Her Butler, Protector
Ciel sat at the counter of the kitchen alone, enjoying lounging in her nightgown a bit longer than she usually allowed herself, sipping on her earl grey tea she had prepared herself. It had been almost three weeks since her and Sebastian had their kiss, followed by their actions after accepting Elvira into the family. Sebastian had done well for her, finding her a diamond collar that shimmered when she walked, it fit her elegance very much. Yet it seemed as if nothing had changed, as if they had never done anything at all. At times it seemed that he was attempting to show a bit of affection, but they were always interrupted by something. It had been nearly two months with her night terrors, always the same. Sebastian was always there, taunting her in some way or another, causing her pain in the deepest of her heart.
She took another sip of her tea before chewing on her bottom lip, sorting through all her thoughts but finding most to be about Sebastian. Hell she had expected more out of it, something a bit more... romantic, was that what she was seeking? To be fawned over, to have him to swoon her when he did something amazing for her? No. She sipped her tea before putting the cup down with a slight bang, careful to not chip the cup. No Sebastian was her butler, she needed to keep in mind her name would be forever tarnished if anyone came to find out what had been confessed between the two. The only loophole was one that could never be proven as she herself had seeked it out, she hoped he didn't know of her side inquiries but if he did he spoke nothing of it. She sighed when she heard the door opening and closing, his silky voice sent shivers straight down her spine.
"Good morning Young Miss, did you sleep well?" She looked to him and saw he was carrying a tray of already prepared breakfast upon his shoulder, it annoyed her a bit that she had built this getaway with the elaborate and he only used it for dinners.
"I slept as well as I could I suppose, this last one wasn't so bad." Sebastian nodded as he began laying the table off to the side, setting down a single dish followed by a bowl.
"Today we simply have, per your request, Pain au chocolate served with the freshest fruit we could offer. As for the schedule you are to be expecting your Cousin Elizabeth to come for afternoon tea and a few bits of paperwork sent over from the Duke." Ciel sighed as she hopped down from the seat, ignoring the way her night-gown hung a bit low around her bosom.
"If Lizzy is all I have to deal with here then I'm off to a rather nice day. Is there anything needing attending to around the Manor?" She took a seat at the table as Sebastian quickly brought her fresh tea to go with her light meal. She cut into her little meal and enjoyed the flaky texture followed by a very fresh strawberry, a bit had smeared over her cheek from taking a bit too big of a bite. She swallowed before reaching for her napkin, almost instantly Sebastian's hand had her wrist in a tight grip, causing her to jump a bit when she realized he was leaning over her, with that smile that made her heart flutter and her body melt all at once, his smile turned to a smirk as he saw the color come to her cheeks.
"Allow me Young Miss."" He leaned in even closer and licked the juice from her cheek, causing her to quickly pull away from him and losing her balance. Once more Sebastian was right there, this time his arm wrapped around her waist, the chair held up by his left foot and that same smile was back on his face. "You must be more careful, you could've gotten hurt." She seemed at a loss for words until she recalled she was in her nightgown yet, which shouldn't have bothered her seeing as Sebastian was the one who had dressed since the day their contract had begun, but this time it really bothered her.
"Sebastian! What are you doing? Let me up you pervert!" Chuckling Sebastian kicked the chair back to its upright position, bringing his mistress up as well. Ciel spun out of his arms and tried to glare at him as she held her hands over her heart, he found himself wishing to kiss her once more from how cute she looked when she was flustered but held back; knowing he had to be careful not to over step his boundaries.
"A pervert? Young Miss I have dressed you for a good number of years, you had a mess and it was my job to clean it up." She slowly lowered her arms, sighing a bit but smiling ever so slightly.
"You do know the wormholes within our contract don't you?" She gasped as he abruptly grabbed her wrist, bending her backwards over the chair she had fallen out of just moments ago. His eyes were half closed as he stared into hers, but they weren't his normal eyes, they were the slits that she had come to know to be a sign at times.
"Young Miss you wound me, I do not use any kind of tricks. We have a contract and I only wish to fulfill it to the fullest, would you dare deny your butler that?" Flustered by the closeness of their bodies she seemed to be held within a trance, his glowing eyes enchanting her. She closed her eyes as she pushed him away.
"Sebastian you know I won't deny you to fulfill the contract but you must stop this teasing... it's not healthy..." As if closing a chapter she led the Butler upstairs. She quickly changed into her petite navy blue dress with its black band around the waist that tied into a bow in the back, as most her dresses seemed to; she remembered Sebastian once saying it looked the best on her. She allowed him to lace up the back, the jacket seemed to be a bit small so she went without it, leaving the corset top showing her shoulders and arms. She smiled as he laced up her boots while she placed a small clip top hat into her messily bunned hair.
