Something unusual was going on in Atlas. The military had been called back home, and the entire fleet seemed to be waiting, poised to attack. From the forgotten little village outside of the Kingdom's borders, Suzanna Rosewood wondered why the sight bothered her so much. It wasn't fear she felt, but a sense of unease deep within her that made her restless, demanded that she act. But what could she do? She was a caretaker, looking after the sick and elderly of the village. So, she told herself that it was her instinct to care and protect, nothing more.
Over a decade ago, one of the village advisors had found her lying nearly dead in the forest nearby. It was a miracle she made it, they told her. She scoffed at the idea. Suzanna had woken a week later, no memory of who she was, or how she got there. The only clue as to her identity were the initials SR sewn into the white cloak she'd been wearing. The locals had done their best to help, going through every name they could think of before she had given up and decided on Suzanna. Her surname, Rosewood, felt right. Sort of. No memories of her previous life came back, so she had settled in here. She couldn't help but think that something was incredibly wrong. No matter, she thought. Not much can be done about it now, I suppose. Better to try and make the best of it. They were words she'd told herself countless times over the years.
"Hello Suzanna, dear." Said old Opal Mills, as she entered the elderly woman's home.
"Good morning Ms. Mills. How are you today?" She spoke kindly to the woman, trying to hide her downcast mood.
"Fine, I suppose. Though I could use some help, if you don't mind." Opal was one of her regular clients. She was friendly, and usually only wanted company. Having never married or had children, Ms. Mills was prone to loneliness.
"Of course. What is it that you need?" Suzanna was honestly relieved to have an actual task to focus on.
"Would you pick up my prescription? My eyes aren't what they once were, and it's much too far for an old woman to walk." Opal was nearly blind, and severely arthritic. Her mind, however, was still sharp. "Then, when you return we can discuss what has you so dour."
"Yes, ma'm." Damn it. The walk to the pharmacy was a relatively short one, but Suzanna was determined to make it as long as possible. She liked Opal well enough, liked everyone actually, but she wasn't quite comfortable. Talking about herself, especially the past she couldn't remember, was difficult. She didn't want to seem ungrateful for all they'd given her. Mostly, though, it made her too upset. Talking about herself made Suzanna anxious, sad, angry, and lonely. She had a family out there somewhere, she had too. But, they never came for her. I'm being silly. I'm a grown woman who can take care of herself. Who cares if they never found me? I'm not some child who needs to be coddled. But...what if I had children of my own? The thought was heartbreaking. If she did have children, they'd spent 13 years without her. That was far too long to go without a mother. Do they think I abandoned them? Or that I'm dead? She wasn't sure which was worse. I wish I could remember.
Opal was waiting for her when she returned. The old woman looked just a little too much like a cat, waiting to pounce on the mouse. "So dear, tell me what's been bothering you?"
I could lie. Tell her its the Atlas military making me uneasy. It's sort of true. Suzanna quickly dismissed the idea, however. She wasn't a very convincing liar at the best of times, it would be downright impossible with her state of mind being what it was. "My family. I've been wondering about them." She explained.
"Oh? Did you finally remember something?" The elderly woman asked.
"Well, no. But there has to be someone, right? People don't just come from nowhere." She dared to be hopeful.
"True enough, but at your age there's a chance your parents could be dead." The candid words weren't meant carelessly, they were simply true. Suzanna was in her late 30's at least. The last few years had seen her hair greying at the roots, and there were barely noticable lines around her eyes. Her parents would be Opal's age, or older.
"What about siblings? Aunts or uncles? I could have children out there somewhere." She was pacing, anxious and frustrated.
"They would probably be adults themselves, now." Opal said thoughtfully.
"Not. Helping." Suzanna told her as she rubbed her temples. "If I went to a doctor, would they be able to tell if I'd had children?"
Opal shook her head. "Maybe if you had been examined when we first found you, but I think it's been too long now."
"You're probably right." She replied with a sigh. "Do you mind if I head back, or do you need anything?" She never called her house "home".
"I'll be alright, dear. Go home and rest." Opal patted her hand in that manner elderly people seemed to all have.
That evening, Suzanna stood staring at her reflection, hoping it would give her a clue as to who she was. At first, nothing came to mind. But then, a collection of silvery marks along her midsection caught her eye. Nothing conclusive, of course. It was possible to have stretch marks without ever being pregnant. It didn't keep her from dreaming of fresh baked cookies and pigtails, though.
So here it is, the Summer Rose is alive AU. I know the first chapter was short, but this felt like a good stopping point. As to how frequent updates will be, I'm not sure. I'm also halfway through the next chapter for Shared Secrets. I've been a little disillusioned with RWBY and the entire RWBY fandom lately, so I apologize if my updates are infrequent. Maybe I'll take a break and write some short pieces for a different fandom. Let me know if there's anything you'd like me to write for.