literature

Chiaroscuro Chapter 12

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~"Happy Cake"~


Sebastian stared at the evergreen landscape jadedly. A lush green meadow and rolling hills stretched out before him, clashing with the endless blue sky above.

"Milady…what was this 'crucial' thing you were talking about?"

"Well, you said you've never had fun before."

"Yes, but I don't see what that has to do with our current location. What are we doing here?"

"You're going to have some fun."

"And how is that, exactly?"

"See this hill?"

"Oh, not at all." Sebastian replied, bitingly sarcastic.

"Really? You really don't see it? Perhaps some glasses are in order, then." Cadencia joked, and laughed lightly.

Though it irked him, to his own surprise, he was not insulted.

"What about the hill, Milady?" Sebastian asked, trying to get back on track.

"Roll down it."

He gave her bewildered look. "Beg pardon?"

"Roll….down…the hill." She emphasized a few words purposefully.

"You want me to get on the ground and roll down this hill?" He asked, making sure he hadn't heard her wrong.

"Yes, that's right. I'll do it with you." And then she smiled. "It's okay to be scared, Sebastian, especially if it's you're first time."

"Scared?" He repeated, slightly offended. "Do you think I fear rolling down this…this…mound?"

Cadencia shrugged. "Well…you seem to be stalling, so I just assumed…"

"I simply do not see the enjoyment of dirtying and degrading oneself, Milady." He replied hotly.

"That's what happens when you do it, not what you feel."

He crossed his arms. "I'll feel like a fool, then."

"Yeah, maybe a little, but it's fun."

"Once again, I don't see the pleasure in it."

Things were silent for a moment. The balmy wind blew, rustling the long, green meadow grass in waves.

"So, you're not going to do it, then?"

"I would certainly prefer not to, Milady."

"Is there no way I can convince you with my words to do it?"

"I don't believe so."

Again things were silent for a brief period.

"It's nice out here. Free…" She said, distractingly.

"Yes, indeed. The weather is rather-"

Cadencia wrapped her arms around Sebastian's waist from behind, and let her legs dip underneath her. She pulled the demon with her, and went tumbling down the hill, landing the two of them in a disorderly heap at the bottom. Sebastian gave her a look of complete disbelief from his place above her. She let out a soft laugh, not caring a bit that her hair was now tangled, that she had dirt on her face and clothes, or that strands of grass had stuck all over her.

Though Sebastian huffed a piece of grass out of his face, many more remained in his hair, and on his clothing. Slightly alarmed, the butler realized he had tumbled right on top of her. He could feel her panting and giggling intermittently beneath him.

"You should…see your face." Cadencia grinned. "It's hilarious."

"Milady…why would you do a thing like that?" He asked brusquely.

"Are you angry?"

"I would use the word 'irritated,' Milady."

"I'm sorry, Sebastian. I thought it would be enjoyable if you just did it."

"We are both covered with dirt, and our clothing is in complete disarray.What was enjoyable about it, exactly?"

"….I guess it just didn't do anything for you." She replied, earnestly.

Sebastian could only gaze at her with a furious fascination. What the hell made her tick?

"We can go back to mansion if you want, Sebastian." She offered.

Sebastian pressed his dark nailed hand to her mouth, hushing her. Carefully with the same hand, he brushed an unappealing clump of dirt from her pale, soft skinned face. It had clashed with an ugliness that did not belong on her.

"How angry are you?" She asked.

Sebastian sighed, and reconciled. "I'm not angry, Milady. I'm…annoyed."

"I really am sorry. I wanted you to have some fun…and..." She trailed off. "Enjoyment, I guess?"

He paused for a moment. "Rolling down a hill… was not 'fun' or 'enjoyable'….."

"I know, that's why I'm-"

Sebastian brought his hand to her lips again. "…But this is." He hadn't any idea where the words had come from. It was like someone, other than himself, had put the words in his mouth.

He stared down at her, perplexed with a feeling he hadn't ever felt before. A warm feeling right around…well, humans call it a 'stomach.'

"This, right now, is enjoyable." He said with a smile which almost exposed a new nervousness.

Cadencia swallowed, never breaking eye contact with him. Her voice was soft in response. "This?"

Sebastian nodded. "I haven't any idea why…" He gingerly touched her face. "But this is…enjoyable."

Suddenly, he drew his hand back quickly.

Cadencia sat up quickly. "What's wrong?"

"Please forgive me, Milady."

She tilted her head, not understanding. "For what?"

"I took your hand earlier, and now…I've gone so far as to even touch…" He left it at that. "A butler should not be so presumptuous. For that, please forgive me."

Cadencia stared at him, disbelieving. "I don't care about any of that."

She took his hand gently and held it.

"Milady…"

"See? The world isn't bursting aflame. It's fine. It doesn't matter if I'm technically an aristocrat, and technically you're a butler…demon…man…you know…."

He said nothing.

"Sebastian, from now on…don't feel presumptuous about touching me. I don't mind. If you want to take my hand, then do so."

Against himself, he replied, "I do...enjoy…taking your hand, Milady…."

No, no. What was all this? What was the odd lump in his throat? Why did his chest feel tight? Why did his face feel rather hot? Was it possible he was getting sick from something? Sebastian shook his head. That couldn't have been it. Demons were absolutely immune to human diseases. All the same, what was wrong with him?

"Milady….I feel strange."

"Strange? How?"

"I feel rather warm and….tingly."

Cadencia couldn't help but giggle. It sounded funny when Sebastian said a word like "Tingly," because he was such a serious person, and it was such a funny sounding word.

"Do you suppose…I'm dying?" He asked, sincere.

Cadencia was about to ask if he was kidding, but the look in his eyes was most certainly genuine.

