Chapter 4: Too many lumps of sugar
Disclaimer: I don't own the Kuroshitsuji manga.
Queen Victoria's parties had always been sumptuous and Alice knew that all too well. Even if the Queen had isolated herself after King Albert's death and had refrained from making frequent public appearances, she did however indulge in this aspect of social London for the good of the people. She rarely attended her own parties and instead sent out her trustworthy advisers to keep an eye on the events, habit which did not alter, not even for this particular ball.
When Alice arrived accompanied by her parents, her first action had been that of looking around the room in search for the Queen yet just as expected, there was no trace of Her Majesty. There were, however, two of her iconic private secretaries walking around the room speaking with guests, namely Charles Grey and Charles Phipps whom she was fairly-acquainted with. After all, they had been her father's apprentices in the past and had spent considerable time together when they were little. Truth be told, it was mostly the two boys and her sister Jane; Alice always tagged along enduring teases and never being treated with the demanded appreciation since she was the youngest. As they grew older and Jane's death struck them all, matters had slightly changed but not enough to spare her of their harmless ridicule, especially from Grey's part. They eventually made their way towards Alice and her family, the two men's priority being her father.
'Count Arrington, it's a pleasure to see you again. Welcome to Queen Victoria's party,' Charles Grey greeted, taking a short bow in front of his previous teacher. 'Countess, Alice,' he shifted his attention to the ladies, treating them with the same courtesy. Charles Phipps also bowed respectfully, hand solemnly pressed to his chest.
'We offer Her Majesty our gratitude for the invitation. I see the Queen has chosen to remain absent at this event as well,' Daniel remarked.
'Her Majesty apologizes for the nonattendance and hopes you will all be able to enjoy yourselves even with the lack of her presence,' Phipps explained in further detail, his eyes skillfully scanning across the ball room for any potentially upcoming disturbances.
'Well, a party is a party and I plan to do exactly that,' Daniel chuckled, suddenly in the mood to socialize. At his arm, his lovely wife drew his notice.
'Darling,' Vanessa spoke, 'the Count of Oxford has just arrived. We should go say hello, you did mention wanting to speak with him earlier this morning.'
'You're absolutely right, we have to seize the chance while we still have it. Grey, Phipps, I'm leaving my daughter in your care for the time being,' Daniel instructed his former pupils, already making his way towards the aforementioned count, Vanessa tagging along as well.
The three of them watched the older couple advance towards another part of the room, all the while keeping their silence. When said silence was broken, Grey had been the culprit.
'You look ...well-put, tonight,' Charles Grey told Alice in an attempt to compliment her.
'Don't I always?' Alice said back, half-expecting that type of retort from his part. For whatever reason, Grey always avoided saying nice things about her and while she did get used to it after all these years, Alice felt the need to verbally punish him for his rudeness whenever she got the chance.
'Yes, you were always good at picking out dresses. One of your most useless qualities, I might say,' he continued the offense.
'I thought you were the one who said women should know how to comport themselves in society, starting from their attire down to their very own manner of speaking.'
'Yes, women. I have difficulties considering you one,' Grey said, referring to her recklessness and cold, male reasoning.
Alice resisted the ludicrous urge to click her tongue at him and possibly smack him with her decorative pouch and went with the more conventional habit of glaring at the man. Between them, Phipps had already positioned his defense, trying to settle the two of them down.
'Now, now you two. Be aware of your surroundings, will you?' The taller Charles advised.
'I suppose you're right,' Alice agreed. 'Let's cut the small talk and point me in the direction of Benjamin Sarrow, please.'
'You're that eager to pounce on him? I wanted us to talk more, after all, we haven't spoken in a while. Your engagement to Ciel Phantomhive for example,' Grey mentioned mischievously. 'I haven't had the chance to congratulate you yet.'
'Quite so. And you said no man would ever accept my hand in marriage,' she reminded him of his past crudities.
'I'll believe it after the wedding ceremony is completed,' Grey declared in a pompous manner, not entirely convinced by the Earl's courage to actually marry Alice.
'Oh my, I never thought your jealousy would be so transparent,' Alice teased, a laugh escaping her lips.
'Jealousy!?' Grey exploded, aggravated beyond reason by the implication. 'It was Jane I was in love with, not you. Why would I even consider such feelings?'
