Chapter 1: Tensions on the Rise

Beta: Shad0wReaper133

Story: Huge thank you to the members of Myareska's Discord Server, which made this fic possible.

"Yet he who reigns within himself, and rules passions, desires, and fears, is more a king"

Kingdom politics were possibly the most mind numbing thing to deal with in Remnant. No one enjoyed them, not even the people who derived their power from the house of cards on which the governments were placed upon. It no doubt took the mental endurance of ten men to stay awake and double that amount to stay engaged. However, it was in these small, stuffy, usually dark chambers that the future of millions was decided. Which, in Jaune's opinion, was a pretty good reason to stay awake. Still, it didn't make it easy. Especially for a seventeen-year-old.

"All I'm saying is that we are not in any position to test Atlas' patience. I say that Vale forgoes peace relations with Vacuo for the time being and simply comply with whatever demands Atlas has."

Jaune lifted his head at this statement and looked to his right side to see how Ozpin would react. As expected, he remained silent, however, the teen knew it was anything but indifference. His Head Advisor would act when the time was right like many times before.

Another voice spoke up, this one at least twice as loud as the last. "You should be hung for treason to even suggest such a thing! Are we not more than a prostitute for Atlas to defile whenever it fancies?!"

The room nearly exploded in rebuttals and hastily thrown insults in response to the rather vivid analogy. Jaune Arc, Prince of the Kingdom of Vale, raised a hand to silence the group of hoary men before one of them was killed. For Oum sake…

"Port, please put down Mr. Winchester so we can continue," sighed the boy, rubbing his temples. By now, it was officially his third year of sitting in on these meetings and he was used to disputes like this breaking out. It was the reason his Head of Military – Peter "Fortress" Port – was indefinitely banned from bringing his Battle-Axe/Blunderbuss hybrid to the meetings. The large man reluctantly dropped the other and took his seat once again.

"Great. Ms. Goodwitch, do you have anything to add to all of this?"

Glynda, the oldest out of the three females in the room and Head of the Royal Guard, nodded to Jaune before standing to acknowledge the group. The Prince knew he could always count on her to bring about a bit of order and possibly even sanity – a rare thing to find in these meetings.

"Well, as all of you know, Qrow has not returned yet with Atlas' response to our last call for a peace treaty. Until he returns, all of this is hardly relevant. I say we reconvene as soon as he comes back. We could all use a chance to take a breath and recollect our thoughts anyway."

If only she had said that two hours ago. "Thank you, Ms. Goodwitch. Does anyone object to this?" Jaune waited all of three seconds. "No? Great. This meeting is over-"

"Actually, I have something to add," spoke a voice smoother than silk and gourmet chocolate. All eyes turned to the second youngest in the room second to Jaune himself. Her eyes were a smoldering yellow-brown, and hair a shimmering black made from the dreams of children. Cinder Fall, Head of Dust Application in the Kingdom. She was a newer face, only being taken on so as to compete with Atlas when it came to new uses of the energy propellant. Despite being so young – still in her mid-twenties – her confidence spoke of more years than she let on. Jaune liked her well enough, but in following the advice of his father, he didn't trust her implicitly either.

"I realize that my forte is Dust, but this tension with Atlas is worrying. I think we should plan for what will happen if Knight Branwen comes back with no peace condition from Atlas."

Jaune sighed, realizing sadly that this meeting would last for possibly another two hours. "What do you suggest if this comes to pass then, Ms. Fall?"

"Well, I think we should begin stockpiling weapons now, just in case the worst happens. I also think an increase in Dust mining is in order. Then if Atlas tries to flex its muscles, we will be able to flex back. It would be oh so foolish to remain helpless."

The words rested on the group like a damp blanket. A few loose mutterings went around before Henry Winchester spoke up. "Well, I think that increasing the Vale military wouldn't be such a bad call. In fact, I remember pushing for such a thing myself."

Jaune didn't miss the way Henry's eyes flickered to Cinder after talking. Henry Winchester was of one of the wealthier families in the Kingdom, making most of his money off different weapon designs. An increase in the military would benefit him greatly. Which was why it was so strange that Henry and Port simply did not get along together.

"Yes, Mr. Winchester, I distinctly remember that conversation and I still distinctly remember why it was turned down," retorted Oobleck, before sipping down another gulp of coffee. After knowing the man his whole life, Jaune was able to understand the Head Historian and Faunus Relations well enough, despite the speed of his words. Everyone else mostly just got the gist of his argument and moved on.

