~His Butler, Unreliable~

Ciel's POV #11

AN: Cause, it's high time that I updated this story so...yeah.
Enjoy, friends! :D

Three weeks later, I finally packed up my limited belongings and Sebastian and I said our 'goodbyes' to my aunt Red, our only a few weeks old daughter Raya, held tightly in my small arms.
In a way it both relieved me and upset me to finally be going back to England. Mainly because, I had actually kind of missed the other Phantomhive servants and because (as Sebastian had informed me a week prior) my parents were expecting me to just accept their decision to marry my cousin Elizabeth when I had at last returned home.
But, what they didn't know was that I had no such intentions of going along with their plan because, I now had a child to take care of and a man who loved me more than I'd probably ever love myself.
So, that was why as we approached our first stop, the Trancy manor, I felt an intense feeling of apprehension pull at my gut, as if doing this, leaving my baby here, was a bad thing.
I of course, chose to ignore it and instead rapped my gloved knuckles lightly against the door, waiting for Alois or even his butler Claude to answer it.
"Oh! Hi, Ciel!", Alois greeted, cheerfully as he pushed the door open wider, so that I could step inside.
Striding into the manor's front room, I took a moment to gaze at the intricate paintings he had displayed on the walls, before then returning my attention to the little bundle cradled in my arms.
"Is that her?", he asked, as if he were uncertain and thought it to be anything but my still fairly new-born daughter.
Smiling slightly, I nodded, walking over to him so that I could carefully place her in his own much longer arms.
"Yes. Her name is Raya. Raya Angelina Rachel Michaelis."
Alois didn't say anything for a long moment, just stared down at my baby daughter now cradled in his arms and grinned.
"She's a real beaut, Ciel. Damn, you're gonna have a time with all those other little boys who are going to take quite a fancy to her. I hope you're prepared..."
Rolling my eyes, I let out a nervous chuckle.
"Well, we won't have to worry about that for a long time, yet."
"Indeed. I'm getting far too ahead of myself. She can't even walk, yet."
"That's not what I meant and you know it!", I exclaimed, causing Raya to stir slightly in Alois' arms at the sound of my voice.
To my relief, the Trancy boy immediately began to rock her back and forth slowly, until we both heard the distinct, tell-tale sounds of soft, slow breathing, which could only mean that my half-demon/half-human child was sleeping.
Alois eyes fixed on the still open door and he sighed, adjusting his hold on the infant.
"I suppose you should be going. No doubt, your mother will cause quite a ruckus upon your return to the manor..."
I nodded, but kept my one visible, uncovered eye on Raya, even as Alois yelled suddenly for Claude in a harsh-sounding whisper to bring the spare bassinet into the front parlour so that he could relieve his sore arms.
Chuckling, I gave him a 'really?' look.
"Not used to holding a baby, Trancy?"
He shook his head and to my complete surprise and utter shock, I saw tears forming in his eyes.
"N-No, not since, Luca..."
My smile quickly faded at that and I started to hurriedly apologize to my best friend, but he shook his head again and sighed.
"C-Ciel, it's okay. I'm not mad."
A pause, Claude entered then wheeling in the bassinet.
"Honestly. It was so long ago. God, I hardly even remember it!"
I nodded, still very much unconvinced, but dismissed the matter due to the fact it was getting rather late and Sebastian was waiting for me in the carriage.
"Alright, well I have to be on my way now, Trancy. If you need anything or if Raya needs anything, don't hesitate to call the manor. Sebastian is the only one who answers my family's telephone, so it's pretty much a guarantee that he'll pick up."
My friend gave me a slight nod of understanding and then gently set my daughter down into the bassinet, pulling the little, velvet, pink blanket up over her tiny, pale body.
Pale.
She was pale.
Just like Sebastian and I...
I sighed, going over to her one last time and reaching down to stroke her little head of ebony locks.
She let out a contented breath of air which tickled against my gloved hand, causing me to let forth a small laugh.
Then, I kissed her soft, fuzzy head, silently hoping that the touch of my lips against her warm skin, would somehow remain there until I could once again see her and hold her close to me, once more.
But, of course that was just a preposterous thought on my part.
Sighing, I finally stepped away from the bassinet and began to walk back towards the door.
"Don't worry, Ciel. I promise she's in good hands.", Alois reassured me, as he grabbed my hand briefly, causing my gaze to dart up to his face.
There I saw a kind, thoughtful look that for the longest time since I'd known him, seemed so unlike Alois, that for a second, I thought I dreamed the whole thing.
But, truly I hadn't and that suddenly gave me such an overwhelming relief that I smiled and turned fully around so that I could hug him.
He looked startled, but quickly hugged me back, taking careful heed to not squeeze me too tightly, or my still very sore abdominal muscles would've complained and that was the last thing I wanted.
"Well, I guess I'll see you later, then. Is five-thirty alright for dinner?"
"Five-thirty is fine, Ciel."
I smiled.
"Okay then, I'll see you at five-thirty then, Alois."
My best friend nodded, his attention going back to my daughter sleeping in the bassinet.
"Oh, and try not to be late, or Raya might start crying for you. And, I really don't want that."
I laughed, nodding, as I began my descent down the small front steps.
"Goodbye, Alois!", I then said, yelling out of the open carriage window to my friend.
For a moment, I thought I saw the hazy image of a blond-haired boy waving, with a baby cradled in his other arm. But, when I glanced back, I only saw the Trancy manor, its door now firmly shut.
"I trust that your business with Alois went alright?", Sebastian then asked, startling me from my staring.
Nodding, I sighed and moved to the other side of the carriage, so that I could sit in his lap.
He chuckled as I looked up at him, my visible eye that wasn't hidden by my eyepatch, beginning to droop due to my lack of sleep the night before.
"You're awfully affectionate, today? Any particular reason?"
I shook my head and nuzzled my face into his overcoat, so that I could faintly detect the smell of ivory soap mixed with lavender.
I inhaled the intoxicatingly sweet yet strong aroma, wishing that I could've just stayed at the Trancy manor and taken a much needed nap with Sebastian.
But of course, I had other somehow, more important matters to attend to.
Like, seeing my parents...
With a groan, I closed my eyes and fell into a restful sleep.
My thoughts still of Raya at my friend's home, and of what my parents would say when I told them that I was going to call the engagement off with Lizzy, as I lay against my butler's chest, enjoying the quiet stillness around us, before I'd be forced to wake up to reality, again.