Nameless (ch8)

This chapter picks up directly where the last one left off and goes on into their 'free' year.

WARNINGS for physical/mental/psychological abuse.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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						Chapter 8. The First Victim

It was difficult to try and predict what they should've been expecting from then on.

Blake was highly dubious that Cinder would actually keep to her word.

The Faunus girl woke first the next morning, before the sun had risen, and while Weiss was still asleep. She shook the numbness that had settled from sleep out of her hands, shifting herself to one side of Weiss. After the inane day she'd experienced yesterday, Blake wanted to let her rest for as long as possible.

Blake took the time to appreciate Weiss' presence. With her eyes, she traced the outline of her body, from the curves and slides of her forehead, nose, and chin, to the dip of her neck, then the slight rise of her collar and chest until it leveled off at her stomach.

She considered it a miracle that Weiss was still here, still sleeping peacefully beside her despite all that had transpired.

Blake didn't know what today had in store for them, so she was certain to take her time indulging these last few hours of quiet.

Sliding closer to Weiss, she rested her head on the front of the girl's shoulder, able to detect just the faintest pulse against her neck. Her ears flicked and honed in on the sound, as one hand trailed over the blue nightgown.

Her palm came to rest over the girl's stomach, fingers spreading out over the self-inflicted puncture wound. Blake rubbed slowly, wanting Weiss to wake to a tranquil, un-stressful world for once.

The purr came naturally, a warm rumble working its way up the back of her throat. The vibrations transferred onto Weiss' chest, applying a light but comfortable pressure.

Blake dozed for the next few hours until the sun had risen and cast its light in through the window. The familiar icy blue color of the walls was painted with light, and a few streaks of gold caught in Weiss' loose hair. Blake combed her fingers through it slowly, never stopping the purr all the while.

If Cinder was going to give them one year 'free', Blake was intent to have Weiss enjoy it from start to finish for all it was worth.

And the world Weiss woke to that morning was different from the only one she'd ever known before.

The constant chill that was present in the mansion year-round seemed to be absent. Only Blake's warmth and scent wreathed around her now, a calming purr filling her chest.

When Blake felt her stir and release a small sound, she lifted her head to give Weiss some space. The girl stretched her arms and legs a bit, releasing a petite yawn before slowly blinking her eyes open.

As usual, Blake made sure she was the first thing Weiss saw.

"Morning," she murmured. "How did you sleep?"

Weiss offered a small smile as she tried out her voice for the first time that day.

"Good morning... Surprisingly, I slept very well, thank you. What about you?"

"Just knowing you were sleeping well helped me sleep soundly, too."

"I'm glad."

A beat of silence drifted between them, and Blake gave in to her desires. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward, dipping her head slightly to press her lips to Weiss' in a quick kiss.

Weiss' lips curled up into a smile against hers, and their kisses soon traveled to cheeks and noses. Weiss placed her hands on Blake's shoulders, gently pushing her down a bit so she may kiss her Faunus ears in turn. Blake's purr naturally grew fuller and louder.

In an effort to reciprocate the emotion, Blake trailed the kisses down the side of Weiss' neck, bound for one spot in particular. She pressed her lips to every inch of Weiss' collarbone, then traveled toward the center...

But a small sigh stopped Blake in her endeavor, causing her to look up curiously.

"What is it?"

Weiss flashed her eyes to the side, her voice nothing more than a mumble.

"I wish you wouldn't kiss the scar..." she said. "It's ugly. I hate it..."

Blake's purr dwindled in her throat, her heart sinking just a little. She crawled up a bit, keeping the majority of her weight braced on her forearms rather than on the girl beneath her.

She cupped Weiss' right cheek, then bent down to press a long, tender kiss over her left eye. When she pulled back, Blake's lips were pursed into a firm line.

"No way."

Weiss blinked open her scarred eye once the gentle pressure had lifted.

"Blake?"

The Faunus girl didn't explain herself just yet. She merely slid back down, nosing the collar of the blue nightgown aside until the scarlet X was revealed. She kissed it fully, ignoring the little whimper from Weiss as she did so.

She would stop if Weiss asked her to or made it clear that was what she wanted.

But the other girl never made a move against her.

For a full minute or so, Blake kissed the mark there, sliding her lips along the smooth skin as though her lips could erase the red altogether. Years of doing this in the past had yielded failed results for such a hope, but that didn't stop her from trying.

When she felt she'd done enough to convey her message, her steady eyes lifted to meet crystal-blue once more.

"Where's all this coming from?" she murmured. "You've had it for so many years, so why is it only now that you hate it?"

Weiss' lip trembled and she promptly turned her face away.

