Sorry I haven't posted a chapter in so long! It took me a while to flesh out ideas for this arc I made and well..life happened...Anyways, like I said, here's the first chapter of the new storyline! I found it fun to write so far, so I hope you enjoy it!
Reviews are appreciated!
- X-Xepher-X
The young Earl signed yet another meaningless paper from the thick stack of equally boring papers in his study. He rested his bored-ridden face in his hand, causing his head to tilt slightly as he mindlessly swept his signature across each paper. Once he wrote his name, he simply tossed the document into a developing messy pile, a pile Sebastian would probably need to organize once he's finished.
As the papers dragged on his once neat, curved signature transformed into what looked similar to choppy scribbles. Eventually he simply failed to dip his elegant pen into the thick ink, leaving nothing more than a faint mark on the paper. It wasn't because his hand was beginning to cramp. Rather, it was because his thoughts were occupied with things other than work.
It was that damn girl. She did rub him only a little bit in the wrong way, but not enough to cause real alarm to Ciel. She seemed to share a few noticeable traits with him, but nothing that would be a shock to him. Perhaps it was because of that butler of hers...a witch. It wasn't everyday someone had a butler who could do inhuman things. Now, with the knowledge of his butler's own inhumanly traits, it seemed like a disaster waiting to happen.
That knowledge, along with her own piece, made the viscountess much more than a pawn. That's what made her of concern.
Pawns who controlled themselves were only bound to die. It was the nature of the game. But, for a pawn to control a knight? A pawn could hardly have that power. She wasn't a pawn at all. She was on the other side of the chessboard. She was their king. It didn't matter if she chose to strike later, or even at all, she was still an opponent. He just needed to make his move first, to keep the game right within the palm of his hands.
He barely snapped out of his thoughts when the door squeaked opened, like the noise was only a part of his imagination. Cracking open, the door revealed none other than his black haired butler, along with a silver tray in his hand. Seeing as his master was occupied, he softly closed the door behind him, and carefully walked to Ciel's desk as not to make a sound.
"Young master, I brought the 'sweets' you required" Sebastian quietly said, as he laid a fresh porcelain plate filled with strawberries, along with a cup of fine tea.
"Fine" Ciel blankly replied, barely lifting an eye from his work. Sebastian raised his eyebrow in a bit of curiosity. He knew his master well enough to know that he would throw a fit over the plate of fruit. The cup of sweetened tea shouldn't have sufficed either.
"Today we have a subtly sweet red fruit, along with a cup of lightly sweetened black tea" The black haired butler read the internal menu, testing his master's attentiveness.
"Fine" He replied again in the same tone, as he diligently signed his papers away.
Sebastian slowly lost his smile as he quickly glanced at the pile of messy papers building up at the corner of the young Earl's desk. Even he took notice of his messy signature, or rather lack of one. It seemed decent at the young Earl's first name, but as his surname was written, it simply faded into the paper halfway. It practically disgusted the demon butler that his master would fail on such an easy task.
So, with a tired sigh, he picked up the pile of documents and fingered through them for faulty signatures. Pulling away the signatures that actually looked decent, Sebastian tidied up the pile, then tossed in right under Ciel's nose.
It took Ciel a moment or two to snap back into reality, and realize his work was covered with a thick stack of poorly signed papers. He glanced up to Sebastian with annoyed glare, obviously not appreciative of his 'help'.
"What the hell is this?" The young Earl growled, with a glare that hardly made Sebastian flinch.
"My lord, do you call this a signature?" Sebastian practically stuck a paper into Ciel's face, revealing the horrendous cursive signature he mindlessly wrote "If I say so, it seems as though it was written by a commoner who had gone mad. If it is, I'm afraid we may need to hire another tutor to teach you the basic skills of writing"
Glaring to the signature and Sebastian, Ciel quickly started the paper from his hand, and tossed it into a random pile beside him. Although he would never admit it to his butler, his writing did in fact look like a black scribble.
"No," he forcefully replied "To do that would be a waste of time"
Sebastian raised his brow in doubt "Well then. You seem to be occupied with something other than your duties of the company. Would you care to enlighten me on the matter?"
