Author's Note: The set-up for the remainder of the plot is introduced towards the end of this chapter. We will learn much more upon visiting the next chapter. Enjoy.
Ciel and Sebastian: His Butler, At Leisure 2
Ciel had acquiesced to Sebastian's suggestion he take the whole contingent of servants with him on his holiday. It only seemed fair, since their conduct of late had been so lacking in calamity. Since they only had one carriage to ferry all of them to Cornwall, and four people would not fit on the driver's seat, the boy had decided to have the demon as their driver and position himself on the seat alongside. Baldroy, Finnian and Mey-Rin were then forced to endure a day-long journey inside the carriage with Snake and all his friends, something Ciel privately thought amusing since no member of the household, except Sebastian, liked reptiles. The boy supposed if snake venom could not even cause demons pain much less death, Sebastian had no reason to dislike them in the same way he had no recourse with lions because they were incapable of crushing his skull. They were five hours removed from the manor and approaching half-one in the afternoon when stopping to rest the horses for the first time.
Everyone took this opportunity to stretch their legs, especially the trio who had been trapped with four snakes since the morning. All three of them put as much distance between Snake and themselves as possible whilst the footman and his companions seemed to talk amongst themselves about the landscape and expectations in Penzance. Ciel hopped down and wandered to where his butler was attaching hay bags to their magnificent black beasts, patting them amicably for their efforts. The demon had an affinity for horses, the boy noticed: they always responded better under his charge then Baldroy's or indeed any other driver to have commanded them, including Tanaka.
The old man had politely declined the offer of a holiday, preferring to stay and tend to the manor. Ciel knew he would not be swayed on the matter, being too much of a stalwart to shirk the responsibilities of a servant, even for just a single week. The boy wanted to voice his disappointment to his family's most faithful retainer, but too respected him to speak so negatively of so kind and gentle a man. Ciel patted one of the horses himself before stroking the length of its mane.
"How far until we reach the Cornish border?" He asked Sebastian who was already standing by with second hay bags for both animals as well as buckets of water since no troughs were available.
"We should reach Cornwall in another three hours, Master. Would you prefer to sleep for this portion of the journey? I would not mind entertaining the others if you wished to recline within the carriage." The demon replied, changing the hay bags as he finished his initial query. The boy scoffed.
"Don't be absurd. They can't all fit on the driver's seat when it is merely the four of them. To add you to that equation would endanger everyone's safety for the journey. No, we will keep things as they are. We will address the problem when and if I require sleep."
"Yes, My Lord."
Ciel awoke sometime in the late evening, an hour or so before dusk descended on the landscape. He glanced up at his butler with bleary eyes, wordlessly asking him how much further was left to go. Sebastian smiled at him.
"Another seventy or so miles, Young Master. Please sleep until then. I will wake you upon our arrival."
The boy let his head fall back into the demon's lap, pulled the blanket that had mysteriously manifested since he first closed his eyes over cold shoulders and resumed his peaceful slumber. He was roused what seemed like an eternity later and sat up to confront the intrusion. Before them was the white-washed cottage he recalled from a lost youth amongst his parents and the ignorance of childhood. It sat some twenty feet from the edge of the coast and looked dark and foreboding in the twilight that now enveloped the land. Ciel knew from experience it was one of the least sinister structures he had come across in his short life and found only comfort in seeing it again. The waves crashing into the cliffs below and tang of salt in the air helped reduce its visual menace further until its tranquil true character could emerge to the assembled party.
"Here we are, Master, Bridgend Cottage. Are you ready to retire for the evening?" Sebastian inquired as the boy put his blanket to one side.
"Yes. Have the others bring the bags into the cottage. They may sleep downstairs in the two small bedrooms at the rear of the property. I will sleep in the master bedroom. I wish to be in bed within the next fifteen minutes." Ciel instructed whilst stifling a yawn.
"Yes, My Lord."
The awkwardness of his sleeping position and unwelcome periods of consciousness during the ride had left him stiff and irritable he found when stepping down from the carriage, a far from ideal start to his supposed holiday. However, all the baggage was expediently transported into the cottage, the other servants proving they were as eager for sleep as their master was in silently moving it. By the time Ciel had ascended the stairs, all of them were out of sight and the whole house was still. The only light in the darkness emanated from the candelabra Sebastian trailed just in front of him as he was led into the master bedroom. It was a small but cosy space with a large double bed against the back wall, a generously-sized armoire against the right wall and an expansive latticed window engulfing most of the left wall. The room's character was far more intimate than his bedroom at the manor, something that made Ciel feel oddly content as he was divested of his travelling clothes and dressed in his usual nightshirt.
"Are you comfortable enough, Young Master?" Sebastian asked whilst draping the duvet over the boy's slight frame with a delicacy Ciel always found odd coming from a man. He nodded.
"Quite comfortable." The boy murmured as the demon gently relieved him of his eyepatch.
"Then I shall leave you until the morning." Sebastian said placing the patch on the nightstand nearby before taking control of his candelabra.
"You may sleep in the guest room if you wish." Ciel said with closed eyes as he buried his face into the soft body of his pillow.
"A kind offer, Sir, but I must attend to the horses and bed them down for the evening as well."
"The others should have seen to that." The boy remarked in a distant voice that marked the beginnings of unconscious thought. He barely understood the demon's reply, such was the vast chasm developing between his ears and his brain.
"They are all tired, Master. Let them sleep as you do."
"What…ever…"
Ciel was awoken the next morning as fresh sunlight warmed his face. The boy opened his eyes slowly to adjust to the blinding quality of the new day and found Sebastian stood by a miniature tea trolley upon which a full-sized tea set was precariously balanced.
