Icarus
It began with a man and his secret. A secret that, should it get out, would forever be the undoing of the man and his way of life.
Yet much like Icarus before him, the man seemed to revel in trying to get as close to the sun as he could. Tempting fate again and again with discovery despite all that he stood to lose.
Unlike in the stories though, it was the sun that grew hotter with each passing day. Heat forced the man to fly lower and lower until finally the wings the man had trusted for so long fell apart, plunging him towards the roiling sea below.
His fall began at the birth of his second daughter. A day that should have been heralded as one of the happiest days of his life, despite the amount of tears shed.
The newly born babe, fresh to the world had raised her tiny hands to the sky seeking her mother, and when she didn't find her, let loose a cry that would have made seasoned opera singers proud. Her tiny fits flailed as she wailed her feelings of discontent to the world, the cries holding steady until finally ceasing only after being handed to her mother.
Partially swaddled in towels, and now resting in her mother's arms, the babe had relaxed and closed her eyes. Asleep before the other sounds in the room could even be heard.
Willow, after forty long hours of labor, had been crying for some time. Pain, exhaustion and the lack of any medication, least they taint his… their… perfect heir, had given way to a catharsis of such unmeasurable proportions.
When the swaddled bundle was handed to her, and the cries of her newly born baby girl reached her ears, fresh tears of relief and love had fallen without any provocation.
In that moment Willow had known all of it, every single excruciating moment had been worth it to look into the beautiful blue eyes of her beautiful daughter. The whispers and hushed voices of the doctors never even registering as Willow held Winter's new sister, and proudly told her her name.
"Weiss. My little snowflake. Weiss Schnee."
Winter, ever curious, had cried as well, but for a very different reason as her mother.
Entering into the room after waiting outside the room with her Grandfather for the last twenty hours, excited to meet her new sister, the first thing she had seen was Weiss' back, and the white downy feathers sticking out of it.
Walking to the bed as Willow proudly held and named the newest member of the family, she had reached out her arms as the nurses and good doctor looked on. Stretching as far as she could to grab and tug one of the feathers, finding it firmly stuck to the back of her baby sister.
Despite the years of discipline and etiquette training drilled into her, a pained wail escaped. The offending hand snapping back to her chest, away from the baby as if they were coated in fire dust. Backing away slowly from her mother and the… the… thing that she held so lovingly in her arms.
Her sister.
A faunus.
An animal.
Just like the ones her father talked about. The ones who tried to take her away from them.
Willow noticed immediately her first born's sudden revulsion, her confusion and the tears that ran down her face.
Most shocking though was the sacred way she backed away, nearly crashing into her grandfather in a mad dash to get out. The room suddenly felt far too cramped, far too small for the six year old to stay any longer.
The Nurses and doctors expressions did not help in the slightest as one nervously wet her lips in an attempt to get words out. The room's temperature dropped as quickly as her own heart at the knowledge that something was very wrong, and she was the only one unaware.
"Doctor…" Willow had breathed slowly out, giving her father time to enter the room and close the door. "Is this something that can wait until after?"
Doctor Goodman to his credit, was professional enough to regain his senses, and quickly coughed to clear his throat. "Forgive me Madam Schnee, I didn't mean to make you worry. It is nothing pressing or healthy concerning. I, along with everyone else are simply a bit surprised, given neither you nor your husband have any genetic ties to Faunus."
Glancing down at Weiss, confusion gave way to concern as Willow finally spotted the soft white feathers that clung to her child's back. Fear instantly raked her senses. Ice seeping into her veins, enough to spike her breathing and heart to a furious pace.
"I… I don't… wha…."
Almost immediately the staff sprang into action, Weiss pulled quickly from her grasp as the panic spiked. Willow's eyes darted to all the staff and finally to her father as he gazed on, a happy and inviting expression adorning his face as he motioned for Willow to relax, before turning and leaving the room himself.
