Ember Legacy, Volume 3

Chapter 26: Things in the Past

Silver Dragon Hold

"Dragons have been known to have staring contests with mountains. They usually win."

~ Ursula Vernon, Castle Hangnail

Weiss meandered down the passageways of the Hold, her arms wrapped around her trim waist. The Elf was somewhat lost in thought but still kept her eyes open for her companions. Or anyone she knew, really.

She woke up in Yang's chamber but missing a certain blonde. Breakfast was eaten with only Arslan for company, who relayed that everyone else was off trying to drum up some last-minute support before Ruby was to meet privately with the Matriarch after lunchtime. Once that happened, they would be on their way finally.

But for now, as Arslan had other duties to attend to, she was on her own.

And just about bored out of her skull.

She'd taken some more time to read her new spellbook that she'd obtained from the lair of the Red Dragon, but most of it was far beyond her current skill level. There was a particularly nice offensive one, a flaming spear projectile that was a useful counterpart to her usual ice-powered ranged attack, but once she'd memorized that there was little else to occupy her considerable intellect.

And as a bored Mage was almost certainly a dangerous Mage, she decided to at least track down her Faunus Rogue friend, as she shouldn't be occupied with the courting of Draconic favors.

Her wanderings had taken her towards the main entryway, and she glanced idly across the area only to pull to a halt. Right there, all the way at the edge and huddled into a small dark bundle, was a very familiar figure with a pair of furry ears atop her head.

Sighing, Weiss turned and made her way across the vast entrance to the Hold. I wonder if she's upset? I thought things were going better, if slowly still…

She cleared her throat gently as she approached, but received no response. Sighing, the platinum-haired Elf sat herself down next to her friend, glancing aside at her curiously. Blake wore her usual outfit of black leather tights and a purple blouse but had a black cloak wrapped around her shoulders to ward off the chill from the high elevation.

And then she noted the look of awe on her friend's face as she stared up into the sky.

Turning, Weiss looked in the same direction and was immediately taken with the same sense of wonderment.

Perhaps a half dozen Silver Dragons were wheeling and diving amongst the clouds in some aerial form of tag. Though they were too far away to really hear anything, she could imagine the peals of laughter that must accompany such an activity.

So this is how Dragons play.

"Is…" Weiss cleared her throat and tried again as her voice annoyingly cracked. "Is Ruby up there?"

Blake nodded slowly, not tearing her eyes away from the scene. "Yes, along with Reese and Nadir. A few others, hatchlings still but older than Ruby." The Faunus smiled softly. "All this that she's accomplishing, the support she's managing to accumulate, and she's still one of the younger Dragons here in the Hold."

"I noticed that from the start," Weiss agreed. "Her wisdom pokes through the childlike enthusiasm every so often, as when she gave the Matriarch her pledge."

"Yes," Blake whispered once more. She was silent for a moment before speaking again, her lips barely moving. "I am so in love with her, Weiss, I just… I don't know what to do."

The Elf sighed lightly and rested her head against her friend's shoulder. "I think all you can do is what you're doing. Be there for her as she needs you… And I do believe she needs you as well and returns your love. But, circumstances being what they are…"

"The timing sucks," Blake finished wryly.

"Indeed."

"And how about you?" Blake finally looked away from the spectacle far overhead to peer down at the Elf. "How are you doing?"

"I…" Weiss sighed, this time a bit despondently. "I don't know. I don't know what this bargain was, nor do I know what it has to do with the two of us… but it's driving a wedge between us. And I don't know what to do about it."

"Never thought I'd see the day Yang became closed-mouth about something," Blake murmured. "Granted, she was secretive as anything about her origins and the like beforehand… I suppose this falls under that category as well."

"So it would seem."

"Would you like me to smack her around for you?" the Rogue asked, her amber eyes twinkling merrily.

"No, thank you, though," Weiss laughed as she sat back up.

Blake's tail brushed lightly along her arm. "Anytime, Weiss. Oh, look, I think they're coming in."

Sure enough, the silvery forms were growing larger. Quite a bit larger, and certainly coming in faster than Weiss would have deemed safe.

