Chapter 1

"Vivian, start a bath for me!"

"Yes, Sparrow."

That was my instantaneous response. I was, after all, sworn to be her butler. I thought back a month to the way our strange accord had been made. After all, it wasn't everyday a demon ended up serving an eleven year old girl.

I first met Daero Lebarithik by mistake. Or perhaps it was destined. For what other reason would I have found a soul like hers?

It was a cool winter day. A few wispy clouds made meager attempts to cover the sun. I was in a relatively small town, near the sea, attending a Farmer's Market.

I suppose I was walking rather quickly. I had to find my next soul, after all.

It was by chance. Only by chance. That's what I tell myself at least. I came around a corner, passing a few stalls as I scanned the crowd. What kind of person did I want?

A child stepped back from a fruit stand, holding a full brown paper bag. I toppled over his short frame. He fell into the street, seeming rather small, and underdressed, considering the inch or so of snow on the ground. The boy picked himself up rather slowly. He began to slowly gather up the fruits I'd made him spill. He did not see the carriage coming behind him, nor did he seem to hear the horses' hooves. He was intently focused on his thoughts.

I decided, even then, that I wanted that boy's soul. I didn't normally care for children, but he was different.

I jumped into the street, dodging out of the way with the boy in my arms. The carriage passed without even slowing. The boy sniffled. Tears had started to fall down his face. His fruits were crushed on the pavement.

The boy turned away and started walking, rubbing his tears off on his arm. No thank you. He just continued on, like nothing had happened.

"Hey! Hey, little boy! Don't I even get a thank you?"

The boy paused mid step.

"No. I didn't ask anything of you. Death, or even the pain of injuries, would be better than this so-called life I lead. I will not thank someone who does me no favor."

"Then, little boy, what kind of wish do you want? I can grant you any wish you want."

"You couldn't possibly grant mine. It is not something anyone can do, let alone a stranger."

"You see, I am not just anyone. I am not even human. I can grant you any one wish you want, but there will be a cost to it."

"Who are you? What are you?"

"You see child, I am a demon from hell. Make a contract with me. I will grant your wish, and in exchange I want your soul. By making this contract I can't have your soul until your wish is fulfilled."

"What wish of mine could a demon possibly grant?"

"Whatever wish you have in mind, young child. I can grant wishes from saving someone you care about, to avenging someone, if you want. Just say what you wish for, and we can make a contract."

"What's the catch to this contract? I'm selling my soul for what I want, but what else happens?"

"All I want is your soul, I am a demon. You get your wish and trade for your soul. I won't take your soul unless your wish has been fulfilled. Until your wish has been granted, I will protect and take care of you."

"Of course you will. What if mine is a wish even a demon's powers can not grant?"

"Tell me your wish, then we will decide what to do."

He sighed, took a deep breath, and blurted out, "I wish to not be alone anymore. I want to live in a house, with others surrounding me. I want to live a life of fulfillment. So tell me, is that a wish you can grant, demon?"

"If that is your wish, I will grant that. This wish will be a little different from the others, though. We still have to make the contract for this to work. I will make your life as fulfilled as possible."

The boy smiled an evil little smile. "Okay. Let's make the contract. What do I have to do?"

"Come over to me. I will put you to sleep, but you won't really be put to sleep. We will enter this place that is a little more private."

The boy walked to me, and I picked him up, cradling him in my arms. He was so tiny, and light. He looked so frail as I put him into his slumber. I closed my own eyes and joined him in Limbo. The boy stood a couple feet in front of me, looking around. He didn't seem to truly understand what he was seeing. When he turned, he saw me.

"Now what do we do? What is this place?"

"Now, where would you like the contract mark to be? You can have the mark anywhere on your body."

He was caught off guard by that.

"Mark? You have to mark me? Will it hurt? Is it permanent? Will it be obvious?"

"It may or may not hurt. It simply depends. It is required, if you want your wish granted. It will be obvious only when you give me an order. It is relatively small, and easily disguised, if you so choose to do so. And it will remain, so long as our contract is incomplete."

"What happens when I order you to do something?"

"It will light up."

The boy considered for a moment.

"On my left palm. I'm right handed, so it would be too easily noticed on my right. On my left, I can wear a glove and conceal it."

