Home Artists Posts Import Register

Content

As soon as Weiss poked her head through an open doorway and confirmed the room was empty, she frowned and marched toward the next.  The day had hardly just begun, but she was already on a mission.  That mission would be much easier to accomplish if she could find one of the Councilors, but apparently they were nowhere to be found.  Ironic, considering on a normal day she could hardly walk two steps without running into one of them.

Finding the next office also empty, she scowled and stormed to the next.  The longer it took to find one of the white-robed politicians, the more frustrated she became.

Now that she understood the awful, heart-breaking secret behind Ruby’s sadness, she couldn’t sit back and do nothing.  She cared about Ruby.  She cared so much that she would do whatever it took to help.  She wished that she could offer a cure but, absent that, the best she could do was send Ruby back to her sister as soon as possible. It seemed like a simple goal, if only Weiss could find one of those damn councilors.

Spotting a flash of white out of the corner of her eye, she barely caught sight of Councilor Ironwood entering the library.  Doubling her pace, she entered the room moments behind him.  After a glance around the cavernous room, she found him speaking to one of the housekeepers near the giant windows letting in ample sunlight. Ordinarily, she would never interrupt someone in the midst of a conversation.  But today was no ordinary day.

“Councilor Ironwood,” she said, striding over to him.  His brow rose when he saw her, but the surprise quickly fell behind a pleasant mask.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“What’s the status of the revised peace treaty?”

When Councilor Ironwood glanced at the housekeeper, who politely ducked out of the conversation, Weiss crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

“We’ve scheduled a Council meeting this afternoon, Your Highness,” he explained once they were alone.

“Why must the Council meet to change a single passage?”

“It might seem like a simple change to you, but Atlas would be giving up one of our biggest bargaining chips -”

“The Badlands isn’t a bargaining chip, Councilor,” she interrupted before he went further down that road.  Again, her curtness caught him off guard, but he hid the emotion behind a small nod.

“Of course, Your Highness.  You made that clear yesterday.”  After a brief pause, he glanced around the room before leaning closer.  “I agree with you completely, but Councilor Hill insisted on going back to the Council.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure, Your Highness.  I guess she values their approval over yours.”

When Councilor Ironwood shook his head at that thought, Weiss’ frown deepened.  If this wasn’t such an urgent situation, she would play the Council’s game.  But she had to get Ruby home with a treaty as soon as possible.  To do that, she needed...well, she needed that treaty written correctly, or she needed to write her own.

Obviously, she would prefer that Atlas’ lawmakers draft such an important document, but her patience was wearing thin.  They could delay as long as they wanted if it was only her dealing with the repercussions, but she would not let them do this to Ruby.

“Then don’t go back to the Council.”

Councilor Ironwood froze at the suggestion, but she steeled herself against his intent gaze.  If this was the fastest option, she would make it happen for Ruby’s sake.

“Don’t go back to the Council,” she repeated more firmly.  “Fix it on your own.  Remove that passage, replace it with a stipulation that Atlas splits the restoration costs with Vale, and deliver it to my office in an hour.”

That seemed like a reasonable amount of time to accomplish the task.  Councilor Ironwood, however, gawked at her.

“Without the Council’s blessing…?”

“Yes.  You can rewrite it for me, or I’ll write it myself.”

Finally, his shock showed.  And, for a few moments, he stared at her as if seeing her for the first time.  Like she’d woken up a completely different person from the one he’d known before.

Maybe she had woken up a new person.  Or maybe she just knew what she wanted now, and somehow found the strength to get it.

“I expect the final draft within the hour,” she repeated.  After making a show of checking the time, she gave him a stern look.  “I suggest you start working.”

Remarkably, he didn’t argue.  He nodded and said, “Of course, Your Highness,” before racing out of the library as if his robes were on fire.

Left in the empty library, she took a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow exhale.  Her hands trembled from having expected a confrontation, but his response was better than expected.  Even more surprisingly, she was confident that he would do what she requested. With that hugely important task out of the way, she took another deep breath before making her way to the dining room.

Silently, she was still livid at the position the Council put her in, especially after what she learned during her early morning reading: the Council existed to serve the King or Queen of Atlas.  They were here to serve her.  Instead, they ignored her wishes and caused delays that Ruby simply couldn’t afford.

