Eyes of Silver, Hearts of Gold
The days that followed the battle moved by faster than anyone ever expected. Dozens of the invading army's soldiers patrolled the town and the surrounding area. Merchants from the lowlands slowly began to feed into the town. The whole atmosphere was tense, but it was as if the iron weight that had hung over them was lifted. Even if the people of Patch did not know exactly what these new rulers wanted, or what their plans were, they could at least breathe easily.
Everyone except Ruby. Despite Tai and Yang's explicit orders of staying out of town, part of Ruby wanted to see what they were like. Donning her hood, she easily moved about the town like a phantom. The new guards did not bother to stop her or even look at her. They in their stern eyed vigil were looking for far more insidious factors than a girl with silver eyes. However, that cold distance unnerved her.
At that, Ruby's stomach growled. Putting her hand to her stomach, she checked her coin purse for coins. She had enough to get something from one of the vendors. With a smile, she decided to rouse Balam.
'Wakey-wakey, kitty cat.' Ruby teased into the deeper recesses of her being.
Hearing a mental yawn that brought a smile to her face, Ruby heard Balam speak up. 'Good day, Lady Ruby. Why hast thou roused me at such an hour?' He asked her.
'What do you want to get from the vendors today?' Ruby asked sweetly, clearly asking for a second opinion.
'Th… thou are asking this one what he desires? None have ever asked me such a thing before…' He admitted, a bit caught off guard for once.
'Well, it would be mean not to.' Ruby said to try and comfort him.
'If they have any meat dishes, this one would appreciate some. A bit bloody, but not too raw or pink.' Balam told her, sounding a hint more excited than usual.
'I'll do my best. Don't get the best choice of that with vendors. But I'll try.' Ruby said to reassure him.
Hearing Balam let out an appreciative growl as he settled in mentally to relax brought a smile to her face. She then skipped off to the town square. To her shock, it was more packed than she had ever seen it. People, a good chunk she had never seen before, were directed by the guards to various places, and merchant and vendor stalls were packed to the gills. It was quite positively overwhelming what was going on, to the point where even Balam's enhanced senses could not keep track properly. However, using her smaller size and years of crowd movement skills, she made her way through.
Soon she arrived at a small, squat stone building with a great chimney at the side. Behind the stand, which covered most of the front of the building, were great stone ovens, blazing away cooking meats, tortillas, vegetables, and even grains to make popcorn. As Ruby eventually made her way to the front, she was shocked to see that prices had nearly doubled. However, just as her hopes were dashed, the lady at the front noticed her and smiled warmly.
"Ruby, dear! How are you? It's been so long!" The woman, who Ruby immediately began to recognize, said while taking her hands.
"Hello, Mrs. Flores. Sorry it's been so long. Money has been tight… especially now." Ruby said, glancing back at the prices board in disbelief.
"Yes, the flood of refugees and the massive appetites of the new soldiers have driven things up quite a bit. However, for one of my favorite customers, I can offer a discount until your money situation improves." Mrs. Flores offered kindly.
"You're the best, Mrs. Flores, and a lifesaver. I'm starving. Also, could I get the Tortilla Carne's meat a bit more medium today?" Ruby asked.
"Of course, dear. Though I'm surprised. You usually ask for yours well done." Mrs. Flores noted as she began writing up the order.
"What can I say? I'm willing to experiment." Ruby said with a smile and a shrug.
Mrs. Flores gave a big smile at that. "I'm so glad to hear that, Ruby. It's always good to try new things. Oy, Paco! Tortilla Carne with the meat medium today!" She called back as she took Ruby's order and set the paper before the chef.
"Coming right up, dear!" Paco called back as he grabbed the sheet of paper.
As Ruby waited off to the side, she noticed a far more towering figure approach. A man clad in bright clothing far different than anyone else, looking to her more like a nightgown than out on the town wear. Long, bright silver spiked hair shot from his scalp like a nest of daggers, while eyes of brilliant green scanned the horizons. At his hip were two swords, somewhat curved instead of the straight that she was used to. It put Ruby on edge as he walked up to the counter to order.
