Weiss was in her dressing room preparing herself for the ball, Blake was pulling at the corset on her dress. "Is everything alright milady?" Blake asked out of habit, Weiss knew Blake could tell that something was wrong. All Weiss knew was that Blake was more of a sister to her than Winter ever was. Normally it was the maids who would pull at Weiss' corset and do her hair, but these days she trusted Blake to do it. At 14, Weiss wouldn't would have let her do something as simple as bring her tea, never mind doing her hair and corset. In time, Blake had earned her trust, she knew deep down she wouldn't let any harm come to Blake.
"Another evening, another ball, life in the royal court becomes tiresome", Weiss said wistfully. Blake was there when she was first introduced into the royal court. Winter wasn't even there when their mother died. Weiss remembered that four years had passed since her mother's death. In that time, she wasn't sure if she could be the queen her mother wanted her to be. Her mother never approved of her father's disregard for the courtiers, the people were his main concern. Long before her introduction into the royal courts, she knew exactly what was expected of her. She felt Blake's fingers were intertwined in the ribbon laces, and she pulled at them, making Weiss suck in a breath. The corset was in place and Weiss stood tall in the mirror.
"You look lovely as always, milady", Blake told her. Blake also had much to learn since living in the palace, mainly how to walk five steps behind the crown princess at all times and curtsey to every lord and lady. She was still the little girl in the kitchens, just in nicer clothes. Ruby and Yang also had to walk behind her, but Blake had to make more of an effort not to overstep her boundaries. Sun was one of the few people who didn't care for such rules and boundaries. Blake thought back to when she left the palace for the first time with him, it wasn't a perfect time but she felt free. At the same time she had grown to care for Weiss as well, she knew she couldn't leave Weiss' side ether. If Weiss wasn't going to throw her duties away, then neither would she.
Weiss sat at her dressing table as Blake set about braiding Weiss' long hair. Suddenly someone knocked on the door. "Enter" Weiss commanded, Ruby and Yang entered the room in their ball gowns. "I take it the guest of honour has already made her entrance?" Weiss asked.
"Yes, but it's you they are waiting for your highness", Ruby chirped as she sat by Weiss' side.
"It would be best not to disappoint them," Yang told her as she stood next to Blake, who was securing the braided updo with pins and ribbons. For a moment the three of them were a tad worried she would outshine her own sister. Weiss stood up and left the room, Blake, Ruby and Yang were following behind her, and keeping their required distance.
As Weiss entered the ballroom, all eyes turned towards her. In their eyes she saw their hopes, their expectations, and she always told herself that she would meet them. Now as she glided through the crowd, she faced them all at once. She didn't want to dissappoint them, she wanted to be the queen that both the courtiers and the people needed. She always thought she had the strength to meet those expectations, she always told herself that she would never make Winter's mistakes. Among the crowds of people she saw Neptune watching her as well, but there was something else in his eyes, she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Weiss took her seat next to her father's left, whilst Winter sat on their father's right. The courtiers danced with one another and whilst the royal family sat in silence. "If I may ask father, how was everything in my absence? I know it must have been hard for you and mother" Winter asked their father.
Weiss dug her fingernails into her palms, whilst their father spoke in a loud booming voice "Weiss became quite the accomplished young lady in your absence, though you were certainly missed".
The whitewashed paintings would prove otherwise, but Weiss knew that their father missed Winter the most while she was away. She had returned, and returned with a daughter that would make their father happy. Even if it was only for a short visit, their father had missed Winter all this time. Weiss' mother wanted to forget her altogether, and taught Weiss everything that she knew. Weiss would never forget the years of intensive training that her mother thrust upon her, all because Winter left them. Weiss couldn't bring herself to simply forgive Winter, and she couldn't betray her dying mother's wishes. "Become queen, the greatest that the kingdom had ever seen. You need only remember your training, Weiss.", and with her last breath she was gone forever. Their father left the table to speak to some of the courtiers, leaving Weiss, her ladies in waiting and Winter alone at the table.
"Would the lovely crown princess be so generous as to grant me the honour of another dance?", Weiss needn't look up for she knew who was asked her.
Weiss' light blue eyes looked up to meet Neptune's brown ones, "the crown princess has something else in mind, something that she will ask of the charming fool later" she said.
Neptune gave her a slight bow before returning to the crowd. Weiss had almost wished he stayed, because then Winter wouldn't start pester her with questions. "You seem quite taken with him baby sister", Winter said.
"What makes you so certain I'm so taken with him?" Weiss replied coldly. Ruby and Yang sucked in a breath, sensing the sudden tension in the atmosphere.
