*finger guns*
That's right, everyone, still here. Life got a wee bit hectic with the whole pandemic shtick, still is, but I've been sitting on chapters long enough and want to start getting them out again.
Just as a casual reminder since it HAS been almost a month, our intrepid Ice Queen found the Branwens, Roman and Neo, and is now on her way to perform some "master plan" Roman came up with. Which I'm sure is fine.
A cream yellow dress. High heels. Gloves that extended to the elbow, then just past, held in place by bands sewn into the paper-thin fabric. The way that the dress hugged her hips, wire frame moulding to her body, adjusted by a haughty seamstress called upon by "Lord Bisset" at unseemly hours to work for incredible pay.
Or at least Weiss assumed the Lien was good because why else would a woman wake to dress her before even the roosters had begun to stir? In the stillness of an early morning, with dew still clinging to grass and leaves, the sun not yet peering over the horizon, Weiss had been marched down into Galloway. Dragged, really, as once she'd learned what was to happen, she'd protested, first verbally, then by attempting to make herself dead weight.
Roman lifted her over his shoulder and that was that.
There she was sat in a stool being prepared like some doll. Her hair had been pulled back tight and fashioned into a bun. A single bang was allowed to hang free as a show of whimsy. Funny, I thought whimsy was wearing what you wanted, when you wanted. The lone strand swung into her vision and Weiss blew at it with a huff. This feels more like a small concession. The dress had to be reduced since she was shorter than the original design allowed for. The gloves were too long, trimmed as to not reach up her arms. She got it. She was short for a woman her age. She could realize that without the damned seamstress grumbling about it every few minutes.
"I swear you used to be taller."
Ah, there it was on cue. Concealing frustrations behind a terse smile Weiss laughed, keeping it low to hide the biting edge. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"
"I suppose so but you should have grown by now." The seamstress, Eleanor, stepped back and appraised her. "The dress is still too long but it will have to do. Be sure to pull up the skirt when you walk." Frumbled hair bobbed as the woman leaned down and pulled at the collar of the garment, a low neckline already. Propriety made Weiss pull it back up. "How can you expect to attract a man's eyes when you're all covered up?" Eleanor reprimanded, tugging it down again.
"I'm not here to meet a man."
"You never know who your aunt could have visiting. Approach every meeting with the mindset that your future husband could be among the crowd. The last thing you want is to come across as indifferent, or worse, unapproachable."
Yes, because that was the absolute worst thing in this world. Not Grimm, or violent extremists, but the idea that a man might be too afraid to speak to you.
"Your aunt will be delighted to see you I'm sure," Eleanor went on. The woman took a moment to adjust the frilly lining at Weiss' shoulders, cut off just above the bicep. Enough skin to tease but little enough to appear decent. "Wait right here and I'll get the tiara."
Weiss waited until she was left alone before slumping in the stool with a groan. This was humiliating. Glaring at the frumpy dress - the cream-colored article clearly pinned in places to make it fit, the itch of fabric against her bare skin, the flour within doing little to relieve the sensation. It was miserable. The gloves would make handling her rapier awkward, the heels, hells, she'd be lucky if she walked in them without twisting an ankle, never mind fight in them.
What looked back at her in the mirror wasn't a happy Caroline Rosiland, niece to Lisa Lavender, but a despondent one. The foreign girl with a button nose and freckled face wasn't her. Those green eyes didn't belong to her, nor the plump lips. Weiss reached up and traced the contours of her temporary face then lost her countenance in a scowl, kicking one heel against the floor as she slapped her hands against her lap.
Posing as a nobleman's daughter? Why her? Because as Roman suggested she was familiar with them? Sure, she was as familiar with nobility as she was with Grimm. She knew their habits, how to deal with them, and that she hated them, but beyond that she was clueless.
Neo could have pulled it off just as easily!
… Except Neo couldn't talk.
"Edos strike me down…" Weiss muttered. The almost childish face that mirrored her expressions was aggravating. Her hand went to the locket around her neck and she considered taking it off, then let the cool metal drop against her chest with a sigh. Taking it off would mean breaking Neo's enchantment. Breaking the enchantment, obviously, was bad. Explaining why some pale girl with snow white hair was in the place of Lady Lavender's niece wouldn't go over well with an already cross woman.
With a lack of sleep and her current situation Weiss was tempted to do it anyways just to spite everyone. Instead of actively seeking to free her friends she was here, sat in a stool surrounded by silks and cloths, imported and domestic, with earthen beiges and greens to one side, and bombastic teals, lime greens, bright reds and unappealing yellows. Dresses, skirts, shawls, lengths of cloth, piles of tools strewn across tables. Weiss was sure there was some kind of order to the shop and yet it all seemed so unruly. Maybe she just didn't care enough about clothing to appreciate what was around her. Scratch that, she definitely didn't care enough.
Can't I just wear my trousers and tunic? I've been traveling after all. Either herself or Caroline had been traveling so some kind of riding gear wouldn't be so outlandish. But no, they insisted that she be dressed for the part. And Roman even picked the outfit himself so she couldn't run up the bill as punishment for her prison sentence.
Eleanor returned with a tiara wrapped in a cloth and a smile on her face. "This should complete it. I think you'll look ravishing, dear."
Consigned to be a dress up doll Weiss smiled again and held still save for the impatient tapping of her foot. The tiara was nice, she supposed. A silvery thing with a pattern of emeralds encrusted along the rim and a larger sapphire in the very center, gleaming in the early morning light.
"It contrasts wonderfully with your hair, don't you think?" Weiss had to keep herself from biting the woman's hand as it stroked sandy blonde hair. "How do you think you look?"