Well, no longer.  Ruby’s importance - not just to Weiss, but to Atlas’ relationship with Vale - necessitated a firmer response.  Weiss would put her foot down if Ruby needed her to, and Ruby needed her to.

As soon as Weiss turned into the dining room and spotted Ruby sitting at the table with James, her frustration with the Council evaporated.  In its place: an excited, jittery energy that fluttered through her chest like the most pleasant snow flurries.

Simply seeing Ruby was enough to make Weiss nervous.  She’d slipped out of the room far before they could discuss what happened, what it meant, or what to do now.  She’d been afraid of those answers, honestly.  But seeing Ruby now, gesturing with her hands while talking, reminded Weiss of the reasons she’d pursued Ruby to begin with.

Ruby didn’t scare her.  Ruby didn’t play games.  She didn’t lie.  She didn’t manipulate.  She was exactly who she showed herself to be.  And, inexplicably, she liked Weiss enough to be an eager participant in the night before.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, Weiss’ feet led her over to Ruby on their own.  With her back to the entryway, Ruby hadn’t noticed Weiss’ presence yet.  James had, of course, but he merely glanced at her before returning his attention to Ruby.

Blessed with the element of surprise, Weiss snuck up as close to Ruby as possible before leaning forward and whispering, “Good morning,” in Ruby’s ear.  When Ruby squeaked, a gust of wind shot out from her so fast that it pushed Weiss back a step.

“Weiss!”  Hand clutching her chest, Ruby grinned while Weiss smiled and sat beside her.  “You just about gave me a heart attack!”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”

Now that they were together again, Weiss couldn’t help but smile.  A pleasant warmth took hold of her heart when Ruby smiled back, her silver eyes shining with humor and affection.  The moment might have lasted only seconds, but it was long enough to spark an unmistakable urge in Weiss’ chest.

She wanted to kiss Ruby, and that desire only grew when she realized Ruby wanted to kiss her too.  Unfortunately, the dining room was too public of a place to do anything like that.  So, regardless of her desires, she cleared her throat and tried to start a normal conversation.

“How did you sleep?”

“Probably about as good as how you slept,” Ruby replied with a sly wink that made Weiss blush.  “Not much, but really well.”

Any notion of having a normal conversation flew out the window.  In that ill-fated goal’s place emerged the memory of last night, which had been amazing in ways Weiss couldn’t put into words.  If she and Ruby didn’t have company, she might try to explain just how special it was to her.  But with James sitting right there, her blush deepened instead.

When she glanced across the table and noticed his knowing expression, she wondered if Ruby told him.  Were he and Ruby close enough that they shared that type of information? Realistically, Ruby probably hadn’t needed to say anything.  James was smart, intuitive, and seemed to know Ruby better than anyone.  Besides, he must have known where Ruby was all night.  Otherwise, he would have turned the palace upside down looking for her.

Assuming that he knew, Weiss couldn’t decide if she was embarrassed or proud.  A combination of both might be accurate, but she refocused on Ruby before her cheeks reached new levels of heat.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get much sleep...”

“I’m not complaining,” Ruby replied with a gorgeous smile.  “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“I would too,” she admitted.  Ruby rewarded the honesty by bumping their knees together under the table, which only made Weiss want to kiss her even more.

“Then...maybe we will sometime?”

Weiss’ blush spread to the tips of her ears, but she couldn’t turn away from Ruby’s genuinely hopeful gaze.  Personally, she enjoyed last night more than anything that had ever happened in her life, but the idea that Ruby felt even a fraction of the same released more butterflies in her chest.

“Are you propositioning me?” she whispered, feeling a smile lift her lips when Ruby laughed and nodded.

“If you agree, then yes.  If you don’t, then...no.”

As usual, it was so easy with Ruby.  All Weiss had to do was say ‘yes.’  All she had to do was agree.  Ruby would carry them most of the way - she only asked that Weiss push them over the top.

“Ruby…” she began before glancing around the dining room.  Confirming that they were still alone, she smiled and said, “I’d love to.”

While Ruby beamed at the response, Weiss wanted to skip to that next moment between them, whenever it may be.  Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to drag Ruby back to her room right now, they had too much to do first.

“I need to show you something.”  After glancing around the table, which was free of dishes, she turned back to Ruby.  “Have you eaten?”

