Call Me "Master"

1| Call Me "Lucky"

Ciel Phantomhive, son to the Earl Phantomhive, stood on the stage with all of the other males to be sold. He was of noble blood. He was worth more than the rest. Many masked individuals walked by him. He glared at each one. How had he gotten here? How had he fallen from being a nobleman? The Queen giveth and the Queen taketh away.

"How much?" a man dressed in black with a mask similar to that one would wear to a ball asked the horrid question.

"You don't want that one, Sir. He is a troublemaker, he is," the woman tried to persuade him. He didn't listen.

"I said, how much?" he repeated. The woman listed Ciel's price. It wasn't that expensive. Ciel frowned. This business was a tricky one. If it were up to him, he would be sold for a higher price given his noble blood. But, it wasn't up to him. His price decreased due to his record of bad behavior. 

Ciel was bought and unchained. The maid grabbed him and forced him to follow the masked man. His wrists were bruised. He'd been in shackles for such a long time. Normally, Ciel would fight back and cause a ruckus. He would make it so whoever bought him brought him back and traded him in. Ciel wasn't a servant. He was a nobleman. He wouldn't allow himself to be downgraded like this. But, Ciel was tired. He just wanted to die, quite frankly. He just wanted to disappear into nothingness. It didn't matter to him what happened anymore. 

"What is your name?" the man asked as Ciel was thrown into his carriage. The man sat in a dignified pose. His hands were folded on his lap. His legs were crossed. His posture was fantastic. This wasn't a servant out buying more servants. This was the master himself. Ciel suddenly felt the urge to be on his best behavior. This was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Did Ciel honestly want to impress his buyer? Ridiculous. 

"Ciel," he replied.

"Ciel," the man repeated. "Fair is fair, I suppose. My name is Sebastian," the man took off his mask. Ciel couldn't help but stare. His eyes were a brilliant shade of red. They seemed to stand out all the more without the mask. His hair was a silky shade of black. It was a comfortable untidy. Hair was in his face but not too in his face. Ciel approved. But, he couldn't help but imagine what it would be like slicked back. 

"I am the master of the Michaelis estate," he spoke. "Not that you would know where or what that is. You see there," he pointed outside to the mystical woods. Ciel wasn't born yesterday. He had been around to hear the terrible rumors of that place. "Your kind love to make up stories about my home," he sighed and looked back at Ciel. 

"You live in the woods?" It must be Ciel's lucky day. Everything was going wrong. He didn't want to step one foot inside that place, let alone live in it. 

"I do more than that," Sebastian replied. "I own it. Well, I own part of it. Unfortunately, I lost a battle a while back so now the forest is divided into sections. In any case, you are to refer to me as 'Master.' I don't require much of you. Just to make me tea at exactly 3 pm and to draw my bath at exactly 10 pm. You are not to enter my office after dark or attempt to see me after the sun goes down. Knock on my office door exactly three times to inform me my bath is ready. Here is a pocket watch you can use," Sebastian held out his hand. Ciel grabbed the silver pocket watch. It had a detailed engraving on it. Ciel quite liked the picture. He checked the time and noticed a different engraving inside. 

"May I ask who 'Stephan Michaelis' is?" Ciel inquired. 

"You can see the name?" Sebastian answered his question with a question. Ciel nodded. "Do you have noble blood?" Ciel nodded again. Sebastian snicked. "Leave it to me to get a human with noble blood," he laughed and looked out the window. "No, you may not ask who Stephan is," his eyes filled with sorrow. Sebastian didn't say another word until the two arrived at the estate. Ciel's new owner exited the carriage first. He helped Ciel down, like the gentleman he was, and opened the door to his home. Ciel looked towards the forest before entering. That's when he noticed, the carriage didn't have a driver. The horse got them here all on its own. 

Ciel pushed his fear to the depths of his mind. He wasn't going to think about it. This place was mystical. Of course horses were more intelligent than the ones he knew. What he didn't think about; however, was the possibility that his master might be anything but a human. 

Sebastian began to lead Ciel around the estate. He gave him specific instructions on the rooms he wasn't allowed to enter, how he was supposed to make tea, and how he was supposed to prepare the bath. Everything was so detailed Ciel found himself wishing he could take notes. There would be no way he could remember all of this. He would just have to try his best. 

"It's almost dark," Sebastian checked his own pocket watch. Ciel realized that it was identical to the one he was given. "You should rest for tonight. I doubt you remember the last time you've slept in a real bed," Sebastian turned sharply on his heel and left. Ciel stood in the hallway all alone. This manor was ominous. Something about it didn't set right with him. Ciel looked at the ground. He almost screamed at the sight of blood inching towards him. Ciel stared as the blood covered his worn shoes. He blinked. He blinked again. The blood was gone. What was that? Was it an illusion? Ciel looked at the walls. Blood poured out of the ceiling and inched towards the floor. He rubbed his eyes. It was gone. This must be his imagination playing tricks on him. He had to get back to his room. 

Ciel ran. He wasn't quite certain of where he was going but he ran there anyway. This place was cursed. He could feel it. Ciel wanted nothing more than to run away. But he couldn't. Sebastian was now his master. If he left, he would surely die. Besides, where was he going to go in these woods? They were just as haunted as this manor. Who knows what evil lurks here?