My eyebrows shoot up when I check my personal scroll for the first time in three months, finally able to get a data wireless connexion rather than relying on classified-only wi-fi now that I have arrived at the Argus base in Mistral rather than engaging in reconnaissance against the White Fang in Menagerie.

Don't know when you'll get this, but turns out my niece is on a team with your sister. ;) Sounds like they're slowly starting to like each other, too. Good sign if I ever saw one. xoxo Qrow

I roll my eyes, but I also cannot help but smile when I reply.

Good to know. I won't have a connexion for very long, but I'll check in on Weiss to see how she's doing. Love you too. Will confirm if what you're saying is true.

He responds almost immediately.

Haha Win, very funny. But, seriously, tell Carmine I love her. I'm sure she's even more excited than you to no longer be cooped up around a secret base while you work.

I look over to where our six year old daughter is playing video games on her laptop.

"Min," I snap my fingers towards her. She looks up, smiling. I come over to her, press a light kiss to her forehead. "Dad says he loves you. I can put him on the phone for you. I have to get a couple of things in order, but then I'll take you to dinner. Does that work?"

She nods and, the second the line clicks on, I hand her my personal scroll and she immediately starts babbling to her father. I can only imagine how happy Qrow is to hear her voice; if there's one person he loves most, it would be her. I feel the exact same way, which, I am sure, is why we are not only good parents but happily married. After all, we have more than just our love between us.

My military issued scroll buzzes in my pocket, and I slip into my bedroom in our base-issued housing to answer the video call, closing the door as I enter it.

"General Ironwood, sir," I set my scroll down on the desk and primly take a seat. "Did you receive the information I gathered?"

"Yes," He replies. "I presume you're relieved to be back on at least one unsecure, non-governmental network?"

"For the sake of my daughter and husband, yes," I pause, frowning. "Has Qrow been in contact with you at all, of late?"

"Sporadically," He attempts to hide his irritation but, alas, it is to no avail. "But that's not what I needed to communicate with you so urgently. As you are on a need-to-know basis on the subject of the maidens, I have not brought this up before now, but the Fall Maiden is in grave condition. She's sustained, but only by life support; completely comatose. And," He says as almost an afterthought. "Part of her power was stolen."

My stomach sinks, and it is an absolute miracle that my face does not fall to betray that fact.

"How is that possible?"

"I'm not quite sure," He admits, his eyes narrowing when he begins to look through some reports I cannot see. "But it is seriously concerning."

I purse my lips, silent for a few seconds, gruelling as they may be.

"Sir," I finally say, perfectly calm and composed. "If I may ask, what is the status regarding the maidens?"

He looks back away from the reports, his eyes ever so briefly widening in surprise.

"We have no idea who the Spring Maiden or the Summer Maiden are," He replies.

I raise an eyebrow. "What about the Winter Maiden?"

He hesitates.

"We still don't know anything of her status either."

"But do you know who she is?" I press, though I immediately regret it. It is absolutely not in my place to ask that, and even more so in the strictest context of work. "Sorry. I'm sure it's difficult to know much about any of them."

He curtly nods. "That is correct, Schnee."

"May I have permission to ask about the Fall Maiden?"

"Yes."

I pause, taking a moment of careful thought. I cannot let my tongue slip again, that was completely unprofessional and inappropriate of me.

"How old is she? What do we know of her?"

He lets out a heavy sigh.

"She's fourteen years old, was a wandering traveller," He pauses, curling his hands together. "Qrow was the one who rescued her. From what he said, she was attacked by a woman in about her mid to late twenties, somewhat curly, bobbed, black hair, pale skin, gold eyes he described as 'cruel, jaded, harsh, cat like,' and was wearing a short, low cut red dress, and approximately eight inch, black heels."

"Do we have any idea, from that, who her attacker was, then?"

He shakes his head. "Apart from the physical characteristics, all Qrow was able to gather was that she used a semblance, but he couldn't quite place what it was, let alone recognise it. She was with two others a couple of years younger than her, who seemed to be accomplices. As I said, she stole some of Amber's powers, and has therefore about half of the power of the Fall Maiden, an incredibly dangerous feat and a powerful one at that. To quote your husband, 'she doesn't strike me as someone to be fucked with.'"

I glance to a photo of my own daughter on my desk, horrified by the mere thought of her ever becoming a maiden. Until she reaches at least forty, she will be able to inherit the powers, a thought that has more than once given me sleepless nights.

He continues. "Amber, for her part, seemed to be very trusting, very naive, and that makes sense for how young she is. Fought with a staff and her powers as the Fall Maiden, and did not seem to recognise her attacker or the two others with her. But other than that, we don't know anything else."

"It's disgusting anyone would do that to another person, let alone a child," I steady my voice. "My apologies again, sir, I find the topic particularly sensitive as a mother myself."

"I understand," He pauses again but then shakes his head. "I will be in touch with any other information and orders. For now, as you have been notified, you have a month off. Please take it to relax and recuperate. I am sure you more than need it."

He logs off the call. I turn off my scroll, and lean back in the chair, closing my eyes for a brief, few seconds.

Who could be so heartless as to do something like this?