Mantle. The unrelenting cold was just as unwelcome as the memories hidden beneath a thousand sheets of snow. Atlas may be flourishing, but this settlement was anything but.
Where Mistral had utilised the high mountain peaks to their full potential, building structures that worked with the land, this kingdom was the opposite.
Mantle was essentially a giant hole in the ground; an on-the-nose metaphor for the heart the kingdom lacked. They worked against the land, taking whatever they could and never giving back. Qrow knew which one he preferred. The jagged cliffs that towered over the settlement left everything in a dark shadow and it made him uneasy. Perhaps it was the bird in him that had given him affinity for the high peaks of Mistral and thus, to him, Mantle felt like a giant cage.
Qrow was itching for a drink, but it would have to wait until Ruby was not looking. He had tried to lag behind the group venturing through the snow, but his niece had made a point at keeping a close watch on him and feeding his addiction in front of her would only make him feel worse.
Damn, it was freezing. Qrow snatched up his fluttering cape and threw it over his shoulder, tugging the tattered red rag around his neck like a makeshift scarf.
He took a few strides to catch up with his niece and was about to pull up her hood, but then her words back at the house hit him like a brick wall. Qrow hesitated and drew back his hand, hoping she had not noticed, but of course she had and her disapproving stare cut deeper than any wound.
"I was just—"
Ruby pulled up her hood and continued walking, ignoring his gesture, completely. If this had been a few weeks ago, Qrow would have pulled her hood down over her face and they would have laughed about it. It was a trivial thing, but the pain was anything but.
"I don't care what you think!"
The words echoed over and over again and all he wanted was to undo his flask.
But, that was the problem.
What else was he supposed to do? Keeping his feelings hidden at the bottom of the bottle had been the only way he could still function, but lately, not matter how much he drank, the remorse would remain and all he gained in return was a headache. All he could do was keep drinking, until unconsciousness gave him that relief he craved.
He was no longer the huntsman Ruby had looked up to her entire life and Qrow wondered if he ever was. He never deserved her respect and the person she thought he was had never existed in the first place.
He watched her walk on ahead, the red cloak blooming in her wake, now torn and tarnished as the reverence of her mentor.
It could have been the snowfall, or an intoxicated hallucination, but for a moment, her cloak had turned white.
No, no, no, no, no. He could not think about her, right now.
He needed a drink. Something strong. Something that would make him forget.
But, that was the problem.
His conscience was becoming awfully annoying.
At the end of the airfield, Winter Schnee was waiting, though she did not look at all pleased to see them – him, even less so. Qrow looked away from the stink eye she had welcomed him with.
"I won't ask questions." The special operative stated, though her voice was distant, tired. "General Ironwood has requested to speak to you, personally." Winter let out a sigh and turned to her sister. "Weiss. There are things we need to discuss."
"Of… of course." Weiss flustered, bowing her head. "It's good to see you again, Winter."
The older of the sisters turned and led the way inside the base. "And you." She said, emotionlessly. "Your company is another story." Qrow received yet another icy glare and he distanced himself some more.
Ruby noticed he had hung back and waited for him to catch up. There was a frown on her face, but the moment their eyes met, it changed. He was not sure he appreciated the pity, either.
"I won't start anything." He briskly came out with, passing her by. Qrow was unsure what good his word was to her, but it was better than no word at all.
"Uncle Qrow?"
He stopped in his tracks and turned around. Ruby was standing in the doorway looking at the stone floor. There were very few people that could get his full attention so effortlessly.
"Yeah?" He meekly responded, watching the snowfall drip from the tips of her reddish hair that trailed out of her hood.
"Why does Winter hate you, so much?"
Qrow opened his mouth to respond, but no sound came out.
"That's what I thought." Ruby frowned, pushing past him.
There was that itch, again. It was happening more often. Every time he felt anything his body urged him to drown it. It was as if he never really left the apathy's clutches. He sighed. "Ruby."
She turned, but Qrow did not have strength to say anything more. What could he say? He stared into the silver eyes that were just like her mother's. They had always captivated him, filled his empty heart with resolve. They had been the guiding light in his darkness. Maybe he was too far gone, because this time, he did not feel anything but the reflection of his own broken resolution. "I'm… I'm sorry."
Ruby straightened up, standing tall, like the huntress he always knew she could be. "Then, prove it."
