Chapter 19: Field of Lies

Friedrich Schnee CEO of the SDC

"Is there any way to change your mind Rollo?" Friedrich asked, knowing the answer. The older Northerner looked back, his face was slightly burnt from the battle, though it had healed well, the scars made it hard to tell when he was smiling, or clenching his teeth in disgust. Though from his laugh and the way he shook his head, Friedrich guessed it was cleanly between.

"There is no way in hell, I will ever work for you or your family again. I'm off to find a new job, since you've done me the disservice of murdering half my brothers and sisters!" Rollo lifted his warhammer up, and the thin remainder of the Brave Bronze readied to remove him. The older larger man chuckled again, this time turning away, a fresh bag of lien in his hand, full payment for him and all his crew resting inside. "I should be a huntsmen, after all it's a much safer job than spending time with you all!"

Today the lockdown was over. The Taurus army had abandoned the assault well over two weeks prior, but stayed so close to the rivers into town. Waiting for something, unwilling to abandon their position and go home. Friedrich thought it was for Murray to come up and it was right they did. Leaving Forever Falls they cluttered up the other river, poised opposite, also refusing to commit. It didn't make sense, but kept the roads closed and the grimm close. Impossible for anyone to leave, until now. Today, on a unusually warm winter day, when snow fell on the ground, but barely stuck, the Royal army arrived, under command of a Philip Arc come by the sea, they took the final river, freeing up the road and turning this into a strange battlefield where no one was dying and with the scales balanced as they were, and everyone was just waiting, well anyone who wasn't collecting their pay and leaving today.

"The next on the list is Thetis Nikos of the Brave Bronze, the court is pleased to see you Ma'am." Zawisza announced, taking a very personal role in Friedrich's life. He had turned into Friedrich's personal aide and bodyguard, he was skinny, but strong, his semblance perfect for someone like him. The young Schnee liked one thing about him more than anything else, he was comfortable with just sitting quiet with him, in a way neither Thetis, Rollo, Qrow or anyone was.

"Thetis, how are you today?" Friedrich asked, the red Mistralian walking into center stage, she had fallen into an even deeper depression, there was plenty of reason. After the battle she refused to return to the Castle, living with her remaining warriors in the guard house near the south gate. Their several hundred had boiled down to a poultry fifty three. Her husband, and father of her child, was not one of them.

"I have come to receive final payment. The Brave Bronze are disbanding." Thetis was once someone made of pure polished bronze, skin immaculate even on the scars, hair like fire and eyes like gems. Friedrich thought she was beautiful, even embarrassed him, but now she seemed...faded, still a flame, still bronze though her abs were beginning to grow less visible with her slightly expanding stomach, still perfect, but now small. Friedrich didn't know how to explain it.

"You and the Bronze are welcome to stay," Friedrich offered, half in desperation and half in apology. She had been his sister's fastest friend, close confidant, and a fierce fighter. Not to mention, he needed everyone.

"We were hoping, Thetis, that you might stay for at least the proceedings, we believe we may be able to lay Lord Weiss Schnee to rest, I understand you were close," Zawisza cut in, the young man had a much better sense of what to say and when to say it than Friedrich. Just like that, Thetis' green eyes looked up at him, tired, but attentive.

"We will remain for the meeting today, if there is a funeral guard for the casket, I would request that we be placed on it." Thetis asserted herself for the first time since the death of Weiss, the fire in her relit at a single name. "The pay however, will be immediate, as is our dismissal." Friedrich had no intention of refusing her on either. No ability as well.

"Of course, maybe we can bury her together?" Friedrich asked, knowing it was probably an inappropriate question, but he didn't want to do it alone. He never put anyone in the crypt before.

"I wish we needn't," Thetis replied turning away, the matter closed, and her desire to stand with the one that ordered the indirect murder of her husband emptied. She stopped only to grab the Lien on the way out, not waiting for end dismissal, the last and most loyal of his Mercenary elite left the building and the snow covered hall felt even less hospitable.

"Next please."

One by one the many mercenaries they hired on took their contracts to conclusion and left, the irregulars who survived were summoned to receive their rewards and honors, none showed up. Members of the engineering corps came to inform Friedrich that the wall would be fixed soon, the breach and unsightly mismatch of rubble and quick walls guarded by the Schnee's walking clockwork machines.

