Chapter 4: The Forbidden Mountain

Ruby got into her carriage and also got ready to leave. While all the carriages made their way to the city, her carriage took a sharp turn into another path. A dark and hidden path. A course that no one dares to take. Further and further the carriage headed away from society. Towards the Forbidden Mountain the carriage went. 

The carriage came to a stop in front of two boulders. At a certain angle the boulders look like dragons, but to everyone else it looks just like rubble of rocks. 

"We've arrived," said the coachmen. He didn't even bother to help Ruby off the carriage.

Ruby said thanks to him.

The coachmen huffed and turned on his heels and walked away. Even he was disgusted with her hideous look. 

Slowly the carriage disappeared from her sight. 

Sighing Ruby look at the cold, dark, and mysterious mountain.

Some say that evil spirits haunts the mountain. Rumors of strange monsters roaming the hilltop. Horrendous creatures prowl through the nighttime, waiting to devour the virgins. While everyone called this place eerie and avoided it like a plague, to her this place is her home. This forsaken place was her heaven! For she lives in harmony with it. 

In the Forbidden Mountain, precious plants grow, remarkable herbs are seen, exceptional flowers grow to great beauty, rare animals roam the mountain, and the trees grows miraculously. The untold secrets of the mountain was hidden from the world. 

Ruby inhaled the clean and fresh air of the mountain. She sighed peacefully. The peace and tranquility that this place gave her was warmth. Ruby have come to love and adore this Forbidden Mountain that everyone fear. This place was her oasis. 

She was permitted to live on the Forbidden Mountain by the previous Emperor. The previous Emperor owed her grandparents and parents a lifetime of gratitude, so he took her as his adopted granddaughter. Without him, she wouldn't have survived this harsh world.  Because of his help she had a place to live, and a place to call home. Without this mountain to shield her, she would have died. 

Walking closer to her small, cozy cottage home, she feel a sudden sigh of relief. She can hear the waterfall and smell the crisp river in her nostrils. A massive peach blossom tree stood in front of her home. It was a beautiful and miraculous looking tree. The tree blossoms all year round and never withers away with the seasons. 

The peach blossom tree is like no other, it's special to her. It is her Grandmother Willow's spirit. Even life after death, her grandmother's spirit have stayed with her all these years. Protecting her and guiding her. Without her Grandmother Willow's spirit, she would have been lonely on the Forbidden Mountain.

As her footsteps got closer to the house, the peach blossom branches was waving excitedly at her. She smiles as she feels the warmth emitting from the tree. Her heart thumps in excitement as the tree's branches welcome her into its arms. 

"Oh, Grandmother Willow," said Ruby. Tears swelled into her eyes. Running to the tree she hugged it's trunk and embraced her warmth. The tree's branches hugged her tightly.

Like always, no matter how long she was gone, or wherever she's been, the peach blossom tree will always be waiting for her.

As Ruby sniffled her tears, she thought, "Grandmother Willow will you wait like this for forever?" 

In a voice, only Ruby could hear her Grandmother Willow say, "My dear child. You..." The voice stopped when she looked at Ruby's face, it was covered in tears.

Grandmother Willow's spirit stepped out of the peach blossom tree. She was an elderly woman with great beauty. Even though she was old and of age, she had a beautiful face, with long grey hair, and blue eyes. 

"There, there, let me wipe your tears away," she said.

When she heard her Grandmother Willow's gentle voice soothing her aching pain she wept into her arms. After a long while she stopped crying. 

Ruby asked, "Grandmother Willow, why do I have appeared ugly, with scars, and fat to everyone?"

Grandmother Willow patted the little girl on her back, and her branches mimicking her movement was also brushing alongside her side. 

Grandmother Willow replied, "Look into the stream, what do you see?"

The river is a crystal clear, blue water. It's water comes from the top of the Forbidden Mountain where it's the purest. Following the path down the mountain, it creates a magnificent waterfall as it tumbles down the rocky and blue cliff. It have a deep swimming hole that emits the color green the deeper it goes.

Ruby look into the water where sees her true self. She have seen herself a million times. Her flawless beautiful face. Her v-shaped face shows no fat lining her cheekbones, and her pink full lips. She have big blue eyes with jet black hair, and milky white skin. Ruby chuckled and slapped the water. Smashing away at her reflections until the water splashes on her face. Angry and frustrated she kept pounding on the water that was causing ripples throughout the river. 

"Why can't anyone see the REAL me? Why can't this be true in everyone's eye but ours?” whimper Ruby. 

"Dear child, you hold such great powers, that your beauty was hidden by the "ugly" spell."

"Ugly Spell?"

"Yes. I was hoping that the prince would be able to see through all your ugliness and love you for who you are. I was hoping he would break the spell for you. However, he seems to be the type to love the outer appearance more," said Grandmother Willow. She turned away from Ruby and started to cry. Tear streaks fell onto her pale face. 

"Grandmother Willow, don't cry. I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you worry. I will get Prince Eric to love me, you'll see."

Grandmother Willow looked at her innocent granddaughter and smiled. She replied after kissing her on the forehead, "Yes my dear child. Let's keep trying."