Ruby Redfort: try not to scream

Chapter 45- The Last Time

One Week Later:

Count Von Viscount heard the clunk of the lock on his cell door. He smiled grimly. This was it. His trial day and, inevitably, his last day alive. As he was escorted to the trial room, he sighed. He had never seen his life ending this way. The door swung open to the room as he sat down. He turned and saw many faces he really didn't want to see. Ruby Redfort, Clancy Crew, Danial Zayn, Loveday Byrd, M, Art Hichen Zachary, James Blacker, Myles Froghorn and several other agents he didn't recognise. The judge told them all to take a seat and the trial began. Ruby was called to the stand first.
Once she had taken an oath she was questioned.

"Miss Redfort, can you describe your relationship with Mr Von Leyden?" Asked the judge. Ruby nodded.
"He's a man I have a lot of respect for. He smart, polite, creative and funny,"
The Count raised his head. What was she doing? She wasn't saying anything negative at all. She looked into his eyes and smiled slightly.
"One of Mr Von Leyden's charges is murder. I am going to call out some names and I would like you to tell me if he was responsible," said one of the prosecuting lawyers. Ruby smiled and nodded her head in agreement.
"Carla Lopez?"
"No. Marnie Novak killed her," said Ruby.
"Bethany Kekoa?"
"Nope, that was Lorelei Katzel," All eyes turned to Ruby.
"Katzel?" asked the judge.
"I thought I would use that name so that people didn't assume she was Victor's daughter,"
"Alright, what about Bradley Baker?" asked the lawyer.
"Marnie Novak again," sighed Ruby.
"Boyde Marshal?"
"Marnie Novak, yet again," said Ruby, getting bored now.
"Alright then,"
Ruby's questioning continued for a while and then she was allowed to sit down. Not once did she say anything bad about The Count. As she stepped down from the stand she flashed him a forgiving smile. Clancy was called up next.
"Master Crew, can you tell us what you know about Victor Von Leyden?"
"Well, he used to be a film director and gave his surname to Lorelei to cover George Katzel's tracks for cheating on his wife. He was blackmailed by Casey Morgan. I've been aware of him for about four years and..." he paused and looked over at The Count. Clancy didn't understand why Ruby wanted to save him but he really didn't care. He had murdered Lorelei, he could at least help to save this man. He gave the faintest of smiles and continued.
"That's about it," he sighed.
Once Clancy sat down, Hitch was called upon. Reluctantly, he answered all their questions positively and didn't utter one bad word about Victor Von Leyden.
"Mr Zachary, could you tell us where you were when Victor Von Leyden and Ruby Redfort fell from the roof of the Stellar Ballroom?"
"I was on the roof. I didn't hear what was said,"

All of them were questioned one by one, even Dan. Ruby was called upon once again at the end. At this point it was near impossible for the judge to give The Count the death penalty.
"Miss Redfort, would you like to say anything to Victor Von Leyden?"
She thought for a moment and then smiled. She stood up and walked towards The Count. Everyone in the room gasped and she stood in front of him. To their surprise, she stuck out her hand for him to shake.
"I forgive you," she whispered as he took her hand and shook it.
A single tear slid from Victor Von Leyden's left eye. For once, as Ruby looked into his eyes, she saw that they were no longer black and shark like. They were a deep brown shade.
"I... I don't understand," he said, almost inaudible.
"It's like I said, a life for a life."
The Count stood up and Ruby smiled at him.
"Come visit me in jail?" he asked.
"Of course I will," another tear slid down her cheek as she pulled The Count into a tight hug.
For a moment he was very shocked but then he hugged her back. There wasn't a soul in the room who hadn't shed a tear.
"That's the most beautiful thing I think I've ever heard," sighed the judge.
As Ruby went to sit back down, all of her walls broke down. Tears streamed from both hers and Victor's eyes. It was then that Hitch realised something. It had once been said that there were only two ways that The Count could be destroyed. By a person who outshone the sun or The Count himself. Hitch had thought that only Bradley Baker could be so perfect but he was wrong. Ruby was willing to forgive Victor Von Leyden after everything he had done to her. That was the definition of perfect. In the past few months, Ruby had mastered the three things she had been terrible at. Accepting compliments, realising when she has feelings for someone and letting her walls down.
"I hereby sentence Victor Von Leyden to life in prison with a minimum of fifty years. Court is adjourned," said the judge. Ruby grinned, happily. She had saved him.
Before they took him away, Ruby walked back over to her nemesis.
"Now I'm gonna lose you all over again, huh?" she smiled sadly.
"I guess so. But, hey, thanks for saving my ass from electrocution kiddo,"
He was dragged away and as he brushed past her, he dropped something into her hand. It was a ring. One she had noticed on his hand the first time she met him. It was a thin, gold band with rubies embedded around the outside. She smiled and slipped it onto her finger.
"I'll never forget the man who looked like Draclula," she called after him.
"And I'll never forget the plucky teen from Twinford," he replied, laughing.

The others ran over to Ruby and hugged her tightly. Dan picked her up and spun her around. Clancy kissed her cheek and Hitch squeezed the life out of her. Ruby laughed slightly and let out the hugest sigh anyone had ever heard. It was finally over.