Disclaimer: I only own Faye.
Chapter 2: Dinner Invitation
Phantomhive Manor
Faye walked down the hall, brushing her hand lightly against the walls and the priceless paintings that covered them. Two months later and she was still marveling at how Sebastian had rebuilt the entire mansion down to every last crack and item after it had been burned down by Pluto and Ash. She knew that he had down it once before, when the mansion had originally been burned down four years ago, but it was amazing to see with her own eyes. What was perhaps more surprising was the fact that none of their servants really questioned that the mansion appeared to be unharmed after having burned down. She suspected that Tanaka knew more than he was letting on, but Mey-Rin, Finny, and Baldroy all acted like the restored mansion, while amazing, was not out of the realm of human possibility. Their ability to overlook the impossible things happening around them astounded Faye, but maybe they could do it because of how impressive each of them were in and of themselves.
"Again?" Faye heard Ciel complaining through his study door. "Earl Trancy is proving most persistent. And most annoying."
"Who is Earl Trancy?" Faye asked, pushing open the door. Ciel was sitting behind his desk, as usual, with stacks of paper around him. Sebastian stood to his right.
"My Lady," Sebastian greeted. Faye nodded in return before turning her attention back to Ciel. Sebastian seemed to think it unacceptable for Faye to not immediately acknowledge his presence when they were in the same room.
"So far as I can tell, an Earl of little consequence," Ciel sighed. "However, he seems desperate to meet with me. Probably hoping that the Phantomhives will fund some venture or another of his. This is the third dinner invitation he's sent me."
"If he's an Earl, he may be important enough that you should pay attention to him," Faye said, surprised that Ciel hadn't already accepted one of Earl Trancy's invitations. Ciel may have detested going to parties at other's homes, but he always played the political game very well.
"I've never heard of him before. And, obviously, you haven't either. How important could he possibly be? He won't even deign to tell me what he wants to meet with me about. I doubt it's anything important enough for me to worry over. If he really wants to connect with me, he can wait until the social season when we're both in London. We're bound to attend the same party at least once."
"Still, it might not hurt to learn more about Earl Trancy. Just in case it happens to be something of importance. Or something that may cause trouble for the Phantomhives later on."
Ciel sighed. "I suppose you have a point. You can never be too careful, after all. Sebastian, investigate Earl Trancy and learn of him what you can."
"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian said, executing a deep bow. "In the meantime, Mrs. Clovis is here for your violin lesson. For both your lessons."
Ciel and Faye sighed in tandem. Before, because Faye always thought of it as before (before their parents died, before Ciel and Faye were kidnapped and tortured by cruel occults, before Ciel sold his soul to a demon), Faye had loved the violin. Her parents would sit on the couch with Ciel on one of their laps as Faye played for them. When the weather was nice, they would go outside to the garden. Faye had lost interest these days. There was no one for her to play for now.
"I don't see why an Earl needs to know how to play a violin," Ciel grumbled. "It's not like it's something I need to know for proper etiquette."
That evening the two siblings ate dinner outside. Ciel preferred to be more proper and take meals in the dining hall, but Faye loved to be outside when the weather was nice. Looking at her mother's garden always relaxed her.
Sebastian had made dinner before running off to learn what he could of Earl Trancy. They were only halfway through the meal when Sebastian returned.
"Well?" Ciel demanded. "What have you learned?"
"Earl Trancy appears to be a most…interesting man." Ciel raised his eyebrows, prompting Sebastian to elaborate. "The young Alois Trancy, the current Earl, was kidnapped as an infant. His mother, despondent at the loss, committed suicide. A few months ago, Alois returned. With a butler in tow. The previous Earl died shortly afterwards, leaving the title to young Alois."
Ciel and Faye stared at Sebastian in silence, both trying to wrap their minds around what Sebastian was telling them.
"Earl Trancy reappeared with a butler," Ciel reaffirmed.
"Yes, that is what I said."
Ciel's eyes darkened. "And would there happen to be anything special about this butler of his that he so mysteriously returned with?"
"Special?" Sebastian asked, tapping his chin with his fingers. "I'm afraid I don't quite know what you mean by that, my Lord."
"How could they possibly know he was actually the Earl?" Faye asked, her mind stuck on that. "If he was kidnapped as a baby he wouldn't know he was the Earl. For this Alois to be the rightful heir, the kidnapped baby would have to still be alive, which is highly unlikely, and his kidnappers would have had to have told him he was the heir to the Trancy Earldom, which is even more unlikely."
"Unless Alois' ordered his butler to find his family after escaping his kidnappers," Ciel argued.
Faye stared at Ciel before turning to Sebastian. "Could you do that? Find the family of a child who was stolen at birth?"
"I'm afraid that would be beyond even my capabilities," Sebastian admitted. "As you suspect, I imagine the dear young Earl is an imposter."
"So a fake Earl with a demon butler wants to meet with me?" Ciel clarified.
"Maybe you should stay away from him after all, Ciel," Faye said, concerned for her brother.
"On the contrary, Faye. I think this is evidence that I should accept the Earl's invitation."
Faye glared at Ciel, her fist tightening around her glass. He was probably right, but Faye was sure that whatever this Alois boy wanted would cause nothing but trouble for the Phantomhives. Their lives were complicated enough without them going out looking for trouble.
"Be careful," Faye warned, her eyes shooting to Sebastian as she said it.
"We will take the utmost care, my Lady," Sebastian promised, bowing low.
