Chapter Text
Gentle hands firmly shake me awake. The moment my butler's emerald eyes meet mine, I lift myself into a sitting position. My bare legs hang off of the plush bed that was much too large for a girl that was in need of matrimony. The white curtains sway in the slight wind as the scent of roses and berries from the garden below fills my nose. Beautiful.
"Good morning, Ellis." The pale man, clad in black, turns from the tea cart at the sound of my voice.
"And to you, miss." He gives a slight bow and yet his suit doesn't crumple in the slightest. From his perfect black hair to the shine on his shoes, Ellis is always groomed to perfection, no exceptions. It was something I respected about him.
He allows the tea leaves to steep in the gold rimmed finery, my favorite eggshell tea set. He carefully removes one of my tailored dresses from the Victorian wardrobe. The light and dark greens played a game of tag as they elegantly danced across the garment. "What is the occasion?" I ask, noting the choice in garment. This dress had to be one of my most expensive as it was made of fine silk and matches the jewelry with authentic Egyptian emeralds I had received from my deceased mother.
"A party, my lady," the slightly disturbing smile reappears on Ellis' features. "You've been invited by the Queen's guard dog himself." My eyes gloss over his slicked back hair as I note the positive inflection in his rich voice. Ellis kneels down to my level as he unbuttons my sky colored night gown with his pure white gloves. I track the demon's face as he works. His smile vanishes, the sick feeling in my gut does not. Although I haven't had a negative interaction with the head of the Phantomhive manor, he still did not put me at ease in the slightest. Without even a mention of breakfast, besides the aforementioned tea, I am whisked off to my carriage, to endure a half hours' worth of bumping and clacking.
After what seems like double the time, the driver pulls on the horses' reins and the carriage comes to a stop in front of the Phantomhive manor. The landscaping is gorgeous and spurs a feeling of jealousy within me. My home is slightly smaller and our horses and livestock take up most of the hidden acres of land to graze. Although we do have flowers and berries in the front, we lack the touch of pure elegance displayed here. It was something that I was, at this moment, unable to obtain. But nothing would be said about my lack of trying. "Ellis, see to ordering more trees and hedges if you will. I refuse to be outdone by this child." His cold lips turn on the edges, forming a slight grin.
"Yes, my lady." My butler holds my hand and gently kisses the emerald ring wrapped around my finger.
The door to the carriage is flung open by a man with a similar appearance to Ellis. The stranger has less concerning smile, a different hair style, and blood red eyes instead of green. Still, he was just as attractive; if not more so. "Welcome to the Phantomhive manor." The man extends his similarly gloved hand for me to take to help me out of the carriage.
I refuse. Instead, I brush past the man and exit the carriage on my own. "Know your place. I have no need of help for a simple step. Someone should have briefed you on that." The words come out softly, as should a woman's, but the message is clear. I won't stand for such helpless behavior to be thrust upon me.
"My apologies, madame." I slide my hand down the left side of my dress, smoothing down the green fabric. Ellis receives my signal and stops his glaring contest with the other man and returns to where he belongs: by my side. His presence is one of the few comforts I have at this moment.
The grand ball room is overwhelmingly full of earls and their female counterparts. My elbow locks with Ellis' as we navigate the pristine area. Besides the comfort, travelling with Ellis allows me the freedom to navigate society; despite lacking a proper male escort. I scan the room to take in the full impression it made. From the tables and chairs, to the walls and flooring, everything was either red, white, or gold. Although I hated to admit it, the interior of the mansion is just as stunning as the exterior. I had never bothered to redecorate after my mother's death. That will soon change. I quickly thought to myself. I am ready to move forward. Ellis, who was guiding me through the party as I was lost in thought, finally reaches a stop. In unison, I do the same. My eyes quickly travel up and down the younger of the two in front of us. Short, blonde hair, light blue eyes, a black bow, a red and gold ring, and a tall butler accompanying him. This could only be one man; Alois Trancy.
I allow a smile to grace my features as the devious boy bends down and kisses my ring. "It's been too long!" He slid his sleeve up, just slightly, to reveal a golden dagger with rubies embedded within it.
"Much too long." I replied, curtsying and lifting my dress up just enough to reveal the emerald studded dagger attached to my ankle. In sync we remove ourselves from each other and replace our weapons in their respective hiding spots. This completes the traditional greeting between the spider boy and I, the greeting Ellis continues to advise me against, lest someone catch our secrets "So do you know this Phantomhive boy?" I ask as we stroll through the party. He replaces my butler as a male companion seeing as Ellis and Claude have occupied themselves in some inane argument.
