My dearest beloved readers.
I'm so, so sorry for the long wait but university, work and my personal life all decided to screw me over this term and I didn't really have that much time to write so I had to write snippets of the second chapter over time. To be totally frank with you guys, I also always had a severe problem with writing second chapters since they are mostly fillers to bridge over the beginning of my stories to the actual plot and since I really am quite selfcritical the second chapters never really like to get from my head to the page the way I want them to. Right now I'm at a point where I feel like the new chapter is long enough to not be a total let down and I'm pretty sure it tided me over to the next one so that will surely be on way sooner than this one. I promise nothing though.
Well enough from my point. I hope you understand and stay patient with me. One thing I can promise is that I won't just put this story on hold.
Just like in my first chapter I appreciate constructive criticism and I'd like you to point out major faults in my logic if you find any as long as you stay polite and respectful since I normally put a lot of thought in my work which doesn't mean that mistakes can't happen!
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Disclaimer: Nothing but the occasional OC belongs to me!
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Chapter 2: Son
The young boy groaned as a single ray of the rising sun filtered through the curtains and fell upon his eyes as if trying to wake him. He curled into himself and tried to bury his face deeper into his pillow exhaling with a light snuff. He heard the click of the door and the heels of his butler's shoes and groaned lightly again.
"Good Morning, young master. Today's breakfast consists of poached eggs, the finest local ham and a refreshing cucumber salad accompanied by toast, biscuits or a scone. Which one would you prefer this morning?" Sebastian's velvety voice asked him softly but with no room to disobey the unsaid order to get up.
Ciel sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning looking a bit like a tired kitten which got the black clad demon in front of him to smile kind of fondly at his young master.
"The scone" the boy answered brusquely and took the cup of strong sweetened tea his butler had sat onto the bedside table.
"Today you're having a meeting with the head of the Mason-group regarding your cooperation in the production of the newest Funtom products. Master Mason will arrive around 5 o'clock so he will take tea with you, young master." Sebastian recited the timetable for the day while dressing the Phantomhive heir.
He carefully slid the cloth of the white ruffled shirt over his young master's arms and shoulders and buttoned the garment barely brushing his glove clad fingertips over the pale skin of the boy's torso. Right after that he coaxed the child to stand helping him into dark grey shorts which ended just above his knees and lightly touched his shoulder to make him sit down on the bed again. The demonic butler carefully cradled Ciel's heel in his hand and rolled a pair of black socks over his feet followed by a pair of black shoes with a low heel. All the while the child sipped his tea absentmindedly.
As soon as his shoes were on his feet Ciel stood gracefully and waited for his butler to help him into his coat. The tall demon smirked softly as he pulled the sleeves over his young master's arms.
"It seems that we will have to invite Miss Nina soon. After all the winter season is going to start and with it the time of yuletide dances. This of course calls for a new formal wardrobe for you, young master." Sebastian said, chuckling under his breath. The Phantomhive heir glared over his shoulder. "Of course, Sebastian." He gritted out through his clenched teeth as the demon buttoned his coat smoothing down his lapel and standing straight once again.
"I will organise a fitting then. Breakfast is served in the dining hall now, young master." The boy let out a noncommittal noise and followed the tall man out of the room.
As soon as Ciel sat down Sebastian placed the plates of food in front of him. A platter with thinly sliced ham topped with a couple of perfectly poached eggs and a basket of toasted scones was put before the young boy who took a scone right away and broke it in half horizontally. He topped it with a couple of slices of the glazed ham and a poached egg over which Sebastian sprinkled a bit of finely chopped chives.
The black clad butler also put a nice portion of cucumber salad onto his young master's plate who regarded it with thinly veiled displeasure. "You know that a healthy diet is of utmost importance for a young man. Especially if he wants to grow taller more quickly, don't you agree, my Lord?" Ciel shot his demonic servant a scathing glare. The man had to stifle a laugh and turned around quickly to cover his twitching lips while his master took a not very motivated bite of his salad.
