"I can’t believe you lost her, a human against a demon and you lost?" Ciel looked up at Sebastian out of the corner of his eye, ever since the fight with the woman he had been a little withdrawn. "Is there something wrong with you or something?"
"Of course not sir, now if you will excuse me I will go prepare the supper." With that the demon butler silently departed from the room.
I wonder what happened that he is so…subdued. Then again I’ve never known him to lose to someone before, much less a human girl, he may be in shock.
The young lord Phantomhive stared blankly down at the reports and letters he was supposed to be going over and then outside where the sun shone thrown the white fluffy clouds that polka dotted the azure sky.
Deciding that he would drink his tea on the outside terrace, Ciel collected his coat before taking the tea cup on his desk with him on his way out the door. There was really some days it was far more enjoyable to be outside than in.
Today was one of them; he sat down on the edge of a stone bench that stood on the edge of the terrace, sitting the tea down beside him.
Forgetting the reason he had come out here for a moment, he leaned back slightly and closed his eyes, letting the sunlight touch his face.
Ciel lost track of the time he sat thus, opening his eyes only when a voice nagged at the very edge of his hearing. I swear…can I find no peace? He stood, fully prepared to yell at Meyrin, his only maid, when he paused. There was on one there.
I’m positive that I heard something, someone speak, I’m sure of it.
Movement at the edge of his vision caught his attention, a swiftly moving shape at the edge of his forest.
"Se…" Ciel paused in his order to the butler, as the bounding shape of Pluto broke through the underbrush, giving chase to the figure. The large white demon hound howled as it made up lost ground quickly.
The young lord couldn’t help the ironic chuckle that escaped his lips, it seemed as though the demon hound that Sebastian disliked so much was a better guard than the butler.
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Kat cursed the sky blue as she tore through the underbrush at the edge of the forest; she had been stupid, so stupid! She shouldn’t have fallen asleep last night, if she hadn’t froze to death when the temperature dropped than this…dog wouldn’t have crept up on her either.
The leaves crackled beneath her feet as she ran, she had lost her boots a few nights ago after she had fallen into the Thames getting out of the way of a runaway carriage, the smell had been unbearable but when the boots shriveled up to where she couldn’t take them off, she had to cut them off.
And now she had no boots. She was cold, tired, and hungry, and there was no end in sight. Why did I quit again, why did I quit the job where I had two meals a day and didn’t have to worry about freezing in my sleep? She felt the hot breath of the dog as it snapped at her heels. Why do I have to do this? The leaves beneath her feet gave way; Kat fell with the hound passing over her to continue forward into the trunk of a tree.
The dog shook its pony sized head, its tongue lolling out of its mouth. It regarded her with bright red eyes, saliva dripping off of the sharp white fangs in its maw. Kat could already feel the dull ache in her ankle and knew she couldn’t outrun the beast now; she closed her eyes prepared for the worst.
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This was not what Ciel had expected.
Pluto wagged his tail proudly as he displayed the girl hanging from his jaws, her shirt firmly clamped between the demon hounds fangs. The girl meanwhile glared at him haughtily from where she hung.
"Pluto drop it, Sebastian." Ciel didn’t even bother finishing the command, Sebastian knew what was needed. He caught the girl before she hit the ground, depositing her on the ground in front of Ciel, her hateful glare not withering. "We have something to discuss."
Her lips thinned, "Why on earth should I discuss anything with you?"
Sebastian leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "You should be aware you are addressing the Lord Phantomhive."
"You should be aware I don’t care." She snapped.
Sebastian blinked, the only sign that portrayed his shock. "You should care, he is the Queens-"
"Favorite lap dog, yeah I know. I’m no fool; I know who the Phantomhives are." Her blue eyes were frigid as she regarded Sebastian over her shoulder.
"All we want to know is what you know about, the disappearances of the young women. You are the only lead we have at this moment, a dancer with no known surname. The most mysterious character in the area."
"Mysterious, please, I’m hardly that, but as to the disappearances, I have no idea. Love to help but can’t, I have my own problems to deal with." Her face had softened ever so slightly, leading Ciel to believe that she told the truth. He took in her currently disheveled state, shoeless, filthy, and covered in Pluto’s slobber. "What kind of problems?"
Her eyes hardened, "None of your business."
Ciel narrowed his eyes at her, "Then you may go, Sebastian release her." Doing as he was bid the butler stepped away from the young woman still glaring at the whole lot of them, "Weren’t you leaving?" prompted Ciel.
Okay just one step at a time. She shouldn’t have stood still that long now her ankle was really hurting. She took a step, and winced when she put her weight on her injured limb, today was not moving in her favor at all.
"Are you this slow everywhere you go?" Oh god, the kid was irritating her, but she bit back the remark she was more than ready to throw back at him, she had something else to concentrate on.
The hound barked and jumped in front of her, bowing with his rear in the air, plumed tail wagging. "Go away," She muttered under her breath, "I’m not playing." Playmust have been the operative word; the dog leaped knocking her back to land on her rump, in a very undignified heap. She heard a snort of derision and directed her best icy glare in the direction of the two males that seemed insistent on annoying her that day.
