With coordination that wouldn't have looked out of place on the battlefield, the lines of police began to force the two groups of protesters apart. Their angry shouts and chants drifted to where Blake was watching the conflict from the balcony outside her room.
She watched as the protesters threw themselves against the wide plastic shields of the police, determined to get past them and reach those who were their antithesis. She watched the crowds surge towards each other, placards and banners wielded like weapons, each crying out their beliefs. She watched as the police lines began to buckle. As fists flew where the line fell apart.
Projectiles arced through the air. Teargas spewed forth. The crowds around the grenades stumbled backwards, hands covering their eyes, their mouths and noses, desperately trying to shield themselves from the burning clouds. Some braver than most, with nothing but shirts covering their faces, threw the canisters back. The crowds rallied.
It didn't last long. More thumps, more pounding boots as reinforcements arrived at a run. Cries of pain mingled with the anger as batons hammered into flesh. They might have been protesting two different ends of the political spectrum, but the police didn't care about their ideologies. Those nearest the police lines went down and, with the adrenaline pumping, the beatings didn't stop when the protesters were on the ground.
In the face of the brutality the will of the protesters fled. It only took one person running for the panic to sweep through the crowds. Banners and placards were discarded, their messages suddenly unimportant and irrelevant. The lucky ones managed to dodge the ever increasing number of police that converged on the scene. The unlucky did not.
Blake didn't avert her eyes as blood began to flow. She'd seen it all before. As protests went it hadn't been a particularly large one, maybe only a few hundred on each side. Her parents had organised ones with thousands of people united in a cause, but even those marches paled against the one Atlas had seen in the wake of the Tintagel Castle bombing. The estimates had put tens if not hundreds of thousands on the streets. There the police had been overwhelmed. The protesters could only wish the same could have been said here.
With the crowds scattered, the police ceased their reprisals. Blake doubted they would ever be reprimanded for the use of excessive force. The law often didn't apply to those who enforced it. They'd been given orders and had carried them out. Police vans came to a halt; handcuffed and bloodied protesters were thrown inside. Faunus in fluorescent jackets arrived pushing carts and brooms. Sweeping up the debris, folding banners and putting them in sacks, mopping the blood, erasing any signs of what had happened here. Twenty minutes later, it was as if there had never been a protest at all. From her bird's eye view, Blake had to admit it had been an efficient operation. The square in front of the palace was entirely deserted, a complete contrast to the scene that had woken her this morning.
The palace guards ̶ ̶ the ones who were actually armed and thankfully hadn't gotten involved ̶ ̶ opened the great bronzed gates and formed up in ranks on either side. They stood at attention in their ceremonial uniforms under the unforgiving sun; none dared to move a muscle as their superiors walked up and down the lines attempting to find even a single button that wasn't gleaming.
Eventually the officer took their own positions. The camera crews set up the perfect framing, and the military band began to play. The Vacuan national anthem trumpeted out across the empty square and into the city beyond, proud and unyielding. If possible, it made the soldiers stand even straighter.
On the far side of the square flashing lights appeared. One, two pairs of police motorbikes, and then seven identical black SUVs with fluttering white flags on their bonnets. The Vacuan national anthem transformed into the Atlesian one.
The convoy passed the ranks of soldiers, the band, and the television crews, coming to a stop at the red carpet laid out before palace steps. A crowd was already waiting. The royal family, satraps, ambassadors, and even the three members of the Vacuan Council.
The doors of the two SUVs in the front and the four at the back opened all at once. Suited figures emerged. They took positions all around the convoy, their backs to it, eyes scanning for any sign of danger. Blake recognised some of them, one in particular. Erashan stayed close to the only SUV that had remained sealed, but he didn't open it. Instead, he waited. Just like everyone else waited.
Blake had no doubt this part would be cut out of the news reports. The reception would appear seamless. As it was, no powerful person liked to be kept waiting. King Badr emerged from the palace and took centre stage.
Moments later the doors of the SUV were opened. Blake leaned over the railing to get a better view of the figure that emerged from the near side. In many ways Weiss looked the same as the girl who'd shared her room, and in many more she did not.
They'd all been forced to change, but Weiss had changed most of all. She had always been proud, always stood straight. Only those who'd known her had been able to tell how much of it was merely an act. It wasn't any longer. As Weiss emerged from the SUV the most apt description that came to Blake's mind was 'regal'.
Unlike the assorted members of the Vacuan royal family, Weiss wasn't bedecked with jewels and wealth. Instead her light blue dress was almost free of adornment. It was simple, and few would be able to imitate Weiss' style while pulling it off; it was Weiss' innate grace that lent elegance to her unpretentious garb. Nestled in hair so brilliantly white it was almost painful to look at in the sun, a small silver circlet shone. Weiss might not have been a queen, but it was a crown. No one would have mistaken it for anything else.
Weiss smiled radiantly at the reception party, but she waited for Winter to round the SUV before starting forward. King Badr reciprocated. Step for step they closed and they met in the middle. They exchanged a few words and clasped hands. All three of them knew how to make a show for the cameras. Relations between Atlas and Vacuo might have been strained, but no one watching would have known. Weiss and Winter even laughed at a joke.
