Ember Legacy, Volume 1

Chapter 6: A Chance Encounter

Kingdom of Vale

"Be careful, darling. Your footsteps land heavy here. Your racket will wake the dragons."

~ Sarah Kay

Ever since she was a little girl, Jeanne D'Arc wanted to be a Knight.

She was the youngest of eight girls, born into minor Mistralian nobility, and by tradition as the youngest sister she should really have gone into the clergy. But her imagination had always been alight with tales of adventure and heroism, her eager mind fed stories of valiant Knights that rode throughout the Four Kingdoms and kept the peace.

And so, after years of pestering, pleading, and downright begging, she had been allowed to apprentice herself into one of the Knightly Orders. It was the greatest, proudest day of her life, sixteen years of age and walking through the halls of the local Order of Artemis chapter with her blonde head held high.

What the stories failed to mention, however, was precisely how much work was involved in becoming a Knight.

She'd kept herself dedicated and her blue eyes firmly focused on her dream for the first year as she toiled amongst all of the other potential recruits. Jeanne did well enough with sword and shield, with riding and her physical achievements, that the following year she was assigned to a Knight as their squire.

And then her entire life was turned upside down by a pair of sparkling, emerald green orbs.

Jeanne closed her eyes, holding her warhorse in place with her knees as she tried to recenter herself, to pull away from useless introspection. She inhaled deeply, the crisp forest air laden with the smell of trees overlaid with sweet decay from leaves in the undergrowth. Birds chirped in the distance, a distant chorus indicating that there was no danger nearby, nothing immediate to worry about.

Well, no danger except for her own self, that is.

"Any day, now, Jeanne."

The blonde grinned at the slightly exasperated but humorous tone of her Knight. Her Lady.

"Of course, My Lady," she said firmly, opening her sapphire blue eyes once more and steeling herself for what was to come.

They had stopped in this clearing for their midday rest, only a day out from the town of Vale. Ruby and Weiss, her new travelling companions, were still sitting to the side by their horses, looking on with some curiosity, while Pyrrha remained astride her warhorse, waiting patiently.

And towards the other end of the clearing was her target. A simple tree trunk with a discarded package of rations set up on its end.

Alright, I can do this. This one, final test for a true Knight. I can do this. Ignore all the other times that came before, ignore the audience, it's just me and my lance and my horse. I can do this.

Oum, please let me do this, for just once let me do this…

She let out a fierce cry, her knees slamming into the sides of her horse. The blonde warrior crouched over the wild mane of her mount as they shot forward, shield tightly clenched in one hand while the other cradled her lance and tucked it into her side.

Twenty yards. Fifteen yards.

She set the lance onto the target, determined not to let it waver.

Ten yards. Five yards.

And then, just like every time before, it happened. Right before she hit, the tip of her lance dipped.

The impact of her lance against the tree trunk jolted her arm almost out of her socket, and likely would have were it not for her aura. As it was, the world went spinning around her as she found herself weightless, only to come crashing back down once more, flat on her back.

Jeanne let out a wheezing breath as she stared up at the beautiful blue cloudless sky.

"Son of an Orc," she moaned, blinking her eyes as she tried to regain her senses.

Soon enough, three faces loomed overhead. Pyrrha, of course, looked concerned, though her emerald eyes were shining with suppressed mirth. She never looked at her in disappointment, but always encouraging, always reassuring.

Sometimes, that just made it all the worse.

Meanwhile, her temporary liege looked down with barely restrained laughter, silver eyes twinkling merrily.

"That looked like it sucked," Ruby proclaimed with a small giggle.

"No more than usual," Jeanne sighed disconsolately.

Weiss, the white-haired Elven mage, shook her head slowly. "I thought you might have been exaggerating," she said slowly. "But you truly are terrible with a lance."

"Well… she's not all that bad," Pyrrha defended weakly. "I mean, I have seen far worse…"

"From raw recruits, sure," Jeanne grumbled as she struggled to sit up. Both Pyrrha and Ruby lent her a hand, each one with an arm around her back. "Not second year squires."

Pyrrha couldn't really answer that. There was no need, for Weiss had indeed hit the proverbial nail on the head.

She really, really sucked with a lance.

