3

Hey I am uploading before Wednesday this week because I know I'm not gonna have a chance to then. I am sure that this will be okay for everyone. I hope you enjoy and please review to tell me how you think everything is going. It's slow now, but I promise it picks up soon!

________________________________________________________________________

The azure eyes glowered up the stairs as Ceil's foot tapped the floor without his realization of it doing so. Sebastian appeared at the top of the stairs with his arm around hers. She seemed to be leaning on him; after proclaiming to be so strong.

Upon reaching the bottom of the steps that butler stood by his master and both bowed deeply toward Acacia.

"What's that for? I'm just a street rat," she snapped hoping her blood would not grace her cheeks.

"You're a lady now that you have entered the Phantomhive mansion," Ceil explained slowly as if he were talking to a child.

Sebastian already a few paces ahead announced, "breakfast is ready. We will start out with chai that Prince Soma graced us with."

Ceil cut him off, "you don't mean to say that he's here."

Instead of giving a verbal reply the butler opened the door to the huge dining room with the colossal mahogany table. A young man around Acacia's age sat with tan skin and shining dark hair.

"Ceil!!!" he proclaimed with a genuine smile emerging from his lips as he went in for a tight embrace with the tiny earl.

Acacia could not suppress her laughter which would not last long as the unfamiliar voice caught the young man's attention.

He practically dropped the earl and stepped past him as he grabbed her hand, "my lady let me introduce myself. I am Prince Soma, a prince from India, and may I be blessed as to know your name?"

Only a few inches away from Acacia's face she looked over his shoulder to see pride emanating from those blue pits.

She pulled her hand away and spat, "royalty has never had any interest in me before why start now?"

Without being invited Acacia plopped herself down on a plush chair, but before she could move herself closer to the table it already appeared before her. Instead of Sebastian, a man similar to the Prince, except with very light hair stood with a smile.

"My name is Agni and I care for the young Prince. Please excuse him," he said with a bow.

Before she could respond Ceil snapped, "what are you doing here anyway? I have work to do today."

"I haven't seen you in a while and thought you might like my company! Anyway with a lady you can't be doing too much work to entertain her properly. Of course if you are going to I would be more than happy to..." the prince trailed off by Ceils hardened gaze.

Chai appeared before the three as she looked down to see the finely carved china. They trusted her not to shatter such a frail thing?

"I'm sorry," Ceil started, "that I have been acting in such a way in front of a lady. I assure you we will get to business after breakfast."

After breakfast was served Acacia kept catching Agni's gaze upon her, but before she could be sure Agni was helping the prince. She noticed Agni whispered something into the young man's ear which them prompted his eyes to flicker up to meet Acacia's eyes.

A few minutes after that Prince Soma announced with all the grandiose he could muster, "Agni and I must be leaving! He just reminded me of some business I left unattended, but Ceil don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it! Remember we are friends!"

With a wave of his hands the prince and all his fine attire left the room.

"Lets cut the crap what information do you think you could possibly get from a street girl?" Acacia spat as she tasted the liquid in the fine fragile cup. To her surprise she enjoyed not only it's taste, but its scent and how it made her feel.

Bemusement crossed the boys fresh features, "we know who you are and what you can do so don't try to hide it."

"What whore myself out? That's great if you're interested in starting a brothel," she retorted.

"Do you take me for a fool? You think I would go to all this trouble for a common whore?" Ceil gripped the table as his knuckles started to turn white.

Sebastian appeared before Acacia and took off his glove caressing her cheek as a smile spread. Immediately her eyes turned golden and her heart thrummed violently against her chest. So dark....blood...inhuman screams....blackness.

Swimming in the shadows tortured with those images the first relief Acacia felt was cool water. The images started to fade as a velvet voice enveloped her pulling her through the shadows.

Acacia's eyes fluttered open with only the edges brimmed with gold. She found herself breathing heavily, gasping for breath. She calmed herself as water was dribbled over her face again. Where she lay was very plush. She knew she had to find out who was tending to her, but when she looked into the depths of those crimson eyes she wished she hadn't.

"His voice calmed me?! What's wrong?" Acacia mentally chastised herself.

She refused to let the images encroach in her memories any longer and managed, "sorry for being such a burden. I think it would be better if I left."

"Please rest. I doubt you have very much strength after being exposed to such things. I can't let you leave after exposing myself in such a way," the butler cooed.

Despite all reasoning his voice comforted her. She hardly listened to the words he was formulating until the young voice penetrated the air, "it's obvious you are one of the girls that have special talents. It's exceedingly dangerous to be out in the streets now."

"You're not keeping me here as a gesture of kindness....what is it that you want of me?"

"As Sebastian demonstrated to me sufficiently you can see into souls. See the depths and truth of people. There are many instances where that would help my job go much more smoothly. In return you live here and will be treated better than a brothel with all the protection from Sebastian," Ceil bargained leaning on his cane staring into her eyes.

"I'm supposed to feel comforted after what he put me through?" She spat sitting up, "not like you are giving me a choice. Either I agree or you can forcibly make me. I guess so..." Acacia trailed defeated.

"At least she is not slow young master," Sebastian responded standing as the evening sun enveloped him in pink.