Hello everybody! I have not written for the Kuro-fandom in quite some time. But I'm back with a new story, and I would love to hear that some of you are still out there, reading - and welcome to everyone who had not read one of my earlier stories yet.

The Phantomhive servants are going to have a lot to say in this story, and there's also Lizzy (in her recent Manga 'cute vs. tough girl'-characterization), the Marquise of Midford and a bit of Snake. But I needed a counterpart, so Angela had to step out of the Anime. I hope you don't mind this crossing-over of plots. After all, this is just one more attempt at getting Sebastian into trouble and watching him struggle his way out of it. I guess I'll never get enough of that :).

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and I do not hold any rights to Sebastian, Ciel , Lizzy or any of the characters I use in this story. I do not make money out of this.

+++Chapter 1: Lizzy Presses a Charge+++

Lady Elizabeth Midford dreamed: She was in her father's house, and sitting up in her bed she talked to the angel lady.

As Lizzy looked at herself, a small white figure like a porcelain doll, she realized that she was dreaming of the angel lady's first visit. She had come a couple of days ago, when Lizzy was tossing in her bed, sleepless, shedding bitter tears of concern and fear for Ciel. The angel lady had put a gentle hand on Lizzy's cheek and asked what was wrong. In the silvery moonlight she looked like something chiseled from ivory and spun of pure silver. Her white-feathered wings were magnificent, reminding Lizzy of a large swan. Her smile was gentle and serene. Not for one second did the girl doubt that her prayers had been answered.

Lizzy told the angel lady that she was deeply worried: 'Ciel is never happy anymore. He rarely smiles, and he walks around like there's a weight on his soul. Like there's something evil walking right behind him and casting its shadow where-ever he goes.'

'Well, what if there is?' asked the angel lady with her melodious voice.

'What can I do?' asked Lizzy. 'I love Ciel so much. I would do anything to help him.'

The feathered wings rustled like leaves in a summer breeze. 'Anything, child?'

Lizzy nodded, her voice choked with tears. Eyes of the color of amethyst stone rested on her. 'You are old enough to keep a secret, I believe.'

More nodding, astonished and a tiny bit curious.

'Very well. Then listen, child, as I tell you the secret of the Midford women.' The angel produced a little box and flipped open the lid. A single silver object like a small marble lay on a pillow of red velvet. 'This bullet was forged by Lady Margaret Midford, your ancestor in the early 16th century. Her husband was said to be possessed by an evil spirit. She used this bullet, and the curse was broken. You see, Elizabeth, this bullet has magical powers. All that needs be done is fire it with courage and a true and loving heart.' The angel held out the box to Lizzy. 'Since the days of Lady Margaret Midford this box has been passed down the generations, from mother to daughter. You're the last woman child in the Midford lineage, Elizabeth. May your ancestor's gift bring happiness to you and the young man whom you chose to give your heart.'

Lizzy accepted the box and marveled at the little silver bullet. 'What kind of gun does one need to fire it?'

'Any gun will do,' said the angel lady. 'But there is one thing that I need to ask of you: Once the evil that threatens your love's soul is marked, you need to call on the High Court for justice.'

'Justice?' Lizzy looked up, frowning.

'Do you think that Ciel would readily give over his soul?' asked the angel. 'Whatever evil has dug in its claws surely did so against his will.'

'But to summon a High Court? I don't want Ciel to get in trouble.'

'He won't,' the angel assured her. 'It's the evil one who must account for his actions. There are rules to be observed, after all. One of the rules is that a mortal must approve of a contract, and he must do so of his own free will. Another is that this particular High Court can only be called upon by a mortal.' The angel smiled enchantingly, 'That's where you come in, Elizabeth Midford. Consider it the debt you owe me for sharing your ancestor's story and providing the magical bullet.'

'How do I call on this High Court?' Lizzy was still not entirely convinced. For all the impact the angel's story and solemn words had had on her, there was something too hasty, too demanding in the visitor's demeanor now.

'Well, now that's easy,' said the angel. 'You wake up. Then you arrange for a visit at your fiancé's place. Once you're there, you find a pretext for firing a gun - '

'But I can't just go around shooting at - '

The angel lady silenced her, a long finger reaching out gracefully and stopping short of Lizzy's lips. 'Shh, my lovely. Of course you don't need to aim it at someone or something. You can fire it off right into the air. If your love for Ciel is as pure and true as I expect it to be, the bullet will find its way on its own.' The angel lady watched Elizabeth as if trying to read the girl's heart. 'That accomplished, you claim aloud that you, Lady Elizabeth Midford, call on the High Court to press your charge. Listen well, for this is crucial: You must demand the circumstances of Ciel Phantomhive's affliction with the forces of darkness investigated. You must say that you demand to know the truth, and you must say it aloud. Have you understood?'

Cold fear gripped at Lizzy's heart, 'Affliction with the forces of darkness? Ciel?'

The angel's eyes blazed, 'Have you understood, child?'

Even if Lizzy had wished to, she would not have dared turn the angel down now. The Lizzy who was watching her dream-self, remembered the awkward feeling as she heard her own tiny voice whisper, barely audible, 'Yes, I have.'

The angel lady's pretty face contorted as if in hatred, 'Then fire the gun. Fire it now!'