I nodded my head, grabbing his left hand. I put my right hand upon his, and I closed my eyes. I chanted a few words, opening my eyes, which glowed a red color. I chanted, and my right hand glowed with a greenish fire. The boy started screaming as the mark burned into his skin. I felt the heat on my neck, feeling the mark burning into my own skin.

When the mark was sealed, the boy collapsed to his hands and knees at my feet, panting.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," the boy said, cursing under his breath, though not specifically at me.

"It is a pleasure to serve you, young lord."

"Lady."

"What?"

"All this time, you've been calling me a boy, but I am not. I'm a girl. I figured you should know, since you'll be serving me."

"What is your name, Milady?"

"Daero. Daero Hex Lebarithik. And what is your name?"

"It's Vivian Rowena Genevieve, Milady. Just call me Vivian."

She nodded curtly.

"Can we get out of this place? It's too empty, and creepy."

"Of course, Milady. Just close your eyes, and keep them closed until I tell you to open them."

She closed her eyes as I had asked, and when she opened them again, we were back in the real world. It was night, and I held her small body close, keeping us both warm, leaned against a fence. Some kind soul had draped a blanket over us.

Daero got up. The chill in the air immediately bit into her skin. I really focused on what she was wearing. Thin, frayed grey shorts, knee high socks, and a simple, black long sleeved shirt with a crimson t-shirt pulled over that. Rags.

"Well, Milady. Shall we head back home? It's quite chilly for you to be in this weather like that, just wearing those rags."

"Very well. I will show you what home is to me."

She made a follow gesture with her hand, then started tromping down the sidewalk, occasionally slipping on the snow and nearly falling. We walked for a few blocks before she turned down a dark alley. She walked past all the doors, to a dark shadowy corner. Here, a really big box was turned on its side. A nest of a couple of thin blankets rested on the bottom.

Daero crawled into the box and curled up in a ball, suppressing a shiver as she settled. She yawned, and a puff of steam rose in the air.

"Ah, I kind of guessed this is how you lived. We can't have you living like this."

I pulled a tiny notebook out of my pocket, and started writing. I put the notebook back in my pocket, and picked Daero up, carrying her away from the home she once knew.

"Vivian, Where are we going?"

"We're going to your new home. Close your eyes, and don't look until I tell you, got it?"

"What do you mean, my new home? We haven't done anything yet, and why do I need to close my eyes?"

"I can't have my new master living in trash. Milady, will you just trust me on this? Close your eyes."

Daero closed her eyes, and I smiled wickedly. I used my arms, and body to shield Daero, as I used my demon speed to quickly run across the lands. I ran out of the city, and down some ways. I stopped running when we got to the doors to our new mansion. I opened the doors, and walked inside.

"You may open your eyes now, Milady."

I set her down as her jaw dropped and she spun in circles, taking in the large ballroom.

"How? I barely earn enough money to buy food. How could this possibly be mine? I help out at a little cafe."

"I told you I would grant your wish. You see, deep down you actually called me to you. I didn't come to you. Thats why I am here, you actually needed me. I am simply here to grant your wish."

"How could I have called you if I didn't believe in demons until today?"

"You did it mentally. You were desperately wanting a way out. You wanted to be saved. Deep down in your mind, you wanted someone to save you, and wanted your wish to come true. That's where I come in."

"Why did you save me, from that carriage?"

"I saved you, because we need each other."

"What do you need me for?"

"I've already told you why I need you. Anyways lets not ask anymore questions. I need to show you around the mansion."

"Alright, alright."

I walked over to a large pair of doors off to the side, and opened them. It was a large dining room with a huge table sitting in the middle, and a huge glass chandelier hanging above it. The room contained many paintings on the Victorian style wall.

"Here is the dining room."

"I don't want to eat in here," Daero said immediately upon seeing it.

"Why not, Milady?"

"It's too big. It will be lonely enough in this big house without having to take my meals alone at a table that seats at least thirty."

"Of course, Milady. Come on, I'll show you your room now."

I closed the large door, and headed towards the stairs. We walked up a single flight of stairs and down the hallway to the left. We came to the last room on the right. I opened the door, to show a big room, with a queen size bed. The walls were black, with white swirls going around the border. The bed was huge, and had black, and blue sheets covering it. There was a huge closet full of clothes. There was two end tables, with lamps, and a giant mirror off to the side. On the other side of the room there was a window, with the view of the beautiful garden.

