The Liars and Soothsayer chapter 2 (Previously known as ‘A Kiss To My Prince’)
A Kiss to My Prince series (Unchanged): FF
Chapter I (Rewritten): Time-slip Yuri
Chapter II: Pathos
A/N: Rewritten chapters will be first uploaded on Tumblr before I make the changes on Fanfiction.net
As you have noticed, I have changed the story’s title from ‘A Kiss to My Prince’ to ‘The Liars and Soothsayer.’ This is due to the change in the story plot/characterisation and direction.
The title hints at the relationship that will blossom between Sebastian, Ciel and Yuri as well as Alois and Claude.
Meaning of soothsayer:
Sooth = truth
Sooth + sayer = truth sayer or the ‘one who speak the truth’.
As of today, the soothsayer is used to describe someone who is said to be able to predict the future. This stems from fortune-tellers who wanted deceive their patrons to believe what they said was true and would refer themselves as soothsayer thus the word underwent such changes. The title is a bit of a metaphor for the characters in the story.
“My name is Yuri Park. There was an incident and I woke up in 1887. Am I mad, in a coma, or back in time? Whatever’s happened, it’s like I’ve landed on a different planet. Now, maybe if I can work- out the reason, I can get home.”
Yuri was taken to a room that resembled a living room where she guessed in this era the visitors would be shown. Her whole body was stiff with apprehension and she was actually surprised she managed to stand up and made it to this part of the mansion without fainting. His introduction as the butler of the household nearly went over her head. Her eyes were glued onto her nails where she nervously picked at her damaged skin surrounding it. She was tempted to take off her hoodie, too aware of the dampness coating her white sleeveless vest underneath it, but instead did a quick airing out by shaking her collar when the demon attended to the tea tray.
He readied the tea in meticulous and elegant fashion, not one speck of liquid was spilled even when he poured them from considerable height and placed the utensil and plates of delicious looking savouries. At the sight of such delicacy, she felt her mouth water but made no move to sip or taste anything simply watching the vapour evaporating from the hot tea.
“Please help yourself.” He kindly mentioned, as if he knew she was waiting for some sort of permission.
Yuri managed a small but forced smile, “T-thank you.”
She brought the expensive teacup up with both her hands nervously afraid to drop them and rested upon her lip tilting the liquid into her mouth. Having underestimated its heat, the tea scolded her tongue and Yuri nearly ended up spewing it out onto the table.
“Are you alright? The tea is quite hot…” He asked, having seen the pained look on her face and the way her palm shot up to wipe any spillage.
She quickly nodded, “Yeah! I should have cooled it down. No worries.” Great, she lost her sense of taste. Normally, she would have put in lot of milk and sugar but in a situation like this, it seemed almost..rude so she accepted the tea just as it was served.
“Please try some sweets as well; I have made them an hour earlier.” He encouraged with a smile.
“Um..sure..thanks.” Yuri gingerly picked up an expensive looking fork glided with gold and wondered just how much all this kitchenware would cost in modern world. She could see decorations of gold garnishing the room from the furniture to even the wall and couldn’t help but wonder if it all were real.
Real and 99.9% pure..
She chose the nearest plate, a piece of cake that was artfully decorated. It looked like a vanilla cake with a bit of chocolate icing on them but Yuri wasn’t an expert on judging pricey desserts or food. No, her forte was on cheap, affordable student-discount offering fast foods and mid-scale family restaurant with the luxury consisting of gelato or a nice dessert café like Creams. So rarely did she ever visited any pâtisseries when their price tag for a single slice or portion could probably buy her a nice big mac meal, milkshakes, and McFlurry.
She tentatively brought a small piece into her mouth and felt her eyes widen as its sweetness melted into her mouth. Yuri made a high pitched gasp in the back of her throat and wondered if this was what heaven tasted like.
“I’m glad it is to your taste.”
“Who wouldn’t like this?!” Yuri unconsciously blurted out.