"Because... in the past, I believed her... I believed Mother when she said it was for my own good. But now... now I know it's just a curse mark. It's keeping me here, and that means its keeping you here as well. I hate it..."

Blake could already feel the alarming change in Weiss' body as memories of the night Cinder had inflicted the mark crossed her mind. Weiss' chest started to rise and fall rapidly, and a fast thrumming started flitting in her chest.

"Weiss, no..." Blake begged her not to do this – not now. Carefully, she laid herself down beside the girl and pulled Weiss into her arms, letting her burrow into the crook of Blake's neck. "Don't say that. Don't think about it. You saying you hate that mark is almost like trying to act out against the curse itself, and it's having an effect on your body. Don't say that you hate it. It'll only hurt you more."

"Then what am I supposed to say?" she wailed.

It was a helpless voice, lost and confused, the voice of a girl who'd been lied to by the only parental figure in her life for as long a she could remember.

Blake tightened her grip on the other girl's back.

"You don't have to say anything," she murmured into alabaster locks. "Let me..."

Blake slipped one hand between the two of them, pressing it lightly over the center of Weiss' chest in a familiar gesture – to feel her heart. And the purr came naturally again as she began to speak.

"Even if the mark was given to you will ill-intent... even if it was only meant to hurt you... we can't hate it, Weiss. Any ill-will we feel should be directed onto the curse itself and the one who cast it. But not this mark. Do you know why?"

She felt Weiss' breath fan out in a sigh against her neck, past Blake's bandana. The girl shook her head, indicating she'd been listening to every word Blake said. The Faunus girl smiled, closing her eyes to kiss the crown of Weiss' head.

"We can't hate it, because it's a part of you now."

It was the justification Blake had created for herself many years ago. She'd wanted to hate that mark as well because of what it did, what it represented.

But she'd discovered right away that she couldn't despise any part of Weiss.

The girl had grown quiet in her arms, and Blake went on.

"I've always loved you, Weiss. Even before I knew it was the kind of love where I wanted to kiss you and be close to you... it was another kind of love. Even on the very first day I was brought here, I liked you more than anything else. And that's remained true every day of these past six years of my life. I could never hate you, and you shouldn't either."

She pulled away again solely for the sake of moving Weiss' arms aside to kiss her chest once more. "One day, we'll break this curse. One day we'll get out. My promise still holds strong."

Weiss sniffled against her chest, but if any tears had fallen, they'd gone unnoticed by Blake.

"Thank you..." she whispered.

It was as though Blake had said every word she'd needed to hear, but she hadn't simply uttered them for the sake of speaking; she'd meant every last one of them.

Even if Weiss knew the intentions behind Cinder's actions and the curse now, Blake didn't hate her or think the mark was hideous. Blake still accepted her and loved her.

So Weiss would try to do the same for herself as well.

Her fingers weaved through Blake's long, thick hair, nails clinging lightly to her back.

"But..." Weiss sighed again, her voice becoming almost inaudible now. "When...?" she asked. "When... can we...?"

Blake's purr gradually faded, her ears drooping slightly. She understood what Weiss was trying to ask, and she didn't have a definite answer.

"I'm not sure," she confessed. "I'm not sure... when we can get out of here, Weiss. And I know you've already been here for far too long. And now that you know... everything about Cinder... I can understand why you want to get out right now. But it's not that simple..."

She trailed off for a moment, hoping Weiss wouldn't be upset.

But the girl was silent and still, save for a feather-light brush of lips against Blake's neck.

Weiss understood.

With that knowledge in mind, Blake went on.

"I've been trying to figure it out all these years," she said. "I've been trying to figure out how to break the curse. But every time I thought of something and thought I was getting somewhere, Cinder would prove that it had all been a part of her intentions.

"The truth is, until our ploy yesterday, I've never accomplished anything that she wasn't already permitting. The only thing I ever did of my own volition here was fall in love with you. But even that is a part of what she wants. Because now I'm bound here emotionally just as strongly as you are physically. Neither of us can escape without the other, and that's exactly what she wants."

Another pause, and she feared she might've misspoken, that Weiss might interpret her words incorrectly and believe Blake had only come to love her because it had been a part of Cinder's will all along. The Faunus girl continued in hopes to dissuade such thoughts.

"But even if she intended for us to fall in love, she never expected it to be this much. This love might be what keeps me here, but it isn't what's tying me down. In fact, it's more liberating and empowering than anything.

"Every day, I want to do my best for you alone, Weiss. I want to become stronger and figure out how to break this curse. Because I love you more than anything, Weiss. Loving you is what keeps me going, and one day, it'll be what gets us out of here."

