#did she become leader to all the other atlesians who fell
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astraskylark · 2 years ago
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Neo is clearly winning this volume
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sustraiii · 4 years ago
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TEAM ZRCN ARC 3 - CHAPTER 4
After nearly six months, the story finally returns.
After months away from operating as a full team themselves, ZRCN are back taking missions again. Things take a turn when an old ally reappears...
many thanks to @neopoliitan for proof-reading editing for me again on this chapter!
NEELA
All four members of team ZRCN were on a mission for the first time in months. Neela would be lying to herself if she said it didn’t feel a little strange, but it was good to have the team back together. 
It hadn’t taken Cordovan long to start classes again at the Academy after he had reunited with his team. He seemed eager enough - but based on what he told the three of them, his mother, Wren, had been wary of him returning; she deemed it as still being too soon. No-one had said anything at the time, but Neela was sure she was not the only one who believed Wren was right to feel that way - even she still found herself fretting about him. It had definitely been something of a relief when their professors started off slow upon his return.
Today’s mission found Team ZRCN patrolling the streets of Mantle on a Search-and-Destroy mission, attempting to deal with a small pack of Sabyrs that had been sighted. Ultimately it had ended up as a much easier mission than expected, and Neela couldn’t help but wonder if their professors had purposefully sent them on a more low-risk mission for Cordovan’s sake. 
Once they had taken out the last visible Sabyr, Zelde had deemed it best to split up and canvas the area to ensure there were no stragglers - she and Xanthos headed in one direction, Neela and Cordovan heading the opposite direction. As they walked, they kept in contact through their scrolls.
“Have you spotted anything yet?” Neela asked, looking ahead all the while.
“Nope, nothing of interest to report on our end. ” Came Xanthos’s quick response. “Oh, wait I lied - Zelde’s looking like she might throttle me.”
“What have you done now, Ravi?” Neela asked, finding herself grinning as she spoke. From beside her, Cordovan chuckled. 
“He’s singing to me.” Zelde cut in.
“It’s not that bad!��� Xanthos protested. “My mother always said I had a lovely voice. We’ll settle this right now - Nee, tell me if this sounds bad.”
There was a brief pause before Xanthos launched into a made-up song. The lyrics could be best described as nonsensical, starting off with a few lines about being glad to be back together, before taking a comedic turn. Truthfully, Xanthos was not a bad singer - and would have had a more pleasant voice if he chose not to sing in the most annoying way possible. Before he had a chance to finish the song, however, a loud ringing sound sharply interfered with the call. Neela couldn’t help but flinch at the noise - ever since the night on Shizukana, she had become notably jumpier when things took her by surprise.. 
“Did you hear that?” Zelde’s voice asked over the scroll. Based on the clarity of her voice, Neela assumed she had taken the scroll from Xanthos. 
“We heard it,” Neela confirmed. “It sounded closer to you than us. Meet us there?”
“Sounds like a plan. See you there.”
There was a click as Zelde hung up, and Neela put her own scroll away, before turning to see if Cordovan was ready. “Okay, let’s roll,” She said, making a gesture for them to move. Her voice faltered when she took note of how still Cordovan had become, his eyes firmly closed, and his hands formed into fists. “Are you okay?”
When she got no response, she took a step towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Cor?”
This time her voice seemed to have an effect on him - his eyes snapped open and shifted to her. For a moment they held each other’s gaze, neither of them saying anything, until Cordovan finally seemed to relax a little. 
“Sorry,” Cordovan was quick to apologise. “I’m fine -- honest.” He stopped, but by the look on his face it was not from lack of having anything to say; he seemed torn between saying more or keeping his mouth shut at the risk of opening up old wounds.
Neela squeezed his shoulder. “I understand.” He said nothing in response, but she hoped that the look he gave her meant he knew she was telling the truth.
After the moment passed the two set off to meet back up with their teammates, reuniting with them as Zelde eliminated what looked to be an Atlesian Knight - one much bulkier than its kin. Xanthos was grappling with another robot of a similar appearance, but was having a harder time dealing with it on account of the sword it was wielding. It was fair to assume Xanthos and Zelde had been successful in dealing with them so far as there were only two more left. Hearing his teammates arrive, Xanthos turned and gave them a glance, before beating his assailant back with a lash of his whip.
“Took your time,” He panted as he fell back to where the team were standing. 
“We got a little lost,” Neela lied. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Cordovan giving her an appreciative glance. Xanthos gave a shrug before focusing back on the robot as Zelde strode purposefully over to them. She gave them both a brief glance as if silently checking them, then gripped Neela’s arm and moved her forward, gesturing for Cordovan to follow suit. 
“We need a smokescreen,” She said urgently. “Are you two alright to do that?”
“Hey, if we’re gonna use that, you should at least use the name I thought of for that attack!” Xanthos chimed in. Zelde gave him a look and motioned with her head for him to focus on the task at hand. “Come on, you know Mistdirection was cool.” He said as he turned away from them, electricity crackling as he lashed his whip at the robot he was dealing with.
With the orders already given from Zelde it was only a matter of getting themselves into position so they could execute their smokescreen, or ‘mistdirection’, as Xanthos had lovingly dubbed it. Zelde stepped aside momentarily but kept close so she would be able to land the final blow.
Already generating mist around her with her semblance, Neela looked over her shoulder and called out to Cordovan who stood further back, one hand outstretched - ready to throw up a shield with his own semblance. “Think you can handle this?”
“I’ll try my best.” Cordovan shrugged - which wasn’t the most comforting of gestures given the circumstances. Neela gave a simple nod and turned her gaze to face ahead. She really hoped he would be able to get a shield up in time.
Neela took a breath before calling out to the lone robot - stealing its attention from Xanthos. It fixated on her with a fiery red gaze that sent a chill down her spine. 
For a moment it did nothing - if it were not a robot, Neela almost would have thought it was sizing her up. 
Then it charged. 
With a quick, fluid motion Neela threw her arms upwards. The mist she had been generating pulled upwards too, so as to better cover herself and Cordovan. Her vision was obscured more now, and with  Cordovan’s shields having no visual cues unless hit, it was a brief waiting game to see what would happen. The sound of footsteps in front of them only grew louder until the sword the robot was carrying hit a shield Cordovan had raised just in time. The shield dissipated on impact due to the force of impact and the robot stumbled back. Zelde darted out of cover, blasting at the metal enemy with a rapid shot from her weapon. 
The robot turned its gaze on her and readied itself to strike again. Zelde did not flinch. “Now, Ravi!” She shouted.
Neela hadn’t even seen Xanthos moving into position; she had been too busy focusing on her semblance to recognise her teammate circling around for an attack. He wasn’t using his weapon to attack, but rather his fists. As he got within a few feet of the robot  he drew back his fist - his whole left arm being covered by a golden sheen for a moment - before he smashed it into the robot’s torso.
The hit was enough to dent the metal plate but seemed to do little in the way of actually stopping the thing. It took a swing at Xanthos with its free hand, only narrowly avoiding smacking him on the head thanks to a timed shout from Zelde warning him to roll out of the way. With the robot making another error in its attack Zelde took the opportunity to step closer to it, aiming to get a hit at point-blank range. She had just about lined up the shot when her semblance flared up. It seemed her precognition was a little too late; just as she seemed to recover, the robot swung upwards with its free hand and swatted her aside like she was nothing more than a pesky fly. Her aura flared up considerably, and she was clearly winded by the force of the blow.
The robot was not letting up even though Zelde had been knocked down. In fact, Neela couldn’t help but notice that it was almost striding towards her leader with a sense of purpose… as though it intended to finish her off there and then.
“Don’t you touch her!” Neela yelled, quickly readying Triton’s Maw. The trident shifted into its spear form with the press of a button on the hilt. She gave the grip on the shaft a twist - a new improvement following the events on Shizukana - which ignited fire dust within her weapon, one of three new types she could now more easily switch between. She charged, driving the fiery spearhead into the back of the robot as hard as she could. She knew it wasn’t as much force as, say, Xanthos could muster, but it was working as intended; the heat from her weapon was beginning to melt away at the metal on the back of the robot, which was apparently weaker than the rest of its body.
Given time she might have been able to cause some real damage or maybe even take it down, but the robot was able to knock her aside - much like it had with Zelde - by twisting its body sharply. Neela fell backwards but was otherwise untroubled. The robot seemed to hesitate for a moment, before turning its attention back to Zelde. This time it came at her with speed, raising its weapon above its head with both hands. Zelde had managed to get to her feet by that point, but was hunched over slightly and unable to properly defend herself. She might have been cleaved in two -- had it not been for Cordovan jumping in front of her and throwing up another shield.
The robot never got a second chance to collide with Cordovan’s shield. Just as it was about to swing down once more, a shape appeared from behind Neela. It was only Xanthos making a small gasp in surprise that she even caught it in time - the glint of a blade rushing past her.
When her sight adjusted she could see clearly what she hadn’t before - the colourless outline of a person driving what looked to be a flaming katana into the small tear Neela had caused in the robot’s back. As the person pushed, they became more and more visible, until Neela was able to make out the form of Helia Vines once again coming to their rescue. The older huntress continued pushing with her weapon until finally, the katana pierced through the other side. She withdrew her weapon quickly, and the robot jolted forward a little, before finally succumbing to the damage it had suffered and toppled over.
Cordovan released his shield, giving Zelde a small pat on the back, then looked towards Helia who was still looming over the fallen robot. “What are you doing here?” He questioned - something they were all thinking.
Helia didn’t respond for a moment, still looking at the android, but finally she gave a swish of her katana and extinguished the flames. 
Huh. Where’s the other katana? Neela pondered, recalling that Helia always used two.
There was little in the way of pleasantries when Hellia Vines responded to Cordovan’s question, only a trace of urgency in her tone as she turned to address them. “You’re in danger.”
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littlemisssquiggles · 5 years ago
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Pinehead Headcanons: Oscar’s Royal Roots
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Once more, hear me out with this one folks:
Playing off of ideas from the Marvellous Land of Oz, in that story, Princess Ozma was the daughter of King Pastoria of Oz who was given to the witch of the north Mombi by the Wizard of Oz. As the daughter of the former king, Ozma was the heir to the throne of Oz but Mombi transformed Ozma into a boy named Tip and raised her as her slave with Tip having no recollection of being a girl.
It was Glinda the Good Witch of the North that forced Mombi to reverse her spell, transforming Tip back into Ozma so that she may be crowned the rightful ruler of Oz.
From some of the musings and Pinehead headcanons I’ve shared, you guys can probably tell that this squiggle meister is an advocate for seeing more elements of the Wizard of Oz stories incorporated into RWBY’s narrative, particularly for Oscar’s side of things. That being said, I was thinking I could use these same story points from the Marvellous Land of Oz story to help forge another new Pinehead headcanon for Oscar.
