Chapter 61: A light shining upon the shadows
A new chapter for all of you to enjoy!
The love and the lust (Whitney Esmeralda Schnee.)
Her fingers traced over her body, touching in intimate places, her eyes half-closed as she continued to take care of the urge. She was feeling unnaturally needy, a side-effect of not having been around Jaune, undoubtedly, the small memento that she had of him somewhere safely tucked away.
She groaned, feeling the need hit her worse with every touch that she gave herself. Shuddering breaths came from her lips, trying not to wake her little girl, to make no sounds that were too loud so as to avoid rousing her daughter, the warmth that she felt inside her not stopping. Kali's presence was gone for now, attending to something else, nothing to worry about for the moment to disturb the two of them.
Whitney's eyes closed as she felt the shocks and tremors go through her, the moan coming from her lips as she remembered what it was like to get fucked, what it was like to see his face look at her in the shadows of the early morning light and to run her tongue over his sweaty form, tasting the labour of love that they'd made in a salted sweetness that was hard to replace.
She gritted her teeth, keeping the deeper moans from escaping, feeling the emotions of the people on the ship, the maintenance crews working around the clock to make sure that the ship was kept in a ready state to be used. With how the Hindenburg had been constructed, it was no small expenditure, but the money was the least of her concerns. Safety for her family, safety for those who would seek shelter below the wings of her man.
Her influence had grown with the saving of the women of sufficient status in Atlas, several of them already returning to Atlas, too affected by the events and the deaths that they had suffered. She had talks with them…
'A few pawns…'
She was good at that, at stoking the flames within people, something that required a deft hand and convincing words.
"Be sure to keep safe, Atelier… After what happened…"
The woman's face was still bandaged, dark brown eye looking at her. The other eye had been gouged out by one of the animals that'd held the woman captive, the dark look in that single eye enough, as the rampaging emotions continued through the woman's flesh like a dark blessing that was just waiting to be pulled out.
"I should return to my husband's estate and make sure that we have a good position in the council… There'll be a lot of women returning without their men…"
The grim voice of the woman was at odds with what had been before, the jaded look in that single eye enough to stir the darkness within Whitney's body, leaving only a shiver of something greater to pass through her senses. It was the first step, a powerful ally gained, and there would be more.
Nobility spoke to nobility. The Council had to be convened to deal with the sudden power vacuum, as the experiences continued, those who had been touched and those who had been maimed undoubtedly suffering… But pedigree spoke to the world still, even with the abolishment of the royalty.
"We have the power now… If I- It's a thought, but Atlas needs a strong leader. With the death of Councilman Stein…"
There was power in the world, and she would seek it. The woman's eye closed, as the hand squeezed Whitney's offered one for a moment, the single eye opening and something on that face turning more humoured.
"I'll see what I can do. General Ironwood's response was too late and sloppy. It might be time for a change…"
She felt the thrilling excitement shoot through her as she saw the determined look on the woman's face, her own grip stronger as her lips pushed to a smile.
"Things like this shouldn't happen."
A sharp, swift nod, as the woman's eyes firmed up, that anger leeched through the touch, filling the darkness and pushed into her own desire, the darkness welling up within her depths.
"They should not, Whitney. If not for you, many of us would be dead or worse…"
She noticed that the craving had gone down, that her need had abated somewhat, there being no sensations added to her peak, as she tried to get her engine going again. A disturbance in the emotions of her daughter and she was snapped back and aware.
"You miss him, don't you?"
Her voice was so soft that she'd barely heard it, getting up from her bed. She'd tried to be quiet, but her daughter had awoken, dark emotions flowing through her own body.
"I… It's nothing, Weiss. Sorry for waking you up, my little snowflake."
Her daughter's eyes looked at her with a look that was caring and understanding, as helpless as she was.
"He's- He's special to you Mama. He could've been… He could've been my new stepfather."
He would be Weiss' stepfather if Whitney had any say in it, her daughter's eyes soft and trying to understand. She'd said that her lover had stayed behind to defend them, but she'd not said whether he'd died… and that wasn't fair to Weiss, but it would be the truth until it was time for Jaune to come out of hiding.
"He would love you, Weiss. He would love you so much, he held so much love for me."
She wasn't unashamed of her feelings, as Weiss gave a soft smile, the tension bleeding into her eyes, as Weiss smiled again.
"I'm… I'm happy for you. To have loved someone, to- to like someone."
'You'll have a father…'
He would be Weiss her stepfather when she formally married him. The preparations were already being laid, even though she had to meet with the oldest sister first, because she hadn't seen the mother of the man she loved just yet.
'even if he is your age, even with his other women… He would love you, and-'
She kissed her daughter's cheek, her eyes meeting Weiss' for a moment.
"He would love you so much, Weiss. I've told him stories about you, about how cute you are. My little Weiss deserves all the love in the world."
Her daughter smiled like a girl should, her pale blue eyes looking at her, the light in the corner of the room casting shadows over her daughter's face, as Weiss smiled more genuinely than before.
"I'm concerned about Ruby… She's… It-"
Whitney felt bad, giving her daughter's forehead a kiss, understanding that it might be tough for the girl to deal with, the young girl not even thinking about the consequences of what she was saying to her daughter, traumatized by her experiences.
"She doesn't know what she's saying, Weiss. It isn't going to be that she's going to force you to sleep with anyone, my dear. If I could bring the man I love here, I would show you how a woman loves her man, but I cannot."
Her daughter's expression was sedate, her lips pressed tightly together as she shivered. A slow process of healing, she knew that her daughter would need some physical therapy, as well as mental therapy.
"A… A friend's mother was raped. She kept herself in good shape. She's… She's not alright in the head, but she's a good Huntress."
A confused sound, something that didn't stop, but didn't seem to make her daughter uncomfortable, as she looked at her.
"Blake is… She's been fond of her, and- and I'd like to-"
Whitney smiled softly, understanding the sentiment and thoughts behind the question, Weiss looking for role models. It wouldn't be hard to ask a woman to come around to help Weiss with her terrors, and…
"I have a friend, she's good with scary stuff and taking it away."
