The man's step was hesitant as the attendant showed him through the door. Weiss spared him a brief glance before going back to her notes. Bosque Madera - Property. Internally she sighed. Another one. But externally only a welcoming smile adorned her face. All those years of intensive training were coming in use once again.

Bosque came to a stop directly on the small cross taped on the floor before her chair, even going so far as shuffling his feet so they were both on top of it. It was almost as if he believed something terrible would happen if he made even that small a mistake.

It was a reaction that she was used to. Even after almost two years, the motto of the Schnees remained on everyone's lips. Atlas' brief civil war was entrenched in memory. No one had lived through it without being affected in some way, and all knew who had orchestrated it.

The Lady Schnee. The Ice Queen, as some were so fond of calling her when alcohol warmed their bellies. They would never dare say it to her face. She'd made sure of that. By and large, her father had played by the rules that had been set in stone so long ago. She'd shattered that stone, then ground it into dust and scattered it to the wind.

Her father had been feared, true, but she could set people trembling with a word. Even the nobles bowed and scraped before her. She'd transcended them all and they knew it. Despite her common moniker she wasn't a queen. At least not officially at any rate. She hadn't been crowned. Her title was still the Lady of House Schnee, and technically she was Councillor Schnee as well. But she ruled a Council of one. For all intents and purposes her power in Atlas was absolute.

No one was willing to oppose her will now.

She had to swallow hard at that thought. It wasn't true. There was one person who had. And that betrayal still burned hot enough it could bring tears to her eyes. Not now though. At this moment her diamond-laden tiara may as well have been the crown most thought it was, and she put on the appropriate display for her subject.

If she'd ever seen him before his face had regressed into the blur of a crowd. He didn't come from a lineage which could be traced back centuries. He was just a normal civilian. One who had gained a personal audience with his queen.

It wasn't that unusual. She might have risen to this lofty position of power in less-than altruistic ways, but she wanted to be better. Her father had always said that fear was the best way to rule; she didn't believe that. Respect was far superior. Despite everything, despite how their house was now far more powerful than it had ever been, that his precious legacy was ensured, Weiss knew he would have derided her for her actions now.

Bosque was a peasant. So why was she wasting her limited time on him? It was a question many would have liked an answer to. She didn't need to give one however; they only needed to look in the history books. King Arthur Pendragon, in her opinion the greatest ruler their country had ever known, had done the same thing. On feast days the common folk had been able to come and petition their king.

Once things had settled down, and she was sure there wasn't going to be an uprising, she'd revived the concept. For one day a month she sat in this room and listened to all manner of petty grievances. Most were quite simply fantastically dull; an argument over grazing land between farmers, an inheritance that had been incorrectly split, or even which neighbour had the right to cut down the tree that was straddling their properties. Most of the cases she presided over would have been better suited for the courts, but most of the people who came to the petition days couldn't afford the fees.

Here they didn't have to pay anything; even travel and accommodation were free. Too much of Atlas only benefited the rich; she wanted to change that, and this was how she started. On a petition day all were equal. A lowly labourer could even summon his lord to answer a grievance. None did though; they were only equal in this room after all.

Weiss wished she could change everything, but it was impossible. That just wasn't the way the world worked. Still, spending one day a month of her time gave those less fortunate than her an opportunity. She hoped that some might take it. At least among some she felt as if she were starting to win them around. They might still fear her ̶ ̶ and in all honesty fear was necessary ̶ ̶ but they were beginning to feel the silk glove as well.

"Good morning Bosque." Weiss spoke from an elevated position. Though her chair and desk were only set on a dais a few inches tall, it was appropriate for their differing stations and instantly reminded anyone of her authority. It wasn't her desire to intimidate though, that was why she received petitioners in one of the side rooms of Tintagel Castle rather than the restored main hall.

"L… Lady Schnee." He'd obviously been instructed on how to greet her, but she could easily pick out a dozen things that were wrong with his bow. His trembling really didn't help either. It appeared Bosque fell into the category of those who feared her. Not surprising really, he was from Calypso.

Weiss tried to help him relax by speaking fluidly and pleasantly. "I'm glad you're here. Unfortunately today's schedule is extremely busy so I'm afraid we'll have to get on with this as quickly as possible. I believe you wish to raise an issue to do with property?" If there was one thing Weiss didn't enjoy it was that there was never any opportunity just to talk with those who came. To learn what they would change about Atlas if they were the ones who sat in her seat.

"Uhh…" Sweat poured from his brow and covered his face in a slick sheen.

"There's no need to be nervous Bosque. Just say what you have to say. No one is going to reprimand you in here."

Weiss watched his Adam's apple bob as he gulped before clearing his throat. "Right. I work on a farm, a cattle farm, or at least it was. We don't have many left these days." Bosque shook his head.

"And that is the nature of your problem?" Weiss coaxed him.

"Yes. We're struggling to make ends meet. We always were anyway, but now… we just can't."

"Who exactly is the opposing party of your grievance?" That was how it worked. She was meant to be an independent adjudicator between two complainants. There were some who raised an issue with the state, but so far this just seemed to be a case of bad management or ill luck.

