That Maid; Exceptional
NOTES:
*Falkir (Fall-kear) Nightingale
*Raika (Rye-kah)
*Sheno (shee-no) Nightingale
The day was like most others. Sebastian opened his crimson eyes to see darkness. Not that it mattered much, his eyes cut through the darkness as if it were day. One of the many benefits of being a demon. His room was plain. He did not keep personal items; he never saw the point in keeping useless things. Sebastian sat up from his bed. He 'slept' above his covers so he would not have to make them the next day. The bed looked as it did yesterday. He did not really sleep, merely rested. Sleep is an amenity for demons, unlike his young master who required 8 hours. Sebastian disliked resting; it was the only time during his existence that he felt alone.
Not that I care much. He thinks as he stands, pushing the normal loneliness away. An existence like mine is meant to be spent alone. He sighed audibly, which was very uncharacteristic for him. But I suppose company would be enjoyable…
Opening the curtains on the single window, he looks outside. The sun was nowhere near the horizon yet. He dresses himself in his normal attire and starts his day making sure to clean some of the more important rooms before the other occupants of the Phantomhive manor awoke to ruin everything.
Sebastian pulls out his pocket watch, and like clockwork, he woke the other servants of the manor. The sun is now on the horizon. They gathered around him after eating a small breakfast. Their eyes showing him the willingness to prove themselves.
He first turns to a small maid; she fixes her uniform out of nervousness under his gaze. "May-Rin, please do the dusting and clean the floors. You left spots from yesterdays cleaning." Sebastian dismisses the redheaded maid and turns to the taller blond man. He was already smoking.
"What can I do Sebastian?" Bard smiles in anticipation of some great mission.
"Bard, please assemble a plate of scones for the young master's breakfast. No flame throwers or cannons." Bard salutes and runs to the kitchen. How come I get the feeling I'm still going to have to scrape burnt food from the walls later this afternoon?
"And Finny" Sebastian looks at the small blond boy who instantly perked up. "Tend to the garden as usual. Please avoid the weed poison today. It was very expensive to replace the grass on such short notice." The young boy ran off to tend to his duties.
The house was quite. This was highly unusual, but unlikely to last. He thought. As if on cue he heard May-Rin drop her bucket of water in the hallway. Sebastian quickly moved to the source of the sound.
"I-I-I'm sorry-y Seb-bastian!" May-Rin panicked from the puddle she was sitting in, trying to sop up the water with her dress. Pathetic.
"Please stand up May-Rin; you are just pushing the water around." He extended his hand to her, which she took quickly. Her face turned red the instant their hands made contact. He pulled her up and out of the puddle. She was too busy trying to contain her embarassment to notice Sebastian's exasperated expression.
"Please go and change. You will catch a cold. I will take care of this mess. So take the bucket and get some fresh water" Sebastian instructed. She nodded, still very visibly embarrassed, and hurries back to her room with the bucket. A small trail of water follows her.
With demonic speed, Sebastian sponged up the water with towels from a nearby closet. He leaves a note for May-Rin to wash them in the hallway. Sebastian checks his watch as he walks to the kitchen and starts of a pot of tea for Ciel.
With his cart, Sebastian enters the young master's room. What a waste of time. He thinks as he watches the sleeping boy. Or was he just jealous? His master could sleep so peacefully while the house was in chaos due to the three Phantomhive servants. He walks to the window and opens the curtain, allowing sunlight to enter the room. The light of the room causes Ciel to toss and turn, sit up, and look at his butler.
"Good morning Master." Sebastian smiles as he makes his way over to the cart he brought in and serves him a cup of tea. Ciel grumbles a tired 'good morning' in response.
"This morning is a herbal tea from central China and scones filled with fruit jelly." After serving his master, he moves to prepare Ciel's outfit for the day.
"What is on today's schedule?" Ciel asks as he looks out the window, his demon eye glowed brightly as he turns to his butler. Sebastian takes the covers off his master and begins to dress him.
"Today is the day you are going to visit the Nightingale Manor. The master of the house has some things he wishes to discuss with you." Sebastian finished dressing his young master.
"We should leave soon. I don't want to keep Falkir* waiting." Ciel mutters as Sebastian leaves to prepare the horses for the carriage.
Ciel sits down in his office and opens a drawer. The letter from Falkir sat inside. Ciel smiles, it has been a while since he has seen his friend and chess partner. He vaguely remembers the last time they played together. Falkir lost two out of three times to him.
