"Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation and kindness and caring – quite often the hard way." – Pamela Dugdale
I do not own the Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler story or characters who belongs to Yana Toboso.
I only own my OC, Celine Phantomhive
Enjoy
The Earl's Sister
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Origins
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Act 2
A lovely humming sound was heard around the beautiful garden of the Phantomhive Manor which caused some of the little creatures to come out and find the source of the tune.
The humming sound belonged to Celia, who was sitting down in the grass and picking up some beautiful flowers.
Celia wore a cream coloured sailor dress, which reaches her knees and had a scalloped hemline. The lining of the skirt was a deep magenta while her collar, cuffs, and pockets are all brown with cream details. Her collar bow is the same colour as her dress and included brown stripes. On her feet were white tights and cream coloured Mary Jane shoes. Her bluish grey shoulder-length hair was tied in two braided pigtails by two cream coloured ribbons.
The flowers that surrounded her had several different colours which decorated the clearing making it almost seem like someone had come and splattered paint all over the vibrant green grass.
Celia giggled as she picked a few pink marguerites to create a flower crown.
The young bluenette then notice three birds were flapping their wings above her head.
"Hello there, did you guys wanna play with me?"Celia asked with a smile.
The three birds tweeted in response.
Celia placed her flower crown on her head and stood up.
"Okay!"Celia answered sweetly."I'll be the princess and you three can be my loyal servants!"
"Lady Celia!"
Celia turned around and saw her maid, Nelly, coming towards her.
Nelly was a woman in her 20s with bright tangerine hair tied up in a milkmaid braid with her bangs neatly swept off to the left side topped off with a ruffled bonnet from which two long ribbon strings draped and hazel coloured eyes. She wore a maid's dress with a ruffled apron and brown short boots.
"Hi, Nelly."Celia greeted.
"Young mistress, you are needed inside."Nelly instructed."Master Vincent needs you."
"Okay."Celia said kindly.
Celia followed Nelly back inside the Phantomhive Manor.
Nelly brings Celia to her parents' room where Vincent and Ciel were before leaving.
Rachel was in bed and was sick due to her asthma.
The Countess of Phantomhive covered her mouth to cough again causing Ciel and Celine to be worried for her.
"Mama, are you okay?"Ciel asked.
"You don't look very well."Celia said with a hint of worry.
Vincent looked at the thermometer that showed Rachel's temperature was quite high.
"Having a jaunt on the boat today would've been a little too much."Vincent commented sadly."Let's do it again the next time we're together. I'm sorry."
"It's okay."Rachel assured.
"How's your appetite?"Vincent questioned.
Rachel sighed. "I don't have one."
"I will have something simple, but delicious and easy to digest prepared for you."Vincent declared.
Vincent then left his bedroom with Ciel and Celia.
The two children notice their father holding his chin in thought.
"What is it, papa?"Celia asked.
"I said which is all fine and dandy, but no delicious food for sick people comes to mind."Vincent declared.
"Lemon cough drops are tasty."Ciel remarked.
"Yeah."Celia agreed."They could help, mama."
"That's not a meal now, is it?"Ciel asked."Speaking of which, you've snuck some again, haven't you?"
Both Ciel and Celia chuckled together in respond.
Then an idea came to the Earl of Phantomhive's mind.
"Ciel, Celia."Vincent spoke up, earning the attention of his two children."Today, let's do something more fun than a boat trip."
"More fun than a boat trip?"Ciel said.
"What is it?"Celia questioned.
Vincent smirked. "Let's play house for real."
In the Kitchen…
Vincent, Ciel and Celia placed on white chef outfits to cook together the meal that both Rachel and Astre could eat together.
Besides bonding over her family's German dog and playing with her loved ones, Celia enjoyed cooking.
No matter how unladylike the activity was.
"How do we look, father/papa?"Ciel and Celia asked in unison.
Vincent smiled at his two children.
"Outstanding, my little chefs."Vincent praised.
Vincent, Ciel and Celia then looked into a French cookbook in order to look and find the suitable supper.
It had to be light and easy to digest.
Also, extremely delicious.
Eventually, the Earl of Phantomhive and his two children found what they were looking for.
"Today, we'll make a non-sweet milchreis which suits the English palate and eintopf."Vincent exclaimed. "And for dessert, apple compote."
Milchreis- A German type of milky risotto.
Eintopf- A German Pot-Au-Feu.
Celia carefully used a kitchen knife to cut the dried porcini mushrooms for the risotto while Ciel helped Vincent prepare the pot-au-feu.
"Father, have you ever cooked before?"Ciel asked.
"Not really."Vincent answered."This is actually my first time cooking, Ciel. Rather amusing, isn't?"
"So Tanaka and the other servants cooked for you."Ciel chuckled in amusement.
Celia placed the small dried porcini mushrooms into a small bowl before going over to hand it to Vincent.
"I've finished chopping the mushrooms, papa."Celia remarked.
"Good girl, Celia."Vincent praised.
Vincent placed the dried porcini mushrooms in the pot that had warm water boiling inside it.
After stirring the hogtied pork and vegetables in the pot a bit more, the Earl of Phantomhive had his two children taste it.
"The pot-au-feu part must be ready."Vincent assumed."Give it a try, Ciel and Celia."
"Okay!"Ciel and Celia said in unison.
