"May I present the Duchess of Kendal Felicity Woodville and her escort the Earl Ciel Phantomhive."
Every eye turned to the staircase that led the way into the ballroom below as the crier announced the newest arrivals to the ostentatious party hosted by some noble or other. There, atop the velvet coated stairway, stood a striking couple; a woman with ice white hair streaked with black braided back in thin strands to a high ponytail at the back held in place with ruby and jet pins, deep violet eyes, black satin gloves tied at the wrist with deep red ribbons, a tight dark red corseted dress with twin thin straps on either shoulder falling in waves of silk and fading into black as it reached the floor and a gentleman with dark navy coloured hair that appeared blue in the flickering candlelight and one scarlet eye, the other covered by an eye patch. He wore a maroon dress coat, a black leather belt across it and a paler red ruffled cravat, the tails of which fell to the back of his knees; his legs were clad in a light cream pair of breeches and knee high black leather boots. The mirrored each other in their pale complexions and unflinchingly cold and noble bearings, their only show of emotion was the linked arms and the gloved hand she had resting on her escorts arm. As they descended into the room Ciel lent into Felicity to whisper something to her which caused a small facsimile of a smile to play across her full, sensuous dark red lips. She replied in kind, leaning to whisper in his ear, her sweet breath tickling the nape of his neck and he smirked back at her, his demonic red eye twinkling.
"Ciel! You're alive!" A girl screamed as she tore across the room, all though of propriety thrown to the winds, her blonde pigtails and ridiculously frilly pink dress flying behind her as she launched herself at the man who had no time to react, too shocked to move or speak.
"Elizabeth? What on earth are you doing? Remove yourself from me at once, this is most improper!" Ciel cried in shock as he attempted to pry the childlike eighteen year old blonde girl from his person.
"But Ciel, you've been missing for four years! I thought you were dead and I am so very happy to see you! Now we can get married like we were supposed to and…" Elizabeth trilled happily as she pulled back from her former fiancé, green eyes shining brightly.
"Elizabeth, I may have returned but I am afraid I shall not be able to marry you. I am soon to be engaged with the Duchess Woodville." Ciel cut through her speech harshly as he reached out and took Felicity's hand once more.
"Oh Ciel, I think we are quite at the stage where you may refer to me by my given name. But you have yet to introduce me to this rather…pink creature that has accosted you, how rude of you." Felicity teased her violet eyes bright with mischief though her stoic mask of disinterest never slipped. Ciel smirked back to her and bowed his head slightly, in way of a mock apology and deference to his companion.
"My apologies Felicity, this is Elizabeth Midford, daughter of the Marquis Midford and my former Fiancée. Elizabeth, this is the Duchess Felicity Woodville and my love. I intend to marry her as soon as the formalities surrounding the return of my estate are finished." Ciel replied indifferently. His demonic red eye glowed faintly as he gazed upon the beautiful creature beside him. She was a full bodied woman, though only eighteen she had lush full breasts pushed up by the corset of her dress, a slender waist and long shapely legs however though she was truly beautiful to behold it was her mind and her soul that were truly exquisite. She was intelligent, cunning, witty and held a dark sense of humour to rival Ciel's own; her soul was a breath taking meld of depravity and purity. He had discovered early into the relationship they had developed that she was not entirely human: she was the child of a demon who had devoured her mother's soul upon consummation of their deal and her mother held the blood of an angel in her veins which had been what had lured the demon to her to begin with. He could not resist that tantalising taste of heaven, of purity and innocence wrapped in the body of a mortal made to sin; much like Sebastian felt toward Ciel's soul before he had been made a demon, he wanted no other than this delectable soul even going so far as to pretend to be the woman's husband to give her her desire. Her desire being a child. Felicity to be precise. The contract had been that she wished for a child and to see her child grow up, so when she was no longer considered to be a child the demon claimed her soul leaving Felicity behind which, shortly after, was when Ciel had first met his impeccable companion.
"But Ciel…you and I are to be married. It's…it's always been that way. Why…why would you want to marry her?" Elizabeth cried in anguish, tears beginning to form in her emerald green eyes.
"I am sorry Elizabeth, truly I am, but I cannot marry you. I am with Felicity and I intend to marry her." Ciel replied. He did feel bad for her, they had been friends and betrothed since they were tiny but he could not marry her. He was a demon now; she could never know his secret. He was only marrying Felicity for proprieties sake as he had already made his intentions quite clear, what's more is she knew his secret, knew who and what he was and better yet she was like to him. He only wished to provide an heir to carry on his line and Felicity was willing to give him that and much more, something he was eternally grateful to the white haired woman he desired so much for. As he watched he saw Elizabeth's eyes tear up before she turned and ran away squealing like a small child. He groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger in exasperation, she truly was impossible to reason with.
"Come Ciel. We must at least make the rounds so we can leave this infernal party soon. I hate the way these people eye me like they are starving men and I am a feast laid bare for them, that my love is your job." Felicity purred into his ear before drifting off into the crowd of people that had swarmed around them upon their arrival. Biting his lip to fight down the groan and the sudden surge of heat that coursed through his body at her words, she simply lived to tease him and he wasn't sure how much more of it he could take. A deep breath and he forced himself to join her in the infernal hell that was a British Aristocrat's party.