estoria | (no subject)

[ In truth, accepting Zara's help hadn't been quite as small of a gesture as Ciel had made it seem. Ciel didn't trust easily, and arguably, didn't trust anyone fully. Taking on someone to help and and take care of him was no small matter, because the only person Ciel would ever trust enough to do that was Sebastian. It wasn't true trust, of course, but he knew that Sebastian would never let him come to harm, and he would make sure to serve him dutifully, since if he didn't, he'd be denied his prize.

So opening himself to the possibility of someone else fulfilling that role was very vulnerable. Even the servants of the Phantomhive manor weren't allowed so much in direct association as Sebastian, and now, Zara. For a while, Ciel was already awake by the time Zara would arrive, eyepatch always firmly in place, and the proper undershirt always on, which might seem strange, considering Ciel was paying for this service.

Yet today, when Zara enters, Ciel is asleep, and one of the few times where he actually looks his age, and at this time in the morning? He acts it, too. His brows knits together at Zara's voice and without thinking, he opens his eyes, and for the first time for Zara to see both of them. It's clear that there's no injury in that always covered eye, though the colors are mismatched, and there's something in that eye.

But Ciel isn't properly awake yet, so this doesn't even occur to him, not yet. He rolls over with a grumble. Clearly, the earl stayed up later last night... ]

[ it is unusual for him not to be mostly up already. Zara had actually thought his early rising something of a blessing, considering how used he was to forcing Fiona out of bed by any means possible - he didn't know Ciel well enough to tip his bed over and roll him onto the ground, but he could get there if he was forced. When Ciel just rolls over this morning, he's wondering if it's time to start building up to it.

The fact that he's without his eyepatch does catch Zara's attention, though - if only because he clearly opened both eyes for a moment. He'd always assumed he was missing the other. Now, though, he thinks something might just be wrong with it. The color seemed off. Blind in one eye, perhaps?

For the moment, he dismisses the thoughts. It's not his place to pry anything out of Ciel other than the boy himself out of his bed. With a small sigh, he pushes the door open, taking a few steps into the room. ]

Earl Phantomhive? You're not getting five more minutes, before you ask.

[ Zara's words fall on deaf ears, because if there's anything that Ciel excels at, it's falling asleep stupidly quickly. He's already back to being dead asleep, even with a soft, peaceful expression. He didn't ever do such a thing with Sebastian, but that's also because he felt so on edge with being vulnerable around him.

Here... He's gotten a bit more comfortable, which also means that he can sleep a little less fitfully.

Unfortunately for Zara, though. ]

[ There's no way he's actually asleep. That's what Zara thinks. He just saw his eyes open a moment ago - and he's played this game before. Quite a lot, actually. The "pretend not to be awake in the hopes Zara will leave you alone" game - a favorite of Fiona's. Pearl and Richie, too, for that matter.

But, once again, he lacks the years and years of family bonding and friendship with Ciel that he had with those three, and so, Zara is left crossing his arms in th doorway, trying to think of how to get him up now. Gently, he supposes. What an odd concept.

Walking over to Ciel's bedside, he reaches out a hand, resting it on the boy's shoulder and shaking him gently. ]

Come now. You can't sleep the day away.

[ It's adamantly clear that, yes, he did in fact fall right back asleep as soon as Zara is closer, at least, though his brow does furrow as Zara approaches, truly like a child. However, when Zara puts a hand on Ciel's shoulder, the reaction isn't one of a child's at all, since he flinches sharply like Zara had slapped him awake. There's no need to give him a shake, since his eyes open wide, showing the contract seal in the one's that usually covered in full.

He sits bolt upright, and a hand dives beneath his pillow, but luckily, he realizes what's happening before his hand can grip the pistol there. There's a wide, wild-eyed expression as he stares back at Zara for a moment, like he doesn't recognize him, but that's not what it was. If Ciel didn't recognize him, he would have pulled that pistol out without hesitation. It just takes him a moment, because he expects the butler clad in black, but... ]

[ He flinches again with realization, then brings the hand that had been reaching for that pistol up in a flash to cover his eye. It's already been seen, he knows, and his expression is sour for it, but he's immediately reaching for the eyepatch on his bedside table. ]

Damn it! You're not supposed to come early!