A taller boy sits across a small chess table from Ciel. His dark shaggy hair and steely eyes stare intently at Ciel. A smile plays on his lips as the board in front of them showed a check mate.
"You're cheating!" Falkir playfully laughs as he slowly re-sets the board. His gray eyes sparkle in amusement. It was so rare to find a good chess partner.
"Would you care to play again?" He asks Ciel cockily as he reset the board.
"Are you prepared to lose?" Ciel retorts. He watched the older boy with his one uncovered eye. It was pleasant to deal with someone of similar interests. Falkir's family was a major supplier to the Phantomhive toy company.
"I'll let you believe that. But now I am all warmed up." Falkir smiles and starts playing a new game with Ciel.
What could he need to discuss with me? Ciel thought to himself. He remembered reading that the head of the Nightingale family was getting sick. With a sad look, he placed the letter back in his large wooden desk and walks to the door. Sebastian beat him to it and opened the door.
"Master, everything is ready." Sebastian holds the door for his young master and follows him down the stairs to the front door.
"Did you give everyone assignments for the day? Something that will keep them busy and preventing them from destroying my mansion?" Ciel questions with a stern look on his face.
"I did, Master. I assure you, the mansion will be intact when we return." Sebastian smiles his usual smile. Or at least I hope it is still here…
Sebastian opens the front door and escorts his master to the carriage. With a little assistance from Sebastian, Ciel is able to settle himself comfortably in the carriage. Sebastian smiles his usual smile and closes the door. He places his foot on a small step and hoists himself into the driver's seat. With a crack of the reins the horses jolt forward and begin the journey to the Nightingale manor.
~Raika~
The sun was still in its waking hours as Raika moves to stand next to her master. The sun reflected off her dusty rose colored hair. Her crimson eyes were unreadable as she felt the need to be close to him. Although he was young and ambitious, he was also very sick. She placed a cup of tea in front of him as he sits outside, watching his younger sister play with the flowers in the garden.
"You need to eat and drink; it's what the doctor says." Raika placed a dish of pastries on the table next to him. He laughs, causing her to give him a confused look.
"Oh my, I had no idea you were so concerned for my well being." He teased her. She did not understand the mannerisms of her master. She tilted her head to the side and looked curiously at Falkir.
"It is a maid's job to look after her master. I am an exceptional maid." She smiles. He responds by changing the subject with an uncertain smile.
"Do you think Ciel will come and visit?" He asks, uncertainty now showing in his eyes.
"I am sure of it. He knows you are in bad health. And if he is as you describe him, he will not turn down a challenge at chess." She assures him. He laughs at her comment, but it soon turns to a fit of coughs. She places her hand on his back which seemed to ease his pain.
"How much longer do you think I have?" He asked, knowing that her connection with him would tell her.
"Few days before it becomes critical…" She responds. Her features did not show any emotion. She did not wish to upset him. But she could not lie. She would not lie to him.
"I suppose it would be best to leave this existence. But I would like to leave on my own terms." He tells her, watching his sister run and play.
"If that is what you wish." Raika responds and bows her head.
"You will take care of Sheno*, right?" Falkir asks, as his sister falls and laughs. She was so small but she resembled her older brother already. She had rescently obtained the age of 6.
"In accordance to your orders, Master." Raika followed his gaze to his sister.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way." Falkir reminisced as he drank his tea.
"Regret?" Raika asked, eyeing him intently. Analyzing him. He was her friend, her master. She felt a deep connection with him since the day they made the deal.
A small dark haired boy sat in a circle of blood. A pentagram. He called and screamed for a demon to come to him.
None came.
No one was there to help him.
He was sick, he always was. He cried; for himself and his newborn sister. Someone had made an attempt to take the company from his family. His father had died 6 months ago. The law enforcement said it was a sickness, but Falkir knew better. He father was poisoned.
His mother, who recently gave birth to his sister, had lost whatever sanity she had left. The loss of her husband and caring for the household was too much strain for her. This left Falkir to care for the household and his sister. He had fallen asleep.
In the darkness of the room only lit with a single candle, a figure appeared. It stayed outside the circle of light that pooled around the small boy. As if he knew someone was there, touching his shoulder.
No.
Touching the borders of his mind.
Testing him. He sat up and looked around.
"Do you truly desire my help?" Her voice had asked him. She was watching him. Analyzing him. She felt the need to taste his soul. At the sound of her voice he quickly stood.
"Yes! Please help me!" He cried to her. She could feel the intensity of his emotions. His pain. It made her want him more. She entered the circle in the form of a black cat. Eyes watching him.
