The Queens of Remnant - Chapter 10 (Patreon)

The energy in the palace had been electric for the past few days as Lola prodded her crew of merry decorators to carry out her vision.  In no time, the grand building transformed into something festive and wonderful.  The flowers were bright, cheerful, and full of life.  The banners filled Ruby with pride every time she caught a glimpse of their deep reds and brilliant golds.  The royal guards had even pulled out their striking-red regalia typically saved for special events.

Tonight, as their esteemed guest’s arrival drew near, the last-minute touch-ups reached a fever pitch.  While Ruby waited near the throne room for Yang, she watched practically every staff member under their employ rush around the plaza.  To her, everything looked finished - the entire palace was brighter and shinier than it had ever been - but they acted as if there was much more to do.

The unending commotion spoke to her spark, and she wanted nothing more than to join the fray.  Polish something?  Sweep something?  Rearrange the flowers?  Or just race around giving everyone encouragement and praise?

“It won’t be long now...” she muttered, bouncing on her toes and swinging her arms as if she might take off at any second.

“How do you feel, My Queen?”

She smiled up at James while he monitored the activity.  He was probably mentally scolding everyone for not moving fast or efficiently enough.  Or maybe he was wishing that he could take care of everything himself - that seemed more like him.

“I’m a little nervous,” she admitted while returning her attention to the plaza and, beyond that, the greater kingdom of Vale.  “This could be a big deal.  If Yang and I play it right, maybe we can reason with her.  Maybe we can change things somehow…”

Trailing off, she thought about the possible results of this meeting, of which there were many.  Would they despise Atlas even more once this was over?  Or would they reconsider their feelings for their neighbors to the north?

When James looked down at her, she pushed those thoughts aside and shrugged.

“Maybe we can end the war?”  The sentence sounded so absurd that she laughed and shook her head.  “Or reach some sort of agreement,” she clarified.

That felt like a more realistic outcome, but it begged the question - what would Atlas want from Vale in return?  After so many years of fighting, she was willing to give more than take just to put this all behind them.  Yang would be more resistant to that idea but would probably agree in the end.  As long as this new Queen was reasonable...

“If ending the war is possible, I’m certain that you and Queen Xiao Long will find a way.”

Ruby smiled at the vote of confidence, although it was to be expected coming from James.  No matter what situation she got herself into or how impossible it seemed, he believed in her ability to see it through.  He was like Yang, in that way - the two of them encouraged her in everything she did.

Spotting a young man with windswept blonde hair rushing through the plaza, her anticipation jumped to another level.  And it beat even faster when he raced through the wide-open front doors and locked gazes with her.

“Your Majesty!” he called out before using his spark to reach her.  James stiffened at the quick approach, but Ruby sent him a knowing smile before giving her full attention to the young man bowing in front of her.  “The caravan from Atlas just arrived.  They’re being escorted to the palace now!”

The Queen of Atlas was in Vale.  That thought alone was enough for Ruby’s nerves to return, but she took a deep breath before slowly releasing it and nodding.

“Thank you,” she told the messenger, who had raced all the way from the outer gates to deliver that news.  “Please let everyone know so they can prepare.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As he hurried off to do as instructed, Ruby bounced faster on her toes.  If she wasn’t waiting for Yang, she might take a couple laps around the kingdom to release her pent-up spark.  But that would kick up a ton of sand, and she was waiting for Yang.

Where was Yang?  What was taking her so long?

“My Queen,” James said, cutting through her thoughts and jitters.  “What would you like me to do once they arrive?”

He was intentionally distracting her, but it worked.  Her fluttery, anxious energy slowed as soon as she was forced to consider the logistics of the impending meeting and his role in it.

“I’m sure she’s accompanied by plenty of Knights,” she mused aloud.  “Why don’t you keep an eye on them while we talk?  Make sure they don’t get up to anything.  Yang and I can handle ourselves inside.”

“Understood.  Good luck, My Queen.”

“Thanks, James.”

She smiled to assure him that she was fine.  Only then did he nod and head to the front doors to see through her suggestion, which he wouldn’t have agreed to if it wasn’t what he also considered the best use of his abilities.  Plenty of Elites would be around as well, but he could squash any attempted coup in a heartbeat.  With the Atlesian troops effectively neutralized, she just needed to find…

“Yang!”  As soon as Ruby spotted her sister on the upstairs balcony, she sprinted all the way up the stairs so they could walk down together.  “They just passed the gates!  They’ll be here any minute!”