[ He's still rude, but it also still hasn't dawned on him that it's actually him that slept it... Good job, Ciel. ]

[ the hand snaps back immediately when Ciel jerks at his touch; he can't say he wasn't expecting that sort of reaction. Ciel didn't exactly strike him as the type who enjoyed contact with others. The flinching, the sharp-eyed stare, and the frenzied grasping under his pillow, on the other hand - that's unexpected. Zara takes a step back for safety's sake, convinced, for a moment, that the boy really is going to try and stab him.

But he doesn't. Angry words are something he can deal with much more easily, even if they're uncalled for. Taking a few seconds to regain his composure, he places his hands on his hips, answering in a flat tone. ]

I arrived exactly on time, young master. You, on the other hand...

[ he trails off, tilting his head slightly towards the clock.

The bizarre-looking symbol on his uncovered eyeball hadn't gone unnoticed; that's definitely not just an injured eye. But he can see Ciel rushing to cover it. He can worry about that later. ]

[ Ciel starts to tie the eyepatch into place, and though it's clumsy, it's still much improved from his first attempts where he had to ask for Oz's help to make sure the string was secure. Still, as he ties it, Ciel looks at the the clock near his bed and promptly looks quite embarrassed... His face heats up a little and he groans, bowing his head as he realizes that Zara is totally right. ]

Ergh...

[ Ciel's life is just a stream of embarrassment, and it will never stop. He finishes tying off the eyepatch, and even though his face is red, he looks up at Zara proudly all the same. ]

I— Sorry. [ That sure isn't a proud response, though... His hand drifts away from his eye, and after a pause, he adds: ]

...You saw it, yes?

Edited 2015-02-21 02:32 (UTC)

[ rule number one, ciel: zara is always right.

He smiles innocently at his reaction, hands moving to link behind him in a proper butlerly stance instead. He almost - almost - feels badly for Ciel, making such an ashamed face, but a little bit of humility builds character. At least he apologized for it. ]

You're not as much of a morning person as I thought, I see. [ gently teasing. The question, however, redirects his thoughts, and he looks a little more serious. ]

... Yes. My apologies.

[ Ciel grumbles at the first response, but he doesn't fight it with as much venom as he might give Sebastian for the same comment, at least. Though Ciel was still suspicious of Zara for rather innocuous reasons, those at least started to dim the more often he came by to help, so he was at least certain that Zara's concern was genuine enough. It was at least enough for Zara to want to keep his job, which is all Ciel was really concerned about.

Or at least was.

Now that his eye has been revealed (though he had expected it would happen eventually), that changes the trust between them more than a little, even if it's only on Ciel's side. He lapses into a silence as he seems to consider how to answer, but his first response is terse and simple. ]

Then don't mention it to anyone.

[ It's a command, but with the coolness of his tone, it makes it all the clearer that the mark was no small secret. Ciel kicks off the plush comforter, then stands from bed, though he fiddles almost anxiously with the ends of his sleeves. He could leave it at that, but if he did, he had the concern that the gravity would be lost, and it might be mentioned all the same. It's not quite the truth, since that required more trust still, but it's not exactly a lie either. ]

It's a reminder of what I'm pursuing at home. Vengeance comes at a price.

[ It's probably strange for a young boy to say something so dark, and yet with such conviction that it's clear that it's something he takes very seriously. He glances over to the closet, trying to move the conversation away from the sore subject. ]

...I usually have something picked out, but I was up late last night working. Just pick whatever you find suitable.

