This is something that came to me a while ago while reading "Black Butler, volume 5" during Lizzie's childhood and learning how to be a lady between Madame Red and her mother Frances. During that time I began to make a theory of what Angelina and Frances's relationship must have been like while Angelina was still alive.
This will also be a prequel to the end of Black Butler season 2.
I do not own Black Butler or the characters.
"Angelina!" Frances angrily called.
Angelina Dalles, or as people call her Madame Red, looked back and saw her sister-in-law marching towards her like a bull towards a red target.
Frances's eyes were filled with anger and venom, she didn't even notice that her usually tight bun was loosening up. Angelina blinked as she saw her come up to her.
"Oh, Frances. What can I do you for?" Angelina asked.
CRACK!
Frances struck Angelina's face with full force. Angelina held her cheek that was now redder than her crimson hair, while Frances's hand was still in the air.
Angelina looked at Frances in shock and disbelief, "Frances! What is the meaning of this!?"
"We need to talk, now!" Frances demanded and started dragging Angelina by the wrist to go to another room for some privacy.
They were in the music room, Frances locked the door and turned back at the red-headed woman with a glare.
"Frances, what is going on here!?" Angelina demanded, "That was uncalled for! Have you ever heard the phrase that 'one mustn't forget that one is the lady'?"
"Don't tell me what it is to be a lady!" Frances exclaimed in anger, "Because I know for a fact that what you will tell me will be pure rubbish!"
Angelina was shocked by Frances's harsh remark, "...Frances...what's wrong?"
Frances had a piece of her blonde hair fall in front of her face, "What's wrong is that you have told my daughter lies!"
"Lies?"
"Like a woman is supposed to me naïve, defenseless and clueless to be attractive to a pig of a man! Care to explain that!?"
Angelina blinked, but then smiled, "Oh that, well I was just telling Lizzie how to be attractive to a man."
Frances felt her blood boil, "Yesterday she told me she didn't want to fence anymore because it wasn't 'cute', and she said that if she continued her training by the time she and Ciel get married, he would end up hating her for not being what society claims as 'a lady'!"
It was painful for Frances to remember. She and Elizabeth had a fight yesterday because she didn't want to fence anymore. That caused Frances to slap her, claiming that she is going to marry into the Phantomhive family and had to do this, with Elizabeth tearfully replying "It's not cute". It caused Frances to feel guilty and hugged her, saying that she has to do it for Ciel and her sake, that was when Elizabeth explained to her mother why she didn't want to do it anymore. To Frances's horror, Elizabeth said if she became a strong woman Ciel would hate her because Angelina told her that a woman must be naïve, weak, innocent and a bit of a ditz to be desirable to a man.
That is what led Frances to come to Dalles manor to have Angelina explain why she told Elizabeth those things.
Angelina saw Frances's fury and frowned while glaring at her a bit, "Well I'm sorry if my point of view doesn't fit your beliefs, but it is true that men like women who are damsels in distress."
"Have you taken leave of your senses!?Just because that's what society expects us women to be like, doesn't mean you have to!" Frances burst's out, "Do you have any idea of the confusion you have caused Elizabeth to have? I don't want her to think she has to be quiet and obedient for a man to love her or be defenseless! Who are you to tell her that!?"
"I'm her aunt, Franny," Angelina said simply, "Giving advice is what I do."
"That wasn't advice, and don't call me Franny!" Frances hissed.
Angelina was taken back by her sister in-laws vicious comment.
"Angelina, we live in a world where men are in control and us women are seen as property with the sole purpose of just being child bearers for men to carry on their own legacy! What you have told my daughter is what every brainless and shallow mother tells their daughter when they are little girls, and when they get married and do what their mothers have told them, the girls end up abused and mistreated by their husbands. I don't want Elizabeth to think as such and end up being another victim to sexism, and why would you even think like that? You're a doctor! A woman with such a career would terrify any man, and I'm a fencing master for god sake!"
"...Frances...why is this such an issue with you?" Angelina asked.
"...Because my mother died from the hands of a man who believed in what you told Elizabeth what men want."
Another painful topic for Frances was her mother, the late Claudia Phantomhive. The Phantomhive's were a powerful family, with Vincent as the heir to the Phantomhive toy company and with Frances as a fencing prodigy. Their parents, Johnathan and Claudia, were powerful aristocrats with much power and respect.
Claudia Phantomhive was a woman who was strong willed and dedicated just like her daughter. She was also a fencing master as well as the queen's guard dog, a position Vincent would later take over in the future. While she was highly respected she was also looked down upon by some people, women who envied her for gaining independence as a fighter and a woman who can speak her mind regardless of the consequences as well as being the queens guard dog which was usually a man's position, and men who think women are to obey them and do their bidding.
