literature

The Princess' Rogue - Chapter 16

Deviation Actions

TearofLight's avatar
By
Published:
984 Views

Literature Text

(It is highly recommended that you read the Author's Notes below before reading this chapter.)

***

*** ~ Chapter 16: The Royal Test ~ ***

She was crying. And screaming. And yelling.

At least she was trying to.

Screaming and yelling that is.

Yet no matter how hard she tried, all that escaped Weiss’ lips were throaty squeaks and ragged coughs.

“Ya…ng…!”

Trembling hands shook the limp blonde in her grasp, even now Weiss so utterly baffled as to how she closed the distance between them. One moment she was staring wide eyed as Yang collapsed forward. In the next, she was catching the blonde before the rogue could hit the ground, a glimmer of white dissipating from beneath her feet. With tears running down her face like rivers, Weiss cradled the rogue’s head in her arms. Yang barely moved in her grasp, the brawler’s wheezing breaths the only indication she was still alive.

“Ya-”

A violent coughing fit struck Weiss, the former princess’ frame shaking as she heaved and gasped for breath. Smoke was quickly filling the air around them, the small fires scattered across the area scorching grass and bark black. After sputtering for what felt like an eternity, Weiss finally managed to suck in a raspy breath, her chest aching from the effort.

“Ngh…”

Blue eyes darted downwards at that sound, Weiss nearly fainting in relief when she saw Yang’s eyebrow twitch. Holding her breath for a few seconds, Weiss watched as the rogue’s head turned to the left limply, Yang’s forehead creasing a bit as she inhaled a coughing breath. Remembering to breathe, Weiss quickly scanned the area for an escape route. She nearly lost it when she saw all of the vegetation on their left, right, and front was ablaze with flames. Only a small section of land at their backs was not on fire.

Yet.

If Weiss didn’t act fast, they were going to get boxed in and burn to death.

Weiss gritted her teeth.

That was not going happen!

Scrounging up what little strength she had left, Weiss slid her arms under her unconscious companion and hefted Yang up from the back by her armpits. Yang groaned when she did that, Weiss quietly murmuring apologies for undoubtedly pulling on the blonde’s injury, that awful onyx dagger still embedded in the rogue’s shoulder. As much as she wanted to, even Weiss knew better than to yank the blade from Yang’s shoulder. Only a fool would do such things without considering the repercussions, ones which could undoubtedly make things worse, or in this case, quite possible kill the rogue.

Weiss struggled under Yang’s weight, the ex-heiress huffing audibly from the strain. Unlike Weiss, who was more skin and bones than anything else, Yang was mostly muscle. That made the brawler quite solid weight-wise, making things particularly difficult for Weiss, especially in her weakened state. Gritting her teeth and already shaking from exertion, Weiss hunkered down the best she could, making the slow and agonizing drag backwards towards the rapidly closing exit on her knees. But before she could even make it half as far, the ground suddenly disappeared below them and blackness swallowed them whole.

***

A splash.

Blue eyes opened groggily, Weiss blinking once before closing her eyes again. Exhausted and aching everywhere, she was in no mood to do anything other than to lie here on her stomach, wherever here was, as if dead. If it were possible, she would gladly sleep for the next hundred years or so, but even Weiss knew that was pushing it. At the sound of squeak a few seconds later, Weiss scrunched her nose, the former heiress grumbling something unintelligible before falling silent once again.

A poke to the cheek.

Blearily opening her eyes again, Weiss ever so ready to yell at the damn thing disrupting her beauty sleep, all thoughts of shouting were quickly forgotten when the first thing her blurred vision made out was brown.

Brown eyes and two long, brown furry ears to be precise.

Weiss stared.

Brown eyes stared back.

Weiss blinked.

Brown eyes blinked back.

Weiss blinked again.

Brown ears drooped forward an inch, brown eyes blinking at Weiss again.

