A/N: Inspiration for this story just came out of nowhere. Also be warned, there may copious amounts of gwent down the line.
Reviews and criticism are always welcome.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Witcher. I don't own RWBY either.
Chasing Petals
The Girl in the Red Hood
It was lovely day. The birds were chirping, and sun's rays were peeking through the canopy of the leafy-green oaks that dotted the forest. Along one of the worn paths, a figure walked.
She was a short girl in a black and red corset with a black undershirt. To go with it she had on a black thigh length skirt with red trim on her waist. Black leggings poked out from underneath, running into the black walking shoes that too had red trim. Most striking of all, around her shoulders was a bright red cape and hood. The girl currently wore the hood over her head, humming a tune as she walked. She looked up at the birds chirping in the trees, her silver eyes briefly shining in the light with glee.
She continued down the worn path, humming a horribly tone-deaf tune, "…the White Wolf fought, A Silver-eyed devil, his army of elves, at his hooves did they revel. They came after me, with masterful deceit, broke down my lute…"
She skipped through the forest, the tune on her lips. She eventually passed trees that grew more decayed and misshapen with each step. The tune faded away, the girl picking up her pace not wanting to linger while she walked this part of the trail. The dirt of the path became old stones briefly as she crossed an overgrown old road leading to the what was once the old Lord's castle.
Stories say the Lord's family practiced dark magic. They plotted to kill the King a long time ago and the King himself asked the Mages and Sorceresses to slay the family. The mages then ended the threat to the kingdom with an army at their back. Ever since the land around the castle of was warped and twisted, the magics of the battle that occurred here still affecting everything around it to this day. The ruins themselves were still never trodden as a ghostly knight walked the walls and halls, killing any who ventured inside. It was said the knight was tall as three men standing on top of each other with glowing blue eyes. A truly terrifying sight to behold. One she hoped she'd never see.
The Ealdorman of Grandma's youth put up of a notice for a Witcher, but the Knight never left the ruins so many Witchers turned it down over the years. The old note was almost worn away by the time another Witcher came along. Ruby remembered him. He had a snarling wolf pendant and had dark brown hair with those enthralling cat-like eyes. His swords were beautiful, from what she could remember. That was a mere year ago, and the Witcher never did come back out. The village robbed his horse blind. The girl had felt bad seeing that, but Witcher's rarely left wills as they say. It was decided that it would be better to leave things as they were concerning the ruins after that. So long as the Knight never left the old castle, it could do nothing to the village.
The girl relaxed her pace as the trees returned to normal. Her happy mood soured by the old ruins. She walked on in silence.
Silence.
The birds had stopped singing. In fact, not a sound could be heard. The girl stopped and looked around worriedly. There was a heavy breath of air, followed by a growl. The girl stilled. Terror gripped her lungs as the large creature stepped out on to the path about fifteen yards away. The creatures back legs had reverse jointed knees. Both feet and hands had huge pawlike claws all connected to a manlike chest and arms. The head was large, with a long thick snout sniffing the air. It's fur-lined body moved with a mix of human and canine grace.
The Werewolf turned and saw her standing there. A feral grin appeared on his face. The long smile filled with a mess of human and wolf-like teeth.
"Dinner," It said in a hideous rasping voice chilling the girl to the bone. She was going to die. Her aunt and uncle would never see her again. She would just be a name on the notice board posted for a passing Witcher. The werewolf, on two legs started toward her. The action broke the girl out of her stupor, and she dropped her basket, running into the woods.
She could hear the beast behind her howling and popping out of the trees behind her to pounce upon her. She would dodge and weave, keeping the trees between her and the beast. This frustrated the beast, its growls becoming roars as it would wildly swing at her.
The girl didn't notice the trees around her becoming gnarled and twisted as she ran. She ducked into a bramble of trees and brushes. The Werewolf growled being forced to go around. It wasn't until she nearly tripped and fell on an old cobble stone path lined with weeds crawling up from between the old stones, that she realized where she was. South, she had to go south. Then the werewolf burst from the trees far down the path. She didn't have time to think of where she was going. All she knew was the way away from the werewolf was best.
She ran, turning to see the wolfman not far behind and gaining as it had the advantage of speed on open ground. The girl turned back and considered running into the trees again, but she rounded a bend in the road. She glanced quickly ahead seeing the old castle and its drawbridge not far off. It was decayed and looked broken in places, especially a large breach in the wall. Yet it still stood, its sturdy construction defying the will of time. She pressed on, thinking only of the shelter the old stone building and its walls offered. Running across the old drawbridge, she entered the castle courtyard. She stopped. She looked around, searching for a place to hide. There was nowhere close enough. She knew she had no more time. The heavily footfalls were right behind her. Tears streaked her face as she turned to face the oncoming monster. Its single-minded focus trained on her. Eyes of beast and prey met, locked in a moment of fulfillment and terror.