She wasn't sure if what she was saying was making sense anymore. Blake didn't think she'd ever spoken so much at once in her entire life. She hoped her rambling hadn't caused her to misspeak and end up hurting Weiss.

The room was silent again as she waited for some kind of reaction or response.

It took a moment for Weiss to absorb all of her words, but when she had, the white-haired girl pulled back to look up into her eyes.

"So... this love... This was all a part of Mother's plan as well...?"

Her expression was unreadable, but there was no smile on her lips nor a sparkle in her eyes.

And that was what concerned Blake.

She quickly shook her head, ears flat and eyes pleading.

"No! I... No. I won't lie to you, Weiss," she said firmly. "To tell the truth... I can't say for sure. I know she wanted us to be close so that I wouldn't ever leave this place without you. I don't know for certain if she ever intended for us to fall in love."

Her eyes searched Weiss' for something – anything.

"I don't think Cinder ever intended for us to fall in love," she reiterated. "But even if she did, it didn't happen because she wanted it to. It happened because it was meant to happen, and I fully believe that."

Weiss listened quietly all the while, her gaze locked on Blake's and refusing to leave it or even blink. Blake returned the gaze with equal determination, unwilling to break.

This truly was how she felt about everything, and she was laying it all bare before Weiss, even at the risk of losing the other girl's trust in her.

And Weiss could see that. She could see that Blake wasn't hiding anything right now, even after all these years when she easily could have constructed lies to say to her.

Even if it meant losing Weiss' affection, Blake wanted to tell her the truth.

And Weiss was relieved for that.

She'd been told enough lies for one lifetime - in fact she was still living one.

But at the very least, she could be absolutely certain that Blake was genuine, as was her love.

At last, Weiss smiled, feeling the rush of tears behind her eyes.

"Thank you..." she whispered. "Thank you, Blake. For telling me the truth, for staying by my side... and for loving me unconditionally. I didn't think it was possible..."

The relief was mutual. Blake's ears lifted up once more, and warm wetness began coating her cheeks as well.

She pulled Weiss in to her yet again, not to kiss her this time, but merely to hold her, to feel her breathe, and to breathe her in.

"And thank you," she said. "Thank you for trusting me, Weiss. And for loving me, too."

Tears were cleared away, smiles resurfacing.

They kissed, and it seemed to last for hours, confirming their convictions and strengthening their bond.

And then two rings of a bell sounded.

It would be their first morning 'free', meaning Cinder wouldn't intentionally try to aggravate the curse or harm Weiss in any way.

Blake had her theory of how to break the curse.

But she also had a time limit now.

She wanted to get Weiss out of here before that year was up. Because once it was, Cinder would make them start killing again.

Weiss had yet to stain her hands with innocent blood other than her own, but Blake wasn't willing to take the risk of helping prisoners escape again, nor was she willing to let Weiss become a murderer.

"One year..."

Cinder's words rang in her head as she helped Weiss out of bed and they got dressed to prepare for breakfast.

One year.

It may have seemed like plenty of time, but Blake knew from experience in this place that it was just the opposite.

I've got to break the curse before then.

And in all honesty, she wasn't sure she could.

At the very least, she'd make it a year of gathering evidence for her theory, and a year of the most loving closeness possible that she could provide for Weiss.

As they headed down the hall that morning toward the kitchen, Blake was sure to keep a firm grip on Weiss' hand, not knowing which day could be her last chance to do so.

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The first month of their 'free' year passed, and Blake was pleasantly surprised to find Cinder had kept to her word.

There were no more disapproving glares sent at Weiss, no more incidents where she hurt the girl simply because she felt like doing so.

When Cinder wasn't out in town, she stayed behind closed doors, likely working on the Dust rapier to perfect a few things and to make new dresses for Weiss.

During their probation, Weiss and Blake went about the days as they always had, keeping to the living room when Cinder was home and their bedroom when she wasn't.

But even when the witch was in her quarters working on her taboo magics, Weiss had specifically requested to retreat to their bedroom more than a few times.

"The living room..." she said. "It smells odd..."

Blake was led to believe that Weiss was now becoming aware of the rank stench of those Dust-infused stones. Now that she knew of the curse's existence and Cinder's intentions with it, Weiss had become aware of the stench that had put Blake off for nearly half a decade.

Weiss knew full-well that Cinder wanted her to meditate in the living area, but she was willing to act out against her.

And although she was consciously aware of the fact that she was directly disobeying Cinder's orders, her body didn't react violently to that.

Blake knew it was because of what she herself had told Weiss many months ago, that Cinder wanted Weiss to meditate in her bedroom when the woman wasn't home. Weiss had always entirely believed that to be Cinder's will, so in doing so, her body hadn't been affected.

