Hello once again, my lovelies! We're back with the next chapter of everyone's favorite Dæmon AU!
Enjoy!
Just a few months ago, Jaune never would have thought that he was destined for an even remotely exciting life. He had always figured that he would learn how to be an investor, an accountant, or some other job within his father's company, miraculously become soulmates with the gorgeous Weiss Schnee, settle down to a life of luxury, and have a few kids.
Then, he actually met Weiss, became soulmates with a witch, and ended up involved in a scheme to steal away the heir and the daughter of the most powerful man in Vale.
He wouldn't have it any other way. He loved Pyrrha with everything he had, and would do anything to keep his friends safe.
That being said, his soulbond was starting to become a bit of a strain on his mental state.
He woke up in the middle of the night when a lance of powerful anger cut through his skull. He sat in his bed fearfully, wondering what was happening to Pyrrha. He felt the anger change to a combination of pity, sadness, and several other complex emotions. Then, it became relief and satisfaction, mixed with some regret. Willow Schnee was safe.
Jaune fell back on his bed with a loud sigh, closing his eyes and trying to will his headache away. He wanted this to end. He wanted to be north with his friends and Pyrrha, where he could settle into a new version of his ideal life: learn a trade, maybe fishing or hunting, find a nice home close to the Goodwitch Clan, and have a few kids.
According to Pyrrha, any female kids they had would be witches while the males would be regular mortals. Jaune didn't care what their genders or powers would be. He'd love them either way.
Of course, he had to get through this crazy adventure if he wanted to actually reach that point.
Mental strain or not, he was standing outside the front doors with Klein that morning as they both felt their soulmates drawing closer. Jaune let out a long sigh of relief when Pyrrha's familiar form came into view.
Klein could hardly stand still as Willow landed before him, Varian curled around her neck, dark eyes brighter than they had ever been. His heart soared in his chest as surely as his soulmate had soared through the night sky. He had felt it as he slept. He had dreamed of her freedom.
Now, with morning's light, he was aware of an even greater miracle: In that moment, Willow was happy.
She had never been happy before. Any positive emotions she had ever felt had always been too tainted with fear, sadness, or alcohol to be called true happiness. Now, however, with freedom turning into an actual possibility, manifested by Pyrrha's cloud pine, Willow actually felt something resembling joy.
Better still, Klein could feel that, under all the layers of happiness, hope, confusion, and fear, she was angry.
Yes, love, Klein thought fiercely. No more bowing in fear or resignation. Be angry at those bastards. He certainly knew that he would never submit to anyone again. After all, had his previous servile attitude helped anyone in the end?
No. No, it hadn't.
Willow smiled as she felt her soulmate's strong thoughts. She hurried over, throwing her arms around him. Just a few days ago, she had given him up for dead. I won't give up on you again, she silently promised. Ever.
Klein returned the hug, squeezing tightly for one moment before hurriedly loosening his grip. Willow felt so frail, like a skeleton wrapped in gauze.
But, her eyes! Her eyes seemed to hold all the life that the asylum had drained from her body, and more!
"I flew, Klein," she breathed into his ear as Varian crawled onto his shoulder to nuzzle his neck.
"I know." Klein kissed her cheek as Sonja pressed her head against Willow's leg. "I dreamed it."
"The children will fly," Willow went on, her eyes shimmering like a flash of dawn on a still, gray lake. "Pyrrha will save them next."
"So, I understand," Klein replied. He moved back, though he continued to hold his soulmate's trembling, cold hands in his.
Joan Arc, who had been standing quietly in the entryway, allowing the soulmates to properly reunite, now stepped outside. "Miss Willow, I'm sure you're tired and hungry. Would you like me to show you your room? I can bring some breakfast up."
"Oh, yes!" Willow said, suddenly remembering just how little the bland food at the asylum had actually filled her. "Also, may I please have a glass of wine?"
Joan nodded. She had already been briefed on Willow's condition, and knew that the poor woman had a long way to go before she could stop drinking alcohol entirely. "You may have one glass with breakfast, one in the afternoon, and one before bed."
"That sounds lovely!" Willow meant it, too. She wouldn't need several bottles today, surely. She didn't have to dull herself to Jacques, not anymore!
As she was led down the hallway of the lovely, warm, welcoming house, her soulmate at her side, she was almost able to believe that everything would be okay. Of course, she wouldn't truly believe that until her children were safe.
She felt a flash of guilt for daring to feel so giddy, even for a little while, while Weiss and Whitley were still stuck with that awful man.
Klein squeezed her hand as he felt her emotions. "Easy, love. You deserve a few moments of happiness. Pyrrha will save the children either way, and I'm sure they want to see their mother smiling when they get here, rather than wallowing in guilt."
Willow nodded. "You're right." She looked at the floor as she walked. "Klein, do you think…I can be a good mother to them, after all this time?"