[ that's already more than he was expecting Ciel to say about it. Zara knows almost nothing about Ciel, beyond the fact that he was an earl and a businessman, left to take over his deceased parents' work; this talk of revenge and the strange tattoo (what he assumes is a tattoo) on his right eye only emphasizes that. ]

Of course not. [ it's quite obviously something the boy doesn't want others to see. He's not the type of rabbit to go sharing others' secrets with the world. As Ciel steps out of bed, he moves back a little bit to make room for him, one ear flicking curiously.

Naturally, he wants to know more. He has no idea what that symbol means, and while he has a few educated guesses on what sort of revenge he might be pursuing, he doesn't know how they might be connected. On top of that, he feels the urge to tell Ciel to reconsider if he can. Revenge was bitter. How many times had he dreamed of going back to find one or two of his old masters - the ones who beat him and held him by the ears and drained out his zest for life - and taking a blade to them when he was a boy? He'd been able to purge the desires after enough time, but he didn't like to think about it.

But it's not his place. Instead, Zara only nods respectfully and turns towards Ciel's closet, although he has a faint look of concern in his eyes when they meet Ciel's. ]

As you wish. [ a few moments' silence. ] It's not good for someone your age to work so much.

[ That look of concern has Ciel averting his eye quickly, since it's still something he's deeply uncomfortable with. Oz had learned the story, or at least part of it, since Ciel had been careful and deliberate in doing so. It had been part of a calculated plan to seize his victory, and so he was able to reveal it more confidently in the idea that he wouldn't have to deal with the consequences.

It's a moment that speaks to the fact that Ciel is far from an ordinary nobleman most clearly. There was a implied tragedy in the fact that he had inherited the title of Earl so early in his life, but the tragedy was greater than anyone could guess. Yet he also wouldn't allow anyone to do so.

So he doesn't linger on the topic either, addressing the gentle concern that Zara presents, since to Ciel, the topics aren't related. That relation is arguable. ]

Well, someone has to.

[ He sighs a little, then straightens, posturing himself from that moment of weakness into the little nobleman he prefers to present. ]

I want to start conducting business in this city. I've been looking into everything I need to do, so it keeps me busy.

[ it feels a little strange to just leave the topic behind. He feels like he should press more. Is he being irresponsible if he doesn't? Of course, Ciel isn't actually his master, nor even from his world, but he can't help but feel as though he should try to look out for him. They are friends - or at least, he considers them friends.

Them being friends is also why he chooses to leave the topic behind anyway. He'll talk about it when he's ready. Zara's ears swivel back on his head as he listens to Ciel speak behind him. ]

Conducting business? Really? I'd think your schoolwork keeps you busy enough. [ after a few moments of consideration, he begins to pluck items out of Ciel's closet, laying them across his arm as he goes. ] Will it be candy and toys again?

Not really. It's fairly simple.

[ The schoolwork, he means. Ciel is an excellent student, since anything is going to seem simple when compared to Sebastian's harsh lessons. It works out well for him now, since the only thing he really has to apply himself in are the subjects relating to more modern topics, and even then, he's still academically gifted. ]

Business is what I'm better suited to, so yes, it would be the same. I've been doing my market research and looking into tax laws, so I should be able to start a simple toy shop once I have the funds to do so.

[ Which... won't be that long. He's been pretty viciously pursuing this ever since he arrived here, since to Ciel, it's the quickest way into the world he's more comfortable in. ]

From there, I'll just buy out my competition. It should be straightforward. [ he's ruthless... ]

[ he really does know what he's talking about. As Zara finishes picking out his clothes for the day, he turns to walk towards him once more, an impressed expression on his face. Ciel's proud attitude made it easy for him to seem like he might be more bark than bite, but clearly, that's not the case. ]

... You're quite serious about this, [ he comments, laying the clothes on Ciel's bed beside him. ] I'm afraid I know little of business, but it sounds like you don't need the help. There are enough children around for it to be profitable, I suppose.

