Forge of stories
The Sailor-King and The Faunus Chief
Blake slowly closed the book in her hands, and sat in silence for a minute. This story didn't end in a way she hoped for.
Anardil was everything Blake liked in a protagonist – he was a charismatic leader, caring king and brave explorer, but he was also flawed, struggling with self-doubts and facing challenges as a ruler. But other characters, such as King Gil-galad, were also complex and she loved each scene Anar and Gil shared, especially the one in which they celebrated in the newly found city of Vinyalondë. Heck, even the villain was interesting in his own right, not only sending his armies to battles, but also spying and sabotaging Anar's every step, even sending his envoys to Numenor to saw discord. She could feel his presence all throughout the book.
But, at the same time, she felt really sad over Erendis. All she wanted was that the Prince of her Dreams to love her, but he always left for the long voyages. Heck, he left for another long journey RIGHT AFTER THEY MARRIED. His behavior was so infuriating that she almost threw the book more than once.
And as much as Anardil achieved great successes, established colonies and pushed back the armies of the Dark Lord, Blake couldn't help but feel pity for his wife – she was left alone, slowly getting older while her husband was always travelling far away, and even when he returned from his adventures, they couldn't even share some time together, because he had to rule the Kingdom.
The worst part is that Anar genuinely loved his wife, but he couldn't settle down, and constantly set sail. Because of that, they became so distant that the feeling they once shared died down.
Blake left a heavy sigh again. She kinda understood Erendis bitterness, who wouldn't? But it was sad that Anardil's daughter, Ancalimë, grew up without a single memory of her dad, and she finally met him when she was nine. But the worst part is that Erendis shared her bitterness against her husband, and men in general, with her only daughter, and that made Ancalimë resent all men in general, which Blake could already tell that it would lead to a really unhappy life.
She got up from the chair and wanted to put the book on the shelf, but she once again glanced at the title.
Until the very end, she hoped that their relationship could be repaired somehow, that Anar will finally bond with his daughter and rekindle his love with Erendis. But he just couldn't stop sailing away.
"I see you are troubled." She suddenly heard from the other end of the room, and immediately turned to face the smiling Annatar while also instinctively reaching for her ribbon, but stopped her hand when she realized it was just the owner of the forge.
But why she haven't noticed him earlier?
"Were the contents of the book unsatisfying?"
In his right he casually held the book about the Four Maidens, occasionally giving it a glance or two, but his full attention was on her.
"How long have you been standing there?" She asked worrying how someone could get so close without her noticing.
"For quite a while now." He closed the book in his hands. "But I decided to remain silent, to not interrupt your reading." He looked over at the book in her hands. "Ahh, so you read the tale of Tar-Aldarion! What do you think about it?"
"It was… different from what I usually read." Blake bluntly replied, trying to figure what the Smith wants.
"I figured, Remnant's tales are often full of hope." He looked at the cover of the 'Four Maidens'. "They are meant to inspire humans and faunus to be better versions of themselves." He put the 'Four Maidens' back on the bookshelf. "I could say the tales from my homeland are more precautionary."
"Sometimes It felt like I was reading a history book." Blake confessed, trying not to look the Smith in the eyes, but he kept searching for the eye-contact.
"It's because story of Tar-Aldarion is not as uncommon as you may think." Annatar approached her, his steps making little to no sound.
"You mean?"
"In his story as you know, Tar-Aldarion had to choose between the sea and the woman he loved, but everyone can one day find themselves before this dilemma." Annatar said as he now stood right before her. "Sometimes our passion and our love are in conflict, and choosing one will result in losing the other."
"And choosing none will result in losing them both." Blake replied, reminded that when Anar abdicated for his daughter, she changed Numenor's law, blocked all sea expeditions and withheld aid for Gil-Galad, leaving him alone against the Dark Lord.
"Indeed. Such as choosing the Cause over Love, Duty over Child, Revolution over the Family." Blake looked at him and rose her eyebrow.
"That last part was oddly specific you know?" Blake inquired, and Annatar only laughed.
"I speak about what I see, daughter of Ghira Belladonna." He said and gave her a knowing look. "Nothing more, nothing less."
Her eyes widened when he said that.
