A/N: Hello, and welcome to my next, new story. The Lonely Princess. I'll be real with you, I had this one planned to come out some time last year alongside The Beast and Clout, but was never able to finalize what how I wanted it to start. As you can tell from the synopsis and the the title, this one's going to be a dozy, and not just because I have no idea on how to write political intrigue.

A bit of backstory for this one. I recently came to love two fantastic Graphic Novel series that I also highly recommend. They are The Remarried Empress and The Abandoned Empress. The Artwork for both is what originally got me hooked, but the stories are excellent as well. This story, resembles those two in certain ways.

Without spoiling anything for this story or those two, No, Weiss is not going to be reborn after dying (Although, that is a concept I might do for a future story idea if people want that. I'm actually interested in doing it. Not sure if it would be a rehash of canon or another story set in an original world, but that's up to you guys, honestly.) And Weiss is not getting remarried, though, well... Just read ahead and you'll get the idea. Maybe.

Enjoy!

RWBY is own by Viz Media and was created by the late Monty Oum


The Lonely Princess

In the Kingdom of Mantle, where the peasantry and minor nobles had already been celebrating The Seven Day Festival for some time elsewhere, The Capital of Altius was getting ready to begin their own, far more involved celebrations. Even now, dozens of the nearby minor and high nobility were gathering in the Banquet Hall and Ballroom for what looked to be a magnificent occasion.

And, why wouldn't they be?

Not only was this event a Celebration of the Königin and König's 30th year of marriage, as well as to their continued health but it was also an occasion for even more celebration! The Arrangement between the noble house of Vasilias, from The Mistrali Empire, and that of the Second Princess was to be finalized. Tonight. the seventh and final day of the festival.

Finally, after years of conflict between the two nations, both sides would be setting aside their differences to allow for two young lovers to finally be together. It was perfection! Or, at least, that how the respective governments of each nation was presenting it as.

As two star-crossed lover coming together to end the war once and for all.

Obviously, the peasants of Mantle were eating that up. Or, at least it would seem that way. The nobility, however, was far less gullible. Instead, they, and the factions within the monarchy, were already trying to determine how they might use this wedding to their advantage.

After all, regardless of the outcome, everything was riding on the princess to succeed.

/ /

"Presenting! High Lord Guillaume of Arcadia, Son of Charlemagne the First, Duke of Wellington..."

As the various minor noble families were presented before the hall of nobles Their Majesties sat down to watch the gathering throng in silence. One could call it a companionable silence, if they didn't take in the cold, calculating visage of his Majesty as he observed every little detail of the room before him. He slaved away for years for tonight. Everything from his marriage to the Königin to his constant years of kissing up to those beneath him were all for the culmination of this night.

If everything went as planned tonight, then he could finally seize the power of the Monarchy for himself. Too long had the old Matriarchy held sway. It was time for Mantle to placed in the care of someone who knew best on how to lead. On how to run things properly.

Someone, like him.

He grinned slightly at that, faintly lifting his impressive mustache, before taking his wife's hand in his as he said next to her and kissed before saying, "To the future, my love."

The Königin seemed to flush in embarrassment at that turning to look away as the various nobles around them cheered and applauded the apparent sign of good fortune. The König grinned, more leered, at that and its implied implications, before going back to observing the room. It was all coming together exactly as he had planned.

Now, if only that useless girl didn't make a fool of herself...

/ /

"Presenting! Jaune, of Arcadia! Second child of Guillaume, Son of Charlemagne the First, Duke of Wellington..."

Sometime later, after the König's had gotten up to discuss some important diplomatic matters with the various council members, the Königin found herself alone. Suddenly, a tall figure stepped up next to her from behind her throne as she sipped at her wine, a dark burgundy red, without presenting themselves to her for approval first. Such a blatant act of disrespect should've immediately been followed by the figure having heir head chopped off by one of the many, many dark blue and silver lined, uniformed guards.

But, such was not the case.

