Chapter 2: The pretence of tea parties


Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.


It was strange having guests in his manor. Well, guests that would walk out alive, Ciel added mentally. Apart for a few exceptions, strangers always expired in his house, whether it was from his own personal want or by their own fault. However, the people Ciel invited to sit down across from him in the parlour, were not to be considered strangers anymore. They were his future parents-in-law and his future wife.

He had been momentarily shocked when Queen Victoria voiced out her desire to unite him and lady Alice in marriage, that was the last thing he had expected to hear come out of her mouth but when he took a few seconds to consider it, Ciel realized this engagement could bring him quite the benefits. Through that girl's father, he would have access to his line of information and above all, have the chance to infiltrate social circles that would have remained closed to him otherwise. What better way to track down his parents' murderers than by covering every inch of Victorian social class?

Ciel leaned back into his chair, his fingers entwined on his lap and smiled back at the girl's mother who seemed awfully content about this arranged marriage. Swiftly, he glanced over to Alice Arrington, intent on analysing the girl to the best of his subtlety. She was eighteen, which made her five years his senior and already a blooming lady. Ciel took note of her good taste, appreciating her matching pink ribbons and classic corset whereas her mahogany-coloured hair had been pinned up in a voluminous chignon at the back of her head, exposing her delicate, white neck. The Phantomhive earl admitted he was perhaps too young and clearly disinterested in a woman's beauty, yet, Sebastian had murmured she was quite pretty by human standards and Ciel himself realized that he did not feel displeased upon looking at her. Still, such matters were of no substance to him, especially since he did not plan on investing any sincere feelings in their union. He had told Sebastian beforehand that he was to treat lady Alice with courtesy and nothing beyond that. She would not be part of the family and instead would remain a simple asset, a piece of decorum that for the price of invading his home would pose no interdiction to his requests. After all, what more was there to a woman? Nothing in his view, apart from useless chatter and frivolous displays of their latest fashion. The women in his family had set a higher example than that but lady Alice would enjoy a short presence in his life, of that he would make sure.

'You have such a lovely home Earl Phantomhive, don't you think so, dear?' Vanessa Arrington asked her husband for validation, sensing the conversation was not running as smoothly as she had initially hoped.

'Yes, very,' the Arrington Earl agreed with his wife, patting a napkin on his lips as he finished his cup of tea. As soon as his tea cup was placed on its tiny porcelain plate, Ciel gestured for Sebastian to refill it immediately, task the butler had done so gracefully. 'We're thankful for the invitation, Earl.'

Ciel watched Sebastian fulfil his duties, careful to spot anything that would appear unnatural or inhuman. The last thing he wanted was to raise suspicion in those people.

'Yes, well, it is customary for the groom's parents to call upon your presence at your own house but since my parents are no longer here, I hope the visit to my manor was at least half-satisfactory. I wished to open my doors to you and also offer Lady Alice the opportunity to see her future home,' Ciel said, faking a worried expression. And thus gain some of your trust, the boy left that particular part out.

'Please Earl Phantomhive, we are delighted to be here. May the Lord have mercy on your parents' souls and may they rest in peace,' Vanessa offered sincerely, her eyes watering up at the mention of his family loss. 'I wish for you to know that you may find in us the support you need and even though we may never replace your parents, there is absolutely nothing you cannot request from us,' Vanessa declared, squeezing her husband's hand in complicity.

'That makes me extremely grateful, Countess,' Ciel responded, finally receiving what he wanted to hear.

Count Arrington starred down at his hand, briefly unhappy at his wife's unmeasured generosity. He had agreed to this engagement as his duty towards the Queen, however, he had a full year of finding out whether Ciel Phantomhive was worthy of his daughter or not and at the smallest mistake, he would make sure to crumble the ground under that boy's feet. Alice had not forgiven him for his decision, fact proven by her constant coldness in regards to him. Nevertheless, he would withstand her instances of ignoring him for as long as it would take if that meant his daughter would not die alone in this life. Daniel had considered his daughter's goals many times before and despite knowing how capable Alice was, he still did not have the heart to let her inherit the title and remain childless. All he wanted for her was to be able to live happily with someone who could truly love her and care for her which was why he accepted count Phantomhive as his son-in-law. He was still a boy, therefore impressionable, which meant Alice's influence on him would be that of an older sister – influence which could affect him as he would grow and translate into love for his daughter eventually. There were plenty of other people to advise and protect the Queen, for now his daughter only had to focus on her own happiness. Little by little, Daniel would learn how to control Ciel Phantomhive's business as the Queen's watchdog and moderate it to reach a safer level. And if in the end matters would not converge to his conclusion, Alice would have her title but not without Daniel trying to offer her another path. As a parent, he felt that was his main task.

