Follow the Leader
Pyrrha and Yang take a seat in the local Inn as Ruby, Nora, and Ren escort Princess Weiss to her tailors in all of Stuab.
"So what do you think about this?" Nora grabs rolls of fabric and wraps them all around her body, while the few clerks that are in the shop chase after her.
"Nora…we are here for the Princess." Ren rolls his eyes as he watches Nora be dance from one corner of the store to the other.
Ruby keeps a watchful eye on every customer that enters the store as she stands by a door near the back of the store. I wonder what the Princess is getting from here…Ruby notices this shop is not exactly where she would expect someone like the Princess of Staub to shop at.
"Oh this will be perfect." Ruby hears through the door.
Weiss pokes her head out from the backroom of the humble shop. "Ruby?"
"YES!" Ruby jumps to attention, saluting Princess Weiss. "What can I do for you? I am at your service."
Weiss rolls her eyes at the young woman. "Let the clerk know we will be taking one of everything in every size they have ready."
"One of everything in…every…siz.e…" Ruby slowly repeats as her jaw drops. "Bu…but nothing in this store…really…uhh fits your style, if I may speak freely." Ruby gingerly scratches her neck and awkwardly grins.
The Princess smirks and goes back into the room where she was examining various articles of clothing. "That is a very true statement, it's a good thing I am getting them for someone else."
For someone else…who does the Princess of Staub know that is this…small? Ruby wonders as she looks around the shop. "Uhh yes! I will alert the clerk."
"I think I look grand." Nora stands atop a table knuckles on her hips as she has completely wrapped herself in multiple silken rolls.
Ren holds out his hands. "Yes you look…spectacular. Now please come down from there."
"Is she with you Sir?" The clerk nervously asks as she frantically attempts to get Nora off the table. "Please Miss come down…you're scaring the others." The young clerk looks about seeing a mix of shock, disgust and some amusement.
"Excuse me, if I…" Ruby holds her hand out towards the oblivious clerk.
"Nora! Come now the clerk is being very kind." Ren says slightly frustrated.
Nora hops down without any further incident, much to the relief of both the clerk and Ren. "Alright I'm down. But honestly Ren what did you think of those colors together?" The excited woman hops towards her companion.
Ren rolls his eyes and smirks as he sighs "I that color combination…"
"Excuse me?" Ruby stops Ren mid-sentence and taps the clerk on the shoulder.
"AHH! Oh yes what can I help you with?" The clerk stops herself from jumping out of her skin.
Ruby smiles "Princess Weiss wou…."
"DON'T LEAVE ME WITHOUT A RESPONSE REN!" Nora's demanding voice causing the table to tremble. The clerks eyes quickly shift to others in the building whose small children being to weep. Ruby is left standing beside Ren.
"The colors you picked work very well together, and remind me very much of your personality." Ren shakes his head, "I will take her outside, back to Yang and Pyrrha. If that is alright I don't think the clerk can handle anymore exchanges with Nora."
Ruby's eyes wander to the now frantically pacing clerk attempting to calm all the frightened children of the various people within the shop. "That might be a good idea; I believe the Princess is nearly ready to leave. I'll wave to you if I need help with anything."
"Ren, can we buy them?" Nora asks as if she is a child asking for sweets.
Ren shakes his head and helps her out of the fine clothes. The pair exits shortly after, leaving Ruby to chase the clerk from one side of the shop to another.
"Excuse me?" The clerk dashes behind the counter. "Excuse me?" Next she is greeting a new arrival into the shop as she gives out the last of her sweets.
Ruby finally stops right in front of the clerk, "PRINCESS WEISS WOULD LIKE TO TAKE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE MADE IN ALL THE SIZES YOU HAVE AVAILABLE!" Throwing her hands to her side as she shouts, before remembering the young warrior is in a small enclosed shop. "Uhh…"
"Right o…f… she would like what?" The clerk blinks rapidly as her mouth remains open.
Exhaling slowly Ruby calms herself, "Princess Weiss would like to take one of everything in every size you have available."
"Uhh..right I thought maybe I had heard you incorrectly." The clerk fanatically looks around and dashes to one side of the story than back to the other."
At least she knows now…I should probably check on…We..
Ruby glances over her shoulder to see that Weiss has since left the back room and is now talking with the clerk who seems overjoyed but also oddly nervous.
"Of course, I understand your request and I will gladly get that ready for you ...there is just the matter of the method of delivery ." Ruby catches as she walks towards the pair.
"Well let me deal with how we will get all those clothes where they need to go. How much will it be for all of this?" Weiss asks impatiently.
"Let me get a scroll, the owner will definitely want a record of this sale and to see your signature on the order." The clerk disappears to the backroom momentarily. Returning with a large scroll and three vials of ink the clerk drops everything on the front counter.