[ Ciel notices that expression, since he's especially sensitive to such things, but that's also why he was much more competent than someone would expect of a boy his age. He had pursued the title of Earl only a month after turning ten, which of course meant learning everything he needed to know about running the business of his family as well. He's nothing less than a genius in business, which may be because he's willing to cut out any competition without care. ]

It's fine. I ran Funtom's Company and its subsidiaries essentially by myself at home.

[ Which of course begs the question, how big is this company. ]

It'll give me something to do, since once I start it up, I won't go to school anymore. [ fuck school ]

-- Earl.

[ he might have commented on his running a whole company by himself, or the fact that his business was evidently big enough to have several offshoots, but instead, Zara cuts in with a sharp, scolding voice. Having finished setting out Ciel's clothes, he stands back up straight, crossing his arms and fixing the boy with an admonishing look.

Zara had never gone to school. His people were nomadic, parents included, and even then, they didn't have the money to even consider enrolling him; once they'd died, he'd had even less of a chance. Edgar had been gracious enough to educate the bitter, distrustful rabbit boy he'd bought from the slave market - and even if he hadn't understood it at the time, he knows now just how important that education was. ]

You can't be serious. Your studies are very important. I know this is an odd place to receive an education, but if you have time to run a business, you have time to learn.

Edited 2015-02-27 00:05 (UTC)

[ Ciel is surprised (as he always is) when Zara uses that admonishing tone, since Ciel is honestly very rarely given such a thing. The people that would have free reign to do such a thing at home were all dead, and those that remained were those that Ciel employed and thus were too respectful to treat him as a child. On occasion, Sebastian would use such a tone, but if it ever went too far into what Ciel found irritating, he could always pull the chain that controlled Sebastian tighter.

So he stares, baffled for a moment, as if he can't believe his ears. It's not even the idea of continuing his education that bothers him at all. He's just amazed that anyone would say such a thing to him at all.

(Never let it be said that Ciel isn't a brat.)

He stumbles over a syllable at first, but then crosses his arms to face down this problem with stubbornness to be expected of a thirteen year old boy, really. At least it has him acting his age, which for Ciel, is something that happens much more rarely than it should. ]

Ridiculous. There's nothing that I would learn there that I can't learn on my own.

[ seeing as he was once an insufferable brat, himself, he's become quite good (or maybe bad) at dealing with them. He raises an eyebrow dubiously. ]

You think you have the capacity to teach yourself five years' worth of information while running a business at the same time? You certainly set high standards for yourself.

[ clearly, Zara is less confident in Ciel's ability to do that... Not that he doubts the boy's intelligence or determination, because he clearly has plenty of both, but simply on the basis of time and interest. Once again, it's not exactly his place to tell him how to spend his time, but for some reason, he feels slightly responsible for Ciel. Possibly because he never sees any other adults hanging around him as much. ]

[ His expression hardens, but it's not in a defensive or combative way, but rather, one that's clearly taking Zara's words as a challenge. A smile comes to Ciel's face that's hardly lacking in arrogance, because in the realm of intellectual pursuits, Ciel had quite a bit of confidence. It's with the social graces that he failed the most... ]

Of course I do. I'm the Queen's Watchdog, so I'm held to a higher standard than others.

[ Not that Zara would know what the title means, and Ciel doesn't even particularly want him to. It's a slip of his title that comes from someone doubting him in an area he feels he can do well in. ]

I'll go to school as long as I don't have my company. But after that? If I can't manage to learn the same material for a month on my own, I'll return.

[ the phrase doesn't mean much to him, but it implies enough. It's not exactly unusual for certain noble families to be closer to the crown than others; the very family he works for is one of them. If he's that important, Zara thinks, then he has even more of a reason to attend school properly - either that, or at least get a tutor. Which is a job he's not about to volunteer himself for.

Only the fact that he hasn't known Ciel longer than a few months keeps him from making a snide remark. ]

Very high standards... Well, I'll hold you to that. Education is something you shouldn't take for granted.

Well, I know that...

