Chapter 16:
My Queen

"Are you excited?" Ruby asked as she climbed onto the bed after switching the lights off, Weiss rolled over onto her side and blinked her eyes open to look at Ruby. Ruby smiled down at her and shifted so that she was comfortably hovering over the young CEO. Weiss hummed and returned the smile, "Tired already, Princess?"

Weiss chuckled weakly, "Of course, we've had a long week. . ." She replied, turning over on her back and folding her hands over her stomach. "Sure, I'm excited, but I'm worried as well. . ." If Ruby had to be honest with herself, she was nervous too. She couldn't explain it, but she felt as though she was being watched somehow, but Yang insisted that it was just the 'wedding day jitters' beginning to develop.

Ruby furrowed her brows and leaned down, lightly resting her weight on top of the woman. Weiss' arms lifted and draped across her back, Ruby set her head in the crook of Weiss' neck. She let out a contented sigh before asking; "Why are you worried?"

"Just. . . Paranoid, I suppose." Ruby waited for Weiss to continue, letting her know that it was safe to talk to her. She could confide in Weiss with anything, and vice versa. At least, she hoped that Weiss felt comfortable enough to do so. . . A small smile came to her lips when Weiss spoke again, washing her fears away. "It's just, the whole thing with my father and cancelling the engagement went far too quickly. It's like, it was all planned somehow, it feels as though somebody's watching us and we fell right into their trap."

So she wasn't the only one, she wasn't crazy. . . Ruby lifted herself up again to look at Weiss, "I know what you mean. . . I feel it, too." she offered a reassuring smile, "Yang says it's just the wedding jitters, though. Nothing to worry about."

"I hope so. . ."

"Yeah, me too."

"Alright! Up, up, up!"

Ruby blinked her eyes open as their hotel's bedroom door was roughly thrown open, though the voice that had rudely woken her from her slumber sounded like Yang. The lights flicked on and she groaned, shielding her eyes from the brightness by pulling the blankets up over her head. Her senses began to fade again as she slipped back into her dreamworld.

Her eyes flew open when blankets were suddenly snatched off of her body and her arm was pulled, her weight shifted to the edge of the bed and panic rolled through her. 'I'm being attacked!' Her mind snapped to consciousness and she kicked her legs out as an attempt to throw her opponent off. In the process, she'd managed to tumble out of bed and into a heap of blankets and tangled limbs. Wait, where was she? What was going on?

"Ruby?" Ruby's attention snapped up. Weiss. The baby. Her family was in danger. . . A surge of protectiveness rushed through Ruby and, her body pumped with adrenaline, she kicked the blankets off in one motion, quickly scrambling back to her feet and she whirled around to face the attacker; all she saw was a blur of yellow that her tired brain registered as an attack. Ruby quickly shifted her torso and hips to the right, positioning her arms to give the impression she was about to throw a punch. In a swift movement, she brought her leg out and up to deliver a hard kick to the intruder's side.

"Woah! HEY! Ruby!" Ruby's vision cleared when Yang quickly grabbed her leg, reeling her back to her senses. "Okay, that was a nice kick, but you still need some more training." She released her leg and Ruby stumbled to regain her balance, "If you thought I was attacking you, you should have acted on defense and not offense." Yang tossed a pile of clothes at her that Ruby scrambled to catch.

Once she had them gathered in her arms, the adrenaline fading away when she finally got a grasp on reality, Ruby was grabbed by the elbow and practically dragged out of the room. "What's going on?" She glanced over her shoulder when she heard Weiss, who was now sitting upright in bed with Blake by her side. Yang swung the bedroom door shut when they were out in the hall and turned to her with a bright smile.

"Now that that's over, let's go!"

Ruby rubbed her eyes, "Did you have to barge in there like that?" She asked, turning around and stepping into the bathroom to change. Yang released a quiet groan that didn't go unnoticed by the young woman.

"Did you have to attack me?" Yang countered, "I know you've been on the edge all week, since we had Jackass removed from the office, but I didn't think you that bad!" She leaned against the wall as Ruby closed the door. "Is this still about the whole 'being watched' thing?" Yang asked from outside the bathroom.

Ruby opened the door a minute later and stepped out. She hummed, "Yeah," she replied carefully, "Weiss feels it too. . . I don't think it's just wedding jitters, Yang."

Yang shrugged in response, placing a hand on Ruby's back. "If the Ice Queen feels it as well, then it's definitely just nervousness. Now come on! We've wasted enough time here and Blake is probably waiting for us to leave." Ruby tossed her night clothes to the couch, Yang laughed from behind her while opening the door. "I love how they made the hotel look like a literal apartment. Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, a small lounge. . . Rather cozy! I'd live here, if I could!"

"It's a resort, Yang."

"Yeah, that's the word. Still, I'd live here."

Ruby chuckled, shutting the door behind her, "Yeah. I know." She turned back to Yang, wearing a smirk. "But don't you and Blake basically live in hotels, anyway? I mean, you're almost always on the move and never stay in one place." While she spoke, Yang spun on her heel and began walking away from the hotel with Ruby following closely behind.

"I'll have you know, Ruby," Yang started as they began down the staircase, "I've stayed here in Atlas for longer than I'm comfortable with. Now, I hope you're ready for the flight to Vale because that's where we're going right now."

Ruby raised a brow, "Right now? Yang, it's eight in the morning and the wedding isn't until seven-"

By now, they were already heading down the street and in the direction of the airport docs. "I'm aware, but I thought maybe you would like to see the family again before you're married, have your own little family, and forget all about us!" Yang laughed and threw her arm around Ruby's shoulder, "This is your last day as an unmarried woman, little sister, we need to make the most of it. Plus, you owe me," Yang pointed a playfully accusing finger at the brunette, "we decorated for you."

"Alright," Ruby sighed, "why do I feel like we'll be making major changes to y'all's design choices?"

Yang blinked at her and withdrew her arm, "Well. . . Weiss might." Ruby sent her sister a disapproving glare, "Hey, you two are the ones who agreed to let Dad, Qrow, and me decorate everything! Don't judge us, we had only Dad's advice to go off of and that wasn't much help."

"We only left you in charge of that because Weiss had a lot of stuff here to take care of before the wedding! Such as informing everybody of Jacques' unfortunate 'retirement' and announcing Wisteria as her heir." Ruby paused for a moment, "She's still filtering out shady business partners, but it isn't going well because some are unwilling to accept her as the new CEO and are giving her a hard time about her position. She's trying to get everything running smoothly despite the recent attacks, she's still trying to figure out who is behind it all. It's like. . . It's all linked somehow, and this feeling of dread just keeps getting stronger and we can't ignore it."

