Chapter One: His butler, Talented.
London is quite tonight… cold cut and crisp. The London fog filled up, the snow of mid-December fell down the cloudy sky. Just a few miles away to the Phantomhive Estate the weather was no different, the manor was decorated with festive Christmas flowers. The large doors opened.
"No, no help is needed."
"Sebastian." A voice said. Green eyes looked towards his way. The young 11 year old Earl stood there. Sebastian turned and bowed to his lord.
"Forgive, my lord. A woman has come asking for work." The Earl looked at the girl. Long red hair pulled into the ponytail that was pulled over her right shoulder. She was dressed in all white and holding a single brief case. The young Earl dressed in his pajama walked down the grand stairs. He stepped besides his butler and yawned.
"She can be another maid." He said. Sebastian paused.
"Young master?"
"That's an order Sebastian…" The boy mumbled going back up the stairs. Sebastian shot the girl a glare. He gestured for her to come in as she flinched.
It would be about a year letter Scarlett would find herself pulling away the curtains of the window as Sebastian pour the master tea. "Young master, it is time for you to wake up." Scarlett tied away the curtains golden light flushing in. "A poached salmon with mint salad has been prepared for your breakfast." Sebastian informed the Earl.
Scarlett stepped outside the room for a moment and brought back in the Earl's clothes for the day. She would now have been 18 and Ceil, 12. Almost a year had gone by since that wintery night. She watched the raising boy carefully as he raised, sitting up. She smiled going to his bed setting his clothes down for Sebastian to dress him.
"Toast, scones and French pastries have been prepared as an accompaniment. Which would best suit your taste today?"
"Scones." The boy replied rubbing his eyes. Scarlett cupped his face taking her apron to whip his eyes clean and fixed his hair a bit.
"Today after breakfast, an authority on the Roman Empire, Professor Hugues, will be visiting. After lunch will be Mr. Damian from the Poseidon Company."
Scarlett stepped to the side as Sebastian went to them and Ceil rose from bed. He buttoned the shirt of Ceil and started making the blue bow on his collar. "Ah, the one who was left in charge of manufacturing stuffed animals at the Indian factory." Ceil said.
"It seems he is Italian, and we are sparing no effort in order to provide the best hospitality for his satisfaction." The shoes of Ceil were placed on his feet.
Ceil raised the cup of tea to him. "This fragrance… Earl Grey?" (im drinking that right now actually XDD)
"Yes, it is Jackson's Earl Grey." The boy took a sip and placed the cup back down on its little plate. "I will await your arrival at the dining table. Well, then…" the butler started moving towards the door. Ceil grabbed a dart and let it whip past Scarlett and towards Sebastians head. He tilted his head and caught the dark between his fingers. "How was that?" He asked. "Let us leave the fun and games for later, shall we?" He asked turning around to face his master.
Ceil looked grumpy with defeat. "Yes. I agree, Sebastian."
Finian was met to the head with a dart. Blood rushed out as all the gardeners head as all the servants stood in the dining room. Bard, Maylene an Scarlett watched as the boy cried out in pain and rushed to the Earl screaming 'ow'. "What is wrong, Young Master, for you to do something like that?" He asked holding his wound.
"Nothing. That was to be expected." Ceil replied, coolly.
Sebastian stormed into the room. "Finian, has the weeding been done in the inner garden?" the butler asked. "Maylene, have the sheets been washed?" He asked the blushing maid. "Bard, were you not supposed to be preparing tonight's dinner? Scarlett, are all the dishes done?" He turned his gaze downwards before the red head could reply. "Tanaka…" The other butler sipped his tea. "You are fine just as you are." The old man chuckled, weakly. "If you have time to be lazing around like this, get to work!" Sebastian ordered with a terrifying glare. Three of the four workers disappeared.
Scarlett simply placed an empty dish Ceil had used on a tray. A few hours later it was different. Sebastian was standing over all of them. The garden has absolutely died. The dishes were positively destroyed and the meat was completely ruined. "So… Just how did things end up like this?"
"I thought it might be effective if I tried using the herbicides directly on the garden…" Finian explained himself.
"I thought we should being out the tea set we prepared for guests but I fell and it all crashed." Maylene said.
"There was some raw meat left out and I thought I should cook it…" Bard said. Scarlett was standing behind him cutting off the burnt out parts of the meat with a disappointed look on her face. "So with my flamethrower…"
Sebastian turned his gaze to Scarlett. "Who gave him the flamethrower…?" The maid looked away quickly.
"Not me…" the girl mumbled. The four of them could practically feel their demeanor shrinking in Sebastian's eyes and Sebastian's growing.
"We're sorry Sebastian!" Malyene and Finian cried. As those two apologized the butler thought.
"Very well, calm down. You should all learn from Tanaka and calm down a little." He said. Scarlett's and Bard's ego's shrunk a little from that. "Everyone, please listen to what I say and act immediately, just as I instruct. We'll pull through, somehow."
Just as the end had arrived the house was perfect. All the servants stood outside the house and bowed to the guest. "Welcome!" all five said, in a chorus like sound. Their guest, Mr. Damian stood shocked at the magnificent garden standing before him. "We have decided to implement a stone garden as seen in le Japan."
