/N) smiled back gently. "Th... an..." thanks. Thank you. She even surprised herself. "Oh, what a miracle!" exclaimed Lizzy. "We must take you to Sebastian at once!"

With an excited squeal, Lizzy dragged the girl all the way back to Ciel's study.

       "Have a servant prepare ginger tea, preferably with honey." said Ciel, heart leaping. Sebastian smiled knowingly and ushered (Y/N) out the door... leaving Ciel and Lizzy alone.

       "Let's go out to the gardens, shall we?" asked the Earl with a faked smile.

       ... but Lizzy could see through that. Then, instead of alerting him, she just smiled back, and took his hand.

       And out to the gardens they went.

.・.・.・.・.・.・.・.

       On the porch with Tanaka, as she sipped on her remedial tea, (Y/N)'s eyes glazed over with tears. What if this was permanent?

       Don't you know how it feels to have your voice just taken from you?

       To wake up and not be able to voice your opinions or hear the sound of your own laughter?

       But even worse, to have hope. Hope that one day your voice will return... but it doesn't. Tanaka chuckled a, "Heh heh heh," and returned inside.

       (Y/N) took a breath. But in a flash, and with a whisper of air... she was gone. A muffled scream came from behind a gloved hand and the girl and her kidnapper were nowhere to be seen. . .

Many things happened that night; realizations and screams and shouts and tears. But what was taken from the (h/c) haired maiden . . . was something that could not be returned.

      She was held against a wall, fearful (e/c) eyes shut as tears trickled down her porcelain face.

And for the first time in weeks . . .

She screamed.

A/N - This went down waaaaay too quickly, sorry 'bout that. But this will be a trilogy... with a possible fourth book. Possible.

Soooo, that's about it for now, I'm apologizing for the long wait now so I don't have to do it in the epilog-- wHOOPS I'VE SAID TOO MUCH.

Heh.
K thx for reading baiiiiii

~Em