I have the new chapter for you all! Scine it is Christmas tomorrow I will take a short break from my writing to spend time with my older brother who's flown out to see us! Merry Christmas everyone!
The new room I was to stay in was smaller than the original room I was placed in, but seeing how it was to house three men, it would have to be bigger. There was a bed against the back wall, a dresser, a full length mirror and a night table with a lamp. It was reminiscent of the room I had at the Middleford Manor, the only difference being the higher quality furnishings. I wonder how mad Sebastian would be if I got blood on the floor when I kill myself? Probably right mad. He did tell Greil to kill himself off the premises to avoid making a mess.
"Stacy!" Meyrin knocked at the door. "Are you decent yet?"
"One minute." I quickly pulled up the pants of my uniform and tugged on the white shirt before proceeding to button it up and quit he room. Outside I handed the maid Ciel's jacket and instructed her to wash it later. She then lead me down the winding hallways too the lounge where apparently the meeting concerning my identity was to take place. Ciel was seated in his large chair with Sebastian at his side, like a Rottweiler on guard. Bardroy and Finny were sitting on one of the couches; Finny pulling at his hair and Bard picking his teeth.
"Ho, Ho, Ho." And Mr. Tanaka was sitting past Bard on the couch. Seriously, was he a ninja or something?
"Sit." Ciel commanded and I quickly found my way to the empty sofa alongside Meyrin. The lad leaned on his fist and just stared at me. Even though only one eye was visible, the intensity of his glare was not compromised. "Why were you passing yourself off as a boy?" Ciel asked swiftly.
I couldn't say the truth. That's just nuts! No way would Ciel believe that I really came from over a hundred years in the future. Lying was my only option.
"There is no work for girls; no decent work that is." I feigned mournfulness in my voice. I let my eyes lower, pulling myself into the role of a desperate street child in need of food and money. "My mum and pa had always wanted a boy, but I was born instead. Since they needed money, I started to pose as a boy to get jobs. I'd sell newspapers, do labor's work, anything to get a penny."
"I see." Ciel sat upright and closed his eyes. "Not many girls would be offered jobs if boys were more capable of doing them. But there are jobs for girls, which pay kindly…" he had a smirk on his face. I knew what he was talking about.
"I may have been desperate, but I have too much self-respect to go out whoring myself. Besides," I decided to use something that could make or break my lie. "What if Jack the Ripper got to me? The what? My family would have been left to bear their burden alone. I couldn't do that to them."
"Indeed." Ciel smirked again. "No child could be asked to abandon their parents, even a lying and deceitful one like you."
I hung my head only. He was taking a stab at me for lying to Elizabeth. "I didn't mean to lie to her." I muttered. "When my parents passed on I had no way supporting myself. When she offered me the job, the pay was too good for me to say 'no'. What else could I do?"
"How did your parents die?" Ciel swiftly changed subjects.
"Hm?"
"How did they die?"
"…Illness. I was lucky not to catch it myself…or perhaps, I was unlucky to not die with my parents…." I was really getting into character now. In the back of my mind I thanked my Drama teacher for the past eight years I spent under his instruction.
"Very well. But now this takes us to the matter at hand."
"What matter?" I looked at him. What was he going to do to me? Surely there wasn't any reason for him to do away with me, was their?
"I promised Elizabeth that you would be trained to be a topnotch butler under Sebastian's instruction. What do you suppose we should do knowing that you are a woman?"
I felt silent. He had a point. Only men could be butlers. At the least I was be reduced to the status of a maid. At the worst I would be sent to Scotland Yard for falsehood of identity and posing as a threat to the Phantomhive and Middleford households.
"…Seeing how I am a man of my word," Ciel stood up and walked over to me. "I will have to have you a fully trained butler by the time Elizabeth comes to collect you." He stood before me like a powerful ruler about to punish disobedient citizen. "But before that times comes I will have to test you to see if you are worthy of serving my Dear Elizabeth. It is my duty as her Fiancé, is it not?"
Nervously I answered "Yes, Young Lord." I wonder what he has planned for me. As I asked myself this and gleam came to his eye and I knew that my trails would be harsh.
"You are all dismissed." The Earl announced, giving us all leave. Once we all left the room, Sebastian closed the door behind us so that he was alone with Ciel. Instinct told me something was up, but it was late and I wasn't the type to burn midnight oils, so the query was left till morn.
Sebastian turned to face his master.
"It seems we have rat in our nest Sebastian."
"Indeed so."
The child strolled back to him chair and took his thinking pose upon it. "Who is she? She doesn't speak with an accent, yet she knows of England's on goings. She knows how to treat a wound and she knew the herbicide sprayer was open. No child from the streets should know these things. Sebastian. I order you to find out where she is from and why she is here."
"Yes, my Lord."
"I'm really surprised to find out that Stacy is a girl!" Finny exclaimed as we headed back to our rooms.
"Well, it's true. Best get used to it." I sighed.
"Ya certainly was convincing." Bardroy. "Ya even had Meyrin convinced 'cha was a lad."
"Don't say such embarrassing t'ings Bardroy!" The maid grabbed the chef's arm with a bright red face.
"So even Meyrin thought I was a man." I let out a whistle. "Nice."
"Oh, please don't take t'is the wrong way Stacy. Please!"
"Meyrin, it's alright. I'm not bothered by it."
"But doesn't it bother you?" Bardroy asked.
"What does?"
