Chapter 42: Roses for the Remembered
Ruby roamed the castle's vast garden with a pair of scissors in hand. Her basket is filled with crimson roses as she picked the best flowers to dedicate to her grandma and grandpa's grave. Today is the day of their death anniversary and Ruby wanted to bring them flowers and prayers. They weren't truly related by blood but they are certainly related by bond. They were a nice old couple who once saved her from death but they perished because of the cruel hands of fate. Even though she was just a child when it happened, she can still remember every single detail vibrantly.
As a little girl, Ruby was very adventurous. She would sneak out of the house to see the town and play with the other children. Her disappearances would often cause her handmaidens and guards to panic throwing the whole palace into chaos. She would often come home with her expensive dresses in tatters, soiled by dirt invoking the wrath of her governess and handmaidens but it was fine because she was having so much fun playing with the other children.
One day she met an old couple during her escapade in the forest. She was playing hide and seek but then she tripped on a random tree root. She tried to endure the pain but when she saw her knee bleeding, she panicked thinking that she was going to die. She cried really loud which attracted the attention of a huge wolf. She was very young and scared, she didn't know what to do until she heard a gun go off and saw the wolf dead. An old lady soon knelt before her, taking her in her arms and whispering words of comfort to her ears.
They took her to their cottage to nurse her injuries and the grandma, who she learned was named Rose, washed and repaired her dress. She wasn't badly hurt but the trauma was severe so grandma took her to her lap, and read fun stories to keep her head off the bad event. Grandma Rose taught her how to bake cookies while Grandpa Oscar taught her how to defend herself. She was really having fun with the nice old couple but soon enough the racing footsteps of her mother's destrier were heard approaching.
Althreya and her knights had swept through the realm looking for Ruby. She looked really distraught, stressed, and worried. Ruby trembled on her knees when her mother came down from her horse flanked by her fully armored knights which were really intimidating but then she knelt to her daughter's level and encased her in a very tight hug. It was very soft and easily non-existent but Ruby felt her mother crying as she caressed her back.
Althreya thanked the old couple for taking care of her daughter. Ever since that day, Ruby was allowed to go to the old couple's house since her daughter seems to be enjoying herself in their company. The knight, Sir Bedivere, would usually accompany her by the orders of her mother to keep her safe since she liked walking in the forest path because of the beautiful blooming flowers.
"Look, grandma! The cake is pink today! And the macaroons are rainbow! Sir Bedivere helped me bake the cookies, isn't he the best knight ever?" Ruby informed happily presenting the contents of her lovely basket. Bedivere smiled behind her in amusement while grandma pats her head due to her adorableness.
"Ah yes, he is." Grandma said caressing her golden head. "Come on let's put these in the plates to show grandpa your handy work with Sir Bedivere." she said, taking the little girl's hand and leading her inside the house followed by the knight.
Her happy days progressed on a schedule of taking her lessons from her governess, spending time with her mother if she's not busy with work, playing with the town's children or her fiancée Carmilla, and visiting her grandma and grandpa in the forest with Sir Bedivere. Her life was very happy and carefree but not too sheltered and ignorant of the hardships of life and other people so that she can appreciate their work. Althreya's tutelage seems to be very effective to prevent her from becoming an entitled brat like much of the children of nobility making her a humble and kind.
On occasions, Ruby would be allowed to have a sleepover on the old couple's house since Althreya had most of the wolves exterminated to keep her daughter safe as well as the old couple and the villagers. Bedivere would usually accompany her but this time the knight was sent out on a task so Ruby was accompanied by another knight.
The day she spent at the old couple's home was very fun. She and grandma baked cake while grandpa taught her how to use a gun and deal with the recoil. They shared a lovely dinner and when it was time to sleep grandma and grandpa read her bedtime stories like The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Snow white, and Sleeping Beauty. Ruby was very happy with all the happiness a young girl could fathom so she slept well knowing that everything will be fine.
