Disclaimer: Black Butler and all of its characters belong to its respective owners. I own no rights to Black Butler or its characters.
Author's Notes: Some dialogue is directly from the anime. All credit goes to the respective writer(s).
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As Joker continued their tour Ciel heard a familiar melody that he hadn't heard for quite some time now.
"That's 'Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son'…Mother Goose?" he questioned Joker.
"Oh ho, got a good ear there Smile. I'm impressed with ye. Not many folk know that," Joker responded with a merry look on his face.
"Oh really? My last master liked that song, that's why I'm familiar with it," Ciel responded eagerly, immersed in his part as "Smile."
Still, he paused for a moment, letting the gentle luring tune awaken memories of his childhood before…
Memories of being curled in his parents' bed as his mother read and sang various stories and rhymes from Mother Goose ricocheted in his mind like a bullet. He remembered those seemingly long nights in winter, his father away from the manor on business as the Queen's Guard Dog, Ciel waiting with anxious patience for his father to return and tell him all about his adventures and on rare occasions present Ciel with a small souvenir from his various cases for her Majesty.
As they waited and prayed for Vincent's safe return, Rachel would keep her young son entertained by reading his favorite tales. "Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son" was one of Ciel's favorite nursery rhymes and his mother would sing it to him, her voice so beautiful and celestial that even angels would have been envious.
Blinking back into the present Ciel silently scolded himself for dwelling on the past. He was on a case, his only concern was to find the missing children in a speedy and efficient manner so he could go home. As he continued to follow Joker, however, a single frivolous thought crossed his mind before he could stop it. He couldn't remember his mother's voice anymore.