Chapter 10
Author's Note- Hello people. Sorry for taking a break from writing. Most of it had to do with school and me being busy, but also because I couldn't think of stuff. This is what I have put together over the last couple months and I hope to start having some more time as school comes to a close, but no promises. Thank you all for reading if you still follow me. Please read, comment and enjoy!
The girls went to bed that evening with that hope in mind as snow began to fall more steadily by the hour. While it was peaceful for most of the night, at about one or two that next morning Ruby woke up, oddly cold. She sat up and realized that there was no power, and that the house was freezing cold.
A soft knock sounded on the door to the bedroom, and Weiss looked inside.
"Ruby, are you awake?"
"Yeah."
Weiss turned on a flashlight and walked over. "Well as I'm sure you noticed, the powers out so I just came to check and make sure everyone is okay."
"I'm fine, just a little cold." the redhead girl replied.
Weiss walked over and gave her the coat she was wearing. "This will have to do. I think Alfred is going to start a fire in the fireplace if you want to come down. There are some extra blankets I can get if you need."
"That will be fine; I'm used to sleeping in cold weather so I might just stay here."
"Alright, but come get me if you need something." She left a flashlight on the nightstand next to her and left to go check on Yang, who couldn't be bothered to wake up, so Weiss left her alone. Alfred had started a small fire and made some tea. They sat and watched the hungry flames burned the wood that they desired.
Sometime later, Ruby walked down to join them and Weiss threw the blanket she was under over her friend as they sat next to the warm hearth, eventually falling asleep next to each other.
Yang also happened to walk down, only after the two had fallen asleep. When she walked in she noticed the two girls sleeping soundly on the floor. She smiled and sprawled out onto a chair for the remainder of the evening
The next morning, Weiss awoke next to the few remaining embers of the fire, still warm and comforting. She lie there for a moment, gazing into the depths of the coals as she regained her consciousness. However, during that moment she realized something.
"Uh...Ruby?" She said softly, nudging the girl in the side. She blinked awake and almost immediately notice what Weiss was thinking.
While earlier when they both lied down the two was evenly separated on the ground, Ruby now was pushed right up against Weiss, having also slung her arm around the girl's torso. Ruby's face lit up pure red, and she immediately withdrew her arm and rolled across the floor, covering herself with the blanket.
Meanwhile, Weiss sat up and laughed at the awkward situation. She didn't mind the contact, which she felt was weird, mainly because she knew Ruby probably didn't mean to do it.
"It's okay Ruby," she told the cowering girl, "random things happen sometimes."
This didn't appear to reassure the girl, and it appeared to Weiss that Ruby was in the midst of another string of anxiety, which she had thought had mostly dissipated between the two of them. She patted the girl on the head and left for the kitchen to get some breakfast.
She leaned against the counter, munching on an apple, watching the snow still fall lightly. It was gorgeous, spread across the mountains that the house overlooked, undisturbed, pristine in its form. She remained there until more people began to wake and enter the kitchen. Power was back on so Alfred made them all a quick breakfast.
"So," Weiss asked them, "want to go look at the snow later?"
Yang didn't seem too interested and shrugged her shoulders, whereas Ruby seemed excited to go out and explore, nodding her head quickly. This made Weiss happy and as they finished she quickly gathered together any snow gear she could provide.
Carefully, the girls exited out onto the snow covered patio. Almost half a foot of the white powder had fallen and continued to fall. The group thumped around, getting a feel of the conditions.
"Hey Ruby," Weiss said in a musical tone, rustling her hands through the snow, "do you want to build a snow..."
Thomp! A snowball nailed the girl in the face, causing her to fall back into the snow. She brushed the snow off her face and looked up to see both girls bent over with laughter.
"What was that for!?"
"It was necessary." Yang replied, "Besides, I hate that movie."
"Whatever." Weiss began to gather snow and soon an all-out war had started between the three. Snowballs of various shapes and sizes flew left and right, covering the girls in the white substance.
The exchange occurred for a good while, until Ruby could barely throw any longer. As a result, Yang came and shoved her sister into the snow before flopping down herself. They laid there and made snow angels before Weiss came and tossed a revenge blast of snow into Yang's face.
The girls sat there, laughing, as Alfred came outside, alerting them of the hot drinks awaiting them inside, to which they delightfully partook of. They all sat by the fire they had been next to, trying to dry off and collect their warmth.
Minutes later, Alfred entered holding the phone with a grim expression on his face. "Telephone, Miss Weiss."
Weiss took it and watched as the large man scurried off.
