PREDICAMENT

A Kuroshitsuji fanfiction

By: Muffle d' Giggles

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With one last thought, the boy drifted off to sleep.

I'll make that Sebastian pay…

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Chapter Three: That Lady, Compassionate

If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world.

-Francis Bacon, Of Goodness and Goodness of Nature

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"Wake up, young Master." the voice cooed.

A young grey haired boy groaned.

Curtains were pried open, and sunlight poured into the room.

"The sun is already high up on the horizon, young Master."

Ciel jolted and sat straight up. "Sebastian!" Was it all a dream?

The butler faced him, giving him a most sweet smile. "Yes, young Master?"

What's happening here? The boy put his hand on his aching head. His glance swept through the room.

He was lying on a very comfortable four-poster bed with white satin sheets and very fluffy pillows. His clothes for the day were already hanging from a rack beside the bed. The usual morning tea was already served steaming on the bedside table. And Sebastian held a tray where the same chocolate cake laid invitingly.

I never noticed how mouth-watering it was to look at until now.

Sebastian laid the tray on the boy's lap.

"Breakfast in bed, young Master?"

The boy jerked. Now that's unusual. He never asked me if I wanted my breakfast served in bed, he just does it.

Ciel held his utensils tightly and stared at his meal. I—I can't eat with him looking at me like that. He glanced up at his butler who smiled teasingly. And what happened to the Sebastian last night?

"Don't you have any other things to do?" the question came out a little more venomously than Ciel had intended.

Sebastian's grin grew wider. "There's no need for my services, my lord. We are in Lady Louvier's manor."

Louvier? ALICE LOUVIER?!!

"Yes master, Alice Louvier, Duchess of Roscoff."

Ciel choked on the cake. He didn't notice that he had voiced his thoughts aloud.

"CIEL!!!" echoed a feminine screech. The reactions were immediate: Sebastian took the tray away, spilling nothing, and Ciel took refuge under the blankets.

The door slammed open and a figure jumped from the doorway and onto the bed.

"Ciel, I know you're awake! I heard your voice when I was passing by!" someone whined trying to pry the covers off of Ciel.

The boy lowered the blankets and looked at his attacker. "Li—"

Sapphire orbs blinked back at him.

"Oh. Lady Ali—er—Louvier."

The woman slid into a sitting position beside Ciel. "Would you like to come with me? I'm going out to shop."

The earl gave his butler a questioning look.

"We are in Roscoff, France, my lord." Sebastian said.

The grey haired boy turned his gaze upon the woman and shook his head. "I'm sorry but I don't feel like going out today."

"It's okay, I figured you'll say that." Alice beamed.

"Anyway, here are the keys to every room in each wing of this mansion. Feel free to look around while I'm gone." She handed the sleek silver objects to Sebastian, or more likely, dropped them onto his waiting hand.

Ciel didn't notice, but the two had exchanged murderous glances.

"As your godmother, what is mine is also yours." The lady stated. She fixed her skirt and went to the door. "Well, I'm off!" she smiled then walked away.

"Oh wait!" Ciel shouted. "Sebastian, does she have any servants who could come with her?"

For the very first time that morning, Ciel saw his butler frown.

"Apparently, she hired the same guys you had back at the Phantomhive Mansion."

Ciel threw the blankets off of himself. "WHAT?!"

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"Maylene, does this look good on me?"

The absent-minded crimson haired servant nearly jumped out of her skin. "Y-yes—my lady."

Alice turned to the girl. "Is there anything wrong, Maylene?" she asked, holding a wide brimmed summer hat.

"Nothing, my lady!" Maylene shook her head, averting her gaze. She nervously adjusted her glasses.

The duchess grinned. "Ne bouge pas, Maylene ."

"Pardon?" the clumsy servant inquired.

Alice smile grew wider and she put the hat on the servant's crimson hair. "Do you like it?"

Maylene took the hat off just as quick as it had been put on her head. She then shook her head vigorously.

"It is too much, Lady Louvier."

"Call me Lady Alice. We're going to buy it. Besides, your eyes say otherwise." the woman beamed.

"But—"

The duchess turned to her. "It's alright, we're buying two. Isn't it exciting that we have the same hat but they differ in color? I prefer a pink hat over a white one."

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"Bard, do you think Lady Alice will allow a flamethrower in her manor?" Finny asked.

The blonde man massaged his beard in response.

"The Louvier manor—which is more like a castle—seems to be somehow fireproof," he said, inspecting one flamethrower after another.

Finny scratched his head. "Of course it will seem to be—after having you burn a quarter of the kitchen with your first one. It was a good thing that Guilbert was there."

"Guilbert here! Guilbert there! Good ol' reliable Guilbert!" Bard shouted, taking the flamethrower to the counter. "Why do you guys cling to him like you once did with Sebastian?! It's not like he's the only one responsible here."

"Is there a problem here, Mr. Bardroy?" a cool voice questioned.

Finny's and Bard's heads whipped to the door to see a gentleman with lime-green hair and piercing emerald eyes looking back at them.

"Well?"

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To be continued…