"Yes, unfortunately," Alois spits. There is no need for him to hide his true feelings from me. Although it was an accident, I had caught him doing some... questionable deeds. Since then, he has been in my debt and quite straightforward. "I wish I didn't have to know a brat like him. He and his demon piss me off to no end!"
I give him a glare, warning him to lower his voice. I don't want any extra attention from the others surrounding us. "A brat like you?" I question with a smirk as I look around the room. There was no one younger than me, "How old is he?"
My blond companion scoffs at the interest in my voice, but answers my question, nonetheless. "Eighteen."
I playfully roll my eyes and he pulls me closer to his chest in turn. When there, he whispers, "You're not old enough to call me a brat." letting out an off-putting laugh before his light blue eyes gain a psychotic glow. Alois gives me the look that always hitches my breath in my throat.
"I'll call you what I want." I retort back quietly. "I am, after all, your senior."
"By a mere six months!" Alois faked offense with a hand to his heart. "In only a few weeks, we shall once again be the same age of nineteen!"
The aimless stroll Alois and I took through the Phantomhive mansion resulted in us getting lost. Of course, he didn't want to admit it, but we both knew the truth. His scanning eyes and hurried pace were a dead giveaway. I decide stop in the candle lit hallways. After no longer hearing the soft sound of my low heels against the floor, Alois turns around to face me. "Is something wrong?"
The carefree expression that he wears despite our situation starts to tick me off, "We are lost. You know it is improper for us to be away from the party, alone, for too long."
"We aren't lost." The blonde boy simply scoffs as he grabs my hand and roughly yanks me towards him. His eyes waver for a moment and it is easy to tell he is sorry for handling me in such a manner. I don't pull away from him. With much more grace, he places a soft kiss on my forehead per his usual apology and backs off on his own volition. The sweet nothings of an innocent relationship are something I should have left in the past, yet with this boy, I cannot.
"Alright, Sir Trancy. Lead the way." The sarcasm was very evident in my voice. I even lift my skirts as I perform the most respectful curtsy I can muster.
Catching me slightly off guard, the blond boy lifts my chin as I rise from the mocking position. "You trust me too easily."
My brows begin to knit together, "What do you mean? Of course I trust you." If I didn't, I wouldn't have told him about my condition, or my family.
He runs a hand through his golden locks, only when his arms end up on both sides of me, do I realize that I'm backed up against a wall.
"I'm not a boy nor are you a girl anymore. That is something you must come to terms with." His voice is low and dangerous.
"Alois?" Despite my wishes my voice falters, either way, my hand steadily hovers over my weapon. If needed, it would be drawn in an instant.
That instant never comes. We return to the ball room just in time to see the earl and his betrothed take the floor. "English music is so boring!" I whisper into Alois' ear. Ever since I've returned from my trips abroad everything seems so... dull here. Who I assume to be Ciel Phantomhive stiffly spins a blonde girl in a pink and white dress.
"However true that may be, may I have this dance?" He offers his hand to me and I can't help but snicker at his gentlemen like manner. "Of course, someone has to show them how it's done."
The queen's dog, as he is called, finishes the dance with the girl and appears to try to abandon her, if my eyes kid me not. Either way, the girl clings to him and eventually forces him into another dance. "I can't tell if that interaction was pitiful or hilarious," I mumble as Alois guides me to the center of the ball room. He slips an arm securely around my waist as we begin to step to the music.
"Not more so than you earlier! Thinking I would have my way with you, as if you aren't precious. But I agree, I don't know which is worse, Ciel's dancing or Elizabeth's desperation to keep this excuse of an engagement together!" He sends the words into the air as he lifts me for a more advanced turn.
"Shh," I laugh as I stare into his playful light blue eyes. "They might hear you!" He doesn't hesitate to bend his head down to my level.
"That's what I'll tell you later." The queen's spider, Alois Trancy never spares a moment to make a lewd joke. Despite my nervous chuckle in understanding of the joke, I manage to hide some of my embarrassment.
He moves his head back to get a proper view of my face, "You're too cute." Just as I open my mouth to retaliate the blonde girl near us screams in frustration. All heads turn to watch this little break down.
"Ciel why won't you compliment me?! I've been waiting all day and you've barely said anything to me!" The poor boy was lost for words and he reflexively lurched back at her sudden tone. This must be Miss Elizabeth and her fiancé, Ciel.
