A Royal Match - Chapter 6 (Patreon)

In the grand scheme of things, a month wasn’t very long.  The past month, however, felt like a lifetime.

It wasn’t until Ruby left that Weiss realized how accustomed she’d grown to the Vale princess’ presence.  With Ruby around, there was always company to be found and good conversation to be had.  Without her...the palace was silent and lonely.

As expected, Whitley threw a fit when he found out what Weiss did, and even complained to their father.  Fortunately, their father wasn’t in the mood or the health to care - it was Winter who gave her an earful for the ‘reckless’ decision.

‘What if she changes her mind?’  ‘What if Vale backs out of the deal?’  ‘What if she never comes back?’

The last question really bothered Weiss, and it took the first week of Ruby’s absence to figure out why.  She liked having Ruby around.  She enjoyed their time together.  She enjoyed their conversations, their walks, the laughs they shared.  The prospect of losing that feeling of...closeness...weighed on her heart and mind for far greater reasons than what it would mean for the Kingdom of Atlas.

She couldn’t force Ruby to stay.  Even if that was within her power, even if that was in her best interest, she couldn’t bear the thought of keeping Ruby from her home and family for the rest of their lives.  Ruby wasn’t a captive, nor should she be treated as such.  Maybe that’s what Whitley wanted, but...Weiss wasn’t him, and she refused to be even remotely comparable. 

Still, she hoped that Ruby came back.  If not willingly, then at least not begrudgingly.  The moment in the garden, in the snow, never left her mind.  When she was blessed with time to dwell upon it, butterflies fluttered through her chest and her skin tingled with thrill and a host of other emotions she couldn’t put a name to.  All she could say was that she enjoyed it - she loved it, even - and one of the reasons she hoped Ruby returned was to see if it could happen again.

That question would be answered soon, as today was the day Ruby promised to return from Vale.  If she returned, it could only be for the security of her kingdom.  But maybe, just maybe, she came back for Weiss.

A foolish thought, but Weiss couldn’t avoid it.  

Once upon a time, her sole wish was that they could tolerate each other.  Then she wanted to be friends.  Now, both of those wishes had fallen by the wayside.  Her heart told her she wanted more than that, and her mind finally agreed.  As improbable as it might seem, her feelings had grown over the course of Ruby’s absence, and now...she really wanted to see Ruby again.

“Princess.”

Jarred from her thoughts, she turned towards the door of the library and found one of the handmaidens gesturing to her.  That was all she needed to set her book aside and hurry to the door.

“She’s here?” she asked, but was already rushing past the woman when she nodded.  “Thank you,” she nearly forgot to add before hurrying to the front door with quick, excited steps.

She came back.  

But Weiss had to see it for herself, so she rushed.  She walked faster than might be ‘proper.’  She risked a scolding in the process, but she made it to the entryway in record time.  

And there Ruby was...standing in the foyer, stomping the snow off her boots, handing her red coat to the nearby butler.  She looked good.  She looked healthy.

She looked beautiful.

“Ruby,” Weiss called out, drawing silver eyes and a smile her way.  That was all her heart needed, and without hesitation, she rushed over and threw her arms around Ruby’s neck for a hug.  If she thought she couldn’t feel more grateful or relieved than right now, she was wrong - that feeling grew when Ruby returned the embrace.

“You came back,” Weiss whispered before pulling away and smiling.  She kept her hands on Ruby’s shoulders though, not wanting to lose the contact anytime soon.  

“Of course I did.  I said I would, didn’t I?” 

“Yes, but...”  There were so many reasons why Ruby wouldn’t want to come back, but Weiss stopped talking when Ruby smiled.  

“I’ve been looking forward to it.” 

Just like that, Weiss’ unnamed, uncontrollable feelings returned.  Her skin tingled, her heart raced, and she didn’t care where they were or who was watching - all she cared about was the emotion in Ruby’s eyes and the truth in her words.  

“I’ve been looking forward to it too...” Weiss whispered as butterflies and happiness sprang forth in her chest.  All that waiting...all that wondering...and Ruby was here.  Ruby came back...maybe for her.  

That thought filled her with such strong feelings, she didn’t know how to express them.  After a brief hesitation, however, she lifted her hand and ran her fingers through Ruby’s hair, watching the remaining snowflakes melt away while Ruby watched her.

