Ember Legacy, Volume 3

Chapter 22: Chained Heritage

Western Reaches

"Patience is for dragons," Keegan muttered.

"But dragons must learn it, just as humans must," Pharrgon replied.

~ Kathryn Fogleman, Tales of the Wovlen: The Dragon Son

Weiss' ass hurt more than she could ever recall at any point in her eighty years of life. The Elf had not been one to utilize mounts overmuch, and on the occasions that she had, she was able to rest upon a more-or-less comfortable saddle.

With a chuckle, she wondered if they made saddles for a Dragon, but then mused that such a thing might be considered highly offensive to such a proud race.

She sighed slightly, squinting her eyes against the wind that flew past her face before tucking herself back in against the soft golden mane of the Dragon she rode. They'd been flying for several hours now, but she'd been assured the flight would pause at about halfway to rest.

Just how far away is the Hold of the Silver Dragons?

Her head turned, seeking out the other Dragon accompanying them. It took her awhile, but eventually she could make out the dark, shadowy form of the Onyx as he glided through the clouds, his wings beating as languidly as Yang's to conserve their strength. Her lover had assured her they would make good time in such a fashion, riding a tail wind that more-or-less pointed in the direction they needed to go.

And then the wisps of white dissipated as they broke from the cloud cover, the sun shining brightly against both the water below as well as the golden scales she rested against.

Wait, what? Water?

"Yang, why are we over water?" she yelled, a trace of panic in her voice.

The Gold turned her head slightly. "Don't worry, gorgeous, the island is just up ahead. We'll stop at the shore."

Her eyes squinted against the brightness as well as the wind, but eventually she could make out a darkness on the horizon, fast approaching. It looked to be more the size of a small continent rather than an island, one she was unfamiliar with.

The sun has already peaked, it's setting off to the left, which means we're heading northward… That's not Atlas, though, not enough snow, so where are we…? Oh!

If her memory of Remnant geography served, there was a goodly-sized body of land to the northwest of Vale, just above Vacuo. There was no civilization there, so far as she knew, and most explorers and adventurers simply avoided the area as they had a tendency to vanish without a trace if they were so bold.

Another memory flitted across her mind, of staring at the map as a little girl and marveling at the small landmass, vaguely in the shape of a Dragon.

Oum, of course, in hindsight I suppose it all makes sense. Where else would the Dragon race secret themselves?

The land ahead had solidified enough that she could make out details, a sandy beach that eventually gave way to rocky outcroppings, and then eventually lush and unspoiled forest and grasslands. Weiss glanced to the side once again, now able to spot the two forms huddled on the back of the Onyx. She winced slightly, hoping that her friend had been able to heal on the long flight now that the brunette was away from the debilitating influence of the Orb of Azure.

But then they started to descend, Yang's wings beating in a slightly increased tempo as she fought against the gravity that now began to reassert its influence. The wind stream left behind, their progress slowed until they were finally above the beach.

Gold and Onyx settled down at the same time, their impact and the backwash of their wings sending sand and debris flying.

Yang extended her wing wordlessly, and Weiss was quick to scamper down on numb legs. As her feet touched the ground, she stumbled onto her knees.

"Oh," she murmured. "That was a bit draining."

Warm hands reached from behind her to help her back to her feet. Instead of letting go, though, familiar strong arms wrapped around her waist and pressed her into the softness of her lover.

"Take it slow," Yang murmured. "Gotta let the blood circulate some, yeah?"

Weiss grinned and turned her head to peer into her favorite lilac eyes. "Don't even think of carrying me."

The blonde threw her head back and laughed boisterously. "Oh, never, princess. I value my life and limb far too dearly."

The Elf snorted softly and slapped her arm. She looked across the beach to where Blake was still helping Ruby down off of Qrow's wing, arm wrapped around her middle.

"Looks like Ruby is still a bit shaky," she murmured worriedly.

"Yeah, I don't think so," Yang chuckled as they slowly made their way over. The other pair were now seated side-by-side on a sun-bleached log that hadn't been disturbed by their landing, while Qrow was sprawled out on his back along the sand, head cradled by his arms.

The Onyx's head turned to regard them with crimson eyes. "Figure we rest up an hour or so before the last leg, that okay with you, firecracker?"

