Chapter 4:
Gathering the courage to meet with Headmaster Ozpin again was difficult, especially given her precarious situation. There was no doubt that she would need to further her skills, to truly understand and work with the crow. Yet to keep her own strength hidden from her father was both tantamount and a timebomb. He would know sooner or later if things were left the way they were. And with all that money at his disposal, few knew how far his reach truly went.
But finally, after waiting patiently outside his office and keeping the nerve to stay seated, the wooden doors opened and she entered. The setting hadn't changed. Nothing had, in fact. Perhaps she was looking for something to be different to help control herself further, but there was nothing to hold onto once the headmaster looked her in the eyes.
"Miss Schnee," the simple sentence made her gulp again. "I see that you have chosen to return to your classes."
"After your conversation from earlier, it was an easy decision." Winter's head tilted forward, cheeks burning just a little in shame. "I'm sorry about earlier. At the time I hadn't realized that I was throwing away both a responsibility and a privilege."
Ozpin didn't smile at her response, though there was a slight lull in their conversation. He blinked. "Miss Schnee, I understand that you wish to continue with your training, and I will accept that. There is a change in your countenance compared to when you were here the other day." When his eyes met hers again, she felt her jaw set, her fingers clench. "Still, there is something that has been bothering me. You see, as a hunter, you are trained that while you will have power and authority, it is meant to be used for the public good. It's something that is preached and drilled into the heart of many hunters, and you have been training to become one for a long time. I wonder, Miss Schnee - what might have happened to make you forget that?"
His tone wasn't meant to be accusatory, but the words themselves were more than enough. She licked her lips, trying to remain calm under his gaze. Eventually, though, she felt her neck give as her chin tucked into her chest just a little bit. Before speaking, her head turned to the sides, checking to make sure that the room was truly empty.
"Is…" she looked at the door, whispering, "Is there anyone outside your door?"
"Conversations at this level are meant to be private, and my staff understands and respects this. I would be surprised to see that someone is eavesdropping on us."
"... Would please you check?"
Ozpin studied her for a moment longer, blinked, and stood up. In a series of long strides he crossed the distance to the door and walked out, the door shutting behind him. For a moment he did not return and Winter thought that she had done something wrong. Before long, though, he returned, a full mug of coffee in one hand and a styrofoam cup filled with the same liquid. "I am sorry for the delay," he swiftly but sincerely apologized. "Since you were so insistent on our privacy, I decided to take a little tour of my office to spot if something was out of the ordinary." He placed the white cup in front of her and returned to his seat. "And my own cup had run dry, so I saw the opportunity to get a bit for you as well." Looking in, she saw that it was dark - no cream, and probably no sugar. "I hope you don't mind it black."
The last set of words stayed with her longer than it should, and she wondered if Ozpin had purposely left the coffee as-is for her. "Now then, I didn't see anyone out of place, and no one is by my door. Do you feel safe enough to answer my question now?"
She took a sip of the bitter liquid, grimacing just a little bit. "The other day, you spoke of me being afraid of my power. As I said, I'm afraid of what I may be made to do with it, even after your comparison. The power will not turn against me, and I am in full control of what he does." Her shoulders tensed, though, and if Ozpin noticed it he said nothing. "However, what I am specifically afraid of what I may be coerced into doing."
A tense silence fell across the two of them for a moment. Ozpin did not move, only batting his eyes once before taking a sip of coffee and setting the mug down. "Miss Schnee," he leaned back in his chair and threaded his fingers, "this is quite a claim you are making."
"My father… as you know, he is in control of the SDC." She bit her lip, fingers curling around the cup in hand. "We have some enemies, but more importantly there are… interests that a company has. I feel like my abilities and their growth would be put to use in unsavory ways."
There, she said it. Ozpin was a smart man. He could put two and two together, figure out what she was really saying. His shoulders rose and fell in a deep breath, but he said nothing, his eyes still looking into hers. But finally he blinked and began to speak. "Miss Schnee, I want to venture and guess that you are looking for protection. Is that correct?"
"In some manner, yes. I can protect myself, but it is those that are closest to me that I'm concerned for."
"A valid concern indeed. However," Ozpin leaned back in his chair, "your trainers report that while you have started to work with your summon, you've shown what is ultimately best described as reluctance to participate in most activities. I don't think you would make such a claim easily if you did not also believe that your summon was a danger. Yet we do not even know what your summon is. I would like to know more about your summon before I make any further suggestions."
This was it then. Winter was still scared of what could happen. What if Ozpin was under her father's thumb? What if she guessed wrong and brought herself right into her father's plans?
Her eyes trailed to the door. She was tempted to ask him to check again, but she closed her eyes and extended her hand. With a low glow, the blue-white circle birthed onto her open palm, and the crow fluttered out of it. Taking a small hop, he straightened himself and looked at the headmaster. His feathers ruffled for a moment before the image of his body appeared again.
