Epilogue

Ruby walked around the local graveyard. She was with Yang and Blake, and all three girls visited a grave site marked with the Rose Family insignia. Ruby and Yang, each, placed a bouquet of red roses.

"I'm sorry we took so long to visit you. The last couple years have been real crazy." Ruby told the grave site. "I turned twenty-one last week, but I guess you already knew that. Haha, Blake and Yang took me to this pub in town and I don't remember half that night."

Yang and Blake chuckled at her last comment. Ruby smiled and looked out to Rose City. "But I have to admit, so many things happened since I took the throne."

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~Three Years Ago. A Year after King Schnee's reign ended.~

"Queen Rose! Queen Rose!" Jaune came running into the throne room. Ruby was rearranging the decorations, making the room more lively. She had many helpers. The throne room would have windows and a balcony overseeing her city. She could even see the tower Weiss and Winter were confined in.

"Jaune, you know how I feel with people calling me that. I'm just 'Ruby'. And besides, I'm not really a queen yet." Ruby explained.

"I'm sorry, Your Maj- ah, I mean Ruby... Man it's still weird calling you by your first name. You are the ruler after all."

"Not for three more years, Jaune. You know Yang's taking over until I become of age" Ruby smiled. She stood in a comfortable stance, one hand on hip and the other down her side. "So, what's up? Something happen?"

Jaune looked at her as properly as he can "oh that's right. Queen Winter Schnee has come to visit you."

"Winter? Why would she want to see me?" Ruby thought aloud. She looked at Jaune "Have you sent her to my- well, Yang's office?"

"Not yet. She's standing outside."

Ruby smiled "well, what are you waiting for? Bring her in. No Schnee is an enemy of mine, not anymore."

"Ma'am!" Jaune saluted her and left the room.

"Jaune! It's 'Ruby'!" Ruby shouted. She sighed as she got prepared to see Winter.

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...

Ruby and Winter sat in the office room. They had tea brought out to them by Ren, who would be Ruby's advisor when she takes the throne.

"Thank you for the tea." Winter smiled, thanking Ren. He looked over and nodded before leaving. Winter frowned and looked at Ruby. "They'll hate me forever, I know it..."

The Rose Queen smiled sweetly "It'll take a lot of time. Your father did ruin it for you and your people after all."

Winter let out a heavy sigh and looked at the cup of tea before her "Maybe it would be best if you were to close the gates to the Schnees and the inhabitants or Snow Castle Town. We'll be fine, really."

Ruby shook her head "I'm going to better our relations. King Schnee is the one at fault, not you. Not even Weiss-" the mention of her name saddened her. She didn't want to accept it, not yet at least.

Winter looked at her. She gave her a soft smile "have you visited her yet?"

Ruby shook her head "I've been busy... I want to see her, Winter. Really... But with learning law and politics and economics..."

Winter went over to Ruby and comforted her. She hugged her gently, as if a mother would. Ruby was shocked at first, but she was able to calm down a bit and smile. She wrapped her arms around Winter and hugged her.

"Have you visited Weiss?"

"I can't without you remember? I am a traitor on your grounds."

Ruby sighed, wiping her tears "I told the guards at the hospital not to." She smiled, standing up. "I have to talk to them about this. Want to come with me to see your sister?" Winter nodded in response, smiling.

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At the front of the hospital, Ruby approached the two guards at the front. It was Sun and Neptune.

"Wukong! Vasilias!" The two flinched at her angered voice. Winter was shortly behind. "What is the matter with you two? I specifically said that Winter can go see Weiss whenever she wanted. Did I not make myself clear?"

"I'm sorry Ruby, but she specifically told us she didn't want to see Winter. She's turned everyone away except you." Sun explained. He was still pretty nervous. Ruby sighed and crossed her arms. She took Winter's hand and walked passed them.

"Your highness!" Neptune called out to her. Ruby ignored them and went to Weiss' room.

Weiss was asleep in her bed. The heart monitor beeped at the regular speed of a heartbeat. Ruby made a commotion outside and once it got louder, Weiss' eyes opened. She looked to the door as it opened with aggression.

"Weiss! How could you?!" Ruby came in with Winter.

