George had not been angry in a very long time; he couldn’t be bothered to. Anger normally meant that you cared and he had nothing to care about, to cherish in centuries. Not until he met Ciel. The little fairy that flew from the heavens like a seductive fox spirit had bewitched him from first sight. He had to admit that he had been angry when he heard Madam Huo’s careless words but he was furious when he felt Ciel tackle him, realized that he had risked danger to stop him. And apparently he was not the only one.

Looking at the glittering eyes of lord Hong and Madam Huo, George knew that they had been angered by what had happened earlier. But… who was yelling at whom now? He helped Ciel up while Hong Yang had helped his mother to her feet. The four of them grouped in the centre of the stage and stared at each other. Ciel was the first to start.

“What were you thinking?! Were you trying to kill my grandmother?!”

George reeled back and realized that his last move had been excessive. Off the side of the stage, there was still a commotion as Captain Chen and his guards were trying to restore order and help the injured. He tried his best to recollect the last moments before he launched his attack but he came up blank. There seemed to have been a hiss that told him to get rid of the nuisance and he had blindly complied. The thought that he had been controlled sent cold sweat down his back. It did not feel like his dragon madness; he was still sober and clear headed when he fought Madam Huo. It was just an insidious voice that he almost did not hear telling him that he had to eliminate the tiresome ant before him. His hands clenched and he heard Ciel hiss in pain, his hand still in his. George released them and looked at Ciel, his emotions in a whirl. While he was trying to sort himself out, Madam Huo started on Ciel.

“That did not give you the right to barge onto the stage like that. Were you trying to get yourself killed?”

Ciel gave a pout. “George wouldn’t hurt me.”

“That is beside the point! I could have hurt you! If I had countered instead of avoided, you could have met with an accident!”

“I couldn’t just let you get hurt!”

“Shut up the both of you!” Hong Yang looked at all three of them before continuing. “The match is over and I declare it a draw. All of you get to the inn first. I’ll deal with you after I settle the damages!” Hong Yang got off the stage massaging his temples. He exchanged a few words with Chen Liang before heading towards the damaged building. Two guards came over and addressed them.

“Madam and guests, the lord has asked us to escort you back to the inn. Please follow us.” There seemed to be a silent plea in their eyes, asking them to comply obediently. They were no match for George or Madam Huo. George gave a sigh and grabbed Ciel’s arm.

“Lead the way.”

They followed the guards back to the inn. Along the way, both Ciel and Madam Huo were sulking, both refusing to look and each other or George. The audience who watched the match also gave the five of them a wide berth when they saw them approaching. It wasn’t Madam Huo they feared; no, the irascible Madam Huo was fine. They all knew here temperament. It was that black-haired rogue that just launched a killing move without so much as a twitch on his face that was much more dangerous. George could only give himself a wry smile. It was his own fault, he knew. But then his face grew sombre again. His actions earlier were dangerous. Not because he had just launched an attack with the intent to kill but because he had no qualms launching it.

Ever since he knew that he would kill indiscriminately whenever he fell to his dragon madness, he had kept an iron grip on his sanity. It wasn’t easy but at least he had managed to keep track of it. But this time, this time was not the blank memories that came when the dragon raged. This time, it was as if the dragon sat on his shoulder and hissed suggestions that he followed without a second thought. It was as if the dragon was not satisfied that he was unconscious when he killed, as if he wanted George to be there with eyes wide open when he plunged the knife. He rubbed his temple, as if hoping to expel that devious serpent from his mind.

“George?”

He turned to see Ciel’s concerned eyes looking at him. He gave a faint smile “I want to say I’m fine but that part where I just launched a killing attack at your grandmother…”

There was no point hiding. It was better that he laid it out in the open; perhaps Ciel or his relatives would know what to do. He could see Ciel hesitate. “No, we’ll discuss this when we get back to the inn…” he finally sighed. George agreed; the fewer people who knew about this the better. While they were talking, they had reached the inn. Passing by the teahouse next to the inn, the normally boisterous eatery had slowly become silent when they saw them pass. Madam Huo threw them a dirty look and was about to turn into the shop when the guard standing beside her intervened.