"I can give you whatever you desire, for a price." She answered him. Her tail swished as if she were going to pounce on him.
"I want protection, for myself and my sister. I am not well. The doctors say I have only a few years. But my sister is perfectly fine. I will trade whatever you want in order to keep her safe. She is going to have to take over this house. And if I die she will not be old enough, which will give the company to a close relative. I believe that they are not going to be looking out for her best interests" Falkir declared. His passion and self sacrifice taunted her. She wanted him, his soul called to her.
"That is admirable. The length of a human lifetime is like a drop in a bucket for me. With your soul as a pre-payment, I will grow hungry again and seek to make another contract. I will give her my protection until she is a young woman and is capable enough to decide on what to do with your measly company." The cat's eyes narrow. Falkir thinks for a while. To her, it seemed like a good deal, but what did she know? She had only been in existence for a couple hundred years.
"Could I add something to our deal?" He asks her.
"How pretentious. Continue." She cocks her head in a curious manner to tell him to continue.
"I want to see my little sister grow up a little more. Can I have more time with her before you take it?" He asked in reference to his soul.
"How much time?" She asks.
"A few years; until my sickness fully progresses." He says in a determined manner. It didn't matter to her in all honesty.
"That is fine." She responds.
"Then you have a deal." He says in a stern voice. With a flash of light the cat was gone. In its place she stood. She was small and beautiful.
"In order to complete the contract, you must give me a name. When you call it, I will be there" she tells name and disappears as darkness enclosed in on him untill the only light in the room was a circle just large enough to stand in. he could see her eyes glowing pink where he last saw her. He thinks for a few seconds and stands tall; or at least as much as he could for being a boy.
"RAIKA!" He calls. She heard him cry out as she burned her demonic symbol into the palm of his right hand.
"Raika?" Falkir was looking at her now.
"Ah. Sorry master. I was just reminiscing on the past. Is there something I may assist you with?" She asks with her usual smile. She could see the worry in his eyes. Of course he's worried. I never reminisce on things.
"I heard the door, could you send a maid to get it and prepare some tea and snacks for my guest?" He asks.
"Yes master." She gives a bow and walks inside. A maid was already at the door without her asking.
"Oh! You must be lord Phantomhive, Welcome to the Nightingale Manor. The master is right this way." The maid greets them. It was all Raika heard as she made her way downstairs to the kitchen.
It was only a matter of minutes before Raika had assembled a beautiful platter of sweets and prepared a new pot of tea. She could sense two unfamiliar presences in the house. One was of a small boy. The other? A man… The feeling she got from him wasn't very good.
Perhaps another demon? She asked herself.
Assuming her usual pace, she walked up the stairs with her platter of tea and treats. She stepped out into the sunlight. After a momentary blindness her master came into view along with the two other individuals she sensed. She smiled kindly at them as she placed the snacks on the table and poured two cups of tea, leaving them on the table for their respective person.
The tall man was definitely a demon. She felt his power now that she was close to him. Not to mention the she could feel his eyes on her ever since she stepped out the door of the manor.
"Ah! Where are my manners? This is Raika, she is my head maid. She joined the manor only a few weeks after my sister was born." Falkir smiles and gestures to his maid. "Say hello sweetheart. This is Earl Ciel Phantomhive and his butler Sebastian Michaelis"
"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. I hope you feel welcome here." Raika smiles politely and gives a polite bow to the guests. The child nods politely. The demon on the other hand, smiled back. But it wasn't a polite smile it was something that suggested more.
~Sebastian~
Sebastian was watching the female standing next to Lord Nightingale. She is stunning. Her eyes were like his, but big and observant. Hair like a faded rose partially tied up. She is small, and her outfit was that of a maids. It appeared to have a cute aspect to it. It was certainly designed in a Lolita fashion.
It was rare to see any demon in the human world. Not to mention a female. And to Sebastian's knowledge, he did not sense a male demon remotely near this area. How odd that she was not bound to another male. He kept smiling at her, silently wishing he could talk to her.
Hear her thoughts.
Touch her.
What am I thinking? Sebastian was having an internal battle with himself. She had not said a word to him, but she was in his mind.
~Raika~
Raika does her best to stifle her blush at the other demon's stare. Falkir noticed and she knew he would mess with her later. He leaned forward, took his tea, and a cookie.
The pleasant silence was broken by a scream.
"SHINO!" Falkir stands quickly but Raika pushes him back down with a smile.
"She is okay. Please sit, you shouldn't exert yourself. I will tend to Shino." Raika quickly rushes to the younger Nightingale. The sound of Shino's laughter can be heard in the distance.