“Wouldn’t have guessed,” Yang teased while looking around the frantic entryway.  The sight must have amused her somehow because she laughed and shook her head as they joined the fray.

“Let’s watch?” Ruby asked, gently tugging Yang toward the front doors.

“I think you’re a lot more excited about this than me…” Yang replied, but she didn’t fight Ruby while the two of them hurried to the stairwell at the far end of the plaza.  The door leading into the stairwell blended in with the walls, though Ruby believed that was more for aesthetics than secrecy.  The stairs led to a balcony on the front of the palace, which they often used as the perfect place to spy on visitors as they arrived.

It was only when they entered the staircase that Ruby realized she was walking fast, so she slowed down and glanced Yang’s way.  Stairs, especially lots of them, seemed to be the ultimate test of Yang’s energy, but she looked good right now.  Healthy, even.  She definitely wasn’t as lackluster as when Ruby first got home, which was an incredible relief.

“You aren’t getting your hopes up, are you?” Yang asked as they neared the doorway at the top of the stairs.

“Of course not.”  When Yang sent her a knowing look, Ruby sighed.  “I might be a little hopeful,” she admitted.  “But mostly really, really curious.”

“Then we mostly feel the same,” Yang joked before opening the door and motioning Ruby onto the balcony.

As soon as Ruby slipped through the doorway, she knelt down so that she wouldn’t be seen over the railing.  Yang quickly did the same, using the wide columns on the front of the balcony to obscure themselves.  The narrow gaps, however, provided the perfect vantage point to see the exit of the plaza, the wide, stone staircase outside, and the drive leading to the palace gates.

“I’m excited to figure out what she wants,” Ruby admitted in a soft voice as her eyes remained glued to the heavily guarded gates.

“Same.  All this wondering is driving me crazy.”

Ruby smiled at the response but understood how Yang felt.  Over the last few days, they had discussed hundreds of theories, some more ridiculous than others.  But the time for hypothesizing was over - they would be able to take action soon.

As soon as the first flash of silver appeared on the streets below, they fell silent and watched the procession appear.  In front, lines of silver-armored Knights sitting atop brilliant white steeds.  Each rider sat rigidly in his saddle, frost billowing through their lips, and each horse pranced through the gates while escorted by an even greater number of gold-armored Elites.

Behind them were more Knights, but these ones were on foot escorting a line of five silver carriages.  The middle one was larger and far more ornate than the others, marking it as the location of the Queen.  Just seeing the sparkling silver vehicle, which looked unnaturally bright and flashy amongst the sandy backdrop, made Ruby’s heart race.

Bringing up the rear were several more lines of Knights on horseback, and even more Elites keeping a close eye on their visitors.  The entire group looked tense and on edge, no doubt acutely aware that the people they walked or rode beside were enemies rather than friends.  One wrong move and chaos would erupt.

Fortunately, the caravan made it to the front of the palace without any such occurrences.  There, everything halted, and Ruby used the sudden stillness as the opportunity to count the number of Knights.

“Huh,” she mused before counting again.

“Expected more, right?” Yang asked, her gaze never leaving the scene below.

Ruby had expected far more Knights.  The last time the King of Atlas was here - their failed attempt at a meeting right before the war started - he was accompanied by at least five times as many troops.  Now that their kingdoms were officially at war, why were there so few?  Was this a show of good faith?  Or was Atlas running that low on soldiers?

Those were just some of the many questions popping into Ruby’s mind, but they disappeared when one of the Knights opened the middle carriage’s door.  Suddenly, she found herself holding her breath, her eyes glued to the doorway waiting for the Queen to appear.

Seconds later, she did, and...Ruby had so many thoughts and feelings that she could hardly keep track of them.  Surprise, disbelief, wonder, and everything in between.

The Queen looked not a day older than Yang, with long, snow-white hair that fell all the way down her back in a neat braid.  Her petite frame and formal posture spoke to her upbringing.  As did her outfit, which showcased the royal colors of Atlas and suited her perfectly.

She looked like Atlas in living form, and she was beautiful.

But she wasn’t the only one in the carriage, as she graciously stepped aside and waited for someone else.  The second passenger appeared to be nearly the same age as the Queen, but their appearances couldn’t be more different.  The second girl had long, black hair, and her outfit suggested utility and comfort over expense and fashion.

“Who’s the gorgeous one?” Yang asked, and Ruby’s gaze returned to the girl symbolizing all that was Atlas.

