Jaune and Ruby decided they wouldn't spend long scouting out the massive market within Snowmire's walls, having been exhausted by the long journey and (in Ruby's case) feeling naked without their trademark cloak. They wandered aimlessly through the hustle and bustle, staring with tired wonder at all the goods on display. Some items were even from Vacuo and Menagerie, and Ruby gaped at the colourful silks that felt so soft to touch.
"Clanket!" Ruby murmured with wonder, and Jaune cocked his head.
"A what?" He asked, and Ruby shook her head at him, waving a crimson silk in front of his face.
"A clanket! A genius idea I just came up with. A cloak that is also a blanket. A clanket!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide and a beaming smile on her face. "It's genius!"
"That silk is pretty thin Ruby."
"But it's soo soft! You have no idea how itchy my cloak can get, especially if I've been on the road for a while and haven't been able to wash it. With this then it's just pure, well, silk!"
"How much for it?" Jaune asked, ignoring the widening excitement in Ruby's eyes. The curse of the puppy eyes. One would've thought that seven sisters and a Weiss would've made him immune to the effects of the dreaded puppy eyes. Unfortunately for him that just was not the case.
"Hmm." The vendor wondered allowed, stroking his immaculately curled beard in one hand. "That silk is from Vacuo and is finely made. My journey was long and arduous with many tariffs. The price will be high."
"How much?"
"900 Lien per bundle."
"And how many are there per bundle?"
"Five."
"1800 Lien for ten silks the size of my hand?"
"Long journey. Large tariffs."
"Counter offer. I get three bundles and you get all of this." Jaune said, placing a small pouch on the table firmly. It jingled tantalisingly, and the vendor gave him a curious look.
"That is not the sound of Lien." The vendor replied cautiously, though his eyes were alight with curiosity.
"It isn't." Jaune acknowledged, leaning forward a little, like a friend telling him a secret. "It's something better."
Overcome by his curiosity, the vendor opened the little pouch, eyes widening at the golden and silver contents within. He quickly sealed it shut, eyes darting left and right to make sure no-one else had seen the treasures that layed inside that small leather pouch.
"Who are you?" The man hissed and Jaune swallowed what insecurity he had, and remembered his mother's lessons.
"A rich customer willing to pay a fair price for fair goods." He replied with faux calm. "Though if you are so desperate for me to shop elsewhere I should oblige your request."
Jaune leaned forward and slowly outstretched his arm towards the pouch, and his brow raised higher when the vendor clutched onto it harder.
"Should I call the guards?" He asked, giving a nod of his head towards a pair of patrolling guardsmen, a common sight to deter would be pickpockets and thieves.
"How do I know these have been…legally acquired?" The man asked, licking his lips nervously. Jaune smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a familiar ring he hadn't worn since his flight from Nördliche Burg. He showed it to the vendor, whose eyes bulged almost comically.
"M-My…" The vendor stammered and Jaune shook his head.
"I'm trying to avoid attention, good sir. I wish to enjoy my time in Snowmire in peace."
"O-Of course." The vendor replied, pushing five bundles of silk towards them. "Take it. I insist."
"Thank you." Jaune replied with a smile and a polite nod, bundling the fabric under his arm and walking away from the store with Ruby in tow.
"J-Jaune?"
"Yes Ruby?"
"Are you feeling okay?" She asked and Jaune looked at her with suprise.
"That's a weird way of saying thank you."
"Oh no I-I mean, thanks, of course thank you so much! I-It's just…how did you do that?" She asked, a blush that would've matched her cloak spreading across her cheeks.
"Do what?"
"That!" Ruby asked, gesturing wildly at the vendor who seemed to be closing up his store, despite it being nowhere near dark.
"Haggling?"
"Yes! That!"
"Well my mother taught me how to barter with some of our local merchants before I was sent to foster under King Schnee. She taught me the basics but it was King Schnee and the tutors he paid for that really taught me how to haggle. The Schnees aren't one of the richest families in the world for no reason Ruby."
"I know that!" Ruby squaked. "It's just…you!"
"Me?"
"Yes me! I mean you! You're just not the charismatic type of charismatic you know. You're more like a doofus that everyone likes because you're a doofus. How can you be the tough negotiator when you're a doofus?! It doesn't make sense!"
Jaune eyed Ruby wearily, and thinking that maybe her lack of a cloak had made her insane, handed her the bundles of silk they had just purchased.
"I-I'm sorry." Ruby mumbled, hugging the silk close to her chest protectively as they edged around the drying puddle of brown which had earlier desecrated Ruby's cloak. "I'm just tired and a little out of it. It feels weird without my cloak. Like I'm missing an arm or something."
"Does it really mean that much to you?" Jaune asked, and Ruby nodded, hiding her blush behind her newly bought silks.
"My mother made it for me before I hit the road. It's all I really have of home apart from my brooch, which is useless without my cloak, my clothes and my scythe but they don't really count. They weren't made by my mother and…I know it's silly but it was just nice to have something that reminded me of her. Now it's all…icky." Ruby explained, kicking a pebble on the road which skittled a few feet ahead of them.
