Chapter 56: The Rival
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Starfox5
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Chapter 56: The Rival
'A particularly persistent myth surrounding the Ruby Order is the claim that they not only visited Braavos but were responsible for some of the city's most famous traditions, such as the high esteem in which courtesans are held there, even today. I've already presented the evidence which refutes that a covert visit happened at all, but given how stubbornly even scholars refuse to accept obvious truths, it behoves this work to refute those claims in particular. Not only was Braavos famous for its courtesans long before the first appearance of the Order - in fact, the tradition was established before the Doom of Valyria - but the Ruby Order themselves most certainly did not frequent courtesans. The only sources claiming this can be tracked to those who opposed their influence and goals at Court and can and should be easily dismissed by any honest historian. The claim that the Lady Ruby and her friends actually engaged in this Braavosi tradition is, of course, not only absurd but gravely insulting - and had led to dozens of duels during the time the Faith of the Seven started to expand in Braavos, and at least one lynching in King's Landing. Any report about a meeting between a courtesan and the Ruby Order remains utterly fictional and is most likely either, if from a contemporary source, made up to slander them, or, if drawn from a later source, likely an attempt to tie Braavosi culture of the day to the Ruby Order, who had become near-mythical figures at some point in Braavos as well as in Westeros.'
Fregar Manor, Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
"...and I thought about making the head of Crescent Rose detachable, with a chain linking it to the shaft, but the balance would be all wrong, and the added weight would make her a bit unwieldy; nothing I couldn't compensate for with training, but the added options might not be enough to outweigh the loss in potential, so…"
Lord Tormo Fregar wasn't a man who made many mistakes. It was not vanity to state - or, in this case, think - this; if he were prone to making mistakes, he wouldn't have achieved his current position as the most likely successor of the current Sealord, whose health had been in doubt for some time already.
However, just because he rarely made a mistake didn't mean he never made a mistake, and he was currently wondering - in the privacy of his mind - if what he had thought was another success might have been a mistake instead; namely, inviting Lady Ruby and her friends to his soirée.
When he had sent the invitation, it had seemed an obvious move: The four girls were, despite the fact that they had all but taken over Westeros, largely unknown in Braavos; even his contacts in the Iron Bank had not been able to tell Tormo much about them, and their visit to the City had been a complete surprise to everyone except the House of Black and White and the Sealord - that the four, on the very day of their arrival in the city, had gone straight to the Sealord's palace, followed by a visit to the temple the next day, clearly indicated substantial planning and preparation. It also showed that Tormo's spies and informants were not as highly placed in the Sealord's palace as he had thought - a realisation that would have been reason to worry even if the Faceless Men had not been involved as well.
Inviting them to his home should have been not only a good way to find out more about whatever matter had drawn the uncrowned rulers of Westeros to the City and how the Sealord and the Faceless Men factored into this, but it should have also raised his prestige and would have fooled those who were not as close to the highest circles of the City into thinking he was involved or, at least, associated, with this as well. Especially his potential rivals for the Sealord's succession. He had spotted Albero Prestayn eyeing him and the Maidens already.
And, of course, it should have been an excellent opportunity to at least sound out if they were receptive to a closer relationship in the future, when Tormo might have ascended to a higher office, or help him achieve that office. Even the appearance of having their support would do wonders for his already good chances to become the next Sealord.
However, he had either underestimated or overestimated the guile of the four girls - he was still not certain which answer was correct. The incessant rambling of Lady Ruby about her monstrous weapon made him lean towards assuming the former; she couldn't seriously be that passionate about her weapon.
"...and so I decided to keep her as she is right now and focus on improving my skill with her."
She finished and looked at him with an earnest and open smile that was either completely genuine - which was, given her known achievements, ridiculous - or put the best actors of the City to shame. No one who took over a foreign kingdom as she had done could be as innocent as she acted.
But he smiled and nodded. "A wise decision indeed, my lady. Those who seek to improve their weapon instead of themselves often pay for it."
"And yet, a master of their art requires the best tools to get the best results," Lady Weiss added before taking a sip from her glass. Her tone and expression clearly showed experience and ambition - another point in favour of Lady Ruby being far more shrewd than she appeared to be; why else would Lady Weiss defer to her instead of usurping her position?
"Right! And my baby is the best!" Lady Ruby nodded, then grabbed another plate - her third; Tormo had kept count - filled with flatbread and carefully prepared meat from a passing servant and started eating, albeit with good manners, at a pace that would have likely impressed a Dothraki warlord.
But while she was eating enough to feed four men double her size, she couldn't talk, and Tormo was not missing the opportunity to further his own plans. "Although while I would be the last man in the City to disparage personal skill at arms, one cannot guide a city - or a country - with it; policy requires wisdom and foresight as well as a sharp mind, and, most of all, allies who will support your plans."
Lady Ruby nodded while she swallowed the last sausage from her plate - the olive bread had already been devoured - and Tormo smiled encouragingly in return.
But she didn't acknowledge, much less accept or reject, his clear offer; instead, she deflected again. "Yeah. And lots of paperwork; Lord Eddard - the Regent - is always reading reports and listening to people, and dealing with disputes and stuff."
Of course he was! The Westerosi might not have been as sophisticated as the City, but they knew how to govern! She was, as she had been so far, stating platitudes in an attempt to force him to make a more concrete offer. And, damn the girl, he would have to if he wanted to salvage anything out of this mess.
And she was brandishing her monstrous scythe again, all but waving it in his face. "So, I guess… Oh! Where are Yang and Blake going?"
Tormo took a half-step back so he did not risk getting his face accidentally cut off, and glanced over his shoulder. Indeed, just past Jeral Zalyne, who was watching Tormo with an amused smirk, he could see the two other members of Lady Ruby's group heading to the back of the room, where the musicians Tormo had hired for today - the best money could buy in the city! - were playing.
"Lady Yang wanted to dance," Bellegere answered Lady Ruby's question before Tormo could, as she smoothly rejoined them.
"Oh!" Lady Ruby nodded. "Yes, Yang likes to dance."
"And Blake is going along with it," Lady Weiss commented with a sly smile.
"Well, she is her partner. You wouldn't let me go dance by myself, either, would you?" Lady Ruby asked, once more putting on the appearance of being honestly asking.
"Of course not," Lady Weiss replied. "Someone has to keep an eye on you."
"That's my partner! You're the best, Weiss!"
"Obviously."
Tormo glanced at Bellegere; the Black Pearl was looking amused at the exchange. Was it too obviously staged for her? Or was she seeing something that Tormo was missing? She had been exchanging innuendo with all four girls, though not with quite the sharpness she would have shown when talking to her rivals.
"I think Ghost is getting hungry; I should check on him."
And there came the boy-knight. The bastard son of the Regent of Westeros. Tormo was not quite certain what his exact role was. He clearly wasn't needed as a guard; any of the girls could defeat the likes of him easily, as they had demonstrated already.
"Really?" Lady Ruby gasped. "You think they aren't feeding him?"
"People rarely bring their hounds with them when they visit a soirée," Bellegere added. "So, the servants might not be prepared."
The implied slight, minor as it was, to Tormo's quality as a host was disguised as an excuse, so he could ignore it, which he did. His rivals would make some snide remarks, of course, but they would do so anyway, and his other guests would understand that talking to such powerful visitors took precedence. "My staff will be feeding your wolf, Ser Jon." A glance at the servant standing behind Tormo would ensure that the beast - a wolf the size of a horse! - would be fed.
"Of course, my lord. I still think I should check up on him; he doesn't like being separated from me."
Was that why he was with the four girls? Because he could handle the magical wolf from the frozen North that could sniff out assassins? Or were the rumours that the girls kept him as a lover true? They were staying in the Courtesan's Corner, after all… But the boy didn't act as a man in that position would; he had been blushing like a virgin when the Black Pearl had as much as glanced in his direction. Maybe he was a hostage, to ensure his father behaved in the girls' absence? He was, as his position implied, clearly favoured by his father…
"Better check up on him; we don't want the poor puppy starve or eat something his tummy won't agree with," Lady Weiss said - and she sounded as if she were earnestly talking about a puppy and not a monster that looked as if it could bring down a war elephant if it grew too hungry.
Tormo blinked. Perhaps he should double-check that the beast was being fed whatever food it wanted. If the wolf truly was barely grown, he couldn't be that well-trained yet, and if the boy lost control… Tormo would rather lose part of his larder than one of his prized horses. And if the beast attacked one of his guests, the blame would be his. If Bonis Reyaan were hurt - the fat fool was said to be fond of dogs, and he seemed to have eaten his fill already, Tormo had seen him pass on another serving, then his uncle would use the Iron Bank's influence to sabotage Tormo's plans in retaliation….
The boy nodded and walked away, and Tormo once more had an opportunity to redirect the talk to a subject more useful for his goals. "Your arrival made quite an impression on the City's notables, my ladies," he said.
"It did?" Lady Ruby faked surprise. "Well, we were invited by the Sealord…"
Tormo slowly nodded. "Indeed. A fact that sent tongues wagging." So, the Sealord had called them to the City. But what for? Another attempt to have the Seven Kingdoms lower the duties placed on Braavosi goods? Though that would certainly involve the Iron Bank, since that would affect the kingdom's income, from which they paid the interest on the loans from the bank, and Tormo had not heard anything about that from his contacts at the bank. And that wouldn't explain the visit to the House of Black and White afterwards. Had the Sealord used them as go-betweens to make a deal with the Faceless Men? Or was this a plot by the House of Black and White?