Last time; I addressed ideas for Oscar’s parentage, I shared a theory that Oscar's mother could possibly be a General in the Atlesian Army. You can read the full post right here.  Consider this an expansion of said theory.
What if…Oscar’s mother or at least one of his parents will draw inspiration from King Pastoria from the Marvellous Land of Oz? Imagine if…Oscar Pine, similar to Princess Ozma, is of royalty or at least the closest thing to royalty by Remnant standards.
Right now, the closest thing to monarchs in RWBY are the members of the ruling council for each respective kingdoms. In Vale, we caught a glimpse of the Vale Council during the events of V2. The Council consisted of three members. So let's say it's the same for Atlas. Three seats on the Atlesian Council.
We know General Ironwood holds two of these seats, as mentioned in V4. So let's say, whoever has the final seat is the Head of Atlesian Council as its First Chair.
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For the sake of this theory, I'm going to refer to this character as Head Councilman Pastoria since I'm basing them off of their Oz counterpart.
Councilman Pastoria is currently the key 'ruler' of Atlas Kingdom as the head of its leading council. However Pastoria has a secret.
Long before being appointed as the Head of the Atlesian Council, Pastoria was part of the Atlesian military. That’s how they became affiliated with Ironwood.
I like the idea of Pastoria being the child of whoever was the head chairman of the Atlas Council who eventually retired from the council or passed away with Pastoria inheriting the position. I like the idea of Pastoria, being the child of a council leader, being groomed from childbirth to be involved in the politics and government of Atlas but still making the affirmed decision to join the military. Because despite being born into politics, Pastoria still desired a life outside of such the lifestyle they were bred in, you understand.
I even like the thought of Pastoria seeing the military as a way of forming their own identity since them being the child of a politician came with its fair share of responsibilities and burdens. Pastoria was constantly compared to their councilman father and held under a microscope to be judged by everyone for every action they made which wasn’t in accord with what their father wanted for them. Basically Pastoria’s was constantly told that their actions reflected heavily on, not just his father and the Council but also the People of Atlas. It was a rather suffocating type of life. All the more reason why Pastoria desired to depart from it and saw the military as their ticket out in a sense.
So Pastoria became a solider and a very good one to be precise. After all, they were the child of the Head Councilman so one could only expect greatness. I’m not sure how the Atlas Military works in Remnant but I’d like to think that once the soldiers reach a certain rank they can choose which military base in another kingdom to be deployed to. So Pastoria chose Mistral…or at least their controlling councilman father pulled some strings to ensure that Pastoria didn’t stray too far from Atlas and out of his reach. At least Mistral shared good intercontinental relations with Atlas so there was that.
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Anyways to make this long explanation short, Pastoria is begrudgingly deployed to Mistral. Since RWBY made Ozma a genderbent version of the original Oz character in the Lost Fable, so to speak, I’m going to make my Councilman Pastoria character a woman. A leading lady at the Head of the Atlesian Council to keep up with my solider mom concept.
While in Mistral, Pastoria met the love of her life. A farm boy living on his family farm with his older sister and her husband (in case the CRWBY decide to go with Aunt Em being young). His name was Theodore Pine---my fanon name for Oscar’s papa. Pastoria and Theodore fell hopelessly in love and made plans to settle down and have a family together in Mistral. Despite her soldier duties and political ties to Atlas, Pastoria was more than ready to leave it all behind to start things anew with her Theodore. Especially following the conception of their son. Their little prince.
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However things take an unexpected turning point when Pastoria is forced to return home. Her father, the former Head of the Council unfortunately passed during Pastoria's estranged absence and as his only child and heir, the one who was formerly being groomed to take his seat on the Council, Pastoria is elected as her father’s replacement.
This creates a complication in her relationship with Theodore. Let’s just say that no one else besides the Council knew of Pastoria’s alleged affair (that’s what they termed the relationship) with the lower class Mistrali Theodore. Nor did they know of their child together and thus, it was advised that Pastoria kept it that way.
To play off of the Marvellous Land of Oz, I like the idea of their being a Mombi character. Someone who was probably an advisor to Pastoria’s father and was the one who urged her to relinquish all ties she had with Theodore Pine for the sake of keeping up appearances. Something about avoiding a scandal in the political world for when Pastoria makes her return home.  
So long story short, Pastoria breaks things off with Theodore and reluctantly leaves their baby boy---little Oscar in the care of his father.
In a similar fashion to Tip, I really like the idea of Oscar being raised oblivious to the truth about his Atlesian royal roots through his mother’s side. At least, the closest thing to royalty in Altas as the son of its head councilman.
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This is another way to pull elements from the Marvellous Land of Oz to help mould Oscar's side of the story.
Up until V6 in RWBY, Oscar has basically more or less been dancing to the beat of Ozpin's (technically Ozma’s) drum with very little leeway to deviate and form his own individual story. Despite the Writers insinuating that he’s supposed to have one.
I'm hoping this is changed for V7; as alluded to by Kerry Shawcross which I'm holding him to.
I really would love to see some characters inspired by the Marvellous Land of Oz as part of Oscar's side of things.
Mombi, Pumpkinhead (and maybe Sawhorse too), General Jinjur, Tippetarius and now Pastoria. I really would love to see RWBY versions of them for Oscar's story in Atlas.
I've already shared concepts for how Mombi, General Jinjur and Tip can be incorporated. And of course, there's my Pumpkinhead idea. Still love my robot Pumpkinhead (Atlesian Battle Droid PMKN-4340) headcanon.
Now I got Pastoria. Not sure if we'll actually see this done for V7. Buuuuut....a squiggle meister can hope, right? It’s definitely going on my V7 Bingo Card wish list.
I just really, really like the thought of Oscar's story for V7 being him getting in touch with who he really is and who he destined to become in more ways than one.
We know he has the Merge with Oz that’s on his mind. However I also like the idea of Oscar having identity crisis issues before he met Oz. Like being raised by only one of his parents and a family who kept the identity of his other parent a secret from him for most of his life. Just like Tip/Ozma.
A potential Pastoria character can provide an excellent driver to explore Oscar's past and who he saw himself as WITHOUT it being all about Ozpin for a change. Forgive me folks but after three seasons, I’ve kind of grown tired of Oscar’s story always revolving around Ozpin or Ozma’s side of things without much exploration of his own story. Is he his own person or not, CRWBY Writers?
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This is a decent way to play into Oscar’s side of things. Imagine if... all of his life, Oscar has been told he's like someone else. Like growing up in Mistral with his dad and his family, Oscar was told that despite looking like a spitting image of his dad, he was becoming more like his mother every day in terms of personality. However this statement would always confuse Oscar since he never knew the type of woman his mother was beyond what his family told him.
Then while with the heroes in Mistral, Oscar is expected to be more like Ozpin or Ozma. This is emphasized even more when he finally meets Ironwood who starts to grill him on that expectation of him.
And lastly, in the event of this theory being true and Oscar learns that his mother is a ruling party in Atlas, he has even more expectations placed on him since as the son of the Councilman he is expected to behave a certain way and adhere to certain regulations in keeping up with the political lifestyle. Something Oscar’s farm bred backstory never prepared him for and of course, he struggles. With all of it.
This can also be an interesting way to have Oscar bond with Weiss. Weiss was bred in such an aristocratic life but ultimately left. Oscar, on the other hand, was raised outside of said regime and is suddenly being tossed into it while getting to know his mother. He is expected to adjust quickly in order to impress or please his mother (and the Council) but he struggles with all of it.
Perhaps with this kind of plot, we can see Weiss developing a brother and sister bond with Oscar by using her previous life with her family to show him the ropes. This can then lead to Weiss unlocking memories of her past with her brother Whitley when the two used to get along. That could be really interesting. But who knows?
~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)
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texanredrose · 8 years ago
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I guess the Arranged Marriage AU continues? I need to figure out a name for this thing.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 (here) / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10
Weiss glanced up, watching as gentle rays of sunlight filtered through the leafless branches overhead, a cool breeze teasing the end of her offset ponytail as the strands brushed the back of her calves. Growing accustomed to the manner of dress in Vale was something of a trial. The wardrobe she'd brought from Atlas would make her pass out from stifling heat; the fabric were heavy, designed to combat the Atlesian cold, and Vale's climate simply ran much warmer in comparison. Her wife had done everything in her power to ensure the new wardrobe would suit her tastes, though, with every garment woven from the finest silk or the smoothest cotton, dyed white or blue to match her hair or eyes. They all had high necks, long sleeves, hems that brushed the ground, and pants to provide her modest where most Valen clothing provided little, to her sensibilities, anyway. Designs were stitched into them as well, looping and elegant, and Weiss didn't miss how the Valen royal sigil- a fierce, golden dragon lacking wings- entwined with the white snowflake that had always stood as the emblem of her house over her left breast.
It wasn't hidden beneath the dragon and the ancient progenitor of the Xiao Long clan- or so the legends went, and she was finding it a little difficult to discount- didn't superimpose itself over the snowflake. They simply existed, together, in the same space, equal parts of her new sigil and a perfect counterpart to Yang's own, a flaming heart with the same dragon wrapped around it, yellow and gold standing out against the brown of her vest. With the turn towards cooler weather, the woman had taken to wearing a plain, long-sleeved shirt beneath the hide and matching full length pants tucked into her boots. It was curious to see her now, as winter began to settle into Vale, fighting not to shiver while pulling her sash tighter, trying to keep the warm air trapped within the confines of her shirt even as the long, tapered end fell lower, just past her knees. The oddest part wasn't that, by Atlesian standards, this ensemble would've been far more acceptable for their wedding than what the blonde actually wore; it actually stemmed from the twinge of regret lingering in the back of her mind. She'd... grown rather fond of seeing her wife's chiseled muscles on display, especially whenever they came out to the clearing together. Now, she could only admire them when the two prepared for bed or awoke for the day.
"You know we don't have to do this, right?" The blonde offered, as she always did, her supportive smile doing little to hide the worry in those lilac eyes.
"Nonsense," she replied, straightening her posture and tilting her chin up, brushing off the annoyance that it did little to intimidate her taller wife. "You said it yourself; Valen children are capable of controlling their semblance. I can do this."
"It's not a matter of can or can't, Princess." Yang's shoulders dropped slightly as she spread her hands. "You don't need your semblance. I promised I'd protect you, remember?"
"It's not a matter of need. Am I not allowed to protect myself?" A low blow, perhaps, taking advantage of the blonde's perpetual concern regarding their arranged marriage to bolster her argument, but the back and forth between them was exhausting. Her wife would relent, as she always did, and the lesson would proceed, yet she always tried to gently discourage further attempts. Where once the Atlesian might've suspected some manner of foul play- much easier to exert control, after all, when the target had no means of defense- now she knew better. The reluctance on the Queen's part came entirely from not wanting to see the disappointment on Weiss' face when she failed to manifest her chi in any significant way. In the two months they'd been together, that much she was willing to bet on without hesitation.
