Chapter 20

With everyone as patched up as possible, the group was soon on the move again. Ren shared a horse with Nora, the latter too injured to ride on her own. Her wound may have been closed but she had lost a lot of blood. Blake, in a similarly weakened state and still in shock from the loss of her eye, rode with Weiss. They reached the village of Nikopolis in late afternoon. They had been so close to safety, yet so far. They would spend the night, replenish their supplies, then leave for Ferox the next day.

Pyrrha was almost uninjured, certainly in better shape than most of the others, and set about taking care of business. The arrangements for the group's continued travel were set up and a quick funeral for Raven scheduled for the following morning. The rest went to the hospital. After the Plegian attack on the village even Pyrrha's personal clerics were there, dealing with the aftermath. Ren was unhurt but stayed at Nora's side. The healers wanted her to spend the night so they could continue their work and Ren decided to stay as well. The rest were checked, given potions to bolster their conditions, and released. They soon met up with Pyrrha and headed for her manor where they would spend the night.

Qrow's scouts told him the Imperial Army was close, perhaps a day away. Riding under the flag of truce, an Imperial messenger approached his defensive line. On Qrow's orders he was allowed through one of the gates in the wall and brought to the command tent. "Are you here to parley?" Qrow asked.

"In a manner of speaking." The messenger replied. "I'm here to deliver an offer, but not authorized to negotiate."

"Let's hear it." Glynda said.

"The Duchess of Rosanne offers an unharried retreat to all forces from Ylisse." The messenger said. "Any Ylissean forces that return to their homeland will not be pursued, and if a full withdrawal is carried out there will be no war between the Empire and Ylisse. Any Feroxi soldiers of common rank who surrender will be spared."

"And the nobles?" Glynda asked.

"Nobles are to be executed, though the duchess will allow you to flee into exile." The messenger answered.

"I'm not going anywhere, and neither is my army." Qrow said. Glynda nodded.

"Very well." The messenger said. "I also have a message."

"So say it." Qrow commanded.

"Khan James has been personally executed by the Duchess of Rosanne in accordance with the orders of the Emperor." The messenger said. "His death was swift and painless, and he was given a proper burial befitting his station."

Qrow shook his head. Glynda stood motionless and impassive. "Is that all?" Qrow asked.

"Yes." The messenger replied.

"Then go." Qrow sighed. The messenger had clearly not been expecting such a reaction and hesitated before finally departing. "Are you alright?" Qrow asked Glynda once they were alone.

"I'm fine." Glynda answered.

"You just found out your husband died, I wouldn't hold it against you if…" Qrow started.

"I'm fine." Glynda cut him off. "I knew he was dead as soon as word of the Imperial Army's arrival reached me. Now, I must see to the election of a new Khan."

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Qrow offered.

"I won't." Glynda said. She headed for the exit but stopped and turned around. "But thank you."

Pyrrha and Ruby left the others to go relax together. Weiss and Yang remained with Blake, worried about both her physical and psychological condition. The most worrying part was that Blake did not even say anything. She showed no emotion at all. They moved through the manor, heading for the wing where their rooms would be, and arrived at a hallway lined with mirrors on both sides. Blake stopped short.

"You're afraid to see yourself, aren't you?" Weiss asked.

"Wouldn't you be?" Blake shot back. "I just had my face mangled and everyone looks at me with horror and pity in their eyes."

"I'm not ridiculing you." Weiss said. "When I received my scar I had a hard time looking at myself. But it's something you're going to have to do eventually."

"It's not even that bad." Yang said. "Just take a look."

"Must I?" Blake asked. Weiss and Yang both nodded. "Fine." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, taking a few steps toward where she knew a mirror would be. Summoning all her courage she finally gazed upon her face. Blake had expected to recoil in horror from her own appearance but did not. She was not as disfigured as she had imagined, though it was still bad. A pink scar ran from her forehead, almost at her hairline, all the way down to her chin, cutting across her eye as it went. A red streak on her dead eye lined up with the scar, completing the wound track.

"See, not so bad." Yang encouraged.

Blake smirked. "I finally look as hideous on the outside as I do on the inside." She sighed.

"Blake, you're not hideous, and you're a good person." Weiss said.

"Am I though?" Blake snapped. "I'm a coward who helped my sworn enemy rather than accept an honorable death. Then, when I learned that enemy was not the monster I had envisioned, I was too stubborn, too scared, to admit it to her. When I grew to love her, I was too afraid to say anything."

"Whoa, love her...you mean Weiss?" Yang gasped.

"Yes, I mean Weiss." Blake said. "My hatred was wrong and I'm ashamed. Ashamed both for harboring it and for not being strong enough to admit my mistake and apologize. Weiss, you're the antithesis of what I imagined a Schnee was. You're generous, brave and just. You've shown me kindness I did not deserve and I've repaid you with insults. I love you, but I know I'm unworthy. You deserve better than a coward."

"Nonsense." Weiss said. "You're not a coward. A coward would not have stepped between me and Adam. A coward would not have traveled to Chon'sin to try to stop my father's plot. A coward would have fled at the first sign of trouble, but here you are, still at my side. You're far from a coward and far from unworthy."

