RWBY: Chosen King and Queen

Chapter 10: Thorn Crown of Roses

Later in the day, the whole team decided to take a visit with the mayor only to be surprised that Zeke was also there. "Zeke? Why are you here?" Yang asked.

"I informed the mayor about you guys on your way to confirm what I have told you all and he thought it would be a good idea that I tag along."

Drayce nodded, "Mayor."

The mayor nodded, as he pressed on a button under his desk as a secret door opened beside his desk. "Shall we."

The mayor began to set downward to their destination with a candle light illuminating the stairs with Zeke bringing the rear. "So how much did you tell them?" Zeke asked.

"I talked about the Maidens and Silver Eyes."

"Smart. Giving them that information is key. Especially for what you are about to see."

Drayce squinted his eyes, "Where are you taking us?"

"To a vault of sorts. It holds all of your unanswered questions." Mayor smiled, "This place had been built as the town started. In a sense, it is the foundation of this village and the reason why we have not had any Grimm attacks here."

They finally reached a door to which the mayor took a key and opened the door to reveal a large oval-shaped red crystal sitting in a meadow of red and blue roses with a sakura tree in the center right behind the crystal.

Everyone saw the scene and thought it looked so beautiful. For Ruby it felt as though the crystal was beckoning her forward as she answered by walking forward. Drayce saw her walking forward and became very cautious, "Wait-" Drayce however was stopped as the mayor stood in front of him, "What are you-"

"I apologize for this, your highness, but I can't have you interfere," he said before he and the others were wrapped up in branch-like bindings. "What the hell?!" Drayce yelled trying to get free as they saw Ruby go closer and closer to the crystal.

"Bastard!" Yang yelled trying to get out, "You lied to us."

"No I didn't." Zeke said with his hands on the ground, "I'm truly sorry but this needs to be done. For Linux."

"Like hell I would ever let you harm Ruby!" Drayce yelled as his aura flared. "Yang, Argus go all out, I'll support you!"

"Right!" Yang and Argus used their semblance to the fullest. However with Drayce's huge reserves of Aura now supporting them their appearance with the semblance altered slightly. For Argus his face gained blue glowing lines that moved from his eyes down his cheeks. While Yang instead of the usual golden flames that spew from her hair and body, the flames were blue like a blue supergiant star. They used this new power to start to break free as the wood started to crack. 'More dammit, I need more, to save Ruby!' Yang thought as she decided to go all in as blue flames flickered off her.

'Damn. It's too hard holding them all in place along with Yang and Argus. I should be sucking all of their aura but it's too much for me to handle.' Zeke thought before turning to the mayor, "Hurry up! I can't hold them for long!"

"AHHHHHHHH!" Drayce, Argus, and Yang exerted as they tried to break free.

The mayor ignored him and began to talk to Ruby, "You feel it don't you. The power. The knowledge. Everything that should be rightfully yours. Grasp that feeling with your two hands."

Ruby was now at the crystal and put up both her hands to touch the crystal. 'Take it.'

"Dammit! I can't hold them!" Zeke yelled as all three broke free along with the others.

"Pyrrha semblance now!"Jaune exclaimed.

Pyrrha used her semblance on Ruby's weapon to pull while Yang and Argus raced for Ruby.

Ruby began to be pulled until the mayor grabbed the scythe and quickly unhooked it while pushing Ruby slightly forward. Drayce thought quickly and threw his sword at the mayor and teleported to it, pushed the mayor away and was going to go for Ruby but the mayor grabbed his arm and forced him back.

Argus and Yang then passed them and reached for Ruby. 'Get to her Yang!' Yang screamed at herself. Everything from them being freed to now happen all in half a second; however with a millimeter away Ruby had already touched the crystal with both hands as an energy of red shot out in a shockwave blowing everyone away. From the crystal a red light shot up and out of the hideout with everyone in Remnant seeing the light.

In the chamber Ruby screamed in pain as her mind was assaulted with images. Drayce is not able to see Ruby in agony and at his failure, so he turned to the cause and grabbed the Mayor by his collared shirt and held him up. "What have you done!"

