As is the way with life... my brain currently hurts and my ability to write excessively well remains mostly unaffected. Regardless, this is the first chapter of my story... as far as I am aware anyway... and I've honestly forgotten what I wrote... scary indeed.


Chapter One:

A few Minutes Earlier,

An unnatural storm, created by the powers of Sebastian Michaelis swept across the land, and a figure's coat swayed in the oncoming wind and rain, it struck his face with a certain ferocity and he did not feel impressed by Sebastian, not to the slightest, as a matter of fact he hated what his master had done to him. Regardless, he walked quietly as he made his way to the front gate of the Trancy Manor. Bound to Sebastian Michaelis as faithful and loyal servant. He was told to come here, for the sake of his well-being.

It did not look like a very enticing manor to be honest, but maybe that was because it was raining. "Dreadful… I hate getting wet." He stated and adjusted his hold on the trunk-handle in his left-hand. He wondered what was inside; it was heavy, but not too heavy for a person like him. He sighed deeply with resignation as he walked towards the manor, his shoes were getting demolished by the newly forming mud, and he hastened his pace. Finally arriving at the steps, he waved his free hand horizontally, pointing the palm down at his shoes… and suddenly flames erupted from the raven-black shoes and then faded in an instant. The mud was gone, and his shoes looked as they had just been shined… but to be perfectly honest, they just had been.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

The knocks were extremely resonate and he feel the vibrations in his hand, but the good news was that there were no indents on the front door due to him knocking too hard… it happened once before, and he had to buy a new one, so very expensive, his wallet was still thin because of it.

He waited for a few moments, in the rain, making him feel all the more bitter. After what felt like centuries, finally the wooden door opened with a prominent groan, it was an old door then. "What brings you to our door at this hour?" a golden-eyed man asked, he appeared to be the butler. He was dressed in a tailcoat, with black dress-pants, rimless but rectangular spectacles, black and recently shined shoes, with a black tie to top the look off. He seemed to be somewhat apathetic, and rather full of himself, yes indeed; the hairstyle seemed to speak wonders.

The man dressed in black with eyes obscured by his hood slowly opened his mouth to speak. "I've been caught outside in this dreadful storm; I was hoping I might trouble you for lodgings this day." He stated and adjusted his own rimless spectacles. In turn the golden-eyed butler continued to stare impassively as he contemplated within his fortress of solitude, his mind… or maybe he was expecting the direct intervention of his master, it turned out to be the latter.

The blonde-haired boy stepped forward, absolutely gorgeous blue eyes, and full-hair. It was healthy head of hair and he wore primarily black and purple clothing… perhaps grey with a touch of green, regardless, he also wore a tie and a white dress-shirt. Topped with high-heels, obviously to make his so very young and fragile self, seem taller. This incited a chuckle which the mysterious man successfully held back but he smirked instead. Initially the young Earl poked his head from behind Claude… he wondered how he could've hid so efficiently, but maybe that was because the butler looked to be over six feet tall.

Earl Trancy let out a gasp of surprise and looked at the man wearing his black coat. His eyes tried to pry the shadows from the man's expression but utterly failed. "Look at you!" Alois exclaimed and leaned in closer, "You're so filthy!" He added, and this caused the man's left eye to twitch ever so slightly, but fortunately they did not witness, or just pretended not to. "Just like a drowned rat!" He added and then the man slowly closed his eyes and gripped the handle of his case even tighter, Alois then leaned up against him, and finally on the tips of his toes before sniffing him once. "But still…" He began with hesitation and sniffed again. "You do smell rather nice." He whispered, "So, what's your name, hm?" Alois asked and that was the man's cue to finally speak.

"Caleb." The man stated bluntly.

Alois smiled slightly and dropped back down his normal size and while turning his head, planted his feet flat on the floor. "This man will be staying with us!" Alois exclaimed, and then looked tenser all of a sudden. "Understood? Claude?" He demanded of his butler, who narrowed his eyes, followed by the well-timed strike of lightning used atmospherically to express his contempt.

How efficient. Thought Caleb, and nodded his head slightly.

"Oh, and I hope you don't mind being in the company of others, because we'll be having visitors today." Alois stated with an excited smile, Caleb knew all too well that this gesture was false and nothing more, in reality he was most likely resenting the visit he was to receive from the newcomers.

An hour later…

He still had not removed his coat and they all sat at the dining room table, most eyes were on him, and they all wore uneasy expressions. Caleb did not hide how he felt however, and looked directly at the viscount of Druitt; he nodded slightly when he did. The man dressed in white clothing glanced at him, an expression of uncertainty, but then he dramatized the situation, as per usual.

"Such an intense manner of dressing, so simple yet mysterious and foreboding!" He said and let out a sigh, "It peaks my curiosity to want to know what the man's face looks like, but alas, I may never know." He stated and Caleb slowly adjusted his hood, indeed. Hoods were more efficient than the common top hat for concealing the appearance of one such individual as himself. Sebastian would've made it work though, wearing a top-hat for the full lost vagrant look, not that Caleb's look was a fail, it was far from it.

