Vengeance Is My Name
Chapter Seventeen
When Yang awoke the next morning, it was to find her bed empty. Familiar feelings of abandonment stirred up inside her as she sleepily glanced around the room, forcing her eyes open against the bright light streaming in through the window as she roughly called Blake's name.
Pushing herself up on the elbow of her good arm, she carefully ran her free hand through her hair to push it back out of her face as she yawned. Calling out Blake's name again, a bit louder this time, it was immediately obvious that the half-demon was nowhere to be found inside the room.
Yang laid back down, eyes tracing the exposed wooden beams of the ceiling above her head.
There was no way Blake had up and took off again, Yang thought, fingers gripping the fabric of the blankets beneath her.
There was no way Blake would risk death by leaving.
There was no way Blake would leave her, especially not after their conversation last night. She was sure of it.
Fighting down the anxiety building within her chest, she threw back the blankets and pushed herself out of bed.
Getting dressed was a speedy affair, and as soon as she was decent she yanked open the door to their room, stepping outside and looking around.
She didn't remember too much from their arrival last night; she had tried to be mindful of which way they had come, how many turns they'd taken, and where the exit was, but most of her thoughts had been stuck on Blake.
Choosing a direction at random, she turned left, heading back the way they had come last night as she kept her eyes open for any sign of the half-demon.
The blonde stuck her hands in her pockets as she walked swiftly down the hallway, heels of her boots scuffing noisily against the wooden floor.
The floor and walls of this building were all crafted from the same high quality dark wood, the likes of which Yang wasn't sure she'd ever seen before. The sunlight slanting in from the evenly spaced row of windows down the left side of the hallway made the floors gleam, as if they were heavily polished.
The hallway ended at a ninety degree turn to the right, and Yang got the sense that this square building had rooms ringing the outside, with more common areas toward the inside. If Yang followed this hallway, she was sure that eventually she'd loop back around to where she'd started.
Turning her gaze to the right, she began examining the doors on the inside of the hallway, trying to figure out where the most likely place was for Blake to be hiding.
If she was even still here.
Her eyes found a set of double doors, with a dark gold colored plate affixed to the heavy wood.
Common Eating
Yang glanced around, and finding no one to assist her, she decided to peek her head in and see what she could find out.
Gingerly pushing on the door, she opened it far enough to look inside.
Unsurprisingly, it was a large, open space filled with tables and chairs. An open kitchen was situated against the far back wall, a row of wood stoves visible against a backdrop of cupboards.
If Yang had to guess, she'd bet this was a common eating area.
And it was empty.
Withdrawing herself, she let the door swing closed on silent hinges as she carried on down the hall. Based on the size of the area she'd just looked at, she wouldn't be finding any adjacent doors for some time.
She rounded another corner, and was immediately greeted by two armed guards. Instantly she went to reach for her sword, a mild panic lancing through her as she realized she was unarmed. Pyrrha had taken her sword back.
A second later, and she remembered the last night's events, and her panic faded to mild unease as she relaxed slightly.
"Hey... " Yang greeted hesitantly, lifting a hand in greeting to the two armed soldiers before dropping it back to her side. They looked at her expectantly from where they leaned casually against the wall.
"Uhh... have either of you seen a black haired girl? A bit shorter than me?"
They glanced at each other, the girl on the right grinning wryly at her partner. He chuckled quietly before turning back to Yang.
"Any defining features other than those that match half the people in this building?"
Yang shrugged helplessly.
"She's... err... kinda broody looking. When she walks, she always looks pissed off. Like this." Yang took a few steps, letting her hips sway in a perfect mockery of Blake's jaunt.
The girl raised an eyebrow at Yang.
Yang reached up and tapped at her bottom lip thoughtfully.
"She's got amber eyes, and she's a half-de-"
"Oh, her!" The guy interrupted. "Yeah, definitely should have opened with that information."
Yang grinned. "Yeah, I guess. So, you've seen her?"
The girl lifted her arm and pointed to a set of doors a few feet to her right.
"In there. It's a training room. She's with Pyrrha. You can join, if you like."
Before the girl had even finished speaking, Yang had waved her thanks and moved toward the door. Pushing it open, she stepped inside. Looking around, Blake's name died on her tongue when she saw the girl.
Blake was in the midst of a sword fight with the red-head, and the pained grunts and clashes of steel rang painfully in Yang's ears so soon after awakening. Choosing to be silent and observe, Yang side stepped out of the way of the door and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest with some difficulty as her skewered palm and shoulder protested painfully. Ignoring the pain, she let her eyes settle on Blake.
