Dinner

The moment Arthur entered Weiss's room he was immediately tackled by Weiss who pushed her face into his chest as she mumble, "Please don't leave me, please don't leave me…" on and on.

"I'm sorry, I just needed to go for a walk for a bit" Arthur gently stroked Weiss's as he began to guide her back to her bed to sit down.

Weiss was silent as she tightened her arms around Arthur, not wanting to let him go, "I… I can still hear it…" she mumbled, "The moans, the screams, the clicking of those-those machines" she shivered in his embrace, "Please don't leave me alone…." she whined.

Arthur looked down at Weiss in sorrow and sympathy, taking deep breath Arthur began to pull Weiss off of him, until she raised her eyes to look into his, "Weiss, what happened to you was terrible" he voice soft as he held both her cheeks and pushed his forehead onto hers, "But I will not always be there to calm you down, I just can't" he told her

Weiss began to shiver even more, "Why? Why can't you?" she begged him for an answer.

"Because, I care too much about you Weiss. When I got away from the people who kidnapped me, after two years of agony, I just couldn't sleep, I spent months upon months lying in a hospital being feed drugs that would knock me out for half a day just so I could sleep for a few hours, eventually it got to the point where everyone I saw reminded me of the men and woman who stood and watched as everything happened to me" He told her.

"I don't want that to happen to you Weiss, I know at some point if you let this go on you will start seeing and hearing things that remind you of what happened, and that is something you will just have to come to terms with and accept with or without me, with or without your team, you're friends, you're sister, you're mother, P.T.S.S is never easy, I still have episodes every now and then but I have gotten much better since I started attending Beacon"

"You should have seen it as well, the first time we ate together in the dining hall I was jumpy, a nervous wreck, my head darting every which way, but as I slowly got used to it, I started calming down, and hopefully, as time goes by, you will also come to calm down" Arthur smiled and pulled his head away from Weiss.

"I don't mind staying with you while we are here, but once we get back to Beacon you will have to get used to me not being around 24/7… But Weiss, you won't be alone, Ruby, Blake and Yang are all there for you, I'm sure their panicking that we haven't contacted them at all… well Ruby and Yang, I don't think we could contact Blake if we wanted to…" he mumbled at the end.

"You don't need to say anything, I know just putting words to what you're feeling is difficult enough as it is, so why don't we get something to eat? I saw Klein outside and he said dinner would be ready soon, I'm sure their already waiting for us" he chuckled, whilst Weiss went pale.

"You should have said that sooner!" Weiss nearly screamd and ran to her dresser and grabbed a dress and quickly began to change, whilst ignoring Arthur's surprise at her sudden shift and how she just seemed to forget Arthur was in the room as she had already stripped herself of her night gown and the briefs Arthur had loaned her, having not had the time to swap them due to her fathers time limit.

Arthur didn't even get the chance to turn away as she was done in a speed that was only slightly slower than Ruby, so he just sat there, eyes wide as he gulped slightly at Weiss's smooth body, didn't help that there was a mirror in the wardrobe that Weiss was using to test what she would wear.

Once she had found the dress she wanted to wear, a knee length bark blue dress with a snow flake design on the hem and the sleeves she hung it over the wardrobe door and quickly kneeled down and pulled out a pair of elegant white undergarments which she quickly put on, her actions freezing as she saw something in the mirror, something that caused her to turn red, that being Arthur, staring at her wide eyed mouth hanging slightly.

She felt like screaming would be the most appropriate response for this, maybe even throwing something sharp or heavy at Arthur, yet she couldn't feel the scream coming up from her throat as she shut her mouth and quickly hooked her bra on and removed the dress from the hanger and pulled it over her shoulders before picking out some dark blue high heels and white stockings.

Turning around Weiss's eyes locked with Arthur's, "You are never to speak of this to anyone, am I understood" her voice menacing as she seemed to loom over Arthur, even if she was much shorter than him.

Arthur quickly nodded, his mouth shutting, "Good, now get up, we have dinner to attend and I am sure fa…Jacques is already furious" Arthur quickly stood up and followed Weiss as she left the room, both making haste to the dining room where the rest of the Schnee family was already seated, except for Willow, as she generally ate alone in the garden away from the rest of the family.

