Red Hot Hell (a Kuroshitsuji fanfic)

Life in A New Household

Estelle frowned angrily as she wandered the halls of Phantomhive manor.

It wasn't that she had a chore to do -she had made it clear early on that she would only act like a servant in front of guests -nor was it the fact that she had no one to talk to. No, the reason for the vampire's stormy visage....

Sebastian beat her. Again.

Ever since she had properly fought the demon the night of the last Jack the Ripper murder, Estelle had been unwillingly recruited into the young Phantomhive's household by way of a promise. It seemed that the Faustian was aware that vampires unfailingly kept their word and made her bet on the outcome of their duel. Now because she lost, she was going to have to serve the noble until the contract was completed. And Lord knows how long that would take.

If it were up to the butler, he'd have her following him around everywhere he went.

But there was still a good side to being in the same mansion as her favorite characters: everything exciting happened near them, and she would have the first-row seat to any sort of activity happening in the manga. She couldn't wait to meet Soma and Agni!

But for now, there was something else to deal with: Marchioness Middleford was coming today.

Not that anyone knew as of yet, but the girl estimated that word would get out soon via the young master. Meanwhile, she had already taken a trip to the forest to arrange the bear encounter. That beast was farther away than she had previously thought.

In any case, the only way to perfectly predict the events happening would be to preserve the time-line. Sure, her presence would mix things up a bit, but everything should be fine on the whole.

Speaking of the time-line, Estelle wondered when the morning noises would start just as the kitchen exploded, a resounding crash was heard, and a wail from the garden erupted, all at the same time. Sighing indulgently to herself, the vampire made her way to the kitchen just as Sebastian arrived from down the hall.

Before she had been introduced to the other servants, the girl had to make some inconvenient but necessary changes to her lifestyle. Because her sole housemate was not a supernatural creature, she was unable to sleep during the day (which displeased her greatly, as the butler found seconds later) or show off her new custom-made coffin because it would scare poor May-Rin and Finny. Bard would've simply stared in frozen shock.

A few things about her appearance were changed too. Her black whites had to look more human, and a more conservative black dress was stitched up for her with comfortable heels. She smiled easily at the fakely cheerful demon, who had a not-so-subtle angry vein on his forehead.

"I'll take care of it," the girl interjected sweetly and trussed up the Afro-sporting chef while he took care of the ruined meal. Once he was done, Bard was untied.

The same treatment was conferred to the maid and gardener, and Estelle distinctly heard the young master muttering to himself. Quietly giggling to herself as she worked to obsessively clean every inch of the mansion, the vampire anticipated the Marchioness' scrutiny and made herself look so amazingly like a dull-faced servant that Sebastian had to do a double take.

She simply smiled blithely. "Acting the proper maid requires for me to look like one," the girl said.

Before he could reply, Ciel had called everyone out to the front hall. Estelle respectfully stood in line as a carriage turned into the lane outside. The humans could now hear it as well as the maid and butler did, the others getting a little more tense as the vehicle came to a stop. Two sets of footfalls clacked up the stone steps, with the querulous yet demanding sound of the knocker on the door. Sebastian opened it respectfully, and a pink blur whizzed by and attached itself to Ciel.

Estelle couldn't make sense of the high-pitched squeals the human girl was emitting, and didn't care to. However, Frances' stern voice ringing through the manor made the girl straighten up as if she were still back in the Fortress.

"Elizabeth! A lady should not be clinging to another human being in such a way, especially her fiance," the woman thundered as she strode forward. Marchioness Middleford had all the signs of a headstrong woman who was not afraid of speaking her mind (in the bounds of politeness, of course): Perfect posture, her head held high, and her eyes were a testament to her iron will. A woman worthy of respect in any of the vampire Circles.

Strong will was more desirable in a vampire female, as she must be able to hold onto her man in the few tense months of the Hunter's Season, their version of courting. If she found him unsatisfactory, it must be easy for said female to hold back any unwanted suitors while making way for her favorite's advances.

Vampire females were not as plentiful as demonesses, after all. They were a limited commodity.

The girl inwardly smiled as the scene unfolded before her. Yes, she and the Marchioness were going to get along quite splendidly, especially on the topic of Sebastian's appearance. He certainly did look lecherous with his bangs flopping around like that. Perhaps the lady would do something about it. Estelle hoped so.