The Marriage Meeting
A RWBY Fic by AndrewJTalon
DISCLAIMER: This is a fan based work of prose. RWBY is the property of Rooster Teeth and ViZ. Please support the official release.
The Marriage Meeting
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Weiss fought the urge to grind her teeth, a habit long suppressed through practice, as she walked with Klein through the frigid halls of the Schnee Mansion. The place was as cold and sterile as ever, scrubbed spotless by robots and servants until it betrayed not the slightest trace of humanity. That was her father's preference. Her mother? She'd stopped caring what she wanted long ago.
Her elegant dress hugged her slender frame—pristine whites and blues, tasteful yet accentuating her best features. It galled her to think she had to parade herself like some pedigreed hound at a show.
"It'll be all right, Miss Schnee," Klein murmured, interrupting her thoughts as he trailed a step behind. She glanced at her faithful butler—the only person in her life to offer her anything resembling paternal warmth—and managed a faint smile.
"I know," she said softly. "Just endure this absurd charade a little longer, and I can return…"
She nearly said home. How odd that Beacon felt more like home than this place.
Klein nodded, a glint flickering in his eyes. "This one, though… you never know. He might not be as bad as the others."
Weiss sniffed, her tone haughty. "You confuse optimism with stubbornness sometimes, Klein." Her words lacked their usual bite, and Klein chuckled as they rounded a corner. "Who is he, anyway? Another banker's son? A tech empire scion? Some Mistral prince?"
"He's Valean, minor nobility," Klein explained as they continued down the hall. "The great-grandson of Empress Arturia."
Weiss raised an eyebrow. "I thought she abdicated after the Great War?"
"She did," Klein confirmed. "Retired to a quiet town in North Sanus. But even a former empress keeps connections. Her granddaughter—his mother—is a brilliant doctor who's transformed Aura healing. Her grandson-in-law, a renowned Huntsman, once slew a Grimm Dragon in his youth."
"And this young man?" Weiss asked, her voice skeptical. "What's he done?"
Klein chuckled. "Not much yet. But I got a good look at him—he seems kind, humble. A far cry from the suitors your father usually drags in."
Weiss sighed. Klein winked. "Come on… you never know. He might be the one."
"That'll be the day," she snorted. They reached the meeting room, and Weiss plastered a polite smile on her face as she stepped inside. The drawing room was well-appointed, its large windows admitting rare Atlasian sunlight. At the head of the marble table sat a regal, petite elderly woman in a blue-and-white gown befitting a former empress. Nearby lounged a tall man—likely her consort—with swept-back white hair, tanned skin, and a sharp green suit with a long jacket.
"Empress Arturia, it's an honor," Weiss said, curtsying gracefully. "And your consort…?"
"Shirou Arc, Miss Schnee," the man replied, rising with his wife. He offered a polite nod and a warm smile. Weiss frowned inwardly. Arc?
"Our great-grandson stepped out to the bathroom," Empress Arturia said. "He should be back—"
"Sorry! Sorry I'm late!" a painfully familiar voice called from the doorway. Weiss turned, her eyes widening in horror at the tall blond boy in a sleek black suit.
"I didn't mean to—Weiss?!"
"Jaune?!"
The adults remained in the drawing room, discussing matters. Weiss dragged Jaune into the gardens under the pretense of "getting to know him better." Once they were far enough from the windows to avoid prying eyes, she fixed him with a venomous glare and shoved him against an orange tree.
"What the—how are you the great-grandson of Empress Arturia?! She used to rule most of the world!"
Jaune coughed, shrugging. "Uh… I mean, I could explain the birds and the bees—"
"Ugh! You dolt!" Weiss stepped back, massaging her temples in frustration. Jaune raised his hands helplessly.
"Hey, come on! I didn't know I'd be meeting you! I thought it was your sister or something!"
"My sister was disowned!" Weiss snapped, glaring. "Did you ask your great-grandmother to set this up?"
"What?! No!" Jaune flailed his hands. "Of course not! Look, Weiss, you made it clear you hate me. Why would I give you more reasons to?"