Her fascination with chi, however, was far more recent. After the blonde's comment on what the Atlesian considered their 'true' wedding night, the curiosity lingered. There was no word in her native tongue that corresponded with 'chi', leaving her at a loss for what Yang had truly meant. It wasn't until a month later, when the question flew from her tongue over breakfast before she could clamp down on the impulse, that she realized it was a purely Valen concept. The blonde had pursed her lips together in thought, trying to snatch the Atlesian equivalent and failing, before launching into a brief explanation. An energy that resided in all things and could be harnessed by the Valen warriors to protect them from grievous wounds. But chi could be developed further, allowing an individual warrior to achieve things far beyond the scope of a regular human being.
"A semblance," she'd said in her mother tongue, wonder filling her tone. Yang had furrowed her brows, confused, before she explained, retelling half a hundred fairy tales from Atlas about great heroes who were blessed by the God, granted a bit of divine power to aid them in battle, protecting people and doing great deeds. It was thought that only those chosen by the heavens to become heroes were capable of receiving such gifts.
The blonde had laughed. "You don't need a God's blessing to be a hero. Just a strong heart."
Weiss had wanted to protest- there was no evidence in Atlas to contradict those old tales and she was raised believing them- but instead she'd paused and considered. If the Valen army were all capable of wielding their 'chi' in such a way, to the point where they effectively had the semblances of old, then it would certainly explain why the war against Vale was so obviously doomed. How every wave sent to the distant shore came back, muttering absolute gibberish about the terrors they faced on the battlefield... perhaps her father had dismissed their claims too quickly.
Rather than argue the point, the Atlesian took what appeared to be the obvious step. If Valens could harness their 'chi', and Atlas had their own legends regarding something similar, it had to be possible for Weiss to develop her own chi, her own semblance. Her skills with the sword were already a match for her instructor; Yatsuhashi had said as much before departing to return to his own lands.
Snapping back to the present, blue eyes caught the way Yang's lips twisted into a frown. "You're allowed to do whatever you want, Weiss. I just don't like how much this is upsetting you."
"I'm frustrated by my lack of progress," she replied, curling her fingers around the hem of her sleeves. "Ceasing altogether is not a step in the right direction if that's where your concern truly lies."
"Maybe you just don't have a very good teacher." The Queen shrugged, puffing out a sigh. "This... it all came naturally to me, Weiss. I don't know how to explain it right." She passed a hand through her hair, obviously more aggravated than she was letting on previously. Maybe the Atlesian shouldn't have prodded; Yang had shown her nothing but kindness over the past two months. With all the clan leaders gone, returned to their lands after wishing the newlyweds a happy union, there was no one left aside from the blonde herself who even had an idea how to teach another to manifest their chi. "But... there's one more thing I can think of that might work."
"Then let's try it." Weiss allowed herself a small smile, hoping it would encourage her wife. It was strange, how such small gestures seemed to mean something greater to the other woman while they would be outright shunned back in Atlas. No weaknesses on display, no cracks in the armor her father had often said, but it seemed the more she showed Yang, the more the blonde wanted to see.
It was... heartening.
"Yeah, okay." Yang nodded, her smile returning. "It's going to be a little different from what we've been doing."
The past two weeks were filled with meditation and simple, repetitive motions meant to clear her mind and hone her awareness of her body in turn, but neither seemed to do anything aside from offer unique relaxation methods the Atlesian was unfamiliar with, which was a good thing. Not their goal, of course, but a boon nonetheless. Their chosen space, a clearing just a little ways from the blonde's childhood home, served their needs well, providing a tranquil area devoid of distractions, except the errant animal like a squirrel or a deer moving through the minimal brush. They could only come out whenever her wife's duties allowed, which was surprisingly often all things considered. At least once a day for an hour or two, but it still wasn't enough for them to make significant headway towards their goal.
After hesitating for a moment longer, the Queen approached. Weiss watched, blue eyes briefly catching on the gleaming light any time the cestus passed beneath unbroken sunlight, and remained still while the blonde walked around behind her. Myrtenaster hung on her hip, as they were both armed whenever they left their bedroom, and there it remained as her wife was mindful not to catch its pointed tip against her pant leg. There was a pause before Yang came closer, hardly any space between the two of them. "If... if you don't-"
"I'll say something." She assured, turning her head just enough to catch her wife's gaze over her shoulder. Although it made her uneasy at first, she'd grown more than accustomed to the blonde's occasional timidity whenever it came to physical contact between them. It clearly never resulted from lack of impulse- although she'd never made a comment on it, Weiss had caught her wife more than once reaching out towards her and then jerking the movement into something else, like a poorly executed stretch- and the Atlesian had come to accept Yang was genuinely trying to simply respect her space. A concept she was growing to appreciate just as her regard for the woman was slowly turning to... fondness.
Or perhaps something a little stronger.
The blonde's larger hands landed on her hips, somehow burning through her clothes despite exerting no pressure. "You remember the breathing exercises? I want you to start... but sync your breathing with mine."
She raised a brow at that instruction for a moment before Yang moved closer, standing almost flush against her back. Heavy boots bracketing her much smaller, thinner shoes, wide hips against her backside, those hands sliding up her sides and down her arms until the blonde's gauntlet clad hands curled around her own. Breath stuttering in her chest, Weiss didn't dare move as she became acutely aware of every point of contact between them. It might've caused her apprehension once but now it just made her feel warm and safe, eyes falling half lidded of their own accord.
"Come on, Snowfall. Breathe with me." The blonde's soft, smooth voice set just beside her ear nearly made her shiver, but the Atlesian managed to marshal her senses at the last minute, focusing on following the other woman's lead. Eight counts in, eight counts out, her heartbeat slowing from its steady pound to a soft lull that fell away. Her wife's heart was strong, louder, so she focused on that, as if she could truly feel it against her back. "Good, just like that. I'm going to reach out with my semblance."
Weiss kept the majority of her attention on her breathing. Yet, she could distinctly feel the moment when Yang's chi surged, through the blonde's body and into hers, like a wildfire spreading across dry grasslands. Searing heat that didn't burn rushed over every nerve ending before something else rose up to meet it, an unnatural cold that suffused her being and moved outward, pressing against the other woman's presence. Somehow, despite the knowledge that she felt cold- colder than she thought possible- she didn't shiver or balk, as if the ice inside her was no threat. Once it reached the tips of her fingers and toes, everything settled and she began to feel a new sort of balance take precedence, like she'd spent her whole life precariously wobbling on the edge of a cliff and just now realized there was solid ground just a step behind her.
"Perfect." She could hear the smile in her wife's voice. "Now, move with me. The first twenty four forms."
In her right mind, she would be skeptical they could actually move together without severely injuring themselves, but she was just about the furthest thing from that state of being just then. There was just the beating of Yang's heart and their combined breathing providing white noise in her head, so she moved without thinking, the repetitive motions burned into her muscles' memory. The heat never abated, their forms never separating as they moved. Was Yang leading her through the motions? Or was she guiding the blonde?
Did it matter?
They moved, comprised half of winter's fury and a happy inferno, each motion fluidly flowing one into another until they reached the last one. Arms raised, one outstretched while the other hovered midway, stance wide and steady, they stilled, hearts beating in time and breathing deep and even.
"Bring us back to center."
Weiss did so- still unsure if she was initiating each movement or if she was simply following the blonde's lead- taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly as their arms came to rest, elbows bent and a bit higher than she would usually keep them, an approximate compromise between their differing centers while their feet returned to a simple, ready standing stance. After a moment of remaining like that, Yang moved, her fingers working between the Atlesian's until they were threaded together, bringing both arms in for a hug.
"Did that work?" She asked, leaning back into her wife's solid embrace. Honestly, the answer didn't matter to her too much- if this failed, she would hunt down the nearest library and turn to literature for answers- but her curiosity simply won out this round, as it was starting to do more and more often.
Yang chuckled, pressing a chaste kiss just behind her ear. "I don't know. I think it did, but we'll have to-" Suddenly, the deep booms of the village's drums echoed out over the forest, pulling the blonde's attention away. Weiss' breath hitched, immediately equating the warning with an impending attack. There was no other explanation. "Stay here."
"What? No," she replied even as her wife pulled away, turning towards the path that would lead to the village. "I'm coming with you."
"Weiss-" The Queen looked back- and, make no mistake, that's exactly who the woman was right then, brows furrowed and expression set in absolute seriousness- and seemed to war with herself for a moment before coming to a decision. "Just... be careful. If things look bad, run back to the house. My father will keep you safe."
"I can defend myself."
As the drums rang out again, Yang stepped towards her quickly, both hands coming up to gently cup her face. "I know that." Her expression faltered, the determination of a warrior about to head into battle sliding away as worry overtook her features. "You could have the blessing of every deity in Remnant and I would still worry, Weiss. I care about you."
Rising up slightly, the shorter woman leaned up to press a soft kiss against her wife's lips. "And I care about you, Yang. That's why I refuse to cower while you charge into battle. By your side is where I belong."
Although she looked ready to argue, the blonde merely nodded silently before they both turned to run towards the village. It was easier without all the extra foliage, allowing them to glimpse the shore in the distance. The Atlesian couldn't see any ships or boats, nothing to indicate the enemy landed and began their assault from there, but she was more focused on not tripping, hiking up the hem of her long robe to keep up. When they broke through the edge of the forest, at the top of a hill that sloped down into the village proper, they were able to take in the breadth of the battle below. No less than twenty hooligans were in the main thoroughfare, yelling loudly in a foreign tongue that Weiss couldn't begin to place and fighting with the Valens defending their town.
"Haha! This should be fun!" Blinking in surprise, Weiss looked at her wife and noted the wide smile on her lips, excitement flashing in her eyes. "Okay, change of plans; if things get bad, just go to the ground and don't get up. Also, don't kill anyone, just disarm them or knock them to the ground, trust me!"
"Wh- what kind of instructions are those?" She sputtered, her request falling on deaf ears as the blonde charged forward, leaving her rushing to catch up and draw Myrtenaster from her side. The metal flashed dangerously as her momentum carried her down the hill and into the street, a few steps behind the other woman who seemed to lock onto her target immediately.
"You!" Her voice called out above the din of combat, catching the attention of one invader with a shock of bright red hair, broken up only by... the... bull horns on his head.
Faunus. The Faunus of Menagerie, creatures the people of Atlas reviled above all others as beings of unnatural origins, had invaded Vale. A cold bolt of dread shot through her as she raised Myrtenaster to a ready position, blue eyes scanning to take stock of the threats all around. Now that they weren't indistinct blobs in the distance, she could clearly make out the various defining traits on display- a monkey's tail, a dog's ears, a ram's horns- but she didn't have time to catalogue each and every distinction before she caught sight of a combatant bearing down on her. Weiss quickly turned, ready to face off as the Faunus stopped a few paces from her and raised their sword.
