Chapter 4

Ruby placed a vase of lillies in the middle of the table. She leaned forward, sniff the fragrant sweetness. It made her smile. Indeed, it was easily to believe that this had been Gertrud's favorite flower. They were white as ivory, deepening to deep pink towards their center. Their petals were velvety and smooth to the touch. The only down side that Ruby saw was that, in a few days' time, they would wilt and go brown, their sweet scents gone foul. Like all things in life.

There was a soft tap on Ruby's shoulder. Snapping out of her trance, she glanced around. A pretty blonde maid - Jessie, that was her name - jerked her thumb towards the door. "Mr. Van Dahl's...son? He's asking for you."

Ruby felt herself blush all the way up to her roots. A warmth spread from her chest to her limbs, sparking their nerves. Without thinking she reached up and pushed some hair out of her eyes. Behind her ears, even though it wasn't long enough for that. "Me?" She asked shyly. "Are you sure?"

Jessie smirked. "Are there any other 'Ruby's around here?"

"Uh..." Ruby looked away. "There's a Sapphire Davis and Janice Cuprite."

Jessie's smirk morphed into a look of confusion. "Huh?"

Ruby scratched her temple. "Rubies and sapphires, despite their opposing color, are actually very similar to each other. They have the same endurability and texture, and are often found in the same places. The one detail that sets them apart, their color, is merely due to the difference in chemicals. And the cuprite often comes in red, and is in the same gemstone branch as the ruby. So-"

Jessie held up both hands. "Stop!" Her hands went up to her forehead. "God, Ruby, when you go off on your rock babble, it's like listening to an audio textbook."

Ruby chuckled. "Well, what did you think I went to college for?"

"To get a good job, just like the rest of us." Jessie chuckled. "And I gotta say, not bad. Two thousand bucks a month? Hell, I've seen lawyers that make less!"

"Yeah." Ruby sighed, seeing the futility in making her point. Brushing dust from her uniform, she asked, "Where has he been placed?"

"The largest guest room, right next to Mr. Van Dahl's." Jessie chuckled. Placed a hand on Ruby's arm. "God, even Bitchy Barbie and Fat-Nosed Ken don't get to stay on the same floor as Mr. Van Dahl. Ha!"

Ruby quirked a brow. "Oh? Did it get under their skin?"

"Is the sky blue?" Jessie might have said more, but just then Charles walked in. The maids quickly looked down, focusing on setting the table or dusting the chandelier. Ruby and Jessie tured their heads, pretending to look at the door. Charles glanced around, seeing that no one was going to strike up a conversation with him anytime soon. Thus, he spoke. "So, I hear this house is turning into a soup kitchen."

The maids' hands quickened. Ruby cleared her throat, drawing Charles' attention. "Oswald Copplepot is Master's son. Ergo, we are all bound to serve him just as we do you."

Charles chortled, actually slapping the table. The china dishes rattled from the impact. "Yeah, good one, Rudy."

"Ruby." The maid correctly stiffly.

"Whatever." Charles sat down in his usual seat. Ruby rolled her eyes. Yep, he'd definitely sprung from the same rotting loins as Sasha. Besides the uncanny familial resemblance, there was the same snooty attitude. At least this one had a brain rattling around in there. Sasha's brain was programmed for shopping, and pretty much nothing else.

Ruby, knowing that her low social status forbade her from answering, merely bowed and left the dining room. Traded well-lit clatter and companionship for darkness, silence, and solitude. Sanctuary. Ruby pressed her fingers into her forehead, temples, and eyes. Trying to keep it all in. But her anger just wouldn't be cowed. That was why, seeing a mirror, she ran to it. Transformed her face. Sharpened her cheekbones, lengthened her nose, and darkened her hair to chestnut-brown. Her eyes changed shape, color, and size. Looking back at her was the face of Charles. "Look at me," she said, perfectly immitating his voice, "just because I wrote a few novels that I won't publish, I think I'm hot stuff." Chuckling, Ruby quickly dropped the illusion.

She stretched, massaged her muscles as a reward for their unexpected workout. Already feeling a bit better, Ruby turned to the staircase. Where Oswald awaited.

Butterflies crowded Ruby's stomach. She slapped a hand over it, biting her lip. But it hardly helped. Just thinking of Oswald made her feel...funny. Her heart rate picked up. Her skin felt feverish. And whatever appetite she'd had completely faded. God, and to think she only got this excited when she got new jewels! This was...strangely better. Ruby adored jewels, especially her namesake. But gems can't speak to you, nor give you comfort or warmth. They were stones of beauty. They serve their purpose, and nothing else.