It didn't matter what target she used, be it live practice with horses, or with a pole, or a fencepost. Every single damned time, she ended up unhorsed.

If she wasn't so determined to follow her dream of becoming a Knight… a Knight like Pyrrha… it would almost be enough to break her.

But, as she did after every other occurrence, Jeanne picked herself up, straightened her armor, and looked around for her discarded lance. Fortunately it hadn't shattered this time. Her horse, Sunflower, knew by now not to wander far. As soon as Jeanne's posterior left the saddle, the mare would slow down and turn, trotting back to wherever her rider had landed this time.

"Do we have the time for me to try again?" Jeanne asked quietly, unable to meet the gazes of the others in the party.

"No, not today, Jeanne," the redheaded Mistralian Knight replied somberly. "It is time for us to move on."

"Very well, My Lady."

She turned, about to bend down to retrieve her lance, only to find it in the hands of the smaller brunette girl already. Ruby handed it to her with a gentle smile.

"I admire your perseverance," the red-cloaked girl stated softly. "You must truly want this. To become a Knight."

"I do, m'lady," Jeanne replied with a smile of her own. "More than anything."

"Whelp, can't help you with the lance any, but I can certainly give you adventures that songs could be made of," Ruby grinned.

The blonde chuckled ruefully as she grabbed the reins of her horse. "That would indeed be a balm for my sore rear end."

Ruby snickered, walking past her and bumping her shoulder in a friendly way. "I'd think by now you'd get some padded armor for your ass."

"Er… yes…" Jeanne blushed a bit at the crassness of the statement, but she couldn't deny the intent. "I have often thought of it."

Once the four of them were mounted and on their way, the women continued their amicable conversation from before.

"So, Weiss," Pyrrha began. "You were mentioning your homeland previously?"

The Elf flicked her long white hair over her shoulder. Today it was done in a braid so that it came down just to the middle of her back. "Yes, well… Truly there isn't much to tell regarding the hinterlands. It is cold, as you may imagine, though the city of Evereska is a bit of an oasis in the middle of much desolate landscape." She smiled softly in remembrance. "The graceful spires and elegant architecture are a sight to behold."

"Is that where you're from, then?" Ruby asked curiously. "Evereska?"

Weiss' smile vanished as if it had never been to be replaced by her customary neutral mask of indifference. "Yes," she replied shortly. "Originally. But I… left there to travel and begin my studies."

"I'd like to see Atlas someday," Jeanne mused. "I hear the southern towns are bustling centers of commerce, and the city of Atlas itself never sleeps."

The Elf let out a soft snort. "It is not as exotic as it is made up to be, truly. At least, not compared to the hinterlands. But yes," she conceded reluctantly, "there is much to be found in the bazaars of southern Atlas."

"And then what of you, Ruby?" Pyrrha inquired after they had ridden on in silence for the span of a few minutes. "What lands do you hail from?"

"Oh, you know," the brunette replied airily as she snacked on some sort of confectionary substance. "Here and there."

"That… is not a very precise answer."

"Well, the best I can say is that where I come from... is somewhere in between Vacuo and Vale."

Jeanne frowned slightly, considering her geography in her head. "I did not think there was anything in between the two kingdoms…"

"Oh, sure, lots of stuff," Ruby grinned. "Usually hard to find, y'know, unless you know where to look. Or if those there want to be found."

"Sounds a bit… untamed?" the redhead offered gamely.

"It can be," Ruby admitted. "But it was a lot of fun growing up, lots of wild open space and places to roam about…" Her face fell slightly then as she examined the last of her treat. "Well, it was, before I lost my parents, anyways." With that, she popped the remains of her snack into her mouth.

"I am sorry to hear that," Pyrrha apologized softly. "When did they pass?"

"In the War. Both of them went off to fight and never came home." Ruby stared ahead as she rode, her face set. Jeanne didn't want to prod any further, but something she had said bothered her.

"Er, m'lady… The War was twelve years ago, correct?"

"That's right."

"And you are… eighteen, same as I, if I may be so bold?"

"Thereabouts," Ruby said with a small smirk.