“From her white hair and fancy clothes, I’m guessing that’s the Queen.”

“I know that’s the Queen,” Yang replied with a laugh.  “I’m talking about the other one.”

“Oh.”  From this distance, Ruby couldn’t make a determination about their mysterious second guest.  “One of her advisors, I guess?”

“We should find out where Atlas gets its advisors...”

Ruby nearly rolled her eyes at Yang’s response but paused when it reminded her of something.

“Wait.  Isn’t Atlas super against outsiders?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Because why would they have an advisor who’s clearly an outsider?”

As the Knights began organizing into a smaller escort party, Ruby pointed at the girl with black hair, who stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the sea of white-haired soldiers.

“They just...what…randomly picked her up somewhere?”

“Like a stowaway?” Yang asked before laughing and shaking her head.  “Only thing between Atlas and here is wilderness and the Bad-”

Abruptly pausing, Yang frowned at their visitors.

“Unless...”  After mulling over that thought, she shook her head and patted Ruby’s shoulder.  “I’ll keep an eye on it, but you might be onto something.”

Ruby would have asked what she was onto, but there was no time.  The Knights assigned as the Queen’s loyal guard had formed up on either side of the Queen and her companion.  With the rest of the caravan staying behind, that small group started up the front steps.

“Alright,” Yang said, opening the door to the stairwell so they could hurry down from the balcony.  “I’ll start the conversation; you keep an eye out?”

“You know it!”

After high-fiving Yang at the plan, which they used on basically every visitor, Ruby flew down the rest of the steps and across the plaza.  She briefly slowed down at the front doors so the guards knew it was her, only to take off again for her favorite hiding spot.

Yang would meet the Queen alone at the palace doors with more than enough Elites to protect her if needed.  From there, they would move to the throne room for the meeting, which Ruby would observe from above before eventually joining.  Delaying her entrance was an opportunity to observe their guests without distraction.  In doing so, she could gain valuable insights into their intentions, their goals, or just their personalities.  That information had proven invaluable in the past, and it could be vital today.

Racing up to the thin walkway above the throne room and ducking into her hiding spot, she tried to calm herself while waiting for them to arrive.  Part of her still couldn’t believe this was happening - after years of war, the Queen of Atlas was in Vale.  Right now.  Not a hundred paces from where Ruby knelt.  They would meet soon, but...who knew what came next?

Knowing Yang, the conversation might start out...explosive, especially if the Atlesian Queen couldn’t keep her cool.  Yang was equal parts great at reading people and pressing their buttons, so if the Queen of Atlas was anything like her father...they would know quickly.

Footsteps reached her ears then, and Ruby’s breathing slowed as she watched Yang stride into the throne room.  The Queen of Atlas and her advisor followed close behind, but no one else.

Apparently, they wouldn’t be supervised by guards today - a good or bad sign depending on how Yang saw it.  If she didn’t feel the need for protection, meaning their guests didn’t strike her as a threat, that was a good thing.  On the flip side, maybe she didn’t want eavesdroppers for a potentially negative conversation.

“Welcome to Vale,” Yang said, speaking clearly while stopping in the middle of the room and turning to face the two young women behind her.  “If you’re tired from your travels, perhaps we should schedule this conversation for the morning?”

The polite offer seemed to catch the Queen of Atlas by surprise, as she glanced at her advisor before shaking her head and clasping her hands in front of her.

“Now is fine if that’s alright with you.  Whatever works best for your schedule.”

The Queen spoke so softly that Ruby held her breath and leaned forward to catch every word.  Was she soft-spoken in comparison to Yang or soft-spoken in general?  And the way she clasped her hands...had that been taught as the proper way to hold oneself in public or learned as a means of calming nerves?

“Now works for me, too.”

Yang’s shrug suggested she had little investment in the conversation, but Ruby saw the tension in her shoulders.  That tension was mirrored in the Queen’s advisor, whose firm expression suggested no qualms with being underdressed in such esteemed company.  Yet her posture was rigid to the point of motionless, as if worried that any movement might give away whatever she must be hiding.

“So -”  Yang clapped her hands and the raven-haired girl flinched - definitely skittish about something.  “What’d you want to meet for?” Yang asked the Queen directly.  “Traveling all the way here, too...the effort doesn’t make much sense from someone like you.”

The words were intended as an insult, but the Queen of Atlas brushed right past it.  Her hands clenched tighter together, and she rocked forward onto the balls of her feet as if the added height would help her.