Ruby hung her head dejectedly, worried for her fiancee's health. If she kept stressing herself out like this. . . "It's only been a week, but it's taken a toll on her. Especially with the wedding coming up and the world expecting a marriage between her and Liam. . ." Ruby started picking at her fingernails nervously, "Then there's the baby. . ."

Yang sighed again, "Yeah," she whispered in agreement, "I can imagine how stressful it is for her. . ." Yang drew in a deep sigh and somehow, Ruby knew what she was about to ask. She'd asked the same question countless of times since she'd proposed, and Ruby always gave the same answer. "Ruby, are you sure you want to get married this young? I mean, you're only twenty. . ."

Ruby smiled, having already prepared her response. "I'm positive," she began gently, "we're huntresses, Yang, we often don't live very long lives. I also have silver eyes, and I've had people come after me wanting me dead simply for my eye color. . . People have come for Weiss wanting to kill her because of her Schnee heritage, or for crimes her father commit. This is Remnant, Yang, this isn't a fairytale story with a happy ending. . ." Ruby glanced away, "As huntresses, sooner or later, the horrors of this world will crush any source of happiness in our lives." Silver eyes met lilac again and Ruby straightened her posture, "I want to cherish my source of happiness for as long as the world will allow me to."

Ruby felt a smile tugging at the corners of her lips and tears came to her lips, "That happiness is found with Weiss and our baby. . . My family."

Yang stared at her for a minute as Ruby slowly came back to reality, nervousness and anxiety bubbling up inside of her when she was met by silence. "I mean, uh, yeah, I'm sure I wanna get married. I love her, and we're expecting a baby, so it'd be kinda weird if we didn't get married. Plus we're already engaged and have been for nearly-"

"Ruby, you're rambling," Yang interrupted, wearing an amused smirk, "I know you love her. You yelled it out for all of Beacon to hear."

Ruby blushed wildly, grinning and chewing on her bottom lip, "Well, she yelled it back, so. . ."

Yang just laughed and grabbed Ruby's shoulders, spinning her around to face the airport docs. "We're here," she announced, gesturing over to a familiar group of four standing near a pink and green airship, "and look who it is! We already have a ride!"

"You're acting weird," Ruby noted, glancing up at her sister as she was pushed into the airship, "what are you hiding?"

"Wha-? Me? Hiding something from my dear, sweet sister? Never!" Yang smirked, stepping in beside her as the airship door closed. "By the way, Nora and Pyrrha will help you when we reach Vale. I need to check on something when we land, but I'll be back before you know it!"

Ruby blinked at her sister and shrugged, deciding not to seek answers. "Alright. . ." She replied cautiously, "But tell me something: Why are JNPR here?"

"We're just picking you two up, dropping off our wedding gifts, and leaving for our mission." Jaune replied before Yang could, "We'd love to stay for the wedding, but we promised Mr. Raye that we would have his old farm cleared out by the time he returns."

"Ah," Ruby nodded in acknowledgement, "well, don't get killed."

"Funny." Jaune muttered under his breath, "You can't pin that on me anymore, you were confirmed dead for an entire week."

Ruby smirked, "My mission was rigged. You, on the other hand, clearly didn't learn anything from initiation and walked straight into a Nevermore's nest."

"That was four years ago!"

"It's still funny!"

[Weiss]

"I actually kind of like this one."

Weiss lifted her head as Blake withdrew another dress from the clothing rack, holding it up for Weiss to see. "I think it would look beautiful on you." The woman hummed, scrutinizing the dress before taking it from her friend and holding it up in the mirror. It was indeed pretty, and almost exactly what she was looking for: Classic low-cut, sideway sleeves, and sporting a floral-like pattern. She just didn't feel the spark, there was something about the dress that she just didn't like, she couldn't put her finger on it. "You're making that face. . ." Blake muttered as Weiss handed the dress back wordlessly, "Weiss, this is literally the last dress with your measurements. . ."

Weiss rolled her eyes, "Well then they need to restock." She replied bluntly as Blake hung the dress back up, "It looks like half of these dresses have been in here collecting dust for months!" Blake shook her head and pulled her scroll out, marking the store off the list and starting for the exit, "We still haven't set a date for the wedding, so I think we have plenty of time to find a dress. Vale just doesn't seem to have good ones. . ."

Blake cast her a side-glance and smiled, "I know, Weiss, but it's better to have a wedding dress ready and prepared before the wedding. That way you have time to make changes to it as much as you like. What if you set a date for the wedding, didn't have a dress picked out and when you find one, you don't have time to make it perfect?" Weiss opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. "I know you, so it would be good for you to find a dress before you set a date. You'll be picky and want to make last-minute changes."

"I would not!" Weiss protested, but Blake just laughed, "Hey! I'm not indecisive like some people."

"You mean like your fiancee?" Blake raised a brow.

"Ruby's not indecisive- okay, well, sometimes she is. Back to the point: We have plenty of time to-" Weiss silenced herself, stopping dead in her tracks. Out of the corner of her eye, she'd noticed an employee setting up a mannequin in the window and adjusting the dress. Silently, the employee stepped back and examined it before placing what looked to be a 'coming soon' sign in the window. Without uttering a word to her friend, Weiss swiftly turned to approach the mannequin as the worker walked away. She glanced at the sign and rolled her eyes, unable to read the print mirrored.

She fixed her eyes on the dress, feeling something indescribable run through her. Blake laughed from beside her and Weiss raised a brow, casting a look in her direction. The faunus just twitched her ears in response, "I think you just found your dress."

[Present]
-Atlas-

"Where exactly are you taking me?"

After Yang had practically dragged Ruby out of the hotel, Blake requested that Weiss wear comfortable attire and insisted that she sent Myrtenaster off with Yang. Blake had left her weapon behind at the hotel, but it was clear that her friend was very uncomfortable without it. Weiss, on the other hand, had gone without her sword long enough to have gotten used to the feeling. She had to admit that she felt vulnerable and defenseless, though.

"To the salon," Blake replied after a moment, her ears twitching nervously when a scowl was sent in their direction, "after all of the stress you've had to carry recently, you need to relax." The woman sighed, "I could use it as well. . ."

