"She's been asleep for an awfully long time, Sebastian. Are you certain you didn't hurt her?" Ciel asks, fiddling with his fork before taking a bite of mutton. He looks to his side, eyeing his butler out of the corner of his eye.
"Quite, my Lord. I believe the rapid ascent of her temperature must have worn her body out." Sebastian says, smirking to himself. "Though it was through no fault of her own."
"What precisely does that mean?"
"Nothing, my Lord. But she is awake as we speak."
No sooner do the words escape his lips before the woman's ginger-haired head peeks around the corner and into the dining hall.
"Please, miss, do come in. Tonight we're enjoying prime mutton with sautéed mushrooms in a distinct onion reduction sauce. I'd be honored if you would partake." Sebastian moves to the other end of the dining table and pulls out a chair, motioning for her to sit.
She's silent for a moment, weighing her options and taking into account Ciel's slightly annoyed expression, then pads across the floor and takes a seat.
"I'll return with your plate presently," Sebastian says, bowing before exiting the room.
The room is filled with a pregnant silence, the only sounds being the distant clatter of tableware and the grandfather clock ticking in the far corner. The young woman plays with her fingers and keeps her gaze trained low.
"I'm sorry," she finally says, looking Ciel dead in the eyes.
"Whatever for?" He asks, setting down his fork and knife before patting his mouth with a napkin.
"I…I don't know. It's just that—"
She's cut off mid-sentence by the sound of soft, quick footsteps. She turns, all at once becoming aware of something tugging at her dress.
"Excuse me, lady. I picked this for you."
She looks down, met by a pair of big blue eyes topped off with a mess of curly blonde hair. The boy can't be more than five, and he's holding up a slightly crumpled daffodil to her with a huge grin on his face.
"Oh, thank you," she says, taking the flower from him with a shy smile.
"Alexander Robert, I told you not to bother the Master when he's eatin'." Mey-Rin storms in, picking up the little boy with a huff. "My apologies, Master, miss."
"I love you," Alexander calls, waving to the woman as his mother carries him from the room.
"How sweet," she whispers to herself, smiling.
"If I didn't care so much for his parents, I swear I'd sell that boy to the circus." Ciel says, holding a hand to his head in frustration.
Sebastian re-appears with a well-filled plate, setting it in front of the woman along with a glass of water.
"Please, my lady. Do tell me if there is anything not to your satisfaction." He says, bowing and slipping out of the room.
Unsure of what to do, the young lady takes a sip of water before gently picking up her fork and plucking a mushroom from the top of the mutton to slip into her mouth.
"I suppose it should be me apologizing to you." Ciel says, setting down his fork after his mouthful is swallowed. The woman looks at him curiously, mid-chew.
"My Lord?" She questions, swallowing. Her hands have begun to shake, but she grits her teeth and strains to steady them.
"I forced you to try and remember what happened to you, and that…episode ensued. You could have been hurt." Eyeing her cautiously, he continues. "You are welcome to stay here as long as you like, free of pressure to recall things you'd obviously rather not."
"Thank you," she says, thinking hard for a moment. Then, an idea appears to her. "My Lord?"
"Yes?" he asks, standing from the table to make his way toward her.
"Will you help me find my name?"
"What?" Ciel asks, taken aback. He stops, looking at her like she might as well have lobsters coming out of her ears. "Whatever do you mean?"
"Well," she says, standing, too, and walks over to where Ciel is standing. "I've lost mine, and who better than a lord to help me find it?"
Looking up as she comes to a stop close in front of him, she gives him a stern, stubborn glare, mentally willing him to agree.
"I'm not sure that I could be of much help. I haven't the slightest idea where to even begin to find a name, let alone know how one would lose it in the first place." Ciel stares back, searching her eyes with an uncomfortable feeling in his chest overcoming him.
The young lady balls up her fists and looks at her feet for a moment before raising her head.
"Please."
Silence for a moment, as the two stare each other down.
"Fine," Ciel sighs, his shoulders lowering. "We'll start in the morning."