"You speak with him often, you seem charmed by him, you-"
"Are throwing away your duties away over him?" Weiss muttered, cutting her off. "No Winter, I am not. Which is why I ask you to think nothing of it." Weiss snapped.
"Weiss, what happened while I was away? Why are you so cruel to me now?" Winter asked.
Weiss knew that Winter wouldn't understand how Weiss felt, being forced to take on her duties and responsibilities. In their mother's eyes, she discarded her duties with ease and without a care in the world. She couldn't rule a court and love a commoner, and so she chose her commoner. It was all very well for Winter to leave, as long as Weiss was there to pick up the pieces whilst balancing books atop her head.
"Answer me this Winter, did you ever wonder what became of me after you left?" Weiss asked her, in the most curt and composed voice she could manage. "Did you ever question how I became an "accomplished young lady" in your absence?" Weiss was trying to mask the anger rising in her. "Did you assume mother would give me a choice?" that question was left hanging in the air as Weiss stood up and walked away from the table. Winter didn't know how to respond, she couldn't stop her as she left, her energy was spent on fighting back tears.
Weiss searched for Neptune in the crowd, he was busy making chocolate coins appear from behind people's ears. She needed to think of other things, she needed to escape, she needed to lose herself in Neptune once more. She needed to venture into deeper depths, from which she would not wish to leave. Weiss knew what she was doing, she knew she had a duty to her kingdom. She couldn't stop her mind from drifting to their time at the lake and his strong embrace. Weiss wanted the courtiers and her sister to think nothing of it, any affection she had for him was to be kept hidden away. At that moment, she felt something wrapped in paper appear in her hang. She looked down a saw a piece of chocolate wrapped in red paper. "What was it that the crown princess wanted to ask of me?" Neptune's voice whispered in her ear.
"Only to find me in my boudoir later this evening" Weiss breathed "I trust you know which route to take".
With that, Weiss only mingled with the other courtiers for a short while. Quietly listening as the chatted to one another, nursing a goblet of wine in her hands. Her father had returned to their table and he was still talking to Winter. Blake had left the table with Sun, the other courtiers were unsurprised by this. "You'd think even a bastard would know", one courtier scoffed.
"Unsurprising, given her questionable lineage" another courtier muttered.
Weiss was in no mood for such rumours, especially lies about her half sister. No, that was not the proper word for Blake. She was more of a sister to her than Winter ever was, and should be regarded as such. Weiss had no energy to reign in what she would say next "I won't hesitate to send you all packing back to the manors from which you came," Weiss began, "if I hear any of you continue to speak ill of Lady Belladonna". Within an instant they obeyed her, Weiss could see their throats swallowing their words. They're loyalty and obedience to their future queen mattered more than their petty gossip. Weiss didn't stay long as she left shortly after, commanding Ruby and Weiss to follow her out.
"Is something troubling you your highness?" Ruby asked as they walked through the halls of the palace, "is this a matter concerning your sister?".
"I'd much rather not speak of it" Weiss told her, Yang and Ruby nodded their heads as they obeyed. As they reached the door to Weiss' royal apartments, there was a maid standing there ready to serve her. "I require a warm bath before retiring to bed, and I am not to be disturbed for the entire evening", she commanded. The maid nodded whilst Ruby and Yang returned to their own royal apartments. Weiss thought it best that no one know what would happen here later in the night.
Weiss sat in the warm bath, surrounded by a wall of aromatic foam and rose infused water. Her thoughts were of the visitor that she invited, the boy she never dare admit that she cared for. In the eyes of the courtiers, he was at most a plaything for a young lady like herself. Weiss fought to silence the part of herself that wanted to think of him as anything more, it was the part of herself that would ultimately destroy her. The maid dressed her in her silk nightgown before Weiss dismissed her for the night.
After the maid left, Weiss waited in the empty room staring up at the canopy over her bed. The minutes ticked by and Weiss felt like the kind of princess in a fairy story, waiting for her sweet escape to come and take her away. Impatiently and restlessly did she wait for it, she envied the princesses who were in a deep sleep in times like these...it took their minds off waiting. She eyed the latch on the door to the servant's stairway, almost willing it to turn. A simple turn of the latch and her mind would be free of this place, nothing else would concern her and for one glorious night she would escape. Her heart pounded in anticipation, she couldn't bear to be alone her room for a moment longer. The fire inside her threatened to burn the sheets being fisted in her hands, maybe even the whole palace, and herself with it.
Suddenly the door was opened and Weiss' eyes lit up. Through the door Neptune finally entered the room, her sweet escape had come for her at last.