Chapter 16

Damn, she was bored.

Yes, bored out of her mind but it definitely beats listening to someone droning on about their jeweleries and the parties they'd been to, which she don't give a freaking damn about. Just as Estella was racking her brain for ways to get some useful information from that Alice girl, Ciel stepped in and saved her poor ears, thank god.

A quick look around the room, a puzzled look appeared on her face when she realized the absence of Sebastian; Estella turned back to the dance floor once again. She stifled a yawn, the vision of the dancing duo behind her forming tears. Savagely wiping off those forming pools, her eyebrows furrowed into a frown.

There was that uncharacteristic smile again, she noted disdainfully. It makes her wonder whether she will ever get to see a real one. That's when she realized, she doesn't know a single thing about Ciel Phantomhive…Yes, she maybe did know something, just about his company and him being the Queen's watchdog was all. Her eyes narrowed at the male, following his every movement with curiosity.

"How do you find the ball, boy..?" Pulling her attention away from the duo, only to grow rigid the moment she turned to the speaker. Rigid with shock and fear was it.

Quickly composing herself, she turned towards him and glanced up to meet the familiar scarred face of Roger Eddington. "It's lovely. But, may I know who are you, Mister…?" She asked, trying not to sound nervous.

"Oh, sorry…I forgot to introduce myself." The man glanced down at her apologetically. "I'm Roger Eddington." He stuck a hand out towards her.

Grasping the hand, she forced out a smile. "I'm Adrian Blackwell." A shake of their hands, she quickly retracted her hand, fighting the urge to wipe it onto her coat the instant it was released. Maintaining a smiling face over the grimace of disgust which was dangerously close to surfacing, she watched a puzzled frown forming on his already-marred face.

Worry growing within her as she fought to not do stupid things like running from the man at the very moment, anything that will certainly make her look suspicious.

Swallowing the lump in her throat when she saw that he was going to ask her something, given from the puzzled frown, he did the exact. "How come-"

"Adrian." The owner of a voice which she was really grateful to for interrupting the man in the midst of his question, placed a hand on her shoulder. Snapping over to the speaker, her eyes widened slightly in surprise to see the male who was supposed to be dancing away with Alice on the dance floor, now beside her. The gratitude towards him was indescribable.

"It's time to go." Ciel said coolly, turning to Roger Eddington to acknowledge him with an equally cool nod. "Sorry, but he needs to go now."

"Sure." The man nodded back before turning back to her. "It was nice to meet you, Blackwell. Goodbye."

"Bye." She uttered, forcing another smile at him before turning away towards her waiting 'cousin'. "Let's go."

A heavy sigh of relief when she was nearing the entrance doors, she took a glance back at the on-going ball behind before turning to step through the doors to catch up with Ciel.

God, how glad was she to get out of there and she was sure throughout her life till now, the urge to get out of a ball had never been this strong before.

...

The carriage door swung closed behind them and they plopped down on the same seat, simultaneously letting out heavy sighs.

A glance at each other upon hearing their simultaneous sigh, a grateful smile broke across Estella's face. "Hey…Thanks for saving me."

A long stare at her. "It's nothing." Ciel finally spoke with a drawl, waving a hand dismissively at her. An annoyed frown at a realization, he started. "Why are you sitting beside me?" He eyed her with that frown.

Incredulity passed over her face. "Why can't I?"

"Sit over there." Ciel said dryly, pointing at the spot on the seat opposite him. "I don't want to sit with-"A jerk of the carriage as it turned to enter the road outside the gates cut him in mid-sentence.

When the carriage was once again calm, he curtly said. "I don't want to sit with you, Blancbaston."

Shooting him an indifferent look, she shrugged. "Too bad, I don't care, I like it here. Besides, it's dangerous to move about in a moving vehicle. So…." Estella turned to him with a sardonic smile. "I'm staying here."

Mouth slightly slackened at her, he shook his head in bewilderment at her. "Forget it." A sigh escaped from his lips.

"Great!" She said cheerfully.

"Blancbaston." Ciel started, glancing over to her with a serious look. "Gathered any information?"

A scoff at the thought of the dance with the Alice girl, she spoke. "Yeah, they were really useful. I found out that she have all sorts of jeweleries in her collection and have also attended twenty parties so far this year." The sarcasm that was so heavy in her voice had Ciel shooting her a raised eyebrow.

A snort at her answer, Ciel shot her an amused smirk. "Well, I'd obtained something far more useful than yours…"The smirk fell into a serious look."…. and from what I have obtained, it looks like there's going to be another mission for you."

"What is it again…?" Estella groaned, had enough of doing crazy things like earlier.

"I'll brief you on that tomorrow."

"Well, screw that mission…." A yawn sounded from beside him before the carriage fell into silence.

"Seriously, Blancbaston. " The male shot her a deadpanned look. "You better not have that mission screwed, you hear me?" He warned, shooting her a dark look.

"Whatever..."She said dismissively, lifting a hand up to her head.

Watching as the female pulled off the wig to have her long hair tumbling out over her shoulders, he turned away to the window. Staring out at the flying flashes outside tiredly, he slowly leaned in towards the glass of the window, hoping sleep would while time away as they made their way back to his manor.

The light touch of the glass on the side of his head was all before he shot upright again, startled by the sudden weight on his shoulder. Eye widening in surprise with red creeping up his face was his instant reaction the moment he identified it.

