Ah... Thank you all for deciding to give this story a chance. it means a lot to me. Do feel free to review if you liked it, or even if you didn't. It all helps in the writing process anyway.

I would just like to thank a certain Phantomhive Child for supporting me and offering her opinions on this story, but also the readers who decided to give this story a chance, so thank you all :D

A dark aura followed Sebastian around that day. He thought little of it, choosing to concentrate on his butler duties. It was rather unsettling, and he was slightly disturbed by it, though he didn't show it. However, the presence seemed to only grow stronger, and by the time he had put Ciel to bed he could ignore it no longer.

He stepped out of his bedroom quietly, shutting the door carefully before sprinting off into the nearby forest, where the aura was the strongest. He arrived at a clearing, and looked around carefully, a knife already in his hand. He had taken only one step forward when he heard a hunting horn sounding.

He cursed his foolishness as he was surrounded by soldiers, clad in the armour of Hell's soldiers.

"What is the meaning of this?!" He snarled at them, considering taking to the skies in the hopes of outrunning them, though the telltale glint of metal from the trees hinted of archers, and he crossed off that option

A dark chuckle greeted his words. The soldiers parted smoothly to allow another demon to make his way to Sebastian, the nearest saluting him stiffly. Based on his armour and the way the others had reacted, he was clearly not an ordinary soldier.

"Agares!" Sebastian snarled. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Slowly his true form started to show itself, small horns sprouting on his head, his normal attire fading away to reveal his demonic garb, all skin-tight leather and buckles. Giant, black wings sprouted out of his back at almost the same time as his teeth lengthened into fangs and his shoes were replaced by high heeled boots. His tail appeared, flicking nervously.

The General, Agares, chuckled. "You have no power now, Prince Malphas. Your title is temporarily revoked, as you are to appear before the royal court to be prosecuted."

Sebastian was slightly confused by this. "What crime have I committed to be brought before my brothers for judgement?" He asked, as his eyes flickered over the soldiers, trying to think of a means of escape. The glint of metal in the tress hinted of archers, so flying wasn't an option.

Agares smiled. "You shall soon see. I highly suggest not resisting arrest. You will be brought to your knees soon enough," Sebastian finished his mental head count. There had to be at least two legions of soldiers there. He inwardly laughed.

"I won't go down without a fight."

"We shall see," Agares hissed.

The demons charged.

To his credit, Sebastian fought them off for two full minutes before he was overwhelmed. He hadn't been harmed too badly. The soldiers on the other hand, had suffered tremendous losses, more than half of them incapacitated.

He had fought elegantly. Beautifully, even. Smirking as he put his foot through one's head, and several knives through others. They wouldn't die, but would take a few hours to regenerate. No matter how many took down, more simply replaced them.

Finally, he was forced onto his knees before Agares, hands and wings bound by cursed rope. No matter how much he struggled, the ropes wouldn't break, and instead burned his skin. The general smirked as he bent down and flicked his forehead. Sebastian glared at him, and opened his mouth to hurl an insult at him, but was immediately hit on the head by something blunt. A trickle of blood flowed down his face.

He shut his mouth again, but still continued to glare at Agares, despite him not even looking at Sebastian. His back was turned as he supervised some other soldiers opening a portal back to hell.

Sebastian glanced around, meeting the gazes of various soldiers. Some were pitiful, others hateful. Most immediately adverted their gaze, too afraid to meet the eyes of a Prince, dishonored or not.

After a little while, Sebastian was yanked up by his hair and forced towards the portal, head tilted back and neck exposed. He snarled, unused to the rough treatment, but only got another blow on his head for his troubles. "Shut your mouth," a gruff voice commanded him, pushing him through the portal.

He landed face first on thorough floor of the central atrium, the high court of Hell. He struggled to his feet, unable to make use of his hands and wings. He looked around, curious despite himself. Guards blocked the doors, looking menacingly in his direction.

In front of him, on a raised platform forming a semicircle, his brothers sat, the other six princes of hell. He noted with a slight sense of dread that his usual seat, on the far right corner of the platform, where he sat when he passed judgement on other demons with his brothers, had been removed. The princes sat, glaring down at him with their blood-red eyes and masked coolness, betraying nothing of their true emotions. The atrium was fuller than normal, the demons who had gathered there to watch whispering excitedly.

Prosecutions were considered amusement in Hell, but today everybody was much more tense, seeing as how a prince was about to be judged. Everyone knew that no matter how small a crime committed, the penalty would be severe, even more so for one of royal blood.

The guards banged their spears against the floor, calling for silence. The chatter died down and everyone sat looking solemn once more. Vassago, the High Prince, stood up. "The trial for Prince Malphas will now commence," he announced, gazing at the audience.