"You are mistaking me for someone else." She broke the eye contact and tried to lie, but Annatar rolled his eyes in response.
"You can drop the act now young Belladonna, it won't fool me."
She looked for an easy way out, a window, but there was only one way out – through the door behind Annatar.
"He lured me into a trap?!" She screamed internally, but then quickly recomposed herself. She still has her semblance, she can escape him if he tries to do something, and his body language does not suggest he is going to attack. Nevertheless, she remained on alert.
"Be at ease, Blake Belladonna, for I mean you no harm." Annatar spoke softly, keeping both of his hands visible for her, showing that he is unarmed. "Fighting you was never my intention."
"Then what do you want?" Blake asked, her muscles tense, ready to pounce at any second. And Annatar chuckled.
"I wish to know for what reasons you chose Revolution over the Family while your father chose You over the Cause?"
Blake frowned, taken aback by the question. "What are you talking about?"
"Correct me if I am wrong, but your father was the first leader of the White Fang, but stepped down due to unknown reasons, right?"
"He stepped out because the White Fang stopped being what he envisioned." Blake retorted, trying to understand what kind of trick this guy is playing on her.
"Was it? Or like Tar-Aldarion, he was put before the dilemma, and instead of choosing the Sea, he chose his Wife and Child?"
Blake took a step back, unable to utter a word. Memories of her dad coursed through her head, those little moments, like when he taught her to ride on a bike, him and mom watching her first steps, all the times he embraced her when she was happy or sad.
He was always there for her, always caring and helping if she found herself in troubles. And she loved him deeply, but when she grew up, things went little sour…
"You were called 'Daughter of a Coward', weren't you?" He continued, looking her deep in the eyes. "Even though there is nothing cowardly in abandoning the revolution for the ones you love, others relentlessly mocked him, and by extension, you. But, like always, all choices have consequences."
Blake lowered her head. Yeah, on Menagerie, there were many faunus who looked at her father with disgust and called him a 'traitor', while children her age bullied her viciously. All because her dad didn't want to lead the White Fang anymore.
One of many reasons why she preferred to stay at home and read books instead of making friends, Illia being an exception.
"I understand you felt the pressure to join the White Fang." Annatar continued, derailing her train of thoughts. "You wanted to change the world and also 'atone' for a supposed sin of your father, correct?"
She didn't answer, her sad stare worth more than thousand words.
Dad and Mom were against her joining the Fang, they argued about it. A lot. It was the first time she rose her voice on them. Said words that shouldn't be said. And then, one day, when Adam and Illia came for her, she left her home without saying goodbye.
That moment still stings her heart like a dagger.
"And yet here you are now, studying to become a Huntress." Annatar remarked, maintaining the eye contact, his gaze felt like it pierced through Blake's skull. "You still want to change the world for better, yet not with the Fangs. Why?" Blake's eyes widened in shock.
"How he knows all of that?!" Her body wanted to do something, but while she stared into the Blacksmith's eyes, thought about running away didn't even cross her mind.
"How…" She wanted to voice her question, but Annatar scoffed in response.
"Answer my question." He said, his voice boomed in the room with command. Blake's jaw tightened, trying to not speak at all, but her will faltered..
"It's because in the Fang, too many think that the change can only be brought by a bloody revolution. That if we want humans to respect the Faunus, they have to fear us first." She answered, remembering one of the conversations she had with Adam after they successfully raided one of the large warehouses of MTC, when he heard that she let the captured workers go.
"Your idealism is hampering us Blake!" Adam retorted with anger. "We need to show them strength, not weakness!"
"Mercy is not a weakness!"
"Don't you understand?! For them, Mercy IS a weakness. They taught me that a long time ago." Adam pointed at the SDC brand burnt over his left eye. "Only might makes right in this world Blake, and if we want to win, we can't distract ourselves with compassion."
"And you don't believe that?" Annatar asked, and Blake gave him an confirming nod. "So, you think by being a Huntress you will change the view of your kind?" The smith asked, flame in his eyes striking her with heat.
"Maybe not by myself, but it can be a start." Blake responded, fully aware that some would think that by hiding her identity, she contradicts her own statement, but she knew that if she reveals herself to early in Beacon, she will have a giant target on her back. Not only from Cardin, whose treatment of other faunus students still made her blood boil, but also from corporations like SDC. After she graduates, her past won't matter. At least, that's what she hoped for.
