Chapter 2
"Sebastian! Don't you dare kill her!"
The familiar chirp of birds woke me up, along with rays of sunshine hitting the lids of my eyes. I groaned as I sat up and stretched my hind legs and front legs. The bed underneath me dipped as I stepped on the surface. Blinking my (E/C) eyes, I focused on my surrounds.
There were curtains drawn back from the top of the bed and a black vanity towards the right with folded clothes on the top. I tilted my head to the side, looking curiously at the clothes laid out.
I jumped off the bed and pulled the chair out from under the vanity. I sat like a human and looked at myself in the mirror: Jet black fur with piercing (E/C) eyes and long eyelashes. There were cuts all over my neck and head. My muzzle was worse than I thought: three or four cuts on my nose that has dry blood on the side, my bottom lip was busted, fresh pink skin poking from my fur.
I looked down at the clothes and sighed, shaking my head. I closed my eyes softly, feeling my body shift in odd places until there were a few bones cracking. It sounded painful, but I felt nothing more than a sting now after many years of shifting.
Opening my eyes again, I looked through the mirror to find the same (E/C) eyes, but my hair was (H/L) and (H/C). Those same wounds on my muzzle were now on my face.
I grabbed the clothes and changed into them. It was a magenta dress with a black shirt underneath and white knee-high stockings to pair off with the black flats. I wrapped my hair into a tight bun over my head so I didn't have to brush it out.
There was a wooden door that led out into the halls. I just stared at it, reaching out for the handle, but not taking a step forward towards it. There was something odd about clothes in my room. Do they know what I am? And if so, what will they do to me? Would they hurt me? Use me?
The door swung open. At the doorway appeared a tall and lean man dressed in black and had fair skin. He had white gloves on and a sweet smile on his face. His eyes were blood red, and I stared at them as he did the same.
"Good morning, My Lady." He bowed, placing his right hand up to where his heart is.
When he got up, I didn't answer.
I could smell the foulness radiating off of him.
"Today, for breakfast, we have the Victoria Sponge Cake." He went behind the door and brought out a cart with silverware and a tray. "It's not what I'd normally serve, however, the Young Master wanted something sweet to eat. So I brought it upon myself to make you this delicious breakfast to accompany him."
As he lifted the lid, an orange sponge cake topped with blueberries and strawberries was shown. I felt my stomach growl as I eyed the cake, and the butler brought it inside the room. He set out the fork, knife, and spoon out for me to use. There was also a tea set beside it.
"Would Earl Grey satisfy to go with the sponge cake, Miss?" I just nodded, not caring what he was pouring.
I was dying to eat.
He left after serving the tea and bowing. I was left alone with my first good breakfast in years and I wasted no time digging in.
In about 15 minutes, I finished the whole sponge cake and made it through five cups of tea. Saying I was hungry was an understatement.
With the cart set off to the side and me lying on the bed, I stared up at the ceiling. It was a dull grey and boredom was washing over me pretty quickly. I wanted to change back into my wolf form, however I was too full to do so. I looked at my nails, seeing dried blood on the side from the night before.
Just then, there was a ruckus outside from the hallway. Before the boredom could eat me alive, I got up from the bed and walked over to the door to see what was going on. I turned the handle and opened it to reveal a redhead falling to my feet. Her smell was familiar, and I recognized her as the adult female from last night.
"Ahh! I-I'm sorry Miss!" She said frantically, standing up quickly. She was taller than me, having me be 13 years of age. Her circular glasses were huge, and the right one was obviously cracked on the side. The woman wore brown knee-length boots and a maid's outfit with a white shirt underneath the navy blue dress. In her hair was a white bow to keep the strands away from her face. From what I'm seeing, she seemed to be at least 22.
I gave her a reassuring smile, letting her know that it was all right. A deep blush made its way across both her cheeks as she bowed.
"I'm truly sorry Ma' Lady." Just then, footsteps were approaching us from behind.
Two blonde males ran towards us, one very scrawny, and the other buff. They stopped running and stood at the doorway, looking back-and-forth between the woman and I.
"Mey-Rin, ya need to be more careful around our guest, alright?" The buffer blonde spoke, an unlit cigarette in his mouth.
The redhead stood up and looked over at the blue-eyed male. "I wouldn't have been running if you hadn't tripped me and make me drop the new tea set, Baldroy!"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I wouldn't have tripped you if Finny 'ere didn't lift up the table too much!" He glared over at the smaller blonde. "I know it's hard to control, but keep ya strength in check, will ya?"
Finny, as Baldroy called him, looked down at his feet with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, okay? Sometimes I get too excited and go a little crazy!"
I giggled a little at the lot, finding their argument comical. They heard my giggle, I know because all their heads turned towards me, and they all stared at my smaller figure.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that." Finny said, giving me a beaming smile, showing off his pearly white teeth. "I'm Finny, the gardener."
Mey-Rin still had the blush on her face; however, she also gave me a large smile. "I-I'm Mey-Rin, the house maid."
"And I'm Baldroy, the cook," He gave me a sheepish smile. "But you can call me Bard."
I smiled at all three of them, tilting my head and closing my (E/C) eyes.
"You have such a pretty smile!" I heard Finny say, his eyes wider than natural and his green eyes shiner than ever.
My face heated up at the compliment, and I just nodded at him. Baldroy shoved Finny away and brought his face inches away from mine.
"And your eyes," His blue ones bored into mine. "They're so dull, yet they hold so much emotion."
I blinked a couple times as he was pulled away from my personal space.
"Baldroy! You can't just tell a beautiful girl her eyes are dull!" Finny exclaimed at Bard.