As the king began to introduce the pair of them to the extended members of his family, Blake just watched. Trying to quantify her thoughts. Despite her parentage, or maybe because of it, Weiss had been her friend. Weiss had managed to look past the bigotry of the Schnee family to see her for her, not just a Faunus. They'd spent quite some time talking about their hoped future when Weiss took control. Fairness. Equality. No more need for protests. For the White Fang. They were going to make the world a better place.
It hadn't happened. Weiss had been in power for two years, and the SDC slaves still toiled in the mines. They were slightly better treated, better paid, but it was a far cry from Weiss' promises. The Weiss she'd known would have kept them. Just like the Weiss she'd studied with wouldn't have ruled with an iron fist. Maybe one covered by a silk glove, but an iron fist all the same.
After learning what Weiss had done in the wake of the war, and how it had ultimately driven Ruby away from safety, Blake had agreed with Yang. Perhaps not quite as vehemently, but she had agreed. She hadn't called Weiss either. Hadn't let her know she still had a friend because, in all honesty, she didn't.
Weiss had betrayed her. Given away her secret. All for petty revenge. At least those had been her thoughts when Ozpin had started chasing her. He'd somehow found out about her past. With the White Fang wiped out, only one person could have told him. That, along with the betrayal of Ruby, had been enough to rekindle her old hatred of the Schnees. By all appearance, Weiss hadn't fallen far from the family tree.
A couple of months ago Blake doubted she could have watched Weiss greet nobles and dignitaries in a fine dress without bile rising to her throat. Now though… she just contemplated. Getting back into touch with Ruby had changed a lot. Ruby had forgiven Weiss. Had talked to her in person. It had been Ruby who told them Weiss hadn't revealed Blake's secret. Adam had still found a way to hurt her.
After that, and after hearing about the state visit of an Atlesian delegation, she'd done a lot of thinking. From what she'd been able to gather, Weiss' rule was popular in Atlas. The lives of normal people had improved. There was stability. Less crime. And all they had to sacrifice for it was the low price of their freedom.
In Vacuo it was different. The protests had been indicative of just how high tensions were running. Some of those wished for closer ties with Atlas, to perhaps even attempt to exterminate the Grimm like in Vale. Others pointed at the chokehold the SDC already had on the world, at the accidents that so many had suffered. Many felt that to give a little bit more would see the end of Vacuan culture.
They were all concerns that Blake had considered. She had no doubt that Weiss was doing what she thought best. That she was trying to help everyone ̶ ̶ at least everyone who didn't oppose her. As the welcoming party moved inside and the poor soldiers were finally allowed to seek shelter from the sun, Blake stayed leant on the railings and thought.
If she wanted to attempt to recapture anything she'd once shared with Weiss, she would have to be the one who made the first move. Weiss was far too proud. She would rather break than bend. But Blake was still unable to decide if she wanted it. If she should make the effort? Ruby had, and surely Weiss had hurt Ruby the most out of them all.
Blake continued to think as the door to her room opened and closed. Just by the fall of her footsteps she knew it was Yang. Blake smiled, she couldn't help herself. The last few weeks or so had been magical. Yang's boisterous demeanour had never failed to raise her mood, but now just being in the same room caused her heart to run wild.
It had made any meeting spent organising their expedition difficult in the extreme. Her mind kept wandering to the girl who now sat so much closer. Blake knew what the symptoms meant. She just couldn't believe she would have ever been in a position to diagnose herself. She was in love. Completely, totally, head over heels in love with the most special person in her life. And it was a million times better than her books had ever said it would be.
Despite how much she wanted to, she didn't turn around. Didn't let Yang know her presence had been detected. As she'd seen her girlfriend's back on the balcony, Yang's footsteps had gone almost silent. She snuck forwards, and even with her heritage Blake could barely hear the rustle of her clothes. Yang had gotten good at this, but not yet good enough. Blake waited until Yang was almost within reach.
"Hi Yang," she said, glad that Yang was unable to see her ̶ ̶ as her girlfriend would have so delicately put it ̶ ̶ shit-eating grin.
Yang froze for a moment, before her held breath escaped her body in a rush. "Damnit. You're scary. You know that don't you?" Blake shivered as Yang embraced her from behind, fingers finding their way under her blouse. Almost unthinkingly Yang drew patterns into her skin as she nuzzled he neck. "One day I'll manage to sneak up on you."
Blake had to support more and more of her weight on her arms as Yang planted one kiss after another up her neck. "Maybe when you don't walk like a Goliath."
The strength in her legs almost failed her at Yang nipped her earlobe, the sweet pain shooting up her nerves. She'd found out that she enjoyed the slight mix of pain, and Yang was only too happy to oblige. Still continuing to worry the flesh of her ear, Yang growled beneath her teeth. "Are you calling me fat?"
Blake laughed. She couldn't help it. She sort of had, but only playfully. If someone actually compared Yang to a Goliath… it would be best to be in another country. Pulling her earlobe from between Yang's teeth she turned around and found Yang's lips with her own. The weeks spent in pampered luxury had dramatically increased the softness. Hers were no longer a landscape of dry and cracked contours, and neither were Yang's. Now they were like the plushest velvet and she did her best to explore them.
