Blake awoke with a gasp.

Her breath was strangled as her eyes snapped open and she stared at the ceiling.

Where was she? What was happening? Oh gods, she needed to get back to work before-

She blinked. Wait a minute… that's right, she wasn't in the mines anymore. She was…

Blake locked around. Sitting up from… the floor. She blinked again and winced as she suddenly felt a stiffness in her neck. She rubbed at the pain with one hand and pushed herself up with the other.

The Faunus stood up, her ears flickering at the sound of someone else's breath in the room. She still didn't know where she-

Blake froze. Her body looked as her eyes widened and the memories of yesterday flooded back in full. It was at a good time too, as right in front of her eyes, on the bed she'd been lying beside, was a Schnee. The Schnee who had bought her, was now sleeping comfortably not three feet away.

That's right… the Schnee had told her to sleep here in the room with her, and Blake had been so exahsted from the events of yesterday that she hadn't much will to argue.

But now, she didn't know what to do.

Her hands trailed along the collar on her neck. The noble might have been defenceless, but Blake wasn't willing to test whether or not what that human from before said was true or not. Not at the moment at least.

She took a step back to take in her surroundings. The room hadn't changed overnight obviously, but with the sun only rising it made the room look a lot warmer.

Not more inviting, whoever had designed the room's decor clearly hadn't taken into account a homey feeling.

Suddenly her stomach grumbled, and Blake's hands fell to it. what had she eaten last?

Either way, the sound had been enough to cause the noble to stir.

The Schnee made a noise as her eyes fluttered open. She sat up, the sheets falling off her as she yawned.

She looked around bleary-eyed, and after a moment they fell to Blake.

"Eek!" she cried, falling off the other side of the bed with a thud.

Blake stared. Had she just…

The noble shot up from the floor, suddenly wide awake. Blake had no idea what she was supposed to do, so of course, she just kept staring stupidly at the noble.

The Schnee coughed into her fist and looked away.

"Apologies," she said at last. "I forgot you were here." she stood up, and Blake looked away. The white-haired girl was only wearing a thin nightgown, and she didn't want to know what would happen if she looked at something she shouldn't have.

It was forbidden for commoners to touch nobility, what were the chances of punishment for slaves looking at an undressed noble?

It seemed it didn't bother the Schnee however.

"Well, I suppose I best get ready for the day."

Blake's stomach rumbled again, louder this time.

"… and get you something to eat."

Wait, what?

…

…

Ten minutes later, Blake followed hesitantly behind a now fully clothed noble. The Faunus was still wearing the simple white clothes she'd been given yesterday, but was finding the new shoes she'd been told to wear quite uncomfortable. It was actually getting a bit annoying to walk in them. They were too high off the ground. Her bare feet were better, she could feel where she was with them at least.

Anyway, as it was now Blake still found it an ordeal to navigate the mansion. Every hallway looked the same drab white. If it wasn't for the fact she had been led everywhere so far, she was sure she'd have been lost. Who even needed a home this big? What was the point other than to flaunt riches to other people? It's not like anyone else live her other than the Schnee and her servants.

That point was enforced when they reached the dining room. Blake took in the whole thing from where she stood: a white room –of course- with a chandelier hanging over them. In the centre was a long wooden table. Which, wasn't that odd, Blake knew that most people liked to eat of something that wasn't the floor, even is he'd never really had that luxury herself.

What was odd, was the twenty or so chairs on either side of the table. This… was a place meant for banquets, but with just two of them, it looked quite empty.

The noble made her way to the head of the table and sat down when Blake didn't follow she frowned.

"Well?" she said. "Are you going to take a seat?"

Her? She wanted her to sit with her?

"Um…" Blake tired, moving towards the seat at the other end of the table.

That just made the other girl scowl deeper. "Not there." She said "sit next to me, I can't very well speak to you all the way down there."

Right, what was she thinking, this Schnee had already shown that she wasn't normal. Blake wasn't sure if that was more or less comforting for her current situation.

She could very well just be insane.