“As you’ve heard, my father recently passed away -”

“So sorry to hear that, by the way.”

Again, Yang was intentionally aggravating in an attempt to get a response.  But again, the Queen of Atlas merely paused before pressing on.

“Thank you...but, since he’s gone and I’ve been left in charge of Atlas, I wanted to meet with you and your sister to discuss a matter of utmost importance.”  Another slight pause, and this time she turned to her advisor for support.  When none was received - the girl too focused on Yang to notice - she cleared her throat and continued.

“I know we’ve only just met, but...I’d like to discuss a truce.  To the war.”

The Queen’s advisor finally moved - offering an emphatic nod - but Ruby couldn’t believe what she just heard.  The Queen of Atlas came all the way here to discuss a truce?  To end the fighting?  Right now, in their palace, the end of the war was within reach?  It sounded too good to be true.  At the same time, the Queen looked too anxious to be lying.

She wanted to discuss a truce - that was written in her posture clear as day.  Something about the war bothered her.  Made her anxious.  And she wanted to be done with it.  The knowledge nearly made Ruby leave her hiding place to join the conversation, but she delayed that thought when Yang subtly held up a hand signaling her to wait.

Looking just as surprised as Ruby felt, Yang had spent the last few seconds staring at the Queen as if she had two heads.  Then she scoffed, and Ruby immediately knew what she was thinking - if this was real, they needed to know what type of person they were dealing with.

“So after years of fighting, you want to quit?”  Yang shook her head and crossed her arms.  “What terms are you trying to negotiate - you want the crown off my head?  March your army into the city and take over?  Start a big ol’ bonfire, maybe?”

“That’s not at all what I’m suggesting.”

The Atlas Queen gently lifted her hands, but Yang stared her down.

“Of course you want a ceasefire now,” Yang drawled, increasing the pressure.  “The tide’s turning against you.  We just cut through your forces, and suddenly you want to give up.  Why should we accept?  Why not keep fighting and win outright?”

“Why waste more lives?”

The question was so simple, so genuine, that Ruby found herself nodding.

“The war has done nothing but harm,” the Queen of Atlas continued.  “It’s time we put a stop to the needless fighting and focus on rebuilding.  If we end the war, your soldiers can return home, and so can ours.”

“But…?” Yang said, picking up that there was more to be said.

“But...we should work together to repair some of the damage.  Especially in the Badlands -”

“Oh, that’s just ripe,” Yang interrupted, her frown turning into a full-fledged scowl.  “We’ll work together to rebuild the Badlands.  Vale and Atlas will unite to fix the problems we caused.  Maybe you don’t remember that you’re the ones who marched your armies through there, killing innocent people -”

“Those weren’t my decisions -”

“Bullshit!”

Flames erupted from Yang with the word, leaping toward the Queen of Atlas with astonishing speed.  Before the Queen reacted, however, a mountain of stone rose from the floor in front of her.  The flames hit the wall of rock and dissipated, dealing no damage before disappearing entirely.

The incident lasted no more than a second but left everyone staring at the girl with black hair.  It wasn’t long, however, before Yang smiled.

“Actually, I didn’t catch your name,” Yang directed to her with a casual motion of one hand.

“Because I didn’t give it.”

“Then how about I guess?”  No one - not even Ruby - understood where Yang was going with that statement, but her grin grew.  “Could it be...Blake Belladonna?”

The girl with raven hair hardly moved, but her eyes widened ever so slightly - more than enough of a response for Yang to slap her leg and laugh.

“I knew it!  Blake Belladonna - leader of the Resistance - the assassin - walked right into our palace!”

“Assassin?” Ruby whispered in surprise.

That was the girl’s secret?  She was an assassin?  If so, shouldn’t Yang be more concerned?  Because she didn’t look concerned while gesturing at the Queen of Atlas.

“Are you here to kill her?” she asked, grinning all the while.  “Or me?  Both of us, maybe?  Because I think that’ll be harder than you’re expecting.”

Undeterred by the response, Blake squared her shoulders and held Yang’s gaze.

“I’m not an assassin.”

“Really?  Because they say you are.”

“And they say you’re hot-headed and reckless,” Blake shot back.  “I guess the rumors are right about one of us.”

Ruby expected Yang to scowl at the fiery response, but she let out a short huff and said nothing.  It was rare that she lost her side of banter like that, but she looked almost amused by the quick wit aimed back at her.

