Chapter 23: Invicta Somnium
I genuinely look forward to NyaNyaKittyFace's responses. It's like a Youtube Reacts video. Thanks for making me smile, dude!
Jaune's fingers stroked over the head of his partner as she cuddled up against him, aware that there was only a set of clothing between the two of them. The warmth that she provided him was like a salve to his weary body, the dark ocean within him slowly receding into the heat that she provided.
"Jaune."
A soft uttering from her lips as her green eyes gazed up at him, heavy-lidded with a hint of pleasure within their depths, bringing a deep sigh from her lips, her fingers brushing over his side.
It was needed. He'd over-strained himself and felt how his lungs stopped to work for an instant. Having to try working magic in secret was draining him, and he knew that she'd be there regardless. She was a good partner, the best.
"Thanks, Pyrrha."
A smile, indulgent and warm, her lips pressing against the crook of his neck. She was so warm and kind. They hadn't done anything yet, but he wasn't going to move for the foreseeable future. A knocking on the door came and he felt her get up, walking there and opening it. Weiss stood in the door opening, her eyes filled with a deep passion and concern.
"Hey, Weiss."
She saw him in his bed, a worried expression appearing on her face. Clearly she had heard of the little issue earlier. It was all that he could do, after all. After Pyrrha had come down on Yang like a hurricane of steel and red hair, he had been left in the clear, the match against Cardin being another loss. Being hit with a mace in the chest was something that he could heal up, even though he felt the pain shoot through his nerves and his body as he willed the bones to heal up.
"Are you... alright?"
She hesitated, looking at him. He opened the bed for her to get in, and she did. She looked at him.
"You're... You're freezing cold."
He was, perhaps. He hadn't been noticing it much. She held him, her blue eyes full of concern. There was something inside her, a warmth that he could feel as Pyrrha slid up against him again. The dark ocean roiled as a thunder strike seemed to hit it, the feeling of comfort as Weiss snuggled up against him too.
"Does it help?"
A softly spoken question, as she looked up at him. Her ponytail was askew, his hand brushing over her hair. The dark veins started out from his palm, the colour slowly receding. He felt warmer, knowing that Weiss meant well.
"He's been needing more touching."
Pyrrha commented like the good partner that she was. They'd made a compromise earlier, and he knew that he could trust her. Weiss made a sound.
"That virgin goes too far, Jaune. I don't like seeing you hurt."
He tried to think of something, but failed. He looked at her and gave a hesitant smile. It wasn't his fault that his Aura was so weak. The warmth was pleasant, though.
"It's going to be payback, Weiss. I'm getting things ready..."
He had prepared something suitable for her, something that would put her to the test. Yang Xiao Long's picture had given him knowledge, something that he could use. He would need to talk to someone first... Arrange for something. The money was already in his account now.
"Can I trust you to do something for me?"
Weiss looked at him, a deep desperate hope in her eyes for his request. It wouldn't be hard to ask her, but she was eager to please. A reward, perhaps something she'd like.
"If I can help... and- and it isn't too dangerous. Well, not too dangerous for you."
He smiled at her and kissed her. He felt the warmth fill him, and he noticed little. He only snapped aware when he felt someone tugging at him. His hand was warm, his finger half-way lodged inside Weiss and her flushed cheeks were red, as he broke the kiss. Her lips were half-parted, a string of saliva connecting the two of them.
"Ah..."
He felt better, as Weiss flushed, Pyrrha giving an awkward sound.
"Sorry, I just-"
Weiss smiled shyly at him. Her eyes were half-closed as she slowly opened them after a moment. Pyrrha's breath tickled his ear. He'd gone past just a simple kiss, way past that. Weiss looked at him, her body pressed against the bed.
"It's- It's okay, you big lunk. It's- It's something that you need. Whenever you're hugged, you feel better, right? Whatever your Semblance is, whatever... well, whatever power it gives you, it requires contact with someone to recover, right?"
He slowly nodded, feeling how Pyrrha adjusted herself against him. It was a softness inside her that pulled to him. The ocean was slowly receding, the flame blazing inside him like a fiery spirit, growing slowly by the flame's pull, the ocean feeling dimmer, but still present.
She was Weiss and she was alive and wonderful. His lips pressed against hers and she moaned, her arms wrapping around him, a frenzied kiss, his teeth grabbing her lower lip and tugging on it.
"Jaune~!"
Her moan was loud in the room and he could feel the brush of her body, as her heat leeched into his own. He was not going to deny her his touch, his cool body heated by her.
A knocking on the door and an annoyed sigh came from Weiss. He could feel the coolness as Pyrrha got up, the door opened up and Ruby bounding into the room.
"Weiss! We've got that project due tomorrow and I need your help!"
Weiss adjusted herself a little below the covers, as Ruby bounced onto the bed, smiling broadly.
"Ooh, cuddles! Are they good cuddles?"
Weiss flashed her genuine smile, the one she always wore around him, snuggling a little closer.
"Yes. He's great, even if I have to be careful with him."
His hand pushed between her legs and Weiss stiffened, as Ruby started to talk about the project, Weiss giving a little sigh as she went in-depth, trying to get her partner grounded.
"No, it's about the THIRD siege, not the fourth. You should let me do the talking, rather than just rattling off those facts that don't make sense, Ruby."
She was so warm, so caring. Loving, he might even call it. His finger slid in, letting her feel it trace and stroke. She flushed a little, the heat growing more intense inside him. Pyrrha's hug turned a little tighter, as Ruby remained ignorant still of what was happening.
"But Weiss, you know that Yang and Blake are going to contribute too!"
Weiss flushed, as his finger dug in deeper, wriggling into her folds, the heat seeping into his body from the place where he touched her. Weiss shivered and shuddered softly, her eyes closing and then opening once more, leaving him to push in further.
"They can... They can do it on their own. Sit down, Ruby. I'm- ah... Jaune?"
She looked at him and he smiled at her. His finger pulled free from her and his lips pressed against her. A squeak came from Ruby as he caught her hands covering her eyes, a finger pushing away to peek. His tongue invaded his friend's mouth, hearing Pyrrha give a soft breathy sound.
"A kiss for my little Dust princess."
She flushed, getting up slowly and getting out. Her eyes looked down at him and she groaned, bending over. He could see the glistening between her legs, smell the need inside her. She was like a warm bonfire, having heated him up. He turned to Pyrrha, whose cheeks were warm. Ruby was still covering her eyes.
"Y-you can look. We're decent, Ruby."
He wondered how red Ruby would turn if he just pulled Weiss' shirt open. It would probably be allowed by the girl herself. Weiss was... eager. It surprised him sometimes how eager she was. She was a good friend, but perhaps a little sheltered.
"Oh... Good. I mean, not that there's anything wrong with loving him, I mean, it's okay, Yang just doesn't like it and she's just uncomfortable with it. She's not really dated in Signal, so when she was going to come here she was stating that she would be the most popular girl around, but that hasn't happened yet and she's worried that-"
The rattling that came from the girl was amusing, as Pyrrha hugged him closer. She was warm in the heat she gave off, and his eyes caught sight of her beautiful green eyes. She was feeling like she had something to say to him.
"She's a mean girl. She hurt Jaune!"
Weiss started to go off, Ruby looking at her friend with shock. Clearly that hadn't been told to Ruby yet, because that cute as a button mouth fell open.
"No, she'd never do that! She's always there to support me! My friends back at Signal said that she was a great girl. Most of the boys did, anyways. I didn't really have many female friends... I guess that comes with being a weapons nerd."
Weiss huffed, looking at her team leader with an expression that clearly doubted that version of events..
"And still she is a prude? She must have had men dragging you around because they wished to date her! With her big floatation devices, she must have had a new partner every week!"
Ruby looked redder than a buoy, looking at her partner and bestie with a look of crestfallenness on her face.
"But but... They only wanted to be friends! Yang didn't even wear that much when we went to the beach, and they offered to help her put on sunscreen. I was busy with the maintenance. Sand gets everywhere, you know."
Weiss looked at her partner and sighed. She looked at him with a look that was plaintive, her gaze going down to her own chest.