The Königin merely sipped from her flute of wine once more as she glanced up at the imposing man in gilded white armor before smiling his way. "Ah, my Shadow," She murmured huskily in greeting before turning back as the doorman announced the next noble. "So, good of you to come, my old friend. But, I fear you are too late." The shadow said nothing to that, merely observing the room as the Königin went on, "I'm afraid things have progress far beyond what I had written to you last. Too far." She frowned at that briefly, biting at her full bottom lip before saying, "Now, there is but one chance to save ourselves. ...And, it is in the hands of one yet untested. One still innocent of that this... strife, having been cast out from this... Society, for a long, long time."

She sighed, tired of it all, before whispering, hand on brow, "I just hope that she can to bear the weight of all that is about to be dropped on those fragile shoulders."

She look up, through her fingers, as a small, delicate young woman of nineteen strolled in the room, not from the main entrance, but from the royal family's side, and whispered bitterly, "Forgive me, my daughter, but I cannot save you from this one..."

/ /

"Presenting! die Fürstin Weiss Schnee, Second Daughter of her Majesty, Willow Schnee, long may she reign, 23rd Monarchy of the glorious Kingdom of Mantle!" The doorman announced then, on seeing the latest arrival.

The assembled nobility then took the time to observe the latest arrival. The Fürstin was an unknown quantity to most of them. She had never had a formal reveal, a debutante, to the Peerage for her Coming-of-Age Ceremony nor did she frequent the many galas and parties of the younger daughters of the noble families as was expected of a second daughter, or, well, any daughter of the nobility.

n short, her power and influence was currently up for grabs, if they were judged to be useful to the various factions causes, of course.

The girl in question wore a deeply royal blue gown with white accents that seemed to refract the light in soft, scintillating waves. The gown swept up from the girl high heel in a slightly asymmetrical manner that managed to make the unusually short girl seem taller, At her waist was a large white sash that was embellished with a series of small ribbon and bowties. The gown ended, strapless at her shoulders in another slightly asymmetrical cut opposite of the gown's trailing feet, revealing the pale flesh of her shoulders and neck beautifully. Completing this ensemble were a pair of long, white with blue lining ball gloves ending at the elbows and small hat affixed akimbo to the girl's head with near flawless execution.

Finally, the girl's long, silver-white hair was done up in an elegant arrangement around her face and hat in a series of curling sweeps before it gently fell of her back in a waterfall of perfectly arranged chaos.

In short, she was magnificent. Save for one small blemish. On the left side of her face, the girl wore a silver half mask. The mask was elegantly sculpted to fit her face without the need for a string or band to hold it in place and was enameled in curling, curling lines of ripening vines. But, elegant though it was, it showed nothing of of the face beneath save her pale blue eyes and the mouth below.

As the Fürstin made her way in the room, hands clasped before her, the assembled nobles began to discuss her among themselves. Many were of the opinion that she should not have joined the Celebrations for the night. That she should've stayed away and seen her groom on the morrow, after everything was said and done.

Her presence, it was disconcerting to them all. Especially, that mask.

Just what hideous blemish was she hiding under there? It had to be significant for the König to keep her out of the public eye for all these years, right?

As a trio of noble women finally gathered up the courage to speak with her as she stood there in the center of the room waiting, the doorman coughed before announcing, "Presenting, Our Guest of Honor, Lord Neptune Vasilias, Third Son of the noble house of Vasilias of The Mistrali Shogunate."

As a tall, handsome young man then stalked into the Ballroom like he owned it, the various nobles turned to stare after him with many of the younger women openly pinning their loss. His blue held a cruel light in them as he cast his eyes about the place, searching for his apparent paramour. On finding her, the smirk on his face turned into a confident, if cruel smile as eh made his way towards her.

"Fürstin Schnee," He spoke on greeting her, going in a half bow before offering his hand as he smiled up at her while looking right into her equally blue eyes and said, as music began to play, "A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. Now, shall we dance?"

