The Queens of Remnant - Commentary - Ch 29-30 (Patreon)

Welcome back after a slightly extended break!  I hope the week off wasn’t too horrible, although I’m sure waiting for the White Rose chapters was particularly maddening for some people.

I ended up really needing the week off, so I’m very grateful that no one made a fuss.  My trip was mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting.  When I got back, I was completely drained and needed even more time to fully recover.  But now I’m back!  Rested, healthy, and, much to my relief, I have that adventure in the rearview mirror.

Even more relieving - I’m back to writing!  I’m still working on the Bumbleby cops and robbers AU, and I’m justttt about halfway done.  That’s a little depressing considering the amount of time I’ve put into it so far, but I’m going to focus on the positive - I’m halfway through!

It’s a long story, so halfway is actually quite an accomplishment.  I’m looking at maybe 30 chapters across the two parts, so it’ll be 180k+ when done.  That isn’t a small number!  I have about 110k right now across finished chapters and outline, so my hands have a hefty task ahead.

If you’ve read the Sneak Peek, you have…well, you still have no idea what the Bumbleby side of things will be.  You do know what White Rose will sort of be like though.  Although, White Rose isn’t very prominent in this story.  It’s mostly the bees, which is why Weiss and Ruby got their own offshoot.  A very entertaining offshoot where Weiss is incredibly thirsty for Ruby.

I’m super excited to post that one.  It might be a while from now, but I think that people will enjoy it.  I know that I’ll enjoy reading it again, which I might actually do sometime soon.  I don’t often re-read my stories just to read them, but I’ve been making exceptions recently.  If enough time passes, they can be very enjoyable to read a second or third time!

I can’t wait to finish this Bumbleby story though…first, so that it’s finished and can be shared.  Second, so that my brain can move on to new things!  I’m still not even going to entertain the thought of ‘what’s next,’ but I’m excited that I’ll be able to sometime in the future.  In a few months, perhaps…

In the meantime, we still get some fun White Rose and Bumbleby as we head into the closing innings of Queens of Remnant.  Is the story wrapping up already?  Well, I guess there are still 18 chapters to go, but that’s significantly less than the 48 we started with.

Look how far Weiss and Ruby have come though!  Isn’t it wonderful?  I love these two chapters for them.  Weiss’ ends with a bit of a snafu, but Ruby’s is a home run for White Rose fans everywhere.

Let’s back up though.  I’m all excited to talk about them getting together, but we should go through the events leading up to that moment first!

The chapter starts with Weiss dealing with the aftermath of the chapel.  It has always slightly bothered me that neither she nor Ruby do something about it right away, but I also think that I’ve set up Weiss to be an extremely cautious character more prone to figuring out why something is the way it is before venturing to say something.  Ruby, on the other hand, is much more willing to speak her mind, but this isn’t her home and she’s also dealing with the heartbreak of discovering that Atlas doesn’t have an actual cure.

Eh…if I was writing the story today, I might try to add a bit more explanation for why they decide to leave things alone for now.  Obviously, they weren’t supposed to be there and they don’t know who exactly is in charge of the horrific practice.  Keeping quiet and doing some digging is probably the smart thing to do.  It just feels a little off to me.

This happens all the time, actually.  At least once per story, I’d say.  If I don’t end up thinking of a better solution within the time I’m working on the story, I’ll often just roll with what I’ve got.  It’s kind of like coming up with a Plan B and, when no Plan A comes along, deciding that Plan B accomplishes your objectives just fine.

Just because they don’t solve that problem right then, however, doesn't mean that Weiss is content to stand idly by and do nothing.  The knowledge galvanized her to actually do something she probably should have done long ago: figure out exactly what powers she and the Council have.  She’s basically like a President who has no idea what she can do and what she needs to ask the Senate to do.  The Senate, of course, is more than happy to tell her that they have to approve everything.

She’s about to get wise to how they operate, and I am here for it.