"They lied to you to get close to your sister, Ruby. Boys like women with... with breasts. Those udders are like beacons, and... And-"
He frowned a little. His arm still ached, and he was pretty sure that Yang would tear it off if he did anything more. Weiss could be a little crude at times, and her eyes went to him, pleading.
He got up from the bed, leaving the warmth where it was and feeling the coolness of the room, or at least the imagined coolness for what it was. He felt the pain brush through him as he felt Weiss' darkened emotions, knowing just the words to say.
"You are perfect, just the way you are. Your mother is pretty, and so will you be. Everyone takes a different amount of time to blossom, Weiss."
He embraced her from behind, laying his head on her shoulder. She felt so warm, as his arms wrapped around her and she grabbed his wrists, giving a soft sound of contentment.
"She's... She's called. She's called me twice, and... And I apologized. Thank you, Jaune. I-"
A tear rolled down her cheek, and he kissed it away. She trembled a little, as she started to shiver and breathe heavily, clearly feeling the emotions. He held her a little tighter, kissing her cheek once more.
"You're my friend, Weiss. I would do anything to make you happy."
A hesitant, shy smile, as she turned her head to him. She was still crying, but that look in her blue eyes...
"Jaune, I- Thank you. Mother would have..."
It was an understanding, something in his friend's eyes. He caught sight of Ruby looking emotional as well, as he pulled Weiss a little closer.
"I'm so happy to have you as a friend, Weiss."
He opened his arms for Ruby to come here as well, the girl joining in the impromptu hug. He caught sight of Pyrrha joining in as well, the rustling of the bed soft, but the warmth enjoyed greatly. Weiss needed this.
The dark impulse told him that she was wholly conquered. If he asked for it, Weiss Schnee would assassinate Yang in the depth of night, all for him. It would tarnish her beauty, but she was a beautiful princess regardless.
"Thank you, thank you all. I'm... I know I've not been great, but I'm trying my best."
A kiss again, and he let go of her.
"You're my friend. Whenever you are together with me, like... intimate, I see one of the most beautiful women in the world."
It wasn't a lie, either. When Weiss got into things, she shone like a diamond, just like his Mama did when she had been with him. He could remember still that feeling inside him at the tension that had built up, the power that burned through his whole body at the existence of the woman who had blessed him as such.
"I love you so much."
It was a softness in her voice, as the other two girls inhaled softly, Weiss' voice tiny as she spoke up. She looked fragile, like an ice sculpture that had been made to shatter at a single touch. Ruby took a moment to get out of the intimate space.
"I love all my friends. With you, my world will be filled with happiness and laughter. I won't be alone anymore."
She smiled at him, and he looked at Pyrrha. She looked a little flustered.
"I may not be the strongest, but I want to-"
It was Pyrrha that spoke up suddenly, her voice full of confidence, full of faith in him.
"You're the strongest person I know. I would have died against that man, and you just..."
He smiled. He had not forgotten that Pyrrha and he had faced off against Tyrian, his eyes narrowing a little as he felt the dark impulse go through him again.
"He doesn't have what it takes to claim my head. I won't allow some man who disobeys his boss' orders to touch what is mine."
Ruby looked embarrassed, as she turned to the door. She seemed uncomfortable with so much affection, which was just as well because Weiss needed some reaffirmation.
"So, I gotta go... Weiss, I'll eh, see you in a bit? Okay? Just... I'll be silent about it, to Yang. Just... Just enjoy your hug, okay? Don't do sexy stuff."
Weiss smiled at her partner. She gave a little wink with her scarred eye, not caring for how it looked, turning to him and kissing him on the lips. She was petite compared to his stature, but that mattered not.
"No promises... But if you're a good girl, perhaps I will share."
Ruby's blush turned redder than red, as she stammered an apology and left. It was a genuine laugh that came from Weiss' lips, as she shook her head.
"Well, I had best go to catch up. Jaune..."
Her expression turned serious, her eyes pleading softly with him to accept her words and follow them. It was adorable to see, as she looked tender and vulnerable.
"If she hurts you again, I will hurt her. You're my friend, I don't want-"
She swallowed. Her expression changed softly as her hand stroked over the arm that had been hurt. He twitched, making the pain flow through the response. It was what Weiss needed, as her eyes firmed up.
"You'd better keep him safe, Pyrrha Nikos. Keep my best friend safe."
Weiss fixed Pyrrha with a look, his redheaded partner giving a soft nod. A smile on her lips, as her eyes hardened. He knew that he had conquered her earlier, that he had brought her heart under his sway.
"And... And if you two want to be intimate, I'd... I'd not be against that. I... I see it now. He looks much better, and... and I've been keeping count. He's-"
She flushed, smiling a little, looking up at him with that smile playing on her lips. The scar on her face stood out, as her fingers brushed through her pale hair. She looked at him and gave a very soft chuckle.
"He's good. He's the best, and the only man that I've allowed to sleep with me. Not that I would sleep with anyone else, no! I mean, no, not anyone else, not someone else, not- Don't think I'm loose! I'm not-"
She panicked a little and he laid a hand on her. She could be so fussy about some things.
"I know what you mean, Weiss. I'm glad you were willing to let someone like me take your virginity."
She looked up at him and those eyes looked awfully watery for a moment, shaking her head softly, her ponytail bobbing slowly with the motion. She smiled at him, brushing her hand over her cheek, wiping the wetness away.
"Stop it, before I'm tearing your clothes off and make you have a threesome with Pyrrha and me, Jaune. There's a limit to how sexy you can be."
He let the impulse go through his system, his finger sliding over her cheek and tapping her nose.
"I bet we can make Yang scream bloody murder when you call Ruby into the room when we're just about mid-way, hmm?"
It was cruel and mean, but Weiss looked like she was ready to contemplate it. Pyrrha had flushed a deep beet red, her eyes not looking at him in the slightest. She was combing her hand through her hair, looking everywhere but at him and Weiss.
He smiled, winking at Weiss and then approaching Pyrrha, laying a hand on her shoulder. She stiffened up, a nervous inhale coming from her lips.
"Pyrrha, you're still a little too dressed..."
He only tugged on her shirt a little, feeling the fabric under his fingers, her breathing picking up immediately. Her nipples poked against the fabric, Weiss joining them.
"I'm not... Nora said that she wanted to- I'm- I'm not, no, eh..."
She stammered, and his hand slid up her neck. It was a pretty pale neck, and he squeezed it lightly. Her green eyes were like emeralds as she looked into his own with a look that didn't even seem to shiver at him, her breathing growing tense. She was ready, as his hand slid closer.
"Perhaps you'll be wanting it after we warm you up a little, Pyrrha."
Weiss said, laying her hands on Pyrrha's hip. The atomic blush on her face, as Weiss grabbed the shirt, Pyrrha's hand grabbing it. Panic in her eyes, and he smiled.
"That's enough, Weiss. We've teased her for long enough."
Weiss smiled, before she looked at Pyrrha with a challenging look on her face. Pyrrha looked flushed, her eyes going everywhere.
"Next time, Pyrrha... Just you and me."
A clawing motion with her hand. A little 'rawr' sound, as Weiss laughed her sweet laugh and then exited the room, the door closing with a click behind her. He looked at Pyrrha, knowing just what to say.
"Nothing will happen unless you want it, Pyrrha."
She blushed, looking at him for a moment. She looked at the door again with a moment of hesitation and then pulled her shirt up.
Round globes, usually contained within a set of armour, a bra and support, bounced. Pale skin, nipples that were a rosy reddish-brown colour, as her eyes looked at him with a smile on her lips. She was still beet red, as her eyes looked into his own.
"Oh, but perhaps, I'd want a..."
She was red in the face, but there was a boldness, something in her eyes, a craving. Her hand rested on his stomach, sliding up and down. The heat was growing, the darkness in the ocean quivering below the touch of the woman who was his partner, a woman being nothing else but the title that she had earned. Her hair was still tied up in the ponytail, but there was something in those green eyes.
A push, as he was pushed onto the bed and she mounted him, her hands pressing him flat against the bed. It was a flowing motion from an athlete, someone who moved with speeds that he could only dream of.
"It's not good to tease me, Jaune..."
Her breasts bounced once more, her eyes looking into his own as she leaned down, kissing him passionately on the lips, pausing for a moment to take a deep breath.
