Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

Princess and The Dragons	By : RWBYRemnants Category: +M through R > RWBY Views: 1054 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: RWBY is not mine and I make no money from this fic

Chapter List
- 22
- 23
- 24
=Chapter 23
Raven had thrown a small fit when she saw what had become of her daughter’s room. The other four’s insistence that they would clean it all up themselves mollified her, and she got out of their way to let them handle it. Yang went straight for the shower once Weiss promised to bring her some clean clothes, so the other three got to work.
“I really do feel like a blockhead, though,” Ruby said, obviously in higher spirits due to Yang’s begrudging acceptance of her. “I was even thinking to myself, ‘Don’t drop it, don’t say anything dumb,’ and all I did was say dumb things and… well, y’know.”
“What a klutz,” Weiss sighed, though she was smiling as she reached over and mussed up Ruby’s hair. The girl stuck out her tongue through her grin.
“Don’t underestimate the value of a moment like that,” Kali reminded them as she searched for some dishrags in the kitchen drawers. Raven had vanished into the rest of the house so she would be of little help. When they only looked confused, she explained, “You broke the ice. Now Yang can see past what you represent - losing her father, all that old pain - to who you are as a person.”
The grin grew wider. “Really? Me being so square did all that?”
“Yes, sweetheart. All that.”
She was still grinning when Raven returned with a long-sleeved blouse and a dress that was a bit old-fashioned, tossing them onto the back of a chair. “There.”
She had already taken a step toward the hallway again when Weiss asked, “There, what?”
“There,” she answered through gritted teeth, “clothes for the runt to change into.” When they only stared at her, she rolled her eyes in annoyance and disgust. “She got malted on her, too, didn’t she? It’s going to stink. Milk stinks as it goes bad. Are you this slow on purpose?”
“Thank you, Raven,” Kali said very firmly to cut off any rebuttals from Weiss. “We’ll finish up the cleaning while Yang showers.”
Once they were alone again, Weiss whispered, “I think I see what you mean. She keeps doing nice things while acting really mean - like the soup. It’s strange.”
“She’s always been like that, to a lesser degree. Just got worse after Tai left her. Oh-” Smiling a bit wider, she held up a stack of washcloths. “Perfect.”
By the time the bedclothes were changed, Weiss had built up enough confidence to not only bring Yang her clothes, but wait for her to get out of the shower. When the Dragon pushed the curtain aside and saw she was no longer alone, she blinked a few times, then allowed a smug little grin to flit across her lips.
“Soooo.” Reaching out a hand for a towel, expression aloof as if she were royalty, she waited for Weiss to hand it to her before she continued, “Wanted to get a good look at the ol’ chassis, huh? You’ve already seen it’s in tip-top condition.”
Blush already starting, Weiss forced herself to remain calm. When Yang took a step out onto the bathmat, she stood her ground instead of stepping back - so that they were nose-to-nose. Yang blinked at the suddenness of the proximity.
“I wanted to see all of you - without pressure from a gaggle of mean Dragons this time. So thank you for the, um… demonstration.”
Yang bit her bottom lip for a moment, then looked down at her own body and back up. “So, all bragging aside… I know I look pretty good. But you don’t have to prove you’re interested in women if you don’t want to. I’m fine with just taking things slow.”
“You don’t live slow, Yang. I know that.” Her hand drifted up to pet along her hip and waist. “I’m trying to get more comfortable around you like this. It’s… well, I’m still a lot more nervous about it than you are, but it’s better. I’m better.”
“Good. I like it when you’re better. I like seeing that you’re not scared to death my body’s gonna gobble you up.” Her voice dipped a little lower. “Unless you want it to.”
Shivering from those words that sounded like a promise, she whispered, “Maybe I do. Maybe… it’s my turn.”
“Your turn?” Yang’s eyebrows went up, and she grinned. “Ohhhhh, okay. Then maybe you should get rid of my stupid sister and Mrs. B and we can really- OW!”
“You deserved that!” Weiss hissed, letting go of the skin covering Yang’s ribs. “And there’s another pinch in it for you if you insult Ruby again!”
“What did I say?”
“That girl wants to be your actual sister! Not just someone who’s related to you through your father, but… honestly, do you have to call her ‘stupid’?”
Frowning and still rubbing the pinched skin, she turned away as she finally began to dry off. “I didn’t really mean it. Just being… I don’t know. But she’s not my sister. I barely saw her growing up because of how Dad handled things. How Raven and Summer did after he left. They could have kept us together, or at least let us play together, but we barely ever did. And then she dies, and I thought maybe Ruby would move in with us, but… nope. Uncle Qrow gets her, and they hate each other as much as our moms. Worse.”
