Love your Enemy (Ruby Rose fanfic)

NINE (Ruby POV)

"Getting out of this restroom is the first thing we should do, don't you think?" I suggest and my neighbour nods wearily before moving one step back. She looks really exhausted... and yet, very pretty. I realized how good she looked wearing that tuxedo the moment I turned around and saw her, I needed just one second to notice her natural elegance and long legs in those tight pants, the amount of skin she was showing over the neckline of her waistcoat and how nicely her jacket highlighted her waist. But then I saw the Lindays kilt and remembered that I have no right to flirt with this woman, that I should hate her, so I decided to hide behind my rage and outrage again and refused to hear her pleas. If my brain cells were working properly, I should've understood that it was weird for the Duchess of Falkland to come to a pub in Dunira in order to talk to me... It was obvious that something bad was happening, but I'm so stupid that I preferred to insult her instead of listening to her. In addition to that, I didn't want my people to know that we're capable of talking like civilized people... but I guess it's too late for that.

"Cousin, are you okay?" The whole pub stares at us, frowning quietly, while we leave the restroom. They look more confused than furious, which is a good thing for her, but a hint of hostility hangs in the air.

"Yes, Lennox... Actually, no... The Duchess has told me... they were bad news..." I mumble pensively before turning around and standing on tiptoes, looking for someone in the crowd. It's late but he usually has one last beer before going back home and... there he is. I take my neighbour by her arm and drag her to the other side of the big room while people of my village step back completely baffled. "Scott Irvine... I want to introduce you to Iselen, Duchess of Falkland... Scott is the living memory of Dunira, he knows everything about the county, the village and its story..."

"I'm pleased to meet you, there's someone like you in Falkland: Bruce Kendric..."

"I know him, sometimes we talk and work together..." The old man answers with a deep voice despite he looks frail, Irvine is a short and skinny guy but he has more energy than me and all my friends together, actually.

"Seriously?" I ask shocked, this is the first time I find out that one of my neighbours cooperates with the enemy willingly.

"Of course, the story of our two villages runs parallel. Any research about the county ends up related to the duchy inevitably... Is there a problem?"

"Yes, a big one. Colin Archibald Williamson wants to take advantage of the Royal Road to carry barrels full of very pollutant waste to his hazardous waste treatment plant on the other side of Alloa hills... through our villages." A chorus of outraged yells and worried whispers echoes behind me. "But he can't do that because the Road belongs to us, can he?" I point at Iselen and then at my own chest with my finger.

"The Count of Dunira and the Duke of Falkland bought the land and the right of way to Queen Elisabeth I, everybody knows that... It was before... the incident..." The old man hesitates, maybe because he doesn't want to remind us that we should hate each other.

"Okay, at least we have a date now..." my neighbour whispers hopeful.

"Yes, a 44 year period... too many documents to check..." I roll my eyes hard before turning around to talk to Scott. "How do you know that? Do we have any evidence? We need something to give to the judge in order to stop the plans of that greedy bastard."

"Eh, well, yes. I read a book about the history of the County that one of your ancestors wrote back in the 19th century. Some information wasn't that accurate, to be honest, and some other was based on legends directly but I see no reason for him to lie about something like that... If what he wrote was true, he must've had an original document he read and then transcribed..."