3-9
Blake
Blake lost track of time, and when the two huntresses had fallen asleep. There was simply too much to talk about and very little time. The two must've fallen asleep mid-conversation in Mistrali, both girls often switched between languages when they spoke. It came natural to them, as if they had just seen each other yesterday and kept in touch over the years, and was one of the few things they had in common, including a love of fish, though Blake preferred hers raw and Weiss, the heathen, preferred hers cooked, usually with a nice mustard sauce. Groaning softly as the former faunus started to wake from her slumber, her amber eyes blinked several times as they opened. Weiss' room was quiet, aside from the soft snores that escaped the Heiress' lips, who laid beside Blake with a thin arm draped around the Baratheon's belly.
Blake angled her head to get a better view of Weiss. Her white hair was still long, and out of the ponytail and braid that Blake had long been accustomed to seeing. It was strange, seeing Weiss without her signature scar, that had been the butt of many of Yang's jokes, at least before Beacon had fallen. Now that Blake got a better look, she looked even younger without the scar that had been the Schnee's only physical blemish back on Remnant. Even then, it did little to diminish her beauty, which was impressive considering that people from Remnant were far more attractive on average than the people from this world. There were exceptions of course, the Lannister Twins, Loras Tyrell, Melisandre and Mother just to name a few, but most were rather average or plain if Blake was being honest. It was likely due to their Aura, which helped their bodies to perform beyond what they could normally do, and better diets and hygiene.
Slowly and gently removing Weiss' hand from where it had laid on her waist, Blake sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. It had been pitch dark when she first snuck into Weiss', and now that light was slipping through the window, it was starting to look a lot more familiar. Blake's eyes darted towards the bookshelf, and took several light steps, to avoid making too much noise that would wake the Schnee. She grabbed the first book that she saw on the shelf.
"Paying her Iron Price." Oh, this was one of the smutty books Blake had Ser Davos smuggle in from the Reach, just to get a look at the literature available in the Hightower homeland. The poor old smuggler thought it was a book about the Stormlands, since he couldn't read at the time. "I was wondering where this went."
"Of course, that's your porn." Weiss yawned, causing Blake to turn around, hiding the book behind her back. The white haired girl was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She had a smug smirk on her face as she leaned on her side. "Only someone like you could have such filthy taste in literature."
Blake's cheeks reddened as she looked away and placed her hands in front of her, no longer hiding the smut. A sudden thought entered into her brain, which made the former faunus place a hand on her hip. "How would you know? Did you read it?"
Weiss scoffed as she slowly moved herself into a sitting position. "As if, I've already seen several Ironborn, and they're nothing like the ones in your book."
A frown overtook Blake's face as she pondered what that mea-. Ah right, Weiss was a Lannisport Lannister, and had likely been around to see the sack during the Greyjoy Rebellion. "Oh, I-uh, I'm sorry."
Weiss waved her off as she moved to leave the bed, throwing back the covers and standing up. "Don't worry about it. If I hadn't killed those raiders, my family, friends and I would've been taken as salt-wives, or left for dead. It impressed Lord Tywin enough that he allowed me to train publicly."
Blake's frown deepened. Weiss hadn't mentioned any of that last night, only talking about how life had been, and the new family and friends the two had made. It seemed to have been an unofficial agreement to stick to the lighter topics, and catching up with one another. "You killed someone?"
Weiss raised an eyebrow as she moved to the mirror. "Just four raiders that wanted to rape or kill me. Why?"
The Baratheon girl wasn't fond of killing, a touch ironic, given her past, she had to admit. She had already seen too much death during her time in the White Fang, and after when Team RWBY worked in Atlas. Father didn't execute someone just because he wanted to, he always followed the law to the letter and gave them a fair judgment, criminal or not. Weiss, even at a young age, was way stronger than four raiders from this world. She could have subdued them so they could stand for trial, not kill them, even if it was in self-defense.