The last on the long schedule of debts and official services was the one last court proceeding before the meeting, considered least important by Zawisza and most dreaded by Friedrich. Qrow. As a minor huntsmen collecting debt, no one from the merchants guild or army remained, aside from guards, He stood alone aside from Summer at his heel, the girl cloaked in red quick to kick the snow from the floor and giggle. Despite the sadness, she remained a person made of sunlight. The last warm day in Winter.

"Friedrich! I got you something!" Summer called out, running from behind the elder Rose, both dressed in vibrant red and dark blacks. One looked cheer, eyes silver with glee, the other looked disgruntled his eyes grey and bleak.

"Summer there is nothing you could buy I couldn't buy with ease, learn to save your money!" Friedrich scolded, but with a smile. The younger Rose rolled her eyes proudly marching over to the local throne, guards knowing better than to stop her.

"That's not the point of gifts! You're acting spoiled!" In the time between cannons and calm, Summer seemed to forget everything, perhaps having a huntsmen for a brother meant getting used to this sort of off and on stress. Friedrich hoped his life wouldn't be so consistent.

"I'm not spoiled!" Friedrich retorted knowing he was always the most well behaved of his siblings and that Summer simply had no idea what she was on about, per usual.

"Fine, if you're not going to admit it, I'll just keep your gift." Summer replied with a self satisfied grin.

"Sure, but what was it?" Friedrich asked, spurred by his natural curiosity.

"Well," Summer began in an almost sing songy voice, "if you can just buy anything you want, just buy everything, you'll get it eventually." Friedrich could hear his guards chuckle, the feeling of embarrassment growing.

"What is it?!"

"Say 'I'm sorry Summer, I really want your gift,'" Summer demanded slyly. Her usual games at Friedrich's expense. Why he even kept this up surprised him more than anything. He didn't have any time for kids games anymore, he wasn't going to be a child anymore.

"No," the young Schnee had to say, whether he wanted to or not.

"Okay," Summer countered, elongating the 'ay' in a teasing manner, hinting at whatever secret might have be hidden by her cloak.

"What if I just say I want it?" Friedrich broke, just a little crack, everyone must have wanted to know as bad as him? It was for the good of everyone really. Not the good of Qrow though, and in this momentary break, he shattered it with a heavy step.

"Excuse me, Friedrich," as Qrow moved towards the boy, Zawisza stepped between him, the smiling man resting a hand on his knife, "I'm here to receive my overdue payment, we are leaving on the first caravan south." They didn't get along.

"Qrow you said I could play with Friedrich," Summer protested, looking at her brother irritably.

"No I said you could give a goodbye present to him," Qrow contested, "I'm sure he's very busy."

"I actually am," Friedrich interrupted, noting the clock ticking towards fate, he only had a tiny bit of time left, "but I wanted to actually get you something first. If you didn't bring Qrow I was going to send you home with it." Bundled together at his seat, the ill fitting chair too big for him anyways, he unraveled her gift.

"It's a-"

"Cloak, I know you have one, but this is much bigger, and newer than your red one, also it's my colors. No one will hurt you wearing Schnee White!" The long white cloak was made of hard thick fabric, rich and strong against any winter time, yet not so heavy to cook a person in the heat. hooded and in brilliant alabaster color. It would protect her, but also keep her away. Summer couldn't stay, Friedrich agreed with Qrow on that, though he hated to admit it. She was a little kid, he had to be an adult, his world would hurt her, like everyone else. Summer was safer, far away from anyone. The boy already ruined Thetis and Rollo's life.

"Summer doesn't need-" Qrow tried to interrupt, but Summer already took the cloak into her arms. Friedrich didn't brace himself before she collided with him.

"Thank you!" She was his size exactly, they matched really, Summer holding him in a big hug with just the cloak keeping them separate, "I'll wear it always!" Her voice was mumbled into the cloak, into him, and he wanted to cry.

"Get off me you dolt, I'm not a kid!" He didn't want her to go.

"Oh fine, I got your gift too!" He wanted her to stay, he didn't want to be alone anymore.

"Here it is!" Why did she have to go? Why did the others? He didn't want this. Didn't want any of it.