Weiss, now finally cognisant enough to realize there was something, or rather someone, staring back at her with only inches of space between their faces, jolted backwards with a gasp. Startled by her reaction, the person immediately dashed off in a blur of brown and yellow, disappearing into the trees nearby before Weiss could make heads or tails of what just happened. With adrenaline spiking through her system, Weiss clumsily pushed herself upright, hastily rubbing her eyes as she scanned the immediate area.

Water.

That was the first thing her gaze landed on.

It was a river, the river they had been following all this time since getting lost in this cursed forest. Weiss sat within arm’s reach of it. On the opposite side of the river were trees, lots of them, the vegetation spanning the entire length of the water’s edge as far as the eye could see. It was a magnificent sight, one Weiss would have marvelled at had her mind not been going in circles about how she knew this fact. That and how she got here. The last thing she remembered was being surrounded by fire, Yang hanging limply from-

Weiss went rigid.

Yang!

Panic squeezed Weiss like a vice, her momentary bliss quickly morphing into suffocating terror.

Cinder showing up.

Being attacked.

Yang getting stabbed.

Everything came back to her like a flash flood.

Twisting her head this way and that, it took only seconds for Weiss to catch sight of blonde hair and pale skin. Ten feet behind her and to the right was Yang, the rogue lying flat on her back, her face tilted away from Weiss. Scurrying over to the downed rogue terrified out of her mind, the ex-heiress felt none of the scratches which quickly accumulated on her hands and knees in her mad scramble.

“Ya… ng…!” Weiss rasped, closing the distance between them in seconds.

Reaching out to Yang, Weiss' hand came within an inch of the rogue before she pulled it back. While she knew some basic first aid (all thanks to the rogue), Weiss hadn’t the foggiest idea of what she should be doing right now. She was not a healer, nor were the healing arts ever something taught to the ex-princess. So, after internally debating with herself for the better part of a minute, Weiss chose to follow her instincts and rested her head down on the rogue’s chest.

Yang was warm. Unusually so, and not because of her Aura. Sweat covered the brawler’s bare flesh like a second skin, Yang’s heart beating erratically under Weiss’ ear. In spite of the heat rolling off of brawler, Yang shivered continually, shallow breaths rolling off of her lips.

A groan.

Weiss’ head shot up from the rogue’s chest.

“Y-Yang…?” Weiss squeaked, her voice scratchy but understandable.

“… Wei-”

Yang coughed violently, Weiss doing what she could to ignore the pained wheezes as the worst of the spasms shook her companion. As Yang quieted down and the coughing fit passed, Weiss’ gaze immediately went back to the flowing waters next to them, its pull almost hypnotic. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, she made a decision. Parting briefly from the other girl, Weiss darted over to the chilling waters just a few feet away.

The moment she was close enough, Weiss' hand plunged into the rushing waters, her fingers coming together in a scoop. Ignoring the almost overwhelmingly pleasurable shiver which ran through her at that contact, Weiss withdrew her hand seconds later, the Schnee successor wasting no time in getting back to the half-conscious brawler's side. So caught up in satiating the blonde's thirst, Weiss failed to notice the soft blue tint the water had as her palm absorbed some of it.

Reaching under the rogue's head with her free hand, Weiss tilted Yang's head upwards. Bringing her water bearing hand to the blonde’s lips, Weiss ever so carefully poured the water into Yang's mouth, quenching the rogue's parched throat.

“Thanks…” Yang murmured tiredly after the water ran out.

Turning back to the river again to get some more water, Weiss paused when a weak hand grasped her wrist and held it. Staring at the rogue’s bloodied knuckles, the liquid red starting to dry and cake on Yang’s bruised skin, tears burned at the back of Weiss' eyes, her lips pressed together in a fine line.

“Weiss...”

Had this been the first time she was meeting Yang, Weiss' reaction would have been to pull away, disgusted and faint. Blood was something vile, something impure, despite that very thing flowing through her veins. Blood was a sign of weakness, an utter abomination that had no place on Vale's only successor. Schnees did not bleed. Nor did they associate themselves with anyone who did. They were perfect, and perfection meant showing no weakness, nor accepting it.

