Disclaimer: And so the story continues. Sorry about the delay; got called into work unexpectedly.
Yang awoke with a curse caught in her throat and a thickness in her chest that promised to take a week's worth of coughing to dislodge. Although extremely well versed in using her chi to deter grievous wounds, the blonde had yet to master keeping herself free of illness, which meant her trek through the freezing rain the night before had left her facing the mundane nuisance of a minor cold. Her head felt cloudy, as though she was wading through a swamp just to reach the next thought, and the pressure above the bridge of her nose hinted at built up mucus clogging her sinuses. With a groan, she pushed herself into a sitting position, suddenly aware she was on her back but not quite sure why that set off alarm bells in the back of her mind until she managed to get herself upright. Forcing her bleary eyes open, Yang cast a look around for her wife, an apology replacing the curse as she remembered not only her propensity for snoring but the position which seemed to cause it. Dull lilac searched the immediate area but Weiss was nowhere to be found, though a few things had changed since she'd fallen asleep the night before.
The slim blade had disappeared, likely with its owner, but her gauntlets were laid with care above the orange cloth as always, the fabric looking freshly cleaned rather than simply dried after being peeled off her the night before, and the gleam to the metal spoke of a recent polish applied to it rather than the water spots and mud from when she'd stumbled on her way back home. At first, guilt washed over her, the obvious explanation being that she'd driven the woman from their bed in the wee hours of the morning and the Atlesian had taken to occupying her time with cleaning up after Yang rather than sit idle, but she could see the sliver of bright sunlight peeking past the bottom of the blinds on the window, indicating that it might well be afternoon rather than morning. She'd obviously overslept, which gave her hope that she hadn't rolled onto her back until sometime after Weiss had awoken naturally, but it didn't bode well for her; the messengers from the day before had brought with them enough news to nearly bury her, meaning she'd already lost far too much time to slumber. There was too much to do for her to stay in bed, succumbing to a simple cold. She needed to get to her study immediately, pour over her maps and wrack her brain until a solution presented herself, and she only had about two days to do it by her guess, considering the dire situations presented to her.
Honestly, Yang wasn't even sure if she could find a suitable solution- one that would solve every problem presented to her- but lying in bed certainly wouldn't help her one way or another.
Throwing off the blanket and swinging her legs over the side of the bed, the curse she'd bitten back earlier slipped from her lips as her chest and throat protested the movement, followed by a coughing fit that shook the frame beneath her.
That was as far as she got.
"Yang?" Her wife called from down the hall, entering the bedroom a moment later and scowling when blue eyes fell on the scene before her. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I- I have- my study-" The blonde fought valiantly to silence her cough, drawing forth the warmth of her chi to try calming her stuttering lungs, but to no avail. Eventually, she stopped trying to speak, hoping that if she allowed the fit to run its course, she might be able to get her point across before receiving an earful for proving the woman right about her reckless actions the night before. The rain and wind certainly hadn't seemed so bad when she left the tavern's warmth, but the walk home felt longer than ever as the heat was leeched from her body. She pounded on the center of her chest with one closed fist, hoping to loosen the phlegm she could feel clinging to the inside of her lungs and making every breath a battle, the mucus in her nose starting to leak out instead and making the whole situation that much worse. Before she could think to curse her luck, though, slim hands landed on her shoulders, guiding her to lay back down, the covers pulled up to her chin a moment later. From the brief contact, she could feel Weiss' cool chi flow into her, just enough to settle her cough and give her much needed time to catch her breath, the cadence quick and labored. Still, she could at least breathe, so she turned a small, grateful smile to the woman now hovering at her bedside. "Thanks."
"Oh, don't thank me yet," her wife said, blue eyes flashing with determination as her jaw set, the hard expression being directed at the warrior Queen promising no easy way out. "You are in no condition to do anything more than lay there and rest. Going out in a storm like that would've killed lesser people and I'll not stand idly by while you work yourself to the bone trying to meet that end yourself."
