(White Rose)

"My little sister is finally getting married!" Yang cheered. "Two years of waiting for you two to get it on followed by thirteen months of nauseating romance and now we're here!"

"Uhg... You're more excited than I am."

Her sister's grin was infectious, and Ruby had to admit that in reality her own excitement was far beyond what Yang was demonstrating. It was just tempered by annoyance at her betrothed who had gotten very secretive. It wasn't that she was distant, which in itself was odd. Weiss was acting as if the world had become nothing but roses (no pun intended, really). She still was temperamental, but it was all good natured now, and obviously so. She had developed that mode when it was just the two of them, but now it was with anyone.

Ruby could attribute all of it to the wedding, and odds are she was right, but the quiet little discussions with Yang that suddenly stopped as soon as Ruby approached was getting outright annoying. "You two are planning something, and I know it's about the wedding," Ruby said with a glare.

If a halo could magically pop up over Yang's head it would have. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Her sister smiled. "Speaking of plans though, have you picked out your tux yet?"

In most ceremonies it was a given who wore what. With lesbians it was a bit more free form. Sometimes one wore the tux and the other the dress, sometimes both wore a dress. Heck, sometimes both wore tuxedos. It was just a matter of preference. After only a brief talk they had decided that ruby would wear the pants, so ta speak, and Weiss would take the dress. Now every time Ruby came back with what she thought was perfect either Yang or Weiss would find some little item that was off about it.

The day had to be perfect; Ruby knew that, but really? "It's being altered to fit. I picked the most expensive seamstresses in Vale, so it will be flawless so you two won't reject it yet again!"

"That's good. I would hate for it not to be done in time." This had been the biggest reason to shoo her off when the two conspirators wanted her away. Ruby was bound and determined to stop that in its tracks, but failing at every turn.

"Gah!" Ruby yelled in frustration.


Weiss looked over the paper in front of her, scratching out words, putting in new ones, and growing more frustrated by the second. This had to be perfect. She'd been working on it for two months now and yet it just didn't look right.

She knew Yang was approaching from behind by her low laugh. "Oh, she's getting so frustrated with us. If we keep her in the dark much longer she may kill us in our sleep. Considering where she sleeps I'd be careful if I were you."

"Hmmph. She wouldn't dare." Weiss cracked one of her rare but suddenly common smiles. "So, has it come in yet?"

Yang let out an answering smile, with interest. "Just in from Vacuo. I already have it set at the end of the aisle. She's going to flip."

"Good, now I just need to finish this."

Looking over her shoulder Yang read it to herself. "Looks done to me."

"Well it is done, obviously, but it needs improved on," Weiss said with some actual annoyance, all of it directed at the paper in front of her. "It just doesn't scan right."

A low chuckle escaped Yang's lips. "You're just nervous. Relax; it's going to be great."

"I'll be sure to tell you that when you decide on a guy," she bit.

This time the chuckle was much deeper. "Yeah, that's not going to happen."

"I don't know how you lead them around by the nose like that," the White Bride observed. "Sooner or later they're going to get sick of it."

Yang struck a pose. "With all of this?"

"Especially with all of that!" Weiss exclaimed.

With a shake of her head that clearly said 'if you only knew' Yang said "let me worry about it. You have enough on your plate."

Now that was too true. "I'm going to go see it. Keep Ruby occupied for a half hour or so."

"Yeah, that'll be easy."


Yang waited behind the doors that would bring her and Ruby out to the fabled aisle. Today was the day and everything had gone perfectly. By her calculations Ruby should be here any moment thinking that the ceremony would start in about fifteen minutes.

It wasn't. It was going to start the moment that Ruby showed up. It was an unconventional relationship, so this was going to be an unconventional wedding. There was already confusion among the guests watching Weiss, bedecked in her wedding dress, already waiting at the altar with her bride's maids waiting where the groomsmen would normally be. Yang was supposed to be among those brides' maids, as far as Ruby knew at least.

Ruby entered looking resplendent in her tuxedo, hair actually tamed for this day. Behind her came the groomsmen; Jaune, Ren, Sun, Neptune, Coco and Fox. "What's going on?" Ruby asked anxiously as she looked around wildly.

No answer was given as Yang stuck her head out and nodded once, then pulled back in. "Something special," she answered at last. Not that that helped any. It was her wedding day. By definition this day was special.

The orchestra started up at Yang's signal. It was not the wedding march which everyone except Yang, Weiss, and Ozpin had expected. Ruby's ears instantly perked up, recognizing the music. So did Jaune's, who had heard it the last time Weiss had sung publicly.

Then Weiss's voice rose, easily overpowering the melody.

"Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the loneliest of all?"

The guests were instantly uncomfortable, and Ruby's confused expression went up twenty degrees. This was not a song appropriate to a wedding.

The power of the orchestra increased, adding it's strength to Weiss's vocals, with the string section taking the spotlight. Anyone familiar with this song would know that the notes were the same, but the tempo was not. It was slow, gentle, much like the wedding march. No, it was more so, conveying the sadness the song represented.

"Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the loneliest of all?
Fear of what's inside me,
Tell me can a heart be turned to stone?"

At this point the pace would be fevered as the final verse was released. Instead it held even with the previous making the coming verse even more haunting than normal.

Mirror, mirror, what's behind you?
Save me from the things I see!
I can keep it from the world,
Why won't you let me hide from me?"

