Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.

March-14-1888

"My Dearest Catherine,

I am so pleased that the new gown suits your taste. Although I cannot say I am that surprised, the dress I picked out for you is lovely; only a person with no fashion sense wouldn't have liked it. And you are my niece after all.

The gathering from last week had been quite entertaining. It reminded me of the lovely times when darling Albert had been by my side. Despite all these years, I still have strong feelings for that man. I am so grateful to that boy for helping me cope with all the ghastly events that have been happening lately. Surely you will meet him soon, Ash will introduce you. I trust you will appreciate his intelligence, despite his petty jokes. I will arrange a meeting, once I get a hold of him. He had scarcely been seen around the premises lately. I do hope he had not abandoned his duties.

You know how dreadfully boring it can become here, without a proper companion with whom you can talk to. What with all the ruckus in the palace, I can barely get a decent rest. Old age is quite difficult my darling, but be sure that it comes with advantages. Not one person can refuse or ignore the words of an intelligent and wise old woman (my demure nature seems to have quietly subsided over the years).

I do expect you to visit me soon. I had yet to see that lovely dress on you.

I am waiting for your response.

Yours truly,

Victoria

The letter was wrinkled, no longer neatly placed amongst the other documents in the drawer. Its sender couldn't have known that it would be her last.

Catherine mourned her grandmother's death alone, after sending out anyone who dared enter her room. Her head was buried in her hands and her shoulders shook as she tried to control her sobs.

The ceiling was just like it has been the other day, with delicate flowers sculpted in the corners , welcoming the details of a more sophisticated pattern. How many times did he even look at it carefully? It was more beautiful at that moment than ever. How ridiculous to think that this would be the first image he would see after his demise. He did not know where he was or who he was with. He did not know if he was himself. There were so many matters unsolved, questions to be asked and thoughts to sort out.

A smooth voice had suddenly brought him crashing down from his dream like state, a voice which he knew very well and which he did not expect.

'I see that the young master has awakened.'

The boy sat upright immediately, his face showing obvious surprise. His heart started beating wildly in his chest as if wanting to escape from its rib cage while a soft whisper escaped his trembling lips.

'Sebastian...?'

The young man he was addressing was wearing his usual black suit. The color of the small, silver chain that led to his other pocket contrasted with the dark color of his clothes and indicated the existence of a small watch.

Sitting cross-legged, with is right hand supporting his chin, the butler contemplated the boy intensely.

"What happened?" Ciel knew the question sounded misplaced the moment he spotted his butler's expression.

His reply was what brought them both at a dead end.

'Apparently, this situation is beyond me'.

His tone was cold, detached, as if he preferred to keep his actual opinion to himself. This was not a novelty to Ciel since a small part of him expected him to be vague about it. Even in this kind of situation, Sebastian would aggravate him and the words sadistic demon immediately came to mind.

Agitated voices could be heard behind the door, indicating that the servants of the household were also aware of his awakening.

'He's up?'

'Should we check up on him?' The words were muffled but he could distinguish Meirin's and Finny's concerned tones.

The butler swiftly stood up and opened the large wooden doors, letting the three barge into the room, all with wide smiles and gleaming faces.

In a matter of seconds the king sized bed was surrounded and the boy's face remained as surprised as it had been upon his awakening. What were they doing here? What in bloody hell was going on?

'Finny found you passed out in the garden young master!"'Meirin's worried voice filled the room..

'We were afraid you were ill so we immediately called a doctor, but he said that you were fine!'

It was all a blur, their voices and their animated faces, glad for his well being. He wasn't even supposed to be well. His butler was to make sure of it!

His unspoken inquiry was left unanswered, being as Sebastian remained by the opened door as if inviting an explanation for their dilemma .Unsurprisingly, no answer came to their aid.

The small boy frowned, trying to recount the last events he could remember. Amidst a vague recollection of grief, the smell of smoke and the feeling of cold stone behind his back, a single memory was what persisted in his mind. He remembered the brightness of the sun, the warmth of an embrace and a woman's voice filled with compassion which spoke words left unsaid for years:

'It's all right now, Ciel…'

The bitterness she felt while gazing at her grandmother's resting place was overwhelming. The royal family was saddened but confused at the same time as to what led to her mysterious death, all the while taking pity on the countess, the protégé of their most beloved ruler. Catherine was far too frail and young for such a tragedy, they said.

She herself didn't know if she could live up to these events. In the absence of a father's protection, a bastard child left amongst the royal members of the court under a false title was like a small lamb in the cage of blood thirsty lions. Lady Catherine, the unusually placid girl who had made herself known amongst aristocrats as witty, but unpleasant what with her condescending attitude and peculiar sense of humor was not one who could ever blend in, more so now that the only relative who took an interest in her despite her degrading origins was gone. Queen Victoria had been her grandmother and without her, she had no one on her side.

No sooner had this thought occurred to her that it had been replaced by another: hatred; so unfitting for such an innocent looking young lady. She despised the superficial pity that marked every noble's expression the moment they set eyes on her. More than that, she despised the person that has caused all of it.