Making her way out into the Manor she found her cousin here early, the signs of the Manor being "prettified" was very clear as it was with all her visits. There were always ribbons and some form of "cute" stickers around the mansion, and her staff would be dressed in ridiculous clothing.
"Lizzy, oh Lizzy where are you?" Ciel called with as much enthusiasm that she could muster, regretting a tad of letting Sebastian to linger back to clean up the plates. Almost on cue she heard her employees scream before Lizzy came boundering up the steps, hugging Ciel with such momentum she almost knocked them both over, but indeed knocking the wind from Ciel's lungs.
"Oh Ciel! I've missed you so! I haven't seen you since you tucked yourself away on your birthday!" CIel hugged her cousin back and smiled ever so lightly, sure her cousin as over energetic and too preppy for her liking but she indeed was what family she had left.
"I know Lizzy, but I am out now." As the girls pulled from their hug a bell rang below, both girls looked to see Sebastian waiting in the doorway of the study.
"Pardon me Lady Elizabeth, Young Mistress but your afternoon tea is ready." Lizzy was down the starts with Ciel in tow before Sebastian got the words out of his mouth. As soon as she and Sebastian were in the study Lizzy slammed the doors and tuned to her cousin with a huge smile on her face. She began jumping up and down while clapping her hands, one thing Ciel had never understood.
"Ciel I have a surprise for you! Oh you'll just absolutely love it!" Ciel furrowed her brow, looking around the room for any signs of the boxes that Lizzy normally brought with her as a sign of affection for anyone. It was weird for her not to have one, it threw Ciel for quite the loop.
"Oh..." Ciel looked to Sebastian who was serving them tea while his eyes searched exactly as she did. "Where is it Lizzy?" Elizabeth gently pushed Ciel into a comfy chair before sitting across from her, gladly accepting the tea. She took a few sips of it but squirmed in her chair like she was going to explode. Ciel took her tea from Sebastian as she looked to her cousin once more confused, she was giggling as bad as a child who knew what they were getting on Christmas.
"Oh Ciel it's most wonderful! Mum and Daddy agreed to throw you a Suitor's Ball! It's tonight and will be held in the gardens where the Curry Competition was. And not only that but she is partially sponsoring it, she insisted!" Ciel coughed as she nearly choked on her tea, Sebastian raised his brows at the suggestion, she even heard the trio that was eavesdropping outside gasp. After her coughing fit she looked to Lizzy with a wide eye.
"A Suitors Ball sponsored by Her Majesty, Lizzy why on earth did you decide that?" When Lizzy's smile began to fade, realizing her cousin wasn't so thrilled on the idea Sebastian cleared his throat before placing a hand on Ciel's shoulder.
"I think what the Young Mistress is meaning to ask is what time precisely and if you planned an outfit for her like you have in the past?" Lizzy looked to Sebastian with a bit of surprise before turning down at her tea. She stared at it for a few minutes before looking to Ciel solemnly, something she did ever so rarely.
"Well you see... I know you have one of Auntie's dresses, the beautiful red one that I made you keep... I was hoping you would wear that since it was requested no one else to wear red." Ciel held her breath as she thought back to Madam Red, of finding her Aunt out to be jack the Ripper, if it wasn't for that she wouldn't have met Grell either. It seemed odd but she knew the gown would be the most flattering to wear for her.
"Well... I suppose I have no reason not to go, especially if it is being held just for me, I shall attend. Only if Sebastian may come with me though." Ciel quickly added the last part and felt Sebastian squeeze her shoulder. Lizzy squealed before quickly saying something as she set her tea down and rushing out with her maid in tow. Sighing and leaning back in the chair Ciel allowed Sebastian to clean up the mess left by her cousin as she reflected on the decision she was being put into unwillingly...
Almost two hours before the party Ciel was up in her room, soaking a bit before having to fit herself into a corset. She glared a Sebastian as he entered the room, it had been true that he had bathed her when she was younger but ever since she had developed her deceased aunt had taken to showing her how to properly clean herself. He laid a clean towel on the sink before bowing to her, turning his back to her as she climbed from the bath.
"Young Mistress, shall I fetch Mey-Rin to tie your corset for you?" The words almost escaped her mouth about him calling her aunt, as a force of habit had been embedded within her, but she shook her head and cleared her throat.
"Yes, seeing as how she is the only woman in the Manor besides myself now. Have her knock before entering." Sebastian left the room without hesitation, she stood for a moment wondering if him being around her since their kiss made him uncomfortable at times or if he was just being a gentleman and refused to look at a woman indecently dress. Shaking her head she left the room and slipped on a pair of her underclothing along with the garter and its damnable tights as well. She stood with an arm around her upper half, stepping out of view when there was a timid knock on the door. Grabbing her eye-patch she swiftly tied it on as she spoke. "Enter Mey-Rin." She smiled to the poor maid as she entered shaking, Sebastian obviously didn't explain to her why she was needed.
