I fell in love with Monica's (dashingicecream)'s Arranged Marriage AU for Weiss and Blake and ended up writing this chapter in a day and ch 2 the next day, collectively 32 pages in less than 15 hours. It was so much fun :'3

I incorporated all of the artwork I have seen for this AU thus far, all of which can be found on my tumblr under the tag arranged_marriage_au. Artwork includes pieces by the creator dashingicecream as well as some from chiicharron and gengarskhan.

Dedicated to all the people who have done things for my birthday already! Thankies! ^~^

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. Arranged Marriage AU belongs to Monica.


Camellias

Chapter 1.

Weiss sat stiffly on the cushioned stool of her room as the maids fussed over her.

She puffed her cheeks out as far as they could go, arms crossed over her chest as they dressed her up like a doll. In all her ten years of life, she had never appreciated being treated like she was hardly even there.

It was the day her father had arranged for her to meet her future spouse. She was sour – very sour – especially because she had been forced to get a haircut just to look proper for today. Her pretty, pretty hair that had once reached all the way down past her shoulders now stopped just above them.

They had slipped her into a light blue dress that fanned out at her knees, and presently they were sliding two white gloves onto her hands and pulling them up to her elbows. They kept brushing through her hair until her head hurt, and only before she could cry out in exasperation did they finally stop to put her tiara into place at the back of her head.

Once the busybodies had backed off and let her breathe – literally, considering how much perfume they sprayed on her – Weiss let out a long sigh. Now that she was prepped and ready, she could get excited again.

Finally, she could meet the boy of her dreams, someone who would whisk her off her feet. She had it all planned out; it would be love at first sight, and even as a kid her own age, he would be a handsome young man, confident and dreamy. He would give her flowers and ask her to dance, and both of their families would watch them as the quartet band played a romantic tune in the background.

It was going to be perfect.

When the maids left, Weiss scurried over to her window and looked down from the second floor of the mansion into the courtyard.

A dozen tables had been set up in the grass around the wide patio of smooth stones. Each table was clothed in white with the family symbol in the center. A vase of several carnations sat on each table, and plates and silverware had been set out.

The sky was blue and bright – certainly a flawless day for Weiss to meet the one true love of her life, if she did say so herself.

Glancing down the long driveway, she could see the gates had been opened and cars were starting to pull through. She watched in anticipation, bouncing on the small heels of her shoes as she looked for a car not marked with the Schnee family crest; whichever car that was would be the one her betrothed would be in.

A sudden call of her name from the hallway echoed in to reach her ears.

"Miss Schnee! You father would like you to come down and start greeting everyone!"

"Yes, coming!" Weiss grabbed the ends of her dress and gave a delighted twirl to channel some of the excess excitement. "It's the big day!" she said aloud to herself, pressing her hands to her cheeks to wake herself up as proof that it was real.

She rushed out of her room and ran down the staircase without missing a beat or pausing a second. Her father was there waiting for her in the breezeway, and she ran to him gleefully.

"Daddy!"

"There's my little princess!" He opened his arms to her as she neared and lifted her up, their laughter mixing as it carried through the house as he spun her around once and let her down again. "Excited, are we?"

"Yes, of course!" Weiss beamed, something reserved only for him and her future husband. "But don't worry! I promise to follow the Four P's: be prim and proper and poised and polite."

"And the result will be-?"

"Perfect!" she giggled.

"That's my girl." He patted her head with a smile clear on his lips.

"Oh Daddy, I can't wait to meet him!" She gave another twirl.

Here, her father froze, putting a hand behind his head and chuckling a bit.

"Weiss, dear?" He got down on one knee so he could meet her eyes easier. "There's... something I should tell you, honey-"

"Oh, oh! Aunty and Uncle are here! I'll go greet them!" She pranced off to do as she had said, and her father stood slowly, lifting a hand to cover his grimace. He might not have thought this through so well.

Weiss scurried out the back door onto the patio and then curtseyed as she greeted her family with proper manners. They did the same, hugging her and kissing her forehead with gusto. The members of the quartet had already started to play on their violins and cellos, setting a tranquil atmosphere for this major event.

At first, Weiss had been a little upset at the prospect of an arranged marriage; she had always wanted to fall in love on her own. But her father had said this was the only choice for the family business for various reasons, so she had accepted it a little begrudgingly, trusting that he would choose the perfect future husband for her.