"Hmm... Not with her, not with... Weiss. But with Nora? We're a team, Jaune. Teams do things together."
Her lips pressed against him with a raw, visceral hunger, something in her breathing stalling to make her look like some unreachable peak, her eyes glinting with something raw and untamed.
She pulled his shirt open, exposing his chest and giving a kiss to the soft skin there. She was his vanguard, the woman who would be defending him. He felt his arousal swell in his pants, which she noticed.
"I want to-, but..."
She kissed the skin a little lower, above the belly-button. Her hands were at the belt, her eyes looking at him. Like Weiss, she had that queer look in her eyes. She was a great friend, Mama undoubtedly knew that in her own life. Friends were the most important thing in the world.
"I've got my period. That's the problem with living together with other women."
He knew that well. His sisters and mother had been crabby a few days of the month, even if they said that everything was 'fine' and he should 'fuck off someplace else and be a gay queer faggot', as his sister Verde had put it. Saphron had put her in a wrestling hold for that comment, though she'd only come out as a lesbian woman a year later. Verde had never wanted to hug Saphron after that.
"You don't have to force yourself, if you're not-"
He could manipulate her to feel for him, if he so desired. She was trembling, something in those eyes like a dark whisper, an urge. There was a challenge in those eyes, as her tongue slid over her lips.
'A fallen champion, a prodigy that could never quite live the life she wished... Spurred on by competition, she craves the attention of one who drags her from the pedestal of her fate...'
Her hands had pulled the buckle free and her lips slid down. The door opened up, just as she pulled the underwear free and the sound of Nora entering was heard.
"OH MY GODS! RENNIE! SHE'S STEALING OUR MAN!"
Pyrrha startled and fell off the bed, instinctually moving back and flailing a little, as Nora looked at him, her smile big.
"Woah, he's big! Rennie! Come, look! Big! Big dick!"
He felt embarrassed as Ren gave him a look, the stoic young man's cheeks barely flushing a little. Pyrrha got up, as his erection slowly receded back to the land of flaccidness.
Nora's shirt went up and he saw glorious mountain peaks bounce a few times, and he watched, Ren's hands jerking the hands down. He approved of the action. No matter what, a girlfriend shouldn't showing her breasts to another man.
"Sorry, we... we kind of got into things."
He pulled his underwear up, as Nora gave Pyrrha a broad smile.
"Come on, details! What's got the glorious Pyrrha Nikos looking like she was about to get some Arc sausage, huh? Come on, spill!"
Pyrrha was flustered, but she wasn't going for her shirt just yet, just trying to gather her bearing. He got off the bed and reached for her shirt, grabbing a hold of it and then holding it out for her to take.
"Get dressed. I don't think Ren would like to see you like this."
Pyrrha donned the shirt obediently, a little smile on her lips, Nora immediately nattering away like a runaway train.
It was his team and they were great people. Pyrrha he had in his corner, and Ren and Nora were already preparing for becoming a part of those he could trust. Pyrrha's beet-red face was somewhat muted with Nora's little motions, her cheek bulging as she mimicked giving head. It was a little juvenile, but he supposed that Nora was the type to be excited about everything.
They were his people.
'A fine start of something... Mama has Hazel, Doctor Watts and Tyrian...'
Violet groaned softly into her pillow, trying to keep the sunlight from invading her eyes, her body shivering a little from the after-effects of some of the venoms that she'd injected into herself. Grandmother had said that it was all going to be fine, that she'd make a perfect fighter… and she wanted to.
She had been a whore. A woman of the streets, making money by selling her body. She was Violet Arc, but with Grandmother, her name was Cyan. It was short for Cyanide, but unnoticed enough to pass for a colour name. Grandma Absinthe had said that it was a special training, and she knew that it would be right.
'You can do this…'
It had been strange, the first few times. A diluted venom, injected into her veins. It burned and ached, her eyes tearing up, but at least it was not smelling the rancid breath of someone who didn't know how to wash. Her hands were clean, and there were no hands on her. She could do this, because it'd been something that grandmother had wanted.
'It's all a play… all an act.'
She tried to convince herself, as she pulled herself out of her bed. The alarm clock she hit before it would go, woken up a minute before it would be ringing. She was being trained to be the best, because… Because she would be more than a whore.
Grandma needed her, because… because she needed her. Someone to teach her the skills that she should, someone who could be trusted. She did all of this for the family. For her family, for the people who mattered most. Jaune was…
'He's my little brother. I won't let-'
She rubbed her face with a towel, noticing the sweat on it and the stains, grimy and oily. She glanced into the mirror and then started to brush her hair. It had lost some of its vibrancy, but the chemicals in her conditioner weren't the best when working with poisons and venoms. She'd have to find something a little more fitting.
Pulling on her shirt, she looked at her reflection in the mirror, smiling at her reflection. It still paled a little compared to the smile that she had to wear when she was 'on the job', selling herself for Lien, but…
'At least I get to know some useful things…'
She probably shouldn't have done so much last night, but it had been the training before the test from Grandmother. Her agility was being tested, so she had to perform to the best standard that she could make. Of course, it would have to be perfect to the level of Grandmother's standards, but… She was Violet Arc, trying to become the best.
Coming downstairs, she noticed the older man seated at the dinner table, the financial times spread out on his lap. Her mother was already seated in the seat, one of the horrible friends looking nosily at her. An older woman, someone who always seemed to have her nose into business that she didn't want.
A double look at the man and recognition hit her. Older guy, tipped well, barely good sex. Her last customer before grandmother had pulled her out of the ditch she'd been in and given her the purpose of being the best actress in the world…
'A whoremonger…'
Cheating on his wife by soliciting prostitutes and paying them well, and-
Her mother's attention went to her, a proud smile on her lips. Violet smiled back, though she kept her smile carefully different in the way that wouldn't be linked back to her prostitution days, which, as grandmother had told her, were behind her. A tarnished flower would not be able to serve…
"Harmon, Betty, this is my daughter Violet."
Her mother spoke up, acting as if nothing was wrong. She was undoubtedly going out with her spooky friends again, the Beatrice woman looking like she'd have another sermon of 'how a proper girl should look'. She'd ran into them once during a shopping trip, all four of them around her mother.
'God, I hate your friends… Sure, they're all old crows, but do they HAVE to be commenting on everything we do?'
"Hello there, Violet dear. Harmon, be a gentleman and put that paper down, we've got to go soon or we'll miss the show."
The man looked at her and he smiled, seemingly not recognizing her. She shook his hand, the dependable grip. It was a lucky thing that she hadn't spoken up, because her natural accent was slightly like her prostitute's accent. Putting in a little more of that Valean Girl cheer in her voice, she smiled broadly.
"It's such a pleasure to meet you. Are the twins up yet, mom?"
She had to get to her grandmother soon, but she wouldn't be making much friendly talk with the two. If the guy was cheating on his wife with hookers, she wanted nothing of it. Saphron wanted to see her later today, so it wasn't going to be something easy… Saphron had been down the last few days.
"No, they've been sleeping in a little. Beryl came home really late and went to bed, but she went through a lot of toilet paper. That girl really needs to watch her stuff…"
She made sure that her face was as carefully warm as it should be. Managing mom was a certain balancing act. Rouge was the best at doing that, because she actually did study psychology and was a psychologist, for reasons known to only a few.
'We're just the perfect family, aren't we? Do they even know that Saphron is gay, or is that another little lie to be the perfect wife to a Huntsman, mom?'
It was her mother's worst trait. Trying to pretend like the world was fine and she led the perfect life to her boring friends, all older than she was, going to the stuffy meetings and making horrible games of bridge…
"What are your plans for the day, Violet?"
The older man inquired, Violet's face schooled in the perfect girl smile. It kept her mother soothed, and when dad was around, always made him pay attention. It was her perfect little mask, even if she wanted to cry.
She noticed from the corner of her eye that the jar was almost empty. Her training didn't let her get money, so it was slowly emptying. She couldn't work though. With the stuff she'd been injecting into herself, she'd be weaker than usual, and that would get her a bad price.
"I'm going to go help an old lady with her housekeeping. The poor old dear has been beside herself…"
"ARE YOU STUPID, GIRL? COME ON! I COULD DO THAT WHEN I WAS SIXTEEN!"