"If we were to begin increasing the military capacity of Vale, not only Atlas, but every kingdom will feel the need to do the same, resulting in increased tension! A similar situation happened under William Arc's rule sixty years ago. I'm sure we all know what happened as a result."

"Grimm."

Everyone at the table turned to face Ozpin, who's had apparently decided to interject for the first time today. The oldest member took another sip of his coffee before continuing.

"The greatest Grimm influx the world had ever seen up to that point happened, all because the Kingdoms were scared that war would break out among each other when they, in fact, lost sight of the greater threat. Ironically, it was this that forced the four Kingdoms to come to a temporary peace agreement so as to not lose everything. The fragile peace we still have today is one of the lasting impacts of that war."

After Ozpin stopped talking, the room fell into a deafening silence. The Head Advisor had that effect on people. He always spoke as if having lived it and it was often unclear on whether he had or not. Looking around, the Prince saw that some of the older men were nodding their heads in agreement with what Ozpin said, a few most likely having lived through that period as children. Jaune himself remembered studying the topic with Oobleck, the event having been one of the more researched topics.

Jaune coughed into his fist, finally breaking the silence and drawing all eyes to him.

"Well, if there is not anything else add, I say we end this meeting and have a much-needed break to recollect our thoughts. Any objections?"

A hand raised from the last female of the group. She was a slightly plump woman who appeared to be in her late thirties. Her curly hair went from a deep hazel brown at the roots, lightened into a strawberry red, before ending in a golden blonde. Her crystal clear blue eyes matched his own to genuinely frightening degree, a testament to the Arc blood running through her veins. She was sat in between Oobleck and Tai Xing-Long, a trusted Knight despite not being active since the death of his wife.

"Yes, Au- I mean Mrs. Peach. Is there something you would like to add?"

Jaune cursed internally at almost calling his Head of Public Relations "Auntie" like normal. Talk about an easy way to lose any semblance of respect. It was bad enough being 17 and not even King yet. The way his Aunt smiled showed she had caught the slip, but thankfully wouldn't mention it. Despite participating in these meetings for over three years now since his father's death, it was still hard to not call the woman who pinched his cheeks and kissed his forehead "Auntie."

"Well, I just wanted to say that we need to restock on coffee beans from Mistral. I know how much that means to some of the men in this room."

At the mention of the "special blend," Oobleck nearly snapped his neck to look at the women and make sure she was for real. Less noticeably, Ozpin eyes shifted towards his coffee mug before looking back at Mrs. Peach, as serious as a heart attack. The women simply winked at the two before lifting her own mug and drinking down the warm liquid inside.

"I see. Well, I will make sure that takes top priority," replied Jaune, only half joking. He couldn't have two of his top men out of commission from deprivation. Truly addiction was a cruel mistress. Looking around at the twenty or so men and women in the room, nearly all of them had matching ceramic mugs they clutched to as if the continents held their personality. Even the dangerously beautiful Cinder Fall had a mug in hand, which she held tighter hearing about the possible shortage. Only Glynda and himself were immune.

"Well I don't see why this would ever take top priority over our current situation with Atlas," began Glynda, clearly irritated. "I mean honestly, what would be one week without-"

"Did I forget to mention that our shipment of tea leaves comes joint with the coffee," interrupted Peach, winking at Ms. Goodwitch playfully. The blond stickler looked down at her own mug filled with green swirling tea leaves from Mistral. The speed at which her tune changed was astonishing, bordering on comical. Of course, no one being foolish enough to laugh or comment.

"Well, I guess we can't very well have you all suffering withdrawal symptoms can we," spoke the proud women, daring anyone to comment.

Having fun in that glass house of yours, Ms. Goodwitch? "Well, with that being said, is there anything else we need to discuss?"

Silence prevailed, even the members who enjoyed hearing themselves talk seemed to be eager to leave. "Great, meeting adjourned until Qrow returns with Atlas' reply."

The sound of chairs sliding across stone filled the room as everyone stood and began walking towards the exit. Light flooded into the dim room when the large wooden door was opened, causing many members of the Royal Council to hiss like Vampires. As they filed out, a few congregated in the hallway to discuss personal matters. Outside there were many Royal Guard members, all of which cringed in fear at the sight of Glynda walking out. At least two were assigned to each council member. The rich noblemen of the Council all knew each other, and often held parties at each other's estates or invited one another to hunting trips. What caught Jaune's eyes was Ms. Fall speaking to Winchester.