"Hello, sir. What can I get for you today?" Mrs. Flores asked, getting her sheet of paper and ink pen ready.
"What would you recommend for someone looking to try a popular local dish?" The man asked, a small smile gracing his face.
"Our trout and potato soup is always a good house special. Though, for on-the-go types, people prefer our Tortillas Carnes. Made with local meat and house spice mix on the meat." Mrs. Flores explained it simply for him.
"Two of each, then." He told her, pulling out his coin purse.
"Hungry today I see my lord." She said as she finished writing and took his payment.
"One is for my brother. He's been dying to sample the local cuisine. Bougie fuck…" Kenshi replied, muttering the last part.
"How kind of you. Please stand off to the side for me and I'll call you when your food is ready." Mrs. Flores said, before motioning Kenshi to the other side of the stand.
"Thank you kindly, madame…" Kenshi replied politely, bowing his head a bit before stepping back.
As soon as he turned, Ruby felt his gaze on her. Hair stood on the back of her neck as she got a better look at it. As if he noticed something weird about her. She adjusted her hood, but it was too late as the man addressed her.
"Pardon me, miss. Forgive my forwardness, but I could not help but notice your eyes. They are the most remarkable shade of… silver…?" The man said before trailing off as he noticed the color of her eyes.
"T-Thank you, sir…" Ruby nervously replied, trying, and most definitely failing to keep her cool. Enough to make Balam facepalm from the inner depths of her soul.
'Very well done, Lady Ruby. This one is certain that he suspects not a thing…' Balam sarcastically told his Mystic.
'YOU'RE NOT HELPING!!!' Ruby internally screamed since she could not on the outside.
'Calm yourself, dear girl. Act naturally and center yourself.' Balam told her, trying to calm her down.
Ruby began to take a deep breath to calm herself. However, the man before her cut her off by speaking. Ending that short-lived attempt at centering.
"If you would not mind, miss… may I ask you some questions while we wait for our food?" The man asked her, looking her over.
"S-Sure…" Ruby nervously answered.
"Are you in any way connected to those… what were they called… 'Silver-Eyed Warriors' that we heard about on our way up here…?" The man asked her, seeming genuinely curious.
"No. I am positively, absolutely not." Ruby said, trying to sound confident, which caused Balam to slam his head into something deep down.
'Oh, by the Throne of Heaven…' Balam groaned in frustration.
'Do not worry! I got this!' Ruby yelled in a slight panic at the cat Elemental.
"If you would not mind, miss… after I collect mine and my brother's orders, would you be willing to come with me? My brother would probably like to ask you some questions related to those so-called 'Golden Nobles' we heard about on our way up here…" The man told her as the two of them waited for their orders, spitting out the Golden Nobles' name in disgust.
'Balam, what do we do?' Ruby asked internally, very much starting to panic.
'This one senses no ill intent from this man, Lady Ruby. I believe we can trust his words. Besides, it may be beneficial to learn more about these strange foreigners and their intentions for being here.' Balam wisely told her.
'Alright, but if things go south, you're busting us out.' Ruby said with a hint of sternness.
'So long as it does not violate my oath to your family's patriarch.' Balam told her.
'You let me handle dad. You get us out.' Ruby said to the Elemental before speaking up to Kenshi.
"Of course, sir." Ruby politely replied.
The man smiled politely. "Thank you. Oh, where are my manners? Mother would kill me if she could see me being so rude. My name is Sōtora Kenshi of the Sōtora clan from Anima. You may call me Ken." The now named Kenshi said with a polite bow.
"I-It's an honor. My name is R-Ruby Rose." Ruby replied nervously, being as polite as she could.
Kenshi came up from his bow and smiled, towering nearly a whole foot above Ruby. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Rose. I am quite sure my brother would like to meet and speak with you." He told her.