"She is gaining that which is hers. You wanted proof and here it is."

"What is happening?" Blake asked.

"It's called Ascension," Zeke said kneeling, "It's registering whether or not Ruby is of royal blood. Anyone who doesn't have ties with the Royal family of Linux dies from touching the stone."

'Royal blood?' Everyone but Drayce thought.

"But Ruby isn't royalty, she is just a girl born on patch. Why would you sentence her to her death?!" Weiss said with slight tears in her eyes realizing that her partner is going to perish.

"That's where you're wrong," Zeke said, "All those who are of royalty have a special aura. Not only that but the Linux Royal Family all have the silver eyes trait and just like your own semblance it has been passed down from member to member no matter how water down it may become."

The Mayor grunted under Drayce's grip, "I swear on the village that was brought up by the royal family that I mean no harm." Drayce decided to let him go. Just then all of the energy both from the sky and the crystal dissipated. Not only that but the flowers began to glow their bright colors as Ruby fell to the floor.

Everyone ran to her, "Is she alright?" Pyrrha asked.

Rainier put his head near her chest and heaved a sigh of relief, "She is just fine."

Yang picked up her sister and hugged her deeply as the rest of team RWBY joined her.

"Now what do we do?" Zyaire asked.

"Now we prepare," Zeke said.

"Prepare for what?" Ren asked.

"For the same people who killed the royal family," Zeke said. "That whole Ascension Ceremony was essentially broadcasted to the whole world. I guarantee that the people who are a part of this whole thing knows that you all came to Arvan and already have people ready to mobilize so we have to get the citizens out now."

"There isn't anyone that is going to be landing a hand on my sister," Yang said, hitting her left palm with her right fist.

"She is my partner and I would look like a laughing stock if my partner were to get hurt under my watch," Weiss said.

Blake also stood up, "Ruby is my leader and my friend. She stood up for me when I needed her the most. I would feel horrible if I didn't do the same."

Zeke smiled only to hear a grunt from the girls but it wasn't them. "Ugh my head feels like it's been stomped on by a goliath."

"Ruby?!" everyone exclaimed.

"You're already awake. You recover quickly your majesty," Zeke said, kneeling.

Ruby tried to get up only, to fall over and be caught by her team, "Thanks guys, it seems like I am not at 100% as I make it out to be."

"But that is what we are here for," Pyrrha said, "To support each other when we need it."

Ren walked up to say his opinion, "With that said we need to get Ruby out of this village now."

"Yeah. From what it sounds like from Zeke they will be here any moment," Nora said.

"They are," Ruby said, "They will be here in an hour. I felt their aura while I was unconscious."

"Fighting in this village will be unavoidable," Jaune said, "We need to be able to move people while keeping the enemy at bay but with only us there isn't much."

"My group should also already be evacuating most of the citizens as we speak," Zeke said, "Originally I would have set up for their arrival while you guys make the slip but with having to hold you guys back and you all being more powerful than I assumed, I'm at 25% right now."

"I see," Drayce thought for a long time before making up his mind, "Mayor, are we shoveling the citizens out through the train."

The mayor nodded, "Indeed. I made sure to have it arranged at this time. I estimate that we will be able to get everyone on the train by 10 minutes after the assassin's arrive."

Drayce nodded, "Alright with that said, here is what we will do. Yang, Blake, and Weiss you all are going to look after Ruby. You will be making your way to the train station, and board along with the passengers. I have no doubt that the assassin's already have people here amongst the citizens so becareful."

Yang, Weiss, and Blake nodded, "No problem."

"Team JNPR you will be helping in filing people into the train. Not only that, we are going to cause some sort of panic. Grimm is sure to make an appearance and that is where my team will come in, they will be defending the train as its passengers board and take off."

Drayce's team nodded, but something unnerved Ruby, "What about you? What are you going to do?"

Drayce sighed, "As of right now that isn't important. What we need to focus on is to get you and the people out of here. Now everyone let's move!"

