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I walked through the dining room in the manner to the main entrance. I was flanked by two great statues of knights.
"Good afternoon sister," my brother greeted. "It's a pleasure to see you out of your room for a change."
"Hello Whitley. You're in a cheery mood today," I observed.
"Klein made crepes for breakfast," he responded with a pleasant smile.
I shot him a long look. "What do you want?" I demanded. I was tired of his fucking bullshit.
"I heard father shouting at someone in his study earlier."
"Mother?" I asked.
"No, she's already drinking in the garden. I think it was a man. I just wanted to warn you. I had heard he asked to speak with you."
"I'll be fine."
"I know you will. You're strong. Like Winter."
"You never liked Winter."
"True but you can't deny her resolve. I just wanted you to know I didn't stop growing up while you were away at Beacon."
"I see. Thanks for the warning."
"Good luck with father," he valedicted.
I walked up to the door of my father's study. I heard shouting.
"I'm not talking about the good of my company, I'm talking about the good of Atlas. Our entire Kingdom."
"That is a load of garbage and you know it."
"I beg your pardon!"
"Jacques. Just hear me out."
"You are a friend and ally of this family James but what you're saying is absurd." I pushed the door open.
"You're blowing it out of proportion."
"The council won't allow it."
"You forget I have two seats on the council," Ironwood answered.
"Your dust embargo has already cost me millions."
"So this is about you," Ironwood quirked an eyebrow.
I shut the door loudly behind me by accident. "Ms Schnee. My apologies. I should have been gone by now."
"It's fine," I granted.
"We'll continue this some other time."
"Klein can show you out." My father spoke.
"Don't worry. I know the way." Ironwood stood and walked to the door. "Ms. Schnee. You'll always have a home at Atlas Academy. We'll be in session before you know it." He stepped out.
"Did you forge your manners when you were gone?" My father turned to his desk from where he'd been sitting on the couch.
I put on a face. "No father, I'm sorry."
"Can you believe there are still people in the world who blame Atlas for what happened to Beacon? To Vale?"
"Well they weren't there," I pointed out. My father took his seat.
"It's a wonder Ironwood wasn't stripped of his rank. I suppose the council trusts him. For better or worse."
"I trust him," I spoke loudly and clearly.
I walked past the crystal chess set in the middle of the room in my heels.
"Thanks to him Atlas is forbidden from exporting dust to other kingdoms. A precautionary measure until we're sure nobody is going to declare war. How anyone could see that as sound reason is beyond me. Which is why the Schnee dust company is going to host a charity concert in the coming weeks. We need to show the people of Remnant that we are on their side. That we are all victims of the fall of Beacon."
"That's wonderful news."
"I agree. And it would make a lot of people happy if you would sing at the event."
"People forget that you were there. My own daughter, a Schnee with boots on the ground."
"Are you asking me if I want to sing or telling me."
He folded his arms on his desk. "It would make a lot of people happy."
"I'll start practicing. Is that all?"
"You're dismissed."
I stepped out of his office.
"Cup of hot coffee Ms Schnee?" I heard Klein's voice. "I always find he keeps his study dreadfully cold." His eyes turned yellow from blue.
I turned to greet him with a smile. "Thank you Klein."
"You know what I think?" he asked. His eyes turned red. "I think its to balance out all his hot air," He smirked.
I laughed. "Klein!"
He sneezed and his eyes turned green. "Ah there's my happy little snowflake!" He gave me his warmest smile.
"Thank you Klein." I gave him a warm smile back.
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I sang loudly and clearly. I finished on a high note and took a bow before stepping off the stage. SInging was easy. I used to have stage fright but such a thing was unbecoming for a Schnee. When we went to the after party drinks were served. My father pulled on a flute of sparkling white wine.
"We offer faunus the same wages as all our mining staff. Their arguments are completely invalid right out of the gate." He was speaking to an up and coming lawyer.
"Well I think the bigger issue is our society as a whole."
"What are you suggesting?" a woman in a red dress with bright brown eyes asked.
"You cannot deny the economic disparity between Atlas and Mantle," the lawyer shrugged.
I made to step away from these fucking morons. My father caught me by the wrist. "Where are you going?" He whisper-demanded.
"I'm just a little thirsty."
"Sweetheart, we have people for that." He raised his arm to snap his fingers and summon waitstaff.
"What? No. I can get it." I pulled his arm down. I was stronger than my father anyway. "I'll be right back. I promise."
I stepped away from my father and up to a painting behind velvet red rope. It was of the entrance of Beacon with the clock tower and rising spires.
"It's beautiful." I took in the blue haired amber eyed boy who spoke. He was near enough to my age. He had his hair draped over his face and had broad shoulders. He was the kind of boy who was probably used to making young girls double take. I gave him a once over and looked back at the painting of Beacon academy. He had a chain by his side. "You two match." He pushed.
"Yes. It's a lovely painting."
"So that was my attempt at breaking the ice," he grinned. "How am I doing so far?"
"You leave a lot to be desired," I flat out informed him.
"Ha, well I always appreciated honesty. Henry Marigold."
I took his hand. "Weiss Schnee."
"I know. I saw your performance obviously. You were wonderful. And I'm not just saying that because you're pretty. Honesty, remember? So… are you thinking about buying it?" He wondered.
