(Hey guys, quick thing. I decided that I didn't like the ending, so I figured I would just change it. So I'm updating this chapter.)
Hello everyone, this is J. Van A with the newest chapter of The Princess and the Rose. So, we get some interesting backstory in this chapter.
I don't have much else to talk about here. I'm kind of tired, but not sleep deprived tired, so that didn't affect my writing. I'm also kind of tired because I bought this old game Dragon's Dogma, and have been playing it a bit.
Onto reviews
GrnDrgnzrd: Ozpin will periodically make an appearance to check up on the group. Pyrrha is going to come into the group at some time in the near future, probably. I need to figure that out. Sick Van is probably going to be useful for that, but since I don't get sick that often, Sick Van won't show up that often.
Star-The-Writer: I'm trying to make the ships set sail faster. I'm actually talking with Knowledgeseeker66 about the romance and has given me plenty of ideas for future chapters.
Rapter267: I wanted to make Ozpin incredibly serious, but then I figured I might as well take his playful side from the show and expand on that.
Guest: I just wanted to do something random like with JNR getting that magical honey. Maybe in one of my chapters I'll actually write about one of their escapades.
Enjoy
As Blake made her way back to the inn, she stopped immediately as she looked down an alleyway to see a woman wearing black and the familiar half mask of the White Fang staring at her. The woman smirked at Blake for a second before jerking her head upwards slightly beckoning for Blake to follow. She then turned around and jumped upward landing on the side of a building before jumping off again landing on a nearby building's roof. Blake tied both ends of her bag together as a makeshift sling over her shoulder before following the woman.
"What are you doing here?" Blake asked the White Fang member as she reached to her katana grasping the handle tightly. "Has the White Fang finally decided to hunt me down for leaving after the assassination of the queen?"
"No," she answered Blake surprising her. "After your… departure, Adam has been… harsh."
"That's not surprising, considering how he is," Blake told her as she took her hand off of her katana to get into a more relaxed pose. "So then, why are you here?"
"Other members have concluded that Adam's recent behavior was related to you leaving. So we have spoken with some of the higher ups, and they have agreed to offer you a position back in the White Fang, without consequences," she said surprising Blake. "Please consider our offer, if you decline, then we will be forced to hunt you down." She backed up to the edge of the building as she grabbed the edge of her mask. She then started to take off her mask while falling backwards off the building. Blake ran over to the edge of the building and looked down to see where the White Fang member went only to see a crowd of people moving down the street.
"Weiss, what are you doing?" Ruby asked as she watched the princess walk into her room carrying a tray with food, nearly stumbling as she entered the room.
"You need to eat something," Weiss told her as she set down the food next to Ruby on the bed. "I can only assume you've been asleep as long as I have, so I think you haven't had anything to eat in days."
"I'm fine," she replied only to have her stomach betray her and growl. She then looked over to the side hiding her embarrassment while she reached over to the plate and pulled off one of the the bread buns and ate off some pieces. After a little while of her eating Ruby started to giggle.
"What?" Weiss asked her.
"Oh nothing," Ruby said as she looked up to Weiss with a smile on her face. "I just think it's kind of funny that the princess of Atlas is my own personal caretaker."
"Hey, don't say that so loud, Yang might hear that and she'll forcibly take that job," Weiss said poking Ruby's forehead. "Also, keep the whole 'me being a princess' thing a secret from the others."
"Why would you want that?" Ruby asked her as she grabbed the plate and began eating the cooked venison causing her speaking to become muffled. "If everyone knew, then we wouldn't need to keep this a secret, then we could work around anyone who might attack, like the White Fang."
Weiss sat and thought for a while as Ruby sat there chewing on the venison. She was about to answer Ruby, but then from the tavern downstairs she heard the sounds of the group of men in Nora's arm wrestling contest collectively groan as one of them lost. "It probably won't be a good idea to tell the others while we're in town. Some members of our group may not be able to keep this quiet," she said as she heard a man from the tavern deliver a battle cry then immediately lose the arm wrestling contest causing the others to groan. "Anyway, you need to get better, I can't have my adventuring partner be in less than stellar condition."
"As you command… your highness," Ruby said giving Weiss a snarky grin and a little bow.
"Oh great, I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" Weiss asked herself in annoyance. She then smirked as she quickly reached over and stole Ruby's second bread bun. Ruby then looked at Weiss who took a bite off the bun. "Should I consider this a royal tax?"