Hearing something above them, Weiss glanced up to the roofs towering over them and squinted. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. . . Shaking her head and passing it off as paranoia, she refocused her attention on Blake. "Are you sure you don't want to go back for your weapon? You seem very. . . apprehensive about being without it."

Blake offered a small smile, "I'm fine, Weiss. . . I left my weapon behind so nobody feels threatened by a strange faunus with a sword."

Weiss hummed, "Well, I could've said that you're my bodyguard if anybody questioned it." Blake just chuckled and Weiss smiled, "What do you think about that, by the way?" The raven-haired woman raised a brow, "When the news got out that I took over the company, we had a lot of the staff quit because they were, ironically, still loyal to my father. So we lost a good portion of the guards, and do you remember that young boy in Vacuo who dreamed of becoming part of the military?"

"Yeah, the little tiger boy?" Weiss nodded and Blake sighed, "He was so young, he'd never faced discrimination before. . . His family didn't deserve what happened to them."

Weiss' heart fell and she breathed in deeply, "Yeah, well," she hesitated, "the world has a knack for destroying purity and innocence. . ." It had a thing for consuming the people like Ruby, the people with hope in their hearts; she'd come so close to losing her, Weiss wasn't sure if she would be able to handle that again. What if she lost her child, too? The evil fed off of the children's innocence and used it towards their advantage, and the fear, heartbreak, and grief that the parents felt only made them stronger.

"Anyway," Weiss lifted her head when Blake spoke, "what were you saying about faunus?" Blake asked, glancing back over her shoulder cautiously.

"I'm thinking about hiring some faunus to the staff, not as servants, but as paid workers." The woman eyed Weiss suspiciously and the CEO just smiled, "You're a big name among the faunus community, so perhaps you could help me out?"

Blake shrugged, "I suppose I could. But be careful, Weiss, some of them aren't willing to let go of the past so easily. The discrimination they faced, the hatred and the blood that was shed during the war, they can't forget that and it clouds their judgement. Some could be former members of the White Fang seeking to destroy you."

Weiss nodded, "Yes, I'm aware," she whispered quietly, "but I'll be ready. . ."

Blake's eyes widened, "Weiss, you're pregnant. You can't-"

"If it comes down to it, I'll fight. I'm not going to sit around and be a pushover. . . I'm a trained huntress, I'm not fragile." Weiss explained carefully, wanting her friend to understand her reasoning. She would just have to avoid taking hard hits, seeing that they could knock her unconscious, a rough blow could very easily kill her baby. . . Her chest tightened and she drew in a deep breath, calming herself again.

They would be okay. . .

"Yes, and then Ruby would murder me for allowing you to even consider this. . ." Blake half-joked.

Weiss laughed, "I'm sure she wouldn't murder you, probably just rough you up a bit. That's only if you let her, though." She turned to Blake. "So when are you and Yang thinking about getting engaged?" Weiss asked curiously.

"Whenever we're ready," Blake responded lightly, "Yang and I want to see the rest of the world before settling down and starting a family. . ."

"Bring us some souvenirs. We're trapped, we have a baby." Weiss giggled, Blake just gave her a thumbs up and Weiss stopped dead in her tracks, "We've also arrived." She knew this city like the back of her hand, she didn't need to look up and check if they were at the right place, the smell confirmed it for her. She opened the door and stepped inside, Blake right behind her.

The faunus immediately recoiled in disgust and surprise when the aroma of the salon hit her nose. Weiss just barely bit back her laughter when she caught sight of the woman's scrunched up face, "Ugh. . . Nobody told me the smell would be this strong."

Weiss giggled, "Smells fine to me."

"Lucky you," Blake glared, "just give me a minute to get used to it."

"Hi! How can I help you?" A woman holding a hand towel asked as she came around the corner with a wide smile, her eyes instantly landed on Blake and uncertainty crossed her face. The lady set the towel aside, "Ahem. . . I'm sorry," she began and Weiss frowned, her entire demeanor changed in a split second.

"Is there a problem?" Weiss asked, her voice almost dripping venom.

The lady fidgeted, noticing that they were drawing attention. "I'm not sure if my Boss would be alright with. . . Your friend being here after what happened." Weiss raised a brow, silently asking the woman for context. She had a hunch that she already knew. The lady cleared her throat, "You must understand, ma'am, we're usually faunus friendly, but there have been attacks here recently. . . All of them lead back to the faunus, so we're just being-"

Weiss cut her off, "These attacks lead back to an anonymous source, we don't know anything yet." She wasn't ignorant towards the mentioned attacks, but she had an inkling that the faunus weren't involved in any way. "I can assure you that my friend is not a threat. Now; Schnee reservation?"

The lady hesitated and checked her screen for the name, her eyes widening in quick recognition. "Oh you're here for the- I'm so sorry-" Weiss held her hand up, hoping it would silence the woman's apology. The lady nodded quietly and she gestured to the door, "It appears that somebody from your party arrived a few minutes ago. Koamaru can help take you three to the bride's section. . ."

Weiss blinked, confusion etched into her face. "I'm sorry, did you say three? Who else is here?"

"Oh, um, a woman with white hair and a little girl came in earlier and said they're waiting on somebody who has an appointment. Aren't you with them?" The lady asked, her eyes occasionally flickering to Blake. Weiss raised a brow in response and the woman cleared her throat, "Hey, um Koa?" Another lady poked her head out from behind a door that Weiss assumed lead to the office. "Could you take these two to the bride's section where the other lady is waiting?"

Weiss glanced towards Blake when the woman stepped out and signaled for the two to follow her, "Winter," Weiss whispered under her breath as the worker opened a door and lead them up the staircase. "I didn't think she'd actually come. . ."

"Why not?" Blake asked, tilting her head ever so slightly. Weiss felt a small smirk tugging at her lips, noting that she wasn't the only one who had picked up mannerisms from Ruby.

"She has Wisteria now, so I figured she'd be busy with her since-"

"My little sister is getting married today, of course I would attend." A sharp, yet calm, feminine voice interrupted Weiss and the young CEO whirled around to see her sister sitting in the far left of the room, Wisteria playing on her scroll next to her. A dissatisfied frown crossed Winter's lips, "Though, I do wonder why it's being held in Vale when you're here in Atlas?"

Weiss smiled nervously, "Uhm," she glanced towards the woman preparing everything and waiting for them, "to avoid attacks. . . We're safer in Vale, and it's where our home is."

