Chapter 1: Heart of Silver

Ruby was fully prepared for today. It was the first day of spring, the weather was beautiful, and her adventure started today. What belongings she needed were all neatly packed in her rucksack, and what she couldn't take she had entrusted with the landlord; a cheerful and friendly man by the name of Port.

Rummaging through her wardrobe, she quickly dressed herself in brown trousers, a white dress shirt, brown leather wrist guards, heavy black leather boots, a black belt with all of the tools she imagined she'd need, her coin purse, and finally her red hooded cloak. Smiling at herself in the mirror, she took a deep breath. "It's finally starting!"

Grabbing her house key, she left the room and happily paraded down the stairs and through her living room, making her way to the front door. She paused at the entryway and turned back to give a final glance at her home. This had been her home for the last three years. During those three years, she'd worked every little job she could find just to save up the money for this trip. In that time, she'd become quite attached to this place, and even briefly considered abandoning her plans and just buying the place from Port. When she voiced this idea to Port, he said something that she would never forget. Never abandon your dreams, Ruby, he said. This adventure of yours has been your lifelong dream. You yearn to learn the world's secrets, and no life here can ever replace that desire. Just remember, that once you've learned that which you seek, and you feel you've come to understand the world a little bit more, that you'll always have a place to return to. I will keep the doors to this house open to you, and to only you so long as you wish to keep that key.

She almost felt like crying as she smiled, tossing the key lightly into the air and catching it swiftly. "I'll be home again someday," she said to the house. "I won't leave you alone forever."

Turning around, she opened the door and stepped outside, quickly locking the door as if to emphasize to herself that she wouldn't be coming back for quite some time. She breathed deeply and sighed. "This is harder than I thought it'd be."

"You haven't even left your street yet," cried a female voice with an amused tone, startling Ruby. The shorter girl turned and saw a slightly taller woman standing before her; blonde haired, she wore tan trousers, knee high leather booths, a yellowed shirt, and a leather belt at her waist. On her back was a rucksack similar to Ruby's. "And here I thought my little sister didn't have any second thoughts about her little trip."

"Yang!" Ruby yelled. "Why did you scare me like that?"

"Hey, I didn't mean too. You were too busy having an intimate goodbye session with your house."

"Oh, like you wouldn't be a little sad to leave a house behind that you've lived in for years."

Yang shrugged. "You know I live at the Inn."

"Only because there's always someone wanting to brawl in the tavern downstairs," Ruby added sarcastically.

"Of course. Where do you think I get most of my money."

"Have you even tried getting a real job? I'm sure the town watch would love to have you."

"Nah. Too involved with the legal system. Besides, fighting drunk idiots is more fun."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Probably considered cheating too."

"I fight the occasional sober idiot." Yang smiled. "You ready to go, little sis?"

Ruby sighed. "Why do you have to come with me? I can take care of myself."

"I know. But I'm actually very, very curious to see how you handle adventuring."

"The way you say that almost sounds like you're mocking me." She shook her head. "Alright, Yang, you can come."

"I wasn't really asking for permission, but..."

"But, this is my trip, got it? I'm in charge! If I say we're cave diving, we're cave diving. If I say we're swimming in an underground lake, we're swimming in an underground lake. If I say hey, Yang, distract that giant bear for me while I run, then you distract that giant bear while I run. Okay?"

Yang gave her little sister a concerned look. "So...are we going to be looking for giant bears? Because that part seems a little one sided." Ruby's eyebrow twitched. "Okay, okay. You're in charge, lil sis."

"Good. Let's get going. The morning is still fresh, and the road is long!" Ruby turned down the street and made her way to the Eastern gate, all the while humming a little travel song that she'd just come up with.

The Lord of Vale, Eis Schnee, sat in his study glaring out of the window angrily. She's made a fool of me for the last time, he thought. He turned to face his eldest daughter, Winter, and met her cold gaze with an even colder gaze of his own. They each were wearing similar attire of light blue trousers, white dress shirts, and light blue coats. Winter had a rapier at her left hip. "You're sure? She let the prisoner go?"

Winter nodded. "Yes, father. She said that she witnessed the crime and that the prisoner was innocent. When she heard that you cared not for innocence or guilt, only that justice was being served, she released him."

"What was the man's name?"

"We never asked. He was due to die by the axe early this morning. No name, no marked grave. Is that not how you usually handle such matters?"

Eis nodded. "Aye. But then again, I'm not used to my daughter releasing those sentenced to die. Damn that girl. Where is she?"