He gave her an appreciated smile, “Thank you. Now that you have settled; I am afraid I shall have to take my leave as I need to attend to my master for a short moment. It shan’t be long; please enjoy the rest of your tea whilst I’m gone.”
Yuri nodded and wondered if she should stand up or not at his departure. She heaved herself up from the chair when he held a hand to stop her.
“Please, sit. There’s no need to stand.”
Yuri nodded and sat back down, “Thank you for the tea.”
“You’re quite welcome.”
She didn’t relax until the demon was out of the room, and only when the door was completely shut and waited for good five minutes did she slouch against the chair. Burying her face in her palms hoping everything was but a lucid dreaming stemmed from her over imaginative mind, she knew this was as it gets. Yuri took out her phone from her hoodie’s pocket and clicked the home button several times in futile hope that by some miracle it’ll light up but what remained was a blank, inactive screen reflecting her despondent self.
Tears threatened to fall again but she couldn’t cry, not when they were going to barge in anytime soon.
Why was she here? Why her? Why not Katie? Or Anna? Or Nikita? Why not anybody else but her?! What is happening back in her world? Did anyone notice she was missing? Did anybody even care? Would her parents called the police? Would they have told her parents she disappeared in the hospital? And would they be crying now, just wondering who snatched their baby away? How would her school react? Would they organise a morning assembly revealing that one member of the student went missing last night? Would they ask for the students prey for her safe return? Would she appear on the news? Would the reporters be showing one of her picture on the tv screen’s side corner and talking about how she was like as a daughter, a friend and a student?
Millions of thoughts ran inside her mind and she didn’t hear the door opening with Sebastian walking in, only he was accompanied by someone else nor the chair across her sliding back and forward as someone took their seat.
Yuri glanced up, flinching as she came face to face with the main character of the manga – not a novel or a movie – but a manga that was adapted to anime as well. She didn’t know about him that well – or the detailed manga story line, just vaguely remembered one of her friend going on about a 13 year old boy who had taken a path of revenge and her various conspiracy theories surrounding it. For once, she was thankful that she paid attention. Where did she say the chapter was up to now? The Blue Switch? The Red…witch? It was something witch..
“Which year in the future do you come from?”
She met his eyes now, having been brought out of her little mumbling world, “Oh..uh..” She momentarily prepared what she was going to say, but there was a slight distrust in his eyes when he registered her pause and flusters.
“2017.”
“2017?” He echoed and his voice held a tone she couldn’t quite decipher.
She nodded, “Um…Our Queen is Queen Elizabeth’s II who recently surpassed Queen Victoria’s record as reigning body and…Donald Trump became the U.S. president…I don’t really have much to say…”
The two became noticeably quiet, perhaps allowing her words to sink in as well as weighing whether she was sane and telling the truth or should they have her institutionalised.
“I know it’s hard to believe; but it’s true. If this year is what you say it is, then I really did..travel to the 19th century. I mean, look, how will you explain the phone?” She rummaged through her bag, desperate to fish anything that was futuristic looking or too advance to exist in Victorian era; she took out everything she can on the table.
Jewelleries she has been looking for a long time with some that were not hers’, gums, water bottle, receipts, planner, lip balm, chocolates, asthma pumps,, her wallet with her money and ID and.. she eyed the blue and green paper wraps her hand automatically brought up and before dropping it back in. No need to explain to them about period pads.
They eyed the objects they had already seen.
“I believe you.” Ciel said after a while, sipping his tea with one hand and another holding the plate beneath it, “Put it away.” He ordered, as if he was more bothered by the mess made on the table with the foods.
Yuri did so, her face red with embarrassment.
“Do you know who I am?” He asked, one eye scanning her as others were hidden by his trademark eye patch.
You have one chance, Yuri. Make sure you tell him the right answer. Her head did quick calculations on predicted outcome for either telling him yes or no. How will he act if I tell him he’s just a drawing? Come on, THINK!
“…No.”
