Disclaimer: Don't own shit besides the shit I'm going to publish.

Next Chapter has a decent start, just taking awhile as I try to figure out how to tie it into the volume one finale for Knights of Rose. So as an apology for the delay-though I have no set release schedule-here's some feelz.

First of the chapter Ans going to be removed. As a result, this may affect your ability to review this chapter. (This will be placed after the latest chapter update and with the previous AN removed, FF will think that THIS chapter is LAST chapter and I don't think you can review twice on the same chappy)

I don't respond to "interlude" reviews for the sake of simplicity anyway so don't worry about it.

(That said if you do go through the effort of somehow reviewing this, you da homie and I appreciate it! :D)

Featured BGMS

BGM: Priscilla's Song-the Wolven Storm-sung by Malukah (YouTube it).

Empire of Rose: His Rose (Basically my alternate to world of remnant)

(Obligatory warning that the following may contain suggestive themes though if you got this far, you know what to expect by now)

Everybody saw a different side of the Empress

So what side did the Knight Captain see?

-Empire of Rose: Castle: Private Garden-

The Empress hummed a soft tune to herself as she gently tended to her rose garden. Her hood was raised in an effort to block out some of the cold as snow fell down around her. Still, the weather did not faze her much as she continued to upkeep her garden. It was always a marvel to those who saw it, how the Empress managed to keep such beautiful crimson roses in bloom no matter the weather condition.

*clang*

Bright silver eyes widening at the sound, the Empress turned to find her Knight Captain kneeling in the snow, the banner of Vacuo held in his hands.

"Your majesty." Jaune said as he raised the banner towards her and gave her a smile that made her heart flutter in a way that only he could make it. "Radiant as always."

"Thank you, I always have had a knack for gardening." The Empress mused, a light smile on her face as she grabbed the flag from his hands.

"Yes, the garden is quite beautiful as well." Jaune said, almost as an after thought as the Empress' face flushed in way that she was sure wasn't due to the cold.

"Arise." The Empress ordered softly. Jaune did just that and the Empress took a moment just to take in the sight as she gently placed a hand on his chest plate, her hand almost burning from the sheer cold of the metal. "It has been a long time since we were last this close."

"Far too long." Jaune agreed, his expression turning sorrowful as he place an armor clad hand over hers before grabbing and raising it so that could place a chaste kiss on her knuckles. "I just wish we had parted on better terms. You were right, as always, I'm so sorry that we had to fight–"

"Don't. " The Empress interrupted quickly but firmly. "Don't you ever apologize for disagreeing. If you always agreed with me, I wouldn't need you as my tactician, now would I?" The Empress whispered, her lips quirking while her eyes seemed to glisten.

"We should get inside before you catch a cold." Jaune suggested making her laugh a bit before brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"I honestly did not notice how cold it had gotten."

"You're joking?" Jaune said, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "How does one not feel the beginning of frostbite?"

"Seems I do not feel much when you're away." The Empress stated so softly that Jaune almost didn't hear her.

But he did.

Pulling her close, Jaune wrapped his free arm around the small of her back as she rested her head on his furred collar.

"Let's get you inside, your majesty."

-The Empress' Quarters-

BGM: Priscilla's Song-the Wolven Storm-sung by Malukah (YouTube it).

*Slam!*

*Clang!*

Jaune slammed the door to her bedroom behind them as the hastily made their way inside, hungry, desperate kisses from both of them as the Empress and Jaune practically ripped each piece of his armor off. Vacuo's banner discarded to the side as Jaune placed Crocea Mors and Crescent Rose next to the fireplace.

With the utmost care, Jaune removed her crown and hood before gripping her dress and tearing it off of her, making her giggle.

A giggle.

It had been far too long since he had heard that sound. Clumsily, the two fell back on her bed. Lifting himself off of her, Jaune stared down at her with unhidden desire as she looked up at him in wonder, her silver eyes sparkling as she placed both of her hands on the sides of his face.

"Jaune…"

"Ruby?"

"Make me feel…" The Empress requested softly as she removed her hands and slid them down his bare chest, gently tracing the wounds that not even his aura could heal.

"Feel what?" Jaune urged her gently, making her bite her crimson lip.

"Mortal." The Empress said with a vulnerability that made his heart break. Leaning down, he proceeded to do that, placing a trail of kisses down the nape of her neck, hastily unbuckling his belt while she removed her bra. The Empress squirmed as his kisses got lower and lower until he reached her chest. Taking one of the buds into his mouth, he bit down gently making her gasp while he massaged the other with his thumb.

*Flash*

"Jaune Arc, short, sweet, rolls off of the tongue. Ladies love it!" A young Jaune said cockily while a fifteen-year-old Ruby looked at him skeptically.

"Do they?"

"T-they will!"

*Flash*

"Arc!" The Empress practically growled out, an unsaid order behind that one word as her knight Captain had the audacity to look at her with a smirk. The time for teasing was over. Reaching down, Jaune gripped her black-laced panties and ripped them off. "You owe me an entirely new outfit…"

"Worth it." Jaune said before he slid inside of her, making her eyes widen before she bit back a moan and gripped his back tightly to the point his aura flared as her nails tried to dig into his back. "Let it out." Jaune said, making her whimper before she opened her mouth and released a moan that refused to be held back as he began to move.

*Flash*

["Again!]

Ruby watched silently as Jaune trained in the forest, pushing himself to the edge as the voice that haunted them both instructed him. Many would claim that he was torturing himself, but she knew. Everyone healed in their own way.

This was not something she should be seeing.

Stepping back she turned and left the grieving knight, idly wondering if he would ever be able to move on.

Would she?