Home. . . She was going home. The image of the two-story cabin she and Ruby had built with the help of their friends, Tai, and Qrow, flashed through her mind. The smell of freshly baked sweets, vanilla and strawberries, all mixed with the smell of the outdoors just made her more anxious to return home. 'Soon we'll have our own little one running around. . .'

"Weiss." The woman glanced up at her sister, who sent her an amused smirk, "you're wearing that ridiculous enamored smile again."

Was it really that noticeable. . .? 'Damn it.'

"Excuse me?" Weiss turned her attention to Koamaru, who offered her a kind smile, "What would you like to do first, ma'am?"

Weiss sighed, glancing over her shoulder at the other two before replying. "I could really use a massage."

[Ruby]

-Vale-

The airship landed in Vale two hours later, JNPR dropped off their gifts and they bid each other farewell. A few minutes after they landed, Ruby was sent to her house while Yang left to check up on something in town, leaving her on her own. She didn't mind, though. It felt nice to be back in Vale, but she had to admit that it felt lonely without Weiss. . . It was too quiet, and the couch felt cold beyond comprehension without her fiancee pressed into her side. She wasn't used to this. . .

It didn't feel like home without the smell of freshly baked sweets, the TV on and nobody watching it, the sound of laughter, happy singing, the scent of vanilla, strawberries, and roses. . . Instead, it was dead silent, save for the tapping of the scroll Weiss had bought for her after she'd lost her last scroll.

'That makes how many I've lost during missions?' Ruby clicked out of the game was playing, having long grown bored of it. 'Four? Five? I really need to be more careful. . .'

Ruby sighed and shut her scroll, leaning back into the couch and closing her eyes. She could still smell the scents that lingered in the air, but they were faint and hardly detectable. Or, it was just her imagination. Her eyes drifted towards the pictures hung across the walls and a small smile form on her lips, Ruby slid off the couch, leaving her scroll, behind and approached them.

The center photo was a picture taken the day of their graduation holding their team's certificate. Most of them were of Ruby and Weiss, but there were a few of Blake and Yang, and a couple of Tai and Qrow, too. Ruby glanced to a picture of herself and Weiss after their first mission as certified huntresses, both of them were filthy and bleeding as their aura had depleted, but they were proud.

The memory came rushing back to her; Ruby remembered being exhausted and bordering her limit, slipping in and out of consciousness after overusing her aura and semblance. In front of her, she remembered seeing Weiss struggling to stand to her feet and block a heavy hit from the Beringel and quickly summoned glyph, she'd been using the last of her energy to give Ruby time to recover. Upon seeing Ruby regaining consciousness, she'd created a pattern for the girl to follow, signalling to her that she'd found a weak spot on the monster and was giving her the advantage to end the fight. Ruby remembered gathering the energy she needed and bolting towards the Grimm, using her partner's glyphs to aid her ascent and soaring above the creature. In one spinning attack, the blade of Crescent Rose had miraculously broke through the Beringel's thick skin and sliced into its head, killing it.

Needless to say, she'd received a scolding for being careless in the first place and using up all of her energy before the fight was over. Her only defense was the fact the Beringel quite literally came out of nowhere and targeted Weiss, but the woman was still frustrated with her for a few hours afterwards. Now that she was looking back, she understood her fiancee's frustration. . .

The lien they'd earned that day was part of what helped them build their home. A small, cozy, two-story cabin in a forest vacant of Grimm with a hot spring and a river nearby, nothing too fancy. They could've settled for an apartment, but they both wanted a place where they could make as much noise as they wanted.

Her eyes wandered to the picture above it and a stupid grin came to her face, this one was actually a screenshot from a video Nora recorded the night before their Beacon graduation; she and Yang had planned a party that took place on the academy's training grounds in the forest, a little ways away from the school. Despite it only being open to fourth-years only, people were everywhere and the music had been cranked up so loud that Ruby had been paranoid about them being found.

Ruby felt a smile tug at the corners of her lips, her mind slowly slipping back in time. A few hours into the party, she'd wandered away from Jaune (who'd gotten completely wasted) and Pyrrha (who had practically carried him back to the dorms) in search of Weiss. She remembered excusing her way through the crowd, just barely avoiding having wine poured all over her by some of the rowdy boys Nora had invited. She'd found her white-haired heiress sitting alone away from the mob and approached her.

Due the party not being the kind she was used to, Weiss gone off on her own to stay out of the way and avoid being trampled. Wanting her to feel more comfortable, Ruby had offered to take her for a dance a little ways from the group. According to the video Nora had taken, that was when she'd begun recording, when Weiss took Ruby's hand and allowed her to lead her away. She'd allowed Weiss to take the lead, guiding her through the steps of the dance that Ruby had yet to learn. She remembered watching Weiss' eyes light up, both of them moving to the rhythm of a silent song. She remembered taking Weiss by surprise as the 'song' ended, stepping up to take control of the dance and twirling her.

The screenshot taken from the video was the moment Ruby had pulled Weiss into her arms and kissed her, unaware of the audience they'd had.

She stepped back and took in the whole gallery, her heart swelling with affection and tears forming in her eyes. There was a picture of the team's first Christmas as first-years with Yang front and center of the photo with the rest of the team behind her, their first New Year's taken at a party with JNPR, one of the team in Patch for Winter Break, a photo of Yang and Blake secretly snapped during their Valentine's date, one of Yang and Tai in the kitchen at their childhood house, and so many more. Ruby's personal favorite was a picture taken on the day of the proposal.

Ruby sighed, "There are going to be so many more pictures added to this wall. . ." She whispered to herself. A wedding picture, countless pictures of their baby growing up, family portraits. . .

Maybe one of their children. . .

"Barely three hours away from her and you're already missing her?" Ruby glanced up at her sister standing in the doorway with a smirk on her face. "Wow, how are you going to handle staying away from your dear beloved princess for a whole day? Gosh, that'll be absolutely torture for you, wouldn't it?" Yang chuckled as Ruby met her eyes. "Relax, I'm just teasing."

"What were you checking up on?" Ruby asked, unfazed by Yang's sudden appearance.

"Nah-uh," Yang waved a finger, "that's a secret. You can see after the wedding, or if you're lucky, before," Ruby rolled her eyes and Yang grinned, "come on! We best get going, I was just going to take you to see Dad, Holly, and Uncle Qrow this morning, but I changed my mind, I need to take you to prepare for the wedding and you can't say no."