So even now, Weiss was used to meditating in her own room. Therefore, even when Cinder was in the mansion, the girl's body didn't drag her down into a panic.

It was the most prominent form of Weiss' rebellion against the witch since she'd refused to go to Cinder for comfort during that thunderstorm several years earlier.

Blake was glad to see that she was subtly fighting back, even if Weiss might not have known it.

The summer passed by, and Weiss suffered only a few minor panic attacks on instances when she thought Cinder had found her out.

But all in all, there were no full-on attacks, nothing where her body shut down enough to make her sick, or where her heart had started to pound hard enough to make her chest burn.

The autumn was much the same, and soon winter had crept in.

All this time, Blake had been trying to confirm her theory of what they might've been able to do in order to break the curse.

It took a great deal of listening, and an excessive amount of treading on eggshells, so to speak, particularly on her own part.

Luckily, as a Faunus, her hearing was exceptional and able to pay attention to detail, and her stealth and ability to keep quiet were second nature to her.

. . .

It was two months into the winter when she truly felt she'd figured it out.

It was an evening after supper, where Cinder had just held a brief conversation with Weiss, asking about what she'd accomplished that day.

It had been the usual conversation for many years, and although it didn't occur daily, it was common enough for Blake to have more or less memorized by now.

And after months of careful listening, she felt she'd finally found her answer, and the key to get Weiss out of here once and for all.

Presently, she sat on the bed in her sleep clothes, eyes trained on the floor as she tried to configure her thoughts, tried to arrange them in a way they'd make sense.

Even though this was what they both wanted and had been wanting for so long, she didn't want to spring this on Weiss too quickly.

If Blake's thoughts were correct, they wouldn't even be able to act on this right away. She merely wanted to inform Weiss of everything, to see if it seemed plausible. If she thought it was, Blake wanted them to wait just a little while longer, to confirm things time and again until they were certain they could act on it.

A few minutes later, Weiss had finished slipping into her winter sleepwear, which consisted of a long-sleeved nightgown. Blake gave her a pair of her own sleepwear pants to wear, just to ensure the girl wouldn't get too cold in the night.

Blake was often quiet, taciturn by nature, and she was even more so right now due to her pondering.

But she felt Weiss was a bit quieter than usual tonight as well.

Blake lifted her head when she heard footsteps approaching.

Weiss had let her hair down as per usual, and was moving toward the open window. She paused about a foot away, inhaling the crisp night air as best she could.

Blake was about to ask if Weiss wanted her to close it, but the words died on her tongue as Weiss made her way over to the bed. She'd been acting strangely since suppertime, fallen almost uncharacteristically silent, even around Blake.

Usually, she was gleeful or at the very least affectionate when she was alone with Blake.

But now, as the mattress shifted with Weiss' added weight, the Faunus girl looked up to find no smile on the girl's lips, no confidence in her posture.

Her thoughts started to push to the corners of her mind, no longer intent to tell Weiss of her findings right now.

There were a few inches of space between them, and with careful slowness, Blake slid closer, until her thigh brushed against Weiss'. Her hand reached out to the limp ones in the girl's lap, her tone low and words tentative.

"Weiss...? What's the matter?"

Blake had thought things had been going well recently, all things considered. Weiss had seemed happy that morning, and had kissed her several times that day.

But now... she seemed almost despondent.

When those two blue pools finally lifted, anxiety gripped Blake's entire body at the dullness she saw there. It was rather uncalled for, and she didn't know where it was stemming from.

What could've possibly happened between suppertime and now?

"Weiss?"

She reached out to touch the girl's hand.

But even before she could feel the brush of contact, Weiss had pulled away in a manner that left no room for argument.

"No..." she whispered. She clutched her hands to her chest, eyes defiant as she glared at Blake, warning her to keep away.

That look...

It sent a shockwave of sharp pain shooting throughout the Faunus girl's body, the most poignant ache she'd ever experienced, second only to the pain she felt whenever Weiss was suffering an attack.

But this was close.

It was almost debilitating, freezing her blood and making her heart thud so hard it rang in her flattened ears.

Her voice slipped out on a wheezing breath, thin and horrified.

"Weiss...?"

But the white-haired girl didn't waver.

"No," she growled again. "No more, Blake... I'm finished. We're finished."

She got right to the heart of the matter, consequently stabbing Blake's heart in the process. It was an intangible dagger, but the pain was real.

"Wh-What are you saying?" she rasped. "What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I'm saying," Weiss snapped. "I don't want you here anymore, Blake. I'm done with you. I want you out of here. I don't love you anymore. In fact... I don't think I ever really did."

Blake forgot how to breathe, her lungs useless in her chest. She couldn't comprehend this, not after everything they'd been through together. She shook her heard, an agonizing sting trapped behind her eyes.

