Grandfather
Grandfather
A single blast upon the horn heralded the arrival of the Summer Fire Clan.
They had no Rangers for escort, but nevertheless, the Ranger who first spotted them gave but a single blast upon the horn as a sign they meant no harm, and Ruby spotted no wariness amongst either Sunsprite’s Rangers or the Frost Mountain Clan as they waited for the other clan to join them.
“Do you trust them?” Ruby asked as Sunsprite waited, seemingly untroubled by anything that was going on, patting her horse upon the neck.
“I might not, under some chiefs,” Sunsprite admitted, “but the Summer Fire Clan take their cue from the one who leads them, and Ember is an honourable woman. She has bent the knee to the Sun Queen and to Freeport, and she will not now break the queen’s peace.” She was silent for a moment. “Not unless she feels that Freeport and the Queen have betrayed her first, and she has been given no grounds to think so.”
“Summer Fire nicest clan to know,” Yona agreed as she bounced up and down slightly upon the balls of her feet in anticipation. “Smolder Yona’s best friend outside of Frost Mountain Clan, even if Smolder call Yona princess.” Yona pouted. “But Smolder great person other than that and make friends with Yona even though Smolder from Summer Fire and Yona from Frost Mountain Clan. Ember nice too; some from Summer Fire Clan say that Smolder and Yona not be friends because not from same clan, but Ember call them stupid and they not say anything any more.”
“Another point in her favour,” Sunsprite declared. “Ember understands better than most, certainly better than Prince Rutherford, what it is that the Sun Queen is doing out here in the wilds of Estmorland.”
“Sunsprite discuss Rutherford behind Rutherford’s back?” demanded the prince himself as he stomped up to join the three of them. He laughed jovially as he ruffled the thick hair on top of Yona’s head. “Sunsprite turn Yona against Uncle Rutherford?”
“Uncle Prince Rutherford,” Yona corrected him.
Prince Rutherford laughed again. “Yona excited for arrival of Summer Fire Clan?”
Yona nodded eagerly. “Yona not wait to see Smolder again, show Smolder that Ruby unlock Yona aura!”
“Indeed,” Prince Rutherford said, and his voice turned a little grave as his attention turned to Ruby. “Rutherford had hoped to unlock Yona aura,” he added reproachfully.
Ruby squeaked. “Well, you see, I just-”
“Thought all was lost, and end of all things drew near,” Prince Rutherford finished for her.
Ruby smiled nervously. “Something like that.”
“Ruby has given Yona precious gift,” Prince Rutherford said. Without warning, he grabbed Ruby by the shoulders and pulled her up and into an embrace so tight Ruby couldn’t help but wonder if he was trying to snap her spine. “Gift for which Rutherford be grateful. Thank Ruby Rose, for all Ruby have done for Yona and Frost Mountain Clan.”
Ruby winced in pain. “It was nothing, really,” she muttered. “Sunsprite, help.”
Sunsprite made no move nor said any word to aid Ruby before Prince Rutherford set her down upon the ground. Ruby was left feeling very weak, and she must have wobbled a little bit, although thankfully, she didn’t fall over.
“Now, Sunsprite,” Prince Rutherford said, “what Sunsprite saying about Rutherford?”
“Nothing, Prince Rutherford,” Sunsprite assured him. “Save that you do not understand as well as Lady Ember what it is that the Sun Queen is trying to accomplish here.”
“Ember see worth in cage, true,” Prince Rutherford agreed. “Ember been strange places, and Summer Fire Clan strange people anyways. Ember see worth, but that Ember see it not make Ember right or Rutherford wrong.”
“No,” Sunsprite conceded, “but it does make her a little easier to deal with.”
Before too long, the Summer Fire Clan appeared, emerging from out of the woods to the northwest of the Frost Mountain Clan where they waited on the old Valish road – or the remains of the same – that carved through the lands. The Summer Fire Clan travelled on one of the lesser roads that had sprung off that one great road and which still survived; though woods had grown up all around it, the road itself had been maintained, probably because the wood made having some way to travel through it urgent.
Ruby watched, the afternoon sunshine falling upon her and her cloak hanging heavy in the still, calm air as she watched the Summer Fire Clan march out of the woods.
In some respects, the clan was similar to Ruby and her comrades’ hosts of the Frost Mountain Clan: they had a great many wagons, carts loaded with food, with supplies of all kinds, with those too old or young or sick to march. They had horses and mules and oxen; they drove livestock with them, sheep and goats and cattle. But the Summer Fire Clan did not swathe themselves in furs as the Frost Mountain Clan did, and their warriors did not dress in mail and leather; their armour was finer than that. Many – most – of the warriors of the Summer Fire Clan were armoured in what looked like gleaming bronze, or at the very least in suits of metal, cuirasses and greaves and vambraces, with helmets that covered their faces from view and left their eyes concealed by shadow. The gaps in the armour were protected by what looked like the skin of some kind of scaled beast, and even those who did not have suits of armour wore such scales for protection. They were armed with spears and halberds and had shields of hide that were almost as large as they were. Their warriors did not look so broad-shouldered and muscular as the people of the Frost Mountain Clan, but they were tall, and they looked strong enough to Ruby as they protected the vulnerable members of their community, spreading out as the column emerged from out of the woods to screen it from attack on either flank.
