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Weiss rubbed her eyes, took another sip of tea, and sighed at the mountain of paperwork covering the desk.  She considered herself a decently intelligent person, but she found these proposals impossible to decipher.  Political verbiage filled every document and, even worse, most of them made no sense.

At least, the resolutions made no sense to her.  Seeing as how several Councilors had endorsed each one, they must serve some purpose other than wasting paper and her time.  She just didn’t know what that purpose was yet…

This was by far the biggest issue with being suddenly thrust into Atlas’ government.  She had no idea what direction Atlas was heading in, no idea what needed to be done, what should be done, or what had already been done.  And, based on the work in front of her, she wouldn’t have a handle on the situation anytime soon.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to get up to speed.  Once the war ended, the people of Atlas needed help rebuilding their lives.  They couldn’t afford to wait for her to become comfortable - their livelihoods and overall happiness were being delayed by her indecision and lack of knowledge.

“Yes, I guess…” she mumbled while signing a proposal that made moderate sense.  Supplies and monetary relief for families who had lost family members during the war - that sounded like a good way to start the healing process.

Of course, no one outside of the Council knew that the war was ending.  Councilor Ironwood convinced her to withhold an official announcement until the peace treaty was signed, in the interest of not sparking false hope.  Until then, they risked misleading the people of Atlas.  For all they knew, Vale would back out or be so unreasonable that a truce became impossible.

While Weiss agreed with not getting the kingdom’s hopes up too early, she couldn’t imagine Ruby being unreasonable.  Through every interaction they had shared so far, Ruby proved to be mild-mannered and temperate in her words and actions.  If deceit lurked in Ruby’s thoughts, Weiss couldn’t even catch a glimpse of it. Regardless, Weiss had to keep Atlas’ best interests in mind.  She believed in an equal truce.  Anything other than that, and they would have to discuss how or why such terms should be accepted.

Until then, she would sift through the mountain of potential laws that her father somehow never got around to. One wanted to raise taxes, another wanted to lower them.  One wanted to tax textiles, another agriculture.  She couldn’t have drafted a more contradictory set of proposals if she tried.

First, she organized them into groups that seemed to represent different factions.  High incomes versus low incomes.  Agriculture versus textiles versus services versus every other industry imaginable.  War efforts versus restoration efforts.  And, somehow, she was supposed to decide which were superior to the others?

Fortunately, a knock interrupted her quandary.

“Come in,” she called out. The door opened a second later, and a young man stuck his head into the office.  After spotting her, he stepped inside and bowed.

“Your Highness.  Pardon the intrusion, but the Council sent me.”

When he held up the stack of files in his hands, she sighed.

“You can leave them there,” she instructed him with a wave to the corner of the desk.  There wasn’t much free space left, so he carefully set the files down and, only once assured they would stay put, backed away.

“Thank you,” Weiss added, but didn’t bother reaching for the new arrivals as he bowed and took his leave.

So much for making a dent in this never-ending ordeal. She didn’t remember her father spending so much time on paperwork, but he was familiar with the process and hadn’t just ended a war, which was apparently a bigger undertaking than expected.  Or maybe he delegated most of this to the councilors, who took it upon themselves to decide which motions passed and which failed.

Thinking about her father, she dropped her head in her hands and sighed.  Try as she might, she couldn’t get his last moments out of her mind.  Watching him threaten Winter for the thousandth time.  Seeing the malice and uncontrollable anger in his eyes.  Feeling that he meant it this time - that he would kill Winter for disobeying.

Then...nothing.  For as rageful as he had been in life, death silenced him.  Death made him mortal.  Death made him nothing more than the rest of them - skin, bones, and fleeting existence.

She killed him.  It was an accident, but her actions - her lack of control - ended his life.

She couldn’t change the past.  Even if she could, she didn’t know if she would.  Her only choice was to live with the consequences, and her consequences were far easier to handle than Winter’s.

She wished Winter was here to explain what these proposals meant.  To explain what she was supposed to do and how she was supposed to do it.  To offer support, consolation, and an ever-listening ear to hear her doubts.

When someone else knocked on the door, she shook away her remorse in favor of seeing who it was this time.

“Come in.”

As soon as Councilor Ironwood strode into the room, she straightened in her seat.  As usual, his presence was reassuring yet intimidating.  From the immaculate white robes to his towering height and piercing eyes, he held himself like someone used to getting his way.  He probably was used to getting his way, as Weiss had watched him bully the other councilors into agreement on several occasions.  But he had also been immeasurably helpful in answering her questions so far.