Blake was wearing a pair of dark red training shorts that appeared to be Rose Army issue. They were tight around her waist, but appeared flexible enough to give her full range of movement, ending just above her knees.
She wore no shirt.
A small bandage was all the evidence that remained of the knife wound to her stomach, her skin slick with sweat as Blake swung her sword with ill-concealed aggression.
Her chest was thankfully hidden behind skillfully wrapped bandages, and Yang wondered for only a moment if Blake wrapped it herself or if she'd had help.
Deciding not to dwell on that thought lest it ruin her morning, Yang continued to watch as Blake's hair, tied up in a ponytail, bounced and swayed with the girl's energetic movements. A splash of white amidst the black showed that her ear was still tightly bandaged, and Yang wondered how the healing was progressing.
A yell interrupted that thought as Blake swung her sword from left to right, clashing loudly with Pyrrha's own as the red-head blocked the strike rather than choosing to avoid it.
Although not an experienced fighter by any means, Yang could see why. A glimpse of Blake's face showed a pained expression as her sword vibrated painfully in her hands, no doubt weakening her grip and making it easier for Pyrrha to attempt a disarm in the near future.
Blake backpedalled, attempting to put some distance between herself and Pyrrha as the girl pressed the advantage, sword dancing skillfully around Blake's blade.
Pyrrha was moving just quickly enough to force Blake to really have to try to block or dodge each strike, but not quickly enough to overwhelm her.
With Blake's back mostly to Yang, it was easy for Yang to catch Pyrrha's eye. The red-head caught the look and smirked, but not enough to alert Blake to Yang's presence.
Yang doubted Blake had heard her come in, either. What with the noise and distraction of the fight, Yang was sure that all of Blake's attention was being spent on not getting her ass kicked.
Pyrrha must have decided she was finished toying with Blake, the poor girl's chest heaving with each breath as she struggled to stave off the red-head's advances. Pyrrha lunged forward, stepping on Blake's foot. As Blake tried to backpedal, she found she couldn't move. Pyrrha drove her sword forward, smashing it into Blake's blade and sending the girl tumbling to the ground as her sword skittered away. Levelling her sword at Blake's face, Pyrrha shrugged as Blake glared up at her.
"Woo! Go Blake!" Yang yelled. Blake's head whipped around, her undamaged ear flattening against her hair as she spotted Yang leaning against the wall, an amused smirk on her face. Slowly Blake pushed herself to her feet, moving to her sword to retrieve it.
"You're finally awake, I see."
Yang gestured helplessly at Blake. "You were more than welcome to wake me up and get me to join you in training."
Blake glanced at Pyrrha before quietly thanking her. Waving her off, Pyrrha moved to the door, disappearing through the exit.
"I didn't want to wake you." Blake said softly, moving toward Yang and stopping in front of her.
Yang pushed off the wall and straightened up, enjoying the few inches of height she carried over Blake.
"Yeah? Why's that?"
Blake shrugged as she crossed her arms over her chest. She shifted her weight from leg to leg as she glanced away, finding something interesting to stare at.
"Huh? That's not much of an answer." Yang teased lightly. She reached out and gently poked Blake's shoulder.
"You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn't want to wake you. You looked cute." Blake muttered.
If there were any ambient noise in the training room, Yang was sure she would've missed the muttered words, but since it was currently vacant and dead silent, Yang knew there was no mistake about what Blake had said.
"O-oh. Uh. Thanks, I guess." Yang reached up to rub at the back of her neck, mindful of how her hand throbbed painfully.
Blake said nothing, clearing her throat softly as she continued to look anywhere but at Yang.
"So, uh, what do we do now?" Yang asked, moreso to fill the silence than out of any real curiosity.
Blake uncrossed her arms long enough to gesture at Yang.
"I want to find the infirmary. You need to be looked at, and my bandages need to be changed. The one on my ear is all dried and sticking to my skin. It's gonna be a bitch to get off."
Yang frowned, reaching up to gently touch Blake's chin. Blake resisted at first, but not enough to deter Yang from carefully turning Blake's head to look her in the eye. Blake seemed embarrassed, eyes darting left and right as her good ear flicked uncontrollably, but she made no attempt to pull herself from Yang's grasp.
"Are you okay?" Yang asked. Her tone made it clear that she wasn't talking about the sparring match or their current situation.