"So you have been on your own, then, since you were six years old?" The blonde simply couldn't fathom such a prospect, having grown up in such a large family. Being alone for all that time…

"It wasn't all that bad, really," the brunette said with a reassuring wink, her cheer once again restored. "I learned to handle myself at an early age. Traveled a bit, met lots of interesting people, that sort of thing. And now I have three new friends to keep me company!"

"Well, at least I am old enough to be your mother," Weiss grumbled mildly.

"Ah ah," Ruby chided her with a grin. "Can't count Elven years like that. How old are you, eighty?"

"Er, yes, actually…"

"So that only makes you twenty in Human years, about the same age as Pyrrha here if I'm not mistaken. More like a big sister than anything."

Weiss sighed, rolling her eyes. "Very well, I can accept that."

"So, then," Ruby continued, her grin widening. "While Jeanne and I run around and get into trouble like the little sisters we are, you and Pyrrha can be the responsible ones and chase after us!"

Weiss shared an exasperated glance with the redheaded Knight. "I propose we tie them up before we enter the next town."

"That sounds acceptable," Pyrrha laughed.

"Hey, wait now, I didn't agree to any of this!" Jeanne protested, though she couldn't keep the grin off of her face either. "I am not a troublemaker!"

"Give it time, Jeanne," the brunette snickered. "Give it time."

The four of them shared a round of genial laughter. Much of their afternoon passed in a similar fashion, with a mixture of pleasant conversation, teasing, and the occasional barbed retort by the elegant Elven mage.

Jeanne considered their two new companions as they rode along. At first glance, Ruby seemed to be a normal, carefree teenager, sometimes like herself in her wants and desires. But then at other times it was if another persona entirely dropped into place, one that was refined and wise beyond her years. It was the latter that the three of them followed so willingly, the commanding girl so confident in her ability to locate this fabled Orb.

The blonde had never been close to an Elf, so she wasn't sure what to expect from the white-haired mage. Certainly Weiss could be aloof at times, even brusque if she felt her time was being wasted, but conversely she could show a caring side as well, one that was apparently grateful for the companionship of the others.

All told, Jeanne was cheered by the thought that, much as Ruby had implied, she had indeed made a pair of new friends, ones who might last beyond this quest that they found themselves on. And, as hardships presented themselves and adversities were set in their way to be overcome, their bond could only strengthen.

She glanced at her Knight with a smile, but blushed as she realized that the redhead had been staring at her while she was lost in thought. Pyrrha's blush was as bright as her own, and they both looked away again in embarrassment.

Fortunately she was saved from having to once again suppress undesired ruminations as they rounded the next bend and a small village came into view.

The road they were travelling upon went right up to the open front gate of the community, but then continued on past, so there was no real need for them to stop. Still, Pyrrha slowed her horse as she glanced to their leader for confirmation of their course.

Ruby, however, did not seem to be controlling her placid mount. The reins were held loosely in her hands as she stared ahead blankly, a look of concentration on her face.

When Jeanne made a closer inspection, she saw that the brunette's eyes were no longer their usual bright, shining silver, but instead a dark grey, swirling and thunderous.

The blonde swallowed nervously. As she noted Pyrrha loosening her sword in her sheath and tucking her lance into her saddle, Jeanne was quick to do the same. Her head twisted around warily, looking for unseen dangers, but all she could see was the unending forest that they'd been traversing. Most of the nature sounds were now gone, but that was to be expected this close to a settlement.

Just then, a rare cloud drifted across the sun, swallowing them in shadow. It sent a shiver down the young warrior's back, as though a premonition of doom had just slipped its icy tendrils across her skin.

"Ruby," the white-haired Elf spoke up quietly but insistently. "What is it?"

The brunette gave herself a shake and turned to the others with a wry grin, her eyes once more like molten quicksilver. "Um, sorry about that. We need to stop here, okay?"

"We do?" Weiss asked skeptically.

"Yup. There's someone here we need to get."

Pyrrha and Jeanne shared a glance and a shrug, putting their lances back in hand as they followed the other pair. Evidently there was no immediate danger, but the blonde kept her eyes moving about nonetheless as they passed under the rough-hewn sign that read 'Daggerhorn'.

The walled village was a cluster of perhaps three dozen houses or so, with none substantially larger to indicate a town hall or meeting place. Instead there was just a central clearing, where currently many of the occupants of the settlement were now gathered, listening to one person in particular speak.