Kali had popped into her mind, the shadows in the room lengthening to show the feline Faunus woman, a set of ears twitching in the shadows. She knew that Kali might be able to do something with her Semblance, given how scary it had been.
"I'd… I'd like to meet her."
Whitney gave a sharp look at the shadows, her expression softening as the shadowy tendrils pulled away, leaving only the faint grin in the air, the shadows disgorging the woman, Whitney's look intensifying.
"Perhaps, if you're better. She's not exactly someone who's easy to look at, with her attitude being a little catty…"
An affronted look, as the golden eyes looked into her own, a little wiggle coming from her hand, Whitney's eyes narrowing as a shadowy tendril turned into something a little less politely mentioned, her mental eye roll never shown on her face.
"If she's one of your friends, you're going to have to introduce me, Mama. I'd love to meet your friends."
'A bandit, a member of that Order, a Faunus terrorist and the wife of the leader of Menagerie… and me, a failed mother.'
She sighed, brushing her fingers over her daughter's soft features, letting her eyes never stray from those hopeful eyes. They were beacons of hope, of joy and of more than that, leaving her to feel guilty.
"Possibly later, my dear. They are spooky women. One of them is a little bit wild."
The simple smile of joy on her daughter's face made it worth it, the awareness that had come with the pain that she had suffered now gone with the interest in her mother's friends. Winter had visited a few times over the few days, but Winter had her own life to lead under Ironwood's heel.
'What will you do, Winter?'
A soft hiss of something in her mind whispering that there was always a chance for treachery, that there would be no rules to follow unless power was handled by those who knew how to wield it.
"They'll be great friends in my eyes, if they've kept you safe. I believe in you, Mama."
She knew that her daughter would believe in her, because Weiss had always been pure. She'd always been the good daughter that had wanted to please her mother and her father, even though Jacques had always been perfectionist by nature, demanding more of Weiss with every day that she spent out of his control.
She didn't stop to worry about her daughters, the thought of her son there for a moment, as she let her eyes linger on Kali for a moment, who was already getting herself situated within a chair, a pool of liquid shadow in the shape of a woman, golden eyes visible within the darkness.
"They are. They're not friends that would be able to appear in public with me, though…"
Not whilst they were still hunted by both sides of this eternal conflict between the Grand Wizard and the Grand Witch, whose fingers seemed to be in every industry, clawing their way through their battles with ruthless uncaring efficiency.
She remembered the questions that had been sent to her by mail, inquiring whether she would be able to give an interview, to show the world that the Schnee Dust Company's new CEO would be taking the helm once again.
She knew that there would be trials ahead of them, servants and lovers to the man who had been with them for what seemed to be an eternity, but was a short time nonetheless. It was a slow and mournful note that came from him at times along the scape of minds that they had found, a burden that did not falter one moment during the times that was rough, the desire to be a hero, to help.
"Love is a strange thing, Weiss. It's not something that you can control, though there are ways to streamline it to something that can be used to help yourself push past hurdles that you face."
She wasn't going to be the shy woman who waited for the man to come and rescue her like in the stories, even though she knew that she had to appear like that. Whitney Schnee was a woman who had raised herself to the echelons of power through the hard work of her father and her late husband, someone who did now hold the power over lives.
She was not going to be someone who would be cowed by angry words or gestures. She was a Schnee, and her daughter deserved to see a mother whose example she could follow.
"I want you to love, Mama. Love someone and- and be happy. Even if I'm… if I'm never going to-"
She shook her head, sure that Weiss shouldn't finish that thought. Her eyes looked into her daughter's for the longest of moments, taking a deep breath and then starting to speak.
"But you will, Weiss. Even if I have to shoot a boy to bring to you, you'll have someone who will love you."
She would shoot and get her daughter someone who would treat her right. Maybe a leg shot or something, but Weiss would not want for attention, as her daughter's soft laugh was audible.
"I'd… I've kind of realized that there's not many boys in my year. I'm… I'm scared. I want to, but…"
Whitney's hand gently rubbed over the back of Weiss her hand, letting her daughter feel the comfort that she felt, not even stopping the motion, leaving only the hurt to simmer down within her daughter's mind, her expression motherly.
She looked not her age, she knew. Ever since finding her love, she'd looked in her late thirties, feeling younger with every breath that she took that was filled with love.
"If- If I had to, I'd…"
She squeezed her daughter's hand, giving a smile.
"Get better, Weiss. If you want to make love, I'll see what I can do."
Her daughter needed a good lover. Someone who was attentive and kind, with that hint of knowledge about how to pleasure a woman. It was…
'I'm not going to share Jaune.'
She was selfish, but the thought rose for a moment, and she felt a stab of something go through her heart, as the thought of sharing her man had come to her mind. She already was sharing him with three others, and there was this sister of his who'd also sampled his buffet…
'I'm not-'
Her daughter's eyes looked lost. She put a smile on her lips that was warmer, as she kissed her daughter's cheek. She felt bad for her daughter, and she looked into deep pale blue eyes, trusting her.
'I'm not sharing him yet.'
It hadn't even occurred to her that she'd went from 'never' to 'maybe', her daughter's small smile like a candle in the darkness, something in those eyes changing a little, as Weiss kissed her cheek.
"I love you."
The words came easily from her daughter's lips, the pain that wormed through her heart at the thought of love and being separated from the man that she loved.
"I love you too, Weiss."
She got up and walked to the window, gazing down at the Kingdom of Vale with the lights flickering and alight with the buzz of life, looking down at the people that lived there, knowing that her man was there as well.
Like a goddess in the heavens, her gaze beheld all and the loneliness hit her, as she felt a tear slide down her cheek, not stopping with her gaze down at the ground, her body feeling the lust go through her at the thought of her man.