Annatar scratched his chin, thinking about her words.
"Admirable, but, if that was really your goal, then why you haven't truly left the White Fang?" With those words, Blake broke the gaze of Annatar.
"I left the Fang behind, it's a close chapter in my life." She retorted angrily, yet a hint of guilt palpable in her voice.
"Really now? They know it that you resigned or maybe, you deceived them?" On that words Blake snapped at him.
"They think that I am dead, and that is enough!" She shouted, only now realizing that first, Headmaster explicitly told her to not speak about it with anyone and second, that someone may overhear what they are talking about, and the third – that she is revealing all of that to this smith of all the people!
She quickly covered her mouth while the Smith chuckled at that confession.
"Oh, I am sure your deception would work quite well. If you returned home or found another, more peaceful job." Smith smirked while Blake avoided his stare. "But instead, you joined the Hunters Academy, organization that at some point will force you into the fight with your former colleagues."
"Hunters train to keep the Kingdoms safe from the Grimm and maintain peace between them." Blake stated. "And White Fang targets the corporations, not the Kingdoms." Annatar rolled his eyes.
"If you say something so blatantly untrue with such conviction, I see why you haven't noticed the mistake you've done foraging your death." Seeing her blank expression Annatar elaborated. "The world is changing, I can smell it in the air, I see it in the water, and I feel it in the earth. Or, as they say in my favorite TV series: 'The winter is coming'." He chuckled darkly while Blake held her tongue, not wanting to share any more info with him, but this allowed Annatar continue his thought.
"Tell me, in the fights to come, will you stand alongside the Hunters, against your previous brothers and sisters? Will you strike the cause you once fought for?"
She looked away. "That's not your business." She laconically replied, trying to hide this fear as deep as possible. "You won't understand anyway." And after a moment, Annatar shrugged his arms.
"Of course, of course, I am just a humble smith from Vale, I was never mistreated because I had an additional set of ears." He gave a theatrical nod to her bow, and she tried to cover it with her hands. "Or a tail, or any other animalistic features. This obviously makes my opinion invalidated."
"What? No! I didn't mean…"
"But I encourage you, look past the prejudice and listen to-"
"I wasn't racist to you! I just don't need help!" She interrupted him, clenched her fists in anger upon seeing his entertained smile, really wanting to paunch it out from his face, but then, after few deep breaths cooled of and loosened her hands. "It is something I can manage by myself."
"By yourself?" Annatar rose his eyebrow. "What about your friends?"
"We are just teammates, they don't need to know everything about me." Blake replied.
And what she said was true to some degree – through the months, she grew accustomed to her teammates – to Ruby's enthusiasm, Weiss's cold demeanor and Yang's straightforward approach to things*. Over time, she found few topics to talk about with Ruby, she was even able to strike a conversation few times with Weiss. Not to mention Yang's constant attempts to make her 'open up a little'. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but deep down, she really appreciated Yang's efforts.
But she didn't treat her teammates as friends and didn't try to bond with them very much, because she knew that if they somehow learn about her past, about her heritage, they will turn their backs on her. And she wasn't sure if her heart can take losing those she holds dear for a third time.
"I see." Annatar said after a long moment of contemplation. "This reminds me of a one particular story from my homeland." He looked her deep in the eyes. "Maybe would you like to hear it?"
"I think I have enough tales for today." She declined, wanting to end this conversation as soon as possible, yet at the same time to not anger the smith.
Before they talked, she felt uncomfortable with in his presence. After it, she felt uncomfortable AND afraid.
"I don't want to force you to listen." He left a sigh. "But, if you find yourself in a trouble, my forge is always open for you."
"I will remember that." Blake replied dryly, without any desire to come here again. "But one thing, about what you said." At first, her eyes were like daggers, and her boldness baffled Annatar a bit, but then, her gaze turned from threatening to pleading. "Please, don't reveal it to anyone." In response, Annatar bowed his head to her.
"I hereby swear to you that your secret is safe with me, and I only wish for us to depart on a good terms." He gave her a smile. "And, as a proof of my intentions, I want to offer you something more valuable than gold."
