To Beautiful Phantom who did a lovely picture of Kagome: I loved it! Thank you for the picture! You are the coolest!
Disc: Inuyasha is not, nor will it ever be mine. Neither is Kuroshitsuji.
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Ciel forced a smile on his face as Madame Red pranced around him, happy to have him back. Sebastian had declined coming to Madame Red's Manor, saying that he was needed on site to supervise over the rebuilding of the Phantomhive Estate. Ciel had been reluctant to let him go until the demon had chided him.
"You are my contractor young master. Shall you call me, I will be there." Ciel had been angry at forgetting that. He had become used to his butler's presence.
"Tea, Ciel?" He smiled gratefully at Kagome as she set the teacup in front of him. Deftly, she poured him a cup and retreated to her seat. He put a lump of sugar and a dash of milk in the cup and stirred it lazily.
"How have you been Illya?" Ciel murmured, ignoring his crazed aunt who was still spinning in circles around the table.
"I have been as well as I could without you here." Kagome stood and moved to her shelf. It was small and contained folder upon folder of the Phantomhive Estates information. She scanned the titles and pulled on off. "Here you go. It lists where I have gained money, cut back on losses and the like. There are also names of the companies I believe should be blacklisted."
"Blacklisted?"
"Embezzlement, fraud, the type of thing I was sure you would frown upon. But I didn't want to take over your company so I left them as is. I was able to curtail the excess, and the money you've gained has paid over their thievery, but it is your choice to make and not mine." Kagome placed the folder next to his tea and went back to her seat. He flipped it open and read, privately and pleasantly surprised at how well she had managed the company in his absence.
"Thank you for this Illya. I can't repay you."
"You are my future husband Ciel. Whether you wish for me to remain as I am is your choice, but I shall follow your desires." Ciel nodded and continued studying the papers in front of him.
"I like you as you are. Don't change Illya." Kagome nodded and sipped her tea.
"Grell should be arriving with the cake. If he hasn't managed to set fire to it today." Kagome smiled. "He's hopeless as a butler. I don't know why Mama Red keeps him."
Ciel shrugged lazily, perusing the facts spread before him.
"Illya, this is phenomenal work. The records are so clear." Ciel smiled up at her and reached for his tea cup.
"Thank you." She turned to look at Madame Red. "Mama Red, didn't you have an appointment to go to?" Madame Red paused in her joyous twirls.
"Why, yes I did. Thank you for reminding me Illya. Lord Randall will be so pleased that Ciel has managed to wander home on his own." Madame Red excused herself and rushed out of the room. Ciel looked at Kagome curiously.
"Elizabeth has missed you."
"You've met with her?" Ciel arched a brow. "I thought she was far too exuberant for your tastes."
"Yes, well, grief tends to bring people together."
"And together and together. Pity we can't kill that child. Her yammering is as useless as it is endless." The Thing murmured. It was perched on the chaise. We had high hopes her stupidity would have killed her before the year was out. Alas, she keeps denying us that pleasure."
Kagome smiled into her teacup. It was razor edged and not the least bit repentant.
'But what would we do without Elizabeth? Whiny and petulant she may be, but she has her uses.'
"And when she grows older her main uses will have her on her knees. Not a bright light in any way other than beauty."
'Come now. You mustn't be cruel. She'd make a wonderful manor Lady. It's what she was bred to be.'
"Then let her line breed no more." The Thing slumped back into the chair, formless white cloth pooling over the crimson fabric. It was leaning on its arm, staring at her though its veil.
"My father and mother, what has the community said about their passing?" Ciel asked.
Kagome took a sip from her cup before placing it on the delicate saucer.
"They do not say anything anymore. A month after his passing, many had something to say about Lord Vincent. 'The Queen's mutts are being put down.', 'The dog and his bitch and their runt have died off. Praise be. The Underworld can flourish again.'." Kagome frowned. "I put an end to it. Some old biddy shared with the world that it was better that your mother had died before she spread her legs and put another stain into the world." Kagome smiled sharply. "She died a little less than two months after that. Her son could no longer find a job; her daughter became a worthless whore. There was little they could do to feed, clothe and live."
Ciel stared at his fiancée, truly understanding what a cold girl she was.
"And how did they come to that?"
"Her son happened to work at the Funtom Company. I threw him out. Someone let slip that her daughter lived for the more carnal life." Kagome's smile shrunk but retained a bitter edge. "People are animals, Ciel. Give them enough rope and they'll hang themselves. Throw them feed and they'll eat it all up."
"I see." Silence fell between the two. Kagome twisted her cup idly, following the whimsical pattern she had painted on in a fit of boredom.
"Come. Mama has been teaching me to play the piano. I would like to see if your skill with the violin is as it was."
"And what was it?"
"Lacking." Kagome retorted. The playful smile she gave him took the sting out of the comment. Ciel looked at his cup of tea and set it down.
"Let's go." He stood and walked to her chair and held out his hand. "It's your piano music that lacks finesse." Kagome took his hand and they left her room. "Your butler is lacking. Sebastian would have brought me cake by now."