'I should see you again, my dear…'
The sickened Rose (Summer Rose)
It was easy for her to move without being noticed. Her body shimmered as the Semblance cloaked her once more, the red cloak fluttering in the breeze that fell, the body slowly sagging down as the mask shattered, the man's body laid down with a light twist of her weapons.
The blades were sharpened ritualistically, the blood of the people she had extinguished the life of never leaving the blades without their need for being polished and honed. If you pulled your blades out, it would mean death for someone.
"Quick! She's hiding somewhere!"
A voice of a man, slight in stature yet trained. It had been luck and a little bit of skill that'd led her to the safe house of the Xiao Long, the Order's branch in Mistral, as her blades dripped onto the ground, the angry sounds of those who could barely control their urges to slay the intruder in the air.
She did great work like this, she knew. It was like a charm, a bright shining charm in the sky, as blood flew and her body felt rejuvenated by the blood that came splashing down onto her. It had been great.
The first time with Jaune, the Mission still telling her to be the one to end him, and the burning inside her as she felt herself grow solid, composed of nothing but the pitch blackness that had come from the darkest source.
She was the Rose of Summer and she was the one whose spark flared the brightest, whose eyes were the strongest. The Xiao Long had few carriers of the Eyes of the Saviour, and she was there to make sure that there would be none.
"Got her!" Someone shouted and she parried a blow, flickering into existence again, a pale-haired woman struggling against her sudden push-back, unexpectedly having met resistance.
'You don't know who you're messing with.'
The blade flicked and the throat of the woman was pierced, the single straight blade looking at least like it'd have been worth something to pawn off, but Summer did not care, as the weapons were trained on her and she flickered back out of existence, her body evading a barrage of gunfire, rounds hitting the ground. There'd been no Dust in those rounds, a liability in these circumstances given where the place had been. A fire could set the whole place ablaze, which would draw attention… and which was why she'd selected this hideout.
"Surround her! We'll interrogate her later, find out how much she knows!"
It was an utter shame that they wouldn't be leaving here alive. The darkness within her burned as she felt the power surge through her, her whole body freezing for a moment, as she let loose the power that she had obtained from that dark blessing, infused with by the man who had offered her and her sister a path to freedom and care.
A wave of darkness shot out from her, invisible tendrils snaring the heads of those around her. She started to laugh, feeling the throbbing pain sear through her eyes as she used the power of the Shadow, the enemy of her existence, the power that had been granted through her mingling with his sort, restrained only by will.
The cackling laughter started, as she watched how they turned on each other, hoarse voices screaming about imagined slights, their minds so fragile and weak that it was like the dawn had broken, one of them starting to break down in tears, wrapping their hands over their ears to block out the sounds, one of the guns discharging, the mania within her burning and bubbling, her blades moving swiftly. Lives were ended. The Mission was ended for these.
'One shot, one little bit of waiting…'
It wasn't something that she could do often, but it fit her need. With nearly thirteen people dead, she had other things to worry about than the fighting. It would be time to loot this place and then make sure that there were signs… a bit of discord was always nice to be sown.
Striding into the mission room, marked by the same symbol that she knew from her training and the imprinting that she'd received, she flicked her blade to rid it off the blood, the last few droplets falling onto the ground, the gloves that she wore to touch things without leaving the traces typical Order standard, the blood on her gloves not touching her skin in the slightest.
'Alright… S… T, ah, there it is… The Tai Yang of the Xiao Long…'
The Order that was deployed to the breadth of Mistral was something of an oddity given their numbers, but their efficiency was never to be questioned, as she pulled out the order forms, shifting them a little to look through their number and then removing a small canister from her belt, starting to spray the scent in the air. It was insurance, something a little more than before, the file details looking perfectly ordered.
'Yes, this works…'
A frown on her face as she read through the file, throwing the mask onto the ground at her side, the single bowl-shaped mask with an angry tiger's face on it as a reminder to the Order about their opposites in the file. There would be a few more documents that she should get before making her escape.
'The Bai Hu of that motley bunch… Hmm… He's gotten replaced.'
The files were put in a special case that was hard to damage and sealed properly, before she gathered the papers and then did what had to be done. A flame licked along the edge of the papers as she threw the burning papers onto the desk and then threw the fire Dust grenade behind her after stepping out of the room, the heat brushing past her as she took cover behind the wall, the mask put into place again.
There would be people investigating the place, of course, and it was normal that the conditions were accelerated.
'Such a thing…'
You never trusted the viper within one's own grass, after all. They bit and corroded the insides of the fertile lands, or so it'd been said. She hadn't known that Taiyang was THE Tai Yang of the Xiao Long, but it should've been obvious.
She couldn't say that the sex had been bad, and there'd been a certain beauty to the man's gentle temper that he had. It was harder on Raven than it'd been on her, but she had been the mom to her little Ruby and to Raven's daughter, her sister in everything but blood.
'It's a shame…'
The file in her possession would need to be read through carefully, because she was not going to let this opportunity slip out of her grasp. There was information in this world that was not able to be corroborated without enough evidence and she had to make certain of it.
'It's such a damn shame…'
The picture of Verdigris Arc had been hard to come by, but it still had remained within the archives, as she emerged from the rundown shack next to the textile factory, knowing that the smell of the dyes usually kept people from investigating too closely, another address in her list checked off.
'To better the world is the cause that we signed up for, yet…'
Raven looked so pretty and sedate when she was enjoying herself. Qrow and Raven had that same quality, that innocence that she'd beaten out of Raven with her own hands, had pushed the will upon and made her hers completely, with no refusal.
'A better world…'
She could hear the sound of people shouting as the first flames started to lick at the factory, her fingers clutching the tube for a moment, put into the corset that she wore, against the skin, Rubedo's Semblance cloaking her once again.
'Not so much… But it's worth it.'
She recalled those conversations in bed, when there'd been happiness and joy in her life, even with her partner barely conscious and only there to listen to her whispers, red eyes giving her a lazy look, before she'd sneak closer and give them a tickle.