Jacques looking all the more displeased at Weiss's lateness, "Weiss, it seems you are truly getting slower, dinner was to be served five minutes ago, I have a busy schedule, I can not afford to be kept waiting for you every time, do not do this again" he growled to her, whilst also raising his hand into the air getting one of the maids in the hall to bow and turn and walk to the kitchen to inform the others that dinner may be served.

Weiss didn't respond as she curtsied to her father and took the seat next to Winter who had also joined them for dinner, whilst Arthur sat opposite her, next to Whitley, the lanky younger brother of Weiss and Schnee who looked like he would break his neck from dropping a sponge on it, he had the same type of eyes and aura as his father that gave off this feeling that they thought they were superior to everyone else.

"Whitley Schnee" he introduced himself, "I've heard much about you, the 'Angel of Vale', quite the influential name if I say so myself, shows such grace and heroism in just three words" Whitely tried to compliment Arthur.

Failing, he might have succeeded if Arthur didn't know how manipulative he could be to get what he wanted, but Arthur just smiled to him and said, "Arthur Fielder, as I'm sure you already know"

"That I do, that I do" Whitley chuckled as six maids streamed out of the doors to the kitchen, each carrying a ornate silver platters atop which a bowl rested, the first and most likely head-maid going first and placing the bowl in front of Jacques who sat at the head of the table, while the assistant head-maid placed a bowl at the empty seat at the other end of the table, getting curious looks from the Schnee's, whilst Arthur smiled lightly as he suspected someone was soon to show themselves.

The other maids soon placing their own bowls in front of the others that were seated before lining up against the wall while the head maid stepped forward, "Roasted Bushroom and Brie soup" before turning and walking away with the other maids following her, returning to the kitchen.

Seeing the rich soup in front of him, Arthur suddenly felt the last three days of starvation hit him, yet as he looked around he saw that Winter, Weiss and Whitley hadn't even touched their spoons as they glanced to Jacques who had lifted his spoon and ate, at which the rest began to eat, 'Oh thank god' Arthur thought as he too began to eat.

Only stopping when he heard the doors to the dining room open causing his head to swivel to it where he saw Willow entering, still in what she had worn in the garden except having swapped out her blouse due to the wine stains.

Soon the other's ceased eating as they watched her take her seat at the end of the table, giving Arthur a short nod and smile, "So you finally decided to stop acting like a child" Jaques said as he patted his lips with his napkin, his choice of words annoying Arthur.

"No, I had a few realizations today, Jacques" her voice venomous as she said his name, "Most of which have to do with this family and myself, but that can come later, I am famished" she said, lifting her spoon and taking a sip of the soup.

As she was eating Weiss and Winter shared a glance before both lightly smiling and returning to their meals, along with Whitley and Arthur, whilst Jacques just glared at her before returning to his food, not wanting to waste any more time on her.

As soon as they all finished the line of maids returned and collected the bowls, whilst Klein followed, pushing along a cart filled with various beverages, picking up one of the red wines he showed the label to Jacques to get his permission to serve it.

Filling Jacques glass when he got the okay, before moving around the table to Willow, also showing her the label and getting a small nod and smile, "Thank you Klein" she said as Klein then moved on to offering Arthur a getting another okay before moving onto the rest of the family, only Winter and Weiss taking the offer as Whitley was still to young to drink, but Arthur had no doubt he had already drank before.

"You look… different mother, more lively" Whitley said as he looked to his mother, his tone overly kind.

"Why thank you Whitley" Willow gave the best fake smile she could give to him, "I feel much more lively as well" she agreed.

"Yes, it is lovely to see you out of the garden, mother, I never knew we grew white bluebells" He added, noting the bluebells in her hair, "And I don't believe I've ever seen you with make up unless we were at an event"

"Oh these?" Willow turned her head, to show the white bluebells and their pale green stem in her hair, "I found some growing near MY willow tree, and I was just entranced by them" she explained, giving Arthur a warm thankful smile which he returned.

"And I felt like pampering myself for once" she said, resting her cheek on her hand as Arthur noticed the slight glittering light blue eye shadow and dark blue lipstick, and the slight red blush on her cheeks.

Whilst they were speaking Jacques was not so subtly ignoring them as he was busy with something in his scroll whilst waiting for the next meals to arrive. And like this dinner continued with eight courses in total, the first three meals being the actual dinner whilst the other five were dessert and coffee or some warm beverage.

