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It was said that there was a person for everyone, someone whose soul they were bound to become one with. No one existed on their own in the world.
Ruskin was not on his own either. His soul already shared a bond with another man, the most beautiful, most perfect being of the world. His employer, Mr. Milverton looked like an angel with his golden eyes and curly, silver hair - but his soul was the soul of a demon, rotten, sinful and pitch-black. Not like Ruskin's soul was different. They were both evil and they were meant to complete each other in sin. Ever since he met his soulmate, Ruskin felt content and happy. But this happiness was sometimes clouded by a bad omen.
The color of the thread that tied their souls.
Most people never saw the thread which made the soul bond between them and their soulmates, but Ruskin one day got a glance of theirs. It was the middle of the night and he was lying in the bed next to the sleeping Mr. Milverton. He kept his beloved employer in his arms like he did all the time. He watched him in the dim light of the moon which shone through the window when he noticed something strange. There was something between him and Mr. Milverton, an almost invisible thread which tied their chests together. Ruskin knew immediately what it was and his heart started beating fast from the strange experience.
It was the soul thread - and it was pitch black.
Ruskin just stared at it while the emotions started to whirl in him. It was beautiful in all its darkness, matching their dark, poisonous soul - yet, a bad feeling arose inside him with every passing second. He didn't know how a soul thread was supposed to look like, but there was something ominous in the one they shared. Like it was not meant to match them, but to warn them - as the sign that something bad was about to happen.
Like they were not only tied to each other, but tied with death.
Ruskin didn't understand its meaning clearly, but he began to fear. The thread was floating in the air, above Mr. Milverton's neck - it reminded Ruskin of the noose from the scaffold. Was Mr. Milverton about to die, it crossed his mind for a moment, but he quickly chased the thoughts away before his fear became panic. He knew that he couldn't live without Mr. Milverton. He held his employer stronger in his arms like this way, he can keep the bad thing away from him. The thread disappeared when Mr. Milverton's head fell to Ruskin's chest. Mr. Milverton didn't wake up to Ruskin's movement. He just continued sleeping.
Ruskin closed his eyes and embraced Mr. Milverton to himself as much as he could, he tried to sleep as well, but his rest was disturbed and dark visions haunted him until finally, the morning came. Ruskin was now grateful for it. He liked the night - but not now when it was filled with an ominous prophecy and his own fears.
"Good morning, Ruskin." Mr. Milverton told him when he woke up in Ruskin's arms. "Something troubles you, doesn’t it?" He asked, feeling it immediately what was going in Ruskin's soul.
Ruskin gulped. He didn't want to talk about what he saw, but he was aware that he can't hide anything from his soulmate.
"Yes, sir." He answered and lowered his head. "I saw something strange during the night."
He quickly explained his experience to Mr. Milverton who just listened to him attentively and didn't cut into his speech. When Ruskin was finally done talking and glanced at his employer to see what he thinks, Mr. Milverton stayed silent. It made Ruskin's heart shrink even more. Does he think that it is truly a bad omen?
It felt like eternity until Mr. Milverton finally replied.
"I don't know what the pitch black soul thread means." He said slowly. "But I know one thing. It disappeared when you hugged me. Maybe this was the real prophecy. That whatever comes for us - for me - you will be able to protect me from it. Our bond is strong enough for that."
Hearing this, a smile appeared on Ruskin's face. Mr. Milverton was right - of course, he was right. Whatever they were about to face, they will face it together. And Ruskin would never let his soul mate, the love of his life to be taken away from him.
He leaned closer to his employer and gave a kiss to his forehead.
"Yes, sir. Our bond is strong enough for that." He sighed with relief. The fears of the night were far away. His faith, the faith in themselves came back by the morning light.