The Lady Shadowhive and her demon butler Lucius Dracovich

Home Sweet Home

Lucius's POV

My mistress was so exhausted from the crazy adventure that was named a nice stay at the Trancy Manor. Ha, nice stay my foot if the stupid boy thought scaring her would make her want him, he knew nothing about women and even less about my lady. ​Nn... Ciel. I looked down at my mistress as i held her in my arms as the carriage continued driving down the road towards the Shadowhive Estate. I smiled at her as i brushed the bangs from her face and retucked them behind her soft and delicate ears. How she looked so peaceful when she slept, that is when her dreams were sweet. I wonder what she's dreaming about, it must be about that phantom hive earl since she muttered his name sleepily. I peered into her thoughts and saw her and the young lord back in the archery range drinking tea and smiling together. Ahh she's remembering when the young earl was so bold as to challenge her for a competition in order to gain a kiss from her. I chuckled softly as i turned my attention to the scenery outside my window. I wonder what it was that my mistress stared at so deep in thought whenever she looked out the window. Maybe some sense of nostalgia from the carriage ride two years ago. The home came into view as my mistress started moving slightly waking from her slumber.

"nn.. where are we?"

She asked in a voice that sounded strained from exhaustion. She must be running off of fumes from all the excitement she endured these past few days.

"We are approaching the front steps of the estate my lady."

She sat up rubbing her eyes and fixing her hair as she cleared her throat of any remaining sleep that threatened to coat her voice. The carriage stopped in front of the estate and she looked at it smiling. I could tell she was elated to be back at her home, and i did not blame her for feeling as such since she went through so much. She left the carriage and was greeted by her servants as they did each time she returned from leaving the manor. My lady ignored them though as she made her way straight for the office. No doubt to work on the Trancy file and write her opinion, a rather nasty one at that i believe, on the lines that remained blank. The servants were baffled by her cold demeanor, but i thought it normal since she only acted cheerful in front of the servants so that they would not pester her with attempts of lifting her spirits. I gave the luggage to the other servants and ordered them to take them to her room. I walked in after them as they scurried on to their chores and jobs while i made my way to the kitchen to prepare her tea. I inspected the estate as i walked through it making sure not a spec of dust adorned the walls or furnishings, that no dirt traced the floors or carpet and that everything was were it should be. I pushed the door of the kitchen open and saw the kitchen maid hard at work as she cleaned the counters and wiped the glass as a kettle sat upon the stove on the verge of whistling out steam. I moved around the kitchen gathering the rose tea leaf blend she enjoyed most and scooped the proper amount into the pot for them to be steeped in the hot water. The maid must have taken notice of my presence for when i went to the cabinet to retrieve the teapot that i would pour the tea into, she had poured the hot water into the pot and began stirring it slowly so that the leaves may steep faster.

"Do not stir them...."

I said coldly making the maid jump away as i took the spoon from her and spun the opposite way to still the water within.

"If you stir the leaves the water may change to the color of the tea, but the full flavor will not blend into the water as it should... now go about your work."

"y..y..yes m.. mr. dracovich."

She took off in a hurry as i smiled to myself, it was too much fun to scare the other servants and it provided me with much entertainment. I watched as the leaves finished spreading throughout the water and then poured it into the proper tea pot and placed it on the tray next to the creamer and empty tea cup arranged upon it. I picked the tray off and made my way to her study where she was probably writing with rapidity about her new information regarding the Earl Trancy. As i walked through the halls i remembered the letter sent to her by the queen which was the reason we ever went to the Trancy Manor. I better remind her to send the queen a letter confirming his identity as the Earl Trancy. I opened the doors and announced my entrance with her tea but she didn't raise her head from her writing. She was sitting in her desk chair that was placed in front of a large window behind the desk that looked out to the main drive and a small portion of her garden. The desk she wrote upon was of a dark wood with a glass covering to keep the pen from scratching and engraving words into the wood itself from the pressure of her writing. A small lamp as well as some other pens were upon this desk as she continued writing quickly on the folder she held under her hand. I came to the side of her and placed the tray down slowly so that it would not make a clinking sound when it came in contact with the glass. I poured the tea into a cup and then added two small scoops of sugar as well as some milk into the cup before placing it before her.

"Young mistress, the tea blend i have prepared for you is your favorite. The delicate Sunset Rose tea, along with some simple biscuits to enjoy it with should you feel hungry."

She put the pen down and leaned back in her chair sighing. I never understood why she did it, but when she was writing quickly she sometimes held her breath until she finished. It was a strange thing for her to do, but i did not see a need to point out her little quirk. She took the cup in her hand slowly and smelled the rich fragrance of the tea, a small smile forming across her lips. She took a small sip and relaxed even more into her chair as she drank the tea. I stood by her chair in silence staring at the door while she continued working on her notes and drank the tea every now and then. The words filled the pages as she worked on other files that were scattered across her desk. Her hand went over the letter sent to her by the queen and she stopped as she looked at it for a moment or two her mind filling with thoughts. She sighed and took out a clean sheet of parchment and began writing down her report to the queen.

My Dear Queen,

I wish to report to you that the Earl Alois Trancy of the Trancy Manor, is not an imposter. I interviewed him using my great skill of deception to have him reveal every secret of his time in the village with such intimate detail regarding the lifestyle of his father that I would dismiss any rumor of his falsehood. This uncle of the Earl's is just searching for a reason to gain early claim to the inheritance that would be his own had the child he had no doubt hired to be kidnapped found his way back home again. I advise you to be wary of any claims against the Earl Trancy, for they may very well be emissaries of the uncle trying to deceive you with lies. My mission regarding the truth of his identity is complete, and the report is that he is who he claims to be and is the rightful heir to the Trancy fortune, home and name itself. I am forever your humble servant, and await your next command. A side note regarding the missing women from the Viscount Druitt parties, there is a ball being held by him soon, and i have gained attendance. I plan to infiltrate the facility and locate the missing women before the night would end. When i receive new information i will immediately send you another letter, for now i send this to you with the information i hold.

Your faithful servant, The Fox.

She slipped the parchment inside an envelope and then handed it to me as she spoke.

"Send one of the servants to the castle to give the queen this letter, tell the servant that they are to hand it to her butler their self and no one else."

I bowed and took the letter from her and left her alone in the study as she went back to her writing while i searched for a servant to deliver the message. I spotted the kitchen maid and smiled.

"Lila!"

She stopped in her tracks and turned around quickly her eyes widened by my sharp voice that pierced the silence.

"Yes Lucius?"

I walked towards her and placed the letter in her hands smiling.

"Lady Shadowhive wants you to deliver this letter to the queen, you are to hand it to her butler or the queen yourself. No one else should have this letter but those two that i have mentioned. Now go.."

Lila nodded her head and then took off in a slow run towards the main entry hall as i walked back to the study to join my mistress's side once again. I entered the study and saw her staring out the window with a smile spread across her face.

"Does something amuse you my lady?"

I asked as i came closer to her and then stood behind her to see a man running down the main road in ragged looking clothes in what looked like panic.

​"One of my underground pets is coming to visit their master.... maybe they have some new information for me"

She chuckled softly as she moved from the window back to her chair and sat down in it smiling at the door. She picked up the cup and soon i could hear faint shouting from downstairs as the man asked in a panic to see my mistress. I found myself chuckling with her as the sound of footsteps filled the hall and the gardner opened the doors barely managing to speak before a man barged in with a crazed look in his eyes.