“I will warn you that I do not appreciate being lied to.” He sharply said, “We shall try it again; do you know who I am?”
“…” Yuri gulped, “I heard about you.”
He seemed satisfied with her new answer.
“Where?”
“I know that you’re an Earl…and,” She turned to Sebastian, “…That you’re a demon.”
The Earl calmly put the tea down onto the plate with a soft clink, “And how are you privy to that information?”
If she didn’t know how he looked like, she’d think from his choice of words and the way he seemed to carry himself, she’d mistake him for a lot older person than he was.
Yuri clenched her eyes shut, how will she explain it?
“..Because you’re – I mean your world is…” She couldn’t say it, she felt sick now.
“My world is what?” He sounded a little impatient, “Tell me – now.”
“Because you’re world is-is a…fiction.”
Everything seemed to hush and still, the air felt heavy and Yuri was sure she would have toppled to the ground if it weren’t for the chair holding her up. She couldn’t breathe and she didn’t know if it were because she had her face down and holding her breath or if the entire oxygen molecule vanished with the exposure of this world’s reality.
Humourless laughter left the Earl’s lip, his body went into a violent tremor as he hunched onto the table in unbefitting manner for someone who was so in control of himself and others around him.
“A fiction you say..”
Sebastian looked slightly worried for his master, he didn’t seem, at all, so..amused as his master that the universe they were living in was fake and what she seemed to hint, a form of literature.
“Hah…a fiction.” He puffed out the word like his airway was being constricted, “You’re insinuating…everything I’ve experienced, every emotion I felt…is..a mere writing?”
She didn’t confirm his question because she knew it wasn’t a question he wanted her to verbally confirm once again.
Yuri hid for a cover that was her arms when his arm lashed out to swing the pricey dishes and cups from the table and pricey porcelains shattered into splinters on the table and the carpet.
“Young master–“ Sebastian began as he saw Ciel’s hand redden from the burn.
“I-it might not be true!” Yuri yelled in hope of calming him down but his glares sent shivers down her spine and the thought ‘Ah, he’s going to kill me’ flashed passed her mind, “F-for some reason, someone sent me here; I don’t know why, b-but now your world is now just as alive as mine!”
“Young master, may I remind you that tonight, at seven, Mr. Damian are coming for supper and we should start the preparation.”
Ciel looked like he wanted to say – or shout – something, maybe about how the world wasn’t real and everything that was going on wasn’t real either.
“L-look,” Yuri quickly intervened and inhaled deeply; calm, calm, “I know it might seems like a cruel joke to realise the world you lived in – in my world – is not real, but I’m here now. Maybe something’s changed and now this world is just as real as mine.”
“What do you know of this world, then?” He recovered quickly although his fist remained clenched on the table, “What will happen from now on? Tell me everything you know.”
“I don’t the exact detail but I know you’re looking for your parents’ killer, and that you’re the Queen’s Watchdog. The last time I’ve heard about your world; you’re close to finding out what happened that night.”
“You will help.” It was an order, “You shan’t lie in my presence, nor betray my confidante. In return, I will bid you shelter, clothing, and food. Is the term and condition satisfactory?”
Yuri took the time to think about his offer. How weird she would often click or sign ‘I agree to the terms and condition stated above’ without ever actually reading them, but felt like she should ask for a written contract with all the legal clauses and lawyers to guide her through it instead. But beggars can’t be choosers. In particular, a beggar lost in 19th century with nothing but the bag in her hand and few modern pound notes and coins other than the knowledge of future. She didn’t have the mind or the talent to actually go away and start producing modern objects. She was just a normal eighteen year old girl with what the 19th century doctors would call overly creative imaginations.
She simply nodded.
Ciel stood up and she quickly followed the suit, intending to see to his departure. He didn’t look at her, facing Sebastian who waited for his master’s order.
“Introduce her to the servants and show her to the guest chamber.” He said more harshly then needed.
“Of course.” Sebastian said, “But should we not have the burn examined? I can call for the Doctor.”