Weiss froze. The hurt in his eyes reminded her uncomfortably of Ruby's kicked-puppy expression when she'd crossed a line. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I don't hate you. I was just… blindsided." She scowled. "Why did you agree to this, anyway?"
Jaune sighed, shrugging again. "Every so often, Nana Arturia trots out a relative for her old contacts—shows we might marry into the family. There's no wealth involved, just prestige. We go through these marriage meetings to appease her friends, then head home. If she thinks someone's a good match—and that's rare—she'll approve, but only if they're truly in love. She got sick of political marriages young. Hell, Papa Shirou was a high schooler dreaming of being a chef when she met him during the Great War."
Weiss stared. "Shirou, the God of Swords—one of history's deadliest warriors—wanted to be a chef?"
Jaune chuckled awkwardly. "My mom wanted me to be a doctor. Your dad wants you to marry some big shot…" He shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. "It's just how it goes, I guess."
Weiss flushed, clearing her throat and glancing back at the windows. "So… um—"
"She won't force this, relax," Jaune said, a hint of bitterness in his tone. "She hates your dad. Back in her day, she'd have had him beheaded. We're not getting married, okay? You won't have to suffer my company any longer than necessary."
Weiss winced. Jaune met her gaze, then looked away. "Sorry," he muttered. "I don't like this either. I hate being paraded around—"
"Like a dog at a show?" Weiss asked softly. Jaune nodded. She snorted. "At least you don't have to do it as often as I do."
Jaune frowned. "How much…?"
"Since I was nine, I think," Weiss sighed. "Paraded around, shown off to business partners and their awful sons."
"Sorry," Jaune said quietly. Weiss nodded.
"It's not your fault," she replied. "It's just… the situation."
Silence settled between them. Weiss coughed. "You, uh… never mentioned you were related to the Empress."
"Of course not," Jaune said firmly. "I'm not some bragging jackass. I want to earn my place, not coast on my family's name."
Weiss studied him intently. "I… so do I," she admitted under her breath.
Another silence fell. Jaune forced a chuckle. "This is probably the longest we've ever talked."
"Yes, well," Weiss sighed, "I hope I didn't crush your dreams too badly. I'm not exactly a prize for… someone like you."
Jaune blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"I mean… you'd probably want someone more like…" Weiss shrugged. "Ruby."
"She's my best friend," Jaune said. "But, uh… well…" He turned away, hands digging deeper into his pockets. "I think you're pretty amazing, too. Not just your looks—your confidence, your intelligence, your kindness—"
"My kindness?" Weiss asked, incredulous. "I've been nothing but awful to you!"
Jaune glanced back over his shoulder, shrugging. "You were really annoying at first, but…" She bit her lip. "I could've been nicer about turning you down."
"Well…" Jaune rubbed the back of his head. "I was pretty obnoxious. And now that I see what you go through… I'm sorry, Weiss. I must've seemed like some gold-digger."
"No," she said firmly. "You seemed like a buffoon."
Jaune stared. She offered a weak smile. He chuckled. "Yeah… yeah, I did. Sorry. It's kinda who I am."
"I suppose so," Weiss murmured.
Silence returned. She sighed. "Do you want to go to the kitchen?"
"Sure, I'm starving," Jaune said with a nod.
"Good. You'll have to cook, though—I'm hopeless at it," Weiss warned.
"I just wanted a sandwich," Jaune replied, surprised. Weiss sighed, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"Like I said, I'm hopeless."
Arturia, Shirou, and Klein watched the teenagers disappear into another wing of the mansion. Arturia smiled softly, squeezing her husband's hand.
"Like I said," Klein remarked, "she's a sweet, wonderful young woman. It takes a special man to even earn a smile from her."
"And our great-grandson's a glutton for punishment," Shirou sighed.
"I think it runs in the family," Arturia teased. The couple exchanged warm smiles as Klein chuckled.
Just using my fanon for a White Knight themed one shot. I hope you enjoyed.