“Madam, please. Our instructions were to take you back to your quarters.” He looked frightened, as if the words he had just spoken had taken every last ounce of his courage. Ciel seemed to have taken pity on the poor soldier since he grabbed his grandmother’s sleeve. “Please, grandmother, let’s wait for uncle Yang inside. Besides, I’m hungry…” he threw her a pitiful look that normally softened his father very well. George guessed that she would fall too; he was right. She gave a sigh and followed the guards into the inn. They gave Ciel a grateful look when they entered before saluting and leaving.

Inside, Madam Huo was issuing orders to the reception. “Place them in the guest chambers near mine and Hong Yang’s courtyard. And bring some refreshments over.”

“It has been done, Madam.” The man at the reception had been quick witted enough to change their rooms as soon as the servant had reported to him that lord Hong Yang had stopped them for a chat.

“Good. Take them to their courtyard. I’m going to see the damages.”

“Madam…” there was a note of pleading from the receptionist. Apparently Madam Huo’s troublemaking skills were legendary. Madam Huo threw them a dark look. But she felt a tug on her sleeve again and looked at a pair of watery blue eyes blinking pathetically at her. She threw her hands in surrender and marched into the inn again.

“Keep up!”

George pinched Ciel’s waist. “Naughty.”

“As long as she doesn’t cause any more trouble…” Ciel’s ears were a delicate shade of pink. George wanted nothing more than to nibble those tempting lobes. But he kept those thoughts to himself as he steered Ciel by the waist after Madam Huo. He didn’t want her to set the inn on fire because of impatience. They soon reached a beautiful courtyard that was decorated with bamboo and plum trees. There was a stone table and benches in a pavilion next to the trees, allowing the one to sit in the shade and enjoy themselves there. Manicured bushes and dwarfed trees were planted artfully to provide both something to see as well as privacy for the visitors in the garden. A stone path led to a veranda and a lacquered door beyond that.

“This is your courtyard. Mine and Yang’s are next to it. I’ll go freshen up and join you in about an hour.”

“All right, grandmother.” Ciel was being rather obedient now. Madam Huo looked at him suspiciously.

“Whenever your mother answered as obediently as you did, that’s usually a precursor to mischief to come.”

“No, grandmother, I’m tired and hungry. And where would I go?” his phoenix eyes widened and looked hurt at her suspicion.

She still looked at him suspiciously but left, muttering “Who did he learn this from? I doubt his straight-laced father behaved like this but why did he allow it? No discipline at all… tsk!”

Ciel watched her go before pouting turning to George to ask. “Am I really that bad?”

George pulled him into his arms and kissed that pout away. “No. Even if you were, I’d still love you. And if you want to be spoiled, I’ll spoil you all you want.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.” Ciel was blushing again and hid his face in George’s shoulder. George had to smile at his bashful look. “Were you this thin-skinned? I thought you were the bold and shameless Ciel.”

“Shut up.” came the muffled reply.

“Let’s go in. I need a bath.” He kissed the top of Ciel’s head and pulled him into the room with him. They entered and to George’s relief, a bath was already prepared in a portioned off area of the room. He walked behind the screen and started stripping before he eased himself into the hot water. It was then that he noticed that the room was unusually quiet.

“Ciel?”

“Hmmm?”

“Are you all right?”

“Yes.” He sounded vague and distracted.

“Really?” George got up, ready to go to the other side of the screen to check on him. There was a sound of splashing water before…

“No!”

“What?”

“I, I mean don’t come over. Take your bath first.” Ah, mystery solved. His little Ciel was shy.

“Are you sure?” the rogue in him couldn’t be contained.

“Yes!”

“I don’t believe you. Come here and let me see.”

“No!”

“Should I go over then?”

“Bully!” there was a sound of footsteps and a slamming door. George gave a chuckle and sped up his bath. He couldn’t let Ciel wander the garden alone. Not when there was so many chances to be more intimate with him in such a romantic setting. But he frowned when he washed the back of his neck. The skin there did not feel right. It felt, scaly… managing to get his fingers under one of the protuberances on his skin, he gripped it and gave a tug. He winced in pain but his face was contorted even worse when he saw the greenish brown scale covered in blood that glittered in his hand.