The town that surrounded the manor and queen's castle was vast and diverse. There was a market where people sold their wares, produce, and livestock, many different inns, taverns and quaint little shops. There was a rather popular store that was both a haberdashery and boutique making hand-sewn articles. They were acclaimed to have friendly service and stunning merchandise. The owners were cousins of some sort, or perhaps half brothers but they were related somehow. The man that ran the haberdashery also made dolls and puppets; His name was Drocell Cainz and the man that ran the boutique was Grell Sutcliff.
They had 7 employers total, three females, and four males. Most of them were related to each other so it was like a big family business. There was Hannah Annafellows, an extremely busty, dark caramel-skinned, lavender-haired beauty who had a soft spot for children and made very ice hats, she was also a Wiccan, though secretly. Angela Blanc had white hair and soft, almost white skin and she was so beautiful and kind that most people called her Angela the angel and Paula, a brown haired sweetheart who had an obsession with bells and would often get excited during Christmas because she could add bells onto things now. The males were Ash Landers, the twin brother to Angela and some purple haired triplets named Cantebury, Timber, and Thompson.
The triplets were usually silent but Ash was very forthcoming and proper so of course he was front and center talking to all the customers. This usually would be the manager's job but Drocell was very hard to understand and was emotionless, spoke in rhymes and songs and was very eccentric. Grell, on the other hand, was flamboyant, vivacious, loquacious, flirtatious, loud, a people person, and a voluble man who had a passion for all things red. The two made quite a pair and quite a shop. Today was just like any ordinary day with lots the business just opening and customers strolling in.
"Welcome, welcome to our humble store! Our specialty hats in the boutique are on sale today," Shouted Ash joyfully.
The triplets were working in different sectors of the haberdashery; Cantebury did men's cufflinks, watches, and such, Timber did shoes, Thompson did hats and ties while Ash did suits. Some men came into the haberdashery looking for new ribbons and ties while some women went into the boutique looking for dresses and gloves. Angela was best at dresses, Paula was best at hats, and Hannah was best at accessories. A young lady in a pink dress with brunette curls came over to the hats timidly and picked up one with blue-bells on it.
"That's a nice pick Miss, but may I suggest this one instead?" Recommended Paula holding out a pink bonnet with a shiny red bow and a bunch of tiny white daisies.
The lady tried it on and smiled. "It's perfect and it matches my outfit. Thank you very much. Is this one on sale?"
"Yes M'am, they all are."
"I'll take it then and that fan over there too."
"Of course Miss! Pleasure doing business with you."
The lady gathered her goods, paid, and left. The little bells on the door chimed and Paula giggled.
"Jingle, Jingle," Said Paula, bobbing her body up and down.
Grell Sutcliff appeared out of a room with a red fur boa around his shoulders and a plastic, long cigarette with a red tip in his mouth. He had a red feathered hat upon his crown of long, wild red hair and some horn-rimed, bedazzled, red glasses with black lenses.
"I have arrived! Fashionably late as always. Did anyone miss me?"
Everyone was silent. The customers looked bemusedly at the man while viewing the articles and the employers were working and trying to sell their items to potential customers.
"I missed you Mistress Grell!" Piped Paula, bouncing up and down and jingling a handful of bells.
"Oh…just you? Surely my adorable triplets missed their momma Grell, right?"
Timber whistled while applied shoe polish onto a pair of black boots, Thompson was too busy creating a masterpiece of a hat; He and Paula were great milliners, and Cantebury just shrugged lightly while tweaking a watch.
"How rude! Ash, you missed me right?"
Ash curtly waved the red adoring man away. "Not now I'm busy."
Grell scoffed inwardly. "Well I never! Woe is me, nobody cares about me!"
"I care!" Squealed Paula pathetically
"Everyone just tramples on the delicate petals of this fragile, sweet, blossoming rose and nobody wishes to pluck her from the soil she's so firmly planted in and take her home, water her and care for her. Oh my life is but a miserable-"
"And So I thought to myself; why must the man n red never silence? For silence is the golden key to pure tranquility. Silence is the substance I will use," Drocell spoke as soft and as rhythmically as ever.
"UGH! You great big useless piece of shi-"
"Excuse me sir, but I love your hat!"
