So, a few things before I start this. First of all, this is going to be one of my mainstay fanfics, as in one that you can expect regular updates for…well, a while, to be honest. I really was going for an update schedule, but my ADHD and personal feelings on the matter decided to say "fuck this shit".
The next update for Crossroad Blues, my Worm/MHA SI fanfic is on the way, just be patient. This is mostly something that came into my head while browsing DeviantArt and coming across an old piece by Dishwasher1910. The art in question is titled "RWBY: Goddess" so it should be easy to find if you use the search engine.
Anyways, this fanfic can easily be described as isekai, because yeah, that's pretty much the premise. I initially toyed with the idea of sending Pyrrha off to someplace we know, like the world of Fire Emblem Three Houses for example, but I thought it would be a whole lot cooler if I made up an original world. In short, it's an RWBY character transplanted into the world of my creation. And let me tell you, creating the backstory and lore of the world I'm going to show off was a pain in the ass. What does it say that it took more time creating this world than it did for my Chase Ryder book?
With all that said… Please enjoy.
An RWBY Fan Work:
"The Invincible Girl of Another World"
Volume I:
Princess of the Maple Leaves
At first, there was a sharp pain in her chest. Then an insufferable, agonizing burn in her chest. It spread slowly across her body, unbearable for a few seconds before exploding in a fiery burst.
Pyrrha Nikos originally believed she could die without any regrets, having accomplished everything she ever wanted out of life. Friends who knew her as simply 'Pyrrha', a boyfriend who loved her, starting a family with the love of her life, and growing old enough to see her grandchildren. Instead, she died with one regret too many.
It was funny, now that she thought about it. The entire situation was too depressing, and yet it was what gave her the strength to finally kiss that lovable idiot if only to push him out of harm's way. She knew she could be marching into the jaws of death, but it was all she could think about. The worst part was that she knew one of her friends witnessed her final moments.
Worse, it was Ruby.
Ruby Rose, the idealist and most innocent. Pyrrha did not know the leader of Team RWBY as well as she could have, but she did know the girl wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a Huntress, fighting to save people from the Creatures of Grimm and others taking advantage of misfortune. She earnestly believed it was a Huntress' duty to make the world a better place. Naïve, but a goal easily understandable and relatable. Certainly more noble than Pyrrha's reasons for becoming a Huntress.
Pyrrha died lamenting how Ruby was there to see her fall. She had no idea how her death would affect her, but it wouldn't be anything good. Even so, she had faith. Ruby was strong, more than she possibly knew. She had her sister and friends there to pick her back up. Jaune and her team would be there to pick her back up.
But she…
…it hurt. It hurt worse than she could have imagined.
The worst part was Pyrrha's final thoughts as the heat consumed her, tearing her apart from the inside out.
I don't want to die.
This was how the so-called 'Invincible Girl' would die. Not in a blaze of glory, not some fight to stall the villain and give the heroes enough time to rally and defeat them, not even a sacrifice. She died with regrets and whimpered like a child. Why hadn't she been strong enough? Why couldn't she beat Cinder Fall? Why had she failed?
Why did she have to die?
It wasn't fair.
But that was life. Life was not fair. It was cold. It was cruel.
And Pyrrha wanted to have faith it could get better.
With those laments and thoughts, Pyrrha Nikos took her last breath and turned to ashes.
Death was not what Pyrrha expected it to be. She had different ideas as to what it would have been like, half-believing she was going to be in front of a set of pearly gates or a path lined with blood and fire. Yet, this is where she was. Pitch-black darkness.
She looked down at her body. She was not translucent, not see-through like some kind of ghost, but she had an arrow sticking out of her chest. She frowned, glaring at the eyesore, and tried to pull it out, only for her hands to phase through it. Startled, she began to touch her body, only to note a disturbing lack of substance. It was as though she was forbidden to lay a finger on her form. Frightening still was the fact that she could see only her body and nothing else in this blasted darkness.
"Hello?" Pyrrha called out. Her voice echoed, repeating and fading into the shadows. "Is there anyone here?"
She was met with silence. Perhaps this was the afterlife and her reward for all she had done. If Nora were here, she'd likely scream something along the lines of, "I feel gypped!"
The thought brought a small smile to her face, one that soon soured at the reminder of her failure. Before she could dwell on such bitter thoughts, however, she noticed something in the distance. A small, flickering light, barely more significant than a twinkling star.
"The light at the end of the tunnel, I suppose," Pyrrha mused. She saw nothing else to do but move forward. She walked toward the light.
