Nameless (ch6)

EARLY RELEASE FOR YOU GUYS~

In this chapter, it will mark several time skips, so please read attentively.

WARNINGS for mental/physical/psychological abuse.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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							Chapter 6. Revelation

Every day was battle.

Either it was a race against time and physically avoiding the witch's potential wrath, or it was a silent struggle to persist and not relinquish a grasp on hope.

Blake did all she could to keep Weiss out of Cinder's presence whenever possible.

Sometimes, she succeeded in convincing Weiss it wasn't necessary to see the witch, but others, Blake would have no choice but to stand by silently and bear witness to the same scenes of false affection that had made her skin crawl since day one.

She continued her own methods of subtle rebellion - stretching, exercising, and building up her strength whenever the opportunity presented itself. And she kept herself alert and attentive at all times of the day, listening for sounds of the witch.

It soon became routine between Blake and Weiss that whenever Cinder left the mansion, they would retreat to their room together to meditate and breathe in the fresh air from the window.

The process became so natural to them, that soon there was no longer any risk of Cinder finding out. The girls were always punctual and would rush to Cinder at the second chime of the bell to welcome her home, leaving the witch none the wiser.

Blake kept the window in their bedroom open as often as possible, unless she knew Cinder would be entering to provide them with clean bedsheets or fill the drawers with new clothes.

That was one thing Blake still didn't know how to refute – the Dust-embroidered clothes that flared gold in warning every time Weiss got too close to a window or door that led outside.

But at the very least, Blake had halved their time in the rancid-smelling parts of the mansion, and every single night was spent huddled together to read and eventually fall asleep together.

The X-shaped mark on Weiss' chest never faded away as Blake hoped it would. It simply remained a constant reminder of that horrible evening several months ago.

The two girls were daring and cautious when Cinder wasn't around, and they were loyal and obedient when she was.

Blake did nothing more that would warrant her rage or disapproval – at least, nothing the witch was aware of, anyway.

But the point was that there had been no incidents of Weiss' panic attacks for over a full month now. The white-haired girl was calmer, more confident, and smiled more often.

Of course, it still meant she sought out Cinder's praise and love, but Blake was always sure to be the last person Weiss saw, heard, and felt before she fell asleep each night.

The daily routine was something Blake grew accustomed to and didn't try to challenge. Not for a while.

Of course, it was torment to always wait another day.

And another.

And another.

And it was even more torturous to wait until those days had merged into weeks - and then months - of inaction on her part.

But she couldn't risk anything happening, not yet, not when she was still building up her physical strength and helping Weiss to shape her emotional stability.

And so, time started to become a fleeting thing.

Days sped by, seemingly unimportant hours until the two girls could curl up together in their private evening time without risk of being bothered or interfered with.

That was still Blake's favorite part of every day.

Time started to become almost insignificant, and what took precedence – at least for Blake – was instinct. She never forgot about the things she'd learned, witnessed, and experienced since stepping foot into this mansion months ago.

But she couldn't afford to lash out or counter against the witch yet. All she could do was wait for some sort of sign, or at the very least, wait for the morning when her instincts were screaming so loudly at her to act that she couldn't refuse.

But for a little while, all was almost peaceful in that prison of a mansion.

After Blake had ceased her initial nosiness about the place and stopped trying to fight Cinder's rules, things fell into an odd state of antebellum.

The witch would merely smile kindly at both girls as she called them to breakfast. Then she'd either retreat to her secret rooms, or pull up her hood and venture out into town.

Blake and Weiss would wait until she was gone before either going to the living area or their bedroom accordingly. Upon Cinder's return, it would be the usual "welcome back" and then preparing supper.

Every other evening, Weiss and Blake bathed themselves, and those were really the only times they weren't right beside one another. Blake was always quick with her showers, never knowing if Cinder might be hurting Weiss somehow without Blake's knowledge, or perhaps praising and pampering her, which was almost just as bad.

The "good morning" embraces and "goodnight" kisses were things Blake could do nothing but watch for, but the rest of the time, she didn't want Cinder within arm's length of Weiss if she could help it.

There were only minimal incidents of Cinder's anger now, like the occasional disapproving comment when Weiss couldn't finish all of her supper, or a warning glare to get the girls to do something she'd already asked them to do twice before.

And sometimes, Blake would see the beginning signs of the panic on Weiss' expression, see the little red flares and wisps of steam emitting from her chest.

Once that started, making Cinder content and calming Weiss down were the only objectives, which needed to be done in that order. As soon as the witch was satisfied and out of sight, Blake was sure to pull Weiss in to her and help her relax, murmuring reassurances and purring softly.