Team RWBY

As the girls all move towards the train station with their things in hand, backpacks and bags over their shoulder, they start to see the station coming into view with multiple people stuck in lines with Team JNPR filing in everyone. Ruby looks around to find people walking past her in a hurry, she stops however; when a little girl drops her teddy bear. Ruby immediately goes and picks it up and runs up to the little girl and her mother and hands them the bear, "Here you go. She dropped this," Ruby said.

The women smiled at Ruby, "Thank you so much Miss-"

Ruby then started to collapse only to be caught by Yang and Blake, "Ruby you can't overdo it. Your body still hasn't recovered yet," Weiss said.

Ruby gave Weiss a tired smile, "Sorry Weiss, I may have overdid it a bit."

They heard a gasp from the woman, as she bowed, "My apologies for not realizing your majesty."

She was heard by many people and everyone from where Ruby stood to the train station entrance, "Make a path for her majesty," someone said from the crowd and everyone started moving to the side for her to get a straight shot on the train.

However, for Ruby this did not sit well with her. It will never sit well with her at all.

Flashback

Ruby's POV

When I touched the crystal multiple memories were planted into my head. My family. My lineage. It was of the royal house of Linux. We were peacekeepers. We fought to end wars, not start them. Our relationship with Arlyn was the closest any two kingdoms can have with each other. My family was all kind. They treated their people with respect and the people did the same. They treated them fairly, and made the point to be as approachable as they could to anybody.

I saw the night that changed everything. My great great grandfather being murdered by the person he thought was his closest ally. My great great grandmother faked her death and took her unborn baby to where the now Arvan village resides. Her creating the crystal and feeding her entire soul into it dying even from making it, for each descendent.

"So you now know," Ruby opened her eyes to find herself in the same garden but instead of her team and her friends it was…

"Mom?"

As Ruby said, there was her mother right in front of her smiling at her with a loving smile, "Hello my little Rose," Summer says with the softness only a mother can give to her child. Ruby without any warning runs to her mother crying giving her a hug.

"M-mom!" Summer smiles sadly as she strokes Ruby's head as it is placed in her chest. "I thought I would never see you again…"

"I'm so sorry sweetie for leaving you like that. It was never my intention to have you all alone like that."

Ruby balled up her fist feeling slight anger at being left, "Why… Why did you have to take that mission? Why was it only you? Why…"

Summer's sadness increased, "There are a lot of things you don't know about. And with you knowing our heritage; unfortunately it's going to get a lot more complicated. This is why I am here."

Ruby then realized one important fact, "Wait, how are you here right now?" She asked, pulling away from her.

Her mother gestured to the crystal, "Everyone of our ancestors had put a portion of their aura into the crystal so that we are able to talk to the next generation. I was the last one to put energy into it so here I am." Summer saw some of the petals starting to fall quicker. "I unfortunately don't have that much time left so I need you to listen to what I have to say."

Ruby nodded, "Okay."

Summer breathed in for a second before she started, "Okay first off as you know we are the lost Royal family of Linux. With that being said you no doubt know what happened that day our family was driven out of the kingdom. Thus with you activating the Crystal, the beacon to all of Remnant, some very powerful people know of the existence of the last of us and where you are at the moment. So I highly recommend to lay low for a while so that you could get accustomed to a couple of new additions."

"New additions?"

Her mom nodded, "Yes. As you know our family were very powerful people. So we naturally have those perks as well. Firstly your supply of aura has expanded. With the awakening of your true self your aura, your soul, has become and turned into its true form and shape."

"Since it's changed do I get a new semblance or is it the same."

"You will still retain your semblance. We are not like the Arlyn Family where their soul instinctively makes a seperate soul to hold their magical abilities." Ruby dropped at this, "But that doesn't mean we don't have things that they don't," Summer smiled slyly at the last bit.

"Like what?" Ruby looked excitedly.

"Are you aware of our eyes?" Ruby nodded to this, "For us our eyes become sharper. Our silver eyes become more concentrated and thus more potent. Lastly there is one last addition, but that is something that you will have to find out for yourself."

"Understood."

Summer sighed looking to see almost all of the petals were gone. Summer hugged her child, "Things are going to get harder from now on. You know who is to blame for our exile so watch out and be very careful how you approach them."