Barely ten steps in, she felt a heavy pressure weighing down on her. There was nothing else on her person, not even her weapons. Each step she took seemed to take the pressure to grow. The light grew brighter, and before long, Pyrrha saw a shape by it. She could not make out any features, only that it appeared to be a person. Perhaps someone who lost their life like her. The red-haired girl felt more determined to reach the light and ask for answers, but the closer she got to the figure, the more intense the pressure became.
Halfway from her goal, Pyrrha felt her knees buckling. The weight was growing unbearable. Her body was shaking from the pressure. She tried to take another step but found her foot slipping and forced down to her arms and knees. Sweat dripped from her brow, trying and failing to pull herself back up to her feet.
What's going on, Pyrrha gasped. Why am I so exhausted? What is this pressure? S-so heavy, I can't stand up…
Every part of her body was struggling to get up. She could feel her bones creaking. Part of her wondered if she was going to die again.
Why am I trying so hard, anyway? Pyrrha asked herself. There's no purpose in this. I'm just wandering. I don't know what will happen to me. Does anything matter at this point?
Frustration bubbled in her breast. She wanted to scream and cry at how unfair everything was. Why did this have to happen? Why did she just rush in without a plan? Why didn't she ask for help? Would things have been different if she had backup? She had been so used to doing things on her own, that it became second nature. She thought she knew better when she came to Beacon and joined Team JNPR.
Pyrrha smiled bitterly. "I'm such a hypocrite," she muttered to herself, laughing almost sardonically. The stubborn part of her demanded she trudges forward regardless. Her body moved despite the humiliating position. The media would have had a field day if they saw the proud Invincible Girl on her hands and knees. They were probably going to have a field day regardless.
After all, she wasn't the Invincible Girl anymore after losing to Cinder.
The reminder of that loss somehow pushed her forward. The pressure continued to increase as she moved toward the figure. Eventually, she could make out the white cloak adorning their body. The light she saw was a lantern, dangling from a chain wrapped around the figure's wrist.
A lantern…?
Pyrrha could go no further. She fell on her stomach, the pressure too great to bear. She felt so exhausted, that she wanted nothing more than to rest.
I'm so sleepy all of a sudden, she thought in dismay. I can barely keep my eyes open… If I fall asleep, what's going to happen to me?
Her thoughts turned to Team JNPR; Nora, Ren, and Jaune. The lovable blonde buffoon's warm smile and wearing a girl's dress of all things came to her mind. She couldn't stop herself from snorting in amusement at the memory.
"If only I could have…" Pyrrha murmured sadly.
Perhaps in the next life, if there was one after this.
She closed her eyes, unable to keep them open any longer. It was at that moment Pyrrha Nikos ceased to exist. Her body, slowly but surely, began to break apart into motes of light.
"…you've fought and struggled for a long time," the figure in the white shroud said, walking up to her vanishing body. They knelt, gently brushing a strand of scarlet hair from her cheek. "And so many regrets left unfulfilled… I can't grant all your wishes, but at least I can give you another chance. A life to accomplish the things you couldn't in this one."
The flames within the lantern sputtered.
"May happiness and good tidings go your way, daughter of Remnant."
The embers faded. The dark void consumed them, leaving nothing.
All save for a single mote of light that drifted into the void, almost aimlessly so…
Something cold swept across her face. It was a biting chill, gusts of wind reminding her so very much of Argus' brutal winter. Pyrrha felt her mind stirring, slowly clearing away the morning haze clouding her mind. In contrast to the cold wind caressing her face, the rest of her felt warm. She was wrapped in a blanket if the familiar itches of cloth were any indication. She opened her eyes and quickly came to regret her decision. It was disgustingly bright, so much she initially believed she blinded herself.
"Aah, awake now, are you?" an unfamiliar voice asked her.
Pyrrha squinted through the harsh sunlight. Someone was standing over her, peering down with what looked like a smile. The man was moving, holding her in his arms. The sunlight dimmed and Pyrrha found her vision clearing, blinking in surprise. The man looked around as old as her father, crimson hair spilling down his shoulders and tied in a neat braid. Ice-blue eyes peered down at her, carrying nothing but loving warmth.
Who is he? Pyrrha wondered. Then another thought came to her mind with far more urgency. Wait, am I alive? How am I? N-no, never mind that! If I'm alive, then I need to get back to the others!
"Aah!"
…huh?
Pyrrha's mind stalled. It took her a second to realize the babbling noise came out of her mouth.
The man holding her chuckled at her babbling. "Excited to be out here, eh? I'd wager it's worth the wait. Take a look."