Days of being constantly cautious and mindful of their tasks and behavior was what soon became two full months without Weiss suffering a single full attack.

Blake recognized the pattern before long; keeping Cinder happy meant keeping Weiss out of jeopardy.

Therefore, Blake did everything she had to in order to reach that end goal every single day.

And more days merged into weeks, and more weeks merged into months.

Seasons passed, and soon Blake was forced to start shutting their window at night simply so Weiss and herself wouldn't freeze under the already-frigid mansion air.

In the mornings, she would open the window to let in the crisp freshness of the autumn air, encouraging Weiss to breathe it in even despite its chill. The mansion air was already cold, and Blake figured that adding a bit more chilled air to that wouldn't make much of a difference or raise the witch's suspicions.

It was merely a matter of being mindful of how cold it got in their bedroom, because if it was bad enough that either one or both of them was shivering, the window would need to be shut.

It was always Blake who opened and closed it. Even when Weiss showed interest in getting near or touching the sill just to feel the sunlight again, Blake would gently pull her away.

"I just don't want you to get hurt again," she said. "It was... really terrifying to watch that first time, and I don't ever want to see it again."

And Weiss understood. So she abided by Blake's wishes and always kept a good foot or so of distance between the window and herself when she ventured over to enjoy their air or the sunlight.

Even if the mornings and daytimes were a bit chilly, evenings were always warm.

Blake liked to think the end of the day was also Weiss' favorite part as well. She always seemed to enjoy curling up to read to Blake, and then consequently hugging her close when she fell asleep.

Blake preferred letting Weiss fall asleep first, making sure she was safely tucked away into a peaceful realm of slumber first and foremost. Only then would Blake allow herself to follow.

There was the occasional nightmare, and Blake suffered them just as often as Weiss did.

Luckily for them, it was always just one or the other, but never both of them on the same night. When the nightmares harassed them, they'd wake flustered, panting, and vulnerable.

When it was Blake who was suffering, Weiss had a difficult time trying to comfort her. She'd never needed to take care of anyone else before in her life that she could recall, and so trying to help Blake through those frightful nights was always a challenge. She would simply hold the Faunus girl, pet her hair and ears for her, and even start to hum softly.

That was how Blake discovered how beautiful of a voice Weiss had. It always served to calm her down whenever Weiss sang or even just hummed to her. She assumed it was almost the equivalent of the effect it had on Weiss whenever Blake would purr for her.

The vibrations were a constant, pleasant, but light pressure against her chest – calming, and slow. It always sent the other off to sleep without any further interruptions.

Weiss made sure Blake never had to suffer for longer than a few minutes before she was relaxed once more. And Blake made sure Weiss never retreated into Cinder's room for comfort at night anymore.

Blake was the one that provided the comfort for everything; nightmares, scoldings, random, poignant memories Weiss had no control over seeing. It was always a man and another young girl, and as the visions increased with frequency, Blake knew for certain now it must've been Weiss' real family.

But she didn't dare reveal such a thing to her, for fear of the reaction.

Despite everything, Weiss still viewed Cinder as her mother and only family. But with the way the straying memories were resurfacing more and more frequently in various forms, Blake knew this forged life wouldn't last forever.

Cinder had repainted Weiss' memory to please herself, but that paint was starting to chip away bit by bit.

Whenever Weiss thought of the man and other girl, Blake was certain she never told Cinder about it. If the witch caught on that Weiss was beginning to remember her true childhood - even if it was only in confusing dreams and nonsensical thoughts - Blake feared she might cut into Weiss' memories again to destroy them.

She guessed that had been what Cinder had done initially, sliced into Weiss' left eye in order to pull the memories from her mind.

But the things Weiss was recalling now were memories she kept stored in her heart. And although Cinder had marked the skin over her chest as well, Weiss' heart was still her own.

And Blake knew she now resided in a portion part of Weiss' heart as well. She just wanted to hold a bigger spot than Cinder did.

Blake wouldn't even attempt to deny that she had come to love Weiss; she just wasn't entirely sure what kind of love it was. It seemed to be more than the love of a stranger, and more akin to the love of a sister or very close friend. A protector, and also someone who would stand beside her through thick and thin.

But she didn't dare say that word - not yet.

She merely showed her love by continuing to care for Weiss in every way she could.

Maybe one day, after they escaped this place, they could explore that love a bit more...

. . .

Winter came and went, breathing a blanket of white onto the world for a time before the sun ultimately melted it away once again.

A very rare day occurred, when Cinder came back from town one day with a treat for the two girls; a small apple pie. She told them it was Weiss' birthday that day, though Blake merely assumed it was the anniversary of the day she'd been taken.