Kind of like her. Ruby served, wielded her power, and nothing else. Nor did she want to do anything else.

Taking a deep breath, Ruby headed up the stairs. She knew exactly which ones would creak and which needed more nails. In addition, she knew how expensive the rug covering the steps had been. Master had actually asked her what she thought of it! Smiling fondly, she ran a hand up the banister as if stroking a cat. Once she reached the corridor, Ruby glimpsed out the windows. Down below, servants were squatting and kneeling in the vegetable garden. Given the constant rain and dampness, it was a miracle that they'd managed to grow anything. For the most part, that small patch of earth grew onions, carrots, and celery. Well-groomed shrubs served as a fence, warding off unwanted visitors. At the garden's corner, a large oak tree loomed. Ruby smiled, making a mental note to read there soon.

Finally, she reached Oswald's door. Taking several deep breaths, Ruby reached into her pocket with one hand while knocking with the other.

"Yes?" A voice called out.

"Uh, it's Ruby." She replied.

The door creaked open, and Oswald's pale, angular face poked out. He smiled happily at the sight of her. "Hi!" He greeted, "Um, do you have a minute?"

"Sure." Ruby shrugged. "What can I do for you?"

Oswald stepped aside, widening the gap between the door and the frame. "Please, come in."

Ruby swallowed hard, nodded, and obeyed. He closed the door behind her and grinned once again. "Thank you for meeting me on such short notice. I-I know dinner will be served soon, and you probably have work to do, but I needed some guidance."

Ruby raised her eyebrows. "Guidance?"

"For how to look." Oswald gestured to himself. Ruby resisted the urge to whistle. He had changed in a fine black tuxedo, with a perfect black bow and his hair neatly combed back. "How do I look?"

Ruby fingered her blouse's collar. "Great." She didn't say more. Didn't trust her voice.

Oswald sighed. Dropped his hands. "That's all?" He sounded as bummed out as a kid who'd just been assigned extra geometry homework. Ruby sniggered, amused by his reaction. "What is the problem, Young Master?"

"Oswald, please." Oswald smiled timidly. Unfortunately, his grin was short-lived. He ran a hand through his inky hair, looking away. "I just...I'm going to be meeting my new family tonight. I want to look..." He paused, unsure of what to say. "...Perfect." Ruby stared at him, long and hard. He looked so lost, desperate to please yet clueless on how to do it. His icy-blue eyes were big and watery, ready to tear up any second. His beaked nose and thin lips, which would have looked good on a criminal, only added to his vulnerability. Strangely enough, Ruby saw a bit of herself in Oswald. That deep-rooted need to repay kindness, to show people the best you have to offer. That was when she knew that he would have her service one day, when Master was no longer alive.

Even if the mere thought tore her up inside.

Ruby forced a smile. "Don't worry, I'll help."

Oswald broke into a wide smile, shaky and hopeful. "Really?"

"Of course." Ruby paused. "You're part of the family now." With that, she looked around the chamber for anything helpful. It was a bedroom almost as large as the Master's, with pale blue as the dominant color. The floor and ceiling were white as fresh snow, while the walls were the powdery blue of Easter eggs. A large canopied bed was positioned near the curtained windows. Every morning, he would be among the firsts to see the rising sun. A few portraits of snowy landscapes added flavor to the room as well. There was a writing desk, a comfortable-looking armchair, and a small bookcase. In the corner was a closet large enough to hold Narnia and all of its neighboring kindoms. Sitting on the top of it, probably to save it from being knocked over, was a vase of white roses.

"Excellent!" Ruby shambled up to the closest.

"W-what?" Oswald asked. "What is it? May I help?"

"No, thanks." Ruby replied, standing on her tiptoes. She pressed herself against the wardrobe, reaching. "I...I got it." Five feet separated her from her prize. Groaning, she glanced at Oswald. He was staring at her intently, ready to intervene if she needed help. Should she ask him to look away? Leave the room? What would he think?

Ruby stopped. She had used her gift in front of the Master (and only him) for so long that she'd forgotten what it was like to be near someone who didn't have a clue. What would happen if Oswald saw? He'd run away screaming, is what would happen. He'd tell. Ruby couldn't have that. And, in all honesty...she was starting to like the bright-eyed, innocent young man. She didn't want to scare him away.

Closing her eyes, Ruby took a deep breath. Asked something foreign. "Um...is it too late to take you up on your offer?"

Oswald suddenly looked like he'd found a golden brick in his Christmas stocking. "No, of course not! Here..." He limped towards her, his eyes shifting from the closet back to her. Calculations flitted behind his face. Finally, he turned to her and spoke, "Um, I can...pick you up, if you like. That should bridge the gap."

