The Queens of Remnant - Chapter 41 (Patreon)

Weiss strode purposefully through the halls, running through her thoughts for the thousandth time since that morning.  Councilor Ironwood attacked her.  He had intended to kill Ruby.  He tried to kill Councilor Hill.  All so that he could claim Atlas for himself.

His attempt on Weiss’ life bothered her less than how his treachery illuminated how out of control the Council had become.  In a power vacuum, the Councilors squabbled and fought over any shred of privilege they could get their hands upon.

Weiss wasn’t her father - she knew that now better than ever - but her father knew how to keep the Councilors’ rampant ego and greed in check.  He did so by being even greedier and more egotistical, and exerting his power with severity that few dared cross.  But if he could do it, so could she - only she would do it her way.

That started today.

As soon as the Councilors were assembled, she would address them as she never had before - as their queen.  She couldn’t be intimidated by them any longer.  She couldn’t be pushed aside while they pursued their own agendas. If Vale had truly fallen into a mercenary’s hands, Ruby needed Atlas’ help.  She needed Weiss’ help.  And Weiss wouldn't let some greedy politicians stand in her way.

She wished that Ruby was here to lend support, but...she could do this on her own.  Using the courage and strength that Ruby had taught her, she would stand up for what was right.

While half of her thoughts revolved around what she would say to the Council, the other half worried about Ruby.  Hopefully, Ruby was careful on the steep, dangerous road out of Atlas.  Hopefully, she didn’t get lost in the snow.  Hopefully, she didn’t run into anyone who meant her ill will.  Hopefully, she made it to her sister in time - Weiss could never forgive herself if Atlas’ delays cost Ruby the chance to say goodbye.

The only thing easing Weiss’ worry was knowing that James went after Ruby.  If Ruby got lost, he would find her.  If an accident befell her, he would help her.  And if she somehow got herself into trouble, he would soon be there to protect her, as he always did.

Resting a hand over her heart, Weiss took a deep breath and tried to calm her lively spark.  Ever since that morning, it had wanted to jump out at every possible opportunity, resulting in random bursts of cold or flickers of ice. Nerves, anxiety, or both - whatever the cause, another frosty breath slipped past her lips as she reached the first destination on her list: the clinic.

The room was just as she remembered it, though with one notable difference - Councilor Hill was awake.  The weary Councilor noticed Weiss immediately, so Weiss took another calming breath, squared her shoulders, and went over to the side of the bed.  The wounds that weren’t covered with heavy bandages were an angry, inflamed red, but the woman appeared to be stable for now - stable enough that the doctors had left her propped up on pillows while they carried on with their work.

“I’m glad to see you’re awake, Councilor.”

Councilor Hill blinked, slowly, and then mustered a tired smile and a soft, “Me too.”

Someone knocked before Weiss drew her next breath, and Councilor Hill’s eyes flitted over Weiss’ shoulder as a young messenger entered the room.

“Pardon the interruption, Your Highness,” he began, bowing his head.  “The Councilors have been assembled.  They’re waiting for you in the Councilroom.”

“Thank you.  I’ll be there shortly.”

Heeding the cue to leave, he nodded and hurried out of the clinic.  Left in his wake, Weiss steadied herself and turned back to Councilor Hill, whose eyes had widened.

“Your Highness - Councilor Ironwood -”

Weiss held up a hand to silence the warning.  “I’m aware, and he was dealt with.”  Councilor Hill slumped into the pillow, her brow furrowed with confusion.  “It’s…a long story,” Weiss said.  “For now, I only wanted to tell you that the war is over.  I signed the treaty, and I won’t consider any hostility towards Vale or its queens from here on out.  Will that be a problem?”

Weiss braced herself for argument or anger.  Instead, Councilor Hill studied her, brown eyes scanning hers, before a smile tugged at her lips.

“No,” she answered softly.  “That won’t be a problem, Your Highness.”