Yang opened her mouth to argue but paused. She couldn't ignore her duties, true, but that didn't mean she had to start a fight over it either. Another time, perhaps she'd press the issue and test which of them could be more stubborn, but at present she merely wanted to preserve the warmth she'd felt the night before when they laid down together, at peace with each other for the first time in far too long. The affirmation that she could one day hear the woman sing… she didn't want to push her chances quite yet. "Would you be willing to help me?"
Clearly surprised- either at the lack of rebuttal or the offer, it was tough to say- her wife blinked for a moment before speaking, choosing her words carefully. "What, exactly, do you want help with?"
"The messengers who came yesterday; they need my help." She sighed, wincing at the wheeze that replaced her normal exhale. "Well, two of them do, and a third requires our presence, but each is pressing. I need the maps from my study, a pen brush, a… lot of scrolls, and enough ink to write out my replies." The blonde paused, drawing in a deep breath that nearly sent her into another coughing fit, her chest tightening once again. While Weiss' touch had calmed her before, it hadn't healed her nearly enough to take away the ache of congestion and the lethargy of her body requesting more sleep and sustenance to combat the illness certainly didn't help matters in the least. Yet, she managed to offer a small smile, noting the worry on the Atlesian's face. "I promise, I'll do nothing but rest after I've figured out a way to help them."
Weiss watched her for a moment, lips pressing into a thin line. "You're eating breakfast first. Or lunch, whichever you prefer. After that, I'll bring you whatever you need."
"Deal." Settling back against the headboard, Yang gave a passing thought as to her absent appetite before admitting defeat; food rarely seemed appealing when she was sick, and now proved to be the same, but her wife probably wouldn't accept that explanation as a good enough reason to skip a meal. It seemed better to cede the fight and force down what she could rather than try and talk her way out of it. "It's about lunchtime, right? What's Dad cooking?"
"Stirred noodles, with chicken and vegetables, and a side of fried rice. He mentioned that it's one of your favorite meals and we both thought you could use a pick-me-up considering your health." Blue eyes darted away briefly, drawing Yang's full attention. She could see how the Atlesian seemed torn between speaking more plainly and keeping her thoughts to herself, that age old habit she seemed reluctant to break but also put noticeable effort into doing so, like now. "Our cooking lessons have been quite… enlightening, recently. He's told me more about your favorite foods than you have."
"Well, he's been our resident chef for a while now," she replied, fighting back the tickle in her throat. Swallowing thickly- and handed a cup of warm milk tea that had likely been hot when it was first brought up- Yang fought to keep her cough under control, grimacing as she drew in a slow, steady breath. She found it a tad curious- cooking lessons with Dad, although it brought a smile to the blonde's lips, hadn't been something they'd talked about before- but kept that much in check for the time being, opting to address what other enlightening activities the two were getting up to while Yang attended to her duties. She'd hoped the two would get along and this seemed to be a sign that they were doing just that, but she didn't want the learning to be entirely one-sided. Perhaps Weiss could teach one of them how to make her favorite dishes from Atlas- but that would be something she'd have to address later. One thing at a time. "Lunch sounds delicious."
"I'll bring you some when it's ready." Weiss stood, straightening out her dress- this one was an older Valen style, with another robe beneath it, the cool blue hardly showing through the white outer robe- and then helped tuck the blonde in with quick, gentle tugs on the covers. "Would you like another blanket?"
"No." She wanted to say more, to express her thanks, but she could feel the cough building in her chest and just waiting to burst forth. The last thing she wanted to do was cause the woman to worry further.
"Are you sure?" The skepticism in those blue eyes hinted that no amount of misdirection on the blonde's part would dissuade Weiss but she tried anyway.
"Yep." Yang smiled, silently proud she'd managed the single word without devolving into a coughing fit.