He adjusted her hold on her slightly, lifting her and giving her a better view of what was in front of them. Pyrrha saw a giant tree, far larger than anything she had ever seen in her life, roots as thick as the palm trees from Kuo Kuana digging into the cloddy earth. Orange-red leaves blanketed the sky above, some swaying in the breeze. One leaf cascaded and danced to the floor, only to touch her cheek.
Pyrrha's mind chose that moment to start back up. "Aah?" W-wait, what's going on? What happened to my voice? She tried moving her arms, only to find that they were much shorter and pudgy, nor could she move them all that well. Why are my arms so tiny?! What in the world is happening?! A-and who is this man?!
"The symbol of our kingdom from which we earned our namesake," the man said, oblivious to her turmoil. "You were born under this tree, you know."
Pyrrha grew still. Something about this situation was steadily becoming familiar. It was there in the back of her head, on the tip of her tongue. She felt as though she saw this sort of scenario before, but where? Where had she…?
"Aah, so this is where you are, brother!" A second man showed himself, clasping an armored hand on the red-haired man's shoulder. His hair was a much lighter shade, shorter and cut sloppily at the chin with a goatee wrapped across the bottom of his jaw. "You gave the nurses and maids a right scare. I get you're excited to show the little one the Maple Leaf, but calm yourself. It's not as if the world will end tomorrow."
"Bah, what would you know?"
Pyrrha watched as the two conversed in familiarity. It was obvious based on how they treated each other that they were family, sharing the same facial features. The cherry-haired man called the one holding her 'brother', after all. Frowning, she tried to shuffle her body and wiggle her way out of the man's grasp, only to realize something she hadn't up until now. She initially assumed the man was holding her bridal style, but that was not the case. She was held safely in a single arm, cradled as though she were an infant.
When did I—
A bolt of understanding struck and a pit of realization began to form in her stomach. Pyrrha finally understood why this scene felt so familiar to her.
"It would seem our little princess doesn't want to be held by her scruffy father anymore," the cherry-haired man noted her attempts to escape and grinned. "She's beautiful. She has her mother's eyes."
"She does, doesn't she?"
Oh, no… This feels just like…
She recalled one of the books Jaune read in his spare time when he wasn't studying or training. It was a genre she was vaguely familiar with, originating in Mistral and one Jaune admitted to being a hardcore fan of. She could not recall the exact title, only a brief summary her team leader gave her when she asked him about it.
"It's about this kid who gets hit by a truck on his way home from school," Jaune told her with the dopiest grin. "He ends up dying because he doesn't have Aura, but one of the Brother Gods ends up taking pity on him and offers to reincarnate him in another world, one full of magic, and gives him this broken superpower to help him start out when he's reborn in that world."
"Ah, my little Pyrrha," the man smiled down at Pyrrha, somehow missing the shocked and terrified look on her face. "My little princess… Oh, how I long to show you the rest of the world…"
N-no way… No way no way no way…!
"Aaah!"
Internally, Pyrrha screamed.
-Adolescence of Innocence-
Chapter I: Pyrrha Nikos
The world was called Sileos. Pyrrha wasn't sure how or why people came to call it that, nor did she understand any possible significance behind it, but it was nonetheless the name of the new world she was reincarnated in. It took several days for her to fully digest her situation and all that came with it. Somehow, in some way, the premise, and plot of a genre were now her reality. Unlike in Jaune's book, however, she did not meet with one of the Brother Gods. At least she did not think she did. She never saw the shrouded figure's face, and even then, she doubted it was them.
It didn't feel real at first. Pyrrha wondered if she was dreaming and was going to wake up any second, but every time she opened her eyes, she was still there.
The adjustment process was troublesome, both physically and mentally. Pyrrha could safely say she did not miss being in the body of an infant. Her motor functions were out of whack, fingers and arms moving not how she wanted them to; it was like playing a video game for the first time and skipping the tutorial. On the mental level, she was coming to grips with her new surroundings. Being in a situation where she was helpless was bad enough, but the circumstances by which she was here, and the fact that she had no idea where in the hell she even was, much less whether her friends were even still alive…
There was still so much information Pyrrha was lacking, and in her current state, she wasn't in much of a position to figure it out, either.
She was currently two years old, no more than a toddler still learning how to crawl along the floor. Two years passed since the day she woke up in Sileos, two years of knowing next to nothing. It was not for a lack of trying, of course. Once she figured out where the library was, she tried to sneak inside (for a given value of 'sneak', given her current physical state) and figure out what kind of world Sileos was. That was when she discovered the language barrier.