'I have prepared something, I hope it was not too daring of me,' Ciel spoke, bringing back Daniel's attention to him. 'Sebastian, please bring it,' the boy ordered his butler as the tall servant went over to a chest. Bringing it to his young master, he set the lid aside to extract a small velvet box which Ciel opened in front of his guests.

'It was on a rather short notice but be that as it may, I managed to commission our family's jeweller for this piece. I hope it suits lady Alice's taste,' Ciel revealed a delicate wedding band encrusted with small sapphires all around it.

'That is very thoughtful of you, Phantomhive,' Daniel praised, content to see his boy taking his responsibilities seriously.

'Oh my, what a beautiful engagement ring!' Vanessa exclaimed, prodding her daughter to react accordingly.

'Please accept it Lady Alice, it is proof of our union,' Ciel said, standing up and inching closer to Alice. He took the ring out the box and placed it in the palm of the girl's hand expectantly. He had to do this the right way or else there was no certainty he could ever make the Arrington family trust him.

Alice looked down at the ring. It was indeed, a pretty ring. It was proof of her incarceration.

'Thank you, Count Phantomhive. I will cherish it dearly,' Alice responded without placing the ring on her finger as it was customary. That fact did not go unnoticed by Ciel whose eyes darkened slightly, sensing the girl was not entirely sold on this engagement. He wondered about it; could it be the difference in age that was disagreeable? That was not particularly a problem in that day and age. Or perhaps she was in love with someone else? Again, not a reason to worry in the long run. It must have been something else, Ciel figured. Her tone and reactions were extremely polished and careful and that chatoyant eyes of hers spoke of too much experience to not have considered these issues beforehand herself.

'Now that this matter was settled, I am sure my wife would like to see the garden, Earl,' Daniel suggested, his wife's face lightening up at his words.

'What a wonderful idea!'

At the sound of that, Ciel was about to rise from his chair when Vanessa's voice halted his action.

'Oh, there's no need for you to accompany us, Earl. I am convinced your reliable butler here could do us the honour,' Vanessa proposed, hand gently pointed at Sebastian.

Exchanging glances with his butler, Ciel understood that cunning woman's message. She wanted both him and Alice to remain alone. Perhaps it was for the better, this would help him understand lady Alice a little more and therefore know where to place her on his chessboard. In consequence, Ciel nodded at Sebastian.

'However, Young Master…' Sebastian attempted to change his mind, knowing better than anyone how poor Ciel's social skills with the female gender were.

A short glare was enough to reinforce Ciel's order as Sebastian understood there was no room for a refusal. He bowed deeply and uttered a decisive 'Yes, My Lord' after which he focused his attention on his master's guests.

'Count, Countess, please follow me as we start off with the Eastern wing of the garden. The roses have already bloomed there.'

'Lovely, I absolutely adore roses,' Vanessa expanded her fan as she took Daniel's arm and proceeded to head out through the doors leading to the garden.

'I imagined you would,' Sebastian flashed his fanged smile, having easily read what kind of woman the countess was.

'Sebastian, was it?' Count Arrington questioned.

'Yes, Count Arrington, that is what my Young Master calls me.'

'Very well. How many acres does this estate hold?'

'Quite an impressive number. If we take into account the acres of forest and the annexed land by the hill then I suppose…'

Their voices faded into the background and eventually muted completely, engulfing the room Ciel and Alice were into complete silence. At last, they could address each other directly and discover where each of them stood. While Ciel thoroughly weighted which introductory topic to dive into first, Alice had already begun her offensive.

'I have a few questions I would like to ask you,' Alice said, her diplomatic smile having disappeared with the relocation of her parents.

'Of course, please feel free to ask me anything you like, Lady Alice,' Ciel agreed, not surprised by her curiosity. It was only natural for women to ask questions to their fiancés. Preparing himself for inquires such as his favourite book title or the colour of her wedding dress, Ciel had almost lost his grip on his impassive face as Alice's voice crushed his expectations.