Weiss + knowledge + confidence is going to be a lovely thing, as we get to see in her increasingly intimate interactions with Ruby, too.  I’m sure I mentioned this before, but I adore that Weiss is basically the human of a dry ice machine whenever she kisses Ruby.  Only an actually cold version of a dry ice machine.  An…ice machine?

You get the picture.  Weiss is always feeling her spark in her heart, and her heart starts doing some crazy things the instant Ruby’s very kissable lips meet hers.  Cue some wisps of frost and general chilliness.  ‘Ice Queen’ has never been more fitting, am I right?

She might have a cold heart, but she’s possibly the sweetest of the main four characters.  Ruby would agree with me, I’m sure.

Did you like how I slipped in the reminder of Blake and Yang’s recent brush with the assassin?  A whispered message too - they weren’t risking that letter falling into the wrong hands, but they also need to make sure Ruby’s aware that something bad is afoot.  She might also be in danger, you know.

Imagine what might have happened if Ruby received this news and didn’t trust Weiss the way she does.  She’s in Atlas and someone tries to murder her sister while they drag out a peace treaty?  She would probably end the talks immediately and go home.  Whoever was behind it must have expected that to happen, right?  Well, unfortunately for them (and the dude sent on a one-way trip to Vale), Ruby’s already head over heels for a certain white-haired beauty.

Just realized - where the heck is James while Weiss and Ruby are macking on each other in the office?  Did Ruby tell him to go explore or something while they share some alone time?  Maybe he’s trying to figure out a way to sabotage how the chapel operates to force them to stop collecting people until a new law or something can be passed.  Espionage - that’s his forte.

The Council ruins the moment again, and in a big way.  They deliver a peace treaty - Hooray!  Finally! - but…there’s one little wrinkle.

I remember being so pleased when I thought of that little addition.  I wanted something in the treaty that Ruby absolutely couldn't agree to.  Something that went against everything she believed in or, in this case, had promised.  It had to be something that, despite how badly she wants to get back to Yang, she has to say no to.

Apparently, Weiss’ dad isn’t the only one eyeing an expansion.

Weiss misplays that moment a little bit.  She tries to play peacekeeper when Ruby wanted her to put her foot down.  A bit too soon for Ruby to expect that, methinks.  Fortunately, Ruby realizes that in the next chapter.

In the first iteration of this chapter, Ruby just went downstairs to sulk.  The chapter ended up being too short though, and that reaction didn’t feel big enough, if that makes sense.  Ruby might be more composed and mature than most, but even she needs to blow off some steam considering the pressure she’s been under.  Or, in her case, she needs to blow off some air.

She literally flies out of Atlas without anyone noticing (so much for those tall walls, huh).  Weiss is searching for Ruby around the castle, and Ruby’s contemplating flying back to Vale without a jacket.

I just realized that Weiss would be a little brokenhearted if she knew that Ruby considered leaving without so much as a goodbye.  That sure would’ve injected some angst into the story though…maybe I should have gone that route.  I can’t think of a way to do that without adding more chapters though…and this story is long enough as it is!

That would have been an interesting route to take though.  Ruby is just gone.  Weiss keeps looking for her and then notices that James is suddenly missing too.  I’m sure she would have quickly put two and two together, but she probably also wouldn't have wanted to believe it.  All of Atlas would be searched on the off chance that maybe, just maybe, something bad befell them.

I don’t think that Weiss would even be mad if Ruby left under those circumstances.  She would probably only be mad at herself for how she handled the Council.  Would her and Ruby’s relationship ever recover though?  Their whole thing right now is that Weiss trusts Ruby, and Weiss is not one to trust easily (if at all).  I’m sure that Ruby would win her back though!

Most likely, Weiss does something to prove that she’s not letting the Council walk over her anymore and apologizes to Ruby.  Ruby would then apologize for leaving like she did, and then she would slowly weasel her way back into Weiss’ heart.  It would just be difficult to do when they’re not working/living in the same place anymore.