Blake finally settled dark amber eyes on Yang, ear standing straight up as her bandaged one feebly twitched.
"I have a lot on my mind, and it'll be a while before I'm anywhere close to okay, Yang."
Yang sighed softly.
"What can I do to help?"
Blake was quiet for a moment, and Yang was content to stare into her eyes, losing herself in those twin pools of deep molten gold.
When Blake finally moved, it was to reach up and place her hand over Yang's, holding Yang's hand against her cheek.
"Just stay with me. That's all I need."
Yang nodded once, feeling like she was caught in a trance as she found herself unable to look away. Her head dipped slightly, and Blake leaned forward into her touch.
Yang's hand came up and found a place on Blake's hip, all at once a foreign feeling that felt so familiar.
Blake reached out and put her hand on Yang's stomach, fingers clutching the fabric of her shirt even as she pressed herself closer to Yang.
Yang's grip on Blake's hip went from tentative to possessive, wrapping around her waist and pulling her close until their bodies were pressed tightly against each other. Yang gently slid her hand from Blake's cheek to the back of her neck, yet Blake needed no encouragement as she tilted her head up, lips parting slightly as Yang leaned down to meet her.
Yang closed her eyes as fervent desire overwhelmed her common sense, but just before their lips touched, Blake dug her nails into Yang's stomach, cursing softly as she pulled out of Yang's grasp.
"Damn... sorry. I- "
Blake moved away, reaching up to cover her mouth as she turned her back on Yang.
"Blake- "
Blake waved her off, before moving swiftly toward the exit. When she spoke next, her voice wavered as if she were on the verge of tears.
"I need... I need to get to the infirmary. Sorry Yang. I'll see you later."
Yang reached out as if to stop Blake from leaving, but the raven-haired girl had already disappeared, all but running away from her.
Sighing, Yang leaned back against the wall, tilting her head back to look up at the ceiling.
Her heart was pounding madly in her chest, and despite knowing it was wrong, she wanted nothing more than to chase Blake down and finish what they'd started.
God, why did she have to give in to those feelings?
Yang's hand clenched into a fist as she lowered her head to examine the torn, puckered skin of her left palm.
A myriad of emotions she couldn't even begin to understand filled her head. She knew she was attracted to Blake. That much was certain. She knew she didn't want to get in the way of Blake and her girlfriend. It wouldn't be right.
But there was a part of her that wondered if it would be wrong to accept Blake's advances, if she made them. If Blake wanted to find comfort in her arms, should she deny her that?
She didn't know.
Blake was a grown woman. She could make decisions like one. So was Yang to blame if Blake came to her in a moment of weakness? Was it Yang's responsibility to push her away?
Yang knew she should.
She just didn't want to.
She didn't really know what to think of that part of herself. She didn't want to steal Blake away from Weiss. If she were in Weiss' shoes, she could imagine how terrible that would feel.
But she wasn't an idiot. Every day that Weiss and Blake were separated, their love would grow fainter. Every day they were apart was another day closer to Weiss entering her arranged marriage. Every day Yang stayed with Blake, her affections grew. She knew she had feelings for Blake. She just wasn't sure what she was going to do with them.
From this point onward, Yang had to decide what kind of person she was going to be.
Did she continue to be a neutral party, walking the path that fate had laid out for her, regardless of where it landed her? She'd never been opposed to that idea before...
Or did she give in to her feelings, and try to sabotage Blake's plans to rescue Weiss?
Just the mere thought of working against Blake made her feel ill, even if it meant it increased the chances that Blake might wind up hers.
Even as she wished against it, the dark thoughts continued unbidden. It wouldn't even take that much effort to derail Blake's plans. They were essentially shot already. Yang simply had to be the voice of reason and quiet detraction against whatever idea she came up with next...
It couldn't be more than a few weeks until the wedding. She could delay Blake that long, couldn't she?
She was disgusted with herself for even entertaining the idea, but as she moved toward the door with the intention of finding Blake and ensuring she was okay, the thought persisted in the back of her mind, refusing to leave.
It was some time later in the day, and the two girls found themselves back in their room. Zwei had been released to roam the streets, Yang trusting that he'd come back when he wanted to.
Now, Blake sat in much the same position she did the night before, leaning against her headboard with her knees to her chest.
Yang settled for laying on the other bed, staring helplessly at Blake. Yang had wanted to apologize; she really did.
However, she didn't believe that she had to. She didn't want to say the words if she didn't mean it, and she knew she wouldn't mean them.