What did she think? I think I look like a preened tart. "I think I look lovely," she said.
"Wonderful! You'll have to thank Grigorio and Maede for that piece. Oh, but I'm sure your father already has, once his sister sings your praises." Like a mother about to send her daughter off to be wed Eleanor stood before her and appraised her once more, nodding and speaking silently to herself. Weiss put up with her groping and last-minute adjustments, twitching irritably when the neckline was adjusted yet again. "You're certain you don't want to have your face done up too? I know a wonderful place just down the road."
"I'm quite certain," Weiss answered curtly. She bit her lip then smiled up at the woman. "It's early, forgive me. I expected to be in bed still at this hour." The first kernel of truth since she'd arrived that morning.
"As did I, but duty calls, and beauty knows no rest." Weiss snorted but thankfully it went unnoticed. "Your aunt will be thrilled to see you, sweetheart. Give her my best, won't you? And tell her if she ever wants that dress of hers refitted all she has to do is ask!"
Was she calling her 'aunt' fat? It was a roundabout way of saying so but the connotation made Weiss smile and nod. Taking the cue that they were finished she stood from the stool, dress falling to her ankles, parting at her right to expose her leg. Because fashion. Or because whatever dolt designed this piece couldn't decide between chastity and salaciousness.
Weiss thanked that very same dolt for her help, promised to give Eleanor's regards to Lady Lavender, and walked, precariously, to the front door. The dress being too long provided a wonderful excuse as to why she walked like a bow-legged deer and the seamstress even helped her partway, taking her by the shoulder and leading.
"Your driver will be along shortly?" she asked as they stepped outside.
"He will be. Thank you again, ma'am."
Doing what Weiss wished she could, Eleanor returned inside, probably to go to bed, the soft jingle of a bell declaring her departure. There she was left, standing outside of a seamstress' shop in the waking hours of the morning. Only now was the sun finally climbing into the heavens, turning the ocean before her into a dazzling bed of gems that sparkled in their best imitation of a full night sky.
Appreciating it was difficult when the wire around her waist bit into her ass.
"Damnable thing…!" No amount of fussing with it helped and Weiss stomped her foot in protest, then yelped as she wobbled, grabbing onto a nearby lamppost to keep upright. "Can't I just storm into the place?" she grumbled, lifting one foot and nursing at her ankle. "No, I have to pretend to be some snotty little princess. Of all the ridiculous ideas…"
Yet it had merit, enough that it was their best plan, which made Weiss loathe it all the more vehemently. Looking around for a place to sit she spotted a bench nearby and teetered over to it, sinking into the cold, damp wood and cursing. A wet stain on her rear stood out and she did her best to brush it away, then folded her arms and cursed again when an ocean breeze rolled in and drew a chill, dotting her skin in goosebumps.
She had to wait a while for her driver to arrive and Weiss began to wonder if this wasn't some elaborate hoax, a prank made at her expense. Workers began to mill about and more than a few paused to ponder why some well-to-do girl was stood on the roadside at such an unsightly hour.
A few stared too, barely trying to hide where their eyes went. How Weiss wished she could blow them into the ocean. One rune would do it, one simple weave and a flick of her wrist. Caroline wasn't a Magi however and so she settled for a fowl glare that sent men running.
By the time her coach arrived she was shivering, teeth clattering and arms firmly crossed over her chest. The gloves did nothing to help stave off chills, the dress less so still. When the driver addressed her not with an apology but a smug smile she stormed up, rising hazardously on her toes, and slapped the man across the face.
"Oi! Whassat for?!"
"For putting me up to this!" Weiss snapped, scowling at the man.
Even faced with further punishment her 'driver' smiled again, laughed, and tipped his flat cap at Weiss. "I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about."
"I'm sure you don't." She stepped back and allowed Roman to open the carriage's door, leveling a furious look at him when he tried to help her inside. Her anger wasn't helped by the fact he was wearing comfortable, dark brown jacket and trousers, or in other words clothing much more appropriate for the weather. She settled into the extravagant vehicle and sank into wonderfully soft cushions, secretly grateful for the relief of being hidden from the wind.
"You look great, by the way," Roman smiled and tipped his cap. "Although she does look a bit homely, doesn't she? More a servant's girl than a noblemans."
"You're the worst."
"Maybe she's the product of a fling?" Roman gasped, then laughed as the door was slammed in his face. "What? Strike a nerve, did I? You aren't her, Weiss."
For the next few hours she was though, and that aside she felt some indignation at how Roman spoke of the girl. With a rounded face that hadn't lost its baby fat still, Caroline Rosiland looked more like a child than a young woman of nineteen years. It was her face for the time being, frustrating as it was, and she wasn't going to let Roman insult her like that.
"At least I'm not some… Pauper masquerading as an aristocrat," she spat back. Roman laughed again and heat rose to her cheeks.
"See? You're already playing the part well! You'll do great, kid."
"Even if this works and everything goes smoothly there will be a reckoning, mark my words, Roman." Weiss winced as the dress again bit into her. She slid forward on the seat for comfort, taking the chance to remove her heels and nurse the soles of her feet.
"Whatever you say, Lady Rosalind. Now, shall we?"
"If we must," Weiss acquiesced, leaning back and making peace with the rigidity of her dress. The coach jolted slightly before the wheels began to churn and they started to move, trailing slowly along the waterfront.
From the window she could watch the ocean pass by, a few smaller vessels - fishermen out early, trawling boats, or merchant crafts preparing to depart, had just begun to set sail or lingered at the piers, preparing for a departure. She watched a small parade of Varuna run to and fro, webbed feet propelling stout, slick green and blue forms across the shore, disappearing beneath the surf to work on the vessels they manned. Still dreadfully early and yet the city was already coming to life and abuzz with activity. Before much longer the rest of Galloway would follow, and the roads would fill with workers, residents, and travelers all going about their business.