It was very convenient that 'Death itself' had told the Faceless Men to help those they couldn't kill, wasn't it? And before most people might hear about the failed assassinations and start to wonder if the temple deserved its fearsome reputation. Of course, this could also have been an expedient way to deal with a rival inside the temple; Tormo wouldn't be surprised if the failure had been planned to happen so someone could get rid of a rival - or a superior.
Lady Weiss snorted. "Sometimes, it feels as if anything we do, including doing nothing, will cause rumours to be created."
Bellegere chuckled at that. "The perils of fame. I often merely need to smile at someone, and the City will be full of talk about our supposed affair."
Was that envy Tormo detected? The Black Pearl was usually not quite as open with reminding others about her own fame; anyone of importance was aware of her reputation. To mention it like this made her sound concerned. On the other hand, she might merely attempt to make the girls consider her their equal, at least as far as fame was concerned, in order to gain their confidence.
Lady Ruby faked a blush. "Well, that's not something we have to worry about."
"Not any more," Lady Weiss added with a deeper frown.
That was a statement that implied a lot, of course. Had the former Queen insinuated such a thing, and Lady Ruby had destroyed her in retaliation? So she would serve as an object lesson to dissuade the rest of the court from spreading such rumours? Tormo would believe that.
And so would, as far as he could tell, Bellegere. She was nodding with both respect and wariness hidden behind her smile. "Alas, not all of us have the power to rein in rumours at our disposal. So most have to be content with starting rumours."
"Although the very nature of a rumour's creation and spread means that its creator can rarely be identified, which makes a doctrine of mutual destruction rather hard to implement," Lady Weiss commented.
Tormo had to take a sip from his glass to gain enough time to parse the meaning of her words. Was this a warning? Why would she mention destruction if not as a threat? It certainly wasn't a piece of friendly advice, not after they had made it clear that they could and would destroy an entire house if they felt it was warranted. In any case, it certainly served to deflect his subtle question about the Sealord's plans.
"Quite," Bellegere said with a nod towards the two girls.
Lady Ruby smiled and grabbed another plate - squid rings roasted in oil with garlic, this time - and started eating them, although she shared with Lady Weiss and offered them to Tormo and Bellegere as well, and he didn't know if that was meant as an insult. That was the food served to his guests, and she was offering it to him? The food he had paid for? Or was that a sign to show she didn't mean him any ill, but also a demonstration that she was above him at the same time and could take everything he owned for herself? Was this a message or a threat from the Sealord? Or merely a coincidence?
No, Tormo told himself, there were no coincidences here. For girls who could literally walk over water and sink a fleet with their own hands - who, according to them, had defied Death himself in his own temple and came out the better for it - there was no coincidence.
He took another swallow while his thoughts raced.
This was planned, no doubt. But by whom? Would they listen to the Sealord? Do his bidding? Or was this a message aimed at the Sealord? A sign that if the Sealord didn't acquiesce to their demand, the Faceless Men would kill him, and the girls would deal with Tormo as his successor, to make the Sealord do their bidding? The girls had taken over the Seven Kingdoms in less than a year, after all, and demonstrated aptly that they knew how to play the game in Braavos as well.
Where he had aimed to have Bellegere distract and divide them, they had turned the tables on him, using two of them as a distraction for his guests while cornering him with veiled threats and offers that might or might not be serious, yet had dire consequences attached to them either way. All while maintaining an almost-perfect facade of being girls barely old enough to debut in the City and as naive as their appearance implied.
Well played, indeed.
But Tormo had not reached his current position and status by giving up when faced with pressure, unexpected or not. "Although I found that the best way to battle malicious rumours was to be held in high esteem by enough people with the will and the means to influence such things. A policy that certainly has served me well enough." There was his next offer!
Ruby Rose smiled - politely. Lord Tormo's claim that he was liked by so many people that rumours didn't hurt him felt like bragging. A little at least. On the other hand, he would have managed it without being declared as the chosen of the gods, or something like it, by the High Septon. If it was true, anyway. So… "Yeah." She nodded to show she agreed. "It also helps if the Faith likes you."
Lord Tormo was looking at her a bit weirdly, she noticed. Did he think she was bragging? Best to set things straight; she wasn't a braggart. "We didn't claim to be messengers of the gods, though; they came up with that on their own."
Weiss nodded. "Exactly."
"But you didn't deny it, either, did you?" the Black Pearl said with a smile that reminded her of Headmaster Ozpin's.
"While we do not claim that we were transported here by divine intervention, neither can we disprove that such a thing happened," Weiss came to her rescue. "And we certainly won't refuse any help that might send us home."
Ruby nodded emphatically. Team RWBY would return home. They would see their families and friends again. No matter how long it took - even if they ended up the oldest students at Beacon. Unless, of course, the Headmaster wouldn't let them return because they had missed an entire year - or more - and taking them in would exclude new first years, or something. She winced at the thought. They could find another way to become Huntresses, and she didn't think the team would fall apart in that case, but… She really hoped the Headmaster wouldn't do that.
"It is always wise to keep your options open when you strive to achieve a goal," Lord Tormo said.
"Yes!" Ruby smiled again. "And with the High Septon and the Faceless Men helping us, we will succeed!" The seer had said they would help them, and that should count for something.
The Black Pearl slowly nodded as well. "I would be hard-pressed to think of anything that you couldn't achieve with your power and this kind of support."
"Quite," Lord Tormo agreed. "Although you can never have too much help, wouldn't you agree, my lady?"
Ruby blinked. "Ah… that's not exactly true. Sometimes, too much help starts working against you." Like when a group wasn't trained well enough to fight together, and they got in each other's way. Which had happened when Ruby and Weiss had fought together for the first time. Not her best moment, to be honest. She smiled a bit wryly at the memory.
For a moment, Lord Tormo was looking weirdly at her again. "Then it would behove you to pick those who can help you the most."
Ruby agreed, of course - that was just common sense. "And you learn how to work together." Lord Tormo kept smiling, but Ruby wasn't sure if he actually agreed. Working together was how a team was most effective, but he might not be thinking about that. He was acting like some of the nobles back at the court in King's Landing, trying to talk about something without actually saying what he meant. Which usually meant that he wanted to talk about some underhanded stuff. Well, as long as he didn't say it out loud, you didn't have to talk about it.
"Indeed. Cooperation is key," Weiss spoke up. "Those who seek glory for themselves might achieve some success depending on their talent and luck, but a showoff will always come second - or worse - in the long run when competing with those who will focus on the common goal instead of their own ambitions."
Ruby beamed at her. Weiss had come such a long way since they had met the first day at Beacon. Well, so had Ruby. She wasn't the naive, shy girl any more that had stepped foot on Beacon that day! Even if she sometimes couldn't help wishing she were that girl - and back at Beacon.
"But some people's ambitions are limited to rising above others," the Black Pearl said. "They do not extend to improving everyone's life."
"Those people are the worst!" Ruby said. "A good leader cares for their team, or their people, I guess, more than they care about themselves!" Weiss was frowning at her, but Ruby raised her chin a little as she met her partner's eyes. She knew she was right about this!
"A very commendable sentiment, my lady," Lord Tormo said. "Though exactly because it is so commendable, almost every leader will profess to follow that creed - whether that is true or not."
"Yeah, there are always a few bad apples," Ruby said. Or more than a few, especially in Westeros. "That's why they shouldn't get to lead; they will just cause trouble for everyone."
"Unfortunately, most commonly, you cannot know whether or not your leader follows this principle before they become your leader," the Black Pearl said with a glance at Lord Tormo.
"Well, if you have a bad leader, you either make them shape up or replace them," Ruby said. That was also obvious, wasn't it?
"Provided that the moral and leadership failures are bad enough to justify such an action," Weiss added. "Nobody is perfect, after all. And trying to remove someone from his post is often disruptive and dangerous even if you succeed."
Oh. She must be thinking about her father. Ruby nodded and gave her partner an encouraging smile. "Exactly!"
"Indeed." Lord Tormo chuckled a little. And the Black Pearl's smile hadn't changed at all.
Good. They were being good guests, then. Ruby glanced at the dance floor. Maybe they could go dancing now as well without being rude to their host. After the next snack, though - she just spotted a waiter with a plate full of what looked like roast beef!
Weiss Schnee didn't know what was more annoying - the blatant attempts by Lord Tormo to curry favour with Team RWBY with the barely-veiled intention of securing their support for, in the worst case, a coup in Braavos, at best a lock-in for the Sealord's succession or the courtesan's ongoing tries to flirt with Ruby. The first felt like a particularly annoying deja vu; Westeros's nobility had, after months of fruitless attempts, finally understood that Team RWBY was not going to sell their support to the highest bidder. To see the same attitude here in Braavos was not a pleasant experience. At least, Lord Tormo hadn't offered his hand in marriage, though she suspected that Ruby's casual demonstration of her physical strength had likely scared him off that particular train of thought.
Of course, the courtesan's attitude more than compensated for that slight relief; the woman was still shamelessly flirting - at times simultaneously with Ruby and Weiss! - even though Weiss had indicated her annoyance with such antics more than once, and she was quite certain that she hadn't been too subtle for the courtesan. And yet, the woman didn't heed her. It was most vexing. Compared to the courtesan, Lord Oberyn and his paramour were examples of extreme decorum and restraint.