This would be her first time meeting him, and afterward they would meet up a few more times over the years at banquets and balls, and in due time - when they were ready - would wed.

But today was perhaps the most important day of them all, and Weiss was intent on making the best first impression ever.

Her relatives continued to arrive throughout the next half hour, and Weiss was sure to greet each and every one of them. She did not have any cousins her own age, so Weiss had grown up around adults in the family and was very good with talking to them comfortably. Everyone was here for her today, and she was sure to thank them all for coming.

It was a little while later when her father had called for the food to be served, and Weiss knew what that meant. She scurried through the formally-dressed people all in skirts and suits until she bumped into her father. "D-Daddy!" she gasped. "Is-Is he here? Is it finally time?"

He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"The car just pulled in," he nodded.

Weiss was too flustered to tell, but there was a bit of sweat on his brow as he smiled sheepishly.

"Oh Daddy, I've got the jitters!" she fretted.

"You'll be just fine, dear. I'll go greet them first. You wait here."

She nodded as he walked off toward the driveway.

She smoothed out her dress close to twenty times within the next minute, then reaching up to make sure her hair was straight and soft, her tiara in place. She pulled her gloves up tightly so there were no wrinkles, and interlocked her fingers together at her stomach, checking to make sure her elbows were bent at 100-degree angles to ensure a symmetrical and aesthetically-pleasing appearance.

She was aware of the servants opening the doors to the mansion behind her, and they pushed out carts with the entrees and various pastries and snack foods. The scents of the exquisite meal along with the jovial music and beautiful weather made for an overall unbeatable combination for this day.

She did her best not to fidget when she saw her father walking back through the crowds and dining tables. Her heart was thumping quickly, and she tried to ignore it as she waited for them for what felt like a year or two.

Her father approached, and there were three new faces Weiss had never seen before that followed him. Two were obviously parents, and the other a child, but what threw Weiss off were the ears atop their heads.

Faunus ears.

Weiss was confused for a moment until she came to a realization.

Oh, I get it. These must be his servants. He's probably coming along behind them.

Weiss tried to straighten up to peer past the family of Faunus, but decided she should greet them first.

Her father reached her, and he wore an amiable smile before stepping aside to reveal the other two adults, the smallest of the three hiding behind them.

The woman had shoulder-length, curly dark-brown hair and matching-colored cat ears, while the man's hair was well-cut and pitch black. They both wore matching smiles, their brown eyes shining as they each bent to one knee before Weiss and took her right hand in turn and shook it gently.

"It is an honor to meet you, Miss Schnee." The woman smiled kindly before standing again.

"Thank you very much for attending." Weiss curtseyed politely.

"We have someone who would very much like to meet you," said the man. He stepped aside, but the child behind him ducked and continued to hide behind his legs.

Weiss waited patiently as they coaxed the child out, knowing she needed to treat them all well to make a good impression on their master – her fiancee.

"Come on, then," Weiss addressed the Faunus child. "You can't keep hiding all day."

"Miss Schnee is right," The dark-haired man said, sharing a hopeless look with Weiss' own father.

The Faunus woman knelt down and took her child's hands, murmuring encouragement as she slowly revealed them to Weiss.

Weiss took in their appearance from the ground up; black shoes and long black dress pants, a tailcoat and vest of the same color covering a white button-up shirt. A black scarf wrapped around the neck and onyx-colored hair like midnight flowed down just a bit longer to their shoulders than Weiss' reached. Soft skin puffed out on round cheeks and soft features, black furry ears flattened with nervousness.

Weiss made eye contact with the red-faced child, noticing instantly how vibrant their deep golden eyes were.

"It's nice to meet you." Weiss curtseyed once more.

The Faunus child nodded before scurrying behind the woman again.

Weiss turned back to her father, eyes sparkling eagerly.

"Well, Daddy? Is he here? May I meet him now?" she requested.

Her father put a hand to her back and turned her slightly, chuckling a bit nervously himself as he met the Faunus man's eyes. The dark-haired man looked to his wife who once again coaxed their child out of hiding and into view.

"Weiss," her father directed her until she was looking at the little Faunus who was nearly on the verge of tears by now. "This is your betrothed, Blake Belladonna."

. . .

The world came screeching to a halt, and even the quartet was silent for a moment, all the chatter stopping as if paused by a button.

Weiss blinked, rubbed her eyes and reopened them, wondering if she was looking at the right spot. She went up onto her tiptoes to look behind the Faunus child dressed in black, but there was no one standing behind them either.

