Well...It has been some time since I have updated but I have to tell you...My love for Black Butler has diminished slightly. I have no more inspiration for "Maeve" anymore. But do not fear, I shall try to get into Black Butler again (starring at a a picture of Ciel for an hour should do the trick). Enjoy this extremely late update though.

Chapter Seven

When the carriage arrived at a manor, they were met by a maid in a purple and white uniform. Her polite eyes where lavender and her hair a lighter shade. "I presume this is the Earl Phantomhive."

Sebastian scrutinized the woman before answering, "Yes."

She smiled and bowed, "Welcome to Barrymore castle my Master awaits your arrival."

Maeve sniffed the air and wrinkled her muzzle. She glared at the woman a growl, unheard by the human ear, bubbling within her chest. Sebastian cocked one of his fine eyebrows at her but when the woman also looked, Maeve snarled and stood ready to attack until her collar was taken ahold of.

Ciel looked questionably at Maeve, "May stop." He apologized to the maid, "She doesn't take well to strangers."

The maid just closed her eyes and smiled, "I understand. What a lovely specimen she is, a wolf I believe?"

Ciel nodded slightly as Sebastian helped him out of the carriage while taking hold of Maeve himself.

The butler clenched his fists around Maeve's collar when she struggled yet looked indifferent as he ordered the other five servants. "Start unpacking."

He kept his hold on Maeve tight when the woman let them to a room. As they inspected the room that the many heads of animals were hung about, ranging from bear to rabbit. Their heads snapped forward when they heard the crack of a whip and a shrill scream from a woman. They saw than a man was beating the maid, he looked to be around forty his clothes, hunting pants, brown hunting boots and a brown suit top.

"Who the hell is this Chihuahua, I told you to bring the Queens Guard dog when he arrived!"

Maeve had to stifle a laugh in her paw when she imagined Ciel with dog ears.

Sebastian looked stunned, "...Chihuahua..."

"Can't you do anything?"

Ciel narrowed his eyes, "Move Sebastian."

Too quick for the eye to see Sebastian was behind the man holding his wrist to keep him from whipping the woman again.

"W-What are you doing you filthy Doberman! Somebody should train you better, let me go right now!"

Ciel arrogantly stepped forward. "He's acting on my order."

The man looked at him, surprise and anger contorting his features, "Who the hell are you?"

Ciel moved to the table and sat, followed by Maeve who stood guard by his side. "From the look of it you seem to already have received the letter I sent. My name is Ciel, head of the Phantomhive family."

The man snatched his hand from Sebastian's grip, "You mean to tell me a Toy Poodle is the Queens embassy."

"You don't like small breeds Lord Henry." The Phantomhive smirked, "Well that's hardly fair."

Henry looked at Ciel, "I despise small breeds." His eyes moved to Maeve's form appreciatively. "But you have a domestic wolf, one of the fiercest breeds in the canine family." He stepped closer watched carefully by Sebastian. "Let's see if she's well trained. Sit!"

Maeve, who wasn't one for taking orders, picked up her paw and licked in apathetically.

Henry growled, "I said sit!"

Maeve yawned.

Ciel and Sebastian looked at Maeve amused as the Lord threw down the whip, "Despicable."

Even though Lord Henry hated his guests he sat in front of Ciel and ordered his maid, Angela, to serve tea. Ciel and Henry sat exchanging looks as a beaten Angela unsteadily set up the tea. Sebastian watched the cup shaking in her hand and whispered in her ear, "Please Miss, allow me."

Henry threw down the papers he was holding, "There is nothing here to discuss. Under no circumstances will I sell Barrymore castle to anyone."

"Why is that?"

Henry looked at Ciel as if he were slow, "Because of the curse."

Maeve, who had been lying at Ciel's feet, perked up at the word.

Ciel laced his fingers together and leaned forward in mock excitement, "Oh, what curse?"

"This village and its dogs have existed for centuries. Anyone who interferes with us will be cursed, in a most horrible way." He stood and loomed over Ciel making Maeve stand and growl at him, but was calmed by Ciel, who put a hand on her head. "Even the Queen cannot lift the curse! Your mission is pointless; anyone who acts against the Barrymore family is destined to meet an unimaginably terrible end!"