"This is your room, Milady."

She said nothing, but walked straight to the window. She looked down to the garden below.

"Do you like it?"

"Can I see the garden?"

"Yes, but first we need to get you out of those rags."

"Do you have something like these? They really are comfortable, just not warm."

I walked over to the closet, and grabbed a black and blue victorian outfit. I walked back over to Daero,showing her the outfit.

"Is that a dress? And stockings?" she asked with obvious distaste.

"Not exactly. It's a long shirt, with a half skirt and capris."

She gave the outfit a dubious look, and gave me a wary glance.

"Come on, it would look good. It's not even girl clothing."

"Uh huh, sure. A skirt totally isn't girl's clothing. How did you know I don't like girls' clothing?"

"I said it's a half skirt, and actually what boys wear. Just try it."

She rolled her eyes. She was about to pull her shorts off, but she paused. She looked at me, watching her expectantly.

"Can you turn around please?"

"Well, actually, it's the butler's job to dress and undress our masters. At least, all the butlers I know do."

"No. I can and will change my own clothes. Occasionally you may have to teach me how something is worn, but otherwise you can leave clothes at the foot of the bed and I will put them on myself."

"Yes, Milady. I understand." I set the the clothes on her bed, and exited the room, closing the door behind me.

I decided that Daero was hungry, so I speed ran into the kitchen.

"What will she like?" I murmured to myself.

I searched through the cabinets, going through all the supplies. How about a chicken souffle, with a side of caesar salad? Or would she think it's too fancy? Oh well, it's always good to try new things. For dessert I'll serve a triple chocolate eclair cake. I grinned, and super sped through the kitchen throwing food into and out of pans, cooking them all in about 3 minutes.

Now, where was she going to eat? I thought about it for a moment. I set the food down on the counter, and then super sped up the flight of stairs, and went down the right hallway. I went to the second door on the right, and opened it. The room was medium sized, and had a big desk with a rolling chair. This room was the master's study. Behind the chair and desk, was a huge window showing the wide field. Off to the side of the desk was a giant bookshelf, and a chair beside it. The walls of the room were a light blue, but not a bright blue either. It had a comfy feel to it. I thought Daero would like this room.

I brought the food to the study, then went to fetch my mistress. I knocked softly on the door.

"You can come in."

I peeked in the door. It continued to open wider as I stood in the doorway, trying not to smirk. Daero was having trouble with the half skirt.

"Well?" she asked pointedly.

"You look very interesting. You really don't know how to put clothes on, do you?"

I walked over to her and helped straighten the shirt, and tied the bow at the top. I then took the half skirt she put on wrong, and pulled it to the back, and fixed it.

"There you go. You look very astonishing, Milady."

"Do I look like a girl?"

"No, you look very cool looking, actually. To tell the truth, you look more like a boy."

"Good. I want to see, in one of those windows that shows yourself. Then I would like to eat before seeing the garden, if you don't mind."

"You mean a mirror? There's one right over by your nightstand. And of course, Milady. I have everything set already. I'll take you to your food when you're ready."

"Mirror," she muttered softly, testing the word in her mouth. She walked to the mirror, her reflection showing the features she'd probably never seen before.

She was transfixed by the way her light green, yellow flecked eyes stared back at her. Her choppy hair was a mess of spikes on top, and flat around the back and sides. Her hair was also white, except for the tips of the spikes, which were deep blue. However, it wasn't a white like she was old. Her hair was just the color of snow, roots and all. Her skin tone was a very pale cream, obviously not the same color as her hair, but obviously not much of a sunbather, too. Other than that, she had a lithe, small frame, maybe four and a half feet tall. Her ribs were prominent, but you could tell she wasn't normally one prone to starvation. She had taken her socks off when she changed, and only now did I realize she had no shoes. Overall, she was very pretty, although you had to know she was a girl to say that. Otherwise, she looked like a really cute boy.

"I like these clothes. They're really soft."

"I am glad, Milady."

"Could you take me to where I'll be eating, now?"

"Of course. Follow me, Milady."

I led her to the study. She sat in the large chair and swung her feet as I lifted the lid off the platter. When she saw the food, her eyes widened in shock, taking in what was a fairly simple meal to most people.