“Good.”  Weiss nodded once and turned to leave but paused when Councilor Hill reached out and touched her hand.

“Your sister would be proud of you.”

Weiss almost couldn't hear the whispered words, yet they also felt like they had been shouted directly into her ear.

“What did you say?” she asked regardless, only for one of the doctors to bustle over to the side of the bed and erase any response.

“Time to change those bandages,” he announced.  As he set a fresh stack of bandages on the table and began to work, Weiss stared at him then at Councilor Hill, who offered only a small smile.

Recognizing that this was neither the time nor the place for that conversation, Weiss backed away and said, “We’ll talk later.”  Councilor Hill gently nodded, so Weiss turned around and left the room with thoughts racing faster than before she’d entered.

As soon as she stepped into the hall, however, shock replaced every other emotion she was feeling.  Concern quickly followed.

“James??”  She rushed over to the tall, cryptic man leaning against the wall as if he’d been waiting for her.  “What’re you doing here?  Didn’t Sun find you?  Ruby went to the Badlands - you have to go after her.”

“I considered it,” he replied calmly, standing tall and dipping his chin.  “But she would be upset if I left you during a time of need, so I’m here to ensure your safety.”

“But what if she needs you?  Does she know how to get to the Badlands on her own?  What if she gets lost or -?”

James raised his hand to stop the never-ending list of worries.

“Surely, you’ve learned not to underestimate Queen Rose.  She’s more capable than meets the eye.”

Weiss stopped and stared at him but knew that he was right.  If Ruby set her sights on making it to the Badlands in record time, she would make it to the Badlands in record time.  Still, the what-ifs worried Weiss.  She only just found Ruby - she couldn’t stomach the thought of losing her.

“You’re right,” she still admitted, sighing but accepting that Ruby was on her own for now.  “I’m just...worried.”

“As am I.” The forthcoming response drew Weiss’ surprised gaze, but James quickly moved past it.  After glancing at a Knight patrolling past the clinic door, who leveled him with an icy glare, he extended his arm down the hall. “Shall we?”

Staring in that direction, Weiss mentally checked her preparedness before nodding.  As she set off for the Councilroom at a quick walk, determined to get this over with sooner rather than later, James fell into step beside her.

She wasn’t used to him being so near - he always followed Ruby, not her - but she readily accepted his company.  Regardless of how he felt about her - whether he thought her incompetent, a liar, or a fraud - he was, in a way, an extension of Ruby.  As such, Weiss trusted him just as much as she trusted Ruby.  He would protect her if any of the other Councilors intended harm, and having that unflinching shield helped her focus on what she needed to say.

The Councilors didn’t know what was coming - that became fully apparent when she paused outside the Council’s door and heard the curious, bewildered conversations filtering out.  They must have heard the news about Councilor Ironwood by now - gossip traveled quickly in the palace - but didn’t know what his betrayal meant for them.

They were about to find out.

Buoyed by her unexpected supporter, Weiss shared a look with James before marching into the room feeling stronger and more certain than ever before.  Conversation faded when the Councilors caught sight of her, and the room’s attention quickly focused on her.  Some of the Councilors appeared passingly curious about why she’d summoned them.  Some looked bothered, annoyed, or even nervous.

Their esteemed positions and uniform white robes cut an intimidating image, but, for the first time since fate had forced her into this room, Weiss saw behind the masks.  The men and women in front of her were no different, and certainly no better, than anyone in Atlas.  They might think that they were, as evidenced by their pompous, selfish behavior, but Weiss would remind them otherwise.  She had to.  Not only for Ruby and herself, but for the people of Atlas.  Her decisions, or lack thereof, made their lives better, worse, or even untenable.  She refused to let them down the way that her father had.  And she refused to be manipulated by a room of stuffy old politicians for the rest of her life.

While James waited by the door, where he had a clear view of everyone, Weiss headed further inside without him.  Rather than retreat to her seat - the only form of shelter she’d ever felt in this room - she walked straight to the center of the floor and turned toward her guests.