In the heartbeats before their battle would begin, her eyes scanned over her opponent, seeking out any obvious weaknesses. A decidedly feminine figure wrapped up in a white shirt with a black waist coat atop it, white pants tucked into knee high black boots, and a light purple ascot tied around her neck that brought out the shine in bright amber eyes- she wouldn't look too out of place among Atlesian nobility, were it not for the cat ears standing proud atop luscious black locks that cascaded back over her shoulders. These were the monsters Atlesian children were told would steal them away in the dead of night and it took a mental feat of strength not to back down immediately. The Faunus was smiling, obviously amused, while her sword lazily traced a figure eight through the air between them. The blade's scabbard hung from a belt about her hips and Weiss cursed her shortsightedness; had she drawn Myrtenaster into her right hand, she could at least count on the element of surprise against her foe.
The Faunus said something in a flowing language that sounded entirely alien to the Atlesian, unable to parse anything but the obvious enjoyment she was getting from the one-sided exchange. With a noise somewhere between nonchalance and disappointment, her opponent shrugged off the lack of a response and pressed forward, lightly tapping their swords together.
A test, to see if she would take the bait. Weiss narrowed her eyes, her pride bristling at the obvious affront. She would not allow herself to be made fool of, especially not when defending her wife's hometown. A second tap she let slide, remaining calm and poised, but when the Faunus went for a third, she twisted her wrist, allowing the other blade to sail through the air while she lunged forward, quite nearly driving the tip of her blade into her opponent's side.
The Faunus skipped back, belting out a quick laugh while bringing her sword to bear again. After that, there were no more games as Weiss defended herself from a series of quick strikes, parrying each while ceding as little ground as she could. It took no time at all for it to become apparent that she was outclassed; the Faunus likely fought for years, flipping her blade around with ease while the Atlesian kept a firm death grip on her own. However, after a particular exchange brought the edge of her foe's sword a bit too close to her neck, Weiss changed her tactics, calling forth the forms Yang taught her to make her movements seem more erratic while conserving her energy, allowing one motion to flow into the next. That bought her a few seconds' respite and forced her opponent to show her hand, the Faunus's off hand quickly pulling her scabbard free through some sort of mechanism and using it to block a strike that well could've landed across her back.
And then Weiss was defending herself twice over, blocking both the blade and its scabbard as the Faunus pressed a relentless attack. She could hardly keep up, retreating with every parry and having to duck at least once to avoid a slash. It occurred to her to heed her wife's warning and simply 'play dead', as it were, but some part of her objected heatedly to such a sentiment. Instead, she grit her teeth and exploited a small window of opportunity to aggressively press her opponent. It was futile, that much was made certain when the Faunus dropped the pretense of needing both arms to deal with her strikes, allowing only the scabbard to blunt her attacks, and only a matter of time before experience won out over enthusiasm.
"Hey!" Against her better judgment, blue eyes snapped to the source of that pained, angry shout, immediately recognizing the voice. When her gaze landed on the blonde, whose golden locks were just barely being released by the Faunus sporting huge boar tusks jutting from his cheeks and a massive sword, there were already signs her chi was flaring to life, lilac giving way to blood red in an instant as the woman rounded on her opponent, a crushing right cross landing on his cheek and sending the bulky foe to the ground easily.
But that was just a distraction as the one with the bull horns from earlier sprinted forward, already sporting evidence that he was losing his own fight against Yang. He took advantage of her distraction, however, reaching to pull his sword free while her back was still turned, jumping high into the air so gravity would strengthen the blow.
The blonde must've sensed it, must've felt the presence bearing down towards her because panic flashed across her expression even as she tried to jump forward and get out of the way. She wouldn't be quick enough, though; he had a head start and the sick, red color of his blade was already showed as he drew it free.
"YANG!" She called out, reaching towards her wife with her right hand as if she could pull the woman out of harm's way from the other side of the street.
The very next moment, everything stilled. The sounds of fighting died down all around her as Weiss stood, frozen, arm outstretched.
It wasn't until Yang turned around, wide-eyed, to look at the giant snowflake that suddenly sprang into existence behind her that the Atlesian even thought to breath. White light formed a perfect mimicry of her family's sigil, apparently forming a shield that the bull horned Faunus couldn't get through. In fact, he seemed a bit... stuck, braced against the white snowflake but unable to move. Well, anything except his eyes, apparently, which looked at Yang with such barefaced hatred that Weiss knew she wanted nothing less than to send this cretin far, far away from both of them.
Whatever the snowflake was, it readily complied with that sentiment. Without any warning, it launched the Faunus away, sending him flying in an arch that went high enough it allowed one of the other Faunus- shaggy blond hair and a monkey tail, that was about all she could glean- to scramble up to the roof of the tavern, disappearing from sight for a moment before poking his head out over the main street.
He shouted in that strange language, apparently shocked as his jaw hung open immediately after he finished.
There was silence. Complete, total silence.
Then, the Faunus she'd spent the past however long fighting suddenly broke down in a laughing fit, hardly able to slide her sword into its scabbard and secure it to her hip before she doubled over, arms across her stomach. Weiss had thought she'd gone mad until everyone else joined in- Valen and Faunus alike- and then she considered perhaps she had gone mad and this was all just a hallucination. Blue eyes cast around, looking for anything to make sense of the situation, but there was nothing except a smiling blonde bounding towards her.
"Weiss!" Out of breath and covered in sweat, Yang scooped her hands beneath the smaller woman's arms, effortlessly lifting her up into the air and spinning her around. The Atlesian's focus switched from trying to figure out just what was happening to maintaining a keen awareness of her sword, not wanting to hurt the brute currently treating her like a child. She'd curse her wife's abundant strength but settled for wrapping her legs around the woman's hips and using her free hand to grab hold of her shoulder, steadying herself. "You did it! That was amazing!"
"Yang! What is going on?" Weiss growled, effectively bringing them both to a halt. It didn't bother her so much that they were speaking Valen, considering they were standing in the middle of the village, but they were also still surrounded by enemies, so now really wasn't the time for such theatrics. The hands at her armpits moved down, wrapping around her waist and holding her. There were small tremors all along the blonde's arms, as if the brute was just barely refraining from delivering one of her crushing hugs as lilac eyes sparkled. "And what did I do?"
"You manifested your chi! I've never seen anything like it- I mean, usually it's just a physical surge, like mine and Ruby's and Dad's, or an illusion, or-"
"Yang, you're babbling." Someone else cut in and the Atlesian turned her head to look at the Faunus she'd been fighting.
"I'm excited, Blakey! Did you see that?" Yang laughed, holding her closer and lowering her voice. "I'm so proud of you, Weiss! I knew you had it in you."
It took a conscious effort to beat down the heat she could feel rising in her cheeks but her lips pulled into a small smile against her will anyway. "Put me down, you dolt."
"Oh, right." Her wife's sheepish tone was a tad ridiculous, all things considered, but it still made her feel bad. "Sorry."
The moment she was on her feet again, Yang made to pull away but she reached out, carefully grabbing the blonde's wrist to keep her still. Setting Myrtenaster at her hip once more, Weiss pulled gently to bring her wife down, allowing her to lean up and brush a gentle kiss against the woman's lips. Physical affection in front of others still seemed so... wrong on some level yet it didn't stop her from setting the woman's mind at ease. And, perhaps, she was grateful that she even could give her wife a kiss, considering the battle that had raged just moments ago. "Are you hurt?"
It took a moment for the blonde to come back to her senses, apparently surprised by the gesture. Once she did, a smile curled her lips, that soft expression she wore so often when they were alone. "Nah, of course not. This was just a mock battle."
And just like that, her goodwill dried up. "Just a what?"
"In the times before the wars, whenever the Chieftains of Menagerie came to visit the clan leaders of Vale, they would show their respect for Valen warrior culture by engaging in tests of skill, fighting honorable duels with no intent to wound," the Faunus said, her own Valen accent altered slightly by her mother tongue. If she noticed the way Weiss stiffened, she said nothing of it, continuing on while wiping mirthful tears from her eyes. "Now that Menagerie and Vale are at peace, we've brought the tradition back."
"It's a sign of trust between our nations." Yang reached out to firmly grasp the Faunus' forearm in greeting, still smiling widely. "Plus, Menagerie is home to some of the best weaponsmiths in all of Remnant. They've forged a lot of our weapons; it's only fair they get to see how we wield them. Blake here actually forged mine."
"It was the second one I forged, the first being my own sword. I'm surprised Ember Celica has held up after all these years." The Faunus turned their arms, amber eyes tracing along the cestus' grooves with a craftman's care, seeking out any imperfections. "You've certainly put it through more use than I anticipated."
"Yeah, two wars will do that-"
"YANG!" A deep voice boomed out, calling their attention to further down the street where the path lead towards the village docks. There stood more Faunus, the largest of them a male with a barrel chest, a midnight black beard framing his face and lending to the severity of his yellow-eyed gaze. He was draped in a deep purple cloak with silver straps keeping it closed and a thin circlet wrought in gold sitting across his temples. Were it not for that one detail, she might've mistaken him for one of the Valens- he looked every bit as human as anyone else she'd met, despite his larger stature. This had to be the King of the Faunus- or the Chieftain, she supposed- and as he raised one arm that was larger than even the blonde's impressive muscle sculpture, she couldn't help but feel extremely nervous. "Who just sent Adam flying into the sea?"
"That would be my wife!" Yang proudly proclaimed, shifting to rest a hand at the small of the Atlesian's back, a comforting gesture that calmed her nerves. "May I introduce Queen Weiss of... House... Schnee."
On the one hand, she wanted to be exasperated- despite having ample practice introducing her to various clan leaders, this sort of pomp continued to elude the warrior Queen- but there was also a little charm in the way her wife's brows pinched together as the words came out, already aware she'd said the wrong thing but continuing on regardless. With a soft sigh, the Atlesian leaned closer and gently corrected her. "Queen Consort Weiss, formerly of House Schnee."
"I mean-"
"I've gathered what you meant." The large Faunus cut her off, striding down the street towards them with his entourage in tow. Every Faunus he passed lowered their heads in respect before falling into step behind him.
Immediately, she bowed in the traditional Valen manner, bending at the waist. If nothing else, she could take refuge in courtesy; these people were allies of Vale and, therefore, her childish fears were unbecoming. She would have to shove them aside for the time being... and every time subsequent. "I sincerely apologize for-"
"Apologize? I don't want an apology!" Her gaze snapped up as he stopped in front of her, his smile wide and toothy. "It's about time someone cooled that hothead off."
Dumbfounded, Weiss mechanically offered her hand, which was almost immediately engulfed in the Chieftain's larger one. He could probably easily shatter the bones but he didn't, though his grip was a great deal firmer than Yang would ever use, and she fought down the impulse to pull away and retreat. Meanwhile, her wife focused on teasing Blake, completely missing how very uncomfortable the whole situation was making the Atlesian.
