For What It's Worth

Bon Voyage

"There I think that's the last of the damned things." Astre put the last letter in the stack down harshly and dropped his pen with gusto, leaning back from the fancy mahogany table, to cross his arms over his chest in pride. 'It's not even 3pm yet. I wonder how Sebastian is faring.'

"Is everyone clear on their duties before we head out on our voyage?" Sebastian asked sternly, any and all traces of warmth from the prior night were gone. He was all professionalism with a bite. 

"I think we've pretty much got it Mr. Sebastian." Finny said nonchalantly while playing with a little robin he'd adopted recently.

Mey Rin nodded vigorously along with Tanaka while Bard smoked another cigarette. Lau said nothing while Ran Mao stared at him with her unblinking cold dead eyes while rubbing herself against the man underneath her. 

"Not good enough. Recite your daily duties for when Master Ciel and myself are away."

Tanaka straightened himself up to his full height and began. "Ensure there are no visitors permitted on the premises, check correspondence daily, and earmark anything from the Midfords or Queen Victoria."

Sebastian released a light breath. "Thank you Tanaka for always being professional. Possibly the only one in the bunch." His brown eyes narrowed slightly.

"My turn it is. Keep a sharp eye on the mountainside for any intruders afoot and clean glassware as needed without breaking any." 

"So you were paying attention. Precisely Mey Rin. You'll have to do far less cleaning without us present but I will not permit our Master to return to a pig sty either are we clear?"

"Crystal, yes."

Finny piped up next. "I will ensure the gardens don't die without causing issues myself and keep track of any unusual activity in the nearby caves and coast."

Sebastian's eyebrows raised as Finny usually wasn't this astute.

"Very good. Just do not touch the roses, they are maintained differently and your care isn't needed."

"I understand."

"Bard?"

"Hm?" 

"Your duties." His tone was clipped and unforgiving.

Bard cursed himself for paying more attention to Mey Rin as of late especially during this review of important duties.

She leaned towards him and whispered in his ear rapidly, smelling of daffodils and clean soap.

"You're to prepare a simple large meal once a day and check rooftops and the roadways for any unsolicited company."

Bard repeated what he told her and Sebastian deigned to comment on the fact he was merely parroting Mey Rin's advice. 

Before he could call on him Lau began speaking in his quiet, yet condescending snarky way. "Though I am not an official member of the house of Phantomhive, I have been assigned along with the lovely Ran Mao to take on any business of the Earl's bar any Queen's business while you two are away. I will be discreet and if there is anything extremely delicate, I am to wait for your return before proceeding."

"I am satisfied and expect that your promises will be far more than just lip service. The Master and I will leave at daybreak tomorrow morning." 

As the rest of the staff exited the room with varying degrees of enthusiasm, Lau handed Sebastian a packet. "The list of guests you requested. Good day butler." And he and his accompaniment were gone.

Though he longed to return to Astre's side, he needed to read this list quickly. Sebastian skimmed it with rapid precision. 'Just as I thought, no obvious hints.' In fact, most of the passengers he recognized from outings with Astre or from reading the papers as actual notable figures. It was possible Undertaker and even Astre's brother were on the list under different names but unlikely Elizabeth would manage passage. That was for the best after all, this assignment could get rather bloody and as much as he'd love it if Elizabeth were no longer a thorn in himself or his master's side, it wasn't what Astre wanted.