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—

The entirety of England thought it was strange when Ciel Phantomhive returned from the dead with a butler all in black standing silently at her side.

Never before had a female been granted Earlship, but as a thank you from Queen Victoria for her father's silent service to the crown, Ciel Phantomhive was given an exception.

The first female Earl.

Yes, the new Earl Phantomhive was an oddity indeed.

Her story became even stranger after the death of several prominent nobles. It was then that Ciel and her mysterious butler, Sebastian, disappeared.

A few months later, they returned to Phantomhive manor, married, and well-rested from an extended honeymoon in Italy.

Marry a butler?

Maintain Funtom, an international company that released innovative toys and candies which captured the world's attention?

Hold a man's rank and title?

Only Ciel could do all of that.

How?

Whispers and rumors ran rampant about the eccentric Earl.

How Ciel Phantomhive could break society's conventions while also adhering to the ironclad rules of nobility flabbergasted the Victorian world.

But Ciel lived in her own world.

With Tanaka, the original Phantomhive butler, Baldroy, the cook, Mey-Rin, the maid, Snake, the footman, Pluto, the dog, Sebastian, the new Phantomhive butler and her love…..

…..With Vincent, their first born baby.

….And sometime later, their second, a daughter they named Lavinia.

Years passed.

Sebastian and Ciel remained as in love as ever.

Funtom became bigger and stronger, flourishing.

Sebastian and Ciel's son and daughter grew…..

From infants, to toddlers, to children…

To teenagers, dangerously close to becoming adults.

By the time that Vincent, the eldest, approached manhood, Ciel was only in her mid-thirties. The bluenette was just as beautiful and petite as ever, but the Earl Phantomhive found herself in a predicament.

"I worry about the children." Ciel confessed to Sebastian early one morning as he dressed her for the day.

Their little routines had not been lost over the years.

Sebastian was just as attentive as he had been on his first day at Ciel's side.

"They're hardly children anymore, my dear." Sebastian replied, buttoning Ciel's blouse.

"Yes, that's what worries me." Ciel said as her signature scowl crept onto her face.

Sebastian chuckled and looked into Ciel's sapphire eyes.

Ciel pouted as she looked back at Sebastian.

"You've done quite well, young master~. They'll be just fine, don't worry, my kitten." Sebastian reassured Ciel with a purr, kissing her lips sweetly.

That was still one of Sebastian's favorite pastimes, kissing Ciel.

Time hadn't worn away the addictiveness of Ciel's pink lips~.

Ciel closed her eyes tightly as she kissed back.

The bluenette just hoped that Sebastian was right.

—

Vincent Michaelis was a dapper, strapping young man, in ways that were very similar to his father.

Getting himself washed and dressed for the day, Vincent splashed on a little bit of cologne and adjusted his vest once he pulled it over his his dress shirt.

Now half way through his eighteenth year of life, Vincent was quite a strong heir.

A son any parents would be proud of.

Noble and mannerly, chivalrous, and well-rounded, Vincent had his mother's unique bluenette hair and the Phantomhive sapphire eyes but Sebastian's mannerisms.

Vincent also had Sebastian's charm.

Two years older than his sister, Vincent was always eager to please and kept up with his lessons well.

Vincent was resigned to his duties as the heir to the Earlship.

No, Vincent was eager for them.

Popular and well-spoken, Vincent easily won the respect of anyone in his company for more than a few seconds…..

And the admiration of all the ladies who happened to glance his way.

No, Vincent wasn't the child who weighed the most heavily on Ciel's mind.

Sebastian knew who worried Ciel the most…...

—

A few moments later, as Vincent stepped out of his room, an evil hiss resounded in his ear.

"Vincent! Look!"

"Be gone with you, foul beast!" Vincent shouted as he whirled around and held out a crucifix that he wore around his neck.

Vincent found himself face to face with his sibling.

He struggled not to laugh at his own joke.

Lavinia blinked in surprise.

"Ah, sister, it's only you. My apologies, but you get more convincing with each passing day." Vincent said with a chuckle, mocking her in a way that only an older brother could.

Lavinia's eyes narrowed to slits.

Vincent smirked, then he saw the newspaper in her hands. "What's this?"

"It's Alexandre! He's been apprehended by the police! They say he's been caught in a smuggling ring!" Lavinia cried, very distraught.

Vincent shrugged. "So….?"

"So, that means I'll never see him again!" Lavinia cried desperately.

"You only want to marry a prince, sister. He wasn't a prince. You wouldn't have married him if he asked." Vincent said incredulously.