“Hard to tell, isn’t it?  The servers clear away the plates so fast!”  While Weiss smiled at the subtle compliment, Ruby pushed her chair back and stood up.  “We actually finished a little while ago, so...after you?”

Watching Ruby wave to the doorway, Weiss wished they could hold hands on the way to the office.  Seeing as how that would stir up quite a few rumors, she kept her hands to herself and led Ruby out of the dining room.

“I’m guessing you found something good if you came to find me,” Ruby said as they entered the more administrative section of the palace.

“I did.  But I would’ve come to find you anyway.”  Noticing Ruby’s curious glance, Weiss kept her eyes trained forward and tried not to let her emotions distract her from the importance of the matter at hand.  “I’ve been reading all morning -”

“You were reading?” Ruby interrupted.  “Why didn’t you wake me up?  I would’ve helped.”

“Because...I thought you might need more sleep.”

“Pretty sure I woke up right after you slipped out,” Ruby replied.  Her effortless grin suggested she enjoyed the topic, but Weiss’ cheeks warmed with another blush.

“Then...next time, I’ll wake you up.”

Her heart fluttered just thinking about ‘next time.’  Part of her wanted to thank Ruby for the magnificent night, but most of her was still too embarrassed to bring up the subject, especially in public.  So, leaving the conversation at that, she nodded to the Knight standing outside the office before opening the door and motioning Ruby through.

“So what’d you find?” Ruby asked once Weiss shut the door behind them.

“I’ll show you.”

“Ok.  But first -”

Before Weiss walked over to the bookcases, Ruby caught her by the hand and pulled her into a kiss.  As soon as their lips touched, her spark sent a burst of chill through her veins while she simultaneously melted into Ruby’s embrace.  She’d already come to love the unique confluence of feelings - her lips, skin, and heart growing cold while everywhere else warmed as Ruby’s lips moved against hers.

Just like last night, she felt Ruby’s eagerness in every breath they shared.  No one had ever been eager to be anywhere near her before, yet Ruby seemed to revel in her presence.  That only became more apparent when Ruby stepped forward and Weiss stepped back to match, only to find herself backed into the front of the desk.  Her desire doubled when Ruby pressed against her, gently pinning her in place while always providing the opportunity to move away.  Not that she wanted to be anywhere but here.

Seizing the opportunity, she ran a hand across Ruby’s smooth stomach and smiled when a soft whine slipped through Ruby’s lips.  Ruby was as gracious and generous in private as she was in public, but she also had an almost-greedy enthusiasm to her as well.

Weiss loved seeing this other side of the Vale Queen.  And she loved being willing and capable of giving Ruby what she wanted.

Before Weiss decided how things would progress from there, however, Ruby took matters into her own hands - mainly, by sliding her hands underneath Weiss’ shirt and moving upward.  The unfamiliar-yet-exciting warmth drew a soft gasp from Weiss’ lips, but it was at that unfortunate moment that she remembered more pressing matters.  And, as wonderful as this was, losing herself to Ruby in the office probably wasn’t the best idea.  Even if they tried to be quiet, the guard standing just outside surely wasn’t deaf.

“Ruby,” she mumbled against Ruby’s lips before a soft sigh slipped through hers.

Ruby’s hands were so warm.  To Weiss, who’d only known cold her entire life, the warmth was wonderfully addicting.  All she wanted was for Ruby to put those hands everywhere, to spread that warmth everywhere.  But those other important matters…

“Ruby...” Weiss tried again.  When that didn’t immediately work, she reached up and slightly pushed Ruby’s shoulders away.  Seeing the uninhibited desire in Ruby’s eyes nearly broke her resolve, but she knew this was important.  More important than the insatiable fire spreading through her limbs.

“Too much?”

Before Ruby could even think about apologizing, Weiss shook her head.

“No, but...this isn’t quite the time or place for…that…”

“Oh.  Right, got it.”

After taking a deep breath, Ruby let it out in a long exhale.  She then swept a hand through her hair and smiled.

“Ok, what do you have to show me?”

Impressed by how fast Ruby settled down, Weiss took several more seconds to regain her composure before walking over to the bookcases at the back of the room.  There, she quickly found the book she’d read this morning, pulled it off the shelf, and opened it to a specific page.

“Right there,” she said, handing it to Ruby and pointing at one paragraph in particular.