Grell turned slowly to meet a lady who was wearing all red, even her short bobbed hair was red and her eyes had an amber-red color to them. She was beautiful all doused in red just like he.
"Why tank you! It's a Sutcliff original! There isn't another like it!"
"You have a great sense of style Mr. Sutcliff!"
Grell blushed brightly, his vivid cat-like green and yellow eyes lit up behind the dark lenses. "Oh finally somebody recognizes me for the divine diva I am! What's your name deary?"
"Madame Red. As you can tell I love the color and you clearly do too. I simply adore your boutique and I wanted to get something for my nephew's betrothed and perhaps something for him as well."
"Well you came to the right place for gifts! Welcome to Grell's deadly efficient boutique! You are most definitely welcome, sweet stuff. Anybody with a passion for red is my kind of gal."
Grell hooked his arm with Madame Red's and they walked merrily through the store together. "Now what is it this Eliza likes?"
"It's Elizabeth, and she loves big bows, frills, and the color pink- you know girly cute things."
"if it's a dress you desire we have the finest dress maker this side of England. Angela Blanc, now there's a girl with the magical touch of an angel."
Angela flushed lightly. "You flatter me, Mistress."
"Hmmm yes her dresses are ravishing…I love the material on this one. I'll take it!"
"Great pick love, but surely you must want a hat to go with that lovely silk and crinoline dress."
"Oh for sure. Little Lizzie loves bonnets and hats of all kinds."
"Paula is your girl then Why she can make a hat for any occasion, but she is prone to adding extra bells and whistles….quite literally actually."
"Jingle, Jingle!" She cried merrily picking out a purple and yellow mini hat with a large white bow on it.
"It's so small! How did you ever accomplish this? I'll take it!"
"Hmm you know what I think Lizzie will need some gloves, and a fan, and some jewelry."
"You know my red nightingale, I was thinking that too. Hannah Annafellows, a saucy kitten with a fabulous wardrobe-not as amazing as mine but you know, all that latex stuff is rather sexy."
Hanna smiled naughtily, her breast pressing up against her shirt, peering out slightly as she got closer to Madame Red.
"I bet you would look incredible in a tight little red dress with a black beaded choker. You've got a great figure for it," Suggested Hannah
"Oh my! You think so?"
"Oh yes, and here. These pearl-white gloves, little heart shaped earrings and lacy fan will do nicely."
"I agree! Add this to my things if you will."
"Of course my little starlet! We strive for hospitality here. You did say you had a son or something didn't you?"
"A nephew, his name is Ciel. I love him dearly. Ever since the accident he hasn't been the same little ball of joy but he's like my son…and I want to get him something special."
"Ciel…as in the Earl Phantomhive?! That brat….I mean….that darling boy is your nephew?!"
"Yes….you know him? I mean, he is a famous earl, the Queen's precious Guard dog but you speak as if you know him personally."
"Let's just say we've had a few run ins. He's got the studliest, manliest butler! I just want to eat him up! Oh I'm so jealous of you; you must get to see my beloved Bassy every day. It's not fair! Can we switch places? "
"As entertaining as the idea is I rather like my place as the Earl's auntie Red. Besides I could NEVER be as remarkable as you. I mean just look at you-You're radiant!"
Grell's face turned as red as his hair then he kicked the dirt shyly. "Well…I mean…I am pretty awesome aren't I?"
"Yes very! Now let's take a tour of this marvelous haberdashery you have here."
"Oh yes well, this isn't mine really, it's more of Drocell kinz's project."
"My last name is to be Cainz not Kinz. Drocell Cainz, no not Kinz. Now don't let it slip your mind again, my dear Grelly," Sung Drocell, in the tune of "my fair lady" while winding up his music box that he usually always carried with him.
Madame Red looked at him curiously and felt her face twitch. This Drocell character was rather creepy. Sure he was handsome, he had a soft unmarred face, almost like a doll, with these lovely purple eyes highlighted by green eye shadow and his hair was a vibrant carroty orange but as striking as this living doll was he was very…odd.
"Oh Drocell, you can call me Grelly but I can't call you Kinz? Fine how about Droccy. I like it. Now don't argue with me or mommy will have to break your music box…again."
Drocell didn't blink or shiver, just stood there with a face that had no emotion just a sweet line that curved slightly at the end that made his mouth and his eyes were glazed over as if Grell was boring him.
