Ruby Rose was many things. A noble lady. A connoisseur of weapons and sweet rolls both. A warrior.
One thing she decidedly was not, was someone interested in politics.
So, being someone who did not like politics, she was bored out of her brain as she stood at the sidelines of Queen Schnee's court, watching and listening to incessant babbling with long, confusing words that Ruby knew there were simpler ways to say.
"My Queen, we must track down the beast before it causes more ruin! If it were to attack Kingsberg or ,heavens forbid, Vulcan then we will be forced into a recession or worse, a depression!"
The words elicited gasps, tutters and murmurs from the crowd. Even if Ruby couldn't care less about what was being said, she could at least appreciate the passion the balding, red faced lord spoke with.
"Calm my lords." Queen Weiss spoke, frosty and calm. Terrifying and regal. "I will not see my court turn into a madhouse mere days after a dragon attack."
The court quieted quickly, not instantaneously, but quickly, ready to listen to the words of their Queen.
"This is not the first dragon attack nor, I fear, the last." Queen Schnee stated softly. "We must rebuild Nördliche Burg and prepare our cities for future attacks. Lady Rose, if you will."
Ruby stepped forward, trying not to flinch as every eye fell on her. Queen Weiss had warned her beforehand she would call her forward during the Council, but the fact every single Lord and Lady in the kingdom stared at her made it very hard for her not to fidget.
This was the second time too! They'd already gawked at her once when Queen Weiss had rewarded her for driving off the dragon, alongside the sister of the boy (Juan? John?) who had been brave enough to stand up to the monster and had unfortunately got caught in the blast of her silver-eyed magic. Why did they have to gawk at her again?
Fighting down a blush, Ruby spoke.
"Eh...Ahem…Lords and...Ladies!" Ruby stammered, coughing to steel her nerves as people murmured and some shot her sympathetic looks. Some looked at her with a familiar, pitying look she'd seen all her life.
Daughter of the man who laid with a monster. Bastard.
"There are a number of ways to protect our fiefs!" She called, gathering the strength that had been drilled into her by tutors and her mother. "The easiest would be to find and hire silver-eyed warriors as our magic is the most effective way of driving off dragons."
The crowd murmured. "Of course she would say that, being one herself!"
"But there are alternatives too."
That caught their attention, and she was suddenly aware of the keen curiosity on everyone's faces, even Queen Weiss, who was usually so...stoic.
"You can use Knights. Although hard to train and expensive in the short term, they are good counters to dragon attacks as well as other magical creatures due to their weaponry and skill. Furthermore, only nobles can become Knights due to your blood, meaning the knight will be someone of your blood, someone you can trust."
More murmurs. Some knew this. Some didn't. She continued.
"Apart from that, some Wizards can cast protection spells powerful enough to deter dragons and the Adventurer's Guild likely has some with experience against dragons. If all other options are closed, then make sure to have lots of archers or even better, crossbowmen, as well as bucket brigades ready to put out fires." Ruby shrugged. "If worst comes to worst you can always run."
This brought some chuckles from the court for some reason. It was genuine advice! If a dragon is too busy burning down someplace it's more likely to not notice tiny humans fleeing in terror!
"Thank you for your advice Lady Rose." Queen Weiss said kindly, and Ruby was sure she saw a small smile on the Queen's face.
"Your Majesty." Ruby curtsied before moving back to her spot on the sidelines, trying to ignore the assessing looks of the lords she walked past. She'd seen those looks hundreds of times as well. Assessing her worth. Weighing up the pros and cons of a potential marriage.
Call her naive, but Ruby wanted to marry for love.
"Not if mother runs out of patience." Ruby thought glumly. "She's too desperate for grandchildren to spoil now that I've drunk my milk and grown up!"
"Now that we have heard our options for defense from an experienced dragon slayer, I propose that we all prepare using one method Lady Rose offered. There is no need for me to hoard you all when a dragon could be attempting to do the same with our Kingdom's fair maidens." Queen Weiss said lightly, and the court laughed softly. Ruby did so too, if only to not stand out.
"If I may be so bold, why are we on the defensive my love?" A voice called, sudden and booming.
Ruby turned so fast her neck hurt, gently rubbing her burning neck with a wince, Ruby watched as Alexander Nikos strode into the centre of the court confidently, almost arrogantly.
"After all." Nikos asked rhetorically. "Did our resident silver-eyed warrior not drive off the beast? Were we not victorious over the monster that attacked us? Why should we move cautiously now when we are quite clearly winning?"