Now it was Jaune, the one who held the reins in his hands, the one who Raven had found a haven in. It wasn't too strange. Blondes seemed to be fetching for her sister of the Order. They were all sisters, and so were their daughters.
'Blood matters, yet power matters supreme.'
There was never the doubt about one's power, when the enemies had been defeated and there was only the bodies laid out. She remembered the purge type missions that she'd gone on, to feel that rush of endorphins and that blazing silver glow in her eyes, knowing that she would do the missions for the Order and for the prosperity of the Kingdom.
She sat down on a bench after exiting an alley, the cloak turned into a ball and then sealed in a small ziplock bag, her body unmarked by the blood, the feeling of the weight in her pocket enough as she watched the fire crews getting ready to deal with the fire that she'd caused. The criminal elements of the city often dealt with these issues in a brutal fashion, so the blame was easily shifted.
'Not the best performance, but without Raven…'
"Are you alone here, girlie?"
The blonde man sat down next to her, arm wrapping around her shoulders, Rubedo's form not too inconspicuous with the short top and the jeans that she'd picked up on the trip into Mistral, her eyes looking at Shay D. Mann as his hand tapped against the container, taking it from her.
"Not interested in guys, sorry."
She'd done the delivery, as the man got up, the crest of Raven's tribe visible on his keyring, the man pulling out a Lien chip, seemingly in offering. She shook her head, as had been agreed upon.
"Pity, a pretty girl like you could get some extra money… But I guess we're not going to be doing that."
Summer smirked, Rubedo's face twisting a little to the proper expression, her eyes lit up with that high-energy spirit that seemed to have brought the owner of the body many compliments from her family, if she'd have to trust Rubedo's words.
"Nope… but I'm sure that there's a pretty bird out there who'd want your Lien."
The coded phrase, to bring the container back to Raven, the man getting up. He'd bring the information on the container there as swiftly as he could, the henchwoman to Raven already at the side, dressed like a common hooker, flirtatiously grabbing his arm, and the song and dance came again. It was play, something that was not to be taken seriously, but they played well, for bandits.
'The girl should hide her weapons better, though…'
It might be her professional standards, but women did not have dumpy bulges at their hips. She might have to mention that to Raven, if the girl ever was sent on another pickup like this… Raven at the very least would've managed to hide her katana blade somewhere nice and barely visible.
'There's something to be said about telescopic Dust Blades… The time that Raven had to pull the sword out of her ass was both embarrassing as well as hilarious. Qrow's expression of 'what the fuck, Raven' was hilarious when she'd just pulled her blade out to take out that Grimm that'd snuck up on us during date night.'
Of course, the colon could only fit ONE of the blades, caught within a latex-covered sheath, but it'd been a valuable lesson. Raven kept her advice carefully in mind whenever she went anywhere, just as the training had been.
'The body is a temple, and within that temple lies an armoury. The armoury is filled with opportunity and with the hints of how you should challenge those who come before you, so that the temple is never destroyed.'
There was something to that line of thinking, she knew. It was one of the philosophies of the Order situated in Mistral, and it was hard not to ignore that the core of their philosophy differed from the Rose.
There would be no survivors to her purge, as long as she could manage it. Her body was her own possession now, and the Mission had changed. They served with a young man now, by right one of the representatives of the Order, perhaps even the Grandmaster, but the Creed was different now. There would be no more hesitation for her, no more doubt within her mind at the thoughts of what had come before. The children would be safe. Her daughter would be safe and Yang would be safer.
'With the powers…'
She smirked deviously, as she slipped into the throng of people, the red eyes turning into a deep silver for a flash, before they slowly faded in a darker tint of red.
'It'll be another visit…'
She liked making house-calls. There was a lot of screaming when she did and the feeling of those urges increasing before her house-call and decreasing after the dust had settled and life had left the building.
'Sometimes… It's better to kill than to have sex.'
You knew what you were, when you killed people.
She totally should annul her marriage.
The conflict of interest (Jaune Arc.)
It was perhaps not the most elegant of solutions, he found. With a set of sunglasses on to hide his eyes from view, he sat in the booth, waiting for his associates, the accomplices that he had conscripted. It would be some time still, but he felt a little uneasy as well, Kali's whispers slowly in his ear, the early morning rush starting up. Vale was waking up, and there would be time for planning.
'I don't know why they wanted me to meet with them here, but I will be there.'
A member of the Royal family should be on time, with the grace that was afforded to them by their station in life, as well as ensuring that none would doubt their claim to their title. A waitress approached, a thin woman in her early twenties, hair cut short with a deep blue colour running through the blonde tufts that had been fixed in an orderly manner.
"Good morning, do you want to get a refill of coffee?"
The cup was slowly growing cold in front of him, half-drank. The feeling of Kali's presence in his ear, the knowledge that she was lurking, waiting in the shadows to tear and maim if something went wrong, was soothing.
"I'm fine. I'm just waiting for some of my friends, they said they'd be here at eight."
The waitress smiled and he could see her eyes linger just a little longer. He watched her walk off, his attention going to the side and then hearing an 'eep!' as the sound of someone falling to the floor was heard, the woman getting up slowly, Kali's soft chuckles in his ear.
'I think I should have a chat with Kali about proper behaviour…'
The woman's fingers were sliding over his shoulders, her presence like a dark shadow, her soothing emotions of a distant fear enough for his comfort, as his hand picked up the cup and he drank some more. It was still early, Raven had left in the morning, stating a lack of guidance for her bandits since she'd been gone.
'The conquest of Mistral's bandit tribes… Order in a world without the law.'
It was what a hero should do. The people were not united, they would only war with themselves, and more people would be hurt. There was a need for order in the world, because only with order, there would be peace and…
'And nobody would have to die anymore…'
He remembered Ren, feeling the snapping of the connection and knowing that Nora and Pyrrha felt the same. They had been discordant in their connection, Pyrrha's soft whispers making little sense at times when she was actively talking to him, her body still in an alert state.