'What is it that you're after?'

Ciel frowned, not liking her approach.

'I'm afraid I don't understand what you're implying.'

'I believe you do, Count. You seem to be quite gifted with a bright mind and we both know these types of engagements are for gaining purposes. I simply wish to understand what you covet to obtain through this union. Is it social power? A certain position you wish to attain or maybe some valuable information? Perhaps you are in need of consolidating your household even more now that your parents are gone?'

Ciel clenched his teeth, holding back on a harsher tone. She was so quiet earlier, sipping on her tea and eating the small cakes she was provided with. Where did this inquisitive woman appear from?

'It's highly possible you might have misunderstood me, Lady Alice. I was to marry one day eventually and since that day has come, I have faith in our Queen's pick for me, that is all there is.'

'Oh please spare me of useless displays of loyalty, Count. I heard you were previously engaged to Marquis Midford's daughter,' Alice confronted, placing the engagement ring on the table and spinning it lightly until it calmed its rotation cycle and rested peacefully on the wooden surface. 'Why did you break off the engagement?'

'That is none of your business,' Ciel said, disliking her treatment of the ring he had just given her. It was as if she knew it was all a joke for him – a façade. Even so, he hated when others also proved to have an upper hand in the game especially when this time, he had no need for an intelligent pawn.

'None of my business,' Alice repeated with a short laugh. 'I am your wife-to-be, Earl. I have every right to know why you changed your mind about your other choice. In what way was she unsatisfactory? I need to know in order to avoid making the same mistakes as she did,' Alice craftily constructed her answer, looking at Ciel through the loop of the ring, having taken it into her hand once more.

'This issue remains between Lady Elizabeth Midford and I. I'm sure you have been properly taught the privacy etiquette enough to understand that I am, by no means, obligated to answer that question.'

Alice had to confess she was rather taken aback by his maturity. As a first impression, the earl had struck her as a very pompous brat whose achievements were most likely exaggerated. It was a bit unsettling having this conversation with a child who seemed to understand more than an adult did.

'Wisely-said,' Alice praised.

'I am simply speaking the truth, Lady Alice.'

'Alice will suffice,' she corrected him, sneakily prompting him to drop the honorifics. 'Please Count, I want to be your friend,' Alice revealed while taking out the imaginary ace up her sleeve. 'I do not wish for this engagement and I am sure neither do you. After all, you are still a child, you need your freedom for a few more years and I have other plans. Marriage does not suit me, I have absolutely no talent for serving a man as his wife and you yourself would find someone like Lady Elizabeth Midford more preferable, I'm sure.'

Ciel smirked, understanding what she was hinting at. That girl was after her father's title. She wanted to become the next Arrington Countess and for that she had to remain unmarried at least until she reached 21 years old. How rare to see a woman courageous enough to walk through this life alone and take upon herself the responsibilities of a man. While their current law allowed for women to manage their own estate when being the sole heir and remaining unmarried, every woman's dream and purpose was that of finding herself a husband and providing the next heir. Along with that power she hungered after, came an equally puissant shame. Would she be able to withstand that discriminatory behaviour from others? The critical eye of society? The loss of some of her most important rights as a woman? Ciel did not know and did not care even in the slightest bit.

'Marriage does not suit me either,' Ciel joined her game, 'but I cannot go against Her Majesty's wishes. '

Alice's eyebrows furrowed in irritation, not liking his stubborn nature but secretly appreciating his astuteness.

'Let's cut this short, shall we? Cancel the engagement and I shall grant you your wish. Whatever it is, I will help you get it. This will be our deal, and I can swear on my honour as a Lady that I always keep my promises.'

It was tempting and it might have turned out easier that way if only he was naive enough. This could have just as well be a test from Her Majesty, the Queen had that tendency whenever it came to him. Moreover, that girl was still an outlander to him, he could not trust in her words that easily. Everyone lied and a pretty girl was no exception. There was no guarantee she could grant him access to what he had in mind, especially after disappointing her family and the Queen herself by breaking off the engagement. As much as Ciel disliked it, he had to be patient and build up the game.