"Fine by me," the blonde smirked. "Especially since Ruby can fly now."

"What? Yang, she's still wounded," Blake spoke up with a frown.

Weiss, however, was noticing a fairly bright blush on the cheeks of the Silver by her side.

"Ruby?" she murmured.

All eyes now focused on her, the brunette chuckled abashedly while rubbing the back of her neck. "Um… Yeah, I'm… okay to fly now."

Yang's chuckles turned into outright laughter as she settled onto the sand across from the pair, sitting cross-legged and pulling a willing platinum-haired Elf into her lap. "Sorry to make you give up your very comfy seat."

Blake was blushing as well by now, though she bore a rueful grin.

"To be fair," Ruby retorted, "it was really comfy."

"Oh, I'm sure. Who wouldn't want kitty snuggles for the whole trip over?"

"Yang, you still exist to irritate me, don't you?" Blake grumbled flatly, staring off to the side.

"Who, me?" the blonde asked with fake affront.

"Yes, you."

"Alright, kids," Qrow laughed, sitting upright. "Let's have a conversation before we reach the Hold, okay?"

"Sure, Uncle Qrow," Ruby replied quickly, a blush still lingering on her cheeks. "What did you want to tell us?"

All four women were now focused attentively on the Onyx as he played with a shard of smooth glass, worn down by untold years of saltwater tides.

"So, the Silver Dragon Hold," he began with a quiet rasp. "It's a bit… exclusionary. As friendly as they can be, they don't take kindly to intrusions into their home."

Qrow sighed as he dropped the piece of glass and leaned back on his elbows. "Lemme back up a bit, first. Ruby, I was good friends with both your mom and dad, so I can give you a little insight as to why they lived where they did when they raised you as a hatchling."

The brunette sat up at that, her silver eyes sparkling eagerly.

"Summer was next in line for the Matriarchy, but it wasn't a responsibility she ever wanted." He chuckled ruefully. "I might have been a bad influence on her. Well, me and Raven both, we've always been restless spirits… But she had the soul of an adventurer, wanted to see Remnant before she was saddled with the responsibility that came with her own mother's station."

"Yeah," Ruby interjected softly. "I can relate."

"I suppose you can, yeah." Qrow tilted his head back to watch the clouds drift by. "She followed the rules for the first half-century or so, but then after Raven left with Yang while she was still a hatchling, Summer decided that she needed to get out of the Hold. She, Tai, and myself headed across the water and got into all sorts of trouble."

His sardonic grin became something more wistful, a little sad perhaps. "Well, in any case, she and Tai mated and remained down there while I went off to seek my own brand of adventure."

"One that involved searching for the most potent alcohol in all of Remnant, right?" Yang snarked.

He shot her a patently false glare. "Don't mock my choices," he growled playfully. With a grin, he sat back up again, hands loosely on his knees. "So, anyways, the Silver Matriarch is gonna be wary of history repeating itself. You're the last of her line right now, Ruby, so that both puts you in a bad spot and gives you an advantage."

The brunette tilted her head slightly in confusion. "An advantage? How so?"

He held up a hand and began to tick items off on his fingers. "She needs you to willingly take your mother's place as heir. Silvers greatly prize individuality, so she doesn't want to force you. The Matriarch, even though she oversees the race as a whole, is still your grandmother, so that might count for something. Also, when she takes a look at you in this form, she can't help but be reminded of Summer." Qrow put his hand down and shrugged. "Might go both ways on that one."

Ruby nodded slowly as she stared down at her feet, lost in thought. Blake hesitantly reached over and rested a reassuring hand on her back, causing the brunette to look up and flash her a warm smile.

Clearing his throat, Qrow scratched at the back of his neck ruefully. "Ah, yeah, that reminds me. If you don't wanna make your case even harder for yourself, you might want to, y'know… cool it on the affection between the two of you."

Though Ruby bore an understanding grimace on her face, Blake reflected the confusion that the Elven Mage was sure she herself displayed. "Why would that make a difference?"

Qrow's eyes flickered over to Yang, who spoke up hurriedly before he could. "They'll see that as the only reason she wants to stay away from the Hold," the blonde murmured roughly. "Instead of her own reasons that have to do with the Orb."

