"Yaaay! Back to the dungeon we go!!" Alfie cheered at the top of his lungs while Billy just gave him weird looks. Billy had taken a long nap and eaten a huge meal provided by Alfie before they made their way to the bottom floor of the castle.
The strange guard and young boy made their way down to Cell 8, Billy's temporary home. As they both walked past Ruth's cell, the woman walked out of the shadows.
"Ah, you've returned. Glad to see you survived a day with this idiot." Ruth declared as she gestured towards Alfie who had suddenly become quiet.
"Here's your weapon." Billy replied as he passed the sharp rock through the cell bars.
Ruth grabbed it and tossed it up and down in the air.
No one had the confidence to guard Ruth's cell, so for a majority of the time, the woman sat alone and unwatched except for when Alfie visited. Even if a guard did witness Ruth's weapon making or hear her announcing her plans of murder, they did not dare speak up.
"Hm, I thought you would've put it to good use by killing this idiot or the King." The woman voiced calmly.
"Unlike you, Ruth, I do not find joy in violence." Billy asserted as he glanced back at Alfie who hid silently behind him.
"Hm, well the least you could do is get me out of this cell so that I can kill the King." Ruth scoffed as she continued to toss the rock up and down.
Billy just sighed in response and walked into his cell to sit down. Alfie, who now felt unprotected without his little human shield, fell to the ground. The sound of his metal armor hitting the ground echoed through the dungeon.
"Keep it down, idiot. I'm trying to get my work done." Ruth complained as she walked over to the wall to continue her weapon preparation.
"S-sorry." Alfie stuttered out nervously as he stared at the ground.
"Hey Ruth, stop calling him an idiot. He is a smart human being that you should respect." Billy stood up for his teacher.
"Respect? There is no way in Hell that I'm giving this loser respect. He's the one who got me into this whole dungeon mess." Ruth spat back angrily.
"What?" Billy asked, shocked as he glanced between Ruth and Alfie.
"It's a long story... that I guess I need to tell so you stop bothering me." Ruth sighed and stared up at the stone ceiling.
The Flashback: Ruth's POV
I walked through the peaceful town, minding my own business. The stupid sun burned my skin and the people around me chatted non-stop, it was horrible. I had only entered the town in order to fulfill my mission, which was to kill a few people. I wanted to get my task done quickly so I could return to the woods where the sun and people couldn't bother me. Well, that's when the idiot entered the picture.
I hadn't even killed anyone yet, that day anyway, and he was already annoying me. He stood in his little guard outfit and followed me around town. I glared at him constantly to try to get him to go away, but he would only turn really red and step back a bit.
I knew there was no way I could complete my mission with him following me like a lost puppy so I gave up for the day and sat by the town fountain. The stupid guard stayed close by and I thought over the consequences of killing him. I guess since the guard had been neglecting his duties by clinging to me, the King himself had decided to grace us with his presence.
The stupid King interrogated his stupid guard and I was somehow dragged into the conflict. I probably could have gotten away without jail time if the King hadn't taken a creepy liking to me and I hadn't thrown a knife at his face.
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"So you were an assassin and Alfie liked you?" Billy summarized.
"Eh pretty much. Alfie visits me twice everyday in the dungeon and brings me rocks every time." Ruth shrugs.
"Rocks?" The young boy spoke up, confused by the gift choice.
"Yeah. I collect and sharpen them as weapons." Ruth replied like the answer was obvious.
"If I got daily gifts I would want pillows and blankets, not rocks." Billy shared his opinion.
"Well you don't get daily gifts so I don't need to hear your thoughts." Ruth criticized as she sharpened another of her rocks.
"I'm sorry for everything. I just wanted to talk to you, but I was too shy." Alfie confessed as he avoided eye-contact with his crush.
"Hm don't worry about it, it's too late to change the past or apologize." Ruth responded.
"Awww is Ruth finally showing her sweet side?!" Billy teased.
"I'll kill you if you utter another word in my presence." Ruth threatened seriously as she pointed a sharpened rock straight at the now terrified boy.
Billy gulped and scooched himself as far away from Ruth as he could. Even with cell bars separating them, Billy felt very unsafe.
"Alfie, please protect me!" Billy begged his teacher.
"No can do, young squirrel. I can not risk my new bond with Ruth." Alfie apologized.
"You are both idiots." Ruth declared.
"Oh, my lovely Ruth! You wound me!" Alfie proclaimed dramatically.
"Shut up, idiot, or I'll murder you." Ruth glared at the guard.
"Watch out, Alfie! She's telling the truth! Hide over here with me." Billy spoke up and gestured to the spot next to him in the corner of his cell.
Alfie rushed over and curled up next to the boy. Ruth just watched the two idiots as they cowered away from her.
Another guard entered the dungeon and examined the strange scene.
"Billy, I must escort you to the King. Your mission will begin soon." The new guard announced.
Ruth, Alfie, and Billy all looked at each other. It was time to say goodbye.
A/N
Is there an Alfie and Ruth ship name? 🤔
Purple Hyacinth= Forgiveness
YOU ARE READING
Where the Purple Flowers Grow
FantasíaWilliam (Billy) Francis had been a peasant in the Empire of Pratopia for his whole life. He spent his days begging for food and stealing what he needed alongside his best friend Todd. However, one day, he's pinned with a huge crime he didn't commit...
