The Other Daughter

Chapter 9

Art courtesy of Blackwood on RWBY Amino.

The next day's morning sunlight peeked through the curtains of her one-room abode, bathing half of Yang's face in warmth and gently rousing her. Her eyes fluttered open. She slipped out from under the covers, panicking for a second, until memories of the past days' events came back to her. This was the first time in forever that she'd been away from the Branwen Camp for longer than a day. Mentally, she still had yet to adjust to her new situation. That was okay, though. She assumed she would with time.

Yang yawned, sitting on the side of the bed and staring at the hardwood floor beneath her feet. It was sturdy and polished; much more refined than any tent encampment she had ever set up with the tribe. The innkeeper provided a spare set of clothes the night before, already pressed and cleaned, that she could don when she felt like coming down for her complimentary breakfast. It hung neatly in the closet. Pale yellow walls added a soothing effect and made the room feel a little larger than it was in reality. Was this the kind of comfort established villages were accustomed to? If so, she finally understood not only what the appeal was, but also the kind of peace that she used to help destroy without a second thought.

Deciding to take advantage of the ability to slow down for a change, she stood, stretched, and made her way to the single window near the headboard of her bed. Patch was quiet. Still sleeping, she figured. Aside from a few worker bees who were already up bright and early, she saw only the gentle sway of trees and grass outside her door, and the tops of buildings staring back at her. Her first morning in Patch was peaceful, and something about it made her happy she was here to see it. Her body pinged with restless energy, so she turned and went to open the closet door.

In under thirty seconds, she was changed into her new clothes. A tall mirror hanging from the front door was available to observe how she looked. In all honesty, she wasn't a huge fan. The drab outfit was slightly baggy, with frilled edges on the sleeves of her top and the ends of the leggings. Granted, she did feel pretty comfortable. Seeing no point in wasting anymore time, she went into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Several items awaited Yang on the counter. Two neatly folded handcloths, a few creams and oils, and a basin that she could fill with water from the sink. Yang scrubbed her face clean, brushed her teeth, and got her wild hair in order. Of course, she was only able to tame everything but the single cowlick that refused to ever bend to her hairbrush's will. When she was finished, she left and descended the stairs, finding a couple of families already seated and tearing into a buffet that smelled delicious and made her mouth water. She was more than happy to join them.

"How are you feeling this morning, young lady?" the woman who ran the place shouted, hoisting a stack of emptied pots and pans up and moving them away from the row of buffet options.

Yang grabbed a plate and fought to maintain a smile. "Great," she said.

"Your bed comfy? Everything going well so far?"

"Yeah," Yang said. "The bed's perfect. Actually, I've never stayed in a place like this before."

"Well, we're happy to be your first experience! Will ya be stayin' another night?"

"I don't know yet. The rates here seem pretty reasonable, but I do want to get going eventually."

"Where to? You seem like a busy woman, and a tough one at that. Noticed you came in here all suited up like a regular Huntress."

Yang stopped halfway through ladling a steaming spoonful of some kind of porridge onto her plate. "A Huntress?"

"Yeah! Y'know, from one of the academies. Are you here on business?"