"As if I had a choice in the matter in the first place," Ruby hummed, turning back and grabbing her scroll from the couch, "hey Yang? Where did Weiss and Blake go?" She asked, slipping her scroll into her pocket and instinctively reaching to adjust her cloak- which wasn't there. She needed to make a new one stat. . . She felt exposed and naked without it and Crescent Rose attached to her back. Speaking of which, she probably needed a new weapon soon. Her temporary weapon wasn't necessarily bad, she just preferred something more complex.

Yang's voice reeled her back to reality, "Ah, since we're in Vale, I suppose I could tell you." Yang shut the door and Ruby held her scroll up to the lock, which scanned her scroll and a clicking sound followed a few seconds later. The house was secured. "Blake probably took her the Dawnwind Spa & Salon. If I know Weiss, they probably went straight to the bath."

'Bath.' and 'Weiss' were the only words Ruby had really heard, causing lewd images to flood her mind. Ruby snorted, "I'm sorry," she apologized, not sounding too apologetic, "all I heard was that Weiss is naked."

The brawler rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation, clearly displeased with her little sister's comment. "I wonder if it's too late to cancel the wedding gift and disown you?" Yang thought out loud before glancing back at her sister with a hard glare, stopping beside Bumblebee."Thank you, so very much, for putting those images in my head." She growled sarcastically.

"Blake is with her."

"Okay, that's enough. We're not talking about this. Change of topic: I'll be happy when things go back to normal for you two. Seeing you two being so affectionate is weird." The blonde said as she climbed onto her motorcycle, "Speaking of which, since you're being so lovey-dovey recently, you got anything written for the wedding vows?"

Ruby stopped dead in her tracks, ice rolling through her veins. Vows. . . Written vows. She hadn't even thought of that! 'Fuck!' Just like with written assignments at Beacon, she'd slacked off and forgotten, only to be reminded at the last second. 'Things never change, do they?' Ruby shook her head, "Nope. . ." She whispered quietly, guilt stinging at her heart, "I should probably get to work on that, shouldn't I?"

Yang bit back a snort and Ruby smiled nervously, the older woman shook her head in amusement. "Oh dear, sweet little sister. . . This is something I honestly didn't think you would forget."

"Heh, well. . . A lot has happened since I got back. I didn't have time." Ruby muttered, climbing on behind her sister, "So, where are we going?"

Lilac eyes glanced back at her and the blonde smirked, "We're heading to the Firefly salon."

Ruby groaned as the engine was started. "No, anywhere but there. . . They don't understand the meaning of privacy, or personal space!"

"They're just doing their job, Ruby. You'll enjoy it! Now, hold on."

[Weiss]
-Atlas-

Weiss had just come out of the bath and reentered the salon when she saw a sight she never thought she would see: Her sister sitting in a chair, her hair loose and being trimmed. Weiss wasn't sure what was funnier; Winter clearly trying to refrain from decking the woman behind her in the face, or the fact that her sister was actually in a salon getting her hair done.. It was obvious that she didn't feel very comfortable, she was stiff, despite the woman constantly asking her to relax.

Wisteria, on the other hand, was excited to try everything. She'd befriended a young woman and each time she saw something she liked, she would rush to Winter and ask if she could do it too.

"Mother! The lady over there said I can have my hair done too! Can I?"

'Speak of the devil.' Weiss glanced up to see Wisteria rushing over to Winter with a magazine in hand, the older woman sighed in exasperation as the little girl handed her a magazine, "She said to ask you!" Wisteria exclaimed, pointing to a lady on the far side of the room, who just nervously waved when Winter looked her way.

"Wisteria," Winter muttered bluntly, handing the magazine back to the dejected child without sparing it a single look, "your hair is fine. You don't need any preparations. . . Now go play." Shoulders slacking, the little girl nodded and shuffled away from her mother, the magazine drooping in her hand and her head hanging.

Weiss turned her attention to her sister, her brows furrowed. The woman met her gaze, "Why can't she?" Weiss asked quietly, "She is the flower girl after all. She can have her hair done for that if she wants to."

Winter raised a brow, "Very well," she hesitated, "Wisteria!" She called to the child, who lifted her head from her coloring book, her teal-blue eyes lighting up with hope, Winter gestured to Weiss, "You can have your hair styled. . . Take the magazine to Weiss, she'll help you." As soon as the words left the woman's mouth, Wisteria grabbed the magazine and sped away from the little table, stopping in front of her aunt and handing it to her.

Weiss chuckled and flipped it open, patting her lap for the child to climb up. Eyes sparkling, Wisteria pulled herself up into Weiss' lap and the woman slid both arms around her so that they could look at the magazine. "Are you ready?" The lady who'd given Wisteria the magazine asked, approaching Weiss with a brush, Weiss glanced up into the mirror to make eye contact with her and nodded, "The one we discussed earlier, then?"

Upon hearing the lady's voice, Wisteria took the magazine and held it up, "I get to have my hair done styled like Auntie!" She announced happily, the lady just laughed and Weiss carefully took the paper back, "Which one do you like?" The child asked, tilting her head back to look at Weiss.

Weiss hummed and tapped at the first one she saw, "I think this one would look pretty on you," she commented, sitting back when the lady tapped on her shoulder for her to straighten herself, "what do you think?"

Wisteria grinned and tapped on the image next to the one Weiss had gestured to, "I like this one!" She laughed, "It looks like yours but more curly and brown!"

The woman rolled her eyes, relaxing herself as the lady behind her got to work on her hair. "Does it?" She asked as Wisteria snuggled up against her side and shifted the magazine for Weiss to see, "Ah it does. But is that really what you want?"

The little girl nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah!"

"Go tell Miss Koamaru." Weiss gave her niece a gentle push on the back, "I'm sure she can do your hair real quick." The small child nodded and slid out of her lap and ran off with the magazine in hand, quickly running up to the blue-haired woman who had just entered the room. Weiss chuckled as Wisteria presented the image to the woman, who glanced towards Winter and nodded, gesturing for her to sit down in the nearest chair.

"You know," Winter started quietly, Weiss turned her attention to her older sister, "judging by the way you treat Wisteria, you'll be a good mother." Her tone was almost affectionate, but forlorn and stiff at the same time. "Do you two have a name picked out?"

"No." Weiss replied quietly, "We want to wait and see what gender they are first," she cracked a smile, "I'm kind of hoping for a little girl."