~Falkir~
"Perhaps we should talk about why I asked you hear." Falkir shifts uncomfortably from his sudden movement. Ciel nods and notices Falkir sending subtle uncomfortable looks to Sebastian. He understood immediately.
"Sebastian, go and keep Miss Raika and Lady Shino company for a while." He commands.
"Yes, my lord." Sebastian bows and walks calmly to where he could hear two female voices.
"I need to ask a great favor of you. It is something you can decline. I have made arrangements should you do so." Falkir explains in all seriousness. Ciel nods in understanding.
"I am going to leave this plain of existence soon. My sister is going to be named the owner of the family company and will be put in the possession of some of my mother's sisters. They have no interest in my sister. I believe they would only take her if they could control the Nightingale supply company. I would like to leave you in charge of the company until Shino is capable of making her own decisions." Falkir explains. "If you can provide my sister with a place to stay I would be indebted to you far into my afterlife."
To most it appeared like Ciel didn't care, but he was far beyond upset. "Can I ask what you traded your soul for?" Ciel asks his friend. Falkir smiles kindly in his sister's direction.
"For her. It's all for her. My distant family killed my father and drove my mother into an asylum. I don't want any harm to befall my sister. So if you agreed to take my sister, as long as she is safe, Raika will follow her orders to help as much as she can." Falkir tries to contain his emotions. He did not want to upset his friend further than needed.
Ciel remained silent. A second demon would make things easier around the mansion. And it cost him nothing for it.
"How much time do you have?" Ciel whispers as he focuses on his tea.
"A few days, maybe a week. Raika believes that I will be bedridden after that." Falkir answers.
~Raika~
Shino was crying when Raika approached. She had fallen over and scraped her hand.
"Now, now small one, no more crying." Raika picks up the small girl and dusts the dirt off of her.
"Hand!" She sobbed and holds out her hand for Raika to see. Her skin was scraped a little, but was not bleeding.
"It's going to be okay Lady Shino." Raika smiles and picks the girl up and tosses her in the air and catching her by her sides. Shino giggles in response.
Raika takes the small girl and sits down in a patch of flowers. The little Nightingale watches as Raika makes a chain of flowers and turns it into a flower crown for Shino.
The demon halted her next flower chain when the hair on the back of her neck perked up, the male demon, Sebastian, was approaching. Shino sits on Raika's lap, watching the tall man head their way and holding onto the maid for dear life.
Sebastian kneels down next to the two females and smiles. "Good Morning Lady Nightingale. It is an honor to meet you." The little girl nodded and held to the maid a little tighter. Raika smiles down at the small girl.
"Lady Shino? Why don't we pick some flowers to put on the table in the dining room?" Raika asks. The small girl smiles brightly and starts picking flowers and leaving them one by one in between Sebastian and Raika.
He turned to her. "Lady Raika, It is a pleasure to meet you." he smile down at her with a slight bow. "May I sit with you?" The small demon nodded. She turns to watch the small Nightingale pick flowers. She notices the demon take one of the white flowers lightly and examine it. He is quite handsome.
She quickly notices him in her space as he places one hand on her face and uses the other to place the flower in her hair.
"Please forgive me for being so forward but you are incredibly beautiful Miss Raika. I am surprised that there is no male guarding you from others." He mutters his face incredibly to hers. She stared intently into his eyes, but breaks eye contact by looking to the side.
"Thank you Sebastian but whether I am bound to another male is not your business." She bristles with a blush. She turned to look at him to notice him observing her, watching her expressions. By now, Shino was tired out. A pile of flowers sat in front of him. Sebastian gives her a look of curiosity as she stands and picks up the small child.
"Could you please get the flowers that they young mistress was so kind to pick?" She smiles to the dark haired man. He looked astounded for a fraction of a second before it was replaced with a look of indifference. He stands up with the flowers. With the small girl dozing off in her arms she begins to walk back to the manor with Sebastian by her side.
The two demons arrived to see a rare week point in Ciel's armor. The small boy was hugging the older dark haired boy. It was something that the demons were not meant to see. Sebastian was about to make a comment but Raika grabbed his sleeve with her spare hand and pulls him silently into the manor. He smirked at her as she closes the door behind them.
"If you wanted me alone so badly, you could have just said so" He flirts and softly runs a lock of her hair through his gloved fingers in their close proximity.
"Mr. Sebastian, please refrain. We are in the presence of a child." She moves away from him swiftly. She was highly embarrassed at his insinuation and he knew. She began walking through the halls, Sebastian at her heels.
