Author's Note: The first half of this chapter is to get the story going and for background. If you were looking for something along the lines of a short one shot you have come to the wrong place, I plan on making this rather lengthy with lots of plot. This was originally supposed to be a Sebastian X Reader, but the guidlines dictate otherwise, so feel free to replace the main character's name with yours or whatever. This is also my first fanfiction where there was an actual effort present, so be nice please, but help is always wanted.
I was a servant through and through, trained in the ways of elite house cleaning since I was very little. My family tree consisted of various types of working classmen, all highly and naturally talented at their trades. It was in my blood to serve others. A fire ignited in my heart the day I was old enough to comprehend things, a passion to contribute to the well being of others. My name was Evelyn Avis and I was one hell of a maid.
As my family was more known for their expertise in servanthood, there was a darker root running through the tree. Serving others does not just consist of daily chores and dusting, no, those are only the trivial things in my line of work. In order to be a proper servant, a proper maid, I must know how to protect my master with every last fiber of my being, to be willing to carry out their dirty work and to even shed blood if necessary. I of course have spent my whole life trained in combat and cleaning, and I was indeed ready to take whatever the world threw at me with a determined soul.
For now I worked for a Lord residing in the countryside, along with his childhood fiance, now wife. They were two conflicting souls, he was strict and tense, she was soft and emotional. I could sense they had more of a bond that bordered on the kind of love siblings had for each other, rather than their parents' intended romance. That would explain why they didn't have any children. I enjoyed serving them both however, it always delighted me when I could make the usually cold Lord express pride in having me for a maid.
One morning as I awoke, the tension in the bedroom that I shared with two other maids, was thick with worry and uncertainty. Their hushed whispers and concerned faces alerted me that something had gone wrong. Slipping out of bed I stretched my arms and asked in my roommates' direction,
"Did something happen during the night?" One of them, Daisy was her name, turned to me with sad eyes and replied,
"Oh it's awful," she began, twirling her golden orange hair between her fingers and tugging at it, "T-The Master... He...He was murdered last night." The fear was obvious in her voice, and tears welled in her eyes.
"I.I-I was awake when it happened." she continued, the salty liquid breaching her eye lids, "I found him on the floor." her voice cracked. Daisy grabbed onto the other maid's arm, Claire, and buried her face in her sleeve. Claire put her arm around the sobbing girl, and kissed the top of her head in a reassuring way,
"I-It'll be alright, Daisy." She murmured in her soothing french tone, though it was not enough to cover up her own uncertainty. The grey eyed Claire looked to me for help, and I happily obliged. I came and sat down on the bed next to Daisy and opposite of Claire. The gravity of the situation had hit me the moment the words spilled from Daisy's lips, the Master was dead. He was murdered. It could have been prevented. I should have prevented it. Thoughts swam through my head as I mindlessly patted and comforted the crying flora titled girl. The Master's wife crossed my mind.
"Is Lady Filstriss alright?" I asked in a hollow tone.
"Yeah." Claire replied "She was rather upset though, wouldn't stop crying. Told us just to stay in our rooms till something was figured out." I nodded.
"You better get dressed though, might call on us at anytime." That's right, I was still in my nightgown. I didn't notice at first, but when I looked down I saw a couple dark stains on my chest. I reached up to touch my face and my finger tips were met with a wet cheek. I had been crying. Or just tearing up really.
"Y-Yes of course." I replied with a shrug, twitched a smile, and wiped my face with my sleeve as I turned away.
About an hour or so later Claire, Daisy and I were just sitting around the room, discussing last nights events and what might transpire afterwards. Daisy had finally composed herself and was sitting next to Claire, leaning her head on her shoulder as Claire rested her hand on Daisy's. They were the cutest couple I had ever seen, and they trusted only me with their secret. If they had ever shown the true colors of their relationship in public, god knows the horrors that would befall them. They were my best friends though, and I would never allow that to happen, just like I would courageously protect a master, with the same valor I would protect them. However, I was quite unsettled that they were only concerned for their own well being, and not that of the Master, and how he could have been saved had someone been on guard. Daisy's midnight trip to the kitchen to fetch a small snack didn't count as on guard. I felt so guilty, all my life I was taught to prevent things like this, and yet here I was, talking about my future fate as a servant elsewhere because I couldn't do my job.
There was a soft knock at the door and I lifted my head to hear,
"Ladies, I would like you to report to the drawing room please." It was Lady Filtriss, her honey voice laced with despair. "Yes, my lady!" Claire called back, standing up and taking Daisy with her.
"Come on, she probably wants to discuss what's going to happen." I nodded in agreement as I stood up and brushed out the wrinkles in my uniform.
As I was about to enter the drawing room full of servants I stopped Claire and Daisy at the door,
"If by any chance we are separated, I just want you to know it was a pleasure working with you and I think of you guys like sisters, and it would kill me if anything bad were to happen to you." I went to hug them but I stopped myself, wiping at the tears forming in my eyes. They noticed my attempt at a hug, and completed it for me, wrapping me in a warm embrace. I cried a bit, out of uncertainty, fear, and concern. My fingers dug into Claire's back, I've never hugged anyone like this before, it always made me feel vulnerable to open up to people and was something I tried to avoid. Daisy was the first one to release, and her loving blue eyes met mine with so much respect and admiration. Claire then pulled away, and I just now realized I would miss the scent of her silky black hair. These two ladies meant to much to me, and the thought of possibly never seeing them again was too much to bear. I wish only the best for them and that their relationship flourished into something that one day everyone can accept.
