They were looking at each other and at that moment you could not tell if there were two ladies talking or was it just a reflection in the onyx mirror…

***
It was a strange night when Ruby was born. She was a first child in the house and the heiress to the throne. And yet, as Narbondel light faded, her mother was wondering what was going on. She was told not to name her baby girl and to leave her on the altar of their family chapel.
In the darkest hour, Myrlochar visited the child. She was not crying just looking at them without blinking. From that first night of her life, she bears a mark of the spider bite – bite that no one could survive?
She was never officially named, so in the house records she was referred to as Nameless, but those that dared to come closer called her Ruby for the strange copperish hue of her hair.
***
Unlike all the other priestesses, she never got involved in the academy. And yet, all considered her a high priestess as if she was born such. She trained at shadow academy, and studied magic with the males from her family but was quite and adventurous child and was known to disappear and reappear couple of days…or years later.
***
She could often be seen in the chapel at wee hours, apparently talking to herself. But she saw what others did not see, or simply did not wish to see.
"So, what's the story about the Otherworld? Who listens to the gods and why, anyways? Why would anyone respect someone so intangible and invisible, and do we really need your help?"
"There are two ways to earn your respect: you may make others love you or fear you. Is there a right way for everyone, the only path? Is love better than fear?"
"Path to what? Bliss? Eternity? What can you offer me that I can't do myself?"
"Good question, you tell me?"
"Well, some say that there are "good" and "evil" gods. With the first ones I do understand, people wish to be in their heaven, imagining they'd have a nice afterlife, so they try to please those gods and earn the place. But I don't get the story about you. You're classified as "evil", so if I please you I go to Abyss, as that's your supposed residence, and if I don't I go to the Abyss anyways."
They both laughed loudly.
"Well, I see things this way, you have at least two options at each crossroad, and even if there are more, it comes down to two choices: to distinguish what is right from what is easy. And that right differs from person to person. And in the end, whatever you do, you do it to yourself and not to the Gods, and they will not have their vengeance, you only hurt yourself. And heaven ad hell, you create them yourself, it's about where you think you are"
"Right, so what do I need you for then? Do you exist? Am I talking to myself, going crazy?"
Creatures need God figures so they may blame someone when the do something wrong. Or easy, better to say. But that's easy too, placing source of everything outside yourself. Gods are only the forces of the Universe, Natural laws which are not written so some monarch may punish you if you don't obey, but to make things flow in organized Chaos."
"Well, I think I am Goddess myself, how about that?"
Lloth smiled. Young Goddess was right, but as they all did, Ruby also had to do a lifetime amongst "mortals" so that she can understand how they think. Most of the souls pass through various lives to enable the Divine forces or Gods to experience life through them. Ruby was created as a Goddess, but in this life she was not aware that she was a new force in the Universe. She has to learn how to walk the material plane too, and get to understand relationships and physical laws in it.
She sighed, remembering her lifetime and betrayal of someone she should have been able to trust and who in the end even tried to separate her from their children. Nameless will make a nice consort for her son, though. She smiled again.
***

They were looking at each other and at that moment you could not tell if there were two ladies talking or was it just a reflection in the onyx mirror…