"B-Blancbaston, what the hell are you doing?" He asked, growing uncomfortable. But was only to have a sound that sounded akin to snores in return.

She's asleep, Ciel realized.

With a heavy sigh, he let out a groan at that realization.

…..

"Phantomhive…."

Amethyst eyes narrowed, glancing at the distant wide-opened gates through the glass of the huge window, watching as the carriage moved along the road outside before disappearing out of sight as it turned into a corner.

Spinning away from the window, the male adolescent strolled towards the railing and stopped, watching the ball play out below him. His eyes swept about the room from overhead, taking in its details.

Eyes fixated on the scarred face of a certain man, he mused.

"Looks like it's going to be a long night…."

…..

I was on the move, racing and darting around to keep hidden with footsteps as lithe and silent as possible as my cloak danced softly to the small breeze. It was the perfect setting for this job in this area, with little light to guide me and being enveloped in darkness to conceal in. I kept myself hidden, ducking out of sight when I had heard footsteps coming. Eyes looked down carefully to see who the person was, scarcely breathing at this point. Despite the darkness, I could easily assess that the figure was my target. Managed to keep myself undiscovered as he moved passed and away, I gave myself a mental pat on the back- the first success.

What the hell was I doing? Well, like what that damn Phantomhive had mentioned about a mission on the night of that ball, that was how I came to this conclusion. A very dangerous one, I must add. I'm really starting to think that he's insane. First, the ball and now, this. What the heck! All he and his butler did was dropped me off before taking off again, saying that they need to talk to someone.

They left me with a task to follow Elliot Van Rayden, Alice's dad; into what he suspected to be a SIGMA gathering- an insane thing to do when I'm like probably the one they are after.

And what are they going to do?

Well, they are going to fucking talk to someone. What's wrong with them?

Gritting my teeth in annoyance at my thoughts, I shook my head, trying to clear them off my mind. I can't afford to be distracted; one wrong move and I'm dead. Lifting my hand to my head to check that the black wig was securely sitting on it, I watched as the man disappeared into an alley.

I pulled the hood of the cloak securely over my head with eyes fixated on the alley. As cautiously as I could, I crept towards the alley noiselessly, seemingly muting my every breath of inhalation and exhalation as I peeked into the alley to see a doorless entrance at the side of the left building.

"An underground base, huh…" I muttered, noting the stairs leading down to somewhere as I entered the alley.

A quick glance around and a deep breath, I was in.

...

"What is your business here, kid? This is not a place for you, get out of here." The man said gruffly, the huge muscles rippling as he pointed at the stairs behind her.

"But isn't this the herb shop? My mama told me to get her some herbs from here." Estella tilted her head at the man with feigned puzzlement, glancing at the door behind him. The very familiar symbol of SIGMA on it had her confirming that Ciel's assumption was right.

"No, it's not, okay? Go home and tell your mother that she got it wrong!" The man yelled at her through gritted teeth, growing impatient.

Seeing that angering the man will be dangerous, she spoke, still putting on the act. "Sorry, uncle. I guess I'll go now."

"Good."

Though she didn't get to know much the gathering, she at least did find out the location of a SIGMA's hideout; just knowing was enough to report back to her master.

Shrugging to herself, she spun away, only to bump with someone. "Sorry." She muttered, glancing up apologetically. Ice blue to Amethyst, she tore away, breaking the contact as she quickened her pace to get out.

Stopping right outside the alley, she came to an abrupt stop when a realization hit her.

She frowned in puzzlement at the feeling of nostalgia.

Amethyst…? Why did those eyes look so familiar?

…..

"Shit." Estella stopped in her tracks, a dreadful feeling stirred within her- she was followed. An inward groan, she was actually heading to the meeting point where she will meet up with Ciel and Sebastian, looking forward to a sleep after a long night. However, judging from her situation, it looks like this long night was going to be an even longer one.

Racing down the alley, she confirmed that she was indeed followed when one shouted over to his partner. "Catch her!"

Strands of hair whipped around her face, she sprinted down the narrow lane as fast as her legs could carry her. Darting around in attempt to lose them, she ran across the empty street and again entered another alley. Forcing her legs to push harder, her heart pounded to the beat of her feet racing over the hard ground as a mild burn started seeping into her muscles. Sweat beaded her forehead, causing her hair to cling to it as her throat ached for air.

Damn it. Where in the world are those two when she needs them?

Busy darting around corners after corners, she finally glanced back to only to be surprise not to see them behind. Glancing around the premise to see it completely deserted, the triumph smirk on her face disappeared as quickly as it came when the two figures appeared into the alley before her, running up towards her.

"Damn it! Why are they coming after me-"

The feeling of something encircling around her waist had her stopping in mid-sentence.

The next thing she knew was that she was pulled into a carriage and subsequently, having the view of two running figures disappearing behind a closing carriage door. A jerk was it before the carriage started moving.

Blinking at the carriage door, a sigh of relief blew out from her lips.

"Thank god, you guys came." She said, starting to turn in the leather seat.

"Seriously, Phantomhive. Why did you take so-" Eyes widening in shock, her jaw unhinged itself at the person in front of her.

"You….!"

Disbelief shone in her eyes.

She gasped. "Alois Trancy….?"

The lopsided amused smirk on the said male's face drooped as he shook his head disapprovingly at her. "No, no. It should be 'Your Highness', Luka."

…

-End of Chapter-