Va’il begrudgingly accepted when Ruby told him it was all right that they separate while the attendants got them ready. He wanted to ask her several things, but he couldn’t muster the words on the journey to Murasaki’s city, Murasaki’s castle. Every time he looked at Ruby, she was looking down. She didn’t say anything either. Eventually he just put a hand on her shoulder. Ruby remained silent, though she was relieved that Va’il wasn’t asking her anything. She’d speak, eventually, but now was not the right time.
Va’il did notice the stares he was getting. Everyone was human. It made sense, as Hallum was a human territory, but it was still a strange feeling. He had thought he was used to strange stares, considering he was a half and had to deal with that for years. But before it was always in the context of other species. This time it was humans, and ones that had likely not seen all that many other species. And some could probably tell he was part human. He knew who those people were by the mix of disgust and surprise in their faces. It was different than the surprise and general distaste that most other people had given him throughout the years. It was bothersome, but not so much that it gave Va’il any issues.
What did give Va’il issues were the two maids who were ready to change and bathe Va’il. He wasn’t a young boy anymore, he had his reservations, and stopped the two of them before they removed everything he wore. They also seemed to be people that were more intrigued by a lupus boy than scared, so it took him a while to convince them he’d bathe alone, without their help.
The bath was nice and grand, and the clothes prepared for him were nice and comfortable. And they were his correct size. Once he was dressed the maids came back to finish getting him ready. They fit boots and messed with his hair. They brushed his long silver hair, and even played with it a bit. When they showed him a mirror, however, he had to laugh. It’d been a while, so he asked them to cut his hair a bit as well. It was far too long at this point, longer than he usually kept it. His hair was cut and brushed, and his tail was brushed as well. His claws were cleaned better than he could have done himself, and he was squirted with a very small amount of fragrance. The maids were quite good, as they didn’t add too much to aggravate his nose.
Dressed in a light blue tunic and linen white pants, Va’il exited his room. He waited for Ruby to arrive, standing outside the room she had been led to. He knew she’d take longer, though she didn’t take too much additional time.
Ruby walked out. Her hair was restored to how Va’il remembered, and her skin was clean yet again. She wore a simple red dress with white lace that accentuated her figure correctly. She had light makeup and her nails were painted, and around her neck was a thin golden necklace.
Va’il smiled, realizing this was truly the girl Ruby, the girl he had known for so long. This was how she was supposed to look. It’s how she looked best. He looked at the floor for a moment and shook his head, and then looked up again, grinning widely at Ruby. He held out his hand.
“Shall we go, madam?”
“Stop that. Of course, Va’il,” Ruby said. She smiled and then took Va’il’s hand.
They were led to a large room where all sorts of humans in fancy dress were gathered. They walked around while the crowd talked, all sorts of nobles around them dancing and eating, and Murasaki sitting above them all, at the side of a man. Va’il and Ruby laughed a bit while eating some of the delicacies they hadn’t seen in quite a while, and conversed with a couple people. Some nobles avoided Va’il completely, and others were surprised but intrigued. Both of them ended up being probed with questions, most of which they didn’t answer.
Murasaki’s husband, the king, made a few remarks at one point, and the party continued late into the night. It never was clear why a party was being held, though Ruby doubted it was for her return. It was probably regarding the battle, but that raised other questions Ruby and Va’il really didn’t care about. They just wanted to forget the past few days, weeks, months, and have a pleasant night not worrying about who or what was trying to trick or capture them.
Eventually things died down, and Murasaki left her post. She had Va’il and Ruby follow her, and the three of them sat away from the rest in a corner with couches and a table full of delicacies, conversing.
“So, now that we have a chance to talk a moment, tell me what happened to you, Ruby, and be direct,” Murasaki said, her voice as serious and pointed as ever.
“To keep things simple, then. I was almost killed, then kidnapped, taken across the continent, lived a simpler life for a while, was betrayed, ran from people, kept running, was fooled, was kidnapped again, escaped, and arrived here. And through it all, hints of Grip at work have been coming up,” Ruby said.
“Hmm. Yes, they’ve probably been reaching out too much again. Well, all in due time. Sounds like you’ve been through a bit of trouble. Well, at least you’re alive. I suppose that’s good. Mother will be appreciative,” Murasaki said. She gulped down a chalice of wine.
“Yes, mother. I don’t know what’ll happen when I see mother,” Ruby said.
“Well, at least she’ll be expecting you now. I already sent a message off. Mother should know in a few days. I expect her to make arrangements the moment she gets it. And I’ll have an escort back to Rising for you. It’ll be a rough ride, but you will be home next twelfth, I’ve assured it. Though I’d suppose you’re used to it by now, what with all that scurrying around the continent,” Murasaki said.