[ The half-lecture at least gets the arrogance to deflate a little, but that's just as much because Ciel is satisfied that he has a plan that Zara had agreed to. Ciel will absolutely meet it, because there's nothing he hates more than losing, even if only Ciel is thinking of this as something to be lost.

He nods to Zara's choice in clothing, apparently approving, but he'll continue speaking as he starts getting dressed, I guess... I'm not going to write out this process, so we're going to gloss over that part. ]

I know education is important, certainly. I made sure that all of my servants received an education when they started working for me, after all.

[ if challenging him is the way to get him to do things... Zara will most certainly hold onto that knowledge for the future. For now, he'll count this as a partial victory. Once Ciel starts getting dressed, he moves to make the boy's bed with a practiced hand, listening as he does. At the mention of servants, his long ears perk up in interest.

So he had his educated, as well... ]

Oh? Your servants weren't educated to begin with?

[ it's not unusual for them to come from a serving family or something like that - Zara was an exception, not the rule. ]

[ Ciel shakes his head lightly, and he speaks as if this is something rather casual, but really, it's a bit more embarrassing than that. It's something he feels shy over, since showing the amount of care he does for his servants flusters him, even if it's in gestures that are quiet. ]

Not really. One of them had enough of an education when he came to work for me that he didn't need it, but the other two didn't know how to read or write. They wouldn't be able to do their work without those skills.

[ Which isn't actually true, really. They could manage well enough, since it was Sebastian that took care of the keeping of records. He sighs, then adds: ]

...Though they're rather poor servants regardless.

[ It's slight, but there's a note of fondness in his voice that hints to what Ciel is trying to step around saying. If they were people that couldn't read and write and were bad at their jobs, they would be worthless as servants. And yet... Ciel took them in all the same. ]

[ if he knew, he'd question why he was embarrassed by the idea of caring for his servants - but at the same time, he knows exactly why. Ciel's a teenage boy, and a grumpy one, at that. Showing his feelings probably seems impossibly unappealing. Zara had been there once... ]

Poor, and yet you keep them around, hm? [ unsurprisingly, he catches that little contradiction, speaking as he fluffs and rearranges the pillows on Ciel's bed. His tone is more playful than scolding this time, however. ] My parents taught me a little, but for the most part, I was educated by my master, as well. You did them a great favor.

[ ... well, it wasn't scolding for a few seconds, anyway. ]

... Which is exactly why I can't let you deny yourself the same favor.

[ Ciel opens his mouth to defend his honor like the tiny little tsundere he is, but once Zara elaborates, the complaints die in his throat, since now he understands why Zara finds education so important. It obviously wasn't anything like how his servants came to work for him (or at least, that's what he assumes, considering all of his servants had come into his service after trying to kill him), but still, he's suddenly humbled.

...And embarrassed.

His face turns red, and he looks down to fiddle with the hems of his sleeves idly. If it were Sebastian, he would complain and say he'd done a poor job, since such jabs were the only thing he could do to his butler, but he and Zara didn't have that kind of relationship. Which was good, of course, but it leaves Ciel at an awkward loss of how to react. ]

...They needed a place to stay.

[ He mumbles the explanation grumpily, because of course he does. ]

[ goodness, he certainly is easy to tease - even when Zara doesn't even intend to tease him at all. For all his talk of revenge and big business, Ciel's still very much a young boy in many ways, he thinks. He glances over at him, a knowing smirk on his face.

Knowing both that he's covering for his pride and showing something a lot softer. It's hard to mistake Ciel's reasoning for anything other than kindness. Naturally, he knows nothing about the circumstances of Ciel's servants; he only knows his own. But if they were servants with nowhere to live until Ciel held out his hand to them, Zara doubts their situations could have been much better than his own.

There certainly is a lot about him Zara doesn't know. For the moment, he lets the topic of skipping school drop. ]

So they did. [ His voice becomes gentler. ] You're a good man.