"Now don't be shy Madame Red, go on and tell Droccy what you're looking for."
Madame Red looked back at the persistent red-headed fashion diva of a man nervously. If Grell trusted Drocell, shouldn't she? In fact, Madame Red was slapping herself mentally for even caring. She had worked with stranger people in her line of work. She approached him with a warm smile and he tipped his hat mechanically, like a well-oiled, geared robot.
"Now, I know what you want. Something silver and gold…no…blue."
"How did you know? Do you know Ciel too?"
"He is…"
Behind Madame Red, Grell was putting his finger to his mouth in anger then he pretended to slit his throat. Drocell nodded slowly.
"The Earl is a precious, soft-faced boy who is perfect for…being the Earl. My eyes have caught the site of him buzzing about like a bee with his butler in tow. I would often see him, blue eyes and all and would then tell myself, Ciel is for blue and blue is for Ciel."
"Oh…well Yes Ciel's color of choice has been blue since he was young, it compliments his eyes and it's the Phantomhive color. He's not a big hat person, and he has so many suits in blue…it needs to be special."
"The little Earl is special…he is the material to use…the perfect choice…for…being an Earl. Perhaps a cane?"
"Yes, I think he does need one, but he gets that from a special person…hmm oh what's this…it looks like…"
She was looking at an unfinished doll in the corner; it had two bright blue eyes that were sapphires and a prominent, stiff frown. Atop it's perfectly round head made of something breakable and valuable thought not known, was a mop of uncut blue-black hair. One side was cleanly cut short and properly brushed a thousand times over, glossy and smooth while the other side was long, tangles and wild. Even so…it reminded her of somebody. Timber, Thompson, Cantebury, and Ash quickly blocked it.
"Perhaps the Madame would like this broach?"
Ash had a shiny blue broach set in silver and gold in his almost white hand. She took it gingerly, feeling the softness of his skin.
"This will do nicely. I'll take it."
"Pleasure doing business with you, Missus. Now if you kindly follow me we'll go to the register and ring up all your things. We'll even gift wrap them for free."
"FOR FREE!?" Shouted Grell, almost pulling out his hair.
Drocell came behind Grell and covered his mouth then whispered in his ear. "The red knows the blue or forgotten have you? Keep it closed, she already knows…too much."
Grell promptly bit his finger but he didn't release the mouth despite the fact that Grell had rows of razor sharp teeth. He understood, yes, but Grell hated being tied down…well like this anyways. Besides, a sale was one thing but giving things away for free? Come now, that was ridiculous. The objects the Madame procured were put into boxes and wrapped up. Ciel's was put into a silver and blue box with a black bow so that it was separate from the brightly wrapped things that belonged to Elizabeth.
"There you go, Madame. Have a pleasant day and give our best regards to the Earl."
"Oh I most certainly will and I will recommend this place to him and all of his friends."
"Oooohhh and say Hello to Bassy for me!"
"Will do! Goodbye."
The door bell chimed and Paula "jingle, Jingled" excitedly before everyone let out their breath that they were holding.
"That was too damn close. Drocell, put that creep doll away."
Drocell put his hand on his heart and looked legitimately distressed. He grabbed the doll and held it to his chest, rocking it like a baby.
"This isn't just any doll…he's special."
"Well keep it out of sight, okay? It's giving me the chills. Ugh this place is a mess and I'm too tired of being fabulous to clean it up. I'm positively pooped!"
Grell threw himself on a random sofa that was studded with gold buttons and let out a sigh of pain.
"And then I thought to myself, why not use the boy?"
"Good thinking there. See I knew you had a brain in there. ALOISSSS!"
From downstairs in the basement little feet were heard running up some stairs. A small wooden door on the floor, hidden away from the customer's eyes with a bronze latch opened and out of it popped a young, scruffy boy clothed in rags. He was dirty and smelled like very cheap cologne mixed with day old trash but underneath all that he had beautiful yellow locks that were a tousled mess and electrifying blue eyes. His name was Alois Trancy, aged 12. He was a pauper- poor and penniless from the day of his birth.