The beast leapt, and girl saw her life flash before her eyes. Memories of her father and mother. The Village of Patch burning. Running away from the monsters that tore her village apart and being taken in by her adopted Uncle and Aunt. However, her thoughts drifted back to Patch, especially her mother.
The sound of metal lightly scratching against metal was all the girl heard before hearing a loud whimper akin to a dying dog. The girl slowly opened one of her eyes then both in a wide-eyed expression of surprise. What she saw was a short knight standing in front of her, holding a two-handed longsword point first. The tip of the blade pierced flesh and buried itself into the beast's heart down to the hilt. The Beast's triumphant look of glee had melded into surprised confusion as it had stopped dead in air for a moment. Locking eyes with its killer, the beast eyes glazed over before falling limply to the side in a small cloud of dust.
The girl stared in awe at her savior. The Knight was clad in white plate, beautiful with thin snowflake like points sticking from the shoulders and knee joints. The knight's torso armor was surprisingly feminine and practical at the same time, adorned with a Snowflake sigil on the breastplate. Her armored waist skirt had a real white colored skirt poking out just underneath it which stopped down to her thighs, the greaves sticking out from under the skirt. The Knight's helm had flared wings on either side and the eye slit only showed a bare amount of face, revealing icy blue eyes that almost seemed to glow. She looked stunning in the armor. The girl couldn't help but admire the blue trim and sliver etchings on the armor's plates which were fashioned in swirling hoarfrost and snowflake designs. Despite the beauty of the plate, it was currently tarnished by what appeared to be werewolf slobber and blood speckled all over the shoulder pauldrons and face plate.
A thought occurred to her as she gazed in awe upon her rescuer. The girl took in their respective and nearly identical heights. And so, to her savior she uttered the only words that came to mind.
"Your short."
"Hmph," the knight said, before stomping off heading back into the main keep and what remained of the broken in double doors of the entrance. She flicked blood off her blade as she walked.
The girl realized her reaction was untoward. She ran after the young woman. "Wait, I am sorry. I didn't mean to say that." The Knight stopped and gave an annoyed glance at the girl before continuing. The girl quickly ran up, stepping in front of the Knight's path. "Please, I just wanted to say thank you." The Knight stood there, perplexed.
The red hooded girl also stood there awkwardly waiting for a response from the white-clad Knight. The Knight shook her head and walked around the girl.
"Hey," The Girl in the red hood said indignantly. "I said sorry."
The Knight whirled on the girl. "You are not real! Go away! And if you are real, why would you run here of all places, you dolt! Begone before I am forced to defend this castle as I have for… for…," The knight's voice tailed off, "many years!"
"Please, just allow me to thank you. My name is Ruby Rose and thank you." Ruby held out a hand, hoping the Knight would take it. Of course, her mouth moved faster than her mind. She realized who she had been speaking to this entire time. The Knight that haunted the Lord's ruin was standing right in front of her. The knight while certainly not the towering figure in the tales had still dispatched a werewolf with ease. The mounting horror on Ruby's face was mirrored in the resignation in the Knight's eyes.
"Begone before I have to hurt you. I have no desire to slay a child this day." The Knight's tone was somber much like she had said something similar a thousand times before. "Just go." The Knight walked around Ruby, continuing toward the keep.
Ruby looked at the Knight's retreating form. The girl did the only thing she could think of. She called out, "Can I have your name?"
Halting in her tracks just before the entrance of the keep, "My name is… it was… Weiss. Weiss of House Schnee." The name sounded foreign on the knightly young woman's tongue. Her very own name. Ruby could only imagine how lonely this ruin was.
"Thank you again, Weiss." Ruby turned and left walking around the dead werewolf corpse as she went. Ruby turned back to see the courtyard empty as she passed the ruined gates. Yet, somehow, she knew the Knight was watching her leave from the shadow of the keep. Ruby was careful on the trip back. She never told anyone what had occurred today. She went back up the trail where she dropped her basket. Finding the food still good, she continued to Grandma's house. After all she had to make sure Grandma did not get eaten by a big bad wolf.
Weiss
The Knight… no Weiss. Weiss was her name. How long had it been since she had last heard it pass from her lips much less another's? Was it all just a trick of her mind? The Werewolf corpse still lay in the courtyard but was the girl she saved real. Could she have been a figment of her imagination? Her very own subconscious creating an illusion to make a story out of the day's events. The Knight had truly been here too long defending this pile of rocks.