"You miss your mother?" Jaune asked, feeling a familiar black hole of longing in his chest.
"Yeah. My father too. And Orn and Gorn and Morn. And the fields around Bluhen. And the people around Bluhen. And, well, Bluhen."
"I do too." Jaune replied quietly. "I miss my mother and my father and even Turk. I miss Ansel and the meadows around it. I miss the little market that's always busy but not busy enough to be a noisy racket. I miss the way the sun hid itself behind the hills in the distance that marked the end of Arc lands. Most of all I miss my sisters."
"What are they like?" Ruby asked, as the paused before the door to the Polite Crane.
"Well Saphron is the eldest and smartest. She's also the most sarcastic, but she means well and cares about us all. Then there's Jade and Lavender, twins that are just a year older than me. They always prank the rest of our siblings but they're the people you go to if you need to get revenge on a younger sister who blamed you for eating all the sweet rolls when it was them and you had to clean the stables whilst they got to have sweet rolls for ratting on me."
"T-That sounded oddly specific." Ruby replied with a smile.
"That's because it's Sapphire. She's the one everyone hates but for some reason still loves. She may be the worst thing to blight you in the history of ever but she'll always stick up for you when you need it most. Then there's Autumn. She's a little distant and probably spends too much time reading her books but no matter what or who it is she'll defend you until she's either out of breath or a new book catches her attention. Then there's Rouge. She's always trying to ride her horse unescorted or sneaking to the training yard when she should be in her lessons. But she was always my biggest supporter, my partner in crime whenever I pranked my sisters or snuck into the kitchens after bedtime. I didn't get to spend a lot of time with Hazel, my youngest sister, because I got sent to foster under King Schnee. But she's the angel of the family and whoever wants to try marrying will have to go through me and my father."
"It's sounds like you know quite a bit about them." Ruby replied, a little sadly. "You must really miss them."
"I do. But here's hoping we can kill that dragon, help out Blake and save Weiss from her marriage with Nikos so we can see them again!" Jaune exclaimed, striking a heroic pose only for him to realise what he just said and his eyes to widen and nearly bulge out of their sockets.
"What was that last part?" Ruby asked with a teasing grin, her silver eyes alight with the thought of teasing material.
"You…uhh…You didn't hear that last part." Jaune stammered, feeling his cheeks heat up and blaze like a forest fire.
"I guess I didn't since you got me these fine silks." Ruby replied with a exaggerated sigh. "You are lucky I am an honourable knight, fair lady."
"I am indeed." Jaune replied, exhaling with relief whilst Ruby giggled slightly.
"What about you? Do you have any siblings?" Jaune asked, suddenly feeling like he'd said something he really shouldn't have when Ruby's smile became hard and plastic and her eyes flashed with a whirlwind of emotions.
"No. I-I don't." She ground out from gritted teeth. "I'm gonna see if that bath is ready. Thanks again for the silks Jaune."
She hurried into the Polite Crane, not quite slamming the tavern door shut but at the same time not exactly being quiet about it either, leaving him to stand there at the door like an idiot.
"Well I messed that up." Jaune mumbled, before following Ruby into the tavern. The two drinkers were passed out against the bar and Tukson merely gave him a sympathetic look.
"Best give her some space my lord." Tukson told him with the same tired voice Jaune remembered his father had after an argument with his mother. "By looks of her she needs time to cool down."
"Is the bath ready?" Jaune asked and Tukson laughed.
"Aye my lord and good thinking. My Christine's already cleaning the lady's cloak as well. Should be dry by tomorrow but that depends on how warm it will be by tomorrow afternoon. Your own bath is waiting in your room my lord. Third door on the right down there." Tukson said and Jaune sighed with relief.
"Thank you Tukson." Jaune replied and Tukson shook his head.
"Think nothing of it my lord. Dinner will be served from four to six so make an order at the bar when you're hungry. Don't worry for payment either, it's on the house."
Jaune felt like arguing, since he felt like he was exploiting the man's kindness, but the prospect of a warm bath after so long on the road made his body weak and his willpower shattered. With another thanks to Tukson, Jaune stumbled into his room, throwing off his clothes and shrugging off his boots before practically diving into the bronze tub in the middle of the room. The water had cooled slightly but it was warm enough for his muscles to cry out with joy. He sighed as he began to feel weightless and his boneless body sank deeper into the warmth of the tub. When the water began to cool Jaune reached over to a nearby table where some soap rested. He lathered and scrubbed his body until the water turned murky brown and he felt like he'd gotten the majority of the grime and dirt off of him. He quickly towelled himself dry and hastened to get dressed, the chill of the Atlesian air biting his wet skin. After shrugging on a clean(ish) tunic and hose, he headed to the bar.
The two drinkers were gone, as was the snoring, cloaked figure from earlier. Tukson wasn't behind the bar but his wife was, Christine, a Faunus with nearly as much muscle as Tukson and bear claws for hands.
"Hello. Can I have some food please?" Jaune asked politely and the bear Faunus gave a gruff grunt.