That all changed, of course, when Weiss met a certain blonde headed brute by the name of Yang Xiao Long. While their time together hadn't exactly been lengthy, Weiss quickly learned it was alright to be weak. That is was alright to be flawed. That it was alright to just be herself. So now, rather than turn up her nose at the sight and smell of blood, Weiss instead rested her free hand on top of Yang’s, her thumb caressing the blonde’s battered skin.

“Are you… alright…?”

Weiss’ eyes widened at those words, the ex-princess biting her lip in a feeble attempt to stop her tears. Yang was... She was-

“Did she… hurt… you…?” Yang asked. The blonde's voice was soft. But it was also warm.

Tears spilled down Weiss' cheeks, her body shuddering as she gritted her teeth. Squeezing her eyes shut, Weiss curled in on herself, desperately fighting back the sobs clawing their way up her throat. The hand on Yang's tightened, Weiss' hand shaking along with the rest of her.

“Weiss…? Are you-”

This was all her fault.

“I’m sorry!”

Weiss choked on tears, and coughs, the former heiress now openly weeping as the most recent events finally caught up to her.

“I’m so sorry!”

If it wasn’t for her, Yang wouldn’t be hurt. If it wasn’t for her, Yang wouldn’t be bleeding. If it wasn’t for her-

“H-Hey…”

Eyes blurred with tears opened as Yang’s free hand came up to cup Weiss’ cheek. Forcing herself to meet her companion’s gaze, Weiss found herself sobbing even harder when she caught sight of Yang soft expression. Lavender coloured eyes were opened half way, a noticeable smile seen on the blonde's lips even through Weiss' water distorted sight.

“I’m glad you’re alright,” Yang said, her smile widening.

For a moment, Weiss' breath caught in her throat. And then Weiss was bawling.

“I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!”

With her forehead pressed to the rogue's uninjured shoulder, Weiss repeated her apology over and over and over again.

It hurt.

In spite of everything that had happened, in spite of everything they had been through, the only thing the blonde cared about was if Weiss was alright.

Gods! It hurt so much to know Yang's suffering was her fault.

“I'm so sorry...”

A trembling hand stroked her hair.

“It’s not your fault, Weiss...” Yang told her, sounding somewhat breathless.

Weiss' only response to that was to cry harder.

She didn't deserve this.

She didn't deserve this comfort. She didn't deserve this kindness. Not after how she treated Yang before she really even knew the rogue. Not when all she did was cause the brawler pain.

“I'm sorry...” Weiss cried.

“Weiss, I – Ungh!”

Weiss' head snapped up. “Yang!”

Yang's eyes were squeezed shut with pain, the blonde's jaw clenched tightly. The hand still in Weiss' grip was balled into a white knuckled fist, Yang struggling to hold back a scream. After a moment of tension, the rogue went limp again, huffing for breath.

“Yang!” Weiss exclaimed again, her shaking hands holding the blonde's fist gingerly.

“It’s alright,” Yang said huffing. “I’m fine.” More heavy breathing. Lavender coloured eyes opened weakly, glancing down at the dagger of onyx.

Weiss' jaw clenched when her gaze locked onto black dagger again.

This was punishment, wasn't it? For something that she did? Or maybe it was for something she didn't do. It was hard to know. Weiss was still so clueless about many things in life, in spite of the many things Yang had taught her already, and was continuing to teach her. Yet despite this being all her fault, Yang was the one paying for Weiss' mistakes.

“Yang...” she whimpered, her lip trembling as fresh tears left trails on her cheeks.

“It's alright,” the blonde repeated, a thickness to her voice.

Weiss sniffled, swiping at her tears with her free hand.

“Everything's gonna be alright,” the rogue repeated.

“But... But...”