It was only when he saw her smile retreat into a dissolved line on her face that Grey realized the blunder he had done. He was a master at sword handling and close-range combat with astute mind and senses, yet never sensible enough to obstruct most of his thoughts delivered in such harsh words. He simply could not help it. Whenever he met Alice he would be reminded of Jane and of her death and of how useless he had been at preventing it. Each time, unmistakably, Grey would take his frustration out on Alice despite hating himself for it immediately after and wishing he could cut out his tongue instead of seeing her revert to that little helpless girl who always followed them around when they were children. He had been nice to Jane and horrible to Alice and now that things had changed, he knew of no other way to connect with Alice than tease her. Torment her. Make her remember that while Jane was gone, the relationship between the three of them did not break. And yet he failed to express it properly once again.
'I have crossed the line, I apologize,' Grey finally said, avoiding Phipps' scolding glare.
'No need for apologies, I have always been perfectly aware of your feelings towards my sister,' Alice replied, mustering bravery in her tone. 'Since I have cared deeply about her, I can understand your feelings up to the point where I trust it would have been better if I had died in her place,' she confessed, thinking of her parents, of Jane's many loyal friends and of her sister's greatness as a person. Her meditation time had been cut short by Grey's sudden hold on her arms, fingers digging in the silk of her red dress. Her head snapped in his direction, eyes locking with his, witness to his array of feelings revealed one by one before her. His tone, too, matched the desperation behind his eyelashes.
'I loved your sister,' he pressed, 'I still do. But I have never, not even once, thought of any harm befalling you Alice. Do you understand that? Can you believe my words?'
She nodded her head instinctively, taken aback by his reaction. Alice had never seen him that angry and hurt and she had realized that she was one to blame for his turmoil since her mouth did not have a lock either.
'It seems I have crossed the line as well,' she admitted. 'I'm sorry.'
They remained quiet for a few seconds, listening to the royal orchestra as they masterfully played the latest musical creations, urging the men to invite their lovely female companions to a dance.
'As for your engagement to Phantomhive,' Grey began, 'I am against it. I don't like that boy,' he said.
'Then you know who to complain to,' Alice replied.
'He already did,' Phipps said in Grey's place, issuing a hopeful expression on Alice's face.
'And?'
Grey continued to hang on to his silence, thus providing Alice with her reply.
'Her Majesty's will is absolute.'
'Yes,' he confirmed her words.
'I find it absolutely incredible how the three of us can't have a normal conversation,' Phipps sighed, already fed up with the war between Grey and Alice. 'Look there, Alice,' he pointed at a man dressed in a brown suit talking to an older woman, 'that man next to Lady Bernard is our target.'
'Benjamin Sarrow,' she whispered, her feet already leading her to where he was.
'Don't do anything stupid,' Grey called out after her.
'Too late for that, I already started my evening talking to the two of you,' she said.
As she waltzed over to Benjamin Sarrow and Lady Bernard, Alice could not help but notice the man looked terribly uncomfortable in the other woman's company. Truth be told, almost anyone would be troubled by Lady Bernard's choices of conversation giving the fact that they frequently included daft stories about her two loud Pekinese dogs and their eating habits. She made her way to them beaming a large smile and Alice could swear she saw a look of relief on the targeted man's face.
'Lady Bernard, what a pleasure to see you here tonight,' Alice chanted sweetly, positioning herself between the two of them. Lady Bernard's face lit up at her arrival, probably well-disposed at the possibility of having one more member added to her audience.
'Likewise, Lady Arrington. I was just telling Mr. Sarrow here that Poupa and Pipi have finally settled on a favorite sleeping chair and mind you, they're even happy to share it among themselves.'
Ah. So the conversation was not about eating preferences but about sleeping arrangements, Alice concluded, having heard countless stories of the lady's two canine pests before.
'What joyous news,' Alice forced herself to look interested. 'You must be so proud.'
'Oh, you have no idea!' The woman exclaimed, hands grasped together in maternal fulfillment. 'I am absolutely thrilled!'
'I am not surprised.' No really, Alice wasn't. Her three sons did not bother with Lady Bernard at all after marriage nor did her husband particularly opt to remain in the intimacy of their home for too long and the poor woman had been forced to shower her love elsewhere and while other ladies found comfort in the arms of another man, Alice congratulated her for choosing the safer route. 'But I apologize, I have interrupted your conversation. Who is your lovely partner, Lady Bernard?'
'Oh, no worries, my dear. This here is Mister Benjamin Sarrow, he has recently returned from Germany,' Lady Bernard provided the already acquired information. In return, Sarrow bowed his head, taking the time to introduce himself on his own.
