Chapter 4: Hello, Take Two
Grace awoke to find herself in a silky night dress and in a real bed. Her neck hurt a bit but she was able to see she was in a small bedroom. She turned to get up but two chains on her wrists only allowed her to move two feet away from the bed. She tried tugging on them but it was useless.
"Ah, you're awake." She heard a man whisper.
"Se- Sebastian?" Grace called out. She looked around the room to see Ciel and Sebastian sitting across the room. "What's going on!" She cried gesturing to the chains
"Sorry Grace but I can't have you bending yourself out again." Ciel grinned, "You did destroy my office, remember."
"What do you want Ciel?" Grace asked.
"Well, I need you to open this box." Ciel gestured to the table. Grace's eyes widened, she recognized it, but her mother told her to never open it for anyone.
"I can't." Grace shook her head, "I can't trust you, you… you… just a pampered rich boy! Oh my, I'm so sorry I didn't…"
"No I understand. Grace let's make a deal, If I can convince you to trust me in 5 months you'll open the box. If I fail, you can have it and leave. Sound fair." Ciel grinned, if it's trust she needs that sounds fair.
"And if I refuse…" Grace started.
"Well, then you're stuck here until you agree." Ciel smiled.
"Fine, but only 3 months and it's a deal." Grace sighed.
"Ok, but no attacking me or trying to escape." Ciel added.
"Fine, only if you give me one day each week to myself." Grace grinned. If she was going to be stuck here for a while might as well have some time alone.
"That's ok with me, Sebastian release her." Ciel smiled. He had many ways to convince her he was good, but it would take time, he also had the fact of her thinking he was her older brother. "Well, we should re-introduce are self's again. I'm Ciel Phantomhive, head of the Phantomhive manor. This is my butler Sebastian."
"I'm Grace Taku, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Taku and the last bender of my kind." Grace smiled faintly. Since they would be "friends" now she looked over her new hosts. Ciel was a bit taller and had his eye patch, he was normal, but Sebastian seemed too perfect.
"Grace do you have any questions?" Ciel spoke up.
"Well… not yet, let me get use to this but we'll talk when I'm dressed." Grace blushed.
"Oh that's fine, come down when you're ready." Ciel relied how uncomfortable this was.
When Grace finished dressing she looked around her new room. It was quite elegant, blue walls, desk, reading corner, bed and a few widows. It was very pretty but it was still a prison. Although it was better than a cage and cellar. Grace shook when thinking about her past but quickly cleared her mind.
"Not the time to blame the past…" Grace whispered, right now she need a plan for the next 3 months.
Grace walked over to the door and looked down the hallways. The manor was huge, she thought, I should look around.
As she walked around she bumped into a reddish haired maid.
"I'm so sorry Miss, yes I am." She pleaded.
"It's ok, I'm Grace who are you?"
"I'm Mey-Rin, yes, Sebastian told me to bring you to the Master, yes he did." Mey-Rin stuttered as she led Grace to Ciel's office. After a knock she pushed Grace inside. Grace looked around to see Ciel back at his desk, the window was fixed and Sebastian was no were to be seen.
"Oh hello Grace, I had made some plains to day but the Queen just gave me another case." Ciel said coldly. "I'll have to start today, but we can have a quick game of chess first. To get to know each other better." He smiled as he gestured to the game set up on a table to his right.
Grace nodded and sat down on the white side. Ciel took his normal position on the black side.
"Do you know how to play?" He asked.
"Sort of, I haven't played in a while." Grace grinned. "I move first right?"
"Yes," Ciel nodded, and the game went on, Grace was winning. "So do have any questions for me now?"
"Maybe," Grace started as she moved her piece, "Can I know more about you?"
"Like what?" Ciel questioned.
"Like, likes, dislikes, family, why you want the box, what your position is to the queen, and maybe how much you know about me." Grace said faintly.
"Oh, well I like games and I'm allergic to cats. I have an Aunt but that's it. I'm the queens Gard Dog/ Queen's Puppy, and she wants what's inside the box. So I must give it to her. About you, I know you're a bender, you're the last one alive, and well that's it. And same questions to you." Ciel smirked.
"Ok, I love nature and music, I don't really like bugs or the dark. My family was once good friends with the Queen but I was only 3. For what's in the box I can't say but you're right, you do need me to open it. As for knowing you, you're an Earl, you own a toy company and were an eye patch. Not much other than what you told me." She smiled.
"So I saw you had two brothers."
"Yes, John and Luke. They died along with my parents."
"Do you think I'm one of them?"
"At first yes but I know you can't be him. I watched him die and if he was alive he'd be about 20 by now."
"I see, just wondering because you looked at me funny when we first met."
"Oh I guess I did." Grace giggled realizing she had Ciel's pieces corned.
"Checkmate." She whispered.
"Claud!" A young boy called. He grinned when his butler stepped in. "I think I'd like to visit Ciel again can you make the proper arrangements?"
"Your Highness, is this going to be another surprise visit?" Claud asked pushing up his glasses.
"Yes, I believe he has a box I want." He giggled again.