Still, she took the seat on her right and sat down. Unsure what next to do.

The white-haired girl nodded and clapped her hands twice.

Blake gave her a questioning look, before all of a sudden the doors on her left burst open. The Faunus' eyes widened as four servants wheeled trays upon trays of food out onto the table. Her mouth began to water at it all.

"Breakfast." Her new owner supplied helpfully. "I thought I could explain to you the situation while you ate, considering no one thought it polite to do so yesterday." She said the last bit while sending a pointed glare to the man who had just entered.

"My apologise Miss Schnee," Klein bowed. "With everything we had to attend to yesterday unfortunately it slipped my mind."

She waved her hand. "Fine, I'll forgive it this time. Onto today, why don't you tell our new resident what it is we will be having for breakfast?"

The short man smiled.

"Of course my lady. For this morning we have an assortment of fruit from both local Vale as well as Vacuo bananas. The chefs here have broth you toasted waffles with honey syrup, numerous eggs, as seems the norm in Val and a range of freshly squeezed juices, on the meat platter is pork sausages, fried. Mushroom and bans. He glanced at the Faunus. They also thought it necessary to offer fish as well. I suppose you can decide what to think of that yourself."

"Well," the noble smiled. "that's good. It looks like our cooks are effectively in order."

"Indeed," he said. "It may also be advisable to take on some local hands. Hiring Vale inhabitants into our employment would make them understand that our residence here is less temporary than they might assume.

"Who? The commoners or the nobles?"

"Both ma'am"

"Well, get on that then, leave me with Blake will you?"

The butler hesitated for a moment, eyes falling to the dark-haired girl again before nodding. "Very well. You need only call if you require me."

With that, he turned and left the room along with the servants as they set the food on the table. They bowed too, and retreated back to the kitchens, leaving only two people in the room.

Blake's eyes were glued to the food in front of her. This… this was more food she'd seen in her entire life! As in, if she thought back to all the food she'd eaten while working in the mines it might reach about half of what was laid on the table in front of her.

The Schnee saw her look and her lips twitched upwards. "Well? You can start whenever you wish."

The Faunus gave her a suspicious look, but the noble had already started herself, daintily eating with a knife and fork.

She definitely wasn't using those.

But… could she be sure this wasn't a trick? That this wasn't poisoned somehow, or she wouldn't be killed right after? She wasn't sure, but it seemed likely that this girl just wanted to see her squirm. It would make sense from a sick, twist point of view. Get your victim's hopes up and crushing them would be even better.

She wasn't going to fall for that!

Her stomach grumbled.

Although… maybe it would be better if she went out on a full stomach. It… it only made sense anyway right? If she was full she'd have the energy to fight back.

Blake reached for the closest thing she could see, a waffle, she took a sniff. It didn't smell poisoned. She wondered what it tasted like. Her stomach did too.

She sighed. Might as well

She took a bit.

And her eyes widened as taste exploded in her mouth. She groaned in bliss as the new and strange flavours ran over her taste buds. It was so sweet!

This was it, if she died now she knew she might n0t even notice. But while she was at it.

Blake swallowed, then took another bite. The same burst of tastes reached her senses. Oh god she needed more.

Weiss watched in a morbid sort of interest as the Faunus assaulted the food in front of her in a rush. She tried everything she could get her hands on, devouring every scrap she could as if it would be her last meal.

It probably would if she kept it up, early fit to burst.

She took the opportunity to speak at last

"I suppose you have been curious as to why you are here then. You must have been confused last night."

Blake paused for a moment and nodded quietly before the food called to her again and she dug right back in.

"Right," the noble said. "Well, I suppose we should go over things again." She placed a hand on her chest. "I am Weiss Schnee, second daughter of the Schnee line. Since we will be 'working' close together it would perhaps be better if you referred to me by my first name, and I as the same to you of course, for convenience."

Again, a slow nod.

Blake wasn't sure where she was going with this, but iffood was on the table, she might just listen.

…

…

Weiss let out a little huff as she watched the Faunus girl continue to devour her meal for what had felt like the last ten minutes. Where was it all going?