She gave birth to Vincent when she was fifteen and then to Frances at age seventeen. Throughout their childhood Claudia trained her children in the arts of fencing and hunting to prepare them for the world when they become adults, especially Frances because she was a girl born into a society where women were looked down upon. While it was hard, Frances was grateful for her mothers training as she made her into a strong women who can stand up for herself.
Then one day, when Vincent was twenty and Frances was eighteen, Claudia was killed by a lord who despised women during a mission. She died at the age of thirty-five.
It still pained her to this day of how her mother was killed. It wasn't just the fact that her mother died from sexism that hurt Francis, she remembered how her parents marriage was an absolute nightmare where Frances and Vincent woke up to their parents fighting constantly in the night, and after their mother died their father left with another woman.
Angelina frowned, "...Frances..."
Frances looked out the window, "...I want Elizabeth to be safe and happy, and I know she wants to be a good wife and mother someday to. But I don't want her to be bullied and mistreated and think her position as a woman is to be quiet and uneducated...this fear is exactly why I asked Vincent to arrange Ciel and Elizabeth to be betrothed so I know my daughter will have a husband who treats her well and who she can trust to be by her side."
Angelina would blink, "Is that why? But Frances, what if Ciel and Elizabeth decide not to get married? I know you and Vincent agreed to the betrothal but what if Ciel or Elizabeth fall in love with someone else in the future? Or if their marriage is a mistake and they end up fighting like your parents did?"
Frances snapped her eyes wide and glared at Angelina, "Don't you DARE say that!"
It was Angelina's turn to glare, "Well its the truth, that is something that can happen, not all betrothals end happily like most of them do in our society, Frances, look at your parents and what happened to them, they constantly fought and when your mother died your father eloped with another woman. Ciel and Elizabeth are young and may not know much about their arrange marriage, but you and your brother must be prepared when Ciel and Elizabeth get older and they decide they don't want to go through with the engagement. Besides you married your husband for love just like I did with my husband and Vincent did with my sister, if anything...you betrothing your daughter against her will is like how most men today believe should happen to women."
Frances froze.
Angelina continued, "You say that what I tell Elizabeth is hurting her, and that you want her to be a fighter since she is going to be the wife of Ciel Phantomhive. But hearing you say these things, you betrothing Elizabeth is based on your own fears for her future and you want to make sure she will be with a good man, but have you ever wondered if this is what Elizabeth truly wants in her life? She cares deeply for Ciel and he does care for her as well, but what if things change? What if Elizabeth meets another man and she falls in love with him, or if Ciel meets a woman he ends up falling for or they end up not having feelings for each other at all and they start bickering and fighting constantly, but they would never be able to back out of it because they are bound by a promise you and Vincent made. It could be a marriage filled with grief, anger and tears... Maybe you arranging this marriage will end up hurting Elizabeth more than protect her."
Frances began processing what her sister-in-law was telling her. As she remembered Ciel and Elizabeth playing they looked happy together, but what if Angelina was right? Things change and maybe Elizabeth and Ciel will end up in a loveless and miserable marriage like the other arranged marriages in their community? While some have grown to love their spouses or have mutual respect for them, some end up hating each other and Ciel and Elizabeth might suffer the same fate as her parents. While Vincent agreed to the betrothal for her sake, after what Angelina said, she believes it will be her fault if her daughter becomes miserable all because she pressed the issue due to her own fears and bad experience, and in the process ruin her brother's son's life.
Angelina turns around and heads to the door, but not before turning around to face Frances, "I know you mean well, Frances, any mother would want to make sure their daughter marries well and is happy. But you arranged their marriage out of fear and without really thinking of the consequences, and in the process you might have interfered with Ciel's future as well."
"I'm not saying you are a bad mother...but maybe you think too far ahead on things and are expecting too much from Lizzie and Ciel."
Frances blinked, clenching her fists as she looked down in frustration. She slowly sat on the chair near the window and pinched the bridge of her nose while placing her right arm on the ebony window sill.
Angelina frowned, "...Frances?"
"...I just want Elizabeth to marry well...so I know she will be alright when her father and I are gone. Vincent is raising his son to become a good man and he is the only one I can trust with Elizabeth's well-being. I only want her to be happy." Frances says.
Angelina looked at Frances, "..I know you do...but please note that things don't always go according to plan," Angelina then smirked, "after all, Elizabeth is an excellent fencer. If any man tried to toy with her she will cut them to pieces like you can."
Frances smiled a bit.
Angelina smiles back, "I'll send for some tea for us."
The End, R&R would be appreciated.