“I’ve been looking forward to it a lot, actually,” she admitted, only for her heart to startle when Ruby turned to the side and pressed a tender kiss to the inside of her wrist.  The intimacy froze her in place, with her hand still woven through Ruby’s hair, and desire sprang into her chest.

Maybe Ruby felt it too. 

“Princess Rose.” 

Whitley’s voice shattered the moment, and Weiss withdrew her hand while Ruby turned away.  

“Prince Whitley,” she greeted him with a curtsy.  “It’s nice to see you again.”

“And you.”  When he kissed the back of Ruby’s hand, something hot and angry seeped into Weiss’ veins.  “Dinner is waiting for you,” he added with a gesture towards the dining room.  

“What do you mean ‘dinner?’” Weiss interjected and, when he reached for Ruby’s hand, she gently pulled Ruby closer and glared.  Though she typically didn’t like his interactions with Ruby, right now she had zero tolerance for it.

“I scheduled dinner in anticipation of your homecoming,” he explained to Ruby rather than address Weiss directly.  “I made sure the kitchen prepared all of your favorites, and my father will be there - a fitting homecoming for a princess such as yourself.”

He added a polite bow at the end of his spiel, but Weiss bit back some harsh words in response.  Right now, the last thing she wanted to do was sit through dinner with her father.  She wanted to talk to Ruby.  She wanted to know how Ruby’s time at home was, how her family was, how she passed the time, and...see if she missed anything about Atlas…

They didn’t have that option anymore - something Whitley undoubtedly knew when he set this up without Weiss’ knowledge.

“Can you give me a few minutes?” Ruby asked before gesturing towards the bags being carried upstairs by the butlers.  “To change?” 

From Whitley’s expression, and the glance he sent Weiss, he wanted to say ‘no.’  He couldn’t possibly though.  Not when Ruby asked so sweetly and had every right to change after a long trip.  

“I’ll tell them to be prepared in fifteen minutes,” he finally conceded.  

“Great.  Thank you.” 

Faced with Ruby’s sincere gratitude, he briefly looked like he didn’t know how to respond.  Ultimately, he nodded and made his way to the kitchen, leaving Weiss and Ruby alone once more.

As soon as he left the entryway, Ruby sent Weiss a knowing look.

“Didn’t miss that so much,” she admitted before her eyes widened.  “Oh!  But I brought you something.” 

Before one of her bags was taken upstairs, she motioned for the butler to wait and searched in one of the pockets.  Once she found whatever she was looking for, she returned to Weiss and presented a small square box.  

“I had them made for you while I was home,” she explained while Weiss removed the lid and stared at what rested inside - the most beautiful pair of earrings she’d ever seen.  The intricately-crafted silver featured two gems dangling from each - a gorgeous red ruby and a pristinely-clear diamond.

“Ruby...”  At a loss for words, she ran her fingers over the earrings and marveled at the thought - and money - that went into them.  

In a single gesture, Ruby proved what Weiss knew all along - that she was, in every manner of the word, a princess.  She had the upbringing.  She had the intellect, poise, and posture, but she also had the power and wealth that came along with it.  At least, in her own kingdom, she did.

She should be treated like a princess everywhere.  Weiss didn’t understand why Whitley couldn’t see that…

Pushing any thought of him out of her mind, she looked up at Ruby and smiled.

“They’re beautiful.  Thank you.” 

“Ah, you’re welcome.  I mean, it’s no big deal,” Ruby replied with a wave of her hand, looking suddenly embarrassed about her gift.  “I was just...thinking about you...”

More than anything, Weiss wanted to dive into that admission and figure out exactly what it meant.  Unsure if she could handle the answer, however, she reached up and removed her current earrings.  

“You don’t have to wear them,” Ruby added, but Weiss silenced that thought with a look and put on the new pair.  They were lighter than the ones she’d been wearing, which felt nice, and she liked to imagine that the dash of red tied her even more closely with Ruby.

“How do they look?”  A blush rose on her cheeks when she noticed the way Ruby looked at her, but she didn’t shy away from that gaze this time.  She couldn’t turn away when she was so happy that Ruby had returned - with a gift even.  

And she didn’t shy away when Ruby reached out and gently tucked her hair behind her ear.  Instead, she leaned into the touch, savoring the softness of Ruby’s fingers and watching a spark of joy appear in silver eyes.

“You look beautiful,” Ruby whispered, using a single sentence to ignite that same spark of joy in Weiss’ heart.