~CHAPTER SIX~

"To be, or not to be"

- Shakespeare.

Sometimes I think that the world will end in a variety of ways, for a variety of reasons.

As one of the Deveron's servants took our small bags (in case things got out of hand), I thought of how the poor hunched old man who had taken them thought it would all end.

Maybe he just thought that his world had already ended and he was just waiting to drop dead any second, like he had nothing to go home to, I doubted that he could go home at all… He looked like he was pretty close to death as well.

He struggled to pick up the weightless bags, what the hell had they done to him? Instead of having to feel horrible for the rest of the trial, I plucked the bags off him effortlessly and let him grab my elbow as we arrived at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the Deveron's court room.

I could hear people whispering and pointing as we ascended the steps, including Lester and Lucy.

The old man was smiling for what would have been the first time in a long time. That was, until the guards saw him, he was tugging the bags off my arms and trying to look like he had carried them the whole way. I stopped him where he shook.

"Don't worry," I whispered and smiled at him, whilst taking the bags slowly out of his shaking hands, "I won't let them touch you."

At that he was smiling ear to ear. The guards weren't though… Three of them stormed over to where I was helping the man up the steps.

"YOU! Get off him you foul old pig! Get back to work or we'll double your whipping!" One of the three soldiers announced loudly.

I stepped slightly between the man and the soldiers, in their destruction path was more like it…

"Did you just threaten an old man who could barely carry three very small bags..? My my, what will your mothers think?" I joked, but the antagonism was still clear in my voice.

Their faces turned red in a split second, this made me smile even wider. The frail man was thanking me multiple times and Lester and Lucy finally caught up and immeadiantly saw the situation.

"Is there a problem here guards?" Lester asked, looking at them with the sternest look an old guy can give.

"Yes! This man is aiding a servant! How could he even look at such scum?" Another soldier shouted.

Lester's face was enraged, probably just as mine was… How dare he call someone this sweet and old scum!

"If aiding the elderly is a bad thing than I am just as much a scum as he is!" I pulled the man to my side, the hand I wasn't holding the old man with was clenched tightly into a fist, "Now if you'd kindly move…"

"Sir…" The guard said, correcting me, still furious.

"Oh please… It's Sebastian," I said proudly, pushing my way past them but not before leaning over to the guards to whisper in one of their ears, "Just so you know, if I hear any incidents like this happen again… You won't be dealing with me verbally, that's a promise…"

The man turned a deep shade of red before stopping us at the doors… His face looked calmer now; obviously I had taken this to a level that he didn't like.

"Is that a threat?" He growled at me.

I turned my head and pushed his arm away from the door in one swift move before stepping down hard on his foot.

"As much as you're a"- I was cut off by the scream of a little girl.

I whipped my head around to see a little girl running away from one of the guards who had water spilt all down the front of him and a wooden bat in his hand… Do they have no sympathy?

"Hey asshole!" I snarled at the passing man.

He stopped and turned to me as the little girl ran behind Lucy and Lester, Lucy started to try and calm her. Poor thing.

"What did you just say?" He said swinging the bat playfully over his shoulder.

"Geez, two guys hurting elderly and infants in one place in less than ten minutes… How awful… Not that I had expected anything more from the Deveron's security, but this," I gestured to the girl, "Is ridiculous."

He moved closer to me, I was still a few feet taller than him and I could smell the alcohol on his breath so he would obviously be a slow fighter, probably was anyways, judging by his size…

"And what the hell are you going to do about it?" He slurred his breathing was heavy.

Lester decided to come in then, just as I opened my mouth to say something smart back. He patted me on the back and dragged me back from the man a bit. He looked at the man, expecting him to now be angry with him… But his glare didn't waver; my glare was just as consistent.

"How's about we step it down a bit guys, the trial is about to start…" Lester tried to sooth.

"How's about no, if he has a problem he can deal with me…" The drunken man growled, surprisingly in control of his liquor at times like these. This showed me he is determined when he wants to be. Noted.

