Chapter: 1
Twas the night she and her whole family had been waiting for. Her big concert was almost here! Willow Schnee her mother, Walter her Father, and Winter her older sister this time last year attended Weiss' first ever concert. Weiss would again sing in front of everyone at The Vale Grand Hall, a large auditorium where her favorite singers and dancers would often perform. Weiss would always look starry eyed upon them standing atop of her Father's lap to peek above the heads of the people in front of her. Tonight was different though, Weiss would be the one performing in front of the crowd, the glimmer of flashing cameras twinkling like the many stars in the country night sky. There was nothing more dear to Weiss' heart. Her mother was a singer, it was she who taught her how. Weiss wanted to be just like her. As long as She could remember, Willow would sing to her, with her. For all she knew, her mother sung to her when she was in her womb, that was what her father told her at least.
Weiss attended vocal classes as young as age 4, she had her first recital at 5, at 6 she was chosen out of all the schools in Vale to be awarded the most prestigious of vocal awards. It was bestowed upon her by the Prime Minister of Vale himself. At 7 years of age she would have her first professional concert.
It had been almost a year since then and she was almost 8 now. Tonight, Weiss was in her mother's expansive doll-like dressing room. It sported white, frilly, lace curtains over a single window at the far end of the room, a shiny marble floor reflective enough to see yourself and a colossal mirror fitted in a gold frame. The mirror hung over a solid mahogany dresser, garnished with marble, studded with jade accents along its legs. In the center of the room a low hanging, crystal chandelier lit the room in it's warm orange tone.
Her mother and sister were helping fit her into the dress she would wear to The Grand Hall that night. Winter herself was wearing a royal blue dress sporting a halter neckline, an accompanying shawl and heels. She looked much more mature than Weiss who was a generous 6 years younger. Her dress fell a few inches below her knees, a crepe in the side, the color of it accenting her blue eyes, eyes like that of her mother and sister. The golden loop earrings on Winters ears were as bright and as large as the sun. Her silver hair, tucked in the back of her head in a bun, a single bang swept to the right of her forehead.
Weiss' mother wore a layered dress a few shades lighter than Winter's, closer to a baby blue, with a slashed neckline, very short shoulders about a palm's width in length. The dress was a good 6 inches longer than Winter's. It flowered out towards the bottom with an elegant sheer overlay you could see peeking out from the bottom of the dress right above her white cone heels. Adorned around her neck a silver necklace with the image of a crescent moon.
Weiss stood on a wooden stool and peered into her reflection in the mirror, her mother right behind her.
"Are you excited dear?" Willow verbally prodded with anticipation, grabbing the jumbo size blue ribbon from Winter and wrapping it around Weiss' midsection, on her White Ballroom-esque dress. Weiss slightly jumping as the ribbon clenched firmly around her waist.
"Nervous." Weiss clenched her small pale fists together, she stood upon the wooden stool, looking into the tall mirror in her mother's dressing room as she put the final touches on the bow knot.
"You'll do marvelously Weiss. You did it last year and you have gotten quite adept. I can only image you will be better this time around, I know you will be."
"If there is one thing you can do right, it's sing. You have practiced so diligently for this." Winter jeeringly encouraged."
"Father was here last year." Weiss' brows began to furrow.
Willow put her hands gently on Weiss' shoulders, turned her around slowly. Willow knelt down, looked warmly up at Weiss as she stood elevated, looking down dejectedly at her.
"You know your father would come if he could. He would never miss his little girl's big concert unless it was of the utmost importance."
"I know. I just... it won't be the same without him."
"But honey, it doesn't have to be. Imagine him, sitting with the rest of us." Willow points to Weiss' heart. "He'll be here as long as you know that he is always thinking of you."
Weiss let's out a sorrowful sniff and then a determined head nod.
Willow smiles. "That's my girl."
Winter meets eyes with her and offers her a look of comfort. It was going to be alright after all.
That's when they heard a crashing sound from what appeared to be the foyer.
"That's strange. Do you think that was Winston?" Willow murmured to Winter.
"I don't know." Winter runs over to a her saber laying on the dresser underneath the mirror, she paces over to the door of the changing room, cracking it open and peeking down the cavernous hallway.
"Don't go down there." Willow stands up, brushes her dress off and walks over to Winter grabbing the hand that is gripped around the saber. "I know you are raring to fight, you're becoming better Huntress everyday, but if there is anything down there that is going to require your saber, let's leave it to security. Ok?"
Winter purses her lips and exhales deeply from her nose.
"Besides, we have to finish getting ready for Weiss' concert." Willow picked up a comb and began grooming Weiss' hair.
The thought of a thief or scoundrel made Weiss recoil. Now is not the night if any for interruptions. Weiss reasoned to herself that it could just have been a hateful person throwing a rock through one of the windows at the front of the mansion like last year. Unfortunately, not everyone liked Weiss' family, particularly her father who is the owner of the largest Dust manufacturer in the world, the Schnee Dust Company or SDC. There were those out there that were jealous of our great wealth. The faunus, a race of half-human, half-animals, were the first that Weiss mentally accused. It would not have been the first time those filthy faunus went out of their way to cause her father trouble. Father was a kind man, he gave to charity, he helped the faunus. For anyone to return his kindness with violence made her furious.
Weiss shrugged. Her mind was already cloudy, full of trepidation due to her performance later that night at the concert. Her thoughts were getting tangled together like a web in her brain. She really didn't have the energy to imagine of all the things that could go wrong tonight.
A ghastly shout echoed down the hallway, followed by a second. The three looked at each other in horror. There was no excusing this. Willow dropped the comb in her hand and rushed over to a wall mounted scroll next to the door where Winter was standing.
