Work Text:
Proper Knight, Improper Princess
“I’ve made my decision,” Princess Ruby Rose says, voice full of authority, “I, Princess Ruby Autumn Rose, do hereby declare myself engaged to Weiss Schnee and those who dare challenge that claim, step up and fight us!”
…
Weiss stared at the girl whose silver eyes were shining so brightly as she dared everyone to step up and say something. With one hand intertwined with the other girl’s she couldn’t help but look mortified at her now, most likely, future wife.
And to think she just woke up today thinking her everyday life was going to be normal.
HOW THE HELL DID IT COME TO THIS!?
—
“To all ye present, know ye that Weiss, middle daughter of Schnee Family, having been recognized for her services, her skill and above all, her loyalty to the people she serves, state thee your oath,”
The white haired girl, clad in shining metal armor raises her head, eyes filled with determination, “ On bended knee, I swear I will develop my life for the greater good. I will place character above riches, and concern for others above personal wealth, I will never boast, but cherish humility instead, I will speak the truth at all times, and forever keep my word, I will defend those who cannot defend themselves, I will honor and respect people, and refute sexism in all its guises, I will uphold justice by being fair to all, I will be faithful in love and loyal in friendship, I will abhor scandals and gossip-neither partake nor delight in them, I will be generous to the poor and to those who need help, I will forgive when asked, that my own mistakes will be forgiven, I will live my life with courtesy and honor from this day forward.”
“Hold your head aloft, with the oath you have stated, I dub thee, Lady Schnee of the Order of Red Roses, go on forth and fulfill your destiny!”
Well, that’s how it started anyway.
How Weiss got knighted and became the second person in her family to leave it. Being a better person than her father ever could be. Truth be told, she didn’t think she’d get this far. Her sister had only suggested that if she wanted to fully get away from her good for nothing father, she needed to have the power.
Both physical and political wise.
Physical was no question, being a master of swordplay and spellcraft, Weiss was a capable fighter, mixing attacks with magic and even summoning creatures to fight alongside her, it’s how she managed to rise up ranks quickly… but even then, she needed a place to make her mark of permanence. There was nowhere better than the Kingdom of Vale, owned by the esteemed Rose Family.
A place where prosperity reigned because of its kind rulers. Her highness Summer Rose and the King Tai Xiao Long, were nothing but caring towards their people. It was a wonderful place to serve, truly. There was no discrimination within their ranks. May they be human or faunus, men or women. Everyone was in a sense, free. With her skill, attitude and overall self-being, Weiss managed to quickly rise ranks until she was within the inner circle of the Royal Family’s guard themselves. Alongside her best friend, Blake Belladonna, a daughter of Menagerie’s Chief, they’ve now started serving their royal highnesses directly, not just through orders of the Knight’s Captain.
That’s where they were stationed right now, within the great throne room, standing on both sides of the Queen and King who were currently listening to the townspeople’s problems and trying to come up with the best solution for each of them, trying to make sure no one thought of attempting any devious and untoward to their monarchs. You’d be surprised by the gall of some foreigners. Sending assassins to pretend to be townspeople only to throw knives and cast devious magic.
All in all it was a nice job that offered a steady paycheck and made her feel like she was at least making a difference (well, she’s definitely much better off here compared to back home where she’d be sent as, at the very least, a baby maker to some other rich noble, Weiss shudders at the thought)
Sure, it can be a bit… boring at times but the inquisitions were always…er… interesting?
Little did she know things were about to be more troublesome than she’d ever known.
As her highest highness, Summer Rose, spoke to a farmer couple who was asking regarding a problem with the division of crops, the giant doors of the great throne room opened abruptly with a loud slam, immediately Blake and her ran forward, Blake with her twin blades and Weiss with her magical glyphs.
“Really Mom, you’re sending the guards at us?” said a jovial voice as soon as she stepped in. She could hear Queen Summer and King Tai sighing as they saw a very well toned brute of a woman, with long, bright blonde hair, akin to the golden sun. She wore a heavy looking plate of armor and her arms were covered by heavy looking, twin gauntlets.
She looked like one of those punk adventurers who went to taverns, drank ‘til dawn, frolicking with an endless amount of women who would swoon at her looks or her devilish smiles. And this was the first time she’d met the eldest of Royal siblings, Yang Xiao Long-Rose.