“Your Highness.”

His bow was so short and crisp that he hardly seemed to lean forward before straightening up.  His gaze swept across the desk next, and a smile pulled at his lips soon after.

“Councilor,” Weiss greeted him before glancing at the time.  “Isn’t the Council meeting in half an hour?”

“It is, but there’s a small matter I thought you’d like to attend to before then.”

“‘Small matter?’  What is it?”

“If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you.”

Walking into an unknown situation made her uneasy, but she didn’t feel comfortable asking for more information.  Clearly, he considered this matter so small that she could deal with it upon a moment’s notice - what would he think when she pressed him for details instead?  Unwilling to look like a fool yet again, and somewhat grateful to leave the stacks of paperwork behind, she stood and nodded.

“As you wish.  Lead the way.”

Councilor Ironwood nodded and left the office, leaving Weiss to take a deep breath and follow.  As much as she disliked her father’s office, it was secluded and private.  Leaving the quiet room, escorted by the Head of the Council, no less, invited more scrutiny than she would like.

She still remembered when everyone ignored her existence.  She never thought that she would miss those days, yet she longed for them while trailing Councilor Ironwood through the palace.

“How are the proposals going?” he asked, seemingly oblivious to the gazes and hasty bows directed their way.

“I have several left.”  The understatement of the century, but Weiss could practically feel herself shrinking in the man’s presence.  “Hopefully, I’ll catch up soon.”

“I’m willing to provide guidance if needed.”

The offer reminded Weiss of her return to Atlas, when Councilor Ironwood had taken it upon himself to present her a curated list of everything he deemed fit to be signed.  While she appreciated his help, she hesitated to accept such blanket support.  If she didn’t learn how to separate the good proposals from the bad, then why was she even bothering?

“Thank you, Councilor.  I’ll let you know if that’s necessary.  For now, I’d like to read everything to understand what’s going on.”

“An admirable goal, Your Highness,” he said while leading her across the bustling foyer, where nearly everyone paused to offer a respectful bow.  “But keep in mind that running an entire government alone isn’t feasible.”

After nodding at the sage advice, Weiss fell silent and followed Councilor Ironwood through a narrow doorway leading to the staff’s quarters.  Considering she had spent her whole life in the palace, one might expect her to have the entire building memorized by now.  There were some areas, however, that she was too hesitant or reluctant to explore.  Her father’s office had been one.  The Councilroom another.  The throne room, too.  Basically, anywhere her father frequented, she avoided to the best of her ability.

Then there were the staff’s quarters...which she once wanted to explore but gave up the idea over time.  The men and women keeping the palace running had too much on their hands as it was.  The last thing she wanted to do was invade their space just so she could see what it was like.

As it turned out, the staff’s quarters weren’t much to look at.  The hallways were noticeably narrower.  The paint had faded and chipped.  There was no artwork to be found.  And a faint, damp odor lingered in the air.

The contrast to the main palace surprised her, but Councilor Ironwood didn’t look the least bit perturbed.  He wrinkled his nose, but whether that was at the smell or general squalor Weiss couldn’t tell.  Part of her wanted to ask if the staff quarters were always like this, but another part of her worried about his answer.  Was it her place to question the condition of this place or would he tell her to leave those matters to the head of staff?

Ultimately, she kept her mouth shut.  Eventually, Councilor Ironwood stopped beside an open doorway and waved her through.  The instant she entered the room, she realized that she was, yet again, out of her depth.

Without any idea what was going on, she stopped several paces from the door and looked at the members of the staff already assembled there.  Some she recognized; many she didn’t.  Only a few could sit in the small room, so most stood or leaned against the back wall.  Their quiet conversations had stopped the moment she stepped into the room; now, they looked just as surprised to see her as she was to see them.

Unlike the main palace’s cavernous rooms, the cramped space felt claustrophobic and far too warm.  Cheeks quickly flushing, Weiss tugged at the collar of her shirt and reminded herself to breathe.  The room was hot and stuffy, yet her spark sent a burst of ice racing through her veins.  Her fingers swiftly chilled and her lips threatened to unleash breaths of frost into the air.  Knowing she couldn't let that happen, she clenched her hands tightly and reigned in her overwhelmed spark.

