Under The Spell Of A Phantom.
One: Betrayl.
"A masked ball?" Ruby said, a heavy frown across her face.
"Yes, my daughter." Her mother, Eleanor, replied.
She studied the detailed hand writing once more, letting her fingertips brush over the words.
"But mama, I don't have a dress."
"Oh, that will be sorted out today."
Ruby shot her eyes from the note to her.
"But I have a horse riding lesson with David!" She cried.
"No, I decided that you should stop that as you are now eighteen and not a child any more." Eleanor explained, sitting beside her.
Ruby turned away, stopping the threatening tears that were prickling her eyes.
"I don't want to go. I refuse to mingle with anyone!" She said, bitterly.
"Darling, you're not getting any younger and it's about time you find a suitable husband."
Ruby looked at Eleanor in shock and disgust.
"So that's the reason? Marry me off like my other sisters so that you can have the house for yourself? You make me sick!"
She threw the note on the floor and stormed off out of the room with a slam of the door.
Eleanor breathed out a heavy sigh, her eyes falling on her wedding ring.
"Oh Michael, if only you were alive right now." She said, tearfully.
Ruby rushed to her table where her diary lay waiting for her thoughts to pour out on the pages.
Getting out her quill and ink, she began to write down in a furious manner.
"How dare she? I only just turned eighteen and already I got to think of being married to someone! I would rather be single, ride my horses and spend lazy days staring at the skies. It sickens me to see my sisters leaving with rich and ugly gentlemen they met in balls or dinner parties, they only send letter every two months explaining how their lives are so much better now they were happily wed. The thought of falling in love has not once appeared in my mind, not even when I read romantic novels from the libary here. Ever since papa died, my mother has changed from being the loving woman I admired to a complete stranger wanting only one thing to get rid of her daughters. I confide to David most of the time, he is my best friend since childhood and refuses to fall in love too."
Thinking of him, Ruby blew the pages and left it open so it could dry.
She went to her cupboards where her helmet and jacket hung.
Putting them on, Ruby dashed out of her room and jogged down the staircase.
As she stepped outside, the warm sunshine instanly hit her along with a cool breeze.
A blissful sigh escaped her lips, all troubling thoughts seemed to fade away.
But once she reached the stables, the sound of a woman's laughter appeared.
With a frown, Ruby pushed her walking to a run only to find a truely horrifying sight.
David was holding a mysterious young woman with golden locks and a breath-taking smile.
He lowered his head to capture his lips with her own, the kiss was long and passionate.
Ruby felt her heart shatter to a million pieces, how could everyone around her betray her so?
"Ahem!" She cleared her throat which made the couple break apart.
David's eyes widened at the sight of a very angry Ruby standing very close with her hands on her hips.
"What's going on here?" She snapped, her voice cold and bitter.
"Er... Ruby, meet Ariel. Ariel, meet Ruby." He said, nervously.
The woman came towards her, rising a offered hand.
Ruby looked at it in digust but went ahead to shake it.
"It's nice to meet you, David's being non stop talking about you." Ariel said, with that smile on her beautiful face.
"Whatever. Can I speak to him privately?" She asked, with a sneer.
"Sure, go right ahead."
With a swift nod, Ruby went to grab David's sleeve and dragged him to a empty stable.
"What on earth are you playing at?" She hissed, pointing her finger at his chest.
"Ruby, I'm allowed to. You can't tell me what to do." He replied, gruffly.
"Ha! What about that promise we made when we were children?" She cried.
"Well, it's broken. I'm sorry but I'm grown up now and so should you."
With that, David walked away to grab Ariel's hand and headed down the path.
Ruby looked at the straw, fighting her hardest not to break down in tears.
Her shoulders stared to shake, her lips were begining to tremble.
Sinking to her knees, she placed her hands over her face and let out silent sobs that only her could hear.
A little while later, Ruby headed back inside.
The clouds were building, rain began to fall down.
Servents noticed her lost look but didn't dare ask her what was wrong.
Walking up the stairs, she held on the rail with a tight grip.
Eleanor was just coming across the hallway to discover her daughter in a state of distress.
She waited until Ruby came up, watching her slow movements towards her.
Once she stopped, Ruby rose her head to let her eyes burn in her mother's.
"I've decided to go to the masked ball." She said, calmly.
A wave of relief washed over Eleanor, at long last she saw sense.
She gathered her daughter in her arms and embraced her for a long time.