"You have to try those, Weiss! They're great!"
Weiss smiled at her friend as she took a piece of what looked like roast beef arranged on cabbage leaves glazed with honey. Flavoured with hot spices, as she discovered. A tad too hot for her palate, but apparently just right for Ruby's - she was wolfing them down.
"Do you like them? They are a favourite in the City," the courtesan commented, sneaking one for herself from Ruby's plate. "For those who can afford the spices, at least."
"Yes, the peppers are shipped from Yi Ti. Quite a bit more expensive than Slaver's Bay, but the quality is far superior." Lord Tormo didn't miss the opportunity to brag about his wealth, of course.
"And, of course, you don't finance the business of slavers," Weiss added, showing her teeth as she smiled. To think there were entire economies built on slavery… Of course, SDC used exploitative contracts and prison labour, and the things Blake had seen in distant outposts were even worse.
"Of course, that is a major concern as well," Lord Tormo hastened to agree. "In fact, it's quite a blight on the City that trade with Slaver's Bay has not been banned by the Sealord - Braavos has been founded by escaped slaves, and I often wonder what they would think of their descendants trading freely with such people."
"I expect they would be ashamed," Ruby replied, and Weiss caught her licking her lips in that endearing manner of hers she thought no one noticed. "Ashamed and angry, probably. I would in their place - not that I have descendants, of course!"
The courtesan laughed at that. "With that figure, I doubt anyone would think you had a child, my lady. Much less one old enough to engage in that distasteful practice," she added with a glance at Lord Tormo.
Was that a hint that their host engaged in such trading? Weiss would not be surprised if it were so; the longer she talked with Lord Tormo, the more he reminded her of Father, who was willing to stoop as low as he could to make a profit. Although Father at least would shy away from launching a coup against Atlas's government, albeit probably only because he thought it wouldn't be profitable; if he had wanted to enter politics instead of paying off politicians, he could have easily done so.
"My figure?" Ruby looked down at herself.
"There's nothing wrong with your figure," Weiss told her before the courtesan could do so. "It was a compliment." At least, it better have been. If the woman was trying to berate Ruby's appearance…
"Indeed," the courtesan agreed. "Many women would give a lot to have your figure."
"Ah… Thank you." And there was Ruby's most common reaction when complimented for anything not related to combat or weapons: An embarrassed smile and a deep blush.
And there was the courtesan's satisfied smile. As if making Ruby blush was an exceptional achievement she could be proud of. Weiss could make her blush as well, if she were to compliment her appearance. Not that she would do that because Ruby was her best friend and team leader. And friends didn't embarrass each other. Not deliberately, at least. And Weiss was very much certain that everything the courtesan did was deliberate, even if the results might not have been what she expected.
"So…" Ruby turned to look at Weiss. "Want to go dancing, Weiss?"
It was a small faux pas to ask the question like that; ideally, Ruby would have communicated her desire to go dancing more subtly to Weiss before making her excuses to their host. Weiss didn't mind, though. Lord Tormo deserved a little snub - and possibly more - for his blatant deal-making attempts. "I'd love to," she said. "And we might have to keep an eye on your sister, anyway."
"She's not that bad!" Ruby protested.
Weiss grinned and bowed to Lord Tormo. "With your permission."
"Of course, enjoy the music!" Lord Tormo couldn't exactly say anything else.
"Mistress Otherys." Weiss followed up with a slightly more shallow nod to the courtesan while Ruby bowed her head to their host.
The courtesan was still smiling, with an even more satisfied twist to her full lips, Weiss noted, as she waved them off as if she had been the one to send them off to dance.
Weiss let out a small sigh of equal relief and satisfaction as soon as she and Ruby had turned their backs on the others. "That was a good idea, Ruby," she said in a low voice.
"I started to have flashbacks to those nobles plotting," Ruby replied, a little bit more loudly, but still sotto voce. "The same kind of all that hinting and talking around the bush instead of saying what they want. Which was usually a bad thing."
"I know exactly what you mean," Weiss said. And it was a good thing Ruby had not only noticed the plotting but had remained perfectly - for her - polite in her reaction, refusing to acknowledge the offers unless they were plainly stated, which such plotters wouldn't do, as if that would somehow protect them, should anyone take offence. "And let's hope Yang and Blake haven't made too much of a scene."
"They're not that bad!" Ruby protested again.
"Blake isn't. But Yang?" Weiss snorted, to show she was joking. Which she was. Mostly, at least - Yang was a bit too impulsive and extroverted to be trusted to keep her decorum, so to speak, in such a situation, as her flirting with the Courtesan had proved. Really, Weiss had wanted to… She blinked as she spotted Yang and Blake on the dance floor.
They weren't making a spectacle. They were dancing together, not showing off. But… Weiss couldn't help feeling that something was off. She couldn't put a finger on it, figuratively, but she knew something was up.
"See? They're fine! As I told you! Now, let's dance!" Ruby grabbed her arm and would have dragged her onto the dance floor if Weiss hadn't smoothly come along.
"Ah…" Ruby started to look at the other couples who were dancing. She must have realised that she didn't know the dances here.
"Just follow my lead," Weiss said, smiling gently. She couldn't say she knew the dances either, but she had been trained in enough styles, for the galas back in Atlas, to recognise the general idea and copy the key moves.
As expected, Ruby had no trouble adjusting to her - after all the training to fight together they had gone through, usually at Ruby's urging, synchronising their body movements for a slow dance was child's play. Even though Weiss couldn't help feeling a bit distracted by the realisation that Ruby had definitely grown some more than she had - it was hard to miss when they were dancing like that.
Blake Belladonna slowly turned on the dancing floor, one hand on her partner's shoulder, another on her waist. She had no trouble moving in step with the music; she wasn't familiar with it, but a few amongst the wide range of music styles from her home were close enough to adapt easily to the rhythm since the Braavosi, though more sophisticated than the rather simple music common to Westeros, were still not really avant-garde. In fact, the current piece would have fit neatly into a period drama she had once watched to see if it did the book it was based on justice. It didn't, but it hadn't been as bad as other adaptations she had seen.
No, the fact that she had to pay a lot more attention to how she moved, and couldn't merely go with the flow of the song, was because her partner felt a bit off. Literally - she could feel how tense Yang's muscles were. If Yang hadn't denied having spotted a threat, Blake would have assumed that they were in danger.
But she knew that Yang wouldn't hide anything like that from her, or the rest of the team, and Blake wasn't being arrogant, merely honest, when she considered the probability that Yang, in a foreign environment where she lacked any home-field advantage, would spot a hidden threat before Blake did so as rather low.
But then, why wouldn't Yang tell her what was making her act so stiff? They were partners and had each other's backs. They trusted each other with their lives - had done so since Initiation - and the near-year spent in this world, surrounded by a foreign, almost alien and often hostile society, with only each other and the rest of Team RWBY to truly trust and rely on, had only made them grow even closer. It was absurd that she would suddenly hide things - important things, at least - from her.
And even if Blake were to disregard all that, it still wouldn't make any sense that Yang would hide something that was obviously a concern for her. Blake's partner wasn't the type to hide her feelings, whether positive or negative, to begin with; if anything, she was closer to oversharing her feelings, being an extrovert and a hothead. Blake smiled at the unintended pun, which Yang would likely consider funny; she had a sense of humour that included taking as much as she was dishing out - something, Blake thought, and not for the first time, that, if you squinted a bit, was a remarkably good fit for Yang's Semblance.
And yet, Yang was hiding something. Blake was certain. The fact that Yang had avoided eye contact for most of the dance further confirmed it. Yang didn't act like that. Not normally.
And Blake was quickly growing tired of her partner's strange new attitude. It was ruining what would have been otherwise a quite enjoyable dance. But how to make Yang tell her what was wrong? They were in public, so she couldn't push her partner into a corner and badger her until she spilt her secret - and Yang would; Blake knew how to push the right buttons. Not without causing even worse rumours to spread, which might cause actual harm if the wrong people believed them. Seer had pledged to help Team RWBY, but what would he do, or his comrades, if they thought Team RWBY had split?
No, if she wanted to get to the ground of this right now - and she did; if she had to wait for hours until she could find out what was wrong with her partner, she would go crazy - then she had to be a lot more subtle.
And she had a good idea about the best way to do this.
She kept dancing on, waiting for her chance. It wouldn't be too long. Though she would have to time it right - Ruby and Weiss had joined them on the dance floor, she noted, and while they were not particularly close, Yang wouldn't fail to notice them, which would give her another distraction.
So she was ready when the song ended, and Yang commented: "Oh, look at Ruby and Weiss, following our example!"
Instead of looking over her shoulder, Blake made an agreeing noise and leaned in, moving her hand from Yang's shoulder to her back and gently but firmly pulling her partner closer - though she met her halfway, even startled, Yang was not easy to move and reflexively dug her heels in. Fortunately, not literally.
Blake could feel Yang stiffen when they were suddenly standing much closer, their cheeks almost touching when she rested her chin on Yang's shoulder.
"Uh, Blake? Are you alright?"
"Shhh…" she whispered, almost directly into Yang's ear, squeezing her slightly with her arms.
The next song started up, as slow as the one before. Not slow enough for dancing like this, but close enough for Blake's plan.
"Ah…" Yang trailed off when Blake started to lead.