Of course, the little celebration served to make Weiss happy beyond explanation. The only downside to it all was the excess affection Cinder gave her that day, along with a brand new Dust-embroidered dress.

Blake was certain to hug Weiss for longer than usual that night behind closed doors in an effort to shove all thoughts and contact from the witch away. She told Weiss many things that night, making sure Weiss knew that Blake loved her without explicitly stating as much.

"I'm glad we could be together here," she said. "I'm glad I could be your friend. I'm glad I could help make the pain go away, even just a little bit."

Weiss returned every embrace with just as much tightness, just as much need, and just as much gratitude.

"I'm glad you're here with me too, Blake. Thank you for not leaving. If you left... I'd miss you very much."

That night had been especially warm, even despite the last few cold breezes of winter air.

But with each passing day, that air became warmer and warmer.

And before Blake knew it, the springtime marked an entire year she'd been trapped in this mansion.

She continued to train herself, building up muscle, eating all she could. Every day that Weiss meditated in her bedroom rather than the living area was a day she didn't have to be so close to the cursed, poisonous scent of the Dust.

Weiss taught Blake how to read fluently, until she could do so on her own and without saying the words aloud.

Weiss kept true to her promise, and Blake did as well.

She didn't let Weiss get hurt anymore, didn't try to challenge Cinder or make her upset anymore.

However, she did realize that sometimes, the witch would intentionally get angry at them, a deliberate display of rage that held the sole purpose of terrifying Weiss into a state of disarray. She made sure to remind Weiss who was in charge, remind Blake that Weiss couldn't survive without Cinder's approval.

Blake couldn't always prevent those times, but she always did her best to help Weiss afterward.

But it was still clear that Weiss physically couldn't be freed from the witch's clutches. Her body still shut down in the face of Cinder's ire, and her heart would become excessively stressed.

A few times, Blake even needed to take Weiss into the bathroom so she could be sick, a new development in her body's reaction. It was rare, but when such an instance did occur, it was always agonizing, both for Weiss to experience and for Blake to watch.

There was nothing Weiss could do but shake and sob and vomit, and nothing Blake could do but hold her hair, rub her back, and clean her up once it was all over.

It always served to remind Blake that no matter how well things might've seemed to be going some days – with Weiss breathing in less of the cursed air, with her refusal to go to Cinder for comfort and instead opting to stay with Blake, with her gradually-increasing confidence and happiness – that Weiss was still undoubtedly under Cinder's control.

It would still take more time before Blake could decide to act, to reveal Cinder's true nature to Weiss.

It was a perpetual ride of ups and downs, from one extreme to the other, from a day of smiles and relaxation to an evening of sickness and torment.

Still, Blake waited.

She waited for the day her instincts would tell her to take action.

Blake's own birthday passed once.

Then twice.

Then three times.

Then four...

. . .

. .

. . .

For over four years, she lived in that prison with Weiss, under the dark energy of the witch.

And though Blake did her best to rebel right under Cinder's nose in every way possible without risking Weiss' or her own wellbeing, the Faunus girl had yet to receive any kind of sign that today was the day to get out.

Rather, every day was a day she wanted to escape, but she never found a proper excuse to do so, not one she could explain to Weiss, anyway.

Now, at the age of sixteen, Blake had built up a lot of strength, power, and muscle. She would've carried Weiss out through the window herself without looking back if she could have, but that cursed mark on the white-haired girl's chest physically prevented her from leaving the mansion.

There was no doubt in Blake's mind that she herself could get out, but she'd be leaving Weiss behind to scream in agony as the mark burned into her heart.

Blake was now more than certain she could leave this place and run quickly enough through town to gather information about her parents. She could find them and flee with them before the witch could ever hope to find them.

Blake was nimble, speedy, and very physically capable of doing so.

But her heart kept her tied down here.

She loved Weiss, and it was evident to her that it was less of a sisterly love now.

She could still recall the most recent winter, how unbearably cold and unforgiving it had been. Despite how much they'd both grown over the years, Blake and Weiss still slept in the same bed together, huddled beneath the blankets.

It had been a night when Cinder had lashed out at Weiss, yelled furiously at her for the most trivial of reasons, just to make her tremble.

Weiss had cried all night in Blake's arms, and after hours of broken purrs and meek embraces, Blake had caved.

She'd resorted to kissing Weiss, giving in to her desires and pressing her lips over the girl's scarred cheek, her brow, her nose and her neck.

And Weiss had whimpered, heart pounding for more reasons than one as she'd clung to Blake and eventually bumped their lips together.

From that moment on, the love between them had been unavoidable, unalterable, and unable to be concealed.

