Ruby sat inside her dimly lit workshop staring at a long black box. In her left hand, she held a spherical glass bottle with a red liquid glowing inside. Her tired golden orbs traveled to the red substance in her hand. She wanted to smash the bottle to the ground, set it ablaze, and spat at it but what help can that do in her current situation.
The potion in her hand is an Anti-Love potion, she created as reserve just in case she needed it. Truth be told, she didn't know how to make such a potion even though she was the one who promised to make one for Leanna so she had to start a tedious research from scratch. She worked day and night to create the perfect spell to manifest the potion that she needed. She encountered many failures every day but she never gave up nor stopped because her freedom and her future depends on that potion.
Aleister would bang at her door almost every hour to convince her to get out and take care of herself but she would just lock him out and shush him with a spell. She became paler and weaker every day as she slit her wrist and gathered her blood to use for the spell.
She had died once due to overworking but when she woke up, the answers came to her and she perfected the spell. She was able to figure out that hate is not the opposite of love but apathy therefore she had to gather the essence of someone who lacks empathy or human emotions and the only ones who possess such traits are the dead. Since she is not in a good relationship with Hela, the goddess of death, then her best option is Serapis the necromancer. The warlock is reasonable enough to give her the manifestation of apathy but for a fair price. Since he knew that she is immortal, he asked for nine of her lives which Ruby willingly gave even if it meant that she had to die nine times.
With all the materials she needs gathered, it only took her less than a day to create the potion. Ruby held the bottle triumphantly in her fingers however her head spun with clouded visions and her body gave out due to lack of nutrition. Aleister broke down the door just in time to catch her collapse and prevent her from dying once more. He nursed her back to health and never left her side as she lay weak in bed. He even read her stories since he learned how to read to entertain her. He was the one who bathed her and changed her clothes and he did it without malice. Due to his tender love and care, Ruby was able to heal pretty quickly, especially since he supplied her with his magic to speed up her recovery. Meaning that he would kiss her almost every hour to share his mana with her. Forcefully even, when she's very reluctant.
Leanna proved to be an excellent tool. She had returned three weeks after her visit, bringing back with her Excalibur in all of its excellent glory and Ruby had kept her side of the bargain by providing her the potion that she needed to get her lover back. It should have been a triumph for her, the Sword of Promised Victory lies in front of her after all, allowing her to take a large step forward in freeing herself from the curse Rel had set upon her. But why is it difficult to feel triumphant? Why is she less happy now that she's closer than ever to her goal?
Leanna knelt before Ruby presenting her with a long black box bearing the sword. She was covered in wounds and scratches, her clothes were in tatters, and her rifle had been destroyed. She came very early in the morning making Aleister alarmed and attacked her to protect his mistress. Ruby luckily came out before he could engage in combat with the marksman who was already in a pitiable condition and gave her a revitalizing potion.
"My queen. I deliver you the symbol of your reign and your heritage. Excalibur is yours. Victory is now in your hands." Leanna declared as she presented the sword to the witch.
Ruby couldn't believe it at first but when she finally opened the box she was no longer able to doubt its authenticity. Truly had the marksman brought back the sword, Ruby instantly felt it calling for her, coaxing her to hold it in her hand and reclaim it as a Pendragon. She had rejoiced when her hand gripped the handle feeling it claimed her as its wielder and in her blind joy, she had happily given Leanna the potion, forgetting what her action entails for her beloved friend.
"You did incredible, Leanna. You may rise." Ruby said as she held the sword with a victorious smile on her face. "As I've told you. I am no queen. I am just a witch of the Dark Forest and I keep my end of the bargain." Ruby handed Leanna a spherical bottle with a crimson liquid in it. The marksman brightened and accepted the potion as tears started to swell from her eyes.
"With this Gallen and I will finally..." Tears began falling from her eyes as she looked at the small bottle in her hand that she held with utmost care.
"Thank you. Thank you so much!" she cried looking really happy at the witch while tears fell profusely from her eyes. A pitying smile stretched across the witch's face. She feels guilty that the person she had wronged is thanking her but she also can't help but be happy to see her companion find her happiness.
Even though it shall be the grief of someone who she really loves...
Ruby weakly moved her free hand and caressed the blade of the sword lying inside the velvet-covered box. She can feel the power of the blade by merely being in the same room as it. Even after hundreds of years of being parted from a Pendragon, the holy blade that protected the land still shined like it had been newly forged while rust and decay never seem to grace the metal of the sword.
Ruby is in her workshop again and hadn't left it since she received the sword earlier this morning. Aleister would always try to break down the door but this time she was able to reforge it with a spell to keep him out. She's not planning on killing herself again, she's just contemplating what move to best take right now. She is ignorant of the events unfolding outside of her small four-cornered world only occasionally hearing Aleister bang on her door and leave meals outside the room which she never ate.
She released a sigh and covered the box. She stood up and finally turned to leave however when she reached the door frame she looked back at the box bearing the sword with a pained expression.
"Mother, I think I've become an evil woman."