The girl seemed overwhelmed by the man's confidence. She flushed hotly at that request as the trio of equally beautiful women behind her whispered to each other behind their fans. Fans that had their families crests emblazoned upon them. Finally, she swallowed as she took his proffered hand delicately in hers and answered breathlessly, "I-it w-would be my pleasure, Milord."

His smile charmed her as he pulled her into his arms and led them in a spinning dizzying waltz about the room amidst several other pairs. She continued to find herself flushing under his gaze as he complimented her with, "You move quite well for someone who seems so nervous. Is this really your first time among the Mantlese Peerage, Milady?"

"I- Yes, it is," She responded innocently, caught in his sudden interest with her. "My Father did not wish for me to be seen in the public eye until now. My... appearance, he felt that it was unbecoming of a Fürstin of the House of Schnee, Milord."

"Ah, so you're saying that you have no real influence over what the King - Sorry, difficult language - what the König says or does in terms of policy then?" The foreign noble asked absently, his eyes suddenly drifting about the room as he went looking for something, or someone.

"Oh, my goodness, no, Milord," the Fürstin replied earnestly with shaking her head adamantly. She pursed her lips before stating, "It would appear that you are unaware of how the Mantlese governs their people, sir."

"Oh, is that so," The much taller man replied to her curtly as he started to twirl her around as the music changed to the next dance. Then he whispered harshly as his hands tightly imperceptibly on her wrist and hips, "And, what might that be?

She winced at that and swallowed nervously, hoping she hadn't messed up in any way. Her father would be most upset if she did and that was something she most certainly didn't want, remembering her father's own remarks to her seeming lack of, of anything. Composure. Intelligence. Demeanor. It seemed that no matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried, her father found some kind of fault with her in everything she did from her dancing to her recitals to her singing. There was no pleasing her father, it seemed. He demanded excellence in everything, but alas perfect she would never be.

Not after the accident.

She swallowed again before saying softly, "W-well, Mantle is a Matriarchy, Milord. Everything that has to do with running our country, be it Commerce or Taxes or even the assigning of the Everknights at the borders, it all goes through the Crown, through the Königin and her advisors, specifically." She then frowned thoughtfully as she said without thinking, "Did they not give you the brochure when you first arrived, Milord? They usually do that with new arrivals. Strange."

Neptune stopped dancing with her for but a moment before starting up again as the music changed to yet another song before he stated quietly, " I didn't read the brochure."

"Oh! Oh, I s-see," Weiss returned nervously, quietly, after interjecting to that. She then ducker her head down in order to his her shame and embarrassment after a quick glance towards her father, the König, and the look of disappointment on his face as he stared back at her. "F-forgive m-me, Milord, if I overstepped my bounds." She said softly before looking up at him pleadingly. "I d-do apologize."

The tall young man in the blue and black tailored jacket and pants seemed to glare at her for a moment before he brightened as he said, "It is of no matter, Fürstin Schnee. Pay me no mind and let us simply, enjoy the rest of the night, yes?"

She swallowed at that before nodding readily as she gave him a watery smile and replied softly, "Yes, Milord. That would be wonderful."

The two went back to dancing then and said nothing more on the matter as the surrounding nobles watched their every move while muttering amongst themselves over every little detail or perceived flaw they found.

/ /

Over the next hour and a half as she alternated between dancing with the Lord Vasilias or chatting with her new friends, the twin daughters of the Malachite family, Weis found herself lowering her guard. It helped that the Malachite Sisters, Miltia and Melanie, seemed to hang on her every word when she spoke, as did their friend, the Lady Trivia, though she was unsure of some of the looks they gave each other as she answered their questions about her or what she thought of the individual factions within the Monarchy. For convenience sake, she merely gave the rote answers that her father, the König, drilled into her.