They were all on foot. Ruby saw none mounted, although she worked out a moment later that that was because a lot of them were faunus with leather wings sprouting from out of their backs which would allow them to take flight at a moment’s notice – some of them rose into the air as they cleared the trees – and Ruby guessed that meant that they didn’t need to ride horses like the yak faunus of the Frost Mountain Clan.
They were led by a slight and slender figure in armour that, if it wasn’t gold, at least gleamed like it, with a pair of leathery wings half-unfurled behind her and wearing a helmet adorned with a pair of horns jutting downwards from the side of the head. In one hand, they bore a sceptre, set with a glowing red gem, or perhaps a fire dust crystal; it was too far away for Ruby to say for sure.
Not far away from them walked a tall, broad-shouldered man, armoured but with his head bared, revealing a shock of fiery red hair, and a dusky-skinned young girl about Yona’s age, with hair of orange, save for two streaks of blonde running down the sides of her head and another of purple running down the middle like a crest.
From the way that Yona cried out excitedly and started running across the open field separating the two clans, her braids flying on either side of her head, Ruby guessed that this was the Smolder Yona had told her about. Ruby chuckled a little as she, Sunsprite, and Prince Rutherford followed – at a slightly more sedate pace – Yona’s run towards the Summer Fire Clan. Ruby wondered idly why Vesper Radiance, the Sun Queen herself, wasn’t joining them – perhaps she trusted Sunsprite to tell her anything worth telling – but it was hard not to get swept up in Yona’s enthusiasm for the reunion with her friend from another clan, another people.
The Frost Mountain Clan might have their objections to being put in a cage, they might say that their way was superior to the way of the kingdoms, but as Ruby watched Yona run towards her friend, she thought that this, this was what made the ambitions of the Sun Queen worthwhile, even more than Sunsprite’s fears and carefully thought-out arguments about the need to defend the people of this land. Yona and Smolder were from different clans, from different peoples, one might even say from different worlds, and yet, they were – on Yona’s part at least – friends, and those ties of friendship would bring the clans together and hold them together even if Vesper Radiance dropped dead this very day. It was kind of like what Professor Ozpin – all of the Professor Ozpins – had tried to do with the Vytal Festival and the exchanges of students between the four academies where they could meet and study and learn to fight the grimm together.
As she watched Yona run, a little laugh escaped from Ruby’s lips, and she sincerely hoped that it worked out for the people here.
Things might have to change if the kingdom came together as the Sun Queen desired, but it would be for the best, Ruby was sure of that.
She couldn’t think of a better alternative.
The girl – Smolder – ran in front of her two companions towards the rapidly approaching Yona, with the two meeting not so much in the middle – they were still far closer to the Summer Fire Clan than to the Frost Mountain Clan – but at least between the two groups.
Ruby laughed again as Yona inadvertently tackled Smolder to the ground as she embraced her in a hug.
“Yona miss Smolder!” Yona cried.
“Smolder miss Yona too,” Smolder said fondly, patting Yona on the shoulders. “Smolder also miss the feeling in her back.”
“Yona sorry,” she apologised, picking Smolder up off the ground and hoisting her up in the air. “Check out Yona strength! Yona new friend Ruby Rose unlock Yona aura!”
“You’ve had your aura unlocked?” Smolder gasped. “Hey, Garble, when are you going to unlock my aura?”
The big young man, whose name was apparently Garble, chuckled. “What does a pipsqueak like you need aura for? You can just hide behind me if there’s any trouble.”
“Aww, come on, Yona had her aura unlocked!”
“Is that so?” a female voice issued from out of the helmet of the lithe figure in the gleaming armour. Now that she was closer to it, Ruby could see that the gilded plates were joined together by brown leather, putting her a little in mind of Pyrrha’s armour. The figure removed their helmet, revealing a young woman with sharp features and high cheekbones, with crimson eyes enhanced by blue eyeshadow above and below. Her hair was a shock of deep blue, dyed white at the tips where it fell down beside her cheeks. Her voice acquired an edge of playful mockery to it as she said, “Well, Rutherford, are you so desperate that you’re putting children her age into the line of battle?”
“Yona too young to fight, but old enough to train, or near enough,” Prince Rutherford replied, “but not Rutherford who unlock Yona aura, but guest of Frost Mountain Clan, Ruby Rose.” He patted Ruby on the back hard enough to send her staggering forwards.
“Ruby Rose?”
“Greetings, Lady Ember,” Sunsprite said, placing one hand upon her heart and taking a step back with her left foot as she bowed about halfway to her waist. “Allow me to name my cousin, Ruby Rose, my mother’s sister-daughter, and a guest of the Frost Mountain Clan from over the mountains. Ruby, this is Ember, lady of the Summer Fire Clan.”
