Chapter 2
...
It looked rundown and smelled of withered roses and mossy stone. That's the first thought that came through my mind as I sat on the rusty old chair Elise had let me keep. She was by far the nicest inn keeper I had ever come across, and I visited quite a few inns before settling down on this one.
England was difficult on the prices of their rooms, but it was also blooming with opportunity, and the architecture was great. Beautiful even, with a Victorian and early gothic revival. They were extravagant on their furnishings and design.
The cards under my hands felt cold as I shuffled, I had to sink my head lower into my scarf to keep my nose warm. It was already starting to feel runny.
"The joker is upside down, you see?" My finger points to the specified card laid out on the cracked table.
I could hardly sleep last night, even exhausted as I was, and reading cards reminded me of the strange man from yesterday.
Tall and mysterious.
Disappearing just as quickly as he had come.
I didn't even get to tell him what the last three cards entailed. Perhaps it was for the best, it didn't feel like he had the best intentions.
It was my fault, I shouldn't have been too friendly.
"Mm what does that mean?" The lady in front of me sports a brown Victorian dress that suits her long brown curls.
Her charcoal eyes gleam with curiosity, the paper wrapped brioche bread she holds in her arms almost forgotten. She was my third client this morning, having been drawn to me on her way out of the inn. I had to thank Elise later for granting me permission to use this area.
"It signifies lies, because he is upside down, there is a man in your life that isn't truthful but only because he means to survive." My voice is smooth as I speak.
Her thin eyebrows arch in a frown, dark eyes squinting in confusion.
I point to the next card.
"There is currently a lot of conflict in your family because of this man's absence, you see the hermit gliding along the waters?"
I pause, steadying myself to continue. It was very early in the morning, too early to be doing this. My mind was as foggy as the air, half-asleep and running on five hours of rest.
It was the coldest time in England despite it being spring. No matter, the day was sure to get warmer once it got closer to noon.
"He travels the waters alone in solitude, possibly for work, he hides how he feels from you because he does not like it when you worry, so he lies and tells all is fine, he must do this not because he wants to, but because he has to...water symbolizes emotions, he struggles to keep his guilt under control." The lady stares at the card picturing the robed man on the boat, rowing through a lake.
I move my finger and point to the next card depicting two cherubs.
"The reason he puts up with this journey is great, do you have two children? He feels he must provide for them, thus, he strives to see to his family's survival no matter the cost, even if he has to lie to you about his feelings...there is no adultery, just a need to protect you from worry." I finish with a smile, small pale hands reaching to gather the cards.
The lady gives me a faraway look before shooting me a small smile of her own.
"Wow...my husband recently went overseas for work, you see I lost my job at the local inn down by the crossroads. We need the money for our two daughters...it's been tough and the children miss him…" her voice is sweet, honeyed.
I nod, already guessing as much. The cards never lie, and my mind hardly fails me, even in my sleepy state.
"Thank you...um, just how did you know? I had no idea he felt this way, he's always so cheerful." Her lips are the color of plum, a nice choice for a lipstick.
"I just do...Communication is key, if you want to confront him about it that's up to you, but I must ask you to be understanding." I fold in the cards in my hand and shiver.
The breeze was growing wild. The busy streets of London made it no better. Sometimes I felt that the passing carriages helped carry the wind to my direction.
She clutches the bread closer to her chest with one arm while her free hand reaches for her purse.
"Oh I will, how much?" She looks down at me from her seat.
"Five pounds" I say with a smile.
The coins are cool in my hand when she hands them to me.
"Thank you, dearly." She had a smile of her own as she got up to leave.
I tucked the money away into my own small, ragged purse and moved to tuck the cards away into their holder box. It was getting closer to lunch time and I was starving. London had a lot of Pastry shops, similar to back home, but theirs was a taste for lots of sugar and less cream.
Shops sporting cute small cakes, macaroons, and pudding cups in a variety of colors littered the streets. Dainty women in bonnets stared at glass windows, eyeing the treats with longing.
They looked good, but I was in more of a savory mood. The pastry shop with rectangular sandwiches looked more promising.
It smelled just as such when I entered, sidestepping people exiting the shop to make my way towards the front display.