Until it wasn't.
Tragedy never seems to take mercy even to a child as it visits her to ruin her innocence and take her loved ones. Late in the night, the howling of wolves can be heard reverberating throughout the forest, and soon they're at the cottage's doorstep. Grandpa Oscar was roused by the noise and instantly took out his gun while Grandma Rose grabbed her scythe and went to Ruby's room where the girl trembled in fear.
Soon enough the wolves were able to infiltrate their home, breaking through the door and pouncing through the windows. If they were simple wolves then there's nothing to worry about but they aren't. These are demonic beasts born from the restless evil spirits of people slain in the forest and their main sustenance is the essence of the living making them powerful and ten times more ferocious. They targeted Ruby's guardian knight first seeing as he's the most capable and strong among the group. They watched as the ferocious wolves drained the life from the man's throat before turning to them.
The loud sound of the gun going off became prominent along with the snarling and growling of wolves. Grandma Rose tried very hard to protect Ruby by slicing down the wolves that attempted to jump on her while providing cover for Grandpa Oscar while he's reloading or when a beast went too close.
"Rose, grab Ruby and tear the card Lady Althreya gave us! We need to call her! We need back up!" Grandpa ordered as he slugs a wolf on its head.
Grandma took Ruby by the hand and led her to their room before searching through the drawers. She dumped the contents of the drawer on their bed looking for the said object until the blue and golden card landed on the sheets. Grandma Rose quickly tore through the card and it instantly burned gold in her hand before turning into two overlapping diamonds like a window showing the exhausted yet still undeniably beautiful face of Althreya as she worked overnight in her office.
"Mommy!" Ruby quickly exclaimed once she saw her mother's face.
Althreya's attention suddenly left the paper she was signing and pinned it to the window, seeing her daughter's terrified face as well as Rose's agitated bearings. Her eyes instantly widened knowing that something bad must have happened.
"Grandma Rose what happened?" she asked in a panic.
"Demonic wolves are attacking us, we need some back up! There's too many of them. I don't know where they came from but they're pouring in fast. They already killed Sir Jules and we can't keep them off any longer!" Grandma Rose begged about to tear up but she had to keep a brave face to keep Ruby from breaking down as well.
The door suddenly slammed open making their hearts nearly jump out of their chest due to the loud sound but instead of a wolf, Grandpa Oscar came in before closing the door just in time to slam it on a wolf's face. He locked the door and slumped his back against it.
"Are you girls all right?" He panted looking over at their direction.
"Grandpa you're bleeding!" Ruby yelled as she saw the crimson blotch pooling on the old man's side. Grandma Rose placed her hand on her mouth to stifle her cry before going to her husband's side trying to apply pressure on the wound.
"One of them managed to claw me but it's fine. I'll be fine." He reassured but his pale face and ragged breaths say otherwise.
"Lady Althreya, your beautiful face is a relieving sight to see." he greeted smiling at her reflection on the floating mirror.
"Likewise." Althreya replied with a sad smile.
"Agravain!" she yelled and they heard the door open from her side of the line.
"Yes, my lady?"
"Gather the knights and prepare them for a hunt. I want them mounted on their horses within 5 minutes. We're going to the forest! The cottage is under attack by wolves. We must save my daughter and Mr. and Mrs. Asher." she ordered standing from her own seat. The black-armored knight bowed before departing to execute her orders.
Althreya turned to her child.
"Ruby please hold on. Be brave and don't cry. Whatever you do you mustn't cry, okay? Everything will be fine, mommy is coming to save you all. For now, you must put up your brave face and roar back when the wolves snarl at you." Althreya spoke softly to her child. Ruby only managed to nod her head before taking out the small sword her mother gifted to her.
"Please be quick mom... I love you." Ruby whispered just in time for the line to be cut as the magic reached its limit and the worried face of her mother disappeared from her sight.
"What now?" she asked her grandpa who was looking even paler every passing second.
"We wait."