"We can fight them. We won't let the Schnee name be synonymous push-over! Those worthless faunus will think twice before meddling with us!" Winter growled.
"Quiet down Winter. You haven't mastered your aura control yet. If someone attacks, you won't be able to defend yourself. I'll be darned if any daughter of mine is putting herself in danger. We have to be cool-headed about this. I am going to activate the alarm, that should scare them off, whoever they are."
Willow knew that if the alarm hadn't already been activated by the guards then whoever had gotten in wasn't playing games. Willow started to dialed the wall scroll at the front near the security guards when the lights went out along with the power to the whole house. It was pitch black. Weiss gasped. The room was dead silent. There was a static buzz of absolute silence. Their eyes were still dilating to the loss of light. Willow hushed the girls. She stumbled over to the dresser, sweeping her hand over the surface until she heard the jingle of her keys. It was her purse. She reached inside, groping for her scroll. It was gone! Willow could have sworn it was in there. The clacking of footsteps on the marble floor echoed throughout the house.
"Do you have your scroll on you Winter?" Willow under voiced ever so faintly and under her breath.
"No, I left it in my room. On the charger."
The sound grew closer. She knew exactly where it was coming from too. When Weiss and Winter would sneak into each others room at night to tell each other stories they would have to go up one of the two twin marble stairs that were striped with red carpet. After taking the staircase to the third floor there would be a hallway that ran horizontally across the house. Taking a right you would come across one more hallway which is the hallway this room is on.
Willow remembered there was a cellar exit, but the only way to arrive there is from the entrance floor. They could climb out the window but by the time they fastened some sheets together to climb down they may not be able to rappel 40 feet to the bottom in time. It was too much of a risk.
The mansion was secluded in a wooded area and rested on 3 million acres of lands, it was built a mile from the end of the property, their closest neighbors are at least 5 miles away from any edge of the property. There was no calling for help unless they got their scroll back. The only problem is Willow's scroll was missing and Winter's Room is downstairs. No matter what way she imagined it, their options weren't ideal.
Willow bit her lip, a conflicted expression on her face. That's when they heard a scratching on the door. Weiss' skin began to crawl and she put her hand around her mouth holding back a whimper. Winter latched back onto her saber, drawing it from her sheath and wrapping her free arm around Weiss, her saber drawn out, pointed firmly ahead of her.
Willow slowly tiptoed over to the comb she left lying on the floor, picking it up, clenching it in her fist, the pointed handle jetting out from her hand. She raised it above her head as she drew closer to the door putting her back against the wall next to the door. She reached for the handle as the scratching continued. Willow placed her hand on the cold, bronze, door lever. She grasps the lever, making sure not a sound was to be heard. The scratch did not let up. Willow had to act quickly. Her life, and her daughter's lives depended on it. She twisted the lever ever so slightly, barely enough to see the movement with the naked eye, she inhaled, filling her lungs with air as her chest quivered with anxiety, her exhales faint, but painfully broken and jagged. Willow's face hardened with determination and self preservation. She was not going to die in here. She furiously yanked opened the door and thrusted the sharp end of the comb into the darkness behind it.
It missed, slicing into the air.
There was no one. She looked down at her feet. It was just Winston. He meowed and scampered into the room. Willow sighed with relief. The stiffness of exhaustion left Weiss' shoulders. Winter's grip loosened on her Saber. Willow began to close the door during which she noticed a trail of small cat footprints from where Winston had come. She picked up Winston, cupping her hands under his warm underbelly, his soft white coat of fur poking out between her fingers as his feet dangle lazily in the air.
"What did you step in you darn cat?" Willow put her hands on Winston's paws and raised her hands in front of her eyes.
She rubbed her pointer, middle finger and thumb together. It was slippery, not as wet as water but not as viscous as mud nor as lumpy. She squinted her eyes, trying to make out this liquid in the dark of the room. Enough moonlight shone through the curtains for her to barely make out what it was and when she brought her fingers to her nose, the distinct metallic smell assured her.
It was blood.
Ending Chapter Notes:
10/27/2015 - Just wanted to get your guys' opinions about the story so far. I want to set a precedent of being pretty transparent with all of my thought processes while writing this fic.
I want to give a shout out to "whisperingshadowxi" on Google Plus for the suggestions on the fic. He brought out some good points. One being the timeline of this fic. If any of you guys are confused as to the timeline, let me know, I will try to make it more concise. If any of you are just curious as to whether this story will venture into Weiss' age as she is in the current cannon the answer is yes. I'll just say that something is about to go down that will shape the way Weiss acts forever.
Another question or concern you guys may have, also compliments of "whisperingshadowxi" is about Weiss' parents. As it stands in the cannon they have no names yet. There is a possibility they may get names in this current season. If they do, I will consider what to do when the time comes. In the meantime just know that they have no official names and that Willow and Walter are made up names. I am pretty much treating them as OCs at this point. The reason for this is because giving them a name makes the characters much more personal. They play an important role in the story so I felt it was proper to give them a name.
Something you should know is that I have a lot of experience writing, whether it be blogging for tech sites and or podcasts and I write as a hobby. However this is my first story I have ever written in 3rd person so if you notice anything strange feel free to bring it to my attention.
If anyone wants to beta read, please let me know.
Share with your friends if you like it.
Does anyone have any suggestion for cover art?
Reviews are more than welcome. If you care enough to write a review whether it is positive or negative I am happy that my writing stirred you to have some thoughts about it.
01/09/2017 - Just did a small update on some of the aesthetics of the house. From Volume 4 of the show we know most of the floors to be marble, so I changed it from wooden to marble in this chapter.