One: The Phantomhive Estate
I run as fast as I can. Feeling the burning in the back of my throat from exhaustion and dehydration. I almost trip over my own feet.
Come on get yourself together, you never do this...
Well then again, I can't really get angry with myself; I ran all the way from the city to the country side. And when was the last time I slept in an actual bed? Hmm...not to mention eat a home cooked meal...
I keep on running for dear life. I hear their dogs barking at me. I try and swallow to wet my throat a bit, to get the burning sensation out of the back of my throat.
Oh crap!
Shit, I'm not focusing. Thinking to myself I nearly ran into a tree. I must be tired from this.
Bam!
"Sebastian, I think she's waking up finally." I hear one voice say.
"It appears so.." another says.
I finally open my eyes fully, I see an attractive looking individual in front of me. There were four others behind him, and next to him a well dressed child. He looked about twelve. The other four could just be servants.
"Hello, and welcome to the Phantomhive Estate, my name is Sebastian Michaelis, an this is my master C-" he got cut off.
"Sebastian, I can introduce myself," he stated with an attitude, "my name is Ciel Phantomhive and I'm the head of this Manor."
What?! A mere child head of a Manor..
I decided to push the thought aside for a moment. I have to figure out if these guys are allies or enemies.
"My master has told my to give you the Phantomhive hospitality," Sebastian said as he smiled, "My Master said you can stay as long as you'd like."
Wow, I have to be exhausted because I didn't notice the others leave the room. It was just Sebastian and I.
"My Lady; what is your name?"
Should I tell him? This guy seems kind of shady...
But when is the next time I'm gonna get an offer like this?
"Evelyn Lillian Winters." I stated confidently as I grinned.
"Beautiful name for a beautiful lady Miss Winters." he bowed to me as he said this.
"T-thanks." I sounded like a mere mouse.
Why?
"Miss Winters, allow me to escort you to your chambers."
I nod my head in response.
I follow him out the door and I admire the architecture of this Manor.
"Miss Winters but I can't help but notice that you take a liking to the architecture of this manor, yes?"
I smile. "Yes."
Oh shit..I just remembered...my scythe.
"Um..."
"Yes, Miss Winters?"
"My three-bladed scythe..do you know where it is?"
Sebastian gave yet another smile as he opened a door for me. And there it was, my scythe.
Sebastian walked in the room and I followed him in. The room was just beautiful. The wallpaper, a nice black and white. And the furniture perfectly carved..pictures above the fire place in my room. I walked up to them and looked at the pictures. The woman in that picture was, gorgeous.
"Oh the people in that picture is my Young Master's parents. They were the head of this manor before he, and they passed so he took over. If you'd like to know further details you can ask him."
"I see.." I trailed off.
"Miss Winters, may I ask a personal question?"
"Uh sure..."
I have to stay on my toes, no room for error...
"Why do you have a scythe?"
Shit...how do I answer this? I don't want to look to suspicious...
"A girl has to protect herself, right?" I grin a bit and put my hands on my hips, jokingly.
A grin was a response to this.
"I'll prepare a bath for you Miss Winters."
"I hope this water isn't too hot for you Miss Winters." Sebastian took his left glove off and stuck his hand in the water.
What. The. Hell. He's a demon.
I froze and stared at his hand, looking at the Faustian Contract seal on his hand. When he lifted his head I stuck my hand in the water and looked down in the tub to check the temperature. "No the temperature is just perfect." I gave a forced smile. I hoped he didn't notice.
"Well I'll leave you to your business, Miss Winters; enjoy your bath," he bowed to me slightly with his hand over his chest, "holler if you need anything." He walked out of the water closet right after that was said.
I take my clothing off and stuck my foot in the water, jumping a bit because I'm not used to the temperature then I stick my whole body in the water.
Huh..this is wonderful..how long was it since I had a proper bath?
Pushing that thought to the far end of my mind, I want to know why that Ciel kid let me into his Manor so easily? And how should I handle Sebastian? Anyways, I'll think about all this later.
I wet my wash cloth and put it on my forehead and lean back and close my eyes.
Walking back to my chambers I go and put my clothing back on. Sebastian already washed and dried it for me. I have to thank him for that later.
Ugh. I have to thank a demon.
I was wearing black leather shorts that came to my mid-thigh, my long high-healed boots that came to my knee, with socks that come close to my shorts. I have a shirt with a black trench coat to match. Finally my fingerless gloves.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in."
Sebastian walks in. "Miss Winters dinner is ready."
He escorts me to the dinning area. Ciel was already sitting and there was another empty chair next to his with a plate of food in front of it. From my guess it's my seat.
Sebastian pulls the chair back for me to sit. I give him a thanks and he pushes my seat a bit forward.
