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

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Maria awoke the next morning in her bed and in her nightgown. She must have slept so deeply that she didn't wake up when Sebastian changed her when they got home. He also must have carried her to bed.

How humiliating. Why did I fall asleep?

Dragging herself out of bed, she shuffled over to the window and threw open the drapes covering them. Natural light flooded her room. She blinked a few times to adjust to the sudden brightness.

She turned to a knock on her door and watched as Sebastian came in.

"Oh? You are already awake?"

"Yes."

Maria walked over to him and had some tea as he helped her get dressed. He had to be very careful with her bruised ribs.

"Is Ciel awake yet?"

"Yes, he is actually awaiting you in his study. I believe he is very eager to play more chess with you."

"Please tell him I will be here in a few minutes to beat him."

Sebastian chuckled, "Very good, m'lady."

Maria stayed true to her word and arrived at Ciel's study a few minutes later.

"Are you ready to lose?"

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The next few days passed in a blur. Maria recovered from her injuries by playing chess with Ciel and going for walks with him in the garden. Sebastian would watch them and wonder how this girl was able to change Ciel so much. A walk in the garden? The Earl Phantomhive would never think of doing such a thing.

Ciel finally was dragged away by Sebastian to actually do some work sometime in the afternoon. Maria stayed in the garden, admiring all the flowers. Suddenly she heard someone whistling and turned to see a boy with blond hair pushing a wheelbarrow her way. He stopped abruptly when he saw her and dropped the wheelbarrow, just staring at her.

Maria looked around and behind her to make sure he was actually staring at her.

"Um, hello?"

The boy blushed red. "H-Hi! I'm Finnian, but everyone calls me Finny!"

"It is very nice to meet you, Finny. I presume you work here?"

Finny nodded so fast it looked like his head would snap off at any second. "Yes milady, I'm the gardener!"

Maria nodded appreciatively. "You have done a very good job here."

Finny blushed again, this time it seemed of embarrassment. "Actually...Sebastian did all of this. I'm afraid I'm not very good at gardening..."

Maria smiled with a small chuckle. "At least you try."

Finny stared at her again.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

Finny shook his head no. "You are a lot nicer than we thought you would be."

"We?"

"Yep! Mey-rin, Baldroy and I!"

They must be other servants.

At that moment Sebastian appeared in front of them.

"Lady Maria, it would seem William has returned." He didn't sound too happy about that, but Maria was. She remembered their conversation on the way to the carriage that night. He had come back to her!