“From over the mountains?” Ember murmured. “You mean you’ve come from Vale?”
“Uh, yes,” Ruby replied, her uncertainty over how that fact would be received working its way into her tone.
“I’m sure there’s a fascinating story there,” Ember said, “but perhaps one best told around a fire when camped for the night. We should probably keep moving while there is daylight remaining.”
“Speaking of moving,” Sunsprite probed. “What brings the Summer Fire Clan to this part of Estmorland?”
“I could just as easily ask what brings the Frost Mountain Clan so far east at this time of year.”
“Frost Mountain Clan escort Ruby Rose and companions to Freeport,” Prince Rutherford declared.
“That’s a lucky coincidence; we’re bound for Freeport ourselves,” Ember said.
“To what end?” Sunsprite asked.
Ember hesitated for a moment, glancing behind her. Her face fell, and her tone became soft and heavy with shame as she admitted, “To ask for help. The grimm have set upon us; we need Freeport’s protection, and possibly assistance from the Rangers.”
“The grimm?” Sunsprite inquired.
“Indeed,” Ember muttered. “Our foraging parties have been killed, and the defences of our camp have been tested. Our people are safe, but we have paid for it with the lives of brave warriors. They came at us from the north and west and drove us eastwards.”
“We were attacked by grimm ourselves at King’s Camp, and in great number,” Sunsprite said, “but we have seen no sign of them since.”
“They haven’t bothered us for a couple of days, but I don’t want to take any chances,” Ember replied. “Once we reach Freeport I will ask the Queen to send out scouts to find out how bad the grimm situation is across the region.”
“And I am sure she will oblige,” Sunsprite declared. “I would be happy to lead such a party myself, once I have introduced my cousin to our grandfather.”
“As I said, a fascinating story,” Ember said. “Well met, Ruby Rose; I’m Ember, and this is my court poet Garble.”
“'Court poet'?” Garble spluttered. “I’m your bodyguard!”
“Oh, please, like I need a bodyguard,” Ember replied easily, a teasing smile gracing her features. “And over there is Garble’s sister Smolder.”
“Hey there,” Smolder said. “So, you’re the one who unlocked Yona’s aura? Could you unlock mine?”
“Probably not a great idea,” Ruby said uncertainly. “It’s a really personal thing, I wouldn’t have done it with Yona except… things looked pretty desperate.”
“'Desperate'?” Smolder repeated. “Yona, were you in danger?”
“Yona not scared!” Yona declared. “Not at all!”
“With our clans combined, there will be less reason for anyone to be scared,” Ember said. “What do you say, Rutherford? Shall we join forces on the road to Freeport?”
Prince Rutherford reached out and clasped her hand. “Ember has much wisdom,” he declared. “Together, to Freeport.”
Ember nodded. “Together, to Freeport.”
Ruby and her father, alone of the company, dined with Sunsprite and the clan chiefs that night. That was… not as unusual as it might seem; Sunset had become a bit of a stranger to Ruby recently, ever since the battle on the hilltop, and Ruby… well, Ruby wasn't altogether sure that was a bad thing. She couldn't forget the way that Sunset had looked at her when Ruby had asked her to take off the rings which – she had guessed, and apparently guessed right – were giving Sunset the risky power boost that she had talked of. Ruby had told Sunset there was no more need for them, and in return, Sunset had looked at her with undisguised hostility.
She had taken the rings off for Cinder, though. Not for the first time, Ruby felt a twinge of jealousy run through her as she contemplated Sunset's closeness to Cinder Fall. Cinder was their enemy, or had been their enemy at least. She had plotted against them, fought against them, unleashed the White Fang and the grimm upon them and on Vale, and yet, none of that seemed to bother Sunset at all. It made Ruby feel irritated, even angry sometimes, when she had to watch them both being so friendly to one another as though they hadn't, between them, gotten Yang killed and so many other horrible things besides. Sunset said that she wanted to be forgiven, Sunset said that she wanted to make up for what she'd done, but then she went and hung around with monsters like Cinder! Even if Cinder was trying to be a good person now too, it didn't mean that she ought to be forgiven just like that. And yet, Sunset seemed to have no suspicions about her whatsoever.
Maybe it was a good thing that Sunset wasn't there; Ruby felt as though the two of them had been growing apart ever since the Battle of Vale. Or at least, sometimes, she did. Sometimes, she wanted everything to be just the way it was when they were at Beacon; other times, she wanted nothing to do with Sunset at all.
She wasn't sure how she would feel in the end, but she wasn't missing Sunset tonight, sitting with her father around the fire while Garble played bongo drums softly, and Smolder and Yona swapped stories about all the things they'd seen and done since they met last.
"So Ruby saved you twice, huh?" Smolder asked.
"Yona only needed to be saved once," Ruby corrected, "and it was my team that did all the saving."
"Yeah, Smolder, Yona only need saving once."
"Once this time, but… you do get into trouble a lot," Smolder said.
"That not true! Smolder take that back!"
"I've watched you almost die, like… three times since I've known you," Smolder said. "I'm pretty sure that's not normal."
