Pendragon Castle, Cadmure
Ruby lay on her stomach, sulking in her bed filled with extra cushions that surrounded her like a fortress, scattered even to the floor along with empty bottles of wine and rolled up tissue paper. Her room is shrouded in darkness as thick curtains block the light from entering her room. Half-eaten cookies and other sweets litter her bed as she wept all alone in her misery. She moved her hand to wipe her tear-stained face, hearing the soft clinking of the charm bracelet Aurelius had given to her and sighed.
It had been a week ago since she received a letter from King Varsil Karstein saying that Carmilla is dead. She had slit her wrist and died of blood loss but now her corpse is missing. In his letter, Varsil stated that the maid who was assigned to clean Carmilla's pot that night found her cold lifeless body and screamed in horror before running away to inform him but when they reached her room her body was nowhere to be found. Ruby knew that Marcel had taken Carmilla's corpse and is probably grieving her by now while Ruby can only cry in vain as she couldn't give Carmilla a proper burial.
She ultimately blamed herself for the choice Carmilla had made. If she only stayed and tried cheering her up more and placed more effort in making their relationship work then this would never have happened. Or if she had sneaked her out instead of leaving her to lament perhaps Carmilla would still be here even though she would be happy in someone else's arms. There are thousands of other ways where her beloved would still be alive and happy but now none of it matters because she's gone forever.
Ruby stood up from her bed, her expression downcast and disconsolate as she pulled her black nightgown under a mass of pillows. She walked towards a table and grabbed a glass of water for her parched throat. She gazed at the myriads of bouquets placed around her room rivaling the number of flowers in an actual flower shop.
Many flowers had been sent to her by her friends and the other nobility as condolence for her loss but all of their radiant beauty lay ignored in her room. No amount of consolation or liquor can divert her mind in the loss of her friend and only lover knowing that she's partially at fault for her passing.
Ruby grabbed a single crimson rose that fell out of its bunch and sighed as it reminded her of Carmilla. A pained smile stretched across her lips as she reminisced about her fiancée's luminous face and gentle words. Carmilla had always described her as the brilliant sun that bathes the world in light and goodness. Ruby was always happy when she told her this but now she realized that Carmilla is really like the moon, a brilliant beacon shining in the darkness. But the moon does not belong in the day where she will be outshined and ignored. She belongs in the evening and Marcel was her midnight where she shines her brightest. He's an enigmatic canvas of Byronic charms and sweet midnight tenderness. It's very envious how much he made her happy in the short span they spent compared to the years that Ruby and Carmilla had been together.
She parted her curtains and pushed through her glass doors to enter her balcony overlooking a vast landscape of a well-curated garden. She placed her hand over the terrace and gazed longingly into the horizon. Her glazed eyes looked down at the rose as her lips parted to sing.
"I was fine... with the men... who would come into her life now and again. I was fine... cause I knew that they didn't really matter until you." She remembers Carmilla's joyful face as they watched Marcel perform. He was dazzling and Ruby could only be envious due to how much love she dedicates for him.
"I was fine... when you came and we fought like it was all some silly game over her, who she'd choose. After all those years I never thought I'd lose! It's over, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it over? It's over, isn't it? It's it? Isn't it over? You won and she chose you and she loved you and she's gone. It's over, isn't it? Why can't I move on?" Ruby sang as she poured her heart out into every word. Pain and sadness are laced with every note and melody her gentle voice releases that can make even the hardest of hearts melt in tears.
"Who am I now in this world without her? Petty and dull with the nerve to doubt her. What does it matter? It's already done. Now I've got to be here all alone!"
"You won and she chose you and she loved you and she's GOOONNNNE!" She threw the rose over the balcony and allowed the wind to carry it gently as she concluded her song.
"It's over, isn't it? Why can't I move on?"
Her reverie was interrupted when she heard the faint sound of clapping coming from her room and she turned to see Aurelius along with her knight Bedivere who was wiping the tears falling from his eyes and Merlin who seemed to have enjoyed her drama.
"Excellent, the true love of a lesbian loli to her emo lesbian girlfriend is truly divine!"
"Shut it, incubus." Ruby said with a warning look.
"What the hell are you three doing here?" she interrogated, glaring at them fearsomely. "Especially you?" she added pointing at Aurelius.
"I came here to see you. You didn't respond to any of my letters and I was worried especially after I heard the news about Carmilla. I'm sorry." Aurelius said, taking a step closer towards her.
"What letters? I didn't receive any other than Earl's." she asked confusedly. Bedivere cleared his throat, gaining her attention.
"I believe you did but you used them all to keep the fire in your hearth burning since you ran out of firewood. In fact, the majority of your letters came from his majesty, the prince. There were about fifty from him."
"It's true. I was really worried about you so I guess I kind of got carried away. But it's okay if you never read them because now I can tell all of them to you personally."
"Oh, okay and sorry." she whispered with little energy and gazed at the side with a downcast expression.
"It's fine. I met your mom and she's very welcoming, she said I could stay but I don't think you'll be very comfortable with that so I'm staying in a hotel. I also brought you this." Aurelius said, handing her a bouquet of white chrysanthemums.
"Thanks."
"If it makes you feel better you can throw those too over the balcony if you want." he added, making Ruby crack a smile and giggle cutely.
"No thanks. I think I'm fine now. You can wait in the gazebo while I fix myself. I'm still not presentable as of the moment."
"Of course, I will be waiting for you even if you take forever." He said, smiling at her warmly.
"Right this was your highness." Bedivere said as he led Aurelius out of her room with Merlin teasing him on the side.
"Oh ho ho ho, do I smell flirting? You sly devil waited until she's at her weakest before coming in and sweeping her off her feet. Wow, what a classic predator."
"I-i-it's not like that--I just... We're just friends. Because that's what she needs and I want to be the best for her."
"Oh, really? That's where all of that starts. But if I may give you a suggestion, I would say that you win the approval of Althreya first. Ruby is her only child and the most precious thing in her whole life therefore it's not going to be easy winning our little princess without the approval of her mother." she heard the magus say as the door closed behind them. The others didn't notice it but Aurelius directed her with a playful smile as the door shut.
Ruby heaved a sigh as she gazed at her mess of a room.
"What a fool."
Moments later a small smile stretched across her lips.