This time, she was the one who walked away and he finally realised exactly how much it hurt.
He needed a drink.
Qrow took a moment to compose himself, occupying his hands by wringing out his damp cape (When did they start shaking?) and let it trail behind him, once more, before continuing down the large desolate hall that was as bleak as any hope they had to succeed.
Winter had led the group to some kind of open break room and he caught the end of a conversation, just outside the door that confirmed to him that Ironwood was currently on his way over from Atlas to reconvene and would not be here for another two hours.
Qrow continued down the hall, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
He needed a drink.
Qrow scowled and took out his flask, hastily unscrewing the lid and tipped it into his mouth. The aftertaste was bitter with regret. There was no warm relief, only a cold chill trickling down his throat.
Qrow stumbled and his fingers slipped over a window pane, before he could find his feet again. He sighed and rested his head against the glass.
"What do you mean, she's gone?" A tearful voice drifted out into the hall.
Shit.
"Weiss, both of us knew this day would come, it was just a matter of when." Came her sister's stern response.
"You say that like you don't even care!"
"Of course I care!" Winter spat. "But, the fact is, mother stopped caring about us a long time ago. I will not let you feel responsible for this. She had been in a bad way for a long time and made no effort to change, no matter the help that was thrown her way and she had the best."
"Can I… can I ask what happened?"
"Weiss…" Winter sighed.
"I need to know. I'm not a child, anymore. You don't need to protect me. Tell me what happened to my mother!"
"I was told she was discovered in the cellar, unconscious. They did everything they could to save her, but her blood alcohol levels were too high."
"It poisoned her."
"Yes."
Shit. Shit. Shit. He should not be here, yet he could not move. All he could do was listen to the cries of another motherless girl.
"Weiss, are you going to be okay? We can talk about it further, if you wish."
"When did this happen?"
"Not long after you left for Mistral, as I understand."
"So, it was my fault." Weiss' voice was growing more and more frantic and it was tearing Qrow to pieces. "I should have been there for her when I had the chance. I—"
"Weiss, she did this to herself. I need you to understand that. You were the perfect daughter and she took you for granted."
This struck Qrow harder than it should have. He looked down at the flask in his trembling fingers and suddenly hated everything about it. He hated that he still craved the poison that was inside it.
A small gasp shook him back to reality and Qrow looked up into the glassy blue eyes of his nieces' teammate. Her tearful gaze quickly narrowed into a scowl when she noticed the flask in his hand.
"Weiss, I…"
"Don't say it." She demanded, shaking her head, tears falling freely down her cheeks. "Just promise me you won't end up like her. Please." She hid her face in her hands, shaking all over.
Qrow had no idea how to respond, all he was able to do was act. He threw his flask on the floor and pulled the girl into a tight hug and Weiss just wept into his shirt until he was finally able to find his voice. "I promise."
She wrapped her arms around him and clutched at his cape. Qrow stroked her hair, hoping it could be of some comfort.
"I could always use another… another honorary niece, you know."
Her sniffling subsided into a sharp inhale and she pulled him in closer, her fingers lost in his cape.
If Weiss was this distraught over a mother who never appreciated her, Qrow did not want to think about what it would do to Ruby and Yang if he ended up the same way. And now, what it would do to Weiss.
"I…" She began, choking on her words. "I won't let you… do that to… to… them…"
"I'll be there for you too, princess, I promise." Of all the people Qrow could make this pledge to, the last person he expected was for it to be a Schnee. "We can stand here, like this as long as you need to, okay?"
She nodded weakly. "They can't… they can't see me, like this."
"Are you going to tell them?"
Weiss shook her head. "For your sake."
This girl had such a big heart. She had just found out that her mother had died and all she cared about was making sure she did not worry anyone else.
"Then, I won't say anything, either." He muttered, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "You can always talk to me."
"Was it my fault?" She sobbed, "Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no, no." Qrow hushed her. "She wouldn't want you to blame yourself, believe me. That sister of yours knows what she's talking about."
Weiss pulled away, wiping her eyes. "Thank you, Qrow."
He gripped her shoulder and wrapped her in a final one-armed hug. "That's uncle Qrow, to you, princess."
"You can't be serious."
He burst out laughing. "Yeah, Ruby would kill me."
Weiss' expression softened. "She's lucky to have you."
"You think so?"
"Definitely."