"Oh," Weiss murmured in reply. "I… suppose that makes sense."

Your explanation makes sense, but not your uneasiness… What are you hiding from me, Yang?

She was well aware there was something going on, but the Elf hadn't had the chance to discuss it privately yet. Between the interactions of Qrow and Yang on the side of the mountain, and her evasiveness now, a small worry began to gnaw at the edge of her heart.

I have the terrible feeling that this somehow has to do with me, or more precisely, us… and that I won't like what will come of this secret.

Her musings were interrupted by Qrow as the raven-haired man resumed his earlier discourse.

"Humanoids are rarely allowed inside the Hold," he stated. "Never actually seen any there, myself. The Silvers usually don't even allow other Dragons in, so it's a pretty damn huge honor if they are."

"But you are allowed in, correct?" Blake spoke up softly, her amber eyes glinting intelligently.

"I am, yeah," Qrow nodded. "Done some favors for the Matriarch in the past, I'm considered a friend. And Yang, as Ruby's sister and my niece, will get a pass inside as well." He let out a breath in more of an explosive expression of disgruntlement than a sigh. "You two, though… It'd be iffy if it were just me, but Ruby should be able to get you by, especially if you stick to your blades, kiddo."

"Oh, I intend to," the brunette stated firmly. Her eyes were now a swirling grey, storm clouds racing behind them as she set her mouth into a resolved line. "So I can play up both my status and my absence. The trick will be to not get nailed down into making a promise."

"That's always the rub, yeah," Qrow agreed. He chuckled lightly at the slightly confused expression on Blake's face. "A Dragon's word is their bond, once given we'll move all of Remnant to ensure it."

"It's not given lightly," Yang agreed, her voice tinged with a bit of sadness. "We have to be very careful how we craft it, and who we give it to."

The group was silent for a few moments until Weiss decided to break it with her own question, one she'd been pondering for some time.

"If I may," the Elf began. "You refer to the home of the Silvers as a Hold, but you have also mentioned an Aerie? What is the difference?"

"That's an easy one," Yang chuckled. "Holds are more enclosed, like a series of caverns and caves, hidden away and easily defensible. The Silver race prefers that as their numbers are so few. For Bronzes, though, since there are so many of them, they like the Aerie, which is just a series of niches and caves set into a big ole mountain. They have the numbers to defend such an open space."

Weiss nodded slowly and turned her face slightly to the side. "And what about Golds?"

The blonde leaned in and brushed her lips against her cheek, eliciting a soft smile. "We Golds are more solitary. Our Matriarch lives in a cavern with a few others, but we either make our lairs off alone or hang out with the other races, like I did growing up in the Aerie."

"Onyx's are much the same," Qrow interjected. "We have a Hold, not here, though. But mostly we just kinda go where we will."

"Greens hail from the swamps south of Mistral," Ruby continued as if from rote. "Whites from the frozen hinterlands to the north, and the Browns are bred in the deserts to the east of Vacuo."

"And the Reds?" Blake asked.

Qrow snorted. "Any damn place they want."

The brunette silver giggled lightly, her earlier dark mood alleviated somewhat. "Pretty much, yeah, except for this land here. Only those friendly to the Silvers and Bronzes make their homes here."

"Right," the raven-haired man groaned as he stretched with his arms over his head. "Any other questions? I think I covered all I can for now, just… Be firm, and be yourself, kid. You can handle this."

"Yes," Ruby replied softly as she rose to her feet. "Yes, I can." She tilted her head towards Blake inquisitively. "Ride with me?"

"Gladly," Blake murmured in reply.

Weiss sighed as she rose to her feet, pulling Yang up with her. They walked a short distance away to give the others room to transform. "They really have it bad for each other, don't they?"

"Yeah, they do," her blonde lover answered distractedly.

"Yang…"

"Not now, gorgeous," Yang interrupted her. "Soon, okay?"

Weiss stared up into the Gold's lilac eyes. "Can you promise me that?"

The blonde opened her mouth but quickly snapped it shut. "I need to change," she whispered.

"You are incredibly stubborn," the platinum-haired Elf sighed, stepping back.