"Of course you are." Blake finally spoke up, amusement in her voice, "But let's be honest here, there's a very high chance you'll have a daughter considering neither one of the parents have the male gene. Unless. . ." The woman smirked when Weiss shifted her eyes towards Blake, glaring at her through the mirror, "I'm just kidding."

Weiss raised a brow, "You've been hanging around Yang for far too long. . . She's rubbed off on you."

"Finished!" The woman behind her announced suddenly, stepping away for Weiss to observe her reflection. Weiss' eyes lit up and warmth blossomed in her chest, "Would you like anything else added?" The worker asked, noticing the glee on her face. Something flashed through Weiss' eyes and she smiled, turning to look at the woman.

"Actually, there is."

[Ruby]
-Vale-

'Is that. . . Really me?' Ruby wondered, staring at her reflection in the mirror with wide eyes. Her shoulder-length hair was brushed and blow-dried, her bangs neatly combed to the right side of her face. Instead of a silky white dress, she wore a snowy white tuxedo with red linings within the coat, her rose pin in the place of the tie, black jeans and shoes to match. 'That can't be me.' She'd always been told that she would wear a dress at her wedding, so why had she opted for this? Why did she like it so much?

"I think she likes it." Ruby glanced over her shoulder, seeing Yang in the corner of the room with a middle-aged woman, but Ruby didn't say a word. The blonde chuckled, "So are we ready to go?" She asked, coming to Ruby's side with a broad grin. The brunette felt a small smile come to lips and she met her sister's cheerful lilac eyes.

"Yeah."

"One more thing." Yang announced, turning away and approaching a box she'd brought with her. She flipped it open and Ruby leaned to the side, trying to peek into the box over her sister's shoulder. Her eyes widened as Yang retrieved two items from the box, a folded up white cloak, and a very familiar red and black weapon. Her heart almost stopped in her chest. Crescent Rose. . . Her mother's cloak. . . "When we thought we lost you, I kept your weapon and we cut your cloak into three pieces. I had Crescent Rose sent back to Patch with Uncle Qrow for safekeeping and he put it with Summer's cloak. Since you're, well, alive, I thought it would be a nice wedding gift. Even though you're supposed to receive those after the wedding."

"Please don't unfold that thing in here." The worker requested cautiously.

Ruby quietly took the weapon from the other woman and examined it, tears stinging in her eyes as relief rolled through her. It was all in one piece, almost completely unharmed, save for a few minor scratches that she could easily fix once she got home. "I thought I lost you. . ." She whispered, relishing in the all-too familiar weight of it, "I-I thought I had it with me when I went off the edge of the cliff. . . I thought it fell into the water. . ."

"Almost," Yang gave a small smile, "Weiss said she found the blade of Crescent Rose embedded in the edge of the cliff, said Nora picked it up once they arrived."

Guilt and realization struck her in the heart again and the brunette gripped her weapon tight, avoiding the button that would unfold the blade. If Weiss found her weapon like that, it would make sense as to why she believed that she was dead; if she hadn't been killed, she'd have been unconscious and drowned. "That explains everything," Ruby whispered painfully, imagining the grief-stricken expression on her fiancee's face, "that explains why she reacted the way she did. . ."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Yang tilted her sister's chin up again, "no negative thoughts. We have a wedding to go to! And you have to wear this whether you like it or not!" She grinned as she unrolled the white cloak, "Turn around," she instructed and Ruby obliged, turning so that her back faced the blonde, "there you go. . ." Yang whispered as she clipped the cloak around Ruby's neck and straightened the hood. "Matches your outfit perfectly!"

"Thanks," Ruby chuckled, reaching up and toying with the clip of her mother's cloak, nostalgia rushing through her, "now are we ready to go?" She asked, wearing a teasing smirk.

"Yep!"

When they'd arrived, Ruby had immediately went to work on redecorating everything she knew Weiss wouldn't approve of. She knew what she would've preferred by now, having lived with her for the past five years. She was a neatfreak, and very picky, one item out of place would bother the white-haired woman to no end. Thankfully, there wasn't much she had to redo and it only took a few minutes. If something still bothered Weiss, she would either have to fix it herself or just tolerate it.

"I think I'm done." Ruby announced as she stepped off the chair, kicking it back into place and adjusting it before turning around to face Yang, "So, whatcha-" she trailed off when she came face-to-face with Liam, Yang was nowhere to be found. Ruby's expression changed into one of cautiousness and uncertainty, "You're not Yang."

The man smiled, "No, I'm not," he glanced up to the decorations and hummed, "so are these the decorations you two had picked out?" Liam asked curiously, clearly trying to make smalltalk with the brunette. "They're pretty!"

"What do you want?" Ruby asked bluntly, unwilling to make conversation with him.

Liam chuckled at her response. "You two are made for each other, aren't you? Blunt and straightforward." He commented briefly, "Don't worry, I'm just wanting to know how we would do this without her seeing you."

Ruby raised a brow, "We discussed this. You're in my place until she reaches the Altar, and then you leave, that's when I make my appearance." She explained quietly, a small smirk forming at the corner of her lips. "And if you don't follow the plan, I'll make sure to cut you up into tiny, little pieces."

"G-got it." Fear in his eyes, Liam gave her a nervous thumbs up and smiled, "S-so when does she arrive?"

Ruby tilted her head up and gestured to the airship descending to the docs, "That's their ship. Right on time." She turned back to Liam and frowned, "I'll be watching you. . ."

Ruby glanced at the time on her scroll, reading 7:12 and drawing in a deep breath. The wedding would start at 7:30, and time was going by agonizingly slow for the brunette. She closed her eyes and listened to the chatter of the audience, she couldn't make out a single word, but at least it drowned out the drumming of her heart. Was she breathing? She couldn't tell. Ruby shook her head and peeked around the corner to examine the guests; some had clearly flown from Atlas and were sitting by themselves, impatiently waiting for the wedding to begin, and the rest were friends and acquaintances they'd made over the years. Judging by the solemn expressions they wore behind their smiles, they'd come to support Weiss.

Ruby's eyes trailed towards the cameramen a few feet behind the audience, and her chest tightened. She'd really been hoping they didn't show up, but of course they would, they were expecting a union between two of the wealthiest families in Remnant. They wouldn't be too happy when Ruby made her appearance. 'I just hope they don't attack.' She had Crescent Rose with her, but she really didn't want to make a scene unless she absolutely had to. 'What if the wedding is a complete disaster?'