Yang gave Weiss a lopsided smile, before reaching upwards with a shaking hand. Confused by the blonde's actions, Weiss quickly found herself staring in shock as the brawler grabbed the onyx dagger by the hilt and ripped it from her shoulder in a surprising bout of strength. In almost slow motion, Weiss watched as droplets of crimson flew through the air, some of them splashing down on her tattered jacket. Yang was screaming.

“Yang!” Weiss exclaimed, the initial shock of what the rogue did quickly replaced by action.

Without thinking, Weiss lurched at Yang, using both hands to clamp down on the blonde's now gushing wound. Yang whimpered when Weiss did that, the rogue nearly splitting her lip with her teeth as her chest heaved with suppressed screams. With screams of her own threatening to come out, it was a miracle Weiss was able to keep her hands steady enough to cover the blonde's wound all this time.

“Why-” Weiss demanded out of breath, her throat protesting from so much use. Blue eyes quickly glanced at the discarded dagger nearby, Weiss cringing when she noticed the blade's serrated edge. Her gaze immediately swivelled back to Yang

“Why did you do that!?” Weiss shrieked.

Crimson was seeping through her fingers, liquid life turning the remnants of Yang's shirt a dark red under Weiss' hands.  Ignoring the sickening feeling clambering its way up from her stomach, Weiss gritted her teeth as she stared back at her pale companion.

“Had too...” Yang said huffing, the rogue no having the energy to scream. Lavender coloured eyes were slowly drooping shut.

“You had to?!” Weiss repeated, the former heiress nearly hysterical at this point. “You had to?! What in the world made you think-”

“Poison...” Yang whispered.

All of the colour drained out of Weiss' face.

“W-What...?”

Yang sucked in a hollow breath, blinking lethargically. A defeated smile stretched across her lips, one which hurt Weiss more than any dagger to the back could.

“The moment it cut... I knew...” the rogue began, her voice soft. “But I didn't care.”

Weiss' heart pounded loudly in her chest as the blonde spoke, her hands trembling against Yang's bleeding shoulder.

“I was so angry,” Yang said, her free hand shaking as it raised to lightly touch Weiss' neck.

Weiss flinched slightly, having not expected that, but soon leaned towards her companion allowing for Yang's fingertips to ghost across her raw skin. She shuddered under that gentle touch.

“She hurt you.” Yang growled, her eyes narrowing at the red mark on Weiss' neck. “So I hurt her back!”

Weiss couldn't but smile at that comment, the former princess looking fondly at the rogue. That was such a Yang thing to do, Weiss knowing this in spite of only knowing her companion for a few weeks. As aloof as Yang always appeared to be upon first glance, she really did care. And mess with things the blonde cared about (especially her hair), well, that would be asking for trouble. And not the nice kind.

Yang's arm dropped to her side again.

“But I messed up,” Yang said, clearly exhausted. The blonde's gaze dropped down to stare at the liquid red seeping through Weiss' fingers.

“Yang-” Weiss started.

“She got me real good, Weiss,” Yang said with a flat chuckle.

Tears renewed in the corners of Weiss' eyes when Yang's gaze raised to meet hers.

“Sorry Princess.”

Weiss shook her head, as if doing so would make the rogue's words any less true.

“Don't,” Weiss said, her voice trembling. Her jaw tensed as she forced herself to smile back. “You have nothing to apologize for-”

“Weiss.”

Weiss really hated how Yang was looking at her right now. It was as if the blonde had already given up and pitied Weiss for not doing the same.

“You and I both know that's not what I'm apologizing for.”

“N-No...” Weiss stuttered. “It's just a s-scratch, Yang. Y-You're going to be fine.”

Whether Weiss was trying to convince the rogue or herself of that was hard to say.

Maybe the both of them.

“I-It's nothing,” Weiss rambled on, continuing to ignore the sticky red squelching under her palms as she breathed. “Y-You'll see. Give it time and your Aura will-”

“It won’t.”

Weiss’ gaze snapped back up to Yang’s face. “Pardon?”

Yang swallowed thickly, her eyes closing for a moment as she sighed. Upon opening her eyes again, the rogue looked at Weiss dead in the eye.