"You mean?" She asked, and Annatar approached the table in the middle, opening the drawer hidden beneath it.
"A choice." He pulled out something from the drawer. "Although it's my personal opinion, I find your current disguise…" He looked at the ribbon with a mix of amusement and disappointment. "…insufficient, to say the least." Smith extended his right hand to her, and on it, there was a silver hairpin with black onyx inside small silver nest. Blake quickly noticed that the nest had various marks engraved on it, some kind of letters? Unknown language?
"Its name is Umilëa." Annatar spoke. "Once you wear her, even those who knew you well will find difficult to recognizing you as THE Blake Belladonna." She gave him a look full of doubt. "Please, try it."
Blake picked up the hairpin and examined it closely. The onyx was pitch black, like it could swallow the light around it, silver wines looking like the tree covering an open heart with their roots.
Curious, she put it on her hair, and felt like… nothing happened.
"That's it?" She asked, looking all over her body if anything happened.
"See for yourself." Annatar pulled out a small mirror from his sleeve, and upon seeing Blake's questioning look, he snickered. "What, is carrying a mirror such strange behavior in Vale? I have to make sure that my hair always looks great."
Blake took the small mirror and looked at her reflection.
Her eyes appeared normal, without any hint of her Faunus heritage, they were looking… human. She slowly reached for her ribbon and took it off.
Her ears were nowhere to be found. She checked with her hand and they were still there, but she couldn't see them. She took of the hairpin and, like after the touch of the magic wand, she could perceive her ears again, and her eyes regained their cat features.
"How are you doing this?" She asked the Smith, while he smiled from ear to ear.
"Years of practice my dear. But, truth to be told, Umilëa wouldn't be that special where I am from. However, I still consider her one of my finest creations." He said, while Blake stared at the hairpin in her hand. "Now, I beg you a pardon, but I have to attend to something of utmost importance."
Blake couldn't help but leave a sigh of relief as he slowly walked away. But when she looked at the hairpin in her hand, a question came to her mind.
"You said it's a choice." Blake remarked, which stopped Annatar in the doorway. "What kind of?"
"Simple really – If you wish so, you can wear it until the end of your days, achieve your dreams of acceptance while simultaneously hiding your past. Or, you can reveal your true nature to others and face the consequences of your choices, both good and bad. Whatever will bring you solace." With that said, Annatar left her alone in the library.
She briefly looked at the now empty doorway, then sat on the chair, looking at the hairpin. Now, she could only hope that Annatar won't start babbling about her to others, and even though he said that he won't, what guarantee does she have?
His mere presence puts her on the edge, yet when he speaks, she has to fight the urge to listen and trust him.
"Why have I talked with him about my past!?" She internally shouted. "What if he works for MTC or SDC, or sell this info to Junior!? I should have run right after he mentioned my dad!" She berated herself, and slowly realized that this thought - of not engaging into a conversation and just leaving, or in the worst case scenario, escaping, never even crossed her head while they talked. She felt shock, fear, anger, but she didn't run.
"He is really dangerous." She concluded and hid the hairpin in her pocket. "Not to mention he knows about my past, which means, his connections are far deeper than Junior's." She rose from her chair and decided to join Ruby, just in case the Blacksmith decides to talk with her again.
But when they return, she will tell everything to the Headmaster.
Annatar walked through the corridors, and cursed under his breath. He hoped that, if he plays his cards right, Blake Belladonna will start to trust him more, but instead, she seemed to grow more wary of him. Perhaps her animalistic side is more than just the ears and eyes? Another subject for future studies.
He left a heavy sigh. At least she wasn't hostile to him, just cautious. A pity, he wanted her lesson to be longer.
"No matter." He thought as he made his way to the backyard. "First battle ended in a stalemate, but it was just a prelude."
With a single thought, muscles under his arms swelled and his body grew, revealing some of his true strength.
The last one needs more… direct approach.
*Except the puns. Some were funny (not much), but most were just annoying her.
Authors note
Once again, a rather short chapter. I intended it to be longer, but Blake didn't want to hear the story. Really, I had it prepared, but Blake was unwilling to cooperate.
It's fascinating really - character coming to life just to screw up your plans by saying "I wouldn't behave like this, instead I would...".
