Welcome. This is technically my first fic, but I've written others I just didn't feel were good enough to publish. I've wanted to write this for a long time now, but didn't really know where to start. I plan on trying to update this at least once a week, with chapters at least being 3,000 words long. I have a rough idea for how long this fic is supposed to be, but that may very well change. Well, here's my "first" ever fanfic: Silver Spectre, a Fantasy Whiterose AU

Ruby Rose was dying. She knew that there was no point trying to deny it. The young girl had known this was coming, had months to prepare for it, yet the cold realization washed over her in an instant. She would never see her father's warm smile, feel her sister's loving embrace, or hear the sounds of the ocean crashing against the rocks on the beach she and Yang used to play at. Her fifteen short years of life were being cut short, and there was nothing she or her family could do about it.

Yet she did not cry. Even as the curse sapped her strength, as waves of pain wracked her small form, as her very soul was crushed under the weight of ancient and powerful magic, she did not shed a single tear.

"Can I do anything to help?" Her father asked gently, his voice hoarse from crying. His face was disheveled, his eyes tired, yet he kept a vigilant watch over her.

"I'm fine, Dad," She responded with difficulty.

"Rubes… you're going to be fine," Her sister Yang tried to reassure her. They all knew she was lying, but just for a second, they could pretend she was right.

The small girl trembled under the covers of her bed, the curse rolling over her, causing her body to spasm uncontrollably.

Her family crowded around her, desperately wishing that they could at least do something to lessen the pain. Yet no matter how much they searched, none of them, not even Uncle Qrow, had been able to figure out anything about the curse with which she had been afflicted.

All they knew is that the curse was killing her, and nothing seemed to be capable of stopping it. It had crushed them when they found out there was nothing they could to help her, yet they had no choice but to savor her presence in their lives.

"Ruby..." Her uncle Qrow stared at her with a broken expression. He was worried about her, but she was more worried about him. He hadn't taken her mother's death well, and her own would likely cause him to turn to alcohol to cope.

"I'll be fine. Mom will be with me," Ruby reassured her family, yet she was filled with a hollow sense of dread. She knew that her death would break them, just as Summer's had broken them.

"Yeah," Her father muttered quietly, "Make sure to tell her we miss her,"

"I will," Ruby said, barely able to keep the tears from flooding out of her eyes, "And I'll miss you all, too,"

More jolts of magic wreaked havoc on her body, yet she held as still as possible. Suddenly, a terrible sense of clarity came over her. She knew this was the moment she died. And she knew Yang would never forgive her for what she was about to do,"

"Yang, could you go get me some water from the pump outside?" The pale, sickly girl asked, trembling slightly under the covers.

"Yeah, Ruby," Her sister said, rising out of her chair next to Ruby's bed. Before leaving, she pressed her lips to Ruby's forehead and gave her little sister a soft kiss, murmuring "I love you,"

"I love you, too," Ruby spoke softly, knowing that Yang would be angry when she realized what she just did. The blonde walked out of the room, passing Qrow, who was leaning against the wall, and making her way outside.

Once she heard the sound of the door shutting with a soft click, Ruby stopped struggling against the pain and instead simply let it wash over her.

Her father's and uncle's eyes both shot to her once she let out a gasp as pain wracked her body. They both rushed to get as close to her as possible, to offer whatever comfort they could.

Yet there was no comfort that could lessen this pain. It felt as if every inch of her body was on fire, only for that fire to turn into a biting cold that pierced through her, before morphing to feeling as though her body was dissolving away.

Despite this, Ruby was happy knowing that Yang wouldn't see her like this. She knew Yang was strong, but she also knew that this sight might just be enough to break her unbreakable facade.

Her father and Uncle Qrow were both desperately screaming at her to stay with them, but their voices sounded as though she were underwater. She couldn't fight it anymore. But she didn't want to. She did not wish she had more days to live, or that the pain would go away. She only wished that her family would be spared the suffering of her death.

Yet the Gods would not grant her wishes. She knew just how much this would hurt them. More than it hurt her. She saw the horrified look on her father's face, the pleading one on her uncle's, and she could picture in her mind the betrayed one her sister would make when she found out Ruby had sent her away so she didn't have to watch her die.

The pain reached a point where it seemed to be all there was. The pain became all that existed; there was no Ruby, only an infinite sense of pain. Yet even that began to fade as her body began to fail. Her eyes flickered, her lips quirked into a smile that defied the pain, and her life was extinguished.

Weiss's eyes fluttered open, the soft sound of a gentle knock at her door bringing her out of her blissful sleep. The noble began the process of waking up with a yawn, before getting out of her bed to get dressed for the day.

