Fated (ch3)

This chapter is probably the one most closely based off of the related fairytale, Beauty and the Beast. Of course there are my own personal twists, but you'll clearly see the fairytale references in here.

Also, Blake is a human, and there are no Faunus in this particular world. There will be a lot of POV switching in this one.

This is the "autumn" chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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								Chapter 3.

							The Human And The Beast

A girl paced insistently across the wooden floorboards of her home.

Her dress was dark violet with small linings of white, her hair an onyx ocean of waves down her back. The matching bow atop her head bounced with every step she took, each tap of her feet becoming quicker, more panicked by the minute.

Blake couldn't tell what was faster; the flustered patter of her shoes or the nervous thumping of her heart.

There was a fire burning in the hearth in contrast to the autumn chill outside, yet guilt swept over her at the prospect of being the only one to enjoy the heat, while her companion was out in the cold twilight alone.

Adam hadn't returned in hours, long enough to make Blake antsy enough to put down her book and refuse to pick it up again until she saw him return safely.

He was supposed to stop by her home first upon his return, and initially she'd thought perhaps he'd neglected to and simply gone to his own residence across the way. But constant checking from the window on Blake's part found no candles lit in his windows, no signs of life or proof of his return.

Despite his common lapses in judgement and tendencies to act before thinking, she and Adam had been friends since childhood, and while they were hardly involved romantically, Blake still felt nauseous at the thought of something happening to him. It was growing darker by the second, and she couldn't sit herself down long enough to take a breath before she was back to her anxious pacing.

Only when she heard a commotion outside did she grab a coat and throw it over herself before hurrying out.

A small crowd had gathered around Adam's residence, but before Blake could begin to wonder why, she saw what the fuss was about.

A coal-colored horse was trotting about in the twilight, stomping its hooves and snorting, clearly shaken by something. Blake came to a halt a few feet away.

It was Adam's horse, and it had returned without a rider.

She slipped through the crowd that had gathered and went to the stallion, placing a gentle hand on its neck. Blake always seemed to have a way with animals, and her touch calmed the creature down until it stopped trampling the dirt road.

She then faced the crowd of concerned faces, and spoke in a voice to match their uncertainties.

"Has anyone seen Adam?"

The response was enough to make her heart seize.

"I saw him riding toward the woods."

"Toward that old castle."

"He's finally gone and done it..."

Everyone in the village knew the haunting tales of the castle.

It sat atop a mountain shrouded by dark, disconcerting woods that rarely saw sunlight, teeming with wolves and bears. Decades had told of unnerving rumors, whispers and legends of the beast that resided within the ancient walls.

The most common depiction was that of a giant eagle made of flame, one that had little mercy for trespassers.

However, the riches promised to one who could slay the beast were too tempting for some to ignore.

Adam had spoken of it before only briefly, in such a manner that led Blake to believe he wasn't serious.

It was far too late to realize that misinterpretation now.

If he was still alive, he was in grave danger.

Blake couldn't afford to waste time.

She reached up to the stallions's saddle and slipped her boots into the stirrups, and with a kick to the flank, Blake was off and running before anyone could hope to stop her.

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The castle was a place humanity feared to approach, and a place time had seemed to have forgotten.

The sole resident who resided there thought that perhaps things were best this way.

She told herself she'd once been human, but the faith in her memory was fading by the day – just as the rose was.

The rose, the start of all this.

Several years ago, she had come to the castle door at the sound of the first knock in ages. A woman with red eyes and hair like the night had stood there, begging the owner for shelter for the night.

Yang could still remember clearly, that unease she'd felt toward that woman, and that had been the main reason why she'd refused her.

Turning away in anger, the woman had tossed a rose inside at Yang's feet. Carelessly, she'd picked it up, and that was when it'd happened.

Pain like never before.

She'd felt like she was on fire, being lit from the inside out by blazing thorns, howling in agony as her hair caught flame and lifted around her, eyes taking on the same crimson color as the woman's she'd turned away.

Yang would never forget the last words that woman had said to her before disappearing:

"Unless you can break it, your curse shall endure as long as your life - until the last petal falls."

That rose had stolen Yang's humanity.

She still took the physical form of a human, but it was inside of her that had been altered.

Her blood was roaring, and for a time, the flames in her hair never subsided, nor did the red in her eyes. It was only after months of suppressing the curse that she finally got her lavender eyes to return, and the heat at her back faded.

But those first few months had been crucial time wasted searching the archives of the castle library for ways to break a traveler's curse.

All she had discovered was that the more she utilized her flames, the quicker that rose lost its petals. But as far as she knew, there was no way to save herself from this curse.

And yet - despite her tainted soul - some human emotions remained.

Like fear. The fear of death.

She clung to life desperately; she decided that a cursed, unsteady life still might have been better than the permanence of death.

And yet, each passing day only made her lean further toward accepting her inevitable demise.

She kept the rose beneath a glass case on the nightstand in her bedroom; it was the first thing she saw every morning, and the last she saw every night - a constant, cruel reminder. Of its petals, half had fallen within the first months of her learning to control the flames – the more frequently they were in use, the faster her candle burned out.

And yet, even after she had learned to suppress the flames to the point where they weren't constantly at her back, an occasional outburst of uncontrollable rage would strike her now and again.

The intensity of those short-lived outbursts was often equivalent to the results of even the less passionate flames burning continuously.

Either way, she knew she was doomed.

. . .

On the present day's morning, she had woken in time to see another petal fall from the rose, settling into a small pile with the others beneath the glass covering.

The petals on the ground now surpassed the number still on the flower.

Yang wanted to crumple, to curl up and sob into her sheets.

But she couldn't – not anymore, not since she'd been cursed. To be denied her tears was to be denied her humanity, or so it felt.

She wasn't human any longer - simply a wretched beast.

And so she acted like one when she heard sounds at the castle doors hours later.

She was scared to open them, frightened it might be the same woman who had cursed her. But if it was, she was also eager to open those doors and exact her revenge.

But the sounds weren't knocks now; they were bashes and blows, as though someone were trying to break in by force.

She'd have none of that.

Yang adorned a simple yellow and white dress, one she'd often worn in her teenage years as a human. Without the flames in use, her appearance resembled that of a typical girl.

Depending on who this intruder was and what they wanted, her response at maintaining this harmless appearance might change.

Her only other companion in the castle was a small dog named Zwei, and presently he barked at the doors, flustered at all the loud noises that echoed through the empty halls and made even Yang's eardrums ring. She reached the doors and unhinged the locks one by one until-

The person on the other side slammed their full weight against the wooden doors, forcing them the rest of the way open as Yang stumbled back to face the person.

It was a boy, but she couldn't tell much beyond that. His hair was red and he was dressed in black, but his face was mostly concealed by a dark bandana.

But it wasn't the boy that concerned Yang; it was the large dagger in his hand.

His eyes were the only part of his face she could make out in the darkness, and they were intent and full of hatred. His voice was a snarl despite the arduous journey he'd just endured to get here.

"I'll kill you," he growled pointedly. "Your head's worth a fortune. I'll kill you."

These threats were nothing Yang hadn't heard before from others who had ventured here. He also didn't seem to be confused or hesitant about the fact that the beast he'd expected to find took the form of a young girl; he was simply intent to kill whatever he'd found here today.

Yang met his eyes and squared her shoulders, a puff of steam emerging from her lips as she spoke.

"Come at me, then."

She knew by now how to scare off a greedy human man.

Yang unlocked her flames, feeling their heat swallowing up her golden hair instantly, shining bright light all around her, wafting steam through the cold air. Her eyes ran red and she released another breath of smoke.

The crackling light given off by the fire almost seemed to give off the appearance of two massive wings stemming from her spine, stretching out behind her in a display of omnipotent power and strength.

This had always been enough in the past, enough to scare trespassers away.

But for some reason, this boy stayed.

She could see the fear in his eyes, the hesitance as he lowered his weapon, but it was almost as though he had been somewhat desensitized, as though he'd experienced great horrors in the past where witnessing something like this didn't terrify him to the point of fleeing.

Yang admired his courage; he'd already lasted longer than any other before him. She took a step forward, and still, he held his ground.

Zwei charged at the boy's boots, snapping and snarling.

When the intruder kicked the little dog away – that was what set Yang off.

The flames doubled in brightness and temperature as she let out a sound still limited by human vocal chords, but mostly akin to a roar.

More heat, more steam.

Now the boy was frozen in terror.

She knocked the dagger from his hand and grabbed his shirt with force. Her crimson eyes bore down into his; she didn't know what color his eyes were, for all she could see when she became like this was red.

But she saw the crushing fear in his gaze, and that was enough.

She leaned down and released a wafting breath that made him sweat despite the autumn cold outside.

"You didn't run away," she observed. "I'm impressed. I'll have to reward you." She leaned down next to his ear and hissed a whisper. "I've never kept a prisoner before."

