Author's Note: This absolutely got away from me and I want to make it much bigger and expand on it more…fuck. Some prompts will be more obviously romantic, some (like this one) will just be part of the lead up etc as I'll try to continue this one in the future (I've got some ideas for it), but majority will be romantically minded.
Weiss' footsteps clanked as she sprinted down the stone corridor, the tapestries that lined it a colourful blur. Coming round a corner into an entranceway she found herself face to face with another human. She lifted her sword slightly instinctively, but on recognising the armour that the other person wore she lowered it again.
"The princess?" Her voice was sharp and to the point, not wanting to waste her breath on more words.
The other guard shook her head, and lowered the crossbow she'd raised upon seeing Weiss, "I'm on my way to her."
Without any more words they both sprinted up the stairs and down another corridor, their memories of the castle layout helping them with the shortest route. They skidded to a stop outside an open door, the wood slightly broken from an attack. Together they took in the sight of the room where, amongst three dead bodies in light black clothing, stood a single woman, wearing little more than a red nightshift, and holding a large weapon that was dripping blood from the blade.
"Princess Ruby!" The guard with the crossbow called out in shock and the girl looked up, the giant red and black scythe she wielded held easily in one hand. She lowered it more towards the ground, a strange look on her face as she took in the two armoured guards. Weiss just stared in astonishment; The Princess had killed the assassins?
The sound of breaking glass shook them all out of their individual thoughts as a fourth assassin burst through the window behind the princess, who spun lifting her scythe…except the two guards knew it would be too late. Without thinking of the consequences, Weiss lifted her hand and a shimmering snowflake split the air between the assassin and the princess. The assassin had rolled and brought their sword up, point clearly aiming for the princess' chest, only to hit the snowflake and slow as if going through thick treacle. The surprise on his face was matched only by the surprise on the princess', but lasted nowhere near as long, mostly due to the crossbow bolt that embedded itself in his eye.
The snowflake vanished as Weiss realised what she'd done, and the assassin's sword clinked as it bounced off the stone floor, and he fell to the ground. "Umm…" The princess looked between the two guards and then again at the assassin.
"We need to get you to the throne room, the Queen and the entirety of the Royal Guard is there, they can protect you until all the assassins have been found and dealt with." The princess tilted her head slightly as she looked at the two guards again, and they exchanged a quick, worried glance before looking back at the princess.
"Okay then." Immediately sprinting out the door, the two guards scrambled to catch up to her. Whilst they were running, Weiss was slightly surprised at how easily the princess ran whilst still holding onto the scythe.
They reached the throne room quickly and without incident. The purple-cloaked guards that stood outside the towering double doors lowered their halberds to form a barrier. Upon recognising the princess between the two guards, they raised the weapons and opened the door, one of them entering with her. The remaining guards nodded to Weiss and the other guard who had accompanied the princess and allowed them to enter with her.
"Ruby! Thank the Gods that you're safe!" A tall, muscular blonde woman in tight fitting leather armour with golden gauntlets on came sprinting over to the trio and grabbed the princess in a bear hug, spinning round with her.
"Yaaaaaang…" The princess whined in a very un-royal like manner, as she pushed against the older girl's shoulders and kicked her feet to be let go. Once the tall girl finally let the princess go, she scrambled back a little bit, moving slightly closer to Weiss and the other guard to prevent another bone crushing hug.
"And these two guards are…?" A second, silkier voice floated over to the group, and a third woman, this time with flowing black hair and two pointed cat ears, appeared at the blonde's shoulder. She was also dressed in similarly tight-fitting leather armour as well; only this time there was a golden circlet around her brow, encircling the cat ears.
Weiss and Penny both dropped to one knee in sync, recognising the two women for who they were: The Queens. "Weiss Neige your Majesties."
"Penny Polendina your Majesties."
Queen Yang waved a hand, "Come on, up up up, I'm not fussed about kneeling from guards." She waited until Weiss and Penny had stood up before continuing, "So, how come you both appeared at the same time as my little sister here?" Both guards could hear a faint undercurrent of steel in her voice.
"Why are you asking them? Didn't you send them when you heard about the assassin's?" Ruby spoke up before either Weiss or Penny could get a word in.
"I mean I did send guards, but it was a full squad from the Royal Guards, and they haven't returned yet." Yang turned slightly to look at her Queen who nodded and swept away immediately.
Ruby looked at Weiss and Penny with a strange look, "Wait, so if you're not part of the group that was sent why did you…"
She was interrupted by the arrival of the other Queen and Guard Commander Goodwitch, an imposing woman, small half circles of glass on the end of her nose, and a long, coiled whip resting on her hip. She was a stern looking woman and the head of every division of all the guards in the castle. Weiss gulped, she'd not been on the wrong end of the Commander before, but knew she was inherently strict.