She still wasn't sure about her standing with the Lord Vasilias, though he was indeed as charming as the rumors suggested. Privately she got a mini thrill at how all the other young Ladies seemed to resent her and his attention towards her, even her new friends. She knew that was wrong of her, feeling that way. It was unbecoming of a Lady, but, it was nice to feel special for once, and not just because of her disfiguration. Plus, it didn't seem like the Lord Vasilias was still upset about her correction earlier. His sudden anger at her correcting him reminded her of her father and his ire for the same reason. Still, she felt like she could manage that. All she had to show her new husband was how good she was at running a household or perhaps her skills at managing the family's finances. That was par for the course for one of the Daughters of the Royal House of Schnee, after all.

Surely, she could secure his trust, if not his love, right? It was an arranged marriage, after all. Love wasn't a necessary factor. Compliance was. Future children a certainty. She had known that coming into this. She was used to navigating the waters of someone with a short temper and an ego complex. Surely, she could weather this storm as well.

It was while they ate the banquet made especially for that night, a lovely fusion of Mantlese and Mistrali dishes, Weiss began to feel more comfortable, more at ease with everything. Finally, she was being seen in high society, she among her peers, without the feelings of shame and disgust present that her family so often threw her way when they were together. She was happy. Genuinely, genuinely happy.

Which, of course, was when everything went wrong.

/ /

"I am sorry, Fürstin Schnee," The blue-eyed, blue-hair man dressed in the refinery of a Mistrali noble coldly reiterated unapologetically to the silver-haired woman standing there before him, her pale blue eyes wide in astonishment as the throng of lesser nobility around the pair stopped what they were doing to watch and listen in with growing disbelief. "But I'm afraid that my family no longer considers this marriage to be profitable for them, and I concur. As of this moment, the union between our two houses, that of the Noble house of Vasilias and the Royal House of Schnee, as well as the alliance between our nations, is now null and void."

The man then turned without another word and stalked away to converse with his fellow Mistrali nobles that were there that night without looking back at the girl who's heart he just broke even as the silver-haired young woman still stood there, transfixed, blue eyes wide with shock. Around her, the throng of lesser nobles began to stir as they started to mutter amongst themselves over what had just transpired, and what it meant for the future relationships between the two empires.

/ /

None bothered to concern themselves with the slighted princess, nor did they care to. Only her father, the König, watched her, a look of disgust in his eyes at the unsightly thing before him. His fury at the disrespect was palpable. He turned his own pale blue-eyed gaze towards Vasilias and his cronies in time to see the man give him a cocky grin before he returned to conversing with his fellows. His fury stoked even higher at that, the König slammed his fist down on the arm of his throne, the sound echoing in the room, silencing all conversations.

He stood then and stalked over to stand before his daughter as the girl remained there transfixed, an island in a sea of sharks. The girl turned her head to look as she sense the movement to her right only to flinch as she saw her father standing there, towering above her. He glared down at her in silence for a moment before uttering, "Filth." She flinched at that and what it meant just as her father swung at her.

Slap!

The sound of the slap to her face resounded throughout the chamber, further silencing anyone who might've said something to her defense, especially as the Königin did nothing to denounce it. Not that anyone in the Ballroom would question the König over hold he treated with anyone. be they in his favor or not. Not only was the man a vindictive bastard, but the his personal family, the Noble house of Gele was equally vindictive. Weiss herself said nothing in defense of herself, did nothing in defense of the König displeasure, further. cementing her guilt in the eyes of their audience, exactly as her father wanted.

She only stared down at the polished marble floor while the nobles around them looked on in silence. "You disgust me," Her father went on. "You are trash, filth. You should never have been born. Would that the Königin have birth a son instead of you. At least, then something could've have been made of you."

The Fürstin Schnee said nothing to that.

Finally, her father's ire abated as he leaned back with a sigh to say as he looked towards the ceiling with his hands crossed behind his back, "We will discuss this in further detail later. For now, you have my permission to leave. I will see you later."

The Fürstin curtsied deeply to the König as she said, "By Your leave, Your Majesty." Then the young lady in the silver gown slowly stood up and walked out of the hall without saying anything, moving in an almost ethereal manner as she did so. No one seemed to care that she did so, going back to their own business as the music started up again. The König glared after her before stalking back to sit by his Consort as she survey the room from where she sat alone in her throne and sipped from her refilled flute of wine.

