Chapter 3: I will NOT fail


"Elizabeth Middleford… she is Ciel's fiancée isn't she Claude?"

Questioned The Earl of the Trancy family, his long, slender fingers digging into the cloth face of a stuffed schnauzer.

Laying on the bed beside the blond man was the torn Phantomhive company logo, some black strings and just the slightest amount of cotton still attached to the discarded crest.
He tore away at the insides, fingers fishing around in the cotton stuffing, almost as if he was searching for something inside the rapidly diminishing body.

"Yes."

came the reply from the Earl's butler.

Alois smiled happily as he pushed out one of the shining blue eyes on the plush toy, two of his fingers poking out of the hole he had just created.

He hooked his fingers around one side of the hole, then pulled down, tearing the fabric until he could fit his entire hand through it.

"Claude…you are going to take me to Elizabeth. We are going to bring her here. She should be good bait for Ciel."

Claude just stared towards Alois, eyes cold.

"Your Highness…Why are you using Lady Elizabeth when you could just order me to go retrieve Earl Phantomhive?"

Alois froze. His hands stopped their mutilating of the small toy, and eyes flew to Claude.

"Because, Claude, every time I order you to obtain Ciel Phantomhive, you either only partly complete the job, or you fail me altogether, Now, I am trying something."

Claude's eyes narrowed, momentarily changing from their soft yellow to bright crimson at the earls words.

"I order you, take me to the residence of Lady Elizabeth, and make sure NO ONE notices her absence, no matter WHAT it takes."

Claude pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Yes, Your highness."

The remains of the plush dog was all that was left in the room, as the Trancy household fell into silence.


Ciel was shocked.

His hands were shaking slightly after reading the contents of the letter he had just received.

"Alois…Trancy…"

Within seconds, the earl's shock turned to fury.

Ever since Ciel was 13, he had been chasing around in pointless circles when it came to Alois Trancy.

Every time he had thought he had found a led on the other noble, he'd be led into a dead end.

The blond man had always treated Ciel as a child, and this entire thing, the fact Ciel was out for his revenge on Alois was treated like a game.

A game, it seemed where, for once, Ciel was evenly matched.

But, this time, The Trancy noble had gone to far. MUCH to far.

"SEBASTIAN!"

A yell erupted from the fuming Phantomhive lord, who folded up the letter with shaking hands.

Within seconds, the door opened, revealing his tall demon butler…and Dominick.

"PAPA, PAPA!"

Happily squealed the three year old, trying desperately to wriggle from the clutches of the butler.

Sebastian ignored the movements of the boy and just smiled at the other man.

"You called, Bocchan?"

Ciel growled at the nickname.

"How many times must I tell you Sebastian, I am no longer 'Bocchan'."

Sebastian continued smiling.

"My apologies, BOCCHAN. It just suits you so well."

Ciel rolled his eyes and motioned for the butler to release his younger prisoner.

No sooner had his feet touched the ground, Dominick raced across the room to Ciel, practically gluing himself to the earl's body.

Upon picking up the small Phantomhive and having the boy grab his neck in the tightest grip a three-year-old could manage, the Azure eyes of the aristocrat softened.

Sebastian gazed at the two, a strange expression on his face.

Ciel looked up from the toddler and saw the expression on his butler's face.

He chuckled.

"What are you trying to convince yourself of now Sebastian? That you do not care? Your unsure if you have come to think of me as more than just food and a body to use as you please. And if you do not care about me, then what do you feel for the boy?"

Sebastian sighed, running his hands through his raven locks.

"Bocchan…You are the soul I wish to devour, and a body I feel I can find sexual pleasure within. I feel nothing but hunger and lust when I look at you."

Ciel just nodded, not looking the least bit convinced.

"And as far as the boy goes, I see him only as a strange occurrence that hasn't happened since the reign of King Edward. He may be half of us, but that does not draw us together in anyway."

Ciel just continued to smile.

"Yeah, well Sebastian, who are you trying to convince exactly? Me? Or yourself?"

Ciel got up out of his chair behind his desk and slowly made his way to leave the room.

He placed the young half-demon on the ground and took his hand, leading him out of the room.

"Sebastian,"

came the voice of the Phantomhive lord from down the hallway, the amusement completely absent from his voice now.

"Take me the Trancy household. This time, I will NOT fail Elizabeth."

Sebastian nodded, even though the earl was unable to see the movement.

"Yes, My Lord." As Sebastian left the room, only one though was running through his head.

Who exactly WAS he trying to convince?