"Er… should we move into one of the passageways?"

"Too late for that," Blake chuckled, getting to her feet. She offered a hand to the Elf, pulling her upright as well before she moved them away from the edge and further inside against the wall. "Just… brace yourself."

Suddenly, the winds whipped her platinum hair around her face and obstructing her sight. She valiantly fought to pull the strands away and managed to get a glimpse of several large forms as they hurtled inside, some of them skidding to a quick stop and others sliding towards the rear wall.

One of them immediately shimmered and changed form into a familiar red-cloaked brunette. "Blakey! Weiss! Didja see us up there?"

"Yes, we did," Blake laughed warmly as Ruby hurled herself towards the duo. Weiss squawked as she was wrapped up in a hug by the enthusiastic Silver along with the raven-haired Cat Faunus.

Ruby let the two of them go, allowing Weiss to once again breathe, and turned to wave cheerful goodbyes to the other Dragons. Reese approached them, along with Nadir, the both of them in their humanoid forms and smiling widely.

"Ruby's become a favorite of the younger generation of Silvers," the green-haired girl stated humorously. "She's now something of a celebrity."

"Ugh," the brunette groaned, rolling her eyes. "Not what I was going for here!"

"Well, like it or not, you have a following, and that's what is important."

"Yeah, but…" Ruby looked down at the floor and chewed on her bottom lip worriedly. "If… If it comes down to fighting, I don't wanna be responsible for all these hatchlings getting hurt."

"But aren't you a hatchling as well, Ruby?" the platinum-haired Elf interjected. "You seem quite skilled and can handle yourself without a problem."

"She's special," Nadir broke in. "Being of the bloodline of the Matriarchs gives her powers beyond what's normal for a hatchling her age."

The brunette nodded solemnly. "Yeah, it's true, though I didn't know about it until just yesterday. I mean, I was running circles around everyone out there…"

"Certainly faster than me," Reese chuckled. "And I passed my century mark two years ago."

"Funny, you don't look a day over fifty," Nadir grinned.

"Ohhh, very smooth," Ruby laughed. She turned towards her companions eagerly. "So, Reese invited us along to her place for lunch, you guys okay with that?"

"Certainly," Weiss smiled, giving the green-haired Silver a grateful nod. "Thank you for the invitation."

"Not a problem," Reese replied airily, waving them along as she headed towards a side tunnel. "C'mon, I had some of the fresh catch brought to my place, should be salmon today."

"Did you say… salmon?" Blake inquired eagerly, her tail swishing behind her.

Ruby chuckled and wrapped her arm around the Cat Faunus' waist. "Reese, I think you just made a lifelong friend."

"I'm fairly easy to bribe," the Rogue agreed easily. "Shiny baubles and salmon. Tuna is nice, too. Oh, I had this seared tilapia once that was divine…"

Nadir barked out a laugh at their side. "So, not so much the baubles as the fish."

"Well…" Blake grinned ruefully. "Everyone has their weaknesses."

Weiss smiled somewhat wistfully as she walked behind Ruby and Blake, so easy with their arms around each other while it was just the five of them walking together, though they would slip apart when an unfamiliar Silver would pass them. Every time she took hold of Yang's hand lately, or hugged her, or kissed her, or anything more intimate than that… It was all done with an air of desperation. As if the both of them wondered if that might be the last time they did such an activity.

It was starting to grate on her nerves, but she was an Elf. She could take the long view on things, granted, not as long as a Dragon, but she could be patient.

Well, more or less.

Soon enough they entered the residential wings of the Hold, an area Weiss had not had much chance to explore. Several doors down, Reese gestured them into her apartment.

Weiss had to pull herself to an astounded stop alongside an equally flummoxed Faunus.

The sheer opulence of the room was staggering. Rich tapestries and gilded tables, actual mirrors and deeply piled plush carpets. Trinkets littered most surfaces and glass jars filled with what appeared to be gems were on display in a niche shelf carved into the wall alongside richly-bound tomes of incalculable worth.