She hoped to go to the manor long before that happened. The less people who saw her, who might recognize her cover, the better.
A handful of families, mothers and fathers, were already out and about with children in tow.
How would life have been, she wondered, if she hadn't been bastardized? It wasn't often she thought of the 'what-if' scenarios anymore. She was content with who she'd become, happy to be a Hunter, a Warden now, all on her own merits. The closest she came to mingling with nobility nowadays was whenever Ironwood was present or if work necessitated it. Beyond that she kept away from them like the plague and they her, and that suited her just fine.
Still, she thought of it. To ride anywhere she wanted to go in a carriage, comfortably furnished with plush seats, heated by some unseen magic, with drivers constantly at her beck and call. To have whatever material goods she wanted, however costly, and be able to demand them in an instant.
There was more to nobility than just luxuries. Familial obligations, expectations, social gatherings. For all her reluctance to associate whatsoever with aristocrats Weiss understood their lives weren't all easy. Far, far easier than the common man's, yes, but they weren't all dawdling and self-indulgence.
More than the duties, the resplendence, or even the accolades, she wondered what having a family she could approach freely would be like. Ironwood was a wonderful substitute but that's all he was: a substitute. Ozpin had done a wonderful job in making her feel welcome but then that's all that was: a job. He extended the same courtesy to every Hunter within Vale's walls. Even if she did receive a smidgen of extra attention that could still be attributed to her job, not her. What would it be like then to have a family that loved and cared for you unflinchingly?
Winter and her spoke sparingly, cordially through letters, more like distant strangers than kin. She hadn't seen Whitley in years. Her mother, stricken with illness as she was, had been disposed of long before she'd even been removed from the household. Aside from 'she's alive' Weiss had little to go on there.
She was a Schnee but only in name, and now not even in that much. When they stopped to allow a procession of laborers pass, she peered out the window again and saw her reflection in a pane nearby. Round face, upturned nose, freckles dotting the bridge and her cheeks. She didn't know the girl staring back at her and yet she was just as much Caroline Rosalind as she was Weiss Schnee.
She was 'Weiss'. No familial ties beyond some close connections to friends and superiors. That realization, one which always lingered in the back of her mind, ignored, came to the fore with a painful announcement, a reminder that, in reality, she had no family.
The sobering thought made her sink into her seat further and busy herself fitfully with smoothing her dress in an effort to pull her mind elsewhere.
It didn't work. Passing by a fatigued mother pulling along her two daughters didn't help either. Tired as the woman looked, she still wore a smile, uncaring for how her dark green dress with a brown patch looked hideous compared to Weiss' own gown - not that the woman could see her. The children's shrill laughter filled the early morning air and their trousers became drenched as they splashed in a puddle, giggling when their mother pulled one out only for the other to charge back in.
She couldn't remember playing with her own mother, or either of her siblings, and certainly not her father.
And here she was about to go masquerade as the niece of some well-to-do lady. They would be genial yet measured, carrying themselves as all… Most nobles did with an air of reservation. At least Weiss assumed so; she'd always seen nobles in public and most conducted themselves with a lofty regard for themselves and their station.
Arrogance.
Yet she and Lady Lavender were family behind closed doors. Perhaps her temporary aunt would be thrilled to see her. Maybe they would embrace, share a tender moment, and chat. As much as she dreaded having to recite fabricated stories on the spot she couldn't deny a certain elation about it all. Being the sole focus of someone's attention, having someone, a parental figure, regard you with unflinching kindness and understanding. Ozpin and the others were like that to some extent but theirs was largely a business-oriented one. A healthy working relationship but ultimately just that.
Lady Lavender and her were family. However false that might be.
Despite the aching in her chest Weiss found a smile and she watched the mother and children stomp off, listening as their laughter and the mother's half-hearted reprimands vanished behind them.
The plan was still idiotic, reckless, and she felt woefully unprepared, but there was some eagerness now. She'd make the best of it, for however long she could, and enjoy herself.
/+/+/+/+/+/
Weiss had assumed she knew the extent of a noble's wealth. A home far too large for them or their family, servants to do everything shy of wiping their hind quarters, and in some cases probably even that. She expected opulence, the kind of overindulgent spending that having a surfeit of Lien would allow.
To find that Lady Lavender's estate was not only isolated on its own causeway, seperate from the rest of Galloway's streets, but had five whole buildings on its property?
She was beginning to understand why going in before their raid was necessary.
"You'll rather like her, I think," Roman said as their carriage meandered along. The road to the estate was well kept, more so than most main roads, free of ruts and divots that plagued many a path. Wide enough for two coaches with room to spare, large stones built up sloping walls on either side, the occasional spray of surf lapping up over them.
"No husband to speak of, made her fortune all on her own. A lot of us think she's into some real illicit business. Me? I suspect she's sleeping with the right people."
"Because a woman cannot succeed without opening her legs," Weiss remarked dryly.
"Hey now, I'm not saying that! I'm just saying -"
"That you believe women are whores?"
"That some women, and some men," Roman clarified. "Are wont to offer more than just goods or Lien to earn favor. It's hardly a single sex issue, Weiss. You'd be surprised by what those on top are willing to do to gain an advantage."
No, she probably wouldn't be. Self-aggrandizing as they were she'd expect nobles to lie, cheat, steal, and whatever other loathsome behaviors she could think of to survive. Roman, faux-noble or not, was included in that.
"Just drive the carriage," Weiss ordered, exasperated already.
"As you wish, Miss Rosalind."