Blake had feared Cinder's reaction to it, feared that she might go so far as to actually kill Blake or punish Weiss severely.

But when she'd found out, the witch had only smiled and clapped her hands together once before pulling Weiss - and even Blake - in close to her.

"Splendid," she's said. "That's just wonderful."

At first, Blake had been skeptical of the woman's easy acceptance of such a major development.

But she soon understood why the witch approved of and even encouraged their relationship.

Because now it restrained them without question.

Blake and Weiss were inseparable. If the Faunus girl were to leave now, it would shatter Weiss indefinitely.

Blake wouldn't do that do her. She couldn't.

And she and Cinder both knew as much.

Blake wasn't tied down by a curse, she hadn't inhaled dark magics for so many years, she didn't adorn clothes ridden with Dust particles. Blake was absolutely free now, with the risk of Cinder's threat to kill her parents a mere distant memory.

But at what cost would her freedom come?

Weiss would be devastated, and likely her body would react violently. With such an abused heart beating in Weiss' chest, weak from years of excessive stress and strain, Blake's deserting her could very well be a catalyst to make Weiss too sick to ever get better.

Blake and Cinder knew that the Faunus girl could leave whenever she wanted.

But she never would.

Not without Weiss.

And Weiss couldn't leave so long as the curse was in place.

And even after four years, Blake hadn't figured out how they could possibly break it.

She had a certain theory, but not much evidence to prove it. Not a single day yielded new results or new ideas that she hadn't already pondered before.

There was only one thing she could think of; to love the girl more than Weiss thought Cinder ever had or could.

Blake wanted to prove her love to Weiss, make her realize the difference between an abuser's twisted love and a partner's pure love.

She kissed Weiss every morning, and it was always one of the first things out of her mouth.

"I love you, Weiss."

And the response was always the same.

Weiss would always smile and hug her, then kiss her in return.

Blake said it as often as she could. After Weiss had finished her daily meditation, be it in her room or not, Blake would pull the girl into her lap and lean against her. She'd wrap Weiss in her arms, nuzzle into her neck, and emit a gentle purr.

"I love you."

And Weiss would kiss her cheek, then her lips, and return the phrase.

"I love you too, Blake."

And again at night, after Weiss had bid Cinder goodnight, and after she and Blake had re-read one of the many books they already knew by heart, Blake would kiss her and say it again.

"Goodnight, Weiss. I love you."

And Weiss would sigh, breathing in the fresh air from their secretly-ajar window as she pressed herself close to her companion.

"I love you, Blake."

At the very least, they could confess it candidly now, though they tended to avoid doing so in Cinder's direct presence.

They kept their relationship private, despite the fact that the witch was fully aware of it.

And it almost unnerved Blake how accepting Cinder was about all of this. She thought the woman would be enraged that Blake was attempting to steal Weiss away from her.

But Cinder seemed to welcome and encouraged their relationship, or at the very least, she very did little to impose upon it.

All because she knew they were inevitably trapping one another inside that mansion with their affections.

Blake was highly suspicious for a time, but never let that get in the way of her love for Weiss.

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Three months had passed since the girls had first kissed, and summer was well underway now.

Blake spent her time resting or reading in the single ray of sunlight in the bedroom as Weiss went through her usual meditation.

And despite the calmness and stillness of the present day, Blake couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing. It felt like a dark cloud was looming just over the distant horizon. She could sense the sparks beginning to form in the air, but there was no telling how close or far away the storm was.

She stuck close to Weiss that day, closer than usual.

But Cinder returned to the mansion as per usual, prepared supper, and then saw them off to bed.

Blake stayed awake and alert for an hour after she'd wished Weiss goodnight.

But still, nothing happened. That prickling sensation merely continued to fester in the back of her mind, making her throat dry.

Yet the night was quiet and still, so in the end, she merely dipped her head down to Weiss' collar, pressed an ear to her chest to listen, and let the girl's steady pulse lull her to sleep.

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The following morning was bright and sunny, but the storm felt like it was directly upon Blake.

It felt stifling, as though the air were charged with sparks of electricity. Her ears kept swiveling, her mouth was arid, and her heart was thumping quickly.

When Weiss woke, she noticed something was wrong instantly.

"Blake? What is it? Did you have another nightmare?" She sat up in bed quickly, helping Blake up beside her and wrapping the Faunus girl gently in her arms.

But Blake could only shake her head.

"No... But... something feels off. I can't explain it. Just... let's be careful today, okay?"

Weiss nodded, pressing a soft kiss to Blake's cheek to calm her a bit.

It was welcome distraction, as was the kiss Weiss held to her lips but a moment later.