“Your Highness, what’s the meaning of this?” one of the Councilors asked before she said a word.  “Why were we called here on such short notice?”

“And what are these rumors about Councilor Ironwood?” someone else added.  “Arrested?  On what charges?”

“He’s the one who should be arrested.”  Another Councilor jabbed a finger at James, who frowned at the accusation.  “He attacked Councilor Hill!  He shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near us or the Queen.”

“There was no evidence of that -”

“You all know he did it!  Vale tricked us into that treaty.”

While the room devolved into bickering, with plentiful frost and even some shards of ice thrown into the mix, Weiss’ hands grew clammy and her heart started racing.  Their raised, angry voices reminded her of her father, making her want to run and hide rather than stand there and risk their fury.  If so many lives weren’t hanging in the balance, that fear might have gotten the best of her.  With so much depending on this moment, however, she clenched her fists and addressed them.

“Councilors.”

They didn’t hear her, or they ignored her as they kept fighting with each other.

“Councilors!  That’s enough!”

She hated raising her voice, but it worked.  Shocked, the Councilors finally quieted down and acknowledged her presence.

“I’m sick of hearing you argue with each other,” she added, using her normal voice as they stared at her.  “I called you here so that I could talk, and you’re going to listen.”

No one said a word.  No one even moved a muscle as they waited for her to continue.  Now that she had their full, undivided attention, she took a deep breath and did just that.

“I called you here because there are several important matters that need to be attended to, and we’re going to resolve them right now. First, as you’ve heard, Councilor Ironwood has been arrested.  He will be tried for treason and attempted murder of Councilor Hill and myself.”

Murmurs broke out, but Weiss raised her hand and the room fell silent.

“Unfortunately, that isn’t the end of Atlas’ problems.  More crimes have been committed, and they happened right here in this room.”

Weiss had expected resistance to the broad accusation, but the Councilors just stared at her with wide eyes and suddenly stagnant sparks.  After their earlier admonishment, they didn’t seem to know what to expect, and that stunned them enough to listen.  After glancing at James, whose slight smirk suggested amusement at their meek response, she addressed the Councilors directly.

“Who amongst you is guilty of sedition, self-dealing, misrepresentation, avarice, or abuse of public office?”

The room fell deathly quiet as even the frosty breaths disappeared.  Several Councilors glanced at each other, clearly worried or uncomfortable, but no one said a word.

“All of you, raise your hands.”

When they stared at her - the normally loud, argumentative Councilors suddenly quite mute - Weiss clenched her fists as cold raced from her heart to her fingertips.

“Raise your hands,” she repeated more firmly.

After sharing concerned glances, the Councilors slowly raised their hands.  Some took longer than others, and some only acquiesced once it became obvious that everyone else had relented.  Regardless, they all raised their hands, unwilling to break from the norm even if it meant admitting their guilt.

Once everyone had their hands raised, Weiss nodded.

“Thank you for finally being honest.  You can put your hands down.”

As hands obediently lowered around the room, Weiss’ confidence grew.  If they were willing to admit their guilt, even reluctantly, then there was hope for them yet.

“I’m not my father,” she told them, feeling the truth in that statement with every fiber of her being.  “But that doesn’t mean I’ll stand for your behavior.  Your actions since his passing have been inexcusable, and I won’t let the great kingdom of Atlas - which was built by my ancestors - be reduced to a squabbling mat of political scum.  The rivalries, factions, and in-fighting stops here.”

She paused and waited for an argument, but none came.

“The war with Vale is over,” she told them once and for all.  “The Badlands is not ours, but we will aid in its recovery.  And we will acknowledge and root out the Phage within our walls.”

Looking around the room, she met every Councilor’s gaze and silently dared them to speak otherwise.  Instead, several nodded, and several others ducked their heads while mumbling, “Yes, Your Highness.”  If this was how they’d behaved with her father, no wonder he was so accustomed to getting his way.  Like scolded children, they’d lost the will to fight.  Instead, they looked like they wanted to escape the room as quickly as possible, but Weiss wasn’t finished with them yet.