Ruby was starting to get fidgety. Yang had mercy on her and allowed her to poke her head around the door. What she would see was Weiss, staring into an intricately designed silver mirror. Her face would be like ice; cold, distant, and devoid of hope. It was not the face of someone on the happiest day of her life. "What's going on?" Ruby asked again, now really worried.

Weiss hadn't sung publicly in seven years. The memory of the power of her voice was long since forgotten by most. Yang knew she sang to Ruby regularly, but even she hadn't heard her full range. Intimate settings didn't allow for what was coming as Weiss opened up a beautiful operatic run, its power echoing off the church's walls. After tonight's performance it would take another decade to have the memory fade. Her voice had been world class when untouched by her heart. Now it was unparalleled. The sound of her voice was filled with a sad melancholy, but by the time it ended it held a hint of hope, of joy.

"Let's go," Yang announced.

The groomsmen had lined up behind Ruby quietly so as not to alert her, then Yang looped Ruby's arm through hers and started them down the aisle as the last note of the run left Weiss's throat. The tempo had increased subtly, now matching the pace of the traditional music.

"Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the luckiest of all?
Hope for what's inside me,
Tell me can this stone begin to beat?"

Ruby was catching on quickly. Under her breath she whispered "so this is the secret?" Yang didn't change her expression at all, just basking in the joy of giving her own sister away in her father's stead.

Weiss had changed her position subtly, now with her back partially towards the aisle, but Yang could see her reflection in the mirror and her eyes were on only one person. Her cold expression had thawed and her happiness was showing through, just as it was showing in her voice.

"Mirror, mirror, what's behind me?
Help me get the one I see!
I have kept it from the world,
Why did you let me hide from me?"

Another operatic overture, starting with the joy the last one had ended in, and building until Yang let go of Ruby and allowed her to take her spot beside Weiss. The music had gotten to her, so she would have been amazed if Ruby hadn't been put to tears. She wasn't let down. The speed of the final two verses reached its peak, and it brimmed with pure joy bordering on ecstasy.

"Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the happiest of all?
Joy from what's inside me,
Tell me can a heart be made to burn?"

Weiss turned slightly so she could look at Ruby directly for the first time.

"Mirror, mirror, who's beside me?
Thank you for the one I see!
I won't keep it from the world,
My heart is now forever free!

Mirror, mirror, tell me something,
Who's the most loved of all?"

A slight pause, then the last line, sang directly to Ruby with all the strength of her heart and with all the gentleness of a dove.

"I'm the most loved of all."

The last line held in the air, so sweet and soft. The look in Ruby's eyes was all the proof that Yang needed that the effort to keep this secret from her had been worth it.

The guests were in hushed awe, as was the wedding party itself. They had all known there was a plan; none had heard what Weiss was preparing beyond their part in it.

Presiding over the ceremony it was upon Ozpin to break the silence. "That was very beautiful Weiss, if unorthodox. I do not believe there will be any who will doubt the strength of your vows. Ruby, do you have anything to add?"

Yang knew she had prepared vows of her own. She had worked on them for hours, practiced them in front of a mirror to get them just right so Weiss knew how deep her love went. All that Ruby said though was "I will never let you fall," trying to wipe away the tears that was smearing her makeup.

Ozpin smiled, and finished the ceremony without dramatics. There was nothing that could top what had already been seen and heard. "Weiss, do you take Ruby to love and to hold, in sickness and health, in times of battle and of peace, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

He turned his attention to Ruby. "And do you Ruby take Weiss to love and to hold, in sickness and health, in times of battle and of peace, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I- I do," she swore, her cries of joy causing her voice to break.

Rings were not traditionally done by Huntsmen and Huntresses. They were too easily broken or lost when in the field. Instead their vows were symbolized by a bracelet chosen by the couple. Both had chosen one that was a simple unadorned white gold, hinged and latched so they would always stay in place without hindering movement. These bracelets were still called rings, and had much the same look if a tad larger.

"Weiss place the ring upon Ruby's wrist and repeat after me," Ozpin intoned. "With this ring I thee wed."

There was no doubt in Weiss's eyes, and though she was obviously emotional her voice was steady. "With this ring I thee wed."

"Ruby place the ring upon Weiss's wrist and repeat after me," the headmaster continued. "With this ring I thee wed."

Ruby wasn't nearly as composed. She fumbled with the bracelet several times, her emotions overwhelming her. Finally though it was in place and latched. "With this ring I thee wed," she vowed, unable to stop the tears from growing.

"I now pronounce you Ruby and Weiss Rose." The Headmaster looked at Ruby. "You may kiss your bride."

The cheering deafened any other words that might have been said, but no words were needed. Not with that kiss.


Author's notes:

Lyrics, uninterrupted by the storyline:

Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the loneliest of all?

Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the loneliest of all?
Fear of what's inside me,
Tell me can a heart be turned to stone?

Mirror, mirror, what's behind you?
Save me from the things I see!
I can keep it from the world,
Why won't you let me hide from me?

Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the luckiest of all?
Hope for what's inside me,
Tell me can this stone begin to beat?

Mirror, mirror, who's behind me?
Help me get the thing I see!
I have kept it from the world,
Why did you let me hide from me?

Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the happiest of all?
Joy from what's inside me,
Tell me can my heart be made to burn?

Mirror, mirror, who's beside me?
Thank you for the one I see!
I won't keep it from the world,
My heart is now forever free!

Mirror, mirror, tell me something,
Who's the most loved of all?

I'm the most loved of all.