Taking a few steps closer, she lifted her hand slowly and touched the fresh white roses with the utmost delicacy so as to not ruin a single petal .

'I promise…I will sort this out. I'll find that boy…Ciel Phantomhive.'

The light brown of her hair seemed golden into the morning sun's rays, contrasting with the dull black dress meant to express her mourn. Her hands were yet again united under her chin so as to finish her prayer. Her desperate need for comfort these past few days had been overwhelming. There were times when she felt she could not handle hiding her growing rage and replacing them with all the fake tears and gestures. She needed strength, a pillar to hold on to.

A determined look crossed her face, replacing her pained expression as the instinct to survive through this ordeal took over her thoughts.

She could get past this without falling prey to uncertainty and becoming a wailing, pathetic lass with permanent tear stains on her handkerchief. After all, she had been brought up to be just as strong as a queen.

'Amen…'

The foreign voice startled her out of her thoughts. Catherine narrowed her eyes, trying to identify the new comer and marveling at the person's stealth. It seemed to be a very small, frail man but upon a closer inspection she realized that this new comer was in fact a woman. Her short dark colored hair gave her a childish appearance that didn't quite go along with her suit.

'So odd of her to wear men's clothing…' Catherine thought suspiciously, an opinion already formed in her mind about her unorthodox choice of wear. The woman in question, however, did not seem to be affected by her judging look as she continued with her prayer in silence. Her gloved hands supported her while she lifted herself up to her feet before she took two steps towards Catherine.

The latter was taken aback by the pure gold of her eyes. Such an unusual color would have been intimidating if it weren't for their obvious compassion. She couldn't help feeling a strange mix of suspicion and immediate trust towards this oddly dressed woman and Catherine was even more confused at her words:

'Fallen angels can never come back into our Father's embrace. Just like Lucifer had fallen and disgraced himself because of pride and arrogance, the ones that disobey shall be punished according to Father's wishes.'

After a short pause in which the woman regarded her with sympathy, she continued:

'I am deeply sorry for what happened. I am here to bring you justice.' Cautious, the countess chose to speak:

'Who are you?'

Immediately, the atmosphere changed. The air turned unusually warm and the few sun rays which crept through the small window seemed to shine brighter. The woman had an air about her which made her less human and almost surreal. A small tremor took hold of the countess's limbs as this realization hit.

The stranger reached out her hands and took Catherine's shaking ones.

'My name is Helena.'

'Would young master prefer the chocolate and peach parfait or the black walnut cheese pie?'

Ciel darted his gaze towards his bedside as his butler gracefully arranged his necktie. He couldn't bring himself to look into his eyes nor let him see his disgruntled state, although something told him that he was already aware of it. The boy's frown was an obvious sign of his distress, as well as his narrowed eyes, one of which failed to fulfill its purpose. He closed his now blind right eye and gently brushed it with his small fingers as an avalanche of contradicting thoughts swarmed in his mind. Despite his efforts, he could not draw one single logical conclusion from the bunch because

it made no sense. The thought of something having been denied from a demon, especially something as precious as his soul, gave him a sense of nausea right to the pit of his stomach.

He gave his word but couldn't fulfill his end of the bargain and not knowing to what he owed his rescue made him feel like a piece of raw meat out for inspection, ready to be devoured if he let his guard down.

The butler's silence didn't help in the least. He just kept acting as before, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, and it frustrated him to no end. It seemed as if he was the only one worrying, a situation which made him feel ridiculous.

Evading his butler's gaze, he stepped in front of his mirror again and inspected his right eye. The symbol of their contract has faded, taking along with it its sight and it was a small price to pay.

His eyes narrowed seeing him waiting by the door with a barely perceptible smirk. He had to know something, but whatever it was, he wasn't eager to let him in on it. Maybe this was another one of his games to aggravate him.

Turning around, he faced him and his demonic eyes with a now calm composure, his façade never faltering, not even after he contemplated his sly expression. His voice also remained as stoic as ever, keeping his true feelings on guard:

'Since when did you allow me to ruin my appetite by eating sweets?'

Sebastian's smirk widened as he responded:

'Considering young master's state, I have taken the liberty of presuming that you will need something suitable for it.'

'My state? Whatever are you talking about, Sebastian? You make it sound as if I'm a hysterical pregnant woman.'

The boy proceeded to walk ahead, straight to his living room .Noticing his butler's silence, he gave his response:

'Get me today's Times and along with that parfait, bring me a cup of Earl Grey tea. Use the Mayfair set. I cannot believe I slept until noon.'

'Yes… my lord.'

Ciel frowned upon hearing those words which seemed so out of place given the circumstances. He sensed a tint of derision in his words, but paid no mind to the butler's knowing smirk as he proceeded to ponder in his comfortable armchair on all the possible scenarios of what could have happened.

The city has been in flames, there was no doubt about it. His servants remembered it well because of the unfortunate event with the hound. The three of them survived but others weren't so lucky and Ciel couldn't help thinking that the death gods were obviously busy that night.