She noted with some satisfaction that her partner's distraction was now due to her, and not due to whatever had been occupying her mind before. Good. Now to let her grow used to this, just long enough so she'd let down her guard - Blake could already feel how Yang's muscles started to relax and how her movements grew more graceful.
They were drawing more attention now - Blake's ears twitched under her bow, and while most comments were in he local language, which she didn't speak, she had no trouble making out the meanings from the tone alone; they were making a spectacle. Weiss would no doubt be annoyed, but that was a price Blake was willing to pay as long as she could get to the bottom of Yang's problem.
Besides, they could just explain that this was a traditional dance from their homeland, and unlike in Westeros, the music here fit it, so they were overcome with nostalgia. Blake doubted that it would start a new fad, but it should be enough of an excuse - and still less of a scene than if Yang started a fight or whatever she was looking for.
They turned slowly around each other as they moved, and Yang tried again: "So… what brought this on? Not that I'd mind, you know. It's been a while since I've danced like this."
She chuckled, and Blake felt a brief bout of annoyance for some reason. Whatever, if Yang was making dumb jokes, she would be ready.
So Blake tightened her embrace just enough to ensure Yang felt it, brushed her lips over Yang's ear and whispered: "I was fed up with you fidgeting and trying to brush me off. I am not an idiot, you know. Tell me."
She felt Yang almost freeze in her embrace as seemingly every muscle she was touching tensed at once, and had to quickly readjust her footing so they wouldn't stumble.
What had she said to trigger such a reaction?
Yang Xiao Long held her breath. What had Blake said? Tell her?
"Tell you…?" She whispered.
Tell her what? That Yang had crush on her? Did she know and wanted to force Yang to admit it? But why? And how would Blake know when Yang had only realised it this evening, right before they started dancing? Her partner was smart, but that smart? On the other hand, Blake was currently hugging her and dancing so closely, Yang could feel her cheek pressing against hers when she turned her head slightly to the side, and each time she took a breath… Why would she do that?
"Tell me why you're acting like that!" Blake whispered barely above the sound of the musicians. Her breath tickled her ear, and Yang tensed up all over again.
Her partner must be on to her. That was why she was acting like… like she was acting.
Yang swallowed. They were still dancing - Blake was leading them, of course. Yang couldn't have led anyone right now; her body was moving like on autopilot. And the crowd had noticed. "People are staring," she whispered. She needed to stall so she could figure out this mess. Figure out her partner. Figure out herself.
"I am aware," Blake replied. She wasn't tense at all - Yang could feel it as she moved smoothly through another slow turn.
"Weiss is staring," Yang added. Their friend was staring. So was Ruby, actually - Yang's sister was craning her neck to keep looking at them while Weiss turned her away so she could glare at them.
"Let her."
That… didn't sound like Blake. Yang's partner didn't like to draw such attention. She preferred to fade into the background when she could. To observe. Or to read a book in peace. Yang had done her best to draw her out some more at Beacon, but she hadn't exactly expected this reaction. "Is everything alright?" Yang asked.
"No, it's not." Blake sounded more like she was hissing than whispering. "You're still trying to brush me off."
Yeah, definitely hissing. If she weren't wearing her bow, her ears would be lying flat against her head, and if they weren't in public, she would be glaring at Yang. At least, Yang hoped that Blake wasn't scowling - she couldn't exactly see her face, not with Blake's chin resting on her shoulder and their cheeks pressed together. Oh, and that arm that was wrapped around her back, holding her in place. Which was now tensing. Yeah, stalling wouldn't work. "Well, you know…"
"No, I don't know. That's why I am asking."
Oh. That was… What did that mean? Yang wondered while Blake led them a bit to the side, avoiding Weiss, who was trying to steer Ruby closer to them. Fortunately - or unfortunately, Yang wasn't sure right now - Ruby was still trying to look at them and not cooperating or coordinating that well.
And Blake and Yang were kind of drawing a crowd, even on the dance floor, as people kept staring and whispering in that local language Yang didn't understand. Of course, she had an idea what they were saying - they were probably shocking the locals. If they were doing this in King's Landing, people would probably gasp out loud. Or faint, in some cases.
Blake's pinching of her side made Yang focus on the problem at hand. No more stalling. And she still hadn't figured out what she should be saying or doing or feeling or whatever.
Shit.
But she knew what she was feeling. And if Blake wanted to know that so damn hard… Well, if you were pushed, you pushed back. That had worked out for Yang often enough.
She took a deep breath, tried to ignore how Blake tightened her grip a bit more, and then quickly blurted out: "I realised I got a crush on you."
She immediately felt Blake tense up. Shit. So, she hadn't known. Damn.
"You got a crush on me?" Blake didn't sound demanding or pissed off any more. She sounded… shocked, or something like it.
And Yang didn't know how to react to that. So she stayed the course, as Dad would say. "Yeah," she whispered, forcing herself to smile so the spectators wouldn't suspect anything - Weiss was still trying to close in, she had managed to make Ruby get along, but there were a few couples in the way. "I was jealous when you were flirting with the Black Pearl." And didn't that sound pathetic? How could she measure up to that beauty?
"Me? You were flirting with her!" Blake whispered back.
"Ah… I only wanted to get her off Ruby," Yang said.
"Still flirting."
"And what's your excuse?" Yang said before she could stop herself. Why was she arguing? This was such a mess!
Blake didn't answer. Yang wanted to gain some distance so she could see her face, but when she started to pull back a little, Blake tightened her grip again.
"You're kinda sending mixed signals here, partner," Yang whispered with all the fake confidence she could muster.
"Why me?" Blake asked in such a low whisper, Yang barely heard it.
This time, Yang could stop herself and didn't say 'why not?' or something similarly stupid. "You're smart, brave, beautiful, the best partner I could want. Why wouldn't I fall for you?" OK, the last line was stupid, but not majorly stupid.
At least she hoped so.
Blake didn't answer, and Yang felt her stomach clench. Was that a bad sign? Was her partner wondering how to let her down without hurting her feelings? Had she just ruined their partnership? Their friendship? When people broke up, they often stopped being friends, didn't they? Could you call it breaking up if you weren't together - together-together, as Nora would say - in the first place? But when a friend at Signal had told Yang he loved her, and she had let him down, they had stopped being friends. Damn! Yang should never have told Blake. Should have played it off as something else - a hunch about assassins or whatever. She was so stupid!
"Are you sure?"
What? Why was Blake asking that? And in such a… weird voice? "Yes, I am sure!" Yang managed not to snap, but she did raise her voice a little. "You're a catch, you know," she added in a whisper.
Then she felt Blake chuckle a little at that. "I'm not."
"You're my catch, anyway!" slipped out before Yang could think of a better line. Damn, she was making a fool of herself or whatever.
But she felt Blake relax, not just the arm around her back but her whole body - finally - and lean into her again. That was a good sign, wasn't it? But she still hadn't told Yang what she thought, felt, about this, about her. Of course, Yang had surprised her with this whole… thing. That was obvious. Now at least. It hadn't been when Blake had acted as if she was going to bite or lick Yang's ear any moment, or her neck, or… Yang put a stop to that line of thought before her imagination ran wild. Wilder. "So, now you know," she said.
"Yes." Blake sounded still a bit… off.
Yang was tempted to comment on that, like Blake had. But that definitely would be stupid. Probably. "I guess you need to ponder this, huh?" she said instead.
"Yes," Blake replied.
That wasn't the passionate answer (followed by an even more passionate kiss) Yang had hoped for. But neither was it some shocked refusal. And Blake was her cool, calm and sharp partner. She would have to think about this to figure it out.
And she hadn't let go of Yang yet, even though she was now aware of what Yang felt for her. That was a good sign, right? Yang would stick with that until proven wrong. And she probably should take over the leading part, now that Blake looked like she was moving on autopilot - they almost ran into another couple.
And there came Weiss and Ruby, past a couple that… was now dancing like Blake and Yang were?
Oh. Yang grinned. "We might be setting a trend," she whispered.
"Huh?" Blake replied.
"People are copying us." Yes, there was another couple following their example.
"Oh."
"Probably didn't want to be shown up by foreigners," Yang said. "They are proud of their courtesans, right?"
"I don't think that's exactly how it works," Blake said. "The fact that they aren't imitating or trying to outdo what we've heard happens at parties in Lys seems to refute this."
What they had heard about… Oh. Yang felt her face flush a little. Yeah, that was something else.
And she couldn't help wondering if Blake mentioning this was a good sign as well. She didn't ask or joke about that, of course. The last thing Blake needed was Yang pushing her.
"What are you doing?" Weiss whispered when she finally reached their side,
"Hi, guys!" Ruby smiled at them as both couples turned around each other. "Don't mind her, she's cranky."
"I'm not!"
Yang chuckled at that, and she felt more than she heard Blake laugh softly as well. Yeah, she'd take that as a good sign. Couldn't lose hope, after all, or the Grimm would get you. "We're trendsetters," she said.
Weiss muttered what Yang was sure was a curse - she would have to ask Blake later. For now, dancing a bit more sounded good. And it would keep the Black Pearl from butting in, or should. Where was the courtesan, anyway? Yang looked around as they turned. Ah, there. But the way she and Tormo were looking at Team RWBY wasn't good. A bit of close dancing couldn't be that much of a scandal, could it?
Blake stiffened again, and the way her headband moved a bit against Yang's head…
"What's wrong?" Yang whispered.
"Jon's in trouble."
Shit.