I admit, If I really wanted to, I would extend this chapter despite her protests. But I saw a promise for even better story if this goes down the way it did. And, to be honest, her plotline will be really important in the future.
Now, I can only hope that the last one will be more cooperative... (Sees Yang)... Shit.
On a sidenote - This story just got its 207 follow! That means we have already passed through our 200 follows checkpoint! And it's not even a year!
*Konsilio here - All things considered, we barely finished eleven episodes of the show (this chapter is sometime after Jaunedice part 1, we didn't even reach jaunedice part 2)
*DJ back - And we won't for a while.
Neverthless - Thank you very much! What else can I say, I am really happy!
Little confession - I take some time of the day just to look over the list, and I try to keep up with all of your profiles, because you are amazing guys and I want to show you my appreciation!
And, small tip - If you want me to write little faster - leave a comment. Not only because it helps me in my quest of becoming a better writer, but also because it helps me stay motivated. It's always a joy for me to read them.
Speaking of reviews: - response time!
In response to: RedHood001
Such a relief to hear this, thank you! When I first saw the "Ruby" chapter and compared it with the "Weiss" chapter, I knew that length Weiss, Blake chapter will only get shorter.
It's not that I want them short - when I finish all topics, I just move on. Some topics take three pages, other drag on for fifteen
*Konsilio - Now I understand why I takes Martin write "Winds of Winter" so long
"For Weiss, I... Not gonna lie; I was not expecting Sauron to flat-out reference his history" - Me and Sauron neither, but Weiss did something unexpected I just rolled with it.
Sauron tries to make allies from Team RWBY, so the new Fellowship will fight for him, not against him. And by showing Weiss that he and her are not so different, it will make it easier.
About his outburst - I think it was both. Yes, he made it as a show for Weiss, but at the same time, he REALLY felt betryaed by Eru and the Valars.
"Sauron is gathering allies and wants to have them go to him of their own will. In that, I love how you delve into how someone like him would do good but still be generally true to his own character."
Thank you! I spent a lot of time figuring out how Sauron thinks. Or at least, How I think Sauron thinks. If that makes sense.
Personally, I dislike static characters. I know that they can work, but I think its better to show how the characters change. Nothing stays the same forever.
I wanted that after the forge some things would change, that each team member will either realize something, or go into the future more prepared than they are now. Will result in a good or bad changes? Time will tell (*Konsilio - Probably both)
Depends on who will visist his forge. But remember, he means to take over this world, and if he can do it without spilling blood, then that's great! And for now, he gatherng his cards.
For this part of the story, he still preparing the foundations, searching for threats and looking for potential assets.
About the vindicating justice - If that would help achieve his goals, then yes.
And about a kinship - I left it as a tease for the future to come. It probably won't be dwelled on in the near future chapters, but in a long, it will be important. It will even get it's own arc!
I love too when the wordplay works, it's often hard to pull them off in a satysfying way. I often try to make prophecies and wordplays into my stories.
Yeah, I am also impressed by myself with those refrences.
Thank you for your review and I hope you are doing well too!
In response toDhestrya
78 105 99 101 (Converted from Ascii)
In response to vastoisshin:
I couldn't say it better my guy.
Oh they will, maybe even I will apear (*Konsilio - highly doubt that, but let the guy dream)
In response to Oystermcnutty:
Thank you for your kind words. Yeah, this one is, sadly, even shorter, but I hope you will like it.
Sauron was always a funny case - In the eyes of general public, he is the most generic villain of all, but those who read the books realize that he is more complex.
Is he evil? Oh yeah, he is! But he also views himself as a hero. He sees that he is doing an evil things, but he always able to justify them - that "these are a temporary means", that "they made him do", or that "There was no other way".
I am not justfying him - he usually could make diferrent choices. That's what I want to explore.
"Blake vs Telvido anyone?" - I will consider it. I think I even have an idea how to do it, but I won't spoil it. We will get there when we get there.
In response to Guest from 15.08.2024:
Okay.
If someone don't want to read it, then he/she shouldn't. I constantly to try improve my English, and thsi story is my way of training.
That's all I got for today!
See you soon!
(*Konsilio - Who knows? Maybe even sooner than you think)
DJ out