The white-haired girl desperately wished that the servant waiting just outside her door was her butler, Klein. This hope was dashed when a distinctly feminine voice called out through the door.

"Lady Schnee, are you awake?" The mere sound of the voice nearly made Weiss groan out loud. Klein was patient and kind, but most of the other servants saw her as a pampered princess, and thus had zero patience for her.

"Yes, I'll be out in a minute," Weiss called, knowing that it was futile to try and ignore the servant. Doing so would either anger or worry the servant, both of which would result in her father scolding her.

"Would you like any help getting ready, Lady Schnee?" The servant asked through the door, causing Weiss to roll her eyes. She wasn't an infant, she could put her own clothes on herself.

"I'll be fine, there is no need to worry," She venomously, not bothering to care that the servant would be offended by her tone of voice.

Weiss made her way to the large, ornate oak wardrobe. She spent only a brief moment picking out her clothes for the day; Winter would never forgive her if her outfit for the day was anything less than practical.

She selected a white and grey dress that went down to her shins. Over that, she put on a simple blue overcoat, before tying a white leather belt around her waist. She wore no jewelry except for an ornate silver hair clip she used to keep her ponytail in place.

Overall, she felt her outfit was both fashionable and functional, allowing her to be able to move and fight should she need to, yet her father and the other nobles would not be able to criticize her too harshly on her choice of attire.

Most importantly, Weiss grasped her rapier, Myrtenaster. The weapon was one of the few things she felt she truly owned, something that was not merely an extension of her father. Dismissing such sentimentality, Weiss slid the rapier into its sheath on her belt with practiced ease.

Overall, she had been able to get ready in only five minutes, with most of the time being dedicated to brushing her large ponytail. Yet she knew the servant waiting just outside the door would be upset with her for wasting her time. Sighing, Weiss decided to simply get the worst of the day over with as soon as possible.

"I'm ready," The heiress called out into the hallway.

"Good. Let us be off. Your father wanted to speak with you."

"Right."

"After that, you have a history lesson just before lunch."

"I understand."

"And then you have fencing training."

"I'm aware."

"And after your training, your father has arranged for a tutor to come."

"I see." Came the dry response from Weiss. Her days were always the same. Wake up, argue with Father, history lesson, train with Winter if she was home, learn from a tutor about whatever subject her father felt she could use some work in, eat dinner, then argue with her Father yet again. Then she would return to her quarters and sleep so she would have the energy to do it again the next day.

The pair walked through the spacious mansion, the sound of their boots hitting the smooth marble floors echoing throughout the seemingly empty house. The walk to her father's office was short, but it always felt like a mile-long walk. Weiss only wished that the walk was longer.

Eventually, Weiss arrived at the beautifully carved wooden door just outside her father's office. The Schnee crest was carved into the door, along with several other decorative designs. Weiss scoffed at the depiction of her father standing over a faunus, knowing all too well that to them, he was not the savior the door portrayed him as.

"Well, if you don't mind, I'd best be going," The servant spoke, reminding Weiss that she was there. The noble heiress hadn't paid her much attention, but now wished that the servant didn't have to leave. It was always worse facing Father when they were alone. "Is there anything else, Lady Schnee?"

"Yes!" She thought to herself, but instead simply shook her head. "I'll be fine, you can go about your business," Weiss said dismissively. She sighed to herself, knowing that the servant would gossip to the other servants about how cold she had been, how the Heiress of House Schnee was every bit as cruel as her father.

The servant gave her a judging glare, yet did not utter a word before turning and leaving. Gods, Weiss hated how the staff of the mansion saw her; a pampered princess who would grow to become a despot, just like her father. Only Klein bothered with being nice to her, but his duties as head butler meant he often had no time to talk to her.

Finally, growing disgusted with herself for so obviously stalling, Weiss raised her hand and rapped on the door gently. The tap tap tap of her hand hitting the door seemed to echo throughout the cavernous, stark white hallway. She gave a short exhale, before a curt "Enter," beckoned her into his office.

Walking into the room, she saw her father sitting not at his large mahogany desk, but at the chairs which he sat at when he entertained guests in this room. Jacques Schnee gestured at his daughter to take a seat opposite him, to which she did. Weiss saw him grab a bottle of wine off of the small table next to his chair and pour two glasses.

"Wine?"

"No thank you, It's too early in the day." Was her short reply

"That never seems to stop your mother," He countered smugly, knowing how that made Weiss seethe in her seat.

"What is it you want, Father?" Weiss said, lacking both the patience and experience to play these mind games with Jacques.

"I can't simply talk to my beloved daughter whenever I wish?"

