The ride was bumpy, extremely so. I didn't expect much from the horse drawn carriage, but this was absurd. Dorvin didn't seem all that bothered by it. He was a friend I had had for four years. I had met him in the woods around Patch when we were both 11. Dad had told me that the forest was too dangerous for a kid my age to be living out there. Naturally I told him all the secrets I had, before he told me that he was indeed a real person. Looking back that was probably a dumb choice, but nevertheless he knew, I trusted him now. He had told me his secret, he was cursed by the Gods at birth, forever bound to wander and seek to please them.
"How you holding up?" He asked in an extraordinarily cheery tone for someone with chains draping off his body.(Lookup Darkest Dungeon abomination, it's just his outfit) His black hair was messy that morning, and his hazel eyes were carefully taking in the surroundings.
"I'm fine, a little nervous but fine." I said excitedly.
"You should be, I mean it's not every day that a Reaper goes to Beacon, let alone two years early." He said.
"Yeah and it's even rarer for a cursed person to get into any institution." I shot back.
"Thank your Uncle for me next time you see him, his recommendation really helped." He said a little more serious.
"You thank him." I said, a comforting smile dawned my lips.
He laughed, "Thanks, I needed that."
((()))
"Can we stoooop?" I whined.
"We're not that far from the city." He said calmly. I was laying in the bed of the cart, on top of all our clothes and both bedrolls. He was at the reins while I was staring at the sky through the eternally red leaves of the Forever Fall Forest.
"Pleaaaaase?"
He sighed, resigned to his fate. "Fine." He pulled on the reins, bringing the horses to a slow stop. I could hear him shifting before he was suddenly looming above me."So." He said. "Why did we stop, or do you not have a reason?"
"Nope, none at all." I said popping the p.
"Why did I expect any different." He sighed. "You would think I knew better than that after four years of your antics." He laid down with his calfs by her head. He was 6 feet tall and muscular. I turned my head to take in the mesmerizing black tattoos that adorned his entire body, this one looked like scales and fur with spikes along it. He said that they were part of his curse.
"Well… what do you want to do on our short break." He asked, he knew that I love to just sit and look at the sky.
"Hmmmm… I think…. That we should… Just sit here and stare at the sky."
"I thought so." he said, smiling.
I giggled, "How far are we from the city?"
"Like I told you, not that far, maybe twenty minutes at most."
"Then just a few more minutes, and we'll leave."
He laughed loudly. "Sometimes, little rose, I can't understand what goes through your head."
That was the nickname he used for me, not that I minded. I closed my eyes.
((()))
"Wake up little rose."
I groaned at being awoken from the nap I didn't know I had taken. "Nooooo." I said, annoyed and tired.
"Come on, we're near the academy." I shot up at that. We had indeed arrived. The tall Beacon Tower loomed over the town from its perch on the floating island.
"Wow." I said.
"You've seen the tower a dozen times before little rose." He said smugly.
"I know but it's just so impressive." I pouted.
He laughed and hopped off the cart and onto the ground. I could tell that we were in the industrial district, the sound of blowing bellows and banging metal filled the air with the scent of burning dust and melting steel. These were things I loved because it meant something amazing was being made.
"So you know someone here who doesn't hate you for your curse and is willing to house us till the academy opens."
"Yep, and she's really cool."
"Like superduper blacksmith cool?"
"Exactly superduper blacksmith cool." He said with a wide smile.
I squealed at the notion, aside from being a Reaper I had always wanted to be a blacksmith. I slid down out of the back of the cart and onto the ground. He walked up to a building and knocked, "Just a minute!" someone shouted from inside. The door swung open and a beautiful orange haired woman stepped out. "Dorvin!" She exclaimed while enveloping him in a hug. "I've missed you so much! You've changed so much." She said, smiling widely. "Oh? And who's your friend?" She gestured towards me.
"M-my name is Ruby R-Rose!" I stuttered and exclaimed all at once.
"Well hi there Ruby, my name's Agness Peach." She smiled warmly, "Well why don't you guys come inside and unpack and I'll fix you something to eat?"
"That sounds great, it is around lunchtime and we've been traveling since dawn." Said Dorvin, I was grateful that he was doing the talking, I had never been good with people.
"I'll start unloading the cart." He said. Shit, I would be alone with her.
"Just at the same way you do around me." He whispered to me as he turned, It was easy for him to say that. He, despite his curse and how most people treated him, was great with people. I stepped inside and the heavy scent of metalworking hit me, briefly I felt at home in this forge.
"So, how did you meet Dorvin?" She asked, still facing into the house, leading me to what I could only assume was the kitchen.
"I found him i-in the woods one day. I went o-out every day to go t-talk to him, he… He seemed like the only person who understood what it was like to be in my position with m-my Guild and all." I stammered, but was proud of myself for getting through the whole statement.
"And which Guild would that be?"
((()))
Hi guys, sorry about the delay on the release of all my stories. I went up to Boston to visit my sister and didn't have access to a computer I could upload from. I know I promised some action but as I started writing I realized that the story wasn't at that point yet, next chapter though Ruby will be killing some bitches. If you can't tell this is a medieval AU with some modern tech, most notably guns and small engines, no flying machines though.
If you have an OC that you would like to have appear in the story just PM me. I'd love to try and work a few of them into the story, first come first serve
I listened to the RWBY soundtrack from volumes 1-3
I'm really enjoying writing this story, even more so than the animus so please leave a review. Follow Favorite and most importantly, stay beautiful!