"Good morning."
The creak of the chair was loud as Cardin sat down, dressed in a simple button-up shirt, his eyes looking a little clearer, the darkness inside his body twitching and trembling with a little push of the will.
"Hello there."
Melinda spoke up, something conservative pulled on, her eyes clear as well, without the fear that could taint it. It was not some sort of fairytale in which the world returned anew once the evil had been vanquished.
"What are your plans, friend?"
It was a good question, and he'd thought about it a few times before he'd come to a conclusion, satisfying nothing but his own thoughts with the darkest of impulses, the drive for vengeance long-discarded.
"Good morning."
Kali's voice came from the shadows, Jaune noticing how Cardin stiffened, his weapon at his side, as always was the case. The Vitae Tenebris within Cardin and Melinda buzzed, as Kali's eyes glinted in the shadows.
"I don't plan on coming out into the public yet, Cardin."
It would be too big a chance to take. It was best to make sure that there was a solid base, where his existence could languish and be relatively safe. His father would call it 'methodical', but it was all just logical. If he was a public figure, he could not be easily taken out… or at least, so it would be claimed.
A small nod from the taller teenager, the red hair combed smoothly. Melinda cleared her throat.
"I wasn't… I wasn't meaning to ask, but- My, well, Auntie Maroon has said that she might consider it, if it was important. I've not hinted at you being more than you are, but- I did get to look into the records. She never really changes her passwords, so… I did some snooping. Your father has his title still."
That made sense to Jaune. It wouldn't be easy to get a title taken away from someone who had always been the prime inheritor of the title. It reminded him of the fact that technically, he was only 'Prince Jaune Ozymandias d'Arc-Night', compared to his oldest sister, who would be the Queen, if the traditional succession rights were followed.
He held a greater stake in getting the crown than his oldest sister did, but if she wished to be formally known as 'Queen Rowena Onyxia d'Arc-Night of Vale', then he'd let her. His oldest sister was…
'She slept with me. She slept with me. We had sex.'
A conflicted feeling inside him, remembering her eyes, full of love and devotion, care and that indecipherable mystery that seemed to yearn to be brought to the light. His mind kept returning to that moment in time, the space uncomfortable and yet-
'She was willing to sacrifice her life for me.'
She was such a great sister and he shouldn't be feeling like this about her, knowing that it was a sickening thought to even consider. It wasn't the love that he felt for Whitney, Kali or the others, but there was something more to it, something that was deeper.
'I'm…'
She was his sister. You shouldn't feel like that about your sister, his mother had said. His mother had always been someone who would tell it to you without hiding the truth. He remembered how mad she'd gotten when he'd said that he'd like to marry his oldest sister.
'You're sick, just like the Grand Witch and the Grand Wizard. Saying that you'd want to be marrying your own sister, sleeping with her…'
It wasn't a thought that had faded from his mind, the feeling of Rowena still lingering, even with the touches of Raven there to be gentle and kind. The bandit woman was someone who craved the touches of a person she could connect with, and…
'Raven really shouldn't have done the older sister thing…'
He'd imagined that it'd been Rowena, though he'd never voice that aloud in his mind. It was embarrassing to even think about, and… and it had felt good. He felt guilty about that good feeling, as if his sister had never been anything but someone to take pleasure in. She was a very beautiful woman and it wasn't right to think about her like that.
'I'm sick, I'm so sick and twisted for even thinking about it.'
"Are you doing alright?"
He jerked himself out of his thoughts when the question from Cardin came, shaking his head. He let his hand brush through his hair, his hand plucking the sunglasses off his face and then rubbing his eyes.
"Just a little distracted, I'm- What were we talking about again?"
'Embarrassing… Dad would've said something about an idle mind going to dark places…'
He wasn't like this, usually. He didn't think that it'd be wrong to say that he'd been drawn along by the dark urges. Only a sick person would think about the feeling of his older sister as she did those things with him.
"About meeting with Aunt Maroon. She said that she had a spot free in her schedule for next Tuesday, the events around the Breach still taking up most of her time."
It was logical that the members of the Council would be booked full in their meetings, with how the events had taken Vale by surprise, leaving nothing to chance to prevent something like that from happening again.
"I'll be there, when you need me. I'll take make sure that the kitty purrs."
It was coded language for Kali, just in the case that someone was listening in on them, the look on Melinda's face showing an understanding, as the cup of tea in front of her steamed.
'Have I really been out of it for too long?'
He didn't even remember when they'd been asked for their tea, as Melinda's fingers took the spoon and then tapped it on the rim of the tea-cup, adding some more honey to the tea. Cardin's coffee was a little different from his own, the white foam on top giving it the appearance of something fancier.
"Hmm, and purr it will, Jaune."
Kali's voice drifted from his ears, as the ghostly tendrils of hands slipped over his body, Kali's touch from the shadows of his body like that of a lover, and he guessed that she was. A lover… he had more than one of those.
"It'll be good to have Auntie meet with such a wonderful guy like you. I'm sure that you can state your case."
A finger tapped onto the table, drawing a little crown, the young woman's eyes serious. He knew that he should keep their fealty, that he should do more things for them, but what was the question.
"Do you require something?"
It wasn't a bad question, he supposed, but his mind kept on drifting to things that were not safe for his sanity, to think on things. Thinking about his family, thinking about that and… and the horrible thought that he might be attracted to his own sister in the way of a man and a woman.
'She'd die for me if it made me safe.'
He respected her for that, as well as holding those thoughts. He snapped his focus back to his vassals, aware that he's not quite the greatest lord to them. It was a tension that charged with every moment of thoughts.
"We're both well-taken care of, but if you'd like to go for another cup of coffee, that'd be nice. I'd like to talk- You know, about… the thing."
A miming of pressing buttons was made, and Jaune's face showed little expression as he remembered the feelings that'd came with that deathly state. It had been a moment where he'd suddenly found himself enmeshed within the darkness with the Grand Witch, kissing her on the lips. Why that'd happened, he didn't know.