The writing of a random book she managed to get her grubby little hands on was written in a language she did not understand. It was jarring, especially since she understood every word coming out of everyone's mouths. They were all speaking the same language as her, but the written word was not the one she knew. It looked nothing like the languages she knew. Pyrrha was fluent in traditional Mistralean, and old Vacuoan, and even knew a little Mantlese before adopting the universal language.
She didn't recognize a single word.
The lack of information was becoming increasingly annoying, though Pyrrha wasn't at the point where she would blow a gasket just yet. She was still a toddler (at least physically), and it would only be a matter of time before she got actual education. The reminder of her current body was yet another sour point for her, especially since the wet nurses looking after her could be so fussy. Even her mother wasn't this bad.
Pyrrha found herself sighing when she remembered who her parents were this time around. Her mother was called the Royal Consort, and her father was King August von Estelise. In other words, she was born into royalty.
Pyrrha Nikos was reborn as a princess.
She wasn't sure whether this was some divine joke or someone yet again propping her on a pedestal. In Remnant, Pyrrha was just a regular girl with a penchant for combat. She aced her classes, won every battle thrown her way, and became a celebrity. Here, she was actual royalty, yet another pedestal to be placed on. She only hoped this time wouldn't be as depressing, but given the difference between being a champion and royalty, she wasn't going to hold her breath.
It's hard to believe it's only been two years already, Pyrrha thought to herself as she stared out the window of her room.
Escaping the crib was easy even with her limited motor functions. Climbing atop the little bookshelf under the window was a little trickier, but still doable. The view was spectacular and gave her a broad view of the world outside the palace. The capital city encompassed the entire hillside, sitting right next to the ocean. Beautiful crystalline waters stretched as far as the eye could see. The sky was clear blue, nary a cloud in sight. Although faint, she could see what looked to be the moon, whole and intact.
I never would have imagined something like this could ever happen. It's straight out of a fantasy novel…
Her thoughts drifted back to her friends, the ones she left behind far too early. She had two years to think about them, to grieve and give endless apologies for being unable to stay with them. She thought there would come a day when she could no longer make any apologies and had to look forward to living in this reality without them. Instead, the memories haunted her at every given moment. Pyrrha was glad for it, for she did not want to forget them.
There would come a time when she had to make peace with her situation and move on, but she could never bring herself to forget the people who accepted her.
Jaune wouldn't want me to mope around, Pyrrha thought to herself before snickering. Now that I think about it, wouldn't Jaune be the most excited about going through this? I bet if he were in my situation, he'd become a great king.
He certainly made for a fantastic leader, despite his protests. Then again, Ruby helped him as much as she had.
"Aah! Princess, g-get down from there!"
Pyrrha sighed as one of the wet nurses came in the room and found her atop the bookshelf, panicking and scrambling to get her off as if she was going to fall off and break her neck.
In the afternoon, Pyrrha was taken into the arms of her father, who took her about yet another leisurely stroll throughout the palace.
As a father, King August wasn't too different from the one she had in Remnant. Definitely higher up in status, but otherwise he was just as doting as her family patriarch, albeit more than she liked. He treated her as if she was made out of glass, which she knew wasn't entirely inaccurate. In addition to her body, Pyrrha found she could not access her Aura, much less her Semblance. It was entirely possible this reincarnation process may have stripped that very power from her, but she wasn't about to rule out the possibility she could unlock it again.
Despite being the ruler of a country, Pyrrha discovered King August had a surprising amount of free time. She overheard several servants panicking every few days or so about his disappearance, and whenever he showed his face, he would receive a harsh tongue-lashing from the Regent Septem von Esetlise, her uncle. Where exactly he went to elicit such panic she did not know, but he always took her when he was in the mood to wander around the palace.
Today they toured the courtyards, out in the open air. It was a wide-open space with various plants and bushes, all with different kinds of flowers. The gardeners took great care of this place since she saw them coming and going almost every day. Her favorite flowers were the violets growing near the outer edge.
"Ah, what good weather today," King August boomed with laughter. Pyrrha felt the rumbles from her spot on his shoulder. "Something tells me today will be a good day indeed. Don't you think so, my little princess?"
Pyrrha gave King August a smile and a nod. She knew this man was her father in this life, but she couldn't bring herself to call him that. It felt too awkward. Maybe if she never had her memories from Remnant, she could have called him 'Papa' as she had with her birth father, but as it stood, he was someone she saw almost every day. She didn't even know much about King August beyond his status and his tendency to sneak out of the palace.
It was also depressing to know that, as limited and pitiful her relationship with King August was, it was still more than she had with the Royal Consort, her birth mother here in Sileos. Pyrrha could count the number of times she met with her on one hand alone. She still didn't know her name, either, which raised several flags in her head.