"But that didn't mean I never wanted to see him again!" Lavinia wept.

Vincent rolled his eyes.

Lavinia wept until she was practically choking on her own sobs.

Across the manor, Ciel and Sebastian heard and they rushed to her side.

Upon hearing the news, they comforted their distraught daughter while she poured her sixteen year old heart out on Sebastian's supply of handkerchiefs.

Lavinia's grief continued all the way to the breakfast table.

Sebastian and Ciel remained supportive, speaking softly to her and attempting to dry her eyes.

But Vincent grew annoyed.

At length, he rolled his eyes and spoke cuttingly across the table, "Really, Livy, only an idiot would have mistaken Alexandre for an honest man."

"Vincent!" Sebastian snapped, narrowing his eyes at his son.

"You should apologize to your sister at once, that was quite rude." Ciel said quickly.

Lavinia stopped her sniveling.

She raised her tapered, amber eyes to her brother and gave him a look.

"I'm sorry, Livy." Vincent said quickly.

Lavinia continued to gaze at her brother, in her strange way.

She gazed and gazed at Vincent…..

Through the rest of the meal….

Until Vincent rose from the table and left the room, going to the stables to ride his horse, the jet black stallion that had been given to him when he was a child, Montgomery.

As Vincent walked out of the room, Lavinia gave him one last glance and Vincent felt the hairs prickle on the back of his neck from her eerie stare.

Vincent knew that his apology was not accepted.

—

A few minutes later, Lavinia excused herself and left the dining room as well.

Then Sebastian and Ciel were alone.

"Well, I don't know about you but I'm relieved." Ciel sniffed.

"More than words can express, young master." Sebastian agreed with a nod.

"That young man was nothing but trouble. Chasing after her was exhausting." Ciel said with a sigh.

"She wouldn't have married him, kitten." Sebastian reassured Ciel.

"She would have if a child had been involved." Ciel said firmly.

Sebastian furrowed his brow. "I don't think my Lavinia would do that."

"You don't know what your Lavinia would do, Sebastian." Ciel sniffed.

Sebastian looked over at Ciel.

Ciel looked back at Sebastian.

Both of them fell silent.

Thinking…...

Lavinia was definitely the problem child.

Sebastian favored her and that made it worse, although he would deny that he did so to the grave.

Regardless, Ciel blamed Sebastian for the way their daughter had turned out.

Sebastian blamed Lavinia's delivery.

Sebastian and Ciel's only little girl was born far too early.

Ciel had fared well, but the baby suffered complications, and Lavinia had been born with her skin an oxygenated black.

Her small lips an unnatural blue.

Sebastian had left Ciel's side and dropped her hand instantly to assist the midwife, frantically trying to revive the baby.

Just when it looked like all hope was lost, Lavinia had drawn a shaky, ragged breath.

All the medical experts cautioned that the baby may have experienced any level of brain damage.

Sebastian and Ciel were told that their daughter may never hear or see, that she may never learn to speak or walk.

But Lavinia had proved them all wrong.

Developmentally, she was normal.

Intellectually, she was advanced.

But, Lavinia Michaelis's personality was a bit... off.

After her dramatic entrance into the world, Lavinia was still a very frail child, prone to allergies, asthma, and illness like her mother.

Most nights during the early years of Lavinia's life, Sebastian spent sleeping in the rocking chair in her room, watching over his little girl in case she started to slip away in the night.

Perhaps that was what had done it.

When she had become so…..spoiled?

Probably when Sebastian had doted on her so, making up for her infirmed condition with treats and gifts, telling her how beautiful she was.

Maybe it wasn't Lavinia's fault.

When Sebastian Michalelis told you were a princess every day, after awhile, you started to believe it.

Greed, vanity, pride, rage…

Most parents claimed their children had inherited their best qualities, but Lavinia seemed to inherit Sebastian and Ciel's worst.

On top of her papery lungs and delicate immune system, Lavinia's haughtiness made Ciel look humble, her vanity occupied a great deal of her time, causing her to rise many hours before anyone else and begin the long task of making herself "presentable" for the day.

The grooming was unnecessary.

Being the daughter of Sebastian, Lavinia was a truly gorgeous young woman, with flowing, black hair and almost otherworldly, tapered eyes of amber.

Tall, pale, and svelte, Lavinia was very aware of her beauty and did everything she could to accentuate it.

And to test society's confines…..