"Yeah, you're kind of angsty, but you're pretty great." Yang added.

"You don't have to lie to me just to make me feel better." Blake said.

"I'm not lying and neither is Yang." Weiss said. Yang nodded her agreement. "The only person who doesn't believe in you is you."

"I very much want to kiss you now, but I fear Yang's wrath." Blake said.

"Go for it." Yang said. "I won't be mad."

"Princess?" Blake said.

"Come here." Weiss said. Blake at first wrapped Weiss in a tight embrace, tears in her eyes as she rested her head on the princess' shoulder. Then, after backing out slightly and taking a deep breath they kissed.

"I'll be honest, I didn't see this coming." Yang said as Weiss and Blake stood before her, their lips interlocked. "That's really good, now rub scars."

Weiss and Blake broke their kiss and glared at Yang. "That's really disturbing." Weiss said.

"You know you're into it." Yang laughed. "I hate to step between the two of you, but the princess and I kind of had a thing going."

"And we still do." Weiss said, raising a hand to caress Yang's cheek.

"I don't know about you, but I think Blake's pretty great." Yang said. "And adding a third sounds like a lot of fun."

"I'm not opposed to the idea." Weiss agreed.

"Well, I know you like Weiss." Yang said, turning to Blake. "How do you feel about me?"

"You're hot and you've been incredibly kind to me." Blake said. "How do you think I feel about you?"

"I guess that settles it." Yang said. She put her arms around Weiss' and Blake's shoulders and pulled them together for a hug. "This is awesome."

"And Blake can transform into a cat." Weiss said. A look of shock flashed across Yang's face and she released the pair.

"Oh yeah, you weren't there." Blake said. "You're not the only shapeshifter. And it's more of a panther."

"I thought puma but alright." Weiss shrugged.

"This is so hot!" Yang exclaimed.

"But I feel fine." Nora complained. "I want to go to Pyrrha's with everyone else."

"The clerics think it's best for you to stay here for the night." Ren said. "They want to do more treatments, just in case. Your health is the most important thing."

"I said I'm fine." Nora repeated. "And this place is boring. And the room is stuffy."

"You're still in pain." Ren said. "I can tell. You need more treatments before you'll be healthy. Please stay so they can help you."

"It's like being in prison." Nora groaned.

"How about this?" Ren started. "Just come back to your room when the healers need to do their work. The rest of the time we can walk around the grounds. Besides, it'll be night soon and you'll sleep anyway."

"Fine." Nora sighed. "As long as you stick around."

"Of course." Ren said. "I'm not going anywhere."

"It'll be sunset soon." Nora observed. "Let's go up to the roof and watch. It's so pretty here."

"Seems like the same sunset as always to me, but alright." Ren shrugged.

The pair ascended the stone stairs to the roof. Though now used as a hospital, in more desperate times it had served as a strongpoint in the village's defenses. Once there Nora sat with her back against one of the low walls that lined the roof, facing the setting sun. Ren sat down beside her. The sky was already a mixture of yellows and oranges as the sun approached the horizon.

"I wanted to thank you, for saving me today." Nora said.

"It was nothing." Ren said.

"It wasn't nothing." Nora said. "You sucked the life out of yourself to keep me alive."

"I would never let you die." Ren declared. "Ever. Even if it means my own death."

"You know, I was really afraid." Nora sighed. "Not afraid of dying really, afraid...afraid that I'd never see you again. I'm afraid of that a lot. Every time I do something stupid and you have to clean up after me, I'm scared you'll decide it's not worth putting up with me anymore and leave. I know I'm a handful and it must be really hard to be around someone like me and I don't want you to go. I just...you're so awesome and you've always been so nice to me. No one else has ever treated me like you do. I feel like even if I had nothing if you were there for me it would be alright. So please, please don't leave me."

"I would never leave you." Ren said. "Why would you be worried about that?"

"It's...I...well...when I…" Nora stammered. "I love you!" She finally blurted out. "You make life worth living for me and I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I know you love me." Ren said, impassive as ever.

"And I really...what?!" Nora yelled.

"You love me and I love you." Ren continued.

"You...love me?" Nora gasped.

"Of course." Ren confirmed. "Did you not know? I'm aware that I'm not great at interpersonal interaction, but I thought it was pretty clear."

"Oh Ren!" Nora exclaimed. She leaned over and hugged him tightly as tears of joy welled in her eyes. He gently draped his hands over her back. "You have no idea how happy I am right now! I always hoped you could love me but I never thought you would."

"I've loved you for as long as I can remember." Ren said. "You're a bright light in a dark world. Without you, it's not a world worth living in."

"Ren…" Nora said. They gazed into each other's' eyes for a moment. Ren just barely managed a smile, an extravagant show of emotion by his standards. Nora threw herself on him, knocking both flat on the roof. As Ren scrambled to figure out what was going on Nora locked her lips around his. He figured it out, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the bliss of the moment.