She picked up a fork, and gently bit in to a bite of the salad. Her face brightened, the corners of her lips lifted in the smallest of smiles. She enjoyed the salad thoroughly. Then she tried the souffle. Her eyes bulged and she gagged.

"Do you not like it, Milady?"

"I can't eat meat," she said softly when she'd regained her composure.

"Why not?"

"I can't digest it. I haven't had meat since I was a baby."

"I'm sorry, I did not know. I will be more careful from now on. Are there any other things you can't eat?"

"No, just meat. I mean, it's good, but, I just can't eat it."

"I apologize, Milady.

I took my small notebook out of my pocket. I wrote down 'no meat' to remember not to make meals with meat in it anymore.

"Are you ready for your dessert now, Milady?"

"Dessert?"

"It is a sweet course that you eat at the end of meals."

"I know what a dessert is. I have just never had any kinds of sweets before. I've seen them in bakery shops and all, but never actually had any."

"Of course, Milady. Now would you like your dessert now?"

"Yes, but first, may I have something to drink?"

"What would you like?"

"I'm not sure. Water would be fine. It's what I'm used to."

"It wouldn't be right for your butler to serve you water right before dessert. How about tea?"

"I've never tried it, but doesn't tea come in different flavors?"

"It does. You might find a flavor you like. Tonight I have made my own recipe, Dragon Ore tea."

"What is it flavored like?"

I gave a wicked grin, and poured the tea. I handed the tea cup to Daero.

"Well, you will just have to find out."

Daero took a small sip, not following the traditional standards of lifting her pinky. Nor, I noticed, was she sitting with her legs down, one leg crossed on her knee primly, like a lady. She sat like a young boy, indian style. We would have to work on her manners.

She didn't gag, but she didn't really smile either. She considered the taste without any kind of remark. She took another sip, but still showed no reaction.

"Milady?"

"It's scalding hot. I can't truly taste it."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should have warned you it was hot. Maybe you should let it cool down some so you can actually taste it. In the meantime, would you like a slice of cake?"

"It sounds like a nice thing to try. Why not?"

I picked up the small plate with the perfect slice of my triple chocolate eclair cake. I set the plate in front of Daero on the desk.

She took a rather large bite. Her face lit up, and she grinned hugely as she swallowed.

"That's so good! What is it?"

"It is a Triple Chocolate Eclair cake, Milady."

She smiled at me, her eyes closed and scrunched up at the corners. I couldn't help letting myself smile back.

"Thank you, Vivian."

"Of course, Milady. Now would you like to go see the garden?"

"Yes. I'll bring my tea with me."

She picked up the little tea cup, although she left the saucer behind. I giggled, almost excited at the prospect of having to teach Daero what a rich life was like.

There was a lot of things I was going to have to teach my young master. I followed behind Daero, walking out of the room. We walked down the stairs, and she headed for the door.

"Milady, you need your coat."

She stopped in her tracks, and looked at me, confused. I walked over to a wardrobe, and opened it up. I took a black trench coat out and held it up to her. It was much to big. Instead, I reached in, and pulled out a dark blue jacket. I frowned at its thin material, looking over Daero and wondering if it would be warm enough.

She came to me and I held the jacket out for her to try on. She slipped her mostly bare arms into the sleeves. She hugged herself and laid her head on her shoulder, as if snuggling in a blanket. Then she walked to the door. When she opened it, a large draft of air rolled in, making her jacket fly back from her body, and her hair ruffle. She hadn't zipped up.

Still, she didn't seem bothered by the frigid temperature. She stepped outside, and only then did she stop in puzzlement. Her bare feet touched the snow.

I smacked my hand to my head. How could I have been so foolish as to forget her shoes?

"Milady, come back in, please! You're not yet ready to go outside."

Daero looked back at me. Seeing the concern in my face, she reluctantly stepped back inside, closing the heavy door with some difficulty. I pulled out a chair and motioned her to sit. When she sat I super sped upstairs, grabbed a pair of black boots, and ran back downstairs within 5 seconds. Daero's eyes widened when she suddenly saw me with a pair of shoes in my hand.

"How did you just do that?"

My wicked grin widened.

"I am simply one hell of a butler, Milady."

She laughed, the first of many we would share. I knelt at her feet and put the boots on for her. She wiggled her toes, then carefully stood up.

"Where are my feet?"

"Your feet are in the shoes, Milady."