Her training was proceeding. Hitting a target from a distance was getting easier, and she knew how to properly file her nails so that the poison would easily seep into the skin, so that the target wouldn't be breathing for much longer. It was wonderful that Grandmother wanted to teach her.
"She's got cancer, so she's not got long to live."
The needle pushing into her vein, her jacket bitten into to numb to pain. Liquid flame coursed through her body as the spider's venom sank into her. Her finger pushed against the small jar, the furry little creature barely squeezed. The venom dripped into the vial. She wasn't afraid of spiders anymore.
"Into the room! You will be with them all night! Get over your fear or die! I do not want to see a weakling in that room!"
Grandmother had removed the spiders from her body. All of them had been venomous, but she wasn't afraid anymore. She wasn't afraid anymore even though they'd crawled all over her, and grandmother had been bitten a few times, but she was immune. Her Aura wasn't active, so it had been luck. She was Cyanide, called so by Grandmother.
"Is she a nice old lady?"
Betty asked and Violet put her best smile on and nodded. She was learning a lot.
"Fill the vial, then push it in. Take aim. Don't drop your gaze. Pull the trigger. Put it down. Inhale. Exhale. Reload. You have twenty seconds to hit the target five times. If you fail, I will take your happiest memory."
She didn't remember some things. She remembered the good parts. Grandmother was careful not to do too much. The Mistress hadn't liked it, she'd said. There was only pain if you failed, and she didn't want to fail.
"She's wonderful. She's teaching me how to cook."
The recipes for some of the things were still bouncing into her mind. She should get some more things for grandmother at the store in front of the third bus station on the trip towards grandmother's house. They had nice donuts… Perhaps Grandmother would enjoy one?
"That's great, dear."
She would be the best. Grandmother was training her and she was going to make sure that her family was going to be okay. It was just another way of selling her body…
"Good, good. You have a minute to rest. Time for the next injection. Snake venom… A Vacuan Asp."
She would keep her family safe. Jaune was… he was her little brother. She checked her Scroll for a moment, seeing the picture of her sisters and him, taken nearly three years ago. It had been better then, she supposed. She'd been…
"I hope to meet someone nice. I'd like a boyfriend."
She wondered whether she would ever find love. She smiled softly. She'd have to appear to be the good girl, even if her other sisters were growing a little wild. She had to bring in some more money. Perhaps Grandmother had a task for her that she could use to get some money.
"I know this nice young man, dear. Perhaps you'd like to go on a date?"
She shook her head lightly, feeling something inside her twist. A wave of nausea came over her and she got up from her seat, dashing towards the sink, right before the contents of her stomach splattered all over last night's plates, her stomach turning and twisting.
'Too much spider venom. I'll have to make note of that.'
She heaved, groaning as her stomach didn't stop. It was just the reflux, she knew. Her body wasn't used to it yet. Nobody would really get used to it, but you had to train your body before it would be able to take care of itself when poisoned. Sometimes, you had to be prepared for everything.
"Are you okay, Violet?"
She gurgled softly, opening the tap and then drinking the water that came from it straight from the head, feeling it wash the sick from her mouth, going down into her stomach. The smile was on her face, watery, as she caught a glimpse of her own pale features in the reflection of one of mom's decorative plates.
"Just a bad cookie or something. Miss Moor has not really. She's older than eighty, mom. I think I found a jar which had been closed twenty years ago… Yuck."
They wouldn't understand. She was being educated in the art of killing. Her balance was still a little off, but she knew that she would get it perfectly. Grandmother said that it just took a little time for the vertigo to settle down.
"As long as you're safe, dear. Perhaps you could stay home today?"
Her mother just wanted to see her on a date with a boy. She'd probably have a better time getting Rouge to get… Well, that was a cause for a different day. She wanted a keeper, someone who could bring her a smile and joy. She could teach him tricks, because she'd had a lot of dicks.
'Yeah, didn't Saphron say that her best friend had a bit of a dick problem?'
It was amusing to see Saphron just gush about her best friend and call her another sister. Violet didn't really mind another sister to the whole Arc family. It was nice, she supposed, if she had a sister that wasn't like the twins.
"I'm going to see Saphron after I've been to Miss Moor, mom. We're going out for ice-cream… Or at least, she better take me out for ice-cream. I'm no cheap girl."
She should sell herself for more, yes. She was at least worth three times the price of her previous charge, or so her grandmother had told her. She left the house, aware that she'd just been rude… But couldn't find herself caring much. Her worth wasn't much, but she was at least an Arc. Her family came before everything, even if she was a prostitute.
"Prostitutes are the scum of the world! You are better than that! A whore obeys her men is like a slave! You are Cyanide, my heir! You will not be a slave to anyone! You have one purpose, one task! To serve the Mistress!"
She pulled out the small flacon and pulled the needle out, pushing it into her arm and hissing softly as the venom seared into her bloodstream, milked freshly from the fangs of a Red Widow from Mistral. She pulled the needle free after the venom had been drained and rolled her shoulders a little as she leaned against the wall of the bus, having pushed the needle into the small case that she carried it. It looked much like a medicinal needle, but it felt much less straining, even as her body burned with the pain.
Violet bit her lip, noticing that the taste of blood was coppery as always, but she had to make sure that she was alright. Her eyes caught several guys looking at her, spotting her having used the needle on herself, obviously drawing conclusions. She wondered if they would go for her, try to pick her up for a bit of fun.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings, trying to inventory the possible weapons, just as Grandmother had taught her. Everything was a weapon, even if you weren't properly prepared. She wouldn't be caught unaware. She wasn't a whore anymore, she was Cyanide, Violet Arc to most.
"So, are you into that kind of stuff, gorgeous?"
The sly pick-up line was something that she could only imagine would work on the stupid girls as she looked at the young man around her own age, maybe a little older, his short blue hair looking as wonderful as the shaved sides made it look, which was… not really.
"Medication, I'm afraid. I'm on my way to my grandmother to deliver her some."
He was totally checking her out, she noticed. Her eyes went for the different weapons around, making note of a bag that stood half-way to the side, right at the guy's feet. With a kick, she'd hit the ankle and he'd be unbalanced, if he escalated things a little beyond what she was comfortable with. The needle, if she hit him with it, could poke an eye out, but that'd be messy.
"Need some help? I'm a good hand with older women."
Her lips gave a thin smile, before she got up. It was another stop before she really had to get off, but her grandmother wouldn't mind it much. The young man got up as she got up, walking towards the doors. A hand grabbed her hand and she turned her head.
"Hey, I was trying to be polite, hot stuff."
She put her best smile on again. He was really below her notice. She didn't like her men pushy. Her father was pushy, her mother was pushy and several of her sisters could be called a little too eager to be the female dog kind, but she was not a fan of someone who took her by the arm without her permission.
"I've got an appointment. Please don't bother me again."
She looked around, before she changed her body language. It was all in the act, she knew. Her body shrank a little and she gave a helpless look at one of the taller older men. A man who looked like he was a little rough, her eyes pleading with him. A little bit of emotion in them, and the man's response was visible.
"Hey kid, she doesn't look like she wants to have you around her, beat it."
The man's voice was gruff and he made a motion with his hand, a meaty big hand that had hair on the back of it, calluses visible for the flash-glance that she'd given it.
"Hey, this is none of your business, old man. I'm trying to woo sweet cheeks here!"
She glanced at another man, gauging his demeanour. The best way to make sure that you got someone who could intervene was to involve someone else with it. Grandmother did it by being older than most, by appearing as a frail old woman, but she had different methods.
A softening set of lips, as she seemed to whisper a plea, and the first punch started to fly. She got off the bus as the brawl started behind her, her bag carefully in arrangement still. It would be a walk that was a little longer, but she'd go by the bakery and fetch something nice and sweet for Grandmother.
Sometimes, you had to use everything in your power…
"No weapon is too unsightly to wield if it grants you victory. In the end, you will be like the shadow that slips away, a pretty bird that was glanced once. If you're drawing attention, keep yourself to different times of activity, change your hairstyle. The way that you dress, your body language, it can change who you are. You are Cyanide, you are an ethereal presence that doesn't leave a trace… Act like it."