With that, she stormed off down the many halls of her castle, dragging the boy behind her with minimal effort. She opened an empty old closet that had served little purpose until now and tossed him inside, securing every lock.

Then, Zwei scampered up to her feet with a limp, and her flames died away. She bent down to scoop him up, only to find him shivering. She knew the dog was torn between loving her and being instinctively scared of her.

Yang could only apologize softly before carrying him into the living area to start a fire in the hearth.

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Adam's horse was reluctant to go back into those woods, but Blake persisted, urging the animal up the steep hill, trying to keep to the path.

The ground below was already covered in a thin layer of fallen leaves. When the darkness of night shrouded the world entirely, the moonlight reflected off the browns and golds of the dead leaves below, providing a bit of guidance.

But as she rode, keeping the horse at a gallop, Blake knew they weren't alone.

Past the rush of wind through her ears and hair, she could hear them howling, gathering, making plans to attack.

Her heart was in her throat as she kicked the horse's flanks repeatedly, driving him onward.

The castle was in sight now, just a bit further-

And then the wolves charged them.

The horse whinnied in terror, veering off the path as the canines cut off the path ahead, barking viciously as they gave chase.

Blake crouched low over the horse's neck, trying to direct him toward the castle. But she couldn't tear her wide eyes from the pack of wolves snapping their salivating jaws just a few feet behind them.

"Come on-" she panted. "Come on, come on-!"

Noise erupted around her from all sides, more barks and snarls and whinnies. Her horse reared, lashing out to kick at one of the wolves, but Blake couldn't hang on.

She was tossed from the saddle with a shriek before landing in the dirt and leaves, breath flying from her lungs. Pain from the impact and numbness from the cold hard earth surged through her body, and she struggled to open her eyes.

The noises were deafening and chaotic now, her vision swirling with blurred images and writhing shapes. The horse fended off a few of the wolves, but the others still prowled, circling...

The instant Blake saw one headed her way, all she could do was close her eyes and wait-

But the sharp, tearing claws and ripping fangs never came.

Instead, it was a new sound that filled her ears, the sound of something heavy crashing.

All of the feral action froze, and when Blake looked over her shoulder, she realized she was just in front of the castle.

The huge wooden doors had been swung open.

A girl stood in the entranceway, adorning a dress not very different Blake's own, the dress of a village girl.

Why was such a girl here, living in that castle?

Blake could only imagine she was a slave to whatever hideous beast was rumored to live inside.

But she quickly came to realize this was no ordinary girl.

Blake watched as she stepped out into the night, but the white puffs that came from her breath weren't due to the cold – they were due to heat.

Blake heard whimpers from the wolves, and when she looked to the animals, she saw ears flattening and hackles raising.

In one instant, the other girl was just a girl.

And the next, she was engulfed in flames like giant wings.

Even from here, Blake could see the blood-red of her eyes.

She couldn't move, only continue to lie there in the leaves and hope beyond hope she wouldn't be seen.

The blonde girl's gaze was focused on the wolves, and she growled louder than all of them combined had.

"Get out!"

The bellowing voice that left her mouth didn't seem appropriate to be coming from such a body.

Blake cringed at the sound, and the animals scattered. The wolves scurried back into the trees with their tails between their legs, and the horse raced in the opposite direction, toward the castle, while still avoiding the girl of flame.

Blake realize she hadn't breathed since the second she'd seen the haunting wings of fire, and when she tried to inhale now, it was a loud gasp.

It got the other girl's attention, and when their eyes met, Blake forgot how to draw breath once more.

She heard the other girl spit out the words "Another one..." before she started to advance.

Blake scrambled back as the other approached, but she couldn't move well, her limbs and torso still stinging in pain from being thrown from the horse.

The girl stopped a foot away from Blake, standing tall over her. But even from this distance, she could feel the heat of the fire. The cold soil beneath the blonde girl's shoes had melted into mud, and Blake felt herself sweating within seconds.

It was like being in front of an inferno.

She blinked repeatedly as she looked up at the girl, squinting past the blinding brightness that suddenly intruded in the darkness.

The girl in the yellow dress glared down into her eyes, taking another threatening step forward.

"I said get out of here," she growled.

Blake pushed herself back another foot or so, wincing at the sharp ache in her chest. She fumbled for words, trying to swallow past the throbbing of her heart.

"I-I won't," she rasped. "Not until I find my friend." The fact that the girl had previously called her "another one" meant there had been one before her. "If you have him, I'm begging you to let him go."

The girl of flame didn't even blink.

"And what if I've already disposed of him? What would you do?"

Blake's mouth went dry and her throat closed up.

"I-I..."

But the other girl groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Geez, never mind. I was just kidding. Can't you take a joke?"

Blake felt her shoulders go lax a bit, and she exhaled shakily.

"It... wasn't a very good joke," she muttered.

The other girl snorted before bending down and reaching out toward Blake's wrist.

"Get up. I'll take you to him."

The second the other girl made contact with her hand, Blake screamed, recoiling when she felt a searing heat shoot through her.

The girl with flaming hair turned back to her abruptly, eyes wide, as though confused by her pain, the first bit of emotion other than fury Blake had seen the girl display so far.

But then a dullness hazed over those red eyes once more, and Blake had to wonder if the emotion she'd just seen had been a figment of her own imagination.

The pain in her wrist died down after a few seconds of resting it in the leaves, and during that brief period, Blake watched as the roaring fire around the other girl subsided, leaving the moonlight as the only source of illumination now.

Now she could see this girl's hair was golden, not unlike Blake's own eyes. But when she knelt down beside her, Blake stiffened again.

"Calm down," the blonde muttered, though Blake had to wonder if she understood how difficult that was to accomplish. But when she spoke again, her voice was softer. "I won't burn you this time."

And she didn't. Blake felt the warm hand on her chilled one, and the girl helped her to her feet, steadying Blake when she stumbled. She noticed the other girl's eyes had lost the reddish hue, but she turned her back too quickly for Blake to tell what color they truly were.

"Follow me."

It was an order, and with the grip on her hand so tight, Blake didn't see how she could refuse.

The blonde girl tugged her toward the open doorway, and the instant Blake was inside, the heavy wooden doors slammed shut behind her.

The castle was dark, save from a few stray candles here and there lining the walls, but they only provided a mere fraction of the light the girl's intense flames had produced moments ago.

Blake was pulled down the corridors, her boots shedding leaf debris on cold tile, though her gait was stiff and slightly limping. The pain was so severe it felt as though she'd been walking for hours, but she didn't dare ask the girl to slow down.

By the time she was brought to a halt, Blake was panting, and her head was spinning. Only the tug on her wrist managed to refocus her attention on the matter at hand.

"Here," the blonde girl huffed. She dropped Blake's hand and set to work undoing the locks on the hall closet door.

Blake clutched her hands to her chest as she waited for the final lock to come undone.

When the door opened at last, she saw a familiar boy sitting inside with his back to her.

"Adam!" she cried.

At the sound of his name, he turned instantly.

"Blake? What are you doing here?"

"Bringing you home!"

She made a move to reach for him, but the blonde girl intercepted her.

"Hold on there," she snapped. "This guy came here fully intending to kill me, or didn't you know that? I'm not about to just let the two of you waltz on out of here and skip back to town." Her eyes narrowed as she looked from Blake to Adam and back again. "I want a deal."

Blake's eyes met Adam's, seeing uncertainty there, but it didn't seem like they had a choice.

"What do you want?" she asked.

The other girl put a finger to her chin and pondered for a moment.

"I've dealt with enough men trying to come up here and kill me for some petty reward," she growled. "But I've never had a girl before."

Blake's heart started to pound harder again, her eyes going wide. But she needed to do this before she could have a second thought.

"Fine," she agreed. "Take me instead."

"Blake, no-!" Adam tried to stop her, but was silenced instantly when the blonde girl grabbed his collar.

"You heard the lady," she purred. "You're pretty damn lucky. If she hadn't offered herself up, I might've gotten pissed and killed you."

Adam struggled under her grip, but the blonde pulled him along with ease, back down the hallways, bound for the doors.

Blake stumbled desperately after them, trying to ignore the pain in her chest. The other girl wasn't hindered by Adam's weight at all, and when she finally reached the doors, she flung them open before shoving him out into the night.

"Go back to town in the morning. Fewer chances of the wolves finding you then. Don't get killed and let your friend's sacrifice go to waste now," she called out. "Oh, and if you or anyone else ever come up here again, I'll kill every last one of you. I'm finished with mercy."

Blake cried out Adam's name one last time before the doors slammed shut once more.

The girl fastened all the locks into place, the final one being secured with a key she slipped into the pocket of her dress. When she turned back to Blake, the latter gasped and stepped away.

But the blonde girl only rolled her eyes again.