"I sent word for her, just as you asked." A knock came from the door. "Yes?" Winter called.

From beyond, a maid called back, "Weiss Schnee is here, m'lady."

"Bring her!" Eis yelled.

"Father," Winter warned. "Keep calm. Surely we can get an explanation." As she finished her statement, the door opened.

Weiss Schnee, the second daughter of Eis and one of the heiresses to the hold of Vale, entered with an air of confidence. She wore a white and blue dress, her white hair pulled into a tight bun, and her piercing blue eyes scanned her father's and elder sister's faces, trying to read them. "You called?" she asked.

Eis turned to face the window again, leaving Winter to speak to her younger sister. "Weiss, we heard that there was a prisoner set loose this morning. A prisoner accused of robbery that was set to be beheaded this morning. Don't you find it interesting that such a prisoner would just go missing mere hours before he was due to die?"

"I don't find it interesting at all, Winter. I find it repulsive that we still practice such barbaric tactics as a way of scaring the citizens into obeying. We're lords, not kings or queens. We must answer to the law, not twist it."

"So," Winter said with a slight smile on her lips."You think it right that he was allowed to escape?"

"I should say I do think that. You already know that I was the one who set him free."

"Oh?"

Weiss glared at Winter. "I may not be first in line to inherit the lordship, sister, but I am no fool. You wouldn't have called for me had you not suspected that I had something to do with it. I won't keep secrets, least of all from my family. The man was innocent."

"The witnisses claimed that a blonde man robbed the market stalls of food. We found a blonde man, and we were to distribute swift justice," Eis said angrily. He turned to face Weiss. "Who are you to say that we are wrong."

"You are wrong. Yes, a blonde man robbed the market. But which blonde man? In a town the size of vale, that must be one fifth of our population. Were no other details important to you? Do you not care if we kill an innocent man for a crime he didn't commit?"

"Innocence and guilt mean nothing. The goal is to show the people that we are not weak lords. By beheading one man and claiming he was criminal, the others will be more inclined to obey the law!"

Weiss raised her voice. "You're breeding rebellion, father, not loyalty! If you had killed him, then the real perpetrator would spread work amongst his friends that an innoccent man died in his stead! That word would spread like wildfire in the underground, and then you'd have an angry mob at your door demanding your head on a silver plate!"

Eis glared at Weiss with fire and ice in his eyes. "Are you threatening me, child?"

"N-no!" Weiss faltered as she spoke. "I am only thinking as I should be; I'm thinking like a lord."

"But you are not a lord," Eis said with an eerie calmness in his voice. "And you never will be. Winter will become the lord once I die. She will marry, she will bear children, and they will be lord after her. You'll die without power, Weiss." He smiled. "And alone, without a family."

"What?" Weiss and Winter both said at the same time.

"I am exiling you, Weiss. You challenge my authority, and you threaten me with rebellion."

"I did not threaten!" Weiss said defensively.

Ignoring her, he went on to say, "Your only chance to return and retake your place in this family is to bring me something from within the Tower."

"Father! That's not possible!" Winter exclaimed. "The Tower hasn't ever been entered. It's rested untouched for thousands of years! How do you expect her to do that?"

"You're the one who told me of her treachery, Winter! Is this not what you wanted?"

"I merely wanted to inform you of what had happened. I didn't mean for Weiss to be..."

"It matters not what you meant. What matters is that my word is law." He turned back to Weiss. "Leave your dress. Change into something more common, and take only enough money for a week's worth of travel. No one will be able to tell that you're from my house."

"Father, please," Weiss begged. She ran to him and dropped to her knees. "This is too cruel."

Raising his hand, he backhanded her left cheek; the ring on his finger made a deep cut across her eye as she fell backwards. "Be gone." Tears streaming down her eyes, she quickly hurried out of the study. Eis turned to Winter. "See to it that she leaves."

Winter glared at her father. He blinked once and turned to stare out of his window again. All winter could do was bow her head and leave the room as well. She came face to face with the maid from earlier. "Miss Winter...is everything okay?"

Winter sighed. "You're better off not asking." The maid nodded nervously, and Winter made her way through the castle until she came to Weiss's room. The door was left wide open, so Winter let herself in. Tapping gently on the door as she entered, allowing Weiss to know that someone was present, she entered the room and glanced about. In the floor was Weiss's white dress, ripped to shreds in her haste to remove it. In the corner was a half naked Weiss, leaning against the wall with her face staring at the stone.

"Weiss," Winter began. "I'm so sorry. I...I didn't mean for any of this."