"Weiss? Blake?" The brunette's silver eyes poked into her view, brow creased with worry. "Um, you guys okay?"

"This…" Weiss shook her head wryly. "This was a little bit unexpected. It's quite… luxurious."

Blake could only let out a little mewl of longing. If the Elf didn't know better she could have sworn she saw the Rogue begin to drool slightly.

"Oh, well, yeah," Ruby chuckled as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I mean, y'know… we're Dragons."

"Right, right…" The Elven Mage laughed as she regained her senses. Blake, though, looked to be a lost cause. "Again, I merely didn't expect it, considering the rather rudimentary conditions of our quarters."

"Yeah, they're pretty bad," Reese called out from another part of her place, evidently getting lunch ready. "We really should do something about that, even if they're rarely used, y'know?"

"You're absolutely right," Nadir replied with a teasing lilt to his voice. "So what are you willing to part with to decorate those rooms?"

"What?" Reese squawked. She suddenly appeared, arms spread wide as if she could protect all of her treasures. "Not my hoard!"

Ruby laughed along with Weiss at the consternation displayed on the green-haired Silver Dragon's face. The Elf leaned over towards the brunette as both Nadir and Reese retreated, bantering back and forth. "You should keep an eye on Blake, make sure nothing goes, er… missing."

"Hmm, good point," Ruby mused. "Sometimes she just can't help herself, can she?"

Once they were called over towards the dining area, Weiss and Ruby each took an arm and steered the nearly-comatose Faunus over. She woke up readily enough once confronted with steaming plates of succulent salmon, already skinned and seasoned, along with several piles of delicious-looking vegetables.

She attempted to conceal the grin on her face from listening to Blake's rather indecorous sounds as the Cat Faunus dug into her meal. Instead, she was intently following the conversation being held by the three Silver Dragons.

"We've gotten complacent," Reese maintained, waving around her fork that had a piece of fish speared on the end. "There's a distinct chasm between those who steadfastly remain in their natural forms and those who enjoy taking this form. It's almost come to the point of a theological debate."

"There are still some in the middle," Nadir sighed in agreement. "But over the past few decades, there's been a definite shift in perspectives. It's what we get for being so insular."

Ruby shook her head, red-tipped bangs swinging gently. "It's more than the forms, though. I've come across it so many times over the past few days, those who feel that Dragons should stick to Dragon business are those most likely to remain in their Draconic form."

"Conservative."

The three of them paused and looked expectantly at the platinum-haired Elf at her utterance. Even Blake paused in her ravaging of her prey, er, meal.

"It's a division between those of a conservative bent and those more liberally-inclined," Weiss expounded. "I grew up around such a stagnant atmosphere, where the elders believed the way things had always been done were the best way to do them, and that the only direction our race could safely tread was that of isolation and exclusion."

"That's it exactly," Reese interjected excitedly. "And it's mostly those older Dragons exhibiting this behavior."

The Elven Mage nodded. "As it was in Evereska. The Elders decreed that our race would remain pure and aloof, while the younger generations pushed for more independence and freedom." She blushed lightly as she dug into her plate. "I was admittedly in the latter group, hence my… escape from home."

Ruby chuckled as she stretched her arm over the back of Weiss' chair. "This amazing woman here actually ran away from home in the frozen north."

"Really?" Nadir asked, ignoring the brightening of Weiss' blush. "Wow, that took a lot of bravery to break with your Elders like that. And what a journey, especially on foot!"

"Er, yes," the platinum-haired woman smiled slightly, her face downcast. "It was… an adventure."

"And I'm glad you took it," Ruby murmured, tapping Weiss on the forehead until she looked up. Silver eyes gleamed at her happily. "There's no way we could have gotten this far without you, Weiss."

"Yes, well…" The Elf coughed lightly into her fist as she looked away again in embarrassment, unused to such praise. "The frequent bouts of near-death experiences have certainly been… bracing since I joined."

"But worth it," Blake interjected.

She glanced over at the warm amber eyes of her friend. "Yes," she whispered back. "Very much worth it."

