Author's Note: Konnichiwa, minna-san! And now I present you your very much awaited Chapter 9! To tell you the truth, I have already written three-fourths of this chapter months ago, but somehow, I couldn't seem to finish it! Well, cease your worries, for you are now about to read my 13-page (Microsoft Word Letter size) creation! Hope you enjoy it!^-^ Oh, and another thing, I've always sent grateful messages to those who took time to review, fave and alert my works, but starting today, I'll only give my written words of thanks to those who reviewed. Why you ask? Well, there are quite a lot of you so sending thank you messages can take quite a bit of time (my longest record is two hours, I guess). But even if you didn't review and just faved or alerted, please keep in mind that I'm truly thankful for the gesture, even if I won't send a message stating it. Well, let us now proceed with the story, shall we?

Disclaimer: ...I don't own Kuroshitsuji (seriously, I'm getting tired of this...)

XXX

Chapter 9: A Day of Leisure

"You look so adorable, Lady Robin!" Lizzy gushed as she circled Ciel, her eyes twinkling with admiration.

Ciel was dressed in a lovely lilac gown delicately decorated with intricate floral lace, tiny faux blossoms and cultured white pearls. Draped on his shoulders was a snowy velvet hooded cloak of a magnificent make; its fine material flowing down his willowy body in a flattering manner. Silk gloves the colour of milk and embedded with pearls at the cuff encased his slender fingers, the pair made to match the creamy, pearl-studded velvet boots that the young boy had chosen to wear for that day. His beautiful gray-blue locks were slightly curled and left let down, with some tresses drawn back from his face and held in place by an elaborate silver comb inlaid with pearls.

"Um, so Lizzy, when will the Rainsworth brothers be arriving?" Ciel quickly interjected, eager to divert his cousin's attention from the dress he's wearing.

"Well, they will still pick up Paula in the Middleford manor, but I believe they will be arriving shortly." Lizzy replied thoughtfully.

And surely, not long after Lizzy had spoken, a carriage bearing the Rainsworth coat of arms-an iron shield with stags rearing on both sides-droves up the driveway and stopped before them. The doors opened and the brothers stepped out, assisting a brunette few years older than them.

"Paula!" Lizzy delightedly cried out, running towards her much-missed maid.

"My lady!" Paula said in equal enthusiasm, welcoming her mistress with wide open arms where the young girl was just too eager to launch herself into. "My, how lovely you've grown! The marchioness would be so proud to see what a fine lady you've become."

"Would she really?" Lizzy asked softly, gloomily extricating herself from her maid's embrace. "She was never pleased with me; always complaining that I'm too childish, too frivolous..."

"Well, at least some people do seem to really appreciate you, my lady." Paula replied teasingly, glancing at the Rainsworth brothers from the corner of her eye. Lizzy just blushed prettily.

"Oh, I have someone I want to introduce to you, Paula!" Lizzy said suddenly, dragging her maid to the spot where Ciel is standing. "Lady Robin, this is Paula, my personal maid. Paula, this is Lady Robin Merryweather, the Duchess of Devilshire. She is my best friend among the Maids of Honour."

Best friend?

Ciel turned wondering eyes to his cousin.

I never thought that she considers me as such, but...

A fond smile formed on the young boy's lips.

I don't mind, I don't mind at all...

"It's an honour to meet you, Your Grace." Paula said respectfully, curtseying deeply as she did so. "Thank you so much for taking care of Lady Elizabeth, but if you don't mind me asking..."

Uh oh, here comes the question...

"Are you somehow related to the earl, Ciel Phantomhive?"

"Paula! Don't be impertinent!" Lizzy scolded the maid.

"It's alright, Lizzy." Ciel interrupted, smiling reassuringly at his cousin. He then heaved a big sigh at the query. He's getting tired of the questions about his identity, but he had no choice but to answer them, right? Damn that demon for placing him in such quandary...

