.
Queen of Rebellion
.
My child,
I watched with pride as you grew into a weapon
of Righteousness.
Remember, our line has always ruled with Wisdom and Strength.
And I know you will show restraint when exercising your great power.
But the truest victory, my child,
Is stirring the hearts of your people.
I tell you this, for when my days come to an end,
You shall be Queen.
.
.
She felt her bones burn from the marrow out.
Her joints creaked, like threatening to bend beyond the point of no return.
The taste of bitter ash filled her gums…
Cinder released an unearthly howl as tides of molten crystal spiked from her center being. Her blood solidified into polished glass. Thorns sprouting beneath her skin. Unable to differentiate what was real and what was induced by delirium.
Ruin…
Ruin…
Ruin…
The voices in her head begged for it. They hounded her thoughts until she was driven mad. The only thing she was capable of was lashing out at everything within reach.
Destroy.
Ruin.
Such was the nature of Fall.
Cinder materialized weapon after weapon with frightening speed. She laid waste to anything around her. There were no such things as enemies or allies in her mind. Only the will to raze everything down to nothing.
"Cinder," a voice called.
She attacked the owner of that voice, like so many times before.
"Cinder!"
So incessant. This person was her nature's opposite, but its kindred spirit in so many ways.
"CINDER!"
She remade what Cinder unmade. An individual that reignited something that was once dead.
Change. Violent Change.
That was the similarity these two shared. They were living forces of change. What died by her hand, lived again by the other. A chaotic cycle with no end.
Fall. And then Spring.
"Cinder!" Yang roared. Her gauntlet crushed through another of Cinder's molten spears. "Concentrate! Own your powers! Control it!"
She was right.
Ruin…
But the voices were so loud.
Ruin…
There was no disgrace in giving in. Not after so long. Not after so much suffering.
Ruin…
…
"ENOUGH!" Cinder grasped her head so hard, her nails cut into her scalp. Everything was on fire. Everything was dying.
"Stay with it!" Yang encouraged. "Don't turn away!"
"Everything is dying!"
"Hold on!"
Cinder collapsed with heaving breaths. She didn't feel like she was inhaling oxygen—only more smoke choking her lungs. Death would be so easy. So, very easy.
"I…refuse to die…!"
Her lips cracked, as she uttered those words. Her esophagus dried and cut, causing her to cough blood.
"Death will take everything. But it will not take ME!"
"That's it! Fight it!" Yang shouted.
Cinder loosed a gut-wrenching scream, drawing back the Aura spilling from her body. Like trying to catch running water from a faucet, but she willed herself to it regardless. There was nothing but sheer will. No luck or fortune happenstance. Only what she made real by her own hand.
That, to her was what she called—
Destiny.
Her nerves frayed, like untwining rope. Her insides twisted until they were nothing but mangled organs. Cinder's sensory for pain dialed up to their maximum threshold before—release.
A warm palm pressed against her spine, helping her regulate the conflicting energies within her. Likewise, something beneath the ground assisted the process. As if the earth itself supported the tremendous weight she bore.
Cinder felt the soothing relief of herself again. Her mind gained clarity. The cold sweat across her skin felt fresh and chill. And when she looked outside the window, the sun of dawn was rising…
…
Morning light lent visibility to their surroundings.
Cinder and Yang were currently in the training wing of the Mantle Monarchy's old mansion. A large sparring room of sorts.
Various weapons, both antique and practical, lined its walls. Armor perched on dummies, ready to be fitted. And along the high ceilings, portraits of past warriors peered down and judged those who pursued mastery of themselves. All of them, bearing the family name, "Fall". Many of which, past Fall Maidens themselves.
"Breathe," Yang soothed.
Cinder complied.
"You can't fight your nature."
Cinder inhaled, and exhaled again.
"You can only embrace it."
Cinder's heartbeat slowed to a crawl.
"Isn't that ironic?" she posed. "Telling me to embrace who I am, when it is exactly that you so despise?"
"I need you alive and ready to fight," her fellow Maiden answered.
"But, of course," Cinder grinned. "As always, thank you again for your assistance, Yang."
"Don't mention it." The girl lifted her hand from Cinder's lower back.
While the other caught the rest of her breath, Yang strode the sparring room. The chamber had the vastness of a dance hall.