While the two had seemed to agree in the meeting, Jaune was not aware their relationship went deeper than just face value. It was an open secret that Henry often slept behind his wife's back – everyone on the council was aware though it was not public – but if this was the case with Ms. Fall, then Jaune was not privy to the information. While this was not exactly detrimental, it could change how the Prince would have to take advice from either. It was something he would need to investigate further.

A soft tap on the back of his head made the boy turn around to regard his Aunt Peach. "It's rude to stare you know. Plus a good King never lets his intentions be known. Unless you're just checking out Ms. Fall's ass like everyone else."

"Auntie," whispered harshly to keep his playful family member quite.

"Oh right, I forgot. You already have a playmate."

"Auntie!"

Peach giggled before patting him on the shoulder and sauntering off. She muttered something about being "too easy" before walking around the corner. Whether or not his Aunt really did know about his relationship with Nora was a question for another day. Many knew that the two were close friends, it was hard not to tell, what with them getting into mischief every passing second when the Prince had been younger. The sexual part of said relationship was a well-kept secret, however.

"She's right you know."

Jaune turned around to see Ozpin and his faithful companion Ceramic White. "A good King perfects the art of observing without looking. You've made great strides in this regard, I'm proud to say. Also as Mrs. Peach so eloquently put, you've also made a few strides I'm not so proud of."

The Prince nodded, walking down the long hallways of Beacon Castle. The progress was all because of the caffeine addict standing beside him. Ozpin or Uncle Oz in informal settings had the greatest poker face of all time. In fact, Jaune would regularly look in the mirror and try to imitate Ozpin's impassive stare. It was the perfect blend of "zero fucks given" with "I have my next 200 moves planned."

"Well, I have a good teacher."

Wait, what did he mean by that last part?

Ozpin hummed before patting Jaune on the shoulder and walking down another corridor, mostly likely to take care of some business matters. That left Jaune alone with the Royal Guard members, everyone else having walked to different parts of the castle to do whatever business they needed to attend to. Or so the boy thought.

"Hello, your Highness," spoke a sultry voice from behind. Jaune swiveled around to see Cinder Fall in all her glory. Fighting back a blush at being taken off guard, he put on his best impassive face.

"Hello, Ms. Fall. I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. Do you need something…?"

She smiled kindly before speaking. "Yes. I'm expecting my niece to becoming from Vacuo in approximately two weeks for a visit. My sister is currently going through a tough divorce and wish I take care of young Emerald for the time being. I just wanted to inform you because it may affect my ability to attend meetings in the future."

Hmm, I forgot Cinder had a niece. "Oh. Well, make sure Emerald travels with her papers and it should be fine. I look forward to meeting her if she's a gem like you," spoke Jaune, trying his hand at a joke. The pun was terrible and Jaune expected the deadpan stare he no doubt deserved, but instead a hint of mirth and some other hidden emotion sparked in Cinders eye.

Cinder raised an eyebrow at the statement but didn't say anything in response. "Thank you, your Highness. I'm glad you were so understanding."

Jaune waved a hand as if to dismiss the sentiment. "It's no trouble-"

"Jaune!" A loud yell echoed off the castle walls. "Jaune!"

Turning around, Jaune was just in time to catch his little sister, who had decided to jump directly into his arms. Thankful for the distraction, Jaune hugged her back lovingly.

"I can see you have your arms full," spoke Cinder from behind, who was far closer to his ear than necessary. Wait, was that a pun she just made? "Well, if you ever want to continue talking, I'm easy to find." Then like that, she was gone.

"Jauuunnee, you promised that we would play after the meeting ended!"

The Prince looked back at his little sister, smiling at her simple mindedness. "Ah, ah. But did I say when after the meeting ended?"

Hazel's eyes watered up a bit. "But, but that isn't fair."

"That's politics."

"Politics stink." This got a snicker out of Jaune. He hoisted the little girl up onto his shoulder before continuing his walk down the hallway. One of the Royal Guard walked close by, but Jaune had come to just ignore them, like all the others under their protection.

"Well, now you know why big brother is always tired. Just a room with a lot of tired adults making each other even more tired by polluting the air with politics every time they speak. Not to mention most of the old goats like to hear themselves speak. That is big brothers day in a nutshell."