"Hm, the weather is a little chilly today," King August noted and looked at Pyrrha in worry. "Are you cold, little one?"
Pyrrha shook her head. Even in a fancy little dress like the one she was wearing now, the cold didn't bother her in the least.
"Brother!"
King August sighed while Pyrrha found herself smiling. She saw her uncle Septem coming like before the king did, and the former looked irritated.
"Honestly, would it kill you to tell someone where you're going before you pull a stunt like this?" Septem asked. "The staff is running around in a panic looking for you and Pyrrha."
"If it keeps me away from those stuffy old goats, I'll cause as much trouble as I like," King August snorted. "You'd think that, after forty years of dealing with them, I'd be used to their idiocy by now."
"You know what you were signing up for when you became king."
The younger of the two scoffed. "Only because you settled on being Regent." A terse silence blanketed the atmosphere. The brothers' faces grew pained as if recalling a bitter memory. Of what, Pyrrha could not fathom a guess. "What do those old fogeys want anyway?"
"The same old topics you've dealt with before," Septem replied, sensing the change in topic. "Suggestions from the court, budgets, taxes, and of course discussions regarding the Alliance that will inevitably go nowhere."
"Concerns about that?"
"Would they bicker about anything else?" the younger brother shrugged. "I don't envy you, August. Gods above knew father had his hands full with these fools. They're more concerned about shoring our defenses than they are considering the possibility of failure. Not that we're in any position to help, anyway. The army's not what it used to be, though I suppose it could be worse."
Pyrrha frowned. I can barely understand what they're talking about. From the sounds of it, it probably involves another country. What is this Alliance, though?
"Have you seen Selome?" Septem inquired. "I understand she rarely visits Pyrrha."
So her mother's name was Selome, then. Pyrrha committed the name to memory, happy to know the name of the woman who brought her into this world.
"She's…" King August struggled, searching for the right words to say before he gave up and sighed. "Her health has not been the best. She puts on a brave face, but the maids have told me her condition is getting worse."
Pyrrha's fingers gripped the hems of her sleeves and the sleeve of King August's shirt.
"She hasn't recovered yet?"
"The strain of childbirth, the doctor told me. Her health was never the best, and giving birth to Pyrrha…" King August looked at her. Pyrrha's expression betrayed nothing, keeping her features neutral while putting on the clueless expression a toddler was likely to have. Sadness brimmed to the surface of those cerulean eyes of his, reaching his free arm up to cusp her cheek. "It's a cruel joke, taking a girl's mother away before she has a chance to truly know her."
"I wouldn't say that," Septem said suddenly. "Have you noticed? Pyrrha's more attentive than most kids her age. You don't suppose she knows what we're saying, do you?"
King August chuckled. "I doubt that, unless you mean to say she's some kind of genius."
"She is the princess."
Pyrrha clenched her teeth. Different words, but similar means. The same discussions and topics she heard from people talking about her status and success, saying how she was destined for greatness when they knew nothing about her. She wasn't special, just better than most people. She came from a humble family, and her parents were normal.
But that was on Remnant. Here on Sileos, she was royalty. All eyes would be on her. Expectations were high.
She was going to hate every minute of it.
At age four, things slowly started to make sense for Pyrrha. By that point, she had better control of her childish body, was able to stand on her own two legs with little problems, and speak somewhat coherent sentences. When she belted her first word, she did so in the presence of King August if only for amusement's sake, carefully and purposely belting out the word 'Papa'. The man was overjoyed beyond words, so happy in fact he bragged about it to everyone willing to listen, be it Septem, nobles, or even the palace staff.
Formal education began after her fourth birthday, starting with the language system Sileos used. Her instructors and the books she was given all indicated that the language she saw in the books was the universal written word used in this world, which made things significantly easier for her in the long run. Learning a new language took time, especially one so disconnected from any other language she knew. Remnant's universal language was a mix of the standard kingdom languages, formally adopted after the Great War, so it had a little bit of everything from the old and traditional languages previously used in the kingdoms.
Speaking of countries, Pyrrha finally learned a little more about Sileos, or at least the part of the world she was born in. The Maple Leaf Kingdom, strange name aside, was one of two nations founded on one of the three known continents in Sileos. Continents in this world were called Isles, with the Isle she was on called the Isle of Wales. To the west was the Isle of Waking, home of the Alliance of Demi-Humans, and to the north was the Isle of Dragons, home of the Dragonkin.
At this point in her life, she was still learning about the world and all it had. Aside from the barebone minimum, she knew about the Kingdom's southern neighbor, the Rediron Empire.
And King August despised the Empire.