"Weiss..." she whimpered. "No... y-you said it, too. You said it so many times. That you love me, too. No matter what. We promised, didn't we...?"

She made an effort to reach out again, trying to take one of her hands.

But Weiss jerked away with a snarl.

"Don't touch me!" Her voice was unmistakably vehement, cold. "Didn't I make myself clear? I hate you, Blake. All this time, your love for me was something Mother planned! Your feelings for me were never real! You're just an... an animal! Get out of my sight! I never want to see your face again!"

That hurt the most, when Weiss dehumanized her, something she'd never done to Blake before. She'd been the only human Blake knew who hadn't done such a thing before.

She hated this.

She didn't understand why this was happening.

She wished it were a nightmare, but she wasn't waking up from it.

She was scared.

She wanted to run just to get away from this awful feeling-

Until she realized that was exactly what Weiss wanted.

Only when she realized Weiss' true intentions did the tears start to pour down Blake's face.

Had she been a day younger or an ounce more foolish than she was, Blake might've believed her enough to climb out that window and never return.

But she wasn't - not after all she'd been through these past seven years.

She knew what Weiss was doing.

With a hiss, she raised her voice at the girl.

"Oh yeah? If this is what you want, then prove it."

Weiss blinked, her eyes narrowing.

"What are you saying, you fool? How can I make it any clearer than this? Are those ears good for nothing? Didn't you hear me? I said I hate you and I want you gone."

"Prove it!" Blake snapped.

Her purpose had been to provoke Weiss, and it worked.

With another growl, the white-haired girl threw herself at Blake, pinning her down against the bed and trapping her, nails digging into the Faunus girl's shoulders.

"Get out!" she screamed. "Blake, get out of here this instant or so help me I'll knock you senseless and throw you out myself and lock the windows!"

"Even if you lock them, I'll just break my way back in!" Blake retorted. "You can't get rid of me, Weiss!"

"Yes I can!" she screamed, and the tears were falling freely now. "Why can't you understand that I hate you?!"

"Because you're a horrible liar!" Blake yelled back. "If you really wanted me gone, you wouldn't be shaking so much! You wouldn't be crying, you idiot."

"Damn it, Blake!" she gasped. "Just go! Why won't you just get out of here?"

"Because I love you!"

"But I love you, too!" Weiss shouted. "So just go! Get out of here and leave me behind! You don't have to love me! You don't have to come back for me! Just go, damn it!"

She'd forced the words out, and that was all she could say before the weeping took precedence.

"Damn it!" she spat. "Almost... you almost believed me..."

Blake didn't waste another second. She reached up and locked her arms around Weiss' shoulders, pulling the girl down on top of her and holding her tightly in place.

"You idiot..." She whimpered, her voice lowering as the argument faded. "You really are... a horrible liar. I saw right through you..."

A shudder raked Weiss' body, and she choked out a sob against Blake's shoulder.

"I'm... I'm sorry..." she wailed thinly, brokenly. "I just... I wanted to hurt you... I wanted to hurt you so badly th-that you'd... leave without a second thought. It was all I could think of... I just want you to get out of here..."

She was short on breath, and Blake clung to her slim back, rubbing softly.

"I know," she murmured. "I almost believed you for a second. But I know you too well, Weiss. I love you too much... and I know you love me too. You've proven it time and again. Especially now..."

She took a moment to catch her own breath, burying her face in the side of Weiss' neck, breathing in the scent of her hair.

"You love me so much... that'd you'd lie like that. You'd lie and try to hurt me so badly that I'd leave and be free of this place. That's how much you love me."

"I... I'm sorry..." Weiss whispered. "I don't hate you, Blake... I just... I wanted..."

"I know..." the Faunus sighed. "I know."

Weiss had simply been trying to do anything in order to let Blake survive in this horrible life.

For the first time in six months, Weiss broke down in her arms, an awful but regrettably familiar experience. Blake cried with her this time, simply because she was still shaken by the ordeal, by Weiss' false rejection that she had almost believed.

But soon, Blake cried because she was touched beyond description – because Weiss had gone through such lengths to try and convince Blake to leave for her own benefit and wellbeing.

Weiss would even go so far as to hurt Blake that deeply, and surely it would've hurt Weiss twice as much if Blake had believed her.

If Blake had believed her, that would have meant two things.

It would have meant she would've left and never return.

And it would have meant that she hadn't trusted Weiss all those times before when the girl had proclaimed her love for Blake.

Calling Weiss out on her bluff just now had only served to prove the strength of her own affections.

This love was as real as they were.

It had survived countless trials and even a curse.

It had surpassed years of emotional, psychological, and even physical abuse.

