Beyond the walls (Ruby Rose)

°3°

"Eva, did you enjoy your breakfast?" Ruby's voice floats through the sounds of birds singing in the charming garden. "I'm sorry I couldn't join you, I had to write some letters to a friend of mine, he's been wanting me to visit. I told him I would in a few days, I hope you'll come with me?"

I smile and nod. I've never travelled out of this town, mostly because I could never afford to. It excites me that she wants to travel with me.

"I'd love to. Where would we be going?" I ask softly as we walk through the garden, the sweet scents making me smile.

"We're going to the next town, Calchester. It'll take a little under a full day to get there so we'll leave early in two days. We can go to town today so we can buy things you want."

I hesitate before asking her.
"Can I visit someone when we're in Solris?" I wanted to visit the old lady that I would help every so often. She usually didn't have anyone around to help since her son left a couple of years ago. He tries to visit her though.

"Of course we can. Anything you need."

She takes my hand in hers and leads me back into the house and to our room. She lets me go to open the wardrobe and pulls out two of her jackets, one slightly smaller and a lighter hue of grey which she hands to me.

"We'll get you clothes more your style today but you can wear one of my jackets for now. I don't want you to get cold." She says as she helps me put it on, her hands feeling amazing on my skin even if they touch me briefly.

She turns me to face her and smiles at me with a look of admiration before taking my hand again and leads me out the front door to the carriage that's waiting for us. She helps me in and we sit next to each other this time, her hand still holding mine making me feel giddy inside.

The trip to town is filled with conversation about each other's lives as we try to learn more about each other. It would make sense to do that before marrying each other.

We're so invested in each other's words that we don't realise that we're in Solris till the carriage stops.

When we step out, all eyes are on us. No one thought they'd see either of us again. Ruby walks past everyone towards one of the tailor's shop, ignoring the stares as she interlocks our fingers. I don't know how she's able to not be bothered by them.

~~~~~~~~~

We've been to a couple of shops now and Ruby has been purchasing anything I remotely like. After I got measured for the dresses the shocked tailor was going to make for me, Ruby has been taking me to get shoes and jewellery from all over, saying she wants me to have anything I want. I tell her that I don't need much as I try and convince her that I don't want her to spend so much on me.

"Ruby, thank you so much for the things you've bought for me but I don't need any more."

I notice a group of young women staring at me intensely with envy and hatred that makes me shiver a little. I don't get why, they look like they come from well off families so I'm sure they can afford these things. Maybe it's because they still think I don't deserve to be with such a beautiful and high-class woman.

"I know but I just want to give you everything you want." Ruby says as she moves closer to me and rubs her fingers on my cheek softly. This seems to fuel the anger of the group of women.

'I wonder if Ruby noticed then too.'

I smile at her softly and hold her hands.
"I don't need all these things. We can stop shopping for now." She nods and goes off to pay for the remaining things.

The group of women decide that it's the perfect opportunity to confront me. That's when I recognize one of them to be the daughter of the merchant I used to work for. She was always rude to me.

"Evangeline Griffiths..." She says my name with fake happiness but I can practically taste the venom dripping in her high pitched voice.

"I never thought I'd see you in a place like this. But I guess it makes sense since you've become the Countess' lapdog. I don't think I understand how you got picked anyway, you're just a little slave." She looks me over with disgust as her posse nods along in agreement.

"Not matter, I'm sure she'll soon see what a dismal mistake she's made. Then she'll get rid of you and find a proper high-class woman like one of us instead. Anyway, it was so nice seeing you, enjoy it while it lasts."

She smiles with fake sweetness and walks off with the rest of the women doing the same before following her.

I usually don't care for anything she or anymore says to me, whether it was about my lack of money or spitting out racial slurs, I never took it personally because I honestly didn't have time for bullies.

But what she said now is not something that I haven't thought about recently. It doesn't make sense why Ruby chose me. It's something I can't understand.

"We can go now. Who were those women?" Ruby asks as she comes back to me, placing her hand in mine again. She studies my expression before I can hide my hurt emotions. "What's wrong?" She asks worriedly. I shake my head and smile, looking away so she doesn't see I'm feigning my happiness.

I take her to visit the old lady, hoping to forget all the sad thoughts filling my head and to avoid any questions from Ruby though I can see she's not going to let this go.

~~~~~~~~

"I'm so happy you came by my child. I hope I'll see you again soon." Elizabeth, the old lady, says as she hugs me tightly. She turns to Ruby and hugs her too before pulling away. We spent our time with her, having a delicious lunch she insisted on preparing for us while she told us stories. Ruby was very intrigued in everything she heard, I'm guessing because this is a different lifestyle than she's accustomed to.

"And you take care of this fine young lady or I'll take care of you." Elizabeth tells her with play seriousness but we understand the underlying meaning.

"I will Elizabeth. I promise."

We walk back to the carriage in silence, sitting next to each other as I look out the window. The women from before wave at me making me remember what I was worried about before.

"We can have afternoon tea in the garden if you'd like. There's a table underneath a tree, I'm sure you'll love it, the view is beautiful." Ruby says to me, noticing my mood change. All I do is nod slightly and carry on looking out the window.

~~~~~~~~~

Our tea was served on the white iron table covered with a light blue tablecloth under an oak tree. Ruby was right, this is a beautiful sight.

Ruby has been silent for a while. I'm guessing she's trying to figure out a way to ask me what's wrong because of my sudden mood change since we left Solris. I feel guilty for being so standoffish to her but I just can't help but let what that girl said to me affect me. I couldn't get it out of my head.

"She's wrong you know." Ruby finally says as we drink our tea. She keeps her eyes on me while I look ahead at the rows of colourful flowers. She continues speaking after setting her empty cup down on the table.

"That woman, she's wrong. I chose you because I genuinely want you to be my wife. I know I don't know much about you and you don't know much about me but as soon as I saw you, I felt inexplicably attracted to you. I just knew that there's something, a lot things actually, special about you." She smiles at me, showing me how much she means her words.

"So please don't let her get to you. You're amazing and I wouldn't want anyone else." She stands up and kisses my forehead before going back to the house, leaving me to absorb what she just said, my heart swelling at the sweetness of the gesture and how she's made feel better. I think I find myself falling for her with each passing moment.