The woman seemed unconcerned by the whole event from her daughter's embarrassment from the young noble she was pledged to, to her husband's assault on said daughter, merely sipping at her glass, but those who knew her saw he fury in her eyes. Eyes that stared first at the noble son of Vasilias then towards the one next to her.

/ /

The sad young woman in the blue dress seemed as though she were walking in a dream.

The various servants and guards of the Palace seemed flow around her like she was a rock in a stream as she made her way out of the busier sections of the Palace and into the quieter, less traveled ones. She didn't seem to be consciously aware of the many whispers that surrounded her and followed after her as she walked softly down the corridor, nor did she seem to feel the chill of the night air as the wind blew in from under the storm clouds building overhead.

She coasted to a nearby alcove in the private garden adjoining the Royal Palace where she all but collapsed on the stone bench there. There, all alone and with no one about she began to weep at her fate.

/ /

"You see, my old friend, of what I mean." The Königin said somewhat bitterly much later that night as she idly whirled the wine in her glass, staring off into space while the various nobles and foreign nationals continued their ball and stick routine with each other. There were days when she would revel in watching the breaking and forming of partnerships or alliances. There were even days when she would take part, showing all the young bloods that even at her age she could run circles around the best of them. But not today. She could stir up the usual feelings of excitement at all the intrigue. Not after what had happened with the Fürstin.

She just didn't have the stomach for it.

She sighed as the towering figure next to her took her glass from her before she do something with it, like smash it in the face of the treacherous little blue-furred cretin from the Shogunate, the cur. She looked over at the man while he smiled and laughed at whatever joke some insipid little wench from the Bluebelle Family just said as she clung to his arm in an unflatteringly possessive manner. It was like he had never broken the heart of the Fürstin only an hour ago.

Yes She thought as a cruel smile crept up her face without ever reaching the fury in her eyes. Breaking the nose of that little shit might make her feel just a bit better. That, or doing the same to her husband after that shameful display from him earlier. Her husband, the bastard, had long ago left to discuss how he and his cronies might still benefit from this failed alliance with the Mistrali. Of course, if he had just asked for her opinion on the matter beforehand she might've been able to steer him in another, more favorable direction, but no. No. Her husband was like all the Geles, a greedy, power hunger, sniveling coward.

She sighed at that before rubbed at her brow to avoid the incoming headache. If it wasn't for the Ironwood Conquests she would've never married the bastard, she had known he was about from the start, after all.

Now, she was stuck with him and his pettiness, with his constant plots for her Throne and her Power. This time, at least, it was his own greed that had undermined his chances. Unfortunately, it also looked like the conflict between the Mantlese and the Mistrali would be ramping up again.

She couldn't help the wince that went through her at that. At the loss of life on both sides. She had only agreed when Jacque's cronies had brought up the marriage as a way of ending things between the two nations.

Now, there was no hope...

She stiffened before relaxing as the familiar weight of a hand gripped her shoulder and looked up at her oldest friend and ally. She gave him a gentle smile as she patted at his hand before saying, "I know, I know. And, I'm sorry. It's just, it's hard seeing the results first hand. Especially, when there was nothing I could do to stop it."

She turned back to watch as the surrounding nobles parted to let her watch as a troop of performs began to an acrobatic display of exquisite skill. Her smile turned into a knowing grin as more than one of the female performers, and even a couple of the males, from the troop were being eyed up a few of the more, salacious nobles. There would be talk of such... dalliances later on, she was sure.

"Perhaps, if my daughter had, the same kind of friends as I did, when I was growing up, she might not have fallen into such a trap," She mused before looking up at the man next to her as she asked, "what do you think?"

The man, a noticeably tall and bulky one, with a thick, drooping handle-bar mustache looked down at her then, when previously he had merely stood at her side in silence. Blue eyes met blue as she asked, "Do you, perhaps, know of any such individuals, My Lord Marshal? Ones who would be good and honest friends, through and through?"