"Now, regarding your question Miss Paula...yes, Ciel and I are actually related. Papa and Aunt Rachel, Ciel's mother, are cousins, so that basically makes us second cousins."

"Hmmm, is that so? I wouldn't be surprised if you're actually his long-lost twin sister; you look so much alike! Don't you agree with me, my lady?" Paula asked Lizzy, apparently quite satisfied with Ciel's answer.

"Now that you've mentioned it, I did mistake Lady Robin for Ciel when we first met," Lizzy said thoughtfully. "Family resemblances can really be astounding..."

"Well, enough about that." Paula said flippantly. She then abruptly turned to Lizzy and grasped the young girl's hands, her eyes twinkling with excitement."Anyway my lady, I saw this oh so cute hat in Madame Chapelier's shop yesterday that I know would look so perfect on you! It was of a lovely shade of pink, embellished with lots of ribbons, laces and-"

"Um, excuse me, Miss Paula." Ciel interrupted, anxious to end her girly garment chatter. "Don't you think we've kept the Rainsworth brothers waiting long enough?"

"Oh, oh, I'm so sorry!" Paula exclaimed, flushing in embarrassment.

"It's alright." Ciel said with false kindness, his heavenly smile hiding the irritated twitching of his perfectly arched eyebrows. "Let's just get going, shall we?"

Totally duped by Ciel's charade, Paula immediately perked up and gazed adoring eyes at the boy, making him sigh inwardly.

Oh lord; it seems that I got myself another annoying admirer...

With their small chitchat concluded, the three ladies then proceeded on approaching the Rainsworth brothers impatiently waiting by the carriage. At the sight of them, the two young men instantly straightened up, a warm smile of welcome forming on their lips.

"You look exceptionally beautiful today, Lady Elizabeth." Richard greeted smoothly, taking the young girl's hand and pressing it to his lips, much to Roland's indignation. He then turned to Ciel and gave him a polite smile. "You too, Lady Robin."

"Don't bother with the flatteries, Lord Richard," Ciel said dismissively; regarding him in a detached manner. "I know that you only have eyes for Lady Elizabeth, and no one else."

"Now, now; there's no need to be so shrewd, Lady Robin." Richard replied in an attempt to placate, his smile slipping down a notch in the awkwardness of it all. "It's true that my sights are only set on Lady Elizabeth, but that doesn't make me blind to the extraordinary beauty you too possess."

"Such silver tongue you have, Lord Richard." Ciel said, raising his eyebrows in an assessing gesture. "I do hope that its intended uses don't include deceiving Lady Elizabeth with empty flowery phrases. Can you promise me that?"

"Of course!" Richard answered promptly, making Ciel smile with just the scarcest hint of approval.

This fellow would make a nice match for Lizzy...

"Please stop it, Lady Robin!" Lizzy exclaimed in embarrassment, her cheeks a bright pink. ""You're speaking as if you're giving me away!"

"Oh, do I? I didn't notice..." Ciel replied, feigning nonchalance.

But I AM giving you away Lizzy...to Richard Rainsworth...

"Oh well, never mind. The choice is not yours anyway." Lizzy said sulkily, the remnants of her blush still visible on her face. Ciel just gently smiled at her.

May you find happiness by his side...

Roland loudly cleared his throat, his intention of rudely interrupting the mood of the moment obvious. Ciel and Richard couldn't help but glare at him. The younger Rainsworth twin just shrugged his shoulders.

"Please stop scowling, Lady Robin; it doesn't suit your lovely features. As for you Richard, it only serves to make you uglier. Are you planning to just stand there and talk all day long? We're gathered here today to have a trip to town, not gossip among ourselves! So let's depart now, shall we? I believe Lady Elizabeth is eager to begin her shopping; aren't you, my lady?"

At the mention of her name, Lizzy looked up in surprise; her green eyes accidentally meeting with Roland's brown ones. The young man cheekily winked at her, making her blush return a thousand times more vivid than before. Ciel observed this phenomenon curiously, his piercing gaze never leaving the two.