"Fine, I won't do that anymore," Ruby said grabbing her plate and holding it closer to herself, but ever so slightly more away from Weiss. She gave her a devious smirk then a quick bow. "Your highness." She then let out a small yelp as Weiss reached over to snatch something from her plate only to have Ruby pull it away from her. That then caused Weiss to try to reach further only to have her trip and fall onto the bed over Ruby's legs.
There were very loud footsteps as Yang bolted from the other room and threw open the door. "Ruby, what happen-!?" Yang asked as she ran into the room only to stop as she saw Weiss strewn over Ruby's bed while Ruby herself was holding her plate of food above her head with both hands looking at Weiss. The two girls then slowly turned their heads to look at Yang. "Ok, alright, I'm just going to go," Yang told them as she backed out of the room slowly closing the door behind her.
Ruby and Weiss then turned to look at each other for a second before they each burst out laughing causing Ruby to lower her plate. Weiss took her chance and sneakily stole a chunk of venison and began rolling off of the bed. Ruby then saw that Weiss stole the venison. She lunged forward bending her knees so she could lunge further towards the princess only to have her slip and fall forward landing on top of Weiss, but she managed to stop her roll.
"Ok, that had to be somethi-" Yang said as she burst into the room to see the scene of Ruby now strewn over Weiss. The girls looked back up at Yang in an uncomfortable silence, but while the silence hung over the room Weiss slowly raised the piece of venison to her mouth and ate it. "Ok then, I'm going to go now," Yang said as she left the room closing the door behind her.
"So let me get this straight," Qrow said sitting across the now bruised and bloodied mage. "The slavers you used to work for, worked for a man named Roman Torchwick. When you procured a person with distinctive features, you would alert him and he would come here and look at them."
"Y-yes," the mage said then spat out some blood. "I was only hired on after a person broke free and killed the other guards before Roman killed her himself. Other than that, I don't know anything. We were hired muscle, we didn't need to know anything else. Now let me go."
"You know, I only ever said that you may live till morning," Qrow said as he quickly thrust his sword into the mage's abdomen. "You, unfortunately, decided to work for slavers. As a knight, I just can't let you go." Pulling the sword out, Qrow flicked it to the side throwing all of the blood off before sheathing it on his belt. He then watched as the mage slowly lowered his head before not moving anymore. "Now then, I should probably go check up on Ruby."
"Nora, you didn't need to break that last guy's arm," Ren said as they both walked down the street away from the inn.
"But Ren, I wanted to see how strong I am," Nora said flexing her arm. "Also that guy was asking for it."
"Nora, your strength probably has been affected by the magical hammer," Ren said to her as he inspected the still glowing hammer strapped to her back. "And if I were to guess, I'd say when the runes on this hammer are glowing, your strength also increases. In the story you explained to everyone, you hit a shield with your hammer causing everything in the impact to be blown backwards tearing through the man's shield and arm, then eventually the rest of his body."
"It was awesome, Blake and I fought those guards and easily won," Nora exclaimed raising a fist in the air. "Though, Blake did get hit a couple of times, including having some arrows stabbed into her shoulders." She lowered her fist and then looked up at Ren. "So, where do you think Jaune went? He was gone for several days, but then when he showed up today he was dead tired and covered in dirt."
"I'm going to assume it had something to do with the ship we left him on," Ren told her as they walked past a group of mercenaries who looked at Nora's hammer pretty hard. "Well, that may be a problem," Ren muttered to himself.
"Maybe he became a pirate!" Nora exclaimed, Ren could see the sparkles in her eyes as she said that. "Maybe after he freed the slaves, he took over the ship and let them join his crew."
"Nora, that's a little farfetched," Ren said as he and Nora turned down an alleyway. Shortly after, the group of mercenaries followed them into the alley. Ren moved his hand to stop Nora causing her to be confused. "It does seem like a nice hammer, doesn't it?" he asked the mercenaries confusing Nora.
"Ren, what are you talking about?" Nora asked him as she looked around and saw the mercenaries. "Oh."
"I can see why they would be interested in the hammer. That's not a natural glow, it is an enchanted hammer. Nora, will you please place the hammer on the ground?" Ren asked her causing Nora to smirk, she simply reached behind her back and pulled off the hammer before placing it down in the middle of the street. "I would appreciate it if we don't have to fight. So how about this, if you can pick up the hammer, it's yours."