Yang wasn’t really the heir of the throne on the account that she was only half-blooded royalty. Back then, their king was but a simple countryside man, King Taiyang had a daughter from another woman before he met Queen Summer. When they had gotten married, their Queen took Yang in and raised her as her own and despite wanting her to be a candidate, the old coots who prioritize bloodlines over anything wanted a legitimate heir to the throne.
Yang never seemed to mind though, she loved the life of freedom too much to even want to be shackled to a throne so the task of keeping the throne in the family was thrown to the younger sibling.
The younger sister who also didn’t care about it. Both sisters pushed their responsibilities to each other because neither wanted to get the highest position. If Weiss had been in their place, she’d take that task and do her best to uphold every virtue Queen Summer had. Alas… the two sisters were a bit too free-spirited.
A total waste… but she digressed.
“Stand down, please, Blake, Weiss,” Queen Summer says from behind them and they immediately stand up straighter, “Fair people of Vale, I have to apologize but it seems I may have to cancel today’s counsel, Truly I apologize for this, we shall reconvene regarding the issue tomorrow at the earliest, kindly please escort this wonderful couple and give them a token for their time, some food perhaps?”
Quickly moving, the castle’s help led the confused but grateful pair out of the room and soon it was just the five of them, Princess Yang, Queen Summer, King Tai
…and the two knights who weren’t supposed to be caught in the family crossfire.
It was nice to know, however, that despite being an excellent Queen to the kingdom, Queen Summer was still very much like a regular mother on the inside.
Yang walked closer towards them with a mischievous grin on her face only to stop in front of Blake who went rigid. Her lilac eyes scanned the girl from to bottom, eyes lingering in… certain… places that had her best friend getting ever slightly red.
“You guys the new guards?” Yang smiles flirtatiously at Blake, “Nice to meet you, name’s Yang, you can call me the girl of your dreams,” she finished with a wink and her best friend’s typically impassive expression went wide eyed.
“...Uhm… P-Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, your highness…” Blake says somewhat meekly before an object that came hurtling towards the royal family’s eldest that had the girl recoiling at the hit. It was a sandal. With one foot bare, Queen Summer had managed to throw her footwear at her eldest daughter’s head with surprising accuracy… if that was a lethal weapon, the blonde would be convulsing over a pool of her own blood.
Scary.
“OW! Mom!” Yang rubbed the side of her head whilst pouting at her mother.
“Don’t you ‘Ow, mom’ Me! Apologize to Blake for being a womanizer and get your butt here!” Queen Summer fumed and you could see the fear in the blonde’s eyes.
“...I’m sorry…” she mumbles but just before she was starting her march towards her angry mother, she murmured to them, meeting their eyes, “...Pray for me,”
The next thirty minutes were nothing short of a tense lecture from a very worried and angry mother. “I cannot believe you two! Do you know how worried we’ve been!? Leaving in the middle of the night to go off on your godforsaken adventures!?”
“But Mom we were—”
“And you have the gall to talk back to me!?” Summer fumed before tears fell on the sides of her face, “Have I been a bad mother to you and Ruby?” she asked crestfallen and they saw Yang shake her head furiously.
“NO!” Yang replies quickly, “You were the best mom we could ever have!”
“Then what was this stunt!? Six months! Yang! You two were gone for Six months only sending letters! That came from who knows where! Speaking of two, where’s your sister?!”
“...uh…” then she looks behind her and only saw Blake and Weiss, trying their hardest not to listen in and look at them, silence enveloping them, then a loud “FUCK! THAT LITTLE GREMLIN—” erupted from Yang’s mouth followed up by multiple ‘Ow’s as her ear was pinched hard.
It was then where she was given her first real command from the queen, it wasn’t even a direct order but a proper request, “Blake, Weiss, could you be dears and find Ruby for me? If she doesn’t want to come with you, you’re free to drag her back, i have to teach these two a lecture on propriety,” Not knowing how else to act, they both bowed before leaving the blonde all on her lonesome facing the wrath of her mother whom they left to go on an adventure. Suddenly, she felt thankful her family never cared, she’d hate to be on the receiving end of that lecture.
The hunt was on and for the next hour and a half her and Blake had kept asking around the place if anyone had seen the younger princess… Nothing. But there was something she couldn't quite place though… the feeling of someone observing her and she could vaguely see… red petals?
Falling from her peripherals.
But every time she’d turn, there was nothing there.
It happened once, then twice and by the third time that was when she had activated her aura and mana detection spell to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. Then she felt it. A quick movement, so quick you would never see it had she not set up a mana detection field around her.
