Hello, hello! How have everybody's holidays been? Only mildly terrible? Mine were good, I'm pleased to say. No ridiculous family drama bullshit. Anyway, I want to thank everyone who has been supporting my work one way or another! It means a lot to me. I hope that all of you can enjoy this little present from me. Happy new year to everybody! Enjoy the chapter~!
The trek towards Pesca wasn't particularly long -only about two days on foot- but with an armed and angry escort at Yang and Weiss's back, it felt like an eternity. Every step Yang took, she could feel a sharp glare attempting to burn a hole right through her back. She was sure that if looks could kill, she and her extended family would be dead.
Weiss could also feel a glare following her every step, though it was distinctly less hostile. Rather, if she were to put a name to it, "betrayed" was likely a more apt description.
Looking for a bit of reassurance, the two kept their hands clasped together, squeezing on occasion. It was a familiar gesture by this point, and it made them feel less uncertain for the future.
From atop her horse that was just a step or two behind Winter's, Pyrrha had a fond smile on her face. Weiss finally had someone she could be close with, and it warmed her heart to see that Yang seemed to reciprocate that affection. She was only a little saddened that Weiss hadn't been able to trust her in a similar fashion.
Alright, if she were honest, she was really disappointed –probably far more than she should be considering her standing in relation to the princess.
"It's nice to see that Princess Weiss and Miss Yang get along so well," Pyrrha sighed quietly.
Winter seemed to stiffen beside her, turning an accusing glare on the redheaded captain. "And just what would make you think that, Captain Nikos?"
Surprised that her seemingly harmless comment gifted her such swift ire, Pyrrha scrambled for an explanation. "W-well Your Highness, Princess Weiss was rather lonely in the castle. From what I can see, she and Miss Yang have become quite close during their travels. Just look at them, Your Highness."
She gestured towards their joined hands with a nervous smile. "I think that is a good indicator that they are close. They haven't let go since we arrived."
Winter snapped her head down to stare at the dainty hands of her little sister being man-handled by the brute's calloused appendages. It was horrifying.
How had she not noticed that earlier? For how much she cared about Weiss, she was appalled that she had failed to notice such an atrocity sooner. She could hardly call herself an elder sister if she couldn't see Weiss's poor hands being crushed in a Beringel-like grip.
She had to put a stop to the horrific sight immediately.
She cleared her throat loudly, making Weiss flinch a bit. The younger princess knew that the noise was a preclude to something, and it was usually never good.
"I think it is time for you to release Princess Weiss's hand, peasant," she nearly spat. Despite her complete distaste for the blonde brute, she had to maintain decorum that was befitting of a royal. It wouldn't do for her to resort to the foul language and name-calling she so desperately wanted to use.
Weiss and Yang stopped before turning around, keeping their hands linked all the while. The younger princess seemed to fidget under her sister's gaze, though it was minute at best.
Yang however, felt a smirk make its way onto her face. Giving a quick squeeze of reassurance to Weiss's hand, she addressed the elder princess. "And why would that be, Your Highness? Is there something wrong?"
She may be under Winter's surveillance, but Yang was not about to roll over and submit quietly. After all, she had figured out that the elder Schnee was far more protective of her little sister than she had originally let on. If there was one thing Yang was good at, it was pushing people's buttons, and she had found the perfect one to push.
"There is most certainly something wrong, brute. You are crushing Weiss's hand in your barbaric grip. Surely even someone like you can see she is uncomfortable," Winter said, gesturing towards her younger sister.
Weiss's head shot up. "What? Winter, I am perfectly fine! Yang isn't hurting me!" She knew Winter did not like Yang, but she was unaware of how… petty her sister could be. Did she dislike Yang so much she was willing to start childish squabbles over it? What had brought on such unusual behavior?
Yang shrugged, the smirk never leaving her face. "So she says, Your Highness. Surely even someone like you can see that she doesn't mind."
Winter had to hold back a hiss. The blond brute was far too smug for her liking, and each interaction left her eagerly counting down the minutes until their duel. She would happily put the blonde in her place the instant she got the chance.