If possible he appeared even more nervous at that question. "It's… it's you, your Ladyship."

Weiss didn't notice how a neutral mask settled on her features or how the warmth fled from her voice. "Me?"

"Umm… Yes your Ladyship." Bosque wrung his hands.

"Might I enquire as to why you hold me responsible for your business failings?" Weiss interlaced her fingers just as her father had always done and peered over them.

"My farm is, was, on Estrella lands. When you bombed it ̶ ̶ "

"The Estrella household was destroyed in a tragic Dust accident. You would do well to remember that."

That was the official record of events at any rate. Despite what everyone knew had actually happened, there had been no Atlesian civil war. Instead, almost overnight, a number of different Houses had suffered terrible accidents and Schnee troops had been altruistically deployed to help them. As ridiculous as it was, appearances had to be maintained. Nobles couldn't be seen to be attacking one another. They had to set an example.

Bosque bobbed in another half-bow. "Yes your Grace."

"Continue."

"Umm," Bosque didn't have much of an avenue for complaint anymore if it had been an accident, but he'd come here because he didn't have any other choice. "The explosion maimed some of my cows. I had to put them down. The stream which runs through my land got something in it and made the rest sick. It still does and we don't have the money to keep melting snow."

"Why have you waited until now to request compensation? You should have put your name forward as the Estrella estate was being redistributed." Unlike the public perception her heart wasn't made of ice. She knew that despite the lie there might well have been merit in his complaints. If that was the case the blame fell at her door.

"We did, but we were given a pittance. It barely covered the cost of a new bull. There wasn't enough to sort out the water, or repair the buildings. We've had to eat into our savings and now they're gone."

If that was the case it infuriated Weiss. She had no doubt it was. The Estrella estate had been huge. Its business holdings and accounts had been absorbed into a shadow corporation residing under the SDC's umbrella, but the rest had been split between the loyal houses and the local government.

It had been meant to make the citizens lives better; instead it had probably found its way into one pocket after another until barely anything was left for those who needed it. Corruption was one of the vices that she'd tried to purge. The offence in a public office held a severe prison sentence, though that law had been passed only a year ago. It was very possible that while the books said Bosque had received a sizeable amount, in reality he'd only received a fraction of it.

Officially there could never be a public record that linked her to the accidents that had occurred throughout Atlas. They had been accidents after all. Bosque would never receive any compensation from her or the SDC, but she could still assist his situation.

"I will instruct the local officials to re-examine and re-value your claim."

"Thank you your Grace." Weiss couldn't find the energy to correct the appellation. No matter how many times she did too many viewed her as the queen.

"If that is all you may withdraw." He did and she hoped he would tell others of his meeting with her. Tell them that she wasn't as terrifying as the stories.

At least her meeting with Bosque had been short, sweet, and had come to a successful conclusion. Most ended up dissolving into an argument and on occasion she'd had to break up a fight. It was something she tried to avoid; it only caused more rumours to circulate. Even if her intention for petitioning days had been to facilitate the correction of injustices, most just used it as another avenue to try and get ahead in the world. She was not fond of those who wasted her time.

Starling entered the room. She'd been loyal, unlike some, and had been justly rewarded. Being the Chief of Staff of Lady Schnee suited her. She'd lost many of the tells that the lower classes often picked up throughout their lives and now, with the correct posture, her stride was supremely confident. She could have been a noble. She soon would be with the gift Weiss had prepared for her next birthday. It was a small holding, but undoubtedly Starling would manage it much better than its previous owners.

"Weiss." It had taken Starling some time to revert back to calling her by her name. After the accidents she had scraped and grovelled as much as anyone. As if the person who she'd worked for was no longer who she'd believed they were. It had been months before she realised that nothing had changed. "That was the last one of the morning. It's time for lunch."

The way she said it brokered no argument. Weiss willed her stomach to stop rumbling; she hadn't felt like breakfast this morning and in all honesty didn't feel like lunch either. Starling clearly wouldn't accept no for an answer though. Weiss smiled. If anyone thought she was a dread queen from legend they should see how her employee bossed her around. "I'll eat in the gardens."

"It should be waiting for you. I arranged for something light." As ever, Starling had learned to predict her mood.

"Thank you." Weiss collected her belongings and began the long and complicated journey out of Tintagel Castle. Originally it had been a defensive fortification and the layout of its internal corridors had been designed to confuse the enemy. Over the many centuries since, it had been redesigned and refurbished time and time again. The result was an even more confusing maze of official corridors and servant passages. It was not efficient in the slightest and Weiss was of a mind to order them to tear it all out.

Those she encountered bowed or curtseyed low, much lower than they would for any other lord or lady. Even those who saw her everyday viewed her differently. It was no wonder the confusion over her status had permeated through the population.

The air outside was crisp and ever so refreshing after a morning spent inside. For some it might have been cold, but she couldn't feel it. She made sure that the gardens were given a sizeable portion of the money allocated to repair Tintagel after the White Fang attack. The landscapists had done their work well. Standing on the steps before them they stretched out in front of her. An artistic blend of colours even with the light dusting of snow. The Eiszapfen didn't have anything like this.