The second prince, Orobas, looked down at a piece of parchment placed before him. "Prince Malphas, you have been summoned to this court today to be judged for your rash actions that have resulted in the death of another. Not only that, but one of your brethren, an infant prince of Hell!"

The crowd collectively gasped, and Sebastian was stunned. Another prince? He had not heard of such a thing. "When, pray tell, has there ever been another prince?" He asked, looking at Orobas coolly, though a flicker of confusion did cross his features.

Orobas slammed his hands down onto the table before him. "Do not lie, Malphas!" He roared. "You murdered the newly born prince, your own blood brother!" Another prince, Stolas, quietly coaxed him back into his seat, where he sat glaring at Sebastian.

"I do not lie!" Sebastian said, offended that he would be accused of such a thing. "I have had no word of another Prince being born!"

Immediately, sacred markings around the pentagon where he stood glowed golden, sending a powerful shock wave through him, causing his knees to buckle as an anguished cry came from his lips. Sebastian was not lying, but yet the magic had activated. He stood up shakily, scared that he had been punished for telling the truth.

Orobas sneered. "Several messengers were sent to find you, and all have reported that you acknowledged the birth. When you did not turn up for the coronation of a new prince, we assumed that it was because of your contract. Never did we expect you to be absent due to your own jealousy."

The third prince, Gaäp, cleared his throat and took over. "We saw several of your black feathers around the royal cradle, as well as ravens and crows. They took off as soon as we entered. The prince was dead. Poisoned. He had not even been named yet," he said, a quiet anger in his voice.

Sebastian flinched. It was true that he had control over those creatures, but he wasn't the only demon with that ability. Thankfully, the black feathers could prove nothing. Most demons had them.

"Gaäp!" He cried. "I do not lie! It wounds me that my even my own brothers doubt me!" Another shockwave was sent through him, and he fell to the ground once more, too weak to stand. The magic not only inflicted pain, but drained the demon's life force at the same time.

"Liar," hissed Gaäp. "Indeed," Orobas agreed. "You know just as well as the rest of us that there can only be seven Royal Princes in the court at any one time, and that you would be the one most likely to be replaced. And th-"

He turned to face one of his brothers who was nervously tapping him on his shoulder as they quietly whispered in his ear. He nodded grudgingly after listening for a few moments, only to start arguing with him quietly. Sebastian strained his ears to listen from where he lay, but couldn't catch any of it.

"Mother?" A high, childlike voice called from the front row. "Why won't Prince Malphas get up?" The demon's mother shushed him, all too aware of the consequences of actually defending the defendant.

"Your highness!" The voice called worriedly. "Please get up!" The Princes were now engaged in a quiet discussion among themselves over what the fate of their brother would be. The rest of the atrium was silent, watching the child.

He kept calling for Sebastian to get up, almost begging, despite his mother's attempts to shush him, until finally she lost her patience and clamped a hand over his mouth, effectively muffling his words.

By this time the Princes had finished arguing and were staring at him. "Yes, Malphas. Get up and face your punishment like a Prince should," Orobas mocked, smirking. Sebastian glared at him and stood up slowly after a long pause, beads of sweat gathering on his forehead and mingling with the blood that had yet to dry up.

Vassago handed a piece of parchment to a waiting demon. The Royal Executor of Decrees, Alastor. He cleared his throat loudly. "Prince Malphas is hereby found guilty of the murder of one of his own brothers, a Royal Prince Of Hell, on the belief that it would assure him of his throne in the High Court. His title is revoked, and is sentenced to a public execution that will neither be short nor pleasant," some demons clapped, though most remained silent, torn between amusement and the sadness that they were about to lose two of the royal family within a week of each other.

"Should," he added, a hint of amusement in his eyes, "He manage to escape, he is to be killed on sight. Any demon who brings back proof of his death will be rewarded greatly. That is what has been decided by the Princes of Hell. The trial is over."

"I did not kill him!" Sebastian protested again, and immediately the magic pentagon was activated, more powerful than before. He crumpled, this time staying down, though his eyes were still alert. He had barely any energy to remain conscious.,

"Liar..." Hissed the fourth Prince, Seere. "I am disappointed. Take him away! His execution date will be soon set." With that, the trial was over, and the Princes left the courtroom. The crowd slowly left, and the little demon who had begged Sebastian to get up could do little more than hide his tears.

Soon, he was dragged to his feet again, though he made no move to remain standing. A guard walked him to his cell, though wasn't overly violent. As the cell door was being closed, Sebastian looked up and met his guard's eyes.

"I am sorry, your highness." The guard whispered softly, closing the door.

He examined his prison thoroughly. It was covered in power suppressing runes, effectively making him human.

Sebastian sat down on the cold metal bunk, defeated and depressed. His brothers had abandoned him, his title was gone. He wasn't a Prince any longer, instead a disgraced criminal. He leaned his head against the wall and wept quietly.