Home, Home on the…something. Kat wasn’t entirely sure that the Phantomhive Estate would count as a range of any kind. It was such a pain in the tail feathers, ever since they had gotten back she had had to keep up with her training as best as she could and not neglect her other duties.
So now it wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary to find her up at around three in the morning, well before anyone else in the household was awake.
Maybe it was the quiet that was getting to her; she just couldn’t take it anymore! The Earl had received no new information on the kidnapper that was still taking girls off the street in London and so had not yet given Kat any new orders regarding the man. It’s not like I didn’t offer to find some information myself. She thought sullenly as she pruned a dead rose from its moorings. I need to find something to do, I’d do almost anything, and I’d even go out wearing those high heel death traps, just to get out of this boring place!
Kat straightened, and laughed that was a ridiculous idea, the fact that she, a commoner, had danced with some of England’s most elite was already more than scandalous.
“Kat! Kat, we got a problem up in the kitchen, Sebastian said he needs you r help there right now!” Vinnie called from the kitchen door.
Dusting off her pants as she went Kat pulled off her dirty work gloves, what on earth? Normally, he never asks for help so blatantly. Lost in her thoughts she didn’t notice someone was in her way until she ran right into the person. “Oh, I’m sorry.” Who is this?
The big man blinked for a moment before smiling down at her, “It is no issue, it is I who should have been watching.”
“Kat, this is Agni, he is the servant of the Indian Prince Soma, and he will be staying here at the manor along with his master, during their stay.” Sebastian thrust a stack of trays in her hands, “Take these and scrub them, Baldroy seems to have disappeared along with those other fools.”
“Now, Master Sebastian, that is not kind to speak of your comrades in such a manner. Here,” he took the trays form Kat’s arms, “I can polish these for you.”
“You don’t have to.”
He smiled the white of his teeth vivid against the tanned skin of his face, “It is perfectly fine, I cannot lie idle while others work.”
Kat hesitated; she did have other things she had been assigned for the day, “Are you sure?”
“I am sure.”
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“Sir Agni, you seem rather preoccupied today. Is there something the matter?” Sebastian plunged his hands back into the tub of hot water, searching for stray silverware that lay at the bottom.
“No, Master Sebastian I…I suppose I am, that young lady was rather lovely wasn’t she? When did she come to work here?” Agni polished the silver serving tray, a slightly glazed look in his eye.
A touch of anger spread through Sebastian at the Indian’s words, what right did he have to call Kat lovely, really? His annoyance crept into his tone, “I’m not sure about the lovely part, but she came to work for us around a year ago.”
“Really, how did she come to be here? She is not like the other servants here.”
Sebastian cut him a look from the side, “Are you implying something, sir? No, forget it, you are right Kat is not like the other servants, she is actually competent. I would like to wonder though, are you interested in her?” Agni didn’t answer right away so the butler went on, “I would wonder if you could be interested in her and serve your prince at the same time?”
Agni placed the last of the trays on a neat pile, “No, I believe she is a beautiful woman, and that I could not put someone else before my prince, but …do you think she likes curry?”
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What on earth is going on here? Then tension in the room was almost tangible, she could have cut it with a knife.
And it all seemed to be emanating from one person….
Whoever got on Sebastian’s bad side….oh, boy, I pity that fool. The tension creator himself directed a deathly glare in her direction from across the dining table, making her jump, “Yes?”
“Don’t dawdle;put the meal on the table, properly, if you don’t mind.”
Kat bit her tongue, it would do no good, to talk back, and in fact it would probably be counterproductive. “Yes, sir.” He growled something under his breath, but continued his last minute polishing of the silverware.
Carefully she laid out the roast orange chicken, baked potatoes, and ‘doctored’ green beans. It was a simple meal as far as the Phantomhive meals usually went but the Earl had ordered this specifically for today, it seemed he preferred the way Kat made the green beans and potatoes.
“Miss?” The door cracked open slowly, revealing the tall, white haired man behind it. Agni smiled weakly, “I have made something, would you care to sample it?”
Huh? Me? Kat blinked in confusion, why me? A shiver went down her spine and she glanced over her shoulder at Sebastian who seemingly ignored the rooms other occupants. Why do I feel like a trapped rat?
“Miss?”
Right, someone’s speaking to me, answer. “Um, sure, but later, alright, I have to finish my work first.”
