Unlikely Pair: Dark Elven Princess and Her Bird [Lailah x Qrow]

Chapter 3: What Others See; Whispers of Change

Chapter 3: What Others See; Whispers of Change

"He's doing it again," Raven muttered, nudging Summer Rose with her elbow. The team leader of STRQ looked up from her notebook to where Qrow sat at their usual lunch table, absently picking at his food while his silver eyes tracked a certain lavender-haired figure across the cafeteria.

"Three minutes," Taiyang whispered, checking his watch. "That's how long he's gone without making a single sarcastic comment. Must be a new record."

Summer's silver eyes, so like Qrow's own, crinkled with amusement. "You should have seen him in combat strategy class yesterday. Professor Port asked what technique he'd use against a heavily armored opponent, and he actually described that spinning defensive maneuver Lailah uses."

"The one she used to knock him flat last week?" Raven's red eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "He's been practicing it in secret, you know. Caught him at it behind the dormitory at dawn."

"Dawn?" Tai's eyebrows shot up. "Qrow Branwen, voluntarily awake at dawn?"

"Shh," Summer cautioned as Lailah passed their table, her own orange eyes flickering briefly toward Qrow before she caught herself and looked away. "They're both so stubborn about this."

Across the cafeteria, at the table reserved for the dark elven delegation, High Queen Hyuuan leaned closer to her husband. "Did you see that, my love?"

Berethon smiled, watching his sister-in-law attempt to focus on her meal while sneaking glances at the scythe-wielder. "The fifth such exchange in the past ten minutes? Indeed."

"It reminds me of us, in the early days," Hyuuan mused. "Though I was perhaps less prone to challenging you to armed combat."

"Only because you preferred political sparring," Berethon teased gently. His expression grew more serious as he observed Lailah's fingers absently tracing the pattern on her cup - the same absent gesture she'd made while listening to Qrow's explanation of scythe techniques the day before. "She's fighting it hard."

"As is he," Hyuuan agreed. "Though I must say, his attempts to get her attention are becoming more... creative."

As if on cue, a small paper bird, intricately folded, landed on Lailah's plate. Several nearby dark elven nobles gasped at the breach in protocol, but Lailah's reaction was more telling - her lips twitched in what might have been a smile before she schooled her features into appropriate royal disdain.

"Did you see that?" Taiyang elbowed Raven. "Your brother just used his Semblance to deliver a note like some lovesick teenager in a romance novel."

"Bold of you to assume Qrow reads romance novels," Raven replied, then paused at her teammates' knowing looks. "Wait... does he?"

Summer's guilty expression said it all. "I may have found some borrowed books from the library in his bag. Historical romance, specifically... with dark elven characters."

"Oh, he's got it bad," Tai grinned. "Remember last week when Lailah mentioned enjoying moonflowers during that cultural exchange presentation?"

"You mean right before he disappeared for three hours and somehow managed to find moonflower seeds to plant in the eastern courtyard?" Raven rolled her eyes. "Subtle, brother. Real subtle."

Near the faculty table, Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch observed the unfolding drama with varying degrees of amusement.

"I've had to modify the training ground repair budget," Goodwitch noted, reviewing her scroll. "Their 'rivalry' is becoming increasingly expensive."

"Consider it an investment in international relations," Ozpin replied mildly. "Though I do find it interesting how their fighting styles have begun to complement each other."

"Like yesterday's joint combat exercise?" Goodwitch's lips curved slightly. "When they cleared the entire course in record time while supposedly trying to outdo each other?"

"Precisely. Their 'competition' has evolved into something rather remarkable. Mr. Branwen's usual chaos tempered by Princess Lailah's precision, her structured approach enhanced by his adaptability..."

Back at the dark elven table, Lailah had carefully tucked the paper bird into her sleeve, though her expression remained deliberately neutral. Hyuuan and Berethon exchanged knowing looks.

"She used to burn his notes, you know," Hyuuan observed quietly. "Now she keeps them in a box beneath her meditation cushions."

"Rather like how young Branwen has taken to carrying that dark elven poetry volume everywhere," Berethon added. "Though he claims it's purely for 'cultural research.'"

At the STRQ table, Summer was holding back laughter as Qrow tried - and failed - to not watch Lailah's reaction to his note. "Should we say something to him?"

"And ruin this entertainment?" Raven snorted. "Besides, you know how he gets when cornered. He'd just deny it and probably do something stupid like challenge her to another duel."

"You mean like she's about to do right now?" Tai pointed to where Lailah had risen from her seat, approaching their table with purposeful strides.

The entire cafeteria seemed to hold its breath. Qrow straightened, his usual smirk sliding into place even as his eyes softened in a way his teammates had never seen before.

"Branwen," Lailah's voice carried that particular mix of authority and challenge that seemed reserved solely for him. "Your form was sloppy in training yesterday. Eastern courtyard, midnight. I'll show you proper technique."

"Whatever you say, Princess," Qrow's reply was casual, but his teammates caught the genuine warmth beneath the snark. "Though I seem to remember knocking you down a few times myself."

"Merely because I allowed it," she replied with imperial dignity, though a hint of playfulness crept into her orange eyes. "For educational purposes, of course."

"Of course," he agreed, far too quickly for his usual rebellious persona.

As Lailah walked away, head held high, Summer counted under her breath. "Three, two, one..."

Right on cue, both Qrow and Lailah glanced back at each other when they thought no one was looking.

"Young love," Hyuuan sighed contentedly, watching her sister attempt to regain her royal composure. "Though I suspect we'll be waiting a while longer before either of them admits it."

"Care to make it interesting?" Berethon suggested. "I say it happens during the upcoming lunar festival."

"The autumn equinox," Hyuuan countered. "When the veil between pride and truth grows thinnest."

At the faculty table, Ozpin merely smiled into his cocoa, watching as two souls circled ever closer to a truth everyone else could already see. Sometimes the greatest battles weren't fought with weapons at all, but with the heart's own stubborn defenses.

And in the growing afternoon light, a paper bird rested safely in a princess's sleeve, while a borrowed book of poetry lay close to a warrior's heart, each a secret token in a dance of denial and desire that fooled no one but themselves.

To be continued in Chapter 4: Moonlit Revelations