She noticed it when she was three years old. A nobleman or someone she assumed was part of higher society came up to King August to discuss a matter involving the Empire. The details behind the discussion were unknown to her as Septem carried her out of the room, but she could never mistake the stormy expression on King August's face for anything other than pure rage. It was startling, having grown so used to the overly fond and laidback ruler she came to know in this new life.
Pyrrha wanted to ask why King August hated the Empire so, but she suspected he would dodge the question or evade it entirely. Septem would likely do the same, so she endeavored to find out for herself, hoping to use her studies to eke out answers from the staff.
Today was one such day. Although her instructors told her she had the day all to herself, Pyrrha buried her nose in her book as it spoke about the Empire's founding. Originally part of the Maple Leaf Kingdom, the city-states to the south rallied alongside the man who overthrew the original royal family. However, contrary to her initial expectations there was no grand conflict. Rather the separation occurred after a coup against King Wingard zi Flugal succeeded and the despot was overthrown, and the new king, her ancestor, was appointed by the one who helped back the coup.
When the Empire was founded, there was no hostility, and the countries were on good terms with each other.
Before she could read any further, a sharp knock came on her door. Septem's voice echoed beyond it. "Pyrrha? Are you there?"
"Door's open!" the red-haired girl called out.
Her uncle in this life stepped inside, briefly pausing when he saw the book in her hands. "I thought the instructors said you had the day all to yourself?"
"I wanted to know more about the world," Pyrrha answered honestly.
Septem seemed surprised, though it quickly faded into something akin to pride. "A budding scholar, eh? Just like your father when he was young, though you wouldn't know it looking at him now. Nowadays he prefers scaring the daylights out of people and heading off into town. Never mind that, now. As happy as I am to see you taking your education seriously, shut your book. There's someone I'd like for you to meet."
Unease began to creep into Pyrrha's stomach. It seemed awfully early for her to be meeting other nobles, the sorts that would probably be vying for her hand in marriage or looking for a connection into the royal family's affairs, so she came to the logical conclusion.
Her uncle arranged for a playdate.
It won't be that bad, Pyrrha told herself, bookmarking the page she was on and reluctantly closing the book shut before following Septem out the door. At least, I hope it won't be. Hopefully, they'll be like Ruby or Jaune. Come to think of it, how did Jaune say he met Ruby again? Something about a crater?
Hopefully, there wouldn't be any explosions.
Her playmate and their parent were waiting patiently in the Parlor. She couldn't see their appearance all that well from the door seeing as they were seated on a couch and said couch's back hiding most of their features.
"Ah, Duke Randell!" Septem greeted happily. "Pleased you could make it."
The parent-and-child duo rose from the couch and turned to greet them.
The child was a girl in a baby blue dress with white lacy hems and puffy sleeves. Pyrrha resisted the urge to squeal when she saw how utterly adorable the girl was, with cheeks looking oh-so-very-pinchable, raven black hair tied in a braid cascading down her shoulder, and dark brown eyes. Her father was a man with similar hair and eye color in a business suit and a scruffy beard.
The girl pressed herself against her father's leg. The man smiled and extended a hand. "It's been a while, Regent. The last time we spoke was last year, at the Galla, right?"
"Don't remind me, that party was awful," Septem groaned as he shook Duke Randell's hand. "Is this girl your daughter? She's quite lovely."
"Takes after her mother than me, thankfully." Duke Randell turned his attention to Pyrrha and bowed. "Greetings, princess."
The red-haired girl bit the inside of her cheek, keeping herself from sighing. She grabbed the hems of her dress, lifted them slightly, arched her back forward, and bowed her head. "Hello, Duke."
"My, so polite~" Duke Randell noted before gently pushing his daughter forward. "This is my child, Vyline."
Vyline blushed. "H-hello, Your Highness…"
I want to take her home with me, Pyrrha squealed in her head. So adorable!
Duke Randell and Septem left the children to their own devices after introductions were made. Vyline was a quiet girl, not one for words, and relied more on little gestures and expressions to get the message across. Pyrrha was excited at first until she realized how much she was on the back foot. She was so used to letting others take the initiative that she had no idea what to do in this situation. Currently, they were in her room. Vyline sat in a chair with that adorably shy expression while Pyrrha was not sure what to do, suggest, or even say.
She's probably waiting for me to make a suggestion, Pyrrha thought. But, what should we do? It's not as if there's a playground nearby, and I doubt she wants to read books all day…
Pyrrha had friends her age when she was a child back in Remnant, rugrats who liked rough-housing and prancing about playgrounds like kings of the hill. They all lost contact with each other as they grew older, and any friends she did have changed their opinions after her career took off. Pyrrha wanted to be friends with Vyline, or at the very least make a good impression on her, but she wasn't sure what to do. It didn't help that the girl was probably nervous, what with her being royalty and all.