“Your Highness.”  Returning to Weiss’ side, Councilor Ironwood clasped his hands behind his back and nodded to the people in front of them.  “They’ve requested a meeting to discuss an issue.”

Weiss could have heard a pin drop as the room’s attention shifted to her.  The back of her neck prickled with heat the longer the silence dragged on, but she eventually summoned the courage to speak.

“What’s the issue you’d like to discuss…?”

The two men in front, who must be the spokesmen based on how the others turned to them, looked at Weiss long and hard before shaking their heads.

“We wanted to discuss it with the Council…”

“The Queen is a member of the Council by nature of her title,” Councilor Ironwood curtly replied.

“Of course, Sir,” one of the men mumbled.

“We didn’t want to bother Her Highness…” the other added, seeming content to leave it at that.

“Well, now that she’s come all the way here, why don’t you voice your ‘issue?’”

Councilor Ironwood’s use of air quotes didn’t seem like the best way to encourage a conversation, but Weiss only glanced at him before watching the people in front of her.  If they had an issue to discuss, she was open to hearing it.  After watching them exchange glances, however, the two men looked at the floor rather than at her.

“It’s not worth mentioning.”

“Sorry for wasting your time, Your Highness,” one of the men quickly added.  “Please forgive us.”

Struggling to understand what just happened, Weiss glanced around the room and noticed everyone looking anywhere but at her.  Their avoidance of eye contact made it pretty clear: they wanted to speak to the Council because they didn’t believe she could help. Honestly, she didn’t believe she could help either.

“If you’re sure…” she found the courage to say out loud.

When most of the room nodded or continued staring at the floor, her heart cracked a little.  After glancing at Councilor Ironwood, who looked pleased with the interaction, she feigned a smile and backed toward the door.

“If you need anything else...feel free to send a message.”

Rather than witness their lack of response, she spun around and hurried away.  Councilor Ironwood caught up quickly, but she didn’t slow her pace.  Instead, she rushed out of the staff’s quarters and wondered if she would ever return.  The dingy spaces, the cramped halls...but, worst of all, confronting their belief that she was as incompetent as she felt.

“Excellent work, Your Highness,” Councilor Ironwood said while they returned to the main portion of the palace.  “That went splendidly.”

He sounded satisfied, but Weiss was only humiliated and disappointed.  She wanted to know what those people wanted and why.  If they were willing to drop it so quickly, had it been a legitimate issue?  Or had they just wanted to complain for complaint’s sake?

How could she ever help them if they gave up on her before giving her a chance?  Did they really think so little of her?

“Is there a reason you asked me to do that?” she asked while following Councilor Ironwood to the Council room.

“I thought you’d like to see the staff and how they respond to you.”

“They didn’t respond at all.”

“Which was appropriate.  You are their queen, and they shouldn’t bother you with trivial matters.”

“Right…”  Hearing the dejection in her tone, she paused and collected herself.  “But they probably would’ve been better off speaking to you.”

When she glanced up at the man, his brow furrowed in thought.

“Next time, I could take care of these small issues for you,” he eventually offered.

“Please do.”

Even though he nodded at his new responsibility, Weiss didn’t feel relieved.  She wanted to help, but she also didn’t want to go through anything like that again.  Until she knew what she was doing, the experience only set her up for failure.  Because what just happened was a failure.  Councilor Ironwood might not view it as such, but she felt it deep in her bones.

“The Council is discussing the treaty today,” Councilor Ironwood added as they approached the Council room.  “Hopefully, we’ll make some progress.”

The topic drew Weiss’ mind away from her most recent disappointment, yet only gave her more cause for concern.  If she couldn’t even talk to the palace staff, how was she supposed to get a signed treaty from Vale?

Pushing those doubts away, she nodded when Councilor Ironwood motioned her into the room first.  As soon as she stepped inside and saw the crowd of white-robed councilors waiting for the meeting to begin, her footsteps faltered.  Before Councilor Ironwood noticed her reluctance, however, she hurried over to ‘her’ chair and sat.

“Your Highness,” Councilor Hill greeted her with a nod and searching gaze.

“Councilor Hill,” Weiss replied, lightly dipping her chin.  The intent woman briefly acknowledged the response before standing and moving to the center of the room.  Councilor Ironwood sat beside Weiss as Councilor Hill motioned for everyone’s attention.

“Good morning,” she greeted everyone in her calm, confident voice.  “Let us begin so we don’t take too much of our fair Queen’s time.”