[ The gentler tone would have been brushed off easily, but Ciel is surprised by what comes with it. It's not the claim that he's a good person, because he's heard such a thing expressed before.

(Though he disagrees. He's not a good person at all, and anyone that says such a thing simply doesn't know, so he can't fault them that.)

Rather, he's surprised that Zara calls him a man, since that was something much rarer. It's as Zara had noted, after all, since it was always clearly apparent that Ciel was still a young boy, and everyone treated him as such. It brings a complicated emotion, because part of him feels a swell of pride at being acknowledged as an adult, even in such a small way, but his doubts do overpower that feeling.

So he just nods bashfully, though it gives the impression that he's posturing himself to hide it. He's at least finished getting dressed at this point, so he starts to step out of his room for breakfast. He can't speak to anymore about himself, so he turns a question on Zara instead. ]

...If you don't mind me asking, what was the house you served like, Zara?

[ He certainly doesn't know. What he does know is that Ciel is hard-working and open-hearted despite losing both of his parents and being forced to grow up early - on top of something else even darker that he doesn't yet understand, judging by that tattoo on his eye. To be able to look beyond his own suffering and reach out to others, go on living as usual, is not easy. That alone speaks to his maturity.

When Ciel leaves, Zara is quick to follow after him, having already finished making the bed and opening the curtains - he works quickly. As promised, there's a fresh pot of tea on the stove, as well as a small breakfast prepared for him: toast, a thin wedge of cheese, and a sliced apple. Simple, but arranged neatly. He's no great chef, and his time period leaves him without any particularly extravagant recipes, but he does his best. Once they enter the room, he quickly moves to the teapot so that he can pour Ciel a cup as he speaks. ]

The house I served? Well... I was a servant of Duke Edgar Galland. The Galland house was one of the five most prestigious noble houses in the country - historically, they've been close friends with the royalty. [ until some shitcats took the throne, anyway. ] I was hired to take care of Master Edgar's sickly daughter.

[ If nothing else, Ciel has at least gotten used to Zara's breakfasts, and considering the sad attempts that he and Oz make otherwise (which roughly amounts to oatmeal), he's definitely appreciative of what Zara does. It shows with his timely pay, of course. Or at least, that's what Ciel genuinely believes, since he's not big on giving praise, even when people deserve it.

He takes the apple first, since it's sweet, and as he starts to much on it, he at least listens to Zara explain with interest. The only other household he was really familiar with at all was the Midford household, and that was still fairly distant. It's surprising to hear of servants that are competent, in a way, or generally just what a normal household might be like. ]

Were you?

[ It's a rhetorical question, since he adds pretty quickly: ] What was she sick with? Consumption?

[ That's his best guess, at least, since that's generally the sort of sickness he knows of where nobles are tended to with such care as Zara seems to give. ]

[ they are competent. Zara makes sure that they're competent, because he's also the steward of the Galland house, and he has no time for incompetence in his life! Not even from Pearl and Richie. As he speaks, he pours Ciel a cup of tea - a simple herbal blend. He can't quite manage the fancy setups that Sebastian does. ]

No, nothing like that, I'm afraid... That would be easier. [ he sighs, and though it's long-suffering, it also has a decent amount of actual concern in it. One gets the sense he's been fighting the disease almost as much as his lady has. ] She's what we call a Lobeira, in my country... She was born with a weak body. Even a small cold could kill her if she isn't carefully looked after.

[ which led to quite an interesting living arrangement, but Zara won't bring that up now. ]

She's sixteen now, and doing better, but when she was younger, she spent most of her time in bed.

...Hm.

[ Despite his interest, his response to that much is probably surprisingly neutral and muted. Ciel busies himself with breakfast for the moment as he considers that, since it's actually somewhat similar to his own childhood, and that's not a parallel he particularly likes thinking about. He was more frail than he wanted others to know, though his condition had definitely improved as he had gotten older. But still, when he was a boy, he really only left the house in the best of weather. He hadn't really minded at the time, though he looked at it differently now in retrospect.