She stared down at her feet in the shoes, and slowly her confusion wore away. She took a few unsteady steps, but quickly found her balance.

"Now can we go outside?"

"Zip up your jacket, first."

She struggled with the zipper, trying to figure out how it worked. Finally, she just dropped her hands to her sides, giving up. I grinned, and walked up to Daero, getting on one of my knees. I took the zipper, and zipped it up easily.

"Now you may go outside."

She wandered to the door again, and practically leapt out into the little flurry of snow that had begun. I walked outside, leading the way out to the back of the house on a path. Daero followed shortly behind me, bouncing along the path. I stopped in my tracks, and Daero ran straight into me, knowing she wasn't watching where she was going.

"Be careful, Milady. We wouldn't want you getting hurt, would we?"

She gave me a strange look, then shrugged. I sighed, knowing she didn't care.

"Well, Milady, here we are. This is your garden."

I stepped out to the side, so that she could see.

Most of the flowers were dead, and none of the bushes or trees had leaves. But Daero still wandered among the beds, kneeling down to look at a few, staring up at a couple of the trees. Then she came to a tree with some low branches. A smile spread over her face, and she jumped, reaching for the lowest branch. She was just a little too short. She jumped again, but couldn't get those last couple inches.

I lifted Daero over my head onto my shoulders. She giggled, and crawled up onto the branch. She continued to scale the tree, higher and higher, until she was about halfway up.

"Milady, what are you doing?"

"Climbing. I want to see everything."

"Of course, Milady. Be careful. You wouldn't want me saving you two times in one day."

"I've been climbing trees since I was small."

I paused in thought. "Milady, why were you living on the streets? And for how long have you been on your own? Where are your parents?"

"I barely remember my parents. They died when I was six. I've been on the streets since I was seven, when the eviction notice showed up on the door. I'm eleven now, so I've been on my own for many years."

"I see."

"How old are you? When did you become a demon?" she asked with the naivety of a child.

"Let's go back inside. Would you like some more tea? I think tea sounds great right now."

Daero monkeyed down the tree, dropping down into the snow again. "I'm really sleepy. I don't think visiting the Ether World actually let me sleep," she said.

"The Ether World?" I asked. Now I was the confused one.

"Yeah. You know, where we made the promise."

"Promise?"

"That you'd grant my wish. You are going to grant my wish, aren't you? That's what the promise means, right?"

Without waiting for my answer, she ran off into the flurries, dancing, spinning in circles, and laughing. Great, I was teaching her to ask questions, and then not expect to ever learn the answers. I couldn't dodge her questions, but what about the questions she was too young to know the answers to?

I followed her back inside, and she charged upstairs, heading for her room. I chased after her, not sure what to expect from this child.

I came to her door, but when I went to turn the knob, it did not move. Locked. I had no idea what she was doing in there.

I knocked. "Milady, may I come in?"

I heard the lock click, and opened the door. Daero stood there, back in her rags. I looked past her to see the covers from the bed turned into a nest by the window. Nothing else had been touched, except for the clothes that were piled at the foot of the bed.

"Milady, may I ask what you have been doing? Why are you wearing those rags again?"

"I wish to sleep, and I will not use day clothes as sleepwear. As for the covers, I prefer sleeping in a nest-like environment. I do not like the bed, although I enjoy the view and light from the window. I am frightened of the dark. And, also, I have come to decide that you may call me by whatever name you like in private, so long as it is not gender specific. In public, you may call me as you would a boy, or not be gender specific. That's an order."

What a childish brat, I thought to myself. Well, then I would treat her like a child. Sparrow, like the bird, with a short attention span and a dangerous level of naivety. Yes, Sparrow would serve as a fine name for me to call her. And in public, Dark Master.

"Of course, Sparrow."

Daero did not comment on the name. She walked back to the nest of blankets and curled up in the middle of them. She faced the window, her back to me. I knew it would be a while before her eyes fell shut and she slept. I left quietly, closing the door behind me.

Now, I drew a steaming hot bath, added the scents of lavender and vanilla, and retrieved a soft, plush towel from a closet in the hall. Then I left the room, allowing Daero the privacy she prefered when it came to matters of hygiene and dressing.