Although wary, her wife accepted her response and left the room, allowing the blonde to quickly grab one of the pillows to bury her face in, muffling the sounds as her lungs began the arduous task of breaking up the phlegm within. The last time she got sick like this was during the early days of the clan war, when she'd yet to master her chi and the fighting took them farther north on the mainland. The cold mountain air had nearly frozen her lungs, burning with every breath in a way that brought pain- nothing like the warmth of a fire or even the sometimes overbearing heat of summer. Back then, she'd tried using her chi to heal herself quickly and got even sicker for it; something about her inner fire simply wouldn't cooperate when it came to illnesses like this.
"I can take an ax to the back and walk away without a scar, but a little cold and I'm suddenly invalid," she said once the fit passed, wincing at the wet sound in her voice that promised more of the same if she continued pressing her luck. It helped, she thought, taking a moment to acknowledge the irony before turning her attention to the dire problems she needed to solve. Her body would take care of itself in time but she had an obligation to help her people when she could, especially when asked directly for assistance.
The matter of how to accomplish that remained to be seen, though; attending to everyone's woes herself would be her default option, of course, but it also proved to be the least feasible- at least, as far as she could remember. Organizing the clans would take a bit of bartering on her part, too, seeing as many had their winter harvest coming up the same as Patch, but those who didn't would likely have the hands to spare. Unless they had a festival devoted to the Winter Maiden pending, which would require extra help to call forth the blessings. She wouldn't want to impede either event, partly because it would impact whoever remained behind and because those who volunteered to go would still worry after their family and friends back home. A distracted mind would be more help than none at all but she'd seen how a warrior driven to distraction made more mistakes; it wasn't the ideal option and she'd prefer to avoid it if she could.
On top of all that, she also needed to visit the Fall Maiden's temple with Weiss to receive their full divination from the Voice. Personally, she didn't put too much stock in those old rituals, though she maintained a profound respect for the Voices and their duties. In bits and snatches, she could remember her younger days alongside Ruby, listening to Mom's stories, the ancient legends that spawned each of the complex rituals carried out by everyone who followed the Maidens' teachings. They'd listened intently, drinking up every word with starry eyes, and feigned sleep at the end of every tale, waiting until their parents went to bed before stirring. Then, the two little girls with dreams of adventure would trade excited whispers about the stories yet to be told, the ones that would chronicle their own journeys across Vale and spawn even more rituals for people to practice, the Voices lifting up their names in song as the Maidens bestowed their blessings. They would slay terrible monsters, rescue beleaguered villagers, and turn the tides of epic battles together to prove themselves worthy heroes in the Maidens' eyes, with speeches given- often by Yang, holding her nose closed to affect a stranger tone- citing their mother and father as raising them to be such superb warriors. Her sister thought that, one day, she would triumph over an evil so great, she would become the tallest mountain in Vale, or a perpetually blooming cherry blossom tree, or be whisked away into the heavens to streak across the night sky as a shooting star. Yang wasn't as ambitious with her aims; all she wanted was a song, an epic ballad sung from temple to tavern detailing her last grand battle, the one where she singlehandedly defeated Gelinlong- the horrible dragon that had put their ancient progenitor, Jianhuren, into his deep sleep.
In hindsight, she'd trade her crown and every ounce of 'glory' just to have her family back.
That was the part both of them had always somehow forgotten about whenever Mom told the stories, or when they read Ruby's books. No one ever woke up and decided to go on an epic quest; something always happened to them. Their parents got sick, their sibling died, their spouse disappeared, their village was destroyed- no quest started out by someone just choosing to look for wrongs to right.
She really wish theirs had.
"Yang?" The blonde blinked, snapping out of her dreary trance as her wife started opening the door. Quickly, she reached up and scrubbed at her eyes, just to ensure she'd removed any evidence of tears beginning to form in them. Yesterday was exhausting enough; now that she was sick, she didn't want to dedicate any more time to becoming mired in her own sorrows, especially not when others were depending on her. "Yang? Is something wrong?"