The silence deepened as she watched Yang angrily scrubbing the water off her skin. It was a little painful just to be watching, so she couldn’t imagine how much worse it was to experience.
“Can’t you see Ruby loves you?”
“Stop, okay? This isn’t your business.”
“No, Yang. It is now. Because you’re my…” She only had to gulp once to get it out. “M-my girlfriend. If I were a boy, we’d be engaged, or pinned or something. And then Ruby would be my future family.”
“Weiss-”
“So it’s important to me that you two get along!”
“Weiss, drop it. I’ll…” When she glanced at her and saw the deadly serious expression on her face, Yang’s softened. “Alright, alright. She did come all the way over here just to bring me a dumb malted, didn’t she?”
“Not just for that. She wanted to see if you were alright. And I stuck my neck out and said you would want to see her, even though you’ve been treating her like a… a wad of used chewing gum!”
Such a comparison made Yang snort in amusement. “Really? As bad as all that?”
“YES!”
“Really?” she asked again, the smile disappearing. “I didn’t… come on, I never hurt her or anything. I may not hang out with her, but that’s because I’m a Dragon. I have my own friends, and she has hers. Didn’t think she would want to keep playing hopscotch with me after so long, anyway. Besides, like I said, Raven and Qrow don’t get along, so it’s just… easier to leave each other alone, right?”
Impatient, Weiss walked over to her and pressed a hand into the small of her back through the towel. “You’re her half-sister. I’d give anything to have Winter here while I was going through all this with my parents! A sister is a friend for life.”
“Friend for life, huh?” Glancing at Weiss and seeing she was serious, she sighed as she patted her hair dry, then turned to cup her cheek. Her heart fluttered, despite the gravity of their conversation. “Alright, enough already. It’s… I’ll give it a try. No promises, but I’ll try.”
“Thank you,” she told her earnestly, gripping the back of the hand to keep it close.
“You like her, don’t you? My sis.”
“She’s sweet. And… well, I feel a little guilty for only talking to her when I’m worried about you, or talking about you. So I made a promise to myself and to her that I’d be… nicer.”
Yang was quiet as she thought about that for a moment. Then she propped a leg up on the sink as she began to dry it off. “That’s pretty cool of you, though I don’t think I’d like it if it were me. Being a charity case.”
“Not for charity! I really do like her! I mean it!”
“Why? What’s so great about her?” When Weiss frowned, she winced. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. Really, tell me about my sister.”
“No.”
“Huh?”
“No, I’m not going to do your work for you. Go out there and learn about her first-hand.” Then she took the towel and began to dry off the leg for her, still speaking in a brisk, businesslike manner. “Just forget she’s Summer’s girl, or about divorces or anything like that, and get to know who Ruby is. Okay?”
After the first few seconds, Yang began relaxing into the motions as she listened. The towel passing up and over her rear got her to chuckle, “Okay. I mean, you’re probably right. Besides, I can’t say ‘no’ to you.”
“Good. Now, I want you to stand on your head and pat your belly.”
“Actually, turns out I can say ‘no’. And I’m sayin’ it now.”
“Oh? But if you stood on your head… I could probably reach something fun very easily.”
One eyebrow raised, Yang turned her head more fully to gaze into Weiss’s eyes. “While I’ve been laid up, you got even bolder. What have you and Kali been up to?”
“Hey! I don’t appreciate you saying things like that!” Though they were both laughing. Weiss rubbed at her hindquarters a little more firmly. “I have been pretty lonely with you laid up.”
“Me, too. Hanging around in my room is driving me stir crazy.”
“Well, it’s only a few more days. But you still have to take it easy for another month, okay? Promise?”
Pouting, Yang turned and lowered her leg again so she could slide her hands around Weiss’s trim waist. She moved her arm pretty confidently, despite the injury; marked progress. “But I want to lift you up onto the sink and drink you down. Right now.”
“O-oh…” Her pulse skyrocketed, but she forced herself to clear her throat and take a step back. “But you won’t. And you won’t put me on your motorcycle, and you won’t punch anyone out. Nothing like that until your shoulder is better.”
“Okay, okay, Mom.”
“And don’t do that! It sounds creepy!”
As they were laughing, there came a harsh knock at the door. “HEY! I said to cut that out in my home, you two!”
“Cut what out, Mom?!” Yang half-shouted, still grinning.
“Don’t sass me or I’ll come in there and deck you one! And I don’t care what I’m interrupting!”