Ruby returned the hug, "Wouldn't the people who did this be gone already?"

"Yes, however their family line has decided to sully their hands fully and keep that secret to keep their power." Ruby nodded to this understanding of what she meant. "They do not have Remnant in their best interest." Summer then felt that her time was up so she finally hugged Ruby one last time, "I am sorry that I was not there for you while you were growing up. But I don't have to worry because you have turned into a fine young woman."

Ruby blushed at this but nodded, "Thank you mom."

Summer released Ruby, "Remember we are not above those we rule. We use our power and authority to help everyone no matter their status. Now go on, your boyfriend Drayce is waiting for you," she said with a smile.

Ruby blushed and was about to say that it wasn't like that until Summer disappeared. Ruby breathed in and woke up.

End of Flashback

"No!" Ruby yelled. Surprising everyone, "You all are more important than my safety."

"B-but your majesty you need to-" someone in the crowd started only to be cut off by Ruby.

"My family prided themselves in the protection of their people and that is what I shall do. Your safety is my top priority so all of you please enter the train now. If I cannot protect you then I do not deserve this title!" Ruby said with authority that surprised her whole team but put a smile on all of their faces.

Everyone smiled and started to slowly board the train as they were told. Ruby's legs then buckled but she was caught by Weiss,"Did I do that right?" Ruby asked her partner with a smile on her face.

"You did a pretty good job for your first time, but I swear. Sometimes you need to also worry about yourself," Weiss said with a smile.

Ruby gave her a smile, "Sorry I guess, I'm too stubborn for my own good. You could blame Yang for that."

"Damn right," Yang exclaimed with pride.

Seconds later a weapon appeared in front of them and teleported in was Drayce. "Why are you guys not on the train yet?"

"Well," Blake began, "Ruby decided it would be best if the people went first."

Drayce sighed looking at Ruby who had a smile with her tongue out in an innocent goofy way, "I swear. What am I going to do with you?" Just then multiple pods drop down from the sky and land a mile out from them.

"They're here," Zyaire said joining us, "What do we do now?"

"Damn," Drayce said, "Where is Zeke?"

"Right here your highness," he said, joining them with everyone from his camp.

"How much aura do you have now?"

Zeke sighed, "With me still running around and finding everyone, not much. I'm about 35%."

Drayce gritted his teeth as they were now moved onto the stairs almost in front of the train. He then turned to Zyaire, "Where is Rainier and Argus? And is the train at least ready?"

Zyaire shook his head, "Argus is filing everyone here while Rainier is helping get the train to be ready faster."

"I see…" Drayce said, looking down in thought. Then they heard multiple mechanical steps coming towards them. They all looked up to see machines and soldiers had caught up to them.

"Surrender!" The soldiers yelled. Drayce looked back to the people with most of them on the train with the ones on the bus looking out the window. "We have you cornered! Surrender the girl!"

"Zyaire how long til the train is ready to go?" Drayce asked.

"About 10 minutes, maybe 15 minutes."

Drayce looked around to see soldiers at the beginning of the steps. People on roofs and machines damn near everywhere. 'Damn there has to be over 200 of them.'

Drayce sighed as he turned to Ruby and summoned a small dagger, "Keep this with you at all times."

"What?" Ruby asked not understanding.

"Zyaire I need you to help the others to get this going faster. Zeke, you go with him." He then addressed the others of team RWBY, "You girls protect Ruby. Her aura is still recovering and she won't be doing anything for a while so get her on that train."

"What about you?" Weiss asked.

He smiled, "I'm going to do what must be done," as he turned toward the army.

Ruby realized what he meant and was not happy about it, "No you are not going out there on your own. You can't beat all of them."

"Honestly you may be right but I know I can buy you guys as much time as I can."

"Then let me go with you," Yang said, "With JNPR on the train navigating people and Argus and Zyaire helping the plane. I am the best fighter here so let me help."

"No," Drayce answered coldly, "I need you with Ruby just in case some of them get past me while I am fighting."

"Please Drayce, don't go. I don't want to lose you too!" Ruby said.