"A music box?" Its fine wooden craft, designed to look like a piano, its spinning mechanical parts pressing on fake keys on the outside to play, at least it looked like it. The top was carved sloppily with a rose, a white one from the white wood used to make the box.

"You said you'd practice piano and you never do! I want you to play this for me on the real thing when I come back. Never give up and promise me, okay?" Idiot, machines like this are the reason he stopped playing, why bother when he couldn't beat a cheap box? Such a stupid, stupid little box.

"I will," he lied. After all this was the end, the last words Friedrich would ever speak to her and just like that, the petals scattered.


The outside of Winterstown had never been so noisy and messy, the until recently unmanned outer defenses of the settlement were full again. Tents flooded the area, trucks moved in and through the trenches, a few scattered airships hung over head, lifting supplies in and taking people out. The predominate banners outside weren't white snowflakes Friedrich had grown up with, but a rich mixture of smaller flags, and the most prominent of all the double axes of Vale. Symbol of the royal family, Beacon, and nation. The Queen's army, now that Geordie had abstained and her sister brought to the forefront, change was coming to Vale, but Friedrich had no idea what kind it was yet.

"Well at least they're human," Zawisza whispered as their own detachment marched out, a line of their best dragoons and the remainder of the mistralians, only their most mobile and elite coming out today, or what's left of them. It wasn't a military mission, but a diplomatic one, all the most mobile units stayed with him, a young boy in a dust powered jeep. "I think that's him up ahead," he added as the jeep passed the main Schnee line of defense and into the mass of the Royal army. Facing them along the path was a similar group headed by the leader of the new royal army, a man dressed in plain armor with nothing spectacular besides the grey wolf fur lining. He carried little but a sword on his belt and an annoying arched smirk on his face, like he had long since reached contentment with the world, this was only slightly marred by a scar that followed down his cheek to his his equally yellow trim beard. He was blonde blue eyed, swordsman, a war hero not of the social elite in any respect, but lower order. A farmer if Friedrich was correct.

"Hello Mr. Schnee sir, we've been waiting for you!" Philip Arc. We in this case included his entourage, a younger girl that looked much like him, had to be his daughter judging from their looks, an older woman with heavy armor, red shoulder length hair and a similarly mismatched younger man in lighter armor. The rest of his mounted fighters sat back patiently, calling no attention to themselves. "My name is Philip Arc, and these are my good friends, Miss Ora Arc, and Knights Bronzewing and Winchester, here from the capitol."

"Hello," Friedrich replied hesitantly, he had not gone to see this Arc person parliament had named general during their stay here, but he recognized his voice on the radio, an upbeat sort of cheery like Wilhelm, and Wilhelm was a liar. "I'm Friedrich Schnee, this is Zawisza and Nikos, You said you've gotten everyone to agree to a meeting."

"Absolutely, Parliament has written up the deal, have you had time to read it?" Arc asked, and Friedrich nodded. Zawisza read it to him, at least a more sensible version, simplified down for a youngner mind.

"Yes, I noticed a few oddities however, things left unclear, did everyone already agree to this?" Friedrich complained, trying his best to not show his total ignorance of the greater nuances of the deal. Little addressed him, besides some reparations being paid in mining rights, and that parliament was already passing many rites that would undermine noble authority, question was more on the blank spaces, things yet to be finished.

"Well we need some breathing room don't we? Need to be a bit flexible on the table don't we? I have authority to make a few changes here or there, same with you, all in all our priority is to finally end this once and for all," Philip responded, scratching the light blonde hair of his chin.

"And if not we kill them all," the surprisingly deep utterance came from the larger woman, the red headed knight with a mace whom seemed equal parts on edge and excited.

"Well yes that is plan B, but honestly can we not?" Philip countered with an anxious tone, his diplomatic preference obvious.

"That's up to them," Thetis interrupted, marching right passed the pack. She looked like a woman preparing to march into hell and drag something back. Friedrich wished it was his sister, supposed it was, just not in the way he dreamed.

"I suppose that's it then," the older general muttered with a whistle, "Hope you're ready for a whole field of lies."