Ciel and Celia each took a small spoon to take a little sip from the pot-au-feu.
However, the moment the sips went into their mouths, both Ciel and Celia's faces scrunched up and quickly spat their sips out in disgust.
"Father, you've added too much spice!"Ciel grumbled.
"Bleh!"Celia whined."I need water!"
Both Ciel and Celia immediately went to drink cups of cold water to remove the bitter and spicy tastes in their mouths.
"It's that bad?"Vincent said in surprise and looked at the recipes in the paper."That's strange. I've made it just like the recipe said."
After their mouths cooled down, Ciel and Celia went to check the list as well.
"Maybe we've missed something out."Ciel assumed.
Celia went over to the table to check the bottles that contained various herbs and spices that she, Ciel and Vincent used to cook.
As the bluenette looked more closely, she found one bottle that stood out.
"Papa, you've mistook the white mustard bottle for the bottle that contained herbes de Provence."Celia declared."Look."
Celia showed a bottle that was labelled 'White Mustard' at the back causing Vincent to chuckle and sweat drop at his mistake.
"I did?"Vincent laughed lightly."I guess I'm not worth my salt in cooking, am I?"
Ciel sweat dropped. "Your jokes aren't helping, father."
Celia nodded in agreement.
"I guess we'll have to do it again."Vincent suggested."But this time let's do it carefully."
Ciel and Celia smiled at their father in approval.
"Good idea."Ciel remarked.
"Yep."Celia giggled.
After they finished cooking properly this time, Vincent and his two children then presented their cooked dishes to Rachel.
Rachel stared at the dishes in the tray that laid on her lap in awe.
In the tray was a lovely made creamy three mushroom risotto with a pork and wine pot-au-feu. Accompanied by a spiced warm apple compote with yogurt as its pudding.
"My goodness."Rachel gasped softly."You've made this for me?"
"We did."Vincent agreed."We hope you like it."
Rachel picked up a spoon to taste her risotto and pot-au-feu, only for her eyes to sparkle in amazement.
"It's delicious!"Rachel commented and smiled at her loved ones."You three are the best! I think I'm going to be better soon!"
Both Ciel and Celia smiled in joy.
"That's great!"Ciel declared.
"That is wonderful, mama!"Celia remarked.
Ciel and Celia then headed off to give the dish they made to Astre as Vincent and Rachel proudly looked on.
"I'm better after seeing both of them doing so well."Rachel admitted with a proud loving smile.
"Yes."Vincent agreed, smiling at his wife."Since you're still recovering, you can't go back to having fun just yet though."
Astre was sitting in the bedroom that belonged to him and Ciel, looking at a book.
He covered his mouth as he let out another cough.
The floor was littered with various different toys to keep himself busy, but it didn't stop him from being lonely.
Then Ciel and Celia came into the room.
In Ciel's hands was a tray that held the supper they made with their father.
"Hi, Astre."Celia greeted."How are you feeling?"
Astre covered his mouth to cough once more.
"Not too great."Astre groaned.
"Sorry for the wait."Ciel apologised and smiled."Supper is ready."
Astre was surprised that his siblings were the ones bringing supper for him.
"How come you two are bringing it, Ciel and Celia?"Astre asked.
"Because today me and Ciel cooked it with papa."Celia remarked.
Ciel placed the tray down before he and Celia sat down next to Astre.
Astre smiled brightly at the supper that his siblings prepared for him.
"Wow!"Astre gasped in awe.
"Make sure to eat lots, so you'll get better."Ciel instructed.
Astre nodded. "Okay."
Ciel and Celia each took a turn in feeding Astre the delicious they made today.
After he finished eating, Astre cleaned his mouth with a napkin.
"Now that you're done eating, what game do you wanna play?"Ciel asked."Chess? Cribbage?"
"We can play any game you like, Astre."Celia assured kindly.
A sad smile appeared on Astre's face.
"Ciel, Celia, you two shouldn't worry so much about me."Astre stated."You both can go outside and play if you want."
Surprised looks grew on Ciel and Celia's faces at Astre's declaration.
"Astre, you shouldn't say such a silly thing."Celia replied with a small frown."Me or Ciel would never want to go out and play without you."
"Also, you and father are the only ones, who can put up a good match against me in chess."Ciel declared honestly."Cellie, Lizzy, Aunt Anne, Tanaka and everyone else are terrible!"
Ciel gives Celia an a nervous yet apologetic smile.
"No offence, Cellie."Ciel stated.
"None taken."Celia assured simply.
"Anyway, we're both here because we want to spend time with you."Ciel declared happily. "Playing with you here is the best, Astre."
"Since we're triplets, I want the three of us to be always together."Celia admitted with a kind expression."Even if I become very old and have many grandchildren."
Astre smiled, feeling touched by his siblings' sentences.
"So let's have a lot of fun together on tomorrow's boat trip!"Ciel insisted with a joyous smile.
"Okay!"Astre and Celia answered in unison.
This was how life for the Phantomhive triplets was.
Filled with fun, laughter and joy every single day of their lives.
It was like their times were being spent in a radiant garden of smiles as fleeting as the beauty of a flower.
Until that fateful day…
Next chapter we will see the Phantomhive triplets learn the importance of the future roles that they will take when growing up as well as their hopes and dreams! See you all later!