The Lavender estate loomed ahead of them, it's main attraction, the manor, aglow in the early rising sun, a peach-colored three-story building with a sloped roof, peaks over the topmost windows, and a twin set of balconies over the front entrance. A column of trimmed birch trees stretched from the front of the property, where a heavy iron gate cut off the estate from the rest of the world, to the front doors. To the right Weiss saw a smaller, less impressive structure made of brick and mortar, moss staining the tiled roof and turning pale slabs green. Beyond that she could see stables and even from afar she could hear the whinnying of horses, ears ringing at the distant sound of a blacksmith's early toils beginning.
The gates itself, twice as tall as their transport, presided over them as an impassable barrier, bars thick as Weiss' forearm. Two guards, one to either side of the gate, stood by at attention, staring dead ahead and hardly acknowledging their arrival. Their carriage slowed and stopped with a squeak and Roman, complaining about the discomfort of his seat, dropped from the bench and approached the guards.
"Excuse me, sirs? I've come to deliver Lady Lavender's niece!"
Weiss scooted across her seat and peered out of the window to watch the scene unfold. Watch Roman botch the whole effort, she suspected, cringing as both regarded Roman with little interest. The only one she could really see, a well-built, terse looking man with curved black horns jutting out from his temples, stared at Roman, bouncing a double-headed axe on his shoulder.
"Um…" Roman fidgeted, voice wavering. "I've come to deliver Lady Lavend -"
"I heard you."
"Oh! Well great, fantastic! If you good sirs could open the gate, then I'd like to deliver her and be on my way."
"Are you giving us orders, coachman?" the other guard asked, sounding just as dubious as the first looked. "Just who do you think you are?"
Don't tell them who you are, you buffoon. For the love of all that is holy… "Oh, r-right, pardon me, sirs! I'm just tired from the journey is all, you see. As is Lady Rosalind…" Good save, clown.
"Being tired makes your mouth run, does it?" the horned man asked, stifling a yawn. He leaned back against the gate itself and shifted the axe from one shoulder to the other, the weight of the thing settling against his pauldron with a heavy thud. "We aren't expecting Lady Rosalind."
"Ah, b-but she's here! It's unannounced, yes, but she's come all this way to see her aunt, good sirs. Surely you wouldn't turn her away."
Weiss almost drew back into the carriage when the guards looked her way. Instead she managed a slight smile, one which wilted as soon as the axe-wielding man approached the carriage. Gods he was large, easily rivaling the likes of Lord Commander Rainart. Even as her mind contemplated all the ways this could go awry - Lady Rosalind already being inside, or having just left, or potentially dead in some horrid accident, she found herself appreciating the man's armor. Deep blue like the ocean surrounding them it was less a typical chest plate and more of a layered, almost scale-like piece, appearing almost like chainmail, though clearly far sturdier. In the center of the man's chest a lavender colored, well, lavender sat, embossed against the darker metal.
Well, she certainly likes to make her property known.
It wasn't until Weiss noticed the guard squinting that she realized the sun's rays were in his face. Playing along, she leaned and blocked them, mustering another smile and bowing her head. Act like a noble. Act like a noble. Posh, prissy, insufferable.
"I hope we're not to be delayed much longer?" she asked, voice quivering. She hoped the cold breeze rolling off the ocean would be enough excuse. "I would so like to see my aunt sometime today."
Stone-faced, the guard stared before nodding slowly. "Right. And is there any reason you hadn't sent us notice beforehand, my lady? Usually a letter would suffice, or even a messenger." He held a hand out to Weiss. "We've received neither, unless you have a missive from your father?"
This was the part that Roman was supposed to take care of. Or Goodwitch, or someone else, literally anyone other than her. What did she know about fabricating letters? She had no false stamps, no experience with forgery. Hells, she didn't even know the damned girl she was masquerading as!
"Ah, well, you see…" Roman shuffled forward and bowed his head. "We left when her father's antics became too much, good sir…"
"I'd hear it from the lady herself," the guard grumbled, never taking his eyes from Weiss. "Not you, porter. So, your father…?"
"Y-Yes. Father was being his usual self," Weiss bemoaned. She rolled her eyes and sighed, cupping her cheek as she leaned back in her seat. An insufferable tart. Selfish. Think like a noblewoman! "I demanded to visit the city to buy new clothing and yet he refused me at every turn! Then he has the nerve to have company." Weiss huffed, slapping her palms against her thighs and staring at the guard. "Why should he be allowed to have fun while I'm to remain at home?!"
"It's unsafe to travel alone these days, my lady. Grimm are about, and I've heard that bandits are more active than ever."
"And? I have some of the fastest horses money can buy, not to mention my guards!" Weiss puffed herself up, catching a glimpse of her stolen face in the guard's armor. Gods, she certainly looked the part of a rotten brat. "Or did you honestly assume I was too stupid to bring protection?"
For once the guard appeared taken aback, blinking and shaking his head. "Ah… No, I didn't think -"
"Exactly, you didn't think, you dolt! I have traveled for a long while in this cramped, awful thing to visit my aunt and enjoy Galloway's markets. I am very, very tired of dallying, and I am at the end of my rope, sir. Now, either let me in to see my aunt, or keep me out here and deal with whatever punishment she doles out later." Weiss smiled and lifted her chin haughtily. "I'm sure she'll love to hear how you wanted to send me back into the city, especially with banditry on the rise."
Was it though? Like Grimm she hadn't encountered bandits of any sort, not on her way south nor on her way into Galloway itself. Then again two Hunters were hardly an easy mark, and their journey from camp to the city was brief enough to avoid any incident.