"I-It's no trouble…" Ruby nervously said as her food was finally done. 'He's as tall as a house!'
"Ruby, dear! Your Tortilla Carne is ready!" Mrs. Flores told her.
Ruby jumped and grabbed it from Mrs. Flores with a thank you. As she slowly ate it, Balam enjoying the taste of the meat, she could not take her eyes off Kenshi. He was so by far different from anyone she had ever met. And he had a brother? She could scarcely believe this man existed, let alone another one. Soon, however, Mrs. Flores called for Kenshi's order, and he swiftly picked them off.
The two began to make their way deeper into the square, towards a part of town Ruby had not really gone to. The part the Golden Nobles' forces were centered in. The buildings towered over the others, in a far more elegant style with wood and plaster mixed with stone to make truly striking and sweeping designs. However, as they made their way to the largest one, across the way two familiar faces noticed them.
To Tai and Yang, they nearly had heart attacks at what they saw. Ruby was with one of the new foreign lords? How!? Why!? Why was she even out in the town!? All that and more went through their minds faster than snow in a blizzard. It took them a minute before finally Yang opened her mouth.
"Ruby's in trouble…!" Yang muttered before trying to bolt after her baby sister, only to be stopped by Tai.
"Let's not get hasty. We need to figure this out. Let's go ask around and figure out why first. I don't want to start a fight if we don't have to." Tai sternly said to his eldest daughter.
Yang looked at him. "But dad…" She started to say only to be cut off.
"She has Balam if things get bad. Now let's go start asking the vendors to figure out what's going on." Tai said before heading into the town square. Yang sighed and relented begrudgingly to the plan.
Meanwhile, Ruby was positively enamored with the interior of the building. Marble floors, a staircase leading to another floor, massive bee's wax candles everywhere burning brightly. And these were just the basics. The detail and ornamentation of the walls and doorways were as if water was captured in stone and wood in scenes of long ago. However, she noted among the various statues and pictures, many that clearly were supposed to there now be. She did not have time to think about it as Kenshi spoke up.
"Look sharp, Lady Rose. My brother will be down soon. He likely already knows I'm here, as well as that I brought a guest." Kenshi explained.
"How?" Ruby asked, a hint stunned at the speed implied by the man.
"We have our ways…" Kenshi explained without explaining.
"Ways that you would be wise to keep close to your chest, Ken." A voice told Kenshi, causing he and Ruby to look up the stairs.
Atop the stairs stood a man somewhat shorter than Kenshi, but broader and more heavily built. Wearing far more formal looking robes to that of Kenshi, it was a deep blue, darker than that of the sky, with flowing gold woven into it. His eyes, deep azure-blue, were looking at her intently, as his equally blue hair was tugged at by a draft. His strong, powerful looking face bore great scars across the left side of his face, as if a great beast attacked him. Like Kenshi, he also wore two swords across his waist, held there by a golden sash. Even more so than Kenshi, she felt as if she was in the presence of a beast made man.
"Always have to make an entrance, brother? And people say I'm dramatic." Kenshi sighed, shaking his head at his brother's antics.
"Ken, if you were any more dramatic, you would be mistaken for a child of the God of Theater." The man playfully told Kenshi.
"Lady Rose, this is my brother, and the new lord of this land, Sōtora Azura. Azura, this is Lady Ruby Rose." Kenshi said, speeding things along with introductions so he could leave to eat.
The man, now identified as Azura, practically glided down the stairs from Ruby's point of view. From her perspective, it almost did not seem like his feet touched the ground with how graceful he was. When he arrived before her, towering over her and showing off the differences in their sizes and heights, he stepped back a bit and politely bowed to her. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Rose." He told her, gently taking her hand and kissing the back of it.
Ruby blushed deeply as she took off her hood. "L-Likewise…" Ruby nervously replied.