“Mrs. Branwen?” Weiss began. “I was just helping Yang dry off and keeping her company. That’s all, I promise.”
The reasonable response seemed to fluster the woman more than an outraged or angry one might have done. So they heard nothing else but receding footsteps.
“Wow, I can’t believe that worked.”
“Neither can I,” Yang whispered, smiling at her. When Weiss began to rub at her stomach, she said, “Um, a little lower, please.”
Weiss only narrowed her eyes instead of capitulating.

When they returned to her bedroom, they found that Kali and Ruby had done a fantastic job of cleaning up. Yang surprised them all by immediately striding up to Ruby, who was now wearing Raven’s old clothes and looking awkward about having been standing by her window.
“So,” she said with a somewhat-false cheer. “What made you want to drop by today, Rubes?”
“Um… Weiss? She said Mrs. Belladonna could help me get past Raven, so I thought… I mean, hey, why not give it a try? And if you threw me out, I would get over it.”
Shrugging as if it was no big deal, she said, “Well, the malted’s gone, so I guess now we just talk.”
“Right! Talking is good!”
Everything fell silent. As Kali nudged Weiss, both sisters said “Sooo…” in such a similar way that they had to laugh at themselves. Then she noticed Kali was trying to get her to help gather up the dirty bedclothes and take them out, so she obeyed, trying not to be conspicuous.
“I think it’s going to go a lot better from this point forward,” Kali whispered.
“Really? I didn’t make the world’s biggest mistake in bringing Ruby here?” They shared a brief smile as they edged into a small laundry room off the kitchen. “That’s good. I had a feeling all they needed was to talk for more than a few sec-”
They both froze when they saw Raven working on the laundry, box of detergent clutched in her hands as she glared. After a moment or two, she sighed and finished what she was doing, then tried to push past them.
“Wait,” Kali attempted.
“No. This doesn’t change anything. I still don’t want you back in my life, and I don’t want to be ‘best pals’ with the girl dating my daughter. Or with Summer’s little runt. Everybody just leave me alone.”
The problem was, Kali and Weiss were blocking her escape. She could have slipped out the back door and into the yard, but that would have been a truly desperate way to dodge an uncomfortable conversation, and Raven seemed to think she was at least above that.
“Do you know why we’re where we are right now?”
“It’s my house,” she fired back immediately. “Why you’re here is because you can’t help meddling.”
“We’re here because you can’t accept anyone else’s help, or anyone else’s viewpoint. It’s all-Raven, all the time. I loved you both, but Ghira treated me more like I deserved to be treated. Still deserve that.”
“Shut up.” The voice was dangerous, and Weiss felt dread welling up in her at the sight of the fists curling at the woman’s sides. Kali was pushing and it didn’t seem like a wise decision.
“Why? Afraid of the truth?”
“You don’t understand. I’m… none of this matters anymore. Get the hell out of my way before I make you.”
The woman’s elegant Italian features were completely unimpressed. “No. This has been a long time in coming. Your behaviour is so poor that it’s affecting everyone around you. I wouldn’t bother telling you if I didn’t think you could change it. You can. And you’re an adult now, so I think you should.”
“Really?” she laughed harshly, folding her arms over her chest. “You think I’m still in love with you, and if I ‘be a good girl’, you’ll take me back? Is that your plan? Don’t flatter yourself.”
“Of course not. I’m sure you despise me more than you could ever despise anyone else. Even Summer.”
“Then what is the point of this conversation?”
“That you should stop taking out your frustrations on Yang. She’s not her father.”
Stunned by that turn, Raven took a step backward, features slack and completely incensed. “I’m not… what? Don’t you dare. Don’t you DARE accuse me of such a disgusting- who do you think you are?!”
“Someone you used to trust,” Kali sighed, not lowering her gaze but looking as if the fight were finally bleeding out to be replaced by sadness. “I don’t care if you do anymore. Well, that’s a lie; I do care, but I can’t bring myself to be upset about things I cannot change. You’ve made your choices and your judgments, and I’m just old news to you now. But Yang and Ruby, and Weiss here… they need adults in their lives who will treat them with kindness and warmth, and try to guide them without damaging them any more than necessary.”
“Get off your high horse, Belladonna. As if you never did anything that made Blake hate you. Never hurt her without meaning to.”
“I have. Many times. But I’ve never sent her to school limping from injuring her myself.”
Finally, Raven lost her cool - she flew at Kali with both fists raised, aiming to harm. To shut the woman’s mouth so no more accusations could flow forth. The attack was easily dodged, and it was Kali who had Raven pinned against the wall this time, arms gripped so that they squirmed in the small of her back. Completely incapacitated.