She turned slowly back to look up at her father.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I don't see him. Is he hiding, too?" she asked her smile fading slowly.

"No..." Again, he turned her attention to the Faunus child. "Right here, honey."

Weiss froze in place; there was no mistake about who she was supposed to be looking at.

Once more, she looked over the formal attire; her long pants and vest and scarf, her soft face, her Faunus ears, her-

Her.

Weiss' betrothed was a-

"A girl?!" Weiss screeched, loud enough for Blake's ears to flatten all the way, and she went running to hide behind her mother again. The heiress stared incredulously up at her father. "Daddy, you can't be serious! She's a Faunus and a girl!"

"Now, now, honey." He chuckled and knelt down to her level again, glad he had briefed the Faunus couple beforehand that this reaction was possible.

Luckily, they did not seem offended – in fact they were rather amused. They pulled Blake aside a few steps and spoke to her privately just as Weiss' father did for her.

"Daddy, I can't marry another girl! It's not right!"

"And why ever not?"

"Because I'm supposed to marry a boy!" She squeezed her fingers into tight fists and stomped her foot indignantly.

"I never did say your betrothed was a boy," he pointed out weakly.

"Daddy!"

"Come now, Weiss. You've only just met her. Give Blake a chance. She's a kind, respectable young lady, just as you are. Isn't that right?" He turned his daughter around again, and the Belladonna's had just finished talking to Blake as well.

"Blake, deary," her mother patted her head and smiled. "Why don't you go on and give Weiss a proper greeting?" She nudged her daughter forward, and Blake stumbled a little bit.

Weiss glanced back over her shoulder at her father, silently begging him not to make her do this. But he only waved her onward.

Weiss' shoulders slumped as she took a step toward Blake, huffing loudly in displeasure as her cheeks puffed out, and she stuck out her right hand toward the Faunus. Blake's ears flicked nervously as she looked quickly back to her parents, and they nodded.

The Faunus girl reached out with a shaking hand toward Weiss' gloved one and curled her fingers around the heiress' petite palm. Weiss scowled, all ideas of properness and sophistication absent from her mind as Blake took her right hand and lifted it to her trembling lips. Weiss watched through squinted eyes, her nose scrunched distastefully as Blake pressed a clumsy kiss to the back of her glove.

Then, the Faunus girl blinked her golden eyes open again, face red and beaded with sweat as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I-It..." she cleared her throat and held Weiss' piercing blue eyes to the best of her ability. "It is my... humble honor t-to make your acquaintance, Weiss."

The white-haired girl almost growled at that.

"And just who do you think you are?" she accused, snatching her hand away. "What gives you the right to address me so informally?"

"I-I'm s-so sorry!" Blake squeaked and threw her head forward in a deep bow, and Weiss could tell she was shaking. "P-Please forgive me, Miss Weiss!"

"Better," the heiress grunted. "But don't let it happen again." She crossed her arms and looked away with another loud huff of air.

Their parents looked on, chuckling uncertainly all the while, mumbling their prayers about how things would hopefully smooth themselves out between the two girls if they were given some time alone. Their fathers came to a silent, simultaneous agreement.

"Weiss, just go have fun."

"Blake, go have a good time."

Both girls rounded on them.

"Daddy!"

"B-But, Father..."

"This is not my idea-"

"This isn't my idea-"

"Of fun!" They finished in unison, one tone irritated and the other uneasy.

The men chuckled, but waved their daughters off. Blake's father took his wife's hand, and together the three of them sauntered off to take their seats at a table.

Weiss glared after them before directing her hard stare toward Blake again; the Faunus girl yelped and her ears went flat immediately. The heiress huffed under her breath.

"If Daddy thinks I'm gonna be this wimp's wife, he's got another thing coming."

Blake clutched her hands to her vest and mumbled to herself like a prayer.

"Just leave me with my books, I promise I won't bother you, please don't eat me..."

Weiss pursed her lips into a firm line, rounding on the girl again.

"Hey! I heard that!" she snapped.

"S-So did I!" Blake squeaked, her Faunus ears perking slightly before drooping once more. Weiss huffed again and uncrossed her arms before she stomped over to the cowering girl.

"Do those ears of yours even stand up?" she demanded to know, sticking her hands on her hips.

"T-They do! It's just loud here. You're loud..."

"Excuse me?!"

"I'm sorry!" Blake took a step back, looking like she was about to bolt.

