But in that instant, as he twisted, the opening was there. Jon planted and pivoted. The ranger was leaning away, and for an instant it seemed that Jon's slash had not touched him. Then a string of red tears appeared across the big man's throat, bright as a ruby necklace, and the blood gushed out of him, and Qhorin Halfhand fell. GRRM established that rubies can be seen, represent or symbolized as blood. "Rubies flew like drops of blood from the chest of a dying prince..." - ACOK Dany,