Most weeks she only got to spend one or two days at the headquarters of the SDC; there was too much for her to do here. She still had her old office while Winter had moved to their father's. That was the distribution of workload the pair of them had decided on. Winter would continue to do what she did best and manage the SDC and its newly acquired branches, while Weiss ran the country.

It worked well and it was fairer. Ultimately, she owned everything. The company, the estate, the lands surrounding it. She owned it all and Winter had nothing except for what her sister gave her. The inheritance laws were another bureaucratic legacy Weiss was of a mind to change. It only bred resentment and infighting. If the circumstances had been different, she and Winter might very well have been at each other's throats. As it was, they were both satisfied with their allotment. Winter was the CEO of the SDC, and the second most powerful woman in the world. Second only to her sister. Not bad when one considered they were both only just out of their teens.

Winter was thriving, and she was happy. Without the ever-present threat of a plot hanging over them, she'd even lost some of her hardened edge. They made sure to have dinner together at least once a month. After becoming so close they didn't want to drift apart again.

The meals spent with her sister were Weiss' favourite evenings. They were fun. Talking, laughing, being in the company of someone who was her equal. Winter had changed too. Unless Weiss was very much mistaken, she'd met someone. No amount of prodding would get Winter to open up, but the rapid change of subject was as good as confirmation. Weiss was happy for her. She knew how special love really was. How it could make even the greyest days bright.

Unfortunately today was grey. Snow clouds hung over the garden and only patchy sunlight was getting through. The guards stationed outside saluted her before snapping back to attention. Thankfully she didn't have to put up with bodyguards anymore. In the wake of the war Erashan had been insistent that she be followed by what felt like an army battalion everywhere. The pounding of their boots had almost driven her insane.

It had taken him far too long to realise that she was no longer in danger. The White Fang had been wiped out entirely. As for those who'd taken her father from her, the few who been allowed to survive had learnt a very valuable lesson.

Though they'd failed in their ultimate goal, in their eyes the House Schnee had been weakened, left in the hands of two pampered teenagers. They'd expected the sisters to grieve, and maybe try and hatch their own subtle plan. There were rules that the nobles of Atlas all played by. Rules that she'd ignored.

They hadn't known she'd been the one conducting the SDC's operations against the White Fang, not her father. They hadn't known that she'd been blooded and tempered in combat. They'd expected her to treat them as nobles; instead she'd treated them like the vermin they were.

Those who talked about the civil war in bars called it 'The Twilight War'. They weren't far off. It had been largely over before the sun had fully risen. The Houses that had moved against her had used the White Fang to hurt her and likely expected her to concoct a similarly convoluted plot. No one had expected air strikes.

Two days after her father's funeral, that was what she'd ordered. Dozens of them on the perpetrators' estates and properties. The majority of her enemies had died within hours. Those who had been in the middle of cities had been arrested or had suffered other unfortunate "accidents". It had been a monumental task to hit all her targets within such a short time frame, but the forces she'd honed were the best on the planet.

The rising sun had woken Atlas to a dramatic shift in its power balance. House Schnee had no more rivals. It was undisputedly at the top of the pile. She'd managed to accomplish what her father had not. It was a fitting tribute to his memory.

Her media teams had been on point as well. The official story of accidents and disappearances had been the only one reported. It was better that way. Left to their own devices the populace were liable to panic.

Unfortunately, there were always dissidents. Those who believed they had all the facts when in truth they had none. The bloggers, the so-called activists who hid on the web, it was from them that her title of the Ice Queen had risen into popular usage. They insisted on spreading lies and misinformation.

If they were to be believed, she'd wiped out half the noble families in Atlas and then spat on their graves. It wasn't surprising that most of those who'd been arrested had at one stage been allied with those who had stood against her. The bloggers weren't being altruistic; they were just playing their own game. It was one that she refused to allow them to finish.

For the first time in generations Atlas was moving in a single direction. The world was beginning to move in a single direction. The petty politics that had ingrained themselves into every facet of society were no more. Both Atlas and Vale were now driven by the will of their individual leaders, and together they were pushing the Grimm from Vale as they had from Atlas. In only two years she and Ozpin had almost managed to accomplish what many believed to be impossible. That was worth any of the sacrifices that the activists complained about.

Even now it was obvious that if she gave them an inch they would drag Atlas and the world at large back into strife. Ozpin understood that too. In one sweep he'd wiped out the White Fang. To most it had been a horrific act; to her it had been necessary. They had been zealots, and if even a single one had been left alive their cause would have found root again.

Ruby hadn't understood that. Understood any of it. For so long Weiss had thought that Ruby's childish innocence had been endearing. Now she knew the truth. It was simple stupidity. Ruby looked at the world through black and white glasses and through them Ruby even saw her as the villain.

That was what hurt most. Ruby hadn't even given her the chance to try and dumb it down for her. Hadn't even given her the opportunity to explain her side. Ruby had obviously believed that she didn't even owe her that. Instead Weiss had come home to find Ruby gone.

