As You Wish

Alone

You wanted to cry as you left Ciel's bedroom, thankful that your presence there would not be needed as he dressed. As a woman, maid or accomplice, employee or equal, you were expected to give him his privacy.

You were determined not to remain discouraged. As you walked through the halls, meandering as you awaited further instruction, you passed several frames bearing images of every design. Beautiful, priceless artwork, paintings and pictures of ships, dignitaries, Shakespearean heroines all decorated the rich fabrics on the sturdy walls behind them. You paid no mind to most of the scenes, but as you passed one in particular, one which you'd never given much thought to before, or chose to ignore, you froze.

Vincent Phantomhive stood before a somewhat unattractive dog with an overly long snout. Ciel laughed, cheerfully smiling next to his father's feet as a beautiful woman sat, poised gracefully in an ornate chair beside her son. The Phantomhive Family portrait now was painful to look at. In the small bit of expensively attainted glass covering the faces of what used to be a happy family, you could see the faint semblance of your likeness. A thinly visible reflection hovered above the photograph underneath. You wiped a tear from your eye, as you thought back to what Ciel had said, imagining the look in Sebastian's face each time you all but broke down from pity, thinking about how he'd one day paint the tragic story even darker, staining the final pages crimson with the blood of the last of the heirs to what was once a great legacy.

You did see a trace of yourself in his mother. Perhaps long ago, she shared some of your lineage as well. She could be a Princess. She really was lovely. You sighed and continued to walk. The sun made the halls at least somewhat bearable. The dark mysteries which formerly enraptured your imagination and drove your mind wild now scared you. The lantern-lit allies you so yearned to traverse now were forbidden, as you knew what they held, what lurked within them. You wanted to be as shrouded in as many forms of light as possible from now until the day you died. You heard footsteps, signalling that your master had finished preparing for the day, and you turned to leave your place along the wall, amidst the forgotten relics of a more joyous yesterday.

You were thankful for your moment of solitude, so no one else saw your face blemished by tears, by doubt and weakness, but never regret. You did not live that way. You strived to never make a decision which would lead you to value someone else's advice over your own freewill. Not even a healthy fear of death would prevent you from doing what was best.

"My lady," You spun around, expecting to see Ciel standing beside the devil daring to call himself a man, and instead were met with only one detestable face. "if you would follow me, please."

"Where's Ciel?" You didn't move. "Why isn't he with you?"

"He's been picked up by his Aunt, The Lady Francis Midford and her daughter Elisabeth."

"His fiancé?" You did your best to downplay your surprise. If it wasn't strange enough that you'd never even met Elisabeth, despite the fact you'd like to have some other female company in the past months of male dominated semi-isolation, Ciel certainly cleared out of his home fast. You never even heard a carriage come. Furthermore, by reputation, Mistress Midford wasn't the quietest girl. That really resonated with you. You weren't the least effusive person yourself. You actually were somewhat hurt that you never were offered the opportunity to meet her, even as a maid, but you knew it was for the best, even if it wasn't ever explained. Oddly enough, despite your present confusion, you understood the underlying rationale behind it.

The fewer noblemen and women knew you were there, the less questions would be asked. Why else would Ciel always go away to spend time with her, when you knew in the past that she typically would show up randomly? Extra precautions seemed enough of an explanation alone, but not always. Nothing was ever exclusive at Phantomhive Manor, that was for sure, and very little of it was easily understood. "You mean he's not here?" You swallowed. How long would you have to be alone with Sebastian? The thought sickened you.

"No." He smirked, and you swore he suppressed a light laugh. "and he won't be back for a long time. They're planning on dining late together. The Lady Elizabeth organised the whole evening from start to finish. It's been a while since she's gotten her way. The Young Lord is not usually so accommodating." He moved a hand to his chin, almost musing, as if he couldn't place why his master would be kind to his beloved.

"What are we supposed to do until he gets back?" You scowled. "Did he give you any orders?"

"No, actually. He didn't give either of us any. We're free to do as we like for the night."

You glared at him before crossing your arms and stomping away. He followed you shamelessly as you stalked quickly towards the surprisingly nice room bequeathed unto you by your ever-so-glorious employer. "Good then. I'd like you to leave me alone." You slammed the door in his face.

You didn't hear him leave, or reply, but he did say something. Though, you couldn't appreciate the meaning behind it quite yet. That would change.

"As you wish, {Y/N}."