Weiss had nowhere else to be, but the councilors quickly reminded her of why she would still rather be anywhere but here.

“Was the staff issue handled?” Councilor Hill asked first.

“Yes.”  Councilor Ironwood’s gaze flitted to Weiss as a triumphant smile lifted his lips.  “They decided it wasn’t an important matter, after all.”

“Never is, is it?” someone huffed from several rows behind Weiss.

“As long as they’re happy, we can move on to more important matters,” Councilor Hill interrupted, and the room obediently quieted.  “Today, we’ll discuss the Atlas-Vale treaty.”

“Hogwash,” one of the councilors scoffed.  Weiss couldn't remember the man’s name, but he never stopped scowling.

“They’re playing games,” the man beside him added.  “Stalling for time.”

“Thorn, you miserable bastard, what makes you think you know anything about their plans?”

Just like that, the room erupted.  Insults hurled left and right, and Weiss sank into her seat while wishing to be anywhere but here.  She understood why the seats were set up in a semi-circle though - so the councilors could all shout at each other at once.

It was loud, disorderly, and ineffective, but what was she supposed to do about it?  The councilors glanced at her often, as if checking her reaction to their pointed barbs, but she didn’t know what those glances meant.  Was she supposed to steer the discussion?  Was she supposed to wait until spoken to?

“Councilor Hill,” Councilor Ironwood eventually called out, raising his voice to be heard above the crowd.  “Have you forgotten how the Council works?”

Frowning at his interruption, or annoyed by the agitation in his tone, Councilor Hill held up a hand to silence the room.

“Let’s hear from Councilor Alvis then,” she said before waving to a woman on the left side of the room.  Given the floor to speak, the woman stood so everyone could see her.

“If Vale’s willing to sign a treaty, they must be weak.  They must be on the cusp of breaking.”

Weiss frowned at that comment, and felt her frown deepen when several councilors nodded.  She knew she should say something before they latched onto the notion that Vale was weak.  Before she summoned the courage to speak, however, another councilor piped in.

“Are you suggesting we keep fighting?”

Murmurs swept the room as the men and women mulled over that option.

“Before we come to any conclusions,” Councilor Ironwood interjected.  “We should invite the Vale Queen to speak.  She might give us a better understanding of what they hope to accomplish and how it affects Atlas.”

Finally, someone spoke with an ounce of reason.  Fortunately, some of the other councilors agreed as well.  At least, their nods suggested agreement.  Considering they’d been squabbling with each other just moments prior, Weiss didn’t know how much she trusted the temporary accord. Councilor Hill, however, seemed to accept the unspoken agreement.

“Very well.  We’ll invite Queen Rose to speak with us tomorrow afternoon.  Once we’ve heard from her, we can discuss whether or not we’ll accept the truce and on what terms.”

When Councilor Hill turned to Weiss, Weiss nodded but didn’t say anything.  She didn’t know if she was supposed to say anything, but she at least motioned that she agreed with the plan.  Not that her agreement seemed necessary, as several councilors had already stood to leave.

Whispering amongst themselves, the esteemed men and women quickly filtered out of the room.  Most of them offered polite bows to Weiss while passing, but they didn’t attempt conversation as they headed off for their offices or homes.  Based on the amount of conversation taking place, however, bargaining and bartering didn’t stop when the meeting did.

“Feel free to leave, Your Highness.”

Counselor Ironwood smiled at Weiss and gestured to the door.  Councilor Hill, on the other hand, frowned - either at Weiss or at Councilor Ironwood, it was difficult to tell.  Regardless, Weiss stood and gave both councilors a curt nod before leaving the stuffy room behind.

As soon as she stepped into the grand hallway leading to the entryway, she rubbed her eyes and sighed.  Thankfully, the meeting was short - almost pointlessly so - but she still felt physically and emotionally exhausted.  All that yelling...for what?  Did they hate each other that much or did they argue because it was expected from them?

At least they agreed to speak to Ruby.  Once Ruby presented her argument, they could draft the treaty and move on.  Signing the treaty was only the beginning of Weiss’ work, but she would rather throw her efforts into rebuilding than beating Vale into submission.

With Vale on her mind, her feet led her through the hallways on their own.  She wasn’t going to the office - she knew that much.  Even though the proposals on her desk demanded significant time and attention, she couldn’t bear more politics at the moment.  She decided to check on Ruby instead.  Not only because she wanted to be a good host, but also so that she could update Ruby on the Council’s request.

