A Day Away
"It's busier than usual out here." Ren sighs as he apologizes for bumping into yet another person who ignores him. "Ah…sorry."
"It is quite busy today." Pyrrha mentions as she picks up an apple from the vendor to her right. Holding the apple up in the air and slowly spins it carefully examining it, than handing the vendor a silver coin.
"Ren no need to be so polite half the people here don't even notice they are bumping into one another." Nora laughs as she jumps and hugs the man from behind, latching onto him.
Yang leans against a post on the stall of the fruit vendors, mindlessly staring out into the crowd of people. The three of the four go stall to stall examining the different vendor's offerings. But Yang can't seem to get that woman's face out of her mind. "Who is she…?" Yang mumbled to herself. Pyrrha takes a bite out of her apple, and motions for the trio to accompany her further into the market. Nora drops her hammer beside a stall and turns towards the trio.
"Hey Yang what do you think of this?" Nora holds up one of the biggest sword she has found from a local smith's apprentice stall. The excited woman bounces around the stall frightening the owner who shouts at Nora to put the sword down. "This is much lighter than my hammer!" She exclaims swinging the massive weapon about.
"That looks more like a child's toy than a weapon." Yang chuckles as the young smith glares at the brawler mouth gaping open.
"What do you know of iron and bronze?!" The smith shouts as he stomps towards Yang. "You think these are toys?! I am apprentice to one of the finest smiths in all of BEACON!" Clearly upset at Yang's comment.
Nora slowly inches close the brawler who just flips her hair at the man. Yang smirks at Nora and motions for Nora to hand the sword to her. "You believe this sword is a weapon crafted well enough to defeat a Grimm?" Yang holds the sword up to the sun.
The young man chuckles completely ignoring what Yang has said and boosts "If you must know the master I train under is none other than the Legendary Tai Xiao Long." The comment from the clearer oblivious smith cause both Nora and Yang to break out laughing so loud the market seems to stop for a moment.
"You have no idea who you are talking to do you?" Ren sighs as Pyrrha giggles.
"Come on~ you two how could he know." Pyrrha chuckles as she attempts to calm the roaring pair. The moment of silence now past and the usual market chitter-chatter resumes.
"How much for those eggs…" "Four copper! These are barely worthy one coin." The group catches bits and pieces from the hundreds of people shouting and yelling in the market this afternoon.
"WHY DO YOU LAUGH?! Master Xiao Long is the most revered smith and warrior!" The young man shouts at the group. He nervously fidgets as he watches the massive weapon sink into the ground. Yang drops it as her laughter becomes so uncontrollable she seems to not be breathing.
"WAHAHAHAHAHAHA…" Yang holds her left hand out and holds her stomach with her right hand as she tries to contain her laughter to no avail. "…you…training…with father is just….oh that is a good joke."
"There was no way for you to know…" Ren apologizes to the clearly confused man. Pyrrha goes to calm Nora down.
"What are you talking about…." The young smith asks the three and quickly turns to the blonde brawler puzzled as he caught the last bit of what she had said. "…and what do you mean father?"
"Hooooo. I haven't laughed that hard in a while." Yang slaps the confused man's back causing him to cough. "The Grand ...The Legendary ...The ever elusive Tai Xiao Long you speak of is my father." The blonde wiggles her arms and eyebrows to accentuate the many titles her father has been giving over the years.
The young smith's shoulders drop and his head hangs low as he whispers. "oh…so you know that I am not actually his apprentice…"
"YUP." Yang pops the "p" and picks up the sword once more. "This isn't a bad weapon though but sadly it isn't very strong." After holding it up again Yang takes the hilt in one hand and the tip in the other. She grunts as she bends the massive sword into an L shape with not much effort.
"My...sword...what-how that…" The man still in shock from what he has witnessed.
"No need to show off you know! I could of done that too!" Nora shouts taking the sword and bending it back to its original shape but now where the metal bend a large crease has appeared.
The young smith falls backwards from the display from both women. Pyrrha catches him and places him back into his stall. "Well~ that was umm ...sorry~"
"How about we continue to the other vendors…" Ren suggests noticing the small crowd that has gathered around them.
The three women nod in agreement and continue towards the city's square. The four share idle chatter as they peruse the shops and vendors along the way. The cobblestone roads paved meticulously so that each stone is placed such that there is no exposed dirt. Only thing dirtying the stones are the dirt clung to horse hooves and the bottoms of the thousands of people within the city walls.
