Rearranging
"So we are exempt from our usual duties?!" Nora leaps and bounds excitedly as her voice booms.
"Nora calm down … we should probably make good use of this time… I am guessing it is just for today?" Ren deadpans, glancing at this excited partner. Nora continues hop about as if she is ignoring the man's comment.
"Right! It's just for today, that way the three of you can move into the rooms the Princess has cleared for you all." Ruby smiles, "I am fine staying in this room and Yang will be moving into her room tomorrow, since it's her turn off duty then."
"Will you and Yang be ok to watch over the Princess all day while we get settled in?" Pyrrha tilts her head, the redhead knows that Ruby is more than willing to watch the Princess all day.
"Yeah we will be fine, besides you three are only moving a few rooms down the corridor. We will see you all at supper enjoy your day off. I better get going before Yang does something to annoy the Princess…again." Ruby jogs down the hall waving to her friends.
"That settles that." Nora giggles as she grabs her bedroll and the dresser beside her old bed.
"I don't think you need to take the dresser with you Nora, I'm sure the Princess will have an identical in the room she has set up for you." Pyrrha mentions raising her eyebrows as Nora places the dresser just outside the door.
"I already organized this one though…" Nora's eyes get big.
"You can take it with you, Nora." Ren pats the orange haired woman who happily goes back into the room to gather more of her belongings.
"She's never had a dresser before or any furniture." The usually quiet Ren mentions as he watches Nora happily swing her meagerly packed satchel. "We have been traveling since our village was destroyed by the Grimm than completely devastated by the White Fang. We should grab our things too. Don't you think?" Ren stares into emerald eyes.
"Yeah. Maybe after we can go to the market and get some things to decorate our new rooms." Pyrrha suggests as she realizes she may be the only person in the guard that has trinkets and furniture for her room.
"THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!" Nora drops her once precious dresser to bounce from bed to bed.
"Yes that is a lovely suggestion, Pyrrha." Ren smiles as he goes to his bed and gathers his few belongings as well, before turning towards Pyrrha "Thank you" he mouths to the redhead. "Come on Nora, the faster we move into the new rooms the sooner we can go to the market."
Pyrrha watches the pair happily chatter about what they may get to decorate their new spaces. After a few moments, Pyrrha has gathered all the smaller and easy to move items into her satchel. The redhead nods to the two and Nora walks out first to pick up her dresser.
"UGH" The Nora's knuckles crack as she wraps her fingers around the bottom of the carefully crafted dresser. "Here we go, I'm ready!"
"Nora, once we get the smaller things settled in would you mind helping me move my bigger furniture?" Pyrrha asks watching the young woman tote the dresser as if it is nothing.
"Of course ! It's the least I can do since me and Yang broke you're….." Nora stops mid-sentence.
"Broke what?" Pyrrha tilts her head and puts her hand under her chin. "Oh the table! I was wondering what exactly happened to that table."
Ren's eyes get wide, "oh did no one told you about that…yet."
"What I meant to say was…uhhh we …" Nora looks to Ren for help but he just shrugs his shoulders. "Well I may have taken it off your carriage when you first arrived so that Yang and I could have an arm wrestling battle. But while we were locked in an unmoving stalemate your table could not bear the sheer force of our combined might. So it just EXPLODED!? It shattered into a million little slivers of wood and dust." Nora attempts to recreate the explosion and all the events leading up to it.
Pyrrha giggles at the woman's exaggerated re-enactment and rubs her chin. "So the table my father crafted just for me was destroyed because you and Yang wanted to have an arm wrestling joust in the middle of a busy road…"
"Nora didn't mean for it to break, it just happened. Between her and Yang, we really should have known that the table could not hold up…" Ren defends Nora. Pyrrha places her hand on his shoulder.
"I didn't mean for it to sound so dramatic. My father has many things made for me and honestly that table…was not crafted by a master woodworker but by one of my many siblings and my father himself. I am not surprised that it fell apart the way that it did." Pyrrha smiles gently at Nora and Ren, "shall we go to the market now so that we can decorate these amazing new rooms in our new home?"
