50 Ashs Story (2/2)
”It was hard work but my coven prospered. We settled down in what would later be known as Oregon and continued to grow. Including me, there were thirty-seven of us a few months ago. Then the Cromwells attacked.
”The only reason I didn't die alongside them was because someone urged me to flee and get vengeance for them. He sacrificed himself so I could escape since I was the fastest one there. I ran for days, stopping only to sleep in hidden places in the forest, and eventually made my way to a castle I knew had been abandoned by another coven hundreds of years ago.
”I was alone for three days going mad with grief until you came crashing through my window. Pretty pathetic, isn't it? A coven leader unable to save even a single one of his comrades,” Ash finished lightly though there was nothing 'light' about the situation.
He figured the only way to win Ruby's trust was to lay himself bare. You couldn't get much more vulnerable than being a man talking about a genocide that was largely your fault while wearing a dress.
To his surprise, she flew forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. The tears that had largely stopped before came back full force and dripped down his back into his hair.
”I'm so sorry,” Ruby sobbed. ”That must have been absolutely horrible for you. My problems must seem so tiny in comparison and I've burdened you all this time!”
Ash frowned. That wasn't the reaction he was expecting at all. He should have known better; her natural kindness was coming out as she grieved on his behalf. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her back, careful not to crush her wings.
”It's okay,” he said even though it wasn't. That was simply the sort of thing you said when people offered you their condolences.
”No, it's not! I figured something bad must have happened to you but that many? Everyone and everything you ever knew? That is absolutely not okay! I wanted to help you defeat your enemies already but now I want to completely crush them!” Ruby exclaimed fiercely.
Ash couldn't help but smile at the thought of a tiny fairy crushing anything, no matter how powerful she was. ”You're already helping out enough by fulfilling your end of the deal.”
She pulled away just enough to look at his face and deflated. ”Right. The deal. Um…did you see what was in the trunk?”
This was it. The moment of truth. He could tell her that he did see them but then what? If he told her everything he knew she would be upset all over again and be afraid of him. He couldn't bear that. There had to be something else he could say to make this all blow over.