At the time, he was just always waiting for—

He cuts that thought off, since he won't allow himself to dwell on such a thing. He can't afford to.

So instead, Ciel smiles, but it's not exactly a nice one. It feels a bit forced. ]

I'll hope that all of this is a farce, in that case, and you may return home, Zara. Do you feel anxious being away from her?

[ it's not really an easy thing to respond to, he figures - at least, not for a proud (and grouchy) type like Ciel. The quiet reply isn't met with any particular scrutiny; just an acknowledging nod before he gently deposits the teapot on the table. Having prepared nothing for himself - he ate before he left - he merely stands by the table, although his posture isn't too stiff. This isn't his real master, and while they have a difference in rank, he's coming to accept that things like that don't matter quite as much here.

He isn't sure that he hopes it's all a farce, but he does hope that it ends soon and that he can return home. Just because he doesn't believe his entire world is in danger from some sort of alien force doesn't mean he doesn't believe that Fiona herself is in danger. ]

Of course. I've served at her side for more than ten years now... Being separated from her makes me uneasy. [ another sigh. ] To say nothing of her condition. We were stuck staying with a very sickly bunch before we came here.

[ if she really did get Zodiva, and he wasn't around to take care of her... ]

[ This sort of scene is familiar to Ciel, but unlike Zara, he feels a very quiet, subtle anxiety at the familiarity here too. It's a conditioned reaction, because when this scene takes place, it's absolutely Sebastian at his side, and Ciel has to be on his guard at all times to be prepared for the demon. He's growing more used to Zara, of course, more relaxed, but he still can't help the tension that comes from having a butler, any butler looking over him now.

So as such, he's grateful that Zara has a conversation topic to provide. Ciel is genuinely interested, at least, so he just continues on with his curiosity. ]

...Were you? Whatever for?

[ whatever for, indeed. If he tries to explain this story, he'll need to start at the beginning. Zara purses his lips, hesitating. ]

... In essence, we were trying to cure a disease that had been plaguing our country, but... it's quite a long story, and none too pleasant, either.

[ he's not sure he wants to sour Ciel's breakfast with tales of genocide and corrupt monarchies... at the same time, he doesn't mind sharing this information. They're so far away from home that it didn't matter if he spoke out against the twin princes. ]

I'm used to unpleasant stories.

[ Ciel says that a bit too casually to just simply be dismissive. Instead, it comes off that his words are all too truthful, which is a bit more worrying. He takes a sip of his tea, then nods. ]

I'd be interested in hearing it, if you don't mind sharing.

[ he would be used to them, he supposes. Zara's brow furrows briefly at the blunt honesty of Ciel's reply, but lets it pass. After seeing the mark on his eye, he feels he's probably learned enough of the boy's secrets for one day. He'll talk about his own world for now. ]

Very well... I'm sure I've told you this before, but my world is filled with many different races of people, and the country I live in is home to several. Until recently, we all lived together in relative peace, [ he says, though he wrinkles his nose a little at the sentiment - as peaceful as it could be called when his people were all killed not so long ago, ] but about ten years ago, a disease we call Zodiva started spreading across the countryside. It had no cure, as far as we could tell, and thousands of people died to it. His Majesty declared the Wolf people were the cause, and were spreading it in order to weaken the country so that they could take it over. He exiled them from the country, and if any were discovered within our borders, they were to be killed on sight.

[ Zara frowns. He feels blind for having believed this story for his entire life now - it seemed full of holes. But there was nothing to be done about his past. ]

But... As it turns out, none of it was their fault, and it was all an elaborate plot by our then-prince. My lady, Nesso and I happened to find this out through some unfortunate circumstances... [ he'll keep the details on that to himself, for now, before the story gets even longer. ] It's a bit more complicated than this, but essentially, the prince and his brother wanted us dead before we could spread the information. We became outlaws, wandering the countryside on the run from the imperial army. We needed somewhere to stay. And I'd been researching a cure for Zodiva, since Lady Fiona was likely already infected, but... if I was to complete it, I needed to cooperate with the Wolves. ...And she insisted that we try to help them. So we decided to meet with the Wolf people. As luck would have it, they're far sicker with Zodiva than the rest of the country.