A chorus of chuckles went up from the adults seated around them, and Weiss groaned. If she absolutely had to be stuck with this girl, she might as well put her to the test.

She spun abruptly on her heel and started to storm off toward the grassy area by the driveway, away from the courtyard full of adults. But she turned around to find Blake was not following, so she stomped back, hands balled tightly.

"Well? Come on!" She grabbed Blake's hand and started quite literally dragging the poor girl along.

"W-What- where-?!"

"If you're going to be the person I marry, then you're going to have to prove it!"

"P-Prove-?" Blake panicked, casting her gaze back over her shoulder, biting back a cry for help to her parents. But Weiss tugged her wrist again, and the Faunus girl had no choice but to stumble after her.

They came to a halt on the trimmed grass beside the gates of the driveway, out of sight of the adults. Weiss let her go and Blake held onto the sore wrist, rubbing it vigorously in her unease.

"Now then." Weiss turned to look at her, lips pursed into a firm line as her hands went to her hips again. "The first scenario is-"

"Wh-What scenario?"

"Honestly! Play along!" Weiss snapped.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"Good. Now the first scenario is your fiancee has just run off after an argument. What do you do?" she challenged.

Blake shuffled her feet as Weiss walked off a dozen feet or so before turning back to her.

"Well?" Weiss called. "What are you going to do?"

Blake stayed where she was, clutching the ends of her vest.

"I'm... s-staying here so she can cool off and think things over."

"No!" Weiss trudged back to her with a disapproving expression twisting her face. "You're supposed to follow after her and listen to what she has to say! You've failed the first test!"

"B-But-"

"No 'buts'! You failed," Weiss reiterated. "Now for the next scenario. It's a cool autumn night and your fiancee's got the chills. What do you do?"

Blake blinked at her, dumbfounded.

Weiss tapped her shoe impatiently.

The Faunus girl swallowed.

"A-Am I being timed?"

"Your fiancee is dying of hypothermia as we speak!"

"Ah- uuh, right!" Blake quickly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Weiss, shaking a little as she rubbed her hands up and down the heiress' upper arms and shoulders.

Weiss tensed at the unexpected action before poking the other girl's collar and pushing her back.

"No, no, no! You're supposed to remove your jacket and put it over my shoulders! Honestly..."

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Blake hastily began unbuttoning her vest, but Weiss lightly smacked her hands to stop her.

"Nope. Too late, now," Weiss snubbed her. "Your fiancee has perished prematurely due to extreme cold."

"Oh gosh..." Blake almost started crying that time.

Weiss huffed. "You're lucky this is just a hypothetical scenario. But you've failed again!" she growled. "Now, onto the next one." Weiss turned her back to Blake again and suddenly - but purposefully - fell backward. The Faunus girl yelped and only just barely managed to catch her and prevent her from hitting the ground.

"A-Are you okay?!"

"Scenario three," Weiss counted off. "If you're going to be my husband, you've got to play the part."

"Husband...?" Blake muttered the term bitterly.

Weiss went on.

"Carry me to my room as if your poor dear wife was injured or sick."

"Uh, uhm-"

"I'm bleeding out here."

"Right!"

Blake shifted Weiss a little, slipping one arm around the small heiress' shoulders and the other beneath her knees. Weiss seemed satisfied with the manner of carrying her Blake had chosen, at least. Blake found it was surprisingly easy to lift her, and she liked it when Weiss slid one arm around her shoulders for more support.

There was only one problem now.

"Um..." Blake's eyes shifted about nervously, looking anywhere but Weiss'. "Wh-Where exactly is your room in this scenario?"

"To the front door of the mansion."

"Uu..." A thin sound passed through Blake's lips as she traced the three-minute walk with her eyes. She had already failed the first two tests; should she just give up now? No, she needed – wanted – Weiss to accept her.

So she took a deep breath and steeled herself, determined to prove herself worthy just like Weiss wanted.

The smaller girl was easy enough to hold, but Blake quickly found that walking was a very different story. Her own dress shoes did nothing to assist her balance, and though Weiss did not move about purposefully to hinder her in any way, Blake's arms started to tremble before they were halfway to their destination.

It was a lot for Blake to be holding her so closely like this; she really did like Weiss - she had been told about her all her life, and about how she would one day hope to take her hand in marriage. And even though her tongue was sharp, Blake could tell Weiss was just as nervous as she was, especially now.