“No need.” He said, “Clean this mess up.”
“Yes, young master.”
Sebastian bent down to pick up the visible pieces of the porcelain and Yuri bent down to help him.
“Ms. Park, it is quite alright. This is my job. Let me.” He gently said, prying the glasses from her fingers.
Yuri frantically shook her head, “It’s fine; let me help. I’d appreciate the distraction.”
“But as a guest–.”
“I don’t think I’m an important enough of a guest to have people do things for me.” Yuri joked lightly, although uneasiness was evident in her voice, “I’m more of a reluctant guest you took in.”
“Even so, I insi–“
“Please.” Yuri pleaded, meeting his gaze, “It might sound weird but tasks like this are a good stress reliever for me. Just..please.”
Sebastian sighed, “Very well.”
After cleaning up the mess, with smaller fractions of the glasses swept properly, Sebastian gathered the familiar looking servants whom she remembering seeing briefly when Arianna was showing her the manga.
Mey-Rin, the maid; Finnian, the gardener; Baldroy, the chef and the house steward, Tanaka, all greeted her with respect and announcing she will be a stay-in guest for a while. Yuri introduced herself while approaching to offer her hand to shake. The action caused a bit of fluster amongst the servant and she remembered where she was. The oppressive social mores meant it wasn’t appropriate her to acknowledge the servants in such ways. Still, even when she remembered she still waited for her empty hand to be filled.
“Mey-Rin, is it not rude to keep our esteemed guest waiting?” Sebastian said, realising she won’t be backing down.
The maid’s face became as red as an apple and stuttered to make form a smooth sentence, “A-ah, yes! It is lovely to meet you, Miss. Park!”
Then she shook Finnian’s then Baldory then Tanaka’s.
“Please just call me Yuri.”
Their faces, except Tanaka, seemed morph into something she identified as horror and shock.
“W-we cannot–“ Mey-Rin began.
“Please.” Yuri pleaded, “It doesn’t have to be in front of other people; just when we’re together, you can call me Yuri. I don’t like being called so formally.”
“B-but…” Finnian muttered.
“If this is what Miss. Park wishes, we shall do so.” Sebastian said, “She is not used to such formality. Since she is our guest, we should do our best to accommodate her needs.”
The three servants lowered their head in surrender before saying in unison, “Yes, Mr. Michaelis.”
Sebastian turned to Yuri, “Now then, let me guide you to your room. I have taken the liberty to have your bag placed.”
“Oh, thank you.”
The room she was given was just as elegant and luxurious as the living room she was recently in. It reminded her of the hotel suite room that would have cost her more than her parent’s wages for a night.
“This is your room. If you have any problems or questions, please do not hesitate to ring the bell. Either I or Mey-Rin will come.” He said, pointing to the bell pull beside the bed, “Mey-Rin will come at five to ready you for dinner.”
She nodded in thank even though their generosity was not so altruistic, “..Thank you for taking me in.”
Alone in the house, Yuri carefully sat on the edge of large King sized bed and stared at the mirror hung up on the fireplace. She sighed, afraid of things that will come.
“The progression of East Indian jewel technology is really quite remarkable” Damian pointed out, trying to steer into a more business orientated subject. It was obvious the man’s head wasn’t in the game and only half-heartedly playing along as to appease Ciel, who was the benefactor with a deep pocket.
Yuri sat in the corner, silent, and wondering once again how she got here and if she could ever go back to her world. The two men barely acknowledged her other than their introduction to each other, Damian seemed a bit reluctant to let a woman in the room whilst they talked business but at Ciel’s insistent, he was more than happy to bury her into oblivion and give all his focus and attention to the one that matter the most in this room.
“Many brilliant people have also been raised there ― entranced by the eyes of the dead.” He continued.
“That’s unlucky. I’m out for one turn, eh?” Ciel hummed, ignoring the man’s diverging attempts.