As I entered the drawing room filled with servants I noticed all the chairs were positioned towards the front of the room facing the podium which was occupied by a Lady Filstriss clad in black, brown hair, blue eyes and all. She was still young in a sense, only 25 and a love lost. Her emotions was transparent, easily showing on her fairy like features. I scanned the room for an empty chair and found one near the back. I could feel her dead eyes on me, still so kind her heart had not been corrupted by vengeance or hatred, only mellowed by melancholy. She waited patiently for the rest to take their seats.
Once everyone was situated she began,
"As most of you know, there was an intruder last night. As far as we are concerned they were only set on stealing our valuables. However-" he voice cracked and her eyes watered, "My h-husband just so happen to be roaming the manor and got in the way. He...H-he got himself...killed." There was a few shocked murmurs in the crowd, but then a long silence minus the sniffling of Lady Filstriss.
"Now, now." she started again, settling herself more than anyone else, trying so hard to be strong, "He was prepared for an instance like this, and since he knows I do not require the services of others, it was in his will to send you away to other manors, as to not strip you of your jobs."
This was no shocking development, everyone knew that Lady Filstriss was never the one for this kind of life. She preferred the causal life of a cottage, living in balance with the mid-class.
"Every manor in the will was already fully aware much time in advance, perhaps even years ago, so there is no need to fear rejection or for your job." She motioned to a servant in front and he handed her a list, clearing her throat she found her place and read,
"I will now begin reading off servant names and the manors they will be sent to. Some of you will being going alone, others will have a partner or two."
As she droned on and on through countless names, I heard Claire and Daisy get called. They were going together, but I wasn't going with them. The feeling was bittersweet. I decided to doze out of it again till I heard my name called, and then finally it was,
"Miss Avis, you will be assigned to the Phantomhive manor.". The Phantomhive manor... Where have I heard that before? Oh yes! Wasn't it that one company that made toys and candy run by this little thirteen year old? Ha, this was sure going to be easy, if not a little odd. What kind of trouble could a kid get into that was life threatening? Like I said, easy.
Meanwhile at the Phantomhive Manor:
"What is this?" Ciel asked out loud as he held a letter in between his hands, reading it with a steady eye. It wasn't curiosity, it was confusion mixed with cynicism. Taking a moment to read it over again, he release yet another,
"What?" directed at no one in particular. Sebastian, standing in front of his desk, still waiting to be dismissed, leaned over with a curious eye,
"If you don't mind me asking, Master, but what is it that has you so baffled?".
"It is from the Filstriss Manor," he replied, eye still locked on the letter, "It is from the Lady of the Manor. It says the Lord had passed away and they no longer require their servants, so they are sending one here. It also states that we agreed to receive one apparently, that is a lie however. I've never even conversed with these people before, yet alone heard of them."
"Well it would be nice to have a little extra help around the manor." Sebastian replied, "Yet... Another mouth to feed."
"Precisely." Ciel replied curtly, setting down the letter and looking up at his butler,
"I don't need any more servants, yet alone want any. Those three already cause me enough stress."
"What are you suggested we do then?" Sebastian inquired, tilting his head slightly.
"Send her back." he stated simply and with conclusion, "Easy and done." Ciel folded his hands together and leaned back in his chair.
"Her?" Sebastian wondered out loud.
"Yes, " Ciel replied "her name is Evelyn, it said she was the best of the best, however, I can't seem to believe that. It also said she would arrive approximately sometime tomorrow. It's too late to send out a letter."
"Are you sure it would be best to send her back, she might really be an improvement." Sebastian suggested with a smile. Ciel scoffed,
"She'd only be an improvement if she is better than you, and I honestly doubt that." he crossed his legs in disdain.
"I suppose you are right, my Lord." Sebastian replied cooly, "After all, I am one hell of a butler." Ciel rolled his eye, the amount of times he had heard that was innumerable,
"I'm sure if you could you would alert the whole world that you are one hell of a butler, you say it so much." Sebastian took no offense to this, but was instead very amused,
"Would you like me to stop saying it, my Lord?" he smiled.
"I honestly do not care, Sebastian." Ciel moaned. Sebastian wryly smiled,
"Yes, my Lord. Might I request to see the letter, please?"
"Sure, knock yourself out." Ciel leaned out of his chair to hand the folded letter to his butler. Sebastian brought it up to his face to read,
"...Master." He began, ", you seem to have missed a crucial part of the letter." he brought it down so that his red eyes, like a ruby gel pen sketched into his sockets, were just barely above the letter.
"What are you talking about?" Ciel inquired, leaning forward.
"It is addressed to Lord and Lady Phantomhive, your parents. Obviously this was decided before...the incident." surprised, Ciel replied with a
"Oh...how could I have missed that?" he felt like an idiot. Sebastian smirked, his master was rarely ever embarrassed like that, and he couldn't help but revel quietly in the moment.
"Regardless of that fact, are you not going to follow through on your parents' decision?" the butler asked. Ciel sighed as he closed his eye,
"...I suppose not." he opened it, "Sebastian, when she arrives tomorrow, I want you to show her around, introduce her to the others, and all that okay?"
"Yes, my Lord." Sebastian replied, bowing slightly with a modest smile.