A Royal Match - Chapter 5 (Patreon)

“Oh my god!  Look at the snow!” 

No sooner had the words left Ruby’s lips did she race to the window and press her hands to the glass.  While Weiss followed at a more leisurely speed, she couldn’t help smiling at Ruby’s zeal for something Atlas saw more often than not.  

Regardless, she looked outside and confirmed that it had started to snow.  From the giant clumps blocking nearly everything in sight, their first big storm of the year had finally arrived.  If she had to guess, the palace grounds would be covered in a fresh blanket of white within the next few hours.

“Looks like it’ll be a good one,” she commented before watching Ruby marvel at the scene.  Considering she’d lived in Atlas for her entire life, she didn’t find anything exciting about snow.  If anything, storms like these were more annoying than not, causing delays and headaches throughout the kingdom.

“We should go outside,” Ruby suddenly said.

“Right now?  But it’s -”  The moment Weiss saw Ruby’s smile, she paused and felt her own appear.  “Snowing,” she added regardless of how obvious the statement was.  

“Exactly!  Please?” 

Even though she didn’t necessarily want to go outside, she knew an opportunity when she saw one.  With Whitley nowhere to be found, they could slip out without their most annoying escort.  And, even if he looked for them, he would never think to look outside.

“Ok -”  

No sooner had Weiss agreed did Ruby grab her hand and pull her towards the entryway of the palace.  She couldn’t remember when or why they started holding hands to lead each other around but was surprised that it didn’t bother her in the slightest.  In fact...she really enjoyed it, and felt a familiar spike of disappointment when Ruby let go as soon as they reached the foyer.

“But let’s not make it a habit,” Weiss added while motioning for one of the butlers to fetch their jackets.  “It is cold out there.” 

“But that’s what I have my winter coat for!” 

To prove that point, Ruby raced over to the butler as he retrieved their jackets from the coat closet.  Though he looked confused by her haste, he willingly handed the jackets to her and allowed her to bring them back to Weiss.

“See?” she added while holding up the red coat made just for her.  “It’s more than warm enough for some snow!”

“I suppose that’s true...” Weiss murmured while slipping her arms through the sleeves of her jacket and zipping it up tightly.  Then she pulled a pair of gloves from the pockets, which she put on while Ruby did the same.  

To Weiss, having a coat made for Ruby was a simple decision, but it continued paying dividends in the form of Ruby’s happiness.  Besides, Ruby looked gorgeous in red...

“Your Majesty,” a second butler interrupted before motioning with the two pairs of boots in his hands.  “If you’re heading out, might I suggest wearing these?”

“Perfect.  Thank you.”  Taking one pair for herself, Weiss gave him a smile for the thought before slipping them on and lacing up snuggly.  “At least our feet won’t get wet.” 

“Didn’t even think of that.”  Once Ruby finished putting on the second pair, she looked up with a bright, excited smile - the same smile that caused Weiss’ heart to do all sorts of strange jumps and spins recently.  “I’m ready if you are,” Ruby added, hopefully failing to notice the preemptive blush on Weiss’ cheeks.

“Then let’s head out,” Weiss said before walking towards the front door.  Before the man standing there opened it, however, she motioned for him to wait.  “If my brother is looking for us, please tell him we went to the library.”

He glanced towards the door, clearly wondering how they planned to get to the library if they were heading outside, but he knew better than to question her request.  Instead, he replied with a polite, “As you wish, Miss,” before opening the door for them.

A frozen gust of air quickly blew inside, and Weiss crossed her arms to combat the chill that would work its way into her bones before too long.  “Sure you want to do this?” she asked, but Ruby didn’t back away from the cold.  Instead, she smiled and walked outside, prompting Weiss to follow.

“I’ve never seen snow like this before.”  After moving to the center of the wide, extravagant entrance to the palace, Ruby raised her arms and looked up at the flurries surrounding them.  “There’s so much!” 

“Too much,” Weiss corrected as she moved to Ruby’s side and watched thick snowflakes fall in bunches around them.  A layer of white had already accumulated on every available surface, and more was guaranteed to come.  To her, it looked like a hassle.  But if she looked at it through the eyes of someone unfamiliar with Atlas’ winter, it might look...fresh and clean.  

“I guess it’s pretty,” she admitted.  “Though it gets a bit old.” 

“I guess if you see it all the time, it would get old…”

Though Weiss agreed, one look at Ruby’s excitement made her wonder how long it would take before Ruby grew tired of the snow.  It certainly wouldn’t happen today, so maybe Weiss should try to enjoy the weather like Ruby was.

