This chapter has a light trigger warning. It's a little different from my other chapters in the past, so keep that in mind.
"You made me look like an absolute fool!"
While Jacques paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, all Weiss could do was sit on her bed. Her red cheeks emitted warmth as she watched his antsy movements. Her father was furious. She hadn't seen him this angry in a while.
Instead of replying, Weiss bit her lip as she stared down at the floor. Rather than be upset, the heiress felt numb.
She hated this.
She wished she had more wine…
"Your stumbling during a simple waltz was atrocious!" Jacques yelled, his shouts echoing in the vast mansion. "Thank God Henry halted before you could embarrass me further! You owe him! That means I owe his family!"
For the majority of the previous dance, Weiss and Henry performed well. It was about halfway through the song when Weiss began to visibly stumble from intoxication. When Henry noticed this, he stopped the dance to spare her some embarrassment.
At least Henry was nice about it. Her father, on the other hand, was a different story. The display was a disgrace in his eyes.
Truth be told, she found herself not caring anymore. Alcohol had warped into a type of coping mechanism. It could at least drown the nightmare she was living in. Make her feel nothing.
Now that she was sobering up, Weiss felt the full weight of his harsh words. It was suffocating. So confiding that she couldn't make eye-contact with him. She felt his stone-cold stare as it pierced her soul.
She hated this.
As he threw a tirade at her, Weiss tried to drown him out. She despised everything her father stood for. Jacques Schnee owned faunus slaves. Owning slaves was legal and common practice, but to Weiss, it was immoral. Especially since her father was known as a vicious slave owner. He exploited them on a daily basis.
"Are you even listening?" Jacques quipped. "Or are you too intoxicated to comprehend what I'm saying?!"
At last, Weiss met his ice-cold gaze. Instead of replying, Weiss grit her teeth and glared up at him.
Noting her red cheeks, Jacques exclaimed. "You're going to end up just like your mother!"
Defiantly, Weiss stood from her bed. The mention of her mother struck a nerve. While the heiress was a little intoxicated, she was thinking clearly. Vividly. The mention of someone she once held dear sparked a surge of adrenaline.
Truth was, Weiss couldn't remember her mom very well. The only times when they interacted, her mother had a glass of wine in her hand. More than likely to cope with her life. In a way, Weiss understood her mother. Anyone could be driven to alcoholism with this so-called 'life.'
"A marionette was all mom was to you, wasn't she?!"
The sudden shout was unexpected, to say the least. Jacques almost stepped backward from how shocked he was. His daughter finally snapped. He'd spent all these years training her to fit his version of perfection. She still was nowhere near it.
"I refuse to be your puppet any longer!" Weiss shouted, letting her feelings flow out of her mouth. "You're everything I despise!"
At that moment, Winter's face flashed across Jacques' vision. One of his daughters had already escaped. His last child had no choice. This was the last straw.
"You insolent brat!"
A loud slap sound rang out.
"Agh!"
Gingerly, Weiss held her throbbing cheek as she glared at him. Normally, physical violence silenced his youngest daughter. That seemed to do the trick.
"Your behavior has gotten out of hand," Jacques said in a terrifyingly calm voice. "You will stay in this room until I deem you can leave."
Weiss watched him walk over to the door. "You can't lock me in here!"
"Watch me."
After that, her father shut and locked the door. An audible click rang out. When it was silent again, Weiss let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Defeated, Weiss sat on the mattress. All she could do was stare at the pristine wall across the room. There was this jarring sensation in her stomach. A familiar feeling crept into her.
That horrible feeling was back.
Loneliness. Dread. Hopelessness.
She'd rather be numb than allow these emotions to take over. They tugged on her, trying to yank her into a dark abyss.
All these years, she'd simply existed for her father's use. Her path was set in stone. She had a future, but it wasn't a good one. One she would never enjoy. She was to be married to whoever her father picks. Probably Henry. Then she would be forced to bear his children to keep the Schnee name alive. A name she wanted nothing to do with.
The Schnee Dust Company was known for its cruel treatment of the faunus slaves. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with her name, but she was trapped.
She wanted something she could do for herself. Have some semblance of control in her life. She knew exactly how to do that.
On wobbly legs, she robotically walked over to her desk. She opened the drawer and picked up a memento left by her mother. A switchblade with a snowflake carved into the wood.
Now that she had the resolve to end it, there was a spec of hope. Whatever happened afterward, she could handle. Because then she wouldn't have to deal with this ploy called her life.
She'd just have to power through the pain. It would be nothing compared to the nightmare she existed in every day. Completely numb, Weiss knelt on the marble floor. At least it wasn't carpet. Clean up would be much easier this way.
The sharp blade pressed horizontally against her white skin, but not hard enough to slice it.
Despite wanting to do this, her hand trembled as she grasped the handle.
I'm sorry, Winter.
Until now, Weiss only existed for her older sister. Now that she was gone in the military away from home, the darkness and isolation had overwhelmed her. Not even Winter could help her.
A single tear dripped down her cheek and onto her arm below. From the sight, Weiss' hand stopped trembling to wipe away the tears.
That was odd.
She thought her tears had dried up years ago.
After a deep breath, Weiss pressed the blade to her skin again. The edge was sharp enough to easily make a clean cut. It just had to be swift.
Determined, she closed her eyes and began to internally countdown from three to one.
She was about to slide the blade across her porcelain skin, but a flash shined in the darkness. The light was so unexpected that Weiss had to open her eyes and glance out the windows.