"Ruby," Ruby looked over her shoulder to see Yang quickly approaching her with a frantic expression "come on, we gotta hide you." She furrowed her brows in confusion and Yang sighed, "Liam is on his way and he's supposed to be here. His parents will be with him, so we need to hide you. Now." The brunette nodded and followed closely behind her sister wordlessly.

Yang stopped and leaned out around the corner, she nodded and gestured for Ruby to run across. "Go up the staircase and to the balcony," she told her, gesturing to the rectangular balcony hovering above them, "you'll be able to see everything from there. Nobody's supposed to be up there, so you won't be seen. Put your scroll on vibrate and I'll send a message when it's time for you to come out." Yang gave Ruby a push on the shoulder and the brunette rolled her eyes, activating her semblance and bolting up the staircase without being seen.

Silently, the woman came around to the balcony and peered over the edge, "Wow." She whispered breathlessly, taking in the sight from above. "It's beautiful. . ." Ruby's eyes flickered over to Yang rushing up to the altar with an indescribable grin and a microphone in hand. "What're you doing?" The brunette frowned as the blonde tapped the mic on and got everybody's attention.

"Hello~!" Yang greeted everyone happily, briefly glancing up to Ruby, "How are you all on this glorious day?" She asked, grinning when familiar voices shouted their responses.

"Who are you?" An Atlesian man with a thick accent called up to the blonde, clearly unamused. "Are you supposed to be here?"

Yang laughed and turned to the man, who had apparently stood up. "Who am I?" Yang repeated with an amused voice, which seemed to annoy the man even further. "Relax, I'm a friend of the bride and I simply want to say something before the wedding begins." Before anybody else could interrupt her, Yang faced the exit with a shit-eating grin, "Hey, Ice Queen!" Well, this was gonna end smoothly."I know we had a rocky start, but I'm gonna say this and you better be listening!"

Ruby leaned over the balcony as Yang finished up, "I give you my blessing once more, and I'm happy for you and the partner you've chosen!" Yang glanced up to her again, "Even if they can be a pain in the ass! But hey, if you're into that. . . Alright, that is all, folks! Goodbye!" Without another word, Yang left.

The warmth in her chest went out like a light the moment Liam stepped up onto the altar, having snuck around the front and made his appearance without making any noises. Something twisted inside of her gut that she could only describe as jealousy and she grit her teeth, "That speech wasn't for him." She growled to nobody in particular, watching the man as he neatly clasped his hands behind his back and fixed his attention on the exit.

A moment later, the music began and Ruby's heart flew to her throat when her scroll buzzed. She pulled it out and clicked it open, skimming over Yang's message before silencing it and slipping it back into her pocket. The beat of her heart began to drum in her ears when she heard the doors open and her hands, which she didn't even notice were clutching the railing, began to tremble. Ruby closed her eyes momentarily before stiffly moving from her spot on the balcony, walking to the side with her eyes drifting towards the large, open doors. She stopped in her tracks and cracked a smile as Wisteria and Mavi came walking inside.

The camera zoomed in on the children following them down the was wearing a white, floral dress with her hair tied up in a wavy side-ponytail. Mavi, on the other hand, had his blackish blue hair neatly combed to the left and wore a white suit with a black tie. Once they started down the aisle, Wisteria reached into her basket and tossed a handful of flower petals out, grinning when Mavi shifted the pillow into one hand and copied his sister. Ruby smirked when the four-year old glanced over his shoulder and repositioned himself, Wisteria littering the floor with petals before the two of them moved off to the left.

Ruby's breath left her when all eyes turned to the entrance and she gripped the railing again, leaning over slightly when the camera faced the doors and zoomed in. This was really happening. . . 'Am I ready?' Ruby hesitated, turning her head away and squeezing her eyes shut, 'Are we ready? Would the marriage last? Am I taking this too far? Do I love her?' Drawing in a deep breath, her heart pounding erratically in her chest, the brunette faced the balcony again and looked down.

Her heart stopped and the world fell silent as Weiss stepped into her line of sight. 'What was I thinking?' Ruby's chest tightened and swelled with love at the same time, almost overwhelming her. 'I love her more than anything. . .' She had to remember to breathe.

Gasps of astonishment filled the room, followed by whispers and slight gestures towards the approaching woman. Ruby didn't have a very good view from above, but what she did see caused her heart to pound loudly. Weiss wore a bright white dress with a rose-like pattern decorating the train of her dress and the corset embracing her thin waist; her long hair appeared to be asymmetrically braided into a bun, topped off by a small, familiar ruby-gemed tiara. Ruby glanced down to the bouquet and chuckled quietly, noticing the matching patterns. Must've taken a long time to get those lined up. . .

"You look. . . Beautiful." Ruby whispered under her breath, her gaze locked on her soon-to-be-wife. She started down the side of the balcony, keeping stride with Weiss and watching her every movement. In her eyes, the other woman was the only person in the entire building, the only one who mattered.

The magic was broken when a cameramen whistled from the pews and Ruby rolled her eyes, glancing towards the man as all eyes turned to him and a glyph appeared beneath his feet, throwing him out of the building almost immediately. No words were spoken against it. Ruby chuckled and turned away, approaching the staircase and Weiss stepped onto the altar. She glanced up once they were in her line of sight again and smiled as Liam stepped down and away from Weiss. Immediately, gasps and frantic whispers filled the room and Ruby bit back a laugh.

"What is he doing?"
"Where is he going?"
"Is he ditching her? Asshole!"
"Someone's catching this on camera, right?!"
"I knew this would happen!"

That's when Ruby decided to make her appearance. She calmed her breathing and relaxed herself, straightening her posture before striding out into the open as she descended through the stairs, all eyes landed on her and confused gasps and more chattering echoed in the room. The brunette instantly smiled, calming herself as her eyes instantly found Weiss' light blue pair. The chatter calmed down as pure shock was clear in everyone's faces as she approached the altar.

When the woman waiting for her smiled at her, Ruby offered a charming grin in return. Adoration struck her now that she had a more proper view of her fiancee. Reaching the altar, she took Weiss' outstretched hand and stepped up to stand in front of her, their hands still intertwined. She felt all the eyes on her, startled by the whole situation.

"Is this right?" Ruby glanced at the priest, who was staring at them with a perplexed expression, "Two brides?" He looked towards Weiss, who gave Ruby's hands a light squeeze and nodded her response. Ruby waited a second, watching as confusion, realization, and finally acceptance flashed through the man's dull eyes. "Alright," he fixed his eyes on Ruby, "what is your name?" He asked quietly.