Trancy Manor
Ciel was suspicious as the carriage pulled up to Trancy Manor. This whole situation was suspicious of course, but Alois had made each of his invitations sound like he was inviting Ciel to a grand dinner party, but there was no one here but Sebastian and Ciel. Two Earls hardly constituted a dinner party.
Sebastian held his hand out to help Ciel out of the carriage. Ciel accepted it as he took in the Earl's mansion. It wasn't as big as the Phantomhive mansion, but it was certainly gaudier.
Sebastian rang the doorbell and a tall man with glasses answered the door.
"Earl Phantomhive, so good of you to come," he droned. "I am Claude Faustus, the butler of this mansion. Please, follow me." They entered a dining room with the ceiling arching high above them.
"Ciel!" A voice exclaimed excitedly. Ciel turned in surprise to see a blond boy a few inches taller than him running forward. "It's so good of you to come!" He said as he took both of Ciel's hands in his own.
Ciel jerked back in disgust. "Watch your tone, Trancy! How dare you be so familiar with me."
"Of course, of course," Alois said, dancing back with a smirk on his face. "I apologize Ciel, I just figured we should be close since we have so much in common." Alois gaze flicked between Sebastian and Claude before turning back to Ciel. He gave him a slow, secret smile. Ciel glared.
"What did you call me here for?"
"All in good time, Ciel. First, we must have dinner! That is the proper thing to do, wouldn't you say?"
Ciel's eye twitched every time Alois referred to him by his first name. Obviously, this boy was no noble. He had no manners to speak of. He'd never survive society in London. His name would quickly reach everyone's blacklist. Still, Ciel had come all this way. He reluctantly followed Alois to the dining table and sat across from him.
Alois clapped his hands. "Claude, serve us dinner."
As Claude turned to go, Sebastian moved to follow. "Allow me to help," Sebastian said. "We are both butlers, after all."
"Not at all," Claude argued. "You are here with our esteemed guest. Please, stay and enjoy yourself."
Sebastian narrowed his eyes, but stayed standing behind Ciel's chair. He kept a sharp lookout, trying to notice any details that could be clues as to what was going on. This situation was strange, even by Sebastian's standards. It wasn't often that he ran into another demon while in the middle of fulfilling a contract. He couldn't fathom why Alois and Claude would desire to meet with him and Ciel.
Throughout dinner, Alois kept up a stream of idle chatter, making Ciel increasing incensed with each passing moment. When dinner was finally over, Ciel finally hoped they would get to why Alois had asked him here. Instead, dessert was brought out and Alois started gushing over how great Claude's cherry pie was.
"Enough!" Ciel exclaimed, slamming his hands on the table and standing up. "Why did you want to meet with me so badly?" Ciel demanded. "You sent me three dinner invitations, and now all you've done is prattle on about nothing."
"Why, Ciel, I just wanted to give you a lovely evening. Isn't it better for people who work together to get to know one another first? I know I want to get to know you."
"Either you tell me what you want, or I leave now."
The mirth in Alois' eyes died down. "There is something very important I need to accomplish, but we can't do it alone. Claude and I need the help of you and Sebastian."
"I can't believe I wasted an entire evening on this," Ciel said dismissively. "I have no interest in your problems or in helping you. Sebastian, we're leaving."
"Don't you dare walk away from, Ciel Phantomhive!" Alois cried angrily as Ciel and Sebastian began leaving. "I swear you'll regret it if you don't help me! I'll go after everything that's precious to you if you don't! I'll destroy it all, I swear I will!"
Ciel paused for a moment to glance back at Alois. "Threatening the Phantomhive family is a very dangerous endeavor. I really wouldn't recommend it."
Sebastian was quiet as he handed Ciel into the carriage. He had not learned anything about what the Trancy boy wanted, but something had seemed off about Clause. He was normally so composed. He valued playing his role as perfectly as he could, but he had been distracted. He had made small mistakes that seemed to pass by Alois and Ciel, but had been glaring clear to Sebastian. Could Claude's distraction have something to do with what Alois wanted help with? Would a demon really be so concerned over a master's wishes?
"That was a complete waste," Ciel said with a sigh, leaning his head on his hand as he stared at the window. "Though at least it gives me a chance to talk to you without Faye around."
Sebastian turned to Ciel with interest, wondering what he wanted to tell him that couldn't be said in front of Faye.
Ciel straightened up authoritatively. "I don't want you touching Faye," he announced.
Sebastian's eyes widened against his will. "What?" He asked foolishly, caught off guard.
"You are not to touch Faye," Ciel said arrogantly. "That is an order. I know you let me live so that she would not hate you, but I will not allow you to use my sister for whatever purpose you may have in mind. Your orders to protect her still stand, but other than that, you are to stay away from her."
Sebastian's eyes glowed red as a bitter taste filled his mouth. "I would strongly advise you to reconsider, my Lord." His heart, normally a rather useless organ for a demon, beat rapidly in anger. His thoughts conjured up an image of Faye. He already got so few opportunities to touch her as it was. Her dark hair. Pale skin. Her thin, yet toned body.
"You are still bound by our contract. You will not touch Faye."
"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian said darkly, seething inside. He would not stand for this. It would only be a matter of time before he found a way to make Ciel reverse the order. Hopefully, it would be soon for the sake of his sanity. Being away from Faye for too long was painful. His mind and body ached for her, whether he willed it or not. He would not allow what little contact he had with Faye to be taken away from him.