A friendly blue flare. The blue sparkled above the ocean before fizzling out in a brilliant display.
The signal. I forgot it's Friday…
After sniffling, she set the blade on her desk. She almost forgot about them. Tonight was a torturous hell. It clouded her mind and made her forget the one thing in life she liked.
Not wanting to disappoint them, Weiss stood precariously. Instinct drove her to grab her rapier that rested in her closet. After she retrieved it, she took a few gold coins hidden on the shelves between pages of books.
A few sniffles masked the silence during her movements. Determined to appear normal, she wiped away the tears and took a deep breath.
This had been routine for a few weeks. Weiss would meet up with her friends, hand them money, exchange small talk, and then they'd be on their merry way. This would be around the fifth exchange. During this time, she got to know the pirates well.
While she looked forward to seeing them, she couldn't quell the jarring feeling in her stomach. She was nauseous and felt as if that would never go away.
Quietly, she opened the window. Since she was on the third floor, she conjured a few glyphs to use as stairs to reach the ground. Soils and freedom wafted into her nose. The refreshing scent was leagues better than her suffocating room.
In a rush, Weiss bolted through the vast forest. The beach- her destination- was about a mile away. A run she scoffed at. She easily smoked the sprint in five minutes. When the waves reached her ears, she forced a smile.
When she exited the treeline, Weiss glanced around. There was a familiar ship. The only reason she could see it was due to the shattered moon and luminous stars.
"Weeeeeeeiss!"
That call could only belong to one person. As expected, Weiss spotted the flowing red cape.
"Ruby," Weiss said softly.
Behind Ruby, Yang and Blake followed. They seemed to be taking their time and on guard for any possible threats.
Eagerly, Ruby wrapped Weiss in an embrace. It was supposed to be cold. Weiss was supposed to feel nothing. But in Ruby's arms, she felt warm as she accepted the hug.
"It's so good to see you again!" Ruby chirped happily. "How's your week been?"
Weiss had no idea how much she needed a hug after tonight. Had no idea how much she needed to hear those caring words. Ruby said them so effortlessly. To think Weiss was so close to…
Eventually, the heiress returned the hug and muffled a whimper by burying her face into Ruby's neck. She'd never felt so vulnerable, yet so safe.
"Weiss?"
Knowing something was wrong, Ruby gently pulled away to study her gaze. Weiss blinked once, unveiling the colors within her heart.
"What's wrong?" Ruby asked, her face falling. "Did something happen?"
Before she could answer, Yang and Blake joined their side. Alarm bells rang when they noticed their friend wasn't her usual sassy self and lacked an animated vibe.
"Rubes is right, you don't look right," Yang observed, narrowing her eyes in thought. "Normally, you would've chewed me out by now."
Weiss simply held out the gold coins, keeping her emotions in check. "Here."
The three only stared at the currency. Worry etched all over their faces.
Gently, Ruby curled Weiss' hand to close and pushed it back. "Tell us what happened."
Every time they met up, Ruby, Blake, and Yang would accept the money. Weiss offered it to them to show gratitude for what happened. For what they've done for her. When their friend was like this, the pirates were too concerned to accept the offer.
All this time, Blake had been silent. She chose to study her friend's body language and expressions instead. Suddenly and gently, the faunus touched her cheek. From the sudden pain, Weiss recoiled.
Since Weiss had such a horrible night, she forgot to hide the bruise from them.
"Who struck you?" Blake asked.
"That doesn't matter," the heiress said sternly. Even if she did tell them, it's not like they could do anything about him. "It was merely a tap."
"It does matter," Ruby replied solemnly. "You know that anyone who messes with you, messes with us."
"It's really blue," Yang mumbled, staring at the bruise. "That's more than just a 'tap.' Tell us."
Since they were determined to find out, Weiss sighed.
"My father."
Multiple gasps of disbelief. They looked appalled.
"That's horrible…" Ruby breathed.
"What'a piece'a shit," the blonde growled as she rolled up the sleeves on her arms like she was about to throw down. "Alright, where is he?"
Since Weiss had only known the pirates for a couple of months, they knew nothing about her home life. They didn't know that her father was untouchable. All they knew was that she had money. Even though her friends knew so little about her life, they were protective of her. It was flattering.
"He was a tad angry," Weiss tried to reassure them. "It doesn't hurt much. Really."
The three shared uneasy glances amongst each other. Yang and Blake sent the captain a knowing nod.
Eagerly and calmly, Ruby reached out her hand.
"Join us, Weiss."
That was the only reasonable route. Either Weiss stays in her abusive home, or she could take a leap of faith and live with her friends on their ship.
Weiss only stared at her open palm. "Pardon?"
"Join my crew," Ruby said solemnly. "We want- need- you."
Silver pools sparkled under the moonlight. It was mesmerizing. Weiss had never seen Ruby so genuine and sincere.
To make sure Weiss heard the offer correctly, she gazed at the other two. Yang and Blake gave her kind smiles.
The outstretched hand glimmered with hope. For once, she could see a future. A future she could enjoy. One with her friends.
She accepted the gesture and placed her hand in Ruby's own.
Ruby's hand was warm.
Warm in this cold night.
YEP NO WHITLEY. YEP SEMBLANCES ARE A THING. The chappy title is from Lost In Thoughts All Alone by Amalee.
"Is it okay to take your hand? Can I lead you to the fair land?" This references Weiss finding new hope with her friends. Also, "Thou seek the light with an outstretched hand."
Stay dandy,
~Toto
