Is This Fate or Misfortune?

His Butler, Imprisoned

   "This morning a body washed up at the regions canal dock," Ash informed from where he sat in a chair in one of the drawing rooms of the Phantomhive Manor. He had come over for the day to inform Ciel of one of the cases that was currently happening and to bring an order the Queen had sent. From where you stood to the left of Ciel's seat, you continued to glare at Ash who sat calmly composed in his seat as he took a sip of the tea you had prepared. Sebastian stood calmly on the other side of Ciel and you still wondered how he didn't see that Ash wasn't a human as he played himself to be.

The truth of your parents death had taken a toll of you in the last month, but with the help of your family and friends you had slowly come to make amends with it. Yet, that didn't stop the few fruitless nights of sleep you would have when you would awaken from visions of the AMA.

"The man's name was John Stanley," Ash continued, addressing Ciel who sat at the head seat examining papers that Ash had given to him. "By profession he was a merchant in the shipping business."

"And?" Ciel asked as Ash took a sip of his tea.

"He was an operative in the criminal underworld on a top secretive assignment for her majesty," Ash continued while you watched him in disdain. It seems like the Queen was seeking Ciel's help in this case as well, but from what you could remember, this was one of the episodes that revolved around Lau. Or that was what you could dimly remember. It had already been over a year since you had arrived in the dimension and even though you had been a fanatic of Black Butler before you had arrived, there were a few details that were beginning to slip from your memory. "Not unlike you Lord Phantomhive," Ash continued breaking you from your thoughts and you focused your attention on Ciel who looked up from the papers to the fallen angel. "Her majesty wishes for me to give you this," Ash stated as he pulled out a letter. "Find the thing he carried on his person and destroy it. That is all. Think you're up to it,"

"And his killer should I get rid of him too?" Ciel asked peculiarly.

"No, you've been given your order," Ash responded with a hardness in his voice making you grit your teeth at him. "Find this object and dispose of it." Ciel took the letter from him - one that you could only assume came from the Queen herself.

"Fine, just tell me what I should be looking for," he asked of Ash who only gave him a smile.

"Oh no that's a secret."

'If it's a secret then how would Ciel know what to look for and destroy,' you bitterly thought with a shake of your head. Sebastian noticed your action glancing over at you with an amused grin to which you sheepishly returned before focusing back on the conversation. Leave it to Sebastian to catch you doing something idiotic.

"Then how on earth am I supposed to find it?" Ciel asked Ash, using the letter opener to slice open the envelope, just as a loud clang resonated through the room. You jumped turning to look at Ash who had sliced a portion of his chocolate cake before picking it up with his fork. A short silence resonated throughout the room following this, until Ash leaned back in his chair.

"You're a loyal dog," he answered in a low, cold yet amused voice. "Even so her majesty hesitates to share this bit of information with you. And who are we to question any decision of hers?" His narrowed violet eyes shifted over to Ciel while Sebastian and you kept watching.

'And as this show goes on I find it harder to like the Queen,' you thought with a heavy sigh.

"I suggest you do not attempt to do any closer examination of the object at hand," Ash said. "Well, now that I have informed you of everything that her majesty wants you to know I'll be taking my leave. I'll be back if there is any other news. Take care."