Chapter 15

Yang chased Ruby out of the building and into the night. If Ruby kept running there was no way Yang was going to catch her. Even without Crescent Rose to boost her speed, she was simply too much faster. But Ruby did stop. She ran a few steps away from the building before coming to a halt. Where would she go anyway? She dropped to her knees and sobbed. "Ruby...I'm so sorry." Yang said. She knelt at her sister's side and put a hand on her shoulder.

Ruby shook Yang's hand off. "Don't touch me!" She shouted. "Go away!"

"I'm sorry for what my mother did, and I'm sorry you had to find out like that." Yang said. "I want to be here to help you through this."

Ruby shoved Yang and she fell to her side. Ruby stood up. "How can you help?!" Ruby screamed. "My mom's dead and there's no bringing her back. And it's all because of your mom! How am I supposed to even look at you? You look just like her!" Upon his marriage to Raven, Taiyang had paid for a portrait of the couple. After their split he had kept it in the attic. There Ruby and Yang had happened upon it while playing one day. Raven's resemblance to Yang was not yet evident at such a young age, but now that Yang was about the same age Raven had been when the portrait was made, the resemblance was uncanny.

"Ruby please…" Yang pleaded, but Ruby was already running again. This time she was headed for the inn the group was staying in. Yang just sat there. She too began to cry. She wanted to help her sister, to protect her physically and emotionally. Ruby's happiness was more important to Yang than her own. Now she realized she could only cause Ruby pain. Just seeing Yang's face was like looking upon the face of her mother's killer.

Yang heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She ignored them, crying to herself. Someone sat beside her. "I'm sorry about what happened to Summer." Weiss said. "I know she was the closest thing you had to a mother. My father's crimes are far greater than I imagined."

"As far as I'm concerned, Summer was my mother." Yang wept. "Ruby must be hurting so much now. She never really got over Summer's death. Sure, she hid away her feelings, pushed them to the back of her mind, but the wound never really healed. Now it's been ripped open again. And I'm the source of her pain."

"You don't choose your parents." Weiss said. "We both feel responsible for what they did, but it's not our fault."

"It's not just that my mother killed Summer." Yang said. "You saw Raven. You saw how much she looks like me. Ruby knows what she looks like from an old painting."

"Oh...that's...tough." Weiss sighed. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about princess." Yang said. "So why are you crying?" Yang did not even have to look at Weiss to know she was crying. She could hear it in her voice.

"Just after you left a messenger arrived." Weiss replied. "The imperial army's landed in Ferox."

"Already?" Yang gasped.

"Winter's leading it." Weiss continued. "What lies must my father have told to get her to do his bidding? Or maybe she knows the truth and sided with him anyway."

"I'm sure she doesn't know the truth." Yang said. "The empress was her mother too. And the two of you always got along well from what I saw."

"I hope you're right." Weiss said. "I hope that when she learns the truth she'll join us. I don't think I have the heart to fight her, let alone kill her if that's what it comes to."

"It won't come to that." Yang said. "She's wise and kind, just like her sister."

"Thank you." Weiss said. "Now go talk to your sister. I'm sure she needs someone right now."

"I don't think that someone is me." Yang sighed. "Hopefully Pyrrha can take care of her."

Pyrrha stood before a mirror, staring herself in the face. Her fists were clenched, her knuckles white, her fingernails digging into the palms of her hands. Her breaths were short and sharp. Pyrrha knew she had to calm down but she did not know how. She decided to focus on looking calm - hence the mirror - in hopes her appearance would somehow make a difference in her mental state. It had worked before, but she had never felt such rage. She had the face worked out. She could not bring herself to put on her usual cheerful expression, but impassive was better than nothing. There were cracks even in that facade as the occasional tear rolled down one cheek or the other.

Before Pyrrha could move on to the next step, Ruby burst through the door. She was sobbing. "Yang's mom killed my mom!" Ruby yelled. She immediately rushed over and hugged Pyrrha, burying her face in Pyrrha's shoulder.

"I...I'm sorry to hear that." Pyrrha said. She did her best to take on a sympathetic tone, but she suspected she had been unsuccessful. "That must be hard. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm in a position to help you right now."

"Then who?" Ruby asked. "Yang looks just like her mother, Weiss' father set up the killing, and Blake was Raven's ally. Ren's too cold and Nora's not serious enough. You're the only one I have!"

Pyrrha pried Ruby off and held her at arm's length. "Ruby, right now all I have is anger and hatred." She sighed. "I have my parents' killer in my hands and I can't have justice. I can't even have revenge. Worse, I find myself willing to violate everything I hold sacred, forsaking the fate of Ylisse and the world I would gladly murder Cinder, just as she murdered my parents. And I would not make it a clean death. It would be slow, and she would feel it, just as my parents were forced to suffer as they wasted away. The fact that I feel this desire sickens me. It makes me question who I am, what I stand for."