Weiss felt, well, like a royal brat. A spoiled princess, really. She could imagine how proud, in some twisted way, her friends would be for acting the part. For her own measure she was stunned she'd managed to portray, what she thought anyways, was an indignant aristocrat's daughter.
She was even more shocked to see the guard squirming in his greaves. His mouth opened and closed several times, squared jaw working to make a sound yet producing none. If he had any doubts who she was then she'd dispelled them. That said something about the girl's usual behavior. That, and how easily she could play the part. It was natural, she supposed, being around nobility as often as she was. Basically, just behave like the worst person imaginable and you were halfway there.
"Well?" Maybe she was having just a little fun with this. Weiss stomped her foot, masking a wince as her heels dug into her ankle. "If you'd like I could start screaming. I'm sure she'd love to hear that first thing in the morning."
"N-No, no, that won't be necessary, my lady. I was just being careful, that's all."
"Oh?" Weiss arched an eyebrow. "And why is that? Usually I'm not interrogated when I visit."
The other guard came around to address her, pointed ears poking out beneath a leather cap. "Your aunt has some work she's attending to, Lady Rosalind. She says it's important to the kingdom," the lankier guard explained. His sharp features softened into a bemused smile and he tilted his head. "I'd explain but I doubt you care much."
"Are you suggesting I'm incapable of understanding?" Weiss snapped. Okay, she was having fun.
"Not at all, but that you've never shown an interest in your aunt's work before." The Ydran man put a hand to his chest and bowed. She was surprised he could bow in the stiff looking armor, although more so by how flexible it was. "Forgive me, I meant no insult."
"Yes, well, your dawdling is plenty insulting enough. Are you to let me inside or shall I scale the walls, you oafs?"
Both men exchanged a look, one horrified, the other caught between concern and barely hidden amusement. Weiss decided she liked the second guard more. "No, my lady," they answered in unison, stepping back and banging their fists across their chest in salute. "We'll open the gate at once," the horned man added, turning and marching back to his post. He leaned into the bars and beckoned to someone unseen. "Open the gates! And send word that Lady Lavender's niece has just arrived!"
Satisfied, and just a little bit smug, Weiss settled back in her seat. That had been easy, surprisingly so. Perhaps she had a future in acting after all? Or at the very least a future in portraying rotten young women. The carriage rocked, announcing Roman's return, and she leaned forward, opening the small port between them and smirking.
"Well? Go on."
"Huh, turns out you do know what you're doing. Who'd have thought." Roman's grin suggested he expected her to do just fine. She wasn't sure if she was offended or pleased by that. Choosing the latter, she leaned into her cushioned seat, preening as she smoothed out her dress. "Are you sure you're this is your first time, kid? You're a natural."
"It's easy to pretend to be pampered," Weiss answered, smiling back at Roman. "After all, I've taken no small inspiration from those around me. Which, by the way, I should thank you."
"Hey! I like to think I'm better than most!"
Weiss' rebuke went unheard as the gates creaked, hinges groaning as they were swung open for them. Two more guards appeared wearing the same scaled garb as the first pair, stomping their boots and standing at attention. She couldn't live like this day in and day out, it would drive her mad, but Weiss couldn't deny the slight satisfaction she felt either. The smile she wore felt perfectly justified as Roman wheeled them inside, past the gates with lavender stalks engraved on the onyx bar that ran across the top of the doors. The coach wobbled as they climbed over a small bump then settled, wheels rolling across a level brick pathway.
"This way," one of the guards instructed. "We'll see your horse put up and your driver given accommodations."
"Oh, I won't be staying. I have a room back in the city already," Roman explained, lowering his voice, albeit not enough that Weiss couldn't hear. "I'd like to be away from her if at all possible."
"You'll be on the streets with another comment like that!" Weiss shouted behind her hand, unable to keep a smile from her face.
"P-Pardons, my lady!"
Pardons her foot. Catching the sympathetic look Roman was given she slid closer to the door and waited for a guard to open it. She could do it herself, really, and she certainly didn't need helping to navigate the single step to disembark the vehicle. Yet she acquiesced and gave her hand daintily to the mitted paw of a guard, her own dwarfed by his, holding up her dress as she stepped out. Another peered into the carriage for her luggage and found none.
"It's all back at the inn," Weiss explained, rolling her eyes not at the lack of belongings but the obvious blunder. "He'll return shortly with my things, won't you?"
"Ah, yes, of course! A thousand apologies, my lady. A thousand thousand apologies."
"I can't wear apologies, you oaf. Get going and retrieve my bags already!"
She slammed the carriage shut to accentuate her impatience. Roman took the hint, nodded, and turned the vehicle around, snapping the reins and sending the horse into a trot.
"And bathe before you return!" she shouted after him, enjoying the thrill as he turned to shout back, then thought better of it. "I'll not have my things smell like you, you horse's arse!"
Okay, that one was for her. Did Lady Rosalind curse? A few guards around her chuckled and she took that as a yes. Waiting until the gates closed and Roman was well on her way, she scrunched up her dress, turned on her heel, and stared up at the nearest guard impatiently.
"Well? I'd like to see my aunt."
"Y-Yes, of course, my lady! Right this way."
From a distance the Lavender estate had seemed large. Up close it was positively ginormous, borderline comically so. Four stories, it turned out, rivaling the city's cathedral's first floor in scale alone, with wide arched windows spread across the first floor, leaving little mystery to what went on inside. Servants hurried about their morning tasks and not a single one looked outside to see what the commotion was. They walked along the lone pathway leading to two stained spruce doors, either side of them flanked by flower beds filled with yellow azaleas, red roses, towering blue delphiniums and, of course, lavender.