“You’re still a member of the Resistance,” she pointed out, recovering enough to continue the conversation.  “And what - you hitched a ride here?”  Gasping for effect, she leaned forward and lowered her voice.  “Were you planning to off the Queen of Atlas on the way?”

Dropping the act, Yang leaned back and chuckled.  What Yang meant as a joke, however, the Resistance fighter took seriously.  Rather than deny the accusation, she turned to the Queen of Atlas with an aura steeped in apology.

“I’m sorry,” she said, surprising everyone by confirming Yang’s words.  “When I heard that you would be traveling near the Badlands, I...I had to take the chance.  I hoped...that the war would end faster that way…”

That was quite an admission to make in present company.  In Atlas, Ruby doubted the confession would be met without serious repercussions.  Even in Vale...knowing they had an attempted monarch killer in their midst wasn’t reassuring.

At least, Ruby didn’t think so.  Then she saw how the Queen of Atlas responded - first with moderate surprise like the rest of them, then...acceptance and quick forgiveness.  “I knew it was a possibility,” she even conceded.  “But again...how can I judge you based on something you didn’t do?”

Blake wasn’t the only one shocked by the reply, as Ruby grew increasingly interested in this new Queen.  Forgiveness hadn’t been in the Mad King’s repertoire, yet here she was...pardoning someone who confessed to plotting her death.

“After hearing what you hope to accomplish, I knew I wanted to help.”  Pausing, Blake turned back to Yang.  “I believe her.  And I have no reason to believe either of you.”

“You trust her?”

“Yes,” Blake replied, unafraid to use emphasis in the face of the Queen of Vale.  “You try to place the blame entirely on Atlas, but Vale hasn’t cared about us either.  We were left to fend for ourselves - free to starve while both kingdoms destroyed what little we had left.  Why do you think we organized?  Why do you think we started fighting back?  You’re deciding your politics on our land, our homes.  We might never recover from the destruction, but you probably won’t care about that either.”

When the impassioned rant ended, Yang didn’t have a response.  She had tried provoking the Queen of Atlas.  She had tried needling them into giving away an ulterior motive.  Instead, they held their ground and backed her into a corner that she couldn’t get out of without looking like a callous ass.

Deciding that she had seen enough, Ruby slipped out from behind her hiding spot, jumped from the alcove, and joined Yang in a burst of wind.  The Queen and her advisor backed away at her sudden entrance, but they relaxed when she playfully shook Yang’s shoulders.

“She’s got you there, Yang,” she teased before sighing and shaking her head.  “We knew people would suffer, but we tried to protect as many as we could.  Now, Atlas wants a truce - why would we keep fighting?”

“Because -”  Searching for an answer and coming up empty, Yang shook her head and pointed at the Queen of Atlas.  “Because I think she’s lying.”

“Hmm...”

Considering how fickle the Mad King had been, that was a legitimate concern - and one Ruby would get to the bottom of right now.  Meeting the Queen’s eyes - the clearest shade of blue she had ever seen - she walked over and stopped once they stood just feet apart.

The Queen was a couple of inches shorter than her but far more petite...and far more gorgeous.  At this distance, more details revealed themselves - a thin scar running across her left eye, the way her hands not only clasped but clenched tightly, and the many, many emotions flitting through those pretty blue eyes.

Then, before Ruby said a word, the Queen of Atlas lowered her gaze, dipped her chin, and curtsied.

“It’s nice to meet you, Queen Rose,” she murmured.

“It’s nice to meet you, too.”  Grinning now, Ruby responded with a curtsy of her own - even though it went against all royal customs to do so.  “And you can call me Ruby.”

For a moment, the Atlesian Queen looked like she didn’t know what to do with the informality or whether she should interpret it as a good or bad thing.  Eventually, she gave up trying to sort through Ruby’s intentions and nodded.

“Please call me Weiss.”

Just a few seconds into this interaction and Ruby was enjoying every bit of royal protocol Weiss was willing to break.  This didn’t feel like talking to a Queen, with all of the ridiculous rules and customs they followed.  This felt like talking to a real, honest-to-goodness person - and Ruby loved talking to people.

“Are you lying, Weiss?” she asked directly.  “Are you pretending to want a truce in order to trick us?”

“I promise you, I’m not lying.  My father wanted to conquer Vale, but I’m not him.  I don’t want to fight a war.  I don’t want two kingdoms.  I just want the war to end so we can all rebuild.”