'After we got separated we did what you instructed but we were all so worn out and injured that we couldn't head directly back home. We only got there the next day thanks to the townspeople's help. Young master was nowhere to be found, and neither was mister Sebastian.' Meirin let her coworker continue:

'We all got worried, but thankfully Finny found you .'

Ciel considered his servant's words, trying to complete the last two day's puzzle despite its missing pieces.

'The weird thing is that you didn't look sick or hurt at all, not even a scratch. In fact you looked healthier than ever.'

Bard said as he scratched his chin confusedly.

'All's well when it ends well, right?' Despite Finny's smile, his weariness was evident in his sea green eyes. Before they exited the room, Ciel asked one more question.

'When did Sebastian arrive?'

'He's been here since yesterday.' Frowning, Bard took two steps forward as he spoke his mind with concern:

'He seemed a little shaken up, master. Maybe he's ill… '.Even as he said it, doubt was evident in his tone.

'Considering the latest events, I think it's only natural…for all of us.' The boy dismissed him as he picked up the newspaper again.

'The queen's safety was ensured'…hm? How long are they going to play this comedy? What of Prince Edward? When will he be back to put an end to this?

Either Sebastian changed his mind or he's just playing a game to taunt me.

'Or maybe something far more powerful than him stopped him. ' He spoke this theory out loud, unaware of his butler's presence.

'Young master is not wrong in making that assumption.'

The unexpected voice startled Ciel, catching him off guard .He turned his head to catch a glimpse of his butler, who stood by the door with his arm half up, ready to knock.

'I want to talk to you.'

'So I have noticed.'

His reply came smoothly as he approached the small round shaped table between the first and second armchair. He sat down and proceeded to set the chess board, not even looking at the disgruntled boy in front of him. Ciel hadn't even noticed the chess board until that moment.

'Why do you want to play chess with me now? You never did.'

Sebastian finished setting the pieces into their respective places and met his impatient glare with a blank expression while supporting his chin with his left hand.

What was that expression? Indifference? Anger? Did it have a hidden meaning?

Only then did he start to consider his treating Sebastian as a pawn without bothering to read more into his gestures. He did not know what went through his mind and that bothered him more than ever because it made him feel vulnerable. He had no idea how to approach the person standing in front of him given their situation. Sebastian gestured towards the chess board with one of his usual sly smile. Determined to get his answers straight, Ciel made his first move careful not to let any feelings show on his composed mask.

Chess had been one of his most favorite games. At that moment, however, it seemed like a tense confrontation, one which had more implications than he was aware of.

'Dinner will be served at 6. You will be having deep fried fish in batter with chipped potatoes and for dessert, the bread and butter pudding. I hope it suits young master's taste.'

Ciel's first pawn fell.

'It is satisfactory.'

The silence was only interrupted by the chess pieces' moves. Ciel decided that this was an opportune moment to ask his question:

'What are we doing here?'

What use of repeating it when he didn't expect a straight answer?

'We're waiting.'

Sebastian said this with a hint of a smile while watching one of his pawns fall.

'For whatever held you back?' A nod was the only sign of him paying attention.

'What is stopping you at this moment?' Despite his relaxed tone, he was eager for a response. His butler's words surprised him:

'I have been warned against it.'

A black horse took Ciel's queen, but the boy didn't even blink. What made him stare at the man in front of him with disbelief was his next affirmation:

'It could have been God himself. Curious , isn't it?'

Ciel frowned, looking at the chess board and noticing that his king was in danger.

'Check.'

He moved his king, only to find it surrounded by three other black pieces. What had happened with his carefully planned strategies? When did he even lose?

Ciel frowned, a tinge of worry visible on his features. He didn't even know how to respond to Sebastian's casual mockery. The feeling of uncertainty took over the boy as he realized that he might be dealing with something more powerful than him or his primped demon butler, something in which he didn't even believe in. He had always been two steps ahead in the game and this feeling of powerlessness was strange to him. His hand tensed around his chess piece as dread numbed his movements.

Suddenly, his frown froze on his face as a realization struck. His blue eye hardened as a surge of annoyance and pride took over his senses.

A Phantomhive is never overwhelmed by anything or anyone. He would rather die a hundred painful deaths before behaving like a weakling in front of his butler, even if the confusing predicament they were in frightened him to no end. If his butler wanted to play chess, then he would join without faltering.

Smiling coldly, Ciel leaned back on his armchair and stared at him.

'My, my, Sebastian. Why haven't I taken up the time to play this game with you before?'

His smile never reached his eyes as he straightened his back.

'Because you always knew that you would lose.'

That didn't seem to faze the boy as he repositioned his king on the board. The silence was interrupted by a quick knock on the door. As Meirin entered the room, Sebastian looked Ciel in the eye and declared off handedly that they would continue the game later. Ciel was slightly taken aback but he quickly recomposed himself, agreeing through a curt nod. He directed his attention to Meirin, who excitedly announced the arrival of a letter addressed to the master of the Phantomhive household.

'It was brought by a man. He said that the queen will be expecting you at tomorrow evening's festivity.'