Ruby ascended the steps leading to the kitchen and found out that it was already night time when she gazed out of the window. Her stomach growled in hunger so she decided to see what she could find in her kitchen. She found a soup already prepared on the stove so she took a bowl and poured herself some. She paired it with bread and a glass of wine as she dined alone at the table.
It's been quite a while since she dined with Aleister. He must still be angry at her for locking him out and not listening to him. She wonders where he is right now since she can't hear anything in the house besides the noise of the crickets and the hooting of the owls.
She dumped her dishes on the sink and allowed them to clean themselves while she took a bath in the hot spring. She didn't linger very long in the bath since her body is pretty tired and she wanted to take a bit of rest. She wrapped herself in a white towel before ascending to her room on the second floor. Her wet body dripped water on the floor but she didn't mind it. The house can clean itself.
While passing through the hallway of the second floor she came across Aleister's room and noticed his door quite a jar. She heard his voice narrating about something. Curiosity got the best of her so she took a little peek at his activity. What she saw melted her heart. Manticat was tucked in Aleister's bed and the demon himself lay beside the familiar with a book in his hand. He read the story to the little cat monster who listened with drowsy eyes meowing a comment once in a while.
A smile made its way to Ruby's lips due to the precious scene. Aleister looked so serene and calm as he spent his time with her cat. His tone is gentle and the action doesn't seem forced nor inconvenient for him. The sight made her think of them as a father putting his child to sleep and the thought made her giggle softly. Ruby listened in a little more relishing the adorable sight.
"'The Lord of the Underworld is a very feared man. He never had any true friends nor family and lovers because he only brings sadness and death that's why everyone detests him but he is not truly evil. He's just lonely and in need of some love so when he saw the beautiful golden-haired Spring maiden, the complete opposite of him who brings life after the deathly cold of Winter, the Lord of the Underworld can't help but fall in love.' Oh, you fell asleep. The end I guess." Aleister said before closing the book and placing it on the bedside table. While doing so he noticed Ruby staring softly at him with gentle features.
"So you decided to finally come out. I thought it would take you another month to come out of that place." He said with disinterest before standing up to close the door but Ruby stopped him.
"That was very sweet of you to do." she commented smiling softly at him. Aleister paused and looked down at her serene features. His brow creased over as he watched the water dripping down her body. A tiny drop flowed down her cleavage and he can't help but blush.
"He was crying because he missed you. He said he's worried about you locking yourself in there so I went to comfort him." Aleister responded looking away from her body.
"What story were you reading to him?"
"Something about Death falling in love with the goddess of Spring and kidnapping her down to the underworld. He seems to like those kinds of stories but he fell asleep while I was just beginning." Aleister replied a bit more casually.
"Ohh, A Rose For The Wicked. I kind of fancied that story as well. Did you get to finish reading it?" Ruby asked with a hopeful expression.
"Not really, but I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Good night mistress." Aleister said, trying to avoid her and turned away from her.
"Uhmm! Wait!"
"What do you need?" he asked in contempt, turning back.
"I just want to say thank you for all that you've done for me and I'm sorry for making you... Mad if you feel like I abandoned you." she spoke in a hushed yet sincere voice.
Aleister's brows furrowed frowning at her with confusion and annoyance. He cannot fathom what game she is playing at him right now presenting herself in a very revealing manner while playing vulnerable and miserable. He wanted to hurt her and fuck her and make her suffer for the things she made him experience but he just can't. No matter how much a part of his brain is screaming to do something to make her feel pain, all he can do is stare at her from a distance and desire her love. He won't hurt her even if he can, he will slit his own throat before that happens.
"Sure, what can I really do? It's your life, not my problem. You should get dressed, the night is cold." Aleister replied monotonously before going back inside his room and leaving her alone, not bothering to look into her face.
When the door clicked into place, Aleister leaned against it and stared up at the ceiling. Watching her weak and always on the brink of death and depression drove him mad the past few days after she had locked herself in that room to make that potion. While she stayed up working on her project he stayed up worrying about her health and well-being.
Why hadn't she eaten? Why wasn't she going out? Why wasn't she smiling? Why wasn't she talking to him? Why won't she let him in?!
Those thoughts swirled in his head while he waited for her to come out. Counting the seconds of her absence, of not seeing her face and smile even though a door is the only thing separating them is like torture for him. Yes, he's been separated from her after the blood moon but then he was the one that left by her command. That too was difficult for him. Thinking of her well-being every day, punishing himself time after time again for letting her get hurt and hurting her he nearly killed himself if he wasn't reminded that he wanted to see her smile for him.
He just wanted to feel her love, her affection, her devotion, and her loyalty but Ruby was ungenerous with her feelings in fear of getting hurt. But then why did she want that marksman? Why did she want someone who is finite? Someone who will leave her eventually as death always claims those creatures with life.
Never mind that. As long as he can see her smile. As long as he can be with her. As long as she keeps him by her side he will be satisfied. He released a sigh of exhaustion and went to caress Manticat's head.
"The things we endure for love..."