Never before had Willow been so thankful her husband, whom she had cursed for hours on end not a day earlier, had not fulfilled a promise. Instead of being by her side through the ordeal, he was miles away in his office, working on trade negotiations. Barely taking any time to even check in on her once her water dropped, instead promising that he would be here for the birth of his.. their… heir.
Thank Remnant, he wasn't there now.
The next hour was a painful, overloaded blur. The confusion and questions of her daughter's extra appendages, mixed with the dread of facing her beloved, allowing some measure of distraction.
Far too quickly for her taste however, she was being moved to a recovery room, with Doctor Goodman and her father following behind, the door closing quietly behind them.
Exhaustion clung heavily to Willow, but the ever present mental image of her baby girl's back kept her wide awake, with each passing second feeling like another step towards the gallows.
The silence stretched on until finally, exhausted and initiated, Willow snapped at the two men.
"I did not cheat on Jacque if that is your question!"
Silence was the only initial response while both her Father and the doctor shared a look.
"As you are no doubt aware Madam Schnee, it requires at minimum, one parent to have faunus lineage for traits like your daughters to appear." The good doctor spelling out the obvious contradiction to Willows statement. "As far as I am aware, neither you nor your husband's family lineages have any record of faunus traits being introduced."
Nicholas made his way slowly over to a chair sitting next to Willow's bed, as continued.
"So there are really only two scenarios. One of your families has been keeping something from you… or…"
If it felt like the world was spiraling down around her before, the words the good doctor spoke were like full speed locomotives slamming into her chest. Breathing became difficult, as her father reached out to slowly stroke her arm. A small comfort, but not nearly enough.
"I have never been unfaithful…" she rasped out, glancing towards her father with desperation clear on her face. "You have to believe me. I would never…"
A soft smile from Nichoal, and a firm pat on her hand was all the response she needed to hang her head in defeat.
"I believe you Willow. You have always been an exemplary daughter and honest to a fault. I believe you to be faithful, but the question still remains…"
Silence, oppressive silence overtook the room once more until finally, with her mind on the brink of collapsing under the exhaustion, Willow asked the question she was dreading most
"What do we do now…"
Shouting could be heard from down the hallways.
The sound of crying, and words could be clearly heard if one merely stood around the doorway to Willow's room.
"You're lying! You're telling me not to believe my own eyes? You disloyal harlot!"
Nicholas had agreed to let Jacques and Willow talk alone, but it was at this point that he knew something had to be done. Winter was standing stiff as a rock next to him, the yelling had been going on for some time now, and was clearly disturbing her. Weiss could be heard wailing from inside, and if only for the sake of the children, he quickly opened the door to the distraught couple.
Silence overtook them as Nicholas slowly stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Willow was still in bed, rocking Wiess as her wails slowly died down with the yelling having finally subsided, while Jacque paced relentlessly back and forth in front of the bed.
"You two are scaring my granddaughters with all that yelling." He calmly stated, resting his cane firmly on the floor between his legs, taking some of the strain off them.
"tsh" Jacques nearly spat, pausing in his pace to glare at his father-in-law directly in the eyes. "They may well be your granddaughters but if you haven't already noticed by now, that thing is not my daughter."
"But she is!" Willow, red eyes, with tears streaking down her check. "I swear to you upon my mothers grave I was never with another!"
"Then how do you explain these abominations?!" He spat, jerking Weiss out of Willow's arms with a yelp, and flipping her around to show the two down-covered wings that sat rooted to her shoulders. The small baby instantly wailed again from the rough treatment.
"Jacques!" Nicholas instantly abolished, limping over to him and quickly removing the child from his hands, cradling her close to his own chest and rocking her slowly back to sleep. "That is quite enough. If you truly can't take my daughters word on the matter, we can get tests done to be sure. There is no need for this hostility!"
"No need?!" Jacques tone taking on a mocking edge. "You and I both know the world will never see it.. her… as my daughter."