Yang broke the kiss first. "Don't think you get off from calling me fat just because you kissed me."
"I'll just have to keep trying then." Blake leant back in and Yang didn't pull away. She didn't know what anyone watching would have made of two girls making out on a balcony of the palace, and she didn't much care.
All she knew was, at this exact moment, her mind was leading towards a bed, or a couch, or just right here against the stone of the bannister. Anywhere. She could barely think of anything else as Yang's roving hands and tongue almost drove her insane. Yang always knew the exact combination of soft touches, and stinging scratches that would drive her to edge of reason. Blake could only be grateful that Yang was as talented as she was voracious.
Though every sinew was crying out for her to give in to her body's urges, to let Yang have her way with her, while staring out over the city she'd managed to come to a decision. As they both came up for air, she put a few inches of distance between them. Yang's cheeks were flushed and she knew hers would be exactly the same. It was a shame to ruin the moment, but there would be others. Lots and lots of them.
"I take it you saw them arrive?"
There could be no mistake as to who they were. Alfurat had been talking about the visit for days, and the palace had been cleaned inside and out. Yang's eyes narrowed from their enraptured state, her brow furrowing. Even if Ruby had forgiven Weiss, Blake doubted Yang ever would.
"It was hard to miss. Even if I wanted to."
"I suppose." The arrival ceremony had been a little over the top, and that was discounting the dispersal of the riot. "But you saw her?"
"Yes."
Yang's attitude wasn't making this any easier. In fact it was making her second guess herself. "I… I think I want to talk to her."
"Why?" Yang's word contained an ocean of vehemence.
Blake could only shrug. She didn't really know. Only she'd always had trouble making friends. She was too quiet, too timid, and she didn't like the idea of losing one forever. No matter what they had done. Not while there could be a chance of salvaging it.
"She's here. I can't ignore that."
"I can."
"Yang." Blake mulled over her words. Yang was probably the most stubborn person she'd ever met. It would take a miracle to get her to change her mind. "She was your friend. I know you weren't just faking it. You liked her."
"The key word there is 'was'."
"Ruby's given her another chance. Can't you?"
"No. Weiss had her chance, and she blew it. And over the past two years she's continued to blow it. Without her, I wouldn't have been worrying if Ruby was dead. I wouldn't have been wondering where she was. She would have been with me. Safe. I'm not going to forgive, and I can't just forget. I'll be happy if I never see her again."
There wasn't much Blake could say to that. The detest in Yang's voice was palpable. She hated Weiss. Actually hated her for everything she'd done. Maybe Ruby's opinion would be strong enough to persuade Yang to change, but hers wouldn't be. For the time being, she could only accept that Yang and Weiss' relationship had likely been irreversibly sundered.
Blake turned away slightly, burned by the intensity of Yang's rage. "I still want to see her."
Yang blew out a breath and leaned on the railing of the balcony. The anger drained from her and resignation took its place. "I'm not going to try and stop you. Just… be careful. Remember who she is. What she's done. She's not the person you think she is anymore. She's changed."
"I'll be careful. I've just got to take this opportunity."
"And remember, she's Ozpin ally. She was the one who was propping up his rule in the beginning. Don't mention anything to her."
As much as she didn't like the idea of keeping secrets, it was the only sensible thing to do. Everything Yang had said was true. The fates of Vale and Atlas were intrinsically linked. If Weiss learned of a plot to destabilise Ozpin she would intervene, and that intervention would only take one form. It wouldn't matter who was on the other side.
"I know. I'm sorry." She was. The romance between them had withered and died with her declaration.
"I get why. I understand. I just can't." Yang smiled. It didn't matter that it was fake. It was the intention that counted. "But let's talk about something else. Did you see the message from Velvet?"
"No." In line with Cinder's instruction they had contacted people they thought they could trust. In all honesty, the number hadn't been that high. While on the run they'd lost contact with an awful lot of people. Plus while she remained on the international watch list they had to be certain that person wouldn't turn them in.
"She said she was interested. She wants to set up a call. I thought you'd want to be there as well."
"Yeah. That's good. Better than good." If there really was a dragon on Menagerie, Velvet was one of the few who had a realistic chance of taking it down.
"Yep. I'm starting to think that we might actually have a chance."
"Oh, and Sun's in as well." It had taken her an awful lot of time to work up the courage to enter that number into her scroll. She couldn't just send an email to him. She'd had to talk. It had been hard given their history.
In the wake of the fall of Vale, Sun had wanted to come with her. She was sure he'd been in love with her, or at least he'd had a major crush. He'd wanted to go, even if it made him a criminal, but his family had come first. He'd had to be there to protect them through the wave of violence against the Faunus that had come after the tales from Vale began seeping out. Afterwards he'd had to stay to lift them from poverty.