Her first thought, upon realising that it wasn't simply a game, had been terror. Despite the fact some of Ruby's belongings were gone, she'd believed Ruby had been kidnapped in reprisal for her actions. Thousands had been mobilised at her order. A countrywide search had taken place, all to no avail. Ruby had vanished.

She hadn't slept at all that night; she couldn't with the constant bouts of nausea. She hadn't wanted to anyway; nightmares would have been waiting for her. In the end though, it would have been easier if Ruby had been kidnapped. It would have been better than the alternative.

It had taken days for the slightest trace of Ruby to surface. Days where Weiss hadn't slept or eaten. Days where hundreds of homes and businesses had been raided. And it had all been in vain. In the photograph the girl boarding the plane at the airport hadn't looked much like Ruby at all in fact, but Weiss had recognised her. Just as she'd recognised there was no gun held to her back, no blade at her throat. Ruby had left of her own free will. She'd broken her promise. In the end Ruby had abandoned her too.

There was still an order out for her arrest. Weiss wanted to look her in the eye and ask her why, but she was nowhere to be found. Ruby had slipped through the authority's fingers at the swearing in ceremony for hunters in Vale; the civil servant who'd made that mistake no longer had a job. If she'd been back to Patch she'd avoided those who were watching.

Even Yang didn't know where Ruby was. Yang had abandoned Weiss as well. Just like all her friends. As her father had told her numerous times, 'friends were for the weak'. She now recognised the truth of his words. She was better than them.

They obviously thought they were better than her. After months of not being able to talk at all Yang had not once asked how she was after Vale's liberation. Not once. In fact she'd barely said a word to her. She hadn't even given her condolences for the death of her father.

In fact, Yang had only called her when she'd been unable to get an answer from Ruby. Yang had even had the audacity to blame her for forcing Ruby away. It was at that point that Weiss had hung up. She didn't need Yang, or Blake either.

Both were technically wanted for desertion, and it wasn't a charge she'd waived. Neither had been given permission to leave Vale and neither had registered as hunters either. That wasn't mentioning what Ozpin had discovered about Blake. The last she'd heard was that they'd left Vale altogether. Weiss didn't miss them; she wasn't lonely in the slightest.

It certainly wasn't that feeling which resulted in her inviting Starling to join her under the roof of the gazebo. The heat radiating from the brazier at its centre banished whatever chill remained in the air. Weiss sat on the padded seat and gazed out over the gardens. They were hers. It all was. Everything her eyes could see, right up until the horizon, was hers. It should have made her happy; it didn't.

"Do you ever wonder what the point of it all is?" Weiss asked.

"The point of what?" Starling said as she tucked her skirt underneath her.

"This," Weiss gestured at the gardens and at the city beyond, "I spend all day trying to make their lives better, and no one seems to care. No one thanks me. I'm just the Ice Queen."

Starling took her time to answer. She was one of the only people Weiss opened up to, and sadly her melancholy wasn't a rare occurrence these days.

"I don't think that's true. People do appreciate you. What you sacrifice for them. But those who feel aggrieved are the ones who shout the loudest. If you go out into the city you'll see ninety nine percent of the people just living their lives. That's all they want. Just the opportunity to go to work and then to go home without anything out of the ordinary happening. That's what they get with you. You've given them stability. After so much strife that's important."

"Is that enough?"

"I think it is. I'm going to be biased here but take Lily as an example," Starling's eyes glazed over as she pictured her daughter. "Her days consist of going to school, playing with her friends, and then going home. Maybe we might go out in the evenings or maybe not. But she doesn't have to worry about a terrorist attack, or riots in the streets, or a power outage, or the Grimm. Her biggest worry is if we run out of ice-cream. Two years ago she cried herself to sleep every night because of the awful things she'd seen on the news. Now she's happy. She has you to thank for it."

Weiss thought about that for a moment. Weighing up the testimony of one girl against all the worries that lay heavy on her shoulders. Lily's story summed up all that she wanted to achieve. To allow people to live a normal and untroubled life. To go to school, to work, to make friends, and ultimately thrive.

No matter what the bloggers said, she was achieving that. Wasn't she? She was leading them all down the right path. As usual a conversation with Starling had helped. Sometimes she just needed a little bit of confirmation or encouragement. Starling was good at that, as she was with everything else. She was entirely invaluable.

"I'm glad to hear that. How is Lily doing?" Weiss asked, pushing her light salad around the bowl with her fork.

Starling glowed, partly due to the effect her words had on Weiss, but mainly because of her pride. "Really great. Her teachers say she's near the top of the class and is beginning to come out of her shell. She's a natural at maths apparently."

"I'd like to see her again sometime." Weiss missed her. Her busy schedule and Lily's normal routine simply weren't compatible.

"She'd like that as well. She asks about you a lot. I'll bring her with me at the weekend for a couple of hours, but only if you stop playing with your food and start actually eating it."

Weiss scowled at her. It was an expression that would have brought almost anyone else to their knees, but one which Starling bore with just a smile. She was bribing a queen, and what's more she knew she'd completely get away with it.