"Excuse me, can I get that sandwich there?" I pointed to the one I wanted.
The lady in front shot me a lazy glance before following my finger to see what I was pointing at.
Her cheeks were plump, as she looked more than a tad bit overweight. Her light brown hair poked out from underneath the messy cap she wore. Honestly, I was the last person that should be judging.
It was as messy and disheveled as my own.
"We're out of that one there, ya better off gettin another one." Her response was curt, and her uninterested eyes went back to the newspaper she held in her hands.
"Oh…okay, thank you anyway" I muttered before whispering a low. "Schijten."
"You Dutch?" Her eyes flew up quicker than I could blink.
I nodded. "Yeah, just arrived through the north by boat only yesterday.
She was Dutch too, I could tell if I listened closely to the way she spoke, loud and obnoxious, as if she was trying to talk to someone who was severely deaf. Just like big sis when she was angry.
"Did ya get to see the Campania tragedy?" The man beside me asked, leaning down with a cup of what I assumed to be warm tea in hand.
"Idiot, that was further west from Southampton." The woman scoffed, squinting at him with beady eyes.
I briefly wondered if they were married.
"Oh that's right! My mistake." His laugh was low, filled with embarrassment as he tipped his hat apologetically.
"That's quite alright, if you don't mind me asking what's the Campania tragedy?" Even if he was wrong about the location, it piqued my interest.
"Ah so you haven't heard? One of the luxury passenger ships from majestic star line sank on its way to New York, they say it was an iceberg." The man went on, flashing me the headline of the newspaper the woman behind the counter was reading.
She shot a scowl his way in disapproval.
"Aye, a whole lotta death, not enough life boats to go'round I hear." The woman clicked her tongue.
"Except for the aristocrats, it's always the poor that get left behind, there were enough life boats for the rich aye." The man gave a gruff sigh.
That must have been why there were so many coast guard boats upon arrival here. They were no doubt looking for washed up debris or even bodies.
What were the odds of a body washing back towards the hampton decks? I suppose it all depended on the current, and I was no geography major to do the math.
I left the two to argue about the incident on their own, and turned to head back outside into the cold and bitter morning air.
A tragedy like that was sure to be the talk of the town for weeks to come.
Brown boots tapped against the hard brick road as I walked back towards the inn, worn out shoelaces hanging with the threat of coming undone. I had to remember to buy new shoes after getting a job.
A job…
I kicked myself for not asking the shop lady if they needed any new hires. Did I really want to work in a pastry shop though?
It reminded me of dad. Angry, drunk, and violent dad. I never did know what his problem with drinking was. He was always late for dinner, but I was grateful for it, and I knew sis was too. It was a silent reprieve from his temper, which was almost always directed towards mom.
I shook my head and willed the memories away.
I hated thinking about dad.
I hated that mom got sick.
I hated that sis followed in her footsteps and married another drunk, then got sick too.
The inn came into view and I picked up my pace. I was in London now, far away from it all, far away from father.
The steps of the inn creaked, old wood moaning under my added weight. I was sure Elise had lunch options, if I was lucky, maybe clam chowder. It was my favorite and it was sold in abundance among the British.
Homey music greeted me when I entered the building. Victorian furniture complimented the dimly lit front desk, a nice touch for tourists who really wanted the full experience.
And it wasn't too expensive.
I could see Elise at the front desk, flipping through the old notebook and scribbling down with a pen.
"Good Morning! Thanks for letting me borrow the chair earlier." I greeted with a smile.
"Good morning to you! It's not a problem, actually, a noble came looking for you, I sent him up to your room, said it was business related, hope that's alright." She set the pen down.
I blinked.
"A noble?" I muttered in confusion.
"Yes, a child, with a butler." She added.
I froze. A butler…could it be? The same man from yesterday…but why would he be looking for me? I had no business with him, unless it was about our deal. Or perhaps his master wanted his cards read too. A child…what kind of child wanted to talk business?
I looked towards the stairs, contemplating if I should run away and come back later to avoid them.
"You should go, maybe he's looking for extra help, you mentioned you were looking for work right?" Elise gave me a wink.
She was right, or it could be that he wanted to apologize for scaring me the other day.