"No reason." Blake hid her thoughts with a smile, taking a note from Weiss's book. There's no reason to fight or argue, not when they had finally found each other. "There's just so much about our lives that we don't know about. One or two nights just isn't enough for that, you know?"
Weiss smiled in return and nodded. It was a happy feeling, at least Blake could maybe get away with exchanging letters with Weiss in the future. Or maybe even convince her father to let her sail over there, surely Lannisport could be a good base on the other coast for the Royal Fleet? That likely wouldn't happen, not with Tywin Lannister and Queen Cersei scheming something. "Yeah."
"How long will you be staying in King's Landing?" Blake asked, taking a few steps in Weiss' direction, who was tying her hair in her signature ponytail. Stepping in to help wrangle the mess was almost automatic, her hands moving like it was just yesterday they were in Beacon. Yang had always been the best at wrangling everyone's hair, but Weiss was just as good. As she put it, it had been one of the few ways she and Winter could truly express their affection for one another.
"Tomorrow morning, that was Lord Tywin's schedule at least. I need to store my winnings back home, but I was planning on taking a longer route back to Lannisport by going through the Riverlands since this is my first time out of the Westerlands, but I can postpone it a few days." Weiss offered, which made Blake's smile drop. Father was sending her and Shireen back to Dragonstone in the morning, with the tide. Well, that was unfortunate.
"Father wants me to return to Dragonstone, along with Shireen in the early morning." Blake sighed. There was so much going on behind the scenes, Father was always meeting with Jon Arryn, and that wasn't counting the Spider, Littlefinger, and Lannisters were always plotting some scheme. Maybe she shouldn't say anything about that to Weiss? The Lannister's were her kin, even if she was from a cadet branch.
It was Weiss' turn to frown this time. "It's like the universe doesn't want us to finally be reunited, even after we finally met each other."
Blake wrapped her arms around the shorter girl, who eagerly returned the hug, glad to finally have her friend back. "We'll figure something out, Team RWBY always does."
"Yeah, you're right." Weiss mumbled into Blake's shirt. Having to leave each other too soon was a horrible feeling. Who knew when they would finally be able to see each other again?
Yet, as long as they were together, they would be unstoppable.
Stannis
The Master-of-Ships was not a man that could be threatened or cowed into submission. When Robert ordered him to hold Storm's End against the full might of the Reach, he did just so, and was down to eating his boot leather when the Onion Knight had saved them from such a fate. When Robert ordered him to build a fleet and take Dragonstone despite suffering from malnutrition during the siege, he did just so, even after running headlong into a major storm that had fortunately sank the remnants of the Targaryen fleet. When Robert ordered him to take the Royal Fleet and smash the Iron Fleet into splinters, Stannis Baratheon did just so, even if the bards sung more about how Robert had stormed the Iron Isles than his battle which had enabled such a feat. He was afraid of no lion, no spider, and certainly no little birds twittering around. Stannis Baratheom barged into the Lord Hand's office, pushing aside his squire, Hugh of the Vale, an ugly boy with reddish hair. The two guards with blue cloaks and falcon broaches could do nothing but stand to the side, as the Lord of Dragonstone easily towered over them. Pathetic, was the best the Vale could offer for guards? His bannermen would have resisted mightly had anyone tried storming in.
"What is the meaning of this, Lord Stannis?" The Lord Hand looked up from his desk, sweat coating his wrinkled forehead like tar on a galley's hull. He winced as he spoke, adjusting his seat. Truly this was the second most powerful man in the Kingdoms? A tired old man unable to sit for long?
"The Lannisters, have they heard of our plot?" Stannis narrowed his eyes. That Lannister girl, he had seen her once or twice before the Greyjoy Rebellion. He didn't think much of her then, she was just a minor Lannisport Lannister, and he was busy planning to smash the Iron Fleet and invade the Iron Isles. He never expected such an insignificant girl to win a melee filled with warriors as famed as Lord Bronze Yohn Royce and Thoros of Myr.