But it wasn't long before the bell rang twice, and the two girls stood from the mattress and ventured to the kitchen.

Blake stuck a little closer to Weiss than usual, subtly moving the other girl's chair an inch closer to her own rather than near Cinder's when the witch had her back turned.

It was the same routine as per usual; they took their seats, were given their plates of food, and ate in silence.

Cinder seemed strangely noncommittal throughout the meal. She didn't send those little glares of disapproval to Weiss or of warning to Blake, nor did she grunt or growl at Weiss to finish her food.

To Blake, the witch seemed to be lost in deep thought, distracted by something. She could only imagine whatever it was would have consequences for herself and Weiss sooner or later.

Blake did her best that morning not to test the witch's patience. Once she'd finished eating, the Faunus girl took her plate to the sink to wash and dry it, and Weiss joined her shortly afterward. Blake focused on her task, trying to act collected and calm as per usual.

But that was a little difficult to do when she felt long, bony fingers wrap around her shoulder.

She froze as that all-too-familiar sharp and bitter scent filled her lungs directly.

"Take care of this, too," Cinder murmured, setting her own plate down on the counter by Blake's elbows. "I've got business to attend to. Today's an important day."

The fingers slid away from Blake's shoulder, clicking heels leading away. When she turned her head, the witch was gone without a trace, not even the flutter of her crimson cloak left in her wake.

Blake remembered to breathe again. She didn't like the feeling that slithered through her spine like a serpent, and she instinctively stepped a bit closer to Weiss, their shoulders brushing. She picked up Cinder's plate and began to wash it. The second it hit the running water, the leftover food stains and remnants on the plate began to drip off, looking red.

Blake swallowed hard at the image of blood it created in her mind, and she turned up the water quickly in hopes to wash it away.

-------------------

With the hood of her enchanted cloak up, even the intense summer sunlight didn't bother Cinder as she kept to the corners of the buildings, blending with the shadows.

But she passed by the marketplace without a second glance this time.

She hadn't ventured out to find food or clothing today. She was after a different prize entirely.

The two girls back at the mansion had grown big enough by now, more than physically capable of the task she had in mind for them.

Over five years of toilsome work in one of her various forbidden rooms had only just yielded favorable results a few nights ago. It had taken a bit longer than she perhaps might've liked, but at the very least now she was certain that what she had created could be utilized by the one it was created for.

She would just need something to test it out on.

And this town was crawling with targets.

She'd take her time in choosing one.

-------------------

Blake's ears flicked as the mansion's doors shut not a moment later.

She was still unsettled by Cinder's words, and as she and Weiss finished putting the plates away, Blake couldn't stop herself from thinking out loud.

"What's today?" she wondered. "Why is today important?"

Weiss paused and looked back to her, blue eyes equally as puzzled as gold.

"I'm not sure. It isn't either of our birthdays, that's for sure. We just had them..." Weiss mumbled. "I don't think we've ever celebrated something in the middle of the summer. Perhaps Mother's creating a new event or something?"

Blake's ears flattened; if it was something the witch was concocting, it couldn't be good for either Weiss or herself.

Blake wiped her hands on a small towel before finding Weiss' fingers, grasping them firmly.

"Come on," she muttered. "Let's go back to our room and get some fresh air."

The headed to their blue-painted bedroom once more. Whatever Cinder had in store for them upon her return, at the very least Weiss wouldn't have inhaled as much of the toxic fumes as the witch might've liked her to.

Blake opened the door, and once inside, Weiss closed it behind herself. They'd made it a habit of closing the window when they weren't in the room, just to be safe. It was closed at present, and before Blake could take a step toward it, Weiss tugged her wrist gently.

"Let me try," she insisted.

Blake instantly shook her head.

"Weiss, no. It's the same every time. The curse is still on you."

"But who knows? Maybe there could be times when it lapses, and I would think that would be when Mother is away."

"You've tried this several times before and it's always the same, Weiss."

"Well, I want to try again," she declared. "There's no harm in it."

"There is!" Blake hissed in frustration. "You'll get hurt again!"

"I won't try for long," Weiss promised. "But please, Blake. I've at least got to try." She lifted her face, until her honest blue eyes were boring directly into Blake's apprehensive ones.

Blake hissed again; Weiss knew she couldn't resist her request with determination like that.

So the Faunus girl stepped away, letting Weiss advance toward the window.

"One push," Blake said. "If you can't open it after one push, you need to stop right away, alright?"

"Alright." Weiss nodded, stepping closer to the window. "I won't try to go outside. I just want to try and open it. That's all."