"Thank you." I decided against leaving.
My room was only on the second floor, with a small balcony overlooking the street. The bed was mediocre, worn out but comfortable enough to sleep in.
Footsteps echoed throughout the hallway as I made it up, picking up my pace and turning the corner towards my destination.
Elise wasn't joking. There they were, standing outside of my door, younger male leaning against the wall in an almost bored manner.
I noticed the butler first, so tall in his black suit he almost completely covered the much shorter male beside him.
Elise was also right about him being a child, he looked no older than thirteen. He was dressed like a noble, with a dark top hat, a black coat, shiny shoes, and a cane that was held with black gloved hands. The blue ribbon adorning the front of his coat matched the ocean blue of his big doe eye, much like my own.
The other was covered with a black eyepatch, sky blue locks fell over it in a neatly combed fashion. A sharp contrast against my own birds nest of unruly hair.
I looked up at the butler, Sebastian.
"You again." It was more of a statement than a question.
His stare was cold, the sweet, kind personality long gone. It made me uneasy.
The boy cleared his throat, eye shutting with a frown before resting on mine. He seemed a little more welcoming despite his stiff exterior.
"My apologies, I don't believe we've met, I am Ciel phantomhive, my butler says he met you yesterday and gave you a fright." The boy's voice was reserved for someone his age.
"Yeah…" I muttered, narrowing my eyes at his outstretched hand before shaking it.
It was as small as my own, but had a firmer grip. He was confident, and I liked his name, it was unique.
"I'm Sela Vos." I said with a questioning look.
Did he really come all the way here just to apologize for his butler?
"Good to meet you, I apologize for any misunderstanding Sebastian may have caused." Ciel began, resting his hand on the cane again.
"I see, that's okay, how did you know I was staying here?" The question was nagging at the back of my mind.
There was a slight falter in that stoic, frowned expression of his, but it was gone just as fast as it had shown.
"We've been looking from inn to inn, Sebastian says you're a foreigner." The boy explained, giving the taller male a sideways glance.
"That's correct, I'm sorry but why would you go through the trouble of looking for me? Surely it's not just to apologize" I was bewildered that they would even try.
London was not a small city.
"You mentioned you were looking for work, the phantomhives pride themselves in providing the best hospitality to guests, I dare say we are short on our ability to do so during these trying times. If you feel inclined, the phantomhive household will welcome you with open arms." It was Sebastian's turn to speak.
His eyes were closed as he bent to display a rather graceful bow, gloved hand over his chest while the other hid behind his back.
It took me a moment to process what he had said through the graceful accent. They were offering me a job.
"Wait…this is kind of out of the blue." I stammered, blinking rapidly.
"Of course, pardon me, it's understandable you would feel disposed not to trust me. Why don't we have a chat over some tea, my treat." Ciel walked past me, our arms slightly brushing.
He wasn't giving me time to rethink his offer, the nerve…
But my stomach was empty, and he did say he was going to pay.
A noble.
A talk wouldn't hurt, especially over tea and cookies. Taking from a kid didn't count if the kid was wealthy.
With that in mind, I followed silently, ignoring the unease I felt in my heart.
…
What I learned about Ciel during our tea and talk wasn't much, but it was enough for me to get a clearer picture about why he was so persistent in seeking me out after my encounter with his butler.
He may have been a child, but he was smart, cunning, and opportunistic.
I didn't need to read his cards to see it. It was in the way that he moved. Shoulders straight, head leaned in. The way he avoided saying too much about himself and kept the conversation on me. The way he fished for my financial information, my lifestyle, my family.
He was used to Sebastian, never flinching or looking uncomfortable when the butler came too close to his person.
This child was a force to be reckoned with, but he gave no feelings of general displeasure when I was dodgy myself.
He was polite enough to not pry too far, only far enough.
"I can see that you need more help, and I want to say yes, but I have to say, I don't have any training…" I exclaimed, sipping the last of my honeyed earl grey.
I had no regrets about falling for his bribe. The shop he chose was amazing, the tea came in cute little rabbit teapots. Adorned with lace and accompanied with milk and honey in separate smaller pots. Cookies, scones, and an array of cream sandwiches came in a tower plate. Each served by Sebastian in the most elegant fashion I had ever seen.