Ciel closed is eye, "My, how interesting."

"What?"

"You've peeked my curiosity; I'd like to see this dreadful curse of yours Lord Henry."

Henry growled before shouting to Angela, "Show them to their rooms!"

Maeve plopped herself in the middle of the bed and wiggled, "What a horrid man! I wanted to tear his mouth off of his face!"

Sebastian sighed, "Maeve would you please leave the room while I dress the Master for bed."

Maeve huffed, "Why it's not like I'll sneak a peek. Anyway it's nothing I haven't seen before." She looked at Sebastian who was staring at her and Ciel who was looking at the wall with a slight blush on his face. "Ugh fine." She hopped off the bed and grumbled by the door until Sebastian to let her out.

As she trotted down to the servant's courtiers she saw Florence walking down the hall towards her.

"'ey Maeve!" The young girl bent to rub her ears, "Do ya need ta go out?"

Maeve nodded and Florence led her to a door in the kitchen, "I'll prop it open, but close it when ye come back in, aye?"

Maeve barked a retort before bounding out the door. She sniffed around and came across the scent of man and dog, except it wasn't of two, just one. She sat on her hunched thoughtfully. Well everyone in the village has a dog, and maybe the sent carried on one of them. Maeve knew that couldn't have been true because the sent smelled as if they were both here, but only one was. It was confusing. So what or whom left it? She was startled when she heard a loud howl and several cries from villagers. Running as fast as she could towards the manor she worried. Demon Hound? What is that? She skidded to a halt panting when she saw everyone, excluding Henry, gathered at the entrance of the mansion. When she saw Ciel crouched, examining glowing tracks she walked towards him and sniffed at them herself.

"The Demon Hound is here," Everyone looked at Angela as she spoke, "It brings great catastrophe to the village. Anyone who dares to defy by my Master will be punished by it. That's the law here there is no way to stop it."

The others looked at Angela in shock, all but Maeve who was busy sniffing the air. She wined loudly catch the attention. Blood? She looked at the group of people whining and barking for their attention before taking off following the scent.

Florence shouted after her, "Mae-May! Where-"

Maeve didn't pay heed to Florence's calling only running faster, passing a group of villagers on the way. She took no notice in what was going on around her so focused on the smell of blood. After she turned into a fence she stopped in shock. Her ears flattened to her head as she took in the scene before her. The man she saw when she entered the village was lying in the middle of the mud dead, his clothes were in tatters and bites marred every inch of his body. She heard the people following her panting at the fence; she turned her head to look at them before slowly making her way to the man. The dogs in the nearby caged were barking nonsense and Maeve snarled loudly at them making them whine and tremble in the farthest corner of their enclosure. Ciel crouched beside Maeve and looked at the bites. "So that's it then."

"Stand back, don't touch."

Henry Barrymore stood in the crowed looking at Ciel, "I see it was James. It seems he was the bad dog."

A villager answered him, "Yes, he broke the legal restriction on dog ownership. He had six dogs, one more then is allowed."

"A sixth dog," Henry closed his eyes, "I see. Then this was inevitable."

Maeve hearing that spun to snarl at Henry, she was snarling so hard the villagers thought they heard words, "A sixth dog! That is why this man is dead!"

Some of the villagers stumbled back; they had never seen a dog this mad. Though this wasn't just any dog, it was a wolf.

"Calm your canine! This village is under my rule and no other! The Demon Hound protects that rule as the guardian of the Barrymore family it punishes anyone and everyone who dared to challenge me!"

"The white dog is a good dog, a good dog good," Some villagers brandished their fire at Maeve causing her to jump back; they followed her and circled her. "The black dog is a bad dog, a bad dog bad." A villager tried to attack Maeve, but she jumped away snapping at him. They kept chanting. "He'll eat your flesh down to the bone, down to the bone." Other villagers dragged James away, but continued chanting, "He'll gobble you up till you're gone, till you're gone," One by one the villagers left following the ones carrying James. Soon the ones circling Maeve left, but continued chanting.

"I am sure you outsiders will be its next prey," Henry looked at Maeve, "Watch the wolf she'll get you killed. You are lucky to have made it this far." He walked away followed by Angela.