"Aye. Tukson told me not to charge you so I won't ask. But I'll warn you that he's insisted on cooking for you, so you might want to order something strong with it to wash away the taste of whatever slop he serves you."
"I'll have whatever is cheapest and easiest to make. Thanks for the warning."
"Aye." The woman replied with a small smile before heading into the kitchen to tell Tukson what to cook. When she came back she sat behind the counter and tapped her claws against the counter.
"E-Excuse me?" Jaune asked after a few moment of silence.
"Aye lad, I mean my lord." Christine replied, giving him a bored look.
"Why is Tukson…Tukson?" Jaune asked, shifting uncomfortably when Christine roared with laughter.
"That isn't Tukson lad. Tukson would've charged you double for whatever slop he serves you and whatever shit he gives you to drink. If you mean why Tukson is being so generous, then the answer is simple. His parents were part of fighters during the Rights Revolution when it spread to Vale. Your father spared them and they decided to move to Menagerie when the settlement started to get set up properly. Tukson only moved to Atlas because he fell into the wrong crowd and needed an escape. He couldn't go to Vale because that was where his parents came from and Mistral was off limits because they don't exactly have the best reputation when it comes to Faunus' rights. He decided to move to Atlas because King Schnee revoked his labor laws and he ended up staying because he fell in love with the fairest maiden in the land. Putting it simply he feels like he owes you a debt because your father spared his. You got that?"
Jaune nodded and the woman grunted.
"Tukson'll take a while to cook his food. I'd recommend you go find out what your friends are up to otherwise you'll be stuck here for an hour or two." Christine advised and Jaune nodded.
"Will do. Thanks for explaining things." Jaune replied, standing from his stool.
"No problem kid." Christine replied, going back to tapping away at the top of the bar.
Jaune headed down the corridor to the rooms, quickly realising he hadn't asked which room Blake and Ruby were in. Luckily for him, Blake left a room just to the right of Jaune's.
"Jaune?" Blake asked.
"Yup. Hi Blake. Is Ruby in there?" Jaune asked.
"She is but I wouldn't recommend going in. She's still in the bath."
"Oh okay. How are you?"
"I'm…good." Blake replied, giving him a perplexed look. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah I was just hoping to apologise to Ruby, I think I made her upset."
"Why? I thought you bought her those silks."
"I did but I said something that upset her."
"What did you say Jaune?"
"I asked her if she had any siblings?"
"And that upset her because…?"
"I don't know. I just know it did so I need to apologise."
"No you don't."
"I don't?"
"You don't."
"But why?"
"You didn't know Jaune and besides, Ruby wasn't as upset as you seemed to think. She was quite happy with her silks."
"Oh good." Jaune replied with a small smile, rubbing the back of his head nervously.
"So happy in fact she forgot to knock before entering whilst I was in the bath."
"Oh. Sorry."
"It's fine Jaune. Don't worry yourself about it." Blake replied with a small grin. "Have you ordered some food yet?"
"Yeah. Christine said Tukson would take a while though and told me to find you two."
"Right. I'll place mine and Ruby's order then meet you here. Then you can show me where you are staying and we'll start planning what we need to do tomorrow." Blake said, though it felt more like an order.
"Aye aye captain!" Jaune replied with a mock salute, making Blake roll her eyes as she walked down the corridor to the bar.
Jaune heaved a sigh and stared at the roof. The conversation with Ruby had made him feel homesick. It was like a dull, empty black hole in his chest that panged with longing. It had been years since he'd properly spent time in Ansel and with his sisters. He really did miss them.
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Miles away, at the base of the mountain that Snowmire rested on, a shepherd herded his sheep towards their pens for the night. All seemed normal to the man, until his sheep scattered in every direction and his normally disciplined sheepdog whimpered and curled itself into a tiny ball. A shadow passed over them and the shepherd's eyes widened dramatically as a yellow dragon glided overhead, it's scales glinting in the dusk. It let out a howl before disappearing over a nearby hill, and whilst the shepherd came to grips with what he just saw and the liquid trickling down his legs he felt his legs shake as the earth shuddered. Pushing his sheepdog to its feet he raced towards his hut, storing the dog inside before changing his clothes and wrapping a fur cloak around himself. He lit a torch and began his ascent up the mountain to report the dragon sighting to the nearest town. Snowmire.
A/N: This will be the last chapter I will upload for the year of 2021. I was supposed to just be starting it today but I have to fly across the bleeding world because someone else couldn't make the trip. The trip itself won't be long but the problem is that it probably means I'm going to be promoted, which would normally be a good thing except in this case it means more work for a very meagre increase in pay and even more for me to deal with. So I've rushed this chapter so you guys can have a little more to read. I really do apologise but this was sprung up on me and I have little say in the matter.
However I can guarantee that this fic will not be abandoned and the hiatus will be temporary. I will continue to write as often as I can and I'm probably overreacting by saying this is the last chapter this year but I don't want to leave you guys in the lurch waiting for a chapter that won't come. Again I apologise but I promise this fic will be finished to it's completion even if it's the last thing I do.