"Fine then," one of the mercenaries smirked as he walked over to the hammer. It didn't matter what he said, once he grabbed the hammer, the group was still going to go after them. He approached the hammer and placed a hand on the shaft. Then he gripped it and tried to move the hammer. As soon as a little pressure was placed on it, a thunder clap was heard. Suddenly a lightning bolt originating from the hammer shot out hitting the mercenary before going up into the sky.
The other mercenaries, as well as Ren and Nora, were shocked by what happened. Ren thought the mercenaries would get frustrated with the hammer then leave, not that as soon as they tried to move it they'd be electrocuted. With the hammer being how it is, many people have tried to move it and this didn't happen, even when Yang tried to move it for several hours causing her to get a muscle cramp. Ren then noticed as the lightning faded, so did the glowing runes.
"So that's it," Ren muttered to himself as he placed his hand under his chin. As the body of the first mercenary fell to the ground the rest of the mercenaries ran off in terror of the magic hammer. "Well, I think it's safe to touch the hammer now."
"Are you sure?" Nora asked him stretching her hand out to grab the hammer.
"Nora, the hammer seems to have lost power after that, which is why the runes aren't glowing. Also, I don't think that the hammer would hit you with a lightning bolt, after all, the runes have been glowing for days when you've had it, and it hasn't done anything to you," Ren told her causing Nora to see the reasoning behind what he was saying. She then grabbed the hammer's shaft before picking it up and holding it above her head. "See?"
Ruby sat there on the bed as she finished her food, giving Weiss a glare every once in awhile. Weiss was simply seated on her chair next to the bed smiling. Ruby then placed her plate on a nightstand still slightly glaring at Weiss. Suddenly the doors opened causing both girls to look at the door only to see Qrow walk into the room.
"Hey kid, I see you're awake, how you feeling?" Qrow asked Ruby as he leaned against the wall.
"I'm a lot better," Ruby told him then looked at Weiss. "She's been kind of my official caretaker."
"Don't say that too loud or Yang might hear you," Qrow said as he pulled a flask from his belt and drank some of its contents. At that remark Weiss looked at Ruby and raised an eyebrow with a little smirk as if to say, 'told you so.' "Anyway, it's good to see you're recovering. The guy I was questioning didn't really give me any information I was searching for, so I'm sorry I haven't been here to watch over you."
"It's fine," Ruby told him as she thought for a second. "Uncle Qrow, can I ask you something?"
"Sure kid," he said sitting down on the open chair next to the bed across from Weiss.
"When we were kidnapped, Weiss tried to bargain for my freedom by revealing she was a princess and that guy, Torchwick," Ruby said flinching slightly as she said his name, "he laughed at her saying that I was more valuable to sell then her. Do you have any idea what he meant?"
"Well," he said coughing a little bit, "the thing with the slave trade is that some buyers prefer people with certain traits, and will be willing to pay more for them than other-"
"You're lying," Weiss interrupted him. "You know more than you're telling us. He told me that a couple years ago he would've taken my offer, but instead of taking me to my father he was prepared to kill me and leave my body behind with the White Fang to deliver Ruby."
"Well-" he stuttered.
"Who is Cinder?" Ruby asked him causing the knight to drop his flask before hanging his head down and chuckling for a second.
"I guess there's no more point in hiding it anymore. If she's involved, it's probably better if you know," Qrow said picking up his flask before attaching it to his belt. He sighed then looked Ruby in the eyes. "What he said was not wrong. Sure princess here is worth a considerable amount coin wise, you are worth so much power wise. Silver eyes are not a common trait, as I'm sure you've already found out. During all of my travels, I've only ever met one other person with silver eyes, and that was your mother."
He rested his elbows on his knees leaning slightly closer to Ruby. "My old team was travelling Mistral under orders at that time, when we were attacked by demons. As it turned out, those demons were summoned by an old witch that was after your mother. The demons captured her and brought her to the witch's hut. Tai, Raven and I rescued her killing that old bat and when we searched the hut, we discovered an ancient grimoire from the times before the kingdoms. In that grimoire it told of a legend of the silver eyes and the great power they held. According to the grimoire, if a powerful witch were to consume silver eyes, their magic would become so powerful, not even an army could take them down."