"I don't know," Ruby said, with a touch of nervous laughter. "I feel like I've almost died a lot more often than that over the last year."
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not normal either," Smolder declared. "Have you considered that maybe you just suck at being a huntress?"
"Hey!" Ruby snapped. "I happen to be an amazing huntress, an amazing huntress who happens to get involved in a lot of dangerous missions."
"Where you almost die," Ember reminded her. The firelight danced in her crimson eyes as she looked at Taiyang. "And you allow this? It doesn't worry you?"
"I don't think I'd be human if it didn't worry me, but that doesn't mean I should hold Ruby back or that I could even if I wanted to. She has too much of her mother in her."
Sunsprite nodded. "Those with silver eyes-"
"It has nothing to do with Summer's silver eyes," Taiyang insisted. "She could have had blue eyes, or green, or even brown, and it still wouldn't have changed who she was. Summer's eyes didn't make her a great huntress; her heart did that, and her courage."
"The strength of a silver-eyed warrior is not in a power that few among us unlock and fewer master, to be sure," Sunsprite conceded, "but in our warrior hearts and noble, warlike spirits, but these things are not sprung out of air nor gifted at random; they are passed down to us in our blood from those that went before us. It was my aunt's blood that made her what she was, as it makes me, as it makes Ruby."
"I don't believe that either," Taiyang replied. "No offence, but I don't believe that we're born predestined to be a certain way or a certain thing; you raise your children right, with love and kindness, you let them figure out their dreams and clear the way for them to work towards them, and they'll turn out okay. Or you don't, and they won't."
"What about Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked. "His family were bandits, but he turned out alright."
"Your brother was raised by bandits?" Sunsprite repeated, in a tone of mild incredulity.
"He's not exactly my… it's complicated," Taiyang said softly. "And private."
Sunsprite hesitated for a moment, before she nodded her head. "Of course," she murmured. "Forgive me; trespass was not my intent."
"It's fine," Tai assured her. "It's just that… our family has its complications, some of which I'd rather not share with strangers."
"Amongst my people, we believe as you do," Ember said. "We aren't what we're born, but what we make of ourselves. My father was the lord of the Summer Fire Clan, but I did not succeed him by mere blood right; I triumphed over my rivals in a contest of speed, strength, agility, and wits to be acclaimed as the next lord of our clan once my father stepped down. If I have children, then it won't necessarily be them who takes my place; it might be Smolder, if she's tough enough."
"Hey, what about me?" Garble demanded.
"You wouldn't want to fight against your own sister, would you?" Ember asked playfully.
"Summer Fire Clan way dangerous," Prince Rutherford muttered. "What if rival hold malice against Ember for besting them in contest? When Rutherford too old to lead, will fall to Yona, as fell to Rutherford when father too old to lead. All know this. All accept it. It is old way, passed down from ancestors."
"The old ways are changing," Ember pointed out.
"Not all things old should be broken," Prince Rutherford replied.
"Nor should they all be preserved," Ember declared. "Have you forgotten why the Summer Fire Clan bent the knee to the Sun Queen? Have you forgotten when?"
"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked.
Ember looked at her. "We were about to go to war," she said.
Ruby's eyes widened. "Against each other? The Frost Mountain Clan against the Summer Fire Clan?"
"Rutherford forget what argument about," Rutherford admitted.
"I remember that I could have fallen on you in the night, but I – in my honour – gave you until dawn to draw up your troops for battle," Ember said.
"And Rutherford remember that Frost Mountain Clan were sheltered in strong place, beneath sacred stones," Prince Rutherford declared. "Had Summer Fire Clan spent one hundred years, could not have driven Frost Mountain Clan out."
"Can you two skip to the part where you became friends?" Smolder asked.
Ember smirked. "That happened on the morning of the battle. We had drawn up our warriors at the base of the hill, ready to attack, while Prince Rutherford's forces were ready to receive us at the top. And then…" She looked at Sunsprite. "Do you wish to tell this part?"
Sunsprite chuckled. "A thin line of Freeport Rangers appeared on the battlefield and rode between the two armies, separating them. The Sun Queen led us personally, and all her closest companions; she spoke with Lady Ember and Prince Rutherford and-"
"And convinced me that there was nothing we could be fighting over that was worth the cost," Ember declared. "She convinced me to make peace, for the greater good of our people and this entire land. And on that day, too, she gained my allegiance, for having opened my eyes to things I should have seen long ago. She is a visionary."
"Rutherford took more convincing," Rutherford muttered.
"Because of the Queen's peace, Smolder and Yona can talk and play and argue with one another instead of growing up hating each other!" Ember said. "Isn't that worth more than a few old traditions? Is there anything in the world worth more than that, anything at all?"
"No," Ruby said softly. "Nothing."
Ember smiled. "You'll like it in Freeport, I think."
"I know you will," Sunsprite added.
"How much farther?" Ruby asked.
"Not long," Sunsprite replied. "Not long now at all."
