Hello everyone! After a long period of break and rethinking how the plot should be, I have restarted this series! Thank you so much for y'all patience and I appreciate the support you gave me for the previous version of this book. Please continue to support me! Thank you 33
"Hmm? Phantomhive?" The young lady questioned with disinterest. "I thought they were dead." She flicked her knight and knocked down a bishop. The woman then picked up the conquered piece, giving it a glance over, before carelessly tossing it to the side. Even a stranger or a dense person could tell that this woman had an extremely short attention span. It would be hard to even keep her company for a few minutes.
"Hehe so did I! Imagine my surprise when a little boy came back and became Earl Phantomhive." Queen Victoria chuckled, looking at her chessboard. After the queen made her move, immediately the lady across from her struck down the King piece. Grinning in slight amusement by her victory the woman paid her Majesty more attention as her violet eyes looked more attentive. "Checkmate, your Majesty." The lady laughed.
"Oh dear, this is the thirty sixth round in a row that I lost. Do be a sweetheart and not tell anyone about this old woman's incapability to play chess." Queen Victoria grinned, displaying an expression of being flustered. The Queen's opponent stared at her momentarily, thinking whether if the Queen was truly feeling embarrassed or if she was playing a kind old woman role. Her calculating look disappeared as quickly as it came as she laughed. "Please, your Majesty, we both know that you were holding back. What was the real reason that you requested for my audience?"
"Aren't you a sharp one? I'm relieved that my cousin had such a reliable descendent to take his place. Be sure you visit and befriend the Earl, it'll benefit both you and I greatly. It can increase your net of connections, and it can guarantee a better efficiency in tasks for me. I'd like to see my dear cousin's granddaughter and the Earl become great friends." The very demand made the woman wrinkle her face in obvious disgust. Partially because her pride hurts from being treated like a child, and because she WILL be dealing with a child.
"I beg your Majesty to refer me as a human being and not a toy...I am a lady of freedom and I can choose who my companions are." The lady sighed as she sipped her tea. The queen sighed at the only person in the entirety of England who spoke to her like that. In some ways, it was certainly refreshing.
"How dare you speak to the queen like that?" A man with white hair demanded. He was wearing a white tailcoat with white trousers, making his entire wardrobe colour palette white. His sword was pointed towards the lady and Camellia glanced up. To her, it was obvious he was using any chance he could to just throw her off of her world of amusement, which he had never succeeded once. This time, it wouldn't be any different.
"What? Oh it's just Charles number two." She smirked, her amethyst eyes glittered as she watched the young man twitch with tilted her head, her chestnut brown hair was braided and looped up, pinned neatly at the back of her head. She was wearing a dark green and black dress made of velvet and she wore a pair of black opal earrings, or also known as fire opals.
"Y-you..." He snarled at the woman who didn't give him a single moment of respect. He was extremely close to pierce the tip of his weapon into her mocking amethyst eyes but was stopped by the Queen. Victoria chuckled and waved her hand casually, causing Charles to lower his sword in a huff.
"It is alright. I have a very enjoyable time when I am with you, Camellia."
"I am honoured to hear that. And she is right, do relax ." She teased. Charles mumbled something under his breath and Camellia just grinned. She picked up her cup again and took small sips while the Queen smiled fondly at her. "It's been so long is it not, Camellia? I would like to catch up with you."
Camellia nodded absently, encouraging the Queen to continue with her grandmotherly talks. She was more interested in the mix of tea leaves in her drink than hearing Victoria talk about biscuits with the old noblewomen during afternoon tea.
"So, have you gotten yourself a fiancé? Or at least a gentleman caught your eyes? I do know a few gentlemen who are excited to take your hand for marriage. Let's take the Chancellor's son for example, the Ambassador from Germany...or do you prefer handsome youths such as the Viscount? Oh! I heard that you had a few marriage proposals but they were withdrawn immediately because of your small hissy fits. Or was it because you already accepted an offer?"
Camellia gagged and her face scrunched up into a scowl and utter disbelief. She began coughing heavily and when she calmed down, she dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief. Clearly, marriage and romance were topics that she steered clear of. "Please, my dearest Queen...men are such simple minded creatures filled with lust for power, money and women. If I can find even a single person who wouldn't have that as their whole brain I would consider them as a possible candidate. But are you serious? Lord Pytalahlfjh whatever his name is so old and he already has three wives! Then there's the young Sir John who immediately talked about the distribution of property once marriage happened. I can't be bothered with them." She rolled her eyes as she listed two of the proposers as she angrily finished the rest of her tea without enjoying the flavour.