I had tried to decline it, I could serve myself after all, but Ciel insisted I be served.
"Training would be provided, as well as a room of your own." The boy offered, gaze not faltering as he sipped his own tea.
It was crazy, this just felt too good to be true.
"Surely there must be something in it for you, did your butler tell you I did tarot?" I asked, eyes sweeping over to the stone-still man beside him.
I could tell by Ciels change in posture I had hit the subject of what he really wanted to talk about, and a heavy feeling settled within the pit of my stomach. He was an aristocrat after all, and I knew what people like him wanted from people like me.
"Yes, I found it interesting- "
"I don't dabble on the occult and I provide no such services." I cut him off, firmly.
He blinked, unabashed by my rudeness.
"I see, that's not what I was suggesting, actually, a friend of mine is writing a book on such a subject, I was wondering if you'd be willing to share what you know about it in exchange." His thin lips stretched into a sly, thin smile.
He shared earlier that he owned a business called funtom corporation. A well known Toy and candy manufacturing company that catered to children. It was widely known and successful, he didn't get to the top without a keen personality.
He was a businessman.
Of course he was seeking some sort of exchange. He wouldn't have been as smart as he was if he didn't seek some sort of gain.
"Right…well, it's quite unfortunate but my knowledge of such is rather limited. Tarot is as far as I have ever gone." I tried to sound apologetic.
I had no idea if he was being truthful. He had an amazing poker face if he wasn't.
"A shame, I suppose I can't be of much help to my friend then, I don't know if I believe in silly tales of demons and the like myself." He rose to sip his tea again, but his one eye was sharp as he gazed.
He was intimidating. Why did it feel like I was being interrogated for some sort of crime?
"Do you?" His tone was icy.
"I-I believe in the powers of the universe, omens and karma, I don't know about demons…" I stammered, suddenly feeling much smaller than this child in front of me.
"I see." He set his cup down. "Forgive me, I like to share common interests with my workers, you'll be a part of the phantomhive household after all, that is, if you accept my invitation to join us." His mood shifted rather fast, or was it just me?
He reached into his coat pocket to pull out a card before handing it to me. It was his company's card, only there was a number written on the bottom of it in black ink.
"That number there is my personal number, think about it and please feel free to call if you do decide to accept my offer, the pay will be a handsome monthly salary." The boy stood up from his chair, folding the napkin he had set on his lap and setting it down on the table with nimble fingers.
"Good day miss Vos." Those were the last of his words before turning to leave.
Sebastian set a few coins on the table, giving me one last look of his own before following behind the small boy.
I stared down at the card with a faraway look, admiring the penmanship of the number.
I didn't know what to make of it all. It appeared that the noble wanted to hire me anyway, despite me declining to help his friend.
Part of me felt grateful for the opportunity.
Another part felt unsure if the boy was telling the truth.
I glanced at the ocean of bodies walking amongst the crowd, staring ahead at what used to be their silhouettes.
It didn't matter if he was being truthful or not about the reason. He wasn't lying about the rewards, this I could feel was certain.
I stood up, setting my own napkin down, slowly folding it just as Ciel had done, and silently made my choice.
…
"Another request so soon after the last." The earl's voice carried across the dimly lit room.
Candle flames danced as he read the recent letter sent by the queen. He was tired from the events that happened on the Campania, and he was in no mood to be thinking about another request he had to solve. His mind was already filled with thoughts about the tarot reader.
It didn't matter how he felt.
It's not like he had the choice to say no.
Besides, this letter was different. This was personal to the queen, as the person of interest was the son of her cousin, duke clemens.
She was worried sick.
Signing, the young earl leaned back into his chair, body finally giving out once the clock hit ten. It was always that hour.
"What will you do?" Sebastian asked.
He was never tired, for he had no need to sleep. Sometimes the earl envied him.
"I suppose I must find out what happened to Derrick, the queen says she hasn't heard back from him." The young boy couldn't suppress a yawn.
It was horrible timing. He had to figure out what to do about Sela. He had no idea how having her in his household would play out, and now he had added baggage.