Almost to spite her Weiss speared a great clump of leaves on her fork and shoved them unceremoniously into her mouth. It was entirely undignified and childish, and she enjoyed doing it. Fun was not something that she had often these days. Starling did her best to hold in her laughter, but the tightening of lines at the corner of her eyes gave her away.

"See all you needed was a little bit of motivation," Starling said as Weiss stared at her, struggling to chew the wad of compacted greenery. It was a relief when she was finally able to gulp it down. "But you need to take better care of yourself. You can't neglect your own health just because you're busy."

Weiss nodded, her throat tightening. She'd been told that countless times before. By Ruby most of all. It was just something she couldn't help though. Her appetite came and went with whatever pressures she was under. She would have preferred to be able to eat normally, but sometimes it was simply impossible.

Starling perhaps sensed the change in Weiss' mood and what memories her words might have awoken. As smoothly as she was able to she changed the subject, going back to talking about Lily's schoolwork. Weiss was grateful for the distraction of the near monologue. It was better for some corpses to stay buried.

Starling only stopped talking when Erashan approached. In his usual black suit he took shelter from the light snow beneath their roof. He bowed to Weiss. "My Lady. Ms Fernholz."

"Lord Wache," Starling nodded to him.

The greetings were overly formal, but they always tried to outdo each other. Weiss didn't usually discourage the competition. Together Starling and Erashan made up her left and right hands. She wouldn't have been able to cope without either of them and when they were pushing each other they were even more effective. Even so, Erashan still appeared hesitant to speak.

"You may say whatever it is before Starling. You should know that by now." As her personal assistant Straling had been shielded from her actions against the White Fang, but they were no longer a secret. Starling knew all about the hard decisions she'd had to make.

"Yes my Lady." Weiss pressed her lips together; despite many attempts she'd never managed to get Erashan to call her by her name in anything that resembled a formal situation. His nobility was simply too deeply ingrained. "We've found her."

Very carefully Weiss set down her fork. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's been confirmed by multiple sources."

"Where is she?" Not many would have noticed how her voice trembled with the effort of controlling it.

"In Vacuo. She's taken up residence in the capital."

"I want her brought to me."

"It's not that simple." Erashan chose his words carefully. "She has allies. Most likely Badr is among them; he granted her an audience in the palace. She's his advisor. It doesn't matter anyway, she's been granted citizenship and they'd never extradite a national."

Weiss could almost touch her. She wouldn't let her slip away. Not again. She fixed Erashan with a penetrating stare. "I keep hearing excuses. I don't like excuses. Normally you're better than that. I'm telling you what I require. It's your job to make it reality."

"You're talking about an extraordinary rendition without Vacuan assent."

"I am well aware of what I am suggesting."

"It's possible, but I can't guarantee that it won't get messy. There might be fallout."

"Weiss," Starling used her given name, "We can't afford to antagonise Vacuo at the moment. They've only just started to warm back up to the treaty. We've spent months trying to smooth over the Grimm situation. It's so close. Do you really want to jeopardise everything we've been working towards?"

Of course this was the problem with having two outspoken advisors. Sometimes they ganged up on her. It was in these moments that she wished she'd kept them on much tighter leashes. They shouldn't be arguing with her when her intentions were obvious. While it was true the treaty was important, other matters took precedent.

Weiss let Starling feel the ice in her gaze. "It is my will. See that it is done."

Starling wilted at the tone of the reprimand, but Erashan bowed. "As your command, so shall it be." There was a hint of mockery in the formality of his response and Weiss almost dressed him down.

"You are dismissed."

"We should be ready in ninety six hours. I'll keep you informed." Erashan backed away for three steps before turning.

Weiss watched him depart. Sometimes he infuriated her immensely. Not everything required a contradictory argument.

"You may leave me as well." Weiss didn't look at Starling.

"Oh… yes my Lady." Clearly flustered Starling curtseyed, perhaps in imitation of what she believed had been respect from Erashan, not mockery. "Do you wish to cancel the other petitions?"

Weiss thought for a moment. "No." It wouldn't be fair on those who had been waiting despite her plummeting mood. With Starling gone Weiss was finally alone.

Occasionally it was what she needed. Her childhood, though unhappy, had been largely spent in solitude. She'd always had to solve her own problems. Work her way through whatever was troubling her. She did that now.

It was never pleasant to order people into danger, but barely a day went past when it wasn't necessary. Even when she signed the relocation orders of troops for the Wall the possible injuries and deaths lay heavy on her. There were more than ever these days; the Grimm in the north of Atlas had increased in number and ferocity just like everywhere else. The burden was one of a ruler, and until they'd experienced that crushing weight no one was in a position to give her advice.

Weiss left the heated shelter and stepped into the light snow. The brush of snowflakes sent tingles through her skin. The cold felt good. She'd always been at home in it. Most Atlesian natives were to an extent, but it didn't bother her at all.

The gravel path crunched beneath her heels as she wound her way through the gardens. The scenic route back to the castle gave her time to think. As was often the case after the fact, she began to second-guess herself. She'd been right, hadn't she? It had been the correct decision. She understood why some in power surrounded themselves by people who only said "Yes." It would have been so much more reassuring, but not better. The doubt was good. It was when she stopped doubting that she had to worry.