At that point, Weiss visualized someone eating an eye which caused her to dry heave for a second. "So, my eyes have magic? I thought I couldn't do magic," Ruby said as she looked back at Weiss who was now composing herself.
"You can't, your eyes have power that can't be used by you, at least as far as I know. If a non-powerful witch were to try to consume an eye, they would die painfully as their magic ripped them apart from the inside, but like I've said, this is ancient magic. The grimoire could be wrong, but we reasoned that may be why there are so little silver eyed people around. When we brought this grimoire to the court wizard of Vale, she took it immediately to lock in a vault somewhere saying that it was dangerous. When we searched for any more information on this we couldn't find it, the court wizard explained that this kind of magic had been lost over time, so that was why we had never heard of this. If a powerful witch has found information on the legend of the silver eyes, then anyone with silver eyes is not safe." He leaned back into his chair. "You are not safe, neither of you."
"Both of us?" Weiss asked him.
"Yes, both of you," he said looking at them. "You said that Torchwick was going to drop your body off with the White Fang to deliver Ruby to her. Torchwick escaped, and I don't think he would be one to keep his mouth shut about things, especially when he might think there is a reward involved. It's already been a little less than a week, so he's had ample time to inform the White Fang and her that both a silver eyed one is travelling with the princess of Atlas. You both are probably going to be hunted. It would be in your best interest to get out of this town as soon as you can, but you should be fine here until you've all recovered."
"So, my eyes," Ruby said, her voice barely audible looking down at her bed. "My eyes are going to be hunted for. I'm going to put everyone in danger, just by being around them."
"I'm sorry kid," Qrow said moving from his chair to sit on the side of her bed and wrap an arm around her shoulders. "Summer never wanted you to know this about yourself. She just wanted you to live a normal life, but if you are going to be in danger because of it, you needed to know."
"Uncle Qrow, what am I going to do?" Ruby asked him.
"First, you need to get better. Then you need to move forward," Qrow told her standing up. "Just keep moving forward, that's all you need to do, but don't forget to rely on those you travel with. After all, you two are going to be travelling together for a long time." He made his way to the door. "I am sorry, but I won't be able to accompany you kids anymore. I came to this town in order to chase a lead that either isn't here or left as soon as they heard I was searching. I have an important contact back in Vale who may have new information, also he would probably need to know about Roman and Cinder." He looked at the two. "Weiss, I promise I will find the person who is responsible for the death of your mother, but I need you to promise me that you'll keep Ruby safe."
"Thank you Qrow, and I promise, I will protect Ruby," Weiss said standing up placing her fist on her chest similar to when someone takes an oath.
"Thank you, princess," Qrow said giving her a bow as he started to leave the room.
"Wait," Ruby said stumbling a little bit as she got out her bed, "aren't you going to tell me to watch over Weiss or something?"
"Ruby," Qrow said with a little smirk as he exited the room to the hallway, "you and I both know that you won't need to make a promise to keep your friend safe." At that, he left the room leaving the two girls alone in the room.
(After I finished writing the first time, I hated how I ended the chapter, so before I get back to writing the next chapter, I wanted to fix this ending.)
Anyway, I decided to more with the silver eyes instead of just having them freeze grimm and be related to ancient warriors like the show did. I think my legend of the silver eyes works. I've talked about it with Knowledgeseeker66 and they agree with me on that. The silver eyes can increase the power of the witch that consumes it, but can only be properly consumed by powerful witches otherwise they die. It makes sense for why there would be little silver eyed people because they were hunted down for their eyes, and now with Cinder, a powerful mage, knowing that Ruby is a silver eyed person, puts Ruby in a lot of danger. It also goes along with how Ruby is more valuable than Weiss because what good is that coin if you're going to burn.
So I'm kind of considering doing two or three more major arcs. Like, introduce Pyrrha, fight the White Fang, then fight Adam. There will be more stuff after that, but those would be the major arcs before like a time skip or the beginning of their next adventure. I kind of am already planning for the ending.
I am torn between doing a thing with an army of grimm or demons. Maybe I'll set up a poll on my profile page.
I hope you guys enjoyed the scene with Ruby and Weiss in the bedroom with the food. I wanted to do something like that as just some fluff.
What will Blake do?
I am very tired.
Have a nice day,
-J. Van A