"No. I don't believe so," I answered.
"Yeah a bit pricey for a painting."
"It's to raise money," I pointed out.
"What for?" He asked.
"What for?" I echoed astonished.
"I admit I only come to these shindigs for the food and drink. And the extraordinary company. Of course. So what is another Mantle fundraising?"
"Get out."
"What?" Henry wondered.
"Get out or I will have security throw you out." I leveled at him.
"But I haven't done anything," He teetered.
"Leave!" I exclaimed.
"Whatever," he dismissed. And then he walked away. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
"Is it any surprise what happened to Vale?" A tan woman in a black dress laughed loudly. "It was a long time coming if you ask me."
I turned on a fucking dime. "Shut up!" I shouted at her. "You have no idea what these people are going through. None of you do!"
"Excuse me."
"Be quiet before I make you." A glyph spired to life on my open palm. My father snatched me by the wrist.
"What are you doing?!" He hissed.
"Hands off!" I casually tossed my father to the side. He was so much weaker than I was.
I pulled at my glyph and a white giant centipede came to life within it. "This party is over!"
"Someone arrest her! She should be locked up!"
"She's the only one making sense around here," Ironwood stepped in and spoke casually. "Thanks for the party Jacques." He then walked out.
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"Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable." My father passed before me while I sat on my giant queen bed. "Do you have any idea what your stunt cost me? And I'm not just talking about Lien here."
"I-"
"Our reputation. Our- our…" He trailed off and face palmed.
"I want to leave," I said.
"I beg your pardon?" He demanded.
"I want to leave. I don't want to stay here. I don't want to be here in Atlas anymore with these people."
"I don't give a damn what you want. This isn't about you. This is about the Schnee family name and your apparent desire to drag it through the mud."
"I've done nothing but honor my family name. A name you married into."
He slapped me quickly across the face. "Ah!" exclaimed in surprise.
"You can't imagine the things I've done for this family. You think siding with your sister is right, it only divides us."
"I'm not siding with anyone. I'm leading the Sschnee family name is mine to lead. And I'll do it as a huntress. I'm doing what I feel is right and that doesn't include spending my time with these clueless people in Atlas."
"No. You won' 're not leaving Atlas. You're not leaving the manner grounds unless I specifically allow it. You're not to leave your room until you and I come to an agreement. You're to remain out of sight and out of mind."
"What?" I wondered bewildered.
"Your presupposition that you can just have whatever you want is a clear sign of our failure as parents. But from now on I'll give you the attention you require. Starting by keeping you where I can see you."
"I'm not your prisoner!"
"You're my daughter," he dismissed. "And you're going to act like it."
"This is only going to make things worse, father. People will ask questions. They'll want to know why the heiress to the Schnee dust company is nowhere to be found."
"Which is why you are no longer the heiress to the Schnee dust company."
"What?"
"Clearly the trauma you endured at Beacon was too much for you which is why you've decided to abdicate the earnings of the Schnee dust company in favor of your brother. It's time to wake up and face reality."
He walked away.
I chased him. My brother was outside.
"Whitley!" I exclaimed.
"Yes sister?" He wondered.
"Did you know about this?"
"Know about what?"
"You never liked Winter. You never liked me. But you have been nothing but supportive since I came back."
"If being nice to my big sister is a crime then I suppose I'm guilty." He placed an open palm over his heart.
"You wanted this to happen," I observed.
"It's foolish not to do what father asks." He leaned in.
"I can't believe you…" I realized.
"Don't worry Weiss. The Schnee family name is in good hands."
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I walked out of my room suitcase in hand and almost collided with Klein. I let out a gasp and he shushed me.
"Shh." He whispered. "Let's go."
As we descended quickly past the vaulting room and corridors Klein's phone rang. "Yes Master Whitley. I'll be there." He hung up. "Go to the first floor library. I'll meet you there."
I nodded and began to make my way. I walked past my father's office and heard shouting.
"You need to control yourself."
"Are you listening to yourself?!"
"I'm basing all that on the report from your daughter!"
"A daughter you stole."
"Oh we are not getting into that again."
"Oh yes. We have far pressing matters to discuss. Starting with your apparent lunacy."
"Jacques!" Ironwood sighed. "Winter is one of my best. If she says something is happening in Mistral I believe her. Weapons shipments and guns have spiked and I do not trust Leo to handle it himself."
"You've never trusted anyone other than yourself!"
"And for good reason!" There came a heavy slam. I flinched at the noise in the quiet manor. "I fOZ had just listened to me from the start."
"You need to get a grip."
"That's what I'm doing. Next week Atlas will be closing its borders. No one in. No one out without council permission."
"You mean without your permission."
"And if that's the case I would think you would want to be on my good side."
I heard footsteps from inside. WIth nowhere to hide I summoned a glyph on my side of the door.
"It's locked." I heard Ironwood speak.
"What are you talking about?"
I ran. I got to the first floor library.
"Klein! Klein, where are you?"
He opened a hidden passage in the side of the library. His eyes were red. "Hold your horses I said I'd be here." He gestured at me to come and I did. "Are you sure you'll be safe in Mistral?"
"No but it's where I'll find Winter."
"I suppose that's the only family you'll have after tonight."
"I'll have you." I embraced him deeply.
I left quickly to the airship which was waiting.
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-WG