'A particularly persistent myth surrounding the Ruby Order is the claim that they not only visited Braavos but were responsible for some of the city's most famous traditions, such as the high esteem in which courtesans are held there, even today. I've already presented the evidence which refutes that a covert visit happened at all, but given how stubbornly even scholars refuse to accept obvious truths, it behoves this work to refute those claims in particular. Not only was Braavos famous for its courtesans long before the first appearance of the Order - in fact, the tradition was established before the Doom of Valyria - but the Ruby Order themselves most certainly did not frequent courtesans. The only sources claiming this can be tracked to those who opposed their influence and goals at Court and can and should be easily dismissed by any honest historian. The claim that the Lady Ruby and her friends actually engaged in this Braavosi tradition is, of course, not only absurd but gravely insulting - and had led to dozens of duels during the time the Faith of the Seven started to expand in Braavos, and at least one lynching in King's Landing. Any report about a meeting between a courtesan and the Ruby Order remains utterly fictional and is most likely either, if from a contemporary source, made up to slander them, or, if drawn from a later source, likely an attempt to tie Braavosi culture of the day to the Ruby Order, who had become near-mythical figures at some point in Braavos as well as in Westeros.'
- A Treatise On The Ruby Order, by Maester Kennet Bracken
*****
Fregar Manor, Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
"...and I thought about making the head of Crescent Rose detachable, with a chain linking it to the shaft, but the balance would be all wrong, and the added weight would make her a bit unwieldy; nothing I couldn't compensate for with training, but the added options might not be enough to outweigh the loss in potential, so…"
Lord Tormo Fregar wasn't a man who made many mistakes. It was not vanity to state - or, in this case, think - this; if he were prone to making mistakes, he wouldn't have achieved his current position as the most likely successor of the current Sealord, whose health had been in doubt for some time already.
However, just because he rarely made a mistake didn't mean he never made a mistake, and he was currently wondering - in the privacy of his mind - if what he had thought was another success might have been a mistake instead; namely, inviting Lady Ruby and her friends to his soirée.
When he had sent the invitation, it had seemed an obvious move: The four girls were, despite the fact that they had all but taken over Westeros, largely unknown in Braavos; even his contacts in the Iron Bank had not been able to tell Tormo much about them, and their visit to the City had been a complete surprise to everyone except the House of Black and White and the Sealord - that the four, on the very day of their arrival in the city, had gone straight to the Sealord's palace, followed by a visit to the temple the next day, clearly indicated substantial planning and preparation. It also showed that Tormo's spies and informants were not as highly placed in the Sealord's palace as he had thought - a realisation that would have been reason to worry even if the Faceless Men had not been involved as well.
Inviting them to his home should have been not only a good way to find out more about whatever matter had drawn the uncrowned rulers of Westeros to the City and how the Sealord and the Faceless Men factored into this, but it should have also raised his prestige and would have fooled those who were not as close to the highest circles of the City into thinking he was involved or, at least, associated, with this as well. Especially his potential rivals for the Sealord's succession. He had spotted Albero Prestayn eyeing him and the Maidens already.
And, of course, it should have been an excellent opportunity to at least sound out if they were receptive to a closer relationship in the future, when Tormo might have ascended to a higher office, or help him achieve that office. Even the appearance of having their support would do wonders for his already good chances to become the next Sealord.
However, he had either underestimated or overestimated the guile of the four girls - he was still not certain which answer was correct. The incessant rambling of Lady Ruby about her monstrous weapon made him lean towards assuming the former; she couldn't seriously be that passionate about her weapon.
"...and so I decided to keep her as she is right now and focus on improving my skill with her."
She finished and looked at him with an earnest and open smile that was either completely genuine - which was, given her known achievements, ridiculous - or put the best actors of the City to shame. No one who took over a foreign kingdom as she had done could be as innocent as she acted.
But he smiled and nodded. "A wise decision indeed, my lady. Those who seek to improve their weapon instead of themselves often pay for it."
"And yet, a master of their art requires the best tools to get the best results," Lady Weiss added before taking a sip from her glass. Her tone and expression clearly showed experience and ambition - another point in favour of Lady Ruby being far more shrewd than she appeared to be; why else would Lady Weiss defer to her instead of usurping her position?
"Right! And my baby is the best!" Lady Ruby nodded, then grabbed another plate - her third; Tormo had kept count - filled with flatbread and carefully prepared meat from a passing servant and started eating, albeit with good manners, at a pace that would have likely impressed a Dothraki warlord.
But while she was eating enough to feed four men double her size, she couldn't talk, and Tormo was not missing the opportunity to further his own plans. "Although while I would be the last man in the City to disparage personal skill at arms, one cannot guide a city - or a country - with it; policy requires wisdom and foresight as well as a sharp mind, and, most of all, allies who will support your plans."
Lady Ruby nodded while she swallowed the last sausage from her plate - the olive bread had already been devoured - and Tormo smiled encouragingly in return.
But she didn't acknowledge, much less accept or reject, his clear offer; instead, she deflected again. "Yeah. And lots of paperwork; Lord Eddard - the Regent - is always reading reports and listening to people, and dealing with disputes and stuff."
Of course he was! The Westerosi might not have been as sophisticated as the City, but they knew how to govern! She was, as she had been so far, stating platitudes in an attempt to force him to make a more concrete offer. And, damn the girl, he would have to if he wanted to salvage anything out of this mess.
And she was brandishing her monstrous scythe again, all but waving it in his face. "So, I guess… Oh! Where are Yang and Blake going?"
Tormo took a half-step back so he did not risk getting his face accidentally cut off, and glanced over his shoulder. Indeed, just past Jeral Zalyne, who was watching Tormo with an amused smirk, he could see the two other members of Lady Ruby's group heading to the back of the room, where the musicians Tormo had hired for today - the best money could buy in the city! - were playing.
"Lady Yang wanted to dance," Bellegere answered Lady Ruby's question before Tormo could, as she smoothly rejoined them.
"Oh!" Lady Ruby nodded. "Yes, Yang likes to dance."
"And Blake is going along with it," Lady Weiss commented with a sly smile.
"Well, she is her partner. You wouldn't let me go dance by myself, either, would you?" Lady Ruby asked, once more putting on the appearance of being honestly asking.
"Of course not," Lady Weiss replied. "Someone has to keep an eye on you."
"That's my partner! You're the best, Weiss!"
"Obviously."
Tormo glanced at Bellegere; the Black Pearl was looking amused at the exchange. Was it too obviously staged for her? Or was she seeing something that Tormo was missing? She had been exchanging innuendo with all four girls, though not with quite the sharpness she would have shown when talking to her rivals.
"I think Ghost is getting hungry; I should check on him."
And there came the boy-knight. The bastard son of the Regent of Westeros. Tormo was not quite certain what his exact role was. He clearly wasn't needed as a guard; any of the girls could defeat the likes of him easily, as they had demonstrated already.
"Really?" Lady Ruby gasped. "You think they aren't feeding him?"
"People rarely bring their hounds with them when they visit a soirée," Bellegere added. "So, the servants might not be prepared."
The implied slight, minor as it was, to Tormo's quality as a host was disguised as an excuse, so he could ignore it, which he did. His rivals would make some snide remarks, of course, but they would do so anyway, and his other guests would understand that talking to such powerful visitors took precedence. "My staff will be feeding your wolf, Ser Jon." A glance at the servant standing behind Tormo would ensure that the beast - a wolf the size of a horse! - would be fed.
"Of course, my lord. I still think I should check up on him; he doesn't like being separated from me."
Was that why he was with the four girls? Because he could handle the magical wolf from the frozen North that could sniff out assassins? Or were the rumours that the girls kept him as a lover true? They were staying in the Courtesan's Corner, after all… But the boy didn't act as a man in that position would; he had been blushing like a virgin when the Black Pearl had as much as glanced in his direction. Maybe he was a hostage, to ensure his father behaved in the girls' absence? He was, as his position implied, clearly favoured by his father…
"Better check up on him; we don't want the poor puppy starve or eat something his tummy won't agree with," Lady Weiss said - and she sounded as if she were earnestly talking about a puppy and not a monster that looked as if it could bring down a war elephant if it grew too hungry.
Tormo blinked. Perhaps he should double-check that the beast was being fed whatever food it wanted. If the wolf truly was barely grown, he couldn't be that well-trained yet, and if the boy lost control… Tormo would rather lose part of his larder than one of his prized horses. And if the beast attacked one of his guests, the blame would be his. If Bonis Reyaan were hurt - the fat fool was said to be fond of dogs, and he seemed to have eaten his fill already, Tormo had seen him pass on another serving, then his uncle would use the Iron Bank's influence to sabotage Tormo's plans in retaliation….
The boy nodded and walked away, and Tormo once more had an opportunity to redirect the talk to a subject more useful for his goals. "Your arrival made quite an impression on the City's notables, my ladies," he said.
"It did?" Lady Ruby faked surprise. "Well, we were invited by the Sealord…"
Tormo slowly nodded. "Indeed. A fact that sent tongues wagging." So, the Sealord had called them to the City. But what for? Another attempt to have the Seven Kingdoms lower the duties placed on Braavosi goods? Though that would certainly involve the Iron Bank, since that would affect the kingdom's income, from which they paid the interest on the loans from the bank, and Tormo had not heard anything about that from his contacts at the bank. And that wouldn't explain the visit to the House of Black and White afterwards. Had the Sealord used them as go-betweens to make a deal with the Faceless Men? Or was this a plot by the House of Black and White?