Sighing, Weiss made her way to the small armory that she used as a home when the curse allowed her. It was close to the entrance of the keep and she could always be ready to act in the defense of the castle here. She leaned her blade, Myrtenastor, against the door frame. She had no need to worry about cleaning or maintaining the blade or her armor for that matter.
Her armor would some burn the werewolf slobber and blood spatter way eventually. She moved around gracefully despite her armor. Years of never taking it off would do that. She leaned down and grabbed a sheathed blade from the weapon rack. It was beautiful blade, a metal braided grip and a twisted crossguard. A wolf's head snarled from the pommel. She pulled the steel blade from the scabbard inspecting it for rust or other deformations.
Wiess sighed, placing the blade back in its scabbard and on the rack again next to the other. She had wanted to toss both the Witcher's blades off the edge into the old mote. She had stopped herself so many times. The Witcher had tried to help after all. Just because he couldn't lift her curse was no reason to desecrate his blades. He had other possessions too. Diagrams of beautiful armor made for monster hunting adorned the pages. They must have been enchanted to remain in perfect condition for years. Weiss sighed.
It wasn't long before the curse compelled her to action. It was time to go back to patrol the castle. She frowned in annoyance, taking up Myrtenastor once again as she left. Up the stairs to the master bedrooms, down again and a right at the kitchens, a left at tiltyard. Down into the cellar. The curse took her down every hall in the keep. So once done with keep, she began rounding the ramparts until she came upon the collapsed mound of stone that had been where the wall was breached so long ago. She dreaded this part next.
Grinding her teeth, Weiss approached the part of the wall were the walkway had collapsed. She mentally braced herself as her foot stepped off the edge as if it were still walking solid ground. She plummeted downward bouncing and tumbling down the pile. The sounds of clanks and clangs echoed off the stone. She got away with laying at the bottom a moment before the curse compelled her to climb and ascend the stones to the other side of the walkway. The rest of the wall was clear, that daily annoyance behind her. The dents in her plate soon warped out themselves out as she finally ended her patrol. She moved to the courtyard and stood still as a statue in the courtyard. Her sword held in both her hands, pointing down at the ground between her feet.
Weiss' mind fell into the habit of counting stones in the wall. It was an old ritual. However, her thoughts eventually tread back to the girl, Ruby before she finished her daily brick tally. A nice name that was. She thought back to the girl's features. Even obscured by her hood, Ruby's silver eyes shined under them. Weiss remembered the dark brown hair with red tips poking out of the hood too. Weiss had to wonder why her mind would create such a vivid fantasy after all this time. Ruby seemed so real. And here Weiss thought she had gone mad a long time ago.
The Knight sighed and waited until morning for her routine to start all over again.
Ruby
Ruby on the other hand was ecstatic. She rushed through chores the next day hoping to find time to go the "Grandma's". However, her Aunt and Uncle, the old couple that raised her had other plans. Her "Uncle" had work for her. She was to go and fetch charcoal. She found herself following the old man's instructions taking a sled into the countryside far away in the opposite direction of the old ruins toward the river.
Uncle wanted more charcoal for his forge. The old man worked blades of all types. Ruby silently wished he would teach her. She loved weapons. It looked so fun to make them too. Of course, Uncle would go on about she should be finding a nice young man to settle down with. There was Uncle's own apprentice, the Winchester boy, Cardin. Or the baker's boy, Russel Thrush after all. Both were young strapping bachelors with decent professions. Ruby would pout and go to her Aunt to get her uncle off her case, but her Aunt was worse. Her Aunt suggested that old bald man who ran the town store. At this point she had assumed it was part of their ploy.
He was the richest man in town sure, but Ruby hoped to find someone more, out of town and also not so old. Truth was she wanted to adventure, like Geralt of Rivia or Yennifer of Vengerberg. She would admit Cirilla. The Lady of Space and Time's tale had enthralled her the most when the bards would stop by the tavern.
She lugged the sled behind her heading down to the river. She saw the smoke of the charcoal burners in the distance. Sky Lark the charcoal burners son met her at the entrance of the camp.
"Hey Red, hauling sacks of charcoal around again, are we?" He was a skinny and tall wiry boy who wore a cowl to keep the charcoal out of his hair not that anyone would notice as dark as the boy's hair already was.
Ruby smiled. "It seems so. Uncle is getting old. He refuses to admit it though."
Sky snorted, "So he makes a pretty lass like you fetch the charcoal." Ruby blushed. Sky was cute in a way, but not exactly her ticket out of town. Even if Charcoal burners made a lot of coin.