They'd drifted apart in the many times she and Yang had been forced to flee before eventually falling out of contact entirely. It would have been an understatement to say he'd been surprised to hear her voice. At least he hadn't been angry. He'd understood her decisions, just as she understood his. Fate just hadn't willed them to be together. They might have not talked to each other for years, but when she'd asked for his help, Sun had offered it instantly.
"He said he's going to think about who else might want to join."
"Great."
"Has Cinder said when we're going to leave?"
The preparation for their expedition was moving swiftly. At least as swift as it could when Cinder was still keeping her cards close to her chest. She had yet to reveal just what their goal was on Menagerie? What exactly the dragon was guarding? Blake and Yang had given up trying to guess. They'd only concluded that it must be something staggeringly powerful if it was going to tip the balance of power away from Ozpin.
"No. Just 'soon'."
Never being able to get a straight answer from her was frustrating. She hadn't even told them anything as simple as how they were getting there. Menagerie was on the other side of the planet and yet they were telling everyone to meet them in the Vacuan capital. Even Yang was unable to make her spill the beans.
"Well, I guess we'll be ready soon then. I take it she doesn't want anything from us today."
"Not that I've heard, why?"
"We can't just sit around all day." Other days they'd enjoyed doing just that in the privacy of their rooms, even if much there wasn't much sitting involved. They were confined to the palace, but it was still a palace, and there was plenty to do. Blake knew just the thing to take their minds off the unpleasantness of the morning and the state visit happening in one of the other wings. "And you still owe me a meal."
"Bullshit. You cheated." It was good natured accusation. They'd never expressly agreed to no Dust in their last sparring session. It had caught Yang off-guard long enough to turn the tide, and she'd sulked about it the rest of the night. Blake was sure the only reason behind the sulking was so they could have make-up sex a few hours later.
"Fair is fair. So do you wanna hit the gym? Double or nothing?"
It only took a heartbeat for Yang to decide. The look in her eyes told Blake she was in for a hard afternoon.
"You're on."
It had been hard. While exercising they often worked as each other's personal trainers, and Yang had been entirely ruthless as she targeted all the groups of muscles Blake often neglected. By the time they'd started sparring she'd almost been too sore to move, but she'd given it her best. Even with Dust it hadn't been enough, and Yang had kicked her ass up one side of the gym and down the other. Still, the apologetic massage had more than made up for it. So had everything that had followed.
After several lazy hours curled up next to Yang her body had recovered. In fact, it felt better than it had that morning. The exercise had helped loosen it up immensely. It was just as well. She'd need all of her skills to make her way to Weiss.
She could have just walked up, announced herself, and likely have been brought to see the Councillor. But at the very least that would have alerted everyone in the palace to her presence, and she was sure Ozpin had ears among the Atlesian delegation. Word would get out, and then it was a toss-up of whether Ozpin or Cinder would kill her first.
No, the normal way was far too risky. Hers was better. Which was why she'd waited for night to fall. She might have hated nights in the desert ̶ ̶ they'd only been more tolerable than the day because she'd been able to sleep through the extreme conditions ̶ ̶ but in the middle of civilization the crispness of the air made her feel alive in an almost unparalleled way. Though that wasn't counting what had just happened under the stars on the couch she was sitting on at this very moment.
Of course, her reasons for waiting hadn't merely to use the darkness she felt so comfortable in; she'd had to wait until Weiss was likely alone. The Atlesian delegation was staying in their own wing of the palace. If luck went her way, Weiss would currently be in her bed. Not asleep unless she'd changed even more than imaginable, but working. Alone they could talk.
Blake closed her eyes and mentally walked through the layout of the palace. She'd always had a head for information, and with a little effort could make it stick. It only took her one or two visits to remember the directions to a place, and she'd spent time walking every corridor of the palace she was permitted to enter. She knew how to get near the wing where Weiss would be. After that she'd just have to improvise.
As her watch ticked to one in the morning she finally allowed herself to move. Thankfully Yang had fallen asleep while waiting, the TV still flickering in the background. Blake turned it off, and stood over Yang's bed. A smile found her. Yang still slept like a child. Her limbs loose and splayed like a starfish, her hair spread over her pillows. Even asleep she somehow managed to look beautiful. Her Semblance ensured that she didn't really need a quilt but Blake tucked her in anyway. She planted a kiss on Yang's forehead. She loved being able to do that, and she loved Yang. They'd waited so long to admit their feelings for reasons that were inconceivable now that she knew the result.
Yang murmured at touch of her lips, but she didn't wake. After a final look Blake left the room. The gilded halls were empty and, apart from a few solitary lamps still burning, dark. The shadows didn't matter to her. She was in her element.
Just before she got to the wing where Weiss was staying, she turned off the main corridor. If there was one advantage to staying in a palace so large ̶ ̶ apart from the luxury of course ̶ ̶ it was that the majority of the rooms were empty. It only took her a brief moment to align the pins and turn the lock's cylinder.
She slipped into the darkened room, closing the door behind her. Dust sheets were draped over the furniture. Judging by the smell of neglect, it hadn't been used in quite some time. She wrinkled her nose. The lock on the external door was even easier to pick. Though the balcony was a good deal smaller than the one outside her own ̶ ̶ there was barely enough room for a single chair ̶ ̶ but it was sufficient.
