Fall and Winter Chapter 2
The next morning, Winter woke feeling well rested but sick. She was not expecting Raven to come by so early.
Raven sees that Winter is sick. She hands Winter some bread.
Raven: Here, eat this. It will help. She also hands her a bottle of water and a paper bag.
Winter takes the bread and pinches off a bit: Thank you. She takes a couple of bites and looks into the bag.
Winter: Are you kidding me? Really? She says pulling out a test stick.
Raven: You want me trust you? I want proof.
Winter leaves taking the test with her. When she returns, she hands Raven the test stick showing positive results.
Winter: There! Satisfied?
Raven: For now. Then she calls to a bandit woman, Marta, please see to it that Miss Schnee has whatever she needs.
Raven to Winter: Marta is a midwife. She will look after you while you are here.
Winter: Thank you
Raven: I have something I need to do. I will come by later.
After leaving Winter, Raven makes a portal and disappears. She takes bird form and watches from a tree outside of Dr. Watson's home. She sees Yang and the other kids training. Qrow leads them in training exercises. Raven waits until Qrow leaves the house. She follows for a bit. She looks for a chance to get Qrow alone. Qrow turns down a narrow deserted street. Raven knows that he has spotted her. She swoops down and transforms.
Qrow: What are you doing here? What do you want?
Raven: Can't a woman just visit her little brother?
Qrow: No, not you.
Raven: Is that any way to greet family?
Qrow smirks and bows: Sorry my dear, let me show you the same greeting you extend to me. Then he pulls his sword. Is this better? What do you want?
Raven: I only wanted to see how you are.
Qrow: worse, now that you've shown up.
Raven: Didn't you like the gift I left you in Haven?
Qrow: It's Wonderful! Thank you! He says sarcasticly. What happened between you and Yang?
Raven raises her eyebrow: What do you mean? She must have told you. It was exactly like she said.
Qrow: She said that you were gone when she got there.
Raven: True. I left when I saw her coming.
Qrow: You didn't stick around to greet your own daughter? I know how important family is to you!
Raven: She is very angry with me. You wouldn't happen to know why would you brother dear? I didn't want to upset her. It is good to see how well you all are doing. By the way, how is your daughter?
Qrow growing angry: Is there a point to any of this? I'll ask you one more time, what do you want?
Raven: Alright, I want to know if you have made any progress in identifying the Fall maiden.
Qrow: What is your interest in the maiden? You killed the last Fall maiden; there are rumors that you stole the maiden powers from her. Do you care to shed any light on those rumors?
Raven: If I had the powers of the Fall maiden, would I come to you asking about her?
Qrow: You might.
Raven: You disappoint me brother. Tell Yang for me, that I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to speak to her in Haven. Good-bye brother. Raven opens a portal and disappears.
Meanwhile at the bandit camp, Winter has become bored and anxious. She decides to write a couple of letters. She sits pencil in hand, staring at the blank pages in front of her. Finally, she begins to write:
Weiss,
I am sorry that I did not have a chance to say a proper good-bye. I am on an important mission and will be gone for some time. I will write as often as I can. I'm sorry that I can not tell you where I am. Please be safe.
Love, Winter
She reads over the finished letter and seems satisfied. She seals the letter in an envelope and turns her attention to the second letter. This one was much harder. She tries several times, scribbling down a few lines before balling up the letter and starting over. Finally, she writes:
Qrow,
This mission is very difficult but I am confident that it will be successful. Please watch out for my sister until I return. I hope that everyone is well. I regret that I can not tell you more until I return.
Sincerely yours
She reads the second letter and feels dissatisfied. She wanted to sign it but was afraid that someone else might see the letter. She wished that it could be more personal. She felt certain that Qrow would know immediately that it was from her but she wanted to put a more personal touch. She sealed the letter in the envelope and then she put a special seal on the back. She was pleased with it.
Winter: Marta, will you please mail these for me. And can you please be sure that no one knows where they came from.
Marta: Yes Mam.
Qrow was surprised to get a letter. He hoped that it was from Winter. He could not wait to see her again. He was alone when he opened it. On the back of the envelope was a special seal. Qrow was pleased when he saw it. The seal was a blue crown made of ice. He read the letter and felt sad. He wished that it contained something more personal but he knew that Winter probably would not want to risk someone else discovering their relationship. Qrow folded the letter and placed it in a pocket inside his vest.
Winter was tired of waiting for Raven and decided to seek her out. She walked around the camp observing all the bandit people and how they lived and worked. Raven was no where to be found. Winter wandered back to Raven's tent to see if she was there. Peering inside carefully, Winter could tell that no one was there. She entered the tent and snooped around. It was sparsely decorated. Only the most necessary items were out in the open. Looking around for clues to help her understand Raven, Winter came across and box. She took a pen and picked the lock. Inside she found some pictures. The pictures were of team STRQ and her family. She had old pictures of her and Qrow with the bandits. She had pictures of Yang as a baby and Tai. She even had a picture of herself with Summer. Winter studied the pictures and turned them over. There were notes of the back of most of them. Me and Qrow with Mom and Dad. My friends in the tribe. My team. On the back of the picture of her and Summer, Raven had written: Me with my best friend. Winter felt a cold chill when she read that one. She quickly placed all the pictures back in the box and locked it. She placed it back exactly as she had found it and left the tent. Returning to her own tent, Winter found Raven waiting on her.
Raven: I was beginning to think you had left.
Winter: I was just taking in my surroundings.
Raven: You will have plenty of time for that. I expect you to earn your keep around here.
Winter: Of course, What can I do to help?
Raven: We have some young men and women in need of training. You will teach them to fight.
Winter: I can do that. Is there anything else?
Raven: I want to know what you do. Or to be precise, I need to know what your superiors know about the Fall maiden, the Spring maiden, the relics, the battle in Haven and Beacon. I want to be advised of everything they know. If you want me to trust you, prove it and share what you know.
Winter: If I do, will you do the same?
Raven: That depends on what you want to know.
Winter: I was looking for you. Where did you go?
Raven: I went to see my little brother.
Winter: Qrow? How? How is he?
Raven: Yes, Qrow. I have my ways. I can visit him whenever I want. You want to know how he is? He's sober. Is that because of you?
Winter: It might be.
Raven: He's miserable.
Winter: Oh, is that because of me? Or because he is sober?
Raven: Both. He doesn't know what happened in Haven. He suspects that I am the Fall maiden but he has no proof.
Winter: That is why you need us. We can protect you.
Raven: If I am the Fall maiden as you suppose, then I can protect myself.
Winter: Perhaps, against some. Amber thought so as well and we all know what happened to her.
Raven: I am not Amber!
Winter: No, but Amber wasn't fighting Salem.
Raven: This has been fun but I'm all talked out. Later. She says leaving Winter alone.