"For tonight's meal we have Sunday Roast Dinner. It consist of roasted lamb of the highest quality, potatoes with a side of Yorkshire pudding and bread. To drink we have some Champagne." Sebastian stated with much pride in his voice.
Oh my gosh...this looks great!
My mouth started to water. I quickly wiped the side of my cheek with my hand before anyone could see, but of course the demon caught it.
Great. How embarrassing.
I started to stuff my face. Eating the lamb.
Mmm..it melts in your mouth.
I then eat the potatoes and pudding. Then finally, the bread.
Yes, defiantly the best meal I ever had.
I pick up the last crumb of bread and go to stick it in my mouth. I finally noticed that Sebastian and Ciel were staring at me like I had two heads. I froze with my hand close to my mouth with crumb still at hand.
I just made an ass out I myself.
I put the crumb down and drink some of the Champagne.
"U-um sorry I was eating like that. I was just hungry." I blushed.
Sebastian grinned at my comment. Stupid demon.
"It's fine," Ciel simply stated. "So what do you do as a profession?"
Dammit he caught me off guard by this question.
Well I can't just blankly say I'm a demon hunter, and I can't lie either, so I'll say the next best thing...
"I like to call myself a vigilante."
Ciel was drinking his Champagne. He put the glass down and replied. "So, Evelyn what type of vigilante acts do you do?"
I should take the defensive answer just to play it safe...
"I help old ladies get their stolen purses back and stuff like that," I laughed jokingly, "no just kidding I do catch criminals and drug lords. I also, do try and help others when I can. But, I'm selfish, yes because I only started doing this because a terrible and disgusting man killed my best friend when I was younger," I paused trying to keep my composure and not cry, "he killed her for no reason, we were just two orphans trying to survive, why did he kill her? At any rate I would like to excuse myself and retire for the night." I push myself out of my seat. "Thank you very much for your hospitality, Ciel." I bow to him, "thank you Sebastian for the wonderful meal and for washing my garments." I bowed to him also.
Disgusting I just bowed to a demon. But I've had to do more pitiful things to just survive...I guess it's not that bad...
I head to my chambers. I then change into night clothes. I lay in the bed and I instantly fall asleep.
The sun was shining bright on my face as I sat there with a loaf of bread that I managed to swipe from the bakery when the bread was cooling in the window. I split it half to share with Laura.
"Here." I hand her the bread with a smile. We were at the pond, it was really close to town. We live here. We made a little tent out of a plastic sheet and some sticks. It's primitive yes, but it's home.
"Thanks Lily." She said with a smile. Hehe, she calls me that because of my middle name, Lillian. Hence, Lily.
We sat there and ate the bread in silence, enjoying each other's company.
I'm now fifteen, since yesterday..Laura's a year older than me though. I'm happy because Laura gave me an anklet bracelet. It was her mother's. I'm glad she trusts me with something like this.
I look at it as it shines in the sunlight. It's breath taking. I grin.
"Hey Lily." Laura calls me.
"Yes?"
She hugs me and kisses me on the corner of my lip. "I love you."
I blush and try to hide my face from her, but she grabs my chin and pushes my face softly up to eye level with hers.
"I love you." She kisses me deeply. The kiss wasn't a needy one, but it was passionate. She embraces me softy. I bury my head into her maroon colored hair.
"I love you too Laura..." I whisper softly into her ear.
I care for Laura deeply and I would do anything to protect her. We've known each other since we were young. We now look after each other.
She lowers her head and puts her head in the nape of my neck and started kissing delicately and sucking on my skin; making love marks.
I really don't know what to call our relationship. I honestly don't know. All I know is that I love her...
I awoke in a cold sweat.
That dream again...
I get out of bed. I walk over to grab my clothes and I put the same outfit that I had been previously wearing yesterday while eating dinner.
After I do that there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
Sebastian walks in.
Ugh..that demon...
"Hello Miss Winters," he greets me, "you have been sleeping nearly the entire day so I came in to check on you."
"Oh..what time is it?" I ask indifferently.
"The afternoon, half past four."
I nod in response to that. I run my fingers through my black hair, trying to get the tangles out.
"Miss Winters," Sebastian says to me.
"Yes Sebastian?"
"I know we all have our secrets that we keep from people, but you better become a better liar," he says this, his mood unwavering and he steps close to me pinning me against the wall, "My Master for some odd reason trusts you but that little 'vigilante' act; I'm not buying it," he comes extremely close to my ear I can feel his breath on me, it smells like mint, "watch what you say and do Miss Winters." he backs away as if nothing had just happened.
What. The. Hell. Okay so...now what I just blatantly say I'm a demon hunter? Time to take the offensive.
"Hn, you better watch your step," I walk closer to him as I say this, "Sebastian I will kill you if I have to okay?" I was now face to face to him.