Ciel seemed to soften his glaring eyes, much to his dismay "It's nothing"
"Ah," Sebastian straightened out his back, along with a curious smile "So that viscountess is on your mind"
The young Earl dipped his thick pen into the black ink once more, and laid it onto the pile of paper, with not a care in the world if the ink dared to smudge and valuable documents "As I said, it's nothing of your concern"
The black haired butler tried his best to hold back his sharp, even mocking smile from his master, but it simply crawled up his thin face like a delicate spider "If it was nothing, my lord, then why does it consume your thoughts?"
Ciel seemed to send get another sharp, annoyed glare to his butler, but swiftly ended it with a sigh. It was no use anymore trying to hide it. It was getting rather tiring to pretend, anyways.
"Sebastian," Ciel began, as he swiftly stood from his chair "That reaper said that viscountess Blackwood's butler was a witch. What is your knowledge of those creatures? Surely a demon like you knows a thing or two"
"I'm quite flattered, young master," Sebastian replied matter of factly "As of knowledge of their kind...they're not a creature per say. They are still human, but rather possess magical abilities"
"I believe that was implied" Ciel said blankly.
"Of what I recall, witches originate from the middle of Europe, but began to spread upwards due to the fears of being purged out by humans. The term 'witch' was used so offhandedly, many humans were accused of sorcery, and burned in front of villages upon villages. Little to none were actually witches at all. They were however not only feared because of their abilities, they were also feared because," a certain smirk crawled up his face "They were said to worship demons"
"Worship demons, eh?" The young Earl curiously raised his brow.
"I cannot quite confirm that last part," The black haired butler pointed out with a small shrug of disappointment "I do know many have a rather strong dislike of humans. I find it very odd to see one follow such a girl so diligently, which could only mean one thing"
"They have a contract?" Ciel asked, remembering those black marks that covered Dewey's arm.
"That is quite perceptive of you, young master," Sebastian held his chin in thought "However, even a creature as myself has never seen a witch make a contract with a human, let alone a young girl"
"It does gives rise to many particular questions..." Ciel trailed off. A contract with a witch? It was quite surprising to him that not even Sebastian as ever heard of such a deal. He certainly didn't like the unknown as much as Sebastian. The unknown equaled power. And that power could only add to her danger.
"Sebastian. Run down to the office of the Scotland Yard and get me as much information as you can of Dewey Blackwood," Ciel ordered, as he pointed his demanding finger towards his butler "I need to know"
Sebastian, along with a certain grin that crossed his face, clamped the silver serving tray within his gloved hands, and bowed obediently like the Phantomhive butler he was.
"Yes, my lord"
Bang
The sound of the gunshot blasted through the thick forest, ringing into the young viscountess' ears. She ducked as a wave of birds flew up into the air, scared of the random gunshot that interrupted their peace. A few more shots rang through the air, aimed right towards the thick flock of birds. Even with Alois' terrible aim, he managed to drive at least one bullet into a pheasant.
The dreary bird cried a high, pitched wail as it fell through the air, crying an obvious bloody murder. Dewey quickly looked to the young blond Earl for any kind of reaction, but to her surprise, that sickly smile wasn't spread over his face. In fact, Alois looked as calm and collected as ever.
Alois did seem a little disappointed, even a little disgusted that Dewey missed her visit just because of a funeral. He claimed he had a wonderful day planned out for both of them, which could have only meant a frustrating day for the young viscountess. So, with his plans seemingly ruined, he quickly thought of another activity to spend with his fiancée. Hunting.
Dewey was rather worried that the young Earl was allowed to use the hunting rifle. Alois and weapons never seemed to mix in well, and usually ended in her on the ground as Alois 'danced' with her. It didn't help that she sent Eve on some 'business' either. When the young Earl questioned her about it, she simply said Eve had an 'affair' she needed to take care of. As long as their was an animal he could shoot the living day lights out of, she felt safe enough. At least there were a lot of creatures to kill in the Trancy's forest.
So, on a trusty horse along with the thrilled Alois and the doubtful Dewey, Claude tugged the steed deeper into the forest, looking for more creatures to drive a bullet into.