It was a strange place, she thought.
Underneath the floor, Yang's Semblance allowed her to see the Dust veins webbing together. Its influence must have made this an optimal training area in the past, as it did now. But there was more to it.
Yang touched her finger tips to the hard surface. Traces of something—or more someone lingered there. An imprint of a being so powerful, she couldn't even imagine. A might that surpassed anything she measured from Salem or Ozpin. It confused her.
"—Her name was Romia Fall, my great, great grandmother," Cinder answered Yang's bewilderment. Even now, the heir could sense the Dust underground, imbued for centuries by previous Fall Maidens and her supremely powerful ancestor. She cast her eyes on a certain portrait on the wall, which prompted Yang to follow.
There, they both saw the canvas significantly grander than the others. A woman clad in black, red, and silver armor. Straight dark hair trailed down her back and the front of her shoulders. Accompanied with an awe-inspiring glare, she was a fearsome beauty. But perhaps what was most striking, were the two horns depicted above her head.
One of them matched the burning ash and leaves Cinder's Inheritance manifested. The other, shimmering flakes of snow.
"'Romia'. So, that's the Queen of Rebellion," Yang said thoughtfully.
"Yes. The one who began the First Great War. The only one to truly stand against both the Old One and the Witch… And the only individual in history to ever possess both the Fall and Winter Maiden's Inheritance together."
"…?!" Yang wheeled back to Cinder. "She had the power of two Maidens?!"
"It was hardly enough as history has proven. I'm sure you've heard her story."
"Some of it…yeah…" Yang recovered from her initial shock. "Conveniently left out the part about two Maidens, though."
"Not surprising. She contested the Old One, and in time, the Witch as well. The only natural outcome of such an 'offense' would be to erase her memory as much as possible. That, and the obvious defamation of her prestige."
"You going to tell me she wasn't as bad as the world made her out to be either, just like with your other ancestor."
"Hmph, not even remotely." Cinder stood, and joined Yang at looking up at the portrait. "She saw the distortion in the world, caused at the hands of the immortals, and wished to change it. The Witch conscripted her in the beginning, but after seeing her for who she was, Romia rebelled. Against the Witch, against the Old One, and in essence—the world."
"…Trying to draw similarities there?"
"Hardly," Cinder scoffed. "Despite her tremendous abilities, she was defeated. It took the combined forces of the immortals and the other two Maidens, which is a remarkable feat to be sure. Still, I have no intention of repeating the follies of my predecessors. If anything, I would say she bears the closest resemblance to you."
"How do you figure that?" Yang cocked her head.
"For one thing, written history painted her into something of a bloodthirsty warlord. The truth of it is, she was an honored warrior among her people, and a scourge to her foes."
"I don't have any people."
"A people doesn't have to refer to a whole Kingdom, Yang. They can be say, three individuals who truly matter to her," Cinder said leadingly.
Yang closed her eyes and the images of Emerald, Mercury, and Neo flitted across. It was no longer surprising how quickly they came to mind.
"…How did she do it?" Yang asked. "How did she get her hands on two inheritances? I can tell when you want to tell a story."
Cinder revealed a sly grin.
…
At the time Romia successfully inherited the title of Fall Maiden, the Winter Maiden still resided in Mistral.
Her diaries read, she fell in love with the Winter Maiden at first sight. And such began a secret romantic tryst at the height of insidiousness.
A tale of star-crossed lovers, their Kingdoms divided, but their affections burned ever so brightly.
The Witch preyed on such a desire, as she often does. She promised Romia her beloved, in return for her allegiance.
Together, they reconstructed the Old One's Tower for the purpose of fending off her lover's pursuers, once she was taken.
But before that could occur, the Old One caught wind of their plans.
He could not let the Winter Maiden fall into the hands of his nemesis. One thing led to another, and in his ignorance, decided the cost could never be too high.
As fate would have it, he tasked a Branwen with the deed. An assassination carried out in his very own Tower, which promised protection. Never once giving thought the one held in the Winter Maiden's final thoughts would be the very one he feared most of attaining her inheritance.
Heartbroken and wizened to the methods of the immortals, Romia waged war by the death of her beloved.
And so, the story goes from her declaration of war to her defeat.
…
Of course, there is a bit more to the story.