It took two more days, just two, before the column, greatly lengthened but also strengthened in defence by the addition of the Summer Fire Clan, reached the walls of Freeport and gazed upon the city as the noonday sun hovered directly over the highest tower within the walls.
Freeport reminded Ruby of a more ramshackle Vale; it was a mixture of the old and the new, the sturdily built and the hastily thrown up, works intended to be permanent mingling with those that looked as though they might fall apart any moment and not be missed overmuch if they did.
Ruby guessed that there had been a town here predating Freeport itself; perhaps the Valish had built it when they reached the end of the road west, or perhaps the Mistralians had founded it as the cornerstone of their colonisation efforts before the Great War. Or perhaps it was both, for amongst the older – and the better built – buildings in the town, there were Mistralian-style pagodas and slope-roofed houses, alongside more Valish styles of antique architecture, square houses and buildings out of visible brick or wattle and daub.
The remains of a Mistralian gateway, a proud arch with an inscription in some ancient tongue proclaiming something Ruby could not read still stood on the edge of the town, albeit absent the wall which had stood on either side of it, fallen away or looted for the stone. Here and there, fragments of a Valish wall yet endured, some twelve feet high with crenellated battlements upon the top, but in between those fragments were barriers of iron sheets – corrugated or otherwise – with wooden towers rising behind them atop which stood sentries manning light machine guns from the Great War.
Amidst the crumbling remnants of a Valish castle, a single tower, the tallest building in Freeport by some distance, rose up into the sky before ending at a flat top from which someone might stand and watch the stars or keep watch for their enemies or simply feel the wind upon their face or do all three.
Closer to the harbour rose a second, smaller tower, reminding Ruby of the White Tower in Mistral, narrow and tapering to a point like the tip of a spear as it cast a shadow over the ocean beyond.
In amongst these survivors of bygone days had sprouted up newer buildings; they were after the fashion of the barricades that ringed the town, which was to say that they were crudely built and seemed to be made out of whatever was to hand: scrap metal and looted stone and lots and lots of wood. Some of the places Ruby could see from her high vantage point looked more like sheds than houses, but she supposed that the people here – the people who were building Freeport both from scratch and out of ruins at the same time, if that made any sense – were trying their best and living as best they could.
Looking around her, Ruby could see why both the Valish and the Mistralians had decided to build their port here, upon this spot. The bay was an excellent place to moor ships, and at the shore, Ruby could see a forest of masts springing up from the flotilla of small craft – junks and trawlers and yachts – which lay at anchor in the bay.
A lagoon to the south and a steep and jagged-looking mountain to the north protected Freeport against attack from either direction, meaning that any enemy must come directly from the west. On the landward side, Freeport was ringed with hills, like the one on which Ruby and Sunsprite stood looking down upon the city, but those hills were fortified with earthworks and ditches and manned with troops in rough, homespun browns and butternuts, with old machine guns, rifles, bows, and crossbows. Another ditch had been dug before the walls themselves, leaving an even approach only before the gate: a crude metal thing that sat awkwardly within the arch of the otherwise elegant, old-fashioned gatehouse.
“This is Freeport,” Sunsprite declared, a smile on her face as she beheld it. “This is the seat of the Sun Queen, the heart that drives the expansion of Estmorland… and the home of our family.”
“'Our family'?” Ruby repeated.
Sunsprite looked at her, and her smile was gentle, warm like a pleasant summer sun. “He is your grandfather as much as he is mine. You are a Rose as much as I am. You belong here as much as I do.”
“I don’t know about that,” Ruby murmured, for all that she liked the sound of it. It was impossible – she couldn’t stay here very long – but even so, she liked the sound of it. Her home in Patch had been destroyed, Beacon was gone… it would be nice to have a home here, even if she had to leave it behind. She smiled back. “It’s not really what I expected...”
“What did you expect?” Sunsprite asked.
Ruby hesitated. “I… don’t know,” she admitted.
Sunsprite chuckled. “Not all of Freeport is particularly lovely to look on… or smell,” she conceded, “but it is more than just a cluster of huts, as so many towns in this land are. See the smoke rising from those chimneys?” she pointed to a pair of crude-looking smokestacks belching black smoke out into the sky; it was fortunate that the wind was blowing north, or the smoke might have blocked the sun from view.
Taiyang stood just a little way behind Ruby and said, “Are they making something there?”
“They are refining dust,” Sunsprite said.
Taiyang’s eyebrows rose. “You mine dust here?”
“The mines are a little way to the south; they call it Little Freeport,” Sunsprite explained. “The dust is mined and then brought to Freeport proper to be processed.”
“And the Sun Queen controls all of it.”
“It is our most valuable resource for defence,” Sunsprite replied. “And, to speak plain, I think our refining capabilities are as nothing compared to what you are capable of in your kingdoms. I have heard the Sun Queen speak of a place called Atlas, where so much dust is refined in a day as would supply all our Rangers for a year’s service… we must ration it carefully; that being so, should not the Queen have charge of it and bestow it only upon those who have the most need of it and whom she trusts the most?”
