Red Rubies

Celestia heard soft groans of sleep coming from the tent, bringing a wave of serenity to ease her nerves. Releasing a sigh, Celestia began to tense back up as Katya marched towards her. Narrowing her eyes, she took notice of the length of the woman’s stride. She wasn’t sure if they would later meet under more abrasive terms, in which it would be well to note the physical movements of the warrior. “What can your mother do for us, and where can we find her?”

Celestia’s heart began to ache in an unfamiliar fashion. It was dread, a feeling of dread so deep that it writhed in her gut. The Master of her soul would have her double the debts for helping the duo. Yet, she carried on. “She can help you locate the book. It will only get you within a mile or two of the book’s location, but, it’s better than traveling aimlessly,” Celestia shrugged and pulled her bag off her shoulder. There was one item that she had almost entirely forgotten about, but it was an item that had burned a hole in her bag for so long that she was glad to be rid of it.

The bag opened with a ruffle, and Celestia shoved her hand in, looking up towards Katya as her hand fumbled around inside. Her fingers glided against cold metal, and she grinned slightly as she pinched the thin chain and pulled it out of the bag. Raising it to Katya’s eye, she held it by the pinch of her fingers. A long, thin, gold chain hung delicately in the air. The weight of a dainty, red ruby, pulled the chain so that both sides were parallel to one another. “Give her this, and she will know who sent you,” holding the necklace out towards Katya, she closed her fist around it for a moment and glared with intent. “Don’t so much as whisper my name in that house, God help you, I will give you a slow, painful, and dishonorable death.”

Opening her fist once more, she offered it towards the woman. “Don’t worry about directions on how to get to her home. As long as you truly want to find this book, if you walk through the forest, east to be precise, and farther from the road, you will find her house. There will be many women working there, but you will surely know which one is my mother, and which ones are my sisters,” Celestia closed her eyes and began to imagine the house.

A small cottage, just in a clearing in the depths of the forest, where the smoke from the chimney was always pouring. The stone pathway leading to the front door was lined with herbs and flowers, constantly growing and providing help to those in need. The wooden door had a four-foot crack down the center, and the handle was made of brass. Celestia could almost smell the fresh milk and eggs, as she breathed in the smoke from the fire that she was currently standing next to. Opening her eyes, she nodded towards Katya and then looked towards the tent. “Do not be mistaken, I will know what events and conversations take place there.”

Though the ruby may have seemed like just a token of a reminder for her mother, it also served as her eyes and ears to whomever may wear it, or hold on to it. This could only be activated if she took the time to meditate on the sounds and sights that the ruby would take in, but she would make sure to do her best in trying to check in on the two.