Weiss ground her teeth together. Her father always did this. He taunted her, trying to make her angry, to draw out any perceived weakness. He wanted to take away any semblance of control over the conversation before he dropped something big on her. She was helpless against him, his decades of experience ruling over the Schnee territory and being a part of the Council giving him a massive advantage in verbal spars such as these.

"Father, I have a history lesson to get to soon. Please make this brief."

Her father's victorious smirk made her wilt. She knew that she wouldn't like whatever he had to say. Her father took a sip of his wine, savoring its taste as if to mock her, before wiping his lips with a handkerchief. "I'd like for you to consider who it is you wish to marry," Jacques told her.

Weiss felt sick to the stomach. She was seventeen, she knew this would be coming, but she still didn't feel anything in her life could have prepared her for the blow that was her father's words.

"W-what?" She sputtered out.

"Now, Weiss. There is no need to worry. I'm not asking you to marry some noble this instant. I simply wish for you to start putting some thought into who you would like to wed," His silky voice did little to calm her.

She wanted to believe this was one of his tricks, but they both knew why he wasn't telling her who she had to marry. She was Weiss Schnee, heiress to the largest exporter of dust in any of the kingdoms. Any noble of the Atlas Republic would pay their entire fortune just for a chance for their son or daughter to try and woo her.

"Father doesn't just want to sell me to the highest bidder, he wants them to pay to be allowed to even bid," Weiss thought glumly to herself. She knew that it didn't matter how much the others offered. She was a Schnee, and the Schnee family was so powerful, they didn't need to bother with arranged marriages. She could marry whoever she liked, so long as she led on at least five other suitors to trick them into thinking they had a chance to marry her.

Weiss was revolted at the thought of her being used this way, but could not bring herself to say anything other than "I understand, Father."

The Schnee family patriarch grinned under his white mustache. Weiss's search for a spouse would not only lead many to throw money at them, but would greatly strengthen their influence. "You may leave now, Weiss. Go attend to your studies. Should you find your mother, feel free to tell her this," Jacques dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

Weiss clenched her fists. Her mother's marriage to Jacques had been fortunate for the Schnee family's wealth but also drove her mother to drink. Telling her would open up old wounds, but keeping this from her would create new ones. Her father wanted to keep the family divided and against each other.

As she left her father's office, she paused for a second and shook her head. She could have taken advantage of this opportunity her father gave her to marry some peasant in order to enrage her father, but she knew he would use that as a chance to disown her.

She opened the intricately carved door, strode out into the lifeless hallway, and headed to the library. Yet as she went about her day, she could not shake the thoughts of marriage her father had planted in her head.

She barely paid attention while her teacher spoke about the ongoing Mistrallian civil war, nearly killed herself zoning out while practicing magic in the garden, and got sharply reprimanded by her combat instructor for not paying attention. She wished Winter was here.

Her sister always understood what was going through her mind, given that she had lived through the same thing. Yet Winter had run off to join the army, giving her more than enough opportunity to escape their tyrant of a father. Yet he simply twisted the tale so that he encouraged Winter to join the army, as he felt it was his duty as a noble of the Republic.

Winter did not often come home to Father's mansion, but always made time to practice swordplay with Weiss when she did. It was Winter who drilled into her head that she must always be ready to fight should someone try to attack her. Weiss dearly loved her sister. The same could not be said for her replacement fencing instructor, a balding Vacuoan who constantly criticized her on her unladylike fighting.

Her tutoring was even worse. She could not hide among other noble children or servants. There was no hiding how distracted you are from someone whose sole job is to teach you something alone.

As such, Weiss felt justifiably upset while walking to the dining room. She had spent her whole day alternating between feeling sickened at what her father wanted her to do and feeling shameful at her instructors' scoldings.

Weiss's mood only plummeted when she entered the dining hall and saw her father was entertaining guests. That on its own was not uncommon. Being the ruler of the largest merchant company, a member of the Council, owning dust mines in every kingdom, and being wealthy enough to buy Vacuo, he often had to meet with other nobles.

The problem was who the nobles were. Young men, many of whom Weiss recognized as the heirs of lesser Atlas nobility, were seated near her father.

She immediately saw this for what it was. A taste of what was to come. These nobles were very much insignificant in Jacques's eyes, yet they could be used to gauge how well his scheme would work when applied to those with more importance.

Weiss simply grimaced and sat down in silence. The entire meal was a horribly awkward affair. Some of the nobles tried flirting with her, some of them tried to impress her father. When asked a question, she answered as politely as she could without actually sharing her opinion on anything.

After what seemed like hours of sitting next to the sons of greedy Atlas nobles and merchants, she felt blessed when she finally got the opportunity to retire for the night.