Ugh, why couldn't I have been born a commoner or something? Or heck, maybe even a knight! Pyrrha paused at that train of thought, then frowned. Does Sileos have knights? Hm…
"I-is something wrong, your highness?"
The red-head quickly shook her head. "No, it's nothing," she assured. "Just in thought is all." It was probably easier just to ask what her playmate wanted to do. "So, what did you want to do?"
"I-I'll leave it up to you." Ooor she could leave it up to Pyrrha. That was fine.
Pyrrha took a gamble. "Did you want to visit the library, maybe? Do you have a favorite book?" She smiled when she saw Vyline's eyes glimmer. The chibi-Pyrrha in her head pumped a fist in the air.
She led Vyline to the palace library. The old man in charge of the place was in the far back with a duster in hand, tending to a bookshelf. She gave him a quick greeting and a smile.
"Take a look around and let mister Cole know what book you took," Pyrrha told her playmate. "He tends to get very irritated when someone takes a book without telling him, even if you don't leave the library."
It didn't take long for Vyline to come back with a book in her hand. To Pyrrha's curiosity, it was a fairly tale book titled "The Silver Knight". It soon became obvious to her that Vyline did not pick the book randomly as she opened it, scanning the pages and looking at the numbers on the corners before finding the page she was looking for.
"Have you read this before?" Pyrrha asked. Vyline nodded shyly. "What's it about?"
"It's about a wandering knight in service to a nation far north of the Isles," Vyline said with a smile on her face. "It doesn't actually exist, of course. A-at least, I don't think it does. No one's managed to explore the Unknown Oceans yet."
The Unknown Oceans referred to the greater world. In every map and in every lesson Pyrrha learned thus far, there were only three known landmasses in the world. Expeditions were made in the past, attempts to investigate these unexplored regions and discover what lay over the horizon, but thus far, no ship had ever returned. There were plenty of theories why the ships never returned, but never any actual proof. Ghost stories and rumors soon cropped up, and some even claimed the ships fell over the edge of the world.
That theory had yet to be disproven, and Pyrrha was certain Sileos was not flat. Remnant certainly wasn't.
Vyline told Pyrrha about the tale of the Silver Knight; a knight errant from a kingdom that fell to ruin and betrayal by the king's brother. The story was not about one of revenge or seeking justice, for the tyrant's rule was short-lived and ended not at the hands of the knight, but at the hands of the people. The story was instead about the knight finding a new purpose and traveling the Isles, fighting monsters and evil men wherever he found them.
Pyrrha found herself thinking back to the fairy tales of her old world and about whatever truths there were to them. Ozpin told her the Maidens of the Seasons were real and wanted her to become the Fall Maiden before Cinder started her attack. It was the only fairy tale that was somehow real, and it made her wonder if other fairy tales held some grain of truth to them. Perhaps there had indeed been a Silver Knight in the past, belonging to a nation that no longer existed, but managed to have his tale retold to the present day.
Twenty minutes passed before Pyrrha finally realized something about Vyline, something that made her smile. "You really love knights, huh?"
The girl's face turned scarlet. "Oh, um, that's…!"
Pyrrha giggled. "It's fine! I like knights, too. I want to study under Captain Rathan when I'm old enough to hold a sword."
"You mean the Captain of the Guard?" Vyline asked timidly. Pyrrha nodded. "I've heard so much about him. They say he's the strongest warrior in the kingdom." The girl then realized what Pyrrha said and grew confused. "Oh, b-but wouldn't that be a problem? I mean, you're a princess…"
"I don't see why it wouldn't be a problem. Besides, I don't think life in court would suit me very well…"
"I see…" Vyline stared at her lap thoughtfully.
Pyrrha leaned over the table. "How about you, Vyline? What do you want to do in the future?"
"I… I don't know. I want to be a knight, but…"
"A knight? You don't want to succeed your father?"
Vyline sighed. "I-I can't." Pyrrha frowned. "I'm the youngest, and I was adopted. My sister Arya is heir to House Randell, since she's the duke's actual child as well as the oldest. B-besides, I don't think I'm fit for nobility anyway…"
"Why do you want to be a knight?" Pyrrha asked, sensing an uncomfortable subject when she saw one.
Vyline smiled weakly, looking up from her lap. "They're noble warriors, aren't they?" she said. "Heroes who fight to protect the weak, defending innocent people who want to hurt or wrong them. I want to be just like them. I-I want to be someone who protects others."