It filled the air with a lovely floral fragrance, the air thick with a sweet scent. The way the light reflected off petals made the greystone walkway burn with an array of colors, the same flowers catching in reflection on the lowest windows and turning them to stained glass. The flowerbeds wrapped around the front of the building, two feet from the walls to allow a raised walkway, and more flowers still, tiger lilies, orchids, white and pink wisteria, hung from intermittent baskets along the bottoms of the balcony.
Before they'd even reached the first step the twin doors opened soundlessly, and a lone butler stood in the entryway to greet them. A man in his winter years, with wisps of white clinging to a balding head, he bowed slightly, hands clasped before him.
"Lady Rosalind, forgive us. We were not made aware of your coming."
An awkward second passed before Weiss remembered he was referring to her. Clearing her throat, she nodded, taking the steps one at a time and fixing a scowl on her face.
"That is precisely the point of leaving unannounced! What good would it do me to declare to my father I'm leaving? He'd never let me!" She marched right past the butler who kept his head down and into the foyer. Hells, it was more like a ballroom, really. "Where is my aunt? I need to speak with her!"
"In a meeting, good lady." Hearing a man several times her age calling her 'good lady' didn't sit right. Weiss pursed her lips and nodded, playing discomfort as reluctant reticence.
"Very well. Then… Then I shall wait for her!"
"As you wish." The butler closed the doors and turned to her, wrinkled face betraying no emotion. He clapped twice and two women came running into the room, bowing respectfully before her. "I shall go and inform our lady of your arrival. In the meantime, please use these two as you see fit. Should you require anything - food, respite, drink, they will provide it for you."
"It is an honor, my lady," a young girl said, easily younger than Weiss herself.
"An honor, my lady," the other, an older girl, face flushed pink, added, panting as she bowed her head.
She sincerely doubted it was an honor. They were doing their jobs and attending to who they thought was a spoiled brat. More than the guards, and certainly more than Roman, she felt less inclined to demand things of the pair. Yet she had a facade to maintain and she suspected Lady Rosalind wasn't any kindlier to the help than the people meant to protect her.
"Then it will be your honor to fetch me a drink, I'm parched!" Weiss spat, adding a mental apology as the girls cringed. "And you," she added with a pointed stare at the younger girl. "I wish to… Walk the grounds! I've spent much too long in a carriage already. Show me around!"
"A-Ah… At once, my lady!"
"I'll fetch your drink," the elder said. "Jessamine will take you to the koi ponds. It is one of your aunt's favorite places to visit and quite serene."
She didn't doubt it. Weiss smiled, then forced it to change to a scowl. "I'll decide for myself how 'serene' it is. Get me my drink!"
This time she uttered a faint apology as the older serving girl rushed away, her flats slapping loud against the marbled floors. The remaining servant bowed her head in deference and stepped aside, gesturing for Weiss to take one of the corridors but not daring to lead. Was being this level of subservient necessary? She knew the answer before she even asked. Nobility expected this kind of treatment. To be waited on hand and foot, to have others kneel and grovel on a whim.
She pressed her lips into a thin line and headed down a hallway flooded with natural light, more of the high, arched windows splitting the wall every few feet.
She'd had fun initially but already she was beginning to loathe the girl she was pretending to be. Herself as well if she were honest, for how easily she adopted the persona, how naturally it came to her.
Yet any discomfort or misgivings she felt paled in comparison to what Yang and Ruby were enduring. She'd play this role for a month if it meant seeing them to safety. She would, she just wouldn't enjoy it. Glancing back at her young attendant she frowned when the girl squeaked and averted her gaze with haste, balling up her plain gown nervously.
Hopefully Lady Lavender wouldn't be long.
/+/+/+/+/+/
As it happened Lady Lavender wouldn't be long at all. Sipping at the tea delivered to her, she wasn't enjoying it, Weiss had taken to watching the koi swim in their enclosure. Curious fish, imported from Mistral, her mousy retainer had informed her. As if she or Caroline Rosalind cared where the fish originated from. She nodded along as the girl explained how they were purchased, how they were maintained. Weiss had been about to ask how the girl was so knowledgeable before she revealed herself as one of the caretakers.
"If so much as a scale is out of place she'll notice," she caught the girl mumbling as she fed the fish, hunched over the water, gown drawn up to avoid getting it dirty, revealing scuffed knees and pale, hairless legs. Weiss nodded absently as she watched a white and black fish dance around one another in a soundless ballad.
She just didn't care. She wasn't interested in the stained cedar pathways spanning the pond, nor the garden beds surrounding them, or how workers tended to the beds with almost a reverence. She cared, actually. She cared quite a bit how they all walked around like they were on thin ice, terrified to so much as look at her let alone speak. They hurried by her with heads down, uttering only polite necessities before disappearing on their way to their next task.
The servants' tentativeness made Lady Lavender's arrival all the more bombastic by comparison.
"Caroline? Oh goodness, it really is you!"
Weiss had barely begun to stand when the woman bowled into her, lifting her off her feet in a surprisingly firm hug. She gawked, sputtered, kicked, and perhaps uttered a curse or two as she was set back down, face flush with indignation.
"My, you've grown! Or at least I think you have. It's been too long, my dear! Far too long!" A flawless smile, a warm hand on her cheek, free of calluses, nails immaculate. Despite being a woman approaching forty there wasn't a wrinkle in sight or a hair out of place, her medium length hair, for which Weiss was certain she was given her name, smooth and shining. "Let me get a good look at you, dear. Oh, you're a bit rounder in the face," she noted while pinching Weiss' cheeks. "Have you been eating well? Don't tell me my idiot brother is letting you overeat again."