"So I've been told," Yang grinned before her form shimmered, a gigantic Gold Dragon taking the place of the blonde brawler.

Weiss climbed up the extended wing and settled herself behind her girlfriend's neck once more. She squirmed slightly, trying to find the most comfortable position, before the Gold launched herself skyward after the Silver and Onyx already winging their way inland.

I will uncover what is troubling you so, because I care far too much for you to allow this to drive a wedge between us.

The Silver Dragon Hold

Ruby's mind was a swirl of emotions as she approached her mother's ancestral home. Her ancestral home, the seat of the Silver Matriarch. A broad slash in the side of one of the many mountains along the spine of this small continent, her vision easily picked out a set of argent forms ringed around the opening. Sentries to protect the Hold.

They'd already passed through the outer perimeter, though the small flight of three Dragons hadn't been overtly approached or scrutinized. She could tell her measure had already been taken by the patrols of Silvers around the border of the territory, and she knew just as surely that the news of her arrival had already preceded her.

Well, it's not like I'm tryin' to sneak up on them.

She was cognizant of the presence of the Cat Faunus on her back, nestled just above her shoulder blades and with her arms and tail wrapped around her neck. Ruby smiled slightly, reminiscing of the flight over and how wonderful it had felt to be cradled securely in Blake's arms the whole time.

Yeah, maybe I did stretch it out a little bit… No regrets, though, especially as there's no way we can be that close while here.

And then they were alighting onto the surface of the cavern below. The sentries regarded them warily but did not approach as Blake and Weiss slid down onto the floor. One Silver, a bit bigger than the others, carefully approached from the rear of the entrance, pausing at a respectful distance and waiting.

Alright then, let's do this… Confidence. I am a confident Silver Dragon, not a hatchling.

Her body shimmered as she extended her will briefly, changing into her human form. She'd already determined that, so long as she had her companions with her and was going to be arguing for her continued intervention in the humanoid affairs of Remnant, this would be the form she would retain while there.

"My name is Ruthralynnaerias, daughter of Sumethorynnaerias," she called out in a clear, ringing voice. She noted that both Yang and Qrow had changed as well, and remained clustered with the others behind her supportively. "I am here to answer the summons of the Matriarch."

The Silver before her shrank in a blur until she was a brown-robed woman with dark skin and a wild mane of silverish-blonde hair. Her eyes, an emerald green as a Dragon, were now a much darker hue of the same color.

"I greet you, Ruthralynnaerias, daughter of Sumethorynnaerias," the other Silver called out warmly. "My name is Arslaynnethlorianne, and I was good friends with your mother."

"A friend of my mother's is a friend of mine," the brunette replied hopefully. "And please, call me Ruby."

"Then you must call me Arslan," the woman replied, stepping closer. "I will be your liaison and guide here in the Hold for your group." She looked over Ruby shoulder. "Yang, I am pleased to see you once more."

Arslan's smile slipped minutely as she gave another nod. "Qrow."

Sighing softly, Ruby shook her head. Of course, he'd gloss over any of his more dubious exploits while here… Or maybe she carries a grudge for him carting off my mom along with my dad?

With a start, Ruby realized that Arslan was waiting expectantly before her still. "Oh! Sorry, er… This is Weiss Schnee, a Mage of considerable skill and grace, and this is Blake Belladonna, a stalwart companion with a fierce and loyal heart. Both are dear friends and here at my bequest."

"I see." Arslan gave the Elf and Faunus a polite nod. "I greet you both, and welcome you to the Hold. This is a most unusual situation, in several aspects." Her dark green eyes glittered with humor. "But a little excitement can be good for Dragons. We tend to hole up and lose ourselves in our own troubles."

"Well, I hope for this to be less exciting and more… cordial," Ruby stated hesitantly.

"That remains to be seen," Arslan chuckled. "I realize you have only just arrived, and I apologize profusely for my rudeness as your host. But the Matriarch had requested Ruby's presence as soon as she arrived. I imagine you would like to stick together as a group?"

"If we may, please."

"Very well. Follow me, if you would."

Several passageways led off from the entrance cavern, most of them humanoid-sized, but the one directly across was sized for a Dragon. Yang might have found it a close fit, but she could have managed.