The answer was more forthcoming than anything Ruby could have asked for, and those were just Weiss’ words.  In Weiss’ eyes...a lot was there - a lot Ruby wouldn’t expect to find in a queen - but no deceit.  Finally smiling, and noticing Weiss’ lips twitch up in turn, Ruby returned to Yang’s side.

“I believe her,” she concluded.  “Why don’t you?”

“Because her father was an ass...” Yang mumbled.

Hearing a soft scoff of laughter, both of them stared at Weiss in surprise.  Noticing their gazes, Weiss quickly forced a passive expression and cleared her throat.

“I’m sorry,” she even said.  “That’s just...a very succinct description of him.”

“At least we can all agree on something...” Blake muttered.

Just like that, the four of them found common ground, and Ruby realized that this was real.  This meeting wasn’t for show.  It wasn’t for boasting or provocation.  The two young women standing here, who had traveled all this way, wanted to make a huge, positive change that would affect countless lives.

“I understand that you’re hesitant,” Weiss added, her gaze returning to Ruby’s.  “And I understand you have no reason to trust me, given who my father was, so please suggest some way I can assure you.”

Weiss looked between Yang and Ruby, waiting for an answer while her eyes openly hoped for one.  For Ruby, the honest expression made this reality even more clear.

How could this young woman be related to the Mad King?  How could someone so genuine have been raised by that tyrant?

“You’re...actually serious?” Yang asked, coming to the same revelation as Ruby.  “You want to end the war and work together to rebuild the Badlands?”

“Yes.”

When Weiss nodded, Yang looked at a loss for words.

“Uh, Ruby, can we talk real quick?” she said.  Offering Weiss and Blake an apologetic smile, Ruby stepped over to the side to speak privately with Yang.

“Um, I can’t believe this?” Yang began, her gaze never leaving the two girls waiting on them.  “She actually wants to end the war.  And you believe her?”

Glancing at Weiss, who caught the gaze and offered the smallest, most hesitant smile, Ruby smiled in return.

“I believe her.  She doesn’t seem very capable of lying.”

“Then...what do you want to do?”

“What do you think?”  Ruby gave Yang a disbelieving look for even asking.  “This is an opportunity we’ve never even hoped for - end the war today, start rebuilding tomorrow.  Why wouldn’t we accept?”

“Because it’s Atlas.”

“And the Mad King is dead,” Ruby pointed out.  Yang pursed her lips before nodding.

“You’re right.  He’s dead, she’s in charge, and...we’d be stupid not to accept.”

“One hundred percent agree.”

“Holy shit, Ruby,” Yang breathed out, and Ruby immediately broke into a huge smile.

She couldn’t believe this was happening either.  Never in her wildest dreams had she hoped for this conversation, or hoped for it to go so easily.  Details still needed to be sorted out, but...with the war over, so many lives were saved.  Vale, the Badlands, Atlas - they could all start healing.  No more rations, no more living without.  They could focus on the Phage, and Ruby could pry Weiss for information on a cure.

“Alright.”

With the decision made, Yang set a hand on Ruby’s shoulder as they returned to Blake and Weiss.  Both young women looked varying degrees of apprehensive about what would be said next, but there was hope in their eyes.  They hoped that the war ended here.

“Your Majesty,” Yang began with a facetious nod.  “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

When Yang smiled and extended her hand, Weiss just stared at it.

“Really?” she asked, reaching forward as if she thought Yang was playing a trick on her.

“Really,” Ruby assured her, and watched the emotions rush through her clear eyes before she shook Yang’s hand.  Disbelief, surprise, and relief.

“We’re not messing with you,” Yang added, giving Weiss’ hand a quick, friendly shake before letting go.  “Want to write something up and sign it right now?”

“Oh, um -”  Just like that, Weiss’ relief disappeared.  In its place...uncertainty.  “I think the official treaty needs to go through Atlas’ Council.  They draft all of the laws.”

“Oh.”  Somewhat deflated by the lack of instant gratification, Yang shared a glance with Ruby before shrugging.  “Alright, we can wait - we’ll just agree in principle now, yeah?  We all want to stop fighting and start fixing things?”

After Weiss nodded, Ruby grinned and added her own.  With those agreements, Yang smiled and turned to Blake.

“What about you, Miss Badlands - you want to stop fighting?”

When Yang extended her hand, Blake stared at it for only a second before smiling - a real, honest-to-goodness smile - and said, “You have no idea.”