"Good morning, Master. Today's tea is a Ceylon black leaf with silver tips from Sri Lanka. It enjoys a light and plain flavour, highlighted by notes of pine and honey and is a great accompaniment to any meal." The demon said cheerily, pouring the tea as he gave his description and passing it to the boy upon finishing his final sentence. Ciel sipped it with lingering drowsiness only to perk up when its sweet flavour hit his tongue. He nodded.
"This is actually quite good." The boy commented. His butler looked visibly surprised by the judgement.
"Are we adjusting our scale to accommodate this new rating, Sir? I assume 'quite good' will be the new standard to achieve in future?"
"Don't be impertinent." Ciel said haughtily before gazing out the window at the blue skies. "It seems today's weather will be pleasant."
"Yes. The barometer in the hall claims today will be 'sunny and bright' with a minimal chance of rain. I wondered if you would care to begin your day with a swim in the sea before breakfast. I think such activity would be a very good way of formally beginning your holiday."
"I suppose it has been some time since I last swam for pleasure and not mere survival." The boy mused before taking another sip of his tea. He turned to Sebastian. "Very well. Rouse the others to begin preparations for breakfast. You and I will make our way to the cove just below the cliff. Bring the necessary equipment and ensure they do not disturb me until my return."
"Yes, My Lord."
Ciel naturally found the sea water unpleasant when first entering the shallows. Accustomed to taking hot baths and enjoying opulent surroundings during such an activity, the cold waters and stark horizon seemed altogether a more of a punishment than a reward for recent efforts. However after twenty minutes of gliding through the water, gently assisted by the ebb and flow of the tide, the boy found himself beginning to relax and even enjoy the sensations of such a simple pleasure. He had almost forgotten in recent years how just floating in the water and closing your eyes could bring feelings of peace that few other experiences could replicate. So he drifted aimlessly in the sea, as weightless and carefree as a feather caught in a breeze, until the waves finally brought him to rest upon the shore and sand some ten minutes later. He opened his eyes to find Sebastian looming over him with towel in hand.
"Did you enjoy your swim, Young Master?" The demon asked seeming to instinctively understand the boy would not venture out into the waters again this morning. Ciel did not move from his languid and undignified position splayed on the sand in replying.
"I suppose it was not a wholly terrible idea."
"I must say I did not envision you taking to such activity without some form of clothing. It seems a very brave choice for a boy of your age and position."
"Considering such a practice was also embraced by my predecessor, and the fact you are my only form of audience, I am surprised you bothered to volunteer such an idiotic observation in the first place." The boy answered scathingly whilst pulling himself to a seated position. He then considered whilst looking out on the ocean. "Perhaps my holiday will not prove to be as troublesome as I thought if this becomes the standard." Ciel said as the towel was set upon his shoulders with strong, lean fingers.
"Since I did not hear you stir once in your sleep last night, I would hope your melancholy is fading somewhat." Sebastian responded as he dried his master's narrow shoulders and back. The boy offered a dubious smile at the prospect.
"I hope so."
Breakfast proved to be another casual affair, far removed from the pomp and circumstance of his usual dining experience. Ciel felt somewhat underdressed when sat with an open-collared shirt and no ribbon to fasten it together, but also found it liberating to be free of higher etiquette for the time being. Today he wore a white French shirt, pleated dark brown shorts with navy-blue socks and a hardy pair of walking boots for the morning's stroll through the countryside. Sebastian completed his leisurely ensemble with a beige waistcoat and tweed jacket, both of which the boy had once thought he would never find an excuse to wear. He ate his meal of blueberry-decorated oatmeal quickly, having worked up quite an appetite during his swim, but drank his fresh cup of Ceylon in the leisurely manner he hoped to tackle everything with in the coming days.
The others were instructed to clean the cottage, prune the small crowd of English roses near the front door, make preparations for the evening meal and then to enjoy themselves in the cove or amongst the majestic beauty of the coastline until their return. Ciel wished to walk down to the nearby village to take in the scenery. Sebastian accompanied him with a packed lunch.
"How far is the village?"
"Bartleby-on-Sea is less than two miles from the cottage, Master." The demon answered hovering just behind the boy's shoulder so as not to set the pace or ruin his master's stride. Ciel nodded as his walking stick helped to propel him forward with great energy.
"Excellent. We shall arrive there in a half-hour or so at this pace."
"Indeed. You seem to be full of verve this morning, Sir. It is nice to see."
"Your constant hawking of this place has evidently made me somewhat optimistic. I hope for your sake, such optimism is not misplaced." The boy sneered as they crested a small hill and were able to look down into the lush and green landscape below cradled by the sun's warmth.
"So do I, My Lord."
"Is there much in the village beyond the usual amenities?"
"Not in so far as I can tell. However…" Sebastian trailed off rather abruptly. A moment later the boy heard his butler's feet grind to a halt. Almost immediately after, Ciel stopped in place too as his eyes identified what the demon had already spied. Nestled amongst a patch of long grass near the cliff edge was the distinct form of a young boy lying face down on a large rock with an eerie stillness that could only belong to a corpse. A large patch of dried blood circled his blond head like a gruesome halo. Ciel and Sebastian exchanged glances before their feet began to move forward again to investigate.
"Less than a day, Sebastian. Less than a day and already we find ourselves amongst the recent dead." The boy said bitterly as they closed to less than five feet from the body. Ciel heard his butler draw breath to issue what he assumed was an apology but nothing else. The corpse's head suddenly reared up from the rock it was pressed against. Bright green eyes of a boy no older than ten or eleven met theirs. There was a deathly quiet between the two parties for several moments before their companion's sun-kissed face broke out into a white-toothed grin. He spoke in a voice as bright and airy as the rest of him, greeting them with one simple word.
"Hi."