“Where would you like to walk?” she eventually asked, drawing Ruby’s gaze to her own.  Ruby’s cheeks and nose were already rosy from the chill, but somehow the effect only heightened her beauty.  That, combined with her smile...

“Wherever you want,” Ruby replied with a wave towards the sprawling palace grounds.  “I can’t tell where anything is anyway.  It’s like a totally different place.” 

The palace had transformed, in a way.  Normally-prominent landmarks took on different shapes when covered in white - softer, more beautiful shapes - and the traditionally well-swept paths were nothing more than slight indentations in the snow.

With the decision in Weiss’ hands, she scanned the winter wonderland before setting out towards the gardens.  She’d always considered the gardens to be the most peaceful part of the palace, in no small part due to its distance from her father as well as its relative quiet and seclusion.  

“What your step,” she warned when they made it to the stone steps leading away from the main level of the castle.  No sooner had she set her foot on the step below, however, did her boot slip forward and her heart leap in her chest.

She didn’t fall, however.  She couldn’t fall when Ruby grabbed her so quickly.  

“Woah there,” Ruby whispered, her lips so close to Weiss’ ear that the words sent a shiver down her spine.  With one hand clutching hers and the other around her back, Ruby waited for Weiss to regain her footing before giggling.

“Maybe we should both watch our steps,” she added, and Weiss huffed at the irony.  Under different circumstances, she would be annoyed by the cruel trick of the universe, but it was difficult to be annoyed when Ruby didn’t let go of her arm while they walked down the rest of the staircase together.

And Ruby didn’t let go when they reached the path at the bottom.  Instead, she kept her arm looped through Weiss’ and stayed close - close enough that Weiss could imagine she felt Ruby’s warmth through their winter coats.

“Good choice,” Ruby said softly, though Weiss heard the words clear as day due to their proximity.  “It’s beautiful in its own way, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Weiss agreed with a small smile threatening to show.  Over the past few weeks, she’d learned that Ruby was exceedingly optimistic.  Regardless of the situation confronting her, she saw the good in it.  Or, rather, she chose to see the good rather than the bad.  

So, even though they walked along rows of fruit trees barren of leaves and rose bushes pruned for the winter, Ruby thought it was beautiful.  If Weiss ignored the cold in her fingers and the frost nipping at her cheeks - if she ignored everything bothering her except for the feeling of Ruby pressed lightly against her side and the snow casting a magical spell over everything - she saw the beauty in this moment too.

“Oh!” Ruby suddenly said, and Weiss tried to temper her disappointment when Ruby withdrew her arm and searched her pockets for something.  “I forgot - I have something for you.”  Finally finding whatever it was, she smiled and revealed a silver bracelet with a small red-and-silver charm dangling from it.  

“One of the handmaidens makes them, and I asked her to make this for you,” she explained while offering it to Weiss, who accepted it and had no idea what to say in return.

“Ruby…”  So many thoughts and emotions flitted through her mind, she couldn’t begin to describe how she felt right now.  Instead, she shook her head and tried out the first words that made sense.  “But...you’re supposed to spend that money on yourself.”

“You said to spend it on whatever makes me happy,” Ruby pointed out.  “And...this makes me happy.”  When Ruby nodded to the bracelet, Weiss looked at it and felt her heart swell with happiness and...feelings...for this strange, wonderful princess from Vale.

“I know it’s not as good as the other stuff you have, but I wanted to get you something...as a thank you.” 

Words were difficult to find at the moment, so Weiss focused on the small bracelet that seemed anything but insignificant.  The red for Vale, the silver for Atlas, held together by a single, metal chain.  

“You don’t have to wear it,” Ruby quickly added, but Weiss was already pulling off her gloves so that she could put it around her wrist.  

“I love it.”  Those were the right words, but they still didn’t encapsulate how grateful she felt right now.  Grateful enough that she was more than willing to remove her gloves in this freezing weather, though she found the clasp a little difficult to fit together with one hand.

“Can you help me?” she asked while extending her hand, and Ruby met her eyes for only a moment before smiling and removing her own gloves.  Once her hands were free, she took the bracelet from Weiss and, after figuring out which way it had to go, clasped it into place.

The feeling of Ruby’s fingers grazing her wrist sent tingles down her spine, and she smiled when Ruby straightened the bracelet before moving away.  It added a different weight and feel to her wrist, but she loved it.  It reminded her of Ruby - that Ruby was the one who requested it for her - and that reminder sent butterflies fluttering through her chest.

