Notes: In the future, Weiss's mom will be named Crystal, because I want to write more moments between mother and daughter. Crystal keeps in the theme of white for the family and cold. Thinking of doing a separate, not related to this story, Ironweiss fic of a costume ball. But I can't think of good costumes.
Side Note: Should I try to write Delphi less? I wonder if I'm using her too much.
Set after, Favor and the Night Before and Innocent Gestures
The Garden
General Ironwood stood in the center of the foyer. Weiss had been shocked to find that his main home, or rather her new home, was a mansion. It was a slightly old mansion at that, possibly as old as her own, but not old enough to be before the Great War.
"My grandparents started to build it, than my uncles and aunt had a go until it came to me. It was finished when Delphi started schooling at the Academy." He had explained to her.
"And you live here by yourself?" She marveled over how grand the manor was.
"Yes and no." He looked outside to study the grounds. "Delphi and I drop in from time to time, but we both work and here isn't the best for our jobs. It's too far from the school. So, I keep an apartment near there. And Delphi and I share homes. There's this manor, a beach house, and a cabin that are mine while she has a rebuilt temple and mountain hotel."
"You two must have worked hard."
"Hm, those were passed down to us." Ironwood replied tightly. "The temple belonged to her parents and the hotel a gift from a family friend when he… went. The cabin was my father's and the beach house my Uncle Copper. He also owned the manor, thought father and I both lived here by than."
"I see." Weiss frowned. Everything lead to death with him. Was there no common ground they could share?
"Ah, I just remembered something." He gently took hold of her hand. "Flora had an indoor garden made for her and her twin sister. It's just down this way."
Weiss froze when James opened a worn out wooden door. It was amazing. It was like a forest jumped inside. There was all kinds of flowers and plants not native to Atlas. There was no doubt that this had been built out of love and that each bud had been carefully cared for. There was even a pound in the center that perfectly captured the sunlight.
"Wow, and you're grandfather made this?" She awed over it all. It was like being in a fairy tale.
"No, my Aunt Flora did." He frowned slightly while Weiss turned in circles to look at everything. It was beyond words. "Her twin Fauna and herself, were big nature lovers. But living in Atlas, made their love of plants difficult. So, they set out to create their own little world." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It helped that my uncles and father traveled a lot. They would bring back different blossoms. Than there were some suitors that tried to win them over."
"Ha, ha." The Schnee hier chuckled. "I bet that must have upset your grandfather."
"No, I doubt it." James grinned. "From what I heard, he was a very loving man. A true being of culture, romance and class."
"And your aunts? Did they hide you away in here with them?" She beamed. "Playing princess and knights?"
"Uh, no. They did not." He heaved out. "They had… well, Flora had died before my birth and Fauna threw herself into working with children. She couldn't stand to look at this place. It was tainted to her."
"But it seems very well cared for?" Weiss noted. "Everything is growing and thriving."
"My Uncle Copper started restoring it when I was a boy." General Ironwood explained. "He brought me here to help. We pulled every weed and every dead tree up. We redid the pound and set new stones." He stopped to look at the pound.. "He told me all kinds of stories about them. He told me all about my uncles that didn't make it or the ones that just past. He never let me forget a signal one. In a way, this was made for all of them."
"So, this place means a lot to you?" She reasoned.
"It does." He nodded his head and smiled at her. "I've never brought anyone here but Delphi. This has always been a special place for my family and...Ms. Schnee…" He took a few steps closer to her. He gently raised her chin. "You are my family now. This place is yours now. If you ever have need, this is a place where the outside world doesn't exist. It's safe here… and it's all yours."
Her heart skipped a beat. She had never realized it before. But his eyes, they seemed to shine with the entirety of his soul. They were such honest, sad, lonely eyes. The eyes of a man that had seen much, lost more, but pushed to be better.
"Thank you." She whispered softly as she thought about her mother. Her mother had said 'After all this time, after all he's lost, he still gives more.' She turned her head towards a beautiful bush of roses. "It's beautiful."
"I'm...glad you like it." He studied her carefully. The light from the sun shined down on her, giving her a kind of holy glow. Pure, innocent, and untouched by the horrors her father had created. He was glad and assured that he had done the right thing all those years ago. Not just for Delphi and himself, but for Weiss too. Maybe, he hoped, it would ease the pain he felt over what he had done. "I need to go." He lied. "I have a matter I need to take care of. Do you think you can find your way back to the hall? We can meet there in a few hours and I can show you around. By then, I should have a layout I could give you."
"Yes," she nodded her head softly. She was thinking about the path they took to get her. "I should be able to get back there just fine."
"I'll see you in a few."
"Okay."
It felt so cold and awkward. It was as if they should have said more, done more, but what else was there to say and do. Sure, they were married now, but what of it. They were nowhere near lovers. They could hardly be called friends. In fact, Weiss had spent very little time alone with him growing up. James Ironwood did his best to stay out of the Schnee home and only stayed as little as he could. She knew him from passing moments and from Delphi.
James gave her a stiff nod before exiting. He still had to think of a way to tell his cousin and Winter. He wondered how long he could go without telling them. Possibly a year. After all, he didn't need to tell anyone the date or year of their marriage. Plus, Weiss and he were going to have a public ceremony at some point. They could always act as though their relationship just happened over the course of the year and not a mere act of desperation on Weiss's part and nobility on his part.
Though, he imagined people would view it more as taking advantage of her time of need.
Meanwhile, the new Mrs. Schnee took the time to explore the area. It was shockingly large with no clear paths. It must have been in the very back of the building because she hadn't noticed it in the drive up. She paused at a small patch of grass with two large trees covering it. A small stream passed through the roots. It was like a forest has picked up and dropped here.
And she loved it.
Weiss rested on her back. The cool air brushed her hair across her was a beautiful place, nearly as nice as her own. It was shocking to know it belonged to the general. He had always appeared so strong, upright and disciplined. General Ironwood was always in an office or doing some kind of business, never out of uniform. So, she had never imagine him surrounded by so much green. She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep. It was the first restful sleep she had had in ages.