“It’s an opportune time right now!” A gentle, promising smile appeared; hiding what lurks beneath, “I would like to continue to expand my company’s business and secure larger workforce” Ciel leaned back, quite obviously not interested in the discussion of investment.
“It’s your turn.”
Damian looked at his meagre number of chess pieces with miserably hidden boredom. His distractions and insouciance had cost him of his many pawns.
“Oh yes. Well then, excuse me.” He threw the die, landing on certain card.
“Yes, and five.” He moved the dice before he ventured, “About that, though. If I were to receive assistance in the form of another £12,000 pounds…”
“Excuse me,” Sebastian interrupted, “Dinner is ready.”
They were led to the garden and the entrance hall sparkled and shined in binding light, almost like the one she fell into. Mr Damian awed in compliment as he looked around and even Ciel looked impressed by the decor. The sets of oak door were like a portal to another dimension that was entirely different from the one they were in now. The door seemed to have been a door to heaven as it opened with much more brighter light before it dimmed down into appropriate setting, revealing an enchanting Japanese stone garden filled with bloomed cherry blossoms as its petals feathered down like snow.
Main highlight of the evening was in the centre of the courtyard, a long and slender dinner table covered with clean white cloth as not to dull and bring the full attention to the Japanese table decorations. Seeing the sight of it had Yuri’s heart throbbing at the beauty; the work could not have been done by human hands and it was very true for the particular butler who prepared them.
Ciel and Mr Damian were seated at each opposite end of the table while Yuri was seated between the two in the middle. Sebastian walked smoothly to the table and placed the dishes in front of the household.
“Dinner is served.” He announced, “On the menu is our chef Baldroy’s Gyuu-tataki-don.”
“Gyuu-tataki-don?” Ciel and the guest echoed in surprise.
“This..is dinner?” The butler nodded and there were small amount of disappointment in Damian’s voice, “I was expecting a Kyoto-style course meal or something..”
Sebastian gave him a small smile of confident before bolting out, “Mr. Damian, did you know.. donburi has been used in Japan from ancient times as a feast to express gratitude to labourers. A dish given as a treat to a person who has rendered great service..that is Donburi!” The older man and Ciel were clearly shocked and surprise at the knowledge he held.
Although Yuri wasn’t so fond of raw fish in sushi or any dishes involving raw fish or meat, having not eaten anything since the bits of snacks she had late night, the sight of it seemed to awaken her forgotten hunger
“Houhan, a court dish for which the masses yearned, is said to be the origin of Donburi.” Sebastian continued, appeasing Damian’s mind toward the favour of the food that lied in front of him. “Furthermore, I thought you would be tired of elaborate dishes and planned this so you might eat the choicest of meat simply.”
Daze look glazed over at the older man’s eyes before laughing approvingly.
“Ciel, this is great! You always surprise me!” He joyfully added, “A lot of the fellows in this business lack a sense of humour. But I think we’ll continue to get on just fine from here on.”
The Earl smirked, satisfied, “I’m honoured to hear that.”
“We did it!” Finny cheered, his arms shooting up in the air. “It was a complete success!”
Mey-Rin hurried toward, pushing through Finnian and Baldroy.
“Move out of the way! I’m up next, so let me do my job.” She marched speedily through the door, stopping in front of the cart holding the wine.
“I also selected an Italian wine to suit your taste, sir.” Sebastian informed, but there was an awkward silence between the pause and Sebastian motioned toward the still maid.
“Mey-Rin!”
“Yes?”
Sebastian moved closer to her ear and whispered, “Stop standing there and pour the wine into the man’s glass.”
The flurry of blush spread across Mey-Rin’s cheeks like wildfire, his action having caused quite a panic at the proximity between them. She swivelled shakily to the guest’s side, holding the wine in her arm with a dazed look behind her glasses. The chef, knowing her clumsiness ― particularly in untimely manner ― noticed with hawk eyes.
“..Hey?”
“Yes?” Finnian and Sebastian responded.
“Isn’t there something wrong with the little lady?”