“Thank you,” she whispered before glancing around the frozen gardens they’d stood in for far longer than expected.  Regardless of the weather, she was having an incredible time.  She was having such an incredible time, actually, that it felt like she could levitate right off the ground from happiness.  “And thank you for walking with me.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that.  I like spending time with you.”  

The response was so unexpected and amazing to hear that Weiss actually laughed, and Ruby gave her a confused look.  

“What?” 

“Do you actually?” she asked, only for her delight to grow when Ruby nodded.  “Because it felt like you didn’t like me at first.”

“That’s not true…”  

“You would hardly speak to me.”

“Not because I didn’t like you!” Ruby argued, only to puff out her cheeks and pout when Weiss chuckled again.

“Then why wouldn’t you talk to me?” she finally asked.

“Because…it’s not exactly easy to be shipped to a strange kingdom for the rest of your life.  I know you and Whitley were trying to be welcoming, but...it took a little while for me to figure things out.”

Weiss wondered if she was one of those ‘things’ that needed to be figured out, but she didn’t bother asking.  She couldn’t ask about herself when this was the first time Ruby had opened up about what it felt like to be sent away Vale.

“It’s not so bad here, right?” she asked, only to feel an incredible amount of relief when Ruby shook her head.

“It’s not bad.  Just...different.” 

“Do you miss home?” 

When Ruby looked over, she didn’t need to answer - not with the sadness and longing in her eyes.

“Yeah,” she admitted anyway.  “Yeah, I do.” 

While it felt like a moment for reassurance, Ruby didn’t seek any.  Instead, her gaze fell to the ground, her hands went in her pockets, and she shrugged one shoulder before heading back to the palace.

Remaining silent, Weiss fell into step by Ruby’s side and cast glances out of the corner of her eye.  She wished that she could comfort Ruby somehow, but how?  How could she make this better?

Admittedly, Ruby didn’t need Weiss right now - she needed her family.

As soon as that thought popped into Weiss’ mind, she had an idea - a bad one.  A bad one for her, at least, but it was a solution.  Albeit temporary, and almost guaranteed to get her into trouble, it would make Ruby happy - she was certain of that.  So she stopped at the balcony just above the gardens and waited for Ruby to notice her absence and turn around.

“You should go back.” 

Ruby’s response was disbelief, but Weiss felt more assured of the idea by the second.  

“You should go back,” she repeated with even more certainty.  “For a few weeks, at least.  Go home and spend time with your family.” 

“But -”  

“I’ll explain to everyone,” she said before Ruby brought it up.  “They’ll understand.  I’ll make them understand.”  

When Ruby bit her bottom lip, hesitant to disturb the peace between their two nations, Weiss reached out and touched her arm.  “I understand the situation, Ruby, but...I don’t want you to feel trapped here.  I want you to feel like...like this is your second home.  Or at least, someplace you don’t mind visiting every once in a while.”

“But…” Ruby started again, only to shake her head and meet Weiss’ gaze with a questioning one of her own.  “Why are you so nice to me?” 

Weiss balked at the term, which she couldn’t associate with herself.  But if she was honest with herself, the things she did for Ruby had nothing to do with Whitley, nothing to do with the race for the throne, and nothing to do with Winter’s warnings.

“Because...I...want you to be happy.”

Wishing for someone else’s happiness was new to her, but she knew it was true the moment the words slipped through her lips, and the moment Ruby’s eyes sparkled in return.

The next moment, however, her breath caught in her throat and anticipation surged in her chest.  Something changed in Ruby’s eyes - so quickly and suddenly that she couldn’t even fathom the thoughts behind it.  But when those silver eyes locked onto hers, she knew.

There was no time to prepare herself, not that she would ever be fully prepared for this moment, as Ruby lightly bit her bottom lip before tentatively setting her hand on Weiss’ elbow.  She waited for Weiss to back away - Weiss felt Ruby waiting for her to back away - but, when she didn’t move, Ruby leaned in and kissed her.

The instant Ruby’s lips met hers, her heart raced through her chest.  Fireworks lit up her thoughts, and she closed her eyes to savor the sensation of Ruby’s soft lips on hers.  Of Ruby’s warm lips on hers.  

Unfortunately, by the time she decided what she wanted - more of that magical moment - Ruby had already backed away.  The red on her cheeks could very well be from the cold, but Weiss felt a matching blush that wouldn’t fade anytime soon.

“Thank you,” Ruby whispered, but Weiss failed to find a response.  Though she didn’t quite understand how she’d earned that...wonderful, incredible kiss...she was more determined than ever to earn another.  If that meant helping Ruby visit her family, then so be it.  Weiss would move mountains for her, if needed.