Queen Ruby

Chapter 9

"So I kinda invited my Team over to meet you next Tuesday." Roman looks up from his plate. As he cooked dinner for me. It's the third time I come over since I ordered him to teach me. Since then I have learned a lot. He is teaching me about my family history, how to use the abilities and a lot about Salem and Politics. I haven't told him what I told my team yet or that Oz knows.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I didn't tell them much about anything. Just that a Mole planted my Mom contacted me and that I'm continuing her work. I only ever called you guard in front of them. I showed them all the documents about the white fang and the criminal mastermind that is Roman Torchwick. They don't know about Salem."

"they won't be happy to see you hanging around me."

"That's why you are going to wear a mask when they come." He won't object but I know he's not happy about it.

"Anything else I should know Red?" I forbid him from calling me Hines or majesty when we are not in Public. He's the only one, who knows who I am, who would dare to make jokes or be less formal around me and I like that. When he has to he can be formal and polite but he knows he doesn't have to. Over the last few days, we have become somewhat friends.

"Oz caught me sneaking back to my dorm the night. He found out that I went to visit you and was not very happy. I kinda snapped and told him to stay away from you. I requested my position back and to be present at the next meeting. He was too scared to deny it to me.

"Man he must be pissed." Roman laughs.

"He is, but I told him that I would let him keep part of the position for now. I don't know enough to take full responsibility so having a sort of representative, for now, should be handy. By now he probably has already told his buddies about my return."

"You seem to be doing quite well for yourself. It's probably instinct to order people around. Being a leader is in your blood after all."

That makes me laugh. I haven't changed much since turning sixteen but whenever I'm in a tight spot or I need to lede it comes more naturally than before. It scares me how easy it is to bend people to my will. I'm starting to learn how to control it but it's hard. I'm afraid I'll lose control one day. Lifting a single object with my mind is the only thing I can do by will. When I do it my eyes glow silver. I'm trying to learn to lift bigger and more objects at once but every time I try I lose control or faint.

We finish eating and Roman cleans the kitchen while I get into my combat skirt. Over the course of the last few days, I have become somewhat friends with Guard. I started trusting him completely and he has opened up a bit. When he isn't pretending to be a sociopath he is actually really nice. He's a good cook, sometimes he acts more like a teenager than an adult, it's funny and somewhat calm.

When I come back to the kitchen Roman has finished cleaning and is in his usual attire. No, not the white coat he wears for ''work'' but a much looser, casual look. Black jeans, white T-shirt, black military boots and a black leather jacket with my family emblem, which is also my sign, on the back. He says he wears it to show that he is mine. Apparently, Guards used to have a uniform but since everything burned down eleven years ago my emblem on his back was all he could do to show his position. His red hair is out of his face, revealing the faint silver tattoo around his right eye. A thorn and rose design reaching over most of his right face. It's barely visible, but in the right light, it looks like it's glowing. I had asked him about it yesterday but he didn't tell me much, only that he got it when he was very young.

I grab my bag and use my semblance to bring us both to the temple. Today we will be practicing how to use my ability in combat. It has become a routine of school, History and Queen lessons, dinner and then physical training. Every day the same.

Roman explains to me how to defend myself without using a weapon, I'm only allowed to use my eyes. When he's finished he changes at me. I dodge his attacks with ease thanks to my semblance. As he manages to land a hit and send me flying I picture a bubble and one formed around me, lessening the impact. When he attacks again, I shut my eyes and scream. My head hurts and I see light for a second until I realize I sent Guard flying. I look around and notice a tail like an appendage coming from my back. It looks as if it were made of pure light and I can feel it. It's not hard to get it to catch Roman. I barely think about it and it just does what I want it to, similar to how a hand does what you tell it to. I put Roman down with my tail.

"Hah! Yes! You're a quick learner aren't you princess?"

"Don't call me princess!"

"I don't get to call you anything do I?"

"First of all no, second of all I'm a Queen not a princess anymore."

"Fine, I'll stop."

"What is the tail made of?" I point to it.

"Magic? To be honest I don't actually know."

"Ok. What else can I do with it?"

"I think anything you want. Just think of something and it will turn into it."

I close my eyes and think of a whale. A big, gigantic whale swimming over our heads.

When I open my eyes a whale is swimming in front of me, but it's much smaller than I wanted. It is barely the size of my hand and it only stays for a minute before disappearing.

"Aw... I wanted to it to be much bigger!"

"We'll practice makes perfect. You can't master everything on the first try. If it makes you feel any better your learning faster than I had hoped."

"Thanks. What else can we practice today?"

"Red it's already nine o clock."

"Fine, we'll go back. But first, let's kill a few Grimms."

"As you wish." Roman laughs.

I start running towards where I know Grimm usually stays at this time of day and it doesn't take me long to find a group of Beowulf's. Crescent Rose is still in my locker so I rely solely on the light. I use my tale to impale a few of them and slam the others deep into the ground. Five minutes later Roman and I are standing in front of a few dozen dead Grimm. I smile up at him. He stares at the dead Grimm. They are so many and all look like they've been through hell.

"With all due respect my Queen. I'm starting to think you are developing some murderous tendencies." He says with a heavy voice. I can tell that he's scared.

"Why would you say that? They're only Grimm."

"You didn't kill them. You disfigured them and put them through more pain than necessary." Roman almost sounds angry.

I realize that he's telling the truth. I really did that. Without realizing I did something so "wrong".

"I'm sorry. I'll try to control myself next time."

"Can you even? You know... keep it under control?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that you are..." He hesitates,"you might be, you have the power to become the strongest Queen in History. You had a seal on your magic most of your life, and as soon as you turn sixteen it's lifted. I'm worried that it's too much for you to take. You're physical badly but also your mind could have been damaged!" He's worried. He knows I don't want to hear it. He knows I've changed already. He knows I realized. He knows I don't want to admit it to myself. I'm like an open book. Even my team has told me I changed. I'm worrying them. I shouldn't. I need to control it. I need to bend it to my will. I need to make it mine. I will control it, it will not control me!