Even if I cannot figure out what is going on with Yang, I still have achieved friendships I never knew possible. Between these two girls, and then Pyrrha, Jeanne, Nora, and yes, even Ren, I consider myself truly blessed by both Tarsellis Meunniduin and Oum alike.

After they had bade their host goodbye, the three companions headed back to their suite of rooms. Yang and Qrow were both present, sharing a drink at the table.

"Hey, kiddo," Qrow called out cheerfully. "So, you guys ready to head out soon?"

"Yep, all packed up," Ruby replied cheerfully, plopping herself on a chair next to her uncle. "Did you decide if you're coming with us?"

"Not just yet," he replied in his usual raspy voice. "Got a couple more Silvers to talk to, and then I thought I'd swing by the lairs of a few Golds nearby. Got some friends amongst them, and some of them owe me debts I can call in."

The brunette grinned widely as she leaned over to give the raven-haired man a tight hug. "I really, really appreciate all you're doing for us," she murmured.

"Well, you and firecracker here are worth the trouble, I suppose," he smirked.

"Any idea on when we're gonna see the Matriarch?" Yang interjected. The blonde had offered Weiss a small smile but had otherwise not reacted to her appearance. Weiss just sighed and shook her head before taking a seat.

"Not a definite time, no," Ruby replied as she sat back up with a tiny frown. "I know we need to wait, but… Argh! I'm ready to get going, y'know?"

"Gotta observe the properties and all that," Qrow reminded his niece. "And I know you're feeling the need to rush to your friends, but I think you also need to take a quick stop."

Yang nodded, turning back towards her sister again. "I was speaking with Qrow about this earlier, I really think we should swing by the Aerie, see if they've heard from Coco. Or even if not, see what help we can get, I know lots of 'em that would jump at the opportunity for adventure."

"Yeah…" Ruby nodded slowly, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. She glanced over at Weiss inquisitively.

The platinum-haired woman gave a start, not expecting to be included in the conversation. "Er… well, it does make a certain amount of sense. Is it on the way?"

"More or less," Yang stated confidently. "Won't need to stay too long, and then we could swing around the mountains from that side of the coast once we make landfall again. Maybe half a day or so?"

Ruby looked wordlessly at Blake, who gave her a firm, reassuring nod. "I think it would be for the best," the Faunus Rogue commented.

"Alright, then, we'll stop and have a chat with the Bronze Dragons." Ruby sat back, blowing out a huff of air. "So now we just need to wait for a summons."

"Or perhaps not," a melodic voice spoke up from the entrance to the suite.

The five of them glanced over to see a woman of medium height with long, flowing brown hair that hung down to her waist behind her. The tips of her hair gradually lightened until they ended with a silverish tinge. She wore a red dress that came down just past her knees, accented in black and adorned with several decorative buckles, with a silver cloak tied around her neck. Her silver eyes, pools of strength and wisdom, were the last clue needed as to the woman's identity.

"Matriarch!" Ruby squeaked, dropping inelegantly off of the chair and onto one knee with the rest of her party.

"None of that, now," the elder Silver replied with a laugh. "I'm here informally before you leave."

"Oh, but I thought… well, I thought you wanted to meet me in private?" Ruby asked hesitantly as she rose to her feet once more.

"For me? This is private," the Matriarch chuckled. She sighed softly as she looked her granddaughter over. "You are so very like your mother… You do know how proud Summer would be of you were she not one with the Ancestors, do you not, child?"

"Yeah…" Ruby smiled softly. "I'd like to think so."

"Well, I can tell you for a fact that she would. Just as I am proud of you for what you have accomplished in your short time here."

"Oh, you, er… know about all of that, then?" the younger brunette chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck.

Blake leaned over to where Weiss was standing against the wall. "They look like they could be sisters."

"I know!" she whispered back.

"So, then, allow me to relate to you the purpose of my visit." The elder brunette folded her hands in front of her, regarding Ruby solemnly. "I am as sympathetic to your views as I was with your mother, but my duties as Matriarch override my feelings as a grandmother, just as they did as a mother. Officially, I cannot provide any assistance, nor can I send any aid to you once you depart the Hold. However…"

The Matriarch smiled, eyes glittering craftily. "The Silver Dragons pride ourselves on our individuality, and even though there are some who would prefer that we, as a race, remain aloof from the events out in the world, I would most certainly not feel it appropriate to restrict any Dragons who feel the need to intercede."