The court mumurmed fervently. Ruby swallowed nervously, feeling the air change. It was relaxed before. Calm. Now it was hot, burning with pride and arrogance.
"We do not know the location nor what state the beast that attacked us is in." Weiss answered frostily. "Scouts will be sent out to find the beast. In the meantime we should be prepared for the possibility that the monster is roving our skies, planning its next attack."
The tension eased, calmed, and cooled.
"Dragons don't have intelligence!" Nikos chortled. "They are abominations born of greed and violence. Nothing more than brutes that can fly. I've seen peasants with more intelligence than a dragon."
The court chuckled and some laughed. Ruby shifted nervously.
"And how many dragons have you seen Prince Nikos?" Weiss asked when the noise died down.
"Nearly a dozen." Nikos replied, the court murmuring its surprise and admiration.
"And how many have you killed?"
Silence. Tense and awkward. Even from where she was at the very back of the court, Ruby could see the anger blaze in Nikos' eyes.
The silence dragged on.
"I was forbidden from combat my love." Nikos replied with a wane smile. "My mother did not want me damaged when she arranged a suitable betrothal. Lucky you."
Nikos winked, the anger gone and the charm back in full force. The court chuckled though it was weaker than before.
"Lady Rose."
Hundreds of eyes turned to her, Nikos' emerald ones leering and calculating as Ruby stepped forward before the court and cutrised as protocol stated.
"My Queen?" Ruby asked politely.
"How many dragons have you killed?"
"One, Your Majesty."
Murmurs broke out.
"I thought you were experienced, Lady Rose?" Nikos asked.
"I am, Prince Nikos."
Something flashed in Nikos' eyes. The warm charm in them dulled slightly, the fine emerald of his eye now jaded.
"Yet you say you killed only one dragon?"
"That's one more than you ever killed."
Silence. Who'd be stupid enough to insult-wait...did she say that?
The fire blazing in Nikos' said yes.
Oh crud.
"How big was the beast?" Weiss asked, saving her from the awkward silence. She shot her a grateful look.
"Larger than Nördliche Burg, My Queen, much larger." Ruby paused, trying to remember and think of things to compare it to. "Perhaps half the size of Schnee Mountain."
Gasps and murmurs. Nikos snorted.
"The only beast that size was the Slayer of Men." Nikos stated, matter-of-fact.
"I didn't fight it alone. My mother helped."
"And who is your mother again?"
"Lady Summer Rose of Bluhen." Ruby replied, feeling viscous satisfaction as the triumphant look on Nikos' face slid off like water off a rock.
Her mother had quite the reputation when it came to dragon killing.
"No wonder you were able to drive off the beast with ease." A red-eyed lord said from the nearest group of courtiers. "You're the daughter of the Dragon Bane."
The court burst into murmurs. She wondered why this hadn't happened already. She had been at court for a while now and the rose brooch on her cloak didn't exactly hide her identity.
She waited patiently as the court died down once again, Queen Weiss having ordered for silence with a raised hand.
"I think the legitimacy of Lady Rose is not in question when offering advice on how to defend ourselves from dragons." She stated with a pointed look at Nikos. "I truly believe our best course of action is to build up our defenses whilst we locate the dragon. Does anyone disagree?"
A number of lords shook their heads, the red-eyed one who supported her amongst them. However not all did.
"I do not mean to be impertinent but I do." Nikos said, a few lords nodding in the background. "The beast was quite clearly wounded and we should press the advantage whilst we still have it."
"What do you propose then?" Weiss demanded, and Ruby wondered if that was the closest she had come to snapping in court.
"Nothing drastic." Nikos replied placatingly. "Just to allow those who wish to hunt down the beast to do so for a suitable award."
"And what would that reward be?" Weiss asked frostily.
"Two million in gold and silver paid by me personally." Nikos replied, without missing a single beat. As if offering two million gold and silver as a reward was little more than asking for a fresh inkpot after writing for too long.
There was nothing Weiss could do. She couldn't challenge Nikos since he was offering to pay the reward himself. If she did, she risked turning the court against her, the court whose greed and ambition had suddenly been inflamed.
"Very well." Weiss said coolly. "Any who slay the beast and return its head will be given two million in gold and silver by my generous betrothed. In the meantime, I recommend you return to your fiefs and prepare in case the hunt fails."
And with that the court was dismissed.