While Weiss watched, Ruby read the sentences that held more significance than their brevity let on.  Ruby’s eyes widened well before she finished, then she glanced at Weiss before reading a second time, slower than the first.  Upon reaching the end, she gave Weiss an incredulous look.

“Is this what I think it is?”

“I think so,” Weiss replied, clasping her hands together to still their jitters.  “I was hoping you could confirm it for me.”

Before doing that, Ruby read the passage again, much faster this time.

“It says you can dissolve the Council!”  The words hardly left Ruby’s lips before her gaze returned to the book in her hands.  “Anytime, for any reason.  You just say you don’t want a Council, and they have to go home - because you’re the Queen.”

“That’s what I hoped.”

The discovery was better than anything Weiss could have hoped for.  It felt too good to be true, actually, but the words were shockingly clear: ‘Should the reigning ruler of Atlas determine they have no need for a Council, for any basis they so determine, the Council shall cease operations upon the day the King or Queen elects.’

“Are you going to do it?”

When Ruby returned the book, Weiss ran her fingers over the words and weighed her options.  Since finding the passage that morning, she hadn’t given much thought to what she should do - she’d been more concerned with getting that treaty in her hands.  Now that she had a moment to think about it…

What she wanted to do varied significantly with what she felt she should do.  But wasn’t that part of being a leader?  She couldn’t always do what she wanted.  She had to do what was best for Atlas, so she closed the book and shook her head.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“But...they’re working against you.”

“I know.”  Sensing Ruby’s surprise, she offered a small smile before explaining herself.  “But the Council isn’t just a part of our government - the Council was a gift to the people of Atlas.  It’s a means of representation and, through the Councilors, a voice in the kingdom.  I can’t take that away from them.  I just...have to figure out how to use the Council correctly.”

When Weiss thought about the reading she’d done, she felt more assured in this decision.  Maybe it would go horribly.  Maybe she would never get the Councilors under control.  But she had to try.

Ruby looked at a loss but, after staring at Weiss for several moments, finally smiled.  And if Weiss held any reservations before, that smile dashed them away.

“You’re more patient than me.”

“I’ve spent my entire life waiting, Ruby.  What’s a little more?”

Sorrow sprang into Ruby’s eyes and filled Weiss’ heart, but it didn’t diminish the truth in that statement.  Waiting for night to fall so she could hide in her room.  Waiting for her father to drink himself into a stupor so he wouldn’t notice her.  Waiting for Winter to come home from whatever excursions he forced her on.  Waiting for the soonest possible moment to slip away unnoticed.

She was used to waiting for the storm to pass.  What made this situation different, however, was that she was no longer afraid of the lightning or thunder.  She couldn’t be, for Ruby’s sake.  For Atlas’ sake.

“Weiss -” Ruby began, only for a knock to end her words.  Weiss waited to see if Ruby would finish that thought but, when she shook her head and motioned away, turned toward the door.

“Come in.”

Weiss straightened her posture when Councilor Ironwood entered the room with a stack of papers in his hands.

“Your Highness,” he greeted her, bowing before presenting the pages.  “The treaty you requested.”

“Thank you.”

Again, he tried to hand the document directly to her.  Again, she gestured for him to hand it to Ruby.  This time, he hardly hesitated before doing so.

“I should warn you that this isn’t procedure, Your Highness,” he said while Ruby started reading.

“Is it procedure to blatantly ignore my wishes?”

When he didn’t immediately respond, frustration returned to her veins.  He had been helpful to her, and he’d provided guidance where others hadn’t.  But he was part of the reason this process took so long.  Now, he was trying to drag it out even longer.

“I asked the Council to draft a treaty based on Queen Rose’s meeting with us,” she continued.  “Yet you took it upon yourselves to inject politics into the matter.” When he stared at her, unmoving and unspeaking, she added, “Or maybe you just forgot the terms Queen Rose offered?  I’m sure she’d be willing to tell you again.”

The moment Ruby opened her mouth to do just that, Councilor Ironwood raised one hand and said, “I remember Vale’s offer.”

“Clearly you don’t remember it well enough,” Weiss replied, annoyed by his casual interruption and dismissal of Ruby’s status.  “And you’re addressing a queen, Councilor.  I expect you to behave appropriately.”

Silence fell over the room after the admonishment, but Councilor Ironwood quickly cleared his throat and bowed.