The pacing began once more as he spoke, "This will drag the Schnee name through the mud… and even if she is my daughter and even if the tests prove it, how do you think this will fare in the public eye? Imagine trying to claim inheritance when the whole of Atlas, heil the whole damn world thinks you are illegitimate? They will claim the tests are fake no matter what, and even if we are successful, imagine the scandals and ridicule we will be forced to endure!"
Despite his best efforts, a scowl emerged as Jacques' points drove home a real and unfortunate truth in the matter. As selfish and hateful as the sentiment was, it was a very real problem.
Old laws still held true in Atlas, and while legally they would be likely able to prove and ensure the passing of the torch, the board and public at large would never accept the ruling.
"What are you suggesting then…" Willow finally spoke up, a small measure of steel in her tone as she clearly began to contemplate the reality her daughter might face.
"If she is my daughter as you both seem to think, then clearly those disgusting appendages are some mistake." Jaques' words chilled the room as he continued. "They are tumors or medical issues to be corrected immediately. I know of someone who can help. His name is Doctor Watts, and he should be able to remove the evidence with minimal damage. She won't miss them, and come to think of it, should probably never even know they existed in the first place."
The room went deathly still at the suggestion. Willow bit her lip in contemplation, while Nicholas watched the small babe in his hands attempt to grab his shirt. The small wings fluttering ever so slightly as she slept. A soft smile gracing his face at the innocence and purity the little angel in his arms emanated.
"No." he stated firmly. "While I appreciate the dedication you have to the preservation of our family name, and your desire to give Weiss an easy and normal life, this is not our choice to make. She needs to make it herself."
A vein could be seen pulsing on Jaques forehead as he rounded on Nicholas, fury raisiting from his advance. "Let me make this very clear then. I will not become a laughing stock in Atlas because of your daughter's inability to keep her legs closed. If you wish for it to be part of this family, if you want me to give it an opportunity any of those mongrels in Mantle would kill for, The wings will be removed."
Nichoals could feel his legs begging to be given a rest, but he held firm against the onslaught, shielding the babe from the sound as best he could. A deep seated anger rumbling from his chest as the man his daughter chose to marry accused her of infidelity and placing an ultimatum on the very child she just birthed. Oh Jacques was making a big mistake if he thought he could speak about such atrocities and come out unscathed. The burning retort he had for this man sat waiting on his tongue ready to explode, when his daughter beat him to the punch.
"We can hide them."
Willow's voice was soft but filled with steel as the two men quickly brought their attention back to her.
"At least until she's old enough to make the choice herself."
Rounding back towards her, Jacque was quick to open his mouth, but Willow beat him to it. "What you are suggesting-while practical-it can't be undone Jacque. I can handle many things, but having her grow up resenting us for something we did, is not one of them."
For a brief moment it seemed like Jacque was about to explode in earnest. The vein pulsing on his forehead and his hands tightening into fists, until finally with an extreme amount of force, he let out a deep breath, and with it the tension in the room finally settled.
"Fine. They will be kept hidden." he nodded, before once more raising a finger. "But if any of this gets out, it is your head on the pike not mine. I will not be dragged down by your foolishness."
Nicholas felt the burning in his chest slowly extinguish, the response he held fizzling out as a compromise was finally reached. He was not happy, and Jacque would be getting a piece of his mind later, but for now it was time to put the matter to bed.
Gesturing to the sleeping baby in his arms. "As you say. But can you please retrieve her? I am barely standing as it is, and I think it is high time she learns who her father is."
Quick on his feet Jacque pulled Weiss from Nichoals arms, cradling her a bit awkwardly while trying not to touch her wings as the sleeping angel squirmed around to get comfortable.
"Weiss." he muttered, holding her for not but a few more seconds before shoving the bundle into willows hands and storming out of the room. A small yelp from Winter as he slammed the door behind him, reminding them all of her presence at the door.
"He'll come around…" Willow whispered to Weiss. Pulling her close to her chest and leaning back in the bed, whispering soft assurances to her, accompanied by small kisses to her head. "He's just angry right now. He will come around…"
Nicholas smiled at the display, but even as Willow spoke the words with such conviction, he himself was not so sure of their truth.