A/N – Guys! Oh my word, I am so sorry! This has been written since a few days after I uploaded my last chapter, and I completely forgot to upload it! I started working on a few stories (that I haven't decided if I'm going to upload or not), and I guess I was distracted! D:
Anyway, there's no excuses! Sorry again. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. Enjoy!
"Alright, how about a snake?"
A mouse.
"A snake."
A grasshopper.
"A…snake."
A goat.
"A SNAKE!"
Esther transformed back into a human and sat panting on the floor. "Sebastian, I hear you…I just can't control what I'm turning into yet." She looked up at Sebastian, who stood with a hint of frustration on his face and was pondering what to do next. He and Esther had spent what little free time they had for the day working on useful skills as a demon, such as transformation. He had insisted it was one of the easier feats, but Esther wasn't so sure.
"Alright, let's try this. I'll transform with you so you can see it properly done. How about we try a large animal this time. A horse, maybe?"
"Yeah, okay," Esther looked at Sebastian, ready to transform. Black mist engulfed his body, and within seconds, there stood a noble black stallion. Esther concentrated on every aspect of being a majestic steed as well. The black mist surrounded her, but when it dispersed…nothing.
She groaned in frustration. "Sebastian, it still didn't work!"
Just as she'd expressed her dismay, Ciel rounded the corner into the room, and upon seeing Sebastian, shouted, "Will you two quit horsing around?"
Esther and Sebastian stared back at him in disbelief that he was in such good humor.
"Wha…I didn't mean that!" Ciel grumbled, "Anyway, Lizzy's ball is being held here tonight, and I trust the preparations are in progress?"
Sebastian transformed back to his human self and bowed, "Naturally, My Lord. Everything will be completed with your exact specifications."
"Excellent. I trust they will be." Ciel turned to leave, then turned back once more. "I really wasn't trying to joke around, you know. I'm serious." His eye twitched slightly in irritation.
"Of course, My Lord."
Once Ciel had left, Esther giggled to herself and smiled to Sebastian. Sebastian, much to her surprise, softly smiled back with amusement in his eyes.
"Well, I don't suppose you'll be mastering transformation today. Shall you get started on the décor, then, while I prepare the refreshments?"
"That I can do," Esther replied, eager for a familiar task.
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There was a knock at the door of the manor, and at half past five, it was a bit too early for guests to be arriving. Slightly confused, Esther answered the door and curtsied.
"Welcome to Phantomhive Man- UGH!"
"Oh my! Another maid! How cute!" A young girl exclaimed excitedly as she nearly tackled Esther with her embrace. Esther assumed, with much evidence, that this was the infamous Lizzy.
"Oh, yes…Miss Lizzie. I'm Esther…Esther James…the new maid. Pleased to meet…you…" She said with what little breath she had. Lizzie finally let go.
"Well, you don't particularly look dressed for a ball, now do you?" Lizzy said, eyeing her uniform up and down. Humbled, Esther replied, "Oh, no, Miss Lizzie, I'm just a maid, so I'll most likely be in the back most of the time…"
"Stuff and nonsense! I nearly always dress Mei Rin and the boys up for these soirees!" Esther glanced back at the door frame and noticed the rest of the servants cowering away from Lizzie's game of dress up. "You're part of the family now! Come, I insist!" Lizzie grabbed her hand firmly and began dragging her up the stairs. In one final plea for help, Esther looked back at the servants, who were shrugging and waving her off.
Esther stood in Lizzie's room of the manor and watched as Lizzie pulled dress after dress out of her wardrobe, examining each, then tossing them to the floor.
"None of these would be particularly flattering colors on you…" Lizzie said, eyeing, then throwing, yet another garment.
"Then please, don't worry yourself-"
"Aha!" she proclaimed victoriously as she pulled out one final dress. It was a deep purple and seemed much too big to be in Lizzie's collection. "This one is one of Paula's dresses. Do you like it? Try it on!"
As Esther pulled it over her hips and over her arms, she found it fit nearly perfectly.
"Oh, I knew that'd look lovely! Don't you feel much better now that you're out of that grungy old maid uniform?"
"I suppose…" She answered, staring at herself in the mirror. She hadn't seen herself like that since she was alive. It was strange, and she didn't even seem to look like herself.
"I'll bet you'll find yourself a handsome gentleman looking like that," Lizzie said dreamily, "Oh! Almost forgot! If I can't get to everyone, I need to at least find Mei Rin! No man will see her lovely eyes if I can't get her to take those glasses off! Please, enjoy the dress. Paula won't mind!" Lizzie gave a small wave and headed off to find Mei Rin. Esther continued to glance at herself in the vanity mirror, turning around a few times. She pulled her hair up with her hand, then let it drop back down over her shoulders. She thought, for the first time since her death, that it would perhaps be an appropriate time for makeup. Eventually, she decided against it.
"What's the use?" She thought aloud, plopping down in the chair in front of the vanity. "I'm dead. I look dead, and I feel dead. All makeup would do is make me look slightly less dead," She stared intensely at her pale, colorless face, mourning herself and resenting her dead appearance.
"Well don't you look lovely?" Sebastian said, entering the room. Startled and slightly embarrassed, Esther whipped around to face him. "Pardon the intrusion, Miss Esther, but Lizzy said I could find you here. It's just about time for the guests to arrive."
"Oh…okay." Esther said, looking down at her feet.
"What's the matter?" Sebastian asked, walking over to her side and looking at her in the mirror.
"I feel…ugly. I don't know." Sebastian was slightly taken aback by her comment. He thought she was the loveliest demon he'd ever encountered, and there were certainly a lot of lookers in the demon world. He gently took her hand and pulled her up from her seat.
"Esther…I mean it. You're beautiful." He said, a soft smile on his face. Esther stared into his eyes for a moment. As he stared back, she felt a wave of affection rising from her stomach.
"We should go, my lady. We'll be tending to guests before we know it."
"Yes." She stood motionless and watched him head towards the door. He noticed, and turned to face her.
"Are you coming?"
"Yes." She repeated, shaking her head. As she headed out the door after him, she found it difficult to ignore the fluttering she felt in her stomach.
A/N – Thanks for reading, guys! I figured after how heavy last two chapters were, it might be refreshing to have a light-hearted chapter. If you'd like, you can review, sub, favorite, or anything you feel like. I hope you all have a wonderful day!