The dog growled playfully and rooted her in the stomach, knocking the wind from her lungs. Still not getting the idea, he barked at her.
"Go away! I am not particularly fond of dogs to begin with, and you’re not doing anything for your species right now." His tail drooped, the picture of doggy depression. Kat felt a small shred of guilt for yelling at the playful animal but he’s caused more than his fair share of problems today. Her ankle throbbed, that being one of them.
"Is there something wrong with you that you haven’t left yet?"
Alright forget this kid, forget this place, and forget the pain, I am leaving, now. Kat pushed the painful throb in her ankle to the back of her mind and began to walk purposefully towards the forests edge. Alright not so bad, her knee buckled and she went down hard. I spoke to soon. She tried to push herself back up but her leg wouldn’t support her weight at all now.
What am I going to do, I can’t stay here, I at least have to make it back to the forest.
Once more she tried to stand making it at least to where she was balanced on one leg. Hesitantly she put her other foot on the ground, tears welling in her eyes as the sharp snap of pain made her lose her balance.
Strong hands caught her before she hit the ground; she looked up, dumbfounded into the face of the butler who just smiled at her. "Bring her into the house Sebastian; it appears she needs a bit assistance." The young lord called out before reentering the manor.
Kat bristled, "I do not need mmph." The butler put a gloved hand over her mouth silencing her protest. The urge to do something childish, like bite his palm, was very strong, but, Kat decided, she had made a big enough spectacle of herself.
What an odd little human. Sebastian couldn’t help but feel slightly interested in the little spitfire in his arms. She was at first glance a fragile little thing you would expect to adorn the parlor of some lords home, but upon deeper scrutiny one could see the remnants of fading scars and a hard glint in her eyes.A most interesting human indeed.
He carried her down the hall, and passed the servants quarters to the kitchen where he deposited her on the counter. "There we are, now how about we take a look at your injury." She watched him with narrowed eyes as he gently lifted the swollen appendage. He was impressed not many women would walk on a sore ankle, much less a severely sprained one. She hissed when he turned it slightly.
"My apologies, did that hurt?" He bottled the chuckle that threatened when she muttered something under her breath of an unsavory nature. "I didn’t think young ladies were taught that kind of language. Hold still." He retrieved a roll of bandages he kept in the cupboard before wrapping her ankle. "Do you have a name?"
Contrary as a cat she responded, "Do you have a name?"
He arched his brow at her, "Of course I do, I serve the Phantomhive family, if I didn’t have a name what kind of butler would I be? My name is Sebastian."
He was answered with a very un-ladylike snort. "That’s some name there."
"Says the lady with no last name, do you at least have a first? I would assume that Catherine is not your real name."
She bristled, "And what’s that supposed to mean? Never mind, forget it." She was silent for a moment, "Catherine is my real name but I only answer to Kat. They put Catherine on the cast list because it sounded more…feminine."
"Well-" Interrupted by a loud growling sound Sebastian looked up into Kat’s completely stoic face. "Was that you?"
"No." The growl issued again this time louder, he frowned at her, "I believe it is. Would you like something to eat?" He saw her hesitate, torn between hunger and a sense of pride. She sighed, "No."
No, did I hear her correctly?
"Why not?"
"Matter of pride. If I can’t feed myself, what right do I have to ask you to?"
Sebastian didn’t reply, what could he say? He would most likely do the same thing in her place, but the situation would be a little different. After all, he didn’t require human food; human souls were his main food source.
She’s an interesting woman as well as interesting human; perhaps that is why the Young Master told me to bring her in. Lord Phantomhive seldom does something for a single reason.
Speaking of Ciel, Sebastian reached into his pocket to check his watch; yes he would have to serve supper soon, before it got cold. Cold food would not do for the Master of the Phantomhive estate. He finished wrapping her ankle, "There does that feel better?"
"I didn’t need the help to start with, but yes, it does feel better. Thank you." She flexed her foot experimentally before hopping off the counter. Sebastian caught her before she fell as her foot gave out, he sat her back on the counter. "I don’t believe you should be moving around like that quite yet. I will arrange for a bath and, pending the lord’s choice, you will stay here for the night."
He expected a protest, not the defeated sigh he got, "Fine."
"Fine?" he asked, incredulous.
"Yes, fine, if I can’t walk how can I run and if I can’t run than it’s not safe to spend the night in the forest. But I will do something to help; I won’t lie about and do nothing." She said, daring him to argue.
The butler kept his thoughts carefully hidden from his expression, but…truth be told it might be nice to have help that would actually do their work correctly. The other servants were complete idiots in his opinion, at least at housework. Meyrin and the cook both had experience with the military and guns. The maid used to be a high grade assassin before the Phantomhive lord brought her into his service.
You would think she would have at least a modicum of grace, but no, it was a rare day if she didn’t run into something or break something.
He took in her appearance, "Bath first and then maybe we can find something for you to do."