They could both vividly remember what would happen if Weiss tried to go outside so much as an inch past the mansion's walls, and neither was willing to risk that happening again.

Blake stayed close behind Weiss, peering over her shoulder to watch the girl. The lock was already unhinged, so the window should've opened easily.

At least, to anyone who wasn't cursed.

Blake watched as Weiss placed her hands on the window sill, palms upward and ready to push up against the weight of the glass.

Even before she made contact with it, however, Blake could already see those familiar golden lines lighting up around the hem of her blue dress. She bit back a whimper as Weiss surged upward with all of her strength.

Being sixteen years old now rather than just eight or ten, Weiss thought she might've stood a chance at budging the thing.

But it was clear that her curse had no age, and it didn't care how old she was either.

She was met not with lenience, but with the same immovable, tectonic resistance as she always encountered. She huffed, bracing herself harder, rooting her shoes into the floorboards as she pushed with everything she had.

Blake could only watch for so long, but when the Dust in Weiss' clothing started to flare even brighter, she couldn't let this continue.

"Weiss, stop-" Blake reached forward, wrapping her arms around the girl's torso, and guiding her back a few paces.

Weiss' chest was already heaving frantically, a faint trail of steam rising up from her collar. Blake turned her around, pushing the fabrics of her dress to one side to reveal the scarlet X over her chest. It was pulsing quickly, the dormant pink now exchanged for a garish red every other second.

Blake whimpered and pulled her close, kissing Weiss' temple softly. Weiss felt substantially warmer than she had only seconds ago, the feverish aftereffects yet another part of the curse. She clung to Blake's shirt with shaking hands, panting into her shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry..." she rasped. "I thought that m-maybe I-"

"I know," Blake soothed. "You tried. But the curse is still as strong as ever. So just save your breath, okay? Calm down. Breathe..."

She didn't want this to turn into another attack. They'd managed to go nearly two months now without Weiss suffering a full-on panic attack, not from the curse nor from a violent reaction from Cinder's wrath.

Blake rubbed up and down the girl's back, purring quietly. She kissed her cheek, over the scar, then her lips, pushing a bit of air into Weiss' lungs.

After that, Blake bent down, holding a long, deep kiss over the red mark on her chest.

Weiss' skin was smooth and without ridges from the old wound now that so many years had passed. But her skin was still hot to the touch due to aggravated the curse.

Blake kissed her there, holding the girl steady in her arms as she waited for Weiss' pulse to drop and the heat to die down.

"It's okay," she purred. "You're fine."

After a moment had passed, Weiss had regained her breath. Blake straightened up to kiss her lips once more, glad to feel Weiss had calmed down again, the radiant heat to her skin gradually cooling.

The Dust-embroidered clothes certainly enforced the curse on Weiss, but that mark on her chest was where the majority of the power resided, and Blake could never alter that without somehow breaking the curse first.

She was done with risking Weiss' wellbeing in all of this. She needed to figure out how to break the curse on her own.

She kissed Weiss again, murmuring softly against her lips.

"I love you. Don't forget that, okay?"

Weiss sighed, letting it out on a long exhale.

"I won't. I never will, Blake. No matter what happens, I'll never forget that."

Blake pulled her into another kiss, and then another hug. She then coaxed Weiss to the bed, having her sit down.

"Try to meditate, okay?" she said. "Just relax now and focus on your breathing. I'll open the window."

Weiss slipped out of her shoes and pulled her legs up onto the bed, nodding.

Once she was comfortable, Blake returned to the window and pushed it open with ease. It was a bit infuriating how simple a task it was to someone like her, free of the horrid curse cast upon this place. Weiss had just struggled with all her might and hadn't so much as budged the thing. She never had.

But the fresh air was coming in now, filling the room with the scent of flowers and even a bit of cool water, probably running down the edges of the streets from where people had used hoses to wash their cars or water their lawns.

It all seemed so strange, how other people lived normal lives just a few miles away, with no knowledge whatsoever of what went on inside these mansion walls...

Blake sat down on the floor in a patch of sunlight, drawing one of the books out from the shelf. She'd read them all a hundred times by now, and thanks to Weiss' teachings, she was an expert at reading in her head.

But she still enjoyed revisiting these stories, the ones she'd first read several years ago with Weiss when the white-haired girl had just been teaching her how to comprehend written words.

Blake leaned her back against the bottom of the bed, settling her weight comfortably, though she kept one ear turned to the side to focus on Weiss. It was clear by her controlled breathing now that she was meditating and in a state of relaxation, which allowed Blake herself to let the tension ebb away.

After the startling incident at the window, the following hours were spent in tranquility.