"He's is quite worthless." Kagome agreed. "Would you sit next to me while I play the piano or would you like a violin?"
"How can I display my wonderful talent if I lack the tools to challenge you with?"
Kagome shrugged and smiled wickedly.
"You've always lacked the tools to please me, dear."
Ciel flushed red.
"Polite women should never talk as such." He hissed.
"As you wish."
"I'll have you know that eventually, I will be able to please you in that…way… But we are both too young to concern ourselves with such things." He raised his hands to her lips. "Besides, I'll be the only man to touch you Illya. The only pleasure you'll ever know is with me."
Kagome snorted.
"What servant did you overhear?"
"I'd ask the same of you." Ciel murmured.
"Cecillia and Bridgette. They always go on and on about not being pleased with their current paramours. They have yet to realize that I can hear them even if they stand away from the roses when I pick them, or that I can hear them fine from my bedroom when they clean the manor. And you?"
"Sebastian. He had to convince an innkeeper to let us stay the night. I think he thought I was resting."
"Silly boy." Kagome pushed open a door. "Here we are." Ciel released her hand and she sat at the piano. "Now let's see who is more skilled."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kagome looked up from the book she was reading. It had been two years since Ciel had returned. Madame Red had vanished from her life for the most part. The woman would got to her clinic, return home, eat dinner and disappear. Kagome was actually surprised when she found that she missed the red haired woman.
"Illya?" Madame Red paused at the door. "Why are you still awake dear? It's late."
Kagome placed the book on her lap and looked up at the woman.
"I wasn't tired Mama Red. You are coming home late. Is there a new beau coming into our idle life?"
"Whatever gave you that idea? I've had one love, and one alone."
"I see." Kagome slipped the book over to her side table and slid out of the chair. She walked to Madame Red and stared at her. "You have blood on your sleeve. You also reek of it. When you return from your activities, wash yourself first. Clean your sleeves so that your servants do not know what you are doing." Kagome paused and pulled her braid over her shoulder. "Sutcliffe should also wash himself. I will not have anything to do with the end of this house and you will ensure that this house will not fall into scandal should you be caught."
"What are you talking about dearest Illya?" Madame Red murmured. Her fingers clutched at her sleeves as she stared down at the pale child she had raised. "I went for a walk in the gardens."
"The roses are lovely this year, aren't they? Especially the blue ones we imported." Kagome reached for her door. "Good night Mama Red. And do not send Sutcliffe to silence me."
"I would never do such a thing Illya! What is it that you think of me!"
Kagome sneered.
"I do not think much of you at all." With a flick of her wrist, the door slammed shut.
"Come now, anyone who bathes in blood is a wondrous person." The Thing murmured.
'I will not be brought down when scandal reaches this house. I will be above it.'
"Is this for the money or because you've taken pride in your name? Illya Kagome Durless. You should follow in her footsteps and feel the wonder that can be found in blood. It is a glorious thing. An wonderful thing.
'I will miss that joy then.'
"Illya! Open this door!"
Kagome wandered over to her bedroom and shut that door between her and other room as well.
"He will come for you. That insipid little death god."
'He is nothing compared to Her.'
"This is true. She would end us before we even knew we begun. Goodnight child. May your dreams be filled with anguish and death." The Thing vanished with a chuckle.
Kagome climbed into her bed and turned to face the window. She drifted off to sleep quickly.
Xxxxxxxx
"Wakey, wakey little one. I must speak with you."
Kagome frowned and sat up. Gold eyes clashed with grey.
"Sutcliffe, what time is it?"
"A little after four in the morning. Madame Red fears you will go to your fiancé and tell him about our fun." Grell Sutcliffe leaned closer, brown hair spilling over his shoulders. "I assured her you wouldn't if you were dead."
"And she would let me die?"
"She was rather distraught when I mentioned it, but she never disagreed."
Kagome nodded.
"I see."
"Well child, say farewell to this world." Grell reached forward, silver glinting in his hand.
Kagome snorted.
"A knife? Really? And who would you say killed me?"
"Cecillia has been so ill lately. Her paranoia makes her a perfect plant. Now shut up, it's time to die!" Grell thrust the knife downwards and made a surprised sound when it slammed through the mattress. He froze when he felt a distinct power flow through the room. "You are miko."
"I am." Kagome tapped her fingers on his side. He screamed and crumpled to the floor. "And I am far more favored in the god's eyes than you, even if you are one." He stared up at her, pain apparent.
"That is a surprise."
"Get up, get out. We will never talk about this again."
He nodded.
"You should kill him. Let us feast on the flesh of a minor god tonight."
'We shall not.'
The Thing pouted.
Grell fled the room. Kagome closed her eyes and fell to her knees. She leaned forward until her forehead rested against the cool wood of her bed's siding.
"Does it hurt?" Midoriko cooed. The Thing hissed at her. "Your Mama Red would let you die to save herself."
Kagome cried.
