His Butler, Faithful

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Black Butler or its original characters

The cold winds swept through London that day, littering the streets with snow dust and discarded trash- some of which stuck to Ciel Phantomhive’s boot as he strolled through that morning. A lanky man wearing an amused expression flanked his right, while a girlish boy darting his eyes this way and that flanked his left. 

Ciel, as usual, was looking rather sour, though today even more so. “Remind me again why we brought Finny along with us?” he demanded of the dark man, better known as Sebastian Michaelis: the Phantomhive family’s new butler.

“Why young master,” Sebastian said, “Finny insisted on trimming the hedges if we had left him at home. We couldn’t have that when the Marchioness of Midford is visiting today with her daughter.”

“Do not remind me,” Ciel growled, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. The last time Aunt Francis visited his estate, Three of his servants managed to destroy the three places in which Sebastian had planned to store her and her daughter- his fiancée- for entertainment, thus forcing Ciel to partake in a challenge to hunting. He lost against dear Auntie, naturally.

Sebastian retrieved his pocket watch and clucked at the time. “We have six hours and thirty minutes until her arrival. We must hurry, for I still must prepare dinner, set the table, clean up the garden, and tidy the parlor.”

“I don’t care about how many chores you have, Sebastian,” Ciel barked. “I was sent to investigate the strange killings that had been taking place on the outskirts of London. They take top priority.”

“Yes, young master,” the butler replied, bowing slightly. “You are the Queen’s watchdog, after all.”

“Hmpf,” was Ciel’s response as they continued onward. Indeed, these killings are strange. The first began with a woman who was poisoned. But, thanks to Sebastian’s observations, there was something odd about the way she was killed: firstly, she had been placed in a glass case with flowers tucked into her closed fists, as if the killer had prepared for her funeral. Secondly, a half-eaten apple was found at her lodging, bearing traces of the poison that killed her. The next killing was a little more gruesome. It was a little girl who’d been torn to shreds, a red cloak draped over her body. The latest killing was what drove Ciel to his current destination: a woman was found bled to death due to her lack of hands.

Ciel found the place and opened the door, a small bell tinkling as it closed behind him and his company. An old man with kind brown eyes was perched behind a large mahogany desk. This was framed by a myriad of bookshelves stacked neatly throughout the small shop. If Ciel heightened his hearing, he could hear footsteps flitting about above them.

“Good morning!” the old man chirped, his thick mustache bristling with his breath. “Welcome to Bullfinch Books!”

“I’ve come looking for a-” Ciel began, when Finny cried out in his feminine voice:

“Oh my! What lovely pictures!” He scurried to a section of the shop and snatched a colorful book from the middle shelf.

“Retrieve him,” the young lord sighed.

“Of course, young master,” Sebastian obliged. He appeared over Finny in an instant, smiling brightly at him whilst taking him by the collar. “Come along,” he said, dragging Finny back to their master.

“As I was saying,” Ciel continued, “I came here looking for fairy tales.”