His past was an enigma, a mystery and nobody would help him solve it. He was found wondering the filthy back alleys of England where the undesirables could be found. The poverty-striven, homeless, and prostitutes. He was taken in by a group of prostitutes at first. He thought them to be lovely creatures, these women, with their painted eyelids and lips, who would sell their voluptuous bodies to men. He would sit there against the door and listen carefully to each articulated moan and squeal each woman and man would make in the bedroom and dream of being one of them. They said that one day with enough practice that he could become a prostitute too. After all there were many men around those parts who would love to get their grubby hands on a beautiful, smooth-skinned, sweet innocent young lad.
These women had given him his name, Alois Trancy for he told them he didn't remember his real one. He fancied the name, he fancied them and he was the happiest little child in the world. Until some horrible person named Jack the Ripper stole their lives and left him helpless, alone, and scared once more. Yet again he was thrown into the city's turmoil and grimy walkways to find himself part of a gang of ruffians. This is where all his troubles with Grell and Drocell began. A lot of people in the gang, called British Royale, were a lot older than him and Alois, being only around 8 and a half at this time was labeled the puppy of the gang. Alois liked dogs and puppies but didn't like the way they treated him and the terrible tasks he had to do.
It was in doing one of these terrible tasks that he came in contact with Grell Sutcliff and Drocell Cainz. They forced him to become their slave. He had no choice in the matter especially at his age and he had broken some of their valuables. He was in debt and until that debt was paid he would have a lifetime of servitude ahead of him.
"Don't just stand there, you useless boy, get your scrawny ass over here and clean this place up, it's a mess!"
"Yes Mistress Grell! Right away Mum!"
"That's Mistress Sutcliff- The divine Diva Duchess!"
"Yes Mistress Sutcliff, oh divine diva Duchess."
Alois ran to get the cleaning supplies, his bare feet that were swollen and dirty, trampled across the floor. He put on a pair of clean shoes he was provided with because his dirty feet shouldn't' touch the ground, some cleaning gloves, and a hair wrap, then soon after started his job of cleaning the shop. First, he started with the boutique making sure to clear the floor before sweeping and mopping. Hannah watched him work with pain in her eyes. She loved this little boy; they had history, history that no one could take away. Before joining with Grell's boutique team she was a prostitute.
It was she who thought up Alois's name, she who he always came to when it was a stormy night, she who gave him advice and taught him right from wrong; she who was one of the few survivors in the prostitute compound and by the hand of fate was reunited with her little Alois again.
One day, she swore, she would somehow pay off the huge debt that Alois held on his shoulders and find out about the troubled boy's past. Alois was a young thing when they found him, only 4 or 5. She was curious what he was doing out there so late without his mommy. He said he didn't know, he said he didn't have one. Hannah wasn't one to fall under the spell of kittens and babies but little Alois had stolen her heart. She knew that Paula and Angela really liked him too but they didn't have that special bond. The men, well, Ash was a bastard at times, noble as all hell and holy as all Christianity but still, a persistent, ignorant, stuffy, know-it-all, bastard. The triplets…who knows, they were hard to read.
Grell clearly despised the boy and beat him whenever possible and Drocell seemed to have a biased thing it was hate and mutual, slight liking. Sometimes he would look in his eyes and start to say something about silver and gold but then shake his head and say;
"You are not…but close."
Hannah knew that he knew something about Alois's past. In fact she was certain Grell did too. Alois pushed hard up and down on the glass of the window, straining his arms and neck, beads of sweat coming off his forehead to mix with the dirt. He needed a good bath and it was almost time to get one…if Grell allowed it. A little blue bird, with his miraculously beautiful sapphire wings, perched itself on the window sill. Alois wanted to be a bird, more than anything in the world; he wanted to be free from this. He wanted to know who he really was, where he came from. Drocell opened the window and let the bird hop onto his finger.
"Bird of blue, where have you been? Flying somewhere with the wind? Perhaps no more, now in this store, you shall remain, forever more."
Drocell placed the blue bird in a cage and closed it. He stroked the bird's white chest and hummed "my fair lady" to himself or the bird, it wasn't for sure which. Alois looked at it with saddened eyes. This was him; he was the bird, with wings to fly but no way to escape. Somebody had the key, somebody, somewhere. Alois was determined to find him or her. The him that had the key was strolling down the cobbled roads, dressed in green and white with his faithful butler right at his side.