"Only time will tell," Klein replied honestly. He wanted to say "Absolutely," but he also knew the reality: Willow had become a ghost to her children even more so than she ever was to him. It would take a lot of time to heal those old wounds and foster an actual relationship between the Schnees. Still, Klein was hopeful. Once they were north, they would have all the time in the world.
Jaune, meanwhile, hurried to kiss Pyrrha. "Welcome back."
Pyrrha returned his kiss gladly, though she frowned as she focused on his pained mind. "I'm sorry. Last night was…more horrible than I had expected it to be." She gave a quick, whispered account of the asylum.
Jaune wanted to vomit as Pyrrha told him about the poor women who had been kept there, women who all chose death over another day of existing at that awful place. "I'm glad you burned it." He hugged her close, resting his head on her shoulder. "I'm trying to be strong. I just…I want all this to be over."
"I know," Pyrrha soothed, gently petting his hair. "It will be. In the meantime, would you rather I hold back on my feelings? I can do that, so that fewer emotions travel along our bond."
Jaune shook his head. "No. It's hard, but I want to be with you through all of this. I want to help you through the hard times, not hide from them. I can handle it."
"As long as you're sure." Pyrrha kissed his forehead. "I need to go check with the Gyptians. Our best bet is to have them dock in a discreet area further upriver. Once I know where and when they'll be there, we can plan how to save Weiss and Whitley."
"Okay." Jaune stepped back reluctantly, though Eliana quickly jumped onto Pyrrha's shoulder to receive a few pets. He smiled as he felt the now-familiar sensation of his soulmate caressing his dæmon. "Be careful. Don't set any more fires."
Pyrrha smirked. "Only if I have to." She kissed Eliana, handed her back to Jaune, and was in the air on her cloud pine in an instant.
Jaune watched her go. He was starting to get all too used to that initial tug when his soulmate left his side. He held Eliana to his chest, where she nuzzled his collarbone in a wordless gesture of comfort. He jumped when he heard footsteps approaching, and turned to see Ruby, Yang, and Taiyang walking down the path.
Ruby ran over, giving him a sympathetic smile. "Hey, Jaune. Looks like we just missed Pyrrha."
"Yeah." Jaune gladly accepted a hug while Eliana hopped down to play with Baynar. "How are things in town?"
"Word just reached the guards about the asylum," Taiyang said. "There's a lot more activity, especially around Schnee Manor. Everyone thinks it was an attack on the Schnees. They think Willow's dead."
Yang shook her head desperately. "I need to try another dream thing with Weiss. She's really sad right now. I don't think she knows her mom's okay."
"Let's go inside," Jaune said. "There's one more guest room that you and Ruby can use."
"I need to hurry and see Qrow," Taiyang said. "I'd rather he not get too close to town while the guards are investigating everyone. Can I leave Ruby and Yang here?"
"Sure," Jaune said. "But, won't it be suspicious if your house isn't occupied?"
"Blake, Sun, and Ilia are taking care of that," Taiyang said. "Along with the rest of the packing. Since they're over so much, no one will think it strange seeing them."
"Good plan." Jaune turned back to Yang and Ruby. "Willow Schnee is here. She's kinda frail, so try to be quiet around her, okay?"
Yang straightened a little. "Could I meet her after I talk to Weiss?" While she felt nothing but loathing for Jacques Schnee, she was very interested in meeting her soulmate's mother.
"Later. Mom just took her to her room to get some sleep. Good luck, sir," Jaune said to Taiyang.
"I'll try to send word soon," Taiyang promised. He hugged Ruby and Yang once more while his doe dæmon nuzzled Baynar and Yong Shi. "Be careful, okay?"
"We will," Ruby promised.
"You know us!" Yang added with a grin.
"I do. That's why I'm worried," Taiyang said dryly as he stepped back. "Take care." He wiped his eyes as he turned away and hurried down the path. He hated to leave his daughters alone. He hated that things had become so complicated and dangerous.
Thora nudged his arm with her nose. "They will be safe. Pyrrha can protect them."
"There's only so much one witch can do," Taiyang muttered, though he kept his voice quiet, so it wouldn't carry back to the girls.
Jaune, meanwhile, led Ruby and Yang into the house.
"Ruby and Yang!" Jenny hurried down the hallway to hug her brother's friends, giggling as Yang picked her up. Her dæmon took the form of an excited, yapping puppy as he rolled around with Baynar and was gently batted by Yong Shi's paw.
"Hey, kiddo," Yang laughed. "You keeping an eye on your brother for us?"
"Yeah!" Jenny said, smiling proudly. "All the time." Her expression sobered. "I won't be able to soon…"
Jaune walked over, touching a kiss to his sister's forehead. "Hey. I told you: You'll get to visit me up north once your older, and we can write letters to each other until then." When Jenny still didn't smile, Jaune added: "I can also send you really nice presents from up there."