She wasn't sorry for what had almost happened. She hadn't forced herself on Blake, and nothing had happened against Blake's will. She wasn't sorry for the feelings she had for the half-demon, and refused to speak those meaningless words.
So with nothing to say, Yang simply settled for watching Blake, unsure of what to do.
Blake hadn't said much to Yang, which the girl could understand. If she were in Blake's position, she would be incredibly upset and probably very confused.
Yang shifted uncomfortably as pain shot through her shoulder. The medics at the infirmary had done a bang up job on their injuries. Not only did they work quickly, but they were very careful around Blake's sensitive ears.
Blake had grabbed her hand when they began peeling off the stuck bandages, squeezing her tightly and refusing to let go as they carefully cleaned her wound. Blake wouldn't look at her, however, and Yang settled for letting Blake crush the life out of her good hand as they re-taped her ear.
When they had finished, Blake was as quick to let go as she was to grab her in the first place, and Yang couldn't help but be slightly confused by the silent girl's actions and attitude.
Blake had stayed with her while they worked on her shoulder. With her shirt half pulled off to reveal her shoulder and arm, Blake sat on the other side of the room and stared unblinkingly at Yang, an unreadable expression on her face as the medics worked diligently to stitch some torn flesh back together.
Yang's thoughts were pulled back to the present when a light knocking sounded at the door, Blake lifting her head off her knees to glance first at Yang, then at the door.
Yang moved first, pushing herself off the bed and striding over to the door. Pulling it open, she was greeted by the serious face of Pyrrha.
"Yes?" Yang spoke first.
Pyrrha glanced from Yang to Blake, then back again.
"It's time for you two to earn your keep around here. Ready your weapons and travel packs. We're going to go meet up with the Rose Commander. We leave in the morning."
Yang glanced at Blake, who stared at her blankly.
"Okay." Yang nodded, speaking for the both of them.
Pyrrha was about to turn away, when Blake spoke up.
"Where is the Rose Commander?"
Yang shot Blake a look, and instantly knew what the girl was thinking. Raising her eyebrow in warning, she was mildly irritated to see that she'd been fully ignored.
"A small, out of the way town called Inlustris. Kind of north, north-west from here. There are some ruins on the edge of town; she's gone there on personal business. Now that I've some free time, I'll be meeting her there to provide backup fighting power. Ruins are known to provide excellent cover for bandits and thieves. Although she's more than capable of taking care of herself, part of our duty is to protect her no matter the cost. I see it as a good opportunity to show you a bit more of what we are all about, and hopefully, see you two in a fight."
Blake said nothing, gnawing on her bottom lip pensively as Yang knew exactly what thoughts were coursing through her mind.
Blake was no doubt thinking of trying to give Pyrrha the slip. Blake wanted nothing more than to travel north; any movement in that direction brought her closer to Citadel; closer to Weiss.
It was an incredibly stupid idea, for a wide variety of reasons.
"We'll be ready." Yang affirmed. Pyrrha nodded, and threw the blonde a lazy wave. Turning on her heel, she strutted down the hallway as Yang closed the door.
"Tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking." Yang said as soon as the door thudded closed. Pressing her back to the door, she let the cool wood soothe the back of her sore shoulder.
Blake glanced up at Yang, then shook her head.
"Nothing is for certain yet, Yang."
Growling in frustration, Yang threw her arms up as she pushed off the door. Wincing as the motion tugged painfully at her stitches, she lowered her left arm.
"That kind of thinking will get you killed! This insane quest for revenge will kill you Blake, don't you get that!?"
Blake studied Yang for a moment, as if carefully considering her next words. She opened her mouth to speak, then seemed to think better of it. Closing her mouth, she stayed silent.
"Whatever." Yang muttered. "Do whatever the hell you want."
"If we get right into it, this meeting won't drag on any longer than neccessary." Jaques' voice rang out, silencing the whispered murmurs that surrounded his table. One by one, the attendees fell silent.
Jaques look around the room, and when he was satisfied that he was being paid due attention, he nodded.
"Good. First order of business; Cardin."
"Sir?" A slightly heavier set boy on the cusp of full fledged manhood looked toward the Schnee patriarch with a curious expression. Small, studious indigo eyes tracked the older man attentively as the boy raised a hand and nervously passed it through his closely cropped reddish hair.
"Tell me where we sit on the first batch of fleet cannons."
Cardin nodded, folding his hands together for a moment as he processed his response. After a moment, he unthreaded his hands and tented his fingers together.