While Blake shook Yang’s hand, Yang laughed.  The sound was so uncommon these days that Ruby’s heart lifted.  Any more good news and it might pop right out of her chest.

“Alright then, that’s settled.”  After hanging on to Blake’s hand for another second, Yang smiled and let go.  “Guess we’ll be sending messengers back and forth to get the details worked out.”

Delaying the official document wasn’t ideal, but they had to live with it if Atlas’ ‘Council’ needed to approve the final result.  Communicating through messengers would be tedious, and sticking points would be more difficult without sitting across from someone and discussing in real time, but...

A solution suddenly popped into Ruby’s mind - something that would move this along much, much faster.  Before she dared mention it, however, she glanced at Yang.  From outward appearances, Yang felt good today.  She looked healthy, in control, and with plenty of energy - she even used her spark.  How long would that last?  Could she hold on another week, maybe two?

Knowing how strong Yang was, Ruby felt reasonably confident in that timeframe yet terrified at the same time.  Two weeks wasn’t long.  If she didn’t take this chance now...she might have already run out of options.  She had to do this.

“I have an idea,” she spoke up before turning to Weiss.  “Why don’t I go back to Atlas with you?”

“Um, what?” Yang asked while Weiss stared.

“Why don’t I go to Atlas with her?” Ruby repeated.  “As soon as this Council drafts the treaty, we’ll sign it right there.  That way we don’t have to send messengers back and forth for months - we’ll get it done in no time.”

And what better way to find the cure than to go to Atlas herself?  Once there, Ruby could do a little snooping.  Or, if Weiss was friendly enough, just ask.  Then she could find this fabled cure and bring it home to Yang.

“If that’s what you’d like to do…” Weiss began.  “Then...I think we can accommodate that.  It would be much faster.”

“And if she - I don’t know - tries to kidnap you and use you for ransom?” Yang whispered to Ruby, but Ruby smiled and shook her head.

“They couldn’t catch me if they tried.”

Besides, Ruby had a good feeling that kidnap and ransom were the last things on Weiss’ mind.  Why would she plot something like that, which would start a war, when she just negotiated the end of one?

If Ruby went to Atlas though, Yang would be left in charge of Vale alone - again.  Not only Vale, but they had the Badlands to help too, and the Badlands wouldn’t be receptive of Vale suddenly trying to help.  Fortunately, Ruby had an idea that might fix that problem, too.

“Maybe you’d be willing to stay in Vale a little longer?” she directed to Blake, who looked taken aback by the suggestion.  “You can help Yang come up with plans for aid, then we can start restoring the Badlands to what it was before it became...you know…‘bad.’”

That seemed like the best solution to Ruby, brokering a positive connection with the Badlands while also giving Yang some help, but Blake seemed hesitant.  If she was an assassin, or if she meant ill will, why would she hesitate at an opportunity like this?

“If you honestly want my input…” she finally said, meeting Yang’s gaze just as easily as Yang met hers.  “Then I’m willing to offer it.”

Everyone’s attention turned to Yang, who stared at Blake for several seconds before chuckling and saying, “Sure.  I don’t mind an assassin moving in.”

“I’m not -”

“Not an assassin,” Yang interrupted with a wave of her hand.  “I believe you.  And I’ve heard the stories - how people look up to you, follow you.  You’re a leader, just like us.”

The compliment left Yang’s lips easily, but she turned to Ruby before noticing Blake’s blush at the praise.  Yang, meanwhile, silently asked if Ruby was serious - if she actually thought this was the best thing to do, if she actually wanted to go to Atlas, if a Resistance fighter should actually stay here in Vale.

After everything that just happened, so many positives rolled up into one conversation, Ruby didn’t see why they wouldn’t follow this through to the end.  End the war.  Restore relationships with the Badlands.  Find a cure.  She had always imagined doing all of that by themselves but, surprisingly, they had help.

“Alright.”  Satisfied with Ruby’s silent answer, Yang nodded and turned to her new advisor.  “If Ruby’s going to Atlas, I could use your help.  You know the Badlands better than any of us.  We need to know who needs help, what kind of help, how much - everything.”

With Yang offering a genuine smile, and Blake looking excited about the prospect of working together, Ruby’s spark begged to get out.  All the good news was catching up to her, and now she wanted nothing more than to fly around the room to celebrate.

“I guess that’s settled then?” Yang asked, keeping a more level head while looking at Weiss.  “Truce for now, get the treaty done, then call the troops back?”

“As soon as possible,” Weiss agreed.