Like a flash, she felt a sudden presence mere inches behind her, but before she could turn around, her legs were already being swept and soon she was leaning back, being supported by none other than the crown’s heir.
Princess Ruby Rose herself.
“Guess I didn’t need to try that hard to get you to fall for me,” the girl winked, a sly smile etched on her lips and her entire demeanor just screamed trouble. For a brief moment, the pair was caught in a stare off, Weiss still being supported by the Princess’ surprisingly toned arm.
She cleared her throat and pushed herself up before meeting her majesty’s eyes once again. Much like her mother, she had silver orbs that just sucked you in, glinting like a blade against the sun.
“Your highness, your mother is requesting you to join them in the grand throne room,” she says as professionally as she could, making sure her voice was deeper and gave the image of power because something told her that the princess wasn’t one a person to respect those in authority.
“...Ah… right.” she says looking around, eyes no longer able to meet hers, “Here’s the thing, Miss Beautiful Knight,”
…What?
“I don’t really plan on staying long, just wanted to drop a couple of things in my room and grab a couple of cookies, plus, I really don’t fancy having mom rip a new one into me, it’s why I let Yang go first,” the princess chuckles before leaning closer and grabbing Weiss gently by the chin, the smell of fresh roses attacking her senses, “So, with that said, could you do me a favor and tell my mother I was never here,” her tone sugary sweet, the type that can woo anyone in, “I’ll be eternally grateful to you, Oh, Beautiful Knight,” .
For a moment Weiss stood there, stunned, she didn’t even notice that the princess was already gone. It took a moment for her brain to catch up and her face was reddening from embarrassment and… flattery!?
“...That Little Gremlin,” which was hilarious because she was practically dwarfed by her, with Princess Ruby being a whole head taller than she was. She turned around and saw the silhouette of the princess making a turn.
She felt a vein threatening to pop on her head, something told her this princess of theirs was going to be a headache to deal with. Sprinting, Weiss went after the girl and it didn’t take long for her to see a couple of maids being charmed into giving the princess fresh batches of cookies, doing the same thing she did to Weiss!
Gently holding their faces closer until she managed to hook them in!
“You!” Weiss shouted, earning the attention of the Princess and the three maids that were being seduced, “By order of the Queen, I will be bringing you in, no matter what!”
At this, Princess Ruby’s sly smile turned just a little bit more… amused, to say the least. Looking at her with this expression Weiss couldn’t quite place.
“Wow, well, I guess my time has been cut short, thank you for the treats ladies but I’m afraid I must leave,” she gave them a charming smile. All of a sudden, red petals began forming by the girl’s feet and on instinct, Weiss surrounded the girl with a glyph prison, making the petals dissipate almost instantaneously. With a flick of her hand, a circular beam erupted from inside and soon, the princess’ hands were bound by her magic.
“...”
Silence, as the pair stared at each other once more. Weiss looked a bit more smug and Princess Ruby in disbelief.
“...This is not how I imagined it going,” Ruby says as Weiss lifts her up into a floating ball of energy. She walks back with the princess in the air, desperately trying harder and harder to get away but to no avail. By the time they reach the entrance to the grand throne room, she was pleading. “Please, Miss Beautiful Knight! Don’t do this! She’ll kill me!”
“That is not for me to decide, due apologies, princess, maybe next time you can stop being a brat,” she smiles smugly at the girl, “and My name is Weiss, your highness,”
“...Weiss…” she mumbles with a small smile, “Still beautiful though,” she says quietly more to herself than letting her hear making her just a tad bit redder.
As soon as she opens the door, they see a beaten up Yang, passed out on the carpeted floor and Queen Summer’s fingers cackling with electricity. She hears Ruby audibly gulp as Weiss slowly lowered her down from the glyph prison, unbounding her hands from her magic.
“...H-H-Hey, Mom! How have you b-b-b-been!” the princess’ hands were shaking as she tried to wave at her mother, “H-H-Have I told you that you look so pretty today?”
“Ruby… My sweet daughter,” Queen Summer began before turning towards them fully with a deadly glint in her eye, “Since you and your sister want to go out and fight monsters, I’ll give you a monster to fight right now!” then she paused before continuing, “Don’t worry, this won’t hurt,” she smiles, “Not much anyway,”
Ruby looked at her pleadingly but Weiss couldn’t even move, they see King Tai heading towards them, he had a sad smile as he looked at his daughter, “I love you and Yang very much, know this always,” he says, giving her a pat on the shoulder before heading out, Weiss in tow.