'Benjamin Sarrow, at your service My Lady.'
'It is very nice to make your acquaintance, Mr. Sarrow. My name is Alice Arrington,' she said, offering a gloved hand which he ceremoniously took. As such, she reserved a second to inspect his face, his features appearing somewhat familiar. She never forgot a face, her mind busy trying to remember. He was tall, stern-looking and with eyes so black you could not spot any light in them. Somehow, she felt she thought the same about someone not long ago. Someone whom she briefly saw, in a closed space, engulfed in the aroma of sweets. Yes. At the bakery. He was at Margret's bakery wasn't he? Oh how close to her he had been and she did not even know. Quite a pity, it would have been the perfect opportunity to talk to him freely, without the disadvantage of any curious lurkers.
'Might you be related to Earl Daniel Arrington, My Lady?' Sarrow inquired, his eyes searching suspiciously around the ballroom. Having picked up on that, Alice softly touched his arm with her fan in a sign of trust.
'Actually, he is my father,' Alice provided. 'He is here tonight as well but he is terribly busy with his courtesy talks, you know how that is.'
'Yes, I suppose so,' the man agreed, a bit more relaxed. With a bit of luck, he could go unnoticed by the Queen's main adviser. From the group of people Sarrow had to avoid, Arrington was clearly one of them, fact which Alice had also just intuited. He was weary of her father and with good reason too, the man's plans could get overturned if her father got involved. Too bad Sarrow did not know the daughter already got involved. Taking a deep breath, Alice molded her voice into the most adorable pitch she could come up with. Apparently, men let their guard down when they realized the woman at their arm was innocent and downright disconnected from the world of men.
'But let's not talk about my father! I believe Lady Bernard mentioned you have just returned from Germany? That is absolutely wonderful, I've never visited! Is it truly that picturesque as they say?'
Visibly overwhelmed by the girl's enthusiasm, Sarrow instinctively took a step back, musing that perhaps there were other things to be afraid of at this ball than his intentions being discovered. To his disdain, Lady Bernard's eyes also sparkled with curiosity at the prospect of his expectantly-detailed stories of Germany.
'Ah, yes. It's quite nice and...green,' he said, in lack of better words.
'And how about the ladies? Are they fashionable?' Lady Bernard expressed her interest. 'I expect not from those goiter-necked women!'
Sarrow hardly paid any attention to fashion. In fact, it all looked the same to him and while he did not share the same prejudiced views as his countrymen, he considered it wise to be in agreement with his female companions.
'To tell you the truth Lady Bernard, there are no prettier nor graceful nor elegant ladies than the ones you find in England,' Sarrow said pleased with himself for concocting the perfect diplomatic answer. He was allowed the flounder since Lady Bernard's face gleamed with pride and Lady Arrington smiled shyly behind her fan, for different reasons than those he imagined though. The man was not considered crafty for nothing, Alice thought to herself.
'Oh, you're such a gentleman Mister Sarrow,' Lady Bernard teased.
'Quite a lovely thing for you to say, sir,' Alice joined in yet hardly interested in the subject at hand. 'That's why I can't imagine why you ever decided to leave England,' she presented the bait, batting her eyelashes conspicuously at Lady Bernard.
'Well, it was for better prospects of business,' Sarrow delivered the already-prepared reply.
'And then, why did you return? Were the prospects not that auspicious, perhaps?' She persisted with her attack on the opposite front. Unfortunately, her enemy was not that eager to surrender.
'More or less.'
Alice abstained from frowning at the vague retort, trying to think of a better way to solicit the wanted information. She had to ask him in such a way she would not illicit any suspicion.
'And how do you find London after your return? Anything of particular interest caught your eye?'
'Perchance a new property? Our latest jewelry collection? Speaking of, have you seen the new necklaces that were recently crafted at that downtown shop, Alice?' Lady Bernard asked, unknowingly contributing to Sarrow's interrogation.
The man, on the other hand, did not seem to notice he was being questioned with a certain purpose in mind and his features remained quite relaxed as he replied one inquiry at a time.
'I'm afraid not, My Lady. As of late, I am inclined to focus on the spiritual more than on the materialistic aspect of life.'
Alice was not frowning anymore. Instead, on her face, the realization of a fact was as clear as daylight; Sarrow had not returned for an object. It was most likely a piece of information he was after and if that were really so, it made matters a lot more complicated for Alice. Information was harder to track than objects. And harder to extract. She was about to launch another round of questions when she noticed someone approaching their group at a very determined pace. As soon as she laid eyes on him, Alice's frown returned.