With a practiced eye she measured the distance to the balcony one over and one up before taking off at a sprint. Just like she'd watched Yang so foolishly do, she threw herself over the railing. But she had an advantage Yang didn't. Her form blurred and split into two. As her Shadow remained stationary she shot upwards. Clearing the railing of her target easily, she carried on running.
From balcony to balcony she jumped, landing on silent feet every time, little more than a wraith moving through the darkness. She loved Yang, but she also loved solitude. Yang could never have followed her along the outside of the building. Not without alerting everyone within a mile. Yang was suited to many things, but stealth was not one of them.
Nearing the rooms she was sure belonged to the Atlesian delegation she slowed, choosing her landing points more carefully and avoiding windows lit from the inside. Weiss had brought her own security despite the insult that offered to her hosts. Blake had seen first-hand just how effective the SDC's elite troops were. If they caught sight of her, they wouldn't stop to ask questions.
Despite their skill, they hadn't been ready for someone like her. She made it to her target almost without incident. Only once had a figure moved onto a balcony with a glowing cigar in their hand. She'd had to alter her course in mid-flight, her fingers scrambling for a secure purchase as she dropped to the balcony below. It had got her heart racing, but she'd been gone before anyone had been able to investigate her less-than-silent landing.
On the balcony outside the largest room in the wing she took a few moments to gather her breath. No matter how fit she was, she'd still just used her Semblance dozens of times in only a few minutes. It would have taken its toll on anyone.
She used her recovery as an opportunity to press her ears up against the glass. It was harder to detect any noise from within thanks to her racing blood, but someone was having a shower. That was good; it meant that Weiss was alone. She might well scare the life out of her when she left the bathroom, but it couldn't really be helped.
Before setting to work with her picks again, Blake carefully scanned the outline of the door for any extra wires. So far no door she'd encountered had been alarmed, but she wouldn't put it past to Weiss to have installed her own security. There didn't appear to be anything, but it was better to be safe than sorry. The lock was much trickier, it took her almost a minute to pick, but eventually she was able to push the door open and enter the darkened room beyond.
The cold metal of a blade touched her throat. Her first instinct was to fight. She didn't have Gambol Shroud, but there was knife in her boot and one up her sleeve. Her fingers twitched towards them.
"Don't." A deep voice resonated from behind her. It was almost as if her attacker knew what she'd been thinking, and it was likely he did. Blake glanced down. She recognised the voice, and she recognised the black sword pressing against her Aura. Her knives suddenly didn't seem that appealing of an option.
She risked a glance at Erashan. He was entirely nude, his body glistening with water. He'd been waiting behind the curtain at the side of the door for her to enter the room. She had no idea how he'd managed to move into position without her hearing him, or how he'd detected her while he was in the shower. The one thing she was certain of was that this was no happy reunion.
"I'm here to see Weiss."
He ignored her, keeping his blade where it was. "Lace your fingers behind your head. Slowly."
"I just want ̶ ̶ "
"Now." He increased the pressure on her throat. Blake was reminded of the last time she'd had this particular sword chill her skin. Back at Beacon, when he'd thrashed all of them so thoroughly. The years since had seen her skills improve dramatically, but she still didn't fancy her chances. She did as instructed. "Come away from the door. Kneel." He forced her down in the middle of the carpet.
Blake grimaced. Of course Weiss wouldn't have been in the largest set of rooms. The suite most likely to be targeted by a truly stupid assassin. One as stupid as her. Now her plan of a quiet entry and exit was in tatters. She could only try and talk her way out of it.
"I need to see Weiss."
"Be quiet. You move, you die." She'd never had all that much to do with Erashan, but she'd believed she had at least been on good terms with him. The intervening years must have sullied his memory of her entirely. He was treating her just like any other assassin. Well maybe not. She doubted another assassin would have made it through the door with their carotid artery in one piece. At least she had that going for her.
"Are you armed?"
"A knife in my sleeve." It was at least half true. She didn't want to leave herself entirely defenceless if things went south.
"Toss it in front of you. Slowly." She did. Knelt on the floor and with a sword at her throat any resistance would have been worse than useless. "Good. Now hands back behind your head."
He removed his weapon. Though it had never actually managed to breach her Aura and touch her skin, it had felt that way. Her nerves tingled with its absence. Erashan moved to a nearby desk and threw a pair of handcuffs down in front of her.
"Put them on."
That was too much. "Erashan you know me. I'm not an assassin. These aren't necessary."
"What I know is that you snuck in from the balcony in the dead of night, that you came armed, and that you are a criminal. Put them on. I will not ask again." There was absolutely no give in his expression.
"If I do, will you take me to Weiss?"
"Yes. She will decide you fate."
Blake still didn't like it, but she didn't see that she had much of a choice. Her only other options were to fight or to run. Both would announce her presence here. With resignation she picked up the cold metal bracelets.
"Behind you." Blake shot him a heated look, but acquiesced.