"I say Miss, I am sorry I am. What did I- GAH!" Poor Mey-Rin turned away beat red as Ciel stepped into view with the door closed.
"Mey-Rin I'm so very sorry to have to ask this of you but with us being the only women left in the manor I need your help with the corset for tonight." Mey-Rin turned to Ciel and nodded, pushing her glasses up her nose.
"Alright Miss, I can do that right yes I can!" The maid nearly tripped over her own two feet as she went to grab the corset from the bed yet she caught herself. "I'm sorry Miss! Won't happen again!" Ciel smiled sympathetically to Mey-Rin as she turned her back to the maid, using her hands to hold her hair out of the way while the corset was wrapped and the lacing began.
"You're doing jus fine Mey-Rin, you don't have to be so nervous." She gasped as Mey-Rin's fingers brushed against her skin, the poor woman's hands shaking so much that Ciel had to use one hand to hold the corset, the other still holding her hair was growing tired, as the first loop had barely been laced. A bit of annoyance trickled into her realizing this would take far too long, it would take at least half an hour alone to make it to the palace, and if crowded more. She sighed and smiled sweetly to Mey-Rin over her shoulder. "Dear have you laced a corset?" Mey-Rin stammered a bit, stepping back and looking down shyly.
"N-No madam, all of mine are just clip ones... I'm dreadfully sorry I am!" Ciel laughed a bit before turning serious, her hidden eye glowing a bit sensing her summoning of Sebastian.
"It's quite alright, go and bring in Sebastian. I'm dressed as much as I can be before I would need him anyways." Mey-Rin's hand instantly went to her nose that had begun a trickle of blood, Ciel rolled her eyes realizing that the poor maid must've thought such scandalous things of the two as they were inseparable. The Maid rushed out of the room and let out a shout, Ciel smiled knowing she had most likely ran right into Sebastian again. Her assumptions were proven correct when she heard his familiar footsteps enter with her bedroom door not only closing but locking as well.
"I presume you sent her out so early because there was a problem with the corset, Young Miss?" Ciel looked to him and saw the smirk on his face as he approached her, his eye glowing a bit but not slitted as it would if he needed something more. She nodded and the frown became clear when he saw she was not laced at all. "My that is quite a problem, it does help if it's in the correct spot upon a lady's body." He lowered the corset to the correct position before she had even spoken her command, making her question if he could hear her thoughts at times.
"I just need someone capable of lacing a corset, and you're the only one here I can seem to trust to do anything right." Sebastian nodded before his fingers made quick work of her corset lacing, she sighed as she let her hair go over her shoulder, she hated the tightening of the corset but knew it was what made her look proper in the social standards. "Do the corset as tight as you can, madam did keep a tight waist."
"As you wish Young Mistress, do tell me if it hurts." As if on cue she gasped when he pulled it sharply, she had been so used to her aunt easing her into them she had not expected it at all. Sebastian paused only a moment and upon accessing that she was fine he tightened it even more, she gave a quite cough before clenching her hands in front of her. Sebastian caught this and swiftly brought a chair in front of her with a towel wrapped around the top. "Bear with me Mistress, it will be over soon." Ciel nodded and gripped the chair, exhaling again as Sebastian pulled the corset sharply once more before fastening it quickly. She made a mental note that the corset was tighter than her aunt had ever had it making her frame seem even smaller, it seemed she was like a giant porcelain doll. Stepping back from the chair she raised her hands allowing Sebastian to lower the huge red dress over her head, she sighed as the heavy dress rested around her, it felt much heavier than any of the others she owned including the winter ones. Sebastian made quick work of the buttons up the back before turning his Mistress towards the mirror, she gasped and took a step back in shocking realization of just how red it was. It was the same red of the fire that she hated so much, the fire that had made her into the woman she was today. Sebastian saw her reaction and was holding her steady instantly, it was true the dress was the one her aunt had donned at the last party Ciel and him had attended with her but the dress did flatter the Young Mistress so. She sighed before sitting down at her vanity, fighting back the urge to rip the dress off of herself.
Sebastian was behind her once more, already messing with her hair. She looked as he began to tie it up and she sighed heavily, she knew the perfect hairstyle but it was one she had avoided for oh so very long.
"Sebastian, the way my mother has her hair in their wedding portrait, I think that would suit this dress ever so well." Sebastian seemed surprised by her request, knowing that her family was a sore discussion. He simply nodded and began doing her hair as such before lacing her boots.