Lester grabbed my arm and whispered that we were already late and the little girl was with her grandfather, the old man I'd helped up the steps. I finally gave in resisting; I turned around and stalked off, deciding not to make much of a scene than there already was. That was until he spoke again…

"THAT'S HIM! Sebastian Holt? That asshole is a Holt?" I stopped in my tracks, "Spitting image of his father then…"

Lester was immeadiantly swearing under his breath. I could hear the retreating footsteps behind me; it was good that he had a head start… I felt like an animal then, one that was hunting my prey. To wear it out before killing it…

And that's exactly what that man was, he wasn't human, he was an 'it'… He didn't even deserve life, hurting children and elderly, and then…

I turned faster than I thought I was capable of, my gaze hard on the retreating, laughing man whose eyes turned to stone as soon as he watched how fast I had turned. I knew I was a bit too… Inhuman myself, when someone insulted me or my family…

He looked at Lester who shrugged, knowing that he deserved what was coming to him… But when I took a quick glance at Lester, he realized I was going for more than fatal wounds… I wanted to kill him…

He was yelling for the man to run, I saw in the reflection of the crystal pillars that Lucy had covered her mouth, but I only looked over there for a second before returning to the man who was stumbling towards the door of the entrance.

I slowly reached down to my boot where my dagger was and retrieved it. I threw it, aiming for the wooden wheels that had opened the door before and it sliced through one of the ropes holding the wheel together, it came apart and the doors closed instantly.

I watched the crowd jump back in shock; they were all staring at me, waiting for me to do something else.

I started towards the confused man; he ran across the room and tried all the locked doors. I yanked my knife out of the wheel where it had stuck into the wood. I spun, throwing it again. Everyone was watching silently, wondering what would happen.

The knife flew past the people standing in the way and hit the guy in the leg, causing him to collapse with a shriek.

I was next to him faster than it took the knife to travel from my hand to his leg, I wrenched the knife out of his shin, hearing him scream felt weird, I would be a murderer after this… Then, they'd have something to send me to court for.

I raised my hand above my head and looked into the shaking man's eyes.

"If the Holt's are as stupid as you make them out to be… Then why are you quivering at one of their blades?" I asked before plunging the knife into the tiles inches from his head. I gave him time to register the knife that was so close to his ear that there was a slight indent where it was touching him, then I yanked it back out, cutting his ear a bit in the process.

"I don't kill drunks," I spat, standing up and brushing myself off.

I walked back over to where Lester and Lucy were standing, shocked beyond belief. Their gazes tried to reach mine but I was already stalking off and out of that darn entrance…

This made me think… If this was just the entrance, then what's the courtroom going to be like?

I pushed oped the two large doors effortlessly.

~ONE MILLION BEAUTIES, ONE BEAST~

There were already crowds scattered everywhere, Lucy and Lester followed me inside looking around at how huge it was.

There were so many rows of seats, most of which were already filled with people, and there was still all the frightened people at the entrance. There was a large platform; it had white tiled floors and dark red smooth looking walls. The rest of the room was black tiles and wooden seating. There were two wooden boxes at the front of the room, right before the platform.

Everything and everyone was looking up to one point which was where Julius Fieners himself was sitting; he was the son of the very rich and very famous Dorian Fieners. They knew my father very well apparently, that's what Lester had told me anyways.

He looked old for his age, he had to be around forty-five now, yet he has the complexion of a sixty year old… He had huge round glasses that sat on the pointed bridge of his nose. He was wearing a long robe and his hair was covered by a wig of fake white ringlets.

His eyes landed on me and looked out the open doors at the scene behind me, shaking his head he went back to the papers he was sorting.

Lester grabbed my arm and steered Lucy and I through the large crowd that were lined up trying to find a seat. You'd think they'd have a special entry for suspected criminals, I guess not.

"I didn't think we were this popular…" I said looking over the heads of uncertain people; they were about to start piling up or something by the looks of it.

"We're not, you are," Lester said plainly and I knew what he meant right away, they wanted to see what had actually become of the boy who used to be all smiles and rainbows…

My answer was the sarcastic jerk with good hair.

Lester finally found where we were supposed to be, I was in the wooden box and Lester and Lucy were in two chairs behind it. There was a little door where I could step into the box and sit down in the tall chair inside of it.

"Lester," I whispered, leaning back so I could face him properly.

"What is it?" He asked seeing my nauseous expression.

"Two things… One, there is blood on my seat. Two, I'm nervous, can you hold my hand?" I winked up at them both, smiling gleefully.

"One thing Sebastian… Suck it up," He hissed back, smiling just as wide.

He sure knew how to play my games. After endless years of it, you'd think he'd know… I turned so I was facing them both, leaning over the small space between us.

"Sebastian, you looked like you knew that man, when you saw him before…" Lucy whispered.

She nodded in the direction of the Julius Fieners, I glanced over there. He was talking to some assistants or something.

"Yeah, his Father, Dorian Fieners was very famous. He's been known to bust every single case he's ever had," I whispered back to her.