Weiss was so deep in thought she almost collided with another equally pensive person walking the gardens. The figure was quite evidently not an Atlesian native, they were wrapped in multiple layers, a scarf masking almost the entirety of their face, and a hat was jammed on their head. None of it helped the long rabbit ears that were still exposed to the cold.

"Velvet."

Velvet jumped. She hadn't even noticed that anyone was nearby. It was impossible to tell whether she was more or less frightened now that she knew who had snuck up on her. "Uh… Hello Weiss." Thankfully Velvet had only tried to address her as "My Lady" once.

"It's good to see you." It really was. Velvet was one of her few friends who hadn't run to a different continent. Not that they spent much time together. Velvet wasn't allowed.

"Yes you too." The shaky smile made Weiss think it was genuine.

"How have you been?"

"Busy…" her teeth chattered, "and cold."

If Weiss had been wearing anything more than a dress she would have offered a shawl to Velvet. "It probably doesn't help that you're outside."

"No it doesn't. I decided to go for a walk and then got turned around. It's like a maze out here." It almost was. The hedges meant to block the wind were also thick and tall enough to limit their sight of the castle.

"It does take a bit of getting used to." Weiss agreed. "It's this way."

Velvet hugged herself. "How can you wear that dress out here? Just looking at you is making me colder."

"It's not too cold today. It'll be worse come winter. It's predicted to be a bad one." For Atlas that was really saying something. Even the weather was an added burden. She had to make sure there was enough food stored to feed the populace in the event that next year's crops were ruined. It was a logistical nightmare.

"I heard that too. They've been talking about it on the news." The weather was one of the safe topics that had been agreed upon.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Weiss asked.

"Umm…" she looked away.

"Velvet."

"I'm with Coco."

Weiss' eyes narrowed at the mention of Coco. The ungrateful brat. When approving the final list of targets Weiss had let emotions cloud her judgement. It was mistake that she wouldn't make again.

Émile Adel and his brothers had been central to the plot that had killed her father and almost killed her sister. Despite that, despite the mountain of evidence she'd decided to spare him and his family. The Adel Estate had not suffered an accident. Émile had vanished, and the rest of them had been arrested, but they were alive. She'd even released Lord and Lady Adel after they'd sworn an oath to her that they had no knowledge of their sons' actions.

She'd done all that in the name of friendship, and Coco had thrown it back in her face. The concept of friendship wasn't worth the paper it was written on. Coco had practically kicked her office door down and demanded her brothers' release. It didn't matter to her that they'd confessed to treason. In Coco's incomprehensible mind it was Weiss who was in the wrong.

It was in that moment that Weiss had added Coco to the ever-growing list of those who'd only feigned friendship towards her. After sending away the guards who'd rushed in hot on Coco's heels, Weiss had given her a very clear ultimatum. She could either stay in line, or she could join her brothers.

Coco had almost assaulted her before gathering herself. She'd spoken a few choice words, words that had cut deep and were better left unrepeated, but in the end she'd chosen wisely. Coco had been pacified, but by no means had she been declawed. As it was, Erashan had arranged for a few select servants to be integrated into the Adel household. Weiss hoped it would never be necessary to arrange another disappearance, but it was impossible to say what the future might hold. Especially if Coco carried on the way she currently was.

Though she hadn't been openly hostile, Coco had been intent on pushing the established boundaries. She was always part of the group asking the hardest questions. Wanting to know information that they simply had no right to. The nobles who hadn't fully accepted her leadership. It was a problem. The public were sheep who followed where their nobles led. If they asked questions the general population would too. It caused instability and couldn't be allowed to continue.

Velvet knew all of this. Undoubtedly Coco had talked Velvet's ear off complaining about her. But despite that Velvet didn't treat her with the same hostility. It was worth remembering that there were still some loyal people in the world.

"What's she doing here?" Weiss tried to keep the animosity out of her voice.

"Just meeting some friends."

Weiss could have pushed her. It wouldn't have taken much effort to break Velvet's will ̶ ̶ she didn't handle direct confrontations very well ̶ ̶ but at the same time it was unnecessary. If Coco had really decided to attend a meeting inside of Tintagel Castle it would be trivial to find out who it was with.

There was no need to force Velvet into such an uncomfortable situation. Weiss changed the subject as they finally got out of snow.

"How's the book coming along?" After returning wounded from the liberation of Vale Velvet had decided to take a sabbatical from her career as a huntress. The bullet she'd taken clearly still pained her. In the interim she'd focussed her energy on writing down what she understood by Dustcraft.

"It's… it's getting there." Velvet rubbed her cheeks before blowing them out in frustration. "Slowly. I know what I want to write. I just can't find the words. Most of its instinctive. I can put down the equations, but I can't describe how to apply them. I just do it. You understand right?"

Weiss nodded. She'd studied how to use Dust as much as anyone on the planet. The books could give you pointers, tips, but ultimately it was necessary to develop your own way of combining Dust with your Semblance. Even, so Velvet was one of the most accomplished Dust users in world; any glance into her mind would be worth it.