Ruby hoped that her blush wasn't as evident as it felt. "Uh, okay, um...you sure you can handle my weight?"

Oswald chuckled. "Please. How much do you weigh? A hundred and fifty? A hundred and fifty-five, tops?"

Ruby shot him as sour a look as her position would allow.

Oswald thankfully got the message. His hollow cheeks glowed pink. He held his hands out. "Right, sorry. Women don't discuss their weight. Then again, I know nothing of the matter. I merely repeat what I've heard."

"Well, in this case, you heard right." Ruby flicked a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Okay, then. Please...pick me up. It will only be a second."

"Will do!" Oswald stepped behind her and, with no hesitation, looped his arms around her waist. Ruby gasped at the physical contact. A second later her feet were lifted off the ground. She careened towards the vase, reaching...and still not getting it! Ruby struggled, trying to close those last few inches to no avail.
There was only one way.
"How's it going up there?" Oswald's question was slightly muffled by Ruby's blouse. The maid smirked. "Fine." Quickly, discreetly, she focused on her outstretched arm. It elongated several inches beyond its natural length, paving the way to success. Ruby's fingers closed around the most perfect white rose she could find. "Okay, you can put me down!"

Oswald all but dropped her. Ruby landed nimbly on her feet, grinning like a clown. Held the rose out to Oswald. "Thank you. And, you'll see, this will absolutely make your outfit. The white rose means-"

"I'm worthy of you." Oswald spoke softly. Ruby froze. "Huh?" That seemed to snap the young man back to reality. Still blushing up a storm, he gestured to the flower. "That is the meaning behind the white rose: 'I am humble, yet worthy of you'."
"Yes..." Ruby slowly lowered her hand, entranced. She stared at Oswald, trying to peel back his layers like an onion. See him truly. "How...how did you know?"

Oswald hitched in a breath. An old wound began to ripple, threatening to rip open again. "My mother." The mere mention of her nearly drew him to tears. But Oswald refused to cry. Ruby had been so nice to him. And she was so...soft. He couldn't wreck it all by bursting into tears like a baby. Trying to hide his sorrow, he continued. "She loved flowers. There were plenty of them in her apartment. She loved searching for the meaning behind flowers, too. That is how I know."

Ruby pursed her thin lips. Not knowing what to say, she chose to stay silent. Bowing her head, she snapped the rose's stem so that only a tiny bit potruded from the blossom. Then, carefully, she tucked it in the pocket of Oswald's jacket. Oswald watched her with unblinking eyes. Ruby paused a moment before buttoning Oswald's jacket. Then, as if on second thought, she reached around her neck and undid something. She pulled out a necklace from beneath her blouse's collar. Oswald gasped. It was a beautiful piece of jewelry, laden with different types of stones. Knowing little of geology, he could only identify the rubies and pale pink pearls. The only link tying the stones together was their color scheme: red and pink.

"Oh, my, Ruby. It's...dazzling." He leaned forward to take a better look. "Where did you get this?"

Ruby seemed surprised that he asked, but answered him anyway. "I bought it. It took nearly six months' worth of saving, but the end result..." A finger traced one of the closer gems, "...was sublime." Another pause, then she held it out to him. "I would...like to lend it to you for tonight."

"What?" Oswald blinked up at her. "But why? You clearly love this necklace."

"I love all of my jewelry. But...it's full of good omens." Ruby cracked a smile. She pointed at a pink, almost transparent jewel. "This is a rose quartz. It is associated with healing, confidence, love, and compassion. All of which are needed to...form a family."

Now, the tears did come.

"And this," Ruby pointed at a jagged, orange-red stone, "is a jasper. They represent nurturing and relaxation." She got ready to point to another one. "This-"

Oswald's hands rested on hers, silencing her. Ruby blinked, then looked at her future master. He was looking down at their feet, shoulders shaking slightly. Every few seconds, shining droplets dripped from his face and hit the carpet. Ruby couldn't speak. She feared shattering what was already so delicate.

"Th...thank you." Oswald was clearly struggling to get the words out. "I...I'm deeply grateful for this gift. And I promise I'll give it back after dinner."

"I'd appreciate that." Ruby smiled, gently pried her hands free of Oswald's. Then, she tied the jeweled chain around Oswald's pale, swan-like neck. Finally, she slipped it beneath the collar. Out of sight. Oswald felt the gems touch his skin, still warm from hers. He shivered.

Ruby stood back, eyeing her handiwork. Oswald wiped his eyes and met her gaze. Thrust his shoulders back and straightened. Ruby stared at him for a moment before smiling. "You're going to be the belle of the ball."

Oswald giggled.