“For those of you who’ve forgotten, the Council was created to give the people of Atlas a voice.  To aid the ruler of Atlas in hearing from the populace and produce better lives for young and old, rich and poor.  That means when we walk into this room, we don’t think about ourselves.  We don’t pursue our self-interests.  When we’re here, we’re worried about them -”  Weiss pointed toward Atlas and watched the Councilors glance that way.  “Those people out there are more important than any of you.  You serve them.  That’s what being a Councilor means.”

Slowly meeting every Councilor’s gaze, she searched for the ones who balked at that statement.  She was pleasantly surprised when most didn’t.

“Leave your egos, hubris, and greed at the door,” she added.  “When you sit in those chairs, you don’t speak for yourselves, your families, or your friends.  You speak for the people who once saw fit to give you this position.  People who surely wouldn’t make the same mistake again.”

Silence settled over the room while the Councilors stared at her.  She waited for someone to say something but continued when it became clear they had no arguments.

“You have two options,” she said, lightly clenching her fists to steady her nerves.  “You’ll either help me build a better and more prosperous Atlas, where our citizens - not you - have more freedoms and wealth than ever before, or the Council will be immediately dissolved and I’ll do this on my own.  The choice is yours.”

Eyes widened at the unconcealed threat, but the room remained so quiet that she could hear her heart beating in her ears.  For as many times as she’d imagined this moment, she honestly didn’t know how they would respond.  Would they yell?  Storm out of the room?  Argue that she didn’t have the power or authority to follow through with her threat?

When one of the Councilors stood, she braced for the worst.

“Your Highness, if I may speak?”

Amazed that permission was even requested, Weiss granted it with a delayed nod.

“I’ll help, Your Highness,” the woman replied.  Wisps of frost slipping through her lips, she tilted her chin up and squared her shoulders.  “Even if the Council is dissolved, I’d like to help you achieve this new Atlas.”

Before Weiss could process that response, someone else stood.

“I’ll also help,” the man stated before turning to his colleagues.  “Atlas has suffered enough.  It’s time we start over.”

Murmurs swept the room when Weiss nodded to the two Councilors, who retook their seats.  If no one else agreed, at least those two had.  At least she had that much support.

“You can count on me, Your Highness,” another Councilor said shortly after.

“Me too,” the woman sitting beside him added.  The two of them looked at each other and nodded while the murmurs grew louder.

“Me too!” one of the more energetic Councilors remarked, shooting to his feet and grinning when his fellow Councilors chuckled at his zeal.

“If this young chap is in, I am too,” the older man beside him playfully grumbled.

While the chorus of assent continued, with each Councilor chipping in, an enormous wave of relief swept through Weiss.  She didn’t want to dissolve the Council.  She wanted their help and guidance, but only if they gave it sincerely.

Thankfully, they were more agreeable now that the rot had been removed and they realized that she intended to lead Atlas in a new direction.  Their motivations could still be self-preservation, but time would tell.  For now...they were on board.

“Thank you, Councilors,” Weiss said once everyone had agreed.  “We have a lot of work to do, but I see no reason why we shouldn’t start immediately.  First, now that the war’s over, I need a summary of our resources so we can send assistance to the Badlands.”

“I can draft a state of the economy,” one of the Councilors offered.  After nodding to him, Weiss mentally checked that item off her list.

“We also need to know what Atlas needs to get back on its feet.”

“A census of each district would help with that,” another Councilor suggested.

“I can help coordinate that,” another offered.  The two men, who Weiss had watched hurl insults at each other just days before, looked at each other and nodded.

“Perfect.”  Satisfied with those responses, Weiss clasped her hands in front of her and recalled the list of tasks she’d set out for herself.  “The army will come home soon,” she added.  “We should make plans for when that day arrives.”