'I've got some theories… But what do I know?'
He didn't know the original values that'd been within his body, and he knew that there would only be more questions, even with him being the sacrificial lamb of the d'Arc-Night family. If he hadn't had this occur… would there even have been a choice before he was made to inherit the Grand Wizard's consciousness?
"Of course, that's not… Sure, we can do that."
He smiled sheepishly, knowing that it'd need to be said anyways, Melinda giving a small smile as Cardin shifted a little awkwardly, nervous undoubtedly because of the subject that was being talked about, the three members of the Council of Vale having no stake yet within the affairs of royalty.
'It might be good to have some time with him, talk things out. I'm… I'm still a bit upset, but it'd be good to talk to someone who isn't… well, I'm not saying that the ladies are old, but they're not my age.'
The look of blue eyes that slowly turned silver, the feeling of warmth and love and that caress, a soft whisper of that need, the smell of a sister that he'd loved before she'd made… before she'd loved him as a woman loved a man.
"I'm here for you during this tough time, buddy."
It was more the fact that they were looking at him as if he was the one suffering that brought to attention how he must look, weak and fragile, as if he'd been greatly affected. He checked his reflection, the pale skin that he had grown used to dotted with the veins of the dark corruption that he used to create the Grimm.
"Thank you. I've had a bit of a relationship problem."
She'd turned into a bird. He still didn't understand what'd happened, but luckily, she'd not turned into a bird the next time. He could see where Yang got her sex appeal from, if Raven Branwen was any good indication of what lurked in store. Raven had been much gentler than her first time, which he attributed to her nerves.
"Yeah, that's what friends are for, aren't they?"
It was more camaraderie than anything else, not the master and servant relationship that Cardin and he should have, a play for the unwary onlookers, as he fist-bumped Cardin, the gesture much less formal than a bow and a pledge of fealty. It would not look out of place within the setting of a period drama, but it was the current day and those things were not done.
"I'll pay back what I owe you. Loyalty is something that the house of Winchester has."
'The unofficial way of saying that you're following my lead…'
It was a way of saying thing, as Melinda drank her tea, setting it down after a short while.
"We're dating, by the way. Ever since the incident with… well, where you helped us out, there's been that feeling that makes me want to be close to him."
Jaune nodded, as Cardin looked a little flustered. It wasn't much in the nature of the other teenager to be so flustered, Jaune recalled, so there was some story behind it, as Melinda smiled.
"Done with dating Faunus boys for a while, so now I'm being the good girl and going for little Cardy Wee."
Jaune watched as Cardin flushed a little red, as Melinda's hand patted his… well, he supposed that Cardin would be like a knight of sorts, with the armour that he wore. A paladin, someone to shield him, a vanguard of sorts. Pyrrha would work as well as Cardin would, more of an executioner than someone who would be able to take the hits.
"Stop it, I grew out of that nickname when I was thirteen…"
There was a story behind that, as Melinda laughed, starting to tease her friend about the possibilities, Jaune wondering if he'd have a friend like that too. He had Pyrrha, he had Nora, but as far as male friends went, he was still sorely lacking.
'I wonder what mom would think of me being in a relationship with older women…'
It would be something of a minor uproar with his mother's temper. He'd asked her about girls a few times, but it'd been a dismissive way that she'd spoken of it.
"You're too young to be thinking about that, Jaune."
He was eleven! That meant that you should be looking at girls, because the comics said that there would be a time when girls would stop being icky and weird! His mother's whetstone ran over the edge of the knife that she was sharpening, the edge tested on a small piece of meat first, slicing through the meat in a swift chopping motion.
"But- Vav said that-"
His mother's eyes were dark, as she gave him a look, her knife slicing the meat into even strips. Father had still not come home and the others were even less frequently seen.
"You're too young, Jaune. You shouldn't be thinking of that yet. You're still only eleven years old."
His mother never really seemed to understand what he wanted. Big sis was much nicer, even if she'd gone away with father, off to some place that was really far away. He missed her, knowing that she'd be the best Huntress of the family.
He adored her, because she'd always had those nice stories to tell, sad stories and good stories, telling him of the beauty that life held. He loved her and she'd always looked sad for a little while after he'd said that, but it was fine because she was his oldest, biggest sister.
Bianca and Ashley were off to Beacon, a place where people were made into Huntsmen and given the tools to save people. A princess he'd save, undoubtedly, when he went there. Heather had always said that he'd be a good boy for them all, even though Rowena had always told her to shut it, knowing that he'd be more than a boy eventually.
He started to miss bathing with her, even though his mother had said that he was a little too old for that now. She always paid good attention to him, even if Heather joined in some times. The bathtub was big enough for four, or five if one really had to get in. Ashley, Bianca, Heather and Rowena occasionally did that too, talking about the 'bizniss' and boys.
Those conversations usually had most of them laughing, and he'd overheard some things that'd made him ask Rowena later about them. There'd been no more conversations like that, and sometimes, women liked to be around other women, according to her explanation. Him pointing out that Ashley and Bianca were only eight years older than him rather than her fourteen was rewarded with a little shake and a soft smile.
"I still want to know. Father said that I shouldn't worry too much, but knowledge is its own reward, apparently. I still don't know what he meant with that."
His mother smiled with a grimace, as she put the meat in the bowl to spice it, motioning for him to take a seat.
"Help me with the cooking, sweetie. You shouldn't listen to your oldest sister, or you'll become someone who leeches off older women."
It'd been a little strange, but it'd made sense at the time and he'd nearly forgotten about that odd conversation. His mother wasn't very comfortable around him. It might be because dad had always said that he should be something less than what would be acceptable for a noble heir. Who wanted to be a good shepherd to a massive flock? He wasn't into being a shepherd! He had wanted to be a hero, just like his father and his grandfather and his grandfather's father.
"We'll be in touch. Here's my Scroll number."
A number on a piece of paper was put forth, clearly marked with pen beforehand, taking the piece of paper and getting his Scroll out to enter it.