Little did they know that those hours would be some of – if not the – last hours of peace they'd ever experience here.

-------------------

Around three hours after noon, Blake had been dozing lightly when her ears flicked and picked up on the sound of commotion at the front door.

She straightened up, getting to her feet to wake Weiss in preparation to go and greet Cinder.

Weiss roused herself from her trance and stretched, slipping her feet back into her white shoes, ready to head out to the door.

But the two rings of the bell never came as expected.

Usually, Cinder would ring it right after stepping foot inside the mansion.

For a moment, Blake was fearful the witch would discover them in this room rather than the living area, which was where Weiss was supposed to meditate daily. But she bit her lip and kept her mouth shut, maintaining a firm grip on Weiss' hand as she listened.

There seemed to be a ruckus of sorts, as though Cinder was stumbling around, knocking into things. But there were no voices, no shouting or screaming, just thuds and bumps.

Blake's heart started to pound, and she didn't miss the nervous glances Weiss kept sending her way. The Faunus girl moved quietly across the room, first to shut the window, then to get closer to the door, listening. Weiss stayed silent beside her, anxious now that Cinder hadn't called for them as per usual.

Blake closed her eyes, focusing on where the sounds of movement were coming from and imaging where Cinder was in the house.

It sounded like the living room... by the bookshelf...

There were a dozen or so consecutive stomps, as though the witch were going down a staircase. And then all noise vanished for at least a minute.

Blood was pounding in her ears, and Blake wasn't sure if it was her own heartbeat or Weiss'. They shared a frightened look with one another, but neither had answers. Neither knew what to do, or what was happening.

But after another moment passed, they realized they'd soon find out.

The bell rang - but not twice, like it should've.

It rang once.

One single time.

It was the indication that they needed to hide and quickly.

They each had a million questions, but no time to ask them.

Entwining her fingers tightly with Weiss', Blake used her free hand to push open the bedroom door and bolt down the hallway. Weiss followed as quickly and quietly as she could, pressing her free hand over her mouth to keep the sounds from slipping free.

Blake had almost forgotten about the hidden room in the basement. They hadn't needed to use it for several years now, as all the searches by the townspeople for two missing girls had gone cold long ago.

But even years of not having to rush there hadn't made them forget how to go about it.

They stuck to the walls as closely as possible, checking the open hallways for possible danger before running ahead. But Blake saw no intruders, and she didn't sense any, either.

And Cinder wasn't upstairs by the doorway to meet anyone. The witch was down in the secret room.

But why? What's going on? What is she doing?

After a tight squeeze behind the bookshelf, and a silent but frantic rush down the dark staircase below, Weiss and Blake would have their answers.

Blake could hardly remember the last time she'd been down here, many many years ago to hide from the authorities under the witch's command. The sole window at ground-level still provided a faint bit of light from the outside world, but the basement area was much more well-lit than it ever had been before.

Even without the use of her superior vision, Blake could see that a lantern of sorts had been hung up on one of the walls, a flicker of flame providing extra light.

But there was little time to take in the scenery.

Cinder stood in the center of the room, clearly having been awaiting their arrival.

There were... noises coming from the far side of the room, but Blake didn't tear her gaze away from the witch.

She positioned herself in front of Weiss defensively, shielding the girl from view as best she could with her own body.

Both of the witch's hands were hidden within her cloak, but with an incline of her chin, she beckoned the two girls forward.

Blake's ears kept swiveling toward... whatever was one the other side of the room, unable to decipher the sounds. She only advanced over enough of the stone floor to still keep a few feet of distance between Cinder and herself.

But Weiss stepped out from behind her, advancing another step to confront Cinder.

"Mother..." she began, voice unsteady. "Welcome home." She needed to get the greeting out of the way first, as was expected. Then, she paused for a moment, wondering if it was permissible for her to speak while down here.

But Cinder didn't scold her, so Weiss continued in a timid voice.

"Mother... What's happening?"

The witch smirked, her crimson lips curling beneath the firelight.

"Oh, my darling. I'm so glad you've asked."

Blake scrutinized the witch, readying herself to dart forward should Weiss require her assistance.

With a sway of her hips, Cinder threw her cloak aside over her shoulder, revealing her arms.

"I merely wanted to give you your gift," she said.

Blake followed Weiss' gaze and looked down at Cinder's hands.

Lying horizontally across her palms was a long, white sword, very thin in shape, which led Blake to believe it was more akin to a rapier. She'd seen them depicted in a few of the storybooks she and Weiss had read together.

Clearly, Weiss was as baffled and astonished as she was, for the girl didn't move an inch.

"Pardon? A gift... for me, Mother?"