Maeve still stood growling lowly until Finn ran towards her, "May! Girl, are you alright? You must be scared! Look your shaking!"

Maeve looked at Finny and forced herself to stop growling, but she was still panting heavily. I'm shaking because I withheld from hurting the idiots who thought they could attack me. She nuzzled Finny to calm him down, and walked to stand by Ciel. He looked down at her before gently patting her head, "Let us retire."

The next day Maeve sat at Ciel's side watching the other's play in the pond. She sighed before falling to the ground catching Ciel's attention. "Maeve, why aren't you in there with them?"

She turned her head to glare at Ciel, "I don't know Ciel. Would you be up for some fun when the night before people circled you and attacked you with fire?"

Ciel scoffed and looked away embarrassed.

Sebastian looked at Ciel, "You don't want to bath with them Young Master?" Sebastian looked forward when he got no answer, "Oh I see. Is that the problem? The Master can't-"

"I don't see why there making a fuss over this little pond," He interrupted, "Just because you can bath doesn't make it a resort."

Maeve watched Florence play but addressed Ciel, "You still want to make this place into a resort?"

"Naturally."

She looked at Ciel, "But what about this Demon Hound this village is so caught up in?"

Ciel looked from Maeve to Sebastian, "Surely you two know as well as I by now. This Demon hound isn't a dog." He closed his eyes, "Shall we discuss it further."

Maeve closed her eyes while Ciel whispered into Sebastian ear, not to keep her from earing because he knew as well as her than she could hear them loud and clear, but more to keep from eavesdropping villagers.

"Now go."

"Yes. Very well, Master. You may consider it done."

Ciel looked a Sebastian from the corner of his eye, "You are very cooperative, especially for someone who hates dogs."

Sebastian turned his head, "Yes, I d-"

"Go away Sebastian."

The two looked at the wolf on the ground, Sebastian chuckled lowly before walking away saying so lowly even Maeve couldn't hear, "You a quite different Maeve, very amusing."

Maeve sighed, "He better get that done quickly. I don't really want to stay here much longer."

Ciel looked at here, "Don't worry he won't take long at all."

Maeve placed her head on Ciel's lap and relaxed when he hesitantly began to pet her. The two sat in total content until shouting broke it.

"We got him! The bad dogs been caught! We've got James's dog, hurry the punishment is about to begin!"

Maeve growled before leaping up and running after them followed again by Ciel and the others. They made it to the stone wall where make saw the dog chained growling and other dogs barking loudly, 'Punish! Bad dog! Punish!' Maeve growled again when she saw a man walk up to the dog and beat it.

"Get started!"

Maeve watch livid as the other dogs attacked, biting and clawing the chained dog fought fiercely back. She saw red and charged forward attacking. "May!"

Maeve snarled before biting a dog's neck, crushing its throat, and throwing it against another dog. Two dogs attacked her, but Maeve took one down making it run away. The other one though latched onto Maeve right leg and bite down, hard. She whimpered when she felt the break but fought on. She snarled wildly at the other dogs, 'Stop! NOW!'

The dogs sensing Maeve's intent to kill whimpered and ran to their owners. Maeve limped on three legs to stand in front of the dog, which was in worse shape than herself, and growled.

Ciel and the others ran towards her, and he villagers shouted at them, "They interrupted! Punish them!"

The villagers attacked subduing them tying, Finny, Florence, Mey-Rin, Bard, and Tanaka to a wooden stake and chaining Ciel and Maeve to the stone wall. Maeve stood in front of Ciel growling blood dripping from her mouth looking ferocious like the hellhound she was.

Angela pushed her way to the front of the crowed, "Master, I beg you! Show them mercy this one time! These people don't deserve the punishment!"

Henry looked at her, "You have a point, and this little Pomeranian is the Queens Guard dog after all. If he can be made to see reason perhaps I'll decide to let them go." He turned to Ciel, "Leave this village immediately and advise Her Majesty never to send her minions near it again."

Maeve growled louder and Ciel smiled mockingly, "You're so pathetic relying on petty tricks to retain your mealy power. If there's a stubborn dog here I'd say I'm looking at it."