The C section in his contact list only contained Cremea, the number listed as the only contact. A pang of sadness shot through him, remembering his sister, who had been killed by an explosion in Mountain Glenn.
'I won't forget about you, Cremea.'
She'd always been a little weird, but she wasn't someone who wanted to hurt him. It'd always been the logical statements of 'Make sure that your feet are dry' and 'don't mess this up, it's arranged perfectly', nothing really hard to swallow. It was just how dad and Cremea were, logical people.
"Thank you."
He entered the number on the paper and then crumpled it, tucking it into a pocket. Touches on his skin came from Kali, as the feeling of a hand groping in his pocket became felt, the woman's fingers brushing over his groin as well.
"We'll be in touch, Mister Winchester…"
The ephemeral voice spoke softly as Kali's eyes glinted in the shadow, the woman's fingers stroking over his groin for a little longer before they turned away, a soft hissing issued from her lips.
"Here's my number, handsome. Give me a ring if you need me, and we're definitely going to be in touch."
It was not that much harder to add Melinda to the M category, his eyes looking at the number that stood for Mom. It was tough not to contact his family, but they were aligned with the Grand Wizard. That made them a threat.
"I'll make sure that things are kept brief. Don't worry, I won't steer you wrong."
A lord was something of a captain of a ship, there to guide it towards a safe harbour, to make it look perfect for the world to see, to hear and to never show the shadows of the world to the onlookers because the royal protocol was in effect.
'Perfection performs perfectly.'
The three P's of a royal household, there to guide the people, and often repeated. His sister Rowena had taught him, as he nodded towards the vassals that he had gathered, as was the proper way. Informal, but still in a position above them.
"We're counting on you."
Cardin spoke, holding out a hand and Jaune shook it, the darkness in the young man's body shivering, as he felt the power collect, the bond between Cardin and his friend stronger now, strengthened due to their proximity.
"As am I."
He responded, as was polite. A king was nobody without their subjects, trusted to determine the proper course of action. There would be nothing, if the king did not lead with knowledge, making the choices and being able to birth something to the world that would last hundreds of years, or to destroy and leave nothing there.
As he got up from his seat, Cardin and Melinda rose as well. His cup of coffee was already half-finished, the cup containing only the cooling coffee, much like the Vitae Tenebris in appearance, but never volatile.
He walked out of the coffee place first, leaving the two of them behind for a moment, turning his head to see that Cardin's hand had joined with Melinda's, the two of them talking quietly, a small smile on his lips at the thought of those two together.
'Considering how I found you, bleeding out and hurt…'
Something resembling happiness might be what he needed, as he strode into the busy morning pedestrian traffic, people of all walks of life going towards their morning jobs or their gainful employment elsewhere, the mess of emotions and sensitivities burning brightly.
His Scroll beeped, showing a message from his oldest sister when he opened it up.
'Are you ready for today? I love you.'
That forbidden twitch and bittersweet feeling welled up again, as he got onto one of the buses that served as the public transport for Vale, feeling Kali slither through the shadows to follow him. His Acolyte's presence was like the shadows that she clung to, barely visible, her eyes visible in some of the shadows that fell that were dark enough for her to manifest in.
'Do I respond to her as I want to?'
She was his sister, but she'd done that to him. He felt conflicted, knowing the brush of desire go through him, knowing that it wouldn't be looked upon fondly even if it wasn't voiced. It would not go well with the protocols in place, even with the seventh amendment to Royal marriage, but still…
'Yes.'
He wondered whether he should respond with an 'I love you' back, the face of his sister in his mind's eye. She would like to hear it, and he knew that she would love him, no matter what he said. She was his big sister, and his fingers tapped a little faster onto the digital keyboard.
'Yes. I love you too, big sis.'
He was definitely going to someplace worse after he'd died, thinking such thoughts about his own sister, the one who was innocent, who did not need to have bad things come her way.
It was his penance, shaped into a different form. His sister hadn't made much sense when she'd come back from Menagerie, but it was still an obligation he would have.
You didn't turn your back on family. If they proved worthy to be members of your family, the strangers you met could be counted upon. Rowena was the best of his sisters, so he'd trust her judgment.
She loved him.
He'd simply have to come to terms with the fact that his sister had sex with him and that he'd enjoyed it, no matter how sick it was.
That he wanted more of it was another curse undoubtedly, brought on by that dark power within him, the urges and negativity of the people around him slowly being sucked into the vacuum of his power, whirling around into the darkness and processing into the Vitae Tenebris that birthed life into darkness.
'I should hate myself for loving her. Mom would probably seriously disapprove… Dad… Whatever Dad thinks is up to him…'
He wouldn't really be received very warmly by his family at any rate.
The rose that blossoms (Ruby Rose)
The blade was easy to maintain, at least. Having to replace it after giving it a solid rubbing with the brush and the cleaning cloth was hard, but that's what you had weapon oil for, of course. You kept your weapon in good shape, because it was the last lifeline that you had in a place where everyone was going crazy, and you needed to be the hero!
Weiss would see soon enough, undoubtedly! She'd be the little fairytale princess and she'd be the best partner ever, even if she looked a little afraid. She wasn't supposed to be afraid, of course she shouldn't!
'I wonder… Should I sharpen it some more?'
Crescent Rose was such a wonderful weapon, after all, it was a sharp scythe and it cut through baddies easily. With a bit more polish, it'd shine and shimmer, just like the weapons of the heroines of the fairytales. She was going to be a Huntress and she was going to shine!
"Do you need a hand?"
The red-haired champion of Mistral's fighting circuit said, her father's words coming to mind, the video that she'd seen a few months before of Pyrrha's fighting prowess and the skill with which she wielded her weapons.
'Someone who's able to be a good partner. Yang's got her own little party, and Blake's such a good little Faunus.'