"Why yes, of course," Cinder purred slowly. "I've actually been working on it for quite some time now. It isn't easy to construct something solid out of the minerals I used, you know. At least, not with the limited resources I had at my disposal."

Blake looked closer at the white rapier.

Sure enough, there was a gold lining of sorts around the handle and blade itself. Not unlike Weiss' clothes, this weapon was constructed – or at the very least – infused with Dust.

It was likely what Cinder had been doing behind closed doors for so many years, trial and error and dark research of molding stolen Dust into a solid form of weaponry. Blake had assumed in the past that Cinder must have robbed Dust shops on occasion, or had business partners in the back alleyways of town who were involved with the black market.

Either way, she'd somehow gotten her hands on enough Dust to lace every piece of clothing in Weiss' drawers with it.

And now this.

A full-fledged weapon made specifically for Weiss.

A brief, uneasy silence ensued.

Then, the white-haired girl soon asked Blake's next question aloud.

"But why...?" Weiss murmured. "Forgive me, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, Mother. I'm simply curious."

The witch seemed to be in a good mood, for she didn't take offense.

"My dear," she cooed. "This is what we've been waiting for. For many, many years now. You're old enough now to know..." Her tone was casual, inviting. "This is why you're living here with me. This is why you exist."

She stepped forward, offering the rapier to Weiss.

The girl could only extend her arms slowly, as if it were a magnetic reaction. Blake watched stiffly as Cinder transferred the weapon into Weiss' pale hands. There was a faint flare of the golden Dust when it made contact with Weiss' skin, but nothing more.

At the very least, this didn't injure Weiss to wield it.

Even so, Blake didn't like it. Not one bit.

Weiss was still hanging on Cinder's words, her voice low as her fingers curled around the hilt and blade of the rapier.

"This... is the reason I exist?" she repeated.

Cinder stepped forward, heels clicking loudly on stone. She reached out to cup the girl's scarred cheek with cold, slender fingers.

"Why, for all intents and purposes, yes," she hummed. "Let me show you, dear."

She dropped her hand down to Weiss' shoulder and slowly walked her forward toward the other side of the room.

With her presence ignored, Blake opted to follow.

It felt like a small procession of lambs to the slaughter.

She could hear those noises even more clearly now.

Sobs.

Whimpers.

The sounds of fear she'd heard countless times before in the past.

But they didn't come from Weiss this time, nor were they coming from herself.

Cinder abruptly stopped walking, bringing Weiss to a halt as well.

"Here," she said.

Blake now saw what was on the other side of the room.

Her jaw dropped, and she couldn't swallow the gasp of horror.

There, on the cold stone floor, huddled back against the wall, were two girls. One seemed to be about Blake's age, and she adorned long yellow hair. The other was smaller, likely younger, with short brown hair. Their ruffled clothes were common articles, indicating they'd probably come from the local marketplace.

Their hands were bound behind their backs, legs tied to prevent them from kicking, and cloths had been stuffed between their teeth and tied around the backs of their heads to keep them from screaming or seeing.

It was horrifying. Sickening.

Blake felt her heart thundering wildly, head spinning. Suddenly, nothing felt real. But she was unable to tear her gaze away from Cinder's most recent kidnap victims.

Again! she screamed to herself. She's done it again! What kind of taboo magics does she use in order to get away with this sort of thing?!

Blake pulled her gaze away from the terrified girls on the floor, only to glance at Weiss.

She seemed even more petrified than the captives were, her hands gripping the rapier so tightly that the fingers holding the blade's end started to bleed.

Cinder kept an arm around her daughter's shoulders, playing idly with the white ponytail.

"I found these pests trouncing around near the garden," she explained. "Heaven knows why they were so far from home unattended, but they were causing quite a commotion. The little one had plucked a flower without permission. So I decided to teach her a lesson. Her big sister stubbornly tried to fight me, so I decided to punish her as well."

Weiss was breathless, her eyes still trained on the two helpless girls.

"M-Mother..." she croaked. "I don't understand..."

Cinder glided in front of her now, cupping both sides of Weiss' face with her hands, forcing her to look up into burning amber orbs.

"What's not to understand, my child? I did say this was the reason you exist in the first place, did I not? This is why you are here."

Weiss shook her head as best she could with Cinder's nails digging into her cheeks.

"What is... Mother?"

Cinder smiled again, letting her hands fall away from the girl's face. Instead, she pulled Weiss into an embrace.

Blake watched, her stomach knotted with horror, disgust, and trepidation as Cinder gave a playful hum:

"Why, my dear," she whispered. "You're going to kill them."

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A/N: While you wait for the next update, please let me know what you think.