"Nothing," she replied, forcing a smile even as she mentally lamented not being able to smell the delicious looking food laid out on the tray Weiss bore. Two full meals plus a steaming kettle; as much as she'd likely struggle through the small talk, she appreciated the company. Being left alone at present didn't seem to be doing her any good. "That looks delicious."
For a moment, her wife seemed more than a little skeptical, but she said nothing as she set the tray down across the blonde's lap and went to fetch a chair for herself. The Atlesian pulled it up to the bedside, allowing them to both use the tray as they ate. Yang considered- briefly, very briefly- that it might be better to pretend she wasn't hungry and wait for her wife to leave the room before trying, the hot steam from both food and drink threatening to send her into another coughing fit, but she really couldn't bear it. She enjoyed Weiss' company and, considering how rough the past few weeks had been, she wanted to take whatever opportunity she could to just… exist, side-by-side. No unspoken tension, no lingering doubts, nothing hidden between them- it was a nice feeling and she wanted to indulge just a bit more.
They began eating in silence, likely because she couldn't fool the other woman in the slightest; she could probably tell that Yang was a hair's breadth away from another coughing fit and opted to give her a chance to clear her lungs out through hot food and drink first. Idly, she mourned that she couldn't properly taste it, because it would be nice to offer a compliment, she thought. An insincere one would do her no favors, though, and it instead opened up a different avenue for conversation.
"Do you-" She cut off, trying to clear her throat a bit before starting again. "Do you miss the food from back home?"
Weiss paused, her chopsticks halfway to her mouth before returning to her bowl as a thoughtful expression crossed her features. "Yes. Some times more than others, but I do." She stirred the contents of her bowl, brows furrowing just slightly. Yang watched between mouthfuls, the congestion in her chest doing its best to distract her, but she remained focused. "Our spices are different. Valens use more chicken than pork. Rice rather than wheat. But I think I've adjusted rather well."
The blonde frowned slightly, allowing a few more moments to pass where they simply ate before starting again. "You seem sad."
"Perhaps a little." Her wife looked up, a small smile on her lips. "I think, sometimes, that I'd like some apple wine or fried pork, or maybe one of our breakfast pastries with the fruit filling- they were some of my favorites." She shrugged. "But… I never learned how to make them myself. I… know how to cook more Valen food than I ever thought to learn of Atlesian cuisine." Returning her attention to the bowl in her hands, Weiss continued without a hint of duplicity in her voice. "However, I have no complaints about Valen meals or learning how to cook them. Your father is an excellent teacher."
"He is," she replied, offering a small grin when blue eyes darted her way. She allowed it to fall in the next moment, when the woman had looked away to grab a drink- warm milk tea, just like Yang. Mentally, she tried to count off the weeks until the next time Coco would stop by their small port. The Vacuon merchant would likely have an easier time acquiring items from Atlas than her Faunus counterpart, she reasoned, and would cut her a fair deal for the trouble. A few recipes and ingredients would warrant at least two more bags of rice and three bundles of wood in addition to the usual agreement but she'd make sure to handle that portion of the transaction herself. The last thing she wanted to do was overburden her people with her own whims; the moment her wife considered her fit to leave the bed, she would personally gather the resources herself. "I hope this cold passes swiftly. I wish I could taste this."
"It's… probably better you can't." Weiss' brow twitched, a frown flashing across her lips. "I… may have added too much salt. Or not enough fen?"
Yang chuckled, regretting it almost immediately when she started to cough, raising her forearm to shield her face and doing her best not to upset the tray over her lap. About halfway through, her wife appeared at her side, rubbing her back and the cool bite of her chi appeared again, surging through cloth to sooth aching lungs. At this point, the constant coughing was more an annoyance than actual pain but it still threatened to sap her strength.
"Your cough will pass swiftly if you take care of yourself." Blue eyes fell on her half empty bowls, humming softly. "We'll make you soup or stew for dinner. That should be easier on your throat."