"I said somethin' nice at the end!" He rolled his eyes. "Besides, it's not like I called 'er ugly!"
Out of nowhere, the familiar stench of something heavy came back, and a black aura behind the three workers appeared. There he was, the lean man in black facing the four of us, a soft smile on his face, however, his eyes showed fury in them.
"There you all are." He faked a sweet tone, but the aura around him was not going away; in fact, it only growed. "You lot, are you done with your work?"
Mey-Rin blushed madly as she looked down at her boots. "Well . . . About that . . ."
"Ah! I forgot to weed the flowers!" Finny panicked.
"Well, ya said I couldn't cook with me flamethrower," Baldroy rubbed the back of his neck. "So I've got no reason to be in the kitchen."
The three seemed as if they shrunk as the man in black towered over them. His eyes twitched, his red veins popping out from his forehead.
"There is no time for thumb twiddling!" He exclaimed. "Now get to work!"
The lot ran around the man and down the hall, Mey-Rin and Finny's voice yelling out "We're sorry Sebastian!"
Sebastian . . . This thing has a name?
I eyed this 'Sebastian' character, trying to figure out what he was.
Well, he is obviously not human, that's for sure.
"I apologize for the noise, My Lady." He bowed, his jet-black hair covering parts of his face. "I do hope you can look past that and allow me to offer you the best hospitality the Phantomhive Manor can provide."
He got back up, offering me a smile.
There's no way he can be an Angel, he has way too foul a scent. I thought, staring at his red eyes and black attire. Black is considered "impure," as the Angels would call it; another reason to believe he's not one of them.
"The Young Master would like to see you now." Sebastian informed, turning towards one direction and walking down the hall. I close the door quickly and run towards him until I was side-by-side with his tall figure.
My eyes narrowed as I glanced at him from the corner of my (E/C) eyes. A Reaper then, perhaps? But I remembered his irises were blood-shot red, not the familiar green and yellow rimed ones I've always seen. Reaper is out, I guess.
Then what could he be?
Sebastian stopped walking in front of a large brown wooden door. He leaned forward and knocked three times.
"Young Master, I have brought our guest as you requested." He looked over at me and smiled as we waited in silence for the 'okay' to enter.
There was shuffling coming from inside the room before a faint 'Come in' was heard. Sebastian opened the door and held it out for me to enter first. I bowed my head as if to say thank you and entered to smell a child male's scent. When I looked straight, there stood a boy with navy blue hair, his back turned towards me.
The child male turned around and looked at my figure with one eye. His other one was covered over by a black eye patch that tied behind his head. His face expressionless, holding no emotion what's so ever.
"Hello there, Miss . . ." He started, wanting me to finish as the corners of his mouth went upward, but not enough to call it a smile.
I did not answer.
His eyes twitched with my unresponsive self.
"I am Ciel Phantomhive, the Earl of this estate, and I am glad to have you stay in my manor," He went in front of his desk and hopped up, sitting on the surface as his short legs hovered over the carpet-covered floor, his face showing no sign of happiness. "However, I expect to get some sort of payment to show your thanks for my generosity of sparing your life."
My eyebrow rose up. Where exactly is he going with this?
"You see," he smirked, reading the confusion written all over my face. "The Phantomhive estate only hires worthy pawns with unique talents that would benefit my guaranteed victory." His hand rose up and with his index finger, pointing at me as he stared dead into my eyes.
"And you have something that no pawn of mine can do."
Sebastian walked beside the Ciel's desk; the same sly smirk on his face that mirrored his master's.
I opened my mouth, flinching a little as a cut on my lip stung. "P-Pawn, sir . . . ?"
"So she does speak." I heard Sebastian snicker, eyeing me up and down with his cold red eyes.
"It appears as you have something no one here can do." Ciel put down his hand and leaned forward towards me. "You can turn into a stray mutt, is that correct?"
My (E/C) eyes widened with anger.
"I am no mutt, you child!" I spat, balling up my fists and glaring at the boy in front of me.
Sebastian's smirked grew bigger. "A very foul tongue for a lady."
My cheeks boiled as I switched my gaze between the man and the boy before me.
"A very foul tongue indeed." Ciel narrowed his eyes at me, his gaze intimidating, so I stood down, looking down at my black flats. "Regardless of that nonsense, I am offering you a position."
"A position?" I asked, shooting my head up.
Ciel chuckled roughly. "You are dimwitted, just like a helpless mutt out on the streets." I was about to retort when he continued on. "Another pawn to place on the board, making it official that she is part of the game. And what is a pawn without a purpose?"
What is this brat talking about?
"I am allowing you to work for me as my personal maid." He nodded his head. "That is your purpose as one of my chess pieces: To serve the King with your life."
I stared at him, perplexed. "Personal maid? Meaning what, exactly?"
"Nothing important, really," He got down off the desk and walked around to his chair. "Cleaning up, running errands, and coming to my aid whenever I call. The most perfect line of work for the pawn that takes care of the King. Just like the obedient little dog you are."
A growl escaped from my throat, my eyes glaring daggers at Ciel.
"You start today." He smirked, taking a seat on his chair. "My staff shall assist you with your routine for the first week."
I nodded my head; afraid I'll snap at the child if I open my mouth.
"Sebastian, take her out of my sight." Ciel ordered, making Sebastian bow and walk towards me.
We went towards the wooden doors again and went through it, walking out into the halls and back to my room.
He opened the door for me, allowing me to enter. I stopped by the doorway and looked over at the black-haired male, looking into his red eyes.
"Is Ciel always such a brat?" I ask.
He smirked at me. "You'll get used to it." And he walked away after bowing.
