Chapter 52: Caged Bird
Since the attack on the mansion, Rubywing's security had greatly increased, and was scarcely allowed out. Whenever the rare opportunity had come along, she was heavily guarded by both Tess and Rhowen. Leaving the mansion was out of the question. To her dismay, she had missed the Thundercrack Carnival altogether, and according to Rhowen it had been a good one. Quartz's usual large festival donation was funded the building of many mechanical rides and attractions, creating a fairground of fun.
Rhowen had become her only view into the outside world. Though he rarely had time off, and was even less likely to use it to leave the mansion, he always made sure to return with something for Ruby, be it a letter from Lyra, a trinket, or a story. Rhowen had tried not to get attached, after all, she was his boss's kid and he didn't want to hang around any longer than he had to, but there was something about the young coatl that made him feel at home and the longer he stayed, the harder it was to even think of leaving her alone to the whim of her father.
Rubywing now spent a greater time practicing her magic. She was getting rather powerful now, she had almost beat out her father in their latest practice duel. That should have distracted her from her confinement, after all, she was growing more powerful like she wanted to, but it was impossible to shake free the feeling she was like a caged bird. Every night, she lit the lantern she had purchased during the Brightshine Jubilee, admiring the way the Beacon of the Radiant Eye stretched towards the sky, though lately her eyes had been ore drawn to the birds soaring through the background. It had been ages since she had been able to stretch her wings and go for a proper flight, and she had to admit she was getting a little stir crazy. Like birds, dragons were not meant to stay forever in one place, singing a song but never flying.That was something her father, for all his care, never seemed to fully understand, though thinking of his collection of exotic birds, she supposed she should not find it surprising.
"I wish to one day fly as freely as you, to be the master of my own destiny, if only for a day." She whispered to the lantern one night, remembering what Lyra had said about wishes. Rhowen was right, it probably was some silly superstition, but Rubywing could do with a bit of extra magic, if only to satisfy her with the grand life her father had laid out for her.
Outside the room, Tess felt her heart sink as she heard her ward's quiet wish. She had done her best to raise Ruby with love and care, to protect her from Quartz's full influence as Querida had wanted, but despite her efforts, the young coatl was very much under her fathers control. It was no life for a young dragon. She regretted the day she had ever let Querida seek out Quartz, and she wished her dragon were here to help her. Querida and Tess were supposed to be a bonded pair, working as a team, but Querida was gone, and Tess was beginning to doubt she would ever make her way back to her daughter.
Something must be done. Tess could no longer just sit around and wait for Querida to come and make things right or Quartz to brainwash his daughter entirely. Once she was sure her ward was asleep, she abandoned her post and began to prowl the corridors in search of Rhowen's quarters. She had never felt the need to seek them out before, but the situation was getting dire. Thankfully, she picked up a fresh scent trail and followed it to a humble (in comparison to the rest of the mansion) oak door with a simple banner depicting an icy mountain range. Glancing over her shoulder to be sure no one could see her, she scratched at the door.
"Look Rhowen, I know I haven't thought very kindly of you in the past, but I have nowhere else to turn." Tess told him quietly. "Can I come in? I don't want our conversation to fall on the wrong ears."
Rhowen stepped out of the door frame to allow Tess to come in. His quarters were small, only a sitting room with two doors off of it. He had furnished it with precious little, but Tess could see a desk covered in parchment, quills and ink. Some of the sheets were filled with words while others depicted hand drawn maps with crossed lines marking specific locations in red ink. She did not want to pry, so she turned her attention to his own fearsome lantern seating on a small cedar side table before turning to Rhowen.
"Is Ruby on her own?" Rhowen asked, eyeing the manticore with nervousness.
"Yes, but I won't be long, and she is already asleep." Tess promised. "I'll talk quickly. This is no life for a young dragon, Rubywing can't go on like this. She can't be turned into a weapon for her father's purposes. She needs a chance to make her own choices, to decide what she wants to do. Long ago, I made a mistake with her mother, and Querida paid for it dearly. I don't want the same to come of Ruby, or for her to turn into a monster like her father. I don't know what you are planning here, but I know you are as much on Quartz's side as I am. As Ruby's caregiver, you must take her out of here! Take her and run far away from the Windswept Plateau, take her where her father will never find her. A battle is coming, and he should be far from here when it hits."
"Are you crazy? Look, I care for Ruby as much as you do. Don't look at me like that, it's true." Rhowen shot back. "But Quartz is powerful. He'll hunt us down wherever we go. Besides, I'm working on something here that is of the utmost importance and I can't just leave before I finish. I will be more than happy to help Ruby escape when I'm done here, but I need Quartz's trust here!"
"Every day Ruby slips further and further towards the dark and I fear soon her father will break her spirit altogether. I can't stand by and watch that happen. Besides, Quartz is powerful enough as it is without you and Ruby heaping on your strong elemental powers." Tess reminded him. "He does not need any more weapons. Besides, Ruby trusts you more than she trusts anyone else. Her father has already spilled poison on her mother's memory, which taints me to her, though she will not admit it to herself. She trusts you absolutely. You are the only person she'd go with."
"That's the second time you've mentioned Querida." Rhowen's tongue flicked with interest. Querida was not a topic Quartz spoke of often, though when he did he spoke of betrayal and treachery. "What was she like?"
"Querida
is pure of heart, with courage like a lion and the strength of one too. Quartz banished her because I think he knew she'd get in the way of the way he sought to train Ruby. The two of them were bound by the hearts so he could not kill her as he normally would anyone he wanted to get out of the way, and I think he cared for her a little, in his own way. But he could never get her wit on his side the way he wanted to, she would only twist his own ideas away from his purpose, so he grew frustrated with her." Tess explained. "As soon as you leave with Ruby, and I know she is in safe hands, I am going to look for her, because if anyone can put a stop to all of this, it will be her. She seems to be the only person Quartz will listen to outside of himself."
"If Querida is really as you say and will bring the downfall of Quartz, then I am with you on this. I will help Rubywing escape, and teach her to hone her magic in place of her father." Rhowen promised. "I took up this job to see the fall of Mercer, my old boss, and Quartz, who is just as evil and twisted. Mercer is already dead, and that just leaves one before I can allow myself freedom. I will do anything to see him fall."
"Then it is agreed?" Tess purred.
"I vow I will keep Rubywing safe, no matter the cost." Rhowen vowed, icy eyes alight with determination.
I'm back! And while I was on my camping trip, I put down all my thoughts and plans for the rest of this arc in an outline so now I am on a push to write the rest of this arc! I am excited to show you where it is going to go... There are still many surprises around the bends! I'm going to try and post an update every day, so I can hopefully finish this arc before I start university in September. My main goal is to have it finished before the end of Flameforger's but I have not yet done the math so I don't know how feasible that is. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the return of my story and you enjoy where I take it in these next weeks...