The man suddenly exclaimed in an Italian accent. "Genius! How excellent! What an elegant garden!"
"I thought it appropriate that tonight's dinner should take place out here." Sebastian explained the guest. "Please take time to relax in the mansion until then." Tanaka started guiding the guest towards the house.
"My, my. Just as one would expect of the Phantomhive family. I can't wait for night to fall now."
When Maylene, Finian, Brad and Scarlett looked at the door the guest entered in with curiosity they immediately gave a sigh of relief. "We made it!" Brad said, a look of horror on his face. The four started admiring the garden.
"To think the pebbles I rushed off to buy could become such an amazing garden!" Finian said.
"If those who serve the Phantomhive family couldn't pull off something like this, when what would happen?" Sebastian questioned. "There is a long way to go, while the young master is negotiating with our guest, let us do what we can."
"Yes sir!" they replied.
"Sebastian!" Scarlett said turning towards him quickly, her skirt following her. The butler waved her off dismissively.
"Yes, Scarlett, I am well aware." The red head glared at the butler.
Scarlett stood between her master and the guest as the two played a game in the lounge, Scarlett had a smile on her face happy that there wasn't a single wrinkle on Ceil's clothing. Her own black dress and white apron had no blemishes on it. Her hair pulled up into a single ponytail was pulled over her right shoulder like that wintery night. Ceil's uncovered eye looked calculating at the game board. His hair too without a single flaw, neatly combed.
"The progression of East Indian jewel technology is really quite remarkable." Mr. Damian said. Scarlett frowned in the displeasure from the sound of his voice. "Many brilliant people have also been raised there-"
The man was cut off. Scarlett's pleasant smile returned to her face. "Entranced by the eyes of the dead." Earl Ceil Phantomhive stated. "That's unlucky. I'm out for one turn, eh?" He said.
"I would like to continue to expand my company's business." Damian said. "And secure a larger workforce."
Ceil leaned back in his seat, his finger's intertwining with each others. "It's your turn." Ceil stated with a large calming vibe."
"Oh yes." The dirty blonde man said starting his game again. "Well then, excuse me." Ceil noticed the twitch in Scarlett's fingers as the man spoke, her hands hold the silver tray against her long with documents of Damian's company. Ceil was certain the papers would start to take in the scent of the flowers from the estate, the flower's she usually smelt like even though Finian was the gardener.
Ceil's blue eye averted back to the game board as his opponent made another move. "Yes, and five." He said, moving his piece five spaces. "About that, though. If I were to receive assistance in the form of another £12,000 pounds…" Ceil looked at Damian questionably. "I'm sure this would not prove to be without benefit for you either, Earl. I would become the Phantomhive Company's legs in South Asia and leapfrog right into even more-"
He was cut off once more. "Lose your legs in the forest of confusion." Ceil said, his soft voice had no emotional undertone. Damian looked up at the Earl a sound of confusion escaping his mouth. "It's your turn again. I'm out for a turn, after all." Ceil explained calmly to the guest.
Damian spun the piece again. "Alright, it's six."
"Wait, that's three." Ceil quickly corrected him.
"Um, but…"
"Once you lose your legs you can only move half the distance…" Scarlett whispered softly. Her green eyes moved from the board to the blue eyes of the guest.
He looked at her, chuckled a little bit. "This is quite the sever board game, isn't it? Is there no way to restore my legs?"
"Something once lost will never return." Ceil muttered and snatched the piece from Damian's hand placing it were it should be. "You're body is burned with the crimson flames." His eye intensely staring at the game board his eye turned up to his opponent once more.
The man took a deep, shaking breath in. He looked down to his piece and saw where it had stopped. The card with the same words printed on it was where his piece had landed. "The preparations for dinner have been made." Sebastian said stepping into the lounge.
"Oh, the dinner in that stone garden?" Damian asked. "I've been greatly anticipating it!"
"Well then, let's save the rest for later." Ceil said, as Scarlett went to start putting the pieces in their place.
"Ah, even without continuing, it is quite clear that I am going to lose."
"I don't like quitting a game in the middle." Ceil rose from his seat, the greed was in there in his voice.
Damian rose his hand slightly shielding himself from Scarlett. "Child…" He whispered. Hate raged in her eyes, her hand suddenly twisted ready to slam the silver platter onto his head. Sebastian shot the girl a glare and in a seconds notice it seemed like she never even made the gesture but in her eyes the glare remained. Ceil turned to look at his guest the same glare in his eyes. "Ah! I mean, having the flexible spirit of a child must be one of the requirements of being a manufacturer. That is why the Phantomhives are the number one toy manufacturer in this country. It is really admirable!"
Ceil and Damian left the room heading towards the garden. Scarlett followed their path after the exited the room. Sebastian closed the door behind her. "A servant of the Phantomhive house hold should not lose her temper so easily." He whispered to her.
Her green eyes met his red ones. "But also a servant of the Phantomhive house hold should not allow anyone to put dirt upon the crest of the house." She said back.
"Oh, but don't worry… this won't last long." He told her. "Just go join Bard and Finian and Tanaka, leave the rest up to me." He said with a warm smile.