It was really nice to see the two of them smiling again, Blake had just been a little sad, but there'd be some prince for Blake out there someway! It'd be a nice one, someone who'd help her over those little issues. The Faunus were not all bad, though many didn't really like humans. Weiss probably was not feeling very happy, but nothing had happened, after all! Nothing had happened and there was only an evil lady who was her cousin, wielding such a baddy bad weapon!
Daddy had said that it was just the way that it was named, because not every weapon had a nice name. Crescent Rose was nice, but then again, Yang's weapons were called Ember Cecilia… which wasn't really a name you'd really use.
'Hmm… I wonder…'
She smiled and shook her head softly. The girl wouldn't be able to be a good partner, she'd been… She'd been friends with her former friend Jaune too, right?
'He's a little dusty-dust spirit now! A little angel, and he'll be… He'll be gone, right? Perhaps she'd like to fight a little. Uncle Sage said that I should try to fight better, and auntie said that I should- Oh, yes, I should be polite.'
"Oh, no, no, I'm fine! Do you want to- Do you want to spar? I'd like to test out the new blade! No blood, no, no, first hit wins, okay?"
There was a look in the green eyes of Pyrrha Nikos that made her feel a little jumpy, something that pumped the blood through her veins, like in the stories! A friend, maybe a bit of an ally, some gallant princess-Huntress who would be able to fight.
Mom had a partner who wasn't a part of the order of things, after all, so maybe Pyrrha could be a part of something better too? Yang was going to be educating Blake into being happy again!
"That'd be grand, Ruby."
There was a smile on her lips as she raised her weapon, starting with a downward slash, the shield moving to intercept, whilst the spear-weapon shifted into a rifle, the bullet used one of the dummy ones, but nevertheless hitting her on the cheek, bouncing off her aura with no lasting harm done.
She giggled a little at the touch, knowing that she'd made a good choice. It'd all been wonderful, after all, it'd been like a princess fight! She'd be a good little Rose, after all, mommy was one of the best and she'd fought for the betterment of the world.
'Yes, yes! I'll see whether I can ask her to play with me in the training with Uncle Sage.'
Uncle Sage was a good man, even if his daughter was evil. She'd never really liked her, but that might just be because there was pressure on her shoulders. A little princess, she supposed, could be affording the pain of naming a weapon something horrible! Who named their weapon Faunus Death, huh? EVIL PEOPLE!
"You should try to stop your motion before you fully commit. It'll make your strikes easier to telegraph."
'Uncle Sage said something like that too. Pyrrha's really smart… Hmm… I wonder if she heard the fairytales too.'
She giggled softly, looking at the redheaded leader of team PRWN with eager, silver eyes.
"So, so, what's your favourite fairytale?"
Pyrrha looked a little surprised, before she smiled softly, her eyes softening a little like some girls did when they thought of fond memories. She liked it when she'd been with her team, when she'd seen how great it'd be to be team RWBY. They'd all become good heroines and Huntresses! Nobody would be able to doubt the might of the Rose of Team RWBY!
"I'd have to say that it's 'the prince and the paladin'."
That was a romance story. It wasn't a nice one, because Yang had said that it was too mature for her. Yang liked to read the fairytales too, even if she said that some hadn't really been all that interesting. She'd been reading the book and it'd been nice to see what they read.
She really liked fairytales, because it was nice to see people be happy.
"Mine is 'The Rose, the Dark Night and the Skull'."
Pyrrha looked at her for a while, seemingly confused. She frowned a little, as if she didn't quite get it. It was a story that her daddy had told her, about how things should be, because it was important. She was going to be a good heroine to her own story, as would the others!
"I've not heard that one. Can you tell me a little about it? Is it specific to Vale? We've got one about a maiden lost in the mountains, but it's not something you'd read to children."
Ruby giggled a little at Pyrrha's strange words. She wasn't a child anymore, she was fifteen! She knew how the world worked! You found a prince who'd make you feel really good, and Weiss was seventeen so she should find her nice prince. Daddy said that he wouldn't be available, so it was a bit of a bummer, but Yang had said that Weiss might maybe, if she recovered from the big bad nasty breaks, be interested in something like that.
It'd been a little sad, the way that Yang had looked at her, but it was okay. She was going to be the saviour, after all. She'd had special silver eyes, where Yang had none. The eyes saw the truth. All meanies would die! Daddy had said so!
"It's something my dad told me. A bit of stuffy history, but it's nice. It starts with four families, and then there are three, because the fourth were evil stinky baddies who betrayed the others."
Pyrrha's eyes looked at her and she felt a sense of kinship. Perhaps she'd ask professor Ozpin whether he'd be able to do something. Pyrrha had lost Ren, after all… Maybe she'd like to join team RWBY in Weiss her absence? It'd be a nice thing to fill up the ranks. Four people were needed for the Vytal festival, after all, so it'd be normal for them to have a fourth member.
Pyrrha would want to be glorious, right? She'd be the heroine of her own fairytale, and she'd be great with team RWBY! She'd see the light.
"That sounds grand… It's not… what's the lesson in it? Most fairytales have a little lesson in them, for the next generations to learn of them."
It was silly that Pyrrha couldn't see it. If you strayed from the creed, you were to be determined to be a bad seed. It'd be death, of course! Only in death did duty end, and she'd never be a meanie villain, no!
"Don't be a meanie, or you get punished."
She'd be a great team leader! Weiss would be happy and back, Yang and Blake would be working together again and they'd kick some ass in the Vytal festival! They wouldn't get a choice, because when all choices were made, they were made with love!
Pyrrha smiled at her with a warm expression, looking perfect. She'd suggest that Pyrrha be inducted, because she'd make a great partner. Maybe Weiss could be the back-up? Weiss wasn't looking very well, and she looked a little sad, which was not allowed!
Team RWBY would be amazing! They'd be amazing and they'd kick evil foreign butt!
It would all be wonderful, because Ruby Rose was the heroine of her story!
The story of Team RWBY!
Things are darkening, as pawns are moving… In the next chapter, a small d'Arc-Night family reunion!