My solitary reason for keeping Ruby in Atlas is hanging by a thread though.  I’m at a loss for what I would do in her situation.  Would I stick around hoping to bring my sister good news or would I just leave so that I could see her again?  I think I would be like Ruby, wanting to leave but also being optimistic about bringing back the best news I possibly can.  What a choice though…I don’t envy her.  She also has to deal with Ironwood, so I envy her even less.

I made a conscious effort to get Ruby down to the staff quarters for a couple of reasons.  I wanted to show that she notices, just like Weiss, how rundown the area is.  I also wanted to show how differently the staff act around her versus how they act around Weiss.  Lastly, I wanted to give Weiss an opportunity to interact with the staff in Ruby’s presence - similarly to how she talked to the people in Atlas with Ruby’s helpful guidance.  She doesn’t need Ruby’s guidance this time though.  She’s just sweet and kind on her own.

I was very, very close to using Oscar as the birthday boy instead of an OC.  Very close.  He just seemed to fit the role of a random kid who gets scolded by Ironwood then saved by Ruby.  I decided not to because he breaks the “Atlesians have white hair” rule and I already had to explain why Ironwood doesn’t have white hair.  I couldn't have two people without white hair!

I also thought Oscar might soak up too much focus from a scene that’s ultimately not at all about him.  Sorry, Deacon, I know it was your birthday and all, but it’s not about you!  This was an opportunity for Ruby to hear some juicy palace gossip from the staff.  Also, she got to try their special Atlas dessert, which is basically an ice cream cake.

I have no idea if they have refrigeration in this AU.  The world seems somewhat primitive when you consider the lack of vehicles and dependence on people to send messages back and forth.  Does that mean they don’t have giant boxes humming away in the kitchen?  Possibly.  I can’t really imagine a refrigerator in the scene…but I also don’t want to puzzle through the logistics of how and what they eat.

BUT.  If there isn’t refrigeration, that would make Ruby’s reaction to the cake even more on point.  Vale’s hotter than Atlas - where would she ever have an ice cream cake?  Only in Atlas or if an Atlesian made one for her, but the kingdoms have been at war for forever!

Ice cream cake sounds so good right now…

Anyway, besides the delicious cake, Ruby gets that delicious gossip.  Or, in this case, that stomach-churning gossip.

We already knew that Jacques hit his kids, but it’s somehow way worse for other people to talk about it and for Ruby to learn about it.  As horrible as that was, however, I love this moment because you can also feel how much the staff adore Weiss and Winter.  Like, everyone understands that they had an awful father, and they deserve sympathy for what they went through.  I guess, in a nutshell, Weiss has way more supporters than she realizes.

And the people who don’t already support her will come around if she keeps giving people days off for their birthdays.

Then…the moment everyone has been waiting for - Ruby finally tells Weiss that Yang’s sick!

Ok, I know that wasn’t the actual moment everyone has been waiting for, but it was an important moment nonetheless.  As much as Weiss trusts Ruby, this is Ruby’s chance to trust Weiss in return.  Just think about it…they might be close now, but they’re still the leaders of two very different kingdoms who are still technically at war.  Knowing that Yang is sick would be an incredible scoop for Atlas.  Weiss could take that info right to the Council, and they would rip the treaty into shreds.  They would keep fighting until Yang died, then make a big push to win outright.

Of course, Weiss isn’t even considering that option.  Just like Ruby has never thought about taking advantage of Weiss’ inexperience for personal gain.

So now everyone knows about Yang’s sickness.  Or, at least, Blake and Weiss are on the same page.  And, to wrap up this chapter, Weiss and Ruby finally catch up to Blake and Yang on the romance side of things.  It took them a few more chapters, but I think the wait was worth it.  Now, Ruby’s on the cusp of leaving Atlas, and they can enjoy their last few moments together before…well, you’ll see in a few weeks!

Eighteen weeks will get us to the end of the year, isn’t it?  A little into 2024, even.  Wow.  That’s a long time.  But, hopefully it will be worth it when we’re all done.

Until next time,

Miko