Weiss lifted a hand to hide her grin. So she knew what Ruby was doing, and implicitly allowed her to gather support… I wonder if she even blocked those who would have restricted her?

"I… Thank you, Matriarch." Ruby smiled widely, her shoulders sagging slightly in relief.

The elder Silver took another step forward and rested a hand on Ruby's shoulder. It was, to be certain, a bit eerie at how similar the two women were, of a height and with almost the same facial features.

"Be careful, my granddaughter," the woman whispered, silver eyes glistening. "Whenever you do decide to return home, know I shall eagerly await your return."

"Thank you, grandmother," Ruby replied, her own silver eyes shining brightly. "For everything."

They both leaned forward at the same time to wrap each other up in a tight hug before the Matriarch released the younger Silver. Giving them all a regal nod, she swept out of the room, silver cloak flaring out behind her and leaving them to their preparations for departure.

As they broke apart towards their rooms, Weiss instead followed Ruby into hers. The Elven Mage had already packed her bags, her satchel and knapsack resting by the door of her bedroom.

"Ruby, may I speak with you for a moment?" she asked softly, closing the door behind her.

"Yeah, of course, what's up, Weiss?"

"It's… Well, it's your sister. I don't…" Weiss sighed, looking down at the floor. "I don't suppose you know what is going on, do you? What this bargain is?"

"I don't, no," the brunette replied, wrapping her friend up in a gentle, warm hug. "I know this is eating at you… Lemme talk to her, okay? I'll see if I can't find something out."

Weiss nodded, clutching the girl to her tightly. "She's pushing me away," she confessed softly, tears lurking on the edges of her voice. "I'm afraid whatever will happen… that we shall no longer be together, and I find that truly unbearable…"

"Don't lose hope, Weissy, we'll figure this out."

The platinum-haired woman let out a huff as she pushed the other woman away. "And what did I tell you about that nickname?"

"That because you were my bestest friend I could use it?" Ruby giggled merrily.

"No, I did not… Ugh, you are such a dolt."

"So I've been told," Ruby snickered as she grabbed her small satchel. "Only by you, though."

Weiss shook her head, humor restored at least somewhat as she followed the others towards the entrance. Yang glanced her way inquisitively, eyebrows raised in question. The Elf nodded slightly to indicate she would still ride with her.

And I'll use the rest of the journey to figure out how to save our relationship, even despite your efforts, you great big blonde oaf. I love you far too much to let you go.

A/N: Tarsellis Meunniduin is the patron deity of the snow elves of Greyhawk and the snow elves of the High Ice region of the Anauroch in Faerun, I thought the Dungeons & Dragons deity appropriate for Weiss.

So that takes us out of the Silver Dragon Hold. Next stop, the Bronze Dragon Aerie! I wonder who all we shall meet there, hmm?

Reviewer djjohns94 brought up an excellent point that I'd like to address. In many fantasy settings, particularly D&D, casters often have access to spells such as Resurrection and Raise Dead. It's handy, to be sure if you have the gold or are a high enough level to cast them, but it sort of cheapens the effect of a character dying. As such, I made the decision ahead of time that death in this AU is permanent, humanoids and Dragons alike.

As always, I must give bountiful thanks to my Beta, KellyConnely, and much love for all you wonderful readers and reviewers! Thank you for all the reviews, good or bad, they all serve to make me a better writer! AntonSlavik020, FoxyFoxation, RatedRSuperStar87, OverDude12, Boombox94, TheShadow977, carpenter656, Who-needs-names, ShadowTiger93, allie300093, DeamonHunter, djjohns94, Crescent Sunrise. I tried to respond to all the reviews, but I'm pretty sure I missed a few, so I apologize for that. And then over the weekend started to lose reviews from the web site once more, grumble grumble...

Stay shiny!