Enraptured (A Ciel Phantomhive story)

Chapter I

       Her hands shook with visible anger as she sat alone at the massive Rosewood table, fingers trembling viciously against the balled up fist that lay beside her empty plate. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision slightly, but with a subtle shake of her head and tenacious blinks they dissolved into nothing; the girl took a deep breath in, closing her eyes before exhaling slowly through her mouth. The racing of her heart began to calm itself as she felt that if this continued it would burst right from her chest.

She smiled, though the light in her eyes had slowly drained away until nothing except an empty cavern remained in them, as she turned her attention to Salisbury, the chef, who stood nervously at the door at the end of the room, "It seems that Father will not be joining me for dinner tonight. You may bring it to me now Salisbury... Thank you."

The girl's father and Charles arrived at Lancaster manor around midnight; after dismissing Charles, her father retreated to his study. He sat at the old oak desk in his plush, red velvet armchair and began to set out the papers that he would work through until the pile was no more. No matter how long it took. But this night he was disturbed by a small girl knocking on the large wooden door of his study. Lithe, pale fingers twisted the handle until the door opened and she stood in front of her father at the other side of the room. She closed the door quietly and walked to where she was directly in front of her father's gargantuan desk, refusing to sit at one of the chairs placed in front of it as though she was some mere client of her fathers. The girl stood there in her white nightgown until her father finally acknowledged her presence and looked up, "Yes, dear?"

"You weren't at dinner." Her tone was so sharp and her voice so distant it was enough for him to pause. The atmosphere thickened slightly.

"No I was not."

"You never sent word that you wouldn't be attending dinner. That's been four nights in a row, Father."

He sighed and looked at the small girl in front of him. His daughter, who met his gaze with a cold stare, who, until a few years ago, would not have questioned even his poorest decision. He sighed and put his pen down, clasped his hands on the document before him and said, "I did not think it would be necessary, darling."

"It was rude."

"Come now-"

"You made me look like a fool in front of the staff!" It was the first time she had ever raised her voice to her father and in turn he stood up from his chair, leaning across his desk.

"Do not raise your voice to me again young lady. I am your father and I am the Lord of this house, I will be treated with respect," He slammed his large hand on his desk on the last word. He lowered his voice before continuing, "I was not aware that something so trivial bothered you."

"Well, it does. I deserve a level of respect and no matter your position, father, you should never mistreat me like that. You have done nothing but work for the past four months and have not once apologized for ignoring me."

Her father walked around his desk and attempted to put a hand on his daughters shoulder but she backed away. "Goodnight, father." And with that she left.

Her father stared at the door she left through for at least a minute before returning to his seat and continuing with his paperwork.

Four years later and the girl's father is no longer the Lord of the house. The girl herself is a far cry from the tiny 13 year old she once was. Her brother, now Lord of the house, has taken over that dreadful study that belonged to her father; God knows she didn't want it anyway, the room filled with childish nightmares. But on this day she yet again found herself in the room she tried so hard to stay clear of, sat at her brother Levi's side as he waited on his guest.