“Most of the Knights can return to their previous jobs,” someone responded.  “But others can help restore our infrastructure.”

“Can I count on you to organize a process for them?” Weiss asked, and the woman nodded.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

“I also need someone to draft a royal decree.  I want the people to know what’s happening, why, and what we’re doing to fight the Phage going forward.  No more secrets - they deserve to know.”

“I can do that, Your Highness,” one of the Councilors volunteered.

“I’d like to make an announcement to my district if that would be allowed,” someone else said.

“We all should, shouldn’t we?” a third added, addressing the group as a whole.  “We should all speak to our districts.  We should all answer to their frustrations and anger.”

While the room murmured in agreement, uneager yet willing, Weiss felt a small smile tug at her lips.  Now, she understood how the Council worked.  Not under fear or duress.  Not while arguing or scrambling for control.  The Council worked best when the Councilors showed unity and, in this case, shared the goal of improving Atlas.

“One last thing.”  Knowing this was the most important item on her list, Weiss looked around the room and hoped for one last round of agreement.  “The chapel.”

She paused at the room’s collective intake of breath, but reticent or stubborn gazes weren’t looking back at her.  Instead, the Councilors’ blue eyes were filled with sadness, fear, and remorse.

“You all know what I’m talking about, don’t you?”

Small nods went about the room and regretful gazes were shared.

“And you all know that it must be stopped?” Weiss added.  “Not next month, not next week, not even tomorrow.  It must be stopped today.  Right now.  We can’t hide from our weaknesses any longer.  If we do, how will we ever grow stronger?”

Hearing murmurs of agreement, she stood straighter and took a deep breath.  There was still much to do, but an enormous weight had lifted from her shoulders.  She didn’t have to do this on her own, after all.

“I’ll deal with the chapel personally,” she said, feeling that the worst responsibility should fall to her.  She’d dragged her feet on it long enough as it was.  “If you start working on the rest, we’ll make great progress in no time.”

Once she nodded, the Councilors responded with a soft chorus of “Yes, Your Highness” before quickly filing out of the room.  Their conversations resumed before they reached the door, talking hurriedly amongst themselves while setting off on their new objectives.

Listening to their lively, excited voices, Weiss took a deep breath before letting it out in a long sigh.  The Councilors weren’t so scary after all, especially without Councilor Ironwood leading them astray.  They might fall back into bad habits eventually, but for now...it felt like she just earned some of their respect.

Once the room emptied, she met James by the door.  He was nearly impossible to read, as usual, but the corner of his mouth tugged up with a hidden smile.

“Thank you for being here,” she told him, meaning the gratitude with her whole heart.  “I don’t think I could have done this without your and Ruby’s support.  And if I never did this...who knows what would have become of Atlas.”

Councilor Ironwood would have taken over.  Atlas would continue to suffer while those in power sought every benefit for themselves.  That alternate future disappeared from Weiss’ thoughts when James gently set a hand on her shoulder.  When she looked up, she found calm, certain green eyes looking back at her.

“You are a fair, just, strong leader.  You have no reason to doubt what you’re capable of.”  After a short pause, James smiled, tilted his head, and added, “My Queen.”

The simple words caught Weiss by surprise, but the admiration accompanying them quickly brought tears to her eyes.  She hardly knew him, but she knew that he didn’t use the term lightly.  Ruby had done something extraordinary to earn it, but Weiss...

Gaining his respect meant more than she could ever put into words.  If she hadn’t thought it would make him uncomfortable, she would have hugged him.  Instead, she cleared her throat and blinked away her tears.  As much as she wanted to sit down and ruminate on everything that just happened, they had more pressing matters to attend to.

“If you’d like to come with me, I’m going to clear out the chapel.”

“It would be my pleasure,” James replied, slightly bowing before following Weiss to the entryway.  While they collected their jackets, she was more grateful for his presence than ever.  After witnessing the horrors occurring in that building, she never wanted to set foot inside again.  But she had to, and she would, in order to make things right.