“I have no Aura left.”

Weiss' stomach dropped.

“W-What...?”

Weiss felt dizzy.

“But how can…” she started. “S-Surely Cinder didn’t-”

“It wasn’t her,” Yang said, cutting Weiss off. The rogue's gaze did not waver. “It was you.”

Weiss' heart skipped a beat.

“What?” she repeated like a parrot.

Yang pursed her lips tightly, looking away for a moment.

“I was scared,” the blonde admitted. After a few seconds, Yang turned back to look at Weiss.

“I was so scared. When you were hurt before...” A swallow. “I almost... lost you... If your Aura hadn't... If you had died instead...”

“Yang...” Weiss said, fresh tears spilling over.

“I can't...” the rogue continued, tears rolling down her cheeks. Yang shook her head.

“I can't... go through that again... Not again... So I gave you mine.”

A hand came up and held onto Weiss' wrist, Yang squeezing it gently.

“Whenever you slept. Whenever I held your hand. Even after your Aura was freed, I had to be sure. So I gave you all of mine.”

Weiss stared at her companion in disbelief.

Now it all made sense.

Yang's nearly chronic exhaustion since the bounty hunter fight. Yang's unusually slow healing rate. Yang's lacklustre brawl against Cinder. All this time, Weiss attributed those things to... well, being human. As good as the rogue was, as strong the blonde's Aura was, Yang was not invincible. She was flawed like the rest of them. She got tired like the rest of them. She got hurt like the rest of them. And had this been any other situation, Weiss would have left that train of thought there, content in cursing human mortality.

But this was not any other situation. Yang was not here like this because fate threw her a bad hand. No, the brawler was here because of Weiss. Because Yang was selflessly giving Weiss all of her Aura to make sure Weiss was alright. That was why Weiss always awoke feeling warm in the mornings. That was why she always felt safe in Yang's presence. That was why she always felt... at home... with the blonde. Because Yang was sharing her soul with Weiss. And Weiss never knew.

Until now.

“Y-Yang…” Weiss whimpered, tears flowing unhindered down her cheeks. She hunched forward, poorly stifling her tears, Weiss struggling to maintain pressure on Yang's bleeding shoulder.

Gods! Why was it suddenly so hard to breathe!?

“Hey…” Yang murmured, bringing up her uninjured hand to stroke Weiss’ hair. Weiss initially flinched away from the touch, but soon found herself leaning into it.

“Hey now,” the rogue repeated, calloused fingers running through Weiss’ platinum strands. “Stop that. It’s going to be alright. You’re going to be alright.”

How Yang could be so optimistic given the situation was beyond Weiss. Things were looking quite bleak as it was, yet the blonde just kept on smiling at her. A tender and kind smile.

Weiss shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as she hung her head.

“But w-what about y-you?” she mewled.

The hand in Weiss’ hair froze for a moment, before it slid downwards to cup Weiss’ tear stained and grime covered cheek.

“Don’t worry about me,” Yang said softly, stroking the skin of Weiss’ cheek with her thumb. “You only need to worry about you.”

“But-”

“Weiss, listen to me.”

Weiss immediately opened her mouth to protest, but stopped herself. Something in the rogue’s tone forced her pause, the look in Yang’s eyes making her stomach somersault uncomfortably. There was an air of finality in that tone, one which sent chills down Weiss’ back.

“I have done a lot of things I regret,” Yang began, the blonde lowering her gaze for a moment. “Burning down taverns, smashing the Knight Captain across the kisser…”

Through her tears, Weiss raised her eyebrow. While having not expected that second one, it wasn’t all that hard imagining the brawler doing such a thing. In fact, had Yang not done something like, at least once in her lifetime, then Weiss would have been surprised.

Yang sighed. “… But most of all, letting good people down...” the rogue trailed off.

“But you…”

Lavender coloured eyes rose to meet watery azure ones.

“I will never regret coming after you.”

“Yang...” Weiss said softly, her heart fluttering unexpectedly in her chest.