'I apologise for disappointing you Alice,' Ciel said, calling her by her first name only, just as she had indicated, 'but there is no reason for me to accept your deal since there is nothing I wish for at present apart from protecting Her Majesty's interests. I will have to refuse your request.'

Her change in behaviour had been so sudden. Her face darkened, her back arched in defiance and her fingers curled around the ring in her hand so tightly, her knuckles turned white. Ciel delightfully noticed she was a force to reckon with and that faintly amused him.

'Listen here, you brat,' Alice spouted, finally revealing her true character, 'it's either you do as I say or I'll make your life such living hell, you'll break off the engagement at a drop of a hat!'

Ciel blinked in disbelief, seeing a side of her he did not foresee. Usually, noble women always watched their manners but she must have gotten impatient, Ciel mused. She must have figured that just because she was dealing with someone younger, she would succeed easier. Clearly, she had never met someone like him or knew anything about him. If she did, she would not dare make such bold statements.

'I've been through hell already, Lady Arrington,' Ciel's tone shattered the tension, himself forgetting about his own manners, 'which is why I invite you to try as you might but I assure you, nothing will ever come as close to what I have lived through. From my point of view, this engagement still stands.'

Alice shuddered instinctively, realizing there was more to that boy than he allowed to transpire. She had almost lost her will to speak. She had hoped her attitude would scare him off, not prologue this war. She forced herself to speak again but they had been interrupted by her returning parents, along with Sebastian, the butler.

'How was your stroll?' the blue-eyed boy inquired politely.

'Most wonderful,' Vanessa chirped, her arms filled with freshly-cut roses. 'Sebastian helped me pick them out and take out the thorns. He's quite reliable, this one.'

'I am honoured, Countess,' Sebastian thanked her, head bowed to both of Alice's parents.

'And you two? Have you gotten to know each other?' Daniel questioned, helping his wife with the flowers as Sebastian went over to the kitchen to prepare another pot of tea.

'Indeed we have,' Ciel responded. 'We discovered we have plenty of things in common.'

'Is that so, Alice?' Count Arrington asked for confirmation, seating himself besides his daughter again and offering her a rose. She took it unimpressed, noticing there was a throne left on its stem, much like the current situation she was in.

'Yes. Plenty,' she said dryly. Alice regretted having lost her composure in front of that child. She should have faked her character a bit more but she had lost her patience. No matter, she would simply have to go on with her initial plan. From what she had heard, Phantomhives never settled for a truce anyways.


No sooner had Sebastian arrived in the kitchen that he was assaulted by the servants.

'Sebastian, sir, how is everything going? Do you need our help with anything?' Mey-Rin popped up in front of Sebastian's face, holding on to her glasses.

'Need me to roast anything for dinner?´ Bard grinned, anticipating the use of his trusty flame-thrower.

Sebastian walked over to the sink and rinsed the tea pot, trying to tone down some of the enthusiasm of his fellow colleagues.

´Everything is under control for now. And I don't believe the Arringtons are planning to stay for dinner,´ he explained on his way to the cupboard, taking out a recipient of freshly dried tea leaves. He then proceeded to bring out a different pot and other porcelain cups, arranging them on the tray. For a moment there, he considered asking the maid to bring the dirty tea cups from the parlour yet, considering her clumsiness, he made sure to change his mind in that regard. His young master had ordered everything to be perfect which was why he considered it best to take care of everything by himself.

´Heh, that's too bad,´ Bard complained, furthering away from his cabinet of dangerous kitchen weapons.

´Sebastian, sir, is our lord getting along well with Lady Alice?´ Mey-Rin expressed her curiosity.

The butler could not know yet, especially since he had not listened in to their private conversation and not to mention, it was already far too early to deliver a verdict. He could not read Lady Alice very well yet, throughout the entire tea event she had remained silent. However…Sebastian paused in his actions, recalling how her eyes had been attentive to each of everyone's reaction. She had a talent for knowing how to be quiet and not bother with her silence. A demonic asset, that one, he mentally added bemused at the entire situation.

'It appears so,' Sebastian replied to the redhead's question, hands busy with arranging napkins.

'Ah, that's good. Our master is so mature dealing with it, my heart would burst out of my chest,´ Mey- Rin confided in them. ´Lady Alice is so pretty, I've never seen such a high-society lady that close.'