Lavinia liked her corsets laced impossibly tight, making her waist seemingly nonexistent.

The envy of all other fashionable ladies…...

By the turn of the century, the bustle was falling out of favor, and Lavinia embraced the scandalous new fishtail silhouette, loving the way it highlighted her lower half.

She preferred to dress in sumptuous satins and rich, dark colors, mostly black, grey, and blue.

Large, ornate hats were placed on her head whenever she left the manor, marking her status in society.

Lavinia's lips were painted discreetly with a pink rouge she had imported directly from Paris.

Lavinia's lashes were tinged an even darker shade of black with a cake mascara purchased from Belgium.

Ciel thought all those cosmetics were extravagant, but whenever Lavinia asked Sebastian, he placed the orders.

Nothing was too good for Sebastian's precious little girl.

But that was just it.

It wasn't enough for Lavinia.

It never was.

Ciel had figured that out years ago, but Sebastian hadn't quite caught on yet.

That was what worried Ciel.

Instead of raising a noblewoman, Sebastian and Ciel had really raised a narcissist.

It wasn't enough to be the Earl's daughter.

Lavinia wanted more.

It had recently come time for Sebastian and Ciel to choose a husband for their only daughter and announce an engagement.

So far, Lavinia had not been cooperative.

No one was good enough.

Ciel had sought the richest suitor.

Sebastian had searched for the handsomest.

Rejected…..

Rejected…..

While Sebastian and Ciel sat thinking in the dining room, Lavinia walked up to her bedroom with a smug smile on her face.

Ciel Phantomhive's daughter wasn't interested in pretty faces.

Sebastian Michaelis's daughter wasn't concerned about money.

Opening her door, Lavinia stepped into her bedroom, glancing over to the wall at all of her newspaper cutouts about the young princes in the world and the maps that marked their paths to the throne.

No, Lavinia wanted to marry a prince.

Or a king!

That would be the first step.

Conquer the man, then the throne, then the country.

And that one beside it…..

And the one beside that one…..

Lavinia Michaelis wanted to rule the world.

—-

But first, she had a score to settle.

Vindictive like her mother, Lavinia was one to hold a grudge until the end of time.

She had not forgotten her brother's insult from earlier.

Quickly, she pulled a case from the closet and made her way to the veranda outside.

In the early morning mist, Lavinia squinted out across the grounds and saw Vincent riding his horse along.

An evil grin spread across Lavinia's fair lips and she opened her case.

Inside lay a bow and several practice arrows.

Holding the bow in place, Lavinia drew back her arrow and aimed at Vincent as he rode along.

"An idiot, eh, brother?" Lavinia giggled as she fired.

Timed perfectly in his path, Vincent cried out in surprise as the arrow whistled through the air and struck a tree right next to his head as he rode past.

It missed his eye by inches.

Montgomery neighed in fear and Vincent patted the horse's neck and turned to look.

His eyes widened when he saw his sister standing on the veranda, already drawing back another arrow and taking aim.

"Oy! What are you playing at?!" Vincent shouted as another arrow whistled past and landed in the tree next to him.

That one had been so close it ripped the leg of his trousers.

"Livy, stop it!" Vincent screamed as arrow after arrow began to zip past him.

Montgomery reared in fear and Vincent spurred him on, racing into the trees to get away from Lavinia's attack.

When Vincent finally escaped to safety, Lavinia threw back her head and laughed.

She laughed and laughed and laughed.

Didn't brother look funny when he was running for his life?!

—

After dinner that evening, brother and sister found themselves alone in the parlor, waiting for Sebastian and Ciel to join them momentarily.

"I'm telling mother and father about this morning. You're mad, do you know that? That was completely unacceptable!" Vincent spat, sitting in the wingback chair and eyeing his sister with angry, narrowed eyes.

"Do it and I'll tell them about that girl from the club in soho." Lavinia sniffed.

Vincent's eyes narrowed even more, until only his eyelashes were visible.

"Besides, brother, I wasn't even focusing. Only an idiot wouldn't have been able to dodge." Lavinia said with a mocking giggle.

"I don't appreciate my sister trying to kill me! That wasn't funny, Livy!" Vincent snarled.

"That's where you're wrong, brother. It was hilarious!" Lavinia said with another laugh before she stood and walked to the doorway, too impatient to wait for Ciel and Sebastian. "And brother," Lavinia said, looking over at Vincent.

Vincent met her gaze.

Lavinia wore a Cheshire-like grin as she spoke, "If I was trying I kill you, you'd already be dead!"