Pyrrha and Ruby entered Pyrrha's bedroom through a side door, each clad only in a towel. "It was so refreshing to take a real bath." Ruby said. "And I still can't believe you have a private bathhouse attached to your chambers. Even Weiss didn't have that."

"My parents were very fond of bathing." Pyrrha said. "They gave generously of their fortune but this was one indulgence they reserved for themselves." Ruby let her towel drop to the floor and laid down on the bed. "Aren't you going to get dressed?"

"Nah." Ruby said. "I don't feel like it."

"I would expect something like this from your sister, but not from you." Pyrrha observed.

"What's the problem?" Ruby asked. "Who's going to see me? You should give it a shot. It's liberating."

"I don't think so." Pyrrha said. She was beginning to blush and was careful to avert her gaze. "And I'm going to see you."

Ruby sat up on the bed. "We're girlfriends, right?" Ruby asked.

"Yes." Pyrrha confirmed.

"And you love me?" Ruby asked.

"Of course." Pyrrha replied. Something about Ruby's tone drew Pyrrha over. She sat down beside Ruby, her towel still wrapped around her.

"Maybe we should...do what people who love each other do." Ruby said.

"Ruby...are you saying…" Pyrrha started.

"When I look at you, I think of things." Ruby said, a loving look in her silver eyes. "A lot of things, things I feel, things I want to do, things I want to feel, and I can't keep them bottled up anymore...but I don't want to be selfish. Am I asking too much?"

Pyrrha was taken aback. She could feel the blood rushing to her face as it no doubt reddened. Her heart raced. She took a deep breath, put her hand on the side of Ruby's face and pulled her in for a kiss. Quickly she pulled back, gazing once again into those silver eyes. "You could never ask too much of me."

The next morning came all too soon. As much as the group would have liked to spend another night in Nikopolis, they had to move on. They had a mission to complete. Just after sunrise, Weiss, Yang and Blake arrived at the prearranged meeting point near the front gate of Pyrrha's manor. Their night had been a relaxing one spent together. Unfortunately it was all too short. The others were late but it was not a big deal. No one really wanted to go anyway.

"So, Blake, going to get a sweet eye patch?" Yang asked to break the unbearable silence.

"No." Blake replied.

"Oh, why not?" Yang asked.

"I want a visible reminder of what happened, of the person I've become." Blake said. "And I'm done covering up."

"That's very deep." Weiss said.

"And have you seen my eye?" Blake continued. "This is the kind of thing that strikes fear in your enemies."

"I feel like you've been spending too much time with Yang." Weiss groaned. Blake and Yang shrugged.

The sound of footsteps in the gravel announced the approach of Ruby and Pyrrha. They walked down the path holding hands, exchanging furtive glances. "You did it, didn't you?" Yang blurted out. She could tell just by the way they were acting. She figured the others could tell too.

"Yang!" Weiss exclaimed.

"We did!" Ruby replied.

"Ruby!" Pyrrha gasped.

"Nora!" Nora shouted, approaching with Ren from the other direction.

"How was it?" Yang asked, ignoring the both approach of Ren and Nora and the embarrassed look on Pyrrha's face. "You have to tell me all the details."

"It was great." Ruby said. "We…"

"I think we should get going." Pyrrha cut her off, her face bright red. "Remember, there's somewhere we need to go before we depart."

"Oh yeah." Yang groaned. "Right. Lead the way."

The group collected their horses and Pyrrha's Pegasus from a servant waiting near the gate. They rode a short distance before arriving at a cemetery. The ground was normally reserved for nobles. All of Pyrrha's forebears had been buried there, her parents included. Now a commoner would join them in the sacred ground. A monk was already waiting, and the casket was suspended over the open grave. The group approached in solemn silence, surrounding the casket. "Would anyone like to say a few words about the deceased?" The monk asked.

"I guess I should say something." Yang sighed. "She was my mother." The monk took a step back and she took his spot at the head of the casket. "Raven wasn't a good mother. I never got to know her but from what I've heard, she wasn't even a good person. By the time we met she was bloodthirsty and mad. But she was not entirely without virtue. She believed deeply in her cause, and though her methods were brutal and her aims questionable, she fought without sacrificing her beliefs. Her death was a good one. She was aware of the wrongs she had committed and ready to die to atone for them. In the end she died a warrior, and on the field of battle there is no good or evil, just valor and pain, and both she had in abundance. Now, in death, she finally has peace." Yang bowed her head and said a few private words before stepping back into her previous position beside the monk.

"Anyone else?" The monk asked.

"I...I just want to say...I forgive you." Ruby said. "I forgive you for killing my mother."

"And Yang, I hope you can forgive me for killing yours." Pyrrha said.

"I hold no ill will, and neither would she." Yang said. "You set her free."

Once it was clear that no one else had anything to say, the monk said prayers commending Raven's soul to the gods and the casket was lowered into the ground. The group departed and continued on their journey. By nightfall they would likely be with Qrow and his army, facing the Imperial forces under Winter. A reckoning was coming and everyone knew it. The sadness over Raven's death and the pain of the group's injuries was likely only a prelude to the suffering they lie ahead.