After this small hiccup breakfast was a rather quick event the only words that were shared over food being the plentiful plans for the day and possible actions regarding business and the young lords education.
Just as they discussed the plan of action for the upcoming meetings with different possible partners for Funtom the large doors of the dining hall flew open revealing a rather winded Meylin.
"Young Master, there is someone who wants to talk to you..." "Meyiln, you know that the young Master does not talk to anyone before he finished his breakfast. Tell our guest to make an appointment for a later date." "But, Sebastian-san, it's one of the detectives. He says it is really important..." "You know the rules, Meylin." The young Earl drawled. "But young Master, he says it's about your father..."
Ciel felt as if all air had been sucked out of the room. "Father?" he asked. The maid nodded and started again. "Detective-san told me nothing else but he said it is of the utmost importance that you see him right now..." before she could utter another word Ciel already had sprung up from his seat and rushed out of the room, his hands clenched tightly at his sides, lips pressed into a harsh line.
This all had to be a bad joke. His parents died years ago in the fire that also destroyed everything dear to him and put him into a situation that most would think of worse than death itself and now some idiot claimed to come bearing news?
"Sebastian." He growled and his trusty butler appeared at his side. "Yes, my Lord." "If this is some kind of joke, I want you to get rid of this clown. If he has any information you did not yet uncover work from that point on and uncover any information you can." The child glared up to the black clad man and the demon fell to one knee. "Yes, my Lord" he answered, eyes glowing crimson for a second.
Ciel strutted through the long corridor that led to the entrance hall where their guest would be waiting still fuming with anger and only a slight twitch of his balled up fists showing the tiniest bit of the anxiousness that also filled him with every single step.
Once he reached the heavy, polished dark wooden doors he threw them open with a flourish and stepped into the hall. He saw Fred Abberline standing in the middle of the room, slightly fiddling with the hem of his tan coat. The moment the man had heard the doors open his head whipped up with incredible speed.
"Lord Phantomhive, I am sorry to bother you at this early hour but..." the Inspector started but Ciel interrupted him promptly. " Meylin told me you came bearing some kind of information about my father. I'd have to question what kind though since he has been dead for quite a few years now and I thought that it would be too late for the likes of you and your honoured colleagues to find any new information about the culprit so excuse me but what exactly do you want here?"
Inspector Abberline took a deep breath and looked into the child's single visible eye deeply. "Last night we took care of a human- and drug-trafficking ring that we observed over the course of the last few months. We invaded their headquarters and incarcerated everyone in the building who was not in the cells. After that we took care of the medical needs of the imprisoned persons and tried to find out who they were." The older man paused shortly after his explanation still looking at Ciel uncomfortably.
The childlord raised a brow and tapped one finger against the elbow of the arm his hand rested against. "So? I still don't know what this would have to do with me or my late family" he strained. Abberline gulped and took a deep breath. "One of the prisoners was identified as Vincent Phantomhive." He announced to the young Lord who seemed to have forgotten his need to breathe for a second before he started again, his lungs seeming to need a much greater amount of air now since the young boy started to hyperventilate.
"Lord Phantomhive!" the inspector exclaimed, trying to rush forward only to find the child already encased in the safety of his dark butlers arms. "Well there is only one way to prove this claim, I think." the butler exclaimed in his master's stead.
Abberline nodded. "I'm really sorry, Earl Phantomhive, but I think it will be necessary for you to confirm this man's claim over the identity of Earl Vincent Phantomhive. If he lied about this we will of course take necessary measures..." "That won't be necessary." Ciel interrupted "If he lied than we will be the ones taking the measures. Sebastian. Cancel all planned meetings for today. We have something more important to do right now. Tell Tanaka to get ready to go as well. No one knew father better than him. He will know for sure if it is an imposter!"
The black clad demon smirked and crossed his arm over his chest. "Yes, my Lord!"