The end of the day neared, but Weiss embraced the cold air nipping at her nose and cheeks while the two of them left the palace.  As much as she hated the cold, it made her feel sharp and focused, as if it prodded her spark to rapt attention.  That feeling spurred her through the streets of Atlas, where everyone she passed stopped and stared.  “Your Highness?” some voiced in confusion while others offered hasty bows or curtsies.  She nodded to them in return, feeling their gazes follow her far beyond where they crossed paths.

By the time she saw the chapel - the quiet, serene building harboring a terrible secret - she knew that she wasn’t afraid.  She was angry.  Angry, sad, and more determined than ever to put an end to this once and for all.

The shopkeepers stared after her while she marched to the building, their customers drifting off mid-sentence as well.  A woman shepherding her two children across the street paused when Weiss and James passed, while several older gentlemen whispering amongst themselves quickly fell silent. Their open curiosity followed Weiss up the front steps of the building, where she stopped in front of the Knights guarding the entrance.

“Open the door.”

Based on the look they shared, they’d been instructed not to let anyone inside.  But she wasn’t just anyone, so they quickly did as instructed.  While one of the Knights held the door, she glanced at James, who nodded, before taking a deep breath and entering the building.  Knowing what she did now, she didn’t welcome the warmth of the furnace or the peaceful stillness inside.  She would rather the building stand cold and empty than serve its current purpose for another second.  So this stopped now, and it stopped with her.

Even though she braced herself, her heart still clenched when confronted with the bowels of the building.  The frozen statues lying on the ground - unfortunate souls who’d been so callously discarded and uncared for - made her want to sit down and cry for how badly they’d been mistreated. But now wasn’t the time for crying, as she spotted two Knights carrying one of the statues to the furnace.

“Stop!”

They froze at the sound of her voice, and their eyes widened as she rushed over to them.

“Put him down.”

When she motioned for them to comply, they did.  Carefully, they laid the young man on the floor before looking at her for further orders.

“Shut that fire off right now.”

“But Your Highness...the Council -”

“No longer has a say in the matter,” she interrupted.  “This...practice...ends now.  Shut that fire off.”

Another glance was shared, but the Knights didn’t argue.  While one of them moved over to the furnace, Weiss motioned the other to the door she’d seen people led through the last time she was here.

“Is there anyone in there?” she asked, gesturing to it.  Noticing his hesitation, she tried the handle before stepping back.  “Open it.”

If he hadn’t responded so quickly, Weiss would have used her spark to break open the door herself.  Thankfully, he rushed over and unlocked it for her.  As soon as he stepped aside, she walked inside and felt her heart break a little more.

A young man, hardly older than herself, sat on a rudimentary cot on the far side of the room.  With his head bowed, sitting motionless, Weiss feared they were already too late.  The puffs of frost leaving his blue-tinged lips renewed her hope as she hurried over to him.

“Are you alright?” she asked, kneeling in front of him so that she could meet his eyes.  He blinked several times before lifting his head to focus on her, though the effort alone seemed to cause pain.

“Your...Highness?”

“Are you alright?” she asked again.  “Can you walk?”

Life slowly returned to him, creeping into his movements like a glacier rather than a wave.

“Your Highness,” he repeated more urgently.  “Please stay away.  I’m sick.”

“Then you should be at home with your family.”

His brow furrowed, but Weiss stood and offered her hand.  After glancing between her hand and her eyes, determining how serious she was, he let her pull him to his feet.  He grunted at the effort and nearly lost his balance, but she steadied him before leading him to the door.

His slow, painstaking steps and ice-cold skin gave away the disease within him, freeing his spark to do as it wished.  While helping him to the doorway, Weiss couldn’t believe that she’d never put two and two together.  How many times had she seen similar symptoms before?  How many times had she noticed people limping around the palace, looking frail and ill before ‘taking a job elsewhere?’