Drayce sighed to this, "Trust me I am coming back. I don't plan on dying anytime soon, but I don't know why but I feel very empowered at this moment," Drayce turned around to them and shocked them with what they had seen. Nothing was too unordinary but he had a blue outline on his eyes like eyeliner. "But I think it's because I want to protect you so badly." Drayce said with a smile as he turned to the army whose guns were trained on them. Ruby looked in awe as did her team, Zyaire, and Zeke. They all didn't think that he noticed his physical change but brushed it off.

Zyaire then smirked, "What we are about to see is Drayce finally going all out. This will be a spectacle for people to remember." Zyaire and Zeke then left to help with the train.

When Zyaire got in he passed Argus who pulled him aside, "What's going on?"

"They are here, but I think we will be okay," he said.

Argus gave a questioning look, "Why?"

"Drayce is on it and he looks the most determined I've ever seen him."

Argus' eyes widened slightly but then smirked, "A determined and motivated Drayce is a scary person. People will now know why he is a respected heir."

AN: You don't have to but if you want a better experience (at least I hope so) listen to Somnus from FFXIV until the fight is over as this was what I was listening to while I was writing.

Drayce walked down the stairs slowly. "Stop right there or we will open fire." Drayce still kept walking, "FIRE!" Every soldier and machine opened fire on the spot kicking up dust. Everyone stopped to find the result just to find Drayce walking out with his Weapons out and spinning. He then grabbed his katana and dashed into the air everyone fired at him only for him to maneuver

Drayce then landed on a machine and stabbed it in the chest. He then took it out and threw it to a house with a soldier on top of it, having stuck it to the roof. He transitioned to his lance as he began to get surrounded and threw his weapon in a spin at soldiers cutting multiple down. The others shot at his position only for him to teleport to his weapon in a spin, cutting down more as he cleaved through soldiers and machines.

As he descended he stepped on a soldier's back and jumped into the air. Using the lance he deflected all of the gunfire coming his way. He then threw his lance into the ground piercing right through a soldier, to which he teleported to, took it out of the soldier's chest, and made a wide swing decapitating multiple soldiers and machines.

Even though the major threats were gone that were close to him, he didn't have time to relax as a shot rang out to which Drayce dodged just in time. Over on the same rooftop that he threw his Katana to. He looked straight at the soldier who sweated profusely and began to immediately line up the next shot only to find the scope was black. He looks from it to find Drayce right in front of him. Before he could even pull the trigger Drayce plunged his spear right inside the soldier's stomach, with it protruding from the other side dripped with blood. Drayce heard more gunshots and ducked dodging them while grabbing his katana, however he didn't see a flying drone come ram into him taking him into the skies. He quickly plunged his sword into it, destroying it as he began falling.

As the soldiers knew that he couldn't maneuver as well in the air they took aim and fired. He quickly sheathed his Katana and threw it to the ground below before summoning his dual-edge sword, Dragon's Heir. He began to deflect as many shots as he could but with limited mobility he had to wait til his katana got to the ground. As a sniper took aim and fired the bullet it traveled towards Drayce's head. It felt as though time slowly as the bullet got closer and closer, and right as the bullet was about to make contact with his skin he teleported to his katana which was in the ground upright right between a crowd of enemies. Everyone's eyes widened as they all knew what would come next. He dropped Dragon's Heir to grab Solar Eclipse to which he lowered his stance, "Cleave," he whispered. In those words he unleashed his sword cutting everyone around him as he used his aura to create an arc cutting those around him.

Meanwhile everyone was marveling at the Prince and his combat prowess as it was truly a show with him taking on so many and cutting them down. Almost everyone was on the train with the last ten starting to board.

"How long til the train can move!?" Yang yelled.

"It will still be 5 minutes," Jaune said as the remaining people were in. Just as team RWBY was in, someone yelled, "For the revolution!" As gun was pointed straight at Ruby everyone saw this as Yang tried to punch him before he could fire, Weiss tried to use her rapier to knock the gun away, and Blake tried to move in front of Ruby to protect her, with Jaune lastly trying to grab the guy. As the man's finger squeezed on the trigger getting ready to end Ruby Rose, his arm moved downward quickly as he shot the ground.

