AN: So this is a story born from a friend showing me a fanart on reddit and asking me to write it. I may add more if there's interest. Let me know if you want more.
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to RWBY and I do not get any compensation for this piece.
Weiss Schnee didn't disobey orders, it wasn't in her blood. As a Schnee, she has certain obligations and expectations that didn't afford her the chance at rebellion. Her father, the Grand Master, made sure of that, snuffing any hint of opposition swiftly and violently. Any who may have doubted his ruthlessness, need only look at the scar on his otherwise flawless daughter. The angry red and pink flesh over her eye served as both a warning and a reminder. The warning clear, you do not cross Grand Master Schnee, the reminder that he'd shown her mercy, choosing only to scar her face rather than end her life. In all outward appearances, Weiss was the perfect soldier and daughter, dutifully completing any mission he gave and ending the life to any who opposed her father. To those who were lesser informed, she was the picture of poise, class and elegance, carrying herself in a regal manner befitting a lady of her status. To those within their ranks and among their enemies, however, she was the perfect killing machine. Efficient, calculating and deadly, her enemies knew if they lived long enough to see past the blur of snow white hair and piercing blue eyes, it was only because she wanted them to see her, with the exception of one person.
Ruby Rose, for all who knew of her, was a simple soul. She lived her days working hard as a blacksmith aid to feed her family. Her father, after having gone through the pain of losing two wives, was no longer mentally able to work. She, like Weiss, held a different reputation among closer friends and frightened enemies. Silent, swift and inventive, The Rose knew no enemy who could escape or outwit her. In hushed whispers, the Templar soldiers often talked about how they would know their life was ending by the sound of her scythe cutting through the air, and their throats, followed by the sweet scent of roses, their final sight being her flowing red cloak. Some talked about encountering her, a blur of red and the feeling that they'd just barely escaped her murderous intent. She eliminated her targets unnoticed, other than the flapping of a familiar red cloak as she stole her way into the night, the cloak of an assassin. The vibrant red impossibly hid her in the shadows as her silver eyes traced her targets, but not from Weiss.
As Weiss listened attentively to one of her father's party guests, she also listened intently to the sound of measure breathing, stealing glances at the rooftop above the garden to find only small traces of the familiar red cloak and silver, predatory eyes peeking out from under a hood. To the untrained eye, the shadows could be played off as a trick of the light, or maybe an errant cloud, but to Weiss, it meant death and danger. From her perch above, Ruby admired the attentive Schnee, perfectly concealing the glances the white haired beauty shot her way from the other guests. Any time their eyes met, she felt a shiver as she remembered their prior interactions. No one outran the Rose, no one except for the Ice Queen, though her disappointment in her own failure was short-lived, as no one survived the Ice Queen's rapier except the Rose. A sly smirk crossed her face as she watched Weiss excuse herself from her guests and wandered to an empty section of the Garden, secluded and free from prying eyes and listening ears. This would have to be quick; a Schnee's absence rarely went unnoticed at these Galas. Checking her collapsed Scythe in her cloak, a habit to never go in unprepared, she leapt off the roof and headed toward her target from above.
Weiss knew the moment Ruby moved, the near unnoticeable sound of feet on the tiles of the roof. Weiss smirked; the Rose was good, her irritation at letting the red assassin escape her blade consoled by the fact that she'd also escaped her prowler's scythe. Her father wasn't happy when she'd returned, bloody and injured, a failure, ordering their servants to provide no aid to her wounds. Getting their next encounter over with swiftly was the best course, saving the few guests that remained the fear of seeing that Red cloak. Slipping her formal dress off and retrieving her rapier from the bench within, she watched as her pursuer ambled down from above, a level of skill and grace no proper lady could hope to achieve, losing sight of her for only a brief moment before the hairs on her neck prickled to warn her of a presence behind her.
"Weiss" Ruby greeted her from behind, the smell of roses rushing in with the gust that always followed Ruby when she expanded her scythe to its full length.
"You certainly know how to make an entrance, you sure you don't want to use those theatrics for the party?" Weiss said, turning around to look at the hooded figure, drawing her rapier out in a defensive pose. They stood silently for a beat, the sounds of the party fading out in the tension of the air between them.
*Snort*
A wide grin crossed Ruby's face from under the hood, and her shoulders began shaking as she covered her mouth. Quiet laughter burst from her mouth and she lifted her hood, her silver eyes warm and wrinkled in the corners with her chuckles.