Ciel and Sebastian had arrived earlier, just in time to see the Arringtons step into the receiving hall and afterwards be greeted by Double Charles. As expected, their ties with the Queen were of unquestionable substance as they were greeted by the royal reception with such formality and at the same time, informality.
'Your fiancé and her family have arrived, My Lord,' Sebastian signaled the already-noticed fact.
Ciel's gaze fell on Alice unwillingly and had immediately given up on scolding Sebastian for addressing her in that manner. But then again, how exactly was his butler to address her? That was who she was, wasn't she? His fiancé. Fiancé, he repeated the word. What an intimate word for a stranger. Ciel realized that if there were no goals of revenge to achieve and no demon butler at his side, he would have actually had to marry that woman. He would have had to get to know her and try to cherish her despite finding no real joy in the prospect of marriage. Would he be any different in his behaviour towards her, he wondered. Would he make an effort? He somehow doubted it and it currently did not matter.
'Indeed they have,' Ciel replied. 'Make sure you keep your eyes open for Sarrow, he's our priority tonight.'
'Yes, My Lord,' Sebastian responded, trying to spot the man. He already knew how he looked as he had arrived earlier and saw him present himself at the entrance yet as his master also made his appearance, Sarrow was currently out of sight. Ciel, too, maintained an alert state. He wished to get this over with as quickly as possible before he would be anchored into small talk with the present counts and dukes. Looking back at the Arringtons, it seemed the count and countess had already dived into the crowd, greeting various social figures while Alice had stayed behind with the Charles. His vantage point was not that practical and there was not much for him to neither see, nor understand the nature of their conversation but he did deduce they were close, especially by how comfortable the girl had appeared to be as Charles Phipps leaned over her shoulder to whisper something in her ear. That was beyond indecent!
He shook his head, disappointed by how quick he was to look at her again when he had other matters to attend to. But this time she left the presence of Grey and Phipps and had walked over to another part of the ball room. Ciel was aware that Alice was pretty, her face was awfully satisfying to look at but up till then, he had not registered the effect she had on others. All the men she passed by had turned their head in her direction, women burning holes in her image with their envious glares. She was exceptionally charming that evening, hair freed in a fountain of curls, various ornaments glistening among the strands and matching the delicate red sheen of her gown. And yet, despite it all, no man dared come near her. Ciel had experienced it too; that icy wall she built around herself and haughty piercing look that said only she was to approach, never to be approached.
Alice finally stopped in front of Lady Bernard and a man he did not recognize. At his side, Sebastian too had noticed Alice's route and had bent to his master's height to whisper:
'Young Master. That man whom Lady Alice is speaking to, that is Benjamin Sarrow.'
Ciel's eyebrows rose, amazed at the coincidence.
'Heeeh, is that so?' We're not even married yet and you're already clawing at my belongings, aren't you Alice?
Out of all the people to see talking with his target he expected Alice to be the last of them. He wondered if they knew each other through some unusual circumstances but his assumptions were canceled as soon as he saw the man introduce himself to her. It was a coincidence after all.
'What do you advise we do, Young Master? It might be a bit difficult to draw near Mister Sarrow at this rate.'
'What are you talking about, Sebastian?' Ciel inquired, an enigmatic glint in his eyes. 'What better motive to join their little group than on the pretense of greeting my wife-to-be?'
Sebastian's eyes widened at the sudden realization internally congratulating his master for his shrewdness.
'Splendidly said, Young Master,' his butler acknowledged, following his master close by.
'I told you that woman will prove out to be useful, didn't I?'
And without a second to spare, Ciel walked right into their conversation.
'What a lovely evening we're having tonight, Her Majesty is spoiling us far too much,' Ciel greeted, posting himself between Alice and Benjamin Sarrow. 'Lady Bernard, I hope I am finding you in good health,' he addressed the lady and finally glanced over to the younger woman. 'Alice,' he said simply.
'Count,' she matched his tone, displeasure vibrating throughout her entire being.
'My, Earl Phantomhive, you're as polite as ever! My health is iron-like, I tell you. God has graced me with strong blood,' Lady Bernard replied, delighted by Ciel's presence. She had quite the affinity for Earl Phantomhive as he was always the ideal nobleman, despite his age. A miniature gentleman, as she used to say.