“The sooner, the better. It’s been awful not really knowing where we were all this time. If we’re in north Hallum, we went further north out of Sunderthound than I thought. So straight west to get to Farrow, and southwest once we pass Tella. I’d almost want to detour south to see Dindalnor, but that can wait till a trip for pleasure, not a return from a time away from home,” Ruby said.
“Dindalnor is a nice city. Though I guess I only saw it briefly,” Va’il said.
“And just what’s this? The boy here! Oh yes Ruby, he’s much prettier now that he’s clean. Is this what you’ve kept with you for so long? I see. Well, he acted quite nice, I think. One wrong move and he’d have ripped that pretty neck of yours. A shame. Oh, don’t look at me like that. So, now that I can see you better, what are you? Oh no no, I see. A half! A lupus and human half! What novelty! What taboo! What poor woman ravaged by a beast! What would mother think of your little plaything?”
“You,” Va’il started.
“Va’il,” Ruby said. Va’il didn’t continue what he was going to say. He restrained himself, calmed himself, then spoke.
“Yes, Lady Murasaki. Actually my mother is a lupus. I’m a half. Ruby is a friend,” Va’il said.
“Of course, of course, I guess it was possible the other way after all. You know, Ruby, normally boys are beastly. But this one really is a beast! How charming. Well, I don’t care. It’d be fun, but I won’t have a chance to see mother’s face at your return with such a thing in tow. I have my own insufferable things to deal with. Rebellion! What a farce,” Murasaki said.
“That person, Jandese?” Ruby asked.
“Yes, him and some others. Another part of the family. A family is a small war by its very nature, after all. Now, it’s a big war. Cousins against cousins, nieces against aunts. All boring stuff, but all contained this time, nothing like the last one! Well, unfortunate we’ll be cutting off part of the family line soon. Well, my husband’s family line mostly. A couple are related, but nobody mother or I’d care about. Don’t bother me anymore with my nation’s dealings. Back to you and your scandalous ways. Tell me just how you’ve made it back successfully. Traveled across more than half a continent, and still able to look as pretty as ever,” Murasaki said. She reached out and rubbed a finger against Ruby’s cheek for a moment, and then relaxed back in her seat while wearing a wicked smile.
“Bad things happened. But they were tempered. I should have been much worse off. But somehow things worked out at the right times. And I wasn’t alone. It was more a matter of time, rather than anything else,” Ruby said.
“How nice. And what an amount of time,” Murasaki said.
“I have an idea, but tell me, how long has it been, sister?” Ruby asked.
“Don’t you know the date?” Murasaki asked.
“No, I lost track long ago,” Ruby said.
“It’s the twenty-third day of the fifth month,” Murasaki said.
“Oh! The fifth month! But, Va’il, we were taken the first day of the school’s start. The end of the seventh! We’ve been gone almost a full year!” Ruby said.
“A year? I’ll be fifteen next month, and today you turn seventeen! And the school year is almost over! We missed it all,” Va’il said. He shook his head a bit.
“Taking after mother in that regard too, Ruby?” Murasaki asked, grinning slightly, her face beginning to flush due to the alcohol in her.
“In what regard?” Ruby asked.
“Oh, nothing. Well congratulations on being gone almost a year! And congratulations on returning safe and sound,” Murasaki said.
“Yes,” Ruby said.
“Now, go away. And don’t come back. You’ll leave early tomorrow morning. And I won’t see you off,” Murasaki said. She then stood and left the party entirely.
“Your sister is strange,” Va’il said after a while.
“She’s not. Unfortunately. She’s just bitter. She’s sad and bitter. But she’s also right. She’s always right,” Ruby said, her voice soft.
“Why is she bitter? Why did you let her be so mean to you without saying anything?” Va’il asked.
“Oh Va’il, please. Please no,” Ruby said quietly in a tone he hadn’t heard before. Va’il didn’t say anything else. He sat quietly while Ruby thought, and then buried her head in her arms. He held out a hand, but didn’t know if he should do anything else.
Va’il did, he put his hand on the golden hair and petted it for a while, listening to the tiny sounds. He couldn’t say anything. He didn’t know how to handle the person who seemed like they could bounce back from anything when they acted like this. He thought about the conversations that he had heard throughout the day.
Va’il moved down a bit and whispered in Ruby’s ear, “Ruby Louise, it’s all right to be half, and it’s not your fault.”
The party roared for a while still, but all Va’il could hear were the sounds of the girl who cried out loud enough for anyone nearby to clearly hear.