{ Video; UN: potentia.regere }

[earlofphantoms]

{ Vincent is taking a brisk walk - exercise is good for the mind and body, you know - looking less like the dapper British gent than usual. Modernity is creeping up on him and he is just the sort to embrace it, bit by bit. }

It really is a shame servants can't be employed here - or am I wrong? Is it more a question of price? I can understand wanting to be well-compensated. I always thought I was an easy Master -

{ Ha ha ha. No. }

There is nothing wrong with living an exciting life. { What are you even trying to say, Vincent. } I don't think I've ever lived so peacefully or so...independently. I'm afraid it's going to my head.

Comments

action;

[sweetlies]

I'm sure that wasn't a British recipe. Or Tanaka might have made it for us when we were sick.

[Ciel tilts his head slightly and then gives a little shake of that head.]

Close. I did the math. She was two years older.

action;

[earlofphantoms]

It was an amalgamation. { He shrugs before looking distracted. Distant. } Two years really isn't -

I remember being a teenager and it was difficult. I'm sorry I did the same thing to you.

action;

[sweetlies]

[Ciel just shakes his head and shakes off that apology.]

You're not to blame. Nobody saw this coming. [Although he sometimes suspects Vincent might have, after that conversation with Diedrich years ago.]

action;

[earlofphantoms]

I knew I could die. { It's fair that he knows now, though Vincent is cautious with his wording. } I thought someone was targeting me, but -

I never thought they would be so vicious.

action;

[sweetlies]

If no one was left then no one could possibly try retaliating or recounting the events of the night to other Villainous Nobles. Or the Yard.

[Ciel isn't so careful. He doesn't care, at this point, what might be overheard.]

action;

[earlofphantoms]

Precisely. { He is keeping a careful eye on their surroundings. } They sold you and your brother to the worst sort of people. They wanted to make a profit.

Re: action;

[sweetlies]

They sold us to people who could pay the most for a set of twins. The traffickers had no idea they were selling Earl Phantomhive's sons.

action;

[earlofphantoms]

What better way to have you disappear? Everyone would assume you had perished in the fire. No word would have gotten out because no one knew you identities.

Yes, I think the fate awaiting those responsible must be painful indeed.

action;

[sweetlies]

Everyone did assume it. Undertaker had graves for us all, since Ciel and I were small enough we would have just burned to ash.

[A little nod.] It will be. Should I return to England. I'm... quite comfortable here.

action;

[earlofphantoms]

{ He reaches out and smoothes back Ciel's hair. }

His duty is a sad one in particular for us. { His gaze warms. } This isn't such a bad home. I wonder if it will last?

action;

[sweetlies]

So long as we don't travel back through the portal to England, nothing is stopping us from remaining here.

[He agrees that this isn't so bad. It's all still a little strange but it's not awful.]