His Maid, Skilled (Episode 2, Part 9)

            Sebastian and Ciel dropped out of the dark sky and landed on a small bridge over a shallow stream. The large estate they had just recently vacated stood a short distance away.

            The handsome butler set his young master down on his feet and stepped back from him, regarding him with mock exasperation.

            “Goodness me,” Sebastian sighed. “You truly-”

            Smack!

            He was abruptly and unexpectedly cut off by the blow of Ciel’s palm as the boy struck his cheek sharply. Sebastian gazed down at his master wide-eyed in shock.

            “What about Lizzie?!” Ciel demanded, looking quite angry. “You still haven’t saved her! I thought I ordered you to solve the kidnappings! Saving Lizzie, who fell victim to the kidnappings, is the first-”

            “An order is not the same as a contract,” Sebastian interjected, regaining his composure again. “Just as you give first priority to orders from the Queen, I prioritize your life.” Ciel made eye contact with his butler and held his gaze, unable to argue against his point. “I have devoted myself to your service and protection all this time, young master. I wouldn’t stand for you to be stolen now. I will continue to protect you first before anyone else.”

            Ciel smirked and reached into his coat pocket, extracting the Hope Piece he had retrieved from the doll’s hand. He then slid it onto his finger.

            “It would seem that this ring is the mark of his next target,” the young earl stated. He lifted up his hand for Sebastian to see it where it was positioned: next to his own Hope Piece. “And now I have two of them. Protecting me now will undoubtedly require some effort.”

            Sebastian returned a smirk. “Nevertheless, I shall continue to keep you from harm.”

            “Yes, you will,” he returned.

            After a slight pause, Sebastian turned back down towards his young master and placed his hand across his chest respectfully.

            “Master, if I may inquire,” he began. “How has Danielle fared so far? Has she performed to your satisfaction?”

            “Hmph,” the lad made an indistinct noise in his throat. “I suppose she had behaved well enough. Although,” he paused and let a slight grin appear on his face, “she does seem to be a bit rebellious when it comes to a certain subject.”

            “And what might that be, my lord?” Sebastian inquired.            

            “You, Sebastian,” the boy smirked.

            Sebastian’s acting was flawless as he cocked his head. “Me, my lord? In what way?”

            “You mean to say that you haven’t noticed it?” Ciel asked doubtfully. “She obviously admires you.”

            “Yes, I would imagine so. I am her superior and she serves under me. It is only right that she should look up to me to study my proficiency at doing my duties. I am the best in the manor. That is why I am the head of the household staff, is it not?” He smoothed over casually.

            “Yes,” Ciel shrugged. “I suppose that is true, but it wouldn’t be unexpected if she were to form an attachment to you. Be sure you are prepared should that happen.”

            He bowed. “I shall look for it with keen eyes, young master,” he chose his words carefully.

            “However,” Ciel continued. “She is an able maid I suppose.”

            “I would never have suggested that she become a serving maid had I not thought her able.”

            “True, but as for her so called ‘skills with a blade’,” he scoffed. “I am beginning to doubt they exist.”

            “She is yet to prove them to you, my lord?” He asked.

            “Yes,” he confirmed. “And, furthermore, I haven’t seen a single glimpse of any weapons of any kind on her. I don’t think she even came prepared.”

            “Quite the contrary, sir,” Sebastian smiled down at his master. “I can assure you, she came quite prepared. After all, you did ask me to prepare her myself, did you not?”

            “So, you mean to tell me that she does indeed have a weapon on her?”

            “Several, my lord,” he responded. “Furthermore, they were all of her own stock as well. She had them hidden quite cleverly in her room.”

            “B-But then, where does she have them on her?” The boy demanded. “They were certainly well hidden. I didn’t see them at all!”

            “Please, my lord,” Sebastian began, a teasing air in his stature and voice. “Don’t ask such impolite questions. It’s rude. But, as I assisted her in her preparations, I can assure you that they are kept safely hidden somewhere you would not ever think to look, seeing as how she is a young woman.”

            The young earl’s eye grew wide and his face grew slightly red. “S-Sebastian! You couldn’t mean… I didn’t think… IF THEY ARE SOMEWHERE NO ONE SHOULD SEE THEN WHAT WERE YOU DOING ASSISTING HER IN CONCEALING THEM?!”

            Sebastian chuckled and put a finger to his lips. “Please, master. It is impolite to raise you voice so. And I beg of you not to go jumping to conclusions. You know I am the soul of discretion and I would not dream of doing anything that would make a maid uncomfortable. So please, I ask you to put it out of mind until the time when Danielle deems it necessary to reveal the weapons’ precise location.”

            Aroooooooo!

            Both of them stopped their conversation and turned their heads towards the sound of a dog howling in the distance.

            “Pluto?” Ciel asked in wonder. “So they made it out after all?”

            “I searched every corner of the mansion,” Sebastian stated. “But there was no sign of Lady Elizabeth.” He turned to a dark, tall shape jutting up into the night sky a little distance away. “The only remaining place she might be is that sealed-off tower.”

            Arooooo! Pluto howled again. The sounds were coming from the direction of the tower.

            “Let us go then,” Ciel said.

            “Very good, master,” Sebastian responded.