"His name is Death," Winter said after a deep breath. "I've yet to see the full extent of his abilities or even develop what he's shown me so far, but his name alone should be enough to give an idea of what to expect."
Ozpin looked over the summon, his eyes gazing at the man. He seemed undaunted, unwavering in stance. Finally, though, he wet his lips and began to speak, taking a sip of coffee before he started. "I can begin to understand why you've been so unwilling at times now. As you mentioned, the potential behind even just the name is daunting." His gaze switched over to Winter. "With this in mind, I would first like to advise that as much as it pains me to say, I do not think that this academy is able to provide the privacy and protection you are looking for. We are a public entity of the state and thus funded by the taxes of the people. While withheld from the general public, other figures may be able to obtain access and compromise your position."
Winter bowed her head, trying to hide her concern. "I understand, sir."
"Now that that's out of the way, though," Ozpin brought his mug to his lips again and took a sip, "if you are looking for training under privacy and protection from your father's hands, I have a very important question for you. Would you be interested in a role in the military?"
To his credit, Ozpin recommended that Winter take some time to think about the opportunity. He knew what she wanted and showed her a way to obtain it. But it would be a life changing decision. She would be still be a hunter, yes, but one that was specifically tied to the military. She would have her privacy, but trade in many aspects of her freedom. And while he explained what she could expect with this choice, he asked that she take some time to see if this was the path she truly wanted.
She had nearly begged the man to let her begin, but in the end his patience won out and she agreed to at least wait until tomorrow. After her training ended, she returned to the estate and shut herself away in her room. She regretted lying to Klein, but stated that fatigue was getting the best of her that evening and would try to eat at a later time. A hungry stomach was better than another dinner conversation with her father. It held especially true when she was this close to finding an opportunity to escape his clutches.
When the door clicked shut, it was just herself. She strode over to the window, the one where she saw the lights for the first time. It was such a heavy sight, but she could not deny its beauty. Closing her eyes, she imagined all the white flickering lights, overpowering all of the luminescence that the city could offer.
There was brief shimmer to her side, and a gentle weight settled upon her shoulder. Little pinpricks from Death's feet gripped her shoulders, and she sighed.
"I don't recall summoning you."
"Mayhaps," his human voice resonated from the beak. "But you wanted to see it again, didn't you?"
When her eyes opened up, she felt her chest rise. There were those flickering white flames again, as uncountable as grains of sand. And yet to know what each one meant was a weight she still had difficulty imagining.
This could not fall into his hands.
She could not fall into his hands, and her eyes fell to the bird. "I cannot just keep calling you Death. You need another name, one that will keep you a secret from the others."
He remained silent, neck craning and feathers ruffling just a little at her unsaid question. "What is keeping you from naming me, then?"
She looked over the city again. "I… wasn't sure if you wanted to pick one for yourself."
A sigh permeated through the air, "I am Death, have been Death, and will always be Death. Any mere name I fathom for myself would not be enough." As he spoke though, Winter realized that his voice had changed. No longer was it tired, but it had taken on that of a woman. Her head snapped to the bird, to see the faint image of what she could only describe as a twin of his male visage, sharp red eyes piercing through the night. But instead of the angled chin and mottley beard, instead there was a round and soft face with untamed locks. She blinked in surprise, only to see that the image had begun to change again, shrinking into that of a smaller child. Then hunching over, skin wrinkling, gnarled knuckles just barely covered by the stretched and sagging skin on the hands.
But before long, he stopped morphing, returning to the middle-aged man she was familiar with - swept back black hair, red cape, and gray shirt. "But to you, I doubt that you see me more than just the bird I am, and first impressions are strong. You think me a male, do you not?"
She bit her lip, feeling her cheeks burn at his words. "If you wish for me to view you differently, I can try to-"
A light ruffle of feathers threaded against the side of her head. Angling her neck away just a little, her eyes turned to the bird and watched as it ruffled its feathers, its wings shaking almost violently, head bobbing back and forth. But it must have been humored, for his laugh echoed across the room. "Humans sometimes. Really. You know me as a bird, so why not just call me one, then?"
"Then…" Winter bit her lip. While he had made peace with her, she was still indebted to him. "Qrow. Qrow with a Q."
"Hm." The ghostly man turned to look her in the eye, as if to try and spot malice behind them. However, he seemed satisfied with her choice and looked back over the city. "Qrow it is, then."
A/N: Not too much happening in this chapter so far. However, we have a pivotal decision from Winter to go into the military. Not a whole lot to say, kinda - just Winter being cautious to make sure she's not caught. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Also, thank you The Mikaelson Cupcake for your review!
I'll see you all soon!