He laughed. "You think you can kill me?" He grabbed my wrists and his eyes turned a bright red with slits in them. After, he took my wrist he put them above my head and pinned me to the wall again. "Haha..your still just a human Miss Winters."
I giggle. "Your, hilarious. The whole butler thing. That's new. I never would have thought a demon can pull that off." I grinned.
He got closer to me, face to face. I'm actually not scared. This in the least is not one of the scariest things that has happened to me.
"You won't and can't kill me Sebastian; Ciel will punish you if you do~" I say this teasingly knowing that it's true.
He lowly growls an releases me.
I grab my wrists and start to rub it.
"How distasteful," I get daringly close to him, yet again to test the waters, "one wrong move and I'll kill you." I whisper softly in his ear.
There was a sudden knock on the door.
"Come in." the demon says. His mood going back to normal.
"Sebastian! We need help, yes we do!" its that maid from before.
"Huh..what happen now Mey-Rin?"
Oh so that's her name.
"Bardroy burnt up the kitchen with his flame thrower, Finnian killed all the plants in the garden, and I-" she started twiddling her fingers.
"You what?"
"Broke all the good plates."
Sebastian checks his watch. "Huh..it's almost time for Master's meeting with Damian, the owner of Poseidon Company's Indian Factory,"
I look at him with a blank look. He grins at me and tilts his head. "I have some work to do Miss Winters, you can go to the recreation room if you'd like. Or go to the Manor library."
Wow. I have to hand it to him, he's an amazing actor...
"I'd be delighted." I say with a bit of sarcasm in my voice.
I decided to go to the Manor library. I have been in here for a half hour now. I picked up some books to read, but I mainly flipped through the pages because of distraction.
Ugh. I need a way to handle Sebastian, I don't want to necessarily kill him, but I need information from him though-
There was a knock on the door. Sebastian walked in.
Just great...
"Miss Winters dinner is almost ready. We will have it outside because of certain circumstances, also we'll have have a special guest, so please no eating like a pig." he says this with a bit of sarcasm in his voice, and what is that lust?
Oh hell no!
"Listen you demon I don't appreciate the snide comments!"
He smiles at me. "Come on, Miss Winters."
Okay this guy is REALLY pissing me off..
Sebastian and I walk outside to meet the others. Ciel, Mey-Rin; an by my guess Finnian, Bardroy, and some other funny looking fellow.
A carriage arrives in front of the household and Sebastian opens the door. A man comes out.
This must be the guest Damian, that Sebastian mentioned earlier today.
"Oh, how impressive!" Damian says a little to happy. He was admiring the rock garden that was made. It did look quite dashing though.
"Hello welcome sir." Mey-Rin, Finnian, and Bardroy say in union.
"This is called a stone garden. It is a traditional feature in Japan." Sebastian simply states.
"Ah, prodigioso! Wonderful! Truly an elegant garden." Damian states.
"We thought it appropriate to serve dinner al fresco this evening. Allow me to escort you inside until the meal is ready." Sebastian states to Damian.
"Ha ha ha, I should have expected this from a Phantomhive. I cannot wait to see what else is in store!"
Sebastian, Damian, and Ciel walk inside.
I stand there still.
"Phew, we actually did it." Bardroy exhales as he says this.
I smile at this. The three of them, they seem a little bit stupid, but they mean well. They head inside the Manor.
I feel the sweat dripping off of my fore head. I'm doing pull ups off a nearby tree branch.
One, two, three, four, five, six...
I continue to count inside my head.
I feel someone's presence near me so, I quickly let go of the tree. Putting up my fists getting ready to fight.
"Who's there?" I say off into the air.
Sebastian walks out.
Of course..
"That's pretty impressive Miss Winters."
"Thanks." I say dryly and looking the other direction. I stretch my back leaning back, then doing a back kick over.
I go to walk past Sebastian.
"Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes."
"Yeah.."
After washing up a bit I go outside. Ciel and that Damian guy was already sitting. Sebastian pulls the chair back for me to sit. After I sit, he pushes me in. I say a quick thank you.
"On tonight's menu is a dish of finely-sliced raw Beef Donburi courtesy of our chef Bardroy." Sebastian states, smiling at him.
"A pile of raw beef? And this is dinner?" Damian asks quizzically.
"Yes, but surely you have heard of it? This, good sir, is a traditional Japanese delicacy, a dish offered as a sign of gratitude to someone who has accomplished important work. That, sir, is the wonder of Donburi!" Sebastian says.
I really don't care for raw meat..eww...
I stare at the plate. I really don't want it, but I don't want to deem as rude. So, I stick the fork in the plate and I put the meat in my mouth.
Disgusting...
I then take my napkin and act like I'm wiping my mouth, but in actuality I'm spitting it out.
