Falling Ashes (A Black Butler Fanfiction)

Greetings

'I wasn't meant to survive the fire, in fact, I almost didn't. If I hadn't had the ingenious idea of using the old fire blanket as a coat and sitting in the small attic shaft, I mightn't of made it out alive. I didn't mean to be 'lost' either, I was just scared of being found.

By the time everything was in ashes, the whole ordeal was over. I was in one of the second floor bedrooms, where I had fallen into from the attic. I remember someone yelling, not for help but for another person, then looking through a gaping hole in the floor to see three men rummaging through the remains, shouting and cheering when finding something they could salvage. I remember seeing Ciel too, he had run through the open entrance and skidded to a halt in front of some lumps. I hadn't known what they were at the time, only that Ciel seemed particularly interested in them.

Then, I heard Ciel scream. In seconds the same three men from before had thrown a flour sack over Ciel's head, picked his thrashing body up and gotten out of there. I sat for forever, or so I thought, until I was sure the men were gone. Then I found the remains of stairs that led me to the first floor. The floor groaned and creaked as I walked over to the two lumps Ciel had been inspecting. Too young to comprehend the situation, all I saw was Mama and Father 'sleeping' in awkward burnt angles on the ground. I had bent down to shake Mama when I'd heard thick, shouting voices in my direction and the loud sounds of heavy footsteps. I hadn't looked to see who it was, for fear it was the same men who took Ciel, instead I'd got up and sprinted. My tiny legs pulsed in pain as I'd sprinted to the forestry behind the manor. My lungs bursting with the uneven, quick burst of air I'd inhale then exhale. I had run to mine and Ciel's supposedly secret clearing without anyone following.'

"Cecelia!" I heard Sebastian's voice out in the hall. All I wanted was a bit of time to write but what I got was Ciel's petty deeds to carry out. I donned my apron, readjusted my dress, slipped my diary into the crack in the wall, then finally stepped out of the bathroom and into the hallway. I nearly ran into Sebastian, would've actually, but he'd caught my elbows instead.
"Aah, there you are Cecelia. Master requires you to prep his chambers and reorganise his desk, it must all be done by supper." He gave me a curt nod then left at a swift pace down the hall. I, in the most unladylike and immature manner, turned and quickly poked my tongue out at what I deemed as the most egotistical butler to ever serve us Phantomhives. Or rather, 'the only remaining Phantomhive', Earl Ciel Phantomhive. I felt guilty of my jealousy but pushed it aside as I ventured to my brothers chambers to clean up the inevitable mess.

The chamber was surprisingly clean when I arrived. All I did was strip the bed, remake it, clean out the wardrobe of dust balls, open the curtains and shake out the rug. I was satisfied with the place and turned around on my heel. I gasped quickly at the sight my eyes locked upon, that of myself in Ciel's mirror (that I'd stupidly forgot was there). I didn't look like what I used to. Three years had changed me and I looked mature for my age. My old, bluish locks had been trimmed to a neat pixie cut and my green eyes seemed darker, saddened even. I studied my reflection which looked back at me with the same bemused look, as if to say, Who are you? Why are you looking like me but feeling like the complete opposite?

I sighed quietly before I heard the click of the bedroom chambers door opening and Ciel walking in, huffing and puffing about some factory mixup. I gasped at the sight of him, his hair tousled and covered with brown water and sticks. His neat new suit that I'd had delivered for his big meeting today was crumpled, soaked in mud and ripped in the elbows. I didn't move from my spot though, obeying the natural orders of 'When the Earl enters the room, no matter your continuous job to uphold, you must acknowledge his presence and wait for any orders from himself before continuing your own.' Ciel glanced for a minute at me before taking his coat off.
"Cecelia," he said in the most disgusted tone I'd heard, like my name was poison on his tongue, "run me a bath, quick. Oh, and get the groceries once you've finished everything up, Sebastian will know what we need."
I made mental notes of the orders and in which order to carry them out, then left to run the Earls bath as desired. I felt Ceil's eyes follow me as I left the room, almost boring into the back of my neck.