Redcurrant

Redcurrant (レッドカラント, Reddokaranto) is a Leánnan sídhe that watches over Garland's Household. Her name was given to her by Chise Hatori.

Appearance
An inhumanly beautiful fae with eyes as red as currants and pointed ears, she wears what could be construed as a very daring dress that leaves much of her flesh exposed.

Personality
Redcurrant is a fae whose species trade talent for life energy in the form of blood. She doesn't view it as monstrous but a mutually beneficial deal. She prefers poets and writers because their way with words is soothing like rain, but she doesn't consider "wrinkly and gaunt" her type at all. Her species are typically carefree and and don't pay much attention to appearances, focusing only on talent.

After meeting Joel, she became more grounded and instead took to observing him and finding pleasure when other takes note of his writing abilities. While his appearance wasn't her type at all and Joel's writing style wasn't her usual liking, she did find something about it that tugged on her heart and drew her in every time he wrote.

She fell in love with him but couldn't admit it because all of her previous lovers, those she fed on, died early and she didn't wish for that to happen to him. She even left his side for a time in an effort to deny it, but a storm and seeing him struggling to protect the roses because she loved them drew her back to his side, with her choosing to stay until the world turns to dust.

History
After Redcurrant finished consuming the life essence of another man, she decides to take a walk in a beautiful garden. There, she locks eyes with a recently widowed Joel Garland and decides to live with him, even though he could not see her and was not her type at all.

She spent several years with him, slowly sapping his life away without realizing it, though he was only subconsciously aware of her presence throughout the events of The Golden Yarn.

Fairy Ointment Arc
Redcurrant watches over Joel as he falls to illness. Listening to his regrets, she blames herself for leading him toward an early death. Chise decides to create a fairy salve so that Joel may see Redcurrant before he dies.

Redcurrant is finally able to voice her guilt, but Joel, instead of anger, thanks her for loving him and decides to offer what little of his life was left to her. Redcurrant cannot process why he would be so kind to her. All these years, she had taken his life, given nothing in return. She was the root of his early life, and the death he fears, but Joel reassures her that now that he knows he is not alone, he is no longer frightened of death.

Once a figment of his imagination, Joel's purpose for living becomes a reality. A bittersweet end, Redcurrant is finally able to accept that she loves Joel, just before he dies. After his death, Redcurrant decides she will care for his garden until the world turns to dust.

The Golden Yarn: The Vampire's Lover
The short story follows her first meeting with Joel after she had finished loving someone to death, sapping away his life energy so that he died a little earlier for her talent. She had been repeating the pattern for more years than she could count and while it crossed her mind to try something new, she couldn't bring herself to. She felt lost in her ways when she came across the rose garden being tended to by Joel, noting they required incredible care, when she felt his gaze on her and something plucked at her heartstrings. Even though the moment passed, she decided to stay with him while trying to convince herself it was because of the roses.

When she discovered Joel was a writer she tried to offer him a contract, noting that even though he wasn't a mage or an alchemist and couldn't hear his voice, someone willing to give their life to their art would at least catch the ripples of it. But since Joel didn't have such passion, he couldn't hear her directly. Then she decided to try again by offering to help him with his gardening, since tending to them was a form of art, but he responded absentmindedly that the roses weren't his, but his wife. This incurred a feeling of jealousy that drove her to remain with him for several years until Joel mentioned to himself that he felt that she was his first love.

This was the moment she felt something fundamental in herself snap and she fled into a nearby forest for several months without moving, unwilling to go any further but unwilling to go back. Eventually one of the other fae of her kind found her along with an Ariel, drawn in by a large storm that would sweep over the area and blow away the roses. She went back to the house to see Joel trying to save the roses in what would be a futile act, but hearing him admit that it was because she wanted to see them results in her asking the wind spirit to try and quell the wind.

The Ariel couldn't do so without payment, but also suggested that with the wind as it was he could end up coming over to their side, becoming a fae and she could be with him forever. She's tempted by the offer, longing for it, but tells the spirit of wind that she doesn't love him because the only way her kind can love is to sip their blood and inspire them. So instead she offers to have Joel make Chamomile tea, noting that the fragrance and color would be to her liking, which convinces the Ariel to do so.

After the storm, when Joel returns from the wedding she goes out to greet him despite the fact that he couldn't see her or know that she was there. Yet, he offers his hand to her and took it. The two danced to music no one could hear and someone human eyes could never behold, with her hoping this moment would never be forgotten.

Skills and Abilities

 * Leánnan Sídhe: Redcurrant is a type of vampire who takes life in return for talent, usually in the form of blood.
 * Life-Draining: She can drain the life of others through their blood, though she notes that doing so without a contract is against her kind's normal doing.
 * However, consuming the life of their lover is not optional and can be done through just being around them, whether there is an exchange of talent or not. In the case of Joel, she spent several years around him before the effects caught up with him enough to put his life in danger.
 * Longevity: As a fae she has a naturally extended lifespan, even without drinking blood.
 * Intangibility: She can phase through physical objects with little trouble.

Joel Garland
Redcurrant was in love with Joel, falling for him the moment their eyes met. She refused to leave his side despite denying it to herself, even after realizing that she couldn't offer him anything since he wasn't passionate enough for the ripples of her voice to reach him. But despite being unaware of her presence consciously, he could respond to her without realizing it and she began to care for him. After his death, Redcurrant vows to watch over his garden until the world ends.

Chise Hatori
Like most Fae, Redcurrant is attracted to Chise's presence due to her nature. However, she's fond of Chise due to the fact that she kept Joel company and even came to her for help when he was sick enough that he couldn't move. She remains grateful to Chise for everything and stays in contact.

Trivia

 * Her name that Chise gave her is a reference to her eye color as they remind Chise and Joel of the berries of a plant with the same name.
 * She is from Scotland.
 * In Official Guidebook: Merkmal, her height is 152cm (5')