"Stop fidgeting, dear," said her mother as the carriage rolled down the road.

Ciella balled her hands into fists to stop. "I can't help it. I'm just so nervous," she said.

Her mother's smile was one of understanding as she out a hand over her daughter's. She said, "It will be fine."

"What if I don't like him? What if he doesn't like me?" Ciella asked worriedly.

Her mother patted her hand and repeated, "It will be fine."

The carriage rolled to a stop outside of a grand mansion. The Phantomhive butler, Tanaka, opened the carriage door for them. Ciella waited for her parents to get out before she followed. The Trancy Estate was grand. It almost looked twice that of the Phantomhive manor. As they approached the front doors, Ciella noticed the butler waiting for them. He was very attractive with longer hair than she was used to seeing on a butler and, much to her surprise, blood red eyes framed by dark eyelashes. Probably feeling her eyes on him, he looked directly at her. She felt herself blush and look away quickly. The butler bowed to the three of them and said respectively, "Welcome to the Trancy Estate. My master has been expecting you. If you could please follow me, I shall show you to him." They followed the strange butler inside. Right inside the door, he took helped them with their coats. When he was helping Ciella, her cheeks turned red and her stomach did flips. She watched his face as he put her coat on the coat tree for any sign that he noticed her blush, but if he did, he didn't show. From there, they followed him upstairs to a drawing room. Only one other person was in the room, so Ciella assumed this was one of the Trancy family. She would guess he was the head of the family, but he seemed too young. He looked about her age- sixteen bordering on seventeen- with blonde hair, light blue eyes, and a scandalous smirk. Ciella felt her blush creep back onto her cheeks. Is everyone in this place handsome? she thought to herself.

He walked from the window and greeted her parents first, poised as any man twice his age. "Lord Phantomhive, a pleasure to meet you. And Lady Phantomhive, you look as lovely as ever," he said smoothly.

"Alois," her father acknowledged. "Where is your father?"

"You didn't hear? He passed away in his sleep a few weeks ago," he said sadly. Ciella noticed he didn't seem quite as sad as one would think.

Her mother gasped. "How awful!"

"We are terribly sorry to hear that. We've only just gotten back from Paris, so we did not know," her father said apologetically.
Her mother turned to her father, taking his arm. "Oh, perhaps we should postpone these activities then. Just until we know he's had plenty of time to grieve."

"That's quite all right, Lady Phantomhive. The time for grieving has past. Now, I could use a little happiness in my life."

Her father seemed somewhat pleased at his answer, for he smiled. "The boy is right, Rachel. Shall I introduce my daughter then?" Alois' light eyes landed on her as she stepped forward and offered her hand to him. He took it and kissed it ever so gently without taking his eyes off of her. Vaguely, she heard her father say, "Alois, may I introduce my daughter, Ciella."

"I am very pleased to meet you, Miss Phantomhive, and might I say you look absolutely lovely," he said in a low voice with that smirk returning to his face. Ciella blushed even more and held back a shiver as he looked her up and down.

"You're too kind, Lord Trancy," she said, sounding breathier than she intended. His smirk deepened as he let her hand go.

The butler, who no one had even noticed left, came back into the room with a tea tray. Everyone sat down as the butler served them with amazing skill. Her father and Alois struck up a conversation and her mother occasionally gave her opinion, but Ciella stayed silent and just watched. Alois' voice was sweet like honey and his words were so wonderful chosen, but she noticed his movements contradicted everything. Everything he did seemed dipped in sarcasm and a terrible meanness. It worried her a bit because it seemed that he was just putting on a charming act. Who knows how he really acts. She pushed those thoughts from her mind. I'm sure it's fine. There's no need to worry, she thought. The Trancys are a very respectable family.

On the carriage ride home, Rachel said, "I'm not sure about this, Vincent. If it's just the boy-"

"Now, now dear. Don't worry. Alois has grown into a fine gentleman and such a gentleman knows how to behave during the courting process," he said.

"I shall still feel better as long as there is a capable third person with them at all times. Perhaps that butler would agree to watch over them. He seems to be a trustworthy type," her mother said.

Her father looked out the window in thought. He said, "If it makes you feel better, we can ask. If he declines, we can always make other arrangements." Then he turned to Ciella. "So, what do you think of Alois?"

"I- I'm not quite sure yet. I've only just met him," she said.

"I did notice you kept looking at him," said her mother. "Surely that must mean you approve."

Ciella didn't answer and just looked out the window. She really didn't know what to think of Alois Trancy.

Next week, the courting began. Alois requested Ciella come to his estate and she agreed. Her parents did not come this time. They had talked to the butler and he had agreed to keep watch over the two. Tanaka drove her and her maid Abigail to the Trancy manor and they arrived at noon. Since no one was outside waiting for them, Abigail knocked on the door. They didn't have to wait long before the odd butler opened the door. "My apologies for not greeting you outside, my lady," he said with a low bow as they walked in.

Ciella felt her stomach jolt again as he took her coat. "It's perfectly all right," she said.

He said, "His Highness would like for you to join him in the garden, if it is okay with the young mistress."

Highness? "Oh yes, it's perfectly fine," she said a little too quickly.

The butler led her and Abigail upstairs, down the hall, and to a giant balcony where three red couches were. One of them had a blonde haired boy sitting on it. Alois stood when he saw Ciella and took her hand, kissing it. "Lord Trancy," she said shyly, noticing the butler leaving out of the corner of her eye.

"Please call me Alois, Miss Phantomhive," he said.

"Only if you call me Ciella," she said with a smile.

He grinned back at her. "Ciella," he said, testing it out. Then his eyes ran over her and he said, "You look beautiful today."

Ciella blushed. "Lord Tran- I mean, Alois, please," she said.

His grin easily turned into a smirk. "I'm sorry if I have said something to embarrass you but you really are very lovely." Ciella smiled a little and the butler came back with a tea tray. Alois said, "Shall we sit and have some tea?"

"That sounds delightful," she agreed, sitting next to where he had previously been sitting. Ciella watched at the talent the butler had for pouring tea. She had seen some fantastic butlers but this one was amazing. He never missed a single drop and his movements were so flawless and purposeful. She realized she was staring a little when he handed her her tea. She quickly averted her eyes and looked at the garden. "Your garden is wonderful," she complimented.

"You like it?"

She nodded. "Very much so. The flowers are lovely and the chess board decor is quite interesting."

"Do you like nature?" Alois asked, sipping his tea.
"Just flowers. I have my own roses at home that I enjoy taking care of," she admitted.

He cocked his head to the side. "Roses. Would you care for some roses for you to take care of here?"

She laughed a little. "How could I take care of them if they were here? I can't be here everyday."

He said, "Well, you will live here someday and I just wanted to make sure you feel completely at home here."

"Me? Live here?" she almost scoffed. "I am to stay at the Phantomhive manor. My father said he had spoken to your father about that already. Did he not tell you?"

Alois' eyes tightened a little at the mention of his father. "He did not. But seeing as my father is no longer here, some plans will have to be changed according to my wishes now, such as this."

"My father will not give in to your wishes so easily," she said, feeling her anger rose slightly at his attitude.

"We shall see. I can be quite persuasive," he said and then laughed a horrible, mocking laugh. "I'll have plenty of time to change his mind before the actual wedding," he said in a lighter tone.

They spent the rest of the visit getting to know each other more but it wasn't until she was laying down for bed that night that she realized he never gave her any answers about himself.