He was a tall, lanky young man with raven hair, a long green jacket with black and gold trim in the style of some clergy Jeanne remembered seeing in Vale, and white trousers. He had his hands up while speaking gently to those assembled, and it seemed as if he were granting a benediction.

When he shifted his position, Jeanne was shocked to see a streak of magenta coloring in his long hair, currently tied back in a ponytail.

"He doesn't seem very… priestly," the blonde murmured.

Pyrrha shrugged nonchalantly. "There are many Orders," she replied simply.

Weiss turned to their leader, who was focused on the crowd ahead. "So, is this man the one you wish to recruit?"

"Not exactly," Ruby grinned eagerly. "She's the one who needs to come with us."

The other three followed her extended finger. Standing just to the side of the priest was a small, orange-haired warrior carrying what had to be the absolute largest warhammer Jeanne had ever laid eyes upon. The shaft came up to the diminutive girl's crown, and the head of the weapon was easily the width of the blonde's shield.

"How can she even wield that thing?" Jeanne gasped incredulously.

"Oh, I have an idea," the brunette smirked. "But that would be telling."

"Ruby, how do you know she needs to come with us? Why her?" Weiss was looking at the warrior girl, clad in light leather and chain armor with a rather predominant dye of pink. It certainly made her stand out, even disregarding her bright orange short hair and oversized weapon.

"Not important," Ruby replied with a shake of her head. "She has to come along. If the Cleric will as well, more the better. In fact, I have a feeling they would both follow us."

Just then the impromptu service broke up, and the four women dismounted in order to move nearer to the oddly mismatched pair. As they got closer, Jeanne could detect the faint hint of pointed ears on the male. With his height and build, though, that likely made him a half-Elf.

The orange-haired girl suspiciously watched the four of them approach with her bright turquoise eyes, gripping her hammer at her side, while the raven-haired man wore a soft smile, leaning on a thin staff the same height as himself.

"Oum's blessings upon you, friends," he said gently. "How may I help you on this fine day?"

Ruby stepped forward, her main attention on the man but she was obviously taking close note of the girl's reactions. "Hi there, my name's Ruby. My companions and I are on a quest, and I'm really hoping I can convince you guys to join us."

"A quest?" the girl broke in excitedly. "Like, a real quest, with adventure and everything?"

The brunette grinned as she glanced over at the pink-armored girl. "Yep. My Life Quest, actually."

"Oh, wow, Renny we gotta help them!" the other girl burbled.

"Patience, Nora," the man said calmly. "Might I inquire as to the nature of this quest?"

"Absolutely. We're on our way to retrieve the Orb of Azure and return it to the King of Vale."

"Ohhh now we gotta go with them!" the girl, Nora, squealed. Jeanne had to smirk at the pained expression on Weiss' face from the smaller girl's exuberance.

"Was I ever that bad?" she murmured to Pyrrha.

"Not quite, no," the redhead chuckled softly.

"My name is Lie Ren," the man began after a moment's contemplation."I am a Cleric of Oum, and while I have certainly been looking for something… different… it would seem that Oum works in mysterious ways." He looked at the four women, seemingly able to discern their measure with a single glance. "I believe we shall accompany you."

"Yesss!" the orange-haired girl cheered. "Oh, yeah, I'm Nora Valkyrie. Ren's bodyguard and lover."

"Nora," the man sighed, chagrined.

"Well, I just wanna set the record straight, Renny, if we're gonna be travelling with four other women. You're mine."

Ruby, by this point, was turning pink with suppressed laughter, and had to hold onto Weiss to keep herself upright.

"Oh," she wheezed. "Yeah, this is gonna be great." She managed to lever herself upright, ignoring the disdainful sniff from the white-haired mage, and swept her hand to the side. "This is Weiss Schnee, a mage of considerable skill, Lady Pyrrha Nikos, a worthy Knight of Artemis, and her squire, the very capable Jeanne D'Arc."

The blonde couldn't help but blush slightly at Ruby's flowery words. She wasn't used to such offhanded praise, really.

"A pleasure," Ren nodded solemnly. He shook hands with them all, murmuring a blessing under his breath as he did so, though Weiss seemed quick to drop his hand and move away from him.