It wasn't the first time she'd been in handcuffs though, and there were tactics she could use. As she ratcheted them closed she tensed all the muscles and tendons in her wrists. There would be no visible gap, but it would give her a few millimetres to play with if the need arose. Unfortunately it seemed Erashan was aware of how to slip out of handcuffs as well. He pressed on both bands cruelly, crushing her muscles until the pain made Blake's eyes water. Running his hands over her body he patted her down.
"Really?" His fingers slipped into her boot and found the handle of her knife. He tossed it next to the other one.
"Sorry…" She shouldn't have lied.
"Anything else?"
"No." She should have guessed he'd find it, but just the hardness of it against the bone of her ankle had been comforting. With a weapon she'd had another option, now that was truly gone.
"Stay." He'd never been much for words, but she needed to get him talking. Remind him that she wasn't just an intruder.
"I saw the news about your wife…" she struggled to recall her name, "Lobelia. Congratulations. About the pregnancy I mean."
Erashan paused halfway through pulling on a pair of briefs. Until he'd had her secured, his nudity hadn't appeared to bother him; his dignity prioritised low on his internal list compared to dealing with an assassin. Blake kept her eyes averted. He wasn't exactly unattractive, but he was decades older than her and, though fit and muscled, his body couldn't compare in the slightest to some she'd seen. Plus her libido was the last thing on her mind at the moment.
He stared at her as if attempting to deduce an ulterior motive. There was one, and they both knew it, but eventually he spoke. "Thank you."
The reply had been stilted, but at least it was a start. "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"
Again he stared at her before answering. "No. We decided not to. Lobelia says she can feel it is a girl though."
"That's great." In all honesty Blake didn't know if Erashan would make a good father. He seemed to care for both Weiss and Winter, but his gruff exterior didn't exactly speak of warmth. She had to wonder what he'd be like after being woken multiple times a night by a crying baby for a month. Then again, she doubted he got much more sleep now. "Have you decided on a name?"
"No." Now dressed and dry, he buckled on the curved sheath that contained his pair of swords. "Up."
He checked her cuffs were secure once more, before taking her by the upper arm and steering her towards the door.
"Can we keep this quiet? Please."
"If that is what Lady Schnee desires. Now keep silent."
The corridor outside was still lit. Erashan marched her down it, never releasing his grip on her arm. They didn't have far to go. A bodyguard standing outside a door told her she'd only been off by a couple of rooms. The soldier was well-trained. Though the sight of his superior escorting a handcuffed prisoner surely piqued his curiosity, he didn't ask questions. Erashan knocked on the door.
"Enter." Even after so long, Blake recognised Weiss' voice.
Erashan pushed her into the room. Sitting at a desk, Weiss' back was to the pair of them.
"Yes?" she asked without ceasing to tap at the keyboard on her scroll.
"We have a guest."
"Really? Who?" Weiss turned around. She'd always been good at hiding her emotions, but her mouth fell open at seeing who was waiting for her.
"Hi." Blake did the best impression of wave she could with her hands bound.
Weiss made a visible effort to close her mouth and rose from her seat. Blake got her first good look at her old friend. A real look, one from up close and not through a camera. Weiss had changed. She exuded a presence. She exuded power. She was a person who controlled a country, and she knew it.
She might have changed, but Blake still saw part of her old friend in her. Her eyes had lit up when she'd first seen who her guest was, but then she remembered just who hadn't called her for the last two years. A neutral mask descended onto her face. Her head gave the subtlest of jerks. Blake found herself once more forced to her knees with Erashan's blade pressed into the side of her neck. It was in that moment Blake began to believe she might have made a grave error.
"What are you doing here?" Weiss' tone was entirely flat.
"I caught her sneaking into my room. She was armed," Erashan spoke before she was able to and, though his report was technically true, it wasn't the whole truth.
"No, I ̶ ̶ " The pressure of Erashan's blade against her neck increased. "I mean, yes. But it's not like that. I just wanted to see you again."
"Really? I have a phone. It wouldn't have been difficult to get into contact with me."
There was just the slightest hint of pain contained within the deadly neutrality of her voice. Blake looked away. She had hurt Weiss by not even calling her. It had just felt like the easier option.
"I'm sorry. I should have. But I thought that you'd told Ozpin about me." Now that she knew the truth it didn't seem like much of an excuse, but it was what she had.
Silence hung in the air a moment before Weiss finally spoke. Emotion found its way into her voice. Frustration and hurt. "You thought that as well?" Blake flinched. She'd thought Weiss had betrayed her, but in truth she'd betrayed their friendship by not trusting her. "It was Adam, he kept a journal. Not me. I never would have."
"I know. I know." She forced herself to meet Weiss' eyes. "Ruby told me. For what it's worth, I'm sorry." If Weiss had a single weakness, it was the person that she still loved. The name sent an almost invisible shudder through her body.
"Ruby?"
"Yeah. She got back into touch a little while ago. She told me about Adam, and about how she visited you. After that… and after I saw you here, I just wanted to talk. To apologise." Weiss had done some horrific things. She had stained her soul. But if there anyone who could relate to having a blackened soul, it was Blake. Her previous crimes still haunted her. With Yang's help she had a chance to make things right by continuing to be a good, selfless person. Weiss deserved that chance as well.