"Oh, Donburi!" Damian exclaims. Wow people actually like this crap.
I take another forkful and spit it back in the napkin, hopefully no one notices.
"This is a token from our master, to show his thanks for all your hard work on the company's behalf. He wanted you to know that it's much appreciated." Sebastian states to Damian.
"Excellent, what an inspired idea! The legendary Phantomhive hospitality in action!" Damian states as a reply.
I sit there still, not really wanting to eat.
"Hey, who is this fine young lady?" Damian states referring to me.
"Me?" I point to myself.
He smiles as a reply.
I look at Ciel to see if it was okay for me to reply, he nods as an answer.
"Evelyn Lillian Winters."
"Molto carina; Very pretty!" Damian states happily and winks at me.
Eww...is he trying to flirt?
I stare back at my plate blankly. I don't want to eat this crap.
"The vintage we are pouring tonight was specially selected to compliment the flavor of soy sauce. Mey-Rin. Now, Mey-Rin." Sebastian says.
"Yes sir!"
"Then why are you standing there? Pour the man a glass of wine."
"Of course, yes sir." Mey-Rin is acting a little strange. She's shaking and acting weird .
She pours Damian a glass of wine, but she is overflowing the glass.
Does she not notice what she is doing?
"Mey-Rin, stop it! Can't you see you're spilling the wine?" Finnian yells this to get her attention. She stops poring the wine.
Sebastian then pulls on the table cloth. It was swift, fast, but yet so graceful the way he did it. Everyone's food, including mine was fine and did not spill.
Impressive..
"Oh were did the table cloth-a go?" Damian asked confused, talking to no one in particular.
"A speck of dirt, most unsightly. I had the cloth removed so it wouldn't distract us. Think nothing of it." Ciel said indifferently.
" Please accept my apologies, sir. Do continue. Enjoy the meal at your leisure."
My gosh...this demon...
"Oh, Oh my! Lord Phantomhive, once again you have truly impressed me. What an able butler you've acquired." Damian referring to Ciel.
"Pay him no mind. He merely act as befits one of my servants."
"My master is quite correct about that. Naturally, you see, I am simply one hell of a butler." Sebastian said to Damian.
I take another forkful of this disgust. I then act like I'm wiping my mouth, and spit it into the napkin.
"Humph.." Ciel sighed aloud.
"If you'll excuse me but, I would very much like to excuse myself. Thank you."
I push myself up and out of my seat.
"See you Evelyn." Damian winks at me as he says this.
I get chills down my spine.
Dirty old geezer...
"Bye." I say with a forced smile and I walk away back into the Manor.
"Huh.." sighing aloud. I'm in the Manor Library again. I was reading.
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream...
This guy Edgar Allan Poe sounds like he had it rough. I put the book back on the shelf and sit down on the couch that is close to the door. I lay down and fall into a dreamless sleep.
Knock. Knock.
I wake up. Sebastian walks in with a tray of food. "Hello Miss Winters," he grins with tray in his hand. I sit up. "I know you didn't like tonight's meal," he paused, " and I also know you kept spitting it in your napkin." he then handed me the tray.
Damn...how did he know..then again I was obvious about it.
"T-thank you.." I start to eat. It was lamb and potatoes.
Mmm...so good..
"Sebastian, what time is it?"
"A quarter till midnight."
"Oh...is everyone asleep?"
"Yes, Miss Winters."
I quickly finished eating. "Why did you feed me? You didn't have to..and you obviously don't like me Sebastian."
He took the tray from me and sat it on the table close by and sat next to me close on the couch. "I don't have to justify my actions to you Miss Winters."
I just look at him.
It's hard to read this guy...I can't figure his mood out...
"Okay," I yawn aloud and stretch, "Sebastian thanks again for the food," I stand up and about to walk out of the door but I stop in the doorway as I open it, "goodnight." I finish.
Sebastian then walks up be behind me and whispers in my ear, "Goodnight, Miss Winters."
I get chills down my spine.
Why?
I blush deeply. Why does he have to be so close? I turn around and stare at Sebastian face to face. I feel his body heat on me. There are no windows in the Manor Library, but are a few lit candles around the room. The illumination from the candle made his skin glow. He's really, gorgeous actually. But, I'll die before I admit that to him.
I wonder what would happen if were to lean in and kiss him...Evelyn what the hell are you talking about?! He's a demon for crying out loud.
"Are you okay Miss Winters?" He asks again, his mood the same.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine..goodnight Sebastian." I walk out to my chambers.
You are a idiot Evelyn. Why would you be thinking of that? Listen, you promised yourself you would never fall in love again. Let alone fall in love with demon. Psh. I can't and won't fall in love ever again...I forget what love feels like..
Please review, it will only make me better.