Author's Note: Updating after quite a while *sweatdrops* but I was too busy with Supernatural and the 7 minutes thing...so, gomenasai!
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji.
Chapter 3: The Anticipated Arrive
Just as the clock struck twelve, four carriages pulled up at the gates of the Ragnagord mansion; two from either side of the long road. The gatekeeper; Michael, quickly opened the gates. From either decorative carriage stepped out a handsome butler, clad in black, and held the door of their respective carriages open for their masters.
"Young Master, we have reached the manor."Sebastian Michaelis motioned for his master, Ciel Phantomhive, to come out of the carriage.
"Your Highness, you can come out now, for we have reached our destination." Claude Faustus spoke as his master, Alois Trancy, skipped out of said carriage.
The masters were flanked by their servants, who were in the pair of carriages following their respective master's carriages; as the butlers walked forward.
"Good Afternoon, my Lords."Michael bowed deeply to the two Earls. "I am Michael, and I am the gatekeeper of the Ragnagord manor." Michael was a young boy of about fifteen, with brown hair worn long over his shoulders and bright caramel-brown eyes. He was a cheerful and happy-go-lucky kind of person.
"We were invited by the Earl of Warwick, Jacob Ragnagord, to his manor, for a stay over. We are his close friends, and have not had the pleasure of meeting him over quite some time now. We have never before visited his manor." Ciel stated.
"Yeah, and we're dying to meet him!" exclaimed Alois. The gatekeeper sweat-dropped at his sudden outburst.
"Please wait for a while. The butler of the Ragnagord Manor shall be right here." Michael said.
"And I am."
They were all taken aback by the soft female voice, which was quite familiar. Alexonia Xarukan, the female butler of the Earl of Warwick stood in front of them. She wore a plain white button-down shirt; a gray vest, a black velvet tailcoat, and a professional-looking pencil skirt which reached up to her knees. The rest of her legs were covered up by long black stockings, which ended at her feet with her sensible stiletto-heeled shoes.
"Earl Ciel Phantomhive, Earl Alois Trancy; my master Earl Jacob Ragnagord is just as much eager to meet you. Please, follow me." the woman's seductive voice beckoned them forward. The entire party followed. Behind Alois walked Claude, Hannah, and the Triplets: Timber, Thompson and Canterbury. Behind Ciel walked Sebastian, Tanaka, Bardroy, Finnian and Meirin. The Ragnagord household was much like the Phantomhive household. The butler was a demon, while the rest of the staff consisted of humans; competent ones at that. That competency was visible in only the Phantomhive butler in the first case. The entire Ragnagord mansion and its surroundings were decorated and well-maintained. Not to mention that it was large.
Alexonia led the party through the crisscrossing pathways and the halls of the mansion. They were soon at the large bronze double-doors of the main drawing room. Alexonia pushed open the doors, and walked in. The entire party followed suit.
"Ciel! Alois! Long time, no see!" Jacob Ragnagord walked forwards and shook hands with either of his friends (he was hugged tightly in Alois' case).
"Your mansion is maintained and built to perfection." Ciel said, in order to sound polite. Jacob was an important family friend, and he wasn't going to do anything to lose him. Jacob smiled pleasantly at the compliment.
"I am so excited to be here!" exclaimed Alois. Jacob laughed at his enthusiastic approach.
The Young Lords sat down at the plush sofas of the room, while the butlers stood behind them. The other servants remained near the now closed doorway. Alexonia poured out tea from an expensive-looking tea-pot, and set out the cups for the young lords.
"I'm so glad that you brought everyone from your mansions. It's good that they should also come along. After all, our servants are more than glad to meet yours. Isn't that right, Alexonia?" Jacob asked.
"Of course, my liege. We are all glad." Alexonia smirked seductively. She placed a tray of baked goods on the tea-table before them.
"Sebastian," everyone was distracted by the Earl Phantomhive's sudden reference to his butler. "Did you bring all the business documentations? I need to discuss some first-hand issues with Jacob."
"Yes. Of course, my lord." The butler smirked smugly. He handed a bag to Ciel out of nowhere.
"Oh yes. The Earl Phantomhive never comes anywhere without work," scoffed Alois. "Anyways, Claude, you and the others may leave this room for now. You can take the time off."
"You all may leave as well, Sebastian, and take the time off. We do not wish to be disturbed." drawled out Ciel.