However, for the time being, this was a battle of will and intellect. Winter knew the blonde had seen through the mask she had so carefully constructed over the years. She also knew that the blonde held a strong affection for Weiss, and would do anything to keep her away from anything to do with Atlas Castle. She would have to use that to her advantage.
She and the brute were having a battle that Weiss wasn't entirely aware of over the right to be the one closest to her. Despite being incredibly intelligent, the younger princess was rather oblivious to matters concerning herself. It would be paramount that it remained that way.
If she wasn't careful, Winter's standing with her sister could fall even further than it's currently abysmal level. She would have to tread carefully.
Schooling her features into the sharp expression she frequently sported, she went on the offensive. "Then you must be aware that as a princess, Weiss is to only associate with those of an appropriate standing. You do not meet that standard, and you are tainting her standing with your presence."
"Well, that would have been accurate at one point, Your Highness, but it's not really true anymore. Princess Weiss renounced her title when she fled the castle. Basically, that means she is nothing more than a peasant like me. Isn't that right, Weiss?" Yang said, grinning. That little bit would probably effectively put her on the short list for execution in Winter's book, but it didn't matter. She would enjoy her little victories for all they were worth.
Before Winter could kill her companion, Weiss nodded. "It's true, Winter. I told her to address me as an equal, since I am no longer a princess." A part of her was proud that Yang was managing to hold her own against the elder Schnee, who was a notoriously crafty opponent.
Winter could feel her eyebrow twitch, despite her best efforts. The idea of killing the brute before their duel was becoming a more and more appealing option. If anyone questioned her, she could always say that the blonde was being insolent, and thus she was punished to the full extent of her crimes.
Still, she knew that if she did kill the brute, Weiss would never forgive her and she would lose her precious little sister forever. Not to mention she was sure the blonde would come back to haunt her as a ghost. The last thing she needed was a smug spirit following her for the rest of her life.
"Don't be a fool, Weiss. You are still a princess, and renouncing your title during your little adventure will not change that. You know as well as I do that you have to announce it to the public and the King's advisors before you can officially renounce." She took pride in the slight faltering of the blonde brute's smirk.
Weiss held firm, taking a page out of Yang's book and standing tall. "I will not return to the castle to formally renounce. As far as I'm concerned, if I never return, it is essentially the same thing as formally renouncing my title. It's not as if I can rule Atlas if I'm in Vacuo." It was a clever tactic to try to get her to return, but she would not fall for it so easily.
For a moment, none of them spoke, electing to convey their stance through glares alone. Pyrrha though, decided that it was time to step in and get the group back on track. It was not as if she was particularly eager to reach Pesca –she didn't want to fight Yang—but doing so would settle the conflict faster than standing around and arguing would.
She coughed politely, effectively cutting the tension and garnering the attention of the group. "I feel that it would be prudent to inform everyone that we are approaching evening. If we want to reach Pesca by tomorrow, it would be wise if we proceeded farther before nightfall."
Giving herself a mental shake, Winter regained her composure. "Captain Nikos is right. We will continue along the road until the sun begins to set. At such time, we will make camp for the night."
With a collective call of affirmation from the soldiers, a grunt from Yang, and a nod from Weiss, the group proceeded forward once more. In a bit of defiance, Yang and Weiss kept their hands clasped together.
A few hours later, Jaune rode ahead and found a clearing on the side of the road that could accommodate the group. As swiftly as they could as the daylight faded, the soldiers set up their tents and prepared a fire for dinner.
Weiss and Yang found a spot near the edge of the camp and settled in, dropping the bags and pulling out their leftover jerky.
As Winter and Pyrrha were about to dig into their own meal –a hearty bowl of stew—they noticed the traveling companions at the edge of camp. Winter in particular zeroed in on Weiss, who had taken a sizeable bite of jerky and was chewing on it slowly.
Without wasting another second, the elder Schnee hurried over, bowl still in hand. She would not sit idly by eating stew when her poor little sister was forced to have leftovers.
"Weiss! Cease eating that leather at once. There is plenty of stew for you over at the fire," Winter said sharply, sending an irritated glance Yang's way.