She would act. She'd have to ask if she could earn a little money first. Her family still needed her. All thoughts of Mom's friend and her husband were shoved aside as she entered the bakery, her fingers having threaded through her hair, adjusting the mane into an easier bun, her features shifting slightly to something a little older. It was all in the performance.
'Let's have fun with Saphron today.'
The quivers of her body were the first thing that clued Adelheid in that the very pleasant dream had come to an end, the second thing being that the voice in her ear was still whispering.
"and then you'll start to think that Saphron is a cute girl who really likes you. Yep. Feel the gay flow into you… Adelheid, you're starting to feel gayer by the moment, yes…"
She turned her head to her friend, Saphron grinning at her and the alarm clock blaring suddenly. She frowned a little at her 'sister', her friend merely smiling cheekily at her.
"Good morning, Adelheid. Sleep well?"
She had. At the moment when she'd gotten Saphron's little brother's dick in her, she'd just felt that need flow through her. It was unashamedly one of the worst dreams she'd gotten, and she'd-
She felt her groin, noticing that it was very wet there. She had peaky nipples as well, and she looked at Saphron for a moment with a suspicious look. Her best friend was wearing nothing at all, not even hiding the fact that she'd been whispering horrible stuff in her ear with the big shit-eating grin on her face.
"You fucking tease… You know that I'm not supposed to think about your brother but you're still doing it."
She didn't think it was too bad, really. There was that feeling of need inside her the whole day. She could just feel her nipples brush against her shirt every moment of her waking day, feel how Saphron's teases affected her. She'd tried to look at hot guys, but whenever Saphron was near, there was just that feeling of being near her brother too.
It was strange, but Saphron and her little brother had that same manner about them, a disarming manner that made her want to be friends and… well, she wanted to fuck the guy until he made her eyes roll back, preferably with a good bottle of booze or something in her system.
"Hmm, I'm still around. Why don't you think of me?"
She pouted at her 'big sis', Saphron looking as adorable as she could when the laughter came from her lips.
"Feel the gay, really? I'd rather feel a bottle of Valean Black slide down in me."
A nudge with the back of Saphron's hand, her eyes twinkling in a manner that brought with it the surge of joy that came from the depths of her heart.
"Feel the gay, Adel. Come on, it'll be fun. You, me… Bottle of wine? Masturbation marathon with a double-ended one as the finish?"
She actually considered that for a moment, before she frowned. She wasn't gay. That was Saphron's thing. Adelheid Blau preferred the guys. She was a dick-lover.
"You're not getting me into bed with you that easily, Saphron Arc!"
Saphron coughed, looking down at where they were. In bed. In Saphron's bed, to be exact. Saphron's room, Saphron's bed and she was feeling decidedly randy right now.
"As a partner! I'm still not gay!"
That had come out louder than intended. Someone knocked on the door, and Adelheid's face just went paler. That hadn't been intended.
"Is everything alright, Miss Blau, Mistress Saphron?"
The voice of Mister Callows came from behind the door and she looked at Saphron, who gave a smile and a wink.
"We're just getting ready and Adelheid was really happy to hear that we're going to meet my younger sis, Mister Callows!"
The man was a little creepy, but an alright. She loved the meat pastries that he'd made for dinner a few times, calling it an old Mistralian recipe. They were a little too spicy for Saphron though. She didn't mind a bit of spice.
"Good, good. I shall be out, out indeed! I have my duties, and they are not to be denied! I will leave something for you in the kitchen to eat, of course. One cannot neglect proper feeding, yes! Do have a day of wonderfulness, Mistress Saphron!"
It was respectful of the man to make something for them, but Saphron's title of 'mistress Saphron' was something that was just a bit creepy in her eyes. But the man seemed to worship Selene Umbra, so perhaps there was something there. The woman certainly felt like a better mother than Saphron's own.
She got out of bed, aware that she was wet between her thighs, Saphron's eyes lingering for a moment. Her friend was respectful, though, not pressing the issue. Adelheid staggered over to the closet, where she'd hung several of her stuff already, pushing aside some of Saphron's stuff and picking out a shirt. Her underwear was kicked off, because she wasn't going to be wearing that.
"Hey Adel?"
A softness in Saphron's voice made her pause, mid-shirt. Her arms stuck through awkwardly, as she pushed the shirt down finally, looking at her friend who was getting out of bed, her eyes looking a little hesitantly.
"Do you trust me?"
Did she? Yes. It was strange, but she felt like she'd gotten a best friend. It hadn't been something that she'd thought much about, as most of her contact with other people had been ephemeral in nature.
"Yeah. I'm… Why?"
A guilty look in Saphron's eyes, as she got out. Adelheid's eyes watched the breasts bounce a little, aware now pointedly that Saphron had slept naked. It had been a stupid little impulse, but with her need, she just didn't want to clean her underwear again.
"I'm not right, and… Why would you trust me? I'm not being nice."
She hesitated and Adelheid smiled, walking over, still bottomless. She gave her 'big sis' a hug. It was fine. She could bear a bit of ribbing from her best friend. It was nice, and Saphron's breathing was comforting and soft in her ear.
"Hey, you tease me with a hunk, I'm still a bit irked about that, y'know? But… You're not a bad person. I like you."
She'd go as far as to say that it'd be love, more of a friendship-like love. She wanted Saphron to claw her way up out of the dark pit. She'd have to see whether she could network a bit, maybe get Saphron a date, a little bit of a distraction.
"I like you too, Adel. I'd fuck you."
She smacked her friend's shoulder at those words, snorting rudely at the thought. The day she fucked with Saphron Arc was the day she'd be running from this place because Selene Umbra was going to be after her hide.
"Pervy big sis. What am I going to do with you, huh?"
Saphron's lips quirked into the most adorable smile, Adelheid had to admit. No homo, she mentally added. Nope, no homo.
"Seduce my brother with your kick-ass rocking body?"
She bit her lip as her mind thought of that. It was an unbidden urge, but-
'Fuck… I bet she'd be into getting-'
She looked at herself. She wasn't in the top shape that she could be. Her thighs were getting a little bigger, probably because of the hearty food. She smiled at her friend and big sister.
"I think I need the gym first. I mean, sex is a great exercise an-"
She got a look from Saphron, a teasing look that looked great on her, but that spelled doom for her pussy's chastity.
"Oh hell naw, I'm not going to fuck you! Adelheid Blau's gate's are closed for gay women! Nope! Na-ah!"
Saphron's arms wrapped around her neck and she leaned up against her, looking her in the eyes. Adelheid got wet, looking in those eyes. It was hard to look away from them.
"That's a shame, y'know? You're a very pretty young woman."
She was being flirted with. She was being flirted with by an older-sister-like woman. Her friend. Her friend was flirting with her, after they'd just shared a bed. There was something in Saphron's eyes, a pain, something that was like a craving, and Adelheid inhaled deeply.
"I've… I've got the feeling as well, Adelheid. You want a penis, but I want some pussy."
It was honest, at least. Saphron had gone from a bad relationship and… and she was undoubtedly wanting that intimacy. She wanted to feel that love, just as Adelheid wanted to feel that bastard brother of Saphron's cum inside her and choke her out and make her call him daddy and she was totally going to just make a mess if that train of thought continued.
'Oh god, we're freaky bitches…'
"No, I'm not… No, Saphron. Just… No. I'm not gay and that's not… It's not like you're going to carry me off to your bed to ravish me, but- I'm not going to have sex with you."
She could see that her words hit her friend, looking hurt. A realization, as Saphron's eyes went wide.
"I'm becoming just like my dad. I just… Oh Gods…"
That just wasn't true. Saphron was hurting, she didn't want to do something like that. It was just Saphron needing comfort and a friend, she knew. It wouldn't be something that she'd want to do under normal circumstances.
"It's good, Saph. It's good, don't worry about it. You're not pressing me down to the bed and raping me. That's good."
Saphron's face turned pale as a sheet and she made a dash for the door, just fleeing. She could hear the door to the bathroom open and the sound of someone being quite violently sick, her friend looking horrible.
'Just like what happened to Miss Umbra… and to her.'
She felt bad for her friend. Really bad. Saphron was so messed up and she knew that it was just hurting her. She put on a set of jogging pants, going underwear-less, coming to the bathroom to find the woman hunched over the toilet. She knelt down and pulled Saphron's hair up, trying to keep the vomit out of it.