"I need you!" Ruby protested. "You have anger and hatred...so do I! If I got my hands on Raven...the things I would do...death would be a mercy. I always wanted to be a virtuous knight, just like you, but I'd throw it away in an instant to get revenge."

"It isn't right for either of us to feel this way." Pyrrha said. "It's natural, it's human, but it isn't right."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know." Pyrrha admitted. She stepped forward and embraced Ruby. "I wish I did, but I truly don't know."

Qrow had been up all night and now it was nearly morning. He was planning, scouring maps, trying to find any way to rescue the situation. It looked very bad. James' army was doomed. If he used the mountain passes intelligently, he could hold up the imperial army for a few days at most. If Winter was willing to take heavy losses, she could steamroll James' troops in a day or two. Or she could surround them and annihilate them, but that would take time. Qrow did not think the army could last a week in the best of circumstances, and even if it did it would not be enough. Sure, Ylisse could rush its armies to link up with Glynda's to defend the capital of Ferox, but there would be no time to raise additional troops. With the forces at their disposal, they would be no match for Winter's massive army.

"It looks bad, doesn't it?" Blake said. Qrow had not heard her enter.

"Worse than you know kid." Qrow sighed.

"If you take a good defensive position with all four armies, you might be able to stop them." Blake said. "But probably not."

"I know." Qrow said.

"I'd say our group could pull off something like we did with Plegia, maybe take out the imperial leadership or something, but I don't think we could do it right now." Blake admitted. "I've never seen morale so low. They're tearing themselves apart. I think even Ren and Nora are feeling the strain."

"I'm afraid I'm going to make it worse." Qrow groaned. "I don't have the forces to escort the queen back to Ylisstol. I'm sending your group to do it. Weiss wanted to meet with the Exalt anyway, and the last time we met he said he wanted to meet with her. Unfortunately, given Pyrrha's situation, it looks like an exceedingly bad idea, even if it's the only realistic option."

"You could keep Pyrrha with your army." Blake suggested.

"No." Qrow said. "She would never agree to that. The way Ruby is right now, Pyrrha's going to want to be with her. I need Pyrrha to go anyway. I don't trust the queen and her retainers. They need to be guarded by a force capable of stopping them if they try anything. Without Pyrrha, your group isn't nearly strong enough."

"Is it even strong enough with her?" Blake asked.

"Probably not." Qrow replied. "But with her there's a chance."

"What are you going to do?" Blake asked.

"I'm going to take my army to Ferox." Qrow answered. "I'm going to find a place to make a stand, and I'm going to make it. Honestly, that's all I can do. Finding a place to make a stand, maybe that's all any of us can really do."

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean." Blake said.

"Don't worry about it kid." Qrow said. "Just the ramblings of a drunk old man who's seen too much."

The next day the group set off, escorting their captives back to Ylisstol. To facilitate their task, Qrow had provided them with two specially modified carriages and the draft horses to pull them. They were little more than cages on wheels really, though the one setup for the queen did feature padded seating and decent enough upholstery. Ren and Nora rode the carriage carrying the queen's retainers. Weiss, Yang and Blake rode the carriage carrying the queen herself, staying just behind the other carriage. Ruby rode Zwei at the head of the group and Pyrrha took up the rear on her Pegasus.

Ruby did not want to look at the others. The sight of Weiss, Blake and her sister sickened her. Though all very indirectly, they were all connected to Summer's death. She would have preferred to ride with Pyrrha. At least their shared rage could be some sort of solace, but Pyrrha insisted on riding at the back and someone needed to lead the column. Pyrrha was at the back because she wanted to keep an eye on the queen and her retainers. Cinder had killed her parents and she so desperately wanted her revenge. If Cinder - or Emerald or Mercury for that matter - tried anything, Pyrrha wanted to be in a position to see it and react. She was determined to make any attempt at escape a fatal one.

Atop the first carriage, Ren and Nora chatted happily. Well, Nora did most of the talking. Ren would chime in with a word or two every so often just to make sure Nora knew he was listening. On the second Weiss and her retainers talked strategy. Their surprise attack on the heart of Plegia had been a strategic masterstroke, even if it had been assisted by Cinder's apparent treachery. A similar move would be required to rescue the situation in Ferox. Unfortunately, Winter would have to be the target. Weiss feared a showdown with her sister, not for its potential impact on the fate of the world or the risk to her own life, but because of what she might be forced to do. It was almost too painful to contemplate, but if Winter persisted in her support of their father, Weiss would have to stop her, maybe have to kill her. Even Blake seemed worried about the prospect. Yang was not much help, barely participating in the conversation, her mind focused on the pain her sister must have been feeling and her own inability to do anything about it. Whenever Yang attempted to talk to Ruby she just turned away, refusing to even look at her. She would then make it explicit that she was not interested in talking. As much as the circumstances were crushing Ruby, they were destroying Yang as well.