Hazel's face twisted into a grimace as if biting into something rotten. "Will I have to be in politics one day?"

"Hmm, maybe. Don't worry though. That's why grown-ups drink lots of coffee or tea to dilute the politics in their body." Or whatever ungodly whiskey/coffee hybrid Port drank on a regular basis. On the subject of vices, might as well throw in the Kingdom Brothel two-thirds of the council suspiciously defended every time the subject was brought up. "Anyway, don't worry about it. That's big brothers job."

Jaune reached the more secured are of the castle where his family resided. The Royal Guard member who had followed him to this area gave a curt nod before walking off, seeing that there was already a constant shift of Guard walking this hallway. As his door came into focus, he saw that his twin sister was standing directly outside his door. Jaune walked up and set Hazel down.

"Lavender, what's up?"

"Oh nothing, I'm just here to take Hazel with me." What could only be described as the female version of Jaune bent down and picked up the little girl despite her constant squirming and protest.

"But Jaune said he would play with me," complained Hazel, even as Lavender walked down the corridor, all protest falling on deaf ears.

"Big brother is tired right now. Oh and Jaune?" She turned back around a winked quickly. "Have fun with your nap." Then she continued down the hall and out of sight.

Okay, that was weird as Hell. What did she mean have fun? Jaune shrugged to himself before opening the door and walking in, only for his heart to jump into his throat.

"Nora-"

A loud snore cut through the air, the source coming from the half naked and currently dead to the world girl laying on his bed sleeping. The small ginger was currently only wearing pink lingerie, other than that, she might as well have been stark naked. It would have probably been an arousing scene if not for Nora drooling on his pillow. Jaune rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him at bit harder than normal, causing a loud bang to echo through the room. It also had the desired effect of waking his best friend from her nap.

Nora shot up from her resting position and snapped a salute. "I wasn't sleeping Ms. Goodwitch!"

Jaune rubbed his face, finding humor in the ridiculousness of the scene. He'd probably be upset if not use to these type of shenanigans by now. "No worries Nora, it's just me."

Nora yawned loudly and stretched, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Jauney? Oh, Jaune! I'm in your room!"

"Yes. Good observation."

Pouting cutely, Nora sat up and folded her arms. Jaune rolled his eyes and sat on the end of the bed next to the girl, beginning to undress from his formal robes. "Hey, I know my bed is more comfortable than yours, but this is a bit much, right?"

Nora gave out what could only be called a growl and tackled Jaune, causing him to fall back on his bed. "I was going to surprise you because we haven't had a chance to talk lately, but that dumb meeting took longer than I thought...and your bed's really comfortable…"

"Hmm, I guess I can see how that could occur." Jaune didn't even need to ask what type of surprise Nora had in store for him. With the girl's face so close to his, Jaune leaned in and closed the distance between their lips, lingering for a few seconds before pulling away. "I'm sorry. Meetings seemed to get longer and the days seem to get shorter I guess."

Nora sat up and folded her arms. "Not good enough. With the small amount of time we have now, you better make it up to me."

Jaune cracked a grin. This girl giving orders to a Prince. "As you command, Queen of the Castle."

/-/

Cinder Fall nearly skipped with glee as she walked from the grounds of Beacon Castle, instead, her usual confident strut had to suffice. It seemed the universe just never ceased to shower her in luck. First infiltrating Vale, then infiltrating the high council. It was a plan that was years in the making, but the results were all worth it.

Humans are such fools, men, and women alike. Show a little skin, whisper the right words, and they become like marble in the hands of a sculptor. The Winchester fool will be easier than I thought. It's a calculated risk to invite him into my home, but it will pay off well. It's far too dangerous to seduce the Prince directly, that will have to be Emerald's job.

Cinder smiled at the thought. There was quite literally no end to the gossip on who the Arc boy was sleeping with, to the point where it could be anyone if you were to listen to every rumor. Of course, being the intelligent women she was, Cinder had narrowed it to a handful of likely candidates. None of them holding a candle to Emeralds exotic allure.

As Ms. Fall walked back to her estate in the noble part of the Kingdom, she waved politely to everyone who passed by. Some tipped their hats, others smiled and stopped to chat. Through it all, she responded in kind. Even as she passed the Military Barracks and some of the more boisterous members would cat call and ask for dates, she was a perfect lady. They should have been disemboweled for their insolence, but her mask stayed intact through it all. It had too. The two Royal Guard members assigned to her were also quite the annoyance but granted they didn't come inside her home, it interfered little with her plans.

