A/N: A drabble based off of tumblr user ailtern's Falling Petals AU comic. For now there's only two comics, thus only two chapters. However, if ailtern creates another I may add it to here. We'll see.

I was fascinated by the concept of this AU, and I hope I can convey the emotion in the comic correctly in my writing. I'm also just trying to give more attention to this interesting AU.

Edit 1/20/16: Grammar fixes and minor tweaks.

Weiss felt exhausted.

She panted heavily, her breath coming out hot and tired with each exhale. Sweat glistened on her skin, matting her bangs to her forehead and around her face. She could feel something warm slide down her left cheek and it trailed along her jaw to drip off her chin. A fresh wound remained cut open, the bright red blood contrasting against the bruises and her pallid skin.

Weiss' muscles ached as she stood, her legs wobbling slightly from the exertion. In her hands she held her precious weapon Myrtenaster, and the muscles in her arms strained from gripping its hilt too tightly.

"Oh, poor princess." An alluring feminine voice called to her in mock concern.

Weiss focused on the owner of the voice, and her eyes locked onto them with a menacing glare. Short dark hair and molten gold eyes, they matched her gaze with their own much calmer one. She set her mouth in a grimace as the woman chuckled at her plight.

"Why are you so serious?" Cinder spoke teasingly.

In the opposing woman's arms was Ruby. She was unconscious. Cinder was holding the young girl up by the waist with one arm. Ruby's arms were shackled, as well as her legs, making it even more of a problem for her to maneuver even if she were awake.

How did she allow things to come to this?

Cinder chuckled again, as she raised a hand to caress Ruby's cheek. She stared directly into the heiress' eyes. Taunting her cruelly with her partner's unawareness to the situation.

"She is not your property anymore." Cinder said.

Weiss no longer had words to exchange with this woman, figuring out that words did nothing to convince her to relinquish her lover. Weiss merely growled at Cinder, baring her teeth in frustration at her.

"How lovely she is..." Cinder whispered loud enough for Weiss to hear.

Moving her hand from Ruby's waist to her shoulder, Cinder brought the young girl closer to her. Their faces were scant centimeters from each other. Cinder obviously reveling in her acquired 'prize'.

"Isn't it?" She said and glanced over at Weiss.

Weiss was annoyed at the woman's antics. By now she was unfazed at the attempts to frazzle her thoughts. Weiss was determined to rescue Ruby from this woman's trickery, and return her to her side. She returned Cinder's look with one of indifference, gripping Mrytenaster's hilt tighter.

"And now…" Cinder said with a pause. "She is mine."

Cinder wrapped both of her arms around Ruby, pulling the girl even closer against her while smiling coyly at Weiss.

Weiss readied Myrtenaster for battle, already forming a glyph in her mind and steadying her stance.

She would get Ruby back. She would shake her out of the trance this woman put her in, and they could go back to Beacon and forget all of this.

They could return to simpler days, where the most they had to worry about were exams and sharing a kiss in public.

Cinder looked amusedly at Weiss, waiting for her to make the first move.

Weiss wasn't perfect, but she'd be damned if she let Ruby fall under that woman's influence.