"Good afternoon to you too, Queen Ruby. First time in a year and that's the first thing you say to me?" Weiss smiled. She was in a whole lot better condition than when she got in. Velvet said that she was lucky to be alive at that point. King Schnee barely missed her heart. Had she been a hairline to her right, she'd be dead.

"Don't turn the subject around. How can you turn your own sister away? She's wanted to see you all this time." Ruby argued back. Winter went to Weiss, waving at her. When Weiss noticed this, Weiss looked away.

"I don't deserve to see her…" Weiss replied. Winter flinched at her response, making Ruby worried and frustrated.

"Weiss! How could you say that?!"

"I don't. I abandoned her in the tower. I took away our father and possibly the only one who she considered family. Not only that, I've hated her for what she did to you and Rose City. I wanted to kill her. I don't deserve to see her. I'm not the sister or family she needs…" Weiss said, looking at Winter. After a while, Weiss turned her head away from the young Rose and her sister.

Winter reached out to Ruby and looked at her. The single look told Ruby that Winter would take care of it. When Ruby understood what Winter would do, she moved to the side and Winter sat at her bedside and stroked her hair. "Weiss, you don't have to like me if you don't. I've told Ruby the same thing. I don't want pity, but I want someone who can be there for me and mean it." Ruby smiled at Winter. "Weiss, I'd like to see my only living family and my next to kin. But if it isn't possible, it's okay too. I just want to know you're okay and well." Winter said.

Weiss looked at her, shocked "Of course I want to see you. I just don't know if I deserve it… after all that's happened." Her response was immediate, making Winter happy. The new queen of Snow Castle Town held her sister's hand. "Winny?"

"It's alright Weiss. Like Ruby tells me all the time, it's neither of our faults. You'll always be my sister. I mean, sure, we have a big obstacle to overcome. But I'm willing to overlook it if you can."

Weiss smiled and nodded her head. Ruby smiled as well.

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…

Ruby and Winter exited the hospital and found a mob of people at the front. Yang and Blake visited them while Sun and Neptune blocked anyone from coming through. They were throwing hate and shade at Winter mostly. Winter pulled back, always bothered when the Rose City citizens would see her. She hid behind Ruby.

"Man, when we came, there was already a commotion. Now I know why." Yang crossed her arms. Blake smiled at Winter, going to her.

"It's alright Winter. As long as you're with us, you're safe from them." Blake reassured her. Winter gave the onyx haired sharp shooter a shy nod. "Behave yourself Yang. She may not be queen but her rules are the law around here." Yang sighed. She looked at Blake angrily "Hey, quit pouting."

"She almost killed me and Ruby! There's no way I'll ever get over that, Blake."

"But if it weren't for her, I would have never found you. I'll always be thankful for that."

Winter smiled at Blake, but she never moved from behind Winter. Yang looked away "Come on, Queen Schnee. We'll escort you home. Snow Castle Town has a lot of work ahead for them."

She took Ruby's hand and the young queen smiled. Ruby turned to her "Winter, it's okay. I'll be here whenever you want, and so will Weiss. Blake's got your back and Yang's just sour you got the upper hand."

"Ruby, she could have killed the both of us. How can you be that close to her." Yang argued. Ruby let out a soft giggle.

"I should at least try and get along with my future sister-in-law, right?" Ruby stuck her tongue out at Yang. Winter, Yang, and Blake were shocked to hear those words from the young queen.

"No way! Did she propose to you?!" Yang shouted, questioning.

Ruby laughed "Of course not yet, I only saw her for the first time today. Hell, we haven't even gone on a date. I know I've been with her since we were kids, but I want to ask her on one when she's back on her feet."

Yang laughed and grabbed Ruby in a headlock. She gave her a noggie "You really are going to be the worst queen Rose City's ever had."

"Yang, please. Stop it!" Ruby got out of it.

"Alright, alright."

Ruby looked at Winter "I shouldn't keep your people waiting Winter. Especially now, they need someone like you to take care of them. I may need your help to better the relations between our two countries."

Winter nodded "Alright Ruby. I'll see you again soon." She went with Yang and Blake back towards Rose Manor "Here's to a better future, Rose!"

"Count on it, Schnee." Ruby waved bye to her. In a wheelchair, Weiss was waving bye to Winter. Winter noticed this and waved at her as well.