And she had the gall to name Blake the 'Princess of Love and Beauty'? His daughter, out of all the maidens present, chosen by a Lannister as the 'Princess of Love and Beauty'? This was no coincidence, Stannis felt that deep within his bones. This was a Lannister plot, and with the skill she showed on the tourney grounds, as well as the magic she used to summon snowflakes, Stannis was worried. Not for himself, of course, but for Blake. Did the Spider or Littlefinger find out about Blake's abilities and tell the Lannisters? Not helping matters was her attitude of appearing to be a pious Maiden, an attitude backed up by Septons preaching her virtues. His daughter was as skilled as almost any man, and remained undefeated in every match against Brienne of Tarth, who had proven to be as skilled as Stannis' best knights.
"No." The Lord Hand frowned. "Lord Tywin would have acted during the morning petitions had he known." With the amount of Red Cloaks and Westerlords in King's Landing, Stannis was thankful for the presence of the Riverlords, Stormlords, Valemen, and Crownlanders. For all of his many, many faults, Robert was always able to inspire loyalty from anyone, even enemies who had been trying to kill him moments before. The Lord Hand didn't seem too surprised about the Lannister girl's magic, and in fact, seemed almost cheery, if such an adjective, could be used to describe him for once.
"You already knew about her." Stannis said simply, in disbelief, that he hadn't been told of such an issue. He couldn't make plans when people kept information from him like this! While the smallfolk and nobles were in uproars and murmuring about the public display of magic, the only men who hardly batted an eye were Lord Arryn and Lord Lannister.
"Robert met her when he visited Casterly Rock, she had already killed raiders that had sieged the Gold Keep, and defeated Ser Amory Lorch and Ser Justin Massey in the training yard, at only seven namedays." The Lord Hand sighed and pressed his hands together, interlocking his fingers. Ser Justin had been Robert's squire at the time, and had been knighted after the war. Ser Smiles then ran afoul of Cersei Lannister, and ended up with a posting within the Royal Fleet, entering into Stannis' service.
"And her magic?" Stannis pressed, earning him a glare from the Lord Hand that ended with the old man coughing violently. Was he coming down with a chill? He was old, and spending a lot of time in the Red Keep, which had a bit of a draft.
The Lord Hand's glare did not phase Stannis. "I'm sure you would know more about her magic than I, Lord Stannis." A jab at his wife and Melisandre, who had taken up a position as one of his advisors on Dragonstone. Stannis graciously ignored the thrust, they had bigger fish to worry about at the moment. "Rest assured that the plan remains unchanged."
Stannis did not believe that one bit, simply because her existence upended the plan. The Lannister girl was brought to King's Landing by Tywin Lannister for a reason, likely a show of power, to brag to the entire realm that he had a girl that could defeat grown men, experienced warriors with excellent reputations, no less, as if they were unblooded squires. And her magic, it was stronger than Malora's, Melisandre's, and even Blake's, who could create shadows in combat that took on her appearance. Worse yet, was her ties to the Faith. While he wasn't a believer, that didn't mean he didn't appreciate the soft power it could lend someone.
"Are you sure?" Stannis continued. He had brought his suspicions to Lord Arryn because he was the only one who could convince Robert. If Stannis had brought every piece of evidence in the world with truthful witnesses, Robert would likely declare him an ambitious upstart who wanted to claim the Iron Throne. No, it had to be Jon Arryn, the one who Robert treated more like family than his own blood, and the old fool wanted to wait. They could arrest the Lannisters while they were all gathered at the evening feast, yet that would break the guest right, the most holy of all oaths. To become an Oathbreaker, or to prevent a bastard from sitting upon the Iron Throne, what a choice.
"Yes." The Lord Hand winced as he slowly stood up from his desk. Age was likely catching up with the Old Falcon, he was already old by the time of Robert's Rebellion, and over a decade in service to the realm as Hand of the King only aged him even more. "Now if you excuse me, I must see the Grand Maester. I'm not as young as I used to be." The Lord Hand walked past the Lord of Dragonstone.
