Chapter 57: Making Amends

Twelve riders rode into the dawn leading their powerful stead North of the land. Ruby was being flanked by heavily armored guards as they head back to their homeland. The maiden was still heartbroken due to the events that had occurred but she knew that her decision was right because it hurt however it made her heart feel lighter. She smiled knowing that Carmilla will now be happy with the one whom she truly loves and she'll never be bound again by anything that aims to utilize her as a tool.

"Mistress someone seems to be following us." one of her knights informed gesturing towards a lonely rider mounted over a white stead tailing their rear. Ruby looked over her back and instantly recognized who their pursuer is.

"Should we shoot him down, mistress?" questioned the knight.

"No, I believe doing so will cause more problems however tempting it is. Order the men to halt but prepare your weapons just in case I change my mind." Ruby commanded and the knight nodded before complying and ordering his comrades to execute her will. The horses halted from their gallop and formed a protective position for their mistress. The lone rider soon caught up to them panting and exhausted.

"Prince Aurelius, what could be so important that you needed to delay our journey?" Ruby asked sardonically.

"I've come to speak to you." Aurelius roamed his eyes around her entourage who all looked at him as if he was some scum instead of a prince. He couldn't care less about what they think but he needed to speak with her.

"Alone, please."

Ruby seemed to contemplate this for a moment before replying.

"Of course."

"My lady, we shouldn't trust him. At least let one of us accompany you." warned one of her knights.

"No need, I'm perfectly capable of defending myself and I'm very much curious about the reason why the noble prince of the empire rode all the way from home just to chase a girl he just met weeks ago. He traveled quite so far it would be a shame to just turn him away." Ruby reassured, directing the prince an amused smirk.

"Watch the perimeter. I don't want to be jumped at by a beowolf." she ordered before dismounting her horse. Her men replied with a unison of 'Aye' before dispersing to scout the grounds. Ruby walked towards the prince who was having a very hard time containing his excitement as she approached.

"Ruby, it's very nice to see you again."

"Yes, yes, what do you need to speak to me about? It better be worth stopping my whole entourage for." Ruby asked as she crossed her arms.

"I just want to tell you that I'm sorry for playing with you, manipulating you, and scheming to try and destroy your relationship. I was really selfish and foolish for double-crossing you like that and then flooding you with my emotions. I should have been honest with you in the first place. I was stupid. I'm really really stupid. And I'm sorry for putting you through that." Aurelius said with so much sincerity it almost moved her heart. Almost.

"Wow, you made this trip just so you could say that? You could have just sent me a letter in Cadmure." Ruby sneered at him unamused.

"I could... But I figured that you'd just burn it or tear it to shreds and you would never know what I really want to say." Ruby laughed at this sending a light feeling inside his stomach.

"Good call. So I should be going now I still want to attend breakfast at my house but since you delayed it I guess it will just be brunch."

"You're rich, you can literally have breakfast anytime you want." Aurelius frowned, jokingly making her snicker.

"Right on that. So anything else before I change my mind and have my men leave your corpse here?"

"Actually there's one last thing." Aurelius went back to his horse and grabbed a small flat square box from a pouch hanging from the stallion's neck and offered it to her.

"What's this? Another fancy gift for another fancy plot?" Ruby mused accepting the box before flipping the top.

"No, it's just a simple chain of bond symbolizing our platonic relationship with hanging carved representations of our fond memories in the form of something you can wear around your wrist."

"I made it myself. I learned to craft metal and cut gems this past few days after our... meet up." he added nervously.

Ruby inspected the accessory in her hand. Like he had said it was relatively simple if you exclude the ruby gems and fancily carved charms. She had seen jewelry much grander than this but none seemed to possess the same amount of feelings as this one.

"You mean to tell me that you came all this way, stopping a five-hour journey in the middle of the night, just to give me friendship bracelets." Ruby summarized squinting her eyes at him.

"It sounds stupid when you put it that way but to put it simply. Yes, I did. I hope you're not too mad at me."