It was very convenient that 'Death itself' had told the Faceless Men to help those they couldn't kill, wasn't it? And before most people might hear about the failed assassinations and start to wonder if the temple deserved its fearsome reputation. Of course, this could also have been an expedient way to deal with a rival inside the temple; Tormo wouldn't be surprised if the failure had been planned to happen so someone could get rid of a rival - or a superior.
Lady Weiss snorted. "Sometimes, it feels as if anything we do, including doing nothing, will cause rumours to be created."
Bellegere chuckled at that. "The perils of fame. I often merely need to smile at someone, and the City will be full of talk about our supposed affair."
Was that envy Tormo detected? The Black Pearl was usually not quite as open with reminding others about her own fame; anyone of importance was aware of her reputation. To mention it like this made her sound concerned. On the other hand, she might merely attempt to make the girls consider her their equal, at least as far as fame was concerned, in order to gain their confidence.
Lady Ruby faked a blush. "Well, that's not something we have to worry about."
"Not any more," Lady Weiss added with a deeper frown.
That was a statement that implied a lot, of course. Had the former Queen insinuated such a thing, and Lady Ruby had destroyed her in retaliation? So she would serve as an object lesson to dissuade the rest of the court from spreading such rumours? Tormo would believe that.
And so would, as far as he could tell, Bellegere. She was nodding with both respect and wariness hidden behind her smile. "Alas, not all of us have the power to rein in rumours at our disposal. So most have to be content with starting rumours."
"Although the very nature of a rumour's creation and spread means that its creator can rarely be identified, which makes a doctrine of mutual destruction rather hard to implement," Lady Weiss commented.
Tormo had to take a sip from his glass to gain enough time to parse the meaning of her words. Was this a warning? Why would she mention destruction if not as a threat? It certainly wasn't a piece of friendly advice, not after they had made it clear that they could and would destroy an entire house if they felt it was warranted. In any case, it certainly served to deflect his subtle question about the Sealord's plans.
"Quite," Bellegere said with a nod towards the two girls.
Lady Ruby smiled and grabbed another plate - squid rings roasted in oil with garlic, this time - and started eating them, although she shared with Lady Weiss and offered them to Tormo and Bellegere as well, and he didn't know if that was meant as an insult. That was the food served to his guests, and she was offering it to him? The food he had paid for? Or was that a sign to show she didn't mean him any ill, but also a demonstration that she was above him at the same time and could take everything he owned for herself? Was this a message or a threat from the Sealord? Or merely a coincidence?
No, Tormo told himself, there were no coincidences here. For girls who could literally walk over water and sink a fleet with their own hands - who, according to them, had defied Death himself in his own temple and came out the better for it - there was no coincidence.
He took another swallow while his thoughts raced.
This was planned, no doubt. But by whom? Would they listen to the Sealord? Do his bidding? Or was this a message aimed at the Sealord? A sign that if the Sealord didn't acquiesce to their demand, the Faceless Men would kill him, and the girls would deal with Tormo as his successor, to make the Sealord do their bidding? The girls had taken over the Seven Kingdoms in less than a year, after all, and demonstrated aptly that they knew how to play the game in Braavos as well.
Where he had aimed to have Bellegere distract and divide them, they had turned the tables on him, using two of them as a distraction for his guests while cornering him with veiled threats and offers that might or might not be serious, yet had dire consequences attached to them either way. All while maintaining an almost-perfect facade of being girls barely old enough to debut in the City and as naive as their appearance implied.
Well played, indeed.
But Tormo had not reached his current position and status by giving up when faced with pressure, unexpected or not. "Although I found that the best way to battle malicious rumours was to be held in high esteem by enough people with the will and the means to influence such things. A policy that certainly has served me well enough." There was his next offer!
*****
Ruby Rose smiled - politely. Lord Tormo's claim that he was liked by so many people that rumours didn't hurt him felt like bragging. A little at least. On the other hand, he would have managed it without being declared as the chosen of the gods, or something like it, by the High Septon. If it was true, anyway. So… "Yeah." She nodded to show she agreed. "It also helps if the Faith likes you."
Lord Tormo was looking at her a bit weirdly, she noticed. Did he think she was bragging? Best to set things straight; she wasn't a braggart. "We didn't claim to be messengers of the gods, though; they came up with that on their own."
Weiss nodded. "Exactly."
"But you didn't deny it, either, did you?" the Black Pearl said with a smile that reminded her of Headmaster Ozpin's.
"While we do not claim that we were transported here by divine intervention, neither can we disprove that such a thing happened," Weiss came to her rescue. "And we certainly won't refuse any help that might send us home."
Ruby nodded emphatically. Team RWBY would return home. They would see their families and friends again. No matter how long it took - even if they ended up the oldest students at Beacon. Unless, of course, the Headmaster wouldn't let them return because they had missed an entire year - or more - and taking them in would exclude new first years, or something. She winced at the thought. They could find another way to become Huntresses, and she didn't think the team would fall apart in that case, but… She really hoped the Headmaster wouldn't do that.
"It is always wise to keep your options open when you strive to achieve a goal," Lord Tormo said.
"Yes!" Ruby smiled again. "And with the High Septon and the Faceless Men helping us, we will succeed!" The seer had said they would help them, and that should count for something.
The Black Pearl slowly nodded as well. "I would be hard-pressed to think of anything that you couldn't achieve with your power and this kind of support."
"Quite," Lord Tormo agreed. "Although you can never have too much help, wouldn't you agree, my lady?"
Ruby blinked. "Ah… that's not exactly true. Sometimes, too much help starts working against you." Like when a group wasn't trained well enough to fight together, and they got in each other's way. Which had happened when Ruby and Weiss had fought together for the first time. Not her best moment, to be honest. She smiled a bit wryly at the memory.
For a moment, Lord Tormo was looking weirdly at her again. "Then it would behove you to pick those who can help you the most."
Ruby agreed, of course - that was just common sense. "And you learn how to work together." Lord Tormo kept smiling, but Ruby wasn't sure if he actually agreed. Working together was how a team was most effective, but he might not be thinking about that. He was acting like some of the nobles back at the court in King's Landing, trying to talk about something without actually saying what he meant. Which usually meant that he wanted to talk about some underhanded stuff. Well, as long as he didn't say it out loud, you didn't have to talk about it.
"Indeed. Cooperation is key," Weiss spoke up. "Those who seek glory for themselves might achieve some success depending on their talent and luck, but a showoff will always come second - or worse - in the long run when competing with those who will focus on the common goal instead of their own ambitions."
Ruby beamed at her. Weiss had come such a long way since they had met the first day at Beacon. Well, so had Ruby. She wasn't the naive, shy girl any more that had stepped foot on Beacon that day! Even if she sometimes couldn't help wishing she were that girl - and back at Beacon.
"But some people's ambitions are limited to rising above others," the Black Pearl said. "They do not extend to improving everyone's life."
"Those people are the worst!" Ruby said. "A good leader cares for their team, or their people, I guess, more than they care about themselves!" Weiss was frowning at her, but Ruby raised her chin a little as she met her partner's eyes. She knew she was right about this!
"A very commendable sentiment, my lady," Lord Tormo said. "Though exactly because it is so commendable, almost every leader will profess to follow that creed - whether that is true or not."
"Yeah, there are always a few bad apples," Ruby said. Or more than a few, especially in Westeros. "That's why they shouldn't get to lead; they will just cause trouble for everyone."
"Unfortunately, most commonly, you cannot know whether or not your leader follows this principle before they become your leader," the Black Pearl said with a glance at Lord Tormo.
"Well, if you have a bad leader, you either make them shape up or replace them," Ruby said. That was also obvious, wasn't it?
"Provided that the moral and leadership failures are bad enough to justify such an action," Weiss added. "Nobody is perfect, after all. And trying to remove someone from his post is often disruptive and dangerous even if you succeed."
Oh. She must be thinking about her father. Ruby nodded and gave her partner an encouraging smile. "Exactly!"
"Indeed." Lord Tormo chuckled a little. And the Black Pearl's smile hadn't changed at all.
Good. They were being good guests, then. Ruby glanced at the dance floor. Maybe they could go dancing now as well without being rude to their host. After the next snack, though - she just spotted a waiter with a plate full of what looked like roast beef!
*****
Weiss Schnee didn't know what was more annoying - the blatant attempts by Lord Tormo to curry favour with Team RWBY with the barely-veiled intention of securing their support for, in the worst case, a coup in Braavos, at best a lock-in for the Sealord's succession or the courtesan's ongoing tries to flirt with Ruby. The first felt like a particularly annoying deja vu; Westeros's nobility had, after months of fruitless attempts, finally understood that Team RWBY was not going to sell their support to the highest bidder. To see the same attitude here in Braavos was not a pleasant experience. At least, Lord Tormo hadn't offered his hand in marriage, though she suspected that Ruby's casual demonstration of her physical strength had likely scared him off that particular train of thought.
Of course, the courtesan's attitude more than compensated for that slight relief; the woman was still shamelessly flirting - at times simultaneously with Ruby and Weiss! - even though Weiss had indicated her annoyance with such antics more than once, and she was quite certain that she hadn't been too subtle for the courtesan. And yet, the woman didn't heed her. It was most vexing. Compared to the courtesan, Lord Oberyn and his paramour were examples of extreme decorum and restraint.