The sincerity in her words was entirely unfeigned, and Weiss believed her. "Release her."
"She snuck into the palace, armed. She's dangerous." Erashan didn't.
As quickly as that, the Ice Queen returned. It was a terrifying transformation. "Release her." They were the same words, but the way they were said couldn't have been more different: the first had been a request; the second was an absolute command that left no room for interpretation.
Erashan did so, but it wasn't Blake's imagination that he was rougher than he could have been as he pulled her to her feet. With the bracelets off she rubbed the skin of her wrists. There would be a bruise there in the morning. She smiled her thanks.
"You may leave. Arrange for some refreshments." Weiss stared at her employee, daring him to protest.
He didn't. Instead he gave a shallow bow. "As your command."
As the door closed, Weiss' shoulders drooped slightly as she released a captured breath. Weiss looked resplendent, every inch a queen or CEO, but she looked tired. So tired. Just the effort of standing up to Erashan seemed to have drained her. Blake couldn't imagine what it was like. To have the weight of an entire country on your shoulders. It would have crushed her. Weiss somehow managed to bear it, but it wasn't easy.
"Are you ok?" It perhaps wasn't how Blake should have started the conversation, not after over two years. She should apologised, but she could later. At this moment she only wanted to know about her friend's health. And she was her friend. Now in her presence, she just couldn't think of her as just the Ice Queen.
"Of course I am." The denial was swift. One of a person who knew they couldn't afford to show even the slightest hint of weakness. Weiss had had to live like that. All without anyone to lean on. How would things have been different if they'd just stayed in contact?
"Weiss, it's me. You don't need to lie."
"I'm fine." Blake bit her tongue. This obviously wasn't going to be something that Weiss admitted straight off. "Take a seat." Weiss led the way to the leather sofas arranged around a glass table.
Blake waited for her to choose before sitting next to her. Leaving any visible representation of how far they'd drifted apart would have been a bad idea. Blake sat only a few inches from Weiss, close enough that she could even hear her heart beating. The pulse was a little fast, whether that was good or bad she didn't know.
Their refreshments arrived, Erashan playing the role of a less-than-willing servant. With her eyes Weiss directed him outside the door again. Blake could only be glad that it had been him, and not a member of the palace staff. A late-night visitor to Lady Schnee would only have incited gossip.
"Tea?" Weiss offered.
"Please." At least Weiss didn't feel menial tasks were below her. At least in that she'd remained grounded.
As they both sipped their conversation died. It was hard. Much harder than it should have been. Blake had never been much of talker, and her social skills hadn't benefited from years spent mainly with one person. If only Yang were here; she would know exactly what to say to break the ice. Weiss at least tried.
"You look good." It was said with a perfect smile. A fake one, but Weiss was making the effort to appear friendly.
"Thanks."
"You're in love."
Blake choked on her tea, spluttering a reflexive denial as the statement made with absolute certainty.
"I can see it. You're glowing."
Was it that obvious? She'd been walking on a cloud for weeks, but she hadn't thought anyone would be able to know with a glance. "Umm… yeah. I guess I am."
"Who is it?" Weiss tried to keep the question innocent, but it was easy to tell just why she was asking, and just who she thought it might be.
"Yang."
"I see. So you two did stay together. That's good. Is she… with you?"
Blake pursed her lips. There really wasn't a good way to say this. She could have lied. It would have been easier, but it would have only been delaying the inevitable. One day Weiss would find out. Instead she decided to be blunt. To get it over with like waxing.
"She didn't want to see you."
"Oh…" Weiss stared into her cup. "I see. Well… tell her… I hope she's well." The Ice Queen's nostrils definitely wouldn't flare, nor would she squint in an effort not to give into tears. Blake somehow doubted that anyone thought the Ice Queen could actually cry. But Weiss was a person, and being rejected so thoroughly hurt.
Blake scooted closer and put her arm around Weiss. At first Weiss pulled away, as if startled by the show of comfort, but when Blake didn't let go, she accepted it. Blake tried not to let her dismay show one her face. Weiss was as thin as ever. Perhaps more so. At Beacon she hadn't eaten when stressed, and now, with everything vying for her attention continually, she doubted that Weiss prioritised her health.
"She'll come around. It'll just take time." Yang would be forced to. From their talks, Blake had no impression that Ruby had stopped loving Weiss. The reverse was equally true. One day Yang would have to forgive and forget.
The mention of Yang might have caused the waterworks to well, but Blake could bet it was something else that had broken the façade of strength Weiss usually bore. "You miss Ruby don't you?"
Weiss could only wordlessly nod, and Blake cradled her. It was unfair that the world had driven two people so perfectly suited to each other apart. If not for Cinder and Ozpin, they would have been in their third year at Beacon, happy and likely planning a future together. Not broken and alone. The world was cruel and unfair, and nothing would ever change that.
"She's fine as well," Blake added.
"I know." Despite the near-tears on her cheeks, Weiss managed to smile. "She called me a few days ago. Did you know she's an archaeologist now?"