This did cause Jenny's face to light up. "Could you send me a walrus tusk?"
Jaune laughed. "That might be a little hard to wrap, but I'll try."
"Yessssss!" Jenny pumped her fist.
At that moment, Mary arrived. Her dæmon, a bright-eyed corn snake, was coiled around her neck. "Mrs. Schnee is in bed," she said. "Everyone should remain quiet in the meantime."
Taking the hint, Jaune led Ruby and Jenny back outside. Yang, on the other hand, asked to be taken to the guest room. She had to contact Weiss.
Once in the clean, cozy guest room, Yang plopped down on the bed and tried to force herself to fall asleep. It was a task easier said than done, of course, especially considering her racing heart and excess adrenaline from all that was happening.
Eventually, Yong Shi managed to lull her into a doze by lying on the bed with her and purring into her chest.
Unfortunately, Yang was unable to find Weiss in the dreamlands. Of course, she thought bitterly as she woke up about an hour later. Weiss isn't asleep right now.
She just tried focusing on sending comforting feelings and thoughts of Willow. Hopefully, Weiss would realize what her soulmate was trying to convey.
…..
Whitley didn't get much of a chance to talk to Weiss alone, especially now that he was playing the "good boy" act for their father. Still, he knew that he needed to find a way today. He needed to tell her that their mother wasn't dead.
Hermes had come to his window that morning. The first thing the hawk said was "Your mother is fine, regardless of what you hear," then proceeded to give an account of the previous night. Whitley had felt a special kind of satisfaction when he learned that the asylum was nothing more than a pile of ashes, and that his mother herself had pressed the torch to it.
The best way to talk discreetly to Weiss was to have their dæmons quietly converse during a meal, but the gray wolf had taken to keeping a close eye on both Anmut and Demetria whenever they were together. She was in a particularly bad mood today, for obvious reasons.
"Terrorists," Jacques was muttering at breakfast. "Must be terrorists, or maybe hires from a competing mining company."
There were already several theories concerning who had burned the asylum. Whitley had overheard that the guards were shaking down everyone in the Faunus District. He hoped his sister's friends were okay.
Whitley knew he was expected to have some input. "It's more likely a terrorist," he muttered. His eyes were red rimmed. He had rubbed them nearly raw in an effort to look as sad as he was expected to feel. Weiss's eyes were the same, but the tears she had shed were likely real.
Jacques's face was conspicuously composed, his eyes totally dry.
"A competing mining company would want to attack you more directly," Whitley elaborated when his father shot him a questioning look.
"This is a direct attack!" Jacques snapped, his eyes flashing like fireworks.
For a split second, Whitley wondered if his father was showing a moment of actual empathy, a sliver of love for the wife he thought he had lost last night.
"By killing her, they hinder my ability to have more heirs," Jacques continued.
Whitley just barely kept his lip from curling with disgust. Weiss didn't quite stifle a repulsed gasp.
Jacques glared at his daughter. "Do you have a comment?"
Weiss shook her head mutely, staring at the ground. She had sobbed into her pillow for a solid hour after hearing the news. She just couldn't believe it. Her mother was dead, and it was all Weiss's fault that she had been in that asylum in the first place!
Now, however, she was feeling unsure. She kept receiving thoughts of pointed comfort from Yang, as well as thoughts about Willow. Was Yang trying to comfort Weiss because she knew about the fire, or because she knew something Weiss didn't know?
Pyrrha was supposed to save Mother. Did she set fire to the asylum afterward? Seems a bit excessive. If that is the case, I'll have to yell at her for scaring me like this. Weiss hoped that was the case. She desperately, desperately hoped that her mother was okay.
Just as they were leaving breakfast, Whitley reached out to Weiss, grabbing her wrist and squeezing it. "Don't lose hope," he muttered, parroting Hermes's words from earlier.
Weiss looked up at her brother and caught the slightest hint of a smile before he walked away. She barely kept from smiling herself.
Whitley wouldn't be smiling if he thought Mother was dead, she thought, taking a deep breath. This means she's alive, which means I have to be ready for what will happen next. Yang will probably contact me tonight.
She looked down at Anmut, who bobbed his head once at her. So many things were uncertain, but they did know one thing: One way or another, this would all be over soon.
It's true. It will be over soon. One more month of chapters, and once this story and the commissions are finished, I'll be going on hiatus. When I come back, my only RWBY fanfic will be "Wings of Dust." After that's completed, I'm going to be distancing myself from Fanfiction. You'll still see me around, but I'll only be posting for fun, not for a P/atreon. That will be totally devoted to my original works. You also won't see many RWBY fics from me after "Wings," if any. I'm still debating whether or not I want to watch Volume 6.
As "Wings of Dust" updates, I'll keep you guys updated on my original stuff, and when I start posting draft chapters on my P/atreon, which will also be revamped during my hiatus. Stay tuned!
Peace out!