"You have to try those, Weiss! They're great!"
Weiss smiled at her friend as she took a piece of what looked like roast beef arranged on cabbage leaves glazed with honey. Flavoured with hot spices, as she discovered. A tad too hot for her palate, but apparently just right for Ruby's - she was wolfing them down.
"Do you like them? They are a favourite in the City," the courtesan commented, sneaking one for herself from Ruby's plate. "For those who can afford the spices, at least."
"Yes, the peppers are shipped from Yi Ti. Quite a bit more expensive than Slaver's Bay, but the quality is far superior." Lord Tormo didn't miss the opportunity to brag about his wealth, of course.
"And, of course, you don't finance the business of slavers," Weiss added, showing her teeth as she smiled. To think there were entire economies built on slavery… Of course, SDC used exploitative contracts and prison labour, and the things Blake had seen in distant outposts were even worse.
"Of course, that is a major concern as well," Lord Tormo hastened to agree. "In fact, it's quite a blight on the City that trade with Slaver's Bay has not been banned by the Sealord - Braavos has been founded by escaped slaves, and I often wonder what they would think of their descendants trading freely with such people."
"I expect they would be ashamed," Ruby replied, and Weiss caught her licking her lips in that endearing manner of hers she thought no one noticed. "Ashamed and angry, probably. I would in their place - not that I have descendants, of course!"
The courtesan laughed at that. "With that figure, I doubt anyone would think you had a child, my lady. Much less one old enough to engage in that distasteful practice," she added with a glance at Lord Tormo.
Was that a hint that their host engaged in such trading? Weiss would not be surprised if it were so; the longer she talked with Lord Tormo, the more he reminded her of Father, who was willing to stoop as low as he could to make a profit. Although Father at least would shy away from launching a coup against Atlas's government, albeit probably only because he thought it wouldn't be profitable; if he had wanted to enter politics instead of paying off politicians, he could have easily done so.
"My figure?" Ruby looked down at herself.
"There's nothing wrong with your figure," Weiss told her before the courtesan could do so. "It was a compliment." At least, it better have been. If the woman was trying to berate Ruby's appearance…
"Indeed," the courtesan agreed. "Many women would give a lot to have your figure."
"Ah… Thank you." And there was Ruby's most common reaction when complimented for anything not related to combat or weapons: An embarrassed smile and a deep blush.
And there was the courtesan's satisfied smile. As if making Ruby blush was an exceptional achievement she could be proud of. Weiss could make her blush as well, if she were to compliment her appearance. Not that she would do that because Ruby was her best friend and team leader. And friends didn't embarrass each other. Not deliberately, at least. And Weiss was very much certain that everything the courtesan did was deliberate, even if the results might not have been what she expected.
"So…" Ruby turned to look at Weiss. "Want to go dancing, Weiss?"
It was a small faux pas to ask the question like that; ideally, Ruby would have communicated her desire to go dancing more subtly to Weiss before making her excuses to their host. Weiss didn't mind, though. Lord Tormo deserved a little snub - and possibly more - for his blatant deal-making attempts. "I'd love to," she said. "And we might have to keep an eye on your sister, anyway."
"She's not that bad!" Ruby protested.
Weiss grinned and bowed to Lord Tormo. "With your permission."
"Of course, enjoy the music!" Lord Tormo couldn't exactly say anything else.
"Mistress Otherys." Weiss followed up with a slightly more shallow nod to the courtesan while Ruby bowed her head to their host.
The courtesan was still smiling, with an even more satisfied twist to her full lips, Weiss noted, as she waved them off as if she had been the one to send them off to dance.
Weiss let out a small sigh of equal relief and satisfaction as soon as she and Ruby had turned their backs on the others. "That was a good idea, Ruby," she said in a low voice.
"I started to have flashbacks to those nobles plotting," Ruby replied, a little bit more loudly, but still sotto voce. "The same kind of all that hinting and talking around the bush instead of saying what they want. Which was usually a bad thing."
"I know exactly what you mean," Weiss said. And it was a good thing Ruby had not only noticed the plotting but had remained perfectly - for her - polite in her reaction, refusing to acknowledge the offers unless they were plainly stated, which such plotters wouldn't do, as if that would somehow protect them, should anyone take offence. "And let's hope Yang and Blake haven't made too much of a scene."
"They're not that bad!" Ruby protested again.
"Blake isn't. But Yang?" Weiss snorted, to show she was joking. Which she was. Mostly, at least - Yang was a bit too impulsive and extroverted to be trusted to keep her decorum, so to speak, in such a situation, as her flirting with the Courtesan had proved. Really, Weiss had wanted to… She blinked as she spotted Yang and Blake on the dance floor.
They weren't making a spectacle. They were dancing together, not showing off. But… Weiss couldn't help feeling that something was off. She couldn't put a finger on it, figuratively, but she knew something was up.
"See? They're fine! As I told you! Now, let's dance!" Ruby grabbed her arm and would have dragged her onto the dance floor if Weiss hadn't smoothly come along.
"Ah…" Ruby started to look at the other couples who were dancing. She must have realised that she didn't know the dances here.
"Just follow my lead," Weiss said, smiling gently. She couldn't say she knew the dances either, but she had been trained in enough styles, for the galas back in Atlas, to recognise the general idea and copy the key moves.
As expected, Ruby had no trouble adjusting to her - after all the training to fight together they had gone through, usually at Ruby's urging, synchronising their body movements for a slow dance was child's play. Even though Weiss couldn't help feeling a bit distracted by the realisation that Ruby had definitely grown some more than she had - it was hard to miss when they were dancing like that.
*****
Blake Belladonna slowly turned on the dancing floor, one hand on her partner's shoulder, another on her waist. She had no trouble moving in step with the music; she wasn't familiar with it, but a few amongst the wide range of music styles from her home were close enough to adapt easily to the rhythm since the Braavosi, though more sophisticated than the rather simple music common to Westeros, were still not really avant-garde. In fact, the current piece would have fit neatly into a period drama she had once watched to see if it did the book it was based on justice. It didn't, but it hadn't been as bad as other adaptations she had seen.
No, the fact that she had to pay a lot more attention to how she moved, and couldn't merely go with the flow of the song, was because her partner felt a bit off. Literally - she could feel how tense Yang's muscles were. If Yang hadn't denied having spotted a threat, Blake would have assumed that they were in danger.
But she knew that Yang wouldn't hide anything like that from her, or the rest of the team, and Blake wasn't being arrogant, merely honest, when she considered the probability that Yang, in a foreign environment where she lacked any home-field advantage, would spot a hidden threat before Blake did so as rather low.
But then, why wouldn't Yang tell her what was making her act so stiff? They were partners and had each other's backs. They trusted each other with their lives - had done so since Initiation - and the near-year spent in this world, surrounded by a foreign, almost alien and often hostile society, with only each other and the rest of Team RWBY to truly trust and rely on, had only made them grow even closer. It was absurd that she would suddenly hide things - important things, at least - from her.
And even if Blake were to disregard all that, it still wouldn't make any sense that Yang would hide something that was obviously a concern for her. Blake's partner wasn't the type to hide her feelings, whether positive or negative, to begin with; if anything, she was closer to oversharing her feelings, being an extrovert and a hothead. Blake smiled at the unintended pun, which Yang would likely consider funny; she had a sense of humour that included taking as much as she was dishing out - something, Blake thought, and not for the first time, that, if you squinted a bit, was a remarkably good fit for Yang's Semblance.
And yet, Yang was hiding something. Blake was certain. The fact that Yang had avoided eye contact for most of the dance further confirmed it. Yang didn't act like that. Not normally.
And Blake was quickly growing tired of her partner's strange new attitude. It was ruining what would have been otherwise a quite enjoyable dance. But how to make Yang tell her what was wrong? They were in public, so she couldn't push her partner into a corner and badger her until she spilt her secret - and Yang would; Blake knew how to push the right buttons. Not without causing even worse rumours to spread, which might cause actual harm if the wrong people believed them. Seer had pledged to help Team RWBY, but what would he do, or his comrades, if they thought Team RWBY had split?
No, if she wanted to get to the ground of this right now - and she did; if she had to wait for hours until she could find out what was wrong with her partner, she would go crazy - then she had to be a lot more subtle.
And she had a good idea about the best way to do this.
She kept dancing on, waiting for her chance. It wouldn't be too long. Though she would have to time it right - Ruby and Weiss had joined them on the dance floor, she noted, and while they were not particularly close, Yang wouldn't fail to notice them, which would give her another distraction.
So she was ready when the song ended, and Yang commented: "Oh, look at Ruby and Weiss, following our example!"
Instead of looking over her shoulder, Blake made an agreeing noise and leaned in, moving her hand from Yang's shoulder to her back and gently but firmly pulling her partner closer - though she met her halfway, even startled, Yang was not easy to move and reflexively dug her heels in. Fortunately, not literally.
Blake could feel Yang stiffen when they were suddenly standing much closer, their cheeks almost touching when she rested her chin on Yang's shoulder.
"Uh, Blake? Are you alright?"
"Shhh…" she whispered, almost directly into Yang's ear, squeezing her slightly with her arms.
The next song started up, as slow as the one before. Not slow enough for dancing like this, but close enough for Blake's plan.
"Ah…" Yang trailed off when Blake started to lead.