The last thing she heard were the sound of screams and the sound akin to thunder clapping.
—
The next few days were a festival. A homecoming celebration to welcome the two princesses’ return. Cheering, drinking, parades and all the festivities. Seems like everyone was enjoying themselves… well, except for the two guests of honor she supposed.
Weiss and Blake had been directly assigned as the princesses’ keepers with the Queen making sure the troublesome pair stayed indoors and away from the call of adventure.
From atop the balcony of the castle, the pair of princesses waved to the townsfolk and the city cheered, but once it was done and the two went back inside, the only thing you could hear were glum sighs and enervated demeanors. She almost felt bad. But… They all had their own responsibilities. This was theirs as much as they didn't like it, they had to do this.
“...Urghhhh… people,” Yang groans, losing every bit of etiquette she displayed when she waved with a sweet smile just moments earlier, “What I wouldn’t give to go out on a quest right now,”
“Ditto on that, the only danger I feel is a danger of falling asleep,” Ruby grumbles, “I told you we should’ve taken the chimera quest before coming back, now it’s gonna take weeks before mom lets us out of her sights,”
“You mean years, right girls?” A voice says as they entered into the room, Queen Summer looking regal as always but the way her eyes tightened when she said those words had the two daughters shutting their mouths quickly and nodding furiously.
“Weiss, Blake? Have they been giving you any trouble at all?” their Queen asked, both knights shook their heads. It was true in a way, the pair of princesses haven’t done anything to trouble them much, all they’ve been doing was keeping an eye on them and never letting them wander off too far, though they suspected that the reason they haven’t been messed with the past few days is because the two had been so busy with regular princess duties, diplomacy and such to even be able to slip away.
Meeting with nobles, talking with powerful people, things royalty do.
Though Weiss had to admit, there was a part of her that agreed this was a boring task. Just shadowing two very busy ladies. But she’d still have a better shot of making a good name for herself as a knight rather than some rogue bounty hunter… or adventurers as people call it.
“Sheesh, Mom, way to put your trust in us,” Yang grumbled, “Plus, I wouldn’t do anything to inconvenience the fair Lady Blake herself, she’s too beautiful to troubled, ya know,” Yang smirks, giving her friend a devilishly charming smile with a wink.
“...Blake, just say the word if I need to reprimand this daughter of mine again, you hear? I will not tolerate unwelcomed crassness,” Queen Summer says and Blake only offers a solemn nod before standing up straighter, “Now, Yang, you are free to take your leave, Ruby on the other hand—”
“No! Not another meeting those old dudes with sticks shoved up their asses!” Ruby groaned.
“Language, young lady!”
“But Mom it's true!”
“Doesn’t matter! Now come, the sooner we get there, the sooner you finish, Blake, Weiss, kindly keep watching Yang,” Queen Summer gives them a warm smile and Ruby’s frown just got deeper as she begrudgingly followed her mother.
“...Ooof, I do not envy her,” Yang chuckles, “At least all I really have to do is show up during diplomatic stuff…” Silence blanketed them until Yang grins, “Alright, since it's just us three and I figure I’m gonna spend a lot of time with you two being our personal guards, let’s get to know each other!” she says gleefully with almost childlike enthusiasm.
“We really shouldn’t, your highness, we’re your guards, not your adventurer pals,” Blake says stiffly, but her eyes were unable to meet the princess’ and her cheeks were getting redder and redder by the moment.
When Yang grabbed her friend’s hands and gave her an innocent looking pout, guess the black haired knight couldn’t fight that, “Please, C’mon! It’ll be fun!”
“Well, since you’ll be watching over the princess, I will be headed to the main hall awaiting orders,” Weiss turned around and began walking but before she could fully leave the pair alone she saw Blake looking at her aghast, features looking betrayed.
Yep… She’ll deal with the other princess instead.
—
It was already the dead of the night and Weiss’ duties had been over for a few hours now. Typically she’d already be asleep even, but something was just stopping her from doing so. Deciding that a walk would be a nice way to ease her nerves, stands up and leaves her quarters.
The castle’s courtyard was always her favorite place to go to. It was quiet, surrounded by greenery and meticulously cared for roses. Not a lot of people spent time here so she could enjoy the quiet by herself. Something she relished.
But just as she was about to go to her usual seat, a bench that was somewhat hidden behind the plentiful rose bushes, she found another person sitting there downcast, sighing for the umpteenth time.
It was Princess Ruby.