Fair, but very strict.
"Guardsman Neige, Crossbow-man Polendina, I'm curious as to why you're not at your assigned posts this evening." A single eyebrow was raised in question and they both felt a shiver run down their spine. The voice was not one that suffered liars.
"I heard the assassins were after the Princess and wanted to help her." Penny spoke up first and Weiss just nodded in agreement.
"And yet that's why the Royal Guard exist. Do you both believe yourselves either worthy of joining their ranks or possibly that you're better than them? Despite neither of you having half the training or experience even the lowest member does?" Her arms crossed, Commander Goodwitch stared down at Penny and Weiss.
"You say that Commander, but they both made it to my bedroom before the Royal Guard did and killed the fourth assassin in my room." Everyone was surprised to hear Princess Ruby speak up and turned to look at her. Weiss noticed that the crimson scythe she had been holding the entire time had vanished but couldn't see where to.
"I appreciate that your Highness, however they still deserted their posts."
"So why not give them new ones?"
"Your Highness?" Everyone turned to Queen Blake at her words.
"Regardless of what they should have been doing, they both made it to Ruby's quarters faster than the Royal Guard and killed an assassin. That shows they're both dedicated to protecting her at all costs, as I assume they both know the dangers of disobeying direct orders, never mind crossing you." She inclined one hand towards the Commander. Unsurprisingly, the two Queens knew of the Commander's reputation.
Weiss looked away, not wanting to meet Commander Goodwitch's eyes as they roamed back to her.
"What are you suggesting your Highness?"
"Well, my Queen has been trying to convince our sister to accept bodyguards for a little while now, especially considering the…more detailed and believable threats we've received recently. Perhaps these two guards should be reassigned to that position?"
Queen Yang grinned widely at her wife's words, "Absolutely! It wouldn't be a reward exactly, as the hours are much longer and harder than in the positions they already have, plus it would hopefully be a lot more boring. And they'd have to put up with my hyperactive little sister." At that she grabbed Princess Ruby again and started messing her hair up, causing the Princess to push against her once more and lean backwards to get out of her older sister's reach. "I agree the Royal Guards are the more elite soldiers, however seeing as Ruby refuses to have them as bodyguards, perhaps these two could, if nothing else, work well as delays until the more highly trained Royal Guard arrive." Penny was a little shocked at the bluntness with which Queen Yang had effectively called them meat shields but could see why. The Queen wanted the two guards to know the downside to the choice of bodyguard or face Commander Goodwitch.
"I…can see the merit in that suggestion your Highnesses."
Weiss and Penny looked at each other quickly, and then to the Princess who had managed to extricate herself and was now standing on her own, a little awkwardly, one arm holding the other elbow in front of her. Weiss couldn't help but feel that she looked very alone, and a pang of pain and sympathy shot through her.
"Do I not get a say in this at all?"
"No." Three voices sounded out as the two Queens and the Guard Commander spoke in unison.
Princess Ruby pouted slightly, looking with narrowed eyes at the three older women. "Fine then. If I have to. Although on one condition."
"Depends what it is little sis."
"They get training to bring them up to the same level as the Royal Guards. I don't want to have two people become little more than sacrifices to keep me alive." Penny smiled, glad to know that even though the Princess didn't know them, she still didn't want to just have them there to die.
"Deal! I'm happy with that. Commander?" Queen Yang turned to face the Commander who nodded curtly, a little put out that two low level guards had suddenly been elevated to status of bodyguards to the Princess. However, the Commander was also smart enough to understand that sometimes compromise was necessary, especially when it came to Queen Yang. "Great! Weiss Neige and Penny Polendina, by order of the Crown of Vale you are now the designated Royal Protectors for Princess Ruby. We'll sort the details out later, but you might as well introduce yourselves to each other properly now, you're going to be spending a lot of time together from now on." Winking at the two guards, causing Weiss to blush slightly, the two Queens and the Commander walked away, leaving the three women alone together. Well, as alone as they could be in a hall half-filled with courtiers and guards.
"So…looks like I'm stuck with the pair of you." The two guards turned to face the brunette Princess, "I'm Ruby Rose, pleased to meet you both."
Author's note:
Calling Weiss 'Weiss Neige' is because of 'reasons' that will become apparent if I continue with this fic later down the line, which I hopefully will do, just need to plan it out more first. But I wanted to keep the same Snow White name, which is why it's now in German and French.