Thanks for reading! I don't own any of Black Butler! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every other week!
—
Over a century ago, deep in the English countryside, a prestigious young Earl named Ciel Phantomhive lived in a prestigious estate.
There were several remarkable things about Ciel.
Ciel had unique, blue and grey hair that was complemented by striking, sapphire eyes.
Ciel was female, although she dressed ambiguously, in clothing that consisted of frilly pantsuits and overly fancy outfits.
No dresses, just intricate touches here and there.
Ruffles.
Lace.
Trains.
Leather.
Velvet.
Ciel's attire was styled like a man's but detailed like a woman's.
Many people knew Ciel's true gender but it was silently accepted.
No one discussed Earl Phantomhive's true sex.
Queen Victoria could be a free thinker and after the tragic murder of Ciel's parents, with no male heir to the Phantomhive house, the monarch had agreed to let Ciel take over the Earlship.
Victoria admired Ciel's determination.
Besides, the Queen needed someone to be her watchdog…
If there was no Earl Phantomhive, who would run all of the errands and deal with all of the people the Queen tried to forget?
Ciel had taken up the Earlship at the tender age of thirteen, and seven years later, Ciel ran the affairs of Phantomhive house with just as much care and detail.
Not alone, of course.
Beside Ciel, behind Ciel, always with Ciel, stood Sebastian Michaelis, the handsome and princely house butler.
Together, Sebastian and Ciel sought to eradicate all of those who opposed the Phantomhive line.
Sebastian would recieve his payment once that was finished and Ciel would be content.
Consequently, both butler and master were eager to see those who hated the blue-blooded family fall.
But it seemed that no matter how hard Sebastian and Ciel worked, every so often, a new enemy appeared.
The latest challenger was a rival Earl.
Ciel had heard of him briefly, several years ago.
Alois Trancy.
The other Earl had posed her no issues until the previous month.
Earl Trancy had contacted Earl Phantomhive about some land that the Trancy and Phantomhive families apparently had mutual rights to.
Ciel thought that was odd and Sebastian found it outright suspicious.
When Ciel wrote the other Earl a lengthy letter offering to take the property off his hands, in reply, he had strangely sent an invitation to a ball at his estate.
Ciel couldn't make sense of the situation.
"I don't understand what this Alois Trancy character has to do with anything. If he doesn't want me to buy the land, then he can pay me for my half. It makes little difference to me." Ciel huffed as she sat at the desk in her study and sipped her tea one afternoon.
"I'm fairly confident this is about more than lands." Sebastian said shrewdly. "But I assure you, young master, Earl Trancy is nothing more than a small obstacle in our way. He will be a minor inconvenience, that's all." Sebastian nodded at Ciel.
"What could it be besides lands?" Ciel blinked. "What does he want?"
"Of that, I am not entirely certain." Sebastian replied. "However, I have learned that Claude Faustus is employed by the Trancy household as a butler."
"Claude Faustus? Who's that?" Ciel asked.
"An old….acquaintance…. you might say." Sebastian said after a pause.
"An enemy?" Ciel asked.
"No." Sebastian replied.
"A friend?" Ciel asked.
"I do not have friends, young master. Surely our years together have taught you that." Sebastian smirked.
"A…..?" Ciel's voice trailed off.
Sebastian looked at Ciel and raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Are you implying something, young master?" Sebastian asked.
"I was just…" Ciel started to say.
"You surprise me, bocchan." Sebastian chuckled, clearing the dishes once Ciel finished her tea and walking out of the study with the cart. "I'm certain that our time together has supplied your answer to that question as well."
Ciel closed her mouth and frowned as Sebastian left.
No, Ciel knew Claude certainly wasn't an old lover of Sebastian's.
Ciel blushed as memories danced through her mind while she turned back to her work.
Ciel had been a child when she met Sebastian and he had cared for her like a loving governess during those formative years.
Once Ciel had blossomed into an adult however, that had changed a bit….
Well, more than a bit…...
No, Claude would never have been of interest to Sebastian in that way.
No….. but then, how did Sebastian know this Claude person?