Blake did, but she shook her head. She sensed that Weiss just wanted to talk about Ruby. To imagine what her life would have been like if they were together. It was tragic really. With every story, it was clear just how proud Weiss was of her, and just how much she missed her.
But it also became clear that Ruby hadn't told Weiss just why she was searching forgotten ruins. Ruby might love her, but she didn't trust her, and she hadn't been able to stay with her. Not while Weiss was the Ice Queen.
Blake mulled over her next question carefully, aware that it might be stepping past the line. "Weiss, are you happy?"
Weiss tensed. It had struck a chord, but the answer wasn't one that Blake had been expecting. "Does it matter?"
"Of course it does."
"Does it? Whether I am happy or not, the world will keep on spinning. Keep on turning. And I will have to keep on making decisions. They won't wait. I learned that the hard way."
"Take a break."
Weiss laughed. It wasn't a happy one. It was derisive. "And who will step into my shoes? Winter? She's already snowed under. It wouldn't be fair to pile this on top of her. Don't get me wrong; sometimes I would love to just step away. To let someone else deal with it. But then I'm reminded of just what happened before. I can't be bribed. I can't be threatened. And I'm not weak. I'll make the right decisions."
There it was. The crux that had driven almost everyone away from her. The right decisions, but who decides what is right? Weiss' definition didn't tally with Blake's, or with Ruby's. Weiss was torn in two. No doubt half of her wanted to do whatever it took to win Ruby back, but the other half was beholden to the state of Atlas. The two facets of herself simply couldn't exist together. One day Weiss would have to choose. Blake could only hope that she picked right.
Another heavy silence fell, and Blake helped herself to a light snack. It was well past midnight, but eating at least provided her with an excuse as she thought about what to say next. Weiss found something first.
"How did you sneak into the palace anyway?"
Blake swallowed. "I didn't sneak." She was good, but she didn't know if she was that good. "I'm staying here."
"Really? Why?"
This was a story she'd prepared beforehand. "We were on a hunt, and came across some people getting attacked. We jumped in. It turned out it was a hunting party that contained a couple of royals. They invited us back here to show their gratitude. I think we've outstayed our welcome though." The fiction just had enough truth that it could almost be real.
"Is that what you've been doing? Hunting in Vacuo?"
"Yeah. Mainly up by Airtafae." Blake relayed a couple of stories. Hunts that she was particularly proud of. Her first payday, when they'd saved a convoy. Weiss was a perfect audience, asking all the right questions. It was obvious how much she missed easy conversation with friends. Blake kept talking, attempting to sate her desire, but eventually her stories dried up. One hunt in a desert was much like all the others.
They were quiet for a few more minutes. "I'm sorry," Weiss apologised. "I won't be able to change Ozpin's mind. Not when it comes to you."
"I know." She expected it, but at least Weiss had been willing to try.
"I have a lot of influence, but not for that. I doubt even Atlas would be safe for you. Not if he knew where you were."
"Yeah." She'd experienced the depth of his malice in Airtafae. Unless he was pulled down, it was likely she would be running all her life. "But thanks." She caught Weiss yawning out of the corner of her eye. "You should get some sleep. You're tired."
For a moment Blake thought she was going to lie to her, but then she nodded, unable to stop another yawn escaping. She'd likely been up at the crack of dawn this morning, or before it.
"I'll get out your hair." Blake climbed to her feet. "I'm sorry, about everything. But I've enjoyed catching up."
"Me too. Are you going to be around?" Even now Blake could sense Weiss' emotional walls being rebuilt.
"Probably for a few more days. We might have to leave at short notice, but I'll keep in contact."
"I'd like that."
Going against all protocol Blake hugged the ruler of Atlas. Weiss was just so small. She hadn't grown at all since Beacon. Weiss hugged her back.
"Stay safe." Blake didn't quite know how Cinder's plan would affect Weiss, but it would surely be detrimental to her.
"You too. If you ever need anything…"
"I know."
"Right. I'll see you then."
"You too."
"I'll have Erashan bring you out." Weiss leant in and whispered, a rare grin on her face. "He's no doubt had his ear to the door waiting for you to try and murder me. Watch this." She raised her voice. "Erashan, come in."
A heartbeat later the door opened. Blake had to hide her smile behind her hands, so did Weiss. The laughter in her eyes suited her as it always had.
"Can you please escort Blake to her room?"
Erashan stared at her, then turned his blue-grey eyes on Blake. "You're letting her go?"
"She was never a prisoner." Weiss took a step forward, drawing herself up to her full height.
"Need I remind you that she is a criminal? That she snuck into the palace?"
"You need not. Escort her to her room. That is my will."
"Fine." Weiss' eyebrow twitched up at his sudden change in tone. "But first, Blake, may I ask you a question?"
"Umm… sure." She had no clue just what he wanted to know.
Erashan closed the door, the key scraping in the lock. He turned back. When he spoke, his voice was entirely flat and frozen.
"Were you there on the day the White Fang murdered my father?"
A/N: From this chapter on there is going to be a change to the release schedule. There will now be two chapters released most weeks. One on Wednesday and one on Saturday. Though I would recommend that you follow/favourite so you don't miss a release.