"He's still giving you grief, huh?" Yang cocked her head to the side and waggled her eyebrows. "Trying to court the Princess?"
"Don't call it that, don't act like it's legitimate." The Faunus put her face in her hands, sighing heavily. "I still don't know why we brought him with us."
"Because your father holds out hope he'll 'fall' over the side of the ship during a storm." A new voice added as a female Faunus approached them, feline ears sporting a few golden piercings. She, too, wore a golden crown, though far more ornate and it was difficult to tell if it was because of the ears or for some other reason. "Until the Taurus line does something worthy of expulsion from the circle, he's here to stay... once he dries off, anyway."
"Mom, please, can't we just make something up as grounds for expulsion?" Blake sighed, running a hand through her hair.
The Chieftain laughed, releasing the Atlesian's hand in favor of standing beside the smaller, exasperated Faunus. "Kali, our daughter has a point. Isn't that something we can do?"
Ignoring the pleading of her husband and daughter, Kali turned her attention to Weiss, scanning her form in a way that was very familiar, more akin to what she'd expect of a noblewoman's gaze. There was no maliciousness glinting in her eyes, though, just that same sort of amusement that was perfectly mirrored by Blake earlier. "So, this is your Atlesian bride? We've heard much about her."
The Faunus tilted her head, the large feline ears canting towards her despite addressing Yang. Then she said something in the same fluid tongue Blake had used earlier, raising a brow when Weiss didn't react.
"Cat Mom, please stop teasing my wife," the blonde said in Valen, stepping up to lightly wrap an arm around her shoulders. She had half a mind to shrug off the contact but let it remain, grateful to have something to ground her during this surreal experience. When Yang spoke again, it was in Atlesian. "Are you okay? You look really tense. I promise, they aren't here to hurt us."
The corner of her mouth twitched. She couldn't very well insult those who were obviously so close to Yang's heart and it was only a matter of time until she reacted out of ingrained habit, which would no doubt cause that very offense. There was only one course open to her. "I'll excuse myself. You'll be busy entertaining your guests."
She turned, ready to head back to the forest- no doubt the Chieftain and his family would be entertained in the tavern, like the clan leaders, but she couldn't bear facing the older Xiao Long at present- but the arm around her shoulders tightened, a rare moment when contact wasn't broken the instant she desired it. "Weiss, please talk to me. What's wrong?"
"I'm just tired, Yang." It wasn't technically a lie- her duel with Blake was exhausting, pushing herself to the limits of her admittedly limited fighting skill, and the manifestation of her semblance brought with it a shock that was seeping into her muscles- but it wasn't the whole truth, either. Regardless, it was the best excuse she could muster. "I... think I'll take a nap and join you for the evening meal."
That might be enough time, she thought. To come to grips, to reclaim her calm and poise. Sitting through one meal among those she'd always believed to be terrible creatures of legend would be... manageable, at least until she could get over her hesitations.
"That's all, huh?" Her wife frowned, lowering her gaze for a moment before looking over to the three Faunus and speaking in Valen. "Is there anything important we need to talk about?"
Blake shook her head. "We just thought we'd come congratulate you on your marriage and introduce ourselves after visiting with the Vacuon Council. We'll be here for a few days before returning to Menagerie."
"Great. We'll see you at dinner." Without giving her a chance to object, Weiss was scooped up into the blonde's arms, one arm just beneath her shoulders while the other hooked under her knees. The position reminded her just how small she was in comparison to the warrior Queen though some part of her heavily objected to the display in front of the Faunus. "Whenever Adam hauls himself onto the beach, let him know I'll deal with his complaints after we've rested."
"Provided I haven't dealt with them first," Kali replied with a slight frown, her gaze darting to the dazed boar Faunus briefly, and she inclined her head. "We look forward to seeing both of you this evening."
Blake and her father echoed the sentiment before Yang started off, heading back to their home. It was a bit unnerving, watching everyone interact in such a friendly manner after being locked in battle but, she supposed, it also explained why Atlas never stood a chance against their neighbors across the sea.
"So, are you going to tell me what's really bothering you?" They were just hitting the edge of the village proper when the blonde asked, keeping her gaze trained on the way ahead. "Because if I were to guess, there's something that's genuinely terrifying you and you don't want to tell me what it is for some reason."
Weiss bit back a curse. Of course she wouldn't be able to hide it completely, this apparently irrational fear, but she'd grown accustomed to her wife's protective streaks. Shutting her out quickly would buy her the time she needed. "You're right. There's something that bothers me and I don't want to tell you."
It hurt both of them. Yang never hid anything- her heart always worn on her sleeve for anyone to see- and this time was no different, her expression twisting into a wince, but the Atlesian was more disciplined, feigning aloofness as guilt settled in the pit of her stomach. The Faunus were allies to the blonde, and perhaps closer still; until she could react to them without the burden of her upbringing threatening to turn the situation into a diplomatic incident, it was safer to isolate herself.
"Okay. That's okay." It wasn't a lie. The blonde never lied, not to her at least, which made it all the more painful; she wasn't 'okay' with Weiss not wanting to tell her, but she would accept it for the Weiss' sake. "When we get back, I'll draw you a nice, warm bath, light some of those lilac candles you like, and... hopefully, you'll feel better." The omission of Yang's presence stung. The blonde would likely remove herself from the room unless expressly invited inside to share the smaller woman's space. It was precisely what she aimed for but... it felt wrong to trick the woman into it, to hide from someone who never bothered trying to do the same. "I meant what I said earlier. I knew you could manifest your semblance."
"I have an excellent teacher," she replied, allowing her posture to relax fully and laying her head on her wife's shoulder. As much as it pained her to keep secrets, this one she would need to hold onto, because she didn't want to make things difficult for the blonde, to force her to choose between the Atlesian and the Faunus visitors. She could feel the way Yang cradled her closer, bending her head down to brush a kiss to Weiss' temple.
They remained silent for the rest of the walk.
I should note that, in case it didn’t come across very clear, ‘chi’ and ‘semblance’ are being used as equal terms that correspond with the language being used, chi being the Valen term and semblance being the Atlesian one. Also, I’ve not seen V4, so no idea on the characterizations for Ghira and Kali, but they seem nice and supportive, so yay Cat Mom and Cat Dad, come be disarmingly nice to the poor Atlesian. Also also, yay suffering and cheeky Blake, you exist in this universe apparently, welcome to the party, stay a while, have some fun.
And, fuck, Weiss, must you be so fucking difficult? smh
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littlemisssquiggles · 5 years ago
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I was wondering; in your story idea when Salem’s forces take a number of Atlesian citizens hostage to use as leverage against Oscar, what sorts of people did you envision would be taken prisoner and what would become of them after Ruby and Oscar finally defeat Salem?
Hey Al.Well that Pinehead headcanon is actually one version of two Dark Domain Arc concepts I’ve shared before.One where Oscar is the only one taken prisoner by Salem and he becomes the Boyin the Lonely Tower as Salem imprisoned him in a similar fashion to how she waslocked away centuries ago and the second version is the one where both Ruby andOscar are the only ones taken prisoner by Salem and are forced to survive herdomain in the Land of Darkness in order to make it back to civilization wherethey’d hope to be reunited with their comrades who they last saw trying toescape the Fall of Atlas.
The one where Oscar becomes Salem’sprisoner is the only version where the Atlesians are captured along with him. Ifigured it’d be pretty interesting if Salem succeeded in capturing a fractionof Atlas’ populace when they were trying to flee Atlas before it fell from the sky.I figured it word appeal to the malicious side of Salem if she captured thoseinnocent people to be used as leverage to force Oscar, as Ozma’s incarnate tosubmit to her whims.
It’s also another way to provide anexample of just how little Salem cares for humanity while Ozma and by extension,his successors, do. 
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To have Salem threaten the lives of innocent men, women andchildren from a kingdom she destroyed, using them as collateral to force Oscar into submission which the young lad would willinglysubmit to for the sake of the people is an excellent way to show the differencebetween these two immortal beings’ mind-sets on humanity and the value of humanlife.
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So to answer your question Al, Ipicture Salem capturing a mixed bag of Atlesian captives. I figured Salem to be the typeto honestly care very little for what type of class an individual is. That stuff mattersnaught to her to her victims because in her eyes, they’re all expendable in the game of fulfilling her selfish desires.  Soeven if she were to capture someone who was originally of upper class in Atlas,like let’s say Jacques Schnee for example—it’s not like she’d give him oranyone else better treatment over others.
They’ll all be her slaves forced underthe same chains of bondage with their fickle lives in the hands of one poor youngboy forced to be their ‘king’ with his actions reflected upon them; be it good or bad. The idea Ihad is that during the Fall of Atlas, let’s say the Atlesian Army led by WinterSchnee rallied together to board as many fleeing Atlesians from both Atlas andMantle to take them to safety in another neighbouring kingdom.
Since the Kingdom was going to plummet andpossible decimate both Atlas and Mantle, at this point, the army could notdiscriminate. So you had ships piled with refugees from all walks oflife—Atlesian and Mantlese, upper class and lower, human and Faunus, huntsmenand civilian. And although the military were successfully in rescuing everyonebefore the devastation, that didn’t stop Salem from using her forces toimprison a good portion of the populace.
Like imagine the Atlesian armysuccessfully rescuing 100 airships holding over 1000 people only for Salemto swoop in and capture at least half of that. So while the one half managed toescape, the other half were taken to the dark lands.
I even have this idea of some of Weiss’family—like perhaps Whitley and her mother along with family members from her mother’s side—become prisoners of Salem. It’s a cool way to give Weiss anincentive to go on a life and death rescue mission to Salem’s Domain joining Ruby and theirteam.
The way I pictured this version of theDark Domain Arc is that Oscar and more than half the Atlesian populace becomevictims of Salem’s abduction during the Fall of Atlas. General Ironwood is outof commission, practically on his death bed since he sustained life-threateninginjuries during the Fall. PerhapsJames was trying to help/ protect Qrow Branwen during a fight before the two wereswarmed by a pack of winged Beringels who practically tore both man apart,particularly James (a nod to the Wizard of Oz where the Scarecrow and the TinMan were harmed when the flying monkeys came for Dorothy to take her to theWicked Witch).
With Ironwood down, the Atlas militarylook to Winter as his right hand to take charge in his place.
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Basically my idea is that theFall left a big blow that affected everyone—it was even worse then whathappened in Vale. Speaking of Vale, I really like the idea of everyone fleeingfrom the Fallen Atlas and returning to Vale with what was left of the Atlesianpopulace. From Vale, not only do our heroes reunite with old allies (such as GlyndaGoodwitch, Professor Port and Dr. Oobleck) but they also plan their next bestcourse of action.