Finally, after a ten-minute walk, she arrived at the large house that had been provided to her by the crown. It was nearly as large as a Guild Hall, made out of a lovely white marble stone, and lined with servants. Or it used to be. She had dismissed all but two of the servants, claiming the rest would be overkill. It just so happened that those two were faunus. A coincidence to the ignorant eye. When asked, she simply said they were the best two.

Cinder smirked wider when the door to her estate opened for her without even needing to knock. They were indeed good servants, but that was only because they knew her true power. The two White Fang infantry members had been born in Vale and had been servants just like their parents for nearly their whole life. There were other undercover agents like them, but these just so happened to be with her.

"Thank you," she purred to the White Fang members, reaching up to run a finger down one of their faces. The female servant moaned at the touched, while also blushing at having let out a sound. All the same.

"Mercury! Come here."

There was a sound of footsteps downstairs, then a loud crash like glass breaking. A few muttered curses and then more footsteps. Finally, the silvered haired boy walked up the stairs that led to the basement, his usually "chill" expression one of vague fear now. Good. He came to stop a few feet from her.

"Yes, madam?"

"Mercury." Cinder caressed the name like a one would a lover. It would have sent erotic shivers down the spine of any man, but it gave the bastard teen a shiver of near horror. "Why did I hear that you have been flirting with some of the noble girls of the land? Even laying a few."

"Y-you said to blend in. Sir!"

Cinder raised an eyebrow at the response. Mercury had been with her for two years after she claimed she needed an apprentice/assistant for her Dust research, or that had been the official story anyway. At the start of his stay, he remained antisocial and barely ever left the grounds of her personal estate. This was fine for the first few months, easily dismissable as simple culture shock from moving from Mistral to Vale. After six months, however, Cinder encouraged Mercury to leave the house and make some acquaintances. Cinder knew not how longer her stay in Vale would last, so it was imperative they blend in.

"So I did. Though, I do remember saying to keep your distance while still being cordial. I did not believe you were so thick headed as to not understand I meant emotionally and physically, but you've gone and proven me a fool. Tell me, Black, do we need a lesson in proximity?"

Mercury shook his head, eyes boring a hole into the floorboards. Cinder chuckled and turned around to face the two female servants standing at the door. "I've invited a few guests. See to it that they are fed to their hearts content."

As the two White Fang rushed past her towards the kitchen, Cinder placed her gaze back on the gray-haired boy still avoiding eye contact. Using an index finger, she lifted Mercury's head by the chin so that he was staring directly into hers. Not trusting himself to breathe, the boy simply stared back. With a light smack on the cheek, Cinder pulled away and walked towards the staircase leading towards the upper levels.

"Find something sharp to wear. I want you looking at least half as good as me by the time Mr. Winchester and his associates show up."

"Yes madame," breathed the teen before also heading upstairs to change.

/-/

Nora was Jaune's first and only friend that wasn't family. It was an odd symbiotic relationship the two had, but certainly not a bad one. They were the same age when Jaune took a tour to the Royal Guard Hall with his father and wandered off to find adventure. Just so happened that adventure and a half found him instead in the form of a ginger ball of energy.

The age at which someone can become a Royal Guard member is 17, but Glynda and by extension the King had made an exception. Nora had been found by Ms. Goodwitch, wandering the castle grounds and challenging some of the noble children to fights. At this time she had been only 7 years old. Glynda promptly put the girl in one of the orphanages when she found out the girl had no parents to speak of and could find no record of "Valkyrie" in any of the censuses. She most likely thought that would be the end of it, but no such luck.

Not one, not two, not three, not five, but nine times Glynda got called back control the girl who boasted inhuman strength. The reason being that Nora at some point had her aura unlocked, not to mention a muscle enhancing semblance. Having her aura unlocked tipped Glynda off that Nora had possibly escaped an illegal sex trade, which regularly unlocked the aura of young girls so they will heal faster. Of course, this was just a theory, one that Nora herself neither confirmed nor debunked, claiming "I don't know" each time it came up.