"A home…" Nora repeats, "Ren?" she turns speechless for the first time that Pyrrha has experienced. Nora seems utterly lost.
Ren nods and takes her hand in his squeezing it gently. "We finally have somewhere to call home and there are people here who care for us too."
Nora smiles and a single tear rolls down her cheek. "Oh now none of that" Pyrrha says as she wipes the tear away. "Let's go before it gets too late and everything gets sold."
"Yeah!" Nora smiles and drags Ren with her. "Come on Ren! Pyrrha's right we have to get a move on, else there will be hardly anything left in the stalls!"
"We were waiting for you…" Ren sighs as he pats down his robe. "Nora, remember we only have so many coins to spare to get..."
"Don't worry about the coin." Pyrrha smiles as she pushes the door open. "I have more than enough to get anything your heart may desire."
"No, Pyrrha we couldn't ask you too…" Ren starts but Pyrrha nods her head.
"No of course, you aren't asking. I am telling you not to worry." The redhead leads the pair out of the room. "This is the first time, I've felt like the coin I have will be put to a good use, besides you are both my friends and I want to help you build a home here."
"Thank you Pyrrha." Nora responds softly as the trio navigates toward the stables.
"I wonder if Jaune is around and could accompany us to the market." Pyrrha's voice rises in pitch as she says the man's name and almost sounds to know that he will be busy. "Or perhaps he could recommend some shops for us to visit at least…"
Ren and Nora exchange smirks as they follow their smitten friend reaching the door that leads to the stables. As they approach the door they hear muffled yells and shouts.
"Owww anny tim hav ee argh ou" The suppressed squabble becomes easier to hear as the trio walk right up to the door. "How did an IDIOT like you even get lucky enough to clean the stables?!" A familiarly harsh voice pierces through the sturdy solid wood door.
"Wow. Sounds like someone is mad." Nora bluntly states as she goes to open the door, but Pyrrha grabs her wrist and stops her.
"Hold on. That voice…I have heard it before." Pyrrha squints her eyes, motioning to Ren to follow close behind.
"MMm" Ren nods and gently pats Nora on the back. The curious woman leans forward placing her ear against the door and closes her eyes to focus on the voice.
"Oh, that sounds like that guy that you beat up during the Tournament, right Pyrrha?" Nora scratches her chin.
"Then the person he is yelling at could be…" Pyrrha pushes the door open so hard it slams into the marbled walls causing the commotion to halt.
"Hmm? The Great Pyrrha Nikos! TO what do we owe this honor." The man shouts mockingly at the warrior standing by the door. "Oh and you brought them." The voice goes from angry to a horrifying growl towards the end, a soft thud follows with the sounds of someone scrambling to their feet.
Nervous laughter follows as Pyrrha's eyes move to see that a blonde man stumbling up to his feet. His clothes are disheveled, and small cuts and bruises around his hands and face, Jaune wipes away what he can with his hands.
"Oh uhh…hey there Lady Nikos…" Jaune apprehensively rubs the back of his neck. Pyrrha's lips form a slight frown; her brows follow her lips as they drop at the sight. The sight of the blonde in such shape causes the trio to be momentarily lost for words.
"JAUNE! How are you doing?" Nora asks the clearly disheveled man as she breaks the silence.
"Oh you know just…uhhh spending some quality time with Cardin." Jaune motions towards Cardin whose ears are so red that one may think a fire ignited in that empty cavity he calls a head.
"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME BY MY FIRST NAME?! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A PEASANT…I AM THE SON TO SIR WINCHESTER, CAPTAIN TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS." Cardin's mouth opens so wide that saliva flies from his mouth like water out of a fallen pail. "YOU WILL TREAT ME WITH THE RESPECT THAT MY FAMILY HAS EARNED! I SHOULD HAVE THEM THROW YOU INTO…."
A spear sails through the air planting into the ground before Cardin's feet. "Oops sorry my hand slipped." Pyrrha smiles as moving towards the fuming man and shoots him a glare, pulling the spear handle to jar the head out from the ground. "Don't Ever talk to him like that in my presence again, else this spear will do more than simply slip." Emerald eyes fiercely watch every movement of the Knight's son as her teeth grit with every word.
