Queen Ruby

Chapter 8

What did I just do? Oh no. Did I seriously just order him to do all that? I hadn't thought about it. I just said it.  It came so naturally to give orders. I usually am not the type to order people, that's Weiss job, but when it was Roman I didn't think I just ordered him. I should be nicer to him. I barely know him but still, something deep down inside me is telling me to trust him. He would never lie to me. He would never harm me. He belongs to me. He is mine.

I don't notice that I'm back at Beacon until someone calls my name from behind me and rips me from my chain of thoughts. I blink a few times. I'm already in the hallway to our dorm room. I can't remember getting here. I was so busy thinking. Oh god. What was I thinking? How could I even think of that?

"Miss Rose" I now recognize the voice and turn around.

"Professor Ozpin" I give him the widest and most innocent smile I can muster.

"Miss Rose I hope you have a good explanation for why you are sneaking out, without your team none the less. This is the second time already."

"How did you-"  "Ruby as your headmaster it is my duty to know where you are. Your team says your out visiting a friend, but I doubt they believe that themselves."

"I was visiting a friend!" I insist. It was a lie, Roman isn't my friend, but I can't tell him I'm visiting a criminal. Even if he was just following Moms orders.

"Since when are you friends with Roman Torchwick?" I almost jump up at that. How did he find out?

"Miss Rose. Why are you so surprised? I always know where my students are. No matter if it's in Beacon or in Vale." he clearly finds my speechlessness amusing. "So please come with me to my office. We will need to have a talk. You can't just go around making friends with a crime lord. This is unexpectable." He takes my arm and starts walking in the direction of his office. He doesn't sound amused anymore. He is angry. Before he can take me to the elevator I rip my arm away. And slam him into a wall.

"No!"  "Excuse me?"  "I said no! I'm not! I'm not going with you."

"Miss Rose. As your principal, I could get you expelled for aiding a criminal!" He whispers. It was clear he didn't want any students to hear.

I lean into him and with a voice so strong and intimidating that it scared me that I was the one who was speaking, I say  "I will not come with you. You may think that your position as headmaster makes you invincible, but believe me, you don't want to test me. There are no rules about visiting your guard. You stay away from me, my team and my guard. All you're accomplishing by going after him is to make his job harder than it is."

"Ruby... I mean your Hines... your eyes... you might want to hide them before someone sees them."
He looks scared. He knows that I know. He knows that his time at power is at an end. "Oz. You will return your position to me and announce to your little friends that the Queen has returned. I won't make you leave, as thanks to all your hard work but I request what rightfully belongs to me. Next time there is a meeting I wish to be there as well. And don't tell my team or my dad or uncle Qrow... Please?"
I use my sweetest voice and let go of his collar. At this point, I already scared him enough. He knows I won't hurt him, but he doesn't want any more drama.

"As you wish your Hines. But please consider telling your team. They should know." He hates calling me that. He hates that I have power over him, but he can't do anything about it. He will do as I tell him. He has to much respect for Mom and the others. He hates that a sixteen-year-old girl can hurt him.

"I'll tell them eventually." I turn around and walk back to my dorm without turning back to see I know he's still standing there.

My team is in the room when I enter so I pretend none of that just happened. Weiss is studying at her desk, Blake is reading in her bed and Yang is listening to music. They all turn to me when I enter.

"Ruby! Where were you?!" Ya day jumps on me, crushing me under herself. I should tell them now. It would make everything easier. It would ease their minds, but they wouldn't believe me and I can't tell them that Roman isn't actually a bad guy. I make up my mind, I'll tell them half of it.

"I was visiting my... well... I will tell you everything, but you need to promise not to freak out to listen to me and believe." They nod after looking at each other with a worried look.

" I was visiting someone. That someone is currently known to be a pretty bad criminal, but he isn't. Mom put him there as a mole and now that I'm old enough to take over her position and work he contacted me. I can share all the information I got from him with you but I can't tell you who he is yet."

"Ruby if he's a criminal how can you trust him about any of this?" Blake asks.

"Because everything he told me has proven to be true and..."

"We need to tell Ozpin about this!" Yang tells me.

"No, we don't. He knows. He was the one who filled in for me until I was old enough."

"What work was your mom doing?" Weiss asks, still suspicious.

"I can't tell you that. I would but I still don't know everything myself. Mom had a lot of influence, power, and responsibilities. Guard has all the old documents and papers. I need to first learn everything about this whole thing and then... I don't know."

"Who's guard?" Yang interrupts. "That what I call the mole."

"Sis your only sixteen, how are you supposed to do all this and keep up with school?"

"I'm gonna start going there every evening. Guard will teach me all I need to know."

"Ruby-" Weiss stars but I interrupt her. " I can't tell you anymore. I might have to miss one or Theo classes, but I'll still go to school like normal. I'll just be gone for a few hours in the evening. I know you worry so how about you guys come with me next week?"

"Will we meat Guard?" Blake asks.

"Yes. I'll tell him to cook for five when you come."

"Fine. But you have to show us this information he sends you!" Weiss is clearly excited to finally get more information on Torchwick and the White Fang.

I know what you're thinking, why tell them anything, why tell them half, why invite them over to Romans apartment, why say anything at all. After all, I don't know how dangerous this will turn out to be. But I hate lying. At least like this, I will need to lie less.