Ruby was pretty sure she was violating some sort of protocol here, but hoped it would work in her favor rather than against her. She'd been raised outside of the Hold, after all, living among the humanoids her entire life. Which, admittedly, was incredibly brief in Dragon terms.

Arslan led them up a slight incline where the large passageway opened up into a vast chamber. It was easily big enough to contain several dozen Silver Dragons. The seven that were there, waiting for her, certainly didn't even begin to crowd it.

Along each side were three Silvers of varying ages and power, all bigger than her own true form, of course. They rested on stone-hewn platforms, argent scales glittering under the light of countless magical orbs of light attached around the perimeter of the room. Each one regarded her levelly, though a few looked to be a bit affronted at her companions.

Her eyes quickly focused on the Silver in the center. The Matriarch exuded age and a presence that made her limbs tremble briefly. Her scales shone as brightly as any Silver she'd seen so far, but her flowing mane hung down on each side of her neck, almost to the claws folded underneath her where she crouched. The stone dais she perched on was higher than the others, above Ruby's head in this form, with ornate carvings around the edge.

"I greet you, Ruthralynnaerias," the ancient Silver rumbled.

With a startled eep, Ruby quickly dropped to one knee. Belatedly, she realized she'd been the only one still standing. "Matriarch," she murmured as respectfully as possible. Yeah, we're off to a great start…

"This is ridiculous, Matriarch," one of the Silvers to the right grumbled irritably. "She cannot even present herself with due subservience! And in her inferior form, no less!"

Whelp, we already passed the cordial, might as well go right to the exciting. Ruby stood, her shoulders back proudly as she faced the speaker. "Not inferior," she stated levelly. "Merely different. If we are able to assume it, how can we call it inferior?"

Several of the assembled Silvers snorted humorously. The one next to the speaker shot him a grin. "Now where have we heard that before, hmm?"

"Far too much like her mother," the speaker growled, but suddenly stilled as if he'd made an incalculable error.

Indeed, the Matriarch rose to her feet, glaring down at the offender who'd dared to speak ill of her deceased daughter in such a fashion. "Leave us," she commanded.

The disgraced Silver dipped his head in obsequiousness. "Matriarch," he rumbled meekly.

"In your other form."

The grimace of the Silver was difficult to conceal, but he obeyed, changing into a slim Human with tousled black hair, matching the vest and slacks that he wore under a gold sash. The glare sent towards Ruby, however, he didn't bother to hide.

Arslan sidled up to Ruby while the man made his way out. "Bolin is a bit of a hothead," she murmured almost inaudibly. "And likely your biggest opponent. With him gone, your chances have increased exponentially."

Interesting. I wonder if she did that on purpose, allowed him to dig his own grave so that she could kick him out? The level gaze that the Matriarch regarded her with revealed nothing, however.

Her guide stepped forward, giving the elder Dragon a deep bow before presenting the others in Ruby's party. The great Silver gave each of them a deep nod in turn.

"I welcome each of you into our Hold," she intoned, her voice practically shaking the foundation of the cavern without raising in volume. "While here you are under my protection and grace."

Arslan stiffened in shock before shooting Ruby a quick grin.

Oh, wow… That's a pretty huge deal, if I remember rightly...

"So then, Ruthralynnaerias," the Matriarch began. "You understand the reasoning behind my summons?"

"I do, Matriarch," she replied evenly. "And please, call me Ruby."

"Very well… Ruby. I am very pleased to have finally met you, and I look forward to your tutelage in preparation of taking your mother's place as my heir."

Yeah… no. "Er, about that…" Ruby sucked in a steadying breath. "I have work that still needs done in Vale. We retrieved the Orb of Azure from the lair of Cindeshthyaleramathe and must return it to its proper home."

The Matriarch regarded her unblinkingly. Her crystalline blue orbs were practically colorless but no less intense in their gaze. "You do not have the Orb in your possession," she stated finally.

Ruby nodded, though it obviously wasn't a question. "We do not. It is with others from our party who are traveling across the land towards Vale as we speak."

"Then I do not see the problem. Your quest is finished, and you have completed your mother's work."