"Come on, I'm not really gonna kill anyone. You people are so uptight."

Blake tried to slow her erratic breathing.

"That... that joke wasn't any better than the first," she wheezed.

The girl laughed harshly.

"Guess some people just can't appreciate good humor," she shrugged. "Now then, let me take you to your room."

Those were the last words Blake expected to hear from her captor.

"My... my room? You're not just going to throw me in some dusty closet?"

Half of her expected the girl to burst into flames again and grant Blake her wish.

But instead, the blonde looked away.

"Like I said," she muttered. "I've only really dealt with men. I don't know how to treat a girl, but... you sure as hell don't belong in some grungy closet. Unless that's what you'd prefer?"

She tilted her head to one side, and Blake could tell the girl was genuinely curious; she really didn't have any clue how to handle another girl.

"No," Blake said quickly. "A room is fine. Um... thank you."

It was beyond strange to be thanking this strange girl who had moments ago declared Blake her prisoner. She was almost starting to feel... more like a guest.

She shook her head, feeling somewhat delirious with all that had just happened. But she didn't have much time to think before there was a push to her back.

"Up you go," the blonde grunted.

Blake followed her gaze to find a tall staircase a few yards off to one side, the black steps outlined faintly by the moonlight cast down from a single window up above.

Blake took a step forward, but her legs were still aching, not to mention the quivering that raked her body. She couldn't help but be scared of what lie in store for her here at this castle.

The blonde girl had already made for the stairs, leaving the dark-haired girl behind. Blake could only call out to her back.

"Wait... I'm not sure if I can-"

"Then you'd rather have the closet?"

This time, Blake could see a hint of irritation in those eyes she'd since discovered to be lavender, and she feared making the blonde angry again.

"No. I'm coming..."

Leaning against the wall, Blake made her way toward the intimidating staircase. She climbed the steps much more slowly than the person she was following, and by the time the blonde had reached the top, Blake had only managed a fourth of the journey.

The other girl whipped around and snorted impatiently.

"Hurry up!" she shouted, a veil of orange flames bursting around her.

Blake yelped when her boot slipped, her legs shaking too much. Had it not been for the guard rail, she would've tumbled all the day back down.

Clearly, this girl was prone to frequent bouts of anger, and it wasn't just whenever she felt threatened; irritation was a factor to this as well.

"I-I'm trying!" Blake called back, forcing herself to move a bit faster.

She watched as the other girl started to pace back and forth, huffing to herself as she waited. Blake needed to fight back tears, both from pain and fear as she ascended step by step.

When she only had several steps to go, she paused again, keeping her face down, trying to blink away the stinging tears and focus her vision. But it was dark, and she was exhausted and terrified...

She looked up briefly when she heard the stomping footsteps come to a sudden halt, and the glow of fire faded. Lavender eyes were locked on her once more, and this time, Blake could make out the concern in that peculiar gaze.

"Hey..." the girl muttered. "What's that? Why are you crying?"

Blake could tell the girl was stuck somewhere in between confusion and concern, but it could easily turn into rage if she answered wrong.

"I'm just tired," she said. "I can't go any faster than this."

"...Are you sure it's not because you're afraid of me?"

Blake didn't answer right away. She remained still, wiping a sleeve over her eyes before mustering a steadier voice.

"I am... afraid of you. I'm not going to lie."

She could see the girl's lips starting to curl into a snarl again, and she could imagine the words that might've been shouted next: "Why are you afraid of me? Am I not being hospitable to you?!"

But this time, the fire died away before it could ignite.

The girl in the yellow dress seemed to consider something for a moment before her expression relaxed, just a bit.

"Fine. I guess it's good that you didn't lie. You're smarter than the men."

"So I've been told," Blake muttered.

The other girl just snorted again.

"Hurry up."

Blake let out a trembling breath before she obeyed, continuing up the last of the steps.

When she reached the top, she swayed, but a hand grabbed hers and pulled her forward. There was no fire this time, so the contact didn't hurt.

She followed her captor down the second floor hallways, veering a left and continuing for a moment longer. Blake had to rush to keep up, lest she slow them down any more and risk the girl's ire.

At last they came to a halt, and Blake was released so the blonde could fumble through her pocket for that master key again. With it, she unlocked the door to reveal a simple room, consisting of a single bed, a dresser, mirror, and a window.

But the blonde girl was sure to quickly dissuade any ideas Blake might've been hatching.

"Don't even think about trying to climb out. We're up too high, and if you didn't break your neck falling, I might do it myself after I caught you."

"Don't worry," Blake muttered. "I won't try to escape. We made a deal."

"Good," she nodded, seeming satisfied with Blake's answer. "Now then, I'll prepare dinner. You're to come down to the kitchen in fifteen minutes to eat."

Blake couldn't even be shocked about the fact that this girl was going to prepare a meal for her. She felt her blood run cold in dismay; after all she'd been through this evening – being seized with crushing panic and fear, rushing through a wolf-infested forest to get here, signing her life away to this girl in exchange for Adam's freedom and forgiveness...

Blake simply just didn't believe she'd be able to make it back down and up that staircase again. Her chest was aching terribly, and all of her weight was against the doorframe now.

Still, she tried to be cautious about choosing her words.

"Thank you..." she wheezed. "But I'm not hungry. I'll... I'll skip supper, but thank you-"

She cut off with a gasp when the girl rounded on her, eyes already glowing red.

"What was that?" she spat. "I go out of my way to let your friend go, to allow you to live here in comfort, to give you this room and offer you a meal, and you refuse me?!"

The flames had burst forth again in a matter of seconds, wings like an eagle's spreading out behind her in glaring orange and furious red.

Blake pressed herself back against the wall.

"N-No!" she gasped. "I'm not, I-I just-"

But she was cut off by another roar.

"If you won't come out for dinner, then you won't come out AT ALL!"

A snarl, and then there was a burning shove against her chest, sending her toppling backward into the room to collide with the floor. Blake cried out as all the pain of being thrown from the horse resurfaced with a vengeance, alongside a new searing sensation in her chest.

The door slammed and locked behind her, but she was hardly even aware of it.

It felt as though there was fire eating away at her from the inside out. She crumpled and curled in on herself, crying in agony.

But even when the burning finally subsided after several minutes, the ache in her chest and legs remained, and overall her body shuddered uncontrollably. She couldn't even swallow properly, and one cough led to another as she writhed on the floor, doubled over in sheer pain.

On top of the fear of her situation, the dread of never leaving this place, the terror of having to live every following day with the risk of being burned to death...

If she'd been able to make it to the window, Blake might have jumped.

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Yang couldn't control her fury when it surfaced, and oftentimes it did so without good reason.

This was one of those times.

She hadn't been angry when the girl had refused supper; Yang could understand that she might not be hungry. But she simply couldn't stop a feeling of rage from churning in her gut and rising up.

She always tried to suppress it, but never to any avail, and just now had been no different.

Angry words had jumped to her lips as though scripted by someone else, but she'd had no choice but to shout them anyway.

She felt the fire lapping at her back again, felt the girl – Blake, the boy had called her – falling like a fragile vase at the force of her own palm.

The real reason Yang had locked her inside was to keep herself away.

She roared again, smashing her fist against the wall, wishing she could just be quiet. Blake was scared enough already, and Yang could hear her cries of pain. It only made Yang angrier at herself, because she had caused that pain.

That was all she ever did.

She stormed down the hall, huffing and shaking herself as though trying to put out the flames on her own.

"Damn it!" she screamed.

Shouting felt better. It helped.

So she roared again and again, thrashing about and slamming herself against the walls until she exhausted her anger. The flames died away at long last, leaving her panting and sore.

But her mind was cleared now, and she vowed not to let the curse take control of her again - not tonight.

Slowly, like a wounded beast, she lumbered back to the room where she had left Blake. She'd hoped that by now the cries of pain would have stopped, but they persisted, weak and thin.

Yang was almost consumed with rage all over again for being the cause of it, but her fire was spent for now, and instead guilt and sadness took its place. Those didn't feel any more pleasant than the rage, but at least they didn't burn – Yang or anyone else.

She reached into her pocket and extracted the key, opening the door slowly before stepping inside.

Blake was curled on her side, gasping breaths that did little good for her past all the sobbing.

The second Yang entered, Blake's eyes flew open as she tried to sit up, scrambling to no avail. She was coughing and shaking too much to speak, but it was clear she was terrified.

Terrified of Yang.

She wasn't surprised. But Yang kept her features soft as she knelt down beside her, reaching out again.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered. "I'm so sorry. I won't hurt you again. I know I... I said it before, and then I did, but... but I won't do it again. I won't."

She knew Blake would have ran from her had she been physically able to, but given her state now, she was like a trapped animal.

Yang hated touching her when she knew Blake didn't want her to, but she had to.