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted. "Oh princess." Cinder called through a small gap in the carriage.

"What do you want...Your Majesty?" Weiss asked. It was painful to address such a despicable person with that kind of respect.

"I wish to speak to the Countess of Nikopolis." Cinder said.

"I doubt she wishes to speak to you." Weiss said.

"I am a queen." Cinder said. "She is a countess. I am her superior and she will do as I wish."

"She's not Plegian, she doesn't have to listen to you." Weiss said.

"Don't make this difficult." Cinder sighed. "It would be a shame if the peace talks in Ylisstol went badly…"

Weiss swore under her breath. She doubted Cinder would follow through on such a threat but she could not take the chance. If war between Ylisse and Plegia flared again, there would be no hope of stopping her father. "Very well." Weiss said through gritted teeth. "Pyrrha! The queen wishes to speak to you."

Pyrrha rode up beside the carriage. "What do you want?" Pyrrha asked.

"I just wanted to say how much you remind me of your parents." Cinder said with a grin. "A tremendous fighter, a truly valiant knight, a gifted tactician but too rude for your own good." Pyrrha gritted her teeth and gripped the reins tightly but said nothing. "Many were saddened by their tragic passing. The king was crushed. They had been so even-handed in their dealings with him, even though their lands had taken the brunt of the damage in the war." Cinder paused and smiled, looking at the raging Pyrrha with satisfaction. "I hear Nikopolis suffered quite a lot of damage in this war as well. The king was truly despicable to have launched such a heinous sneak attack, don't you think?"

"He said he was against the war." Pyrrha said. She sounded remarkably emotionless. "Before you murdered him, he said he had not had any power anyway. It makes me wonder who actually launched the war." She gave Cinder a pointed glance. "Such a monster would surely suffer the punishment of the gods...or of man."

"That fire in you, that rage, that hatred, it's intoxicating, isn't it?" Cinder laughed. "You should embrace it. Let it fuel you."

"If I did, you would regret the suggestion." Pyrrha threatened.

"The only regret I have is that the assassins I sent to Nikopolis failed to kill you." Cinder hissed. "You can't escape my grasp forever. I will see to your family's extinction."

Pyrrha drew her weapon and slammed the blade into the side of the carriage, leaving it stuck there. "One day - not today, not tomorrow, but one day - I will end you." Pyrrha promised. "And I'm going to make you really feel it. My parents suffered, but it was nothing compared to what you'll have to endure."

"Is that a threat?" Cinder asked with a smile.

"No, it's a promise." Pyrrha shot back. "If you think you regret my survival now…"

"Pyrrha!" Weiss shouted. "Enough! You too...Your Majesty."

"That's quite alright." Cinder said. "I'm done. It's been a joy, Countess."

"Likewise." Pyrrha growled. She wrenched her lance free of the side of the carriage, slowed her Pegasus and fell to the back of the column.

"You two are from Plegia right?" Emerald asked, growing tired of Nora's manic exclamations.

"That's correct." Ren replied.

"Why'd you leave?" Emerald asked.

"Our village was wiped out by the Plegian army." Ren replied. "A Feroxi general took us in."

"What a tragedy." Mercury said with obvious sarcasm.

"Don't start." Nora warned.

Mercury knew he had her. "I heard about that village." He continued. "They sided with Ferox. Our liege decided to make an example of it."

"Your liege?" Ren asked. "The king?"

"Oh, no." Mercury replied. "Why Cinder of course. The king was just a helpless, senile old man. Sure, Cinder was a little young to be involved in politics, but as the king's only living relative it had to be her. She ordered that every villager be killed, as painfully as possible. It's a shame to see that the incompetents in the army failed to complete their task."

Nora stood up in her seat and drew her hammer. "I'll kill her!" She screamed. "I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you!" She swung her hammer toward the top of the carriage, intending to smash through it to crush its passengers.

Ren lunged at Nora, grabbed her arm and twisted her around so she fell off-balance. "Nora, I know you're angry, but you can't." Ren advised. "If you do this you'll only be helping them."

"But they killed everyone we loved!" Nora protested. "And it's all Cinder's fault!"

"I know." Ren said. "One day they'll get what's coming to them. But right now we can't."

"But she…" Nora trailed off into incoherent babbling as she began sobbing uncontrollably. Ren did his best to soothe her, but she was inconsolable.

"I don't know what's more annoying, her talking or her crying." Emerald groaned.

"Oh, this is music to my ears." Mercury said with a grin.

The trip to Ylisstol took four days. It was four days of torture as the captives repeatedly taunted their escort, knowing they could do nothing to respond. It was a great relief when the group could hand them over to the city's garrison. Peace talks started immediately. When they were complete Weiss would finally get to meet with the Exalt. His armies were already fighting her father's, but if they somehow won an invasion of Valm would be needed to end the threat the emperor posed. Weiss needed to make sure the Exalt would be willing to support one.