After checking the library and finding it empty, then not spotting the Vale Queen in the entryway either, Weiss decided to check the dining room.  It was nearly lunchtime, so she couldn’t imagine that Ruby would still be in her chambers.  The past few days of travel had been exhausting, but Ruby didn’t seem like the type to run low on energy for long.

Sure enough, Weiss walked into the dining room and immediately spotted Ruby, who looked as upbeat and energetic as the first time they met.  Simply seeing Ruby filled Weiss with relief and disbelief, as if she subconsciously worried that the Queen of Vale was a figment of her imagination - or worse, someone who left the instant she figured out the depths of Weiss’ incompetence.

Ruby was still here, and she looked as breathtaking and cheerful as ever.  Her inviting aura easily filled the entire room with warmth.  It was as if, even without knowing her, anyone could trust her.  Her perpetual smile only added to that overwhelming sincerity. The current recipient of Ruby’s smile, one of the Council’s aides, appeared overjoyed by the company he kept.  Ruby’s near-constant companion, James, sat nearby and closely watched the conversation but seemed unperturbed by Ruby making quick friends.

Common courtesy told Weiss to hang back and wait for the conversation to end, but she hardly hesitated at the doorway before continuing across the room.  She didn’t want to be rude, but she couldn’t ignore Winter’s advice - don’t trust anyone.

Ruby was new here.  Weiss couldn’t, in good conscience, let her fall into a potential trap on her first full day.

James noticed Weiss’ presence first but said nothing - he just watched her cross the room.  The Council’s aide noticed her next and instantly fell silent, saving her from interrupting.  Instead, Ruby noticed the sudden pause and turned around in surprise.

Ruby’s gorgeous silver eyes landed on Weiss and a bright smile immediately appeared.  The openly enthusiastic expression warmed Weiss’ cheeks as she joined the conversation and dipped her chin in greeting. Hoping Ruby didn’t notice the blush, Weiss directed her words to the young man.

“Pardon the intrusion, but I need to discuss something with Queen Rose.”

“Of course.”  He looked disappointed, but he quickly bowed.  “It was an honor to meet you, Queen Rose.”

“You too!”

Ruby nearly bowed in return, but Weiss gently grabbed her elbow before she did.  The touch distracted her enough to make her straighten up, but the young man still gave her a quizzical look before bowing to Weiss and hurrying out of the dining room. Only after glancing over her shoulder to confirm that he left did Weiss turn back to Ruby and immediately drop Ruby’s arm.  Her blush deepened but, fortunately, Ruby didn’t comment on the brazen familiarity.

“Good morning,” Ruby said instead.  Another smile appeared, making Weiss silently wonder what Ruby found so amusing or uplifting.

“Good morning,” Weiss replied before glancing over her shoulder one more time.  Finally assured that they were alone, except for James, she leaned closer and lowered her voice.  “Please be careful with who you speak to.  There are power-hungry people in the palace, and they’ll willingly use you for your position.”

When thoughtful silver eyes remained on her, Weiss worried that she overstepped her place.  Then Ruby smiled.

“He was curious about firespitters,” she explained, amusement dancing in her eyes.  “He wondered if they could actually set fire to the entire city.  I told him that’s why our houses are made of sandstone.”

The innocuous conversation warmed Weiss’ cheeks further.  She hadn’t meant to be overbearing or overprotective but, from the look in Ruby’s eyes, the concern had been noticed.  It had also been unnecessary.

“I see.  That’s...good.”  When Ruby tilted her head, Weiss grasped onto the first topic change she found.  “I have an update for you.  Can we discuss in the office?”

As Winter often said, the walls had ears.  Few spaces were free of eavesdroppers, but the office seemed secure enough to hold a private conversation. Fortunately, Ruby didn’t insist on speaking right there in the dining room.  Instead, she nodded to James, who stood up, before motioning for Weiss to lead the way.

“After you,” she added before falling into step by Weiss’ side.

As they crossed the entryway together, Weiss wondered what a sight they must be - the lowly Princess and two outsiders from Vale.  Regardless of Ruby’s significance, her presence in the palace didn’t feel real.  This all felt like a dream, actually, but Weiss was losing hope that she would ever wake from it.

“How was your morning?”

The question startled Weiss out of her thoughts and returned her focus to the regal young woman beside her.  Considering they had almost nothing in common, Weiss expected to walk in silence - she was used to walking in silence.  Ruby making the effort to start a conversation was...unexpected.