Carefully, she slipped her arms beneath the girl's shoulders and knees and stood, lifting her easily into her arms. Yang was taken aback by the coughing and the shaking, violent shudders throbbing through Blake's form so strongly that Yang felt as though they were her own.

She brought her to the bed and laid her down, sitting beside her and looking into those terrified eyes with ones she hoped were repenting. Yang slid away the arm from beneath Blake's knees and brought it up to her cheek.

"See? I won't burn you anymore. I mean it."

She pulled away shortly afterward, realizing how much of an effect on Blake her presence seemed to be having. The fear hadn't left the girl's gaze for a second since Yang had entered the room, and the hand beneath Blake's back could feel a hammering pulse, one so fast and unnatural it caused Yang to recoil like a stricken animal.

"Sorry," she mumbled again. "I'm sorry. I'll leave. You don't have to come eat, okay? I wish... I wish I could let you go. I don't know why I can't. I don't wanna think about it too much and get mad again. Sorry. I know I hurt you. I'm sorry."

She turned away, ready to stand.

But a gentle pressure on her hand stopped her.

Blake's trembling hand laid on top of hers now, and those golden eyes blinked once, slowly in contrast to her heaving chest.

"You..." She sniffed and coughed, then tried again. "Y-You... didn't mean to. I know that," she rasped. "I can see it in your eyes. You don't... mean to do these things. You're trapped... aren't you?"

Yang's eyes went wide.

No one had ever bothered to pay attention to her enough to figure that much out before, let alone do it so quickly.

She wanted to sob with relief, but her curse didn't allow it.

So she simply nodded, utterly and terribly miserable.

"Yeah..." She bit her lip. "It's a curse. I... There's no way I can break it. I'm just waiting it out until..."

The hand on hers squeezed a little, and her gaze went to Blake's. The girl seemed to be asking her a silent question, one she couldn't find words for right now. Yang sighed and explained.

"Every time the fire ignites... it shortens what little life I have left. I-I don't want to be angry all the time. It just happens. I can't help it... Sometimes I just want to let it burn me out, but... I don't wanna die... I'm so pathetic..."

The hand squeezed hers again.

"No..." Blake whispered. "No you're not. Nobody wants to die. You're not pathetic. That fear just means you're human."

"I'm not!" Yang snapped. "I'm not human! Don't call me that-!" But she quickly jerked her hand away from Blake's and brought it to her mouth, head drooping. "I'm sorry. S-See? It happened again. I can't control it. But I'm trying..." she whispered.

"I-I know I just sound like a filthy liar, someone who promises to be better and then just lapses back into violent tendencies... But I'm trying to get better, and I really mean it. No matter how fickle it sounds, I mean it. I don't wanna die. I wanna break this curse and get better. I'm trying, but... I just don't know how... I can't even cry..."

She thought she felt the rage boiling up once more, and she was about to bolt for the door.

But again, Blake stopped her. The dark-haired girl pushed herself up, wincing as she did so.

Yang watched her in confusion.

"Wh-What are you doing?"

Blake didn't answer her, but managed to sit herself up. She motioned Yang forward, and though the blonde hesitated, she eventually complied.

"May..." Blake cleared her throat. "To prove a point, may I touch you?"

Puzzled, Yang was about to refuse her. But the curiosity was too great.

"Yeah."

Blake smiled softly.

She then reached forward and pressed a palm over Yang's collar.

Yang didn't move, but simply waited, her eyes searching the other girl's.

A few seconds later, Blake nodded.

"I can feel it. I know you do, too," she murmured. "Your heart is proof that you're human. Even if you get angry a lot, even if you can't cry when you want to, you're still human. You... You make mistakes, and sometimes you can't fix them. But there's something to be said for trying. Only a human could."

Blake withdrew her hand, and Yang wished she hadn't.

"Why are you... saying these things?" she demanded. "I've done nothing but scare you and hurt you and take you as a prisoner. Why are you trying to make me feel better? You should hate me..."

"Because..." Blake said. "You don't deserve this curse any more than any other person does. You're doing your best with it. You haven't given up. You don't mean to hurt people, and I know you didn't mean to hurt me.

"In fact, you didn't hurt me much at all. Just for a few seconds by accident. Earlier, I was thrown from my horse in the woods. That's why I couldn't walk well and why it's a little hard to breathe. I know I'd said I was before, but... I'm not scared of you anymore."

Yang's eyes went wide as she listened.

"Wh-What do you mean? You're still hurt from that? Why didn't you mention that back on the staircase?"

"Because I was scared of you then," Blake admitted. "I'm not anymore. That's why I'm telling you the truth now."

Yang's jaw hung slack a bit before she shook her head again.

"Idiot! If you can't breathe right, you should've said something!"

"See?" Blake stopped her with a chuckle of sorts. "They always called you a beast, but what kind of a beast would show such concern for someone else? Especially a stranger. You're definitely human."

Yang snorted.

"Whatever, just- tell me what I can do," she demanded.

"Nothing," Blake told her. "I'll be fine after some rest, I'm sure."

Yang eyed her almost suspiciously.

"Then rest. I'll bring your supper to you. You've got to be hungry, right?"

Blake was silent for a moment.

"I really wasn't before. That wasn't a lie, I promise. But before, I think I was just too scared..." Her lips curved up into a small smile then, and Yang felt herself go stiff for reasons she couldn't comprehend. "But I'm not scared of you anymore," Blake repeated. "So... if you'd be so kind... I'll eat."

Yang perked up.

"Good. Just rest, okay? I'll bring you food." She stood and gently helped lay the girl back down. Their eyes met again, and Yang could only feel more guilt. "I really am sorry. I don't know when I might lose control again. If I do, I just... I want you to know I don't mean it-"

"I understand," Blake murmured. "I really do... ah...?"

Yang realized she was looking to fill in the blank.

"Oh, um. My name's Yang."

"Yang..." Blake mumbled. "It's very pretty. Fitting."

Yang felt a warm feeling run through her chest when the girl spoke her name, but it wasn't the uncomfortable warmth that suggested fire. It was a subtle heat, soft and gentle – pleasant.

Yang nodded and headed toward the door.

And for the first time since she'd been cursed, Yang smiled.

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

When Blake had been told she would be a prisoner at that castle, she never expected to be treated so kindly.

Even after the first night when Yang had come to her quietly with apologies and guilt, half of Blake had expected to suffer the angry wrath of flames many more times, simply because she felt the blonde girl couldn't control her curse.

But that night, Yang had brought supper to her room and helped her eat, and there had been no more outbursts.

The following morning, Blake had woken to a different castle than the one she'd been dragged into the night before.

When the sunlight slipped through the windows and patted her cheeks, Blake opened her eyes slowly, finding the once-dark room now bright and welcoming. The carpets and walls weren't black as they had looked last night, but were actually a bluish color.

Despite everything that had occurred, Blake had been exhausted enough to fall into a deep slumber, and her rest had found her refreshed, soreness gone.

She got out of bed, not sure if staying there for too long might upset Yang. When she reached the door, she remembered she'd likely been locked in, but an attempt on the knob found it turning.

Cautiously, she stepped out into the hallway, now well-lit and quiet. She wasn't quite sure where she should be going – where she was expected to be going – but she figured the kitchen was a good start.

However, she had only managed several steps before she heard motion and footfalls coming up the stairs.

Blake froze, unsure if she should retreat back to her room, but she quickly realized there wasn't time; she'd meet Yang head-on.

She straightened up and waited for the girl to turn the corner.

Yang looked... so different in the sunlight, her dress creamy colors, her skin white, hair flowing like liquid gold.

And those peculiar eyes...

They remained lavender, even as Yang spotted her.

"Hey!" she called out. "What are you doing out of bed?" But her voice wasn't angry or outraged. In fact, Blake was surprised to hear the concern in her tone once more. Yang broke into a short run to cover the distance between them, reaching Blake in seconds. "You said you were in pain last night. I don't think you should be walking around by yourself."

The only hint of anger Blake could detect was there at the very end, and it was only present due to how worried she'd made Yang.

"I'm fine now," Blake reassured her. "I don't feel any pain anymore."

Yang was silent for a moment, as though dubious.

Blake held her ground as the blonde reached forward, fingertips lightly brushing against her collar – Blake recognized that had been the spot where Yang had burned her last night.

"Are you... sure?" she murmured.

Slowly, Blake lifted her own hand and found Yang's with it, curling their fingers together gingerly.

"Yes. I'm sure."

Yang paused for another moment, and Blake could feel her tightening and loosening the interlocking grip of their fingers, experimenting with the strange new feeling.

Blake wasn't opposed when she didn't let go either.

"Then come on," Yang grunted. "I'll help you with the staircase this time. Breakfast is almost ready."

She kept hold of Blake's hand as they reached the staircase, and though she was confident she really was fine now, Blake still took her time. Yang went step by step with her, the patience in her eyes a complete contrast to the frustration of last night.