“You ever strike Yang again,” she growled menacingly, “and I’ll make sure you can’t anymore. Are we clear?”
“Get off me! She’s my girl! She has to know how hard the world is - has to be… be shown- OW! I can’t let her get soft!” It was probably a combination of the physical and emotional pain, but her eyes began to leak as she struggled to get away fruitlessly. “This world will chew her up and spit her out if I don’t toughen her up! And nobody else will do that for her! The Dragons? HAH! Salem just wants lackeys to do her bidding - not real strength! Why do you think I got out with Tai?! But Yang thinks they’re her ‘family’! I want her to be strong, so she can lead them her own way someday! And wiping her little ass for her like you do ain’t gonna help! So you can take your Sunday School lesson and sit on it!”
The words shocked Weiss a lot more than they did Kali. Maybe she had heard them before, or heard similar from someone else. But the Schnee heiress had never considered for a moment that Raven had struck Yang to help her! Twisted as her logic was, it definitely made a lot more sense than simply not caring about her own daughter. But Kali didn’t take more than a few seconds to respond.
“I know you love her. Even through this terrible attitude, I can see it. But you’re wrong. Beating Yang whenever she gets out of line won’t make her strong; it just makes her hate you, and makes it hard for her to trust anyone else, or respect authority that doesn’t beat her.”
“I don’t care if she hates me. If it works, that’s all that matters. Nobody’s ever gonna take advantage of my Yang. Ever.”
“Raven…” Sighing, she let her go, standing back from the woman. “Fine, be stubborn as always. But my promise remains in place. I can’t stand seeing any more children abused. I won’t stand for it. Don’t make me hurt someone I used to love to stop her from hurting people I currently love. Please.”
For a brief instant, it looked as if Raven was going to argue. But she only looked between Kali’s grim determination, and the bandage on Weiss’s cheek, still mulling the words over for a long time.
“You never loved me,” she finally whispered bitterly.
“I did.”
“You never said it.”
Swallowing hard, she turned away to gaze at the washing machine. “I know. I was afraid that if I did… you would think you had something worth fighting for, and you and Ghira might have torn each other apart. It was the only thing that would have been worse than how things wound up.”
“You’ve never given me a second thought in all those years apart. Admit it.”
“Are you kidding? I’ve thought about you every day. But that changes nothing.”
The room stayed quiet for a few seconds. Suddenly, Weiss couldn’t take it anymore, and she whispered, “Mrs. Branwen?”
“What do you want?” she sneered, annoyed at her thoughts being interrupted.
“I love Yang. And you do, too - and so does Ruby, and Kali, and Blake. Maybe it’s hard for you to see that because… you don’t know us very well.”
“I know Kali too well.”
“But couldn’t you just… give us a chance? Let us disappoint you before you assume we will?”
Raven shook her head, even though the fight had gone out of her. “I can’t. No more chances left. Over and over, I got dumped, and betrayed, and… and I made a vow no one would ever do that to me or my daughter again. Sticking to it.” She took a step toward the door before pausing. “I already said I wouldn’t stop you from coming over to see her anymore. Don’t make me regret that decision.”
“What about Ruby? Can she…” Her throat tightened, but she forced herself to finish. “Can she feel safe coming over by herself?”
“What?”
Exasperated, Weiss squeaked, “You tried to stab her!”
“I protected myself,” she snapped, though without any true bite. “Always find out what people want before you let them in. Good policy. But…” Groaning, she rolled her eyes. “Fine. I know the runt doesn’t pose any threat, so I won’t do that to her again.”
“You’d better not,” Kali put in warningly. Raven only nodded before taking her leave.
“Wow,” Weiss breathed as they slowly came back to life. They had to collect the sheets from the floor, since they had been dropped at some point that she couldn’t even recall. “That was…”
With a long sigh, Kali helped her stuff them into the washing machine with the other clothes. “I know.”
“She does love Yang. I thought she didn’t, since she was acting like my father, I… and I don’t understand how any parent can love their child and still hurt them.”
Choosing her words carefully, the older woman said, “I can understand it. I just can’t abide it. Every child has a right to feel safe and secure when they’re with their own parents, and… and if Yang can’t feel that way with Raven…” Swallowing hard, she slammed the lid shut. “I’ll take her in. I don’t care if it’s going to be difficult, or if she fights me on this. She may not be blood but she’s family.”
“You’d do that?” she breathed in surprise.