Like I have this theory where I believepart of Salem’s plan would be to use Atlas to spark a second Great War betweenthe kingdoms. Like I know it’s a stretch but…think about it:
Salem has kind of shaped Atlas to takethe fall for certain events. Like the Attack at the Vytal Festival and the Fallof Beacon, that could be misconstrued to look like an Attack from Atlas. Caroline Cordovin pointed at this during V6 when she made the acknowledgement that since the Vytal Festival, it’s cause the rest of Remnant to see Atlas in poor light.
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Not to mention that the stunt that waspulled with Cordovin herself and the mechazord in Argus. That could be twisted to makea point that Atlas was planning to make their move on Mistral too since theirforces resides in one of their main cities. 
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And lastly, there’s Vacuo. With the wayhow Vacuo was brought up last season where, I think it was Watts who said thatif Ironwood comes to his senses, he could reach out to Vacuo. My guess is thatSalem is planning to pull some move that will probably paint Atlas at firingshots at Vacuo. That’s my hunch. 
Atlas will be turned into a martyr to spark a Second Great War in Remnant. And upon Atlas falling, perhaps this might spark the unknown Leaders of Mistral to cease this as an opportunity to have Mistral rule over all four kingdoms since technically, Vale (the kingdom whose original leader first ended the first war) and Atlas (the most technologically advanced and military leading kingdom crumbled to the ground) are at their weakest.
For all we know, after Atlas falls, Mistral might want to take over. After all, wasn’t it not Mistral who sort of instigated the first Great War in a way? I’m just saying. 
This is actually making me think ofsomething important—what if…Salem is the least of our heroes’ worries. What if...the big final battle would be during a Second Great War?
I have this weird feeling that, if wedo get a standalone Dark Domain Arc during the Atlas Trilogy, it’ll probably end with the group confrontingSalem. Like Salem vs Ruby as our main heroine but instead of killing her, Salemis sort of restored in a weird way. A part of me believes that it’s not Salem’sfate to die by being killed but to receive death through finally understandingwhat the Gods were trying to show her after all those years ago.
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I know no one likes the SalemRedemption headcanon buuuuuuuut…this squigglemeister think it’s very likely due to theforeshadowing left behind by the Lost Fable. At least…okay, hear me out withthis one.
My gut feeling is that RWBY’s climax arc will involve historyrepeating itself. 
It will feature Remnant going througha second Great War and it will also feature Salem gathering an army from thatGreat War to enact her revenge on the Gods for a second time.
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I feel as if Salem could go throughsomething similar to Haggar/ Honerva during the final season of VoltronLegendary Defender (only not as poorly executed).
I feel like should Ruby use her Silver Eyeson Salem on full blast, she wouldn’t kill her but restore her to her originalself before she fell into the Grimm Pools of Darkness. I feel as if Ruby’s eyes would only cleanse Salem of all of her darkness.However, it wouldn’t change her.
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Salem would be reverted back to her original self from First Remnant but she would still harbour the same negative emotions that brought her to her own self destruction.
Alhough she has been cleansed of her darkness, it did not rid her of all the anger and resentment she still harbored for so many years. Her body may be changed again but her memories of the past will still stay with her.
As a matter of fact, it only served to remind her of why Salem became the monster she once was and still was at heart.
The Gods. It was all their fault. They did this to her and they still needed to pay for what they put her through. So basically Salem returns to her old ways.
I like the idea of Ruby cleansing Salem with her Silver Eyes but Salem is still bitter. She hasn’t let go of the past and still wants vengeance.So like before, she tries to form an army of the Grimm but  because Salem no longer had anyties to the darkness after her restoration, the Grimm no longer served her.
Thus Salem loses her Grimm army. There could even be a thing where Salem is unable to turn herself back into her Grimmified form. Perhaps after seeing that her power could cleanse Salem, Ruby uses it to get rid of the Grimm Pools? Not sure if she’s that powerful. If not Ruby then I can see Oscar doing that or her and Oscar doing it together, using their combined Light to rid away the land of Darkness maybe?
 This infuriates Salem.  In a nutshell, my theory is thatRemnant will fall into a second Great War. During those events, we’ll see ouryoung heroes experiencing what their ancestors suffered through with the kingdomstaking fire at each other with Mistral making the first advances to invade and conquer the remaining two kingdoms since Atlas fell. And while and Vacuo’s leaders are doing their best to ensure that Mistral doesn’t wind up taking over their kingdoms, the people suffer at the hands of the Grimm who become more rampant during the chaos.
And while the War is in full effect with everyone fighting against Mistral, Salemuses that as a ploy in her schemes. 
Similar to how she gathered First Remnant’sleaders against the Gods in the Lost Fable, what if…Salem rallies the leadersof Mistral (as the most dominant kingdom) appealing to their lust for power so that they may train their weapons on a much higher target. 
Imagine if… Salem gets the leaders of Mistral to side with her by saying something along the lines of why rule all of Remnant when you can rule the whole world should they aid her take down the Brother Gods.
What do you think of that? Again I know it’s a stretch of a theory butit’s worth thinking about. So yeah, this answer took a rather strange turn. Nosure if I quite answered it but that’s my answer in a sense XD Hope I answeredyou in some shape or form Al or at least gave you more than you bargained forXD
~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)
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texanredrose · 8 years ago
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@makas0ul, part 2, because why not. More arranged marriage miscommunication shenanigans.
Part 1 / Part 2 (here) / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10
Yang drew in a deep breath and let it go slowly, trying to keep herself calm and centered. The steady plodding of her horse's hooves over the worn dirt road helped, as did the rhythmic creaking of her saddle, and she focused all her attention on the subtle music of a small army on the march. It was a trial as of late- she'd always been quick to anger, especially regarding matters close to her heart- but one she was weathering like so many battles over the past decade or so. When the war between the clans first started up and her father became the dreaded Defender of Patch, she stayed one step behind him, learning to fight and lead in his shadow. She wasn't as good at that later part as her sister, she thought, but Ruby had left on some mad quest as per her usual the moment everyone was behaving, leaving the blonde to bear the crown alone. Her father refused to take it- the future belonged to the youth, he'd said, and he trusted his daughter's judgment- but now she wished above anything that he had ascended to the spot in her stead. The job itself wasn't so bad most days, seeing as the various clan leaders respected her authority and themselves were grateful to have a reason to lay aside their weapons and come together once more, but there was always some little detail that proved to be a thorn in her side.
For the past few years, that thorn was the kingdom of Atlas, seemingly hell bent on making war with the Valen provinces. It was a meddlesome annoyance but, seeing as it relied on combat prowess, Yang had triumphed time and time again simply by outlasting her opponents. The Atlesian soldiers couldn't adapt to Vale's warmer climate quick enough and she exploited their recurring dehydration issues to drive them back from the shores. But now, they were at peace with the kingdom across the sea, and her newest headache came in the form of her wife.
Queen Weiss Schnee was a force to be reckoned with in her own right, but in ways that completely blindsided the warrior. Some of it was to be expected in hindsight- they'd grown up half a world away, surrounded by differing customs and values- but she hadn't quite anticipated just how persistent the other woman could be. They were raised differently, they dressed differently- complete opposites. The Atlesian was all long sleeved, high necked dresses, riding side saddle with a straight back and a tilted chin, the absolute picture of grace, while Yang was more comfortable in trousers and an open faced vest barely tied together with a leather cord, sitting astride her big bay with a slight slouch, ready for anything but relaxed all the same. They were already starting to acclimate to one another, though, and the results were... interesting.
It wasn't a bad thing all the time. Ever since her comment about having the thin blade she called a sword but being unable to wield it, Weiss had taken the slight criticism to heart. Valens were warriors by nature, after all, and she thought it a deficiency that she couldn't even begin to hold her own in a fair fight. Luckily, that was easy enough to fix; although he was soft spoken, Yatsuhashi was one of the best swordsmen in Vale and a patient teacher. Where she could not possibly hope to match his strength, Weiss had become quick and flexible, and she was now skilled enough to make even Yang seriously doubt trying to challenge her to a duel even in jest. And, despite the two of them speaking Atlesian when alone- which, if the little smiles she earned were any indication, the blonde was getting better at speaking; at least her wife wasn't suppressing a cringe at her accent anymore, anyway- Valen spilled from her wife's lips in a way that made even some of the older warriors blush and wonder if they were doing it wrong this whole time. That crisp, almost haughty dialect Weiss used just made the words sound so much better and she'd caught a few of her personal guard imitating the accent when they thought no one was looking.
All that was fine. Yang actually found it really amusing, honestly.
What wasn't so amusing, however, was when her own words came back to bite her in the ass.
Weiss had taken it upon herself to learn the language and customs of Vale; unfortunately, Yang had only focused on the former of Atlas. She'd conveniently missed how the foreigners measured their unions and had already paid a bit of a price for her ignorance. Their first week together, spent at Fort Beacon, was rife with cold glares and bristling anger, all because the blonde had refused to consummate their marriage.
She hadn't meant any offense, of course. They were practically strangers and, while she'd seen enough of the woman's character to determine her course of action in trying to win Weiss over, it made her intensely uncomfortable to think about... intimate encounters that didn't feel too dissimilar from a night spent with a prostitute. The expectation that they would just... do it, without taking time to really connect on an emotional level, wasn't something the warrior could wrap her head around; it felt cheap of her to simply assume that she would have the ability to touch her new wife in such a way without earning that privilege first. She thought she was being considerate.
Atlas, however, was different, and Weiss saw their separate bedding arrangements as an insult, apparently.
"Hey, Blondie." The blonde blinked, shifting her gaze from the horizon ahead of them to look at the bear of a man riding beside her with a massive club strapped to his back, his black eyes glinting with mirth. "Your wife's at it again."
Almost dreading what she'd find, Yang turned further in her saddle to look further back along the convoy. She was riding near the front, as per usual, as much out of habit as so she could be one of the first to lay eyes on her hometown again. The Atlesian vacillated between riding at her side and further down, often having spotted something that needed 'correcting' as she put it. The Valens weren't nearly as strict about their marching order but the blonde didn't interfere; the warriors who'd accompanied her as a wedding party would learn first hand that Weiss was not a woman to be trifled with and word would spread quickly if she allowed things to play out. There were a few who had spoken out against the marriage, seeing no reason to shackle Vale as a whole to the kingdom across the sea, but they would likely mind their tongues if rumors started flying that Yang's bride was equally terrifying when incensed.
And, honestly, she was beginning to wonder if the woman possessed any other state of being.
"What is she doing?" Although slightly exasperated with her wife's antics, Yang couldn't help the way her lips curled into a small, dopey grin. Yes, it was something of a headache remaining a step or two away from the woman to ensure she didn't accidentally get in over her head- the blonde had made it abundantly clear that anyone even thinking to harm even one hair on Weiss' head would be sorry- but she honestly got a kick out of watching the prim and proper Atlesian trying to whip the lax Valen into some semblance of order. It was like watching a mountain lion herd cats, but the results were obvious. Everyone sat straighter in their saddle or marched together with a sense of decorum, and though she personally was never addressed about her own poor posture when riding, Yang couldn't help but try her best to emulate her wife's poise. That just meant there were others she could address instead, though.