A secret that only the inner circle of my family and a certain other know.
Romia Fall tried to bring her beloved back to life.
And with the combined abilities of two Maidens, she surely thought it was possible.
…
Yang was dead silent for a moment.
"…Did it work?"
"Hm. Not every story requires a tragic ending."
"So, she lived again… the former Winter Maiden."
"Of that was there any doubt?" Cinder smirked.
"Not really. Especially knowing what I know now."
"Hmph, as you say. I don't suppose you require any proof of Romia's beloved being resurrected?"
"Why ask?" Yang sighed. "My former teammate is a Schnee after all."
Cinder let out a low chuckle.
"In any case, I'm relieved with the opportunity to vent my power. There is a very important meeting today, and it would do well not to leave the room a gathering of smoldered corpses."
"…Getting ready to take over Atlas?"
"Drawing the curtain on the Second Act."
The two left the training hall and made for the main wing. While they walked the olden corridors, Yang felt compelled to ask something. She even thought it could be a sort of test.
"When you take over Atlas, what kind of ruler are you going to be?"
"Does it matter to you?"
"I'd say it does. As much as you and I hate to admit it, we're not just weapons for each other to use. We're partners in this—which kills me to say."
"Very big of you, Yang."
"I don't expect you to have a good answer, but I do want as little doubt between us as possible."
"Hm. There is truth to that," Cinder pondered seriously. "You have nothing to worry about. I will not be an unkind ruler."
"Can I really trust that?"
"If you ask me personally, I would say no. But as I said before, I have no inclination to repeat the follies of my predecessors. Their dictatorships and steady success of tyrants lead to the downfall of our Monarchy."
Cinder paused in her stride and glanced about the dilapidated mansion.
"No, I will succeed where they failed, Yang."
"Once I seize my throne, I will be a most benevolent queen."
…
…
…
NOTES/REFERENCES
"Double-chapter" release. This one is short, so yeah.
On a side note, Queen of Rebellion was the premise of a fic I was going to write, but ultimately decided to use it as flavor for the setting and build on Cinder's character.
Haven't done one of these in a while, so I thought it would be a good place.
-Minerva Calico: Based off Professor McGonagall from Harry Potter.
-Grimm Yule: Based off the Yule Cat myth.
-Grimm Panzerborne: Based off the polar bears from the Golden Compass. And then there's the link to the tank model.
-Grimm Sleighers: I think that one is really obvious.
-Straw becoming ruler of Vale: Based off how the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz became king when the "wizard" left.
-Raven unlocking Cinder's Aura: Back in chapter 55, it's a modified version of the words Pyrrha used to unlock Jaune's.
-Raven has a gift with cloth: In the same chapter, I tried to hint at that. She gifted Cinder with her dress, Yang with her scarf, Ruby with her cloak, and by that assumption, Adam with his jacket. This will be one of the key aspects of Raven's character, as the story progresses.
-Who was the voice speaking to Weiss, while she was in a coma? Spoilers. Such spoilers.
-What happened to the sword Masa is making for Raven? Even more spoilers.
-I tried to write the "true" Maidens to exemplify certain traits.
Spring: Compassion
Summer: Hope
Fall: Selflessness
Winter: Fairness
-As well as their downfalls.
Compassion: Blindness
Hope: Naivety
Selflessness: Self Sacrifice
Fairness: Self Righteousness
-Also made it so that the inheritance's Auras are symbolized. Fall has ashes and leaves. Winter has snowflakes. Spring has feathers. Summer has… something.
-On that subject, I wanted to write that mastery over a Semblance results in physical manifestations. For example: Mercury's wings on his feet, Weiss' new sword, Blake's cat form, Yang's crown.
-Some people have asked what I think about the canon. I have no comment.
-Some have asked about the characters' shipping/sexuality. They will like who they like. I don't know anything really about ships or cracked ships or whatever, beyond their names (if that).
-I don't read a lot of fanfics or fan works unfortunately. As a result, there has been heavy overlap in some themes and sections. Apologies for that. I don't tout any "original" ideas. Chances are, anything I come up with, someone else did it way before me. I lack the luxury and time to read other works and be able to hard steer away from them.
Anywho!
Thanks again for all the support and reading this far. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and…
See you in the next one!