Stannis frowned as he turned to follow the Old Falcon out of the Tower of the Hand, the guardsmen from the Vale following behind them as they did so. The glare that the Ugly Squire gave him was ignored, he was not but a boy, and not even an impressive one at that. They were halfway down the stairs when they ran into Littlefinger. Oh joy, just what he needed. This day had started out bad, and was not getting any better.
"My Lord Hand, Lord Stannis." The Master-of-Coin's voice was as slippery as a snake. He was Jon Arryn's man, or so he claimed. Petyr Baelish was a minor lord from the smallest of the Fingers in the Vale, and was a tiny man, yet he seemed to be everywhere and had his fingers in many pies. Littlefinger had a small pointed beard on his chin, and dark hair with strands of gray running around his head.
"Lord Baelish." The Lord Hand croaked. "I don't recall a meeting being scheduled. There was plenty of coin left for the champion of the joust, is there not?" The jousts were due to start in a few hours, after Robert woke from his drunken slumber and broke his fast. Maybe he'd been overtired from sleeping with that serving wench, and slept in?
Littlefinger gave Stannis a brief glance before lowering his voice. The whispering sounded very much like a snake's hissing, which Stannis was sure was an insult to the animals. Snakes didn't have a choice in the matter. "None of that, my Lord Hand. I merely overheard something that I'm sure you would like to know."
Jon Arryn's grimace was plain to see. What new mishap was about to befall them? A pestilence? Another Rebellion? The Iron Bank calling in its loans? "Well? Speak."
"The Queen has announced her intent to visit Casterly Rock, along with her children. His Grace, King Robert, has already given her his approval." Littlefinger's voice was little more than a whisper. Stannis immediately shot the Lord Hand a sharp glare and started to grind his teeth. And this was just what he needed. Now, the Queen and her bastards would be out of reach of them for some time, safely ensconced in their ancestral lands.
The Lord Hand frowned, not that Stannis could blame him. This was a right mess to deal with, and their options had shrunk. They could wait, see when she would return, but if the Lannisters knew of their plans, that might not happen anytime soon. "If that is her wish, who are we to prevent a daughter from visiting her Father?"
A daughter who cuckold the king and wished to place a bastard born of incest upon the Iron Throne. It was worse than the Targaryens, at least there they were known to be degenerates before taking the Throne. Stannis' eyes darkened as the three members of the Small Council continued down the stairs of the Tower of the Hand. He would not break the guest right, yet that did not mean Stannis would idly stand by and allow the Lannisters to do as they pleased. It was time for him to start considering some alternative plans.
For the realm, and all Seven Kingdoms.
Weiss
Blake left Weiss' room shortly after the Lannisport heiress changed into a new dress to break her fast in the Great Hall. It saddened the white haired girl to have to pretend she didn't know who Blake truly was, to hide their friendship. They had spent so many years trying to find anyone, literally anyone from Remnant, just to separate once more. At least the dark haired Baratheon girl promised to visit Weiss' chambers one last time before she was shipped off to Dragonstone, and before Weiss made her way to the Kingsroad and then to the Riverroad to return to Lannisport.
"You were magnificent yesterday, Weiss." Alysanne said as she sat beside the white haired girl preening, almost. The two were seated in the Lannister Box, where only members of the family and high ranking lords and ladies of the Westerlands may enter. Cedric and Pod were given leave to wander the tourneygrounds, as it was the last day. She just hoped those dolts wouldn't get into any trouble, she was not bailing them out of the dungeons if they got caught stealing a ham instead of paying for it. Cedric had already been unhorsed in the lists, by a Beesbury Knight, so Weiss didn't want to look at him right now, less she say something he would regret.
"Thank you, Alysanne." Weiss gave her friend a smile, it was nice having friends once more, even if they weren't RBY. "It was all due to the Seven above, giving me their blessing to win such a melee."