That's an unusual reaction… I wonder what it is she doesn't like about him? Perhaps she's uncomfortable around men?

Before long they were mounted back on their steeds, though now joined by another pair of dappled mares ridden by their new companions. Nora's was broad-shouldered and was probably a workhorse prior, likely a necessary requirement for the massive warhammer she slung about so casually.

Ruby and Weiss rode in the front, Ren and Nora in the middle, while Pyrrha and Jeanne brought up the rear of the column. As they rode, they were all easily able to converse, and Nora immediately launched into a convoluted tale of herself and her lover against seemingly impossible odds. Jeanne couldn't follow all of it right away, but it seemed to involve Goblins, Ogres, and an odd ferocious creature called a Sloth which the blonde warrior had never heard of before.

"I think this journey will be quite entertaining," Pyrrha murmured softly at her side.

Jeanne grinned widely. "Indeed, My Lady."

As always, she was careful to not place undue emphasis on the title, but both women were cognizant of the warmth it implied.

And, as always, both readily ignored the implications of such out of necessity.

o o o

The darkened warehouse in downtown Vale echoed from the sharp clack of heels. The man waiting at the other end, dressed in a long white coat, black trousers, and a jaunty bowler hat set over his orange hair, tapped his cane on the floor in tune to the approaching footsteps. He had a slight smirk on his face, radiating the carefree attitude he was famous for.

Among other, more unsavory items of note.

When the figure finally emerged from the shadows, he opened his arms wide. "Greetings, My Lady!" he exclaimed smoothly.

"Save it, Roman," the raven-haired woman retorted sharply. "I don't have time for your theatrics. Give me your status report quickly, you know I don't like having to come to you for this."

"My most sincere and deep apologies," he replied, his voice dripping with humility. "I would certainly come and visit you…"

"I would not have the Guildmaster of the Thief's Guild show up on my doorstep," she replied archly. Her arms crossed over her crimson dress that matched her lips perfectly. "Now talk."

"As you wish," Torchwick smirked. "We are progressing nicely towards your goal. Over half of the list has been eliminated. As for the robberies, well, we will reach our target on schedule."

"Hmm." The woman tapped a foot in thought. "Crime is certainly up, as far as the official numbers go, but it's not enough yet. I need you to step up your efforts in that regard."

"Of course, of course… Now, one of my favorite unsuspecting minions has suddenly stopped accepting jobs," he admitted unabashedly. "But I can put out some feelers to, let's just say, outside contractors. Most of those inside the Guild are already committed to the effort."

"Just get it done, Roman," she replied. Her amber eyes suddenly flashed a fiery orange as she leaned in slightly. "No mistakes."

"Of course, My Lady."

She whirled on her heel and stalked off back into the shadows without another word. He maintained his composure until the sounds of her footsteps faded away, and then slumped his shoulders momentarily.

"Oh, I'll get it done, My Lady," he muttered under his breath with a grimace, the title sounding anything but respectful right then.

With a sigh, he straightened back up, the carefree grin returning to his face. Turning his head slightly, he addressed his next words to the darkness behind him.

"Well, you heard the lady. Shall we go find some more unsavory rapscallions, my dear?"

A very petite form glided forward, dressed in a laced white bodice and black vest with black trousers underneath. The first thing visible, though, were her pale eyes, which changed to heterochromatic pink and brown once she blinked. She offered the man a cheerful smile, her dual-tone pink and brown hair in pigtails and bouncing on her shoulders as she walked towards him.

"Yep, thought so," Torchwick grinned in reply. "Let's go, then."

A/N: So, another pair for the fellowship, and a meeting of some bad guys. Plots, they be happening! Also, some hints of Arkos, though as I indicated previously, it is a bit more complicated. That will come out soon enough.

Next few chapters will focus in on our fellowship as they close in on their first objective. Hopefully I will have the next combat-intensive one finished in time for the following week, but I may need to skip one as I'm a bit behind with all my stories.

Major props to my Betas for this story, KellyConnely and PandaAnimeLover! Also, much love for the reviews: Heil96, Sharkdude5, AntonSlavik020, ExKage, Arcredemption, FoxyFoxation, Wolfenheart, you all rock!

Stay shiny!