Lizzy screamed and jerked awake. She found herself on the clearing where the hunting party had put up camp. She was resting in a comfortable chair with a blanket over her knees. Ciel, her parents and her brother Edward were about, chasing game. Sebastian had gone to bring in the trophies. The Phantomhive maid and the chef were busy preparing picnic a couple of steps to her left.

Since the initial dream Lizzy had done a great job, first convincing her family to pay Ciel a visit and then talking Ciel into an afternoon of hunting and camping in the woods. But it was hardly more than the first steps of the angel lady's plan fulfilled. The dream and the order to spring into action had reminded Lizzy of that.

From her purse, Lizzy produced the little box and the silver bullet on its velvet cushion. She had found it upon awakening from the initial dream, on that dreary night five days ago. It had rested on her bosom. Even in her sleep, she had held it clasped tightly to her fluttering heart with both hands.
She let the bullet fall on to her palm now. Slowly, dreamlike, she reached beside her chair for one of her mother's guns. Just because they didn't invite her to join in the hunt it didn't mean that she hadn't been taught how to shoot. Lizzy raised the gun to her shoulder. She could hear the hunting party crashing through the brush somewhere behind her, right-hand side. So she trained the gun in the other direction and well above the heads of people mounted on horses – or the crouching servants, for that matter. She must not risk hurting real people.

And the angel lady had said that the bullet would find its way.

Lizzy closed her eyes and pulled the trigger, trusting in the truth of her dream and the angel's words.

The shot cracked.

A gust of icy wind shook the leaves of the forest. A noise carried on the draft, an eerie sound like so many voices sighing in sorrow and pain. A flock of birds rose from the brush, shrieking. Lizzy felt the flesh on the back of her neck start to creep.

'Milady!' Bard and Mey-Rin came on running.

'I, Lady Elizabeth Midford, press my charge,' she said aloud. The gun was wrenched from her hands. 'I demand investigation. Whatever evil follows in Ciel's shadow... in the shadow of those trees ... please, I want ... I demand to know the truth.'

'Milady!' Mey-Rin held her by the shoulders and shook her. 'Milady, you've had a nightmare. Please, you must wake up.'

Lizzy tried to smile at her, 'It's alright, Mey-Rin. I only - ' did something very, very bad. The sudden voice of conscience in her head alarmed her.

Beside her chair, Bard was down on one knee checking the weapon, a hard look on his face. 'I'll eat my cap if I didn't hear that thing hit someone,' he mumbled.

As if in response, a horse neighed somewhere nearby.

'Ciel?' Lizzy whispered. Getting up, she pushed past the maid and, gathering up her skirts, rushed forward. In her mind's eye, the angel lady laughed and clapped her hands.

Bad girl. Bad girl. Now, who would've thought you could be such a –

'No,' whispered Lizzy, when she saw Ciel lying on the ground. Her hands went to her mouth to stifle a scream.

Bad girl!

Ciel had stirred up a fine mountain cock and raised his gun, when a gunshot exploded nearby and a sudden cold gust startled his horse into prancing on its hind legs.

'Hey, hey, hey!' Ciel possessed the presence of mind to make sure that no stray shot was fired. But he lost his balance in the effort and slid to the ground. It was a rather controlled, soft landing which was probably the reason why his butler wasn't immediately there to catch him.

But as he looked down at his hands he realized that the ground had changed: There were no fir needles, no moss, no fragrant dark soil, and no sign of the secret, small insect life that usually populated the moist, rotting material. He was crouching on polished dark boards. Looking up, his nose almost hit the banisters in front of him. A dock. He was standing in a dock, and there was also a witness stand and a standing desk, all carpentered from shining mahogany wood. The domed ceiling was adorned with murals of all kinds of jurisdiction in progress, blindfolded women holding up scales of justice, men wielding giant swords, priests and kings, gallows, guillotines alongside illustrations that seemed to have been borrowed straight from the Sistine Chapel itself: scenes of Heaven welcoming the souls of the just, and scenes of Hell receiving the truly wicked.

He was in a courtroom.

In front of him, there was a semi-circle of desks, and seated behind those desks four figures clad in linen cowls. They looked vaguely like medieval monks. Wide hoods shaded their faces completely. They might be human. Or they might not be human at all.

'The contractor has arrived,' said a voice that probably belonged to the figure on the left. It seemed to hold a special office, for its cowl was dyed a bright red whereas the other three were kept in a modest earth brown.

'Who are you?' asked Ciel, starting to get to his feet.

'Don't touch him,' snapped the figure that was seated beside the red one. 'Honestly. These beasts have no respect for anything.'

Ciel saw and deliberately grabbed the white-gloved hand that was offered to him.

'The culprit has arrived,' said the red figure, voice syrupy.

'Sebastian?' whispered Ciel. 'Where are we?'

'A High Court.' Sebastian scanned their opponents. 'It seems that I've been officially accused.'

Judging by the hard look in the demon's eyes this place was not only weird. It was highly dangerous.

And, Ciel realized with some alarm, they were caught in it together.

+++End of Chapter 1+++

A/N: Well, the stage is prepared. Sebastian thinks he knows what he's in for. He doesn't. Trust me. :) Please feel free to review! I really hope to get some 'Story Alerts'; knowing that there are people waiting for the next chapter is such a motivation for bringing it online all the quicker :) .