It had been stretched thin, but never severed.

And now, both girls knew it never could be.

Nothing could ever defeat this emotion.

It was powerful – almost terrifyingly so.

It couldn't be challenged or bested by anything.

Which was why Blake knew it would play a part in setting them free.

But she didn't tell Weiss of her discoveries and thoughts that night, not after all of this.

Weiss was too distraught, blaming herself for the pain she'd caused Blake, and it was the Faunus girl's task to ease her distress.

Again, she started to purr softly, rolling them both over to reverse their positions. She shielded Weiss from the cold night air, pulling blankets over them both, keeping her eyes trained on the girl beneath her.

Every time Weiss could gasp out the words "I'm sorry," Blake gave the same response:

"It's okay. I love you, Weiss."

And every time she said that four-letter word, Weiss cried harder.

Blake kissed her everywhere, every bit of exposed white skin she could find, scarred or not. She even rolled up Weiss' nightgown to reveal the small scar on her navel just above the line of her pants.

Shifting down, Blake kissed that as well, all over her stomach as it jolted with Weiss' sobs. She never stopped purring, maintaining that constant reassurance to remind Weiss she was still here, that Blake didn't hate her, not even after all of this.

She just kept kissing her, kept reminding Weiss that she loved her.

Minutes turned to hours, and the moonlight shifted, dyeing the room and their bodies in silver. That silver caught in the water of Weiss' tears.

Blake's tears had stopped a while ago, though the purr persisted.

She wiped all of Weiss' tears on her sleeve and dabbed them with her bandana. She covered the girl's swollen cheeks with more kisses, whispered more vows of affection against her heartbeat.

Eventually, Weiss must have felt herself slipping, and Blake felt it too, the grip on her clothes slackening, the pulse beneath her own slowing.

"Blake..." she whispered again. "I truly... am sorry..." She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. "I love you. Please... don't leave me... I don't want to wake up alone..."

Blake gave her another squeeze, planting warm kisses over he forehead and brow.

"I know you love me, Weiss," she murmured. "I love you, too. And you know that. I'll be here when you wake up, just like I always am. I promise, Weiss."

Her arms looped around the girl's neck and shoulders, and Blake settled onto her side, drawing Weiss close against her chest.

"Just sleep now. I'm here. I'm always here, and I always will be."

With one final burdened breath, Weiss fell silent and still. The tears stopped, the labored breathing deepened, the scared heartbeat slowed.

Again, Blake kept her vigil, the thoughts from before their argument resurfacing once more.

I'll tell her soon, she decided. Maybe not tomorrow. I should give her a day to recover and calm down a bit.

She stoked her hand through Weiss' hair, all the way down to her hip.

But I'll tell her soon. I'll tell her and we'll get out of here before springtime, before our year is up.

This was a vow to both Weiss and to herself.

With it in mind, Blake allowed her eyelids to fall shut, and with one final kiss to Weiss' temple, she let sleep sweep her under its combers.

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Time was precious, and certainly not on their side, but even so, Blake forced herself to wait on revealing her thoughts on how to break the curse.

The following day was a little rough, as Weiss still clearly blamed herself from the night before.

She kept doing her utmost to avoid Blake's gaze, and every other phrase out of her mouth was an apology.

Blake reassured her every time, constantly reminding Weiss that she understood the girl's intentions, and that there was nothing to apologize for.

She didn't mention the curse for a few days, fearing it might all be too much too quickly for Weiss.

And so another week of winter passed, and it was one of the coldest ones they'd ever experienced.

The two girls would cling to one another at night, pressing as close as physically possible.

But despite the frigid air, Weiss had requested not to close the window.

Blake feared they'd fall ill, though, so they had compromised with just leaving it open halfway.

It snowed those nights, the world outside blanketed in thin layers of powdery white.

Every night, they'd sit in bed and recite one of those books they knew by heart without even glancing at the pages.

Weiss' eyes were always transfixed on the snow flurrying down outside, and many times, Blake noticed the girl's hand subconsciously reaching out, as though wanting to touch it.

Once, Blake had ventured to the window sill herself and reached out as far as she could to scoop up a handful of the stuff, bringing it back inside for Weiss to marvel at and feel for herself.

One evening, in the dark of night, during one of her moments of stillness, Weiss had stared out the window for a long while, eyes open but faded, as though locked in a world of the past.

It was hazy, blurred with white and shadows, her thoughts a jumbled mess.

But her lips moved without her knowing it, and produced a single word:

"Winter..."

Blake's ears perked up at the sound.

They way she'd said it had made it sound as though it had... more meaning than simply a cold, snowy night.

Blake said nothing, silently encouraging Weiss to try and tap into whatever memories she could recall.