"Sorry," another chuckle, Ruby covered her mouth again, trying to stifle her laughs.
"How a bumbling, giggling and childish girl like you gained the reputation as one of the world's most feared and deadly assassins, I'll never understand." Weiss sighed as she dropped her pose and stood resting on her rapier, the tip pointed downward into the wood.
"And I'll never understand how you're one of the most sought after women for rich bachelors, Ice Queen." Ruby smiled again, collapsing her scythe and tucking it back under her cloak.
"I'm a Schnee, and a rare beauty I hear." Weiss placed her hand on her hip and cocked her brow up, raising her chin with enough confidence; the gesture could be considered arrogance.
"Maybe, but aren't they afraid you'll freeze thei-"
"Don't be a Dolt!" Weiss said loudly, her proper mask slipping as Ruby antagonized her. Ruby balked at the sudden volume of Weiss's voice, thankful it was Weiss's sharp words and not her sword being thrust at her.
"For a woman raised in a secret society, you sure don't seem to understand the basic concept of a secret meeting," Ruby lowered her voice to a whisper, "you're going to have to lower your voice, unless you want to get caught."
"Don't you have a mission to complete? Maybe a message for me, or some documents you need to collect? I doubt your mentor would appreciate you wasting time acting like a complete dunce." Weiss played at being annoyed, the twitch of her lips giving away her amusement through the irritation.
"And how does Grand Templar Master Daddy Schnee feel about his heiress meeting secretly in a Gazebo in the middle of the night? Sneaking away from a party full of potential suitors to meet a female assassin by moonlight after tearing off your dress," Ruby placed the back of her hand against her forehead feigning a scandalized expression, "people will talk Weiss, 'Forbidden love' they'll say." She dropped her hand and smirked at Weiss.
"I could always go back to killing you." Weiss tightened the grip on her hilt and smirked back, her eyes taking on a dangerous edge to them.
"You mean trying to kill me. We both know how that game plays out, Weiss." Ruby's voice dropped to match the intensity of Weiss's gaze, reaching underneath her cloak to the sheathed weapon it concealed. They stared at each other, waiting for the other to move or break, Weiss having the upper hand of an emotional control Ruby desperately lacked when she wasn't prowling.
*Snort* Weiss's grip slackened at the sound and her eyes softened, a faint smile playing on her face.
"And why would they say it's 'Forbidden Love'?" Weiss scoffed out, "I mean, the truth is far more believable and an equally juicy bit of gossip."
"Frail little Lady Schnee a Templar warrior? Fat chance! Its far more believable that you fell in love with the lovely and charming assassin who spared your life to save the world from losing such a delicate beauty, immediately enamored by the Lady Schnee's graceful charms." Ruby said wistfully, adding a dreamy tone to her voice at the end.
"Right…I really need to talk to Blake about letting you read her private collection, that scandalous romance is rotting your brain. How such a clever girl can read such smut and still be so, well, clever is a mystery to me." Weiss sat on the bench nearby and rested her rapier well within reach.
"Are you kidding me? Yang would never let her innocent baby sister read such racy stuff. I merely borrowed it without them knowing, ship rides can get long and boring when you're by yourself." Ruby chuckled and sat next to Weiss, pulling a rolled paper from the pouch on her belt and handing it to Weiss.
"Are you even old enough to understand what's in those books? I doubt the Order's delicate Rose has had much time for romance between all the training and missions." Weiss unrolled the paper and read the message.
Ice Queen,
Taking a breath to squash the irritation at the moniker Ruby had forced upon her becoming her code name, she read on.
Intelligence checked out. Shipment has been confirmed. Ledger successfully decoded thanks to passkey you provided. We are accelerating our mission timeline. The Rose, Black Cat and Golden Dragon will cover your extraction. Await extraction confirmation; take no further action until you receive confirmation from Mentor. The Blizzard sends her regards.
Master Qrow
"So what's the scoop? Did things work out?" Ruby asked idly, eating one of the decadent cookies from the party's buffet, causing Weiss to wonder when she was able to escape her watchful eye long enough to obtain it.
The Blizzard sends her regards. A message from her sister Winter was a pleasant addition to the short letter.