She supposed she couldn't blame her, it was probably the best food she'd ever eaten, but did she have to be so … so messy about it?! Honestly, using your hands? Filthy!

She seemed to be listening though, even if it was with half her ears. Or, did that still count two? She supposed that was good enough.

"As I spoke last night, you are to fill an occupation that has recently opened up. As my bodyguard."

That got a reaction. It wasn't the one she'd been expecting though. She'd thought the girl would gasp, look at her with starry eyes and thank her, who wouldn't? Serving a noble, but also being raised out of slavery for it? It was a gift.

Instead the Faunus stopped eating and glowered at Weiss suspiciously. She didn't say anything however; probably wary Weiss would punish her for speaking out. Well she needed to get rid of that illusion.

"You are free to speak your mind," she said. "I will not fault you for speaking how you like in my presence."

It would have been counterproductive otherwise.

The dark haired girl obviously doubted that is her face was anything to go by, but after a moment she didn't speak.

"Why would you need a bodyguard, and me of all people as one?"

"Oh, that's a simple one," she smiled. "You see, as it is I have just moved to vale under my father's wishes. No doubt Klein as told you how my father is testing me to run my how estate and affair. This is that test. And since it is in vale… you are aware of the political climate her in Vale.

Blake gave her a deadpan stare. "No I didn't really hear much about the outside world of the mines."

"Ah." That… made things harder to explain. She shook her head. "Well, the basics are that Vale and Atlas are in a time of relative peace, with both monarchs working close together to maintain that pace. Since I am a noble on foreign soil my actions will be scrutinised and compared to the rest of Atlesian nobility. There are also many people who are against the crown and as such against peace. If I was harmed or framed for something it could put that in jeopardy. The accusations I can handle, but actual danger is, well, dangerous. That's where you come in."

Blake frowned. "Me? But, I'm sure you have plenty of guards working for you. Any of them could do it and they're probably better trained than me. No, they're definitely better trained than me. I'm a miner!"

"But you're a Faunus," Weiss countered.

Blake's frown deepened. "I'm a Faunus," she agreed. "How does that change anything?"

Weiss hummed. "Training can be given to anyone, with enough time I could most definitely find someone capable of stopping a frontal assault on my person. But you have something Humans don't; heightened hearing, enhanced smell. Sharper eyes, night vision, faster reflexes and instincts. A human soldier couldn't even hope to have that to help them. You do."

"And you plan on using my traits to your advantage." Blake finished.

"Well I wouldn't say use," Weiss swerved. "You would be working for me just like anyone else."

Blake didn't look impressed. "And the collar? That's just for decoration then?"

"It's the law!" The noble frowned. "I can't go against that even if I wanted to."

"If you wanted to, as in you don't."

Weiss frowned deeper. "I would be careful of what you say Blake. This isn't the thanks expected from someone when I save them from labour in the mines."

Blake rolled her eyes internally. Yeah, well it wasn't like she'd already spent seventeen years in them already.

"And what's to say this is any better? You say you want me as your bodyguard but who's to say you won't decide on something else once you get bored?"

The Faunus blinked when Weiss scoffed.

"That's what you're worried about?" she sighed. "Very well then, if it makes you feel safer, you have my word that I will in no way harm you while you are under my employment."

Blake glared. "Like I would believ-"

"Don't insult me!" she suddenly snapped. "My word is binding, I would not break it no matter the circumstances, so do not brush it off as nothing so easily."

The Faunus bit down on her lip, hard. What was she doing talking to a noble like that? She didn't have a death wish, so acting out so stupidly wasn't going to get her anywhere.

She stared down at her lap, chastising herself inwardly.

Weiss sighed again and ran a hand through her hair.

"This is not how I expected this to go." She admitted. "I do not aim to upset you Blake, and I am aware that this is as much as a transition for you as it is for me, but I am extending an olive branch to you. This is as good a chance as any for you."