Later, sis. Winter smiled. Weiss did the same and when the white queen was out of sight, the injured princess lowered her arm.

Here's to a better future.

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~Present Day~

"A lot of other things happened in the past year since then." Ruby smiled at the grave site. Blake joined in, leaning on top of Yang. The two older girls showed them their left hand. On their ring fingers was an engagement ring of each other's color. Yang had an onyx-band ring with an amethyst stone. Blake had a gold-band ring with a topaz stone.

"Mom, Dad, I'm going to be married to this wonderful girl next year. Hope you watch over us and bless us." Yang smiled and kissed Blake. Ruby smiled at them. Yang gave Blake on last kiss before looking at the grave site "I wanted to wait till I was off the throne and Ruby was twenty-one to propose to her."

"Even being an acting monarch is difficult. You were great rulers. All of Rose City misses you both, but we'll do whatever it takes to uphold your law and to follow your footsteps." Blake mentioned. Yang let out a laugh and rubbed her head.

"That's my fiancee, always so formal." Yang said. Ruby giggled off to the side. Blake blushed out of embarrassment, looking away from the laughing sisters. Yang let Blake go "They are your in-laws, Blake. No need for formalities."

Blake looked at the grave site. She looked at the name she would soon take, and the previous Queen's. Blake traced the names with her fingers "Thanks for being the parents I needed. My parents gave their lives to protect you. I don't want to leave them alone, but I promise to do the same for your daughters. During the Schnee-Rose war, Ruby was a hassle to keep in my sight, but I'll leave that to her girlfriend."

Ruby blushed and yelled at Blake "she's not my girlfriend!"

"But it's your goal to date her, isn't it?" Yang teased the red-haired queen. Ruby growled, unable to deny her statement. She looked away in response, cheeks puffed out. Blake and Yang laughed at Ruby's reaction. They looked at the grave site once more.

"Mom, Dad, thanks for letting me meet and date the most important person in my life." Blake gave her thanks and bowed her head at them. This time, Yang and Ruby smiled at her. It was the only thing Blake really wanted to say to them at the time. There were many things she wanted to say, but if she needed to do anything that visit, it was to thank them for letting her be with Yang.

Some time passed and Yang and Blake walked away from the site. Ruby stayed behind to keep her parents company a little while longer. She brushed her fingers through their names "I really miss you, Mom. Dad. There's so much I have to show you. I hope you watch over me and all the kingdom." After a while at the gravestone, Weiss joined her

"Your highness, we have to go."

"Weiss, I told you before, it's Ruby to you." Ruby got up. She waved to the grave sites "I promise to become a queen you'll be proud of, Mom. Just you wait!" Ruby smiled as she ran off to the car. Yang and Blake joined her. Weiss looked on and smiled. She turned her attention to the grave site and kneel to them. She closed her eyes.

"Summer, Taiyang, tomorrow is when I'm to receive the Rose badge of honor and become captain of the Red Rose Court. Ruby also appointed me to be the ambassador between the two nations. Things are going well and our relations are better than when Ruby's reign started." Weiss reported. She looked at Ruby, still talking with her sister and future sister-in-law "Summer, I don't mean to be so informal with you. I'm a Schnee and because of that, I don't deserve to call you by your name anymore… But I thought that it was okay to talk about the good old days. I was protected by you, you took me in as your live-in guardian for Ruby, and you even put up with my antics. I really wish I could have saved you that night, but I wasn't fast enough. But I promise you one thing, Summer. When it comes to Ruby, no matter how fast or slow I am to get there, no matter how hard it'll get-"

"Weiss! Come on! We can't keep your sister waiting!" Ruby called out to her.

Weiss smiled, leaving a two roses on Summer's and Taiyang's grave site: red and white. She left to join Ruby and the others I'll always be chasing her.

-FIN-

A/N: That was most certainly a thing :) But after a little over a year, I'M OFFICIALLY DONE! *Confetti cannons go off everywhere!" I hope you enjoyed the story everyone and it's been such a blast. Quick note, I've made the decision to redo "Plush and Ribbon." After a year of not focusing on it, I've come up with new ideas for it and just to let you know that I will be doing that at one point in life. I will keep the original post up for people from tumblr since it is linked to it.

Thanks for sticking around and keeping up with me :) Please R&R