"I do. Some things are instinctive, but hang in there. I'm sure you'll work out the appropriate way of articulating your thoughts."

Encouraged, Velvet smiled. "Thanks. Actually it would be helpful to get your take on some of the things I've written so far. I mean, I know you're really busy, so I don't mind if you say no, but you've always impressed me with your own Dustcraft. You might be able to spot something I've missed."

Though her workload was excessive, Velvet's request wasn't outrageous. Weiss could find the time to read a few draft pages. It would be a welcome distraction from the reams of legislation that were currently filling up her in-tray.

"It wouldn't be a problem. Just send me what you have. After I'm done we could meet and discuss it in a little more detail."

"That would be great! Coco doesn't have a clue about Dust. She shrugs whenever I try and ask her a question." It was only after saying it that Velvet realised she had broached the thorny subject again.

Weiss ignored it, but she couldn't ignore the clock face. Thanks to the snow she'd have to get changed before the afternoon session of petitions. "Like I said just send me what you have. I'm afraid time is pressing. Can you find your way from here?"

"I think so," Velvet didn't sound too confident.

"Just ask if you need help. It's been good talking to you. Give me a call."

"I will and thanks. You've been really helpful."

So had Velvet. Their conversation had lifted Weiss' mood. Unfortunately it lasted for less than an hour. As was the norm, what was meant to have been a simple discussion to find a solution to the grievance between the two petitioners had descended into them having an argument in front of her. She didn't know whether it was their common breeding that was responsible for their complete lack of manners or something else. Whatever it was, the raised voices were pushing her to the edge of her patience.

"Oh, oh, that's rich coming from you. You knew full well what you were getting in to," Pico almost shouted.

"That's complete crap! How could I when you sent that bitch round to threaten me?" They even had the audacity to swear in front of her. Nothing could excuse that.

"You're lying out your ass."

"Say that again," Russet squared up against him, their faces inches apart.

"You're lying o ̶ ̶ "

A fist flew before he managed to finish his sentence. It missed, but the pair of them began to brawl. In the middle of Tintagel Castle. In front of a member of the nobility. The last of Weiss' restraint drained from her. The fingers of her left hand made a complicated shape. That was all it took these days.

In a fraction of heartbeat a shape materialised above the spinning glyph. In the brightly lit room it didn't glow, but at the same time it was obvious that it wasn't fully corporeal. The Beowolf was a ghost from the past and as it became aware of itself it snarled. Deep and menacing the sound reverberated in Weiss' chest.

Just as she'd discussed with Velvet, Summoning was entirely instinctive. It would have been impossible to categorise just what actually happened, but she'd practiced a lot, and in doing so had developed some new techniques.

The Grimm always fought against her. Their base urges always surged up. All they wanted to do was to kill and rend. She could even feel the desire. Just on the edge of her consciousness was the almost bottomless pit of hate. It gave her a unique insight into the Grimm that few would ever have. She knew how they thought.

At the start she'd believed she'd had to combat those urges directly in her efforts to control the Summoned Grimm. It had been hard and had taken almost all of her concentration. Now she knew better. The Grimm would want to kill no matter what. She couldn't stop that, but she could direct it. The Beowolf knew that only she had the power that would allow it to sate itself.

That understanding allowed her a measure of cooperation that most would think impossible. The Grimm weren't entirely unthinking, and that meant that they could be trained. It was hard work, but the results were worth it. In her repertoire were Grimm suitable for any occasion.

Kilgharrah was probably her favourite though. For some reason most people found Beowolves the most menacing of the Grimm despite the fact that they were some of the easiest to kill. Kilgharrah hadn't been. He was abnormally large for even an Alpha and her battle with him in the fall of Vale had been extremely trying. It hadn't helped that she'd been exhausted when she ran into his pack. In the end Dust was the only way of levelling the odds. She'd left his carcass smoking from the hole through his chest. If he remembered that it was she who'd killed him, any animosity was lost in the unrelenting rage.

Weiss took that rage and directed it at the two men who had broken apart at the snarl. Kilgharrah stalked forward. They'd frozen before him; despite drills since childhood many did when confronted with a monster.

They were in the middle of nightmare and they weren't the first. Over drinks many told the tale of the Ice Queen consorting with Grimm. Some were intrigued, others repulsed, but it always left an impression. Ultimately that was good. Weiss could have called her guards, or even broken up the fight herself, but this way was better. If she could control Grimm it made everyone wonder just what else she could do.

Kilgharrah was just a single command from tearing the two men apart. Just a simple thought, but her will was iron. He moved close enough that his breaths stirred the hair on their heads. With the two vagrants staring into his ethereal eyes Weiss rose from her seat.

"Are you two quite done?" Danger was apparent in her tone.

It appeared that neither wanted to draw attention to themselves by speaking. From their expressions they had come to the realisation of how badly they'd erred. No doubt their minds were replaying every tale they knew of the Ice Queen, for that was undoubtedly who was approaching them.