"Have you gotten sick like this before?" She cleared her throat again, feeling the thick mucus sliding down the back of her throat and grabbing the tea to try and ease its passage with a long pull. "I'm- I'm usually healthy as an ox."
That comment received a sharp look as Weiss warily made her way back to her seat. "You shouldn't talk so much; it's just going to make you cough more." At the sheepish grin she received, her wife's expression softened slightly. "I've gotten sick myself a few times, yes. Illnesses like this are common during this time of year in Atlas, but we've become well versed in overcoming them." Her gaze hardened again. "Which is why I'll allow no arguments until you're back to your normal self. The last thing your people need is their queen bedridden for a month, or worse."
Although she sincerely doubted things would get that bad- it wasn't like Valens didn't get sick, during the winter months especially- Yang nodded her acquiescence all the same. She hated being sick, so if her wife had experience in recovering quickly, who was she to argue?
They returned to their meal, the blonde pausing only to drink more of the soothing tea and pound her chest when the loosened phlegm became annoying. Weiss would occasionally lean over if she carried on too long, offering light touches to her shoulders, the soft bursts of cold chi creeping into her chest and calming the muscles. Before the warrior queen had finished her meal, though, she found herself full, her stomach unwilling to entertain the idea of finishing off the last few bites like she normally would. She apologized to Weiss- needlessly, she was assured, but she still felt bad about it- and the woman collected the tray, presumably heading to the kitchen. Some part of her felt even more guilty for that but she tried to remember that doing anything to help would get her more of a lecture than simply waiting until she was healthy to repay the favor.
It was only a little comforting.
When Weiss returned, she bore all the supplies the blonde had requested from the study, plus a fresh kettle with a different sort of tea this time that soothed the creeping sourness in her throat from coughing so much. The first thing she did, aside from taking a steadying gulp of the hot liquid, was grab the map from among the pile, unrolling it across her lap. Lilac eyes scanned across varied terrain and boundary markings, the characters for each of the ruling clans etched by a steady hand.
Ren had created it himself, in the months after his clan fell during the Xiao Long's long march to unite Vale under a single clan's rule. Every mountain and river, every fertile field and the fresh water lakes, and the thick borders separating clan lands- each marked with care and precision that she admired the man for and greatly respected. Very little had changed over the course of the past three years, thankfully, except a name or two as leading families were replaced. Ren's family formerly ruled the southern lands at the base of the mountain range separating them from Vacuo, but his father had stepped down as the official leader to join the Valen defense against Atlas, not wanting divergent loyalties to erupt within the clan when he wasn't there. Ren and his mother had followed, never the sort to be bogged down by status when the lives of others were on the line. When the Lie family returned to find their clan running smoothly, they refused to fight for their former position, content to act as proxies for Yang's edicts now that she was the recognized Queen of Vale, and they'd served that purpose with utmost honor.
She wished Ren was here now and could somehow use his ink to redraw the physical world rather than simply replicate it onto a scroll. Fingers brushed along the space in the middle of the map, across marked forests and a lake and so much space, her shoulders falling in time with the whisper that left her lips. "How am I going to do this?"
"May I ask what the problem is?" Yang looked up, noting the genuine interest and concern in blue eyes as her wife drew closer.
"Two of the messengers from yesterday are from clans requesting my help," she said, swallowing past the itch in her throat and the urge to growl out in frustration as she traced her fingers along the map. "One is here, on the east side of Dragon Tears Lake, and the other here, on the south side of Forever Fall. They're about a three weeks' ride from each other, and from here almost the same; I have to pick one to help first and by the time I get to the other…" She started coughing, covering her mouth again and grimacing as it passed. She put up a hand, trying to ease the concern in Weiss' eyes. "I'm fine." She sighed, shaking her head slowly. "Anyway, the Daichi clan is reporting strange beasts harassing their herds and circling their villages. Takes more than a full quiver of arrows to bring them down, or so it's said. That should be my priority, but they're supposedly holding the creatures at bay with fire. It's wearing on them, though, and using up vital stocks. The Ming clan, on the other hand, is dealing with bandits of some sort. It's a small group, but they're stealing supplies, and with a potentially harsh winter about to bear down on us, that could be terrible. The clan leader would rather rout them, but they've made their hideout in Forever Fall. It's sacred ground."