"They're speeding things up, and having me lay low until then, but I'm sure you knew that, didn't you, Rose." Weiss said in an icy tone, of course Ruby already knew, she was, after all, the main piece in Weiss's extraction.
"Come on Weiss, I don't know that much more than you, I just got the new mission timeline right before I came to meet you." Ruby said between bites.
"Do you still need the documents? Sounds like the ledger had all you needed." Weiss reached for the small parcel taped to the underside of the bench.
"Might as well, I'd hate to waste your hard work. Did they tell you about your initiate mission yet?" Ruby brushed the crumbs from her hands and clothes and smiled, accepting the parcel and placing it somewhere beneath her cloak.
"No, but I'm sure it will be something far away from here, I'll need to be scarce until the heat of my disappearance dies down." Weis tried to hide the sadness in her voice. Though she would be happy to leave the gilded cage, she would still miss her home. A reassuring hand squeezed her shoulder, and she looked up to see Ruby smiling warmly at her.
"Hey, I know it's going to be hard, but you get used to it, after a while, you're so busy on your missions, you don't even miss home. And you'll have me, Yang and Blake there to help you adjust." Weiss smiled at Ruby, thankful they'd sent her and not Yang to deliver the message. Capable and terrifying as she was, the Golden Dragon had a mischievous streak and would certainly tease Weiss for worrying about being homesick.
"Thanks Ruby," the lights from the Gala shut off, signaling the departure of their last guest. Her father would have long since retired to his wing of the house, leaving only servants in the dark courtyard to clean in the dark. "You should go; I need to go back to my room before I rouse any suspicions." Slipping her dress over her Templar uniform, Weiss headed back toward the castle she called home.
"Keep your head up, Weiss, you'll be free soon enough." Another gust of wind and she was gone as quickly as she'd appeared. Weiss smiled at the empty space Ruby once occupied, a few red rose petals and a single white rose the only hint that she'd ever stood there.
Weiss snuck back into her bedroom with practiced ease. Countless nights of sneaking off to meet with your mortal enemy will do that to you. Easing the door shut with a satisfying click she turned around and removed her dress once again. The outfit, though beautiful and luxurious, was stifling at times, preferring the clothing she used to train and complete missions in. She stepped out onto the balcony while attaching her rapier to her hip, the familiar feeling of being watched prickling the hairs on her neck once more, and she smelled roses.
"What's the matter, Ruby? Did you forget something?" She mused, not bothering to look up to the hooded figure she was sure to find on the overhang above.
"So that's the name of the person you are so willing to betray you own blood for." The harsh voice of her father brought her attention to the dark corner of the balcony. The smell of roses coming from the single rose that fell from her hand.
"Father! What are you do-"in a flash, he drew his sword, a sabre that shone brilliantly in the moonlight, the sharp blade gleaming as it brought a familiar burning pain to Weiss's left cheek.
"No Weiss, what are you doing? Have I not given you anything and everything you could ever dream of? Was the scar not enough warning for you? Do you need another to remind you of your place?" his voice was low and calm, but it promised his true intent.
"Father, please, it doesn't have to be like this, they want the same thing we do. We don't have to fight; we can be all-"she pleaded
"Allies with those animals? Our noble house, partnering with those Godless heathens, is that what you're suggesting? Perhaps my mercy was misplaced. Prepare yourself, my sweet daughter, this time, when you feel the sting of my blade, it will be the last thing you ever feel." He dropped to an offensive stance, readying the thrust Weiss knew would follow. With unbelievable speed, he headed toward her, sabre directed to her torso, and a murderous look in his eyes. Weiss had no time to react, reaching for her own weapon too slowly; there was no way she would be able to parry his attack, and her position on the balcony preventing any escape. In what she felt would be her last moment, she smelled roses again, funny that her final moments be filled with thoughts of the first friend she'd ever made. Closing her eyes to accept her fate, she almost missed the soft thud of someone landing in front of her, the ringing of steel against metal, then the crash of it against stone still not bringing her eyes open. Only when she heard a welcome voice, though absent of the kindness she craved, did she open them.
"Leave her alone." Ruby's voice said calmly as Weiss focused on the scene in front of her. Kneeling in front of her, hood drawn up, was Ruby, and her father regaining his balance after having his attack deflected so easily. Before she could say anything or react, Weiss was grabbed by the waist and pulled over the balcony, the smell of roses filling her nose as she fell to the water below.