Azura came back up from his bow and smiled as he looked down into her silver eyes. "Someone with the Silver Eyes. I am surprised you were able to find one, Ken. I had heard that those… 'Golden Nobles' had exterminated them all…" He replied, sounding bitter as the name dripped from his lips like venom.
"I-I've been told that as well…" Ruby answered, trying to keep herself calmer than with Kenshi.
"Come, Lady Rose. Have a seat while I prepare you something to drink. I will not let myself be called an ungracious host by not making you comfortable before we begin our talk." Azura told her, politely guiding her to a place to sit down.
"T-thank you… your very kind…" Ruby nervously said as Azura guided her into a lounge room.
"You're welcome. What would you like to drink? Tea? Coffee? Cocoa?" He asked her, heading over to his kitchen area.
"Um… Tea please…" Ruby nervously said. She had not had any of the three in her life, but it would be rude not to take any.
"Very well then. Hm… you seem like the kind of woman who would enjoy a nice Sōtora jasmine blend. Not too light, not too strong…" He commented as he headed to the cupboards.
Ruby gulped a bit as a servant brought in a tea set. Ruby had not ever seen anything so fancy looking before. To her it looked like a kettle. However, it looked to be made with some form of glazed material, with gold and fancy embroidery on it. She could not tell if he had brought it… or confiscated it from the mayor. Before she could ponder this any further, Azura had come back with a small metal box. Taking out a bit of the dried leaves, he put them in the kettle and let it sit, before pouring the freshly brewed hot tea into a cup for her. Ruby graciously accepted it but drank a bit too soon.
"Yow! Hot!" Ruby commented, blowing on it.
"Easy now, Lady Rose. No need to be so eager." Azura told her with a smile.
"Sorry." Ruby sheepishly said, setting the cup down on the table to let it cook as Azura sat in a chair across from her.
Azura smiled as he gently blew on his tea before taking a sip. "Ah… now then, Lady Rose. I have some questions I would like to ask you. It is related to the… 'Golden Nobles' who have oh so 'generously' graced these lands with their 'rule'..." He told her, biting back the obvious hatred he had for the Golden Nobles with each emphasized word.
"I don't know much about them… no more than most people. Though their guards always wanted to get me. Dad and my big sister always told me to stay away from town." Ruby explained nervously, trying to do her best to answer his question.
Azura nodded. "I cannot say I am surprised. From what I can tell, your Silver-Eyed ancestors left quite the black eye on them for daring to oppose their rule. One that they have never forgotten about." He replied, taking a sip of his tea.
"M-mother…" Ruby muttered breathfully, his words bringing old, dread fueled memories to the forefront of her mind.
Azura gently took her hand and stroked it comfortingly. "Worry not. My people and I will put an end to their reign once and for all. Even if it should mean the end of us. We will not stand by and abide by their tyranny like others have." He told her reassuringly.
"The damage… is already done, Lord Azura." Ruby tried to say as respectfully as she could through her trembling voice.
"Maybe so. But that does not mean that more should not be prevented. That their victims should not be avenged so that those scarred by their vile actions cannot be allowed to heal." Azura told her, gently holding her hand.
Ruby sat there not entirely knowing what to think. He was speaking with a fire and conviction she had not seen before outside of her family. But the words of caution her family took years to beat into her head reared their heads in that moment. She needed to test him. She needed to make sure.
"The only thing I can tell you for certain is what they did to my mother. The only real memory I have of her." Ruby said, her words trembling horribly as it was clearly hard for her to say.
Azura nodded, waiting patiently as he gently held her hand. His cup was held in the other, ready to be sipped from if necessary.