"Ruby Rose." Ruby replied, smiling when recognition flickered in his eyes. Smilingly knowingly, he nodded once and glanced down at his book again, Ruby turned her attention back to Weiss and her heart swelled again. The room fell silent as the priest continued.

"We're gathered here today for a rather surprising union between two young women," he announced, ignoring the few death glares the Atlesians sent their way, "Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee." The priest turned to Weiss with a kind smile, "Their decision to marry was not entered lightly and today they both declare their undying devotion to one another." He wasn't reading from the book, this was a practiced speech, judging by the confident sound of his voice. "This commitment is the acceptance of one another as a whole, as a companion, as a friend, and as a lover."

'Partner, companion, friend, lover . .' Ruby couldn't wipe the grin from her lips. 'Wife. I like the sound of that.'

The priest's voice broke her from her trance. "A good, balanced relationship is one where neither person is overpowered and absorbed by the other, allowing them both to give their love freely without jealousy. Marriage is a sharing of responsibilities, hopes, and dreams, it is not something to take lightly; it takes a special amount of effort to survive the hard times, grow together, and continue to be loving and unselfish." The priest closed the book and turned to Ruby.

'I'm ready.'

He spoke calmly and cooly, "Do you both pledge to share your lives openly with one another, and speak truthfully in love? Do you promise to honor and tenderly care for one another, to cherish and encourage one another? Do you vow to stand for each other through life's sorrows and joys, through hardships and triumphs for the rest of your lives?"

Ruby looked to Weiss, who instantly met her gaze with brief uncertainty. 'I love you.' The brunette smiled, giving her hands a gentle squeeze, 'I promised you, we'll never make your parents' mistakes. We're in this together.' Weiss, seemingly knowing the woman's silent message to her, returned the loving smile, all trace of doubt gone from her eyes. 'I'm here. . .'

"We do." The two of them said in unison, never breaking their gaze.

The priest nodded, "Do you pledge to share the love and the joys of your marriage with those who surround you, so that they may learn from your love and be encouraged to grow in their own lives?"

"We do."

He gestured for Mavi to approach with the pillow. "These rings are a symbol of your union. As often you look upon these rings, may you not only be reminded of this moment, but also of the vows that you two have made to one another." He turned to Ruby, examining her before continuing, "Repeat after me: I, Ruby, promise to love and support you, Weiss, through the good times and the bad, to care for you through sickness and health, and to cherish until death do we part."

Ruby spoke the words out loud confidently, her gaze never leaving Weiss' blue pair. With each word, a spark of electricity ran through her body, her heart beat sped up as she finished speaking. Ruby unlatched her hands from Weiss' to take her own ring, presenting the rose-shaped diamond to the woman before slipping it onto her finger. Satisfied, the man turned to Weiss and asked her to repeat the same words, Weiss broke their gaze for a split moment to look at the priest before locking eyes with Ruby again.

Completing her own vow, Weiss hid the shadow of a smirk and did the same, reaching for her snowflake-crested engagement ring and sliding it onto Ruby's finger.

The priest smiled and stepped away, "I now pronounce you married! You may kiss the bride."

Extra:

"Long day, again?"

"Well of course."

Ruby slid her arms around the woman's waist, gently pulling her to rest against her chest and kissing Weiss' collarbone. Four hours ago, they'd finalized their marriage and spent two hours with their friends for the after-party. They'd just returned home and had instantly changed into their night clothes, but instead of going straight to bed, they'd opted to cuddling on the couch.

"Tired?" Ruby asked quietly as Weiss relaxed against her, closing her eyes and humming her response. Seizing the opportunity to play around, Ruby smirked. "Want me to take you to bed?" She purred, sliding her hands under the woman's nightgown, "Though, I won't promise you that you'll get any rest. . . Say, isn't that where we're supposed to be anyway, my love?"

"Ruby Rose." Weiss replied in a scolding manner, opening her eyes and reaching up to poke Ruby's forehead, "I. Can. Not. Have. Sex." Weiss frowned, "Doctor's orders."

The brunette chuckled, "I know," she whispered, "I'm just teasing, Princess." Ruby paused for a moment and furrowed her brows, "Hey, remember what we were talking about last night? About the 'wedding jitters' thing?"

"Yep."

Ruby glanced to the door, "During the whole after-party, I felt like somebody was watching me. . . Just waiting for the right moment to strike. I almost grabbed Crescent Rose. . ." Weiss looked up at her, "Please tell me I'm crazy because I feel like it followed it us. . ."

"You're not crazy," Weiss answered almost inaudibly, "I feel it too. Like someone's lurking around in the shadows, watching us, waiting. Though, it might just be paranoia. There's nothing out there, but I think we should keep our guard up for the time being, just in case."

Ruby nodded, "Good idea. . ."

"Hey, Ruby?" The woman glanced down at her wife, who reached up and booped her nose playfully, "Happy birthday, my love."

"Birthday-?" Ruby trailed off, realization dawning on her, "It's my birthday!"

Weiss laughed, "Well, yeah! Unless my memory has begun to fail me, it is October 31st, right?"

Ruby grinned again and squeezed the smaller woman gently, embracing her more tightly. "I can't believe it," she giggled quietly, "I forgot about my own birthday, and got a wife as a present. Best birthday ever."

"You don't sound too enthusiastic, Petal." Weiss raised a brow, amusement still glinting in her eyes, "There's something else you want, isn't there?" Ruby whined as a response and the woman scoffed, "Alright, fine, let me go and we can bake a cake."

"And try not to get it in other places?" Ruby smirked.

"Ruby Rose!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUBY ROSE!

Okay, now:
This was actually my very first Whiterose fanfic, and believe it or not, it was supposed to be a short oneshot. Then only 5 chapters, then 10 chapters, and now here we are at 16! I've had very many ideas for this fic while writing it, and because of this, I've decided to make both a prequel and sequel. Wow, the order of this story is gonna be VERY wonky. . . Anyway, keep an eye out for one of those! I also have another upcoming fanfic, completely different from Ice Flower and the My Princess trilogy. It should be released around December or January, unless it's delayed.

Thanks to all of you for reading and staying with this story until the end! If any of you are confused and have questions about something that happened in the fic, feel free to ask and I'll answer to the best of my ability. As for the baby's name? I have chosen one and it will be revealed in chapter one of the sequel!