Today, she seemed fixated on keeping the 'bannermen' marching in time, their burdens carried aloft proudly rather than resting against their shoulders. Yang had only brought them along because it seemed proper- like something out of those old fairy tail books her sister loved- but now it seemed like the group might actually have some idea of how to properly do the job before they reached Patch. Each carried a flag with a different design attached to the long poles, depicting the eight major clans that remained more-or-less intact now that the war was over.
Junior offered with a helpless shrug. "She's something else, huh?"
"Yeah," the blonde replied with a fond sigh. The whole lot were teens on the verge of adulthood, far too young to be veterans of the civil war and the defense against Atlas. They were largely too intimidated by the crowned Dragon of Vale to think about refusing her wife's orders, but they were a good bunch.
"You gonna go save 'em?"
"They're fine." She turned back around to face the horizon. "But, make sure they get an extra dessert tonight, would ya? I think they deserve it."
"As you wish, my liege," he mockingly said though she didn't even think to take offense to the tone. Junior was one of the men she'd fought beside during the largest defense against the Atlesian army during their initial invasion just south of Patch. It was the site of the thickest fighting, when Atlas was at the height of its power and motivation; breaking the invasion turned the remainder of the war in Vale's favor and she couldn't have done it without the man's club bashing down those who refused to fall to her fists.
Idly, her gaze fell to Ember Celica, once again adorning her wrists and catching the midday sun. Once their week was up, they'd traded weapons back, but in the meantime they'd established a sort of ritual. Yang was never allowed to drape the thin swordbelt around her waist herself; that was Weiss' duty and hers alone. Likewise, the blonde carefully strapped her cestus onto pale, thin forearms with reverence. Now, the process was reversed, of course, and she took a bit of pride and a larger amount of happiness in being able to slip her arms around the woman's waist to fix Myrtenaster in place on her wife's smaller frame. Whether or not that same amount of care was returned depended on Weiss' mood, which seemed to be growing more sour as of late, harsher tugs on the leather fastening her cestus in place.
It wasn't until last night, just as they'd made camp on the other side of Forever Fall and a day's ride from the shore, that Ren had explained the situation to her, at least in part. A fearsome fighter in his own right, the young man was much more suited to studies than war and had taken the liberty of bribing a member of the Schnees' entourage in exchange for a few scrolls on customs and courtesies. When he finally got to identifying and translating the segment regarding marriage customs, the young man immediately brought the issue to Yang's attention, having correctly guessed she was not as informed on the subject.
Just as it had hurt Yang to consider having her weapon returned to her, there was a similar dishonor in refusing to consummate their marriage. The blonde had no idea and Weiss had yet to say as much outright but that had to be it; in trying to pay the woman proper respect, she'd unintentionally insulted the Atlesian.
"Junior, we should get in just before sundown, right? You think the ferries will still run?"
"The bigger ones, no, but I'm sure there's a fisherman or two willing to make a few trips. Some of us would have to stay behind with the horses, though." He shrugged again, shifting in his saddle impatiently. Riding always made him antsy, for some reason. "You that eager to be back home?"
"Yeah, actually," she said, glancing over her shoulder again. With Weiss riding beside them, the little retinue of banner bearers looked like proper soldiers, their burdens lightly flapping in the breeze. "I definitely need to be home by tonight."
"Then you will be," he replied simply, nudging his steed to move a little quicker. Those on foot would be able to keep up so long as they didn't hold the pace too long and Yang found herself focusing intently on how she would approach the matter. Honestly, she'd prefer to wait, but if that was viewed as a problem for her wife, then there simply was no other way around it.
She had to do something.
Twilight in Patch was always a treat. The softly lapping waves slipping along the shore brought with them a cool night breeze that smelled of salt, the occasional gull calling in the distance a counterpoint to the low drum of the city market. A dense copse of trees were all that separated the Xiao Long home from either, tucked away from sight in a small clearing. The house itself wasn't too impressive- before the civil war erupted, they farmed their own food and hunted game, and every beam was set in place by a member of her family, none of whom were above a basic skill set- but it was sturdy, cozy, and much quieter than their makeshift camps and Fort Beacon.
Yet, Yang couldn't find it within herself to accept the calm. Her father was off in the village proper, entertaining the visiting clan leaders for the night so the newlyweds could have some privacy. Both of them would have to weather their steady stream of congratulations at yet another feast the following day- while her wife likely wouldn't see it as such, the attempted invasion was the best boost Vale could've hoped for towards healing, not only uniting the kingdom against a common enemy but providing additional supplies whenever Atlesian cargo was captured, which meant a lot of celebrations before winter hit and they would have to use their own stores- before seeing to a few administrative duties the blonde was already dreading. Leading a kingdom into war was certainly easier than managing it at times of peace, or at the very least it was more entertaining.
"Is there a particular reason you're staring aimlessly out the window?"
Blinking, Yang shifted her attention towards the doorway, noting her wife's stiff posture as she raised a single pale brow in askance, arms crossed over her chest. "I was just thinking about tomorrow."
And avoiding thinking about tonight, she mentally added while turning to face Weiss properly. It was strange, returning to her childhood home as not only a Queen but a married one besides, and briefly she considered if her father's subtle present of a new, larger bed was more appropriate than a new room would've been. At least then there would be no memories to distort; she half expected Ruby to come dashing in any second, jumping up onto her bed to hear one more bedtime story before retreating to her own room.
"I'm surprised they didn't attend the wedding," the Atlesian said, her voice even and expression neutral, but Yang was getting better at reading her wife's posture. Weiss was tense and wary, as if expecting something ill in response.
"I didn't want to risk tempers flaring." Furrowing her brows, the blonde took a few steps away from the window, slowly closing the distance between them. "While I know attacking Atlas would be a dumb idea, some of the clan leaders are still angry about the damages done to their villages, their people. We might be less strict in our courtesies in Vale but we're also not above offense; having a bunch of drunk warriors with grudges in the same room as their former enemies when none of us know each other's customs as well as our own... it just seemed like a recipe for disaster."
Lilac eyes were trained on her wife's form, expecting at least some of her stiffness to slide away- and it did, just barely. However, the woman seemed more inclined to accept the answer for what it was and turn herself to other things. "I suppose my room is down the hall-"
"No," she said, her heart rate picking up slightly as she spoke. It still made her nervous, because to her mind she was asking for something she'd yet to earn and that always made her anxious, but all she received was a flat look at first.
"Ah. Then I'm in this room?"
"Yes. With me." She tried to sound resolute but broke at the last second, hunching her shoulders slightly. "If that's okay?"
That seemed to break the metaphorical mask Weiss perpetually wore, surprise flashing across her expression before it was shoved aside. There was no hiding the little bit of hope that seemed to take up residence in those blue eyes, though. "Why now?"
"What I said about not knowing each other's customs- that's something I'm guilty of." Her gaze lowered to the wooden planks beneath their feet. "I spent so much time learning your language, I forgot to even find out what Atlas' marriage customs might be like, to compare them to our own. That's my fault and I apologize. You only asked of me to treat you as my wife and, though I felt like I was doing that right by Vale standards, I wasn't by yours because... we... well-"
"You haven't bedded me yet." The woman supplied, saving her fumbling for the word. It was a blunt and crass way of putting it but Yang suspected that was at least in part for her own benefit; the informal language did seem to hint that her wife might not be as cross with her as she'd assumed. "You aren't wrong. By Atlesian standards, we aren't wed. But this is Vale-"
"And you are a daughter of Atlas." The blonde raised her gaze to meet those peerless pools of blue and edged forward a little further with that interjection, still mindful of any sign of retreat from the other woman. It still felt too soon, too abrupt, but she didn't want to continue hurting Weiss, or forcing the woman to disregard her heritage. "I want to respect that. Even if it still... makes me uncomfortable."
"You're not the first to say so." Initially, the non-sequitur threw Yang off, but she quickly realized what the problem was when her wife's hand moved unconsciously to brush beneath the scar that neatly bisected her left eye before catching herself and looking away.
It suddenly hit the Queen of Vale harder than a warhammer. The night of their wedding, she'd lead both of them to their temporary room, which was just one of the nicer lodgings at the Fort that was spruced up a bit for the ceremony. Her headdress was already off but Weiss hadn't removed hers until after they were in the room and before Yang brought up their separate sleeping arrangements. Honestly, she'd almost forgotten how to speak Valen much less Atlesian when confronted by the beautifully pale features of her bride, how her white bangs fell across her forehead like tiny wisps of moonlight, how her eyes shone like gemstones, and that cute button nose that hindered the severity of her expressions only slightly. The scar- faded and uneven- was an after thought, something she noticed and immediately did her best to ignore, but not out of disgust. An injury like that, after all, could've just as easily taken the woman's eye or worse, and the thought was more distressing than she would've guessed possible. The thought of her hurt... even if they hadn't even known the other existed at the time, it made her sick.
So, not only had she failed to heed one of Atlas' customs, causing Weiss some amount of grief, she'd also mistakenly lead her wife to believe that the unintentional rejection was caused by something the Atlesian obviously felt ashamed of still.
"No, Weiss, that's not what I meant." Throwing caution to the wind, the blonde stepped up and lifted both hands, cupping the other woman's cheeks softly. Aside from outfitting the other for the day, physical contact between them was sparse- again because she hadn't felt like she'd earned that privilege yet- but there were only so many ways Yang could think of to offer comfort and reassurance, all of which required touch. "You are beautiful- you- you're-" She cursed, unable to find the right words and switching to her mother tongue to save them both. "Please, believe me; you are like a legend come to life, a Goddess walking among mortals. The sun is jealous of your radiance and the moon of your composure; you put the stars of the night sky to shame. I'm so sorry I made you think otherwise. It was never my intention."
There was a moment of silence, skepticism showing plain in her wife's face before blue eyes flicked to hers, shoulders dropping ever so slightly as tension slid away. "Then... what did you mean? What... what about me makes you uncomfortable?"
They were both using Valen now and, at this point, Yang felt it was easier to simply roll with it rather than switch back to Atlesian. "It's not you, Weiss. Well, I suppose that's not- what I mean is." She took a deep breath and let it out, trying to center herself. "Weiss, just because we're married doesn't mean I can touch you without your permission. I don't believe that." She rubbed her thumbs lightly along the other woman's cheekbones in an attempt to soothe and almost distractedly happy when she felt slim hands come to rest on her hips. "When we left the feasting hall, I didn't even know if you'd be willing to stay with me, much less have me touch you. I didn't want to pressure you into anything; we'd hardly met, you were forced into this, and I'm... I'm not the one you would've picked, if you were given a choice in the first place."