[ he sighs through his nose. It's a fast, truncated version of the story that likely raises more questions than answers, but everything happened so fast - and it was all such a giant headache. Even thinking about it now makes him feel like the bottom of his stomach's dropped out.

He puts on a brave face for Fiona and Nesso, but, truly, he doesn't know if they'll survive. ]

Edited 2015-03-13 05:29 (UTC)

[ It's strange, listening to stories like these.

For all of Ciel's experience with the fantastic, for having a demon at his beck and call, it's still hard to hear stories like this with proof in front of him and not dismiss it as fairy tale. It does sound like one, after all. It's dark, but it's a story that would come from Grimm, and he can remember when he was young, having people read things like this to him. The idea of that more than Zara's story makes Ciel's expression serious and colder, because Ciel absolutely loathes looking back. The past has nothing for him now.

But surprisingly, as Ciel listens, there are very few questions that he has all the same. It's a story without context for him, so what he focuses on is different and simpler. It's not the tragedy of a kingdom and its people that he can really relate to, since such times were long since past for England. ]

You at least keep yourself busy.

[ It seems like a cynical joke, but Ciel isn't really smiling... ]

I can see why you want to return home, perhaps even more than I do. [ He takes a sip of his tea, but then ends up looking at it with a cooler, more distant expression before he scoffs. ] It's certainly the sort of reason as to why I can't accept what they told us. I have things I must do at home. This couldn't be the end.

[ it does sound unfortunately like a joke, and Zara's eyes narrow slightly when that's the response he gets. Ciel is not the most delicate person, he knows, but he thinks a nobleman should know when to exercise some restraint. Perhaps it sounds like a distant story to him -- but for Zara, it's a reality, and one that's essentially destroyed his entire life. ]

... It's more than simply "busy," earl. My lady and my master's lives are both in great peril, to say nothing of the entire country. If we fail here, we'll all die. Or worse.

[ he knows exactly what those cats are capable of. His voice is a touch sharp, but his tone is more neutral than anything. Like a scolding. ]

But you're correct. We've no real reason to believe them, seeing as we haven't seen any evidence of their claims.

[ Ciel's eyes widen in surprise, since he hadn't quite expected this sort of response in turn, because Ciel is a moron that doesn't know how to people. He's a bit embarrassed at coming off as callous as he had, since at least in this case, he liked Zara, and he had no reason to be harsh. As such, it at least gets an apology from him, however bad and feeble it is. ]

Ah... Sorry.

[ Zara won't even fully appreciate just how rare apologies are from Ciel, how tragic... ]

[ But it does leave him feeling awkward, so he just continues eating in silence now. ]

[ he actually is somewhat surprised that Ciel apologizes to him. He's not the most delicate, nor is he the most humble. But fortunately for him, Zara's not the type to hold grudges, either - not over small things like this. The stilted apology and the awkward silence that follows convince him that the boy means it, and he simply sighs silently through his nose, gently exasperated. ]

It's all right. I know you meant no harm. Dire as the situation might be, it does feel very far away now, even to me.

[ there's some bitterness in his words. Though he knows perfectly well that it's not his fault, he can't shake the feeling that he's off dallying in this stupid city while Fiona is suffering somewhere else. ]

... In any case, it would be best if I were reunited with Lady Fiona soon, whether she comes here or I am returned home.

[ oddly, he doesn't seem to care which option it is. As long as he's with Fiona and she's safe, nothing else really matters. ]

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wtf this tag got marked as spam

au: zara is a nigerian prince who wants to give ciel money

dammit zara he said no!!!

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crawls out of the grave and into this thread

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