"RUBY!" The Princess barks as she impatiently waits for the clerk to begin tallying up all the clothes she has purchased.
"Yes Princess." Ruby replies quickly nearly sliding into the clerk. "Oof"
"Be careful! YOU DOLT!" Weiss shouts as she watches Ruby apologizes to the clerk and nearly topples over a display case with her arms. "What in the goddess name are you doing?!"
From outside the small shop the rest of Ruby's team looks in to see the Princess scolding the leader. The young leader eyes squeezed shut as she grabs the sides of her cloak.
"I wonder what Rubes did this time?" Yang chuckles as she picks up her mug for a swig of mead. Pyrrha and the others watch as Yang finishes the cup but seems unaffected by the strong drink.
"Whatever it was, the Princess isn't too upset really." Pyrrha notes. "If she was really mad, I don't think she would be smirking like she is."
"She's smirking?" Nora squints her eyes to get a better view into the shop. "She looks like she is mad to me."
"Well we don't really know the Princess all that well." Ren mentions to his partner who is now nearly crawling on the table to get a better view into the shop. "We have only been her guard for a few days. But I believe Pyrrha is correct."
Just inside the tavern a curious pair of golden eyes carefully watches the trio just outside the window.
So glorified babysitters…coming to a tavern…having a cup of mead. Hmmm... Maybe when you're not watching the Princess... Blake glances around just to check her surroundings once more; when she looks back out the window lilac eyes meet her own golden orbs. Dear Goddess…quickly Blake turns her head and pretends that someone who was calling her behind her.
"Those eyes... seem familiar…" Yang whispers as the other continue their conversation.
"Right, Yang?" Pyrrha says her face drops a little bit noticing that Yang is distracted.
Yang leans back in her seat to attempt to get a better look inside.
"Yang did you see someone?" Nora wonders as she now looks into the tavern.
"Oh uhhh no…sorry I just…it …nothing…" Yang quietly mumbles.
"Not like you to be so unsure of your words Yang." Ren mentions while he puts his goblet down on the table.
Pyrrha and Nora exchange glances than look to Ren who shrugs his shoulders.
"Is there someone in there you know?" Nora asks the clearly absent-minded woman.
"Uh huh… I mean no…I don't… she just…" Yang mumbles to herself as she wipes the dirty window to get a better view inside.
What is she doing…Blake uses the corner of her left eye to look outside the dingy window to see Yang furiously wiping attempting to clean the window.
"Yang! Nora! Can you two come here for a moment?" Ruby shouts as she waves from the other side of the road.
"Be there in a sec!" Nora happily replies getting up out of her chair so quickly it knocks into the building with a loud thud.
The commotion causes Blake's ears to turn towards the group and without knowing her eyes followed. Lilac met the golden orbs and Yang jumped up as well.
"IT IS YOU!" Yang shouts causing the glass to vibrate. With that Blake quickly got up, pulling her cloak up to hide her ears and makes her way out the back. Yang watches for a moment and goes to the door only to feel a tug on her arm.
"Yang? What's going on?" A soft concerned voice asks. Pyrrha holds onto the brawler's arm and pulls her out from the tavern's doorway.
"…I thought I…" Yang looks down at the ground "Well we better get going to see what Rubes… needs." The blonde pretends nothing just happened and grabs Nora as the two happily go to the shop.
Well that was close…if Pyrrha didn't stop her, that woman would have chased me out of here…what exactly is her plan if she did get a hold of me?
Blake gets on top of a wooden crate just outside the tavern. Even in plain sight no one notices the dark figure sat in the dim alleyway. Now then what are you up to my dear Princess…Seeing that no one around even bats an eye at her, Blake tugs on her hood to allow her ears to focus in on the store that the Princess and her guards are standing outside.
"Soo where do we take them to exactly?" Nora happily sings.
"THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT NORA!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE BOUGHT IT ALL? RUBES?!" Yang shouts throwing her arms around as if bees or something of the sort are buzzing around her face.
"Calm down YANG!" Ruby responds and turns nervously grinning at the clearly annoyed Princess. Weiss mouths the words hurry up!
"YOU'RE TELLING ME TO CALM DOWN! ME?" Yang's voice goes shrill for a brief moment before she takes a deep breath and there is a visible change in her demeanor. "Ok let's try this again shall we?"
Ruby nods her head, "Alright, Wei-Princess Weiss has just purchased one of everything that this store has for sale in every size they have. The Princess has requested that we help her move the new obtained items so that she doesn't need to call for a carriage."