"What did you think would happen?" Weiss asked angrily. "This is father...this is Eis we're talking about." Reaching up, she tugged at her hair until the bun came undone, allowing her long hair to flow freely down her bare back. "He's the one who's the traitor. He's betrayed sense, reason, and the rule of law." She turned to Winter, the blood from her cut staining her face. "The man I let go didn't commit a crime, Winter. He was innocent. Please, tell me you aren't like Eis. Tell me you respect the proper rule of law. Only the guilty should be punished."

Winter sighed. "I didn't think. I assumed that the man claimed to be innocent. Most criminals do. But for you to go so far and release him...now that I think about it, he must have truly been innocent." She shook her head. "Father wants to scare the people into loyalty. You're right; he's breeding rebellion. It may not be this year, or the next, but it'll happen eventually if he keeps this up."

Weiss laughed to herself. "Perhaps my exile is a good thing. I won't be here when they chop off our heads."

Winter pulled out a handkerchief and approached her little sister. "I want my sister to be by my side when I'm the lord of Vale, Weiss. I don't care what father says. I had every intention of ruling side by side with you. I even considered stepping down from my inheritance. I don't want to be the lord. That title was always more suited to you." While she spoke, she wiped the blood off of Weiss's face. "I know it's probably not possible...but do you think you could try to meet his requirements?"

"What?" Weiss said shocked. "You want me to bring back a relic from the Tower?"

"I know, I know. It's crazy. No one has ever been inside of it. Hell, it may just be a solid piece of silver rock. But still, if there is a single chance that you can come back home to me, I hope you'll take it."

Weiss paused and thought about it for a moment. "Even if it's only to spite him, I'll do it." She laughed. "I won't stay even after that. I'll throw the relic at his feet, tell him to piss off, and then leave again."

Winter smiled. "Not the outcome I'd like, but I can respect that." Pleased that the wound was clean, she called for a maid to fetch Weiss some clothes. A few minutes later, and Weiss was wearing grey trousers, a white rough tunic, a brown leather belt, and brown leather boots.

Looking in the mirror, Weiss was disgusted by the cut on her face. "That'll leave a nasty scar."

"It's good though," Winter said. "No one will recognize you with your hair down and a scar on your face. It'll be as though Weiss Schnee had become a different person entirely."

Weiss nodded. "I suppose that'll do." Opening her personal wardrobe and pulled out a coin purse. She dumped its contents out and began to count out a week's worth of money when Winter came up from behind and poured all of the money back in. "What are you doing?"

"A week's worth, a month's worth...what's a few silver coins to us sisters?" Winter said with a wink. "Father will never know. I'll leave some of my own money in your room to make it look like you didn't take it all."

Weiss smiled. "There have been times that I despised being your younger sister," she said. "But right now, I'd like to be nothing but your sister."

Winter felt tears welling up, and she embraced Weiss tightly. "I will miss you." When they parted, Winter smiled. "I want my sister safe." She unfastened the rapier from her hip and gave it to Weiss. "Take it. I know you know how to use it."

"I would argue against it, but I've never won an argument with you."

"And you never will. Now go, before father comes to make sure you've left."

Weiss nodded as she fastened the blade to her right hip. Giving one final hug, Weiss made her way out of the castle. The guards escorted her to the market square and left her there on her own. She couldn't remember ever being left alone in such a crowded place, and she'd certainly never left the city before. Which way is the Tower? she asked. Looking up, she could barely see its shape in the distance to the east. But how do I get there?

To her right she saw two young women; one in a red cloak and one wearing a yellow shirt. The one in the cloak loudly proclaimed to the blonde in the yellow shirt, "I can't wait to get started! I'll uncover the Tower's secrets! Just you watch sis!"

The blonde chuckled. "We have to get their first, Ruby. We haven't left vale yet."

"Well, we need to get some provisions, right? That's why we're in the market!"

Weiss watched in amazement as these girls strolled by her, talking about going to see the Tower. There must be a god, she thought. Keeping a slight distance, she began to follow the duo.

It was rather easy, as the one in the cloak was the only one in the market wearing red. I'll find a relic in the Tower just to spite you, Eis.

Author's Notes

And so, our adventure has begun! What is the tower, and what does this fantasy version of Remnant hold in store? What secrets will the girls discover? Only time will tell!

Also, Blake will come into play eventually.

Please leave a review or a PM and let me know what you think. :D

Fun Fact: I intend to do something special with this story...you'll find that out later.

Till next time!