Now, what is happening here...?

"Pardon me for interrupting, but Lord Roland is right. If we don't leave now, we'll have less time to do some shopping. We're still going to prepare for the theatre by late afternoon, right? It's best if we head off now." Paula interjected.

The three bickering individuals exchanged embarrassed glances and immediately ceased their squabble, spending their energy instead on boarding the carriage. After a momentary delay regarding who among the Rainsworth brothers will assist Lizzy aboard the vehicle (a conflict quickly resolved by Roland winning yet another game of rock, paper, and scissors), the trip finally ensued as planned.

Their first stop was the shops in Bond Street, the main destination of their outing. Unsurprisingly, Lizzy, eagerly assisted by Paula, bought a cartload of girlish trinkets, among them the flamboyant hat the cheerful maid mentioned earlier. As for Ciel, he tried to procure of a few serviceable (i.e. plain and boring) garments for himself, but because of strong opposition from Lizzy, he ended up buying merchandise not unlike those bought by the bubbly young girl. Of course, the carrying of the purchases made was solely entrusted to the Rainsworth brothers.

After a brief refreshment of tea and cakes at one of the most respectable inns of London, the group continued their exploration of the town. With a candied apple in one hand and a nosegay of flowers in the other, Ciel seemed to blissfully stroll along with the others, the turmoil of his mind carefully hidden behind a mask of false enjoyment. His thoughts about his demonic butler just continued to jumble among themselves...that is, until a certain store sign made him stop walking and stare, his brain temporarily gone blank with pleasant surprise.

The Funtom Toy Store...

He gazed at the numerous displays and the teeming customers inside, a smile slowly forming on his lips.

I'm glad it continues to do well...

"What's the matter, Lady Robin?" Lizzy called out, walking back towards Ciel. She followed his line of sight and also smiled as she spotted the object of his interest. "The Funtom Toy Store, huh? Do you like toys, Lady Robin?"

Ciel just continued to stare with quiet joy at the shop.

"Not really, but isn't it nice to see this store thriving even though its owner has been dead for a year?"

Lizzy smiled at the compliment.

"Well, when the ownership of Funtom Company went to my mother after Ciel's death, I saw that she really strived to keep the corporation at the prosperous state that Ciel left it in. Mother could be tough and cold at times, but she did have her own ways of showing her love. Maintaining Funtom Company at its peak must be her way of demonstrating her love for her nephew, the only son of his younger brother." Heaving a dramatic sigh, she jokingly added. "Or maybe, it's just because of her stubborn Phantomhive pride!"

The cousins gaily laughed at that one.

"So, shall we proceed? Paula and the Rainsworth brothers have been waiting for quite some time." Lizzy said as soon as the hysterics were over.

"Please go on ahead; I'll just catch up with you at the inn." Ciel replied in an assuring manner.

"Alright, just don't take too long, okay?" Lizzy said as she backs off, shaking a finger at Ciel as if he's a naughty child. She then spun on her heels, and walked back to their companions.

Ciel watched until the four were out of sight before setting out on his own way. Out of a whim, he decided to once again roam the back alleys of East End that served as his hunting grounds back when he was still the queen's watchdog. How he missed those days...the heart-pounding hide-and-seek, the exhilarating tag, and finally, the satisfying checkmate. If only he could go back...back when he and Sebastian were only Master and Butler, Meal and Consumer...

Things wouldn't be this complicated, would it?

"Hey there, pretty miss...what made you grace these lowly environs with yer lovely presence?"

Ciel felt a vein throb at this unwelcome intrusion to his musings, and coldly ignored the attention-seeking beggarly man who suddenly appeared from the shadows. With his dark skin and distinctive deep-set features, Ciel indentified him as one of the vagabond Indians who prowl those filthy streets.