Together, they reached the bottom before long, and Yang led the way to the kitchen.

Only when she needed to serve the food did she let go of Blake's hand; throughout the meal, it was clear that Yang missed the feeling of her hand, and Blake couldn't deny she felt the same.

Once finished, they cleaned their dishes together. An accidental splash on Yang's dress had Blake stiffening, fearing the worst. But the other girl only laughed and splashed her back.

In the end, they needed to dry off more than dishes, but it was more than worth it.

Once they'd finished, Yang took her hand again, as though she'd really been missing it in her own.

"I want to show you something," she said.

She led Blake along the halls of the lowest floor, halting in front of a large door. When Yang opened it, Blake felt her jaw drop, and her eyes go wide.

Shelves upon shelves of books of every size, age, and color looked back at her, the scent of parchment and ink filling her lungs with every breath.

Yang squeezed her hand lightly.

"Do... Do you like it?"

"Like it?" Blake gasped. "I love it! This is incredible, Yang!"

"Heh. I kinda figured you were a book girl."

And that was how they spent their first day together.

Blake roamed the library with Yang at her side, pulling out random volumes to inspect, and sometimes to read. When Yang asked her to, Blake would read out loud, but other times they would sit together in silence and scan the pages.

The daylight seemed to dwindle in a matter of minutes rather than hours, and when it came time to depart from the room, Blake sighed.

But there was a smile on her face as she took Yang's hand once more and stood.

"Thanks for showing me this," she murmured.

She sort of meant the library, but for the most part, she meant to thank Yang for showing... another side of herself - the quieter girl who smiled and laughed and told bad jokes.

Yang seemed to know what she meant, because a melancholy smile curled her lips.

"Until last night, I didn't know it existed," she confessed.

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

The following day at breakfast was the first time Blake met Zwei.

He scampered in barking, effectively startling her.

"I didn't know you had a dog," she said nervously, pulling her legs up onto her chair.

Yang calmed the dog with a firm word and he settled for curling up at her feet.

"Yeah," she mumbled. "He was recovering yesterday."

"Recovering?" Blake glanced down at the dog, noticing one of his front legs was sticking out a little awkwardly.

"Yeah," Yang grunted again. "That boy of yours kicked him..."

Blake felt the temperature in the room starting to increase, and she quickly let words tumble out of her mouth.

"He's fine now, though," she reassured. "And Adam's not my boy. He's like a brother to me."

Yang quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh, really?" She bent down to scoop Zwei into her arms, kissing his head.

Blake was relieved to feel the heat dying down a bit.

Now, she was focused on the way Yang was handling the dog, in a way she never would have believed "the beast in the castle" could. It was like how she'd treated Blake on the first night once the fire had subsided - surprisingly soft and tender.

Blake must have been smiling.

"What's so funny?" Yang demanded.

"Your dog really loves you," she noted as he licked Yang's face.

"Yeah. He's the only one," Yang sighed. "All the other animals are scared of me. But not Zwei."

"All others are scared? I'm sure that's not true..." Blake trailed off as an idea came to mind. "Let me prove it to you."

She encouraged Yang to leave cleaning the dishes for later, grabbing a piece of bread from the table and beckoning the blonde down the hall. Yang let Zwei down and watched him hobble off to find someplace to rest before she followed Blake.

The girl knew by now where the back doors of the castle were, and she led Yang to them and pushed them ajar.

A small, leaf-covered courtyard stretched before them with the brown forest just beyond it.

Blake took the bread she'd brought along and began tearing it into tiny pieces and spreading them on the ground before them. She could feel Yang about to ask what she was doing, and she hushed her gently, taking her hand and guiding the blonde back a step.

They waited for several minutes, but Blake was confident it would work.

But despite the patience Yang had built up over these past two days, she could only withstand the cold outside for so long.

"Blake, what-"

"Shh... look."

She nodded forward just as a sparrow flew out from a nearby bush, twittering softly as it found the bread crumbs. Within seconds, it was followed by other birds, until a dozen or so had gathered to eat.

Yang couldn't contain her voice.

"Oh, wow!"

"Shhh..."

Yang's voice had scared a fraction of the birds, but most remained. After that, she was sure to whisper.

"I never thought it was possible to get so close to them," she murmured. "I thought they'd be scared of me."

"They're scared of most humans. It's only natural," Blake shrugged. "But if we can understand them, sometimes we might luck out."

Blake tore a bit of the remaining bread off and crouched down. A few of the sparrows jumped away, but the others observed her. She outstretched her palm where the bread rested, moving with extreme slowness.

Then she waited, breathing slowly, still as a statue.

It took a few moments, but eventually, one of the sparrows hopped into her hand to take the bread in its beak before fluttering back to the flock to eat it.

Blake heard Yang stifle herself.

"Oh my gosh!" she whispered. "How did you do that? Magic?"

Blake chuckled.

"Not magic. Just patience." She took Yang's hand and dropped the last few bits of bread into it before having her crouch down beside her. "Just slowly, slowly reach out to them. No sudden movements." She guided Yang's arm with one hand, keeping her other hand on the girl's back. "That's it," she whispered. "Just be still."

It took a bit longer for the birds to take interest in Yang, and Blake could only assume it was because they sensed the cursed energy around her.

But after just a bit longer, a sparrow darted in to take a bit of bread from her, followed shortly by a second one.

Had it not been for Blake's hand supporting her, she was sure Yang would have fallen over.

"Oh my gosh!" she all but squealed, throwing her arms around Blake in excitement. "I did it! I really did it!"

To say Blake was surprised was an understatement, but she didn't mind it at all. She chuckled and patted Yang's back and shoulders.

"Well done. That was incredible."

It was then Yang seemed to realize what she was doing and quickly pulled away, apologizing.

"Sorry..."

But Blake shook her head and smiled.

"It's okay."

Clearly, Yang had never heard those words so many times before in her life. Blake saw the hesitance in her eyes, but behind it was an eager desire.

"Really? Th-Then can I-"

"Of course."

Blake opened her arms invitingly.

It was strange; as a child, she'd never been one for physical contact, not from Adam or anyone else. So why was it so tempting with this lonely, cursed girl? She had to wonder...

Yang leaned in slowly, as if unsure.

Blake offered encouragement.

"It's okay. I know you won't hurt me."

If there could exist a sob from one who couldn't cry, she heard it from Yang just then.

The blonde hugged her again, pulling her in tightly, reminding Blake she had probably never done such a thing before in all her life.

Because no one had ever let her or told her it was okay.

Blake was sure to return it, her hands resting over Yang's hair and back, not at all worried of being burned again.

There was a warmth between them, but it was gentle, like on the first night. It was just body heat - two people sharing an intimate proximity and offering all they had to give.

She didn't want Yang to have to keep apologizing every time she touched her. Blake was intent to make that a reality.

Even as Blake stood, she made sure to keep the girl in her arms for a while longer.

Finally, Yang took a step back, though Blake knew if the cold hadn't demanded it, she might've lingered.

"Let's go back in," the blonde said.

Blake nodded and followed her to the library once more.

For the remainder of the day, they curled up on the floor side-by-side, reading. When Yang got tired of it, she leaned against Blake's shoulder and closed her eyes. Blake couldn't imagine the girl ever got a peaceful night's sleep, so she was certain to let Yang rest now for as long as she needed to.

She finished a few books within those hours until Yang yawned. At that point, Blake closed her current volume.

"Did you sleep well?"

She helped Yang sit up straight again as the girl rubbed her eyes.

"Better than I have in years," she confessed. "Do you wanna help me make dinner?"

"I'd love to."

They stood, stretched, and put away their books before their hands inevitably came together once more, and they headed for the kitchen.

They cleaned this morning's dishes before starting on the soup. Blake chopped vegetables Yang had told her she'd grown herself in better weather, and Yang added seasonings to make the broth flavorful.

When Zwei was able to, Yang let him out to hunt rabbits to bring back, but for now he was to settle for vegetables and other scraps.

The finished product was beyond what Blake had expected, and she was admittedly surprised.

They ate at their leisure, talking softly, Blake giving the occasional chuckle for a bad joke Yang offered.

When they'd finished, Yang took the dishes and fed the leftover vegetables to Zwei, but he wouldn't accept the bread.

"I'll toss it outside for the birds," Blake offered.

Yang paused for a moment at the sink, and for a second, Blake thought she might refuse her for fear that Blake might try to escape.

But Yang cleared her throat and nodded.

"Just be quick."

"I will."

Blake hurried out of the kitchen and down the halls to the back door, pushing it open with her shoulder. She was met with a frigid breeze and a dark world; she hadn't realized how late it had gotten.

It was almost disconcerting how the prospect of escape seemed distasteful to her.

It wasn't even the dangerous woods or fear of Yang's anger that dissuaded her. In fact, it wasn't fear of any kind that was keeping her here.