And more importantly than that, what did Claude's presence indicate about this Alois Trancy fellow?
—
"Turning gold to rust, that's what makes a Trancy butler." Claude Faustus murmured as he stood polishing the flatware for the evening in the large dining room of Alois Trancy's estate.
Words and clever expressions meant nothing, Sebastian was the far better butler than Claude in many different capacities.
Regardless, it was the day of Alois's grand party and the blonde had been excitedly prowling about the house all day, chattering.
Claude would never say it out loud, but Alois annoyed him greatly.
Alois twirled around the dining room and Claude eyed him with a narrowed gaze.
Why couldn't his master just shut up?
"Oh, Claude! This evening's going to be absolutely perfect! I trust that everything's ready?" Alois smirked.
"All according to your wishes, highness." Claude replied in the bland, emotionless voice he always used.
"I can't wait to meet Ciel!" Alois prattled on. "I've heard so much about him! I can't wait to see the look on Sebastian's face when I rip him away forever!"
" 'Him', highness?" Claude smirked.
Shortly after Claude came into Alois's employment, he began brainwashing the blonde into believing that Sebastian Michaelis was directly responsible for the demise of Alois's younger brother, Luca, a grim event which left Alois alone in the world.
Alone, except for the company and friendship of his butler, Claude.
Alois didn't realize it yet, but Claude was no one's friend.
Sebastian and Alois met briefly some time ago when Sebastian had infiltrated Alois's home under the guise of being a weary traveler.
It was part of Sebastian's job to learn everything he could about Ciel's enemies.
But Alois and Ciel had never come face to face.
Not yet…..
"What do you think Sebastian will feel more, Claude?" Alois giggled. "Anger or fear when he realizes he's about to get what's coming to him?"
Alois was two years older than Ciel, with soft, feathery blonde hair and ocean blue eyes.
But despite the fact that Alois was tall and handsome, he could still be rather…..childish.
At least Claude thought so.
Claude didn't reply.
"Claude?" Alois asked with an impatient scowl.
"It is not for me to say, highness." Claude replied after a long moment.
Alois's scowl snapped into a smile, pleased that he had finally gotten a response from his butler.
Unlike Sebastian, Claude Faustus took pleasure in disobeying his master whenever he could.
—
"Why is he holding a costume ball in the middle of summer?" Ciel scowled as she rode across from Sebastian in the carriage.
"I'm afraid I don't know, young master. I'm sure Earl Trancy has his reasons." Sebastian said cordially.
Ciel made a noise of irritation and looked out the window.
Sebastian wore his normal uniform, but the servants and Ciel were dressed up.
Ciel was attending the party in a pirate costume, choosing a manly overcoat with padded shoulders to hide her slender physique.
"My, it looks as if Earl Trancy is quite popular after all." Sebastian smirked, looking out the window at the crowds of people gathering into the manor as the carriage pulled into the Trancy driveway.
Ciel huffed in annoyance.
Ciel disliked parties.
Ciel disliked socializing.
And Ciel had an intuitive feeling that she was going to dislike Earl Trancy, too.
—-
Hoping to blend in and lure Ciel away, Alois had stolen his maid's uniform and added some padding to his own costume in the appropriate places.
Alois had a myriad of evil schemes he had spent months plotting.
Various ways to torture and kill Ciel…
Ways to make Sebastian squirm in anguish while Alois committed unspeakable horrors against Ciel as revenge for his brother Luca….
But as Ciel walked into the ballroom, Alois was almost dizzy with the feeling of all of his dastardly plans flushing themselves from his heart and his mind.
Alois's sexy, turquoise eyes drank in Ciel as languidly as she sipped the glass of champagne that Timber quickly served her.
What striking sapphire eyes….
What a petite frame…..
What unique hair….
And that aura of steely charisma…..
Ciel's presence made Alois shiver in the best of ways.
Alois smirked to himself as he watched Ciel start to mingle with the guests at the ball.
The blonde quietly made a vow to himself as new, delicious plans began to weave themselves together in his mind, plans much more pleasant than torture and murder, "Ciel Phantomhive, you will be mine~."
