A/N: I have so many brilliant ideas for stories right now, it's just insane! :P So I've recently become highly addicted to Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji, and this idea has been floating around in my head for almost two weeks now. I also have another idea for a new FE chapter fic, but I will wait with that one until ToR is finished! I promise! I have such a bad habit of starting new projects when some of my other ones aren't even finished yet haha! But anywho, onto this story now. I suppose I'll just start off by saying how much I adore Black Butler, its characters, and its plot. Seriously one of the best animes I have ever watched! I am such a hardcore Sebby fangirl haha! :P As the description of this story indicates, Ciel will not be mentioned at all, so if you're looking for a fic with Ciel in it, this one is not for you. I chose to make my own OC as the main character. I haven't done a lot of work with OC's in the past, with the exception of Lyn from The Forgotten, but I'm going to try my best to make her work in this story. As always, reviews are loved, so long as they're not anonymous and asking a question! :P Seriously though, anonymous reviews that ask questions are just plain pointless. I mean, why would you even ask a question as a guest reviewer when you know I can't answer you? Well, whatever haha! Just sit back, relax, and read the first chapter now! Enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji. All characters, with the exception of my OC's, belong to Yana Toboso.
I remember everything about that night . It was a cold autumn evening. The moon was full and it shined like a bright beacon in the sky. I was only ten years old at the time, my childlike innocence still intact. I frantically ran through the dark halls of my home, trying to avoid the glass shards from the shattered windows that were strewn all over the carpeted floors. The elaborate brocade curtains were torn and pieces of fabric mixed among the glass. Portraits were knocked over, and some of them had gashes right across the faces of those whom they depicted. My pink lace nightgown was a little bit too long for my height, and I tripped on the hem of it several times. If it weren't for the moonlight illuminating the halls, I wouldn't have been able to see where I was going at all. I clutched my favorite doll in my arms as I continued down the hall to my parents' bedroom. What in the world was going on?
I had been awoken from my peaceful slumber by a loud crash. Out of sheer terror, I scrambled out of my bed and hid inside a large armoire that held all my pristine little girl frocks. I inhaled deep breaths as I tried to refrain from screaming at the top of my lungs. There were voices among the crashes, deep voices that could only belong to many strange men. I listened, terrified as they yelled and cursed. This went on for several minutes, until I finally heard the sound that would haunt me for the rest of my natural life; my mother's blood-curdling scream. I whimpered softly and covered my ears with my hands, tears flowing freely down my face. My father's scream came next, followed by maniacal laughter from the intruders. After about an hour, I uncovered my ears and finally heard nothing. The house was completely silent. The only sound that could be heard was the wind whipping outside the walls. It was then that I decided to venture outside my room to find out what had happened.
On the way to my parents' room, I came to an abrupt stop and a scream escaped my mouth. Hanging by a thick rope from one of the many shattered windows, was the family maid, Pauline. Blood oozed from her left eye, and it trickled down both corners of her mouth. I backed away slowly, not knowing what to think with my childish mind, and I ran toward my parents' bedroom, which was just a ways down the hall now. I pushed hard on the door, not being able to open it at first. I used all the strength I had in my young girl's body, and finally the door opened. My eyes immediately averted to my parents' bed, and I was in no way prepared for the sight I saw next.
Both my father and mother lied motionless in the bed, blood spilled all over their bodies. The immaculate white sheets were stained red, as was my mother's nightgown. I dropped my doll and froze where I stood, my facial expression contorting into a horrified visage. Upon closer examination, I saw that their eyes had been torn out of their sockets, and the once beautiful gold and green orbs lay on the floor beside the bed, along with what I assumed were their tongues. I couldn't handle it. I screamed once more and leaned over to throw up on the blood-splattered floor. After I had finished spilling my guts, I ran over to the bed and threw myself on top of my parents. Blood covered my skin and clothes, and it stained my long, auburn locks, but I found that I didn't care. I cried for my mother and father, tears pouring out of my eyes in torrents. I didn't leave them until the police came to investigate in the morning.
That was the night my innocence was stolen away from me. Never had I experienced such horrors. Never had I been exposed to such violence. The London police came the next morning, having received a report from a neighbor of ours, who apparently heard the screams from his estate nearly three miles away. I heard the police outside plain as day, as the windows in my parents' bedroom were broken. I decided to call for help to let them know where I was, but I didn't dare leave my parents. The investigators ran into the room just moments later, some of them keeping a straight face, while others, I suspected the new recruits, had pretty much the same reaction I did.
"Oh my, you poor child," the head inspector said in a soft voice, offering his hand to me. I didn't want to take it at first, but I finally got up the courage to leave my parents. He embraced my hand warmly and gently pulled me up off of my parents' bodies. He had to hold me steady for a moment as I faltered and threatened to pass out from exhaustion. He held his hands firmly on my shoulders and got down on his knees so he was at eye-level with me. "I'm so very sorry for your losses," he began, wiping away a silent tear that fell from my eye. "Do you think you can tell us what happened?"