For a moment, Pyrrha felt as though she were talking to a younger, shyer version of Ruby Rose. The thought made her smile wider. "In that case, why not train with me when we get older?" Vyline stared at her in surprise. "I want to become strong enough to protect others. I don't want to be the kind of person who wants to be protected. And…" Pyrrha took a deep breath. Moment of truth. "It would be great if I could spend more time with a friend, you know?"
Her playmate grew shocked. "Y-you…want t-to be friends w-with me?!" She sounded almost scandelized. "B-but I couldn't possibly…! I-I mean, you're the princess! A-and I'm just…!"
"Do you not want to be friends?"
"N-no, that's not what I meant! I-I-I mean, I'd love to, but…!"
Pyrrha grinned. "Then I don't see a problem!"
"B-b-b-b-but…!"
Oh my Gods, she's as red as a tomato! So cuuute!
By the time the sunset and Duke Randell returned to take his daughter home, Pyrrha Nikos secured her very first friend. The reincarnated Huntress-in-training smiled to herself, singing a little tune from her old world as she read a book Vyline recommended to her from the royal library. She wished she could have been this pushy back in Remnant. Yang's way of doing things was great!
…well, minus the blowing up when her hair was damaged, but that was beside the point.
In the king's throne room, August von Estelise slumped in the infernal chair he called the throne, finding it as unpleasant as ever and once again forgetting to put a cushion on it. His rear was so numb from sitting in it for hours on end, listening to the same old arguments he was certain he heard a hundred times by now. Ruling a kingdom was never easy, not even in his younger years when he ascended to the throne, but it was worth doing despite whatever complaints and annoyances came his way. In the end, personal comfort meant little when compared to the safety and comfort of his people, especially his daughter.
"Thinking about Pyrrha again, are we?"
August looked up at Septem in surprise. "How'd you know?!" he asked incredulously. "Are you psychic or something?!"
"Of course not. It's written all over your face. Your the picture-perfect definition of a doting father," his brother teased him. "Not that I blame you. She's a wonderful girl with a bright future ahead of her." His smile grew strained. "That said, some of the court is concerned about what you're doing with her."
August recognized the warnings for what they were and scoffed. "What I do with my daughter is my business and none of theirs. What's wrong with giving her an education? It's not as if I'm grooming her for the throne."
"That's what has them so concerned."
The king rolled his eyes.
Ever since the kingdom's founding, it had been long since established that only male heirs could become the ruler of Maple Leaf. There were no female rulers or queens, only royal concubines whose sole purpose was to provide the king with an heir. It was not out of sexist or male-dominant ideals; much of the kingdom's politics was often handled by shrewd Countesses and Duchesses who earned their positions through cunning and wit. In particular was Duke Randell's wife, a woman who fought tooth and nail to become a noble and was practically a royal spymaster without the title itself.
There had been Queens in the past, of course, thanks to the efforts of reformists. Sadly, traditionalists were ever the stubborn bunch and, after five Queens, overturned King Autfrey and Crown Prince Salum's efforts three hundred years ago. A shame, given that the first Queen, Joan von Estelise, was an immensely popular ruler in her time. Although August himself was a traditionalist, he understood and even hoped his successors would bring back the old reforms.
As things stood, however, Pyrrha was not eligible for the throne. She would never become ruler of Maple Leaf.
"The old fogeys don't have anything to be afraid of," King August dismissed Septem's concerns. "Pyrrha's not interested in ruling. She wants to learn how to hold a sword."
"Is that really a good idea?" Septem couldn't help but voice his concerns. "Even if she's not able to take the throne, she's still the princess. She could always study under Viscountess Aileen."
"You clearly haven't seen the way my daughter stares at the knights' training grounds. Mark my words, Septem, my daughter will grow to become a warrior."
"Yes, well, let's just hope she doesn't lead herself to an early grave…"
The discussions continued until they reached a far more sensitive topic, one that brought a furious storm to King August's eyes. Had anyone wandered close to the throne room, they would have heard familiar shouting and screaming and quickly hurried off before they were discovered.
Next Chapter:
Vy
That's it for now. What did you guys think? Hopefully you guys like this. I put a lot of work and effort into this, you know!
On a side note, if you guys are interested in supporting me and helping me out financially, please consider buying my book "Chase Ryder and the City of Lost Memories" on Amazon. It is available for Kindle, paperback, and hardcover. I recommend kindle and paperback as they are the cheaper options since hardcover is close to 30 bucks. -_- Amazon sucks when it comes to how much you can price things.
Cheers everyone.