Her Charge; His Prey (A Black Butler Fanfic)

Her Charge; Crumbling Down

"Young Master!" Anastasia called as Ciel ran down a busy street in London. Ciel ignored his caretaker, laughing as he caught up with his parents. Stopping he breathed heavily before looking up at his mother who was containing her laughs as she watched the young boy. "Honestly Young Master, you know better than to run in such cold weather." Anastasia scolded, "What if you irritate your asthma? Then you could not celebrate tonight!"

"But Anya!" Ciel whined, "It's my birthday! I couldn't miss my own birthday!"

"Yes you could Young Master, you would have to stay in bed." Ciel frowned at that thought.

"Oh alright." Ciel mumbled. Anastasia sighed and tightened her little cubs red shawl. She ruffled his hair and apologized to her mistress who just waved it off as she found it quite entertaining. Ciel grasped both of the womens hands as they walked back to the carriage.

On the way home Ciel fell asleep on Anastasia's lap as she stroked his dark blue hair. Smiling to herself she turned her gaze from the 10 year old Ciel to her employer, Rachel Phantomhive. Rachel had told Anastasia earlier today to always stay by his side, to always be there for him, and to never leave him. Anastasia had quickly agreed without hesitation.

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Back at the manor Ciel had woken up and spent time with his parents which gave Anastasia time to finish preparing her Young Masters present. Anastasia had made Ciel a bear plush with her contract symbol on the bottom of the front right paw. She delicately stitched it together, finishing with the contract symbol; a bear paw within a rose. Smiling at her work she went and put the gift on Ciel's bed where he would find it later that night.

As the day turned to evening the Phantomhive household celebrated the young child's birthday, finishing it with an extravagant chocolate cake made by the cook. With Ciels energy waning and his face a mess, Anastasia took her little cub upstairs to his room to clean him up and prepare him for bed. Ciels energy momentarily returned when he saw what lay on his bed, hurrying over to large canopy bed Ciel grabbed the bear and turned to Anastasia who smiled at him, "Happy birthday Young Master." Ciel smiled and hugged his second mother figure tightly while muttering 'thank yous'. As Anastasia hugged him back they heard glass breaking down stairs.

"Stay here Young Master." Anastasia spoke as she hurried to the door. Throwing the door open she saw flames rising from the ground floor, wide eyed she grabbed Ciel and ran through the manor to his fathers study. Anastasia broke down the door only to see both Rachel and Vincent dead. Ciel gasped as he stepped around Anastasias body, still clutching the bear. Anastasia hearing Ciel snapped out of her trance and grabbed him running toward the exit. The fire spread fast, very fast, as Anastasia clutched her master to her body and dodged falling pieces of ceiling. Bursting through the door she tripped and skidded against the hard ground effectively gaining more injuries while protecting the child in her arms. Looking up both saw the manor they had called home engulfed in an inferno. 

Suddenly, it was dark for both of them.

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Ciel awoke to being in a cage alone. As he realized this he frantically searched for Anastasia only to see her in the center of the dark room, unconscious, surrounded by people in robes. The robed people were chanting ominously while one held a small porcelain bear. Screaming, Ciel could only watch as his caretaker, his second mother, was somehow pulled into the bear. He watched as the bears eyes glowed green before dimming and becoming the plain white, matching the rest of the bear. 

"The brat's awake I see," The robed man holding the statue bent down to look at the terrified Phantomhive, "Here kid, happy birthday!" He chuckled throwing the statue at Ciel. Diving to catch it Ciel scraped his elbows as the bear came to rest in his hands. It was warm. Ciel looked at the white statue before hugging it close to him and crying out for Anya, unknowing of the torture to come.

 * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *>TIME SKIP<* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

A month had passed and Ciel had endured unspeakable torture. Being branded with the symbol of a "noble beast" as the robed men had called it was the most recent. Today he was dragged out of his cage and into a room with an altar. Strapped down the altar Ciel watched the men as they brought out a knife. Trembling in the straps as he could only watch as the knife came closer to him before it finally impaled him; then everything went dark.

Ciel opened his eyes as he heard a chuckle. Feathers were falling around him and a crow was perched on a tree branch. "Do you wish to make a contract?" The voice spoke, it sent chills up Ciels spine. "Do you wish to make a contract and have your wishes granted?" The voice was amused.

"I want the power to take revenge on those who did this to me!" Ciel yells.

"Very well. The contract seal must be placed on your body, the more visible it is the more powerful. Where would you like it located?" The voice asks Ciel.

"Anywhere! I want power stronger than anyone else!" 

"My, you are greedy," says the voice, "I will place it on your right eye then. Young Master."

Ciel screams in agony as the seal forms on his right eye. Shutting his eyes in pain only to have them snap open again as he finds himself free of the straps and the men yelling their wishes to the demon beside him. 

"Your orders, Young Master?"

"Kill them all."

The demon smiles darkly, "As you wish, Young Master." 

Ciel, free of his straps, climbs down from the altar clutching the red cloth and stumbles toward his cage. He looks at the statue sadly before grabbing it and turing around only to see the demon. "What is your name, demon?"

"That is up to you, Young Master." Ciel thought back to his family dog, Sebastian, and remembered how loyal he was.

"Sebastian. Sebastian Michaelis." Ciel states finally looking at the demon. He is very tall, looming over Ciels height of 5 feet, with raven colored hair, and dark red eyes. Sebastian watches his new master with a smirk, he can smell his delicious soul. "Sebastian, get me out of here and burn this place down."

"Very good." Sebastian bows before sweeping Ciel into his arms and jumping out of the building. Landing on the ground Sebastian looks down at his new master, who looked deep in thought. "Young Master?"

"Sebastian, I order you to protect and never betray me, to obey my orders no matter what, and to never lie to me!" Ciel's eyes were cold, with no hint of the childish mirth that used to reside in them. Sebastian put Ciel down then knelt with his head down and his right hand over his heart before speaking,

"As you wish, Young Master."