"I remember being woken in the middle of the night, Yang telling me to hide in the well. I was rushed into the bucket and lowered. I heard a lot of anger, screaming… pain." Ruby said, barely being able to say the word pain, but forcing herself through the feelings of powerlessness and fear. "I climbed out of the well and followed everyone. In the square I saw it. My mother was beaten with clubs, fists, and boots. Dad and Yang grabbed me, preventing me from seeing more. But they told me. She was forced onto a pyre, tied up, and burned alive for the whole town to see. I guess a message about defiance…"
Before Ruby could continue further, a crushing sound was heard. Looking up with tears in her eyes, she was left in shock as she saw that Azura had crushed his cup in his hand. The searing hot tea seeping into the cuts left on his hand as blood flowed from them, his hand clenched into a tightly balled fist. However, the look in his eyes burned far hotter than the scalding hot tea that burned the wounds on his hand. A pure, volcanic fury the likes of which she had never seen. However, despite this, his grip on her hand had not changed in the slightest, retaining its gentle, kind embrace.
"L-Lord Azura! A-Are you okay?!" Ruby asked in a panic.
"How dare those scum…!" Azura growled, seemingly not noticing the pain of his wounds as he slammed his scalded, bleeding fist down onto the table, splitting it in half.
At that, Kenshi rushed into the room to see this. "Azura!? What the hell are you doing in here!?" Kenshi yelled in shock.
Getting up, Azura moved to remove the shards of the cup from his hand and clean the wounds. "Kenshi. We are staying here. And we are not leaving until those Golden Human Trash are wiped off the face of the mortal plane…!" He growled out as he began washing his wounds.
"How is that worth smashing a tea set, a table, and your hand!?" Kenshi yelled at him.
Azura glared at his brother, making his twin take a step back. "Do not question me on this, Kenshi. Those pieces of garbage will burn in the deepest pits of the underworld for their crimes. I will see to it personally if I must…!" He told him, he was still working on cleaning his wounds.
Ruby sat there stunned as the two argued. Never had she seen such fiery rage, yet at the same time control. No one could fake such anger. It really was true. Her prayer was answered.
Meanwhile in the Town Square
Tai and Yang had made the rounds through the vendors and merchants, with little success. It did not help that with so many refugees and merchants, it was difficult to get through the streets. Quite how Ruby did it was a mystery to them. Just when they were about to go barge in there, they heard the kind call from Mrs. Flores from her shop.
"Taiyang, Yang! How are you today? Can I interest you in anything?" Mrs. Flores asked from her position.
"Did you see Ruby go with the foreigners?" Tai asked her, walking over to her.
"Oh, yes. A wonderful young man picking up food for himself and his brother wanted to ask Ruby some questions. He seemed quite angry when even mentioning the Golden Nobles as part of the subject but seemed curious about the Silver-Eyed Warriors." Mrs. Flores told her.
"They know about them!?" Yang asked in a panic, forcing Tai to put his hand on her shoulder to calm her.
"Yang! Calm. Down. We don't know why they're asking. If we go barging in there causing a scene, we may make things worse for Ruby." Taiyang explained to his eldest.
"But she could be in danger!" Yang yelled, which got a chuckle out of Mrs. Flores.
"Oh, quite the opposite, dear. The young man seemed disgusted by the Golden Nobles. I doubt he works for them." Mrs. Flores told the older of Taiyang's daughters.
"Thank you, Mrs. Flores. Have a good day." Tai said, before pulling Yang along with him.
"You too, Taiyang! Feel free to drop by some time! Don't be a stranger!" She called out to him.
"We will, Mrs. Flores! Best of luck with business!" Tai called back before turning to Yang. "Now we confront them."
"It's about time. I will cave in the face of anyone who threatens her until it stops looking like a face!" Yang growled out, punching her fists together as her eyes turned red.
"I will be doing the talking. No fists just yet." Tai said as they started their walk through the town square.
Yang sighed and nodded, trying to calm down. "Fine…" She replied.
With that the two jostled through the crowd, making a beeline for the former mayoral district. However, as they approached the former mayor's residence, two guards wielding spears stopped them. Tai having to put a handout to stop the hairpin-trigger Yang from doing anything. Soon one of the guards spoke to them.
"Identify yourselves." The guard told them.
"Taiyang Xiao Long. This is my daughter Yang Xiao Long. You are holding my daughter Ruby Rose in this building…" Tai said before being cut off.