"Which eye patch would you like to wear with this dress Young Miss, I suggest the red rose one." CIel blinked, not realizing that Sebastian had removed the other patch when doing her hair. She simply nodded and it was brought forth and slipped upon her as if it was another glove. She pulled on her black gloves before standing and looking once more in the middle, she looked like her mother and yet her stature seemed to radiant her father. She turned and smiled to Sebastian who she saw was in his finest tail coat, his hair put to the side and spectacles already on. He offered her his arm before leading her out and to the carriage.
The ride to Queen's palace wasn't too long, and everyone was moving around steadily. Ciel plastered a smile upon her face as Sebastian helped her out of her carriage and led her inside. The place looked entire different than she remembered, there were glorious rose vines hanging from the ceiling, complimenting the white rose bushes around the dome. The stone floor had been perfectly polished so it gleamed, though the Queen's throne stayed where it had always been upon the platform. There were a few tables about with dishes she recognized as Phantomhive specialities. Everyone seemed to stop and stare when Lizzy rushed to her screaming her name loudly, Ciel gulped but kept smiling as her cousin crashed into her with another raging hug.
"Oh Ciel you look absolutely amazing! Just simply marvelous, mum and daddy will be so happy to see you again!" Squealing Lizzy turned and waved to her parents, who gave polite smiles and waved in their directions. Ciel bowed her head acknowledging their greeting before scanning the crowd, there were so many men to women it made her rather nervous and yet that wasn't the source of her uneasiness. She looked behind her to find that Sebastian was gone, her brow furrowed ever so slightly in wonder as to where he had run off to. She didn't have time to really think on it as Lizzy pulled her into the swarming crowd, she noticed that most of the men were much older, something she did curse about her age, though they all seemed interested in trying to covet her hand.
Just as she was about to ask her cousin to let go she gave a shout from being pulled from her, the men closing the newly formed gap quite quickly, a shudder went down her spine when she heard a familiar voice.
"My, my dear little Robin. At last I see you again." Ciel gasped before turning and seeing the man so many of her kind had called angelic standing before her in his white suit once more. She held her head when she realized that he had no intentions of letting her hand go. Instead he pulled her back to him and placed a kiss upon her caught hand. "My little Robin, shall we dance this night away in wonderful bliss, that the heavens themselves cry out to us in utter jealousy?" Ciel heard a couple of women swoon as the music began, the men unattended clearing the dance floor.
"One dance, nothing more Lord Druitt. I do not wish to tire so early in the evening." He smirked at her while he led before whisking her away on the dance floor, she squinted when she noticed his collar was much higher for a man than was normal. As they spun she could hear the clamoring all around her, but her cousin's comment to her mother is what scared her the most.
"Mother, I know Lord Druitt was definitely not given an invitation, however did he get in?" Ciel's eye widen before her fake smile faded away, she tried to pull away only to find herself caught in his iron grasp. Glaring at him with a smile of disdain she made sure to keep check that her tongue wasn't too vicious.
"Lord Druitt, is it true that you were not invited to this party?" The Lord laughed before leaning in closer, keeping their pace with the music.
"My, my aren't you a clever one. Of course you would have to have been clever to find out my human trafficking error of which you so boldly exposed. I'm merely here to offer a way for you to account for your mistake. How have the nightmares been?" Ciel gasped and found herself a moment speechless. It suddenly clicked with her, she looked around and once more Sebastian was not around.
"How do you know about those and where is Sebastian?" Lord Druitt merely smiled at her.
He knew his Young Mistress would be upset with him leaving without notice but he knew that he couldn't allow the demon near his Mistress. He scoured the area, his essence flowing out a bit as his anger became rage within himself. He felt the demonic aura pass by, scaling to the roof he found himself staring into the eyes of another.
"Hello Sebastian, my look at how you've done yourself this time." Sebastian growled, knowing the familiar feminine voice. He looked in front of him to see a woman in a scarlet red dress that cut off at the knees in the front but touched the floor in the back. Her hair was done up in a bun on top of her head beautifully decorated with rubies and diamonds. Her black eyes were flatter b the sparkle upon her fan. "Mmm you know I do like this one I must say, but how does that little bitch of yours like it?" Sebastian calmly glared at the woman, his knives already drawn out.
"Well look who managed to crawl out of her pit. So who's the unlucky bastard this time Leana?" Leana laughed as she fanned herself, not caring that her aura was singing loud and clear.
"Oh me, oh my now why would I tell you whom my master is?" She feigned concerned with a taunting voice. "Is it so your wittle girl can get some sleep?" His eyes immediately turned to slits as he threw his knives at her, charging when she easily danced from him. Leana was laughing, obviously enjoying his torture. "Yes come Sebastian, let us dance the unholy dance. Let's see just how powerful you truly are!"