"Don't worry 'mad' wouldn't be able to start how I feel. Enraged would be the most appropriate term to describe it I'll be merciful enough not to show it and not kill you just yet." she yelled making him squirt due to her loud and harsh tone that died down as quickly as it came.

"However, why are there only three charms here? Did you get lazy? What is this deformed blob in here, this single firewood, and is this a flower?" she teased making him blush a cute dust of pink in embarrassment.

"There's only three so far since I want to fill it with you. This one is a memory of when we beat the chimera, the second one is a queen chess piece when we played chess in the opera house, and the last one is supposed to be a middlemist red from our date. You actually got the better carvings mine was fine but I think yours is better." Aurelius pouted lifting his arm where a similar accessory hangs from his wrist although instead of rubies, his charm bracelet had sapphires and a king chess piece in place of her queen.

"Is it too cheesy?" he asked, mustering a cute innocent face. Ruby had a blank look for a while as she stared at his wrist before erupting into a wild fit of laughter, catching the attention of her guards.

"I know it was terrible just give it back and I'll bury myself in the ground so that you'll never have to see me ever again." The Prince said shamefully before trying to grab the bracelet from her hold.

"No, it's mine now. You gave it to me. I'm not insulting it, it's actually kind of... cute and very thoughtful but if it's another bribe to get my affections then into the fire it goes."

"It's not a bribe. I just want to be friends. I tried being your lover when you actually needed a friend. So, I'm offering you something new. I want a clean slate or just a new start. So let me begin." Aurelius cleared his throat before offering his hand out and greeting her with a goofy smile.

"Hi, my name is Aurelius I'm the prince of the empire and I just want to say that you're really pretty and cool so can we be friends?" Ruby averted her face as she released another snicker at this.

"What are you? A little boy confessing to his crush? But fine. I'll play along." Ruby straightened her posture and produced a smile.

"Hello I'm Ruby and I'm the daughter of the Duchess of the North and yes we can be friends." she replied before shaking his hand. Ruby allowed Aurelius to help her wear the bracelet and he did so with uncontrolled excitement.

Aurelius walked Ruby back to her horse held by her knight after their friendship ritual. They now talked more amicably than before.

"My guards are probably thinking 'What the fuck are those two doing? It's freezing out here.' or 'I'm cold and starving here while those two flirt in the middle of nowhere.' Does anyone even know you're here?" Now it was Aurelius' time to chuckle.

"No I snuck out in the dead of the night to find you but I heard from the maids that you were going back to Cadmure. When will I be able to see you again?"

"I'm not very much sure since we don't have much business with the empire however I always go to the Igrain woods. It's only a 40-minute horseback ride from your castle and a 30-minute ride from mine. I should really be going now. See you later." she said before pecking his cheek completely taking him off guard.

"I-I thought you hated me, wh-why kiss me?" he stuttered with flushed cheeks.

"Oh, it was a completely amicable gesture from my birthplace. We kiss the cheeks of our friends when we meet or when we part ways. Do they have a different tradition in the capital?"

"Yes, we just shake hands but I like your ways better. Should I kiss you as well on the cheek?"

"Aurelius, remember baby steps. We're still on tier one so we stay on tier one. That's tier two since it's different for you, okay? We take things slow."

"Of course. Pleasure prolonging your trip and disturbing your breakfast plans, Lady of the North." Aurelius extended his hand out for another handshake and Ruby accepted it with an amused smile.

"You learn fast but I'll soon have some payback for all your misdeeds. Farewell and perhaps see you soon as well."

Aurelius watched as Ruby mounted her horse with a beaming smile. He stared at her fleeting form as her guards flank all her sides protectively. She even twisted around to wave him goodbye with a small smile as her horse traveled towards the horizon. He carefully watched as the wind carried her golden hair making it sway like waves of the sea while the rising sun haloed her form. For the first time in a long while, he finally smiled with a gentle heart.

"I'll see you soon."