A/N: So. this chapter took some time, but in my defense The Witcher 3 came out, and i've started playing Dota 2 again. But i've actually gained a miniscule following with this series, and that's motivated me to keep doing it. So thanks to all you folk who have followed so far and left a review, and enjoy!

The orange rays of sunshine fell through the cracks in the shades in bright, brilliant rays. The Empress' bedroom was dim, and baron of life spare a single figure lay strewn across one side of the bed.

Ruby's eyes slowly cracked open to observe the space around her. The space still vaguely unfamiliar, even after all these months. She drowsily reaches her arms to the other side of the bed to feel her partner, only to grasp at empty space. Ruby's eyes shot open in worry, darting up and looking around, only to see the plain empty room.

In an instant, Ruby was fully awake, in a panicked sweat, and hurriedly putting on her clothes and what little armor she wore. Grabbing a sword and pistol, the woman quickly bolted out of the Empress' bedroom. Turning and sliding around the corridors of the manor, one of the many guards of the manor gestures towards one of the many rooms lining the inner walls.

Suddenly getting an idea of what was going on, Ruby takes a moment to regain her composure. Calmly walking up to the door and opening it. Ruby sees the backs of her Empress, and a woman in a Guard's uniform, long blond hair flowing down her back.

Both women turn to face her, the blonde guardswoman quickly bolted up to Ruby, embracing her in a swift hug.

"Ruby! I'm so glad to see you! its been so long!"

Ruby embraced Yang in the same loving embrace, it had truly been too long since she'd seen her older sister.

"Its good to see you too, Yang"

Smiling warmly to herself, Ruby noticed Weiss was doing the same, no doubt admiring the sisterly pair in their reunion. Things like this put a truly pleasant warmth in Ruby's belly, that feeling of assurance, and safety.

At that, Weiss spoke up at the two

"You'll be seeing a lot more of her, because I have taken the liberty of re-assigning her to The Towers security force"

Yang had been deployed at sea for quite some time, maintaining the security of Dunwalls sovereign seas. As a result, Ruby hadn't seen her for what was getting on to be a year now. Last thing Ruby knew of her sister, she had barely been promoted to Staff Sergeant. This meant that she'd been promoted heavily, very recently. The news sent waves of excitement and anxiety through her gut.

But a while later, the three of them were gathered at a table in the lower levels of Dunwall tower. Several plates of Strudel with heavy cream lay on the table, Ruby was but all too familiar with the pastries sweet filling of exotic fruits. At this point in their relationship, Weiss knew all too well of Ruby's affinity for sweets.

Needless to say, Ruby had gained a great appreciation for the expensive treats. The flaky crust baked to a golden-brown perfection, encasing thick, sugary chunks of fruit ranging from ripened strawberries to bitter-sweet raspberries. All topped by a thick cream with shredded chocolate, as per the Empress' request.

Ruby still, after all this time, didn't feel at home in Dunwall Tower. She had trouble asking for things from the staff of the manor, her timid nature got the better of her, which would explain why only her strudel had the shredded chocolate.

Her sleep pattern was inhibited, even while in the company of Weiss. From her childhood she went into military, from the military to Dunwall Tower as the bodyguard of the most powerful woman in the isles. And yet, as Ruby slowly, mindlessly chewed and swallowed the pastry, could not think for the life of her, a time she was more at home than when the adrenaline flowed, her pupils dilated, and yet, as metal clashed and powder exploded, her blood ran colder than ice.

"Ruby!"

She was quickly shaken from her inward thoughts by a sudden voice and a hand on her shoulder. Ruby turned, red faced toward Weiss, who wore a worried expression.

"Ugh… Yeah, i'm fine, just.. so happy to hear you're gonna stay Yang!"

The rest of the night went on without a hitch. Ruby and Weiss celebrated Yang's latest promotion. But Weiss could tell that something was off in Ruby's attitude.

After dinner, the staff swept up the remains of the three's festivities, Yang left the Tower to assume her newly found duties, while Weiss was left puzzled. From what she had heard, Ruby and Yang shared a sisterly bond no earthly force could even hope to break, and yet, during the nights activities, her bodyguard seemed distant, cold, even.

A few weeks prior, Weiss had arranged for Ruby's room to be moved but a few doors down from hers for… "Security" reasons. So just as they both passed the room where Weiss slept, and as Ruby was about to keep walking, the red headed girl felt a shoulder on her hand freeze her in place.

"Ruby… Is something wrong?" Weiss said, in a genuinely concerned tone.

Ruby knew all too well the differences between the voice Weiss saved for her and her alone, and the voice Weiss saved for the politicians, and the banquets and the public speeches.

"Nothing, your Grace, Just… a bit of a stomach ache is all. Nothings wrong." Ruby said, half-turning her head towards Weiss

"If nothing was wrong, you wouldn't have called me "your Grace" Now please, whats on your mind?" Weiss said, while simultaneously opening the door to her room to let themselves in.

A substantial period of silence fell between the Empress and her bodyguard, but both of them had become accustomed to it. The beginnings of their deeper conversations, usually over whisky and cigars (and sometimes cookies) began with a period of unwinding silence, and the gathering of thoughts.

"Weiss… I don't feel at home here." Ruby spoke finally, if a little half-heartedly

Weiss had pulled a chair in front of the bed where Ruby now sat, and the words she'd heard made Weiss squirm in discomfort. Her expression darkened.

"And… well… why do you say that?" She quietly asked.

"I just… I don't know… All my life has been home, then straight into the military… I guess I just feel like everythings too quiet, y'know? Like something bad is gonna happen at any moment."

Weiss sighed

"You know, sometimes I wish you never joined the military" Weiss said, vaguely frustrated

Ruby saw an opportunity to lighten the mood.

"But then I never would've met you" Ruby spoke in a lighter tone of voice, almost like a childs.

Weiss looked up at her with a grin on her face

"Worse, if you had met me, you would've been a politician, a piss poor one at that."

The two took a moment to laugh at their banter, but after that moment had passed, the silence set back in.

"Look, Ruby.. i'm not terribly good at this but… Yang's here now, and if anything bad happens, you know I'll always be here, right?" Weiss leaned forward in her chair, closing the distance between them every so slightly.

Ruby looked up at her, a solemn looks in her eyes.

"Thank you, Weiss... Really, that helps a lot. Maybe things will get better now that Yang's here…"

A smile spread across Ruby's face, and the two stared wordlessly into each others eyes until Weiss, quietly breaking the silence, reaches out, planting a kiss on Ruby's cheek, and wrapping her in a warm embrace.

And, just as silently as the night began, the two disrobed and crept off into slumber. And for a time, neither dared to venture outside of their partners caress.

Until Ruby smelled smoke.

Dunwall Tower was on fire