The Queen's New Pet (A Black Butler Fanfic)

Chapter One

Chapter One

"A letter from the Queen, my lord."

Sebastian the demon butler handed the letter over to his master who swiftly took the paper out and read down the page, his uncovered eye moving back and forth as he did so. Sebastian watched as Ciel's eye widened considerably before he threw it down onto his desk with an exclaim of shock and mild disgust.

Without asking for permission, Sebastian picked up the letter and read it as well.

"Doesn't she know I am allergic to cats," Ciel's voice trembled slightly in anger, his blue eye glaring at the piece of paper that was now lying on his desk again.

Sebastian offered a smile that seemed to mock Ciel, "She just asked you to babysit her kitten, my lord. That doesn't seem so bad. It's not like it will be forever."

"Not for you, you're a cat loving embarrassment after all. Anyway, when is this animal coming?"

"The kitten's name is Maria, and-"

The doorbell rang, announcing the visit of an unannounced visitor. Ciel looked up at Sebastian, who had a small frown on his face.

"Do I have any appointments today?"

"Not until later, m'lord. Shall we go see who it is?"

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A frail cough left the little girl's lips, and the doctor shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid there is nothing I can do, sir."

The little girl's father looked at her with hard eyes before turning and leaving the room without a word. The doctor hurried after him.

The girl could hear her own breaths, they were raspy and hoarse. Hacking coughs overtook her again, this time some blood coming with it.

She knew this disease already. Her mother had it while pregnant with her and the fragile, tiny baby she had given birth to easily caught it as well. Soon afterwards the weakened mother had died, leaving a little sick baby alone with her widowed and rich father.

Now, after barely surviving five years, she was going to die just like her mother.

The window blew open from the force of the sudden wind outside, and a black feather flew in and landed in her lap.

"What is your wish?" The smooth voice rolled across the room, and she suddenly felt soothed. Death, it's finally here, she thought while closing her eyes to unwillingly welcome the terrible sensation.

"I wish....to live..."

Then her world went dark.

"Milady Maria. Milady!" A hand gently shook the sleeping girl awake as the carriage pulled to a stop in front of the Phantomhive home.

"What is it William?" She opened one eye while yawning. Just a dream, again. It was the dream, the dream of her near death. When she had woken up she was contracted to William, who had some special medicine that had staved off her sickness for so long now.

"We are here, milady."

In a split second she was awake, shooting upright from the slouched position she had been in while sleeping, hearing the satisfying sound of her back cracking.

"What are we waiting here for? Let's go meet the Queen's dog," Maria said in a slightly bored tone. Truth was: she didn't want to be here, but the Queen insisted that she go out and "get some air" outside the castle.