"How pathetic," Alois said in disappointment, as his bright blue eyes laid on the twitching bird he shot "A animal, who wants to cling on for dear life and screams like something is going to help it. It's so naive, it doesn't know it's going to die and fester in its own blood. All that will be left will be it's pitiful feathery body," a playful scoff escaped him, along with a curiously sharp smile "Oh, I suppose it'll make an exquisite supper. Isn't that right, Claude?"
The dark amber eyed butler briefly glanced at his sickly sweet smiling master, before his eyes drew back to the woods "Yes, your highness"
The smile seem to fade from the young Earl's face, but he quickly regained it once he faced his beloved fiancée.
"Claude, fetch the pheasant I shot" he commanded proudly, flicking his hand in the air.
"Very well" The black haired butler bowed, and pushed his thin glasses further up his face. He tugged the spotted white horse to a thick tree trunk, and promptly tied the thick leather rope around tree. Satisfied with his work, he disappeared promptly into the bushes.
With a playful smile, Alois leaned into Dewey, his face mere inches from hers "So, are you enjoying yourself Dewey? I truly am"
The white haired girl seemed to pause, before she snapped back into reality. It was like she didn't hear a single word he said. Alois could tell that much from that slightly shocked expression on her face.
"Oh, yes, of course..." Dewey trailed off, drawing her blood red eyes firmly away from her betrothed. Not that she was guilty because of her thoughts, but rather they were practically mind consuming.
That damn boy. His connections, his skills, his knowledge, they were all a little too much for her comfort. He seemed to let on much more than he knew, yet he still seemed to know a lot. She didn't know which part of him made him feel uneasy. The fact he had a demon butler? The fact that he had a pentagram etched within a purple hidden eye? The fact he's was...
She had to mentally shake her head. It couldn't have been that. It seemed to unrealistic for that to occur. Yet...it sat in her little head.
Alois frowned "You look as though you have something else on your mind"
She forced a fake, dainty smile "Oh really?" She questioned naively
"Yes, and I don't like it" he bluntly replied. With a suspicious look within his pale blue eyes, his hand latched onto the white haired girl's chin, and yanked him closer to her face. Even as shock ran through Dewey's veins, she stayed perfectly silent, even if a drop of anxious sweat ran down her face. With narrowed eyes, Alois carefully scanned her face, like it would reveal something far deeper than words could.
Moments later, he rested his pale blue eyes, and let go of his grip from the young viscountess' chin. Although Dewey was a little taken aback, she quickly regained her composure. It wasn't like it was the first time, anyways.
"I have a thought" Alois put on a cheerful grin, as he jumped off the large horse. Sure. His boots were now splattered with a bit of mud, but he barely noticed it.
"What are you doing?" Dewey asked questionably. She didn't like the way Alois was untiring the horse from the trunk of the tree. She especially didn't happen to like how Alois jumped back onto the back of the horse, and began to back it up like a carriage.
"Won't you believe this will be quite fun?!" With a firm kick to the spotted steeds soft belly, without the supervision of his beloved Claude, the horse released a booming neigh, and began to speed through the forest.
The white haired girl first yelped in surprise at his sudden declaration. With the sudden bounces and jerks, she clung her hands tightly on the young Earl's shoulders, as though she was hanging on for dear life. Considering it seemed he barely knew how to control the horse, it was practically true.
Yet, Alois laughed maniacally, his voice carrying through the thick woods as the horse drove itself deeper and deeper. The woods began to get darker and darker in hue as the horse dragged along, like a thick black fog was beginning to spread. The trees also became less recognizable to the young viscountess as well.
The steeds sprint became a soft trot, then eventually a light stroll as it grew rather weary. Tired, it simply stopped in the middle of the forest, without a single care for its location, nor its master.
Alois narrowed his eyes and violently kicked the horse's stomach once more "Go! Go you bloody steed! Go!"
Sure, the spotted horse jerked a little as Alois boot stabbed its stomach, but it was barely a trot, let a one the sprint he wanted.