"I'm sorry."
Saphron said, her voice sounding genuine. Adelheid didn't fault her for it. Not everyone could have a perfect life, and she knew that Saphron was suffering under the thought of her father being some rapist scum.
"It's okay. I'm… Little sis is here for big sis, okay?"
She wasn't going to abandon her friend, because of some bad choices. Saphron would get better, she just knew it. Her own arousal was secondary to the problems that Saphron had.
"It went so well too, I wasn't thinking about it, but…"
She softly rubbed over her friend's back, trying to keep the woman in a positive state. So what if Saphron had a little problem with her father? She still had a lovely brother and sisters that she still had to meet.
"It's good, Saph. It's good. You don't have to-"
Saphron looked up from the toilet bowl. Adelheid saw the sick in the toilet bowl, a mixture of last night's chili and something that looked like bile, her hand hitting the flusher. The sound of the water washing away the sickness was loud, as Saphron looked up at her. Eyes that had been emotional since she'd first been hit with that shock, stared.
"I had a dream, Adel. I was standing outside of my bedroom, just listening to the bedsprings in my little brother's room creak. Groans and moans, and I couldn't open the door. I couldn't help my little brother, and I knew I couldn't. It wasn't okay, I don't know anymore…"
She pulled her friend into a hug, heedless of how it looked. It wasn't gay to hug a friend in need. If this was a bad memory, it would've been a bad one for everyone involved, and Adelheid would be there with her support.
"You're not at fault, Saph. You were, what? Twenty or so?"
Saphron shook her head. The brush of Saphron's blonde hair against her cheek tickled a little. Her friend's breath smelled horrible.
"More like eighteen. We didn't have the doors painted in our primary colours back then, I'm… I'm afraid, Adel. I'm afraid that when I ask, they're going to tell me things. Violet is the one who's much like me, she's… She's the prostitute, making money for the family, and- and she knows a lot."
Saphron's eyes were dark and she looked still sick.
"What if it's all true? What if dad did things to them and to Jaune? I… I just want to wrap him in a ball of fluff and hide him in my room, so he'd at least be safe."
It was a protective instinct inside her friend, she knew. A Huntsman in training was stronger than any of them, and she knew that Huntsmen who had graduated were even stronger. Her father had told her about the difference in experience and utilization of that strength, which had made her even more passionate to enter the field she'd gotten into.
"He's a strong young man, Saphron. You can't protect him. He has to-"
Saphron looked into her eyes and said something that didn't fully register for a second. She felt it register, and she felt sorry for the woman.
"No, no, big sis. You shouldn't offer yourself to be raped in his stead, you deserve better."
It was a softness in Saphron's features, a whining sound coming from her mouth. Adelheid just hugged her friend harder, aware that there was going to be some pain in her lower back from this. She still had to go and take that damn shower, but Saphron needed her.
"And… and sometimes, Adel. Sometimes I just… I want her to hurt. I want to see Terra cry and have her feel the loss of a baby. She took from me the chance to be a mom. Terra, her fucking boyfriend Jeremy and Dad… Fuck all of them. Fuck them. I wish I'd just been there for him, so he'd be safe and not raped and-"
She stopped, as she turned pale again. She turned right back to the toilet bowl and threw up some more, heaving as nothing came out of her mouth anymore. Adelheid rubbed her friend's back, softly whispering words of support into Saphron's ears.
"I'm a bad sister. I'm such a bad sister. I'm such a fucking bad sister that I'm the worst sister ever."
Adelheid didn't think so. She gave a squeeze as she hugged her friend tightly, hoping that Saphron would feel better.
"It was another dream first. I just wanted to- I wanted to help, but I just couldn't. I want to help, Adel. I'm not- I just pushed open that door and saw it happen. I pushed open that door, Addie. I saw it… What happened to me. I wanted him safe, secure but I was too weak. What I-"
Adelheid could feel that. She wanted to help the guy too, because she was a weak girl for the tormented soul. He didn't feel like he'd been sexually assaulted, but it was still something that she'd understood.
"I touched myself, Adel. I wanted it. I wanted it and I feel sick about wanting it. Gods, I-"
Adelheid gave a soft shushing sound, knowing that it was tough. Feelings of arousal she understood well, currently still feeling that maddening buzz inside her groin. Being raped and enjoying it… it was a sick feeling, but she could understand it. Saphron had been through it and she was conflicted. For someone who was gay, to be given pleasure like that must have been scary.
For her, it had been something of an idle fancy, a thought that pushed her over the edge, of being so desirable that a man would do that. She was a mess, of course, but Saphron was, no, shouldn't be a mess like that.
"Whatever Terra's boyfriend did to you, it's not okay. You don't have to feel guilty about it, I've… I've had a few fantasies about your brother like that. Of being just there to sate his urges. Be the little blonde bitch that he's training to be a good girl. It's not right, but… It's just a feeling."
It was intimate, it was personal, but Saphron needed something to rationalize it. She looked broken, shattered.
Tired.
"It's… It's guilt, and I don't want to see you like this, Saph. My big sis needs to be smiling, not thinking about some jerk-off using her as- as if you're not a beautiful woman."
Saphron's eyes looked haunted, and Adelheid didn't stop with her hold on her friend.
"Now, we're going to get you into the shower…"
A shower would help. A soft whimper, as her friend got up. She pushed the shirt off and her jogging pants as well. No time like the present for herself to get clean as well, as she pushed Saphron under the shower, already turning the knob. The heater made warm water quickly push out. Luxury, which was great.
"Hey, Addie?"
A soft whisper, as she felt her body be pulled into the shower by Saphron's arms. It was lucky that she was naked, as her best friend pulled her close.
"I won't let anything happen to you, Adel. Let's just… be great sisters, okay?"
She gave a hesitant smile, as she imagined for a moment that that'd be a reality. She'd like to find a guy who was dependable and had a cute smile.
"Besties, sisters… Whatever. I've got your back, Saph. Cutie McBrotherface has it too."
She'd try her best.
It was all that she could do.
Salem looked into the mirror, firming her features and applying the eyeliner, adding that dash of womanly perfection to her face. Some people got horrid tattoos on their skin, trying to imitate the artistic merit of something like that.
It was crude.
Disgusting.
You marked animals, not people. Not that people were much different from animals, of course. A little more blush to her cheeks and she looked properly pleasant. The illusion slid into place either way, but one could never have too little preparation in one's own disguise.
Hazel awaited her in the vestibule of the apartment, his uniform perfectly tailored to his body. A bodyguard, serving as a servant that would ferry her to the appointment at the Schnee manor, there to make sure that she returned perfectly well. Willow had invited her for dinner.
She entered the car and opened her Scroll, checking the time in Vale for the proper moment to place that call. She knew well of the trials of her minions, and to ensure that everything went fluidly according to the master plan, she would need to check in on them frequently.
"Mistress, what a pleasant, if unfortunate surprise… Now, do work harder! We wouldn't wish for you to be distracted, my little dancer! Harder!"
The man's body was in motion, almost like a dancer's grace, the motions like he was trying his best to hide something from her. Her eyes caught sight of a young woman, clearly in her early twenties, moving through the motions of a fighting form, three men around her.
It was an unfair match-up, but the assassin that she had personally tasked with the care for her little Saphron seemed to have gotten a new little project. Her eyes narrowed, and the man picked up on it immediately.
"No, no, no, I have an explanation, yes, yes. She was bleeding, so I plucked her from the streets, yes! There will be no thing other than this, yes. The Blackout has her toy, I have mine… We shall have a contest, yes. Make it so that it is fair, yes. There must be someone to serve the Mistress… yes."
A look of disapproval, even though she had already heard of it from her contacts.
'And so, you work to advance my schemes, Tyrian… You just didn't resist the allure…'
It had been easy to put the pieces into place, as soon as the whisper had come that Lil' Miss Malachite had been putting pressure on Junior to get Beryl Arc's talent in the big leagues, to become an enforcer. Ensuring that Tyrian would be around for the matches was laughably easy. A slight hint towards Arthur Watts, a mention on the undercurrents of the big leagues and Tyrian Callows had given in to his baser urges.
"I will forgive you this once, Tyrian."