But a few minutes later, Weiss merely sighed and slumped back against Blake's chest.

"I can't remember anything..." she sighed.

Blake held her close, wrapping both arms around her stomach and tracing circles over the wound hidden there. She let out a purr and dipped her face to kiss the side of Weiss' neck.

"It's okay," she murmured. "You did your best."

And again, the time didn't seem right to tell her about breaking the curse.

Blake decided tomorrow would be the day.

So that night, she laid down with Weiss in her arms, realizing that with any shred of luck at all, this would be one of their last nights in this accursed place.

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Morning came, and it was cold, too.

The world outside was blanketed in thick white, and Blake's eyes drifted to it for a while as Weiss continued to sleep. She would be sure to eat all of her food today, and encourage Weiss to do the same.

They would need all of their strength for what lie ahead.

Blake's blood was already roaring in anticipation and nervousness, so much so that she could feel it.

When Weiss woke, it was with a soft moan.

"Blake...? Are you alright? Your heart's pounding."

The Faunus girl simply bit her lip and nodded her head, drawing Weiss nearer.

"Yes... I'm fine. Don't worry..."

She said as much, but now Blake was starting to fret.

What if the timing wasn't right? What if she was wrong about her theory? What if what she planned to do caused Cinder's wrath so intensely that Weiss got hurt again?

A whimper died in her throat, as she'd swallowed it back before it could escape.

No. No more second-guessing this. We've waited eight years, damn it! Any longer and god only knows what that witch will make of us. Her own personal murderers and clean-up crew. Disgusting.

She wouldn't let that happen to someone as pure as Weiss. The girl had been through far too much already. She'd more than earned her freedom, and Blake wanted to be the one to grant it to her, no matter the cost.

Evidently, she'd been lost in thought for a minute, because what brought her back to reality was a gentle kiss on the cheek. She blinked, finding two pools of blue, clearer than the winter sky that watched them from above.

Weiss' hand brushed gingerly over her cheek, and Blake sighed, pressing into her palm. Her delicate fingers combed through Blake's hair smoothly as the lips traveled to her temple, and then to her ears.

The purr came without thought, an airy, gravelly sound, but one Weiss loved more than any other.

Blake reciprocated by moving her lips across Weiss' scarred eye, mumbling little phrases along the way. She went down to the girl's shoulder where her nightgown exposed skin and kissed there as well. She finished with a kiss over Weiss' heart, again making an effort to blot out the mark there.

Weiss pet through her hair and all down her back to demonstrate her appreciation for the action.

"I love you, Blake," she sighed, feeling more content than usual.

Blake felt it as well.

"I love you, Weiss," she replied.

For a few more minutes, the purrs and kisses continued.

Only when Blake's thoughts started taking hold and reminding her of what needed to be done did she pull away. Her eyes bore into Weiss', and she inhaled deeply.

"Weiss..." she began. "There's... something I need to talk to you about-"

But before she could finish her sentence, an awfully familiar ringing cut her off.

The bell had rung once, and she stopped speaking to listen for the second ring to summon them to breakfast.

Weiss bumped her nose against Blake's.

"Tell me after we eat. I'll listen to everything."

Blake nodded and let Weiss free of her arms.

The two girls quickly scrambled out of bed to change their clothes, Weiss putting on one of her newly-embroidered light blue dresses outlined with gold. Blake slipped into a purple sweater and a pair of black pants, then tied on the usual black boots and at last put the bandana around her neck.

But even as they hurried to change, the bell never rang a second time.

Weiss had just finished stepping into her white shoes and tying her hair into its usual ponytail when she felt her heart skip a beat.

She turned back around to look at Blake, but found the same confusion in her eyes.

"Blake...?" she whispered. "It... It didn't ring again... did it?"

"No..."

One ring.

Not two.

Which could only mean one thing.

"W-What?"

Instantly, Weiss rushed toward the door, Blake hot on her heels.

"What's going on?" she hissed, her blood heated with both fear and fury. "It's only been seven months! What's she doing?"

But as they hurried out into the hallway, hand-in-hand, neither asked any more questions.

They simply followed the demanded routine, keeping close to the walls and checking every part of the house they passed through for danger or unwanted visitors.

But Blake feared this was going to be just like the last time. There wouldn't be anyone else in the mansion; at least, not on the aboveground levels.

She had half a mind to tug Weiss to a stop before they'd even reached the bookshelf, but nothing good would come of risking Cinder's ire.

Therefore, they slipped through the hidden door and descended the staircase into the freezing basement below.

Blake was sure to keep herself in front, her eyes instantly adjusting in the limited lighting. The single window was covered up and blocked by snow, but the light in the basement came from a familiar lantern hanging on the wall.