“Those two things… might not be the same,” Ruby said. “Just because the Sun Queen doesn’t trust them doesn’t mean they don’t need dust.”
“If they want dust, then let them earn the Queen’s trust,” Sunsprite replied severely. She waved one hand away dismissively. “Enough of this, would you like to see our grandfather?”
“I- yes!” Ruby cried. “I would-”
“Then climb on,” Sunsprite said, patting the shoulder of her horse with one hand. “We will ride together. I take it, sir, that you have no objections to me absconding with your daughter for a family reunion?”
“No,” Taiyang said, “but-”
“Don’t you have stuff to take care of first?” Ruby asked of Sunsprite, cutting her father off. “Like, what about your patrol, or the rest of our group, or the clans?”
“All can manage without me, just as your comrades can manage without you,” Sunsprite replied. “My Rangers know where to stable their horses, and most will be as anxious to return to their families as I am. Prince Rutherford and Lady Ember have both been to this city before and know well where to camp their clans. As for your company…” she turned. “Sunset Shimmer?”
Sunset’s pony ears twitched at being called upon. She had been talking with Prince Rutherford – about what, Ruby did not know – but now, she looked towards Sunsprite, although she seemed to avoid Ruby’s gaze.
“You can take care of your comrades while I take Ruby to meet her grandfather, can you not?” Sunsprite demanded.
Sunset snorted. “I am quite capable of leading my force, thank you,” she said proudly. “You may go where you like.”
“Thank you,” Sunsprite said, ignoring Sunset’s rudeness. “Vesper Radiance will see you settled as the Queen’s guests. Vesper! Take care of our new arrivals; I’m sure it will please the queen to have them comfortably situated.”
“Of course,” Vesper replied from where she sat atop her horse a few feet away. “I shall dispose of all of them as the Queen would no doubt wish for them to be disposed.”
“You have my thanks,” Sunsprite said. To Taiyang, she added, “I give you my word, Ruby shall be safe with me.”
Taiyang laughed. “Don’t worry. I know that my Ruby can take care of herself. Go. Meet your grandfather. We’ll catch up soon enough.”
Ruby grinned. “Thanks, Dad.”
Sunsprite swung herself up into the saddle of her horse, then with one hand, she grabbed Ruby and hauled her smaller cousin up after her, setting her down in front of Sunsprite, with the latter's arms wrapped around her as she grasped at the reins.
"Are you ready?" Sunsprite asked.
"Yes," Ruby murmured, because as much as she felt nervous at the prospect of meeting her grandfather – her grandfather! – she also couldn't wait. A breathless exhilaration gripped her as Sunsprite nudged her mount with her knees and set the horse galloping down the hill and following the dirt road to the gates of Freeport. Ruby felt so breathless, it was almost as if she were the horse running towards the town with dirt flying as her hooves churned the sod beneath them. Her breath came as quickly and as shallowly as if she had been running.
Sunsprite took one hand off the reins to place it reassuringly on Ruby's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Are you nervous?"
"A… yes," Ruby murmured. "Your grandfather… won't we have to tell him that… that…?"
"It has been guessed already, so long has it been," Sunsprite informed her. "His mourning tears were shed long since. There will be only joy at meeting you; do not fear."
The horse descended down the slope and approached the metal gates that barred the entrance through the ancient archway. A single blast upon a horn had blown from the hilltops ere the Rangers and the clans drew near, and now, as the Rose cousins approached the gate – with Sunsprite's yellow cape flying out behind her – the gate was drawn back wide enough to admit mount and Roses all alike.
Sunsprite did not stop to thank those who had opened the gate, nor to address the guards upon it. Her horse showed them the meaning of haste as, guided by Sunsprite's firm grip on the reins, it rode through streets unpaved or cobbled, where the names of the roads were daubed on bits of wood haphazardly nailed to the nearest convenient surface, where men and women in rough, homespun garb sold food and clothes from barrows, and children, playing in the streets, scrambled to get out of their way.
Sunsprite and her bay mare brought Ruby to a cul-de-sac, a square accessible only by a single road, and that the road they had just taken. The buildings here were haphazardly thrown up and crudely made, mostly wood but clad in places in corrugated iron and sheets of plain scrap metal. Sunsprite dismounted first, then helped Ruby down to the ground – there were no stones here either, just dirt beneath her feet – before hitching her horse to a post at the rear of the square. A boy who had been loitering around the fringe of the square rushed to take care of the horse.
"Here," Sunsprite said, gesturing up a set of wooden stairs to a door painted yellow at the top. "Up these steps." Sunsprite led the way, with Ruby following up the creaking wooden stairs, and as she climbed, Sunsprite threw back her cloak to reach into a little pouch at her belt, from which she produced an iron key.
"I would like to tell you that Freeport is so well-governed that the Queen's Peace alone guarantees that I can leave my door unlocked when I am away on a ranging, but sadly, it is not so," Sunsprite confessed. "The old couple who live below have another key; they take care of Grandfather when I am away, but I ask that they lock the door again when they are done."