It took over two hours before the four parties converged at a spot that sat not six miles from Castle white, a green little hill, grass a predictable dark yellow with patches of winter snow, not a tree in sight with a river not too far away as was everything this close to the castle. This little bump in the ground was unremarkable in every way, besides its pleasant view of four separate tented camps, each primed in the distance for some action. Friedrich wondered if it was often that the most important moments would happen at such uninteresting places.

By the time they had arrived, there was an awkward table set along the hilltop, two people sat waiting in their seats, as far as they could be from each other while on the same side. One was a man, no, a faunus, with deep red coloring along his head, almost a mane more than a beard, his scared face bright, too bright, and body built bigger than even Rollo complete with fur lined bronze chestplate, he sat arched and awkward with others of his same lion like kin with him, standing of course. Zawisza was staring so deeply into this red haired man, Friedrich worried he would burst into flames, almost wished he did.

The other seated figure, she was a woman with red hair and black horns, face obfuscated by a white grimm bone mask, eye holes so small Friedrich couldn't even tell her iris apart from the red of her mask. She and her guards dressed in on loose fitting clothing with bamboo and steel plate armor. They seemed disturbingly foreign, she frightened him more than the other, then a thought crossed him.

I broke you. I killed your son. I made you run.

She had all the reason to be afraid of him, the little boy that made them pay. Suddenly he was ice again, unfeeling, unbroken, Schnee. They could be scared, they should be, they would be.

"Greetings, am I rude to suppose the two of you are Murray lord of Ruthven, and the Akagura Taurus lord of Nord-"

"Last time I saw you Mr. Arc, you were an idiot with a flag waving like said idiot, now you command the Royal army, how desperate is King Geordie?" the one called Murray started with a laugh no one shared with him. Philip didn't even flinch, but his daughter did plenty more than that,

"Last I saw you lion man I shot you and you were dragged away dead," they had a history, the Arcs and Murray, one Wilhelm would have been privy too, but not Friedrich.

"Obviously not dead if we're having a pissing contest."

"Regardless, King Geordie has abdicated, charged with crimes against the people of Vale. His sister is Queen now, and she, along with parliament, has called for peace talks. I've sent over copies of the terms to all of you. The Taurus, I've been informed you had already agreed to these before arriving today." Murray gave the female faunus a look, she did not return one. There was some sort of tension between them; was that a secret?

"When making a deal, if you see a division between the buyers, poke at it, just a little, let the crack work for you,' Wilhelm's voice pried back into Friedrichs head, and came with an idea, he didn't know if it would amount to much, but these two didn't get along, poke the crack, shift it.

"May I ask, which one of you is the new King or Queen of the Faunus?" Friedrich's voice wanted to shake, but he didn't let it. Clenching his own hands behind his back, standing so uncomfortably at this outdoor meeting between a lot of armed men.

"Our new King or Queen, is currently still in their mother's belly," Murray answered before the Taurus could, the crack getting a bit deeper.

"Whose regent then?" he asked, not letting them get away from the question. He picked up on the truth, neither of them were in total command, the rebellion was divided. Explained the separate formations, the odd air. Philip had to pick up on that.

"We both are, for now, co-regents," the Taurus offered. Divided now, he had to be strong. For his sister.

"Good, then I need to address both of you, where are my sister's remains? I was promised them, regardless." Zawisza's hand grasped the young Friedrich's shoulder for support, showing him it was the right time. Right place.

"Aye, bring it up," Murray called out to one of his entourage, the lion faunus stepped down from the hill into the caravan that crawled up the path from their side. Wasn't long before they came back up, this time three of them, carrying a chest, a small little chest not even the size of Friedrich, not enough space for her, not enough space for Weiss.

"You cremated her?" the boy asked, half in shock, half in fury, they knew not to do that, they knew, "we don't cremate our dead. Why? Why did you do this?" He didn't let himself shake, but there was a quiver in his soul. A certain low hate.

"It's better this way, I promise." Murray offered, but it did little to ease him. His duty to Castle White was the only thing keeping him together, he had to do what was best for the family, even if it meant letting every insult go.

"I'll return the chest to the crypt," Thetis stated plainly, her own eyes locked on the crate the lion faunus more than happily gave up. The best of the Mistralians grasped it on all four sides, Thetis protecting it herself. No matter what happened today, Friedrich was sure that her sister's remains would get back to the Castle. Thetis would not abide by anything else.