"No, but Cardin went up north to bury his Aunt with his father. So, the old man sent me today." Ruby put her hands on her hips standing proud.
Sky shook his head and sat a heavy sack of charcoal on her sled. "There. That should be enough until Cardin gets back. Tell your Uncle that he best takes it easy."
"I can try, but it won't work." Ruby waved and started back to the village. She was so busy pulling her sled, that she didn't see the robed traveler at the crossroads. She almost bumped into him. He had orange colored hair and cloudy eyes. Strangest of all, he had dark skin, contrasting the lighter pale skin of the nordling folk that lived here. The robed man approached.
"Hello" he said. His speech was formal as if he had just learned the tongue of the Northern Realms. "I am the Fox."
Ruby tilted her head. "What kind of name is that?"
"A simple one, and easy to remember." He said with a smirk.
"Oh, I see. Can I help you?" Ruby asked the foreigner in a friendly tone.
"Certainly, but allow me to take up your burden girl, in exchange for a moment of your time." He gestured to the sled. Ruby handed him the cord and he pulled it with ease as they both walked back to the village. Ruby smiled.
"What was it you wanted?" She asked the strange man.
"Information. I am looking for a large man at least a head and half taller than myself." The Fox gestured far above his head with his hand.
"I haven't seen any man that tall around here."
"He too would seem a foreigner though still different than myself. My Goddess has shown me a vision and I must find him so we may both find the Rabbit and the Noblewoman."
"Well if I see such a man, I'll tell him a strange fire-haired monk is looking for him."
The man let out a laugh as they reached the village. "Ah, Perfect, I knew the Goddess requested I dye my hair for a reason. There are times she can find the strangest things most amusing."
"Good luck, I would try at the tavern. But be careful. It can be rough place." She warned. The Fox smirked at her words of caution.
"I am more than prepared." He swept is robes back showing heavy leather armor, with two long and curved daggers belted his hips. "May the Goddess smile on you for your kindness and concern." He handed her the sled cord back and waved. Ruby waved back. The man stopped and turned back, "Before you go. My Goddess says you should look for the stone in the old keep. She can be dreadfully vague at times, but I am sure it will mean something to you." He shrugged and kept walking.
Ruby stood moment confused. "Stone in the old keep? Like the old Lord's Castle?" She said to herself. She pulled her sled back to home, mulling over the strange monk's words. She stored the sled and charcoal and called it a day. It was too late to head to the old Castle not if she wanted to get caught in the woods after dark.
She walked into the house. Her auntie was stitching some clothing together in the living room. The middle-aged woman wore a shif concealing her graying hair.
"Hello dear," She said, "How did your day go."
"Oh, just got back from the charcoal burners. Met a strange monk on the road. He was nice." Her auntie was rather old, but not too old, not as old as Grandma of course. Grandma was so old the other grandmas in town called her grandma.
"That's sounds wonderful. Would you help me finish this blanket dear?" Ruby smiled and started grabbing bits of cloth to help. They sat there until Uncle came in laying a wood chopping axe by the door.
"Ladies," he said almost falling into his rocking chair. He was a tall, but he had a hunch from years of working the forge.
Small talk of their days ensued and before long Ruby was in bed. Thinking of her delivery to Grandma's house tomorrow and her planned visit to the Knight in the Castle.
Weiss
Weiss frowned as she stood guard in the courtyard. The girl never showed up yesterday. Perhaps Ruby wasn't as much a dolt as Weiss initially thought. If she was real. It was for the best. Hopefully the girl went on with her life and just left Weiss alone.
Alone. Alone was fine. Alone was safe. Alone was all she had. It was just better that way. Weiss sighed. Her thoughts drifted to the night of the siege. Her elder sister, Winter's final stand. Whitley running off to secure the vaults. Weiss managed to hold the line for a bit after Winter fell. Summoning the Arma Gigas. A massive steel knight-shaped golem to aid her family. It was a brutal night ending with her being encased in the remnants of the shattered metal giant. Weiss forced herself to be rid of that line of thought.
"Hello," Weiss' focus returned and in the direction of the familiar voice. Ruby stood at the archway just off the drawbridge. "Can I come in?"
"You may." What was she doing?! Weiss had no desire to let the red-cloaked woman in. It must have been the curse compelling to be amicable to a guest.
"Wonderful. I would have come yesterday, but I had to spend most the day doing chores." Ruby said sounding bored. She walked, no, skipped right up to Weiss, not a care in the world.
"Not as if I was going anywhere." Weiss muttered.
Ruby giggled at the dry humor. "Here," she held out an apple. "I thought you would like something to eat."