“My apologies, Your Highness.  And my apologies...Queen Rose.  I do remember your words to the Council, but we can’t just rewrite the treaty without the Council’s agreement.  Councilor Hill will be livid.”

“I’ll speak with her later.”

Weiss already dreaded that conversation but knew it had to be done.  If any meaningful changes were to be made, she needed the Speaker of the Council on board.  If Councilor Hill protested, then perhaps they needed a new speaker.

“Your Highness, I think you’re going about this the wrong way.  Procedure should be followed to maintain order.  The Council exists for a reason -”

“That reason is to see my wishes fulfilled,” she finished, knowing his side of the story would likely omit that important detail.   “And it’s my understanding that, as the ruler of Atlas, it’s my decision whether or not treaties are made.  Is that correct?”

It was a bluff.  She didn’t know if anything explicitly granted her those powers.  But if she was allowed to dissolve an entire government entity without reason, she would gamble that she could end a war on her own accord.

“Yes, Your Highness...”

“And the terms Queen Rose proposed are more than favorable, so I’ve accepted them.”  Weiss glanced at Ruby, who stared at the Councilor with hardly concealed distaste, before turning back to the man.  “The war is over, Councilor.  I suggest you accept that.”

Frustration flitted through his eyes, but he quickly masked it behind a neutral smile and nod.

“Of course, Your Highness.  I’m happy to hear that the war will end.  Now, Atlas can rebuild.”

“And help Vale in restoring the Badlands,” Weiss added.  His smile grew strained, but she didn’t particularly care how much he hated the thought because something equally as important as the war had just popped into hers. “One more thing...are you aware of what’s happening in the chapel?”

When surprise flashed through his eyes, she had her answer.  He knew what was happening.  He knew but did nothing about it.  Maybe he even encouraged it.

Remembering those poor souls, so callously treated by the men and women sworn to protect them, added to her frustration like nothing before.

“That practice stops now,” she said, silently daring him to argue.  “We’ll inform the public about the Phage and devote future resources to finding a cure.”

“Your Highness -”

“No,” she cut him off with a stern shake of her head.  “That’s final.  I don’t care what argument you have - there’s no reason good enough to justify what’s being done.”

She watched his eyes, hoping for a glimpse of humanity.  Finding nothing but measured certainty, she leaned back and shook her head.

“Those are people, Councilor.  People who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect in life and in death.  If you don’t agree with that, then you’re unworthy of your position.”

The thinly veiled threat slipped out, but Councilor Ironwood heard it loud and clear.  For several seconds, he searched her eyes as if judging how serious she was.  Eventually, he nodded and managed another fleeting smile.

“Of course, Your Highness.  I’ll speak to the Knights and begin immediate preparations, and draft an announcement for your approval.”  Once Weiss nodded, he motioned to the treaty in Ruby’s hands.  “Would you like me to walk you through the treaty?”

“Thank you, Councilor, but I trust you followed my instructions to the letter.  Please send a messenger to collect the finished document.”

“At once, Your Highness.”

After he swept out of the room to begin his new tasks, Weiss looked down and sighed.  Finding her fingers curled into fists, she relaxed her hands and took several deep breaths.  That hadn’t been much of a confrontation, but she’d done it.  She told him what she wanted, and he agreed to do it.

“You ok?”

When Weiss looked up, she found Ruby intently watching her.

“I’m fine,” she replied, forcing a smile before gesturing to the treaty.  “How is it?”

Now that Councilor Ironwood was gone, Ruby read in earnest.  Weiss leaned close to read over Ruby’s shoulder but quickly gave up trying to make sense of the words.  She soaked up Ruby’s warmth and comfort instead, restoring her resolve before the next inevitable showdown.

“It looks...really good.”

When Ruby turned and their lips were suddenly too close together, Weiss backed away and blushed.  Ruby’s smile, however, made her heart jump.

“Really?”

“Really!  I think they wrote it right the first time but tried to sneak in that part about the Badlands.  Without it...”  Trailing off, Ruby looked at the papers in her hands before meeting Weiss’ gaze with an incredible smile.  “This is our treaty, Weiss.”

Hearing the words out loud, Weiss thought nothing of pulling Ruby into a quick, celebratory kiss.  Their lips had already parted before she realized what she did, but a blush didn’t stop her from laughing at what they finally accomplished.