"Oho, she's a shy 'un mate! Why don't we give 'er the welcome she deserves?" Another unkempt Indian, emerging behind his companion, said as he approached Ciel menacingly.

Ciel just looked at them haughtily, his chin held high. The newly-arrived Indian grinned, showing rows of rotten teeth. He then clicked his finger, summoning a dozen or so impoverished Indians like himself.

"She's all yours, boys!"

At the command, all the Indians charged simultaneously, lunging at Ciel. The young boy quickly reached for the pistol he has hidden beneath his cloak as a precaution, when-

"Up to your old antics again, my brethren?"

Before Ciel could even recognize the voice who spoke, a whirlwind of white linen bandages and vibrant silk robes descended upon them, beating up the ill-mannered Indians in mere seconds.

"Are you alright, young lady?" The whirlwind, now in his human form, asked Ciel as he helped the young boy get back to his feet, his voice dripping with genuine concern.

"Y-Yes, th-thank you for your help." Ciel stammered, gawking at his saviour.

You! If you're here, then that means-

"So, how's the damsel in distress, Agni?" An all-too-familiar, purple-haired young man asked, sauntering towards them.

Cobalt blue eyes met golden ones and recognition dawned.

Soma!

"Ciel!" Soma exclaimed, trapping Ciel in a Lizzy-like hug and swinging him around. "I know you were alive!"

"Please...stop...dizzy..." Ciel mumbled, his head spinning along with his turns.

"Oops, sorry." Soma apologized cheerfully, not a hint of remorse in his voice.

"You're...mistaken...I'm not...Ciel..." Ciel said incoherently, still wobbly from Soma's spinning.

"You're not? Who are you kidding? You obviously ARE Ciel Phantomhive!" Soma continued, paying no heed to Ciel's denials. "And what's with that outfit? Are you playing dress-up or something?"

That comment cleared Ciel's head in an instant.

"Of course not! What a rude thing to ask!" The young boy replied in a huff, effectively projecting an image of an outraged young lady. "As you can see if you'll only use your eyes for their intended purpose, I'm a girl! A respectable young lady of noble birth! My name is Robin Merryweather, and Ciel Phantomhive is my second cousin!"

Soma just raised sceptical brows at Ciel's outburst, clearly not believing a word he'd said.

"Second cousin, my foot! Prove it to me, then!"

Ciel dumbly blinked at Soma's demand, the Indian prince's question apparently escaping him.

"What did you say?"

"I said, prove that you're a girl." Soma replied, repeating himself.

Ciel clearly blanched at this request. How can he prove that he is (though in actuality not) a "girl"? He is obviously a boy, a fact easily determined by even just the lightest inspection of the right places in his deceiving anatomy. It seems that it's all up to fate then,,,that, and to the good 'ol Victorian female reaction to vulgar subjects such as this.

"You want proof of my femininity? What would you have me do, lift my skirts and show you what you'd like to see? What lady in her right frame of mind would do that, you pervert!"

Visibly taken aback by what Ciel had said, Soma could only stare open-mouthed at him.

"A pervert? Me? Now wait just one minute damsel...you're actually accusing me, Prince Soma Asman Gandal, 26th son of the King of the Princely State of Bengal, of being a pervert? How interesting...that doesn't happen everyday..."

Soma's amusement to Ciel's response only added fuel to the raging fire of the young boy's temper, making it burn brighter

"So what if you're some prince from India? That doesn't give you any right to insult me, a lady belonging to the highest echelons of English society!"

Ciel's fiery retort didn't seem to faze Soma at all; instead, it heightened the Indian prince's interest on the masquerading young boy.

"Hmmm...I like you. Unlike most girls at home, you don't throw yourself at my feet just because I'm a prince. You're quite pretty too, though you look much like your cousin, Ciel. But then again, if I recall correctly, that guy looked more like a girl than a boy in the first place..."

