(Arte's POV)
3 years later

Arte stared at the palace doors, the sight of them, after so long, making her shudder. She and her mother had worked there. She and her mother had lived there.
She and Xerxes had played there together.
Xerxes.
He was in there somewhere.
She was going to find him. That was her duty, Shelly had said. Find the prince. Serve him. Be his loyal maid, who was loyal to him, and him alone. Not that Arte needed her adopted mother to tell her that. Protecting Xerxes was what she'd been training for these past ten years. Ever since she was 5 years old, she'd been rigorously trained and disciplined to be the prince's shield and sword. She was his to command.
More than that, he was her friend.
Taking a deep break, Arte stepped toward the doors. The guards brandished their spears, blocking her way. "Identification, please." one said. Arte nodded. "Of course." She handed the guard the pass Shelly had given her that confirmed she was Arte Rainsworth, Shelly's adopted daughter. The guard looked over the pass and handed it back, withdrawing his spear along with his comrade. "Admitted."
"Thank you." Arte took the pass, trying to squash the nerves in her stomach, and continued into the palace as the guards opened the giant double doors for her. She received curious stares from the servants, but no one spoke to her. Hesitating, Arte paused, unsure of what to do. Finally, she asked a maid, "Do you know where I can find Lady Mariam Futapie, Head of Maids?"
The maid began to speak, but a calm, stern voice came from behind them. "I am Mariam Futapie."
Arte turned around. Standing there was a woman in her thirties, with naturally white hair, pale skin, and light, light gray eyes. She was rather tall and stood with an admirable kind of grace in her Head of Maids outfit. The woman had a strict but rather kind demeanor about her. Arte liked her instantly. She curtsied politely, as Shelly had taught her to do. "I'm sorry for the intrusion, Miss Mariam. I am Arte Rainsworth, adopted daughter of Shelly Rainsworth. I was coming here to serve the prince and was wondering if you could take me to him."
Mariam inclined her head. "Shelly's adopted daughter? She's told me quite a lot about you. I must say, her description fits."
Arte wasn't sure if the Head of Maids had complimented her or not, considering she didn't know what Shelly had said about her. So she said nothing.
"All right then, if you will follow me." Mariam turned and swept elegantly away into the twisting halls of the palace. Arte nodded politely to the maid and followed Mariam, stomach twisting with anxiety. This was it. She was finally going to see her Xer again...
After an astonishingly long trek through the palace's halls and up its numerous winding stairs, Mariam finally halted in front of two lavish doors lined with jewels and gold and silver. Two guards, stone-faced, stood on either side of them. Xer's personal rooms...Arte thought. This is where we were separated. How fitting that it's where we will be reunited. she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nervousness and reign in her joy. It would be improper to seem so giddy in front of the ruler of Pandora.
"Your Highness? Someone is here to see you." Mariam called.
"Who is it?" came Xerxes's annoyed voice, the sound of it, after so many years, stealing Arte's breath. It did sound slightly different, though. More mature and developed.
"You will find out soon enough, Your Highness." Mariam replied. "Really, Mariam." came Xerxes's voice again. "Stop it with the cryptic nonsense. You already nag me so much, and now you want to start speaking in riddles?"

Mariam smiled slightly. "You will want this to be a surprise, My Prince. I assure you."
"Hmm, all right then." Xerxes sighed. "Guards, let them in."
The guards slowly opened the richly decorated doors as Arte's heart began pounding so hard, she felt like it would punch its way out of her chest.
The doors opened fully, and Arte stepped into the rooms.

(Xerxes's POV)

What can it be this time? Xerxes thought, irritated, as the doors began to open. He was bewildered by Mariam's vague response. She was always so blunt and to the point. Whoever it is, I'll make sure they're sorry for bothering me. Perhaps I will threaten to behead them this time. The thought of the person's terror diminished his annoyance. Sitting up from his slouched position, he fixed a glare on the opening doors, ready to use it and pin whoever was coming in.
Then he heard a voice that made his heart skip a beat.
"Good afternoon, Your Highness. My name is Arte."
A girl stepped into the room. A girl with long, waist-length golden hair and sapphire-colored eyes. She was wearing a black-and white dress with a red ribbon that slightly resembled a maid's outfit, with a matching headband.
(Here's the outfit: . /rwbyfanon/images/e/e5/The_maid_outfit_by_ /revision/latest?cb=20140927211646 )
Xerxes stared at her, his annoyance forgotten. Arte...she said her name was Arte. Standing in front of him was a girl who looked like, had the same name as, and was the same age Arte should have been at this point. It was her. It was Arte.
Except, it couldn't be.
His Arte had died. She'd died ten years ago, and that had been when his heart began turning to stone. It could not be, no, was not, her.
Despite his thoughts, he could focus on nothing else but the girl. He was dimly aware of Mariam leaving and the guards closing the doors of his rooms, but the girl who stood in front of him was all he could think of. The girl that looked like his childhood best friend. Against his will, the name slipped out of his mouth. "A...Arte."
This new Arte curtsied deeply. "Yes. That is my name, Your Highness."
"Who are you?" Xerxes was suddenly angry. Angry that suddenly, fate was throwing him this girl who looked and had the same name as his former best friend. To bother him. To torment him.
The Arte in front of him kept her head bowed. "I believe I already told you, Your Highness. My name is Arte."
"Not like that! Who are you?"
The girl suddenly looked up and smiled gently. Xerxes's breathing hitched. That smile. That smile was exactly...
"Oh, Xer, do you really not remember me?" she asked softly.
Xerxes froze. His heartbeat boomed in his ears. It was not - could not - be her. This girl was lying, trying to lower his guard. His Arte was dead. He'd lost her ten years ago, and he could not get her back. It was impossible. "Leave me alone." he spat. "Go away. You-you're not her. You're not Arte. You can't be. She is...dead." He choked out the words, surprised by how much they hurt. It was agony. He thought he'd accepted Arte's death, but now...now that a girl that looked just like her stood in front of him, he realized that the wounds had never really healed. And this girl, this girl's resemblance to his Arte had torn them open again. The wounds were old, so very old, but, raw, red, and dripping. Arte was dead. She was dead. And he hadn't been able to stop it, or save her.
"That flower crown."
He tensed, bewildered at her abrupt change of topic. "What?"
"Right before we were separated...you gave me a flower crown."
A lightning bolt struck Xerxes. It couldn't be. It couldn't be. "Anyone...anyone could have told you that." he stammered, though it wasn't true. "What was...what was the crown made of?" Despite his insistence, Xerxes found himself hoping, praying, that it was her. That Arte was alive, and here with him.
The flower crown had been made of violets, poppies, and marigolds. Arte's favorites, she'd told him long ago.
"My favorites. You made them out of violets, poppies, and marigolds."
Xerxes went numb.
"And you called me Ojousama when you showed it to me."
Something warm and damp landed on Xerxes's shirt. He looked down.
He couldn't see it. His vision was blurry.
He was crying.
It was her.
It was really her.
He stood so fast he knocked his chair to the ground.
"Ar...te..." he said. Just one word, just her name, and yet...
She smiled, stepping forward, closing the distance between them. "Xerxes. It's me. I'm here."
Xerxes sobbed, much to his own shock. He had never - never cried since his parents' funeral. "Arte. It's you. You're here." Another sob escaped him, and he wrapped his arms around her. "You're alive." he whispered. "You're alive."