She looked amazing today, as always. I don't think she even tries to look good. Her hair was tied with a pale green string into a messy bun, but she had two braids going up from her ear to the top of her bun. She was wearing the exact same colour as her ribbon; it was knee length and had lots of lace.

But it wasn't her clothes that I was day-dreaming of… It was her, the way she wanted to know everything and will do anything to find out whatever she needs to know, or do even.

She was always worrying about everything, but everyone did that… But right now she looked like she only wanted a conversation, a distraction… From what?

"Lucy?" I asked looking up at her worried face as her ice eyes flickered across the room.

Her parents. Were they here? Had she seen them? Lester saw what was troubling her at the same time that I did and patted her back. She looked like if she could be anywhere but here she would go there at any price.

"It's okay, just please don't get distracted by them if they're here okay?" I said, trying to soothe her.

She nodded at the exact same time that the doors flew open and Prince Lucien stormed in, with about ten soldiers following him. Was he worried about someone attacking him? Well… There goes that plan…

I laughed at my thought, causing every eye in the room to turn to me, including Prince Lucien's. His gaze slowly lifted up to Lucy, who I felt stiffen from three feet behind me. He winked at her and then looked back at me before continuing to his own little boxy thing.

Lester's hand was on my shoulder and Lucy was saying something like how she was going to throw up all over him if he won. But he wouldn't win… Right?

I gritted my teeth, bending over and clasping my hands together. We were all nervous, but Lucy and Lester didn't have a certain cockiness that could get them into even more trouble.

Everyone sat down at the same time then as Julius slammed the gavel on the desk in front of him, calling the court room to order.

"We are here today to do what?" He asked rather rudely to the crowd.

"To put Sebastian Holt where he belongs!" Someone yelled.

I turned my head laughing at the comment before a chorus of them started.

"Yeah! On the streets with the rest of the rats!"

"He kidnapped Princess Lucy of Cleofel Castle!"

"He isn't even human!"

"He nearly killed someone in the entrance!"

"JUST LIKE HIS FATHER!"

…

That did it. Lester pushed me back down in my seat, none of the other comments had bothered me but I knew everyone was waiting for a comment about that. This started another bunch of yells from the crowd.

"I heard that he wasn't even in the house at the time!"

"Well I heard that he was too busy brushing his horse to even bother looking for them!"

"Yeah? Well I heard that he was severely burnt by the flames himself!"

That guy was cool. Thank god someone stopped the yelling… I swear if Lester wasn't holding me down that I would have gotten up and sworn colourfully at the crowd before leaving.

"Well guess what I heard! He started the fire to get the whole family's fortune for himself!"

"WELL GUESS WHAT I HEARD!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, standing up, shrugging Lester's hands off and facing the crowd, "The guy who said I got hurt is right… So… STOP YOUR FREAKING YELLING! IT'S HURTING MY EARS!"

Everyone sat down and was quiet for the rest of the five minutes that Lucien told his side of the story.

"Well, I asked him to do his job and rescue a Princess for me, Princess Lucy," He nodded toward her and she shook her head in disgust, I smiled, "I told him what I was prepared to pay him and he accepted, I gave him a deadline that he didn't make, therefore the money wasn't given to him," He took a breath to continue but not before I cut in.

"That's a load of crap! He set me up so I wouldn't make the deadline, just so he wouldn't have to pay me the money!" I yelled.

"Wait your turn Mr Holt!" The judge yelled back.

"Like hell! I'm not going to stand here and watch a man lie to a judge!" I growled.

"Then sit!" That was the end of it and Lucien continued warily.

"He then injured one of my men and took the money and Princess Lucy of Cleofel Castle… The lord only knows what he's been doing to her to make her say whatever he wants her to," He said, turning towards me at the end.

"I haven't touched her!" I shouted over at him.

"It's true! I'm fine! I would rather be at his castle than have to rot away in yours!" Lucy yelled at him, obviously angry that he thought I would hurt her… I was as well.

"I wonder how many whippings you were given to make you say that," Lucien said acting disgusted.

This was getting ridiculous; I wanted to hit him so badly. Then shake the judge until he saw the truth.

The judge banged his gavel again and then asked me for my side of the story.

"When I was taking her to his castle, there were hunters and they stopped us and questioned us about where we were going. They slowed us down! Then I was one second late when we got to the castle and he said that we weren't going to get any money, then"-

"When you say 'we weren't going to get any money' who else do you mean?" The judge questioned suspiciously.