Henry narrowed his eyes, "If that's your final choice you can learn what happens to a dog that challenges me. Get him!"

As the dogs ran forward Maeve crouched snarling waiting to fight to the death. All of a sudden the dogs where fly backwards and Sebastian appeared crouched in front of Ciel and Maeve.

Ciel looked at Sebastian, "You cut that close."

Sebastian tugged at his glove looking back at Ciel before making eye contact with a Maeve, "It won't happen again, trust me."

Harry shouted at the man, his face red and veins bulging in his neck, "What you dare to interfere dog! Well, what are you mangy mutts waiting for kill all three of them now?"

"Shameful what coarse noisy growls they have." Sebastian sighed condescendingly, "One of the reasons I despise these creatures"

Maeve stopped growling and nipped at Sebastian's ankles. He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes brow cocked. When she glared and growled at him he sighed and glared at the still growling dogs, making them whine and submit.

Henry and the other villagers looked shock at what just happened, "What the hell! What did you do?"

"Your pitiful facade ends here Barrymore." The villagers looked at Ciel who had spoken up, "Listen, there is no Demon Hound! It's all a lie; it's just him an old man obsessed with power determined to keep it no matter what!"

Sebastian walked towards something close by.

"What!" Henry shouted defending him "What evidence to you has!"

"There's this," Sebastian held up a dog skull, "We found it in your mansion. I took the liberty of confirming that the teeth marks on James match the teeth in this skull." The villagers gasped as Sebastian pointed to the sky. "Do you see it now? The truth behind the Demon Hound. Its shadow is nothing but projection, just a transparent trick." Sebastian pulled a brown tube out of his pocket and tilted it, out came green glowing dust. "The glowing is phosphorescent dust sprinkled on a normal dog."

"The Demon Hound is merely an illusion, a story made up an even man. A man you let rules your village. This man Henry Barrymore!"

Sweat gathered across Henry's forehead, "No! You can't fool them. Where's you evidence!"

Ciel smirked as Sebastian walked to the fallen dog, "You can rest your duty is done. I'll take it from here." He stood, "What fine material. I wonder why the dog was eager to hold on to it till the last moment. Interesting behavior, "He held out a piece of torn cloth to Henry," Don't you think?"

"W-What? What the hell!"

"It's yours. A scrap cloth from your pants. Torn off my James's dog when you attacked him, his Master. You recognize it, yes."

Henry tried running but was circled by the villagers who were all yelling questions.

"Give up Barrymore. It's all over now."

The villagers grabbed Henry and dragged him off, to pass judgment.

Sebastian unchained Ciel and Maeve while Angela unchains the others. Maeve hobbled to the chained dog and sat by it. She threw back her head and howled one clear mourning note.

Sebastian stood by Ciel watching as Maeve grieved over the fallen, "Ah. There is one thing I do not hate about dogs and that is a wolf's howl, beautiful.

Ciel sat in a chair watching Sebastian, who was sitting on the floor, dress Maeve's wounds. "Yet another case closed." He looked out the window, "We can leave the village when the rain lets up."

Maeve sighed her head on Sebastian's thigh as he stitched a wound on the back of her neck, "Good, I don't think I can take being here anymore." She looked at her wrapped up leg, "At least I heal way faster than a human. This shouldn't feel any more than a sprain by the morning."

Sebastian smirked cutting the thread, "Good. I'd rather not have to carry around a wolf."

Though Maeve could feel her cheeks warm she growled and glared at the demon. She was cut off when she heard a scream.

Ciel watched her try to scramble to her feet for a moment before sighing, "No Maeve, stay here."

Maeve huffed as he left. She wasn't mad just worried. Maeve sat, ears swiveling with impatience. She closed her eyes and listened, she heard the sound of the door being swung open and people running. Growling she pushed herself up and wobbled towards the window where she saw figures running in the distance. She then heard the howling and chanting. "Shit."

"The white dog is a good dog, a good dog good..."

There I hoped you liked it. I am sorry for any grammatical errors that you stumbled over. Grammar and I do not go hand in hand. I will try to update soon. Please review you have no idea how much the keep me going. See ya!