"You've only called me Lizzie one time! You treat me like a stranger! Look at them," The now crying girl points directly at Alois and I. Extremely inappropriate and with that, we separate partly. "They aren't even engaged and they are far more romantic than us! Pulling each other close, teasing, going off on secret walks-"
"Elizabeth!" Ciel attempts to chime in, only to be spoken over. How rude can this girl be? Not only is she causing a scene in public, but she is bringing attention to her and her betrothed's personal affairs.
"Do you even love me?!" She screams. The girl's entire body shakes as tears pour out of her eyes. Everyone watches in silence, including her fiancé with the eye patch.
Silence is enough for everyone to know the answer.
Ciel does not love Elizabeth.
After Elizabeth runs away, Ciel looked ready to snap the neck of someone that dared to even look at him the wrong way. The man Alois pointed out to be Ciel's butler began ushering people out of the mansion. Naturally, as two people with demon butlers as well, Alois and I stayed. Once everyone was dismissed, I began to approach the blue haired boy with Ellis, Alois, and Claude all in tow. Once I was only a few more strides away, Ciel's butler, that same one who had interrupted the conversation I shared with Ellis, stepped into my path. Just like before, he wears a smile that even Claude seems to dislike. "Excuse me, but my lord has requested that all guests be removed-"
"That's unnecessary, Sebastian." The boy interrupts. After muttering something, the butler with a build resembling Claude and Ellis stands behind his earl. If not for their hair and different colored eyes, I would never be able to tell them apart in a photo.
Finally stepping forward to the host, I speak up to the male. "Good day Earl Phantomhive. It is great to make your acquaintance. Your manor is beautiful, although not the same as when I had first laid eyes upon it."
"Can we skip the idle chat? I have business to attend to." The boy spits as he begins to turn to his butler, Sebastian.
Warm arms wrap around my neck as Alois very inappropriately hugs me from behind, "Don't write her off as if she is just as worthless as Elizabeth." His cheek rubs against mine and I can already feel his body heat through my dress. Swiftly, I try to back away and turn bright red. However, what happened next is incredibly ridiculous.
I don't know what is more shocking. The fact that I was flustered by Alois' body being so close to mine, how Ciel got worked up to the point where he threw his cane at Alois, that the three demon butlers began to fight, or how the blond girl had hit me over the head after I blocked Ciel's cane. Perhaps what was most shocking was how fast it had all happened.
My legs crumple as if they were struck down a hammer. My world slowly goes on mute as my vision swirls around the room, searching. My hand travels up the pale face of the boy with the sky trapped in his eyes. My wordless lips curl into a sorrowful smile as my world slips back into darkness.
"Mommy, where are we going?" The woman with long locks was sprinting down the splintered stairs. She carries her only surviving child in her needle like arms. The woman's skin had purple bruises wrapping around her wrists and ankles; additional spots of the purple color seeped through layers of her skin in haphazardly selected areas.
"Away from that wretched man." Her child's eyes were dry. They had been, for far too long. Mothers don't wish for their children not to cry. They know their children need to cry, for then they know that their children can recognize when something is wrong. Mothers wish for their children to be happy. And that could never happen so long as they were with that man.
The little girl nods her head in a form of understanding. "They all died. He should too. Why didn't you kill him when you had the chance?"
Horror grows over the mother's face as she strides across the rug, nearing the entrance that was big enough for a giant. "Save lives, don't take them. If I had killed him, I couldn't have saved you."
No comprehension could be found in the small girl. The doors were pushed open by the crushed bones of her mother. "What is this?" The precious gift mumbled as her tiny hand reached to the heavens and her eyes squinted, despite it not being bright. The bruised woman nearly broke down at her daughter's first reaction to the outdoors. White fluffs slowly drifted to the frozen ground. The indigo night sky contrasted the full moon without fault. It was the first snow of the season.
The double doors have yet to slam, a sign that they haven't shut. A gust of courage enters the mother's soul as she stares into the devil's eyes and calls onto her last hope. "Ellis! Protect her life!" A swarm of darkness rises from the once pure snow. "I bestow trust and advanced pay-"
The girl was too focused on the green eyes inside of the demonic mass to notice her father lift the pistol and fire. "Thank you..." The faintest of whispers escapes her mother's lips as the bullet tears through their hearts.
"Mommy?"
The woman's body grew cold and the white snow became warm with blood.
Her daughter's grey enclosed world had been painted white in a new beginning only to be stained by the devil and drenched with red.
The green was all she could rely on. Green cradled her shattered skull in his hands before escaping the harmful reality.
Only salty tears remain.