She was right. Blake knew she was right and that's what hurt. To end up as property of some noble after spending her whole life a slave miner wasn't a good feeling. It was like having the keys dangled in front of her and pulled away again.

But she was right. This was the best chance she would get.

A bodyguard.

"Why me then?" Blake asked, meeting the noble's eyes. "Why choose me over the others? Or, why not chose a Faunus from Vale, or one already forced into fighting? You chose me, a miner instead of anything else."

Weiss was silent, holding the Faunus gaze for a minute before standing.

"Come," she said. "I have much I still need to do. You have had plenty to eat I assume?"

Blake stared after her, but when the girl started moving she was forced to follow. A frown was etched onto the Schnee's face

"I suppose the best thing I can do right now is have you get accustomed to the mansion. You will be with myself most of the time as per your status as my bodyguard but in the cases you are not , it would be inconvenient were you to get lost all the time."

"Couldn't… you just have someone do that for you? I'm sure there's plenty of servants who would show me around if you told them to."

"They would," Weiss agreed. "But they would not feel comfortable doing it."

Blake blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Working with a Faunus will be a new experience for my servants and staff. Considering your position most are unsure what to think of you."

"But," the Faunus pushed. "Couldn't you just force them to do as you say? It's not like they can say no."

Weiss frowned again, glancing back at Blake.

"I could, but why would I?"

She had no response for that.

The noble looked away, suddenly lost in her own thoughts with her frown still present, as if thinking back on an unpleasant memory.

There wasn't much Blake could think of saying, nor anything she wanted to say, but the silence was not a nice one, so she said the first thing that came to mind.

"So… what happens to all of that food?"

"Huh?"

She coughed embarrassedly. "It's just that there was so much more left. I barely touched a tenth of it. What happens to all that?"

Weiss gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean? It gets thrown out of course."

Blake choked. "What?!"

"Well what else would happen? It's of no use at a later time. If we won't eat it there is no point keeping it." Weiss saw the look on Blake's face. "Why? what would you do with it?"

"Save it!" the Faunus gasped. "That was more food than I'd ever seen in my life! How much could be given to regular people instead of having so much that you don't even eat!"

"Is it really that much of a concern?"

"Yes!"

Whatever Weiss was going to say in response was cut off as a man hurried down the halls to meet them. He bowed deeply before speaking.

"Miss Schnee, the carriage has been prepared and the men are ready. If you would come with me I will escort you."

She nodded. "Very well, Come Blake, we can… pick up on that conversational topic later."

Blake blinked. "Where are you going?"

"Where are we going." She corrected. "Into town. There is a market in Vale that I wish to visit, and it will give me ample opportunity to test just how good your senses are. Come on then."

…

…

When Blake had been told they were taking a carriage she hadn't been entirely sure on what to expect. Something of a moderate design maybe, practical, wooden or even metal might have been more along the lines of her own ideas.

What she got instead was perhaps the single greatest amalgamation of lien dumped into something unnecessarily in her whole life yet:

It was made from bloody silver and gold, with spindly, flowery designs in the corners and wheels themselves, with coloured stained glass and velvet seat on the inside. Pulling it was four white beasts dressed in their own garments displaying the Schnee crest.

Blake stared at the four-legged creatures.

A man, the one from yesterday, Port saw her staring. He walked up beside her and puffed out his chest.

"Do you see something interesting Lass?"

She flinched, more for the fact that he was so loud next to her ears rather than the fact that he'd put the collar on her neck and acted like nothing happened. He'd asked her a question though, and there was no sense in causing trouble at the moment.

"I've… just never seen these creatures before. What are they?"

He laughed. "These are horses girl. I suppose they don't breed many in a place like Atlas."

"They didn't," Weiss called as she approached herself. "I had a pair at my own residence, but only because we imported them from Mistral." She eyes them. "These ones are from there too, I hear the Vale variety are far more hardy. Is that right?"

"Aye, my lady." He nodded, brushing a hand through one of the… 'Horses' manes. "The ones in Vale are farm animals, and in battle, they're used as shock-cavalry. Big, heavy brutes with plenty of muscle. Slower though."