The trio trailed their eyes toward chef’s pointing finger and gasped ominously.
“Miss Mey-Rin!” The three yelled, attempting to correct ― or if possible ― stop her, “You’re spilling the wine!”
Everyone other than Ciel’s business colleague, who was entrenched by the garden, seemed to realise the trouble was brewing. Mey Rin, still star-struck from earlier on, still poured on the wine even if the liquid was gushing dangerously to the rim of the cup and began overflowing onto the white cloth when it was no longer possible for the cup to contain it.
Sebastian acted immediately with inhuman-like speed. His hands grasped the white table cloth and with a swift back pull of his arms, the red stained material smoothly glided off the table with only smallest amount of disturbance. The table wares, cup and plates rattled slightly as the only hint of such stunt he just pulled.
Damian, hearing the glass clink, turned away from the scenery to the table which was now bare.
“W-where did the tablecloth go?” The man swore there was a white cloth beneath their plates.
Ciel schooled his sudden burst of panicked expression before smoothing it down to a slight smirk, continuing to eat as if it was nothing.
“I had it taken away because there was a slight stain on it. Don’t trouble yourself. Excuse us for our discourtesy. Please relax and enjoy your meal.”
Mr. Damian slightly titled his head, puzzled, before resuming back to eating. I savoured the food deliberately and slowly, it was absolutely delicious and five Michelin star worthy, but the bubbling anxiety and adrenaline was doing its best to dull my taste and did not notice Sebastian disappearing behind the door.
“So Miss. Park,” Damian began, “From which exotic lands do you hails from?”
Yuri looked up from her food, surprised she was being addressed and prepared to answer his question, “I’m from Korea. But I don’t think Korea is exotic.” There was nothing exotic about Korea, or Asia, or its people. It was her second home and a country she happened to be born in just like him who happened to be born in England as English.
“Oh my, that is quite a distance. I hear Corea(1) still remains a mystery to this day with their strict isolationist policy. What made you travel so far?” As far as Damian knew of Corea, the country was dubbed ‘Hermit Kingdom’ by frustrated Western conquistadors in days of yore.
Yuri shrugged, “I just wanted to travel.”
“And how did you come to be acquainted with Lord Phantomhive?” Yuri ignored the implication beneath his question.
“Mr. Damian,” Ciel intervened much to her relief, “Let’s focus on the food.”
“O-of course, Lord Phantomhive.”
The night ended with the poor, scared man out of his wit running away shouting ‘Mama Mia’ just as she remembered seeing. Yuri wondered whether the story will follow the original time scale or her being here meant it could change its course of directions.
“Is this what happened?”
Yuri looked up from the loveseat she was sitting on, “Yeah…”
“And what will happen tomorrow?”
She tried to dig every moments, scenes and chapters she’s seen and read from every corner of her memory.
“Uh…I’m sorry I’m not sure…I can’t remember it now..I’ll tell you when I do. Sorry.”
He didn’t say anything after that.
For someone who realised their entire world and life has been a work of a fiction written by an author, he seemed calm and accepting as of now. But Yuri didn’t know this Earl so much – nor how he worked. He was a child yet he seemed to have an adult way of dealing with things albeit perhaps more physically than an actual adult would but she didn’t know how an adult would be able to compartmentalise such revelation either.
Ciel Phantomhive stared out the window, watching the winds drifting through leaves of the trees. The green foliage swayed in waltz like movement to singular direction as he repeated her words over and over again in his head. Fiction or not; real or not, he had the advantages. As the protagonist, like any other tragic novels, he would have his revenge and he would be dealt with as deserved. The Past uncertainties whether he will ever have his revenge seemed to vanish, soon replaced with portent. His eye travelled to the reflection on the window; a stiff figure staring at her hands in worry.
Terminology:
(1) Corea- "Korea” is the modern spelling of Corea, a name attested in English as early as 1614. It is an exonym derived from Cauli, Marco Polo's transcriptionof the Chinese.