Dewey sighed and loosened her grip from the young Earl's shoulders. She quickly glanced around the unknown, dark forest, seeing nothing but thick dark green shrubbery, but nothing than rang a particular bell in her head.
"Alois, I fear were lost" Dewey quietly said. The young Earl immediately stopped beating his trusted steed, and carefully scanned around the forest. Dewey noticed something quite different in his eyes, as he continued to frantically search around the thick woods. It was a certain look his widened pale blue eyes possess, a look she hasn't seen in quite a while.
It was that look when he was swallowed by darkness.
"We can't be...we can't..." The young Earl muttered under his slightly shaky breath. As much as he tried to hold in his fear from his fiancée, the darkness seemed to take away the little sanity he had.
The fear seemed to take hold of him, as though his body was bound in thick chains. Dewey realized he wasn't going anywhere. He was just going to glue himself on top of the horde, and refuse to move an inch.
With a tired sigh, Dewey slowly lifted herself off the horse, and stumbled into the thick mud. A look of disgust crossed her face as her boots became coated in mud, but she washed it off. Alois blinked in surprise as Dewey snatched the long rifle from his hand, and began to walk off.
The young Earl's lip began to tremble like a leaf, when he realized his fiancées intention.
"Wait!" He yelled with uncharacteristic disparity in his eyes "Don't leave me alone!"
Dewey turned around, and raised her brow "Were lost. I'm simply taking a quick peek to see if Claude is nearby, that's all"
It seemed like a simple, easy thing for Dewey to do, yet, the darkness of the forest seemed to hinder his sense. It was like the shadows were crawling closer and closer to him.
"No," Tears began to welt up in his pale blue eyes "Stay"
The white haired girl paused in thought. Something about Alois seemed so vulnerable, like a little child who lost his parents. She knew vaguely he was afraid of the dark, but not to this extent. Not to an extent where he looked weak. So weak.
Dewey sighed, but nodded "Fine"
As she stomped through the thick mud, a loud rustling came within the forest, like an animal rushing through the bushes. Although it didn't seem to bother the horse in the slightest, The frightened young Earl gripped his hands tighter onto the thick leather rope. Dewey's red blood eyes widened, and without so much as thought of what it could be, she whipped the hunting rifle into the air, and aimed at the source of the suspicious sound. She didn't hesitate to pull the trigger at all.
Bang
A rumbling bang ripped through the silent forest, letting the silver bullet slice through the dense air. Her eyes blinked in utter surprise as a thick, black shadow swept past the deadly bullet. The figure seemed to stop the flying metal within its shadowy hands, and dart towards the two lost fiancées. The figure revealed itself underneath the shimmering light of the forest, exposing none other than Claude.
Dewey raised the rifle down in shock, as the Trancy butler slowed his sprint to an elegant walk "Oh, Claude...I..."
The black haired butler simply bowed, along with the lifeless bird within his hands "My sincerest apology, Lady Dewey. As the Trancy butler, I should have made my appearance known"
"Fine" The white haired girl simply nodded. Satisfied with her response, Claude made his way to his terrified master clinging onto the horse seemingly for dear life.
"Master, I retrieved the-" the black haired butler was about to say. His dark amber eyes widened beneath his thin glasses, as Alois sprung out and latched onto his arm.
"Oh Claude, your back!" Alois cried in comfort "You're here again..."
The Trancy butler simply pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, yet with his blank, narrowed eyes "I will always be by your side until the very end, your highness"
As Claude 'comforted' the young Earl, Dewey became lost in her thoughts again. She almost shot someone. Again. It was like she transported back to that rainy night, where she aimed a bullet towards that murderous woman. She aimed and pulled the trigger without so much as a thought of what was on the other side of that bullet. Like that other time however, the bullet didn't do anything. It mean one damn thing.
Because that Phantomhive butler got in the way.
She didn't know much about demons, but she assumed they didn't make deals with just anyone. It had to someone worthy of their time. It had to be someone who had a lost future. It had to be someone who needed to get a certain task done. So, what made Ciel Phantomhive worthy?
She couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why, but she had to know. Something about the Earl seemed...uncomfortably familiar.