The noble hummed. "Is that why Mistral was renowned for their mounted-archery in the last war?"

"It is. Since the good men fighting were slower targets, Mistral had thought it was a good idea to just run circles around them and fire hails of arrows." He smiled beneath his moustache. "It worked too, but the old codgers didn't know anything about sieging Valean castles. And we have a lot of them."

"Interesting," Weiss smiled. "You'll have to tell me all about it sometime, I would love to hear it. Blake, what is it?"

The Faunus blinked between them in confusion.

"There was a war?"

Weiss smile dropped as she stared at her.

"Are… are you jesting?"

Blake flushed, but held her ground. "N-no, of course not. How would I know is two kingdoms fought?"

"It wasn't two kingdoms, it was all six!"

The Faunus just frowned. "There are six kingdoms?"

"Not anymore." Port huffed. "Come on now, best get this trip on its way shouldn't we?"

With that Weiss sighed, deciding to let it go for the moment and made her way over to the carriage as the steps were dropped down. She pulled up the hem of her dress and climbed in. she glanced back.

"Well?"

Oh, Blake was allowed in there too?

She didn't make to question it, hurrying in instead before they could change their mind. She climbed in and sat opposite if the noble, marvelling at how soft the eats were. The doors closed shut and out the window Blake suddenly saw the men the servant boy had spoken of:

There were twenty in all, wearing brightly coloured steel, plated head to toe and curved, sphere-like helms. They had sabres strapped to their sides and spears in hand.

"Why do you need me as a bodyguard again?"

Weiss scoffed, but didn't deign her with a response.

Blake tensed as the carriage finally began moving, a shunt she wasn't prepared for. It travelled slowly, allowing the armoured men to follow on foot on both sides.

It seemed all she'd be able to do was wait until they arrived.

She had two options: Either to look at the noble and perhaps start a conversation, and as the white-haired girls gaze turned out the window it didn't seem like she was open to one, or simply stare out at the land as they passed.

She chose the latter.

Blake had to admit, it was far nicer than Atlas, although that wasn't hard in her opinion. It was warmer, even in the carriage itself Blake could feel the warm but not unbearable air, the sun was out and bright in the sky and green hills rolled as far as she could see.

They were still on the Schnee's lands she realised after a moment. Al of this, acres upon acres in all directions belonged to the foreign noble.

Even Blake new that that was not a normal thing. What had happened for the Schnee's to get a hold of this place?

She let out a breath and sat back in her seat, at least allowing herself a moment to enjoy just how soft they were. Pah! Nobles had it good if this is what they had to look forward to all the time; food enough to stuff their bellies, the riches to do or go wherever they wished and the forces to guard them against any danger.

Blake could at least imagine what a life such as this one might have offered her.

Were she not a Faunus.

It was fleeting however, and left her mood soured once reality hit.

Even if this was a nice novelty, she was a slave, nothing more.

A few minutes later. (Or at least Blake thought so, she couldn't count.) they arrived on the outskirts of the town's market. They stopped, and the door was opened by one of the men.

Weiss glanced at her, and Blake realised it was an order to step out first. She did so without a word, and was instantly struck with… everything.

The sights, the sounds, the smells it was everywhere.

The colours of the buildings, brown wood, sand coloured brick and bright tapestries and banners of Vale. There were stalls on both sides of her, with clothes, jewellery, food of all kinds with hundreds of people moving in every direction buying and selling and calling out to one another.

There were people's homes too, with second floors jutting out over the first floors and people conversing from one window to the next. This wasn't just some town.

It was the Capital.

Blake felt something bump her shoulder, and was pushed forward a little as the twenty guards encircled them. Weiss was already moving forward and the Faunus blinked.

Oh! Right, she was supposed to follow her.

She scurried to catch up, and fell into step beside the noble completely by accidental on her part, but what seemed deliberate on the Schnee's

People had noticed them – or, well they'd already noticed them, but they'd noticed Blake specifically, for the fact that she was a Faunus walking with a noble – and were staring even from a distance.