When she returned to her room, I had just retrieved a pair of buckled, black boys' shoes. Her outfit for the day was laid out, too. She was going to meet a young Lord from a few towns over today, possibly her first friend, and my first step in granting her wish. She had to look her best, even as a boy.

I went to fetch her coat while she changed. When I returned, she wore a pair of brown shorts, white knee high socks, the buckled shoes, and a long shirt. I offered her the arms of her coat. She slipped into it, and I followed her swiftly downstairs to serve her breakfast. Today it was rolled cabbage and potato mint salad. On the side we'll have scones, and my special Dragon Ore tea with sugar on the side.

Daero ate quietly, enjoying all of it, but favoring my specialty, tea, as always. I had not yet given her ny new drinks to try, as I was trying to figure out her taste in foods, first.

"Do we have anything scheduled today? You've been saying the last few days that you have something big planned, now that I am beginning to settle with this life," she said when she was close to finishing her cup.

"We're going to visit a young Lord a few towns over. He has been asking your presence to meet for some time, since you inherited the title and manor here in this town."

"What is his name?"

"His name is Lord Ciel Phantomhive. He rules over most of London, England. Seems he even owns his own toy company. He also has a special butler of his own. You could say I'm acquaintances with him."

"I could care less for his demon butler when I have you around, Vivian. What is Ciel like? Why does he want to meet me? I only rule this small town, Avon."

"Ciel is the guard dog of the queen, and of course he is going to want to meet you. You rule over Avon. Ciel Phantomhive is a twelve year old boy, who takes his work seriously. To tell you the truth, I only know as much as you do about them. Maybe it will be good for you, getting out there and meeting new people."

"He's only a year older than I. Strange, that there are two such young rulers in so close proximity. This meeting would go smoother if you knew more, however. Of course, you would be the one to say this might be good for me. If we become friends, it is a step closer to reaching both our goals; I get my life, and at the end, you have my soul. When does he expect us?"

"In scarcely over twenty minutes. I will have to take you with my speed, but we would arrive fifteen minutes too early, which is hardly polite. So we shall walk until those fifteen minutes are up, and then we will truly go."

"Alright. I'm ready to leave when you are, Vivian."

By way of answer, I went to the door and opened it for her, following when she stepped out. We wandered through the recently expanding town. Daero was bowed or curtsied to by many of the men women we passed. Children stopped and stared at her, knowing her, yet knowing her face was unfamiliar.

The buildings that lined the streets were colorful and each unique to its neighbors. Several had flower boxes, and closer to the center of town, several were obviously conversions. The bottom level was a shop, and the upper story was a living space.

Out of habit, Daero's feet took us to the street where we had first met. She went to the alley she used to live in. We found a child younger than she in the box she used to call home.

"Vivian, some coins please." She held her hand out, and I obediently placed a small handful of coins in her palm. It was the marked palm, and the mark stared up at me.

"I will return in just a moment. I must retrieve something from the house."

I left to fetch the glove on Daero's nightstand. She had forgotten it again this morning, unaccustomed to leaving the house. I returned in time to see the child's face light up in gratitude after Daero gave the money to the child.

"Thank you very much!"

Daero said nothing, turning her back and walking back the way we'd come. Then we followed one of the newer streets from the town's center, wandering. Five minutes to our arrival time at Lord Ciel's manor, I picked Daero up like I had when I'd met her, curled up against my body, and carried her with my speed to the estate.

I set her down immediately when we stopped. It was a large place, and the stone gardens were exquisite, although Daero seemed unimpressed. I offered her the glove, and she took it, sliding it on. It wasn't even a real glove. The material around her fingers was all gone, leaving only the outside edge to contain them. Her thumb was separated by a piece of the material, and covered to the middle of the space between the knuckles. All of it was made of black velvet. The main point, however, was that it covered her palm.

"Perfectly on time," a voice said from the front door that opened before us.

"I've always held punctuality in high regards."

The butler nodded. "Welcome to the Phantomhive estate."

"It's a pleasure," Daero answered him, stopping at the threshold without entering. "I am Daero Lebarithik, ruler of Avon. This is my butler, Vivian. She accompanies me everywhere. I hope that won't be an inconvenience. However, I will remain adamant that she does stay."

"Of course. Lord Ciel is just the same way. Come in, he waits for you in his study."

Daero stepped inside, and I was right behind her. It would be the first of many visits with Lord Ciel and his butler.