At the slightest sound of her rustling the grass on the ground, the princess turned to face her direction before sighing and grumbling even more, “Great, here I thought I was alone but I guess someone was always gonna send a person to watch over me as if I’m incapable of protecting myself,”
“I beg your pardon?” She couldn’t help but raise a brow in inquiry and the princess rolled her eyes, annoyed.
“You! Duh! I don’t need to be watched every second of every day!”
“... I wasn’t here to watch you, actually, I’m off duty now,” Weiss says as evenly and curt as she could, trying not to show any annoyance at how the girl was acting, “I do however, apologize, for interrupting your alone time,” she ends and then turning around beginning to walk away. Just her luck, of course the one place where she could relax would be overrun by people.
She didn’t get to go far as Ruby had stopped her by grabbing the sleeve of her shirt gently.
“Wait!” she called and Weiss turned around, eyes meeting the girl’s, “...Sorry,” she lets go of her sleeve, “I didn’t mean to explode on you like that, you don’t deserve it, you’ve been doing your job that’s all,”
“...Well… glad you think so, if there’s nothing else I’d like to return now,” she says, coming out much colder than intended.
“No! … please… stay,” Ruby says sadly and despite her earlier irritation at the girl’s tone, the sadness in her eyes just drew Weiss in, “Please… I just… i didn’t want to be alone,”
Unable to refuse she sighs and sits beside the princess, both not knowing just how to proceed further at this sudden turn of events, it was Ruby who spoke first though.
“I’m really sorry, you’ve been one of the nicest guards we’ve had ever since Uncle Qrow left to be an adventurer… the others all come off as… standoffish and I don’t like the way they leer at me,” she says, rubbing her arms, “I didn’t mean to explode on you like that, really… I was just frustrated at those old jerks,”
“...What did they do, if you don’t mind me asking?” she couldn’t help but voice out her thoughts.
“They told me to get married,” she all but spat, “get married and have heirs as soon as possible,” she clicked her tongue in disdain.
“...I see,” was the only thing she could reply.
“That it’s my royal duty to provide the family and heir, blah blah blah, fuck you! I’m twenty-two! I shouldn’t even be thinking of having a family!”
At that, she definitely agreed. It was one of the reasons she left her name and family behind after all.
“They were going to start finding candidates tomorrow and I had until the next month to decide and tie the knot,” Ruby says begrudgingly, “I don’t want this, I never wanted this! This title! This bloodline! I want to be out there, free! Helping people where I can with my own two hands, not just delegating tasks to other people so they can do the job,” Ruby bit her lip, “But I don’t know what to do… What would you do, Miss Beautiful Weiss?”
The nickname brought heat creeping down her back, “like I said previously, It’s just Weiss and… I don’t know what you should do, rightfully… at one point in my life I was faced with the exact same dilemma so instead of facing it head on, I left and never looked back, something I haven’t ever regretted,”
“...you were set off to be wed too?”
She nods once, “Yes… I was to be a pawn in my father’s schemes, nothing but a baby maker for some older, noble, gentleman… but that’s not what I want, I wanted something for myself, a power that I’ve earned and gained by my merit… It’s why I became a knight. I hope one day soon I will be stronger and finally throttle my father’s tarnished name but for now… I shall be here, working earnestly to attain it…”
“...Wow… I never thought you’d have that kind of backstory,” Ruby says thoughtfully, “...But I can’t just leave…it was already bad when we left for a few months plus I have no idea who I can even leave the position to in the event, Mom wants to pass it to me already cause she wants to retire, ARGH! Things would’ve been much easier if Yang was in charge instead of me!”
And at this point, Weiss was just wondering how on this earth she ended up talking about future plans with a princess whom she served who she met just mere days ago. Silence envelops the both of them and when she turned her head, she found that Ruby was looking at her deep in thought.
Why does this unruly, troublesome princess have to be so good looking anyway!?
Slowly, her eyes widened and her lips stretched into a wide smile. Ruby grabs her hands and holds it, “I’ve got an idea,”
Too confused and focused on the princess’ hands around her, she just looked at the girl with an aghast look of confusion, “You said you wanted power, right?”
“...Yes but I don’t see how that’s any—”
“Marry me! O’ Beautiful Lady Weiss! You be the queen and I’ll be your rogue consort!”
…What?
“I get to go on adventures and you have all the power you could ever want!”
What?
“What do you say!?” Ruby says before kneeling down on one knee, “Fair Lady Weiss, Will you grant me the biggest honor of being free from responsibilities?”
…
W H A T