"The first order of fleet cannons will be ready by the end of the week. If the Vasilias clan hold up their end of the bargain, and have the first two ships docking at the ports of Nova by the middle of the week next week, we will be on schedule to mount and calibrate."
Jaques nodded slowly.
"I see." He glanced down at a folder in front of him, a dark brown one. It had been untouched until now, when Jaques carefully lifted the corner, opening it flat against the table. He took a moment to peruse it's contents.
"When you begin production on the second round of cannons, do you expect any delays in materials or production? I'd expect four fully armed ships at least by the end of this month."
Cardin pursed his lips as he thought about it, crossing his arms over his chest as Weiss, Winter, and Jaques all looked on.
"I foresee no problems, however, I'll keep you updated every step of the way to ensure that production stays on schedule."
Jaques nodded. "Excellent. At the end of the week, I'll have payment arranged." Seemingly satisfied, Jaques turned his piercing gaze on Winter.
"What do you have for me, Winter?"
Winter schooled her features into one of ill-concealed disdain.
"Nothing that couldn't have been sent in a message."
Jaques' lip curled in visible disgust.
"Out with it."
Winter sighed in exasperation. "The Rose Army has yet to apprehend the vagrants."
Jaques' expression was one of mild surprise.
"Are you certain? How have they evaded you thus far?"
Winter shrugged, ignoring her father's clenched fist.
"The Rose Commander is very busy."
Jaques slammed his open palm down on the table, displeasure at the news clear on his face as he glowered at his older daughter.
"I don't pay her to be very busy with... whatever the hell it is she's doing! I pay her handsomely in return for the simplest things!"
Winter stared at Jaques impassively.
"She'll get to it when she gets to it. They won't get far."
Weiss, who bore a very disinterested expression up until now, raised an eyebrow.
"Who are you talking about?"
"No one, Weiss." Winter spoke a bit too quickly, piquing Weiss' interest further.
"It's clearly not no one." Weiss growled, eyebrows falling over sharp, intense blue eyes. She looked back and forth between her father and older sister.
"Why must I be present if you refuse to include me in the conversation?"
"Why don't you tell her, Winter?" Jaques asked, gesturing to Weiss, who had her arms crossed over her chest impatiently.
Winter stared at her younger sister for a moment, but the younger Schnee refused to back down.
"Fine." Winter crossed her arms over her chest. "The Rose Army was hired to find and kill or capture two vagrants who were travelling with intent to disrupt the royal wedding."
Winter stared at her fingernails disinterestedly. "It's really no big deal. Royal events like these get their fair share of dissenters, and it's helpful to have mercenaries on retainer to deal with things like this. With mercenaries carrying loyalty to no one and nothing but coin, it's an efficient way to keep political dissent in check."
Weiss stared at Winter, eyes narrowed and lips pressed into a thin line. Slowly she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.
"Who are they?" Weiss asked, her voice low.
"Hmm?"
"Who are they!?" Weiss yelled, slapping the table with her palm, her actions eerily similar to her father's.
Winter was silent as she stared down her younger sister, silently daring her to act out again. Weiss seemed to pick up on the unpsoken invitation, for she immediately settled back into her chair, clearing her thoat daintily and folding her hands in her lap.
"I would like to know who they are." Weiss spoke once more, refusing to tear her eyes away from her older sister.
Winter reached into a bag beside her chair and pulled out a few folders. Peeling one open, she perused the contents for a moment before tossing the folder onto the table in front of her.
"We are tracking the location of one 'Blake-last-name-unknown', and one Yang Xiao-Long. Our objective is to intercept, and attempt to dissuade them from continuing on their mission. If dissuasion isn't an option, we will detain or destroy."
Weiss opened her mouth to speak, but Jaques cut her off with a slow raise of his hand.
"I've been meaning to tell you, Winter, we are modifying that somewhat. Instead of killing the half-demon, I need you to detain her. It's imperative that you seize her without harming her." Here, he glanced at Weiss, who glared daggers at him in return.
"And what about... " Winter clucked her tongue as she picked up the folder, scanning through it's contents. "... The blonde, Yang Xiao-Long? What of her?"
Jaques waved his hand before returning it to the table top. "She's inconequential. Kill her or whatever, I don't care." He looked to Weiss, contempt written across his features.
"It's just the half-demon we're interested in, isn't it?"
Weiss said nothing, and it was all the answer he needed.
So much is going to happen! I'm so excited! Feel free to drop a review, let me know what you think. Have a good weekend, all!