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”  Yang smiled, but her eyes soon widened.  “Oh, shoot.  We need to call Cecelia back now though.”

Understanding Yang’s line of thinking, Ruby quickly nodded.  Nothing would end a temporary truce faster than a rogue warrior intent on fighting.

“Cecelia?” Weiss asked, looking between them.

“She’s...one of our generals,” Yang explained.  “She’s in charge of the group that’s been cutting through your Knights like butter.”

Ruby expected some measure of recognition from Weiss - Cecelia and her men had been wreaking havoc over the past few weeks - but instead witnessed a flicker of confusion quickly masked by feigned certainty.

“Right,” Weiss replied with a self-assured nod.  “That’s a good idea then.  I’ll inform our Councilors, or the generals, and we can back up our troops just to be safe.”

Though Yang smiled at the response, Ruby knew that her sister was thinking the same thing she was - Weiss looked lost.  Their desire to remove Cecelia held little meaning to her because she had no idea what was happening or had happened.  Ruby understood a certain lack of knowledge due to how new this all must be, but shouldn’t someone have filled Weiss in before she left Atlas?

Then there was the small matter of her confidence...of which she had none.  Compared to her father - the loud, angry, power-hungry monster - she was quiet, agreeable, and uncertain.  She didn’t speak or behave at all like a Queen, which begged the question...who was really running Atlas?

Now wasn’t the time to worry about those matters, as Yang patted Ruby’s shoulder.

“How long will it take you to get ready?”

“I can be ready tomorrow,” Ruby answered.  If she thought anyone would agree with her leaving tonight, she would have said that, but Yang looked shocked enough as it was.

“In a rush?” she even asked, but thankfully didn’t expect a response.  “Queen Schnee, you’re more than welcome to stay here tonight, or longer if you want.”

“Tonight would be nice, thank you.  And please call me Weiss.”

“First names, huh?  I like it.”  After winking at Weiss, who appeared flustered by the familiarity, Yang returned her attention to Blake - but her attention often seemed drawn back to Blake.

“And let’s have dinner tonight,” Ruby suggested before Yang changed the subject.  “The four of us.  Let’s have dinner and discuss what to do next.”

After receiving three nods of approval, Ruby felt her excitement return.  How long had it been since she was this optimistic about the future?  The war, done.  The hardships, soon to be over.  The Phage, squarely in her sights.

“So...how about a tour?” Yang asked Blake, and Blake alone.  “Have you been to Vale before?”

“A long time ago, but I can’t tell you what for.”

The teasing comment succeeded in making Yang laugh while she motioned for Blake to follow her out of the throne room.  The glance she sent Ruby’s way made it clear that she intended to chaperone the Resistance leader alone, leaving the Queen of Atlas under Ruby’s watch.  That was just fine with Ruby, who still had many questions about the new Queen that she would like to have answered.

“I appreciate your help,” Weiss said once they were alone.  The sincere smile accompanying that gratitude surprised Ruby all the more, and she couldn’t help but smile in return.

“I appreciate your honesty,” she replied.  “And please forgive Yang.  She tried reasoning with your dad many times, but it never went well.”

The disclosure didn’t surprise Weiss, who sighed and hung her head.

“I can only imagine what he said or did...but please believe that I want to change things.”

“I do.  You’ve been nothing but honest since you stepped into this room, and I expect you’ll continue to be.”

Hearing the certainty in that response, Weiss tilted her head and held Ruby’s gaze.

“How are you so sure about me...?” she eventually asked, and Ruby felt another smile threaten to appear.

“You can learn a lot about a person by watching them.”

“And what have you learned about me?”

From initial impressions, Weiss was genuine, quite possibly kind, somewhat overwhelmed, lacking in experience and knowledge but not intellect, and nothing like Ruby expected.

“I learned...that I want to learn more about you.”  Spotting surprise in blue eyes, Ruby smiled and motioned to the throne room’s entrance.  “Can I show you around the palace?”

Weiss looked like she had much more to ask, but she didn’t press.  Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her and nodded.

“Sure.  I’d like that.”

Ruby’s smile returned in full, and she waved Weiss after her.  Her spark put a skip in her step that she couldn’t hope to keep at bay, so she didn’t even try.  Tonight was a night to celebrate.  The war was over, or about to be over, and she just talked her way into Atlas.  Once there, she could find the cure.  She could save Yang.

All with the help of the demure Atlesian Queen walking beside her, who she was eager to learn more about.