"I'm not sure I understand." The Atlesian furrowed her brows. "If it's to protect people, does it really matter where these bandits are hiding?"
Yang ran a hand through her hair, suddenly noticing the texture. Despite their attempts to dry it the night before, it obviously wasn't the same as when freshly washed, but she ignored the sensation for the moment. "Yes. Forever Fall is home to the Fall Maiden Temple; the clan leaders will not lead their people into the forest for the purpose of bloodshed."
"And you're somehow different?"
She nodded, and then sighed heavily. "On top of that, we're both being called to the Fall Maiden Temple anyway. The Voice wishes to speak with us- nothing bad. It's just… customary, after unions, to visit the officiator for another blessing." There was more to it, of course, but she needed to drink more of the soothing tea before she could continue. "So, really, three places to be, and no matter what I do, I get the feeling it'll be the wrong decision. If I take too many from Patch to ride with me, I put my home at risk. Too few, and we could suffer unnecessary injuries. Dedicate to one and the other suffers."
Her eyes scanned the map again, as if some secret lay within the rice paper to present a solution. Every hour she delayed, the fate of her people could be hanging in the balance.
"Four messengers, three requests…" Weiss spoke softly, as if presenting the option to the blonde whether or not to answer the unspoken question.
"The fourth…" She lifted her gaze, looking towards the door. "Just… let me know that Ruby's still alive. She sends someone our way when she can." The letter that the lone man had brought with him, tucked away beneath his orange cloak, lay somewhere in her clothing from the night before. He assured her that her sister was heading north as they spoke, but she couldn't be so easily fooled; he hailed from the lands far to the south, and this was nothing more than a defense for her to deny anything her little sister might be doing near the Vacuon border. They rarely favored such subtle measures but both of them learned discretion as a matter of course after Yang took the crown. "She's somewhere in the north. Nothing to be done about that."
"That makes things marginally easier, then." The other woman sat beside her on the bed, tracing along the map. "There are two pressing matters, and both of us are needed at the Fall Maiden Temple. It seems most prudent, then, for you to go aid the Ming in launching a counterattack against the bandits, and I can help the Daichi with these beasts of theirs. We can meet at the Temple after both tasks are complete."
"No," she said immediately, turning to look at the woman beside her. "It's too dangerous. What if you get hurt? What if you get separated from the others and then lost?" More and more scenarios popped into her head, each worst than the last, until she could do nothing more than shake her head. "There had to be another way."
Weiss seemed prepared for a negative rebuke but appeared surprised that it came from a place of worry and not pride, the tilt of her chin and defiance in her eyes shifting to a gentler expression. "I don't think there is. I understand your concerns, Yang, but I won't be alone, correct? I can see the task done or at least keep everyone calm until you arrive. After all, the Ming seem capable of routing the threat, but the Daichi need the extra supplies and warriors. Splitting into two groups seems the best way to approach the problem."
The warrior queen opened her mouth to reiterate her objection but a sudden coughing fit seized her, stopping the words in her throat as she tried pounding on her chest. It did nothing, of course, except maybe vent some of her frustration, but a moment later Weiss' touch was there at the base of her throat. The fit lasted a few more seconds, though it didn't hurt as much as it probably ought to, and the blonde had to concede that her wife seemed to be learning how to utilize her chi more effectively than either of them thought possible.