“Raven gets one last chance. I think that if she has us around to show her she’s doing things wrong, maybe she’ll change. I certainly hope so. Because if the Raven I used to know is still there, buried under all her bitterness and self-pity…”
But she cut herself off. The thoughts seemed too painful for her to keep focusing on them, and Weiss had no desire to make her endure further pain. Her hand pressed into Kali’s back as they left the clothes to be washed, and Kali spared her a weak smile that faded very quickly. It was nearly as sad as if she had never smiled at all.

The rest of their visit was much more amiable. Ruby and Yang seemed to be getting along a little better now; Yang would still say some things that came across as harsh or abrasive, but she had begun to notice that on her own and apologise. Kali hung back and said very little, sipping at the mug of green tea she had prepared for herself. Weiss tried to follow her example, only speaking when spoken to.
Raven didn’t reappear. When Weiss took Kali’s teacup to the kitchen, she could see her outside hanging up the washing to dry through the little window in the backdoor, but otherwise they didn’t encounter her again. It was another instance of seeing that Raven did care. She just often showed it in such a terrible way that it was dangerous.
When dinnertime began to approach, Raven did stop by to shoo them away. Kali smirked while she offered to whip them up something and stay even longer, knowing full well she would be turned down; Raven didn’t disappoint, threatening to grab a broom and literally sweep them out the front door if they dallied.
As a last-minute decision, Kali took them by the grocery store and picked up some ingredients, then drove over to the Schnee estate. Weiss’s mother was glad to see them, though initially confused about who Ruby was. Pyrrha dropped by while they were still preparing dinner, having seen the foreign car in their drive, and stayed to help both make and eat the pasta and garlic bread they had prepared. She also had a bottle of grape juice, which made a sad little laugh come from Willow as she poured them all glasses.
It was a lovely time. Weiss watched the two parents closely for any signs that they were drifting yet closer, but saw no such moment come to pass; maybe she really was imagining things. After all, her mother wasn’t that sort of person! Then again, she didn’t think she was herself, either, and now she was dating Yang.
Whitley was oddly silent all the while. Sometimes, he would look at the two family members at the table with resentment, and other times he simply seemed sad. Never said a word to the guests. Eventually, he asked to be excused and went straight to his room and never re-emerged.
That night, once all the guests had gone home, Weiss caught her mother in her father’s study, running one hand over each item with tenderness, a handkerchief pushed into her lips and nose. It was too bleak a sight for her to ignore.
“Mother?”
“Oh,” she blasted out, so startled she knocked a crystal paperweight from the desk. It broke in two. “AH! Oh dear, that wasn’t- Jacques loved that thing…”
Stooping to pick up the pieces for her, she set them on the desk before turning to look at her. “Um… dinner was nice. With Mrs. Belladonna here, and… Ruby and Pyrrha. Wasn’t it?”
Haunted as her eyes were, her mother did smile. “It was. I owe Kali a debt of gratitude; she’s been so kind and considerate. A real gem.”
“Should I expect that she’ll be welcome around here more often?” Weiss asked with a hopeful smile. “And maybe we could drop by the Belladonna home now and then?”
“Of course! Oh, I wouldn’t dream of refusing an invitation.” Sighing, she gazed down at the broken paperweight, fingers brushing over the facets. “It’s funny… I really thought I would be more devastated than I am by Jacques being taken away. But instead, I feel… I don’t know.”
“Free?”
“That’s not what… well…” Her eyes widened very slightly in mingling alarm and recognition. “That’s it. Weiss, you found exactly- I feel free. But that isn’t right, is it? He’s my husband.”
“He hurt you. And he hurt me. Kali’s been teaching me about this; she says it’s not alright for a family member to hurt another like that. And… well, I think I agree.” She felt terrified, since these things applied to her father and to Willow’s husband, but she forced herself to continue. “Maybe we can forgive them, and try to do better. Or maybe we can’t. But we can’t just let them keep hurting us. It’s not fair, and it’s unacceptable.”
The woman’s other hand came up and caressed Weiss’s cheek, then gripped her chin to gently lift her face and get a better look at her eyes. She could see her mother’s were haunted but clearer than they had been in years, and at least she was smiling.
“How did my little girl get to be so wise?”
“I’m not so little anymore, Mother.”
“And when did she stop calling me ‘Mommy’?” They both laughed. “Oh… I love you, my angel. My sweet, brave little angel.”
The embrace was enough to erase almost all of the hurt from the previous weeks. Though it had happened in such an unexpected way, she would have traded a dozen of her father just to have her mother back in her life again. Luckily, she didn’t have to.
- 22
- 23
- 24
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Princess and The Dragons