RWBY: The Honored One - CH3 (Patreon)

[Alabaster Schnee. POV.]

Five years. 

Five long years had passed since the adorable little Winter was born. And, I have to admit, I've never had this much fun in a while.

Who would’ve thought having siblings was this fun?!

I watched from a distance as Winter, now a precocious five-year-old with hair as white as snow and a personality as fierce as a blizzard, tried mastering her itty bitty rapier. 

Ah, starting them young.

I remember when I started learning the rapier, ahhh, what a waste of time, there’s nothing like learning a skill you will never use, ever again.

Oh well, where was I?

Right, talking about my adorable sister, who is about to be annoyed by her awesome brother.

Now, don't get me wrong. 

I adore Winter. I really do. 

But, the opportunity to troll my little sister was just too tempting to resist. And so, like I would normally do, I sneaked up behind her, poking her with a bit of aura, causing her to shiver and lose focus.

"Big brother!" Like usual, she shouted, turning around to glare at me. "Stop that! I'm trying to train!"

I gasped, feigning innocence, holding my hands up defensively. "What? It wasn't me. Maybe it's just too cold for you, Winter. The irony."

She huffed, her cheeks puffing up adorably in frustration. "I know it's you. And one day, I'll be able to stop you!"

I chuckled, ruffling her hair. "I look forward to it, kiddo."

Now for those thinking I’m a cruel big brother, let me tell you. Every trick I would pull on her was reciprocated in kind. Winter, despite her young age, was quite cunning. I would often find my shoes tied together or wake up with a cold splash of water to the face, courtesy of my devious little sister.

Not that she was catching me by surprise, I could feel her doing those things. But who was I to deny her sweet revenge on me?

As entertaining as my days with Winter were, I couldn't ignore the ever-present shadow that loomed over her. Jacques Schnee. He was... a unique blend of cruelty and arrogance. 

In a world filled with actual monsters, it's almost comical how a simple man could embody the true essence of darkness so perfectly. I didn’t mind him, because despite not knowing why, he knew not to mess with me.

However, unlike me, Winter didn't have the luxury of being the strongest or the emotional armor that my experience offered. To her, Jacques was not just the embodiment of authority in the house, but a figure who held genuine power over her life, her father.

I saw how he tried to mold her as soon as she reached five years old, how he expected her to fit into his perfect vision of a Schnee. Every time he'd rebuke her for being 'too playful' or not 'ladylike' enough, I could see the spark in her eyes dimming, even if it was just for a moment. 

And I couldn't stand that. Not for my feisty little sister.

I would not let that poor excuse of a man stifle her spirit.

So, I had a little talk with my Father. 

—--------------------------------------------------------

[Two years ago.]

The dim light from the ornate chandelier bathed Jacques Schnee's study in a warm glow, casting long, flickering shadows on the mahogany walls. Rich tapestries lined the room, and the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves added to the imposing aura of the room. The study had always been Jacques' fortress, a place where he was king, where he held all the cards. Tonight, however, was different.

Alabaster entered the room silently, the doors shutting behind him with a soft thud. There was an air of determination about him, a palpable energy that seemed to fill every corner of the room. He made his way toward the massive desk where Jacques was working, his footsteps barely audible on the plush carpet.

Jacques looked up, his expression a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. "Alabaster, what do you want?" he asked, his tone dripping with condescension.

Alabaster stopped a few feet from the desk, his blue eyes locked onto Jacques'. But those weren't the innocent eyes of a child. They were cold, piercing, filled with a depth and wisdom that belied his young age.

"Sit down," Alabaster commanded, his voice soft yet firm.

Taken aback, Jacques hesitated for a moment but found himself compelled to obey. He slowly sank into his chair, his arrogance replaced with unease.

"Good boy," Alabaster began, his tone chillingly calm. "I've seen how you treat people, how you try to control and manipulate, and I really don’t care. However, when it comes to Winter, you will tread carefully."

Jacques, not used to being addressed in such a manner, especially by a child, tried to muster some of his usual bravado. "How dare you—"

Alabaster cut him off with a glare as the room's temperature plummeted, and the lights flickered momentarily. Jacques could feel an invisible force pressing against him, making it hard to breathe.

"You may be the head of this family by title," Alabaster continued, leaning in so close that Jacques could see his own terrified reflection in the boy's eyes. "But understand this: If you so much as look at Winter the wrong way again, if you ever make her feel less than she is or try to break her spirit, I will make you wish you never existed."

Jacques, paralyzed by fear and the overwhelming force of Alabaster's energy, could only nod weakly as tears formed in his eyes, not from sorrow but from the sheer terror of the situation. 

Every arrogant fiber of his being wanted to rebel, but the primal part of him, the part that recognized true danger, knew he was utterly powerless.

Without another word, Alabaster turned and left the room, leaving Jacques Schnee, the mighty head of the Schnee Dust Company, trembling in his chair, a broken man.

—-----------------------------------------------------------

[Two years ago.]

[Jacques Schnee. POV.]

The amber liquid swirled in my glass, reflecting the dim light from my study's chandelier. Each sip of the aged whiskey should have brought warmth and comfort. 

But tonight, it only left a bitter aftertaste, much like my own life's decisions.

I'd always been a man of ambition, foresight. 

I knew what I wanted and, most importantly, how to get it. Marrying Willow? That was a calculated move, a strategy. A means to an end, the poor idiot had fallen for me with just a few sweet words. Nevertheless with her by my side, the Schnee Dust Company would be mine. 

By the time she discovered I didn’t love her, and had married her as a business move, it was already too late. Though if you ask me, love and business… they're often one and the same.

Everything had been proceeding perfectly. The power, the influence, the money— they all flowed like water into my grasp. I felt invincible, on top of the world.

And then... he was born.

Alabaster. 

The one that was supposed to be the heir to my throne, the future of the Schnee legacy, my legacy. But the moment I laid eyes on him, I felt something... amiss. A shiver, a tremor deep in my core. 

At first, I thought it was just the weight of fatherhood, the responsibilities that came with it, as stupid as it sounded at the time. But with each passing year, that unsettling sensation only grew.

Until there was no denying it.

What I felt… was… Fear.

I hadn't recognized it at first. Why would I? I was Jacques Schnee, a man who had built his empire on the foundations of determination and ruthlessness. Fear was for the weak, the uncertain. And yet, every time I looked into Alabaster's eyes, that primal emotion washed over me, drowning me in its icy depths.

His tutors would say he was a genius, a prodigy even, in anything they taught him, unlike them though I wasn’t so easily fooled. There was something else, something deeper. A darkness that lurked behind those haunting eyes, a void that threatened to swallow everything.

He was a monster.

That realization came to me one fateful night in this very study. The way the room grew cold, the atmosphere heavy, as if the walls themselves were closing in. His mere presence was enough to make a grown man feel like a scared child.

He had come to threaten me, to tell me that my daughter was off limits. 

I wanted to retaliate, but I knew that if I did so, it wouldn’t end well for me, I had no idea how I knew it… but I knew it was best to simply let him be.

Trembling, I poured another drink, hoping to drown the memories, the fear. But it was futile. Because in the end, I knew, no matter how much wealth or power I amassed, there was one thing I could never control, my own son.