“Don't get me wrong,” Yang continued, a familiar yet cheeky grin stretching across the blonde’s tired face. “When I first met you, I thought you were the most arrogant, naïve, and annoying person in the entire world.”

“Hey!”

“Heck! If you were to suddenly travel halfway around the world, that still wouldn't have been far enough away from me.”

“W-What…” Weiss exclaimed, in complete shock. “H-How dare... t-the nerve of... Hmpf!”

Unable to smack the blonde as her hands were otherwise occupied, Weiss turned her head away and scowled instead.

A chuckle bubbled from the brawler’s lips, Weiss harrumphing in response.

“But you were also innocent, and genuine, and accepting.”

That line had Weiss reluctantly turning back to the face Yang, the rogue’s expression now one of humbled gratitude. The scowl on her face quickly lost its bite.

“You stuck with me,” Yang marvelled. “Through a lot… And that means more to me than you could ever know.”

A breath hitched in the brawler’s throat at that comment, Yang swallowing thickly as tears pooled in the corner of her eyes.

“You're... You're important to me, Weiss. I don't.... I don't...”

“Yang!” Weiss shouted, her heart nearly stopping when the rogue's eyes fluttered shut, the hand on her cheek dropping limply to the ground.

“No, no, no, no, no! Don't close your eyes Yang! You can't close your eyes!”

Terror like never before seized Weiss' heart, the former princess relinquishing her grasp on Yang's bleeding shoulder in favour of holding the rogue's face. Blood smeared across the blonde's cheeks as Weiss did that, that awful colour so out of place on Yang's skin. But that was nothing compared to the blackening veins creeping up the brawler's neck from her injured shoulder.

“Yang, don't do this to me,” Weiss pleaded, shaking her limp companion. “Please, just open your eyes. For me?”

Yang moaned but otherwise remained quiet.

“Yang!”

A blast of frigid air shot through the area, everything within a ten foot radius frosting over. Much to Weiss' relief, Yang jolted when that happened, the rogue's eyes snapping open as she gasped for breath.

“W-Weiiissss?” Yang sputtered, her uninjured hand weakly grasping at Weiss' arm. The blonde's gaze was unfocused and glassy.

“Thank the gods!” Weiss exclaimed, breathing in relief. She hugged Yang's head to her chest. “I thought you had... that you had...”

“W-Whaazzz goin' on?”

Feeling something warm and wet seeping through her jacket arm, Weiss' eyes locked onto the rogue's bleeding shoulder again, liquid red staining her sleeve crimson. Her breaths came out heavy as she stared at the crimson patch on her jacket grow bigger and bigger and bigger.

“Weiisss?” Yang murmured again, her eyes once again dropping dangerously.

Tearing her eyes from her jacket sleeve, Weiss found herself at a loss for words as she looked up at Yang again. What was going to happen now? After getting this far, Weiss still didn't have the slightest clue as to where they were. Add the fact that Yang was also in desperate need of a healer, things were looking near impossible happy ending wise. They couldn't stay here, Weiss knew that much. But as to where to go from here and how to-

“Schneeow...flake...?”

And just like that, Yang dispelled any and all doubts Weiss had with nothing but a nickname. A stupid, moronic, awful yet endearing, heartwarming and perfect nickname. Sniffling, Weiss almost laughed as she wiped away the tears with the back of her hand.

“I'm getting you out of here Yang,” Weiss said, pulling her jacket off of her shoulders. “That's what happening.”

***

~ Emerald Forest. Some time later. ~


“Damn it!”

Weiss' body shook from exertion, tears rolling down her soot covered cheeks as she lay sobbing on the ground. They'd been trudging along for a long time now, far enough to pass the flaming section of forest now at their backs, but that still wasn't far enough away for Weiss. Had Yang been the one leading this charge, they would have been much further along by now. They would have been beyond the reach of the smoke and ash still threatening to suffocate them, the rogue not anywhere near death's door, and definitely not lying next to Weiss, still bleeding out. But as it was, it was not Yang pushing things forward, it was Weiss. And Yang was slowly fading away next to her, and there was not a damn thing Weiss could do to stop it.