"Hope Ruby and the Princess' talk is going well…" Ren says out of the blue.
"Yeah me too…it really…Ruby ….she…" Yang tries to finish her thoughts but her motherly instincts make it difficult for her to focus.
Nora tilts her head watching Yang struggle to make a coherent thought. "If that girl hadn't gone onto the roof tops we would have captured her."
"That's most likely why she went up there…" Ren smiles to reassure his companion.
Pyrrha looks up recalling the events, the road they are traveling on the one where she lost the intruder. "Whoever it was, they had a plan and help. It wasn't just some random assassination attempt. Someone organized and choreographed the whole thing."
Yang shuts her eyes and rubs her forehead down the bridge of her nose. She wasn't alone, who was that other woman…was she just buying time…ooh Rubes. When lilac eyes open something catches their attention. A purple sash with golden lace flutters into an alleyway.
As Nora, Pyrrha and Ren continue to discuss the events of that evening.
Something…what is it about that…Yang holds her hand out as if she wants to grab the sash even though the sash is well out of sight. The blonde brawler slowly takes steps to where she last saw the mysterious item. A flash of that night the mysterious woman had that same sash! Her steps frantically turn to a sprint as she darts between the many people in the crowded street towards the alleyway. Yang slides to a halt before the alley entrance, holding her hand over her chest in an attempt to calm her breath. "Huh huh…was that..." Did I think that was… The blond runs her left hand through her hair as she chuckles to herself "as if that could have been her…"
"LOOK THERE!" Someone yells from behind the trio. "Is that the PRINCESS?!" Another yelps excitedly as crowds gather around the square. "TIS her Princess Weiss!?"
"The Princess? Out in this crowd…" Pyrrha thinks out loud.
"If the Princess is here, Ruby must be as well." Ren tilts his head as he scratches his chin.
"RUBY IS HERE!" Nora shouts "WHERE IS SHE!?" excitedly the orange-haired woman bounces using Pyrrha and Ren's shoulders to look over the crowd. Yang sneaks behind the three without any incident, no one noticed her presence missing.
"I don't see her…" Yang mentions as she holds her hand over her eyes and squints into the crowd. "…but there is no doubt in my mind that if Princess Weiss is really over there than Ruby isn't far either."
Oh this was a BAD idea…there's far too many people. Everyone's gathering around and I can't seem to keep my eyes on Weiss or get close to her….I need help…
Ruby desperately pushes people out of her way only to get shoved out of the circle that surrounds Weiss.
Weiss fake smiles and greets the dozen of townspeople that have come to see her.
"Princess! Princess please do you have any coin to spare…Princess when will you ...Princess…Princess …" all the chatter begins to bleed together soon all Weiss can here is Princess.
Maybe I shouldn't have lied…it really is busy and …. WHERE IS RUBY?! Weiss' eyes grow large as looks for her Captain in the crowd but she is nowhere to be seen. Weiss calmly attempts to leave the circle of townspeople all clamoring to get her attention. Some grabbing onto her, now more people latch onto the Princess. Soon she notices more and more people are grabbing on to her.
Weiss' heart begins to race. What if they try to… No they won't dare…Right?
"Princess!" Ruby yells until her voice goes almost horace but with all the commotion there was no way in all of Staub, that the Princess could hear Ruby's tiny cries over the mass of people before her. After that last desperate attempt to get Princess' attention, Ruby exhales as she shakes her head. Looks like it's time to use a little bit of creativity and if I could find the others…
"Hey Rubes." A hand ruffs Ruby's hair causing the down trot woman to gasp.
"YANG!? How did you? When did you?" Ruby stutters as the rest of her team slowly peak around her sister "Ren, Nora Pyrrha! Thank goodness you're all here." The worry and doubt Ruby was just feeling instantly turns into relief and reassurance.
"Where's the Princess?" Pyrrha asks as she takes a step beside Yang. The question causes Ruby to sink into herself.
"She…I…." Ruby fidgets with her leather gloves and tugs her cloak up around her neck.
Her team recognizes that Ruby seems out of her depth. Yang and Pyrrha exhale slowly as Nora with Ren stretch out their muscles.