She could feel Weiss' fingers clutching onto the back of her shoulder, and her chest pressed to Blake's until the Faunus girl could feel her heart fluttering. Her ears could pick up on the sounds of Weiss' breathing when she was quiet like this, calm and soothing.

Weiss was very soft, very warm, and very pretty, and Blake knew it was more than just the desire to be her friend she felt toward her.

Making sure Weiss' eyes were directed forward and not at her, Blake allowed a small smile to cross her lips.

Weiss could feel Blake's arms shivering beneath her, heard the little grunts of effort she was making. They had gotten past the halfway point, and Weiss believed this was enough to let the girl pass.

She parted her lips, about to let the girl off the hook early just as she felt the foreboding impact of Blake's shoe colliding with something. There was only a second for the slightly-distracted and very tired Faunus girl to yelp, and for Weiss to shriek her name before she tumbled forward on top of the heiress.

Weiss hit the ground with a petite "oomph!" and all but flopped onto her back, Blake's chin digging into her stomach as both of them groaned and neither moved.

"Ow..." Weiss huffed breathlessly, the fall having winded her.

Blake immediately pushed herself up and pulled Weiss into her lap.

"I-I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I'm sorry, my arms were just so tired and I-"

"Are you... saying I'm heavy?" Weiss wheezed.

"N-No! Not at all, never!" Blake denied vehemently as she shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Weiss- Miss Weiss!" she corrected herself promptly.

"Ugh... I think I'm paralyzed..." the white-haired girl moaned.

Blake reached out slowly with one hand to brush a strand of hair from Weiss' face.

"E-Even if you were, then I'd push your wheelchair everywhere for you," she murmured.

Weiss was silent for a moment as she regained her breath, looking up at Blake with an unreadable expression. Once she had calmed down, Weiss blinked up at her.

"You-"

"Yoo-hoo~!" A loud new voice cut her off suddenly, and the two of them looked up to see a pair of young girls walking up the driveway, one with long blonde hair and the other with brown. The latter of the two was smaller and held onto the former loudmouth's hand as she called out to the girls in the grass. "How are the lovebirds doing?"

Blake's ears perked tall as she recognized them, and she slowly stood and carefully helped Weiss up as well.

"Yang!" she called out cheerfully.

"Hmph..." Weiss mumbled under her breath. "So those ears do stand up." She cleared her throat and dusted off her dress and hair before addressing Blake. "Who are they?"

"They're my friends!" Blake replied excitedly. "Please come and meet them, Weiss!"

"They interrupted us..." she muttered. She realized Blake had not used her honorifics that time, but Weiss did not scold her; she found she rather liked the way Blake said her name without formalities attached.

But she was very miffed by the fact that these two girls' sudden appearance had made Blake happier than any instance she had been together with Weiss that afternoon thus far.

Keeping both cheeks puffed out as the girls approached, Weiss only put on the polite face to greet their parents before they passed by and headed to the tables. Weiss glowered back at the two new arrivals before her, irked that Blake's ears were still standing tall and content as she spoke to them.

"You guys, this is Weiss! She's-"

"Your wife-to-be!" the blonde girl sang, nudging Blake rather intimately.

Weiss snarled.

"And just who are you two?"

"Oh, sorry!" the blonde said with a chuckle. "Where are my manners?"

"That's what I'd like to know-"

"I'm Yang!" The older of the two girls introduced herself. "And this is my little sister, Ruby!" she said, pulling the smaller girl over.

"It's nice to meet you, Weiss!" the youngest beamed. "Blake's told us all about you!"

"She-" Weiss blinked in surprise and lowered her voice. "She did? What has she told you? She's only just met me today!"

"L-Like I said..." Blake mumbled, ears going down again. "I... I've been being told about you all my life. I know a lot."

Weiss was just about to lean in to listen when Yang chimed in again.

"Yeah! Blakey's told us all kinds of things, like-"

"Blakey?" Weiss parroted, her voice bordering outrage and she glared at the Faunus girl. "Why is she so friendly with you?"

"W-Well you see... Yang, Ruby and I have-"

"And why-" Weiss went on deliberately, trying to ignore the stinging behind her eyes. "Are your ears always down around me, but with them you seem so happy?"

Blake recoiled instantly, and her ears dropped.

"Weiss, I-"

"See? There you go again!" she barked. "Am I... really so horrible...?" She blinked, hating when she felt water welling up.