"Did any of those children pique your interest, my dear?" Her father inquired, making it obvious exactly how he felt about the thought of her considering any of those immature offspring of some dying noble family.

"Of course not," was her curt reply.

"Well that's unfortunate," Her father said, the slight smirk on his face showing quite plainly he was pleased with how she had acted. "After all, I only want what's best for you,"

"Of course,"

"Now. Off to bed with you. You have a busy day tomorrow," He all but ordered her. Weiss's hopes that tomorrow might be easier were dashed. His words made it obvious that she would likely have to entertain more nobles tomorrow.

As Weiss made her way to bed, several servants stopped to ask if she needed anything before bed. Each time she waved them off, knowing they only did so because it was her job. She entered her room, which had always seemed so cavernous and empty, yet seemed especially devoid of life tonight.

As soon as she was at her bed, she simply collapsed, the day's events crashing into her and leaving her unable to find it in her to get out of bed. Weiss did not even bother changing into a nightgown; doing so would only take energy she didn't have.

As she closed her eyes, drifting off to blissful sleep, she at last cast off the weight that had settled onto her shoulders since she woke up. She knew her sleep would not be peaceful, but it was far better than being awake and dreading what her father asked of her.

Weiss shot awake, feeling as though she were dying. It was as though someone had set a boulder on her chest while she slept, crushing her and leaving her unable to breathe. Weiss gasped and struggled for breath, desperately trying to regain her ability to breathe.

Once she regained her bearings, she cast her gaze to the window in her room. Soft silver light flickered through, seeming to pulse and dim along with Weiss's heartbeat. Intrigued, The girl sat up and made her way over. Pushing aside the curtain, she saw that the light seemed to be emanating from the garden, just hidden behind the large rose bushes in the center.

Weiss felt as though the light was calling out to her, beckoning her to come out to the garden. The young woman laughed to herself.

"I must be going crazy," She thought to herself, making her way back to her bed. However, she turned back to the window, hesitating.

"It couldn't hurt to check," Weiss whispered to herself.

Gathering her courage, Weiss made her way out of her room and moved through the manor. There were few servants awake at this hour, but Weiss was still cautious while moving through the house. She didn't want them to start rumors about her, or worse; tell her father she was sneaking around at night.

As she exited the mansion and entered the garden just outside her window, Weiss suddenly became thankful she had fallen asleep before changing into a nightgown, as the night carried a bitter cold only found in Atlas.

The garden seemed to grow in spite of the cold, but Weiss could assume that was either due to Dust or magic. Solitas was a frigid continent, and roses weren't exactly known to grow in tundras.

As she made her way to the middle of the garden, Weiss realized how little she spent time in this garden, and how beautiful it was. It was one of several gardens in the estate, but this one's simple design seemed all the more beautiful compared to the extravagant gardens found elsewhere.

Finally, Weiss looked up and saw she was behind the bush that was blocking her view from the window. The silver light seemed far more radiant than it had been from her window. Weiss felt something inside of her stir as if that light was speaking to her, but she could not understand what it was saying.

Going around the bush, Weiss let out a gasp at the sight that awaited her in the middle of the garden. A vaguely human shape that was wreathed in silver flames stood in the middle of the garden, facing away from her.

The shape seemed to hear her gasp, given how it started to shift, the silver flames dimming as the shape moved to turn around. Weiss cursed under her breath, yet was paralyzed by fear when the shape began to move towards her.

The flames were too bright to be able to look at directly, leaving Weiss unable to make out any details of the shape's face. Terrified, the young woman began backing up, trying to put as much distance between her and the shape.

Unfortunately, Weiss forgot about the rose bush behind her and tripped after backing into it.

Weiss shrieked as she fell to the ground, and desperately screamed out "S-stay away!"

The shape in the flames seemed stunned. The flames writhed as the shape twisted as if looking around for something else. After not seeing anything, the shape asked in a feminine voice:

"You can see me?"

"What?" What? "What?" Weiss was confused. The flames around the shape began to dim, and she began to be able to make out several feminine features on the shape's face.

"No one else has been able to see me. Even the old wizard guy," The shape spoke, and Weiss could make out her mouth moving through the flames, yet something about it seemed... unnatural.

"W-who... What are you?" Weiss stammered out, filled with terror at the thought of being killed by some demon invisible to everyone but her.

"My name is Ruby! And I, uh, I think I'm a ghost?" The silver flames, at last, seemed to flicker out a die, leaving only the ghostly spectre of a young girl, perhaps fifteen at most, floating a few inches off the ground just a few feet from Weiss.

The poor noble, finally reaching her limit, fainted from the stress of it all.

"Huh. Should I go get help?" Ruby asked herself, before suddenly remembering that she couldn't.