Seeing that it wouldn't do to have a superhuman girl running around unsupervised, Ms. Goodwitch brought her into the Royal Guard Guild Hall to use all that energy in a more productive manner. It was a great deal for Nora, who quickly found a family in the Royal Guard members. All of the burly men and women treated her like the official little sister of the Hall and in true fashion, spoiled her rotten. Jaune remembered clearly the first time he met her, she claimed to be "Queen of the Castle." Definitely didn't help that Jaune only humored her more so by taking Nora to the actual throne room.

The two didn't become very good friends until Jaune was around twelve going on thirteen, that awkward stage where a boy begins to notice girls. Nora would have gone through a similar phase if she didn't know exactly what she wanted and how to get it. Any curiosity the Prince had, the Royal Guard companion would satisfy without a second thought. Naturally, Jaune returned the favor whenever his best friend wanted to try something new. Before either of them knew it, their relationship had taken an extremely physical turn. Not that either of them cared much.

"You know, Nora, you are a pretty bad girl for coming over here. Isn't curfew in an hour?" Jaune asked the lovely girl currently bent over his knee. When Nora had first said she was into this sort of thing, he didn't know how to react. Assertive, completely dominant? It really wasn't in his nature, but he gave it a shot. Oddly enough, it did help him to be a bit more confident in meetings, so a win-win all around. Sadly Nora wasn't just into being punished, but also giving the punishment. Those were the days Jaune didn't leave his room.

"Yes, I just never learn my lesson, your Highness," moaned Nora dutifully.

Jaune shook his head dejectedly, playing up the part. "Then I have no choice but to punish you for your insolence."

Holding nothing back, Jaune brought his hand down firmly on Nora's ass. The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the room as he struck again and again, each time harder than the last. Cute mews of pain and pleasure left his the small girl's lips. The sound was music to his ears. Deciding to give her a break, Jaune held back, and gently caressed the bruised skin of Nora's butt.

"Have you come to learn your lesson, Ms. Valkyrie?" Jaune was breathing rather heavily, the arousal and physical activity slowly getting to him. He barely could tell how long they had been at it, only going by how by the color of sunlight filtering through the window behind him.

"I- oh!"

Before she could answer the question, Jaune had already placed two fingers inside of her and began pumping in and out at a frustratingly slow pace. "I didn't hear an answer Ms. Valkyrie. Honestly, has Glynda taught you no manners?"

Nora began moaning loudly, to the point anyone outside the door or in the adjacent rooms could most likely hear. While the thought of getting caught was certainly thrilling, it wasn't exactly something he wanted.

"Silence yourself!" Despite demanding she be quieter, Jaune rapidly increased the speed of his fingers, adding third in the process. In an attempt to follow the order Nora placed both hands over her mouth, muffling the screams of pleasure, though it barely made a difference as the moans grew louder in volume.

"You always did have a big mouth, didn't you slut? I bet you would happy to get caught, right? To be caught bent over my knee like this. Answer!"

"YES!" Nora screamed at the top of her lungs, tears streaming down her face.

Then like that, she came around his fingers, giving out one last desperate moan before going silent. Jaune sighed, wiping sweat from his brow as he removed his digits, causing Nora to shiver at the stimulation. Carefully he picked up the girl and laid her down on the bed and let her catch her breath. After about a minute, her eyes fluttered open meeting his. With a smile, he leaned down a kissed her deeply, one that she accepted readily.

"So how did I do?" Asked the boy, breaking the kiss to stare into his friend's eyes. She giggled and placed an index finger on his nose.

"Boop."

"That good, huh?"

The pair would have continued if not for a pounding on Jaune's chamber door that nearly made him jump out his own skin. When the knocking continued, the Prince rolled off his bed with a frustrated sigh and pulled on a pair of pants that rubbed painfully over his erection that still hadn't been taken care of. He walked to the door, motioning to Nora to hide. Once she was out of sight, Jaune cracked the door open.

"Oh, hey Velvet. You need something?"

The bunny faunus on the side nodded, while also trying not to look at him directly. "Your mother says that dinner is about to be served."

Jaune smiled at the servant. Velvet had been taken on just a few years ago, but from what Jaune had seen, she was very friendly. Genuinely so, not just because of his title.

"Thanks, Velvet. I'll be there in a second."

"Yes, sir!" Then like that, she wandered off. Jaune chuckled and closed the door turning back to see a now fully dressed Nora. She was humming a happy tune despite the sun being rather low in the sky and her curfew having no doubt past.

"Was that the cute bunny one?" She asked, lacing up her boots. Jaune nodded, grabbing a few towels from his drawer. There was no way he could go to dinner smelling like sex after all. So a quick shower was in order. "Maybe we should invite her next time?"