"Oh sweet child, you cannot use that as a basic standard for all men. Take Charles for example. He's a well mannered, loyal and respectful young lad." The queen chuckled as she praised her guard. He seemed to puff out in a bit of pride while Camellia stared at him, noticing his pride. She continuously tsked and shook her head. "A simple compliment and fed his ego so much. This man certainly has the arrogance and large ego that I certainly don't want in my life."
"You little-" He hissed under his breath while motioning a thumbs down behind his back and a casual slit across his throat with his hand. Camellia motioned her head out the window, sending a signal to tell him that she'll take the fight outside. Queen Victoria then motioned for Charles to step forward, not noticing their small exchange. He took out a small photo from his chest and made sure to glare at Camellia in the process, as she returned a cheeky smile. Charles clicked his tongue in annoyance and passed the photo to Camellia.
She picked up the picture laid out in front of her. In the picture, it contained a picture of a twelve year old boy with blue eyes and an eyepatch. He had navy blue hair and was so serious that he looked like an adult.
"This boy is Ciel Phantomhive? This child?" Camellia Diose studied the picture with a raised eyebrow. From the corner of the picture she noticed his butler was standing next to him, posed and looks in every way perfect. Too perfect. She glanced at the redness in his eyes before realizing that the Queen was analyzing her. As their eyes met, Victoria smiled. "Interested?" She asked as she sipped her Darjeeling tea.
"Why Your Majesty...why have you not shown me this earlier? If you wanted me to be interested you know that showing me this would pique my interest." Camellia waved the photo in the air as her mouth curved into a sly smile. Camellia had a natural, vixen and sly like face and personality...and this played a huge part in her appeal and reputation.
"That would not be fun, would it? We both know that I, Queen Victoria, and you, Duchess Camellia, adore games. And this photo is just the beginning of a huge entertainment." Queen Victoria smiled good naturedly, too pleasantly that it revealed part of her mischievous and manipulative side.
Camellia stopped waving the picture and looked at her superior before laughing. "Queen Victoria of England! I shall perform your wishes. If it is a game of friendship that you want me to play, so be it!" Camellia stood up with flourish and puts on her black fur coat. She pulled her black gloves onto her hands and grabbed the kitchen knife, which had been set aside for their snack. She stabbed the photo and curtsied before walking out of the room and leaving a trace of her dignity, pride, and arrogance.
"That rude wretch!" Charles cursed.
"Language, Charles. Camellia does not realize that this game is not that pleasant. Her personality is refreshing and all...but it can be quite the pest with her old butler. Now that her butler is gon, Camellia is in my control. Without that butler of hers, let us see how she can play this abnormal game of the Phantomhive. After all...all of my underground pawns adore games. " Queen Victoria looked out with a gentle beam. "Isn't that right, Jacque Escura?"
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Fast forward….
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There has always been that one woman on the top of the social hierarchy as well as the life of the party. In London, no, in the entirety of England, the most wanted woman was Duchess Camellia Diose. She had delicious olive skin and a very appealing body. Her fashion was also impeccable due to her successful fashion line in London. The woman whispered alluring words and once you're caught in her seduction, she throws you away like a piece of moldy trash. However there are flaws that have made weak-willed men back out of their advances.
First of all, as playful her nature is, she despises being touched by a man unless she initiates physical contact first. And if you are too intimate, she will make sure to take off her glove and throw it at you. After that, when you expect a slap from a weak woman, she clenches her fist and makes sures to damage your face.
Second of all, her temper is comparable to that of a bull. If she doesn't like you, she would make sure that you know, and the public knows too.
And finally, the woman is not simply "feisty" but also on the verge of being barbaric. She enjoys joining in on the alcohol provided and drink away into the night. She prefers watching street fights and duels than a social outing to the latest boutiques. And the woman is definitely the opposite of a timid and quiet lass, quite the opposite of her ever so loyal maid, Wendeline. After a letter arrived at her manor, instructing her to solve Jack the Ripper's case, Camellia demanded that they see the Undertaker. After all, the odd and most eccentric person Camellia knew, also happened to know the most information.
When they arrived to the Undertaker's shop, they stepped off their carriage and Camellia pinched the bridge of her nose. The shop was battered, dreary and bleak. It was as if they were stepping into a film noir about a haunted house. Camellia poked the dangling sign saying "open" which was hanging onto its life by a thread quite literally.
"Just as depressing as I remembered." Camellia sighed while Wendeline shivered. The Duchess pushed the door open and walked in, while Wendeline was hanging in the back, walking very slowly. She looked around at the series of coffins and odd objects. There was one missing 'thing" that belonged here, but was nowhere in sight. As if answering her thoughts, a lid from the coffin slowly creaked open and a low giggle escaped it. The giggle wasn't a high pitched, young adolescent girl's average laugh, but it resembled a broken record much more.