"Your… our grandfather… he can't take care of himself?" Ruby asked.
Sunsprite glanced at Ruby, her remaining eye filled with melancholy, an unhappy downward turn to her mouth, but she said nothing as she unlocked the door and opened it.
Ruby quickly followed her inside a dark and dimly lit apartment, one that had no interior walls, just a few screens that did not reach all the way to the ceiling to separate off parts of the space. It did not seem homely to her, more like a place that someone existed in than where they lived; there was a stove in the corner, and a washtub, and a few chairs that, if they were not homemade, had at least been cobbled together by somebody. But there was no life to it that Ruby could see, no sign that this was a place where someone enjoyed being and spending their time.
"Grandfather," Sunsprite called, as she placed a gentle hand on Ruby's back and guided her around one of the screens that divided the space. "I have returned with wonderful news."
"Wonderful news?" an old man's voice replied, hoarse and creaking. "What news, Sunsprite?"
Ruby stepped around the screen and could not restrain the gasp that escaped her lips.
The old man, her grandfather, lay in bed, the only thing in the entire apartment that looked even a little comfortable. His hair was grey where it was not turned white, and his skin was lined and wrinkled with the years, the jowls of his cheeks sagging. He did not have a beard, but he did have grey stubble colonising those same sagging cheeks and around his mouth. His arms were thin, like slender twigs in danger of snapping, and his veins and bones alike stood out like ridges rising above the ground.
But it was his eyes, more than anything else, that had made Ruby gasp: they were milky white, and blind.
He could not see her, though his face turned futilely this way and that. "Who's there?" he cried. "Sunsprite, is someone with you?"
"Yes, Grandfather," Sunsprite said softly. "I've brought someone to see you." She pushed Ruby a step forward. "This is Ruby Rose, Aunt Summer's daughter."
Now it was Grandfather's turn to gasp. "Summer? Summer's girl?"
"Y-yes," Ruby said, her voice tremulous and shaking. "Summer Rose was my mom. It… it's nice to meet you."
Grandfather was silent for a moment. His lip trembled. "You… Sunsprite, you are sure of this?"
"She has the eyes," Sunsprite declared, as though that settled the matter.
Grandfather nodded weakly. "Ah," he murmured, and then fell quiet. "Summer… Summer's girl come home, gods be praised!" He let out a sort of laugh and sat up in bed. "You said your name was Ruby?"
"Yes," she said. "Ruby Rose."
"A pretty name," Grandfather said. He held out his arms, for all that they shook. "Please, come closer, let me look at you."
Ruby approached, stepping softly forward, and as she approached, she gently reached out and took one of her grandfather's hands, and then the other. They were so light in her grip and felt so delicate, and even when her grandfather's hands closed around her own, Ruby barely felt his grip upon her. His skin was rough, worn and callused against her own, but his touch was gentle.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ruby Rose," he said gravely. "Welcome home, child of Summer." His tug told Ruby that he wished to be released from her hands, and so, Ruby let go and did not resist as his aged hands reached out to her, touching her shoulders, pausing upon her cape. "You wear a cloak, just as she did."
"Yes," Ruby agreed. "Though mine is red, not white."
Grandfather chuckled. "A family tradition; Summer and Tudor both got it from your grandmother, though she wore orange. Oh, how I wish she could have met you."
Ruby bowed her head a little. "I would have liked to meet her, too," she admitted, "but I'm glad that I have the chance to meet you, at least."
"And I you," Grandfather whispered. His hands explored Ruby's shoulders until they found her face, his trembling fingers resting upon her cheeks, delicately working their way up to her forehead, brushing at the fringes of her hair. Ruby did not move or speak. She didn't stop him prodding at her; she didn't resist the feel of his hands as they worked up or fell down again until they found her chin.
"You have her face," Grandfather cried, and tears sprang to the edges of his blind eyes. "Summer's face, exactly! Come closer, Ruby; let me embrace you."
Ruby did more than that; she stepped forward and put her arms around her grandfather's thin and bony frame, dropping her aura so that she wouldn't hurt him with her strength. She closed her eyes and laid her head upon his chest as she felt his slender arms wrap around her in turn.
They were weak, but at the same time, they felt so warm and welcoming.
"Summer's girl," he murmured in disbelief. "Welcome home, Ruby Rose. We have so much to talk of."
Tears sprang to the corners of Ruby's eyes as she tilted her head up and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm so glad to be here, Grandpa," she said. "I want to know everything."
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I don’t trust the sun queen’s semblance
The end of this chapter just made go daaaaawwww...
10528323
What semblance? I didn’t see any mention of the Sun Queen’s semblance?
Sunset is really not making her case well. If she wants to get to Mistral with her group intact, she should really stop acting so proud and defiant.
10528480
Exactly, but think about sunset’s semblance and alter it slightly
I was a bit worried that this chapter would end sadly... but it had an uplifting note at least!
Glad to see Ruby being a dumb kid. She is taking her self loathing and hate over Yang and shoving it on to Sunset.