"Now, back to the terms. As you have seen, the proposed deal would give a blanket pardon to all Faunus fighters assuring all of you that you go home safe, legalizes both of your claims to lordship to the castles you currently occupy and most importantly strips legal distinction between faunus and human. No law shall ever apply to one and not to the other." Philip argued, staying mostly true. The pardon wasn't truly blanket, plenty of concessions had to be made on their holdings and their legal status of nobility came on the heels of that distinction suddenly lacking in much official meaning, serfdom was ending.

"I was promised Castle White," the Taurus griped. Friedrich had to stop himself from looking back at Philip, but the betrayal was noted.

"That was when we thought you had taken it. Schnee's lawfully hold that now." The crown was ready to claim Friedrich dead? He supposed what he had done did a lot to surprise the world.

"And what about Fort Castle, all the mines are being paid to the SDC, those belong to Charles' child. You can't just steal them!" Murray seemed unusually attached to something other than himself, and Friedrich became aware of why the two faunus likely didn't get along.

"Ruthven has mines, and rumor has it you're not likely to have children, you can give him your titles and such," Phillip offered, coldly.

"What about the kid, says here you'd take him, I can't have that," Murray growled, but Philip kept his smile up.

"They would move safely to that capital as soon as the Lady of Fort Castle and her child are ready to move. In the mean time I'm sure we can leave them in your care. It's the only safe choice for everyone involved, after all the child would be endangered if anyone tried to force him into this whole rebellion thing again."

"The Lady of Fort Castle won't stand for this," the Taurus admitted, she was already sold. Perhaps she had been sold for a very long time now.

"She can't stop us, none of you can to be honest. The Faunus have been crushed in Atlas, Mistral has signed a similar deal with their malcontents, and Vacuo is Vacuo, when summer comes the desert will eat anyone left fighting. If you want a chance for the Faunus people, you take this deal. There will not be another time," Philip was lying. At least lying about the certainty. They were evenly matched, though the humans were perhaps slightly better equipped and more united, it would take months for foreign intervention even if Atlas was to get involved now. The Faunus had more of a leg to stand on than they realized. Friedrich almost wished they said no, if only to break that leg himself.

"What assurance do we have that this law will be executed, you lot have hardly been famed for your honesty," Murray grumbled, practically admitting defeat, even if a slow and arduous one.

"An advisory organization to parliament, a group designed to ensure that all our terms for equality are met. Run by a faunus too, any suggestions of who can run it."

"I could-" the Taurus started, but never finished.

"Charles has a brother, not a military leader, but he's popular, good kid. He's the least interested party as well. Won't you say so Akagura?" Murray had a look in his eye, Friedrich didn't trust it, not one bit. Some gears were turning, this is when they were supposed to stop.

"I suppose," a meek answer, but enough to make Philip smile bright and wide.

"Well, we have Akagura Taurus the White Bull and Murray the Fang. I think we have ourselves a name for this group, White Fang. Does this please present company?" Nothing was going to please the present company, but silence them? Get them to sign the paper? This was over before it even began. It was another ten hours worth of arguing over small little changes before the pact was signed, but it was. The Faunus were to disband and reform as a political group to symbolize unity. Dusk had come down. All were tired, though Philip kept the smile, Murray simply drank himself drunk over the time and the Taurus grew increasingly silent. Friedrich felt exhausted, but aware. Enough to deliver one parting warning.

If the treaty was ever broken, Friedrich would not stop until everyone involved paid.

The two of them likely ignored it, it was a threat from a child and after all, who hadn't said a blatant lie that day? They just hadn't realized he was anything, but lying.

In the end though, for the most part, everyone had been bought, including Friedrich. The SDC had access to even more of the dust supply in northern Vale. Combined with their territories in Atlas and the original supplies, the SDC would grow massively, even without Wilhelm's expertise and talent.

The only one that hadn't been bought was Philip. Eventually that thought, what was his prize, haunted Friedrich on the ride back, haunted him enough to ask.

"What are you getting out of all of this?" The older man stopped for a moment and shrugged.

"I get to go home. I own a farm back south, I just want to go back. It's been years. I just want it to end, someone has to. Isn't that enough?" he laughed, thinking just for a moment, "That and my little girl get's to go to Beacon, tuition all paid for by parliament. That's enough."