'I am glad to hear that. And your dogs?' He pressed on with the conversation.
'Oh, so nice of you to ask! They're as cheerful as ever, thank you.´
'Lovely,' Ciel agreed. With his opening speech out of the way he was now free to address his target. 'I apologize,' Ciel said turning to Sarrow, 'I haven't introduced myself. I am Earl Ciel Phantomhive, owner of Funtom corporation.'
Sarrow's mouth opened in wonder, recognizing the name and shaking the small hand that was offered to him. 'As in the toy factory famous throughout Europe? What an honor! I am thoroughly pleased to make your acquaintance, Earl Phantomhive. My name is Benjamin Sarrow, a humble trader by occupation.'
'Please, Mr. Sarrow, there is nothing humble about trading. It is because people of your craft exist that British products are made known in the entire world.'
'Thank you,' Sarrow said, 'I accept your praise, Earl. And the gentleman behind you?' Sarrow indicated Sebastian.
'Ah, this is Mister Black. He is a businessman I have invited with me tonight to help broaden his horizons,' Ciel replied, perfectly aware that personal servants were not allowed to escort their masters in the palace. Alice puffed in her fan, amazed by the boy's audacity.
'You brought a servant over to the party? Are you that much of a snob that you need to be attended every second of the day?' Alice whispered to Ciel, leaning over to him enough to make sure others would not hear.
'In case there are inconveniences around, it pays off to have one,' Ciel replied with a serene expression on his face, hinting at her possibly becoming an inconvenience.
'I've never seen such rudeness!' She raised her whisper intensity, 'What are you even doing here? Isn't it past your bed time?' Alice continued to attack him, disliking his ability to divert her retorts.
'I was invited,' he stressed. 'And if this is your idea of making my life a living hell then it is my duty to inform you that you are failing miserably.'
They had to put a stop to their verbal assaults as both Benjamin Sarrow and Lady Bernard were eyeing them oddly. Becoming conscious of the reason, Ciel abandoned Alice's front to step into another.
'Ah, we are very sorry Mister Sarrow, we kept talking between the two of us,' Ciel apologized. 'You might not be informed but Lady Alice and I are engaged and are to marry next year.'
'Is that true?' The man inquired, staring at Alice with unbelieving eyes. When she confirmed, he looked back at Ciel and then back at Alice and decided that stranger things have happened. And then again, he could see why their union was formed. They were both young, rich and highly intelligent and whenever they looked at each other there was a palpable sense of competition that could only sprout interesting ties between them. Sarrow was about to congratulate the couple when a commotion of canine nature called off his intention.
'Poupa! Pipi!' Lady Bernard cried out as a servant came in with her two hyperactive Pekinese children. He ceremoniously handed her their leashes, sweat rolling off his forehead. 'They were really restless, My Lady,' he said defeated.
'My darlings! My sweet babies!' The Lady chanted in affection, looking down at the dogs as they jumped around in circles, unsuccessfully trying to climb on top of her crinoline dress.
'You brought them with you?' Alice drew back a safe step.
'I never leave my house without them!' She answered, hands outstretched to the two pets.
'Young Master, now is our chance.' Sebastian urged. Unable to take his eyes off the spectacle unfolding before him as the dogs ran around in circles issuing small shrieks from the ladies and disgusting the unforgiving gentlemen, Ciel came to understand that they could take advantage of the commotion. His hand tapped on Benjamin Sarrow's arm, calling for his attention.
'I believe we'd best move to the terrace for fresh air and well...peace and quiet.'
'I agree, Earl,' Sarrow nodded, not entirely sure how to act around pets, especially around Lady Bernard's agitated dogs. He excused himself from the ladies' company and followed the earl and Mr. Black out on the balcony trusting that a child's presence, earl as he was, could not put him in grave danger.
Alice watched helplessly as the three men departed, unable to go after them as Lady Bernard's darlings circled her like she was some sort of meal to be presented before them. Their leashes entwined in her dress and Lady Bernard's assistance had been necessary to prevent her from falling flat on her face. She grabbed the plump arms of the other woman somehow keeping her balance under control and her temper in check.
'I have no idea what has gotten into them! Could it be a new perfume that you're wearing, Alice dear?' Lady Bernard questioned, herself overwhelmed by the situation.