She’d been ignorant, but no longer.  As she and the young man emerged from the unlawful holding cell, the Knights standing outside looked at a loss for what to do.  The fire had been extinguished, but its heat still lingered in the air, a reminder of the atrocities committed here.

“This stops immediately,” she told them, holding their gazes and daring them to argue.  “You will no longer drag our sick citizens here, and these people will be given proper burials at once.  Do you understand?”

They immediately nodded.

“Good,” she added before turning toward the exit.  James rejoined her and, after offering his hand, helped half-hobble, half-carry the young man up the steps.

“Do you have family to return to?” Weiss asked as they made their way out of the chapel.

“I do, Your Highness.”

“We’ll contact them for you.”

“Thank you.  I’m...I’m very grateful, Your Highness.  I didn’t get to say goodbye.”

Weiss looked at the young man, who seemed reinvigorated the closer they drew to the exit, before briefly meeting James’ gaze.  Even though she’d never authorized this, the lump in her throat confirmed the guilt she felt.

One day, she would have time to acknowledge those regrets.  Right now, she was thankful that at least the young man beside her had the opportunity to be with his family until the end.  It was what she would want if she was ill.  It was what she hoped Ruby made it to the Badlands in time for, as well.  Even if they were still suffering, even if their end was already written, being granted more time with loved ones was a blessing.

James opened the door once they made it to the top of the stairs, and frigid cold greeted them.  After making it only a step outside, Weiss noticed that a crowd had formed near the edge of the chapel’s grounds, held back by the Knights tasked with guarding the building.  The people she’d passed earlier had lingered to see what was going on.  Their voices grew in surprise, shock, and relief when they spotted her, but a young woman quickly separated from the crowd.

“Anya…” the young man whispered as the girl raced up the steps.  She paused mere feet away, but only to offer Weiss a quick curtsy before throwing her arms around the young man’s neck.

“I told you not to go out,” she half-admonished, half-sobbed into his shoulder.

“I know,” he replied, tenderly patting her back while she cried.

Not wanting to interrupt their moment, Weiss moved off to the side and sighed.  Feeling more and more eyes upon her, however, she understood that she couldn’t rest just yet.  She had to say something.  She was their leader, and they deserved an explanation.

After glancing at James, whose subtle nod confirmed her thought, she moved up several steps and faced the crowd.  Standing there alone, she felt just as exposed as she had on the Councilroom’s floor.  Everyone could see her, everyone stared at her, and their conversations ceased in expectation of her words.

Only the cold wind whistling through the buildings joined the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.  What could she say to those who’d been so grievously wronged?  How could she assure them that she intended to help when she’d been oblivious to their misery?  Why would they ever believe that this hurt her, too?

Before she convinced herself that there was nothing she could say and nothing she could do, a gentle breeze swept through her hair, reminding her of Ruby’s words of wisdom:  They didn’t need her to be perfect.  They just needed her to try.

“I’m sorry.”

The words slipped out soft and hardly audible, so she cleared her throat and tried again.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated loud enough that her voice carried through the crisp air. “This -”  She waved at the building behind her.  “Is unconscionable.  And it stops today.”

After letting those words sink in, she continued with a fact that still shook her to her core.

“The Phage is in Atlas.”

When no one gasped, whispered, or made any motion of surprise, she understood that she was the last one to know.

“But you already knew that...” she said while sad, tired eyes stared back at her.  Imagining what they had gone through while she was sequestered safely behind the palace walls, she set her hands over her heart and sighed.

“Atlas has failed you - all of you - and I’m sorry.  This isn’t what I want Atlas to be.  This isn’t what I want our lives to be like, and that means...things have to change.”

Even the Knights turned around at those words, watching her as intently as the people in the crowd were.

