It was a peaceful day at the Phantomhive estate. The temperature was mild, the sky was clear, the staff was busy and the master content. For once, strange occurrences seemed almost impossible. But they weren't. At about ten past 1, high above the estate, in the courtroom of heaven, a jury of angels was finally presenting their verdict after two years of deliberation. The case was to decide the fate of a failed guardian angel. I won't go into her charges quite yet, though. As the jury filed in, she waited and watched with bated breath. They read out the indictment against her, then the verdict (guilty) and finally the punishment: Banishment from Heaven until the death of her human charge. She was to live on earth and protect him to make up for her previous fault. Failure to do so would result in permanent exile. The young angel was then silently led out of the courtroom and to the gates of heaven. There, she was stripped of her wings and pushed to earth. She fell, faster and faster, with her single white braid fiercely whipping about beside her pale and horror-stricken face. With one slender arm she reached up toward her home, as it grew smaller and smaller. When it was no longer in view, a single tear left her eye as she closed them, bracing herself for impact. After what felt like hours of falling, she hit the ground, creating a fairly large crater. And with that, the peace at Phantomhive manor was broken with the falling of an angel.
All had heard it, the loud crash. Ciel Phantomhive was in his study with his butler, Sebastian at the time. When he heard the sound, he ran to the window and peered out. What he saw shocked him. A large crater had been created in front of his mansion. "What he hell!" he exclaimed, "Sebastian, go see what has happened!"
"Yes, my lord," the butler replied calmly, giving a slight bow and left the room. Ciel watched as his butler approached the crater. He stared down, through the window as Sebastian carried a woman out of the crater. Greatly bewildered, the earl raced down to meet his butler. Just as Sebastian began mounting the stairs, Ciel came to the top of them.
"Who is she?" the young master demanded. Even though she was far away, he could tell that she was bruised, but breathing, and her back was soaked in blood.
"I believe she is a fallen angel my lord," Sebastian replied, as if fallen angels were a common occurrence.
"A fallen angel?!"
"Such a pitiful thing, isn't it? Some classify fallen angels with demons. How insulting…"the butler mused.
"Enough with your babbling, take her to a guest bedroom and treat her. I want to know what she's doing here."
"Yes, my lord." And the butler bowed out as best he could with the angel still in his arms. Ciel followed to the guest bedroom. He wanted to be there when this angel woke up. As Sebastian set her down on the bed, his young master finally got to really look at her. Despite her over all battered appearance, she was quite beautiful. Her hair lay beside her in a near perfect braid, its snow-white color only tainted slightly by the small amount of blood that clung to the ends. Her face was young and pale, though covered in dirt. It was strange, she seemed like she would be in much pain, but her features held an appearance of calm, almost as if she was just sleeping. She was dressed in a long simple silvery dress, which was now rather torn, and drenched in blood. She wore no jewelry, except for a simple uncut blue sapphire on a chain around her neck. Her breathing was shallow and she had yet to open her eyes. He watched as Sebastian rolled her over, revealing two slits in the back of her dress, and two gaping bloody holes in her back. "It is as I thought. She is a fallen angel. I've heard, that when angels cast out others, they tear out their wings so they cannot fly back to heaven. Angels are such hypocrites." Sebastian laughed as he cleansed and wrapped her wounds. He then rolled her back over onto her back and was about to inquire if he need do anymore, when the angel began to mumble something. Sebastian stopped and looked at her. "Are you awake, fallen one?" he asked. She nodded, but her eyes remained closed. "I believe my master has a few questions to ask you. Go on, master, she seems to have enough strength."
Ciel was hesitant, but was far too curious to hold back. "Who are you? Why are you here?"
She slowly opened her mouth and spoke very slowly, in voice so soft and alluring, it was as if it were made of all the good things on the earth. "My name…is Seraphina. I am…a guardian angel. I…have made…a mistake…in the eyes of…the order. I have…been cast out…to rectify…this fault."
"What did you do?" inquired the young earl. This angel was striking his interest.
"I…saved my charge…in a way…unacceptable…to the order."
"Who was your charge."
"He…still is…my charge. His name…is Ciel Phantomhive."
Ciel stared in shock at the angel. Sebastian merely frowned. Not knowing what to do, Ciel responded.
"I have never heard of him."
The angel laughed lightly. Her laugh sounded like ringing of small bells at a distance. She replied.
"Oh Ciel…I have…watched over you…since your conception. Did you think…I would not know…your voice?" With that, her eyes flickered open to gaze upon her charge. She smiled weakly at the stunned look on his face. Ciel stared back into her eyes. They were strange, the outside was a large ring of bluish grey, and the inside, a fiery gold. There they stayed, just staring at one another for sometime, until Sebastian broke the silence.
"I suppose they've sent you to look after him better?"
"You could say that. "
"You see though, he is in quite capable hands."
"The hands of a demon are not what I would call capable," she retorted.
"And a fallen guardian angels' are?" responded the demon slyly.
"More capable than yours," the angel replied. "At least according to the order," she mumbled. However, Sebastian heard this and chuckled.
"You believe I am capable then? What a strange angel you are? I must know now, how did you fail my master?" he asked mockingly.
"I didn't. The order just doesn't appreciate my methods. And I don't find you capable."
"What are your methods? Surely something quite nefarious to merit being dropped from heaven." The demon smirked at her.
"Why would I share them with you, demon?"
"If not with him, at least with me. I have a right to know!" Ciel cut in. The angel Seraphina turned to look at her charge again, a sorrowful expression on her face.
"Not yet, dear earl. One day, but not now."
"I order you to tell me now!" he shouted. Seraphina laughed to herself.
"You have gotten used to other beings bending to your will Ciel. Your contract binds Mr. Michaelis to you in a way so that you currently hold some power over him. This is not the way with angels. I am bound to you, yes, but not in the same way as demons. Angels don't stoop that low."
"What about fallen ones?" inquired Sebastian scoffingly. She shot him a glare that if looks could kill, would have slaughter him instantly.
"Not even fallen ones. I do wonder now, why I ever…" she stopped.
"Ever what?" Ciel asked.
Slightly choking on her words, the angel replied, "…um, bothered to…to argue…um, with a demon. After all, we are sworn enemies, technically, right? I mean, we're never going to get along." The words tasted bitter to her. It was the first time she had ever lied.