´Well, of course you haven't,´ Bard joined in. ´Don't you know who Count Arrington is? He's royalty himself so of course he would not let his daughter roam on the streets freely.´

´Ehhhh, so that's why?´

´How can you all be that cruel?´ A fourth voice made its debut. Finny, who had remained silent up till now, finally decided to speak up. He had listened to their conversation from his high stool, fidgeting with his hands, at a loss for proper words.

´What exactly do you mean by that, Finny?´ Sebastian inquired, truly interested in what deemed him cruel in the boy's view. He had been careful to reply in diplomatic words, after all. Mey-Rin and Bard themselves turned around, expecting the boy's answer.

´Is no one worried about Lady Elizabeth?´ Finny questioned. ´She was our lady first. She was always nice to us and considered us part of the family and now our master just…casted her aside,´ Finny said, holding back on his tears. ´It's not fair,´ he insisted, ´she's such a sweet girl, she doesn't deserve this.´

´Finny…´ Mey-Rin went over to the boy, feeling guilty for not thinking about Lady Elizabeth's situation. She placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, trying to comfort him as best as she could.

Bard scratched the back of his head, uncomfortable with the subject.

´Look, kid, it's our master's choice. We don't have a word in this, right Sebastian? Hey, give me a hand here, will you?´

´It's just as Bard said, Finny,´ Sebastian agreed, not really understanding why he had to explain such an obvious matter.

´But…I like Lady Elizabeth…,´ the boy admitted, tears already starting strolling down his cheeks, ´and Lady Alice did not even look at us when she got out of her carriage. She passed by us as if we weren't even there.´

Aahhh, humans are such fickle creatures, Sebastian thought to himself. They hang on so tightly and yet they expect strangers to care for them immediately.

´Finnian,´ Sebastian addressed the boy on a more serious note. He stopped his momentary work and posted himself in front of the boy, tall and demanding attention. ´Our master knows best what this family needs and we, as servants of the Phantomhive household are to support our master's decisions without complaint. It is our duty and our pride. Do I make myself clear?´

As always, Sebastian had a way with words that brought back reason to him. He was just a boy servant after all, his master did not need his opinion about who he could marry or not. Rubbing his eyes off the tears, Finny sniffed and nodded his head in acceptance.

´Whether he chooses Lady Alice or any other lady, that is none of our business,´ Sebastian reinforced, looking back at an approaching Tanaka. Agreeing with every word the younger butler had said, Tanaka also contributed verbally:

´Instead, we shall fulfil our tasks and treat with the same decent courtesy each and every lady that crosses the threshold of this manor.´

´That is absolutely right, Tanaka, sir,´ Sebastian bowed shortly, his tea tray already in his hands. ´Now if you'll excuse me, our guests are waiting. Do try to behave, will you?´ Sebastian shot the question at the rest of the servants, content to hear a determined reply from their part.

´Yes, sir!´

Making his way through the hallway, Sebastian reflected on the previous talk in the kitchen.

Finny, you silly boy, Lady Alice did not look you in the eye because she is a proper lady. Unlike Lady Elizabeth whose affection for our master breaks conventions, Lady Alice has been taught to think of herself as superior. But rest assured, she took note of your presence; I believe she had already learnt all of our names and characteristics, that woman is more perceptive than she lets show, Sebastian mused.

That being said, Sebastian was slightly impressed to see his master take on a confrontation so well. When he accompanied the girl's parents into the garden, he had left Ciel and Alice on different horses; Lady Alice seemed to have the upper hand – fact entirely reversed when Sebastian returned. Her anterior confidence had been shaken off slightly while his master appeared to be entirely pleased.

And when Ciel was pleased, so was Sebastian.


´Should I add another log into the fireplace, Your Majesty?´ John Brown asked the Queen in the comfort of her personal quarters.

She turned her attention towards her favourite attendee and shook her head.

´That won't be necessary, John. I prefer my rooms cold.´

´As you wish, Your Majesty.´

Dusting his hands off, John rose to his feet and walked over to the Queen, taking a seat after being granted permission. They both watched the ambers in the fireplace with childish fascination, both of their minds wandering off to unspoken places. It had been such a sunny afternoon, quiet and peaceful, just as Victoria liked them. There was nothing she enjoyed more than spending time with her own butler and discussing the latest events.

