Blood Brothers
Chapter 2
Ciel Phantomhive looks out into the dark countryside as he sits agitatedly in his carriage, wondering what had stopped it. The busy earl has little patience for this kind of complications, especially while returning from London to his lavish manor on a late night such as this. God knows what his perplexing butler is up to now, though Ciel wagers that this is all a part a cleverly conceived ruse by Sebastian. Hopefully, his butler was thoughtful enough as to not kill anyone in this little accident. The Earl does not wish to attend and pay for a funeral, as he is too occupied with important affairs for trivial matters. Nevertheless, it would be best if Ciel would investigate on whoever his carriage had crashed into. The young earl swiftly hops out of his elaborate coach, and walks towards the country horse cart on the side of the road that he assumes to be the victim of his butler's scheme.
On his way there, Ciel hears two voices coming from the damaged vehicle, and gathering from their rather calm tone, the young earl surmises that no one had been seriously hurt. His deductions are confirmed as two figures emerge from the cart, both in good shape. That's relieving, now all he has to do is to apologize to the poor lads, and perhaps offer them a ride to their destination, and that would be that.
"Sebastian!" The earl impatiently turns to his suave butler, who is still back on top of his carriage, with his usual mysterious expression plastered on his features. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go make an apology!" When Ciel returns his glance at the other approaching party, the boy is thoroughly surprised to find himself facing none other than his nemesis. Even through the midst of the dark night, the features of that mischievous blond cannot escape Ciel's recognitions.
"Alois Trancy!" The young earl cries in a mix of shock and hostility as the blond comes into view.
"Is he talking to us?" The puzzled boy looks to his servant, who slowly nods. Edwin gazes back at the young nobleman, wondering what is wrong with him. "He must have bumped his head," Edwin laughs, "I sure hope he's okay."
A smirk reaches the young earl's lips as he casually strides towards his arch-rival and the stranger with him. "It certainly is relieving to know that you are the one I almost killed, instead of some innocent countryside traveler," Ciel says with a smile, "In fact, I am quite disappointed that you survived that crash, Trancy."
What are the chances, of meeting his nemesis out in an isolated place like this in the middle of the night and almost ending his pathetic life. Strange, the crafty boy thinks to himself, but Alois Trancy is Alois Trancy after all, and that cunning blond is probably planning something right now. On the other hand, Ciel is confused as to why his servant chose not to kill his nemesis. Ciel knew that Sebastian could have taken that blond's life a hundred times over if he wished to, especially now, as that Claude of his is not present. Why did Sebastian went so close to kill him, yet purposefully miss the spot?
Edwin, now stands facing the earl, is completely clueless of what the mad nobleman had just splurted. Is this what all English aristocrats behave like? That certainly would explain the many exaggerated tales of Europe he had heard prior to leaving his home. And why did that arrogant kid just call him Alois Trancy? Edwin decides to ask him. But first, the blond has to get something straight.
"I'm sorry, but I am not this Alois you're speaking of," Edwin says, slightly irritated by his opponent's cocky attitude. "My name is Edwin, Edwin Matthews, and I'm just traveling here in England for a personal intent. Have we ever met back in America?"
"America…what?" The earl utters quietly, as a sudden feeling of apprehension begins to flood his mind. Ciel marches up to the blond, and takes a closer look at him. On a more detailed examination, the young noble realizes that this boy does have some minor inconsistencies compared with the Earl of Trancy, such as his long yet messy hair, a style that definitely does not suit Alois. Unlike the blond earl, this one is clothed in a fairly plain attire and is not wearing that distinct, haughty purple jacket, nor is he acting in that coquettish way of his. The fact that Claude is not present also seems strange, as Ciel had never witnessed Alois without his butler. In an instant, the earl's superior attitude is shattered.
Ciel gasps in horror and humiliation as realization hits him. The Earl of Phantomhive had just taunted a traveling foreigner that he almost killed with his own carriage. If anyone else finds out about this, and God forbid, if the paper does, his reputation would be demolished. His pride, oh the pain! Speechless, the mortified noble clutches his chest and almost collapses on to the dirt road, before quickly recomposing himself and making up a brief and humble apology. Ciel, the boy wishes to shoot himself, you damned idiot.
"Bloody hell…I mean, I'm terribly sorry for this mistake," Ciel embarrassedly inclines his body towards Edwin. "You see, Mister Matthews, I know of an…acquaintance whose appearances match your's entirely, and I thought you were him! Please, I beg you to forgive my unmannerly conducts."
The young earl bows lower, further bewildering the already-baffled Edwin.
Something is certainly wrong with this wealthy kid. First the insults, and now this? The blond squints his eyes and tilts his head sideways, while curiously examining the sorry earl as if he is a mechanical toy with a broken spring.
Despite the somewhat deranged disposition displayed by the young nobleman, Edwin's curiosity turns into attention towards the name he was repeatedly called. Who is this Alois Trancy, who supposedly possesses a similar appearance to that of his own? A spark ignites in the boy's thoughts, and soon leads to an explosion of revelations and fantasies.
Can Alois Trancy possibly be who Edwin thinks him to be? Although the blond's rational senses are trying hard to dismiss his wild imaginations, that name, those simple two words, emit a strange yet unforgettable aura. Subtlety yet unceasingly calling for Edwin, the name captures the entirety of the young boy's mind. Slowly, the boy ties together the series of events that had revolved around his world.
The young nobleman in the mirrors of his dreams, who begs Edwin for help and utters those words.
The dark-haired boy's nemesis who looks just like Edwin himself, Alois Trancy.
His father's last dying request to him, to find his long lost, abandoned other halves in England.
An eager smile reaches the blond boy's lips. Alois Trancy, Edwin ponders, So that's your name. Glancing out into the quiet countryside shrouded in darkness, the boy whispers to himself.
"I will find you soon, just you wait."