Not sure how she is going to handle it if her family here turns out to be not what she wants them to be. Then again maybe they are and she will want to stay, giving up her dream and the family she made for this one and it will take Yang, who is in a oh so wonderful family herself, to get her back. We shall see what we see.
Oh my gosh. Can Ruby grow up? Sunset has been through a lot too, you know, and you being a child isn't going to help anyone.
I have to feel that the ride through the town more than anything shows the difference between Ruby and Sunsprite, what with ignoring the guards and people on their way to the house. Especially not slowing down for the kids in the way!
10528480
10528551
Personally, I was thinking about this potential hint for Sunset's Semblance if she had bothered to train it further instead of neglecting it and just wear gloves. It could also explain Remnant Sunset's current policy of travelling around in disguise and talking to people in casual conversations.
Everything's all hunky dorey now but Summer never mentioned these people and there has to be a reason for that.
Hello I love this amazing story and I was wondering if I could get permission to post chapters and stuff of it on the Rwby amino on the amino app if not I understand! I hope you have an amazing day
I have no real reason why, but reading this chapter, and the few ones before this, set of my adrenaline for some reason. Not sure if it's just me or something, but I feel bad events on the horizen.
10532812
Yeah, last rewrite reminded me of his reaction in Volume 6, episode 4 to be specific. When Rainbow talked about her past, I thought "This sounds like Qrow."
Still count for hard choices, desperation, disobedience, harsh lessons and Broken Pedestals.
I fear that the Rainbow seeing General Ironwood as some kind of father/mentor figure. That would probably bite her in the ass at some point as the story progresses. In some ways Blake and Rainbow are exactly alike. In the show General Ironwood went completely off the rails right around season 7/8.
10532812
It isn’t just Rainbow Dash, the Battle of Beacon went very differently. Their robots weren’t hacked, Penny is the Dragon-Slayer, they came out with their reputation intact and Vale was the kingdom who got ostracized.
Despite the setback, the heat isn’t directed at Atlas and Ironwood anywhere near as much. He isn’t under the same monumental pressure that slowly drove him to losing his mind.
10534773
You make it sound more complicated than it actually was. Ironwood did what he did because he found out the people he saw as allies had been deceiving him and learned that the enemy they face can't be beaten moments before that same enemy showed up on his doorstep with an army of Grimm. Given those factors and the feeling that only he was capable of doing what needed to be done he seized control of Atlas with a plan to save as many people as possible while keeping the relics out of Salem's hands.
It's not as simple as saying he cracked under the pressure, the reality is that he came to feel like he was completely alone and took action while ignoring the opinions of those he came to believe couldn't be trusted to make the right call. Although to be fair Ironwood is the only person with an actual plan in the current hopeless situation cruel as it may be.
10534800
Not exactly. Ironwood began cracking before he learned about Salem arriving. When Cinder leaves a Black Queen chess piece on his desk as a hint of her presence, he panics; reconsidering his decisions and turning on his allies for decisions of theirs that he disapproves of, he deduces that he has played right into Salem's hands. After receiving a personal message from Salem, he enacts martial law and stops listening to reason entirely. Once Team RWBY objects, he declares them, Team JNR, Oscar and Qrow wanted fugitives so they won't interfere.
He was right about holding information part and they did inform Robyn about Amity Radio Tower. It was against orders but ultimetely they were right about including her but it didn't matter much. Ironwood is a kind of control freak and hates when don't tell him everything so after that he lost his truth in RWBY team.
Maybe they would be able to talk the situation out - though I doubt it- Salem manifestation made him abandon his humanity.
After that he makes hard decisions but they are not exactly right, like abandoning people of Mantle. From what we see the City has its own barrier keeping most of the Grimm at bay so they had time to evacuate people to Atlas. He IS a man with a plan but the plan would use a little change. Ironwood hates anyone bringing up how his ways don't work, with extreme annoyance being the best reaction possible.
He's a good guy but he has crippling flaws.
10535530
She was quoting some real world writer I would assume, which is also using herself as an example of the grown up 'man'.
10535688
No worries. I get it. I stopped reading SAPR back before the Orwellian retcon in Mountain Glenn, and have only gradually been catching up ever since finding out about the retcon. I come for the Atlesians, especially Ceil. It's also been fun to see Twilight and Rainbow's 'sister from another mister' theme get expanded on in the rewrite; I've been fortunate enough to have a couple friends I consider brothers in all but blood, so their sisterly dynamic is fun for me.
10536632
That's quite surprising, but also really heartening. Ciel's my favorite character in the story too, and I also really like the Atlesians (though I like a lot of other stuff too, obviously, I'm on the staff), but the analysis on Twilight and Rainbow is something I haven't heard anyone say before. So you are providing insightful comments as always. Hopefully you'll continue to do so, because a lot of the upcoming rewrite chapters are going to be super heavy on the Atlesians.
I feel like this is building up to a fight between Sunset's group and Freeport where Ruby will have to pick which side to be on. Not sure how it could escalate to that though.
10543465
...are you talking about Juturna or Sunset?
10543819
Juturna