Rather, what prevented her from attempting to flee was actually... she didn't really want to.

In only two days, she had learned more about "the beast in the castle" than villages had learned in years. She had a special connection with Yang, one she didn't want to see broken if she could help it.

If she betrayed her and tried to run, she didn't know if Yang would set the world on fire or burn herself out altogether.

Either way, she wasn't intent to find out.

She broke apart the bread and stepped out into the dusty courtyard, a bit further than she had gone this morning with Yang. She ventured out toward the little bushes where the birds tended to take shelter, and Blake sprinkled the crumbs for them to find in the morning.

She clapped her hands together to dislodge the last of the crumbs before she prepared to head back inside.

But sounds from the forest froze her dead in her tracks.

She didn't even have to look up to know they were here.

Wolves – an entire pack, prowling along the edge of the forest. She could hear them treading in the snow, snarling hungrily.

With painful slowness, Blake turned her head toward the castle doors, still open, but much farther away than she expected them to be.

She didn't know if she should risk calling for help, but she did know her voice would encourage them to attack. Trying to run would undoubtedly yield similar results, and she knew she was no match for a wolf's speed.

But she didn't get the chance to come to a decision.

As if by some unseen command, they burst forward, pelting toward her over the open expanse of the courtyard in a clever formation, swift and ravenous.

Blake could only turn and run, sprinting for the castle as quickly as her legs allowed.

It was almost pitiful how quickly they caught up to her. A powerful resistance pulled at her dress, yanking her down into the dirt with a scream.

"No!"

She kicked at them and thrashed her arms, rolling just out of range of the snapping jaws, but she couldn't get up quickly enough. One pounced her from the front, pinning her onto her back, the weight of its body crushing the breath from her lungs.

Blake closed her eyes-

But the next snarl didn't come from a wolf.

For the second time, she bore witness to a single girl striking terror into a pack of the vicious, feral animals.

She opened her eyes to find Yang stepping out into the courtyard.

She was seething.

The wolf on top of Blake seemed to have forgotten her as it suddenly climbed off and backed away, yelping.

It was then Blake realized this was why Yang had told her to come back inside quickly - not for fear she'd escape, but for fear she'd be attacked.

She could see the familiar orange glow enveloping Yang now, the rage she hadn't witnessed at all yesterday now ready to return full-force.

Blake could only recall what Yang had told her about the curse:

"Every time the fire ignites... it shortens what little life I have left..."

She had to stop Yang.

"No!" she shouted breathlessly. "Yang, it's okay, you don't have to-"

But her outcry set off the wolf again, and it leapt on top of her, tearing at her dress. Blake only wrestled it for a second before she felt an intense heat wafting from above.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Yang bellowed.

The fire blazed furiously, until the images of those flickering wings expanded to either side of her body. She lunged forward and snarled at the wolf, and it released Blake instantly before tearing off. The others followed suit, yelping in retreat as their tails vanished between the trees.

Yang roared again and sent searing curses after them. Blake could only curl in on herself and sob.

"No... Yang no, don't..."

It was clear to her now that Yang really didn't have a lot of time left. Her fire only burned for a moment before Yang suppressed it once more, but the girl collapsed to her knees, panting and covered in sweat.

The curse was taking its toll on her.

"Blake...?" she whispered. "Blake? Are you okay? I didn't... I didn't burn you again, did I? I'm sorry- I didn't-!"

"Yang, no..." Blake tried to push herself up, but she was shaking far too much. "You didn't. I-I'm just..." She hoped Yang could understand without her having to say it.

At the very least, the blonde seemed relieved at the fact that she hadn't hurt Blake herself.

"Are you... did they get you? Where does it hurt, Blake?"

Blake inhaled slowly, trying to stop her tears.

"It doesn't hurt. There's no blood. You saved me, Yang. I'm just... cold..."

And it was the truth. She was merely shaken from the attack, and distraught that Yang had been forced to use her fire for something like this - something that easily could have been avoided.

It was Blake's fault.

And she hated that Yang didn't blame her for it.

"C'mere..." the blonde murmured.

Blake felt familiar arms slip beneath her body, pulling her into a bridal carry. But she could feel Yang stumble; she was growing weaker now as the curse drained her.

Blake could only cling to her shoulders and cry into the side of her neck as Yang brought her back inside, pushing her weight into the doors to close them.

Yang carried her back to the living area, where a fire burned in the hearth. She was laid down on the couch nearby, and once Yang had let Blake down, she dropped heavily to her knees on the carpet.

Blake pushed herself up quickly, voice laden with fear.

"Yang?" She looked the girl over, finding her still panting for breath.

But when Yang looked up and met her eyes, there was no anger there like Blake wished there'd be, no blame for her. Only exhaustion and fear.

She hated it.

"Are you okay...?" Blake wheezed, furiously wiping away her own tears.

It wasn't fair. She wanted Yang to be able to cry, too. She needed to.

And yet, Blake was forced to watch her like this, with only anguish in her eyes, but no way to alleviate it.

"I'm good," Yang huffed unconvincingly. "Just t-tired all of a sudden."

Blake sniffed, wiping her face once more.

"Yeah..." she mumbled. "You look tired. Maybe we should sleep."

Yang nodded, seeming content just to keep her head bowed.

Blake took the time to stop her tears as best she could, and after a moment, Yang looked up to her again.

"Blake?"

The dark-haired girl swallowed.

"What is it?"

She didn't know what to expect, but it hadn't been what Yang asked of her next.

"Remember... the first night you stayed here?" she asked. "You... did something..." Yang trailed off, bringing a hand to her chest where Blake's palm had been two nights ago. Her tired lavender eyes went back to find gold. "Would it be okay if I... felt yours, too?"

Blake said nothing for a moment. But she didn't have to think about it; she let herself act without the burden of thought.

She reached down and took Yang's hand in hers before lifting it up, and nodded in consent.

Slowly, Yang pressed her palm beneath the girl's throat. Blake didn't flinch at all; she knew Yang wouldn't burn her, not even by accident.

Yang kept her hand there for a moment, and when Blake got too embarrassed to meet her eyes, she closed her own. She heard Yang sigh softly.

"It's really fast..." the girl mumbled.

Blake nodded.

"Yeah... It'll be fine in a bit."

Still, Yang kept her hand in place. Blake only opened her eyes again when she heard her name.

"Blake?"

"...Yes?"

"Can I listen?"

Blake didn't know where this was coming from, but she could understand Yang's feelings. They weren't very different from Blake's own.

"Sure."

She opened her arms, and Yang slid closer, fitting between her knees. She wrapped her arms around Blake's waist, replacing the hand on her collar with her ear.

Yang closed her eyes and pressed close, shifting her head a bit until she found the spot with the strongest pulse.

Blake hugged her shoulders, resting her chin atop Yang's head as she closed her eyes. She felt Yang squeeze her tighter around the waist.

"Blake? Are you okay? Your heart's really pounding."

"It's fine," she muttered. "It's... not for bad reasons anymore..."

That seemed to make Yang feel better. She sighed and pressed herself closer, and Blake pulled her in, cradling her gently.

"I'm glad you're okay," Yang murmured.

"...I wish... I could say the same..." Blake whispered. "But you're not okay, are you, Yang? I'm sorry. This is all my fault... that you used the fire again..."

Yang felt the girl start to shake again, the rhythm beneath her ear thumping harder until it was uncomfortable to feel.

"It's not your fault," she murmured. "In only these few days, you've taught me so much, Blake. You've made me feel human again. I don't have any right to be saying it, but... there's no other way I'd rather spend the rest of my days than with you."

Blake sobbed again, failing to hold back more tears.

"You taught me so much, too... I'm sorry I... can't help you... I wish I could..."

Yang squeezed her again.

"You've already done more than you could ever imagine."

Blake bit her lip, weeping every tear Yang wasn't allowed to. The crackling of the fireplace flames took a constant residency in the back of her mind, and she closed her eyes again.

A moment later, Yang's thin voice sounded again.

"Hey, Blake...?"

She squeezed her tighter.

"Yes?"

Yang's voice was barely audible now.

"It shouldn't be much longer now... After that, you can go. You'll be free... But until then..." she rasped. "Will you stay with me...? Until my last day...?"

Blake choked on a sob as she replied.

"Yes..."

She felt Yang release a long sigh.

"Thank you..."

Blake wept into the blonde's hair, hugging her tightly. Yang held her and listened for a long while, until the shaking stopped and Blake's heartbeat began to slow.

When Blake got ahold of herself once more, she sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly.

"We should sleep," she whispered.

"Are you warm?" Yang asked. "You said before... that you were cold."

Blake nodded.

"Yes. I'm very warm now. Thank you, Yang."

"Alright," Yang said, pulling away from her chest. "Then we'll sleep here tonight, by the fireplace."

