"Noli timere quod paulo toy." Oh, his voice was sickening. Serpentine and full of temptation. However when he was bent over me, all I saw was a swirling black matter, taking all light and dimming it to the point of absolute darkness. Sinister intention radiated from his body. All of him, was both beautiful and disgusting.

"I am not afraid of men in masks." I reach my hand out, wanting to touch him, only to be welcomed with a piercing and cold bite to my finger tips.

"Ego non gestare larva."

"Miss Ellie!"

I jolted awake, my heart beating out of my chest. I do not recall falling asleep at all- but apparently I did. "M-mey Rin you can stop shaking me. I'm awake now." I said, putting my hand over the maid's. Her grip on my shoulders was too firm for comfort, and I would like to keep them. Mey Rin stopped her shaking, and let out an almost relived sigh.

"Oh, thank goodness!" She breathed heavily. "You looked half dead, you did!"

Rubbing my eyes, I let out an amused chuckle. "Did I?" I looked around. I was still in the library, only the lights were out, except for the lantern on the table. Perhaps that was Mey Rin who brought that in... "I suppose I got too into studying." I managed out as I stretched out my arms. Sebastian had left me alone after our little talk, and I had taken to reading quietly on my own. "What time is it?" I rubbed my face and sniffed, Mey Rin smiling softly. The yellow light from the lantern highlighted her cheeks, giving her a soft glow.

"It's almost dinner time, Miss Ellie." She picked up the lantern, "I had come to fetch you." Mey Rin tilted her head at me as I stood and straightened out my dress.

"Yes, very good. Allow me some time... I'll need to tidy this up." I responded most formally. Mey Rin nodded, dark berry colored hair brushing against her cheeks. "You can leave, I won't be long doing this." Assuring her that it won't be any trouble I begin to close the books I had been examining, and started to gather them together in stacks. The hard covers looked well worn but also well taken care of. I had noticed the pages looked neatly pressed, and were slightly yellowed before. But in this dark light, they look pale as snow.

"I'll be on my way, and tell Sebastian that you'll be down shortly." Mey Rin said as she walked out with her lantern. Despite it being rather dark in the library, I managed to see quite well without the aid of any light. I recall well, how little children fear the dark. That's something I doubt one needs to remember in detail, as it is common knowledge that the dark has a certain... ominous feeling. There is, almost certainly, always something hiding under this curtain of black. Walking along these shelves, I put the one stack of books that was in my arms away one by one. Poems, and novels, and words by wise men, all were put in their respective places. I would have managed to read more, had I not fallen asleep. Though I remember my dream quite clearly.

Now, isn't that a bugger?

Quite literally I mean. It wouldn't be much work for the imagination to forge what really may have been going on. But how scandalous; how peculiar. Everything about it felt uncomfortably familiar. I'm not sure how much I like that...

The books were all gone and placed away within a few measly minutes, now all that's left is for me to find my way back... oh, I shouldn't have told Mey Rin to leave... I can barely remember what I've had as breakfast. Well, that's hardly the worst of what I can't remember. Pushing on, I make my way out of he library to the hallway. I can't even remember which way he took me down... was it the left? Or the right? By good lord these hallways look the same... hesitating, I took to the left which I felt was where my luck would best be tried.

The hallways were at least dimly lit, making my goal a little bit easier, if not, less complicated at least. Though I had no trouble at all finding my way around in the dark. The Phantomhive mansion was a very majestic looking thing from the inside. The hallways were always neat. I wonder who takes the task of maintaining these rarely used wings on the mansion... it was probably Sebastian. Though I have not seen him work first hand, he does seem very diligent at keeping things in order. Especially the staff. I keep my pace slow and steady, making sure to not miss any turns or corners. However, this hallway doesn't seem to be breaking into a T any time soon.

It's official... I must be lost. I notice now paintings on the walls I've never seen before, and the more and more I walk down, the less macabre they become, as the norm in this household usually leans towards the sinister it seems. I look, at the large portraits of what looks like family. The physician that visited me, who was a lady of red hair and a pretty face. 'Madam Red' was scripted on a gold plate at the bottom of the frame. That sounds so vaguely familiar, yet I failed to recognize this woman the few times I've already seen her. Next to that, is then a large family portrait. Vincent Phantomhive, beside his wife. Oddly, the painting doesn't look quite right being hung up on a wall like this. But I can imagine that Ciel must have wanted it put away from sight...

"Having a stroll?"

Blimey, he doesn't give a warning. I look at Sebastian pointedly, "You want to frighten me to death?" I snapped, and he raised his brows.

"I could certainly do that, Miss Ellie, but I do not plan on fulfilling that request any time soon." He said, and I let out a huff. I look back at the painting, no longer wishing to face this dark man who is now standing beside me. "Is there any particular reason you're staring at the family portrait?" He asks gently, and I see him lean down to reach my level slightly out of the corner in my eye.

"Yes... how long have I been involved with the Phantomhives?"

Sebastian, taken aback, blinked for a moment before answering, "I, myself, do not know..."

Had Sebastian phrased his answer differently, or maybe even changed his tone, I wouldn't have questioned what that means exactly. For, in the way he implied, it made it sound as if I was here long before him. However, I only remember a few major factors of the Phantomhive's lives- and those factors are all from me looking in from the outside. I did not need newspaper clippings or need to have it explained to me that at some point, this place burned to the ground and people died. And it was not hard to assume that perhaps the boy did too- however it seems clear to me, he is still very much alive. It seems I will have to dig deeper on my part. "Well... that's very specific Sebastian, thank you for the help." I quip, ridding myself of this old mood. Sebastian let out a quick breath, showing his amusement.

"I apologize, Miss Ellie. But, we must get to the kitchen now. I'll need your assistance for dinner." He said, putting a hand to my back.

"Assistance? Am I not going to get to eat dinner?" I look up at him for a moment before looking on ahead, choosing now to memorize which way we go.

"If you hunger, yes." We turned finally, and walked down the flight of steps waiting for us. We headed into the dining room, and through that into the kitchen in a short amount of time.

Sebastian has a strange way of wording things today it seems.


A/N:

Last chapter was kinda out of my element. That's what I get for writing when I'm sick. I tried to make up for it in this chapter. I want to involve more of the kuro crew, and next chapter you'll perhaps see to a bit of iteraction between Bard and Finny with Ellie a bit like a chapters before. Pretty soon we're going to follow the canon plot :) and then the ball will begin to roll...