'I highly doubt it,' she replied, having indeed changed her perfume but hating to admit the woman was right. She eventually managed to calm down the mutts by taking one of them into her arms and grabbing a better hold of the other's leash. Alice cursed at the horrible timing, frustrated by how quickly Ciel had been to act. Why he was so interested in Sarrow, she could not understand but perhaps he did it on purpose to annoy her and if that were the case, two could play that game. Keeping her head held high, Alice followed Ciel's tracks towards the balcony, steadying the grip on Pouppa and pulling Pipi's leash with her.
´Come along, Pouppa,' Alice instructed the dog at her feet.
´That is actually Pipi, my dear,' Lady Bernard informed Alice as she went after them, not entirely sure she liked leaving her two darlings in the girl's care.
´It matters not,' Count Arrington's daughter shamelessly said, marching right outside onto the terrace. ´There you are!´ She exclaimed, laying eyes on Ciel, his butler and most importantly, Benjamin Sarrow. ´My fiancé is very sensible leaving these adorable darlings with me,´ Alice began taking the other one in her hand, ´however, he is secretly very fond of dogs and I absolutely could not rob him of this pleasure,´ she continued, dumping both dogs in Ciel's unprepared arms. ´You know how children are around pets, don't you Mister Sarrow?´
´Yes…´ the man answered slightly confused, unaware of what was truly going on. Next thing he knew, Alice's own arm was latched onto his, dragging him away from the terrace.
´Don't worry Earl, I will keep Mister Sarrow company. You just play with the dogs to your heart's content,´ Alice told Ciel, satisfied to see him struggling to control the dogs with his tiny little frame. ´Now come Mister Sarrow, you owe me a dance.´
´Do…I?´ He questioned even more lost in the chaos but following the girl nonetheless.
Ciel watched with utmost irritation as Sarrow got away from him, dogs nibbling at his coat playfully.
´What are you waiting for, you fool!? Get them off me!´ He ordered Sebastian, annoyed for having to point it out to him in the first place.
His butler pressed his lips together in distaste, not liking the idea.
´Must I really, Young Master? I'm more of a cat person.´
´Sebastian!´ Ciel repeated, this time adding volume to his tone.
´Very well,´ Sebastian finally yielded and with a sigh, he removed the offending canine creatures from his master's arms. The dogs stopped in their display of affection to whimper at the butler's handling, mostly sensing his demonic aura. Alarmed by her pets' discomfort, Lady Bernard hurried to snatch her dogs away from Sebastian, accusatory eyes burning holes into him.
´I'll be taking them, Mister Black! And now if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving,´ the older woman announced with a hmph! and left them to their own.
´At least she's out of the picture now. Can't say the same about Alice unfortunately,´ Ciel murmured as he patted his suit straight. ´I swear that woman is inconveniencing me intentionally!´
´In her defense Young Master,´ Sebastian said, hands arranging the young earl's tie, ´she does not know that the Queen has ordered you to keep an eye on Mister Sarrow.´
´And I intend to keep it that way,´ Ciel stated, not wishing to attract anymore of Alice's unwanted meddling. ´But something must be done,´ he decided, looking around the ballroom for something or someone to save him. Miraculously, his features finally settled in a grin. ´And I believe I've just found my answer.´
A/N: Another chapter done! It's really entertaining for me to see Alice and Ciel unknowingly competing against each other and bickering about it in the process. Please do leave a comment/review, it's what keeps me going to post new chapters! Thank you.
For my reviewers:
lizyeh2000: And thank you so much for commenting! Yes, Ciel is counting on Sebastian, he is the only one who he can count on unfortunately. Since Ciel has trust issues, it will take a whole lot of effort to make him start want relying on someone else. But we'll see how it all goes. Take care and hopefully see you next time!
FleurSuoh: Thank you so much and welcome to my fanfiction! I'm glad you like the idea, there are also not many readers who accept the idea of Ciel having any other feelings for someone other than Sebastian so thank you for giving it a try and reviewing! ^^
Diamond-Grl45: Thank you for your review and for noticing so many things about the chapter! I like to incorporate details from the anime to make the story seem more real and organic. I don't know if Alice is necessarily a queen but on the chess board she is certainly not only a pawn and I'm happy you see her for the character she really is. I am steadily building her character around Ciel and she will start seeing that she can easily be herself around him since he does not care for appearances and all that interests him is someone who can be a challenge. I haven't seen that ova you mentioned but I'll give it a go, thank you for the thought! And yes, I had to incorporate the Charles, they play a big role in the story so I'm glad someone will be really happy about their cameo in this chapter *wink Please let me know what you thought. :D
