One year later.

The Duke rarely cried. Yet tears trickled down his face the first time he held his newly born daughter.

"She's… Beautiful."

"Hana." Nora smiled up at him. "A beautiful name too." She was crying as well, face jubilant and exhausted while watching her husband hold their child. As Ren held his daughter's tiny hand, halfway across the world, another face smiled.

It was the face of Summer Rose. She was staring out a window of the northern castle at the frosted courtyard. Ice glistened off the bare branches, showering the castle walls with crystal. She was watching her daughter crunching through the grass, arms wrapped around the younger ice princess. Weiss was teaching Ruby to dance.

After drinking the golden vial from Yang's mother, Ruby's face and skin had lightened, her hair began to grow fuller, and she had gained a healthy amount of weight. Weiss often spoke of Ruby's "figure" and how it was perfect for a partner. Summer hardly knew what she was talking about, but the simple thought of her daughter's future was enough to make her smile.

Taiyang watched the scene as well. He shook his head in disbelief. To lose his first wife, to save his second daughter; What a fate to endure. Yet he went on smiling, knowing his daughter would be safe. He watched as the winter heiress shook her head and stomped her feet, flustered. She broke down in laughter as Ruby grabbed her hands and shook them, prancing around her.

"No stupid! Stop!" Weiss said through her laughter.

She stepped backward and Ruby continued prancing, tripping over Weiss' feet. They both went down in the snow, rolling and laughing until their momentum slowed and found Weiss laying over Ruby with her legs straddling Ruby's hips. Taiyang chuckled and left his post. Summer blushed and turned to go find Lady Winter. Weiss' pale features quickly turned red as she tried to clamber off Ruby.

"Oh my gosh I am so sorry I didn't mean anything I was just trying to…" Weiss stopped as she noticed Ruby's hand on her thigh.

"Don't leave." Ruby said, meeting her eyes. "Weiss, please don't leave."

Something clicked inside the younger Schnee sister then. This sick little girl had watched her friend, then her sister leave the house to go do work she could never do. Her father left every day for a job she couldn't help with. She held her mother captive in their house, feeding and caring for her. Suddenly the sick girl found a friend. A friend in a perfectly awkward position on top of her. Weiss couldn't bear to leave.

"Ruby…" Weiss met her stare. "I won't leave. I'll never leave." She leaned down, placing her forehead against Ruby's. Their hair mingled in with the snow.

While a beautiful white rose grew in a snowy garden, Roman Torchwick had just escaped from jail. Under the cover of night, he and his mute companion dashed through the forest outside the grand castle, completely concealing their tracks. They found a small cave carved into the side of a hill, one they had often used to stow away after a raid on the castle.

"We're safe now…" Roman was panting, he hunched over in the small cave, breathing echoing off the walls.

Neo smiled at him. He smiled back. "I suppose I should thank you for saving me. Again."

She shook her head and pressed her finger to her lips. Roman raised an eyebrow in confusion. Neo smiled again, but this time leaned forward. Roman met her halfway with a kiss, which became an embrace, which became a wrestling match on the ground with each competitor trying to press themselves as close to the other as they possibly could.

The Duke's court had not only increased by a wife and child, but also an official palace bard. The high advisor, Pyrrha, had married the blonde minstrel from the troupe who performed at the tournament. They also had a child on the way. Ren was confused as to why his bumbling and intelligent advisor had chosen such an air-head for a husband, but they were happy together. He decided it would be better to be confused in silence.

Pyrrha and Jaune spent a lot of time in the courtyards. He would sing to her of names and deeds for their child, and she would critique the possibilities. Ren often found them laughing and talking in the hidden-away nooks of the castle, with Jaune stealing a kiss every now and then.

Nora appreciated having a bard to sing of her heroic deeds around the castle, so the Duke let him stay.

Blake was reading. She had found the Schnee manor's enormous library, and had sat down immediately with the largest tome she could find. She could hardly tell what the book was about. He mind continued to wander off every time she got further than three or four sentences.

The library stretched on for several hundred bookshelves, each one plunged the rest of the length of the build and shot up to a lofted ceiling. Several ladders led to the higher shelves and also a balcony that ran around the entire building. Each wall was made mostly of glass, with stone pillars holding up the roof. The setting sun poured in off the snow.

Yang… Blake's mind could not sit still. She had set the book down and curled up in her large cushioned chair. Yang… Blake felt as though she was laying in her arms. Blake rubbed her head against the arm of the chair, scratching her ears and trying to clear her head.

Yang let me have some time to study and learn. I can't waste this time thinking about just her. Blake shook her head and picked the book back up. Again, after only a few sentences the words swam in front of her and her mind rested only on Yang's face. She lowered the book. The face was real.

"Hiya!" Yang practically shouted. Blake started, throwing the book in the air and flattening her ears to her head. "Oh jeez, sorry. I didn't know you would be so deep into a book already."

Blake smiled, ears perking back up. "I couldn't focus anyway." She scooched over in her chair, leaving no room for Yang. Blake smiled broader and patted her lap.

Yang rolled her eyes and sat in her girlfriend's lap. The latter purred.

"You're such a doofus." Yang said as she and Blake sunk deeper into the red velvet of the chair. Blake reply was a soft kiss on Yang's neck.

"Not here…" Yang mumbled, closing her eyes.

"No one comes here except your sister, and she's away with the princess."

"So it's just…"

"Just us."

Blake threaded her fingers through Yang's hair as their lips met. Yang's fingers slowly ran up Blake's side to scratch her ears.

"I love you."

"I love you too."