“It was...busy.”

The simple response summed up Weiss’ morning yet left out the despondency and sense of loss that she couldn’t shake.  Ruby didn’t need to know about those things, nor did she want to hear about them.

“Good busy or bad busy?”

“Depends on who you ask,” Weiss hedged.  Part of her wanted to admit that the morning was awful, but she didn’t feel comfortable giving that information to Ruby.  What if Ruby took it to mean that Weiss was weak, which in turn impacted their negotiations?  Worse yet, what if Ruby deemed Weiss so incompetent that she asked for a councilor instead just like the palace staff did?

“Well...I’m asking you,” Ruby replied thoughtfully.  “What do you think?  Good busy or bad busy?”

Again, Weiss wanted to answer honestly, but she pushed that feeling away.

“There are other things I’d rather do,” she admitted, glancing at Ruby out of the corner of her eye.

“Like what?”

This time, Weiss turned toward Ruby and found curious silver eyes studying her.

“What do you like to do?” Ruby elaborated when Weiss didn’t immediately respond.  “Any hobbies?  Like reading or...I don’t know, building snowmen?”

Ruby smiled at the joke, but Weiss stared for a moment before looking at the floor.  No one had ever asked her what she liked to do, so she had never thought about it before.

“I...like to read, I guess,” she mumbled toward the carpet as they reached the hallway leading to the office.  She hoped that Ruby wouldn’t ask her to elaborate because she didn’t know if she could.  And, somehow, she felt even more inadequate that she hadn’t been prepared with a list of activities she enjoyed in her free time.  She used to have quite a bit of free time, but she had spent most of it avoiding her father and waiting for Winter to be free.

“I’m bad busy all the time.”  Ruby lightly swung her arms as she walked, projecting carefree energy that Weiss couldn’t hope to match.  “Like, once a year our advisors write this huge report on just about everything that happened in Vale the past year, plus the current status of all our supplies.  This thing is literally like two thousand pages of boring stuff.  But Yang and I have to read it every single year.”

The forthcoming answer made Weiss feel guilty about her hesitant responses.  Ruby was only trying to make conversation, which was strange, but...Weiss could try to make conversation, too.

“Two thousand pages?”

“Yup.  We lock ourselves in the office with a bunch of food for a week to finish it all.”

“That...doesn’t sound too bad.”

While Weiss stopped in front of the office door, Ruby pondered the question for several seconds before smiling.

“You’re right.  The reading is dry, but at least Yang and I get to spend time together.”  Ruby’s smile briefly faltered, but she quickly shook her head and brightened up.  “Anyway, what’s the update?  I’m excited to hear it.”

“Let’s head inside first.”  The Knight guarding the door bowed as Weiss motioned to the door, but it was James who opened it for her. “Thank you,” she muttered, ducking her head and walking through first.  Ruby was right behind her, but James only took a step into the room before closing the door and waiting there.

Understanding that only Ruby could ask him to wait outside, Weiss didn’t argue.  Instead, she went over to the two heavy coats that one of the butlers had draped over the chair last night.  Her heart picked up its pace, sending tendrils of cold to her fingertips as she grabbed the jackets and offered them to Ruby.

“Before we get to the Council, please accept these for whenever you leave the palace.  You can wear them over what you brought with you.  Only if you want, of course, but I thought you’d like to have another option.”

While Weiss rambled, Ruby took the thick, lavish coats and stared at them long enough to make Weiss worry they were a mistake.  Then Ruby smiled and handed the larger one to James.

“That was super thoughtful of you.”

The sincere comment flustered Weiss, who had considered the gesture a necessity.  She had felt guilty when she saw how cold Ruby looked after braving Atlas’ extreme chill.  Furnaces kept the palace warm, but venturing outside meant subjecting oneself to the whims of the harsh climate they lived in.

“We can’t have you freezing before finishing the treaty,” she mumbled to the desk.

“Still, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Hoping to put the gratitude behind them, Weiss sat in the uncomfortable chair that she had occupied all morning and moved some of the proposals out of her way.  A soft sigh slipped through her lips as they reminded her how much work needed to be done, but Ruby didn’t seem to notice while settling into the chair on the other side of the desk.

“What’ve you been up to all morning?”

“Just...working on this,” Weiss said, gesturing at the stacks of papers.  “Then I met with the Council to discuss the treaty.”  Remembering the horrible experience, she sighed and shook her head.  “That’s what I wanted to tell you - they’d like you to speak to them directly.  They want to hear how you expect the war to end.”