"On your knees." Her words were punctuated by a growl. It was enough rob their legs of strength. Standing over them Weiss couldn't help but think how pathetic they looked. Their suits were dishevelled, their hair out of place, one had blood leaking from his lip. Like so many they acted like children. "We will now conduct this in a manner befitting adults. I am of a mind to strip you of both your assets, but I will give you one more chance. Do not think to test me. You first."

If possible Russet's face went even paler as she singled him. After a gulp he began to speak. "He conned me. He made me think I was buying his business. I got nothing."

Pico visibly had to bite his tongue. At least they were learning.

"See, that wasn't too hard was it? Now you."

Pico shot a nervous glance behind him before speaking. On silent paws Kilgharrah circled the pair of them. "Your Grace, he's lying. He's the one who tricked me. We were meant to be partners, but when I got to his warehouse all the stock I'd purchased from him just shattered in front of my eyes. It wasn't even real."

Weiss turned her gaze back to Russet.

"I never agreed to anything like that. Why would I sell him merchandise when I was buying out his company? His lies don't even make sense and don't even get me started on that girl he had with him. Who'd bring someone like that to a business meeting?"

Pico almost interrupted. He perhaps would have if not for the presence behind him. As it was, he tried to catch her attention. Weiss nodded.

"Your Grace, I don't know who he's talking about. The only girl involved in the negotiating process was his niece. I swear that on my honour."

Weiss almost scoffed. Among the merchant classes honour was entirely non-existent. Still, something about this didn't seem right. Their stories were just too different. It would be expected for at least the majority of the facts to be the same.

Kilgharrah lay down with his body leant against the back of her legs. It surprised her at just how much he sometimes acted like a domesticated pet rather than a Grimm. Of course for others to see him treating her in that manner only increased their fear.

The girl seemed to be central to their contradicting stories, and Pico's description of what had happened to his stock was certainly familiar.

"What did the girl look like?" Both of them started to speak, stopped, and then waited for an indication of who Weiss was addressing.

"I don't know. She was perhaps twenty? Wearing, well whatever girls that age wear, I wasn't really paying attention. Ask Russet she's his niece."

Weiss did. "She's not my niece. I don't know how many times I have to repeat it. But yeah, she was probably twenty, or maybe late teens. She wasn't wearing a suit though, I thought that was unprofessional. Just some sort of jacket. I swear she was armed though, Pico thought she could intimidate me."

"What colour were her eyes?"

"Emerald," Russet said after thinking a few seconds. "No wait, they were magenta, or was it… she must have been wearing contacts."

"And you?" Weiss asked Pico.

"They were pink, though really pale. But I swear I saw them change colour once. Why"

That settled it. He shouldn't have asked her a question, but she gave him an answer. "You've both been conned. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first time you've actually met each other. You can file a police report if you really desire. Your money is long gone though. I would chalk this up to experience. If something seems too good to be true, then it usually is."

Both of them had tried to game the system, and they'd both lost. It was clear that they had expected more from their audience. Undoubtedly all of their money returned and with compensation to boot. That wouldn't happen. The petition days were meant to be about helping those who couldn't normally afford it, not those who owned businesses. It wouldn't have been right to turn anyone away, but they'd lost her sympathy.

"You are dismissed." Kilgharrah raised his head from his paws. The subtle threat was all it took to rob them of any argument. He just seemed to know what she desired.

Weiss walked back to her chair. The girl was almost certainly Neo and that pretty much guaranteed that Torchwick was operating within Atlas as well. It appeared that the pair of them hadn't wasted any time in soiling the clean slates she'd given them. Somehow she doubted that the ink on the documents granting them immunity from previous transgressions had been dry before they'd started planning their next crimes.

It was a waste. What they'd accomplished at the head of the Resistance showed just what could be achieved if their talents were properly harnessed. If they were indeed operating in Atlas then she would very much like to open a dialogue with them. It likely wasn't a mutual inclination, but ultimately it didn't matter. Erashan could facilitate it when he returned from Vacuo.

Weiss sat down, Kilgharrah by her feet. Even though her chair could certainly be described as regal, she'd made sure it was comfortable as well. The velvet cushions were plush and supported her perfect posture.

In the moment of peace, listening to Kilgharrah's steady breaths, her traitorous mind wandered. Wandered to the place that she consciously tried to avoid. She wasn't very good at it. Ruby was never too far from her thoughts.

It had been close to two years since she'd seen her, but Weiss' memories were so vivid it might as well have been yesterday. In her mind's eye she could see Ruby as clearly as if she were standing by her side. The clarity made the pain of the betrayal so much worse.

A significant quantity of literature revolved around the concept of a broken heart. As a child she hadn't believed them, now she did. If not for her responsibilities, there were days that it simply hurt too much to get out of bed. She missed Ruby more than was possible. Ruby had been the light that illuminated her world. Now that was gone.

Despite the agony that Ruby had caused her Weiss knew that she'd give her another chance. But only after she got down on her knees and begged for it.

A/N: The Ice Queen makes an appearance. It was simply too good of a nickname not to make a reality. It appears that Councillor Schnee has been taking lessons from Councillor Ozpin on how to treat enemies. There were lots of questions after last week and I hope this has answered some of them. If you can please leave a review and if you want to get updates remember to follow/favourite.