"A very dull place too." Camellia rolled her eyes at his lame attempt on trying to scare her. However, poor Wendeline wasn't very good with terrifying things so she screamed and fainted.
"AHAHAHAHA! Her face was so funny! It's just too bad that I will never see you get scared, Duchess." The Undertaker stepped out and carefully closed the lid of his coffin before circling his guest in much joy. The woman merely gave him a blank, unamused stare before hauling her maid onto a nearby couch. She dusted her hands and then crossed her arms to reply to the Undertaker.
"Really? Maybe your tricks are just getting old." Camellia looked around before leaning against the table, waiting for him to say something. "So? I know that you're aware of why I'm here because mister Undertaker here knows everything."
"Hehehe...aren't you a bright one?If I'm not wrong, it's about Jack the Ripper?" Instead of guessing, his tone merely demonstrated that he was confirming the truth. As he watched the woman nod and drift her attention to the antiques around his shop, he perked up as he heard the sound of an arriving carriage. His hands curled up as he let out a noise, closest to a squeal of delight, and pranced around his shop. This continued for three second before he opened up his coffin and stepped in. "Speaking of which, the Earl is here!" He cackled and closed the lid on himself, silence finally settling in to give Camellia a refresher. She picked up a jar with an odd substance containing a red lump. She glanced at the label, before hurryingly putting the jar back. Human organs weren't her favourite things to observe and never will be.
Suddenly, the door burst open with a little boy's voice shouting: "Undertaker, are you here?" Much to the child's "disappointment", he saw a brown haired woman with tanned skin rather than an insane man. She glanced up, nodded her head in greeting before pointing at the coffin where the Undertaker was. At this, the silver haired man burst his lid open and huffed. "Duchess! You weren't supposed to tell him where I was!" He then turned his head eerily around and tilted it, giving off an unnerving feel. "Hihihi...I knew you would come...Earl Phantomhive." He chuckled while Camellia's head shot up, towards the direction of the young boy. Earlier, her mind lagged when the Undertaker said Earl and she didn't think much of it. But now, once he said his name, she recognized the boy from the photo that Queen Victoria gave her. Which also meant that he was her. She noticed a man clad in all black stepped into the building, shortly after a woman in red, her assumed butler, and a Chinese man stiffened slightly at the Undertaker's sudden appearance.
"I didn't come here to play-" Ciel was interrupted by Undertaker who put his finger to the Earl's mouth. Camellia didn't bother to hide her face which was scrunched up with disgust, a common feature and expression for her. She eyed him warily and backed away slightly, commenting: "What a pedophilic freak. Can you keep your disgusting hands to yourself for once and just give me the information I want?" She glanced up and her eyes met the butler's beady red ones. Her heart stopped for a brief moment as she felt a chill that was unsettling, unpleasant, and very familiar. She immediately looked away and faced the Undertaker instead.
"Now, I know wh-" Undertaker began but was stopped by the butler with glasses shrieks.
"T-there's a dead person." He squeaked pointing at Wendeline's unconscious body. Everyone seemed horrified, but not too surprised since this whole shop and business seemed like a shady ordeal. At least everyone except for Sebastian, the supposed perpetrator and Wendeline's mistress.
"Heehee...yes that is indeed a dead person! I was to put her into a coffin!" The Undertaker grinned, seizing this chance to terrorize his guests further. His plans were slightly ruined as Camellia did not hesitate to deliver a swift kick to his shin and she mustered a smile that was sickeningly sweet and fake. "Please don't worry, she's only my maid who fainted but this man's all too hilarious pranks. Ah! I'm being sarcastic in case you didn't know!"
"You had to ruin the fun~" He pouted and then began to continuously poke her, much to her annoyance. "Booohh, it's been awhile since you and the Earl has come to visit and all you do is talk about some serious stuff and never give me a good laugh-" Camellia grabbed his finger and pushed it in the direction it shouldn't bend towards. She didn't hesitate and dusted her hands off, unfazed by the man's odd expression.
"I was kind enough to just snap your finger a little bit, you masochist. I don't have time for your jokes." She glanced up and noticed a collective expression of surprise as they stared at her. She arched an eyebrow, waiting for them to speak. "You're...the Duchess?" It wasn't the fact that the Duchess was violent or anything that made them surprise since after all, Camellia was well known for her barbarus actions. It was the fact that a noble woman would bring herself to such a depressing shop like this, especially since she ran a fashion line. Unsure on how to reply, Camellia tilted her head and responded with "Yes?"
Everyone was quiet for a moment before Ciel stepped up in front of her. He bowed deeply and Camellia curtsied gracefully. When they both stood they smiled before saying:
"Glad to be of your acquaintance and finally meet you, as requested by Her Majesty, Queen Victoria."