“That’s reasonable.”

Thankfully, Ruby found it reasonable.  To Weiss, it felt like incessant bureaucracy.  If she wanted to end the war, shouldn’t that be her decision?  Why did the Council have to dissect and critique the way the war would end?  As far as she was concerned, they should do as Ruby suggested in Vale: cease fighting immediately and divide all costs of restoring the Badlands in half.

“Then can you come to the meeting tomorrow afternoon?” she asked instead.

“Absolutely.  I’ll be there!”

Ruby’s upbeat tone made Weiss’ lips twitch with a smile.  For a queen, or for a person in general, Ruby seemed to be positive in any situation.  It was an enviable trait that Weiss wished she could have learned.  Unfortunately, her childhood hadn’t really allowed it.

“What have you two been up to today?” she asked before dwelling on those memories.  After glancing at James, who still stood by the door, Ruby smiled.

“We explored some more.  Atlas is big, and everything’s so pretty.”

Weiss hadn’t been fishing for compliments, yet Ruby’s response made her feel strangely...proud.  It had been a long time since she’d felt proud of Atlas - hard to do while her father rampaged through the palace, terrorizing all who lived there. Looking at the city through a newcomer’s eyes, she could see the grandeur.  The towering walls patrolled by Knights in their silver armor.  Fresh snow covering the rooftops.  Well-worn, deceptively slippery cobblestone streets.  And, her personal favorite, the fires illuminating every home or window, lending comfort to the chilly atmosphere.

“My ancestors founded Atlas thousands of years ago,” she offered.  “Their goal was to build one of the largest civilizations ever seen.”

“It’s definitely big.  And you’re right that everyone has white hair.  James and I get so many looks.”

Weiss actually chuckled when she imagined Ruby and James walking around the white and grey streets of Atlas.  They must be quite the pair; she wasn’t surprised that people stared.

“Hopefully, you’ll excuse them,” she replied with a small smile.  “Outsiders haven’t been allowed in Atlas in a long time.”

“But you used to have outsiders, right?  Didn’t any of them stay behind when the war started?”

“Why would they stay?”

“Uh, I dunno…they liked it here, got a job here, or like, fell in love and had families here?”

Weiss shook her head at the suggestions.

“Who would like it here?”

Weiss gestured to the fresh snow falling outside the window to prove her point, but Ruby glanced outside and shrugged.

“People who love snow?”

“People who love snow were probably born here,” Weiss pointed out before continuing to Ruby’s next suggestions.  “Besides, even if they stayed, they wouldn’t be able to work.”  When Ruby tilted her head, Weiss added, “Atlas treats outsiders harshly, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.  Even if someone was willing to give an outsider a job, they’d risk immeasurable pushback.”

“Oh…”

“As for love,” Weiss added before shaking her head.  “It’s against the law to marry someone born outside of Atlas.”

“Seriously?” Ruby asked, her eyes widening.  “Like...you’d arrest someone who tried?”

“They wouldn’t be arrested; they just wouldn’t be granted the proper licenses.  If they somehow got those anyway, then they would be arrested.  Obviously, that hasn’t happened in years since there haven’t been any outsiders around, but I’ve heard the punishments are severe.”

“That...doesn’t seem right.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Weiss agreed.  “But my father hated losing control, and outsiders bring new thoughts, new ideas, and new ways for people to turn against him.”

“But you’re the queen.  Can’t you change the law?”

“It’s not that easy.”  In actuality, Weiss didn’t know whether or not it was easy, but she shook her head anyway.  “The Council writes the laws, and I approve them.  Can you imagine what would happen if I issued whatever law I wanted?  The kingdom might revolt.”

“This seems like a small change though.”

“To you,” Weiss pointed out.

Ruby bit her lip while thinking through the situation, but eventually nodded.

“You’re right.  Vale doesn’t have restrictions like that, so I can’t imagine what it’d be like.  I guess if that’s how I grew up, I wouldn’t really think about it.”

The empathetic answer caught Weiss off guard.  She hadn’t expected Ruby to so willingly see the situation from another point of view.  Tolerance wasn’t exactly one of Atlas’ strengths, and her father hadn’t even known the meaning of the word.  Typically, disagreements in the palace spiraled into people being fired, exiled, or worse.