"N-No Weiss, of course that's not it!" Blake wailed, reaching out to her. "I-I'm just really nervous around you because I-"

"No!" Weiss jerked herself away from the girl's touch and Blake winced. The heiress rubbed her eyes furiously on the backs of her gloves before spinning around. "Just... go on and have fun with them. Leave me alone."

"Weiss-" Blake made one last attempt, but was thwarted.

"Don't touch me!" Weiss yelled.

Without looking back, she ran off across the lawn, zipping between the tables and the people sitting on the patio before taking shelter inside the mansion. She did not stop running until she was up the stairs and back in her room where she threw herself onto her bed. She cried, and she did not know why.

She liked Blake – she really did, despite how she acted. But it hurt when the dark-haired girl flinched away from her, and when the other girls spoke to her with such familiarity. Blake really seemed to like them.

"What a dummy..." Weiss sniffled. "As if I'd ever marry... a dummy like that..."

After a few minutes, Weiss pushed herself up, scowling at the damp spots she had left on her pillow. She slipped off the bed and stalked across the room to her vanity dresser to grab a tissue.

As she passed the window, she peered down at the party below, easily spotting the other young girls amidst the adults. Blake was sitting cross-legged in the grass, and judging by her body language, she was upset. Weiss was a little happy that she had worried Blake, but not a moment later, Ruby and Yang went to help her up and the three of them walked off together.

Weiss disliked the feeling in her chest; it felt tight and knotted and it hurt.

"Why should I... care what she does?" she grumbled, returning to her bed.

It was supposed to be a party for her, but Weiss did not want to attend anymore. She curled up onto her side in bed and closed her eyes for a while, hoping the awful twisting feeling in her stomach would go away, but it never did.

She was unsure of how much time had passed, but she next opened her eyes when a knock came on her door.

"Weiss, honey?" her father called for her. "Could you please come here?"

Weiss wiped her eyes over her gloves again as she got up from bed and went to the door on wobbling legs.

"Has she gone home?" Weiss asked as she reached for the door. "Because I don't want to-"

She silenced herself when she opened the door and three familiar Faunus people were standing alongside her father. The smallest of them stepped up to Weiss, and with her ears flat in embarrassment, held out three flowers to her – one red, one pink, and one white.

"W-Weiss!" Blake squeaked. "I-I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings! I just... I just want you to like me... Because I really-"

But Weiss held up a hand to indicate she stop speaking. The heiress stepped up to Blake and looked her over – still shaking and ears down. The knot in her stomach only got worse; Blake was obviously afraid of her.

Weiss' gaze shifted down to the flowers in her hands briefly before she met the girl's watery eyes again.

"Camellias," Weiss observed. "Do you know what they mean?"

Perhaps if Blake could just pass this final test-

"What they mean?" she repeated, clearly puzzled.

Weiss' heart sank.

"Never mind." She crossed her arms and turned her back, the most evident form of rejection.

Frantic, Blake quickly dug into her pocket and fished out a small note card before trying to read it aloud:

"I-I might not be your true love, but just know it is true, when I-"

"Enough!" Weiss clutched at the ends of her dress, but refused to look back. "I think you should go home."

"But Weiss-!"

"Go!" The heiress stormed back across the room to her window and leaned against the frame.

Blake almost cried when she had to watch her go. She looked up desperately to her parents, but they could only shake their heads. Blake buried her face in her sleeve and left the three flowers on the floor before taking one of her parents' hands in each of hers and following them down the stairs and out of the mansion.

Blake's parents apologized profusely, and Weiss' father did the same before seeing them off, quiet hopes of a "next time" floating in the air between them.

Once they had departed and the rest of his own relatives had gone, Weiss' father went slowly back upstairs to his daughter's room. The flowers had remained untouched on the floor, and Weiss had not budged from her spot at the window. He went over to her slowly.

"Weiss, honey?"

At the sound of her name, she jumped a little bit.

When he was near enough to place a hand on her shoulder, she started to cry bitterly. Her father knelt down and took Weiss into his arms, and all she did was repeat the same two words:

"I'm sorry..."

He did not know if the words were meant for him, for herself, or for someone else. Perhaps all three.

He carried her to her bed where she eventually cried herself to sleep in her dress, placing the three camellia flowers into a vase at her bedside.

Weiss breathed in their faint scent as she slept, but the knot remained in her stomach for weeks to come.


A/N: Awaaah what a mess for these babies ;u; Read on to chapter 2! But first you can-

Please review!