"Now then," Weiss began. "I think it's about time I see just what all the talk is about regarding Faunus." She turned to Blake. "Well?"

"W-Well what?" she asked.

Weiss blinked before coughing into her fist. "Right, I need to tell you why we're here first don't I?"

That would help Blake thought, even if she didn't voice it.

"I am here to meet with someone in particular, but before that I wish to test out your Faunus abilities, so, I want you to carry out a few things from where you stand if you can, we'll work from there."

That… sounded simple enough, she still wasn't completely sure what she was supposed to do but…

She nodded.

"Right then." Weiss said, looking around. Her eyes found something and she pointed. "Tell me what they're saying."

Blake followed the hand and saw a group of three women talking among themselves next to a stall some twenty metres away. She… wanted her to tell her what they were saying? What was she supposed to do from here?

She glanced at the noble, who looked back expectantly.

Blake sighed. Well she could maybe…

Her eyes narrowed.

"They're talking about their sons," she said after a moment. Weiss perked up as her eyes flickered between the women and Blake. "The one of the left has gotten into an argument with his father, while the one on the rights has been flirting with the baker's daughter three streets down and she's not happy about that. The one in the middle thinks that her son drinks too much."

"Incredible," Weiss whispered in awe, and even some of the guards with them were looking Blake's way. "You could hear all of that?"

Her eyes narrowed. "No."

The Schnee turned to her in surprise. "Then what was-"

"My ears don't work like that," she said, aware that she'd interrupted her 'owner' but annoyed enough by this testing all of a sudden that she didn't care at the moment. "they pick up soft sounds, things humans physically can't hear. They aren't for listening to a conversation in a bustling crowd from such a distance." She glanced the Schnee's way, looking her in the eye to stress her point.

"I just read their lips. My eyes make things far cleared than yours can and I can pick up details in how people move if I try hard enough, like tenses in muscles. "Weiss stared for a moment before her eyes fell to the women thoughtfully. They'd begun to move on now.

"That is interesting." She said at last. "What is it your ears can hear then?"

Blake scoffed. "Your heart, if I listen close enough."

Weiss flinched at that, her hand rising to her chest instinctively before looking back at her. She cleared her throat.

"Well… I'd thank you not to do that right now, even if I do believe that would be a useful thing to have… what about smell? Could you sniff out a certain food if I asked you to?"

Blake felt her nose twitch involuntarily as she grimaced. "I don't know." She admitted reluctantly. "there's' just… so much here, maybe if I had a little time to get used to it, but even then I don't actually know what most f these foods are supposed to be, let alone smell like."

"Ah." She said. "I suppose that would be an issue. My apologies, I should have thought of that. No matter, I think we'll have plenty of time to let your nose grow accustomed to the smells here." she looked up at the sky. "Well let's go, I have a meeting with someone I must attend to now."

With that they moved again in a different direction towards what looked like some wide open space. Blake followed along as best she could inside their ring of armoured men.

"Who are you meeting anyway?" she asked.

Weiss shrugged. "I am not actually sure. He was recommended by my father, someone who can 'arrange things' as he told me. What was his name…?" she put a hand on her chin before clicking her fingers.

"Ah yes, Roman Torchwick I think."

...

Well that's the end of the second chapter. I want to move things along a bot slower than I'm used to, at least for the moment to build up these characters and the world around them, which is Remnant, but isn't.

Also I don't know how someone even thought of this, but I got PM'd earlier in the weak because a reader noticed something I didn't mention. I mean, I could have just forgotten, or seen it as unimportant but for some reason they thought it strange I didn't mention it. So for confirmation,

No, Weiss does not have her scar.

Hopefully this is grabbing your attention, or at least you're interested in how characters will interact with each other. If so I hope you stick around.

For now, that's all I have to say, But before I go I would like to thank people who have already followed, favourited and Reviewed. to get support for this story so doon is such a good feeling.

Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter too and you haven't already, Follow, Favourite and Review.

I hope to see you next time.

Bye!

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