Hey everyone! Wyn here with another chapter of this little story of mine. I will also be making a few announcements as well, so bear with me.

1. This will be the last chapter I will be posting until I have finished preparing for White Rose Week. I am making excellent progress however, and plan on being finished long before the week begins in June.

2. Wolf Queen Fans, I do have the next chapter started! I have been working on it in between prompts, and hopefully I will be posting it soon.

3. A Mountain's Rose fans, be patient please. We have the next chapter started, but are a good bit away from having it done.

And finally...

4. Huntress of Love Fans. I love all of you! I really do! But I'm suffering from some severe writer's block with that one, and Celestial has been very busy IRL. Don't fear, we haven't forgotten it!

Thanks for listening, and I'm so sorry for all the different updates, but I love all my readers alot, and do like to keep you all in the loop! Now, without further ado, on to the next chapter!

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James Ironwood sets down his cup of coffee and begins to think of everything Willow Schnee has just told him. Her story had been anything but what he expected to hear from her, and the fact that she willingly confessed to all her crimes committed in the effort to bring down her hated father meant he needed to consider his options carefully. So, he decided to focus on the facts.

Fact One: Jacques Schnee willfully and successfully blinded his own daughter with a mixture of dust types that is still relatively unknown. He isn't surprised by this fact. It is been well known rumor that he has been physically abusive with his own children in the past, rumors that Winter herself confirmed when she came to work under him in the military. Jacques has also been a thorn in the side of the Atlesian government since the day he took control of the SDC. And as the longtime head of said government's military, he especially hates dealing with the haughty and arrogant businessman.

Fact Two: Willow has admitted that she is an assassin for the White Fang, and that she is responsible for several recent high profile assassinations within the governments of Mistral, Atlas, and Vacuo. Again, he isn't surprised by this fact. He knew her mother personally, and unfortunately still knows her Uncle as well. Both of them are still well respected in Atlas, and Alex is, especially now considering his recent actions, still feared there. He already knows several allies of Jacques that are most likely hiding in terror right now, fears of the Black Snow and now the Mountain knocking on their doors a very real possibility.

However, Willow did also provide proof that those she assassinated were not just in league with the powerful businessman, but were some of the ones responsible for allowing the rumored conditions at the many dust mines owned by the SDC. If all she showed him is to be believed, these men and women had committed crimes akin to high treason in Atlas alone, nevermind the rest of the world at large. She gave him every last piece of evidence willingly, keeping copies for herself as well. He gives her credit for that, she is most definitely Snowy Schnee's granddaughter in that respect, as well as Ada's daughter.

Fact three: If he tries to leave with the assassin in chains, he will no doubt return to Atlas inside a very, very small box. Weiss is hovering protectively over her twin, the glare she is leveling upon him speaking volumes. And even a blind wolf faunus like Willow can feel the heat radiating from Kate as she stands just outside the living quarters door, the forge a much safer place to contain the heat generated by her fire based hereditary semblance.

Contrary to Alex's and David's personal beliefs, he isn't a fool. Willow has handed him more than enough proof to destroy much of her father's influence in Atlas alone, not to mention Mistral as well. Vacuo however is a different story. No doubt the government there is more firmly in his pocket than outside of it, and no amount of proof there could change their minds.

But he also knows exactly who to send the information to, and just how she'll use it as well.

Conclusion: For his own personal safety, offer her the same bargain he offered his former officer and her older sister Winter. Then…

"General? Will this take much longer?" Weiss asks, disrupting his train of thought. "I wish to do something with my doltish sister, and it takes time as well as a good bit of aura to do."

He raises an eyebrow in curiosity, but decides to move forward. "Then I will make your twin the same offer I recently made to your older sister. And that is exile from Atlas in exchange for the information she has given me, as well as no fear of a trip to the gallows for her as well." He states clearly, privately relieved that Kate's semblance begins to cool down.

Willow nods. "We have a bargain then, General. I… I've taken enough lives in the past three years. I only have one more to take before my tasks are completed." She informs him quietly. "And it is one that I owe as repayment for a debt."

This does get his attention, and he opens his mouth to speak when Kate's semblance flares almost dangerously, causing several nearby students to squeal in alarm. Realizing that he is about to cross a point of no return, he wisely closes it back and simply nods.

Weiss smiles as she offers her hand, her right eye changing from her normal sky blue to a brilliant ruby red. "We thank you, General." She declares in a voice that seems like an odd echo of itself. "We are glad to see that you are indeed a man of honor, as we were raised by Mama to believe."

James Ironwood nods as he stands and takes her hand firmly, giving it the traditional three shakes of acknowledgement recognized in Atlas. "You have my word, Miss Schnee and Miss Schnee. Your father will pay a heavy price for his crimes in Atlas. All you have given me will not be wasted."

Kate giggles as she walks up and takes his arm. "Come, I'll escort you out." She declares as she smiles. "After all, it's been some time since we've been able to talk, James."

He nods as he raises his arm to support hers in a courtly fashion. Deciding to change the subject, considering her extremely close proximity as well as the fact that her temper is every bit as volatile as her deceased sister in law's, the two of them chat as they leave the forge and walk the short distance to the school's airship docks.

But, his heart stops as he spots a face he hasn't seen in over a decade now. The face of a woman who died to save his country as well as the entire world, hopping down from an arriving bullhead and dashing away quickly in the direction of the forge he just left.

"Ah, I see you spotted Ruby." Kate chuckles as she also spots the Reaper, a trail of rose petals in her wake. "I believe she and Weiss are discussing the possibilities of entering into a relationship."

"Wait." James Ironwood stops in his tracks and looks in the direction Ruby vanished into. "She's Summer and Qrow's child? The eldest?"

Kate nods as she smiles. "Yes. And we are all excited to see her here and following in their footsteps. Ruby has already begun to cast a shadow of her own, Weiss willingly at her side."

He stays silent for several moments, digesting this new information and comparing it to what he already knows through rumors, the tabloids, as well as his own information sources in the less than savory parts of every nation. "Kate, you know Weiss is betrothed to Jaune Arc, correct?" He asks cautiously, paying close attention to the shorter woman to gauge her reaction.

"I am aware." She replies as her eyes narrow. "Salem and I are more than prepared to go and have a word with her, if no other options are left to us before we pass any kind of point of no return." She explains carefully. "We do not believe that Weiss and Jaune should be forced into something they themselves do not desire."

Thinking quickly, he comes to a decision. One he knows he may regret in the short term, but if it works, then will both aid two young couples in love, as well as spite Jacques Schnee. "Then I'll go ahead and send my students chosen for Vytal early." He looks down and smiles. "Penny has been furious that I haven't allowed them to leave yet, and is getting harder to control."

Kate tilts her head, confusion on her facial features. "Penny?"

James Ironwood smiles, a small part of him enjoying the fact that he knows something the Burning Queen doesn't know. "Persephone Polendina, the daughter of Hephaestus and Antonia Polendina and perhaps one of my favorite students." He replies as his smile grows wider. "And the woman who Jaune truly loves."

"WHAT?!"

"Heh heh heh." It's not every day he gets to surprise his well informed former professor, and he plans to enjoy every last second of it.