The younger Schnee looked up in confusion before she swallowed her bite of jerky. "What are you talking about, Winter? This is deer jerky, and it tastes perfectly fine. Yang and I have been eating it for a time now."
The look on Winter's face was a mixture of horror and disgust. How could Weiss –a princess—eat jerky? Let alone old jerky? The world seemed as if it had turned upside-down. Surely someone was playing a terrible trick on the elder princess.
"You mean to tell me you have been eating leftover food for more than a day?" she asked slowly, terrified of the answer.
Weiss nodded. "That's right. It wouldn't do to waste food. And Yang worked hard to catch this and prepare it."
Winter was too shell-shocked to pay attention to the small smile Weiss and the brute shared. What had happened to her refined little sister who only ate the finest things Remnant had to offer? No doubt the brute had tainted Weiss far more than Winter had feared.
She had to act quickly before the change became permanent.
With a hard mental shake, Winter regained her composure. "Well no matter. You should eat some stew, which is far more nutritious and suitable for you. I'm sure your companion can eat the rest of the… jerky on her own."
Weiss had taken another bite, chewing on it more deliberately than she had the others. "It's fine, Winter. Please, enjoy your meal with Captain Nikos."
Seemingly done with the conversation, Weiss turned back towards Yang and continued to munch on her dinner.
With an inaudible growl, Winter stormed over to Pyrrha, who had been quietly watching the whole exchange.
"This won't do," she ground out as she sat. "The brute has influenced her far worse than I had feared."
The redheaded captain elected to say nothing, instead favoring eating more of the stew. Winter wasn't actually looking for a reply, and thus Pyrrha decided it was better to not give her one, especially considering she felt Yang had been a rather good influence on the younger Schnee from what she had seen. She would probably be branded a traitor if she revealed that little tidbit.
The rest of the meal, fortunately, passed with little other fanfare.
After mealtime ended, the soldiers took out their bedrolls and climbed into their tents. Electing to save space, the search party had chosen to have the soldiers –minus Pyrrha—share tents. It was two people per tent, which was not unreasonable, but it was certainly more cramped than some would have liked.
Pyrrha, as the captain, was lucky to have her own tent, though it was the same size as the shared ones. Winter of course, had a much nicer and more spacious tent to herself, and had made it clear that once she was inside, no one was to bother her until dawn unless there was an emergency.
As Winter released her ivory hair from its bun, giving her head a small shake running her fingers through it, she spotted Weiss once again at the edge of camp.
She and the brute had built a fire and seemed to be rummaging through their bags. What was strange was that they had yet to pitch their tent.
She narrowed her eyes as she watched the brute roll out a few thick blankets and nothing more. She simply handed Weiss one of the sacks to use as a pillow before she pulled out her own.
Much like earlier, Winter hurried over to rectify the atrocity that was taking place before her very eyes.
"Weiss, do you not have a tent?" she asked heatedly, directing her ire at the blonde brute, who seemed just as irritated to have her barging over a second time.
The younger Schnee glanced down at her sleeping arrangements before sheepishly looking up at her sister. "No, we don't. It's nothing to worry about though. The weather looks like it will hold for the evening."
"How long have you been sleeping without a tent?!" Winter bellowed over her.
Weiss flinched. "Well, we've stayed in an inn for a few days…"
"How. Long."
"… About two months," she rushed out, preparing herself for the fury that was sure to come.
"Two… months…? You let Weiss sleep without a tent for two months?!" Winter said, whirling around to Yang.
For once, there was no snarky comeback or smug gloating. The blonde at least had the decency to look abashed. "I haven't been able to afford one yet, Your Highness. I always ensure that Weiss is somewhere dry though."
"That means nothing! I knew you were a barbarian, but I did not think you were this foolish," Winter roared. The rest of the camp could only watch in horror, glued to their places several feet away. Even Pyrrha did not dare to attempt to intervene.
Yang winced. She herself knew that Weiss deserved better, but her lack of a steady job had severely impacted her ability to provide the younger Schnee with much of what she deserved.
"Winter! That's enough," Weiss shouted, shooting up from her spot on the ground. Her hands were clenched tight and her teeth ground.
The elder Schnee was taken aback, unable to form coherent thought after her sister's outburst.