A thought seemed to suddenly occur to Soma, and by the delighted look on the prince's face, Ciel felt sure that it doesn't bode well for him at all...

"I've decided; I'm going to take you with me to India to be my wife. Rejoice and be merry fair damsel, for you are about to become a princess!"

Wife? Princess? What the...?

"But before that, I'll formally ask for your hand from your parents first. So, where do you live damsel? We will take you there and proceed on the task immediately."

With that said, Soma spun on his heels in preparation for departure, but Ciel's furious voice halted his actions.

"H-Hold on for a moment, Indian prince! Did you just say you'll make me your wife? Though I'm greatly honoured by your proposal, I'm afraid I'm quite contented by my present status as a duchess, and has no wish whatsoever to become anything more. And in case you have forgotten, this is England, sir! Just because you're a prince from some distant land doesn't mean that you can do whatever you like here!"

"Oh, but I COULD do whatever I want here, damsel." Soma cheekily replied, further infuriating Ciel with the nonchalance of the over-the-shoulder glance he gave him. "It's true that my princely status doesn't mean anything in this country, but I just recently gained authority that will very much allow me to do as I please."

"And that authority is...?" Ciel asked the show-off prince in a challenging manner.

"Why, the authority of being my father's representative, of course!" Soma announced proudly.

"The King of Bengal's representative? You?" Ciel exclaimed incredulously.

"Hey, don't speak as if you know me for an incompetent fool when we've just met." Soma said indignantly, his face taking a slightly injured countenance. "You are aware of the annual courtly visits that rulers of England's colonies pay to Queen Victoria, don't you? Well, the King of Bengal is of no exception, of course, and my father has been faithfully fulfilling that duty for many years. It just so happens that this year, he has fallen ill and can't make the journey, opting instead to send a representative. The task should have been handled by my uncles and older brothers, but they are currently busy in their own respective duties so the job fell to me."

"I fear for the good relations between England and Bengal in the future." Ciel mumbled under his breath, but the remark was nonetheless heard by Soma.

"What did you say damsel?"

"N-Nothing." Ciel quickly replied, effectively dodging the query. "I was just wondering if you will also be staying in the castle even though you are only a representative."

Say no...please say no!

"Of course!" Soma answered with a proud lift of his chin, dashing Ciel's hopes for the negative reply. "That would be rude of the queen if it's the contrary. I would hate to leave my present residence though; Ciel's townhouse has really been so comfortable!"

"You're still living there?" Ciel asked in disbelief.

Soma raised a surprised brow at Ciel's unexpected reaction.

"Hmmm, did Ciel tell you about us? Then you should know that he left that house in our care."

"But he's been dead for one year, hasn't he? The ownership of the house should have been transferred to his aunt, Frances Middleford!" Ciel went on in confusion.

"Well, it was indeed transferred, but that scary aunt of his let us stay, saying that since it is Ciel's wish, then she shall honour it." Soma airily replied, amused by the Ciel's ramblings.

"Aunt Frances do become kind in the most inopportune situations..." Ciel said with a sigh. He then turned to Soma and regarded him with tired annoyance. "It has been nice talking to you Prince Soma, but I have to take my leave now. I still have a theatre performance to attend this afternoon."

Instead of disheartening Soma as initially intended, Ciel's declaration of his pressing engagement seemed to encourage the Indian prince more, as evidenced by the twinkling eagerness in his eyes.

"Theatre? They do plays, don't they? Agni! Let's accompany the damsel to this "theatre" of hers. Let's see if English plays are anyway better than those we have at home."

"Jo Ajna (As you command)." Agni, always the faithful butler, promptly replied, making Ciel shake his head in frustration.

Good lord, when would I ever be rid of this two?

XXX

Author's Note: Bring on the characters! Soma and Agni has already made their entrance, who do you think will be next? To find out, stay tuned for the next chapter! And please don't forget those reviews, faves and alerts! I love you all!^-^