“The war with Vale is over.”  That news garnered whispers, but she kept talking.  “Queen Rose and I signed the treaty this morning, agreeing that we both want nothing but peace between Atlas and Vale.  Now, we’ve won allies to help us fight this new battle.  The Phage might be in Atlas, but we will find a cure.  We won’t ignore it any longer.  We won’t hide it and hope it disappears on its own.  We’re in this together, and if we work together...we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.”

Weiss gestured to the city above her, carved into the mountain in one of the most inhospitable environments imaginable.  It couldn’t have been easy, and her ancestors surely spent time regretting this location, yet settle they did.

Today, Atlas thrived.  And, if they recovered the way Weiss believed they could, Atlas would thrive for much longer still.  The crowd agreed with her, as their nods and murmurs of assent suggested.  Several sparks of ice shot into the air to express their agreement and willingness to help her succeed.

The mood shifted when a patrol of Knights turned onto the street.  The crowd’s unease spiked, providing Weiss with a change that she could make right now.

“And, effective immediately, the curfew has been lifted.”  Weiss directed the order to the Knights, who responded with obedient, though slightly surprised, nods.  “We have a long way to go, but the war is over - tonight’s a night to celebrate.”

When the crowd started clapping, Weiss rejoined James further down the chapel steps.  Excited voices lifted her spirit like little else could, and she smiled when two young boys raced away shouting, “The war’s over!  No more curfew!” to anyone who would listen.  Even the Knights looked ready to celebrate, as they lost their cold demeanor and readily discussed Weiss’ announcement with the crowd.  Hearing the commotion, people were opening their doors and peeking outside to see what was happening.

As the buzz of enthusiasm grew, more and more sparks of ice shot into the air before bursting into puffs of snowflakes.  Watching them fill the evening sky, Weiss felt her spark beg to join in.  Instead, she smiled at the scene in front of her - men, women, and children who finally had something to be excited about.  People who finally had hope that tomorrow would be better than today.

They didn’t need Weiss to have a powerful spark.  They didn’t need her to have a spark at all.  They still believed in her, and they were still willing to help her rebuild what Atlas had once been.

While the celebration grew, Weiss looked at the walls surrounding the city and knew her heart wouldn’t let her rest yet.

“Do you think we can trust the Councilors?” she asked James, who deliberated for several seconds before nodding.

“I believe so.  Their responses seemed genuine.”

“So Councilor Ironwood was the rotten one, after all...”

“One bad egg can spoil the bunch, My Queen.”

It felt exceptionally strange to hear him call her that - Ruby was ‘My Queen,’ after all - but Weiss didn’t complain.  Now that Atlas had been set on the right path, and hopefully stabilized for the time being, she had a far more important matter to attend to.

“Think they can manage without me for a few days?” she asked, drawing James’ curious gaze.

“My Queen?”

“We’re going to help Ruby.”

Weiss was more certain in that course of action than anything in her life.  If Vale fell into the wrong hands, the war wouldn’t be over.  And if something happened to Ruby…well, the thought alone was enough to make Weiss’ decision for her.

“If the Council takes over while I’m away, so be it.  The entirety of Atlas isn’t worth losing Ruby.”

While Weiss clenched her fists and nodded, James looked down at her and, for a brief moment, smiled.

“If Atlas falls while we’re away, I’ll reclaim it for you myself.”

Satisfied with that response, Weiss glanced at the setting sun and frowned.  As much as she wanted to leave this instant, the mountains were treacherous for the ill-prepared even during the daytime.  At night, the temperatures dropped precipitously and visibility reduced to nothing.  What good would they be to Ruby if they fell victim to an accident before even making it to the Badlands?

“We’ll leave first thing in the morning.”

After glancing up at James, who nodded, she hurried back to the palace so that they could begin preparations.  Hopefully, Ruby was staying out of harm’s way.  But knowing her...once she found her sister, Vale wouldn’t be far from her mind.

Weiss didn’t know how dire the situation might be, but she knew two things: she had an entire army at her disposal, and she would use it to keep Ruby safe.  The fate of their newfound peace depended on Ruby and Vale’s wellbeing.