"Is she in there? And you were having a difficult time staying beside her?" Pyrrha points towards the mass of people before them.
"Mhm." Ruby simply nods and ducks her head into the hood of her cloak, her eyes anxious biting on her inner cheek.
"Well let's get in there than!" Yang huffs as she grabs a pair of shoulders and 'gently' moves them to the side. "Look out! Royal Guardsmen coming through!"
Pyrrha trails behind the brawler, apologizing as the pair begins to clear a path directly to the Princess. Nora and Ren take care of those who are not satisfied with the apology that Pyrrha gave them. Ruby pulls up the rear nervously smiling at the disgruntled villages.
"Sorry~ Excuse us." Pyrrha chimes as Yang bumps shoulders with dozens of by-standers easily clearing a path to Weiss.
"HEY WATCH WHERE YE…" Shaking his fist at Pyrrha and Yang as they continue on their forward march, one man yells from the ground. Suddenly the man is lifted clear off the ground and plopped back on his feet.
"Apologies good sir…" Ren deadpan as Nora giggles at the man's surprise. Ruby quickly glides past the man as she rushes to keep up with her sister.
In the center of all the commotion Princess Weiss, struggles to keep her composure as more and more hands are held out towards her. Each wanting, demanding, and needing something that she doesn't have… Their fingers dirty her gown and coat as grime and dust smudge into the fabric, the odor though Weiss has been out before with all the people in such close proximity makes her more uncomfortable by the second.
"Good People of Staub. I appreciate your show of support for your nation but I will request you all to go about your business as if I was not here." Weiss announces trying to get the crowd to disburse. She leans close to the crowd and loudly whispers "tis my day off from my studies and I would love to venture around town if possible."
After that Wiess attempt to calm crowd begins to buzz like a beehive dropped on the ground, Weiss fanatically glances about to see if maybe her beloved Captain is anywhere to be seen. The mass begins to shift, on the far side of the crowd a new commotion takes some of the attention off the Princess. As Weiss scans towards where the crowd seems distracted she see a path clearing at a hasty rate right towards her.
A tuft of blonde hair is spearheading the clearing. "Is that who I think it is?" Weiss whispers to herself.
"OIIIIII Princess, are you ok over there?" Yang shouts as she hops up to see how close she is to Weiss.
Oh dear goddess. IT IS HER! Well better than no one I suppose. "Yes I am uhh...fine?" Weiss starts to respond but gets tugged so hard on the shoulder that she spins away from Yang.
The frenzied crowd continues to clamor to get the Princess' attention, while Weiss tries to calm the townspeople closest to her down.
"If you would excuse me…" She starts to say as out of nowhere a hand suddenly makes contact with her pale cheek causing it to turn pink. Weiss quickly places her cold hand on the pink spot and she can feel her skin returning to it's usual pale complexion. That act seems to transform the crowd from excited to hysterical. Fights break out near Weiss as three men grab a single young man throwing him to the ground and beating him senseless.
At the sight of this Weiss takes a risk and jumps into the sea of people hoping she is headed her boorish brute. "YANG! YANG!" One voice causes Weiss to stop in her tracks and turn. "Ruby?"
Someone stops just out of view and turns. Rose petals dance around them, before Weiss' eyes can focus on the person's features they are racing towards her.
"PRINCESS!" Ruby jumps at the last moment and launches onto Weiss as she laughs spinning the pair. Weiss no prepared for this spins once before her legs give out and the pair end up in the dirt. "Thank the gods and goddesses! You're alright!" Ruby shouts with glee.
"Ruby….wh…" Before Weiss can even finish the word Ruby seems to appear right beside her, crushing Weiss tight in a hug.
"I'm so glad that you are alright…I was so worried about you, Princess." Ruby mumbles as she releases Weiss from the tight embrace.
"Rubes? Where'd you go? RUBES!" Yang shouts not too far from the pair as she continues to toss people out of her way.
I wish you would just call me Weiss…what is it about you that calms me? Weiss secretly takes one last long inhale while Ruby is still close enough to Weiss. Ahh roses...how does she always smell of roses even with her armor on…
"HEY I SEE THEM!" Nora plows through the last remaining people that separates her from Ruby and Weiss.
Pyrrha and Ren pick up the fallen bystanders, apologizing profusely as Yang just winks and smiles at the townsfolk. Some find it amusing, others not so much.