"Alexonia, you may leave too…" said Jacob.
Alexonia and the guests left the room so that the young lords may have their time, talking to each other and enjoying themselves. As soon as they closed the doors, Alexonia faced them.
"Phantomhive and Trancy staff…you are free to move around wherever you like, but only along the first floor of the mansion, and the grounds. You may go to, say, the kitchen, the dining area, etcetera, whatever there is, only on the first floor. You decide where to go and who you want to meet. So, help yourselves." Alexonia addressed to the whole party before turning on her heel and walking towards the large main hall of the mansion.
Bardroy, Meirin and Finnian looked confused, as they always did whenever they came to someplace different. They merely walked away in three different directions dreamily. Tanaka sat where he was, sipping tea. The Triplets walked towards the dining area in a business-like manner, while Hannah trotted off to find the other maid at the Ragnagord manor, whom she happened to know from previous encounters. Claude and Sebastian stayed where they were as if rooted to the spot.
"We need some explanations, don't you think?" asked Claude, looking at the floor, clearly aggravated.
Sebastian turned his nose to the ceiling, looking as proud as ever. "Yes. She needs to admit her crimes already."
Alexonia walked towards the gardener of the Ragnagord manor. Like the other two manors, even this manor had five servants. There was Michael, the gatekeeper; Susan, the maid, Joseph, the gardener, and Richard, the chef. And of course, there was she herself, Alexonia Xarukan, female butler to Ragnagord.
"Joseph, we need the garden to be in perfect shape today. The guests should not get a bad impression of the Ragnagord household. You have heard me say this every time we have visitors, but I insist on reminding you over and over again. Therefore, you understand the magnitude of my orders."
"Yes, Miss Xarukan!" Joseph saluted her as she turned and walked away. He was a cheerful boy as well. He was Michael's brother, and they looked quite similar to one another.
She headed indoors, towards where the chef worked. Richard was a tall man with black hair and green eyes. He was pretty handsome, for a human. And like all other human men, he seemed to have an infatuation for her. She smirked at the thought.
"Richard, is everything under control?" Richard at once stiffened at the lyrical sound of Alexonia's voice. He at once whipped around to salute her.
"Yes, Miss Xarukan! You can count on me!" he said, a bit too excited.
Alexonia handed him a paper with the day's special menu enlisted, and the chef scanned it through, scratching his chin in thought. "This lot won't come in easy, but I'll manage…"
"Oh…" Alexonia winked at him, causing the man to blush a darker scarlet than the tomatoes on the kitchen counter. "Of course you will, won't you, dearest Richard?"
She batted her eye-lashes enticingly as Richard drooled over it. She turned around, heading for her next destination, feeling Richard's eyes on her back.
Soon, she arrived at the main hall, where Susan the maid was busy scrubbing the banisters of the marble staircase. Susan was a head shorter than Alexonia, and looked like an elementary kid to others even though she was nineteen. She had long dirty blonde hair which lacked any sort of shine. Compared to Alexonia's shiny and glossy black tresses, it seemed like Susan's hair was a pile of utter rubbish. Her grey eyes showed no emotion. She was much less cheerful than the rest of the staff. Cheerful, yeah! As if! She was the most depressing member of the staff.
"Susan, please smile if the guests ask anything of you." Alexonia whispered to the maid as she leaned towards her to look at how she was doing. She was a perfectionist at her work, however. Well, as they say: you win some and you lose some.
"Now that everything's running smoothly…" Alexonia rubbed her hands together in a business-like way. "I've got some toying about to do…"
A/N: Alexonia sounds diabolical, ne? Review and tell me whatcha think!
Important Author's Note:
I'm gonna pull back and relax after this!
Nah, I don't have time to relax. But there's a high chance it'll take time for me to update any of my stories due to my workload.
I promise to update multiple chapters for each and every story once I return.
So whatcha think? You guys got a hell lotta time to review, so the more reviews I get, the harder I'll work on updating sooner!
Rosalind: REVIEWS = LOVE!
Sebastian: And it also helps my mistress work faster.
Rosalind: Yeah, of course it does!
Sebastian: So, kind readers, instead of simply following and/or favouriting, please leave atleast a few words for my mistress to feel motivated!
Rosalind: SEBASTIAN's asking you!