"Lester and I… Anyways, then I asked him if he'd set us up and he admitted to doing so! Then the hunters walked in and some of them grabbed Lucy, quite brutally might I add, and then one of the hunters was going to try and kill me so I disabled him in defence! Then after he had given up, Lucy said that she'd prefer to go with me rather than stay with this despicable piece of human!" I spat at Lucien at the end.

"I see…" The judge said looking back and forth between us.

"Oh! And just so you know your honour," Lester said standing up, "You should really keep your demons under control; don't you have men doing those jobs? One of them attacked us the other night…"

Julius's face was one of sheer surprise, and expression of which I was sure many people hadn't seen in a while…

"What kind of demon was it?" The judge asked Lester, suspicion growing in his eyes as he called one of his assistants over to write whatever Lester was going to say down.

"It was an 'Unguibus multis periculis' your honour," Lester stated, there were many gasps from the ground.

"This isn't a matter of why we're here!" Lucien yelled, annoyed.

"If a demon is loose, it is much more important than another one of your disputes," Julius stated firmly, forcing Lucien down into his seat.

"Do you have any proof?" He asked and Lester patted my back so I would show them.

I lifted my shirt up to show a bandage with some dried blood on it wrapped securely around my sides. There were more shocked gasps from the crowd, even from Lucy.

"Wow… Is he okay?" One of the assistants asked.

"I've had worse," I smiled at the shy girl who blushed deeply.

"In fact! He saved me from it! Proving that he truly didn't want me getting hurt! He would never kidnap anyone unless it was completely necessary! And I haven't even known him long!" Lucy stated proudly. I smiled up at her in silent thanks.

"She's just saying that! Didn't you see her jump at the chance of getting him out of this! Didn't you see what he did to that man out there?" Lucien shouted, slamming his fists on the ledge of the wooden box. Ouch.

"Indeed, but I also saw you trying to change the subject when Lester here changed the subject to demon attacks… You wouldn't happen to know anything about them Prince Lucien? Just remember, anything you say can be held against you in court…" The judge said, I breathed a sigh of relief.

"What? You're kidding right?" Lucien stood up.

"I believe anything I say is very serious, not humorous…" He fired back.

"I can't believe this!" Lucien shouted, running his shaking hands through his hair.

"I can…" I said as I glared at him.

He spun and faced me, glaring right back. He lifted his hand and pointed right at me.

"You're dead," He growled as he jumped the ledge and prowled towards me.

I opened the mini door and stepped lightly out of it and between him and Lucy, that was my only priority right now… Don't let him take Lucy.

"Gentlemen, if you'd kindly sit down before security makes you…" Julius's voice was barely audible over our growls.

"Move…" Lucien snarled, if we were dogs he would have won best growl award for sure. But I knew that mine was way worse, I didn't even make a noise, which aggravated him further.

"No," I said calmly back.

"I will make you…" He stated like I'd never beat his men who were probably professionally trained to a pulp.

"Don't touch her," I whispered back.

Everyone was silent, trying to hear what we were saying.

Prince Lucien smiled widely; he patted me on the shoulder and stood back a few steps. He pointed at Lucy this time and looked at the judge.

"He's in love"- He didn't get to finish the sentence because he was already coughing up blood.

He double over in pain as the whole crowd started to yell and leave before they got hurt as well. Smart people… I kicked him in the side and he rolled over coughing up more blood.

When he recovered he smiled up at me with blood all over his teeth. He started to laugh and cough at the same time. He got to his knees and tried to steady himself so he could stand.

"He loves her," He whispered hoarsely so only the judge could hear.

I brought my foot up and swung it hard and kicked him. He flew backwards, unconscious and fell to the floor a few feet away from where he was. I walked up to his limp body and spat on it.

I nodded to the Judge who said that he'd investigate some more and tell us when he would see us again. He then packed up his things and asked security not to touch me but to get Prince Lucien to the nearest infirmary.

"Thank you for your time!" I yelled after him.

I turned back towards Lester and Lucy, ready to cop it… Lucy was gone… Did she hear? Not that what Lucien said was true or anything…

"Where is she?" I asked, searching the room as fast as possible, not missing anything.

"She left…" Lester looked anywhere but me, and I winced.

"Why?" I baulked.

"No idea…"

"Well crap."

PHEW! Nearly 4,000 words! Geez… This took me a few days to type... :P That was weird… Well, I hope you guys understand how the Deveron is now…

"What's more important, a good man or a good idea?" ~ Mary Poppins. :D Kind of explains the Deveron to you…

So yeah… That's that chapter… Hope you guys enjoyed it thoroughly! haha… Review please! 3 I'd love you forever if you did!