At the same time, she wasn't quite ready to be fighting bandits or beasts… but neither was Yang the first time she charged into battle, truth be told. They'd skipped the customary rite of passage due to the clan war and she came of age wiping blood from her brow on the battlefield. Half her life was spent fighting, or riding to a fight, or recovering from one, so it was nothing for her to ride off to yet another one even in the midst of peace. Her wife, on the other hand, grew up in relative safety, with high stone walls and tales of the battles but no true experience as part of them. Yet, Weiss was clever and determined, and she'd somehow kept Blake at bay, though the Faunus wasn't truly trying… but of the two options, neither was a proper fight to begin with, so perhaps it didn't matter. The bandits were clever, too, and the beasts strong; anything less and her assistance wouldn't be needed. Two hard fights lay ahead… and she direly wished there was another way.
Briefly, she considered asking her father for help, but instantly dismissed it. The battle that had nearly claimed his life hadn't robbed him of his strength entirely, but he would never fight again and they'd found that out the hard way. His chi wasn't strong enough to protect him anymore, worn down to nothingness in order to save his life, and he only wielded his ax against trees ever since. Plus, with the harvest on the way, every hand that stayed behind would need to pull considerably more weight, and that was exactly the sort of strength he still possessed that Weiss certainly didn't, though through no fault of her own. In time, it would come, but they didn't have that at present.
When she could breathe easier, and after finishing off her cup and halfway through the next, she looked at the woman beside her. "Will you promise me you'll be careful?" She tried to keep the quiver out of her tone but it was there, hinting at all the unspoken worries and concerns. "Retreat the moment things don't work out. Just your presence may be enough to deter the worst. You don't have to fight."
The hand at her clavicle traced up, cupping her cheek softly. "I promise I'll be careful." She held her hand there long enough for Yang to lean into the contact before drawing away, taking the map out of the blonde's lap and beginning to roll it up. "Whatever these beasts are, I'll do my best to eradicate them."
"No." She settled back against the headboard, furrowing her brows slightly. "You'll go deal with the bandits." The warrior held up a hand, preempting the argument before it began. "These beasts are too strong to fight with a sword or spear. We have to bring them down or weaken them from afar before even trying up close. Can you shoot a bow?"
"Well… no." Her wife quirked a brow. "You can?"
"Every Valen learns." Yang took a deep breath, suddenly feeling weary. Now that the hot meal had settled in her stomach and she at least had a working theory of how to deal with the situation, it seemed her body was rather keen on getting more rest. She couldn't give into the inclination, though; she still had too much work to do. "Sword, ax, staff, bow, fists- the five core disciplines. I can use a bow… I just don't like it."
There were better ways of articulating that, but it escaped the woman at the moment. It wasn't easy, being locked in mortal combat with others, be they countrymen or foreigners, but being able to see the looks in their eyes, feel their strength matching hers; it made the fights easier to handle, easier to process, granting her the split second decision to take or spare a life just by pulling her punches a little or allowing her full weight to carry her through. Her dad tried to get her to take to the ax- or the staff arts, like Summer and Ruby- but she'd taken the route that suited her. It was for the best, to her mind.
"I suppose that makes sense." Weiss made a thoughtful noise, looking over at Ember Celica resting peacefully on the dresser. She could see in the woman's eyes the desire to prod further, ask more questions, but she refrained, instead walking over to the desk and setting down the map so she could bring over the necessary items to write out her responses. Even if she hadn't gotten sick, the blonde would've sent word ahead of them that help would be on the way. She could only hope they wouldn't arrive too late. "When you're feeling better, maybe we can talk about that some more."
"You want to learn?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she chuckled; of course the woman would. Not a single aspect of the blonde's people or upbringing came up without the Atlesian trying to learn more, and doing an impressive job of it, too. "When we get back. Promise."
Her wife gave her a small smile before her brows furrowed. "Are you certain no one will object to me entering…" she paused "… Forever Fall?"
"I'm sure." She winced, trying to pass it off as just discomfort from her illness and not a flicker of doubt on her part. It made perfect sense to her, of course- she carried with her the blessings of the Maidens, or so her people believed, and her life was now entwined with Weiss' as one- but the Ming clan had remained lukewarm on the topic of her marriage. They might be inclined to reject the woman's presence once she arrived. "But if anyone gives you trouble, just go to the Temple and I'll meet you there. Or just stage a defense."