Raika opens one of the rooms and places the small girl on the large bed in the room after taking her dirty clothes and leaving her in a white sleeping gown. Sebastian waits outside for her and looks up as she exits quietly.
"Perhaps the preparation of lunch is in order." She says with a smile. Please don't stare at me so intently.
"Would you like some assistance?" He politely asks as he walks next to her as if to say he is not accepting any answer but yes. She nods, not looking at him. If she did, she knew she would blush.
The two walked down a set of stairs and into a moderately sized kitchen. Two cooks were already working on lunch.
"How are things going for lunch?" she asks stepping next to one of the two boys. They were approximately 25 and appeared identical. Raika didn't care much to know their age, or much about anything other than her masters business. He blushed in her presence.
"All fine Miss Raika." The cook smiles. Sebastian can feel the affection of this man for the small demon rolling off im in waves.
"May I try some?" Raika asks softly leaning forward to smell the concoction.
"O-of course!" He answers and grabs a spoon for her. She thanked him and Sebastian stiffened a little in her peripheral vision when her hand touched the chef's hand.
"It's good. Master will be pleased." She smiles at him as she then plates the dishes with Sebastian's help. Human food is so disgusting. She felt the male demon stand close to her.
We just met a few hours ago. He is acting a little like a jealous lover. She sighs mentally. Although she did find it flattering, this wasn't the first time that a demon had taken an interest in her. Why are male so possessive?
Lunch was served to the young men; they discussed normal things about business. During the meal, Falkir had Raika bring some paperwork for Ciel to look over and sign. She knew what it meant; Ciel had agreed to take Falkir's sister along with Raika into his household. She remained silent, but stole glances at the dark butler beside his master. He was watching her with a smirk on his face. Cocky bastard.
Falkir looked to his maid after Ciel and his butler left to go back home.
"Ciel and I agreed that you would take Shino to the Phantomhive estate tomorrow. The manor will be cared for by the other servants. I have prepared a budget so that they won't need to worry about being paid. I told you that I want to go on my terms, and this has been a fun couple of years with you and Shino. I feel like we are a family." She could tell that he was getting emotional.
"Come, talk to your sister for the last time." She escorts him to his sister's room where the young girl was awake and playing with her dolls. Raika sat and played with them for hours. At dinner he explained to her that he had to go away and cannot come back. She cried a little. If Raika were more in tune with her emotions, she would have cried too.
"I will see you again one day." He tells her. Lie, Raika thinks. Why do humans lie? He knows that by giving me his soul he can no longer enter the gates of heaven.
"But you won't be alone. You will have Raika." He reassures his small sister. She stopped crying a little and he put her to bed giving her one last kiss.
~Evening~
Raika looked around as she pushed a small boat across a lake covered in fog. Her master now slowly waking up. It has been so long since I have seen this scenery.
"Hello master" She greats. He turns around and weakly sits on one of the seats of the boat.
"Where are we?" He asks looking around; he could see his reflection in the water. She was sure that if he concentrated, he could see parts of his life playing like a movie in the water.
"Does it matter?" She asks back as she idely paddles the boat. He knew what was going to happen. The two sat for what appeared to be hours. They talked frequently, about everything. They docked at a small island covered in trees. She helps him out of the boat and escorts him to some ruins at the center of the island. At the center of the ruins was a bench. He sat on it and looked at her in anticipation. She approached him quietly. Kneeling down in front of him, she places her forehead against his chest. You heart is so calm, Master.
"Will it hurt?" He asks wistfully.
"No, you will not feel a thing." She answers silently. Like going to sleep.
"I guess this is goodbye then." She could tell he did not know what to say. All these yaers of servitude have lead to this moment. His time of death.
"No, it is the start of a new beginning. You will become a part of me and see as I see. I look forward to spending the rest of eternity with you." She smiles at him from her spot on the ground.
"I do as well. Thank you. For everything." He answers as he places his hand on her cheek. She smiles one last smile and pulls his face down to meet hers. She could feel his being, his world go black from the kiss they shared.
Her hunger was sated.
The morning was serine. Raika was the first to go to the master and 'realize' that he was dead. All the formalities were taken care of in a matter of hours. She made sure that his sister was not woken up as the body of her master was removed from the mansion. A lawyer came by and took care of things according to her Master's will. Raika gathered what she packed of Shino's possessions the night before hand. She woke the small girl with a simple breakfast and packed her into the carriage.
Their destination, the Phantomhive manor.