"No…you're not dying, Sebastian."

"You don't think so, Milady?"

"I don't."

"What do you suppose the problem is, then?"

She gave him a warm look. "I don't think there's any problem at all."

The demon stared at her, taken aback. "But…the way I feel isn't normal, so there must be something wrong-"

Cadencia arced her back and leaned her head on Sebastian's shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell me your real name when I asked? Why have me come up with another name for you?"

Sebastian shifted a little. "For human to speak the real name of a demon means the binding of their soul to the Void. It also throws fate out of balance because demons are not meant to exist on earth and meet human. A human's soul which becomes bound to the Void may have originally been destined to go to the Gate of Truth. Do you see?"

"I don't really get what these 'Gates' are, but I think I understand."

"I don't enjoy causing problems for Lady-Time, but I fear it was unavoidable, after all."

"What do you mean?"

"I couldn't simply allow Belial to go to earth and devour souls left and right as he pleased. I had to try to stop him, even knowing he was far more powerful than I."

"This Belial…who is he, exactly?"

"Ah, by rank, you mean?"

"Rank? Demons have ranks?"

"Certainly. The Void has its own hierarchy. By order, from lowest to highest, there is Count, Duke, Archduke, Marquis, and then finally, the Four Crown Kings."

Her eyes caught the sunlight and held it, casting the light blue aglow. "Which rank are you?"

"My rank is "Marquis", Milady."

"What of Monsieur Andromalius?"

Sebastian scrunched up his nose ever so slightly. "He is also a Marquis."

She frowned. "Then…what rank is this Belial person?"

Sebastian's expression was tense. "He is one of the Four Crown Kings, Milady."

She swallowed. "So…one of the strongest, then?"

The demon nodded. "Yes."

A pause slipped by.

"What happened? I'm going to go out on a proverbial limb and assume you didn't make the choice to come to earth…"

Sebastian smiled faintly. "No. It was not my choice."

"Did you fight with this Belial person?"

"Yes.  Although it wounds my pride to admit it, I was defeated quite quickly. I never assumed his strength and speed would have been so great, but, all the same, that's a King for you."

"I don't understand, though…what happened? After you lost, he just dragged you along to earth with him?"

"Yes."

"Why? What was the point?"

"The duty of demons is to reside in the Void and devour the souls which the Gate of Truth has deemed 'unclean.'  This would be your human rendition of 'Hell.'"

"Do they taste bad, then?"

"Yes, very. These are twisted souls, Milady, black and foul. To say that they taste wretched would be a dismal understatement." He paused. "But they are weak, too. These souls don't provide much nourishment. Belial knew that with the severity of my wounds, I wouldn't have the strength to heal myself."

Cadencia looked stricken. "Then…he abandoned you to die….?"

Sebastian met her eyes and gave a solemn nod.  For a few moments, Cadencia wasn't sure of how to respond.

"Where…is he now? Do you know?"

"Regrettably, I haven't any idea."

"….Should I stop calling you, 'Sebastian?'" She asked.

"Why do you ask that, Milady?"

"Well....we both know it isn't your real name, so…."

Sebastian thought for a moment. "Logically, you are right, Milady. There does not seem to be a reason to continue using this name you've dubbed me with, and yet even though I can't fathom the reason why…" He dipped a slender finger under her chin. "I've grown rather fond of it."

It took her a second for his words to register. A smile twitched at the corners of her mouth.

"Milady…" He began, struggling with himself. "Would you lean on me again?"

She stared at him for a second, but the smile quickly came forward fully. "I will."

And Cadencia leaned against Sebastian, laying her head upon his shoulder. It was a far cry from it being his first time so physically close to a human female. He was close to a billion years old; it wasn't like he'd never seduced a woman. All the same, that was the root of the confusion. Cadencia lain against him, as many women had in the past, but the feeling that came from it was worlds apart in difference.

Yes, for some reason, this was different. It wasn't seduction, it wasn't simply carnal desire. It was something else entirely, something he'd genuinely never felt before. It confused, and to a small extent, even frightened him. The sensation of her against him was, in a word, ambrosial.

His mind wandered back to her soul. Oh, that delectable taste; finer than the most expensive wine and sweeter, and more tender than the ripest fruit, yet, sharper than the spiciest pepper, and…oh, some sort of underlying, subtle bitterness that just mingled in the most appetizing way…

For a brief moment, Sebastian lost himself in the pleasure of it all. The mere recollection of her soul made him slightly dizzy; the power of such a rare soul. Snapping back to his senses, Sebastian gave a start. His sudden jerk, rattled Cadencia, who had all but dozed off.

"Are you all right?"

Sebastian nodded, though he was inwardly in turmoil. With a heavy begrudging, he realized that he hadn't been thinking of her soul at all when she had lain against him, and he felt as though his entire core was shaking.

"Milady…" He said, fishing out the silver pocket watch Cadencia had gifted to him, but a few days ago. "We should head back to the mansion. It's nearly noon."

"You don't want to stay longer? It really is so lovely out."

"I am aware, Milady, but there are things we must attend to."

The demonic butler rose to his feet, and offered her his hand, which, as usual, she declined.

"What do we have to attend to, exactly?" She asked, confused.

"Why, dancing lessons, for one." Sebastian replied with his signature smirk.

Aww, Sebby doesn't quite get good old fashioned amour~

Sadly, Sebby belongs to Yana, not I~!

Chapter 13 ~>[link]
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HrrrDragon's avatar
Quick point out --> you missed the I in the direction thingy in this part near the beginning.
Do you think I fear rolling down this…this…<>mound</i>?

Anyway, awwwwww~ Sebby doesn't know what love feels like. That's so sweet~~