The smile flashed again, “Thank you miss, you will not be disappointed.”, and then he disappeared back into the hallway.
“Will you kindly, get back to work, miss?” Sebastian sneered the word.
Okay, hold on wait. Why am I getting the attitude all of a sudden? I could understand it if things weren’t done and I wasn’t working on them but…”What’s your problem today? Your acting like…I don’t know, I did something wrong.”
He polished the spoon he was holding with even more fervor, “You have done something you haven’t finished your work, now kindly finish quietly.”
Kat bit her tongue so hard it bled, to keep from saying anything. What was his problem today? No matter, I’ll get my work done and then go, there’s no reason for me to hang around with Mr. Grump here.
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Would you care to try it? Why maybe I would. Oh, SPLENDID! Sebastian knew a foul expression was on his face, but for the world of him he couldn’t make it disappear. It was maddening! How could she so calmly accept?! If I had asked her, would she say the same? I don’t imagine she would, she probably fancies him.
“Sebastian, if you are upset about him, challenge him, you can make a curry just as fine as his, you know. You beat him once.” Ciel remarked softly, sipping his Darjeeling. “I grow weary of this aura of yours.”
“My lord?” Its none of your business, do not interfere. “I have no inclination of challenging him, there is no problem to be resolved that way.”
The Earl smirked up at the butler, “Rubbish, anyone with eyes can see you are jealous of him. If only for the fact she listens and speaks to him the same way she does you. Now, just challenge him to a curry contest, impress her, and that will be the end of it.”
“My Lord it is not-” The Earl cut him a scathing glance. “Very well Sir.” Inwardly the butler seethed. He hated to be pushed into competition; the boy’s words frightened him though. Was he really jealous, of Agni?
Ridiculous, there is no one that comes before the Earl, therefore there is no way I can be jealous. It will be a simple challenge of ability. And he told the boy so, so that he sat, sipping his tea in silence.
“Oh, by the way, Lizzie may be coming to visit tomorrow, something about a ball in London. I believe she will wish us to attend, you may serve your curry there.” The Earl glanced up at the butler, “Unless the person who eats it is important.”
“No, sir. I am a butler to the core; the only one I serve is you.”
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Kat blinked and just stared, that’s all she could do, for she was so surprised, “You want to what?”
Ciel snorted in disgust, “I know your hearing is not that bad, Lizzie will be hosting another ball in London tomorrow and she wants you to attend. Do I need to repeat myself?”
“No sir.” I would love to know why though…
“She will be arriving at around eleven-o-clock; you will leave with her around then.”
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“Miss Elizabeth are you sure it’s a good idea for me to leave without telling Sebastian or the Earl?”
The young noble waved the question away as the coach sped over a bump making Kat’s stomach lurch, “Ciel knows your with me, I told him I would be stealing you away, its fine. Umm….Kat, why do you look so pale?”
Gilded carriage wheels hit another bump in the road making Kat’s stomach roll, why did they have to ride in a carriage? It would be so much simpler to walk. “It’s nothing.”
“Well that’s good, because I wanted to tell you about your dress. Oh, Kat, I know you’ll love it, Ciel even helped to pick it out. It’s-”
Wait, what? Since when did the Earl shop? “Pardon me, but did you say the Earl helped to choose the dress?”
Lizzie nodded, “Yes, he did. He was going to pick a black ball gown but I wasn’t going to have that, black is so not cute. So we finally settled on a pink one, we decided if I choose the color Ciel would choose the style and the color is so much more important than the style, so I choose that.”
The bumping of the carriage wheels slowed easing the churning of her stomach. “Are we here already?”
Before Lizzie could reply, the door was jerked open and a footman bowed to the two women, “My Lady, if you will?” He gestured down the steps.
Taking her hand, Lizzie tugged Kat out of the carriage, for which she was grateful, and towards Miss Elizabeth’s manor home.
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1000 reads thank you all! As a reward for your tottal awesomeness I am going to be publishing a series of shorts featuring Kat, Sebastian, and crew. If you have an ideaPM me and let me know what your thinking. I will be posting within this story. If you think thats a bad idea let me know. Last order of buisness, Chapter Overview: Thee's another ball and the mysterious lady (Kat) is expected to make an appearance. Plusthere are several other suprisescoming our way. Last word...Tango!
-Shadowquill