"And the woman?" Sebastian couldn't help but ask.
Of course he couldn't. He had been on edge ever since that day. The demon's face was half covered by shadows the flames refused to touch, but Ciel could very well see the thin line of his lips, curled down into a frown like he had tasted something sour.
When the taller male confided his mistake to Ciel, the boy was so shocked he had no idea whether to laugh or berate the butler.
Even now, he still couldn't grasp how such a thing could happen. He had one job, just one job.
What kind of imbecile demon accidentally made a pact with a human?
Sebastian was good at everything, he was the epitome of perfection. Sebastian was Sebastian. He never failed.
For the first time in Ciels short life, he saw a weakness in Sebastian, and the demon knew.
"She resembles me." Ciel tried to hide the small smirk threatening to show.
He knew Sebastian hated that he caught a glimpse of that weakness. He knew the demon was embarrassed.
"Didn't know you had a taste." He added, unable to hide the smirk any further. "Is that why you were fooled?"
"Shut up." It was the first time in his service to the earl that Sebastian had ever talked back.
The young earl had finally hit a cord in the most emotionally controlled being he knew, and he was loving every second of it.
"She doesn't know, best to keep it that way." Ciel changed the subject, shoulders relaxing against the chair as he resisted the desire to bite his lower lip.
It was a bad habit that surfaced whenever he was deeply thinking. His main concern was the possibility of the young woman knowing what she had done, and using Sebastian to do god only knew what.
He had asked Sebastian before, how it had all happened. There were many loopholes in a contract, what sealed the deal was the agreement between the two, and the handshake. Ciel didn't understand it, his reasoning was that such a thing required a sacrifice.
Sebastian had said it didn't matter, because a contract went into affect no matter how vague an agreement was. The sacrifice could be something as mundane as a piece of jewelry, which she had offered. And Sebastian took it. The idiot demon took it. Without her knowledge.
'A trophy' he had said.
Like some lunatic killer before killing his victim.
"No…she doesn't." The butler agreed quietly, black dressed frame melting into shadows as the flames moved rhythmically.
"The mark must be somewhere on her body, somewhere she can't see it." He gave a sigh, single visible eye closing as his mind raced.
"I must ask young master, why not dispose of her?" Ciel almost swore, Sebastian was sounding more and more desperate by the hour.
"I won't soil my hands with innocent blood, moreover, you yourself can't even try…" Ciel may have been cold, but he was no demon.
"I see, what if she doesn't accept? What will you do?" His voice was hard in the stillness of the night.
Ciel had no quick answer to this, for he had no idea what came next. There was no plan B. Murder was out of the question, and he knew damn well he couldn't possibly scare or bribe her into ending her contract with Sebastian. Not without having to tell her she even had such a thing.
That itself was more valuable than any amount of money he could ever give.
He was sure even a commoner like her would know that.
Sebastian was not only a servant, he was a weapon.
"My head hurts, I want to call it a day." He muttered tiredly.
He had to think of a way to get her to terminate it on her own, and he had to think of a way of going about solving Derrick's disappearance. The prick…why couldn't he just stay out of trouble.
Ciel didn't even know the student and he hated him already. It was situations like these where the earl sometimes felt like he would crack.
"Yes, my lord." The demon emerged from the darkness that surrounded him, face as pale as moonlight.
His movements were slow as he gathered the utensils from the desk, plate beside them empty with only crumbs to prove there was a dessert sitting on it only moments prior.
He paused when he heard the phone go off, rings reverberating, cutting through the silence. The black-clad butler stilled, eyes penetrating into the phone as of trying to answer it with his mind. He knew, they both did.
Ciel smiled, and picked up.
….~…~….
Authors note: I have forgotten to write one in the previous chapter. I think you can all guess the pairings this fic will focus on! _
Setting takes place after the events of the Campania. Although it will proceed into the public school arc, it won't be entirely manga based, seeing as it will mostly be told from Sela's point of view.
OcxSebastian. Slight OcxGregory
I have a plot laid out for this fic, and being a horror fan, it may come with a splash of it! Though it would mainly be a mystery/romance.
Thank you for reading and I hope you continue to do so!
~Gummie