Weiss and Ruby get up off the floor, but not before Yang catches a glimpse of the pair in their embrace.
"There you two are? Oh are we interrupting something?" Yang teases Ruby causing her to take two steps away from Weiss.
"Ya-" Ruby starts as Princess Weiss steps in front of Ruby glaring at Yang.
"You most certainly are not because there is absolutely NOTHING going on!" Before Weiss notices it she is screaming at Yang, causing the crowd around them to turn away while some stop to watch the action unfold.
There are few moments where no words are spoken. Weiss disappointedly tries to clean off the handprints of her gown.
"Well not that we are all together let's go shopping?" Pyrrha suggests, noticing that for once Yang is unsure of what to say.
"I…uh…sorry?" Yang quietly apologizes to Ruby.
"Yes Pyrrha that would be lovely. What was that Yang?" Weiss snaps.
Yang opens her mouth and smiles shyly. "I am sorry…" Yang slowly rubs her arm.
"I didn't quite catch that." Weiss' lip twitches.
"Where are we going shopping first?" Nora asks between Yang and Weiss
"That all depends on what Ms. Xiao Long has to say." Weiss' eyes narrow.
"I am sorry alright!" Yang pouts than ruffs Ruby's hair. " I am just glad to see that everyone is safe and sound, I was beginning to worry a little bit there." The blonde somehow loops everyone together into a group hug and for a moment it feels like time freezes. Everyone has a smile on their face and nothing to worry about. For the first time since her sister disappeared Weiss feels like a normal woman, no responsibility or title to hold her down.
"Well isn't that a shame." Martel hisses watching Weiss surrounded by her guard once more.
"Yo- you almost had her that time Martel." Yuki squeaks tugging on Martel's tunic. Martel's eyes lower to see the tiny woman's ears twitching rapidly from all the commotion. Yuki places her four fingers over her ears to dull the noise though the mix between a hand and a paw do very little to help reduce the sound. "Do you think we can go now?"
Martel's eyes shift and looking into the dark orbs below her, with a toothy grin that makes the children as well women beside them to yelp and run away replies, "Oh course, besides we haven't eaten as of yet so let's go to that bakery you love."
"Oh that would be lovely!" Yuki hops forward, her pockets never without a few coin to spare and if not her pocket than a passerby's will help line her pockets soon. "This time maybe we can try that cake you wanted when we were there last!" Yuki happily pulls her cloak over her flattened ears and takes Martel's cold hands as they walk out from the crowded square.
The pair take a momentary pause beside a large man leaning against a post by the tavern.
"Looks like that little red reaper foiled our little plan yet again." Arth mumbles as he stares up at the blue sky.
"Hmm?" Yuki looks up at Arth than to Martel.
"Yes well, I didn't think it would be that easy to just abduct the Princess of Staub anyway." Martel pats Yuki on the back to comfort the anxious mouse.
"That is true, and we were fairly close to getting her. I wonder if Blake is nearby." Arth lowers his eyes to blankly stare at Martel's scaly features.
"I thought I smelled her while we were walking through the crowd, Martel did you see her?" Yuki wonders as she scratches an itch on her neck.
"No but I wasn't exactly looking for her either, you know that unless Blake wants you to see her you won't." Martel narrows her eyes. "No matter if Blake is here, I'm sure she can handle whatever comes her way. Let's go to the bakery." The pale woman nudges the pair along.
"I never said I wanted to go…." Arth grunts.
"It'll be fun come on Arth!" Yuki happily squeaks.
Golden orbs watch from a distance as the trio leaves, turning her head towards the Princess. "Well that didn't go the way I thought it would." Blake twitches her nose and begins to follow Weiss and her guard. I wonder how she saw me…and did she sprint all the way to the end of the alley…how did she even see me in that crowd…
Blake pulls her hood up and tucks her sash into her tunic. "Now Princess, it looks like we will have to work harder to get you away from your new guard."
A/N Good day Travelers, it's great to see you all here. I hope everyone is still loving the story as much as I am. All the support is tremendous and helps me find the drive to continue. Even with all the negativity in my life this story is my saving grace. I love it so much and am doing my best to continue to write even when I don't have the strength or drive. Thanks again for all the support again and hope to see you in the next chapter as always. ^,.,^/