*Flash*

Flipping over, Jaune groaned as Ruby straddled him, her hands gripping the headboard until the wood cracked. Grabbing her rear, Jaune gripped each globe tightly as she began rocking forward. The entirety of the bed moved with each motion.

*bang!*

*Flash*

He did it, somehow he moved on, and with the girl of his dreams too. Ruby smiled brightly as she saw Jaune and Weiss walking hand in hand. Now that he had come into his own, he was a much better match for her partner.

"Ruby?" Ruby jumped when she found herself snuck up on before turning find a smiling Oscar behind her. As he took her hand into his, she couldn't help but be optimistic for the future.

*Flash*

She was a fool. Nothing had gotten better.

Ruby could do nothing but fall to her knees and cry alongside Jaune, holding him tightly, as the kneeled in the middle of his now destroyed hometown. Weiss had gone ahead to fight Tyrion but it was too late.

His family.

Weiss.

All dead from Tyrion's much more potent poison from his new stinger. They couldn't even have the drive for revenge to distract them as Weiss, magnificent huntress as she was, took Tyrion down with her before falling to the poison.

If she was better, faster, she could have gotten Jaune here quicker.

But she didn't.

She failed.

And her team would remain forever broken.

*Flash*

In the same month, Ruby found herself sobbing before the butchered remains of Oscar and Qrow. Jaune said nothing as he held her close. Deep down she wondered why he wasn't crying but the truth was she knew.

The man was just out of tears.

*Flash*

"Ruby!" Jaune exclaimed as he sat up and held the now sobbing woman. She held him tightly in return before pulling back and looking at him with a firm expression even as tears slid down her face.

"Don't stop. Help me forget." The Empress pleaded making his expression soften before he pushed her back gently and once more took control.

"Relax. I'll take it from here." Jaune said as he raised one of her legs and leaned in further before he continued to move. The Empress gave him a watery smile as more memories filled her. The day she used her power on Jaune.

The formation of the Knights.

Of her Empire.

Of Hope itself.

"I love you." The Empress gasped out. Three words that made Jaune look at her in surprise. Of course, he knew she did as she knew that he loved her. However, this was the first time he had ever heard those words from her.

"I love you too." Jaune said before tensing as both he and the Empress found themselves releasing their passion. The Empress' eyes shone with power, her vision going white, a pleasure shot through her very being. Panting tiredly, Jaune removed himself before laying next to the Empress, both of their chests rising and falling rapidly.

"We're not waiting that long again." The Empress aid firmly making him chuckle.

"I might have another tour–"

"Nope"

"But–"

"Nope." The Empress interrupted much more firmly. "You know how fast I am, there is nowhere you can go that I can't reach and return here within the same day."

"As your Knight Captain I don't approve…" Jaune trailed off before smirking at the glower she gave him, "but…I'll make sure to keep my tent open in the future, just in case."

"You're learning."

*Later*

"That sword is going to outlive my entire blood-line, I just know it." Jaune muttered as they sat on the rug in her room and stared at the fire place. The Empress was wrapped in her hood as Jaune held her close. Embers danced around Crocea Mors, illuminating it in the fire-lit room.

"Always appreciate the classics." The Empress said before frowning a bit. "I'm sorry, you know, with the way things are going I won't be able to help you with passing on that sword one day."

"Ruby–"

"I'm serious. Jaune, please, if something happens to me promise you will not shut down, that you will move on. That you will pass on that blade to your son."

"That…will be the only promise I can never make. If you fall, then more than likely I will be right next to you. If I'm not? I'll find a way to destroy that blade myself." Jaune swore making the Empress look at him in surprise. "A sword that can't help a knight protect his empress, or a man protect his woman, is not a blade worth having. That thing already has two strikes, you will not be the third." The Empress was going to respond but decided against it, it would only lead to pain. Instead, she closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. "I heard Ironwood fell in Atlas."

Shit.

The Empress tensed before opening her eyes and looking up to find him staring at the fire place, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Jaune, I–" The Empress struggled to find words as a single tear broke free and slid down his cheek.

"These tears aren't for him." Jaune said, confusing her as she watched his tears fall freely now. Looking down at her, he gently raised her face up. "What are you doing to yourself?" Jaune asked with a whisper that was filled with so much emotion, the Empress felt her heart clench.

"What needs to be done." The Empress said quietly, a broken smile appearing on her face. "I will protect you."

"And I will protect you." Jaune countered making her smile widen a bit as she looked at him knowingly.

"I know you'll try."

BGM: END

-Present-

"Every time I want to destroy this sword I find another reason to wield it." Jaune murmured as he sat on the roof with Ren, drinking tea as they stared up at the fragmented moon.

"I sort of know the feeling. Every time I think I finally have found my limit, my "I'll never", one look at Nora is enough for me to discard it." Ren mused. "Sometimes, I wonder if those women know even half of the hell they put us through."

"Probably, but truth be told we probably put them through just as much if not more so…karma?" Jaune suggested, making Ren smirk.

"Karma." Ren said, raising his cup before toasting it with Jaune. "By the way, now that you're freely talking about the subject, to me at least, I feel it's my duty as your closest male friend to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"Yourself and the Empress?" Ren began, raising an eyebrow. "Worst kept secret in the empire." Ren deadpanned, making Jaune blink before paling. "No one outside of our inner circle knew, mainly because I'd have to destroy the evidence. On the off chance you try to repeat your past performance with the next empress, please just be open. My time is valuable." Ren drawled, making Jaune open and close his mouth in a stunned stupor for a bit before shaking his head. There was so much that was wrong with what Ren had just said.

"Ren?"

"Hm?"

"I don't deserve you."

"No, you do not, I'm fabulous." Ren said bluntly before smirking as he heard Jaune choke on his drink.

End