I began to explain the story the best that my ten-year-old self could, not leaving out a single detail. I had to stop several times to cry, but the inspector was very patient. He even hugged me a few times. Once I had finished, he stood up and addressed his team, instructing them to call in the medical examiners to come and move the bodies. Then he turned back to me and informed me of where I was to go and who I was to live with. He explained that my uncle, who had his own estate not far from my family's, would surely be more than willing to take me in. Despite the intense degree of sadness I felt, I managed to grimace a little at this.
My father's brother, the Earl Edward Pemberly, was a distasteful beast of a man. He was fat, lazy, and arrogant, with a face so hideous it could make any flower shrivel up. Whenever my parents and I visited him, which wasn't very often despite our close proximity, he would do everything in his power to avoid me. Once when I was left in his care for just one day, he expressed openly how much he detested me, and wished that my mother had given birth to a boy. I'd always been uncomfortable around him as a young child, but now, being ten years old, I was intelligent enough to understand his hatred for me, and I returned it without a second thought.
I spent the night at the police station in London, and the next morning, I was dressed in my best outfit and prepared for the carriage ride to my uncle's estate. I dreaded the trip entirely, but I was forced to put on my best face for my uncle-turned-legal-guardian. I wondered if he'd even been informed of my living with him. The carriage ride was a bit long, nearly an hour, and I found myself drifting off to sleep. It wasn't until my personal attendant for the duration of the trip tapped my shoulder and told me to wake up, when I suddenly realized my surroundings. We were definitely at my uncle's manor. I could smell the familiar pungent odor of the many fig trees that his poor gardener was forced to keep healthy at all times. The mansion itself was very dull in appearance. It was simply a large, grey structure made of brick, with not much decoration. In fact, the only ornamentation it had were a few large, cathedral-like spires on the roof. The carriage turned down the long stretch of gravel that lead right up to the front door of the manor. As I stared out the window, I longed to be anywhere else. When the carriage finally came to a halt, my attendant opened the door and stepped outside, extending her hand to me so she might help me down. I took her hand and descended from the carriage. We walked up to the front door and rang the bell. After a short moment, we were greeted by my uncle's maid. I recognized her by her large eyeglasses and wild pigtails. Her name was Mey-Rin.
"Hello, Lady!" she said in that squeaky high-pitched manner of speech that I had always loved so much about her. "Master said come right in, yes he did!" She gently took my hand and led me inside the large mansion. I'd been here several times before, but for some reason it seemed all too different now. Maybe it was because I'd be living here permanently, instead of just visiting from time to time. Mey-Rin led me up the grand staircase and down a dimly lit hall. I knew that this was where my guestroom had been when I stayed here with my parents. Sure enough, Mey-Rin opened the door to the familiar room. The wallpaper was the same, as were the bed sheets. In fact, the room didn't look like it had changed at all since I'd been in it last. Mey-Rin helped me unpack my suitcases and put my clothes away into the armoire. When I was finished moving in, I dismissed my attendant, and Mey-Rin offered to show her to the door. Before she left the room, Mey-Rin told me that my uncle was expecting me in his office.
I walked down another hall, which I had hoped was the way to my uncle's study. I really couldn't remember that one, because I had only been in there one other time in my life. I was actually hoping to get lost so I could wait for Mey-Rin to walk in there with me, but unfortunately, I soon found myself standing right outside the door, and it was wide open. There sat my uncle in his desk, reading a newspaper. He had definitely gained more weight since I saw him last. I could see it in his face; it was most certainly chubbier. His spectacles appeared to be too small for his head. In actuality, he was only four years older than my father, who was thirty-five when he died, but my uncle looked almost fifty. His dark brown hair was turning grey, and there were many lines and wrinkles on his face. No matter how you looked at him, his appearance was not inviting. I didn't quite know how to get his attention, because I was afraid he'd resort straight to yelling at me. Eventually, after standing there dumbly for a good five minutes without him even noticing my presence, I bravely decided to knock on the wood of the door post.
My uncle looked up from his papers without so much as a bit of emotion on his face. "I see you've arrived, Annalise," he said, spitting out my name as if it were disease-ridden. He stood up from his chair and slowly ambled over to where I was standing. He motioned for me to come further into the room. I did as I was told. "It's a shame what happened to James and Elizabeth," he said, though I wasn't picking up the slightest hint of sadness in his voice. He moved in closer to me, and I involuntarily took a timid step back. "Listen carefully, Annalise," He began again, his eyes narrowing. "I have agreed out of the goodness of my heart to care for you in your parents' stead. As such, I expect you to be on your best behavior from now on. There is to be no running or playing inside the manor. That will be done outside, but you will do well not to damage the flowers and the shrubs, and especially not the fig trees." He continued to lecture me for almost an hour, and then I was finally sent back to my room.
Dinner at my uncle's mansion turned out to be quite the affair, and not in a good way, either. My uncle's cook, whose name was Bard, was actually quite lousy at his job. Almost everything he served was either overcooked or not cooked enough. I allowed myself to wonder how my uncle had gotten such a healthy appetite when he was served such grotesque food. I pushed my thoughts aside and ate it anyway, knowing I would have to put up with this every day now.