Friedrich had missed the immediate funeral upon his return. Most everyone had left the crypt, it was late, pitch outside with only the moon's cracked glow. Inside the crypt though, nothing was bright except for the lantern Zawisza was carrying and a dim light deep in the moonstone sanctum. Beyond the statues of different Schnee's throughout history, past his father Otto, the newest carved image was bright beside lantern light. Thetis was still there, looking at her.

"Thetis?"

"Hello Friedrich, I was just waiting for you, to be dismissed." She sounded dead, empty like the bulk of her sister's coffin. It had to be horrible, losing her husband and her closest friend within weeks. Friedrich could sympathize, his thoughts drifted to Wilhelm's smiles and Weiss' hugs, the way they would play out of sight of their parents, the way they hid around Wernher's tinker toys. There were so many of them, how was he alone? How could this happen? She had to feel the same way.

"I heard about your husband, I... I've take full responsibility. I wish we could have avoided this, my sister wouldn't have liked seeing you so sad, you were her best friend," Friedrich had practiced that line in his head whether he knew it or not, trying to find a way to say he was sorry, for making her alone just like him.

"I lost the love of my life, all I have is money and a soon to be child without parent to love them with me. I regret my decision, I wish more than anything I picked the other," he couldn't imagine her working for faunus, maybe her decision was working for them at all, or listening to Friedrich's order, or anything. He didn't have the courage to ask what it was, or the inhumanity. instead he stood there like an idiot as she turned away, tears glowing in the dim light, away from the crypt.

"I understand why you would regret working with us, losing someone so important to you, he served with honor." He had to say something, and the words were coming out all wrong. All that speech training with Wilhelm, it wasn't good enough. He couldn't just say the right things.

"Yes she did," Thetis replied, mismatching her words Friedrich thought, but they would be the last words he would hear from her as well, the girl made of bronze with the scar that complimented her sister. Just him now, him, the statue, the remains, and Zawisza more still than the ghosts and near invisible.

"Hello sister," Friedrich began, not sure what he was meant to say, but that something had to be said, that he had to reach out and grab her before she left, before Weiss was gone forever. Like right here was the last chance that if he just wanted it hard enough, if he loved her enough she would come back. They could play again, them and Wilhelm, it was winter now, they could make snowmen. He would practice piano really hard and play for them if they wanted, please. "H-hello sister-r" Weiss could pick him up and twirl him around the estate now that everyone was gone, they could play fake sword fights, she could win this time, instead of pretending to lose for him, he would be a good boy, he wouldn't be so spoiled. Give her back.

"He-hello sister, We-iss," his tears were running everywhere, freezing to his face, the feeling of mucus clogged his throat as he tried to say the words, bring her back by the spell of memory, "I'm sor-rr… I did what you said, I ke-kept the castle, I'm sorr-ry, they...they got away, I-I couldn't do both, I'm sorry." Friedrich's knees buckled. He was begging, frozen and shivering, begging her to answer, to forgive him for letting her killers go. His words became wails, even he couldn't understand. Sometime in the silence, a blanket fell over his crying form, and Zawisza held him, so gently he didn't notice till morning.

She never came back. Wilhelm and Weiss slept forever.

****So this chapter was so hard to write, literally would just not budge until the near end when I started to feel into it again finally. Sorry if this comes off dry or rushed, but condensing so many sentences to make these final last two chapters not 4 chapters is a little rough. Asleep from the sucker punch soundtrack really sold me that last scene tbh, which I really feel is the only super strong part of this chapter.

As this is Friedrich's last chapter, his name is a reference to Friedrich the Great of Prussia, one of the most famous enlightened despots of the pre napoleonic era. insanely cruel or before his time, he is a debatable figure, much like this little boy who grew up way too fast. This is also Akagura's last chapter her name simply means the red and black pattern used in japanese ceramics, akaguro, and Philips first and last chapter he is named after Philip the great of france who built the nation of France from the shattered kingdom of france. His daughter's name is a manipulation of gold in french. Rollo is named after the Northmen for father of william the conqueror, and Thetis is the name of Achilles mother.

Thanks to TCR of course for the edits!