Weiss was glad the visor on her helmet was down. She didn't want Ruby seeing her licking her lips. Weiss released a hand off her sword. She took the fruit in an armored gauntlet. Unconsciously, she lifted the apple to her lips. So, consumed by the apple smell and memories of what they tasted like, that she forgot her visor was still down. The apple bumped against her face plate. The fruit fell from her hand. Ruby caught it, snatching the apple out of the air with quick hands.
Ruby looked back at Weiss and must have seen the Lady Knight's horrified expression in her icy blue eyes. She looked away in shame.
"Sorry, I… forgot," Weiss tried to say.
"No, it's okay. You must have not had anything to eat for some time." She pulled out a small knife. "Here I'll cut small pieces for you." Weiss tensed seeing the tiny knife, her body falling into a combat stance. The curse was rearing its ugly head again as she was forced lift her blade. It was all Weiss could do to shout.
"RUBY RUN!"
Ruby looked confused but seeing the desperation in Weiss' eyes and her blade coming at her. She did so, jumping back and running for the exit. Weiss was compelled to swing her blade where the young woman stood.
Ruby dashed for the exit. Weiss chased after her. Weiss prayed to whatever deity would answer her prayers to not bring harm to the girl.
Ruby suddenly stopped and dodged the swipe of Weiss' blade. And then the red-hooded girl turned around of all things, heading for the keep.
Wiess swung and missed again as the girl passed by her. "What are you doing, you dunce! I can't hurt if you make it off the drawbridge! You are going the wrong way!" The Knight loudly admonished.
"Don't worry! I know what I am doing! I have to find the stone in the castle!" Ruby called back as she darted into the keep.
"What! That makes no sense!" Weiss followed, forcing the curse to tug her along. Weiss did what she could to fight it. Years upon years feebly fighting against the curse, had only left her hopeless in rebelling against it. However, she now did so with a renew vigor. She was going to kill another person just trying to help. Like the Witcher and countless others. Sure, he was rude, but she could tell the man had at least pitied her situation. She didn't want that to happen again.
Weiss rounded a corner and saw Ruby. Standing around looking at a wall. A faded mural of Weiss' grandfather slaying a giant horned beast called a chort. Ruby let out a "eep" as the red hooded woman ducked. Weiss' sword stabbed into the wall. The powerful blade chipping stone.
"You need to get out!" Weiss stabbed again. The hallway was too short for slashes. Weiss let out a frustrated growl at Ruby's stubbornness.
"Not until I find what I am looking for!" Despite being chased around by an armored Weiss, Ruby seemed rather cheerful. Weiss shook her head forcing all her willpower into not harming the girl.
"You dolt! What could be worth risking your life in such a way!" Weiss screamed in frustration again as she stabbed again at the girl. Ruby moved, and Weiss' arms shook as the sword struck another stone wall again. This time the blade wasn't so easy to pull out. Weiss wasted a few moments before she yanked it free. This gave Ruby a chance to run away.
Ruby called out. "Don't worry, I have a plan."
"What!" Weiss scowled at Ruby's vagueness. The Knight followed the red hood throughout the halls. Ruby darted between rooms, sometimes having to dodge the stabs and slashes of Weiss' blade. It wasn't until Weiss reached the dining room that she saw Ruby was pulling at a small stone on the wall. Part of a larger more elaborate mural of her Father. Ruby wasn't paying attention to the knight. No! Weiss screeched mentally. Move damn you! Her feet marched toward the girl, unbidden. The Knight raised her arms. Weiss could only uselessly fight against the curse as her arms came down, bringing the sword with them.
Ruby pulled the small stone out of the wall at the last second. A second too late. She looked triumphant for a moment before a look of utter horror appeared as she saw Weiss' blade bearing down on her. This moment burned into Wiess' mind as she swung, her blade ready to cleave Ruby's head in two. Just another kind soul trying to help. Gone Forever.
A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger. I should have ch.2 up in a day or two. (Hopefully.) It is already a quarter done. I am sure some will notice Ruby isn't a little super warrior straight out the gate like some fanfics make her. She is just a girl with normal knees. I thought it would be best considering the path she will be walking. Sorry for not making her a Witcher or something. Also, Weiss' curse is not something that can be easily broken.
I have some really cool ideas for the other characters, like Yang, Ren, and Nora. Pyrrha and Jaune are being tricky, but I think I have a good idea of what to do for them. There are no faunus in this, but I am sure you can guess what race Blake and the other faunus characters are now.
So yeah, I hope you like it so far and leave a review. I like to know your thoughts, even the more critical ones.