The Lefford heiress had never judged Weiss for being different, even if other lords, knights and ladies were afraid or wary of her skills. It's what she appreciated about Alysanne and Alis, who were some of her only true friends in such a backwards world. Robert Brax counted as well, since he was always challenging Weiss to a duel in the training yard, and ended up battered and bruised for his efforts. The last Weiss had heard of her Father's former squire, he had been commissioning a new set of armor to celebrate his knighthood, which included a helmet that had a unicorn horn as a crest. Robert would want to show it off once Weiss and Alysanne return.
"The Seven who are one chose wisely." Alysanne smiled. She wore a blue dress with yellow accents, the colors that were on the sigil of House Lefford. It was quite a fetching dress on her, she had to admit. Whoever married her would have some good taste.
"And for that, I am grateful." Weiss returned her smile with a small one. Her eyes drifted towards the Royal Box, which was in plain view, and resisted the urge to frown.
King Robert was joined by Queen Cersei, as well as other members of both families and those of the Small Council. The Lord Hand, Jon Arryn, sat directly to the fat king's right, while a small man with a pointed beard with a mockingbird pin sat to the Hand's own right. From there were Renly and Stannis Baratheon, with Shireen and Blake seated to the right of their father. To the King's left were the Lannisters, the Queen, Lord Tywin, Prince Joffrey, Prince Tommen, and Princess Myrcella. Even Cousin Tyrion was present, lazing on a chair with a goblet, likely full of wine. Weiss' eyes immediately turned to Blake, who also happened to be staring straight at her. The Lannister girl tore her eyes away, just as Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, lance splintered against the shield of Ser Jaime Lannister.
The two knights were now in the finals of the joust, after defeating countless rivals throughout the day. Two lances had already been broken by each competitor, but more were drawn from the barrel full of them by their squires.
"The Knight of Flowers is a pretty one, but Ser Jaime has more experience." Ser Damion Lannister, his mother had been a Lannisport Lannister, bragged out loud. He was talking to Lewys Lydden, Lord of the Deep Den. It wasn't inaccurate, she had to admit to herself. The Kingslayer, for all his flaws, was still a great warrior.
"Ser Jaime has been winning tourneys since the Tyrell's been a babe." Lord Lefford, Alysanne's Father added. All three men were speaking loudly, with several other knights of high ranking families and other lords.
He wasn't wrong. Despite his reputation as the Kingslayer, Ser Jaime was also known as being the youngest knight inducted into the Kingsguard, and was considered one of the best swordsman alive. If Lord Bronze Yohn Royce and Thoros of Myr were considered excellent fighters, Weiss could not wait to see her distant cousin fight with a sword in hand, and not with a lance. She wasn't the biggest fan of jousting, to her eyes it just looked like two men charging each other to knock the other off.
The two knights charged once more, shattering their lances as they impacted against each other's shield, their third lances. Ser Jaime shook on his saddle, his golden armor and lion-shaped helm making him look like a knight straight out of the stories both in Remnant and here. Ser Loras, on the other hand, wore silver armor that was decorated in sapphires and black vines, with golden roses decorating his helm's crest. Weiss had been disappointed to find out that the Knight of Flowers was, indeed, not Ruby Rose, and was actually a young Tyrell that had served as Lord Renly Baratheon's squire.
"The Knight of Flowers is holding his own." Weiss noted with a wry smile. Based on everyone else's whispers, they had expected Ser Jaime to have knocked him off his horse by now. She could see some people exchanging worried looks as the realization sank in. Apparently they'd made some unwise bets, including Cousin Tyrion, but he never betted against family, so it wasn't exactly his fault.
"He is very handsome." Alysanne added with a sly smile. Loras Tyrell had golden brown eyes with brown curls, which he revealed when he first rode out onto the list for hisfirst round, to raucous applause from the crowds. He was handsome, but not exactly Weiss' type.
"We shall see if he's as skilled as my cousin." Weiss gave her friend a wink. So far, he had been impressive, already breaking three lances and getting ready for a fourth. His squire, a Crane of Red Lake, handed him the fresh lance as Ser Loras threw the splintered one on the ground. A Lannister cousin handed Ser Jaime his own, as both knights rode back to their starting positions.