Her voice inflexed disappointment, and the man's crestfallen look changed to a darker, more manic one. The snare was strummed by her finger, as she wound the tension up.
"Let's ensure that my son has a sister that can ensure that he is kept safe. I would be disappointed if she would be lesser than Absinthe's little project…"
The flames were stoked, she could see that. Tyrian Callows, a man of many talents, was someone who did not shirk in his training of his body. Methodical and without even the barest shred of pity, he could carve through the targets set before him.
"Of course, mistress. You have thirty seconds, apprentice! Knock them out!"
Salem gave a soft laugh, the man's eyes manic and unfocused.
"More commands, Mistress?"
There was a small blip on her calendar, as she looked at the day and then made a small note on the side, tapping on the screen and putting an annotation there.
"Oh, no. Do what you have been doing, but ensure that she is properly in a state to serve… It would be such a rude thing if she were to still cling to… ill-thought fancies."
A small tap on the screen and the Introductory Banquet of Vale's up and coming Huntsmen-to-be notification was set. She'd have to pay careful attention to Miss Blau's progress with ensuring that her son had the best of the best in the publishing aspect…
'And if you tread where I wish you not to tread…'
She fixed him with a look, her eyes cold as she gazed at him. The man fidgeted, his head turning a little, fear in his body language. There was fear and respect in the man, enough for her to witness and to know. A few words would send the man spiralling into depression, which would be a punishment in itself…
"Do you understand, Tyrian? Ensure that she is properly prepared, and I will be pleased."
The enthusiasm filled those eyes, as she watched the man's expression turn happy and excited.
"This Tyrian will serve, slice and dice and turn and twist! Yes, there will be a servant worthy of your service, Mistress! Anything you deserve!"
A cold smile, as she looked at the man. "A daughter for my family, Tyrian. I will be angry, should you fail in your task. I will be very angry, and that is not even counting my beloved son. Fail him… and my fury will be legendary, Tyrian. You do not wish to see me have to explain to you what happens when your desires conflict with mine."
The man's face was pale, shivering. There was a raw, primal fear in those eyes and she knew that she had cowed him. Her plans were hers and she demanded absolute adherence to them.
"A-as you wish, Mistress. W-will that be all? I should be… teaching, testing, terrifying, yes, yes. She will be ready soon, yes. A first test? A test to show the best."
She supposed that it would not be a bad idea to test them. Absinthe had been warned and it would be another warning if she'd found out that the girl had been locked within a room filled with spiders once again.
"By all means, hone her into something to be proud of, Tyrian… I will be watching. Her brother would be saddened to learn of failure on his sister's part to remain amongst the living, so... A personal touch, Tyrian. Make her the best, as the girl seems to wish to be."
She was nothing if not kind to those who served well. Incentives for those who required them, the keys to the world that she would forge…
"How do you mean, they cannot mine anymore? Do they not enjoy to serve their queen?"
She did not understand! The golden arches had to be finished before the end of the year in order to ensure that her husband would arrive home with the bounties of their latest campaign. A golden arch, something to show the beauty of the kingdom that they had made. He held so little appreciation for the finer things in life, she knew…
"They are unable to find more. The seam is empty, I-"
The body was turned to ashes. Excuses would not be tolerated, and there was always a bevvy of servants willing to curry her favour.
"Then they shall dig deeper. I know that there is gold in the region."
She was still their queen! Her husband would not have a mere plebeian marble arch, like some common serf's home, but something grand and opulent, as befitted his status of the man who meant the most to her in the world aside from the domain they were forging. She had seen the survey reports themselves! The mine would run dry within fifty years, and it had only been thirty-five!
They drove through the gates to the Schnee manor, Hazel's parking of the car allowing a man in a butler's outfit to emerge from the home. She could see white hair, loosely bound within a ponytail, an elegant evening suit that fit the woman well.
'And thus, the fly comes to the spider…'
She emerged from her car with a smile on her face, allowing graciously for the other woman to hug her. It had been a moment of connection, as she could see the tiredness on Willow Schnee's face shift a little.
"It's good to see you, Selene."
Sobriety served the woman well. Yes, there would be a good choice for head maid. She had proven her status as someone able to maintain poise properly… and she would be there to teach her dear Saphron the ins and outs of polite company.
"Indeed, Willow."
The smile wasn't faked, as she might with others. There was a hint of something in the other woman, a canny hint of cunning and guile. This was a woman who might have been an aide to her for years, but had made a bad decision.
"Let us go to the dining table, Jacques is… unfortunately not present."
He was on the other side of Atlas, trying to convince the Council that it would be in their best interest for export tariffs to be lowered. Such a man…
"If you do wish company, I have a particularly fetching young man as a godson…"
She teased lightly, the woman looking at her with a faux-scandalized expression on her face that faded away into a clear, tinkling laugh.
"My, steal my daughter's friend?"
That wasn't a no, precisely. Salem was nothing if not… proper. A young man's lusts would not be slaked easily, she knew. Her own time when she had been younger…
"Now that's a smile, Selene… Thinking about it yourself, hm? An old bike…"
The collegial manner, the affection that was hard to mask, as Willow Schnee allowed her entrance to her home, Salem's eye spotting the young man who was her youngest son standing near the massive staircase that led up towards the interior wings of the house.
'Just like his father…'
"Whitley, this is-"
The mother tried to engage with her son, but the dismissive look that she got was enough, as a soft 'humph' came from his lips.
"Someone who I do not know, mother. Father does not keep track of every common friend you wish to introduce to whatever drink you favour. I will be heading to my room. Good night."
'Well, that is rude…'
Willow looked sad, but she tried to look better. The young man sauntered away, the fragile look on the woman's face coming to the forefront once more. Salem's urge to whisper about a sudden suicide was squashed… The woman was now involved.
"A delicate boy, just… Just rebellious."
The woman loved her son, she could tell. Just as she loved her own son.
"Understandable, Willow. They are at that age."
A fragile smile. It was time for some pleasant conversation and a nice meal. Salem stoked the flames of warmth, the glass of orange juice held in toast to Willow, who preferred a simple plain water.
On the road back, Salem's eyes looked at the screen and then selected a number, registered in the Atlas folder. Her business here was nearly concluded, after all. It was time to call Jacques Schnee.
'It is such a shame, Jacques. A wife that is wasted on you…'
"Hello, Jacques? I was just calling to inquire about the pricing of…"
Work still had to be done, with dear Cinder gathering Dust in Vale.
She leaned against Adelheid, who had decided to cancel her plans for today. She still felt brittle, even with the additional support that she'd gotten from Adelheid. The girl was really too good for her, even though the sick thoughts didn't stop.
She craved the attention, the affection, the love that she had. Her younger sister Violet was ready to do what she had to do to keep the family afloat, and she'd gotten some money… It was just a thousand Lien, but it was enough. It would pay for food for a week or two.
They were still her sisters and she loved them. She had to ask Violet. She needed to know whether Dad touched them.
"It'll be fine, Saph. Don't look so tense, big sis."
Adelheid wore a set of jeans that cut off mid-calf, ripped at the sides with the aesthetic look, the pockets half-flapped out of the sides. It made her butt look tight enough to bounce a chip off… and Saphron hadn't been blind to that. The blue top that Adelheid wore was tight enough to show off her breasts.
"Ooh, there she comes… Or at least, is that your sister? Damn, being pretty must run in the family, even if your mom's like a fading glory."
She spotted Violet, wearing a leather jacket and having her hair loose, her body moving in a way that made her stare twice. She swallowed a little. If it wasn't her sister, she'd have asked for her number and whether it was okay to just show her heaven for an hour or three.
'You're sick in the head, the feeling of being without a partner is messing with you… You're turning into Adelheid.'
Her sister looked a little sickly, she noticed on second glance, the jeans that she wore looking a little tattered and worn, the bags under her eyes carefully worked away with makeup, the lipstick looking a shade brighter to hide the pallor of her skin.
"Hey there, gorgeous. Coming my way, or am I going to have to make you even gayer, huh?"
She groaned, remembering the line from when Violet had said something about accepting her and Terra for being 'gayer than a fruit-bat Grimm'. Violet sat down next to Adelheid on the third seat, looking at her with curious eyes… and Adelheid's mouth had fallen open.