With him missing Yang punched him as hard as she could, making him fly out the window. Yang turned to Ruby, "Ruby! Are you okay!? Did he hit you!? Did he-"

Ruby cut her off, "I am fine Yang no thanks to Pyrrha and you guys."

Everyone looked down the hall to see Pyrrha's hand outstretched showing she used her semblance to force the man to miss. Pyrrha nodded.

"Forget the Prince!" They all heard the soldier from outside, "Target the train and blow it up!" Everyone's eyes widened as the villagers started to fear for their lives. The soldier started to ignore Drayce as he took some out and was now on the steps aiming. Drayce quickly sped faster than he could ever and appeared in between them and the train. "Fire!" The enemy began to open fire on the train with Drayce trying to defend it.

"I won't let you!" He yelled as his armory materialized in front of him and started spinning in place deflecting the bullets.

"Keep going men! He can't hold it forever! Everything has a limit!"

And the soldier was right after a minute of nonstop gunfire, some of Drayce's weapons started to chip from getting hit in the same places repeatedly hard. As cracks began to form. Drayce threw out both hands and reinforced his weapons with his aura to keep them from hitting. "How much longer!? I can't hold this much longer!"

"2 MORE MINUTES!" Ren yelled.

Drayce grunted as his weapons started to chip more and a bullet got past and hit the window, but thankfully it didn't hit anyone. Fear began to grip Drayce. 'No, I won't let them touch her. I WON'T!' He looked to find a weapon that was less damaged than the others and found that Leviathan wasn't too damaged. His eyes widened as he grabbed his chained weapon and started to swing them, cutting off his aura to his weapons, making them shatter and return to his semblance of space. He cut apart every bullet that came after the train. He then noticed some still slipped through. 'Faster,' he said as he slipped his hands to rest on the chain. 'Faster…' His arms started to swing wildly. 'Faster…' he stood himself and his aura began to come out of him and he went faster. 'Faster, Faster, Faster, Faster, Faster!!!' The markings on his eyes appeared and glowed as his arms became a blur as his weapons seemed to be everywhere at once cutting down every single bullet with none reaching the train as everyone marveled at Drayce. Ruby looked in awe as she felt his energy, his aura calling out.

"Drayce…" she whispered.

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He yelled out as he continued. Slicing thousands of bullets in a wide radius as veins appeared on his arms, legs and forehead. He continued not letting not a single bullet hit the cart.

"We're ready!" Ren yelled.

"Take off!" Jaune said. The conductor forced the stick forward as the train began to slowly take.

"YOU WON'T EVER HURT THE PERSON I LOVE SO LONG AS I LIVE!" Drayce yelled as he swung one last time horizontally sending a shock wave knocking down everyone. He slumped as Leviathan finally broke. As he watched the train leave and teleport with the last bit of his aura to Ruby. This shocked everyone.

"Drayce!" All of his friends called out.

He appreciated their concern but he needed to know if everyone was okay. "What about the people? Did anyone get hurt? Is everyone-"

"Stop worrying," Zeke said, "No one was hurt thanks to you."

Drayce smiled, "I am glad."

Drayce then passed out right there as he was leaning forward to be caught by Ruby as he slept on her chest.

Yang chuckled, "So this is what it takes to bring him down. One tough motherfucker you got their Ruby."

Ruby smiled, "Yeah. He is."

"We are not out of the woods yet," Argus said with a smirk on his face, "But I think we will be just fine." Argus pulled out his weapon, "Rainier, Zyaire and I are going to protect the train from any grimm, just make sure you watch after him." Argus said, getting a nod from Ruby.

"I promise."

So for many people the fight might not hit as much as everyone, but here is the thing with me. When I write 10 times out of 10, I have music playing. I had the fight scene in my head already but I just so happen to be listening to Somnus from FFXIV and it helped with the emotion of the fight. At least I hope it did. Also obvious inspiration came from one specific trailer and also demon slayer. Also yep Ruby is a princess. I was trying to build this up as much as I can ever since Chapter 1s title.

Anyway I hope you guys enjoyed and until next time.

Ja Ne