Kuroshitsuji: The Contract from Birth [Ciel Phantomhive]

[34] Her Butler, Reunited

The second carriage ride was in all actuality the shortest ride of the three for one reason and for one reason only.

Our lovely companions had switched compartments with Adelina and I at the last minute, successfully saving us both from having to deal with her grandfather any longer.

I thanked whatever God was out there and prayed for the servants to have some type of patience.

"It's rather unbelievable how easy you are to pester, Ciel." Adelina noted as she flipped through her book, eyes scanning the pages with disinterest. The carriage came to a slow stop and I glanced out of the window, brushing off her comment.

Her nervous tics had begun to increase the more and more the closer we became to her uncle's estate, plucking at my pity for her string by string. It must have been a record with how long I had gone without making a cheeky response.

The view outside consisted of enormously tall trees and rather impressive garden placements that soon began to fade away into cobblestone and iron fences, leading up to a large and towering entrance gateway.

Abruptly, I was shoved away from the small curtained window and tossed carelessly against the cushioned seat. My head bumped slightly off the carriage wall and I growled in discomfort.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" I snapped angrily as I hurried to sit back up, hand rubbing at my temple.

Adelina looked at me and raised a brow.

"Did I do that?"

I narrowed my eyes at her and scowled. Her attention however was quickly caught again by the crowd of people that seemed to be waiting at the front doors and she again started to press her face against the glass annoyingly.

"You won't embarrass me, will you Ciel?" She asked me as her nose fogged up the window.

I scoffed and crossed my arms.

"You won't need me for that," I responded flatly.

Of course, my comment went entirely unnoticed.

"That's my Aunt Katherine." Adelina said with a point of her finger. "With her husband Bernard and my grandmother."

I glanced out and saw a rather short woman-- quite possibly shorter than ourselves-- standing between Adelina's grandmother and a large African-American man, who seemed to even further emphasize their petite sizes in comparison with his own.

Well-dressed and all bearing warm, kind smiles, I knew instantly that they had no knowledge of Rodric being the demon who would take Adelina's soul.

As I began to allow my curiosity to get the best of me, the carriage door clicked open and Sebastian stood on the other side, bowing with an arm extended.

"We've arrived, young Master." He announced with a smile that never seemed to entirely reach his eyes.

I placed the hat back on my head and waited for Adelina to step out before following closely, walking alongside her with my cane as she began to pick up her pace the closer we became to her family. The faint image of running towards my mother and father flashed before my eyes and I cringed at the sensation, ignoring the burning that had begun at my throat.

"We are so glad you could make it, darling," Katherine said with her arms extended, taking Adelina in a warm embrace. Her auburn curls reached to her collarbone and had eyes to match, along with the usual pale complexion my captor seemed to have.

I straightened my back as they all turned to me with the same smile.

"And who may this be?" Her grandmother asked softly. The gentleness in her voice loosened the tightness I had in my posture without my consent and I stood slightly taken aback, unable to respond for a moment.