As Blake had feared, this seemed to be the same predicament as seven months ago with the two sisters.

Cinder was standing in the middle of the room, the hood of her cloak down to reveal her ashen hair, too dull even to reflect the firelight. That job was for her eyes, perpetually burning, be it with hatred, anger, or hunger.

Bloodlust.

It seemed clear that was the thing on her mind again today.

Blake and Weiss skidded to a halt on the stone floor, the sounds of their panting breaths echoing around the room.

Cinder smiled upon seeing them, then opened her arms invitingly. In one of her hands was a familiar rapier.

"Welcome, my dear."

Blake noticed the witch's eyes were trained solely upon Weiss as she addressed her daughter alone.

Blake didn't like this, didn't like that Cinder's focus was entirely on Weiss. So she made an effort to redirect it onto herself.

"What is this?" she growled, squeezing Weiss' hand tighter. "You said you'd give us one year."

Cinder's smile dropped instantly, her arms coming back to her sides. Clearly, she didn't fancy being interrupted.

With a downward plunge of her arm, she stabbed the rapier's tip into the stone floor to let it stand for itself. With terrifying speed, she slithered across the room, her eyes narrowed and aiming for the Faunus girl.

"One year?" she spat.

Cinder came to a halt just a breath away from Blake, and the girl recoiled a step at that strong, rank stench of Dust. But Cinder reached out, grabbing her face with one hand to yank her forward again.

"One year for you to do what, exactly? Continue to make an effort to rebel against me? Don't think I haven't realized what you're up to, animal."

Stepping back, she forced Blake forward, dragging her away from Weiss, pulling their hands apart. Blake hissed as she felt a slight searing in her cheek, her hand dropping limply to her side without Weiss to hold onto anymore. She struggled to keep her eyes open as Cinder snarled threateningly into her face.

"How vulgar. Do you have any idea how much it's sickened me to keep such filth in my residence for this many years? But I put up with it all this time, because this is what it comes down to."

This...? Blake thought. And what exactly is 'this'?

Her thoughts cut off as Cinder finally released her face. Blake grunted and took a step back toward Weiss.

But a shout from the witch prevented her from moving so much as another step.

There was a rush of air, and that was the last thing Blake heard before a torrid pain shot through both of her Faunus ears.

She screamed, the force of the impact knocking her sideways to stumble against the wall where she had no other option but to crumple. She heard Weiss scream her name, but other than that, it was only her own screams.

The witch had swiped at her ears specifically, using her Dust-enhanced nails to burn them. Blake could feel warm blood dripping down into her hair, and her hands covered her throbbing ears as another cry of pain flew from her lungs.

It was only when the coolness of her aura started to trickle into the wounds when she could start hearing properly once more.

The witch was standing a few yards in front of her, blocking Weiss' path to Blake. But the harsh voice was directed at the Faunus girl.

"Animal," she said again. "Faunus are the scum of the planet. But I had to allow at least one into this place. All for this purpose..."

As she trailed off, her eyes turned back to the girl in blue. Cinder stalked back over to the rapier in the stone floor, pulling it out before making her way back toward her daughter.

"I can't kill," she stated. "The best I can do is shred them with these nails to a certain degree. I can torture and maim and curse, but nothing more. I can bring them to the brink of death, but never over the edge. My abilities won't suffice for what I need accomplished."

She paused a few feet away from her daughter, then held out the rapier to her.

"As you already know, that is where you come in, my dear."

Blake lifted her head, trying to see what was going on as she did her best to ignore the pain. Weiss hadn't accepted the rapier just yet, her blue eyes locked on Cinder's amber ones.

"Mother..." she said hollowly. "What... is my task...?"

Cinder smiled, a cruel cackle echoing about the room.

"From this day forth..." she husked. "Your task will be to eradicate the Faunus of Vale, one by one as I bring them to you."

Blake felt her stomach twist so tightly she would've been ill if she'd had anything in her system. She pressed a hand to her mouth to keep the bile down, her throat burning with acid. Her injured ears flicked at the sound of Weiss' voice, and Blake didn't know what to make of it.

"Then... show me my victim," she said levelly. "Show me who you've brought and I will kill them, Mother."

Weiss accepted the rapier.

Cinder laughed again, gliding behind the girl.

"Your victim? Why, my dear child-"

Her hands slipped to either side of Weiss' face, turning her until blue met with gold.

Blake's heart stopped, and she could tell by Weiss' expression that hers did too as the witch finished her sentence:

"-you're looking at her."

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A/N: -

Ch9 preview: "The way I see it," Cinder hummed. "There can be as many as three deaths here today, or as few as one. That is up to you two to decide."

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