She noted with some satisfaction that her partner's distraction was now due to her, and not due to whatever had been occupying her mind before. Good. Now to let her grow used to this, just long enough so she'd let down her guard - Blake could already feel how Yang's muscles started to relax and how her movements grew more graceful.
They were drawing more attention now - Blake's ears twitched under her bow, and while most comments were in he local language, which she didn't speak, she had no trouble making out the meanings from the tone alone; they were making a spectacle. Weiss would no doubt be annoyed, but that was a price Blake was willing to pay as long as she could get to the bottom of Yang's problem.
Besides, they could just explain that this was a traditional dance from their homeland, and unlike in Westeros, the music here fit it, so they were overcome with nostalgia. Blake doubted that it would start a new fad, but it should be enough of an excuse - and still less of a scene than if Yang started a fight or whatever she was looking for.
They turned slowly around each other as they moved, and Yang tried again: "So… what brought this on? Not that I'd mind, you know. It's been a while since I've danced like this."
She chuckled, and Blake felt a brief bout of annoyance for some reason. Whatever, if Yang was making dumb jokes, she would be ready.
So Blake tightened her embrace just enough to ensure Yang felt it, brushed her lips over Yang's ear and whispered: "I was fed up with you fidgeting and trying to brush me off. I am not an idiot, you know. Tell me."
She felt Yang almost freeze in her embrace as seemingly every muscle she was touching tensed at once, and had to quickly readjust her footing so they wouldn't stumble.
What had she said to trigger such a reaction?
*****
Yang Xiao Long held her breath. What had Blake said? Tell her?
"Tell you…?" She whispered.
Tell her what? That Yang had crush on her? Did she know and wanted to force Yang to admit it? But why? And how would Blake know when Yang had only realised it this evening, right before they started dancing? Her partner was smart, but that smart? On the other hand, Blake was currently hugging her and dancing so closely, Yang could feel her cheek pressing against hers when she turned her head slightly to the side, and each time she took a breath… Why would she do that?
"Tell me why you're acting like that!" Blake whispered barely above the sound of the musicians. Her breath tickled her ear, and Yang tensed up all over again.
Her partner must be on to her. That was why she was acting like… like she was acting.
Yang swallowed. They were still dancing - Blake was leading them, of course. Yang couldn't have led anyone right now; her body was moving like on autopilot. And the crowd had noticed. "People are staring," she whispered. She needed to stall so she could figure out this mess. Figure out her partner. Figure out herself.
"I am aware," Blake replied. She wasn't tense at all - Yang could feel it as she moved smoothly through another slow turn.
"Weiss is staring," Yang added. Their friend was staring. So was Ruby, actually - Yang's sister was craning her neck to keep looking at them while Weiss turned her away so she could glare at them.
"Let her."
That… didn't sound like Blake. Yang's partner didn't like to draw such attention. She preferred to fade into the background when she could. To observe. Or to read a book in peace. Yang had done her best to draw her out some more at Beacon, but she hadn't exactly expected this reaction. "Is everything alright?" Yang asked.
"No, it's not." Blake sounded more like she was hissing than whispering. "You're still trying to brush me off."
Yeah, definitely hissing. If she weren't wearing her bow, her ears would be lying flat against her head, and if they weren't in public, she would be glaring at Yang. At least, Yang hoped that Blake wasn't scowling - she couldn't exactly see her face, not with Blake's chin resting on her shoulder and their cheeks pressed together. Oh, and that arm that was wrapped around her back, holding her in place. Which was now tensing. Yeah, stalling wouldn't work. "Well, you know…"
"No, I don't know. That's why I am asking."
Oh. That was… What did that mean? Yang wondered while Blake led them a bit to the side, avoiding Weiss, who was trying to steer Ruby closer to them. Fortunately - or unfortunately, Yang wasn't sure right now - Ruby was still trying to look at them and not cooperating or coordinating that well.
And Blake and Yang were kind of drawing a crowd, even on the dance floor, as people kept staring and whispering in that local language Yang didn't understand. Of course, she had an idea what they were saying - they were probably shocking the locals. If they were doing this in King's Landing, people would probably gasp out loud. Or faint, in some cases.
Blake's pinching of her side made Yang focus on the problem at hand. No more stalling. And she still hadn't figured out what she should be saying or doing or feeling or whatever.
Shit.
But she knew what she was feeling. And if Blake wanted to know that so damn hard… Well, if you were pushed, you pushed back. That had worked out for Yang often enough.
She took a deep breath, tried to ignore how Blake tightened her grip a bit more, and then quickly blurted out: "I realised I got a crush on you."
She immediately felt Blake tense up. Shit. So, she hadn't known. Damn.
"You got a crush on me?" Blake didn't sound demanding or pissed off any more. She sounded… shocked, or something like it.
And Yang didn't know how to react to that. So she stayed the course, as Dad would say. "Yeah," she whispered, forcing herself to smile so the spectators wouldn't suspect anything - Weiss was still trying to close in, she had managed to make Ruby get along, but there were a few couples in the way. "I was jealous when you were flirting with the Black Pearl." And didn't that sound pathetic? How could she measure up to that beauty?
"Me? You were flirting with her!" Blake whispered back.
"Ah… I only wanted to get her off Ruby," Yang said.
"Still flirting."
"And what's your excuse?" Yang said before she could stop herself. Why was she arguing? This was such a mess!
Blake didn't answer. Yang wanted to gain some distance so she could see her face, but when she started to pull back a little, Blake tightened her grip again.
"You're kinda sending mixed signals here, partner," Yang whispered with all the fake confidence she could muster.
"Why me?" Blake asked in such a low whisper, Yang barely heard it.
This time, Yang could stop herself and didn't say 'why not?' or something similarly stupid. "You're smart, brave, beautiful, the best partner I could want. Why wouldn't I fall for you?" OK, the last line was stupid, but not majorly stupid.
At least she hoped so.
Blake didn't answer, and Yang felt her stomach clench. Was that a bad sign? Was her partner wondering how to let her down without hurting her feelings? Had she just ruined their partnership? Their friendship? When people broke up, they often stopped being friends, didn't they? Could you call it breaking up if you weren't together - together-together, as Nora would say - in the first place? But when a friend at Signal had told Yang he loved her, and she had let him down, they had stopped being friends. Damn! Yang should never have told Blake. Should have played it off as something else - a hunch about assassins or whatever. She was so stupid!
"Are you sure?"
What? Why was Blake asking that? And in such a… weird voice? "Yes, I am sure!" Yang managed not to snap, but she did raise her voice a little. "You're a catch, you know," she added in a whisper.
Then she felt Blake chuckle a little at that. "I'm not."
"You're my catch, anyway!" slipped out before Yang could think of a better line. Damn, she was making a fool of herself or whatever.
But she felt Blake relax, not just the arm around her back but her whole body - finally - and lean into her again. That was a good sign, wasn't it? But she still hadn't told Yang what she thought, felt, about this, about her. Of course, Yang had surprised her with this whole… thing. That was obvious. Now at least. It hadn't been when Blake had acted as if she was going to bite or lick Yang's ear any moment, or her neck, or… Yang put a stop to that line of thought before her imagination ran wild. Wilder. "So, now you know," she said.
"Yes." Blake sounded still a bit… off.
Yang was tempted to comment on that, like Blake had. But that definitely would be stupid. Probably. "I guess you need to ponder this, huh?" she said instead.
"Yes," Blake replied.
That wasn't the passionate answer (followed by an even more passionate kiss) Yang had hoped for. But neither was it some shocked refusal. And Blake was her cool, calm and sharp partner. She would have to think about this to figure it out.
And she hadn't let go of Yang yet, even though she was now aware of what Yang felt for her. That was a good sign, right? Yang would stick with that until proven wrong. And she probably should take over the leading part, now that Blake looked like she was moving on autopilot - they almost ran into another couple.
And there came Weiss and Ruby, past a couple that… was now dancing like Blake and Yang were?
Oh. Yang grinned. "We might be setting a trend," she whispered.
"Huh?" Blake replied.
"People are copying us." Yes, there was another couple following their example.
"Oh."
"Probably didn't want to be shown up by foreigners," Yang said. "They are proud of their courtesans, right?"
"I don't think that's exactly how it works," Blake said. "The fact that they aren't imitating or trying to outdo what we've heard happens at parties in Lys seems to refute this."
What they had heard about… Oh. Yang felt her face flush a little. Yeah, that was something else.
And she couldn't help wondering if Blake mentioning this was a good sign as well. She didn't ask or joke about that, of course. The last thing Blake needed was Yang pushing her.
"What are you doing?" Weiss whispered when she finally reached their side,
"Hi, guys!" Ruby smiled at them as both couples turned around each other. "Don't mind her, she's cranky."
"I'm not!"
Yang chuckled at that, and she felt more than she heard Blake laugh softly as well. Yeah, she'd take that as a good sign. Couldn't lose hope, after all, or the Grimm would get you. "We're trendsetters," she said.
Weiss muttered what Yang was sure was a curse - she would have to ask Blake later. For now, dancing a bit more sounded good. And it would keep the Black Pearl from butting in, or should. Where was the courtesan, anyway? Yang looked around as they turned. Ah, there. But the way she and Tormo were looking at Team RWBY wasn't good. A bit of close dancing couldn't be that much of a scandal, could it?
Blake stiffened again, and the way her headband moved a bit against Yang's head…
"What's wrong?" Yang whispered.
"Jon's in trouble."
Shit.
*****
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