Her father’s absence would take some getting used to, but Weiss was starting to hope that Ruby’s presence would remove his iciness even faster.  The two couldn’t be more opposite and, for that, she was grateful.

“So...what’re you going to do now?”

“I have these new decrees to look over.”  When Ruby frowned at the stacks of paper, Weiss paused.  “What is it?”

“Nothing.”  After shaking her head, Ruby bit her lip and fell silent for several seconds.  Eventually, she met Weiss’ gaze with kind, thoughtful eyes.  “It just…looks like a lot of work.  Do you need some help?”

Weiss sat back in her chair at the genuine, unforced offer.  It sounded as if Ruby actually wanted to help with countless pages of political dribble.

“I know your government’s different,” Ruby hurried on.  “But I have some experience with this stuff.  I could at least read and come up with summaries for you.  That’d help, right?”

Ruby probably wasn’t trying to remind Weiss of her inexperience, but it immediately brought back the memory from just hours earlier - when the palace staff looked at her with a combination of disappointment and capitulation.  They didn’t care how much or how hard she worked.  In their eyes, she was already a failure.

“Are you suggesting I can’t do this on my own?”

Ruby’s eyes widened at the terse response, and she quickly waved her hands in front of her.

“Of course not!  I just - that’s a lot of work for one person.”

“But it’s my work to do.”

Weiss didn’t know why the comment hurt so much, but it did.  They’d just met, yet Ruby already doubted Weiss’ capability?  Did everyone really think so poorly of her?

“A lot needs to be done right now because my father just died,” she added.  “That’s all.”

“Right.  I’m...sorry.”  Ruby looked like she was trapped between apologizing and trying to make it up to Weiss in some way.  “I wasn’t trying to insult you,” she finally said with a small, sincere smile.  “I’m sure you’re a great queen.”

Guilt blossomed in Weiss’ chest, but it wasn’t strong enough to override the overwhelming sting of defeat.  Not knowing what to do or how to do it was bad enough.  She didn’t need constant reminders that everyone knew just how out of her depth she was.

“Being great has nothing to do with it.”  A frown tugged at Weiss’ lips, but she fought against it.  “There’s work to be done, and I have to do it.  It’s as simple as that.”

For a long time, Ruby stared at Weiss with an unreadable expression.  Weiss shied away from the gaze, feeling like Ruby could see right through her.  Fortunately, Ruby eventually sighed and shook her head.

“It’s never as simple as that…”

“In this case, it is.”

“So you have to do all this without help?”  Ruby’s tone was soft, clearly not expecting an answer as she gestured to the papers spread across the desk.  “If you’re stuck here reading all day, who’s running Atlas?”

“The Council takes care of Atlas.”

“Really?”

Ruby sounded so surprised by the response that Weiss finally frowned.

“Listen.”  Still speaking softly, Ruby leaned forward and rested her hands on the desk.  “I only met your dad a few times, but he really didn’t seem like the type to give power to anyone else.”

“And I’m not him.”

Sitting back in her seat, Ruby looked at a loss for what to say.  Instead, the two of them just stared at each other for several strained seconds before Ruby finally sighed.

“I’m just going to leave...”

When Ruby stood and gestured to the door, Weiss picked up the nearest proposal and looked at it instead.  She didn’t want to continue the conversation, but she also didn’t want Ruby to leave.  The choice, unfortunately, wasn’t hers.

“Do as you wish,” she said, avoiding Ruby’s gaze until Ruby finally turned away.  Only then did Weiss glance after the girl, who didn’t look back while rejoining James at the door.  After sharing a look, the two Valerians left the office behind.

Silence immediately returned, but Weiss couldn’t focus on the words in front of her.  She blankly stared at the proposal instead, her thoughts far from the state of Atlas. Replaying Ruby’s words, she tried not to feel disappointed in herself.  Ruby had stepped too close to her insecurities though, and she reacted in kind.  That was a poor excuse for the clipped responses…but it was the only excuse she had.

Setting down the stack of papers, she put her head in her hands and blew a large cloud of frost through her lips.  Everything felt like a challenge right now.  Without Winter, without her father...her entire life had been upended overnight.  Add the responsibility for an entire kingdom, the war, Vale, Ruby, the Council, keeping her spark under wraps, and...she was overwhelmed.

She should have accepted Ruby’s help.  Or, at the very least, asked for Ruby’s company.  Instead, she slid another page in front of her, sighed, and picked up where she left off.

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