Ruby Red

Chapter One

RUBY RED

Sorry it's been so long since I last upload. I've been doing some drafting and I've been busy with school. I've been writing through the manuscript of this story and I'm finally satisfied with it to upload it. Ruby Red is going to be upload more often and the gist and plot of the story is going to slightly change. Thanks for bearing with me though. 

Enjoy. 

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The snow that drifted down from the Heavens clutched to Ruby's eyelashes like tiny crystals. The bitter coldness pressed against her cheek like an icy blade and she could see her own breath in front of her. The red cloak did its best to keep out to bitter coldness, but she still shivered under the fabric.

Her blue eyes surveyed the landscape with intent. Everything was covered in a sheen of white snow, like a blanket draped over the world. She pulled the basket up to the crook of her arm. She wished she could have ridden her white stallion Apollo, but she had given him up to her uncle for he needed it more than her. Ruby charged on through the relentless cold. 

Her brown hair blew wildly around her pale heart shaped face. She smiled in victory as a small cottage came into view, large smoke billowing from the chimney. She pushed onwards until the cottage was in front of her, the stone work cracked slightly under the snow. 

She could see the outline of the windows, though they were hidden by a layer of snow. She heaved open the small wooden door and stepped inside, slamming it behind her to keep out the cold. She was immediately engulfed in the warmth emanating from the fire. Ruby shrugged off her red cloak and hung it upon a coat rack. 

Her mother was huddled close to the fire, her red blistered fingers working tiresomely on a small handkerchief. She sniffed loudly and looked up at her daughter through red swollen eyes. She cracked a small smile. 

"You're back," she whispered in a hoarse voice. Ruby scowled and rushed to her mother, taking the needle and half finished handkerchief away from her cold blistered fingers. She wrapped another blanket around her thin body and she noticed the ribs prominent through her rags. 

"I told you to take care of yourself when I was gone," Ruby told her. Her mother stared, ashamed, at the fire. 

"I did. But...but Ruby...horrible news has come of your grandmother. She's dying. And no one can reach her for she lives on the other side of the Dark Forest. She's going to die without the medicine she needs. But no one can give it to her," her mother explained. 

Ruby felt her innards shrivel away and melt into cold despair. She had never been close to her grandmother; she lived on the other side of the Dark Forest, a forest that legend says beasts lurk in its shadows. A heavy weight seemed to rest upon her shoulders and she strained to remain upright. 

"Do you have the medicine?" she asked. Her mother looked up at her, startled, but nodded and pointed to the small kitchen. 

Ruby hurried off and searched through the contents of the dusty shelf. Her fingers finally wrapped around a small glass vile with the letters "For Mrs. Mary Jane Carter". She smiled victoriously. The medicine inside the tiny vile was a pale cream and bubbles surfaced to the rim of the liquid when Ruby shook it. 

"I have an idea, Mother." she said triumphantly. Her mother looked at her, and nodded slowly. Ruby took a deep breath and stared wide eyed at her mother. 

"I'm going to deliver the vile to Grandmother myself. She will not die. I promise," she promised. Her mother's eyes shone with delicate tears. "No...Ruby, it's too dangerous," she whispered. Ruby shook her head stubbornly. 

"No. I'm not asking for your permission Mother. I will save Grandmother. It's killing you. We can't just stand by and let her die! I'm going to save her!" Ruby argued. Her Mother opened her mouth to argue, then shut it and smiled weakly. 

"You always had the bravery of your father."

Ruby stared back at her mother, feeling tears prick her eyes and a cold heaviness wash over her body.....

Five year old Ruby swung wildly on her heels, laughing as she chased the petals of a rose as they drifted through the wind. Her father's strides kept in perfect pace with her dancing twirls. He chuckled slightly. "Use your feet, my dear child. Then you can pursue anything you desire," he advised. Ruby blinked up at him and smiled and raced after the petals, her legs a blur. 

As the forest approached, her father's guard became more alert and tensed. But his daughter still danced wildly after the petals, prancing over stray logs. Further into the forest they went, Ruby's laugh the only thing that rang through the silent air. 

Suddenly, her father went tense and rigid all over. Ruby noticed the changed and stopped abruptly, watching the petals float further away. "Father?" she asked. He looked at her with wild eyes. "Run," he hissed. 

Ruby hesitated, the fear in his voice confusing her and terrifying her. Her father wasn't afraid of anything. Not even the biggest spiders that lurked behind the dusty counter-tops. "Run!" he screamed and this time she did. 

She dashed forward, propelling herself forward and running through the forest at top speed, tears streaming down her pale face. Her father's screams rang through the forest followed by the growls of a huge animal. And as she raced away, she caught the sight of a shimming white wolf. 

Ruby swallowed. Her father. Killed. Dead. Gone. 

Her mother stared at her with soft eyes. "I love you, Ruby," she whispered and they curled up, Ruby's head resting on her chest, her mother stroking her hair with caring fingers. And not even her mother's comfort could stop the tears that rolled down her face. 

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 The Dark Forest was ruled by a Demon King, so the legend goes. A dark wolf of pure evilness no one could defeat. He ruled a clan of dark warriors, each as strong as ten men. They say his name was Ra. 

The legend also goes that he will fall in love with God's innocent creations. They say the legend is true. 

In the Dark Forest, the King of Darkness bids his time, waiting for his innocent Queen to come to him and stand by his side. He could already envision her gleaming hair and the curves of her body, making passionate love to her.

Ra didn't think of women the way he thought of his Queen. He found it unnatural, yet strangely addicting, as if you dreamt about her so much, she'll eventually become real. But she is real, he told himself angrily. He could feel it coursing through his veins. Passion, is what could only be described to what he felt. 

And yet he knew, the other wolves were slowly beginning to feed off his passion and want her for their own. He growled. No one would have her! She is his. 

She is mine. 

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Fallen Abyss xxxxxxx