´May I ask you a question, Your Majesty?´ John asked softly.

´You may,´ the Queen responded, still captivated by the fading flames.

´Why did you propose a marriage engagement between Lady Alice Arrington and Earl Phantomhive? I was under the impression you whished for Lady Alice to become the next Countess of Arrington.´

Victoria smiled at the question, a part of her expecting to hear it from him sooner than later.

´Because, my dear John, this game can reach many different conclusions and I simply want to see it reach the best one.´

´Perhaps also keep a tighter leash on the Phantomhive boy?´ Brown inquired.

´Correct,´ Victoria agreed, finally locking eyes with her loyal servant. ´But also because those two resemble each other very much and sometimes, it's good to have a partner to mirror all the bad parts about yourself which otherwise you would refuse to see.´

´I understand,´ John Brown said, opting to remain silent afterwards.

Victoria also followed his example, thinking back at the young engaged couple. They had so much in common; death, revenge, ambition, everything really. She had to admit she took a gamble on them, giving the fact that their union would either make them self-destruct or create a formidable alliance. And even so, Alice was still yet inexperienced to take over her estate; this year with the Phantomhive boy could teach her that not everything was in the palm of her hands. The Queen remembered that look of desperation Alice had given her when her engagement had been announced. For a second there, the Queen failed to recognize her. That child had been present in her palace since the moment she was born; she had seen her grow and learn how to comport herself as a Lady. And she had never thought she would claw out that rebellion out of her so quickly. But this time she would not help her up. Not unless she was truly set on finding her own way.

A sudden knock was heard at the door, flowed by the arrival of two young males dressed in white uniforms.

´Charles Grey. Chares Phipps,´ the Queen greeted the two.

´Your Majesty, we apologise for bothering you so late however, it is a matter of great importance. Benjamin Sarrow is currently in London,´ Grey announced as he kneeled down alongside his partner.

´Is that so?´ the Queen asked, her features harshening at the mention of that man´s name.

´Yes, Your Majesty. He has arrived this morning with the earliest ferry,´ Phipps supplied the additional information.

´Finally, he's here,´ Victoria voiced out as she rose to her feet, Brown taking his turn to kneel at the base of her chair. ´Send out the invitations, then. We'll have ourselves a royal ball next week. You three make sure Sarrow receives one as well.´

´Yes, Your Majesty!´ The joint answer was heard.

In the fireplace, the heat had gradually died off into ashes.


A/N: Hello all and thank you for reviewing, it means so much to me! Special thanks to the ones who added this story to their favourites and are also following, hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter as well. Let me know if you do!

For my reviewers:

lizyeh2000: Oh, you have no idea how happy I am to see a familiar ´face´ here! Welcome back and I´m so happy to see you return to my stories and liking this one! No need to apologise for asking, yes, Alice is the OC, I'm trying a different writing style so that's why I´m playing with perspectives here, heh. Hope you liked this chapter also, my dear. Love!

promocat: Hey there, thank you for reviewing and for giving this story a shot! I know OCs are not usually everyone's cup of tea but I'm praying Alice will be acceptable. It's going to be fun exploring her growing ties with Ciel! See you next chapter!^^

Diamond-Grl45: Hello, so nice of you to comment, thank you! This story is going to follow the manga, it happens right after the latest arc will be finished, you know, the one where Elizabeth disappears again. This also made me realize Ciel is putting Elizabeth in too much danger and there is no need for him to continue with this engagement, but that's just my opinion so I'm building this fanfiction around it. As for Alice's plans, let's just say she doesn't plan to play the obedient type .

BornABurra: It's incredible to see how many people followed me from my Tokyo Ghoul fanfiction, this is such a great honour^^. I hope this story will not disappoint in plot and in staying true to the characters´ personalities. And you know, this is going to be a bit harder to incorporate since, as you have already said, I´m dealing with a main character here and Alice appears after everything that has unfolded in Kuroshitsuji up till now. But it will be fun, I'll have to invent new plots and situations to put them in while also keeping in mind what Ciel wants. Hope to see you comment again! Take care!

Arces: So happy to see you here too! Thank you for reading and following this story as well, it gives me the right amount of motivation to update quicker when I receive so much love and reviews. Have a lovely day/night! ;)