Thankfully smacking the woman's hand away didn't come across as too out of character, nor did the fierce pout Weiss adopted. "I've been eating fine, thank you very much!" Even if her cover was the rounded one, she felt slighted. "And is that any way to greet your niece?"
"What? I said hello, didn't I? Oh…" The woman chuckled and stroked Weiss' hair. "Hello. There, better? Forgive me, I've just come from a very straining meeting and my mind isn't quite here yet. How are you, Caroline? I hope the journey here wasn't too difficult?"
At risk of swatting at the woman's hand again Weiss opted to fold them behind her back and offer a terse smile, hoping it was enough to convey her point.
"Just fine, miss…" She paused and frowned. "Auntie."
"Auntie? My, that's a new one!" Harmonious laughter bubbled forth and Lady Lavender laughed alone, the servant too meek to join in and Weiss herself finding no humor in it. "Goodness, forgive me. I needed that after this morning. Come, come. Let's get you inside and have lunch together! You can tell me all about your journey and what you've been up to!"
"Er, but I -"
"You there, girl! Go and have the cooks prepare a meal for us!" She clapped her hands loudly and the young girl bowed, running off and disappearing into the home. Smiling, oblivious to Weiss' blatant look of disapproval, Lady Lavender stepped closer to the edge of the pond and peered into it.
"Beautiful fish, aren't they? I'm so fortunate that I was able to get them. You wouldn't imagine the compliments I get for this!" She laughed again, clasping her hands together and rocking on her heels. "Do you know what people say? Do you? They call me cultured; they say I have wonderful tastes. Me. They write me off as eccentric." I'm beginning to think 'crazy' fits the bill, ma'am. "And my tastes are eclectic, but then they complement me. I've started a trend, Caroline! Others are building ponds like my own."
"That's… Wonderful, Aunt Lisa."
"Oh please, Lisa is just fine." Both her hands were taken, and Lady Lavender beamed down at her, loose, flowing sleeves of her white gown billowing in the wind. "You've never been so formal with me! I assume my brother has been trying to drill manners into you?"
"Something like that."
"Well, there's little need for them in private, dear Caroline. I tire of putting on airs all day for company." Still clinging to one hand they turned, and Weiss was pulled away from the pond, hastening her pace to match the noblewoman's. "It is so wearisome pretending to like the company of every man and woman who visits."
"I can imagine," Weiss mumbled, hardly feeling the need to offer input.
"And goodness, what a week it has been!" The door leading back inside was opened, held, and closed by a servant, any marks on the floor promptly swept up by another. "First, I had Bernard, you remember him, don't you? He came to visit with a new proposition for me, something about selling his trinkets in Galloway. Then I had Heather come by and complain incessantly about her husband and children. I mean incessantly; I could speak to a servant and she'd carry on prattling as if nothing was the matter!"
Letting herself be strung along Weiss followed. They passed through a number of halls, each with windows to allow natural light inside, the sparse wall spaces decorated with colorful cloths, landscape paintings or portraits - usually of Lady Lavender herself, or some manner of flowering plant. Flowers seemed to be everywhere in the godsforsaken estate.
Their trip was a short one as they arrived at a small dining hall. Weiss used the term 'small' judiciously though. Any room that had a table large enough for twenty chairs, a chandelier, a fireplace, and was manned by no less than four servants even now was hardly small.
"And then Marigold had the nerve to suggest that I was behind on my payments. Marigold! That wench has a reputation you know. She's hardly reliable and often has to call in favors to repay debts."
Oh, and "her aunt" was still talking.
"And that's nothing compared to today." Lady Lavender sat at the head of the table and ushered Weiss to sit beside her. "Wine. Red, I don't care which," she instructed the nearest servant, eyes on Weiss as she waved dismissively. "And whatever Caroline wants. What would you like, dear?"
"Erm… Water is fine. I'm parched from my ride."
"Just water?" Lisa raised an eyebrow then scoffed, shaking her head. "Bring her a glass of wine as well. No niece of mine is going to miss sampling some of the finest… Oh, do you prefer white or red, dear? I can never seem to remember."
What she would prefer would be water, or even nothing at all. Weiss sighed, then gave the woman a patient smile. "White if I must."
"Sweet, full bodied? Do you prefer something with a bite, or something… Oh, of course! Bring her something sweet. She's young, young children like sweet, don't they?"
"Actually -"
"And have the cooks prepare some fish for us! I don't care which, just make it quick." Two servants bowed and left the room while the remaining two hovered nearby, ready, although Weiss suspected unwilling, to attend to their every whim. "Where was I? Oh yes, today! I have been dealing with the most unpleasant man, you see."
"You don't say," Weiss muttered, thumbing the spotless white tablecloth absently. Comfortable as the cushioned dining chair was she wanted desperately to be up and about, and preferably anywhere other than here.
"I don't understand how my brother does it, honestly. Dealing with our peers is one thing. I know how to play the game, you understand. Bat your eyelashes at the men, play nice with women. A favor for a favor, tit-for-tat." Lady Lavender sighed and rubbed at her forehead. "But these blasted Hunters? I can never figure out quite what they want!"
That caught her attention and Weiss perked up immediately. "Hunters?"
"Yes, dear. Those Magi the Church employs. The ones who fancy themselves 'Remnant's heroes' or some such." The words came out with such a disdain that Weiss nearly snapped back, having to instead clench her jaw until it ached to keep quiet. "They insist they cannot take gifts from us and sure enough this insufferable man has refused my every advance. They use my home for their business, my resources, and yet they refuse to inform me of what they're doing!" She smiled. "Although not all of them have been so tight-lipped. I've managed to learn a thing or two."