It was during this final drink that Willow tapped on her coffee cup with her spoon alerting the rest that she had something to say, seeing everyone had turned to look to her, Arthur noticed a weak smile on her face, realizing what she was about to say he let out a sigh and silently closed his eyes letting her talk.

"I… have an announcement" she said, her voice sad as she paused and slowly began to breath, it seeming much harder to say when her family was there.

"Get on with it, I have a meeting at seven" Jacques was actively getting frustrated at having to wait constantly today.

Willow ignored his heartless comment as she looked around the table, first looking to Arthur, his head down as he just listened, then moving to Whitley, who she couldn't help but feel irritated by, and lastly to her two most important people, her two daughters who were looking at her, both feeling something was wrong.

Seeing their concern Willow weakly smiled, "I… am dying" she said, the entire room growing silent as Weiss and Winter seemed shocked by her announcement, whilst Whitley seemed to have already expected this, and Jacques, the edges of his moustache seeming to rise just a few millimetres.

"What?" Weiss was the first to mutter as she didn't seem to hear her.

Willow gave Weiss a loving smile before continuing, "Three years ago whilst I was in the garden I suddenly began to have a coughing fit, in which blood was all that came out of my mouth" she began to slowly explain, "At first, I had thought it was something that would be healed by my aura, but as the months went by I began to have more and more fits, until it had become a biweekly thing" she paused for a moment.

"I went to my personal doctor and was kept in her hospital for a week as they worked on figuring out what was the cause. Eventually she came back with the results of her tests, showing me x-rays and biopsy results" she took a deep breath, which Weiss and Winter mimicked.

"I have stage four lung cancer which has spread to both my lungs and my liver, I have about one to two years left, maybe longer as my aura is slowing it's spread" Weiss's hands shot to her mouth as she felt her eyes begin to water and Winter, her military demeanour waning as she tried to do her best to keep calm, her eyes shutting as she [ut her hand together and clenched tight turning them red from the pressure.

Even Whitley seemed shocked as he his eyes shot open as he looked at his mother, he had suspected something was wrong with her, but something this serious, that he didn't expect. And Jacques, who Arthur swore he could just hear thinking, 'Finally', even with his eyes shut.

"Why tell us now? As far as I know you were more then content on wasting away on you're own, why tell us now?" Jacques heartlessly asked, trying to show the least amount of necessary care for his wife.

"And why should I? It is not like you would care if I passed, that would just make you're life easier, letting you take full control of this family. So there's no need for this charade of yours Jacques" Willow quickly silenced Jacques, in so doing enraging him.

"You dare! You are my wife! Of course I care!" He shouted slamming his fist onto the table.

"You didn't seem to care when you told me the only reason you married me was for the name" her cheek rested atop her palm as she cheeked her nails.

"You!" Jacques growled, unable to refute her.

"Let's not start a fight in front of the guest, Jacques, we need to keep up our appearances" She smiled at him, Jacques eyes widening as he looked to Arthur who was frowning at him, Jacques coughed into his hand, "I have a meeting to attend to" he said, excusing himself from the table and walking away from the table exiting the dining room.

"Mother…" Winter spoke up wanting to say something to her, but stopping as Willow raised her hand to stop her.

"Winter, Weiss, Whitley… I have come to terms with my condition, I have refused treatment thus far, so I do not need you're pity or sorrow, my passing is soon coming, the timing is not optimal, and Weiss, I know this is just another burden on your already heavy shoulders after everything that happened to you, but I am the last person you should be worried about, my death is but a small drop of water in your life" She smiled

"Weiss, Winter, I have been a terrible mother to you, I watched as you both struggled with your fathers arrogance and ego, all while I drowned myself in wine, I do not deserve any sorrow or support from you two, your life is your own, and this mother is not worthy of your love" she said, whilst Whitley rolled his eyes and excused himself, while Arthur silently watched them, a small smile on his face as he to excused himself and waited outside of the dining hall.

"Oh, Arthur" Willow said, stopping him just as he got up, do you think you could wait for me by the willow? There is something I would like to ask you" she asked.

Arthur looked to Weiss for a moment before seeing Winter give him a nod to say she would keep her company, "Sure, I could use some more fresh air" he said, and began to walk away to the garden, letting the three continue their chat.

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Alternate Chapter names: [Never annoy the wife]

Words: 3,099

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