Little did she know, the dark blue haired boy believed the same exact thing.
Tap
Tap
Tap
The subtle sound of water plopped down from the window pane, all the way down to the street light it chose to make its target. The noise barely distracted the demon butler from his work, even if a few drops of water soaked into his jet black hair. He patiently hung like a bat from the window, patiently waiting for the last human to leave the registry of the Scotland Yard.
Although he couldn't quite see the man in question, he could easily sense him on the other side of the door. He was rather old, a little plump, but in need to a good shower. Sebastian, for all his brilliant senses unfortunately, could smell his putrid body seep into his nose. All humans seemed to have a foul smell, anyways. If it wasn't for the fact their souls were enticing he would have stayed clear of them ages ago.
With the sound of a satisfying click, he carefully, yet flawlessly shoved open the window, and jumped inside. The records room was dimly lit, with a piles upon piles of documents shoved into a desk, needed to be filed away. He doubted the file he needed was in there, so he walked away. It should have been easy enough; search, find, and bring back the file about the girl, or anything related to her in that matter. It shouldn't have taken him too long. Even with the other 'visitor'.
Sebastian calmly walked up to the first aisle, and raised his brow questionably. At the end of the bookshelves of files, that certain Irish haired butler sat, carefully fingering through the pages upon pages of the thick document on her hand. Yet, in her other arm, a few thick documents were tucked in the crook of it.
"Hello Sebastian," Eve said in a friendly matter, but refused to lift her ocean blue eyes from the page she concentrated on " I must say, it's rather a surprise to see you out this late"
"I would say the same thing, Eveanna" Sebastian replied "However, it was as expected of you as well"
A smile crossed Eve's face "Fair enough" She grabbed another file from the bookshelf "So, I can assume you're here for the same reason as my mistress?"
"Why, but of course" a sharp grin magically crawled up the black haired butler's face "Would you be so kind as to tell me where her records could be found?"
Eve carelessly shrugged "I could, if I happen to earn something in return. Unfortunately, a demon such as yourself doesn't possess anything I would like at the moment," she pushed a file back into the shelf "Besides the point, I'm positive my mistress wouldn't taking a liking to that idea"
"I see then. The king is letting the pawn think for itself," Sebastian lifted his white gloved hand to his chin "How naive of your mistress"
"Well, it was only a demand of the contract. If I were to question it, well" she chuckled "What kind of servant would I be? However, I see your king of diamonds has shackled his ace to his name. How ignorant of your master"
A sharp smile crawled up his face once more "As you have noticed, my master and I play a very particular game. I move as he wishes, thus I do what he wishes. It's with that careful control he fulfills his demands, and of course, I become closer to his rather enticing soul. The game isn't without its perks"
"A game with perks, hm?" She repeated "I suppose so. Although, I am rather curious of why someone such as you became so loyal and docile, especially to that child"
"I could ask the same for you" Sebastian practically whispered. Eve's ever so sharp smile seemed to twitch slightly, but she regained it as best as she could.
"A contract is a contract" Eve carelessly replied. She barely responded as the demon butler crept ever so closer to her, yet she was slightly weary.
"A contract with a human such as yourself?" The black haired butler held in his pitiful chuckle.
"Oh, don't go act high and mighty, Sebastian. You're no better than me, and I'm no better than you. We are in the same situation, are we not?" Eve raised her eyebrow questionably.
"Perhaps," The black haired butler replied off handedly "However, it is the differences in our masters that will determine the end of this particular situation. The future that is not yet determined. Anything could occur"
Eve briefly glanced at her silver plated pocket watch, and closed it shut. She dropped it into her pocket, and walked past Sebastian without so much as a glance "My work is done, and it's rather late. My mistress must retire soon. I must be off"
"We'll meet again," Sebastian replied "And I believe you know what will happen the next time we face each other. I can only wish you luck"
"Of course," she nodded "I wish you the best as well"
With the papers firmly in the crook of her arm, and lifted her dress, and hopped out through the window. The black haired simply stood in place, until her presence disappeared from his sharp senses.
Now he could really get to work.