"What has gotten into you? How dare you talk to her like that?" A cold fury was swirling in Weiss's ice-blue orbs as she stared down her elder sibling.
"Yang has done her absolute best to provide for me and keep me safe. I refuse to have you insult her efforts. After all, if it weren't for her, I would be dead."
A heavy silence descended over the camp. None dared move, except for Pyrrha, who slowly rose from her seat in front of the fire and hesitantly walked over to the frozen elder princess.
Winter's brain had stopped. Weiss had nearly… She couldn't even finish the thought. Dread settled into her stomach not unlike a stone, and it took a hesitant touch to her shoulder from the redheaded captain to jumpstart her once more.
"What… do you mean?" was all she could force out.
Weiss bit her lip, the memory still fresh in her mind. It had been a terrifying experience, and not one she was eager to relive.
Yang rose and took Weiss's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
The younger Schnee took a deep breath. "Not long after I went missing, I was attacked and pursued by Beowolves. I fell down an embankment and broke almost every bone in my body."
She glanced at Yang, giving her a grateful smile before continuing. "Yang was the one who found and took care of me. Without her, I would have surely died."
"That's why I'm grateful to her. She was there for me in my most vulnerable time, and I want to repay that. I want to stay with her and keep journeying across Remnant together."
Even Winter could not say anything to refute that. Weiss would not lie to her, and she most certainly would not lie about something of that magnitude.
She swallowed, though her throat felt unbearably dry all of a sudden. "If that is so… then you have my thanks, Yang."
With a shaky nod, she bid the two goodnight and retired to her tent.
Not a second later, Pyrrha rushed forward to embrace the younger Schnee. "I'm so glad you're alright, Princess," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Weiss returned the hug, burrowing her face into the crook of the captain's neck. "Thank you, Pyrrha."
Yang simply waited a few feet away, a warm smile on her face as she witnessed the long-awaited reunion between Weiss and her favorite person from Atlas Castle.
Weiss made sure to update Pyrrha on what had happened throughout their journey and reassure the captain that she was fine. Not long after, it was decided that it was time to retire for the evening. Frankly, it was a shorter reunion than either would have liked and there was still so much to discuss, but Yang assured both of them that they would be able to talk the next day, as there was still a long way to go until they reached Pesca.
With that small comfort in mind, Pyrrha thanked Yang and embraced Weiss once more before she entered her tent.
Before Yang could lay down under her own blankets, Weiss gently tugged on her arm.
"What's up?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.
Weiss shifted in place, refusing to meet Yang's eyes. "It… it might get cold tonight, so I thought it would be best if we shared blankets…"
It took Yang a moment to click everything into place, but once she did, a wide smile made its way across her face. "You might be right," she said, playing along. "It would be smarter and warmer if we did that."
With a pleased smile and a nod from Weiss, the two adjusted their sleeping arrangements so they would be underneath the same covers, much like they had been at the inn.
Weiss knew that Winter would likely object to it when she awoke the next morning, but for now, Weiss was content to enjoy the familiar warmth and comfort of her companion.
She had touched on a difficult memory, and she was glad to have Yang with her to help her work through it.
The two climbed under the blankets and inched closer to the other. It was warm, though Weiss felt that the warmth that Yang seemed to radiate was far better than anything a blanket or fire could provide.
"Goodnight, Yang," Weiss mumbled, feeling the tendrils of sleep tugging at her consciousness.
Yang pulled Weiss close, tucking the head of ivory locks beneath her chin. "Goodnight, Weiss. Sleep well."
Tomorrow was uncertain, but that didn't matter. They would enjoy their time together for as much as it was worth, even in their dreams.
And chapter 11 is complete! To those of you that were hoping to see the fight: I'm sorry to disappoint you. I thought that I needed to cover some of the in-between, since Winter wouldn't react well to Yang getting too close to Weiss. I hope you can enjoy the dumb shenanigans in place of the fight for now. It should happen next chapter as long as nothing else jumps out at me. This ended up way more emotional at the end than I had planned, but whatever. I felt it was important to discuss. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys watching 2016 die! Until next time~!