“Damn it all!”

With shaking arms, Weiss pushed herself to her hands and knees, the former princess roughly swiping at the tears rolling down her cheeks. Taking a moment to gather her breath, Weiss turned to her still downed companion, Yang tiredly looking up at her with half hooded eyes and a weak smile.

“S’Okay, Weiiissss…” the blonde slurred, making Weiss shake her head. “S’Okay…”

Weiss gritted her teeth, fighting against her tears.

“Weiiisss-”

“No!” Weiss shouted in a half sob, a half choking breath. “This is not how it’s supposed to happen!”

The rogue pursed her lips together, Weiss already knowing what the blonde was thinking.

“Don't even think about that!” Weiss growled, her entire form shaking. “I am NOT leaving you here while I run away like a coward! So stop saying that!”

Ignoring the sound of protest the rogue made, Weiss hastily slung the blonde’s arm over her shoulders again, heaving Yang up with all of her might. This time she carried the brawler almost completely on her back, Weiss no longer having the strength to help Yang walk alongside her. Just barely able to stand, Weiss stomped forward a few steps, managing to walk fifteen feet before she and Yang tumbled down a steep decline. So caught up in watching her weakening companion, Weiss failed to notice the sudden dip in the landscape, leading to their inevitable fall. Battered, bruised and more exhausted than before, Weiss struggled to push past her pain to stand again.

Had something like this happened while she was still at the White Castle, Weiss would have given up a long time ago. Weiss would have laid her head down, closed her eyes and just succumbed. But she didn't. Not here. Not now. Not when Yang was counting on her. So Weiss heaved herself up on wobbling legs through pure force of will and turned towards the downed rogue next to her. Then Weiss collapsed to her hands and knees again barely five seconds later, the effort to stand sadly just too much for the exhausted ex-heiress at this point.

“Why…?” Weiss whimpered, a hand covering her eyes, tears squeezing through. “Why is this happening to me? Am I really no good?”

A trembling touch on her cheek.

Weiss jolted at that sensation, her hand immediately pulling clear of her face only to be enveloped by one bigger than her own.

“Don’t sssay that,” Yang said tiredly, her eyes nearly completely closed. “Yer perfect…” A thick swallow. “... teh wayz ye're…”

Yang smiled at her, making Weiss want to wail.

“I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed, Weiss once again cradling the blonde’s head against her chest. Weeping cries burst free from Weiss' chest as her forehead touched Yang’s. “I'm so sorry...”

Weiss repeated her apology over and over again, utter helplessness rooting her in her spot. Just about to apologize for the umpteenth time, Yang went slack in her arms, making Weiss’ heart stop. She pulled back from the rogue enough to see the blonde’s face.

“Yang?”

No response.

All of the feeling drained out of Weiss’ body.

“Yang!” she exclaimed, shaking the form roughly in her grasp.

At the sound of a moan, Weiss breathed again, though her relief was short lived.

“So… tired…” Yang murmured, in barely a whisper.

“Yang no!” Weiss said, shaking the blonde again. “You can't sleep now! You can't! Don't leave me!”

Yet no matter how many times Weiss shook her, the rogue only mumbled inaudibly.

“Don’t leave me all alone…”

Weiss hiccupped as she held the rogue, rocking the unconscious girl in her arms. Yang's makeshift bandage that was Weiss' rolled up jacket rubbed against her bare arms in that action, staining her arm red, but she ignored it.

“Please Yang,” Weiss said, her voice trembling. “I don't know what to do without you...”

Tears dripped onto Yang's cheek, the rogue inhaling heavily underneath Weiss.

“You do what you need to for survival,” Phoenix said, rolling his eyes.