"Holding nothing. Lady Rose is a guest in Lord Azura's residence. And we do not appreciate such an accusation of unjust imprisonment being levied towards our lord." The second guard told them, trying to sound calm despite his anger.
"Tell your lord, then, that I wish to see my daughter and know why she has been invited without me being contacted." Tai said sternly, his own impressive size now being levied against them.
The two guards looked at each other before one of them gave a whistle. Soon, a bird of prey of some kind, potentially some kind of hawk, swooped down as he held his gauntlet-covered arm out for it. The bird landed on the arm and looked up at the guard expectantly. Nodding, the guard motioned his head towards the open window. Nodding back, the bird took flight through the window, seemingly to alert the new lord of more guests.
"Lord Azura will be informed shortly." The other guard told them.
"Thank you." Tai answered politely.
It did not take long after the bird went into the window to get a response. Out of the door they saw the same man that brought Ruby to the manor. When he came out, he was quite confused at the scene before him, his silver eyebrow raised high.
"Lord Kenshi? Where is Lord Azura?" One of the guards asked him in surprise and concern.
"Lord Azura is currently getting patched up at the moment. I am here in his stead. Tell me, citizens, what is your grievance that requires my brother's prompt attention." Kenshi said politely.
"Look here, tall, silver, and-" Yang began to snap only to be cut off by her father.
"Let me do the talking Yang." Tai whispered. "Apologize for my daughter's tone. I am Taiyang Xiao Long. Father of Ruby Rose. I wish to know why she is here without me being contacted first?"
Kenshi nodded in response. "My apologies, Lord Xiao Long. I was unaware of you. Had I known, I would have sent you ahead to ask your permission first. I merely felt it pertinent that my brother spoke to Lady Rose as soon as humanly possible." He explained.
"And why was it so pertinent for such a speedy meeting?" Tai asked, raising a golden eyebrow.
"I noticed her Silver Eyes and hoped that she could provide us with some answers about the 'Golden Nobles'..." Kenshi replied, spitting out the words "Golden Nobles" with nothing short of pure hatred.
"You aren't going to get much out of her. We have kept that information from her for her safety." Tai explained simply.
Kenshi nodded. "Yes. Lady Rose told my brother as much. As well as the… quite frankly horrible fate that befell her mother at the hands of these Golden Scum…" He told them, trying to contain his anger at the memory of what Azura told him.
At that moment, everyone felt a pulse of rage coming from Tai as he clenched his fists. Even to the most aura unaware in the area, they felt it. Like a fist firmly to the chest. Kenshi especially felt it, nearly rivaling his brother's own fit of rage as Taiyang spoke in a far more forceful tone.
"You will bring my daughter to me now." He said firmly, trying to hold back his potential tone.
Kenshi glared at the man before him. "And just who are you to give me orders? My brother is having a particularly important conversation with Lady Rose. If you wish, you can be brought to her to join it. But only after politely asking." He spat back, hand already on his blade's hilt with a speed that worried Yang.
The speed he put on his blade in the moment did not phase Tai. Seeing, however, that if he did anything further it would be a point of no return, he took a deep breath. The aura of rage slowly calmed like a sea after a storm. Then after he had calmed down, he looked Kenshi in the eyes, blue locking with emerald-green.
"Will you please bring us to see Ruby?" Tai asked him, keeping his tone level.
Kenshi nodded. "Guards. Let them pass. They are now officially guests in my brother's home and shall be treated as such." He ordered the two.
With that, the two spears that had blocked their path were lifted, and one opened the door for them. Tai walked up the steps to the lobby without a word, leaving Yang for a moment surprised. She had never felt her dad get that angry before, nor the speed at which the foreign lord moved his hand to his sword. On top of that, hearing Ruby having a nice chat with the other lord? It made her nervous as she walked up the steps into the manor, wondering just what the hell they had gotten themselves into.
To Be Continued...