The man said nothing to that. He only nodded gravely before turning around and stalking away, the image of a red lion on his tabard and cape fluttering in the breeze of his passing. Willow sighed at that, hoping that she was doing the right thing for her daughter. She had failed with her eldest and their brother. She could only hope and pray now that this time things would play out favorably for them all.

/ /

He stalked down the halls as quickly as he could without turning heads, not wanting anyone to stop and question him. He was a foreigner, after all. It helped that he was in full knightly regalia, his full plate armor polished to a high sheen, the golden handle of the tied down sword at his side gleaning brightly and gilded edges of the long, white and blue tabard he wore glistening in the light of the moon.

The storm had past by now and it was looking beautiful in the Gardens, but he couldn't enjoy it. Not now. Not while he was on a mission. The Commander had given it to him. He had ordered him to. That it was a high priority.

He would've done it without needing to be ordered if he could've just found a way out of the festivities earlier. And the various ladies who had been interested in his company at that time.

He found himself frowning as he recalled the incident between the foreign king and his daughter, the princess, and felt his blood boil at the memory. No matter what had happened the man should've known better than to deride his daughter in such a way, especially in public. Whatever power and influence she had managed to gain tonight had all but evaporated from that little stunt.

He briefly wondered when the man would comprehend that before shaking his head, not caring.

Right now, he had two things on his mind, both more important that some bastard of a king.

First, he needed to find his partner and explain what they needed to do, have her help him come up with a plan, and then, they needed to find their target, perhaps get her to safety as needed. If he recalled, she, his partner, said that she was going to go for a stroll in the Gardens herself after they saw that stunt between father and daughter. Said that she needed to get some air. He wished he had followed after her, having been forced to converse with the man as he was making his rounds as a gracious host.

He rounded the next corner in the maze-like hedges of the Garden and jolted to a stop as he saw his target. He quickly stepped back behind the wall before she could see him before peeking back around to look at her. Then he frowned at what he saw.

It seemed that his caution was unnecessary. The young woman in question was too lost in thought to even notice that he was there

He didn't like that, didn't like the feeling that grew inside him at that, at the look of hopelessness on her face. A face now lit up by the light of he moon. It, was beautiful. Far too beautiful for such a look to grace it.

He stepped out away from the wall he was hiding behind as he saw that. That was something that couldn't stand.

He took a step towards the young lady, already formulating what to say in greeting, when a figure in a red hood and cloak casually stalked up to the girl, looked down at her with a big, goofy grin, and said on greeting, "Hi there! I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose. Mind if I sit here?"

At that stunning proclamation, the young woman was thrown from her thoughts. She shook her head before responding in kind as the newly named Ruby sat next to her and began catting animatedly.

The knight stood for a moment before a soft smile graced his face. That was his partner for you. Didn't even need to be told of their orders to help someone. That was just who she was. She glanced up at him as he made to step back and take up a position at the wall next to them, but far enough away so as to not reveal himself just yet, and gave him a slight nod. He returned it before standing at attention, that slight, soft smile still on his face.

He would find some way to introduce himself to the Fürstin later on. For now, his partner had this. He just needed to keep watch.


A/N: And, that's it for the first chapter. Did you like it? I hope so.

Don't worry for Weiss. She'll be in a better place soon, with people who actually care about her. Though, things obviously won't be all sunshine and rainbows, too. She is the Second Princess of a Matriarchy. There's power and influence in that. The kind of Power unsavory people will want to exploit, to say nothing of possible assassination. There is a war off in the distance, after all.

Also, the ships are going to be different for this one than my usual content (With the caveat of something later on that might seem like a copout for some of you.) No Spoilers, but you'll see.

Take care and Essiter Out!

P.S. The next chapter for Arc's Adventuring Accessories will hopefuly be out some time this afternoon or evening. Keep an eye out for that, kay? Bye!