The brunette forced herself not to fidget. "I must respectfully disagree, Matriarch." She resolutely ignored the shocked gasps from the other Silvers and plunged ahead. "My friends still require my assistance, as does the kingdom itself. Forces are on the move, and I fear for the continued health and survival of the people."

"And what are the humanoids of Remnant to us Dragons?" another Silver spoke up from the other side dispassionately.

She turned to her, silver eyes flashing to stormy grey once more. "The populace of Remnant should be everything to us Dragons. Our time, our glory, has already come and gone. This is the Age of Humanoids, and blatantly dismissing them is as callous as those who refused to act when Ember rose to power."

The Silver who had spoken recoiled slightly, wincing at the reminder of the Ancient Red. "Strong words, hatchling," she warned.

Ruby faced forward and looked pleadingly up at the Matriarch. "The Humanoids are so very worth protecting, or at the very least working with, cooperating with them as they cling tenaciously to this land." Her fists clenched at her side determinedly. "Especially against Ember's mate. Especially against Cindeshthyaleramathe. I know she's planning something, I know it. And I intend to stop her, to ensure the Orb is brought to Vale where they can use it to defend themselves against the renewed tyranny of the Red."

The chamber fell silent as the matriarch regarded her bold statement.

"Such beliefs," she finally rumbled, the pain evident in her words, "are what got your mother killed."

"Yes, they are," she responded with quiet intensity. "But I believe just as strongly as she did. Human, Elf, Faunus, Dwarf, Gnome… it doesn't matter the race, what good is our power, our nobility, if it can't be used for the betterment of others? Is this all we are as Dragons, content to sit upon our piles of riches and plot against each other?"

Ruby couldn't keep the look of surprise off her face as a very brief hint of a smile tugged at the edges of the Matriarch's mouth. But then it was gone as if it had never been.

"I will ponder upon your request," the Ancient Silver finally stated. "Please enjoy our hospitality in the meantime."

Knowing that no matter what else she could say, her audience was now at an end, Ruby bowed deeply and followed Arslan back out of the chamber.

"So… did that go well?" Weiss asked softly.

"Better than I thought it would, honestly," Arslan admitted just as quietly.

Ruby could only growl in frustration, however. "But now we have to wait on a decision," she stated flatly, consternation clear in her expression.

"C'mon, Ruby," her sister chuckled mildly. "You know Dragons take the long view on such matters."

Qrow nodded and spoke up for the first time. "I'll try to work on things, maybe nudge some in our favor who might have the Matriarch's ear. I've got a surprising amount of pull here for an Onyx."

"Depends on who you ask," Arslan grumbled, leading the group further into the vast network of caves and caverns that made up the Hold.

Ruby sighed but nodded in acquiescence. Just hold tight, she pleaded to the images of her friends she held in her head. Brash Nora, devout but loyal Ren, fierce Pyrrha, and of course the steadfast Jeanne. I'll come as soon as I can, just stay safe...

A/N: Sweet mother of Oum, I'm back! Sorry for the lateness of this, after I'd wrapped up Pearls it just took me awhile to get back into the swing of things. I kinda got myself into Ember mode the past weekend and churned out this chapter and most of the next. Following weekend I'll see how much of my buffer I can build back up.

Now, I'm messing with the geography of Remnant a little bit here. In this world, the so-called 'Dragon Island' is substantially smaller, and without the large chunk at the bottom, more along the lines of the island of Vytal in size. And this is our first glimpse of the Hold, we'll get more into it in two chapters, after we check back in with Coco and JNPR (and we're in for a wild ride the next chapter). Oh, and hey, another couple of RWBY characters join the cast!

Been awhile since I looked at the stats for this story, and I'm rather stunned. 260 reviews and 230 followers, not to mention a whopping 24k hits on this Dragon AU story. Thanks for all the support!

So, I'm down to one Beta now, but it's all good. I have faith in KellyConnely to keep me on track. Much love to all of my excellent readers and reviewers! AntonSlavik020, Sharkdude5, RatedRSuperStar87, kaiju62, mrwizard70, Foxinstrazt, Bman000444, Ninjapandas0010, Boombox94, djjohns94, DeamonHunter, AarynWolf, Kinnix Wolf, FutureHangover, AndJrew76, and FoxyFoxation, hugs!

Stay shiny!