"I think you sell yourself short, Yang," the Atlesian said, her voice soft. "You... possess a certain kind of charm that would be entirely alien in Atlas. Had we met in my court instead of yours, my opinion of you wouldn't necessarily be a poor one." Tentatively, Weiss moved her hands, gloved fingers tracing across the skin left exposed by the blonde's vest, delineation in muscles earned from years fighting and riding. "You're strong and kind, firm and gentle, powerful and sincere. These things... do not often come together in my homeland."
The blonde frowned, lilac eyes drifting to the faint scar as worry filled her. "No offense, but your people sound a little... barbaric." Somehow, that brought a chuckle out of the other woman, which was enough of a boost to her confidence for Yang to move a little closer, allowing her left hand to drop down to her wife's shoulder. The right remaind, though, her thumb tracing the bottom of the scar. "Will you tell me one day how this happened?"
"I'll tell you right now." Weiss closed her eyes, any trace of amusement absent as she continued. "It's my father's belief that children should be seen and not heard, and even then only when called upon. It was a lesson I... forgot once too often."
Yang instantly felt her blood boil, absolutely livid at the implication, but she had to be sure even as heat suffused her being. "Your father did this?"
"Not personally, but it was on his order." The Atlesian turned her head, away from her touch. "It was years ago. Old news."
She wanted to argue, clenching her jaw for a moment to keep the words on her tongue and set her right hand on the woman's shoulder. Even if she itched to regain the former contact, she wouldn't push, at least for the moment. It took a supreme amount of effort but she managed to go for a different approach, though there was no hiding the anger lurking in her tone. "Your father's never allowed near our kids unsupervised."
Blue eyes turned to her, half of a laugh out of her mouth before it was cut off. Even if she'd managed to keep from expressing her rage in a direct manner, there was one way it always showed through. "Your eyes..."
"I'm upset," she said, as if that was all the explanation she needed for suddenly sporting blood red pupils. It was something she'd noticed over the years warring with Atlas, yet another difference between their homes. The kingdom across the sea relied on steel, bulk, and advanced weapons to win their battles while Vale's warriors focused on skill, camaraderie, and the development of their inner chi. The blonde's always manifested with a surge of heat and blood red eyes, somehow empowering her to weather blows that would tear weaker souls to shreds.
Weiss seemed to notice her higher body temperature a moment after her eyes, appearing somewhat surprised, but she didn't draw away. She did glance at the hands on her shoulders, though, making a thoughtful noise in the back of her throat. "I... suppose that explains why half of Atlas is convinced you're part dragon."
"It's just my chi. It tends to flare when I'm hurt or mad." The warrior pulled in a deep breath, trying to center herself. "And right now I'm just... I'm so angry. What sort of father would do that to his own child? Why weren't you allowed to speak your mind?" She was going in the wrong direction, her voice beginning to raise the more she spoke, so she cut herself off with a growl. "He was probably just jealous you're smarter than he'll ever be."
Perhaps insulting the man wasn't the best move but it certainly went a long way towards cooling her temper. Had she known before the wedding, venting her frustration might've included at least one punch, but she suspected that's all it would've taken. The soon-to-be former King of Atlas looked as though he was made of broken glass, all jutting edges poorly smoothed over by an unsteady hand. One good shot might've crushed his skull in and she didn't feel particularly remiss for having that thought.
What remained of her rage was snuffed out in the blink of an eye as she became abruptly aware that Weiss was moving. The blonde expected her wife to draw away, gain distance, as most often did when she became peeved. Instead, the woman moved closer, the hands that spent most of the conversation tracing along the grooves of her abs slipping around to her back and pulling her closer. It was exhilarating; Weiss didn't often initiate contact between them, and even that was limited. A touch at the shoulder or elbow for attention, a brush of hands in reassurance, or a playful swat after a bad joke or a particularly awful pronunciation were about as far as the two had gotten.
This was actually their first hug and all the tension keeping Yang's shoulders rigid flowed out at that realization, her own arms encircling the Atlesian to hold her gently as she bent her head down to whisper in her ear. "No one else is going to hurt you like that, ever again." She felt emboldened by the positive contact and gently pressed her lips against her wife's temple. "I promise."
"That's a difficult pledge to make," Weiss replied, though she didn't seem perturbed by the kiss.
"So? I'm the Queen of Vale and the Dragon of Patch." She closed her eyes, soaking in the feel of the smaller woman pressed against her. "It doesn't matter how hard it is; I'll do it. You're worth protecting, Weiss."
At that, her wife drew back ever so slightly, a silent request for her to open her eyes and look. The moment she did, the blonde saw the slight wonder sparkling in those blue eyes, as if some part of the Atlesian was unable to process her words. Finding herself suddenly lacking the willpower to resist- and hoping she wasn't overstepping her bounds- Yang quickly snuck in another kiss, this time aiming for the scar. The reaction was immediate- a slight jolt that passed through her wife's frame- but no motion was made to push her away or discourage her. Instead, the moment the blonde drew back to reaffirm her promise, a slim hand quickly slipped up to cup her jaw and guide her into a proper kiss.
This time, it was the warrior's turn to jump, shocked slightly at how good it felt and how her eyes slipped shut seemingly of their own accord just before she pressed into the contact. There was a bit of pride welling in her chest at having gotten this far, earning this little bit of glorious affection from the Atlesian, but that would be something she could reflect on later. The matter at hand was keeping up with the woman as she suddenly drew back, trying to hide her sudden shortness of breath by surreptitiously inhaling deeply. Seeing as Yang's arms were still wrapped around her, though, it was a futile effort, and one she abandoned completely when the blonde let out a breathless laugh, leaning forward to rest their foreheads together.
"Well, that was... something." Weiss offered, obviously flustered for perhaps the first time in their all-too-brief relationship.
"Yeah." The blonde smiled. "But, the choice is still yours, you know. We could just sleep. It was a long trip and a night in a proper bed will do us both some good."
Her offer seemed to be carefully considered before blue eyes flashed with determination. "I would rather we consummate our union, Yang. Some part of me thinks my father might be foolish enough to try taking Vale again, either by brute force or subterfuge. I want there to be no doubt where my loyalties lie."
"With me?"
The Atlesian drew back enough so Yang could get the full effect of how she rolled her eyes. "Yes, you dolt, with you."
"I'm just making sure," she replied, trying to sound at least a little annoyed but failing miserably as a wide smile split her features, to the point she was sure her cheeks would start hurting if she held it long enough.
Although she was already missing the contact, the blonde stepped back so she could begin undressing. She was quickly stopped by her wife, intent on tackling the task herself. First went her weapon, each cestus laid with reverential care on the desk pressed against one wall, and then her vest, followed by her trousers, which were all relatively simple. However, lithe fingers slid them away from her body with such deft precision that Yang almost had to wonder how often her wife had undressed another before settling on the more likely explanation: she was simply too meticulous to fumble with the simple buttons and ties. When the tables were turned and the warrior was faced with the task of removing the dress- which laced up the back and how did Weiss even manage to dress herself every day anyway?- she found the other woman's calm instructions easy and offered with only a little teasing lilt to her voice.
Unlike the Atlesian, who had remained almost clinical during her turn, Yang couldn't help but let her fingers wander across newly exposed skin. She didn't need the aid of a mirror to be aware of the scars crisscrossing her own back, barely hidden by her luscious hair now that her vest was removed, and she could see well enough the ones on her arms and knuckles from more battles than she could count. In contrast, her wife's skin was smooth and unblemished, except for the mark marring her face, and further cementing in the blonde's mind that she was, in fact, blessed enough to have married some forgotten deity trapped on the mortal plane. Everywhere she touched, a shiver followed, until finally Weiss refused to allow her exploration to continue and lead both of them to the bed. Only once they were both laying down, underthings discarded with far less care than the rest of their respective ensembles, was the blonde allowed to continue.
It was slow going, especially at first. Committing to memory a thousand responses, touching and touching again to see if the same reaction would come or if it was just surprise, and once her wife even commented on it.
"At this rate, we'll need days to finish this, you know."
"Then days we'll take," she replied, ensuring she met the woman's gaze as a small smile curled her lips. "I'm in no rush."
It wasn't perfect. They were learning together what worked and what didn't and the Atlesian was reluctant to speak up on some of those things, so Yang had to read her body language, the pitch of her voice, the hitch in her sighs to determine her pleasure. The blonde was easier, more straight forward, but she kept in the back of her mind to not ask too much. Then they moved together, out of sync but eventually finding their rhythm, giving and taking in equal measure. There were still some rough spots but, for a fight night together as a wedded couple, it certainly wasn't bad.
When they finally came to rest late into the night, covered in sweat and curled up together, the Queen of Vale felt peace descend on her much easier than it had in the past six months, and she hardly had the presence of mind to draw a blanket around them before slipping off to sleep.
The morning light streamed in through the open window, birds singing their song loudly for all to hear. Faintly, she could remember waking before the sunrise in this very room, rushing downstairs to help her father with breakfast for themselves and Ruby before following him out to their small garden, and cutting wood when she got older to take to market. The simple joys of a life filled with hard work, before the wars and the blood and the crown she now bore, and she sighed slightly at the mental acknowledgement that she'd already overslept. No doubt her father or one of the clan leaders would come banging on the door soon, calling her to the town square to introduce her wife to each of the grizzled old warriors and those set to take their places, but the moment she started to shift, a voice cold as ice froze her in place.
"Don't. You. Dare."
Blinking the world into some small semblance of order, Yang noticed that her arm was loosely curled around Weiss' waist, pulling the smaller woman's frame against her as they lay together. Suddenly, all the memories from the night before came rushing back and there was no stopping her from carefully leaning over and pressing a kiss to the Atlesian's cheek. "Morning."
"Yes, it is morning, very astute observation." Her voice was thick from sleep and her eyes remained closed but there was nothing subtle about the way her wife pressed back against her, one arm laying over the blonde's. "Now, stop moving. I want another hour, at least."
There was a cheeky comment on the tip of her tongue about having tuckered the woman out so thoroughly but the woman did have a tendency to be a bit cranky early in the morning. "Kept you up with my snoring, huh?"
"Actually, you don't snore when you sleep on your side, I've noticed," Weiss replied, snuggling under the covers a bit further. "I'm simply comfortable and we just finished a long trip. Is an extra hour too much to ask?"
"Nah, not at all." Closing her eyes, the blonde inhaled deeply and let it go, happy to lounge in the morning with her wife for a while longer yet.
The worst that could happen would be the clan leaders starting the celebrations without them and, honestly, that was fine by her. Everyone would soon know of the Atlesian one way or another and she didn't doubt they would all be as awestruck as she was. Unfortunately for the lot of them, she was the one lucky enough to be married to the woman.
So, that was a thing. *shrug* I may come back to this eventually. No idea what I'd do with it but fluffball-warlord-uxorious Yang is a lot of fun to write. There’s now a Part 3.
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