After dinner, I politely excused myself from the dining room and walked down the hall to my bedroom. I more so ran, actually, wanting to get away from my uncle as fast as possible. Or course, I didn't break into a run until I had turned the corner down the hall. I soon found myself crying, and I willed for my sobs not to escape until I was safe in the confines of my room. I opened the door and shut it quickly, putting my back against it. I slowly slid down onto the floor and hugged my knees to my chest. The perfect world that I had once known was tilted off its axis, and was hurdling dangerously toward the sun. My dear father and mother were gone. I would never be able to see them again. Nothing seemed to even matter anymore. My life seemed completely pointless. I permitted myself to wallow in my self-pity for a moment, then my attention turned to the window. I slowly stood up, making my way across the room. Once I reached the window, I undid the latch and opened the two panes. I was on the second floor of the manor, and it was a long way down. And so for the first time in my life, even though I was merely ten years old, I contemplated suicide. What was there for me to live for anymore? After arguing with myself for a moment, I made my decision. I bravely stepped out onto the ledge, still gripping the sides of the wall. I leaned forward a little, judging the best position and angle for me to fall so I would die immediately upon contact with the ground. I readied myself to jump, when I was interrupted by a soft, deep voice that seemed to float on the wind.
"You don't really want to do this, do you?" the voice asked in a mocking tone. "Ending your life right here and now won't make you feel better at all." I was outraged. This voice was telling me what I should and shouldn't do!
"Who are you, and what right do you have to try and dissuade me?" I asked, looking up at the night sky, trying to figure out where the voice was even coming from. Suddenly, I felt another presence in the room with me. I whipped my head around, shocked to see a tall, thin man with raven black hair and piercing red eyes looking back at me. I nearly fell out the window on accident, but the man caught my arm and pulled me back inside the room.
"You really must be more careful," the man said, and the corners of his mouth turned up into a rather unnerving smile.
My tongue was completely devoid of words. I didn't even know what to think at the moment. There was a strange man in my bedroom, for heaven's sake! "I-I..." I stammered, failing to comprehend the situation.
"I know you don't want to kill yourself," the man said, seeming to see directly through me. "But," he continued, "perhaps you wish to make a contract with me."
"A-a contract?" I squeaked, not knowing what he even meant by that. "What do m-mean a c-contract?" I was absolutely shaking with fear now.
"Allow me to explain," the man said, steering me toward the bed and sitting me down gently. "You see, I am a demon. I have offered to make a contract with you, because I sense a great disturbance within your soul." My eyes went wide at the mention of the word demon. He was worse than a strange man, he was a demon! He obviously noticed my upset, but he continued on anyway. "Your soul burns wild with vengeance. Demons make contracts with humans so that we may one day consume their souls when the contract has been fulfilled."
"You want to eat my soul?!" I burst out, my hands flinging themselves to my chest. This was simply too much for me.
"You make it seem like such a terrible thing," the man said, a slight frown appearing on his face.
"Of course it's a terrible thing!" I shouted at him and turned my head away. Really, the nerve of this guy!
"I intend to give you something as well," the man said, once again earning my attention. "It's only a contract if both parties benefit from it, after all."
I turned to face him again, my eyes looking directly into his. "What will you give me?" I asked.
"Anything you desire," he answered, that strange grin of his appearing again.
"You said that my soul burns wild with vengeance," I repeated his words from a few moments ago. "Is that truly what I desire?"
The man's smile grew devious. "I cannot tell you what you truly desire. Only you can decide that."
I thought long and hard about my decision. What did I want more than anything right now? After a few moments of contemplating, I finally figured it out. "I want to find out who the men were that murdered my parents," I said icily. "And I want them all to be killed." That last part made the man's eyes widen a bit, but his shocked expression was soon replaced with a smile.
"Then I shall make it so. In the meantime, I will serve you as your butler. I will protect you at all costs, and together we shall carry out your wishes." He placed his right hand over his heart. "It may take several years to find and eradicate the murderers, but I shall hold up my end of the contract, no matter how long it takes. And when it's all over, and you have achieved your wishes, I will devour your soul." He smiled in that devious way once again.
"Yes, I will give you my soul," I said in a quiet voice. "Once I have attained my vengeance." I looked away from him for a moment, then realized I still didn't know his name. "What should I call you?"
"Call me by any name you like," he replied. I had to think for a moment. I'd never named a person before. When I was younger, my parents allowed to name our old basset hound. What was that dog's name? After a minute of thinking, I recalled it.
"Very well, your name will be Sebastian," I said proudly, looking him in the eyes. He got down on one knee and placed his hand over his heart again.
"Yes, Young Mistress," Sebastian said venerably, smiling at me with closed eyes.
A demon butler. This was going to be very interesting indeed...
A/N: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for reading this first chapter! I sincerely hope this fic turns out to be the best I've ever written! Updating may turn out to be a problem, depending upon how busy I am (or if I'm just too lazy to do so), plus I also need to work on ToR, for those of my readers who are patiently awaiting the next update. I know, it's been over a month, and I have absolutely no excuse. I've had a lot of free time. :P But I'll try to update this one as often as I possibly can as well! Once again, thank you for reading, and enjoy the rest of the story! :)