Both of Blake's ears are completely honed into the conversation, and her eyes squint in an attempt to get a better view of what is happening. Did I hear that right? One of everything what is she thinking? She isn't going to…
"I'm going to talk to HER?!" Yang frustratedly walks into the shop. Nora follows her with Ruby right behind her trying to talk her sister out of going inside to no avail.
Blake sits and watches as Yang does various hand gestures at Weiss, who is clearly annoyed as she grits her teeth. Than Weiss seems to explode at the brawler who seems less than excited with the tone Weiss is speaking to her in. Shortly after the brawler takes her index finger and is about to press it against the Princess, Ruby gets between the pair and somehow de-escalates the situation.
Well that could have gone badly…good thing you were there Reaper…Blake switches her focus from the group in the shop as she gets up to get a better view of the pair that still remain on the outside of the tavern. What are these two up to?
"So you and Nora have been traveling together since you were both just children?" Pyrrha questions not wanting to pry in case Ren found it to be a sensitive subject.
Ren's eyes shift towards his companion as he places his cup down. "MMHM. Nora and I grew up in the same village but…she was orphaned before I was."
Before Pyrrha can continue, a loud voice booms from the shop their companions are in. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!? RUBES I DID NOT SIGN UP TO BE THAT…HER PERSONAL CARRIAGE!"
"Yang these chests are really light though." Nora giggles as she walks out of the shop with two stacked in one arm and a large sack slung over her shoulder.
"You know that isn't the issue Nora!" Yang pouts as she also has two chest stack in one arm but her other hand is empty. "It's that I am here to protect that woman but here she is just buying an entire shop out of wares and tells US to carry it!"
Just as Yang finishes her sentence Princess Weiss comes out of the shop with a scowl on her face. Her pale arms are crossed as she stands beside the brawler who towards above her. Ruby happily hops out of the shop with a sack in tote and notices the tension instantly.
"Ugh so ...where to Princess Weiss?" Ruby nervously grins and looks between Yang and the Princess.
"Yes where to... Princess…" Yang rolls her eyes as she takes the bag from her sister.
"I can carry that you know YANG." Ruby pouts turning to her companions smiling weakly.
"Just follow me will you." Weiss commands, as she graciously strolls between Ruby and Yang.
"As you wish Princess." Yang glances at her sister and blows her raspberries at her quietly. "She is very bossy when she is upset."
Weiss catches the last sentence that the brawler tried to hide by whispering it. "What was that?!" The Princess snaps towards the blonde.
"Uhhh…I was just well…" Yang bows and out stretches her left arm. "After you."
"Hmph. " Weiss exhales and looks up at the castle before quickly walking past Yang. "That's what I thought you said."
Ruby watches her sister carefully and pats her on the back, mouthing the words Thanks and behave.
"Pyrrha, Ren! Let's go" Nora shouts waving the sack as if it weighs nothing. "Princess Weiss said we are going somewhere."
Blake watches as the five knights-to-be laugh as they follow the Princess down the walkway. Hmm. That is a fairly large distance to be following the future ruler of the entire kingdom. But that makes it easy for me to get close to her. "Well I better follow them to see where they go." Blake says to herself as she hops off the crate she was sitting on. Swiping her coat off, Blake glances over where the squad used to stand to notice they are no longer there. Before she has a chance to panic her ears perk up.
"I just don't get her Rubes." Yang mentions to her sister.
Blake rolls her shoulders and covers her daggers with her cloak and follows the pair at a distance keeping both trained on the group.
"I know Yang but we have to protect her." Ruby responds as she notices that Pyrrha has taken the point and Ren watches over the Princess while the pair discuss their current situation.
"Protect her yes, but we are out in the open and both me and Nora have our hands full. What if someone attacks us?" Yang grunts as she readjusts the chests she carries.
"Well Pyrrha, Ren and I can hold them off until you both place those chests down." Ruby giggles, "But honestly I am sure you both would throw the chests at the attackers and fight them off just as if you weren't holding those."
Yang chuckles and nods her head in agreement, "Yeah you're right."
Hmm I wonder how can those two have such strong bond…are they related or have they been traveling for a long time like them. Blake shoots a glance at Nora and Ren. Soon her eyes go back the blonde. The way her muscles tense and relax as she carries the large chests on her shoulder.
Goddess she is beautiful…Soon Blake went from actively watching the Princess and her guard to becoming solely absorbed in the blonde brawler. The once hardened assassin now just mindlessly follows the group somewhere that the feline knows all too well from her youth.
A/N Welcome back travelers! This will be a short author's note. Thanks for stopping by in this chapter. I am so happy to see that the story is thriving and that all the travelers still on this journey are enjoying it. Hope everyone had a Great New Year's and has an amazing decade ahead of them. All the support means so much to me. Can't wait to see you in the next chapter. See you soon travelers \\(^,.,^)/