Weiss clutched at the blonde tighter, sniffling. “I kn-know. I know...” she said, memories of their first meeting playing in her mind. “B-But I'm n-not like you. I'm-”

“Out here, you're no one special,” Phoenix stated, giving Weiss a hard look. “No guards. No riches. And most definitely not Daddy's Little Girl.”

Weiss bit her lip. “I-I'm not l-like that anymore, Yang,” she said to the out cold blonde. “I swear t-that I'm n-not. Please believe me!”

“Prove it,” Phoenix challenged, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

A shuddering breath escaped Weiss' lips, the former princess swallowing nervously. “H-How?”

“... if you want to eat, you'll prepare it on your own. Just like the rest of us Commoners as you so call us.”

“I have to leave you...” Weiss whispered to herself, only now realizing what she knew all along but didn't want to face. Or accept. “... not to run away, but to find help...”

“Many things can't be learned from a book. Only experience gives you that.”

But could she really do that? All by herself? This would be the first time she would be on her own again, since leaving the White Castle weeks ago. Given what happened last time, it was safe to say Weiss had absolutely no confidence in her abilities when it came to survival.

“... the first time is always a fluke,” Phoenix said shrugging his shoulders, giving Weiss an unimpressed look. “Can you do it again, this time, without my help?”

But Weiss wasn't the same person she was all those weeks ago, was she?

“And you know this... how?”


“Because of you,” Weiss said, holding the rogue even tighter. “You saved me.”

Blue eyes turned to steel.

“So let me now return the favor.”

Pulling back slightly, Weiss scanned the area noting a bunch of things. At a lower incline, the smoke and heat from the spreading fires had no bearing here. Also, nearby, maybe some odd ten feet or so was a large, ancient tree with some of its roots exposed from soil degradation over the years. While the damage done was not so extensive that the tree would topple, it was enough to shelter an average adult human sitting down from the elements, the space also obscure enough to hide them mostly from sight. Unless you knew where to look that is. So with a great deal of effort, Weiss dragged her unconscious companion there and lay her amongst the tree’s roots.

“I’ll b-be back for y-you, Yang,” Weiss said, her voice shaking. “I p-promise. So just hang on and wait for me. Okay?”

Leaning downwards, Weiss kissed Yang on the forehead, fresh tears in her eyes as she fought against the hesitation to stay.

“W-Wish me luck.”

Knowing she wouldn’t get a reply, Weiss took one final glance at the rogue before she turned around and ran. Even when all she wanted to do was turn around and return to Yang’s side, she ran. Even when she tripped over above ground roots and was scratched by the underbrush, she ran. Even when she stumbled across a lone Boarbatusk, Weiss didn’t back down, nor she did turn around. She ran.

Because she owed it to Yang.

Because she owed it to herself.

Because she had made a promise.

Consequences and repercussions be damned! Weiss Schnee always kept her promises.
Navigation

First | << Prev | Next >> | Story Folder

***

Summary:
It was supposed to be easy. Save the princess, collect the bounty, and then live the rest of her life without a care in the world. But when is anything ever that easy? Yang & Weiss. AU.

***

Pre-Story Notes
This story is rated T for Teen. It will include some violence, blood, and language.

And another chapter is up! This was a tough one to write. While the ideas were there, the words just weren't coming out. I don't know if it’s burnout or writer's block or what, but this chapter is definitely not as polished as I would have liked. It probably doesn't flow like it should either. Oh well. I did what I could. Hopefully it's a somewhat enjoyable read nonetheless.

Disclaimer: The characters and the worlds I write in do not belong to me. The stories that I write are intended for entertainment purposes. I do not make any money from them.


***

Post Story Notes

Not quite happy with that ending but oh well. How do you all like that cliffhanger? Lol. Don't worry, things will get better. I promise. :)

For those of you wondering, the poison which struck Yang was the same kind as the one which hurt Weiss. Guess who the twins got it from? XD If the wound won't kill you, the poison will...
© 2015 - 2024 TearofLight
Comments2
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
"not as polished as I would have liked" he says, "doesn't flow like it should" he says. Tell that to my empty tear ducts.