Blake nodded, but didn't tell Yang that the fire wasn't what was making her warm.

She pulled her legs up onto the couch, but Yang hesitated. Blake smiled up at her and motioned for her to lie down. Yang looked uncertainly into her gaze.

"Are you sure I won't hurt you?"

"I'm more than sure."

Blake trusted her, and she was glad Yang finally seemed to believe that.

Yang sat down by the girl's hip and pulled her legs up before making one final request.

"Can I listen a while longer?"

Blake opened her arms again.

"Sure."

Yang laid herself down slowly, draping her body over Blake's and laying her head over her collar once more. Blake hugged her back tightly, and Yang sighed again.

"I love listening to your heart. It makes a nice sound. It feels nice."

"I'm glad."

Blake closed her eyes, too tired to worry herself with thoughts of the possible consequences of what she was doing. She must've been insane, to fall in love with a cursed girl, and to accept that Yang had fallen for her, too.

It was only going to hurt them both in the end.

She knew that.

She knew that... but...

Yang feel asleep in her arms, soft and quiet and warm.

The shouting, raging, stomping girl wasn't Yang.

This was Yang.

Blake listened to the crackling of the fire some more, feeling the soft breaths fill and leave Yang's body.

She hugged the girl tighter one last time and succumbed to sleep as well, saving her troubles for tomorrow.

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

Adam had made a vow to himself.

After the beast in the castle had traded him for Blake, he'd found his horse outside the castle, and had waited until morning before departing back through the woods to the village.

That had been two days ago.

Now, he was rested and prepared as he mounted his steed, a belt full of sharp knives at his disposal.

He had vowed to himself not to return to the village until the beast inside the castle was dead.

That morning, he headed off through the woods on the hillside, for what would be the final time.

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

Yang roused herself before the sunrise, eyelids lifting slowly as she took in the room around her, lit only by the glow of the fire.

Blake's heart thumped softly beneath her ear, and for a time, she simply lay there and listened, selfishly engraving that rhythm into her mind.

When at last she managed to peel herself away from the sleeping girl, it took her a while to adjust to things without that heartbeat pressed to her ear. She climbed off Blake and covered her with a quilt, but couldn't resist putting a soft kiss to her cheek.

Yang retreated up the staircase and veered to the right, opposite of the room where Blake had stayed before.

This had been the first morning, and last night had been the first night when she hadn't seen that rose as the first and last things.

Perhaps that was why she was being so severely punished when she looked upon it now.

Beneath its glass covering, the rose had shed every petal but one.

Yang clutched both hands to her chest and fell to her knees, doubling over in pain she couldn't express through tears, her forehead brushing the carpet.

Had she never met Blake, this wouldn't hurt so terribly.

And yet, had it not been for Blake, her final days in this world would never have been blessed with such joy, such warmth, and such understanding.

If that was what she got to feel on her final days, then the recklessness was worth its consequence.

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

When Blake woke that morning, she was alone on the couch, though a quilt had been draped over her.

She missed the warmth and pressure of Yang's form, but a faint scent of food told her the blonde was preparing breakfast now. Zwei was in the room to greet her, and Blake smiled a bit when she saw that his injured leg didn't seem to be bothering him anymore.

When she ventured to the kitchen, she found Yang had just finished their food. Soft words of concern for the other were murmured between them, palms on cheeks as they each told the other they were fine.

And yet, both found it hard to believe.

They ate in silence, feeding scraps of food to the dog.

Blake didn't know if going to the library would do them any good; the silence didn't seem to be helping either of them.

So when they had finished, she coaxed Yang out into the parlor, shoes clicking over tile. The blonde hadn't smiled at all this morning – not truly, anyway - only the forced, plastered kind that made Blake's heart hurt.

She knew something was wrong, but she refused to think of it.

She stopped once the two of them were in the center of the floor.

Yang's eyes were puzzled, but it was much more favorable than the dullness Blake had seen all through breakfast. She brought Yang's hand to her hip and kept a firm grasp of the other, while Blake's free hand went to the blonde's shoulder.

They didn't need words.

Slowly, they began to dance, albeit clumsily on Yang's part. But Blake led her slowly, pulling her back or to the side, moving her in circles.

The choppy motions soon became smoother as Yang caught on, the yellows and purples of their respective dresses fluttering about their ankles.

Blake smiled all the while, but it wasn't until she saw Yang do the same when she finally let herself laugh.

Their motions gradually got quicker, more lively, as Yang matched her step for step.

Stepping, twirling, spinning – they did it all, until at last they both came to a silent mutual agreement to pause.

Yang pulled Blake in by the waist, until their bodies pressed together, chests heaving to catch air. Blake rested her head on the other's shoulder for a moment, until she felt Yang nudge her gently.

It was tentative and shy when their eyes met, but each knew what the other wanted, because she wanted it too.

Eyes closed, chins tilted, breaths met as lips hovered against lips...

Blake leaned in that final inch-

-but she was met with nothing.

Yang sagged in her arms, an uncharacteristic moan flying from her lips as she collapsed to her knees.

Blake's heart stopped.

Desperately, she got down beside her, holding Yang up beneath her arms as she tried to look into her eyes.

But they were closed, her forehead once more covered in sweat, and Blake whimpered again.

"No..." she rasped, dread crashing over her. "No... Yang no, please..."

It shouldn't have surprised her. Yang had told her of the effects of her curse.

Blake just... hadn't expected it to be happening so frequently or so soon.

"Yang...?"

Carefully, she brought the girl's head to her chest, letting Yang listen to the frantic beat of Blake's heart, hoping it could somehow ease her pain.

Yang sighed against her. Blake squeezed the girl tighter when she felt her start to shiver.

Yang never shivered. She was always so warm...

Weak arms encircled Blake's waist, the contact so fragile it was almost non-existent. Her voice was even frailer:

"Blake... you're scared... 'm sorry..."

Blake held a kiss to her temple.

"Yes, I'm scared. For you, Yang. P-Please don't do this- don't let this happen..."

She knew she was asking impossible things, being unreasonable. In reality, Blake knew all too well how helpless she was to stop this, but she stubbornly refused to admit it.

"Yang, please... don't... don't die..."

She never heard Yang's response.

A rattling at the entrance doors startled her, and instinctively she held Yang closer.

"No..." Blake whimpered. "No, no- Yang! Yang, you've got to get up!"

Frantically, she lifted herself onto her knees, trying to support the other girl as well. But Yang was all but deadweight now, and Blake wasn't even certain if she could hear her.

"Yang?!"

She glanced back over her shoulders toward the doors. The locks were being undone by an expert blade, one who had seen them from the inside and knew how to best each one.

"Adam..."

Blake's voice was as lifeless as Yang's body felt to her now. She knew he of all people wouldn't listen to reason, even from her. When he was mad, he got as explosive as Yang once had.

But now...

"Yang..."

Blake crumpled over the girl in her arms, petting through her tangled golden hair, turning her over so she may see her face. With her sleeve, she wiped the cold sweat off of the girl's brow, slowly and quietly in contrast to the violently shaking doors behind them.

Tears welled over and fell one by one onto Yang's face, and Blake whispered her name again.

Lavender eyes blinked slowly open that time, at the very same instant when the castle doors flung open.

Blake yelped as she shielded Yang with her own body, hearing Adam huff as he burst through.

"Adam!" she cried out. She got his attention immediately.

"Blake! You're alive!" He'd been about to rush to her, but froze when he saw what was in her lap. "Blake, get back!" he barked.

She watched in horror as he drew a long dagger from his belt.

"No!" she screamed. "Adam, please! You can't!"

"Do you hear yourself?" he bellowed. "She's a monster, Blake! Her head's worth a million lien! She kidnapped us both and you wanna defend her? Snap out of it, Blake! She put a spell on you!" His voice lowered as he approached them. "Besides. Looks like she's just about gone anyway."

Blake turned her head to glance down at Yang once more, fresh tears falling down her cheeks in tiny rivers.

"No..."

"Blake, come on. We're going home," Adam grunted, sheathing his blade. "I... I won't kill her, alright? Just leave her here. She won't last till evening."

"No..." Blake whimpered again. But when she felt his hand grab her shoulder, she shook him off as her voice rose into a shriek. "No! Don't touch me!"

Too late, she slammed a palm to her mouth, realizing what she'd said, what she'd done.

Yang's eyes flew open, all traces of lavender gone.

Only crimson remained.

Her body glowed with a garish orange light, her hair steaming like the flames of a wildfire. Her eyes locked on Adam, and Blake could sense the fury more than the heat.

"You..." Yang snarled at him.

Adam scrambled back, dropping his blade in the process. Wings of fire unfurled from Yang's back. Blake screamed and tried to hold onto her.

"No! Yang, don't!"

She didn't care if she burned to death. She'd go with Yang.