Scarlett rolled her eyes. Sebastian started walking down the hall and Scarlett followed. She went down to the kitchen where the guys were. They placed a camouflage on her and dragged her away to the garden, the four of them hid in a bush watching the other four on garden that was lit up with the use of lanterns.
"Tonight's dinner is a Beef Tataki-don prepared by our own chef, Bard." Both Ceil and Damian looked down at the small bowls of food there.
"Is this a dinner?" Damian asked, shock was written on his face.
"Yes." Sebastian stared as elegant as usual. "Don't you know?" He questioned. "This is a tradional delicacy passed down since ancient times in Japan! It is a feast filled with appreciation for those who have completed a hard job. That is the power of the dish known as Donburi!"
"Donduri, banzai!"
"This is just a small thank you we would present to you, Mr. Damian, for working so diligently on behalf of the Phantomhive Company." Sebastian said as Damian shock added horror into the mix.
"You're amazing, Sebastian…" Finian whispered and the other two men looked approvingly at the butler from their little hide out.
Scarlett looked irritated. "You… seriously had to go and explain the dish…?" She questioned softly.
"What a unique presentation! Just what you expect of a first-class Phantomhive welcome!" Damian said as Ceil already began his meal.
"We have prepared a win that complements the fragrance of the soy sauce. Maylene." The maid didn't move. Scarlett sighed. "Maylene."
"Oh, yes, sir!"
Sebastian got close to her, her glasses broke even more than usual. "Don't space out. Pour the win into the glass." He whispered to her. She started wobbling getting close to the table.
"Ah, y-you can't, Sebastian! Making a face like that…" She whispered her arms shaking. She poured the wine but instead of in the glass she was pouring it onto the table.
The four in the bush looked horrified. "Maylene is spilling all the wine!" Finian said stating the obvious.
"Why didn't Sebastian just let me do this?" Scarlett said.
Ceil's eyes widened as the win got closer to the edge. Everyone eyes looked directly at the wine, anxiety from everyone piled up with horror. Sebastian grabbed the table cloth, pulling it from under them taking the drop that spilt over the table. Everyone who noticed was in awe.
Finian and Bard grabbed Maylene and dragged the love drunk girl away as quickly as possible. "Where did the tablecloth go?" Damian asked once he noticed Scarlett had hugged onto Tanaka, her stomach tided in a knot. They sighed heavily.
"There was a small stain so I had it removed." Ceil said calmly. A smirk lit his face. "Please pay it no mind."
Sebastian bowed respectfully. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you. Please enjoy your meal at your leisure." He said.
Damian looked shocked and laughed. "I am humbled, Earl Phantomhive. He really is talented."
"He only did what was natural as my servant." Ceil replied that prideful smirk still on his face.
"It is as my master says." Sebastian agreed. "I am but a butler." Sebastian stated bowing his head.
The meal finished and they were back in the lounge. "My, I am awed by your proficiency." Ceil sat in his seat and Scarlett wasn't there just yet. "Well then, about the contract…"
"Before that, we have to finish the board game." Ceil said.
Damian looked shocked and unpleased. "Indeed, there is that. However, I am very sorry, but my next appointment…"
"Children are very demanding when it comes to games. You know that as well, don't you?" Ceil asked another smirk lighting his face.
"Well then, would it be all right If I used your telephone for a moment?" Damian asked a weak smile on his face. Just as he left the room Scarlett and Sebastian were coming in with a cart that had a tea set on it, the kettle was warm.
"I have brought you some tea." Sebastian said with a warm smile as Scarlett took the cart and pushed it inside.
Damian gave the butler a glare and excused himself. Scarlett poured Ceil a cup of tea and handed it to him. He brought it close and pulled it away. "What is this? The fragrance is weak."
"I brought out an Italian tea to match our guest's tastes." Sebastian said entering the room.
"Italian?" The boy said in a soft voice.
"In Italy, coffee is the main aperitif, so there are not many good after-dinner teas." Sebastian explained. "Does it not suit you?" He questioned looking from, Scarlett who was preparing the next cup for the guest to Ceil who had a displeasured look on his face.
"No, I don't like it." Ceil muttered.
"I shall bring the dessert." Sebastian said.
"Yes. Be diligent until the end, as befits the hospitality of the Phantomhive family." Scarlett smiled and scoffed a little, she would enjoy dessert the most that night. Sebastian left the room with the same smile. Scarlett almost laughed.
"The time for laughter isn't here quite yet, Scarlett." The girl nodded.
"You're right." She said. She started humming a song, the lights when off and a few minutes later the scream of 'mamma mia' filled the air. Ceil started laughing.
"That distasteful cry; he sounds just like a pig out for slaughter." Scarlett chuckled looking at the window at the running man as he limped. "To think he thought he could get away with staying quiet about selling of the factory." Ceil said. He scoffed. "Then ask me to fun a larger workforce. The foolhardy fraud."
Scarlett turned and looked at the board as Ceil places his piece on the happy end. She looked up at him. "Young master…"
He pushed the piece down. He leaned back in his seat. "Something once lost will never return…" He muttered.
