Hi, Yume Ookami here. Just stating the usual things, i.e.:

I do not own Kuroshitsuji, and please review (constructive criticisms welcome) XD

Chapter One

I shot to my feet when the door opened, I did not let my surprise show on my face when a boy, dressed in expensive clothing, walked out. He flicked his eyes over my malnourished form and a smirk flashed onto his face. I fought a snarl down and kept my face expressionless.

"Sebastian," the boy looked over his shoulder at a tall, dark haired man, "your new maid is here." The man named Sebastian turned and looked down at me, his red eyes boring into mine before I lowered my eyes.

"Go inside, Finny will be able to show you to your room," he motioned to a blonde haired boy to come over before he followed the master of the house down the stairs and drove the carriage away.

"Miss?" I turned to the boy called Finny and noticed he had my bag in his hand and had begun to walk away. I walked towards him and he smiled gently before leading me to my room.

Whilst walking through the halls and corridors, I could not help but notice the musty smell and the gloom which seemed to cloak the entire mansion. At the door, I took my bad from Finny and bowed my thanks, he seemed to understand as he turned and walked away.

As soon as I closed the door, I ran to the window and threw the heavy curtains open and unlatched the window, pushing it as wide as it would go. In a flash the room was clean, well lit and smelling fresh.

There was a knock on the door before it opened to reveal a red haired, glasses wearing maid. She looked shocked at the transformed state of the room and then nodded, smiling to herself.

"My name is Mey-rin, I am the head maid here. Sebastian and the young master will not be back for 4 months as they are spending the season in London. Whilst they are away I will allow you to have free reign over the mansion, though I am sure that you understand that there will be a number of rooms off limits." I nodded and she grabbed my hands excitedly and ran out of the room, dragging me towards the kitchen.

"Bard, have you got anything to eat?" May-rin asked in a voice which was too loud for my ears. Seeing my wince, she mistook it for embarrassment and gaze my hand a friendly squeeze.

The cook turned round with a frown before halting what he was about to say when he saw me.

"A new girl? What's your name darlin'?" he walked over with a hand outstretched. I stared at it for a moment, I was unused to being treated like an equal but I forced down my discomfort and shook his hand. He looked at May-rin and then back at me with a confused face and I wondered if I had done something wrong, until I remembered his question. I frowned at the floor and let go of his hand to let my hands hand limply at my side. For the first time since I got to the mansion, my emotionless expression slipped and I let my despair and humiliation flash across my face before I willed my face to be expressionless again. I took a deep breath and looked back up at Bard who was stood in shock, his mouth open and his toothpick had fallen onto the floor.

"You don't have a name, do you?" he whispered and I shook my head.

"Well, we'll just have to make one up for you," he said gently, his large warm hand ruffled my hair, a low rumble slipped from my throat and he laughed.

"I know what to call you," he rested his hand on my shoulder, "Neko-chan." May-rin laughed and clapped her hands in glee, I looked at her and she nodded. Joy welled up inside of me and I let my thanks and happiness show in my eyes. I knew that Neko meant cat in an eastern language but it was the first time someone had given me a name.

"Right, eat your fill Neko-chan, then we've got a lot of work ahead of use," Mey-rin said, rolling her sleeves up. I nodded and tore into the food which had been placed in front of me.

"I think we will also have to work on your manners but that can come later," Bard muttered as he watched me in shock.

Four Months Later

Ciel looked out of the window of the carriage as they made their way to the Phantomhive mansion.

"Young Master, we have arrived," Sebastian's voice rang from the driver's seat. The gates of the estate opened and Ciel sighed, wondering what damage the three servants in his employment had done and what bad habits they had taught the new maid. Looking out the window he realised he did not recognise the landscape. When he had left, the plats had been overgrown and foreboding, now they were well structured, the hedges were clipped and the lawn beneath had been mown. Everywhere the plant life looked like it was thriving, however at a closer glance he could tell that someone had carefully planned to garden.

The carriage pulled to a stop outside of the front door and Sebastian opened the carriage door, a frown on his face. Ciel looked up and saw that the Ivy had been pulled from the building and all the window frames had been given a new lick of paint. Ciel felt a flicker of feeling in his heart before his demon crushed it.

"It looks like they have been busy," he deadpanned, "But obviously, not that busy," he added when he spotted a mouse sitting on the door step. Sebastian sighed and took a step towards the rodent before freezing when a dark shape flashed in front of him, a sickening crack sounding which made Ciel blanche.

"Neko-chan!" Finny ran round the corner, "we have to catch that mouse before…" he spotted Ciel and gasped.

"Neko-chan?" Ciel growled, "I thought I had a rule that there were no pets allowed on my estate!"

"Forgive me, My Lord," Finny bowed, "but Neko-chan is a human, not a pet." Ciel looked at him for a moment before starting to walk up the stairs to the front door. Before he could get there, the doors slowly opened to reveal the new maid he had just employed before he left London. She was no longer malnourished, her body had filled out in all the right places, her flawless skin was as white as driven snow, causing her deep blue eyes to stand out. But what caught Ciel's attention was her hair, when he left, it had been a tattered mass of unkept murky brown, now it was held in a loose ponytail over one shoulder and it shone in the light of the setting sun. The most eye catching thing was that her hair was crimson.

"Neko-chan!" Finny laughed and ran up to her, "Did you catch the mouse?" She nodded and he patted her on the head.

"Well done, now let's put this back one," he lifted a collar with a bell attached out of his pocket and reached round her neck to fasten it.

"I thought you said she was a human, not a pet." Ciel deadpanned. The blonde lad rubbed the back of his head with a nervous laugh.

"Well, you see, she is so quiet when she moves around that she caused a lot of chaos when she first got here so we bought her this so that we know where she is."

"Do you approve of this?" Ciel turned to the woman who nodded. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment before walking into the main hall of the mansion, he gasped at the light airiness that surrounded him and a small smile flickered across his face.

"Looks like you have been busy, how long did it take to get all this done?" Ciel addressed the woman without looking at her. When he didn't receive an answer, he turned to look at her and she held up two fingers.

"2 weeks," she shook her head and motioned upwards, "2 months!" she nodded and he frowned.

"Why do you not speak?" he snapped and she looked down at her feet.

"She's mute, sir," Finny said gently, he walked up and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She sighed and kept her eyes away from Finny's pity filled face. Ciel sighed and walked past her, pausing for a fraction of a moment beside her, an apology clear in his eye before he schooled his expression.

Sebastian slowly walked past her, his red eyes flicking over her, inspecting her. As he passed, he felt a ghost of a touch on his hand which caused him to gasp quietly. He turned to look at Neko-chan but she was walking away beside Finny and so she missed his glance.