"I'm not scared of you NIKOS" Cardin growls his feet tumble over each other as he moves away from Pyrrha.
Ren goes to Jaune, helping the blonde get cleaned up. Nora pops up beside Pyrrha and laughs at Cardin's reaction. "You could have fooled me, from anywhere in this courtyard it would appear as though you fear Pyrrha here than death himself."
"What would you know, you urchin?!" Cardin snaps back, reaching for his battle axe.
"Tsk, tsk…" Nora clicks her tongue, cracking her knuckles.
Jaune jumps between Pyrrha and Cardin. "Hey Cardin, I will finish my duties and take care of that thing…you wanted worry not."
"Hmmm" The iron-clad man's nostrils flare, "Be sure it is done, or else." Cardin turns to his mates rushing to his side from within the castle walls. And with no further exchanges they leave without further incident.
"Thanks…" Jaune whispers, turning his head to the side, before he dashes away.
"Wait Jaune…" Pyrrha outstretches her left arm but before she knows it the blonde is out of sight.
"We will invite him next time Pyrrha." Ren says walking past the redhead.
"Yeah sounds like he has a lot to do today." Nora smiles as she places her hands behind her back.
Ren pats Nora on the head and the pair walks toward the main gate of the castle. "Pyrrha we have to hurry!" Nora shouts noticing that Pyrrha is still holding her spear with her hand clenched by her heart.
"You're right, he does seem very busy." Pyrrha sighs, dropping her hand to her sides and holstering her spear on her back. Nora dashes off out of sight.
"He will be fine." Ren assures the redhead, looking up the calm man sees a familiar head of hair up above. "Nora. NORA! Would you get off of that?"
Nora climbs up to the top of the stables, and swings from the various Schnee banners around the castle. "WHEEEEEE….this castle has so many entertaining things."
"Pyrrha are we ready to go now?" Nora hangs upside down before dropping to the ground. "Hey so we can leave now?"
"Yes Nora we can go now." Ren gently nudges the redhead. "Right?"
"Let's get going, before Weiss gets out of class and see us" Pyrrha jokes as the trio race to the city streets. "Last one to the stalls is a rotten egg."
"Hey wait up!" Nora snorts as she chases after her friends.
A golden set of eyes follow the three as they dash out from the castle and onto the street. "Hmm so there are only two with the Princess all day." Blake smiles tilting her head, Yuki sees the signal from across the courtyard and scurries to follow the three.
"Why are they going to the market again? Tis the third time since they have become her guard." Martel seethes.
"That matters not aren't you worried about Yuki?" Blake mentions watching the rodent disappear into the crowd.
"Yuki is a big girl…" Martel mentions waving her pale hand around. "She knows what to do if she gets herself into trouble."
"Hmm and Arth is?" Blake smirks seeing a large figure in distance go in the same direction as Yuki.
"Around." Martel's eyes narrow. "As I shall be. Excuse me"
"Of course." Blake bows her head, "So Martel you never did tell me how exactly you and your squad came to be."
"Tsk, well that would be a tale for another day." Martel clicks her tongue.
"So be it." Blake turns to observe the castle guards changing of the guard. What are you thinking Princess?
"Ahhhhhhhhh….."
"Ms. Rose if you are going to be sitting in that seat beside the Princess, the least you could do is stay awake and cease with all the yawning.
"Apologies, Lady Goodwitch." Ruby smiles and looks over at Weiss who is less than pleased.
"Ruby would you like to trade shifts with Ms. Xiao Long." Weiss rolls her eyes.
"No I am fine." Ruby straightens her back lightly slapping her cheeks to wake up.
"Very well then, I shall continue." Lady Goodwitch turns around and continues her lecture.
Ruby sighs, causing Weiss to bump her with her elbow. "Please be quiet I am trying to learn."
"Sorry…" Ruby whispers, as she reaches up to a small pile of blank scrolls and just practices drawing her scythe.