She'd meant it as honest advice but the flicker of annoyance that passed over her wife's expression indicate it wasn't received as such. "I'll keep that in mind but I'm certain it won't be necessary."
"Me too," she replied with a small, hesitant smile. "I know you can take care of some lowly bandits."
"Of course I can. I've had excellent teachers." Weiss watched her for a moment before taking back the scrolls and ink, setting them on the bedside table. "You can send out your replies later. Right now, you need to sleep." The blonde tried to argue but found herself on the receiving end of a forceful glare. "You're tired, are you not?" She nodded. "It's your body telling you to rest. Listening will do you and your people more good in the long run."
"Okay." Shuffling down slightly, Yang let out a sigh while her eyes slid closed, apparently keen on obeying the woman's suggestions. "But… just a nap."
She heard soft footfalls by the door, too heavy to belong to Weiss and their owner revealed himself a few moments later. "How long do colds like this one usually last?"
"Just a few days. If she rests well and doesn't waste her energy arguing with me." Yang's lips twitched into a soft smile, amused by the light teasing the words implied. Even if the whole series of events brought her to this moment of bedridden, annoying agony, it seemed her wife had finally become more comfortable here, enough to return to taking light jabs at each other and earn her a gentle kiss to her forehead. She kept her eyes closed and they seemed content to lower their voices while exiting the room, leaving her to her illness induced slumber.
"Hmmm… I guess there's no helping it." The man sighed, heading back out of the room. "We were supposed to start gathering firewood from the north side of the forest today."
Her brows furrowed. Damnit, he was right; on top of everything else, they still had to gather as much wood to start the tedious process of drying it out before the weather worsened. With winter on the horizon, she'd hate for a shortage to lead to long, cold nights for the residents of Patch.
"Perhaps I can assist you?" Weiss offered, seeming rather confident. "I've little experience with an ax, but there surely must be something I can do to assist."
Forcing her eyes open, Yang started to sit up just as the door closed, the two stepping out into the hall. She almost called out- because like hell her wife was going to spend hours hauling wood thanks to an inconvenient cold- but her father's thoughtful hum stopped her.
"Now that you mention it, I think we can work something out," he said with a chuckle. "Go grab a snack from the kitchen and meet me by the door." Yang had almost sat up when the door opened again, her father peeking his head in with a smile. "Thought that'd get your attention. Don't worry, I'm not going to take her into the forest."
"You know she'd do it." She coughed to clear her throat, grimacing slightly while swallowing down a mouthful of phlegm. "Weiss would find a way."
"I know, and that's why I'm going to take her into town." His eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. "I think it's about time she met Grandmother." Yang's shoulders slumped, mouth opening to object as another coughing fit seized her. Her father chuckled, amused by her concern. "I'm sure she'll be fine. Get some rest, little dragon; you deserve it."
"But- wait- stop!" Despite her attempts, she ultimately failed to articulate anything remotely convincing to stop Taiyang before he slipped back out of the room, the sound of the front door echoing up to the second floor. Bonelessly, she collapsed back against the bed, focusing on clearing her throat enough to breathe while running a hand over her face.
Silently, she begged the Winter Maiden to give her wife patience… and Jianhuren to protect anyone foolish enough to try and mediate the impending battle of wills. It might be an empty gesture but it was all she could do, aside from closing her eyes and reaching deep within herself to stoke her chi into hurrying her recovery process.
AN: So! I'm afraid this story will be on hiatus for 2-3 weeks. Long story short, the next few chapters have to be rewritten entirely and I've been swamped between work, responsibilities, and Elderburn Week. The good news is that I know what I have to fix and I have a pretty solid idea how to do it, just finding the time to get it down and properly edited has been difficult, and I didn't want to rush through it and cause even more problems further down the line. When it comes back, posting will resume on Fridays. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, faved, and followed; the support is greatly appreciated.