"Wahaha, eh?"
Violet, in her magnificence as the sexy one, leaned forward, placing a hand on Adelheid's arm.
"How much do you want to pay for a night of heaven, huh? The name's Violet Arc and I'm going to be the girl that'll make you squeal and whimper…"
Saphron smiled softly, as she waved to one of the wait staff, Adelheid starting to turn slightly pink.
"Don't mind her, she's just trying to get a reaction. It's this little thing we've got, because she's a fan of movies. She's also not gay, don't worry."
Saphron felt a little bad for Adelheid, who seemed to be trying to get back to a normal sense of things. It was a real shame that Adelheid wasn't gay, but there was nothing that she could do about it.
"Eh, Hi. My name's Adelheid Blau and I'm the one responsible for your little brother's success as a Huntsman… aside from him being like, responsible for his good grades and graduating and a ton of other stuff, I'm just eh… the publisher. Oh, and I'm Saphron's adoptive little sister."
Violet looked at Adelheid and she saw something enter those eyes, before a coy little smile came to her sister's lips. Being familiar with how things were in the family, she just knew that Violet was going to be teasing. She herself was also not too bad with that, but Violet was… better.
"I heard you needed some assistance getting him all ready for the big show, huh?"
Adelheid smiled, but Saphron could see the leading question for what it was. She let her eyes go over the skin of her younger sister, the petite frame looking like it needed some more sunlight, pale and weak-looking, like she'd been left out in a dark hole, or been sick.
"He was actually not much of a brother, eh, bother."
Adelheid flushed, as she messed up. Saphron nudged her friend, giving a wink. It'd be fine. Violet never quite teased badly enough to make someone suffer more than just a little embarrassment.
"Hmm, we'll start at five-hundred Lien per hour and then work our way up, okay? Or down, if you prefer. It's your cash, after all."
An owlish look on Adelheid's face, as she looked at Violet, the cocky grin on Violet's face showing clearly where the motto of 'all you need is confidence' went to. This was Violet at ease with someone, teasing and being more open…
And this was the side that she didn't show at home. She remembered when she and Rouge had gone out and gotten Violet totally shitfaced. The job that Violet had was not a nice one.
"For what?"
Violet cracked a saucy grin. Saphron wished that she'd have that same face, because Violet made it look good.
"My services, of course. Saph said that you're a good Publisher, but that you don't know how to dress properly, so if Jaune needs a date, I'll come into play. This is the cheap rate, y'know?"
She saw Adelheid give an indignant look at her for some reason, Violet smiling and chuckling softly.
"Nah, for Saph I do stuff for free. She's told you about what I'm doing, right?"
Saphron had, of course. It wasn't a thing to keep secret. Adelheid looked concerned, and Violet dropped the mask.
"Well, I…" Her younger sister looked very uncomfortable, as she glanced around.
"Do you think we can go somewhere a little more private?"
Adelheid looked at her sister and Saphron shrugged. Maybe the weather wasn't super, or something? Violet looked a little uncomfortable, her fingers trying to find something to do. She noticed little pinpricks in the pale fingers, as if she'd been bitten by some bug or something, but Violet quickly got up.
"Let's get somewhere inside. A bit more private, I guess, would do the job." Violet was unnerved, and that wasn't good. She wrapped an arm around her younger sister's smaller form. She smelled faintly of shampoo that had a herbal tone to it, and there was something familiar about that.
They sat down at one of the seats, Violet's back facing the wall. Saphron observed her sisters, and there was a genuineness to it. Violet met her eyes.
"Saph, I…"
She sighed softly, Saphron noticing that she was unnerved. She looked at Adelheid for a moment and there was a plea in her eyes.
"Can we have a moment, just to talk like sisters? I'm sorry but- This is important."
It was, if Violet was asking someone to go away. She remembered the time when the pregnancy scare had happened. That hadn't been nice. Adelheid smiled and then nodded in understanding.
"After what Saph went through, take all the time you need. I think I'll go see whether there's a cute guy around…"
Violet looked at her, the glass of orange juice in front of her untouched, as her younger sister looked a little out of it. Saphron's hand gently rubbed her back.
"Hey, are you okay?"
A shake of her head, as her younger sister looked at her. "I'm going to say something that's… That's shocking. Sorry Saph, but I can't tell anyone else. Rouge knows, but the others… I've… I've been raped, Saph. I'm- Gods, this is tough."
'Oh.'
She felt so bad for her sister. She pulled her closer. Rouge was busy with her work, coming home and sleeping most of the time. Rouge and Violet had switched rooms when it'd been around eight years ago or so, before Rouge had been studying stuff about psychology and such.
"You too?"
Her younger sister looked at her and Saphron felt she should elaborate. Her fears were confirmed, it seemed. Violet was raped and it'd been done by dad. Dad must've done it, because Saphron knew that out of all her sisters, Violet was the prettiest.
"Saph, gods, I'm sorry, I- Was it in Argus?"
She nodded. It was good to talk, good to let someone know. Mama and Adel were great, because they were there for her, but her sisters were still her sisters. Mom…
'You'd just say that it was my own fault for being gay, wasn't it? Didn't get your biological grandkid from wee ol' gay Saphron, boo-hoo.'
"Terra's ex. They'd got me drunk and- And I know what happened, Violet."
Her sister's face was concerned, and she put her hand on her sister's own. Her sister's skin was cold, almost too cold to really be comfortable. She'd always had warm hands, so her sister might just be under the weather.
"Do you, really? They jumped me on the way back, Saph. Unless you were there, I don't think-"
Her sister had gotten raped again… Saphron firmed her heart. She wasn't going to let her sister hurt because she'd been raped. She loved her sister.
"I know what happened to Jaune, Violet. I remember. When we were younger, I heard the sounds."
Violet went bone-white, paler than she'd been before, her eyes widening, something in her eyes changing. There was fear. Violet was someone who could act well, but Saphron knew her little sister better than most people. Violet was a woman who held great love for the family.
"N-no, no, you can't. If you knew then- No, no, I'm-"
It was such a sad thing. Violet wanted them to be a happy family, so she'd keep the secret from everyone.
"I heard the bed creak, Violet. His bed was the worst because it always belonged to mom and dad before they got the new one when you were eight. I'm not stupid, but it took me a while to remember. Jaune was-"
Violet's face looked like she'd been struck. There was panic in her eyes, all of the cool veneers shattered into bits. The look in her sister's eyes was terrified, Saphron knowing now for sure that daddy had raped her too. Violet could never really hide the truth from her, Saphron knew her too well. They'd always gone out for stuff together, her, Rouge and Violet.
"No, no, you can't know. I said I'd keep the secret, it was just once. It was our little secret and then it'd stop. It was just to take the edge off, it was just to make sure that it settled down. I promised I'd keep quiet and…"
Her sister's cool definitely was gone, as Saphron tried to make her sister calm down, giving a soft embrace, just loosely holding her. Too tight and Violet would be skittish again, just like she'd been when she'd been six.
"It's okay to tell me. I love Jaune too, and… I love you all."
Her sister gave a pathetic moan, starting to hyperventilate, fear and panic going through her.
"No, no. I said that I'd tell them all if it happened again. You didn't see what happened to him. No, you couldn't have been awake, no."
'Daddy did you too, didn't he? How old were you? Thirteen?'
Her younger sister had been touched. It was daddy's fault that she'd become a hooker, because he'd touched her, he'd raped her. She hated him.
He'd taken her sister.
"I'm going to the police, Violet. This isn't okay. Jaune deserves to know that he's not going to be touched because someone gets it in their sick mind to do so."
Violet shook her head, violently. There was fear in her eyes, a deep naked fear. Saphron thought that it would be okay, because things were going to be better when daddy was locked away. Her little sister shouldn't fear anymore. Her sister's next words made a low moan escape her lips.
"No, nobody can know that Rouge raped Jaune, Saphron. Please, don't tell anyone."
This was hinted at. Good luck finding the little hints throughout the chapters. The web is being woven and the cracks in the relationships between sisters are showing. Second Ghest, NyaNyaKitty, eat your heart out with the theories! (No humans or Faunus were harmed during this production.)
Leave a review if you'd like! I'd love to see your thoughts!