After an entire minute full of tension, both knights charged at each other, stomping up dust. The Knight of Flowers and the Kingslayer soon lowered their lances, and they soon collided. The world seemed to slow as Ser Jaime was suddenly thrown from his horse, slamming hard onto the ground with a clatter, while Ser Loras held onto the saddle of his mare as hard as he could.
"Ahahaha!" King Robert boomed into laughter as the crowd cheered, smallfolk and nobles alike. Everyone cheered for the Knight of Flowers, everyone who wasn't in the Lannister Box, that is. Ser Damion and Lord Lewys frowned, while Lord Leo seemed to bite the inside of their cheek. She didn't even want to imagine how Lord Tywin was taking the sight.
Weiss only watched in silence as Ser Jaime moved to slowly stand up, with one of their younger cousins running onto the field to help him up, his heavy golden armor weighing him down. Ser Loras, on the other hand, removed his helm and started to parade around the boxes of noble houses and stands where the smallfolk watched.
"A well fought match." Alysanne whispered, so the other occupants of the Lannister box wouldn't hear. Weiss nodded in agreement as she turned to gaze upon the Royal Box. Needing four passes to be unhorsed was no small feat, and he'd certainly proved his mettle with such a deed. King Robert was talking and jeering at the man with the mockingbird pin, who grabbed a small sheathed dagger with an expensive hilt from where it rested on his belt. He handed it to the King in one fluid motion. King Robert stuffed it in his trousers with a wink.
Ser Loras passed by the Lannister box with a smug smile, though he waved at the ladies, including Alysanne and Weiss. He rode towards the front of the Royal Box. Oh no, was he about to copy what she did? Or was he about to do something worse?
"Congratulations on your victory, Tyrell." King Robert said with a sly grin. He spoke in his usual loud, boisterous tone, which allowed those in the other boxes to hear him. "It's not often someone shows the Kingslayer he's not invincible, a fine match. Choose your queen!"
The same servant from the day before approached the Knight of Flowers, handing him a crown that looked like it was made out of sunflowers this time around. Ser Loras rode around with an easy smile, one that remidned her of what she had dubbed her PR smile back in Remnant. One of his hands was holding the crown while the other held onto the reins of his steed. He approached the box filled with nobles from the Vale, to much tittering and gasps.
"May I have this honor, my Lady?" Ser Loras said to a Royce girl, short and fleshy with small eyes and brown, curly hair. Her purple dress decorated with moons revealed her ample bosom. The Royce girl laughed and nodded, bowing her head to allow the Tyrell to place the crown upon her.
The crowd cheered once more, with considerably less whispers and murmuring than yesterday, when Weiss had won. Ser Loras kissed the Royce girl's hand once more, which made the crowd grow even louder in showing their joy. Weiss' eyes drifted back to the Royal Box. Blake had an indifferent expression on her face, looking like she'd rather be literally anywhere else. Weiss felt the same way, she would have preferred to spend the entire day with her old friend, not watching the lists. There was more movement from the Baratheon's Box, with Lord Arryn speaking to the small man that had given King Robert the dagger.
Suddenly, the Lord Hand grabbed his stomach, and slowly fell over, with the small man and King Robert grabbing him before he hit the ground. Lord Stannis and Ser Barrisran quickly jumped from their seats to help the Hand of the King. The crowd gasped as it earned everyone's attention. Even Blake's indifferent mask briefly broke as she grabbed Shireen and pulled her out of the way of several Vale knights who were rushing towards their Hand. Lord Tywin watched in confusion, his deep voice echoing throughout the boxes. "Send for Grand Maester Pycelle!" And this had started out such a nice day, no less. Weiss pressed her lips together as her eyes darkened.
Hopefully the Old Falcon would be alright.
A/N
Our first chapter with more than two POVs! And it came out much longer than usual. Thank you for all of your support!
Night and I can't wait to have the war unfold, and slowly reveal and tease the appearances of Ruby, Yang, Jaune and Neo. And we have more art on the way, so keep an eye out for that!