“Let’s sign it.”

She grabbed a pen while Ruby set the pages on the desk.  It didn’t take long for her to scrawl her signature across the page before handing the pen to Ruby.  Her heart beat even faster as she watched Ruby sign her name in intricate swirls.  And, just like that, they had an official, signed treaty.

“The war’s over...” Weiss whispered, staring at the page.  Seeing her name beside Ruby’s made her incredibly, unbelievably happy.  When future kings or queens or historians looked at this document, they would know that Weiss and Ruby made it happen.  Something about that made her even happier than before.

“The war’s over,” Ruby repeated.

When Weiss looked up, Ruby smiled and set her hand on Weiss’ arm.  The warm, casual affection sent a shiver down Weiss’ spine, but she didn’t turn away from Ruby’s gaze.  She knew Ruby wanted to kiss her again; she wanted to kiss Ruby, too.

Unfortunately, someone knocked before that happened. Weiss didn’t mean to sigh at the interruption, but she did.  And Ruby heard, as evidenced by her soft giggle while she gently squeezed Weiss’ arm and moved an appropriate distance away.

“Come in,” Weiss called out before sneaking another glance at Ruby.  When a young messenger stepped into the room, however, her thoughts returned to the document on the desk.

“Councilor Ironwood sent me, Your Highness.”

“Yes, I have a very important task for you.”  After one last glance at her and Ruby’s signatures, she collected the pages and passed them over.  “Please make a copy for Queen Rose and the Council, then go tell everyone you can find that the war is over.  Atlas is at peace, and we have a friend in Vale from here on out.”

Eyes widening, he briefly stared at the document in his hands.  Then he broke into a huge smile.  Holding the treaty like it was made of gold, he nodded and turned to leave.  Before opening the door, however, he paused and turned back to Ruby.

“Thank you, Queen Rose,” he said before nodding to Weiss.  “Thank you, Your Highness.  Everyone will be so happy to hear this.”

With one last blinding grin, he hurried out of the office.  No sooner had the door closed behind him did Weiss turn to the side right as Ruby’s lips met hers.  This kiss lasted just long enough for them to express their excitement and delight before breaking apart.  Ruby then rested her forehead against Weiss’ and beamed down at her, sending flurries throughout her chest.

Wrapping her arms around Ruby’s neck, she pressed closer and rejoiced in the warmth Ruby gave so freely.  “That was so...satisfying,” she sighed while Ruby’s arms wrapped around her waist.

“Wasn’t it?  And it sounds like everyone but the Council will be happy.”

Huffing at the thought, Weiss pulled slightly away and shook her head.

“I don’t understand them...why would they want the war to continue?”

“As Cecelia would say...war’s good business.”

“And horrible for the people.”

“Which is exactly why we ended it.”  After squeezing Weiss’ sides, sending a little burst of chill down her spine, Ruby added, “Actually, you ended it.  By having the courage to come to Vale and propose a truce, you ended the war.”

“You give me too much credit.”

“I think I’m giving you the appropriate amount of credit.”

The way Ruby smiled made Weiss’ cheeks warm as she turned away.  As much as she loved how highly Ruby thought of her, she didn’t deserve all of the credit.  After all, who knew what might have happened if Ruby hadn’t accompanied her to Atlas.  But now that they accomplished what they set out to do...

“You’ll go home now?”

Weiss’ heart thumped painfully at the thought, and Ruby bit her lip before nodding.

“I should.  I really should.”

Understanding the urgency, Weiss nodded.  Selfishly, she wished they had more time together.  The last couple of days, in particular, had been the best of her life.  But she did this for Ruby.  Now, she had to let Ruby go.

“Then, I’ll see you again sometime?” she asked, only for Ruby to laugh.

“Why are you acting like this is goodbye?  I’m coming back as soon as I can.  Plus, we kind of have the entire Badlands to restore together.  How will we do that if we don’t see each other all the time?”

The answer brought out a smile and assured Weiss that Ruby felt the same way.  Or, at least, felt a portion of the many strong feelings Weiss had.  That didn’t remove the sting of impending separation, but knowing that Ruby wanted to see her again...that Ruby would come back for her...was reassuring in the best way.

“Then we’ll begin preparations for you to leave at once,” Weiss said.  “Is tomorrow morning alright?”