At the very thought, Jaune nearly dropped the items in his hand, a blush covering his face. Nora giggled and walked over to him, pulling Jaune into a chaste kiss before walking to the other side of the room where the window was. Then like every time she came to see him, she winked before going out the window, fearing no harm from the fall thanks to aura.

Wait, I never got to finish… Dang it.

/-/

Okay, I have probably missed dinner, but if I can sneak in and take a shower without being seen, then I can say I fell asleep under the water again! Hehe, thanks, brain.

The sun was just beginning to set, meaning that most were already heading inside. Just in case, however, Nora ran from shadow to shadow and stayed relatively hidden from view. It helped that she had done this so many times before that the quickest and safest route might as well have been ingrained into her memory.

Currently, Nora was in a bush waiting for a group of noblemen and women to pass by, but they apparently found great joy in standing out in the cold and laughing at the top of their lungs about nothing. Looking closely, she could just make out that the teenage boy standing beside his father had a large bird insignia on his jacket. Oh, they must be Winchesters.

"Yes, but I tell you, this Cinder Fall is a cut above the rest. Her estate is a little on the small side, but I hear it is well kept up. Though she did warn me that… animals are working for her," explained Henry Winchester to one of the gentlemen walking with him. The noblemen seemed to recoil a bit, but the man was able to calm them down. "Now, now, this is the only fault I have been able to find. I'm sure you all will get along quite well."

The men grumbled a bit but otherwise didn't protest. Seeing that there was nothing else to be said apparently, Henry put his hand on Cardin's shoulder and began walking with his associates towards where she could only assume was Cinder Fall's estate.

After they disappeared, Nora began her beeline towards the Guild Hall again, cursing her luck the whole way. By the time she arrived, the sun had gone completely over the horizon, leaving only a remnant of light left in the sky. The large wall around the Hall was only a minor annoyance, Nora easily able to vault over the barrier, while also avoiding the patrol on duty. She landed in the training grounds, kicking up a plume of sand with the messy landing. Picking herself up, she looked at the three-story Guild Hall itself and saw that there was still light emanating from the windows and the faint sound of laughing could be heard. Thank goodness, they're still eating. I should be able to slip into the attic window and get to my room.

Nora got close to the stone building and prepared to scale it like many times previous, but then by a stroke of luck, someone walked out the back door to get some air, leaving it wide open. That works too I guess.

As silently as possible, she snuck up the wooden stairs that lead to the back door, cringing each time it squeaked. However, as she made it inside the warmth of the Hall, she breathed a sigh of relief. The shower room was on the first floor, so it would only be a matter of walking a few steps and she would be basically home free.

"Have a nice outing, Ms. Valkyrie?"

Nora froze in her spot as if struck by Ice dust. She didn't even have to turn around to know, that Glynda was nigh directly behind her. The pink bomber shivered, scared to turn around. She knew that Ms. Goodwitch wasn't angry, not really, just disappointed. Though, that was nearly worse than the former.

"Tell me, how is Prince Jaune doing?"

Busted.

A tired sigh escaped Glynda's lips and she turned to walk away. "Meet me in my office in five minutes. With that time I expect you to wash that smell off you. Am I understood?"

"Yes, madam."

/-/

A black crow cut through the salty night air, the wings catching onto the updrafts of the ocean underneath to conserve precious energy. The small creature had been flying nonstop for a few days now, only taking the very minimum amount of breaks in between large stretches of flying. If said bird was a human, it'd be taking large breaths in exhaustion.

I can't keep going like this, I need to rest somewhere and quick.

When Qrow had received the message from Atlas, he knew that it had to be delivered as soon as possible. The matter in question would change the political landscape of Remnant for many years to come and possibly bring in a new era. Seemed Atlas and Vale would finally set aside its tensions with a bond forged by blood. This being the case, Qrow had decided to take as little breaks as possible, but the constant flying took its toll, the stress on his arms akin to a nonstop battle.

Feeling a bit desperate, Qrow was about to just land in the water and float on his back for a few hours to replenish strength, but a much better option came into view. Though nearly hidden within the thick mist coming from the sea, he spotted a large passenger ship sailing slowly through the dark waters. Feeling obliged, he flew over the ship and turned human, landing with a loud thud on the deck. Breathing raggedly, Qrow tried to pick himself up but fell onto his stomach when his arms gave out along with his legs.