But the blonde slipped out of her grasp, her wings of flame lifting her body into the air until her shoes were suspended off the floor. Her angry gaze never left Adam's face.

"She said... Blake said not to touch her..." she growled, fire streaming from her mouth. "GET OUT OF HERE!"

The fire surged like an explosive volcano, reaching higher than Blake had ever seen it before, licking at the ceiling of the castle. She whipped around to meet Adam's horrified gaze.

"Run!" she screamed at him. "Get out, now!"

"Come with me!"

"No!" she said. "She wants me to stay. But you've got to get out! Now!"

Adam held her gaze, and Blake's was stern. He seemed to realize that she understood much more about the situation than he did, and with a small nod, he accepted her judgement.

Without another word, he fled and disappeared out the doors.

With him gone, Blake gave her full attention back to the ruler of the castle.

"Yang..." she called softly. "I'm okay now."

A red gaze met with hers. Blake could see a dullness past the fury, as though Yang's body were just a vessel for the flames now.

She may have already been gone.

A sigh escaped those red lips, followed by a long trail of white smoke.

And then the massive flames were gone, as though doused by unseen rainwater, nothing but the dying sparks remaining. Grey dust and soot filled the air around her before peppering the floor below.

The wings that had held her up vanished, and Yang plummeted.

Blake reached up to catch her, sinking to her knees at the impact, and cradling Yang's head in her arms as she sobbed freely over her now.

"Yang... Yang? I'm sorry... It's my fault..."

There was no doubt in Blake's mind that the final rose petal had fallen.

The words she'd shouted at Adam had been what put Yang on what must've been her final rampage.

Like any star – even the sun – all she could inevitably do was burn out.

Blake wept, shudders raking her body as pain tore through her chest.

Yang was cold.

There was no subtle, human warmth anymore, and at this point Blake would have gladly welcomed the searing heat of her flames if it meant having Yang back.

But she knew she couldn't.

Even when she quieted her sobs long enough to lay her ear over Yang's chest, she failed to feel or hear a pulse.

Blake had wished that Yang would be able to touch her one day without feeling the need to apologize.

And yet now, apologies were all Blake could give to her.

Her hands cupped those pale, ashen cheeks, as she pressed her forehead to Yang's, feeling each stinging tear drip down her nose one by one, transferring to Yang's face.

Blake had cried more in these past three days than in all her life before setting foot into the castle.

She realized she had cried for all the times Yang never could.

And she continued to do so now, shoulders shaking as one hand clutched Yang's dress and the other cradled the back of her head.

And all she had were apologies.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Yang. I'm sorry..."

When she choked on her words, she swallowed, wiping her eyes on her sleeve as she lifted her face away. She felt hollow and barren inside, each thump of her heart now dull – meaningless – without Yang to share it with.

Grief and pain swirled in her watery eyes along with something else.

But once that was gone, Blake knew she herself would be more or less dead as well.

She needed to tell Yang just one last thing.

She shifted, bringing the blonde closer into her lap, the fingers of one hand curling through her hair while the others tilted her delicate chin upward.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered again. "I love you, Yang."

She covered the last inch between them, pressing her lips to Yang's, sharing a single breath of warmth with her.

But when she pulled away, Yang was still cold.

Blake curled herself over Yang's chest and wailed.

She cried until she physically couldn't anymore, until her eyes stung worse than any burn, until her chest was twisted with suffocating agony.

Worse still, her mind was playing tricks on her.

She thought she could hear a faint thumping from below her, coming from Yang.

She pulled away, shaking her head furiously.

But her own heart was beating too quickly, which indicated that it wasn't her own pulse Blake was hearing now.

Before she could lean in to listen again, a sudden flare of warmth shot through Yang's body. Her sickly-pale skin was now suddenly painted with a bright, peachy color, and the previously-ashen hue of her hair was a vibrant gold once more.

Blake's voice echoed softly.

"Yang...?"

More tears fell, some onto Yang's chest, and some onto the tile around her, now covered in black soot.

No... not soot.

Ashes.

And then it hit her.

A curse.

Ashes.

Wings of flame.

Blake trembled as she breathed a single word:

"Phoenix..."

Her eyes went back to Yang's, hoping, praying...

Stillness.

And then they opened, soft lavender pools that locked with gold immediately, as though Blake's eyes had been all she'd been seeking in the moments of darkness that had previously frozen her.

Blake held her breath, holding back the tears with great effort.

"Yang...?"

The blonde released a shaky breath, but her lips smiled, recognition lighting her eyes.

"Blake..."

At the sound of her name, she nodded.

"Yeah..." she whispered, voice wobbling, threatening to break.

Yang pushed herself up off the floor, and in one swift motion, threw her arms around Blake, gasping softly. Blake clung to her back and hair, her voice hoarse and thin.

"Yang... I'm here..."

"And... I guess I am, too," Yang mumbled. "But how...? The rose's last petal fell..."

Blake shrugged against her, pulling her closer.

"Your curse..." she croaked. "You... you got a second chance, Yang. A new beginning... that's what defines a phoenix, after all."

Yang was silent for a moment, thinking through Blake's words, savoring the feeling of the heart beating in time with hers.

"A new beginning... a second chance..." she whispered. "I... never would have wanted such things if not for you, Blake. I'm not even sure if I deserve them now..."

"Don't be stupid." Blake hugged her tighter still. "Of course you do. You deserve it more than anyone, Yang... and I'm... I'm so relieved you got it..." She turned her face into the side of Yang's neck and wept. "I'm p-probably just being selfish... in fact that's all I'm being... but I need you, Yang."

The arms around her waist hugged her just as tightly in return.

"I... I need you, too," Yang confessed. "More than... anything, Blake. I-"

She stopped, choking on a breath.

Blake pulled back - startled - worry in her eyes when she heard the girl's breath hitch.

But what she saw next only made her smile.

Tears were falling freely down Yang's cheeks, leaving trails of wetness behind on her skin.

Both girls were speechless.

Blake watched as the blonde lifted shaking hands to her face, her fingers caressing the liberating droplets she'd been denied shedding for so long.

Blake sobbed happily and threw her arms around Yang, feeling her do the very same.

"Yang... I'm so happy for you..."

"Blake... Blake...!"

Their tears sprinkled over the ashes that remained, but a breeze from the open castle doors soon swept the dust away.

Blake wasn't aware of how much time had passed, and frankly she didn't care.

She had Yang back, and that was all she'd ever need.

Clearly, the feeling was mutual.

Yang kept repeating her name, chanting it like a prayer.

"Blake... Blake... I can't believe it..." she cried. "It's broken... the curse is broken..." She sniffled, letting out more warm tears. "But... But now what...?" she murmured. "We... do we stay here? I don't know if I can come back to the village with you. I don't wanna put you in danger, I just-"

"Yang," Blake murmured. She rubbed soothing circles over the girl's back as she slowly pulled away, finding her eyes. "I won't be in danger. And neither will you. We'll leave this castle – the place of your confining curse. We'll take Zwei with us back to the village and... you'll live with me. Okay?"

She hugged Yang once more, feeling her nod.

Yang inhaled a shaking breath against her chest.

"Okay..." she whispered.

Blake held her until she stopped trembling, until the tears had slowed and ceased for the both of them. She held Yang close, refusing to let go.

Not again.

Yang sighed and pulled back just enough to see Blake's face.

"Blake... I don't... I don't think I should be saying this, but I can't... I can't fight it any longer. I feel like I might explode if I don't say it. Blake... Blake, I-"

"Shh..." she breathed. "Don't force yourself. Breathe, Yang."

Blake held the blonde girl up as she sniffled, shook her head, and tried again.

"Blake... Blake... I- I-" She hesitated again.

Blake understood this was hard for her - for someone who didn't believe she'd ever deserve it for as long as she lived.

But Blake wanted to show her she was glad to let Yang have it.

"I know," she whispered. "I know, Yang. Me, too."

She showed rather than said it.

Blake leaned in and kissed her, feeling the reaction this time.

Yang whimpered against her mouth, but it was acceptance rather than fear.

No more fear.

She returned the kiss full-force, pouring a warmth into Blake's heart like no other.

And the way Yang breathed sobs of relief allowed Blake to believe she was doing the same for her.

They didn't need to say it.

It was clear enough.

The promises the future held were put on hold for a few moments; they would get to those when they were ready.

But for now, they simply held one another, caught tears, shared gazes, and kissed again, kindling a new warmth between them - a soft gentle flame born of fresh embers.

This was all they'd ever need.

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

A/N: As you could see, this was very closely related to the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. I tried to keep as many elements as possible. But more than that, I wanted Yang's curse to allude to the struggles of handling someone with conditions and complications when dealing with anger, Blake's acceptance and patience with her being the 'cure'. And I kept Blake as the human because she was Belle, and as the beast, Yang was given a phoenix curse.

I hope you enjoyed! The final chapter will be Yang's!