Gathering supplies might take a few hours but, selfishly, her main reason for choosing tomorrow was to spend as much time with Ruby as possible.  Another night together...an opportunity for a proper goodbye…

“That’s perfect,” Ruby agreed.  For a brief second, Weiss thought she glimpsed matching reluctance in Ruby’s eyes, but the emotion disappeared in favor of a smile.  “I’d like another night with you.”

The simple, honest admission made Weiss’ heart cartwheel while her spark simultaneously caused little jitters of chill.  She’d never felt anything like it before.  It was as if her heart was so full of happiness that she didn’t know what to do with all of it.  All she knew was that Ruby was the source of that jubilation, and that Ruby held more of her heart than anyone else ever had.

“Can I share something with you?” she asked, knowing this was her last opportunity to give Ruby another part of herself.  “Another secret?” she clarified as Ruby’s kind, silver eyes searched hers.

“Of course.”

When Ruby smiled, Weiss knew this was the right decision.  But, just as she opened her mouth to put that secret out into the open, she paused.

“Actually…let me show you.”

As excitement surged through her veins, she grabbed Ruby’s hand and pulled her to the door of the office.  Before leaving, she pressed a quick kiss to Ruby’s lips - a preemptive apology for letting go of Ruby’s hand as soon as they stepped into the hall.

“You know how to pique someone’s interest…” Ruby mused while following Weiss away from the office.  When Weiss turned around and smiled, she noticed that they’d picked up company.  James, as usual, kept a polite distance but remained close enough to support should Ruby need him.

Ruby shouldn’t need him for anything, especially as Weiss led them into the farthest reaches of the palace.  They passed fewer and fewer people as they reached the abandoned wings that had yet to be completed.  After her father’s death, she didn’t know when these rooms might ever be finished, but they served a purpose today.

Reaching a set of double doors, Weiss pulled one open and peered into the room.  It was just as she remembered it - a spacious ballroom half decorated with various carvings and murals.  The war had prevented its completion, as had the other three already finished ballrooms the palace maintained.

“In here,” she said, motioning Ruby inside.

“Time for us to discuss some secrets, James,” Ruby told James, who nodded before walking away.  After watching him go, Ruby entered the ballroom with Weiss.

Now that the two of them were alone - alone alone - Weiss wished she’d led them to her chambers instead.  But the ballroom was so far off the beaten path that it offered privacy.  Plus, it was large enough for her to give a good demonstration.

After locking the doors from the inside, she joined Ruby in the middle of the room, where she stared up at a spot where a crystal chandelier should go.

“This makes me want to dance,” she commented before meeting Weiss’ gaze.  “Do you dance, Weiss?”

“Not willingly,” she replied, smiling when Ruby laughed.

“Would you willingly dance with me?”

Standing in a half-finished ballroom made beautiful just by Ruby’s presence, Weiss smiled.  She could easily imagine dancing with Ruby, both of them wearing beautiful ball gowns while dancing amongst a crowd of strangers.

“Of course,” she answered.  Ruby’s responding smile was an immediate reward but, before she lost herself in those fantasies, she refocused on why she brought them here.  Ruby would never press for the information, but she didn’t have to - Weiss wanted her to know.

“I wasn’t entirely truthful about something,” Weiss began.  When Ruby’s brow furrowed, Weiss felt guilt for her previous lies.  “Winter told me not to tell anyone,” she explained.  “This is something only she knows.”

Fortunately, Ruby didn’t look upset by the admission.  She only looked...curious.  And when she lightly touched the back of Weiss’ hand, offering her endless support, Weiss knew that she was the right person to share this with.  Ruby could be trusted with this secret, and with any secret Weiss ever had.

“Stand here,” she said before taking several steps away and rubbing her hands together.  Based on her rapid heartbeat, she was nervous.  But she was mostly excited.  After spending her entire life letting everyone believe she was unworthy of her title, she could finally show someone who she truly was.

More than anything, Weiss wanted Ruby to know.  When Ruby left Atlas, Weiss wanted her to take all of Weiss’ secrets with her.

So Weiss called upon the ice in her heart and felt it respond like an old friend.  Finally given something to do, it burst like tiny snowflakes through her veins, growing in power and urgency the longer she focused on it.  A sigh soon escaped her lips, part relief and part anticipation at what was to come.

Comments

No comments found for this post.