"Hello?"
"Hello Weiss."
"Shit" Weiss thought the second she heard the voice come over the phone. "Hello father."
"I am calling to announce that I will be arriving within the next hour. Please be prepared to talk, as we have things to discuss." He hung up before Weiss could respond.
She set the phone down and sat down, holding her hands over her face.
"What's wrong Weiss?"
She sighed and looked up at the redhead girl, with her bright expression filled with curiosity and concern.
"My father is making an unannounced arrival within the hour."
"Cool. It will be interesting to meet him" Yang said.
"Believe me; you really don't want to meet him." She stood up, "if you will excuse me I need to help prepare for his arrival." She ran off, reappearing later to clean the room. The hour passed quickly by, leaving Ruby and Yang alone while she was gone. It was around that time that Weiss ran into the room.
"He's here. I don't know how he is going to react to you guys being here, so be prepared for that."
Moments later, Alfred opened the door and in stepped a tall man, dressed in a black business suit with blue dress shirt and white tie. He stood a head taller than Yang, and looked down through his small circular spectacles over the bridge of his nose at the three of them.
"Good afternoon, Weiss." He said in a less than pleasant tone.
"Good afternoon Father."
The man turned his gaze towards Ruby and her sister. "Who are these two?" He is voice sounding stuck up, as Ruby had imagined he would from the way Weiss had described him.
"These are my friends Ruby and Yang from Beacon," Weiss responded," they got kicked out of their apartment earlier in the break, so I offered for them to stay here."
Weiss's father gazed down at the girls, the small hint of disgust on his face at the thought of dealing with the lower class such as Ruby and Yang. He wrinkled his nose and turned his attention back to his daughter.
"They will have to wait elsewhere while we discuss things. Alfred, bring them somewhere where they won't disturb us."
"At once sir." The man replied nervously. He then began to shuffle the sisters towards the kitchen.
As they did so Weiss's father turned towards the living room and motioned for Weiss to follow. "Sit." He said, pointing towards the couch. He sat and rested his leg over the other, leaning back to think for a moment.
"I suppose you know the reason why I am here."
"Yes sir."
"I believe we had our agreement, did we not?"
"We did."
"Then why has it not been followed?"
"Do you want my honest answer?"
"Humor me."
"This relationship agreement you set me up with never provided any gain for either parties involved. Neither I nor he held any interest in each other. I for one was not interested in dating, and he fell into a relationship with another person.
The man took a deep breath. "It is all perfectly logical, and I see why you did it, however let me ask you one thing. Do you think I care?"
"No sir."
"THAN WHY DID YOU DISOBEY ME!?" He yelled.
Weiss shrunk back in her seat, attempting to speak before he interrupted her.
"Neither me nor my business partner can afford for this arrangement to fail. You will continue to be in a relationship with this boy until either I see fit for you to end it or you are married. Is that clear?"
Weiss held her head in her hands and drew a deep breath. "No."
"What did you say?"
Weiss looked up and glared at him. "I said no." She said angrily.
"You have no authority to say otherwise."
Weiss became furious. She stood up and stormed off into the direction of the kitchen where the girls and Alfred sat eating. She placed her hands on the travel and took several deep breaths.
"Weiss Schnee!" He father's voice boomed throughout the house beyond the swinging door that lead into the room. The door flung open and he stood there yelling. "MY DESICION IS FINAL! YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO OBEY MY ORDERS!"
Weiss took one final deep breath before turning to face him. "No, I refuse to obey your ridiculous orders. I am done with you commanding me. You can no longer force me to do anything by any right."
"I HAVE ALL THE RIGHT!"
Weiss stared directly into his face, her eyes filled with fury.
"YOU HAVE NO GODDAMN RIGHT ANYMORE YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!" Weiss collapsed back onto the table edge, realizing what she had just said to her father. The other three in the room remained in shock as well.
Weiss's father stood up straight adjusted his tie and jacket. "Very well then. You are hereby removed from all amounts of authority under both me and your mother. You will no longer have access to any of our money or possessions, including this house. You will be given full payment for your college courses, as well as $10000. After that you are on your own. Tomorrow morning you are to have everything packed and Alfred will drive you to Signal, as it is the closest major town aside from this one. I give you my best." He turned and left.
After a moment Weiss turned and looked at the other three. "Did...did I just...what just happened?"
"It appears as if you have been disowned Miss Schnee." Alfred answered.
Weiss took a deep breath and looked at the three of them. "Shit." Was all she said before passing out onto the floor.