"That you're always mistaken for a lad."
"Nah. You live this life long enough you get used to it." We came up to my room where I bayed them goodnight a retired to bed. I leaned against the door and breathed deeply. I didn't know why but I had a dark premonition. You're just scared to spend your first night in a manor where a demon roams the grounds. I shook off the anxiety and changed into my sleepwear and went to bed. The little voice in my head tried to talk to me, but it was already so late that I drifted off.
The sun brought the following morn with it, but due to the sublevel of my bedroom I was unable to witness it. Surely, I would have remained abed for many more hours if a sharp knock hadn't come from my door, stabbing at my eardrums.
"Stacy, it is time to awaken. There are many duties for you to perform today." It was Sebastian. Lord, why do you test me? I threw back the covers and crawled out of bed. I quickly changed my clothes and stepped outside to meet the Head Butler.
"Please follow me." He requested before turning and strolled down the hall.
What's going on? I followed after him as he led me into another room on the main floor. I stepped inside, but it was dark. The only light drifting into the room was from the hall, but with the sound of a slamming door, the light was blocked out.
"W-what's going on?" I shouted. In a flash I was pinned against a wall, my wrist's held together by Sebastian's hand as he leaned over me. "Let me go!" I snapped.
"My master had ordered me to gather information on you. Please do comply so that I may carry on with my other duties."
"What are you talking about?" Inside I began to panic. They were onto me. They knew that I wasn't who I said I was and now it was a matter of time until the truth was forced. But, they wouldn't believe me, would they? If that was the case, I would likely be tortured until the 'truth' was reviled. I couldn't help but wonder what they would do to me. Sebastian screwed a nun for bloody sake! What do you think that means for me?
"Who are you?"
"I told you! I'm Stacy Christianson!"
"Who are you?" He asked with more force this time, grabbing hold of my shirt collar.
"I'm Stacy Christianson!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
"Who are-" Sebastian was cut off by the sound of the doorbell tolling.
"Doorbell-doorbell-doorbell!" I shouted, trying to distract him. Thankfully his butler aesthetics drove him to release me and he quit the room. I took this chance to run down the hall screaming, "Master Ciel!" I spotted the lad and ran in behind him to shield myself from the demon.
"What are you doing?"
"He practically attack me!" I wailed, completely disturbed to have a DEMON of all things in my personal space.
The Young Lord sighed, "Sebastian we will talk later. Stacy, go answer the door." Right on cue the door bell rang again.
"Yes, sir!" I dashed down the halls, ready to thank whoever my savior at the door was! I threw the doors open and found a well-dressed, Indian teen with long purple hair accompanied by a white haired Indian in a green robe.
"Ciel!" The teen shouted as he threw is arms around me. "You've grown so much Little Ciel!"
"Prince Soma," The other Indian interjected, "I do not believe that is Master Ciel."
"What?" He released me from the bear hug and looked at my flustered face. "Where's Ciel?" he began to wail like a baby. "I want CIEL~!"
"I will locate Master Ciel for you sir." I offered. Blimey, it's Prince Soma and Agni. What are they doing here? I turned to head back towards Ciel when he appeared at the top of the stairs.
"It seems that you have visitors Young Lord." I announced.
"Indeed." With the aid of his cane he strolled down the steps and came to the door.
"Ciel!" Soma jumped towards him, but I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and held a few inches short of his arm's length from Ciel.
"I believe the Young Lord would prefer for you not to attack him so early in the morning." I announced sweetly like Sebastian would.
While Ciel continued his staring contest with the teen who was childishly trying to grab him, Sebastian came downstairs as well and addressed Agni and Soma and invited them into the lounge for tea. I was sent off to the kitchen to prepare the tea and some scones for a light mid-morning snack. Inside I found a tray of stacked scones already prepared, but there appeared to be a few missing. I looked over at the chef who stood in the corner with cheeks of a chipmunk.
"Bard, you didn't eat any scones, did you?"
"No." With his muffled answer little flakes of scone puffed out of his mouth.
"I see." I examined the pile and new that it wouldn't acceptable in its current state. "Sebastian wouldn't let me live it down if I brought this to our guests." I quickly filled a pot with three scoops of tea leaves and allowed it to steep while I restacked the scones in a more presentable manner. I then quickly loaded up the trolley and delivered the items to the lounge.
"Right on time." Sebastian quietly commented, closing his pocket watch while I set out the refreshments.
"Who is your new servant Ciel?" Soma asked eagerly, obviously excited to spend time with his 'friend'.
"Stacy is a new servant of my Fiancée that I've been asked to train." He answered in monotone.
"Oh….Hey Ciel do you want to fight with those flimsy swords again?"
"It's called 'fencing' and no, I don't."
"Well do you want to go to that place with that singing fat lady then?"
"You mean the 'opera'? No."
"Well then-"
"I'm afraid my master has a busy schedule for today." Sebastian interjected.
"I you want to be entertained that badly," Ciel rose to his feet. "Then Stacy could provide you with amusement during your stay."
"Me, sir?" I asked for clarification.
"Yes you. Elizabeth is high energy-ed, so it is only fitting to see if you can handle someone like him before you go to serve her."
"Yes, my Lord." I answered, dreading the coming events.
So what do you think? I have to credit .know. for the dialog between Ciel and Soma reguarding the opera and fencing. They used something similar in their fic, and I thought it was so good I would try it here.
Happy Holidays Everyone!