Guess I pushed myself a bit too far this time. Hehe, don't even have any alcohol left in my flask either. Oz better give me one Hell of a vacation after this.

It was currently night, so most if not all of the passengers would be asleep. It would give the faithful Knight time to recoup without being bombarded with questions. He viciously fought off the darkness creeping at the edges of his own vision, the promise of a sleep more tempting than a drunk Winter.

"Are you okay?"

The distinctly female voice came from behind Qrow and he instantly reached for his sword, only to groan in pain at the strain. Realizing that this person most likely wasn't a threat, Qrow forced himself to relax seeing as it was just a random passenger ship.

"Yeah. Just had one too many is all."

He felt a small hand latch on to his shoulder before being hoisted up. The small girl put his arm around her shoulder and helped him stand. His legs immediately began shaking at having weight put on them so soon. The Knight would have very well stumbled and fell flat on his face if not for the girl holding up all his weight.

"Can you walk?" She asked, voice laced in concern. The embarrassment of needing to be helped by a girl who couldn't be any older than his niece Yang was something that would not be lived down anytime soon.

"Yeah, I can walk. Thanks, kid."

The girl hummed but didn't respond. Instead, she focused on helping the man get down the stairs that led to the lower level and through the hallway. Finally, after maybe thirty minutes of shuffling and breaks, he made it what he presumed was the girl's room on the ship. She pulled out the room key and unlocked the door, helping him inside.

As expected, the windowless room was on the small side. There was only a small bed in the corner, a couch on the other side, a closet, and bathroom. She gently set him down on the twin sized bed and went to light a few dust candles on the nightstand. As soft illumination filled the area, Qrow could finally get a good look at his savior.

She was definitely a looker for her age. Her skin was dark and amazingly flawless, she had emerald green hair that came down in two long tails and most stunningly of all, two beautiful red rubies for eyes. If only she was legal. The girl sat down on the couch and crossed her legs, staring directly at him. Hating the silence, he decided to speak first.

"Uh, thanks, kid. I really owe you one for dragging my sorry ass off the deck. Guess you probably have some questions."

"A few. Mostly that I didn't know there was a Knight on board this ship."

Qrow internally groaned to himself. The gray robes that were standard for Vale Knights had never fared well with Qrow. Seeing as how he had been on official business, though, he had compromised with his signature red cape and lining with the robes. Though it seemed that his spin on the garb had been enough to tip the girl off.

"Heh, you got me. What gave it away?"

"That giant sword thing on your back," she deadpanned as if it was obvious. Yep, that would probably do it. Still, however, the speed at which she came up with that assumption was a little off putting. Qrow looked over at the nightstand and saw two green, bayoneted flintlock pistols. They both appeared to be heavily customized as well.

"You're not doing so bad on protection either I see. Where are you coming from needing to carry those things around?"

The dark skinned girl briefly flicked her eyes over to the nightstand where the weapons lay before turning back to him. "This ship is coming from Vacuo and headed to Vale. Protection is basically a must there."

So we're headed to Vale? Talk about lucky.

"I see. Visiting family up in Vale then?"

She nodded. "Yeah, my Aunt Fall."

Aunt Fall? No...it couldn't be…

"Hey kid, what's your name?"

"Emerald Sustrai. Yours?"

Damn. The Knight had talked to Cinder Fall a few times in the past and heard a lot about her. When she first came to Vale to act as a Dust advisor, her name had been thrown around in quite a few conversations in the castle. One thing he did remember was that Cinder Fall had a niece in Vacuo that she was quite fond of. A niece named Emerald.

"Qrow. Qrow Branwen. Hey, mind if I rest here for a minute Emerald? Promise to be out of your hair by tomorrow."

The girl smiled, getting up and walking over to the nightstand before blowing out the candles. "Stay as long as you need."

Qrow grinned graciously and closed his eyes, got comfortable, and breathed in and out. This was the most tired he'd been in a long time. Yet, the Branwen twin didn't get a wink of sleep.

A/N: Chapter one out of many to come. First off, do not expect a lemon each chapter. One of the editors who will not be named insisted I put it in and I just so happened to be completely willing. Second, there will be no set update schedule, but expect a chapter at least each month. Also, there is no official pairing. Will Jaune bed other girls...well stay tuned. Ask any question in a Review or PM and I'll answer it the best I can.