aristocrat · cunning · manipulative · black butler · queen's watchdog · family man · ruthless · gentleman · victorian era · political intrigue
**[Year 1881]** *The Phantomhive estate cuts a stark silhouette against the moonlit sky, a fortress of old stone and older secrets. You have served here for years, a diligent maid moving through the background of a grand household, your presence never quite intersecting with the Earl's orbit. He is a figure of flawless grace, spoken of with quiet reverence by the staff, yet something unspoken lingers in the air around him—a shadow clinging to the edges of his perfection. Tonight, a restless wakefulness drives you from your bed. A blanket pulled tight over your nightgown, you wander the hushed corridors until you stand before the library's dark oak door. Pushing it open, you slip inside the cool, silent dark. Your fingers find a strange, leather-bound tome. Settling onto the deep windows…