It was hard to tell where this began, and when. How he knew what it was at all was somehow unimportant. There he sat on a chair, ornate and detailed, but black as starless night. He felt the weight of a crown on his head, and his clothes were the same color as his throne. Yes, it was a throne, now he realized it. All around were people, all dressed different, but all of their clothes the same midnight hue, and each stood in their own Square -- the entire floor was covered in them, alternating black and white.

A chess board, he thought, but not in a way that seemed surprised or alarmed. No, he was rather accepting. This was the place of battle, a war he'd been fighting since the day he'd taken up this throne he sat upon. He saw Meilin, Bard, Finian, his rook, his knight, his bishop. The pawns, they were faceless, expendable... members of the yard, of the dark underground of England -- Lau, Ran Mao, Undertaker... They barely glanced at him.

In the distance, he could see them -- the ones in white, faces old and dead and gone. Grell Sutclife. William T. Spears. Madam Red (so inapproriate, dressed all in white, her hair like a bloodstain on the board). More and more faces, his mind unable to comprehend their positions; Dagger, Joker, Beast, Freckles...

He felt a twinge of something painful when he watched her fall.

All of them protected their King, an unseen shadow beyond the edge of the board. And all the while there Ciel sat upon his chair, one leg crossed over the other. The advancing faces grew older, more obscure. Masked nobles with malicious smiles, and gleams in the holes meant for their eyes. The black and white of Ranks and Files were becoming smattered in red.

What's black and white and red all over?

Slowly, he rose from the chair. His legs tremmbled, his hands clenching the rests. The more they advanced, the more his heart raced. This was it. This was what he'd waited for. Then, somethign was there -- at the back of his neck, in his hair. Something loosened, slipped, the patch falling from his eye. The world doubled, and reasembled, depth revived. And then, he glanced up. His Queen, the ultimate piece. Able to move in all directions, unlimited, unhindered. Even taken, all it would take to revive the Queen was a persistant pawn. The Queen could never truly die.

Kill them he felt himself mouth. Fire burned in his skull.

And in a dark blur, Sebastian was gone from his side, the black and white tiles all coated red.

------------------


[ Ciel awoke with a jolt, a choked gasp, his hand flying to cover his right eye. Breathing heavily, he fummbled one-handed for his dream-berry, and shut it off. ]
Tags:

From: [identity profile] dealwithademon.livejournal.com


It's merely a statement of fact. I intend to change it, though. I won't go around in the dark forever.

From: [identity profile] madcuriosity.livejournal.com


You love sweets and Sebastian's tea. You can't cook or do your own clothes. You sometimes walk with a cane and you're very fond of chess.

From: [identity profile] dealwithademon.livejournal.com


[He doesn't want to admit it, but he's just a bit uneasy about this. Those things are all true, and obviously things she could have found out from Sebastian... but it's still a bit odd.]

Hm. You would seem to know me quite well. But I know nothing about you. Shouldn't you tell me? We're not very even right now.

From: [identity profile] dealwithademon.livejournal.com


'Friends', hm? . . .
So you're saying it's alright for you to know things about me, when I recall nothing about you?

From: [identity profile] dealwithademon.livejournal.com


I would ask you where you're from, but you sound British, so I think that answers that question. You sound really young... how old are you?

From: [identity profile] dealwithademon.livejournal.com


Eight and a half. [Hm. Younger than he had suspected. And yet she's somehow no worse than his Fiancee. Odd.] What kind of games do you like?

From: [identity profile] madcuriosity.livejournal.com


I enjoy all sorts of games! Like hide and seek and chess, I also enjoy cards. Really you should ask me what games I don't like.

From: [identity profile] dealwithademon.livejournal.com


[he pauses, smiling a little. It might seem mean to play games against someone so much younger, after all, he's clearly have the upper hand. Still, he can't help himself.] Perhaps we should play chess sometime. I'm usually quite busy, but coming to stay here has quickly cleared up my schedule.

From: [identity profile] madcuriosity.livejournal.com


Oh you would like to play a game of chess? Of course! That sounds like lovely fun!
.