It was perhaps the hardest thing she'd done in her life to feign indifference. Weiss looked not at the woman beside her but the tablecloth, picking at it with a put-upon sigh. "I-Is that right?"
"They're practicing some kind of medical marvel from what I understand. Some young girl was horribly blighted during those attacks, you see. An awful case of miasma poisoning from what I understand. She's quarantined." The jabbering woman sighed and shook her head. "Her sister is here with us as well and yet the poor thing can't even see her. Contagious, you understand. Only he and the nurse are allowed to visit the girl."
He? Who was 'he'? And the nurse for that matter? She toiled for a way to ask for identities without giving herself away. Would someone like Caroline even know who any of the Hunters were? She doubted it.
Before Weiss had any chance to even attempt to ask the servants returned, one with two bottles of wine, the other with a tray of glasses and horderves. Crackers, fruit, and olives. Weiss wrinkled her nose as the bottles of wine were uncorked, eyeing her glass apprehensively. The lone benefit to their arrival? Lady Lavender seemed far more interested in enjoying her drink than speaking.
She needed to know more though. The rambling woman had confirmed that Ruby and Yang were there in all but name. She hadn't been given the full story, surprisingly, but they had enough confirmation to proceed with the plan.
"Well? Go on and try it, Caroline! Let me know what you think!"
The wine sloshed around in the half-full glass and Weiss watched Lady Lavender for a cue, sniffing at her drink and grimacing. Far too sweet and it had yet to even grace her taste buds. In lieu of pinching her nose she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and chased the entire glasses contents down in one gulp. The flavor and burn of alcohol left her sputtering and coughing.
"My, you must have had a trying trip after all!" the woman laughed while Weiss glared through tear-rimmed eyes. Lady Lavender followed suit and swallowed her drink in one go, smiling as she lifted her low empty glass and licked residue from her lips. "Now this? This is something I can enjoy."
It wasn't mutual. Much to her chagrin another glass was poured almost immediately, and Weiss stewed in silence. Maybe she could put off drinking more in favor of conversation. Gods, was more talking with this woman, or more accurately, being talked at preferable?
"Her sister is here with us as well." Weiss' eyes widened and she leaned forward, going so far as to reach out and grab the woman's arm as she began to drink again. It was potentially compromising but she had to try, even if only to get a moment, a split second. "You mentioned her sister is here? She must be lonely, not being allowed to see Y… Her sibling."
"Oh, I imagine so, and the poor thing wants nothing to do with me either." She looked genuinely upset by that, leaning into her seat and swirling her glass around with a sigh. "She's a lovely little thing. Sweet, friendly, a little awkward, but with some proper preening I think she'd make a wonderful wife for someone."
She'd pretend this cretin wasn't planning to marry Ruby off to someone. "She must be terribly lonely," Weiss reiterated, shaking her head. "As was I on my journey, only having my imbecilic driver to keep me company." Weiss sighed and wiped the corners of her eyes, dry as they were. Take a hint, woman!
Getting Lady Lavender to put two and two together was like trying to light a fire with wet sticks. Weiss needed it to be her idea though. If Lady Lavender suggested they meet, then there wouldn't be any questions as to why her niece was visiting Ruby. They were close enough in age and while of vastly different social standings she could see the scatterbrained woman thinking the two of them could get along.
When the woman's eyes lit up Weiss hid a smile behind her glass, almost gagging as a bit of wine slid down her throat.
"I should introduce you two! Oh, I bet you'd get along splendidly!" Weiss set down her glass and nodded, encouraging the chatterbox to keep going. "In fact, why don't we go visit her after this? Oh, or better yet, go do it now! Dinner won't be for a short while, after all." Whether Weiss wanted to go now or not a servant was summoned to their side at once. "Take my niece to visit the girl upstairs." Her eyes widened again, and she looked at Weiss thoughtfully. "Or would you prefer she joins us for supper? She's a Hunter too from what I understand. She might have some interesting stories for us!"
She would if Weiss didn't know all those stories already. She shook her head, smiling carefully as she folded her hands in her lap. "I'd rather not. If she ends up being a total dolt then I'd hate to have her stuck here with us. This way I can leave if she's annoying."
"Aw, I think you'll like her. She's a lot like you used to be!" Well that was a terrifying image. "But maybe you'll change your mind once you meet her! Go on! I'll have someone fetch you when lunch is ready."
Exercising every ounce of restraint Weiss slowly got to her feet, policing her face and running a finger around the rim of her wine glass.
"I don't know…"
"Oh, do go meet her, sweetheart. I think it will do some good for both of you! At the very least she'll provide some entertainment before our meal."
Ruby Rose was not entertainment. Weiss let out another sigh, this one much more strained, and bowed her head to Lady Lavender. "Fine, if you insist. I'm telling you this is a waste of time though."
"Don't be ridiculous! I think you two will get along splendidly!" The woman sampled a wafer from the tray and nodded, taking another and beaming at Weiss. "I dare say this is the best idea I've had all day. Don't be too long now!"
Only when her back was to the woman did Weiss allow herself to grin, maintaining an air of reluctance and letting her shoulders droop as she was escorted towards the halls. She probably looked idiotic, but Lady Lavender was ten times the buffoon she was. It had been almost too easy.
"Right this way, my lady." She nodded and followed the servant, furrowing her brow as they moved further and further away from the dining room.
Her impromptu plan had worked, and a new avenue was open to them. Now…
What the hells was she supposed to say?
I toyed with the idea of Weiss being utterly clueless how to act, then I decided, "You know what? She knows exactly how nobles act. Like jerks!" Obviously it's a generalization, and a poor one at that, but it's working for her so far!
And hey, now she gets to go see Ruby! Which I'm sure is fine and won't cause any complications!