Alois sighed and Caleb slowly turned his head to acknowledge him. "If you'd be so kind as to not interrupt me while I'm talking Viscount."

"Ah yes Earl Trancy, deepest apologies." The Viscount stated with a nervous laugh and then sat quietly, earning a glare from Alois, but then the earl simply smiled and acknowledged everyone in the room then continued his story.

A sad story indeed, he had told of how he was kidnapped at a young age, and then lived in a village for a very long time. He stated that the memory still sickened him to this day; still, he does not know what it was called. Nor did he know how long he remained there. He told of how they did not even let him go outside. All others pitied him, but Caleb did not. He simply acknowledged and tolerated the story as it came to pass. While the others thought in the present, he digested the information and assimilated it, then Alois continued on, telling about how another individual was treated the same as he was, and that it sounded silly how he thought of him as a younger brother.

However, he went on about how in eventuality the entire village was burned to the ground for unknown cause, his brother was dead and Alois was left alone in darkness, but fortunately. That was when his father found him, bringing him home then dying of horrible infection. It was indeed a depressing story but Caleb knew that was not all there was to it, because earlier today; everything was different colors, navy blue, purple and the entire sort. Now it was golden and red. So Claude was indeed a demon, but not only that, a spider, he realized this because of his phrases, but most importantly, the golden eyes.

Caleb averted his eyes from Alois' gaze and looked to the Viscount Druitt, the man eyes were filled with tears and he wiped them and cried out in what appeared as agony. "No lord, I take it back, I cannot forgive you!" He exclaimed and grabbed the priest who had been sitting next to him by the neck and shook him back and forth. Two movements and the priest grunted with surprise and stood up quickly.

Indeed, you cannot, you envy Alois Trancy, don't you Chambers?

"Please, Lord Druitt, despair is a sin!" He turned his head to Alois and bowed his head slightly. "Young man, I pledge to help in any way that I can and pray that you find solace in this world." The priest said, and Caleb smirked slightly, pity was for the weaklings. He would not pity Alois, he would admire his resolve but not his relative insanity or short fuse. Some other things have happened to this boy that nobody else was aware of, except Claude, the butler. It all peaked Caleb's curiosity, but that was not why he was here. He was here to obtain a certain object, of certain value for his master… Sebastian Michaelis.

Later that day...

It was evening, and supper, the room was massive, well-decorated with red, and gold, but it was all so very so tasteless, he just noticed this now, despite the fact that he'd been in here earlier today. Regardless, Caleb stared in a seemingly passive manner at the table before him. Then Alois picked up a plate and jammed it in Caleb's face. "Try this one!" He ordered in an expressive and what seemed to be happy manner. "Claude's cooking is simply delicious…" He said and then Caleb gave an acknowledging nod, but could not hide the distaste and how unimpressed he was in his voice.

"Yes, I'm sure it tastes quite nice… however…" He paused, and Alois looked at the plate in front of Caleb with some amusement. "Please observe the speck of sauce on the rim of the plate." Said Caleb and he could feel a smile of amusement begin to form with the annoyance of the spider that stood behind him… Claude. "I assume it would've been too great an inconvenience to dab it with a cloth." He added and smirked with absolute pleasure.

"My apologies sir… I'll clean this…" Claude stated and leaned forward, and picked up the dish… but paused in middle of stepping back. "I didn't realize that a man who doesn't remove his coat at the dining table would have such delicate sensibilities." Claude remarked with a slightly smug, yet empty voice. An admirable sound emitted from Claude's mouth. It made Caleb want to shiver with excitement as he heard the voice of yet another worthy adversary. It had been so many years since the last time… the last time he had been forced to serve Sebastian.

"You flatter me." Caleb stated, none too impressed, but smirked when he earned a chuckle from Alois, Caleb simply turned his head to face the boy. Alois in turn finally seemed to get a glimpse at his guest's eyes, crimson-caramel pulse, filled with an insatiable lust for more.

He noticed that Alois gasped and got to his feet to follow Claude, so his eyes were too intense for an individual of his caliber to handle. That was highly irrelevant, but he supposed that he could always stay for the day and take part in the nonsensical endeavors of today. Seeing as how Sebastian was giving him two days before matters would be taken into his own hands… actually, no. He would get the item and then leave, using any means necessary.

He sat quietly and waited for his food to arrive, and taking all things into account, such as this Butler's desire for perfection; he would be waiting for quite a while... and with that, he let out a deep sigh of resignation and slowly removed his hood because they had both left and nobody was here to see him, he took a piece of the bread on the table, then took a careful and also extremely tasteful bite, examining the knowledge of the taste, assimilating it, digesting it. Then the flavor exploded as though it were a time-bomb waiting to go off and he felt the joy-filled tears well-up in his eyes.

By Nirvana! This is one of the greatest things I've ever eaten in my entire life!

Perhaps he would stay awhile… it couldn't hurt too much... could it?