Lady Goodwitch continues with her lesson as Ruby happily doodles. On occasion Weiss would glancing over to see what her Captain had drawn, only to roll her eyes at the woman's re-creation of her already amazing scythe and raising her eyebrow at what the warrior envisions for her companions weapons.
Ruby mutters quietly to herself, continuing to scribble and doodle. "Then …I could ….oooo and what about … oh yes." The young woman draws her sister's knuckles and Nora's hammer with some slight modifications. Suddenly Ruby's surroundings morph into a swirl of different weapon ideas and time begins to fly by.
"And that is all for today." Lady Goodwitch announces placing her scrolls on the table and gathers her quills.
"Excellent lesson, as usual." Weiss comments as she finished up her last note on her scroll. Pushing her chair back, Princess Weiss notices that Ruby seems to be completely absorbed in her drawings. "Uh AHEM!" Weiss coughs loudly; Lady Goodwitch looks over and rolls her eyes at the pair.
"I shall depart. Good evening Princess." Lady Goodwitch waves as she leaves the library.
"Yes, have a good evening as well." Weiss snaps her head away from Ruby to give her teacher a salutation. Now than, as for you, Weiss turns back to her captain, who continues to happily draw on her scroll, what has your attention entrapped?
Ruby's scroll went from new designs of her teammates weapons into a story of a young heroine battling the Grimm. Weiss' eyes follow the story across the scroll; her scowl slowly changes into a smile.
"Hehe" The sound of giggling from behind her, causes Ruby to gradually leave her fantasy. Her quill leisurely comes to a halt as she finishes drawing her small heroine defeating a group of Ursai.
"So how does it end?" Weiss asks as she leans in to see more of what the young woman has on her scroll.
Without looking away Ruby continues to doodle, "Well our heroine…she kills all the smaller Grimm not even breaking a sweat." Then Ruby pauses her eyes, leaves the scroll and looks into cerulean eyes. "Soon the Alpha Ursa emerges from the forest and of course she goes to defeat it but before she can deal the finishing blow..." Ruby shakes her head and stops talking, picking up her scroll. "We should get going or else we will be late for your lesson with Sir Oobleck."
"Right, of course." Weiss answers not wanting to pry, as she notices Ruby is not her usual cheery self.
Hmm it looks like your Captain is distracted. Emerald clicks her tongue as she walks past the pair. I wonder if I could distract the Princess long enough to get that woman to touch this. Emerald pulls out a pair of gloves laced with a special herb that causes hallucinations.
Right as Emerald passes the pair, she bumps into the Princess. "Oh Princess, I am so sorry!" She exclaims as she throws her perfectly folded items to the ground.
"No need to apologize Emerald. W- I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, let me help you with that." The Princess bends down to help pick up the linens. Ruby instantly goes to help without a word. Emerald bends over right beside the pair smiling.
Now. As they two work on collecting the fallen items Ruby stands vigilantly beside Weiss. Before Weiss finishes gathering her small pile of linens, Emerald grabs a hold of Ruby's arm and pulls herself up off the ground. "Thank you Captain Rose."
"Uh yeah, Princess we must make haste else we be late for your lesson. Good day Emerald." Ruby helps Weiss off the floor and hands Emerald her linens.
"Good Morrow." Emerald smirks and slips her gloves between the sheets. As the pair depart down the corridor in the opposite direction Emerald crimson eyes carefully watches every flicker of the torch. No one here. Excellent, now is the time to get rid of these now that they have served their purpose. Pushing open a random door Emerald looks about for a place to dispose of her items, luckily for her a barrel resides within the room. Quickly the red-eyed woman tosses the linens and the gloves into the barrel. "Let's wait for the fun to start."
The tan woman giggles thinking of what's to come.
A/N Hello Travelers, it is good to see you all here! I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy. Thank you all for the support through the views, comments and DM's, they all mean a great deal to me. I can't believe this story has been going on for two years, it really is thanks to all you the readers that I can continue to push myself to get better. Thanks again and see you all in the next chapter! \\(^,.,^)/
