Hello, my lovelies. With this chapter, we are finally done with this AU. I hope you guys have enjoyed this story. As I've said, please read Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. It is seriously awesome!

Enjoy!

The smell of frost, cloud pines, and oilcloth filled the air as the waters turned frigid and the lands became whiter and bleaker. To many, this would be a sign of despair. The coldness that seemed to pierce the very marrow and travel through every blood vessel would seem like something to reject and hate.

Weiss couldn't get enough of it! She was clad in an oiled seal skin coat that warded off the cold better than any "prissy, fancy fake-coats," as Poseidon Faa called the more commercial cold-weather products they had run across. He had only insisted on the best for his passengers. Weiss's hands were also buried in mittens lined with wolf fur, which Whitley had bought her at one of their previous stops.

She was huddled close to Yang, enjoying a rare moment of reprieve. Over the past few weeks, her hands had developed hard callouses, and lean muscles had started to form on her arms and legs. Whitley had grown too, though he had taken more of a liking to kitchen duties and the cleaning of weapons and leather rather than the more rigorous physical labor that occupied Weiss's time.

The group had long since been divided into three boats, with Jaune, Ruby, and Whitley on one, Willow and Klein on another, and Yang and Weiss remaining with the main Faa clan. The easy banter that spread from boat to boat, and the communal meals that were sometimes shared when several families tied their boats together, was enough to fill the Schnees with a sense of familial belonging that they had never before felt.

Now, Weiss found that part of her regretted the nearing end of their journey. She would miss the Gyptians, and the simple labor of being on a ship.

Yang squeezed her shoulder, silently communicating her agreement. "There will be more to do on land, though," she reasoned. "And more room to move around. That'll be nice." Yong Shi rumbled in agreement. The large dæmon had not taken to boat life at all, though he certainly was doing better than poor Jaune, who still got seasick after all this time.

A familiar screech echoed through the sky before Hermes alighted on the rim of the boat near the pair. "Hello, again!"

"Hey, Hermes," Yang greeted. "How soon before we reach the shore?"

"You'll be there by evening," Hermes said. "Weiss, I think you'll like what's waiting for you there. Or, should I say who?"

Weiss gasped. There was only one person who could be waiting for her in the north. "Winter?"

Hermes nodded. "She's very eager to see you again. Also, Yang, I saw your father's group nearing the ferry service. They should arrive two days after you."

"That's great!" Yang smiled, glad to hear that she'd get to see her father and other friends again soon.

"I'd better check on the others," Hermes said. "Pyrrha hopes to meet with you once you're all settled in. Remember, look for the Snow Lotus and ask for the owners, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie."

"Got it. Thanks!" Yang waved to Hermes as he flew off, then touched a kiss to Weiss's cheek. "You ready?"

"I…hope so…" Weiss said, suddenly feeling a bit unsure.

Yang frowned, sensing the confused feelings settling into her soulmate. "What's wrong?"

"What if… What if I haven't…" She trailed off, trying to put her thoughts into words. Thankfully, Yang quickly sensed what she was thinking.

"Of course, you'll be good enough for your sister! What even makes you think she'll be anything less than proud of you?!" Yang gasped. "If I was separated from Ruby and found out she did all the stuff you did, the first thing I'd do after hugging her half to death would be to get down on one knee and declare her my superior in all things!"

Weiss managed a faint smile. "Winter is very different from you. She was always…sparing with her affection, and much stricter than most people due to Father's influence."

"You haven't seen her in years," Yang said flatly. "If she isn't affectionate with her long-lost baby sister, I'll be very concerned. And angry."

"Don't get into a fight with my sister, Yang," Weiss scolded gently.

Yang moved closer. "Well, if I was suitably distracted…" They started to lean closer.

"OY!" Poseidon barked suddenly, causing them to spring apart. "By the Sea, how many times have I told you about kissing on my deck, huh?"

Yang just grinned. She knew by now that the old man was just messing with them. "Aw, come on. Even you gotta see how romantic it is up here."

"The high quality of your ship lends greatly to that," Weiss supplied, winking obviously.

"Ah, to hell with you lassies," Faa snorted, though there was a friendly twinkle in his eye. "Enjoy the rest while you can. I can smell land approaching."

Sure enough, the northern continent soon came into sight. Yang and Weiss didn't have much time to enjoy the view, as they were put back to work on the deck. As the ship came into dock, however, Weiss nearly dropped the rope she was holding when she saw a tall figure waiting for the ship to come in.

The person was tall, clad in practical sealskin clothing, and had a snowy owl dæmon perched on her shoulder. Even before the ship was tethered and Weiss leaped from it, she knew who it was.

"Winter!" she cried, throwing her arms around her sister.

There was a pause, though it wasn't the pause of a person who wasn't ready to give affection. Rather, it was the pause of a person who had never thought this moment would come. Slowly, shakily, Winter's arms came up and wrapped gently around her sister.

Weiss stepped back after a moment, because she simply had to look at her sister's face. She had changed so much, but enough things were still the same: the pulled-up white hair, the keen, blue-gray eyes, the sharp angles of her face.

What was incredibly different, and not at all from Weiss's memories, was that Winter's cheeks were red and there were tears leaking from her usually-cold eyes.

"Weiss?" she whispered, the name coming out as more of a question as she tried to equate the young woman in front of her with the child she had left behind so long ago.

"Yes!" Weiss said, beaming as she reached up to wipe her sister's cheek. "It's me! Oh, I have so much to tell you!"

Winter's owl dæmon had fluttered from her shoulder and was getting reacquainted with Anmut, who couldn't stop flapping his wings and honking with excitement.

After a moment, Winter regained her composure and straightened her back. "I expect you have done all of your duties on the ship before jumping onto the dock like an uncivilized ruffian."

Yang, who had just climbed down from the ship herself, gaped as she heard Winter's snappy words. Yong Shi bristled and growled quietly.

Weiss just smiled. "Of course, Winter. Poseidon Faa dismissed me. I will be saying goodbye to him before he casts off in the next few hours."

"Good," Winter said, smiling slightly. Though they were no longer hugging, she kept on hand on Weiss's shoulder, half afraid that her sister would vanish if she didn't hold on, foolish though that thought was. "Now, I assume that this is your soulmate. Would you introduce me?"

"Gladly!" Weiss beckoned Yang over eagerly. "Yang, this is my sister, Winter. Winter, this is my soulmate, Yang Xiao Long."

They shook hands. "You have a firm grip," Winter noted with approval. "I hope the journey wasn't too difficult."

"Not for me," Yang said, her easy grin returning as she was able to recognize this woman's unique, but genuine form of affection. "Jaune had it rough, though. Never did get over his seasickness."

Winter grimaced. "If he's still feeling ill, I can recommend a place nearby that sells an imported tea that will help him."

"Sounds great!" Yang glanced toward the next dock. "Here they come, now."

Weiss grabbed Winter's hand, leading her toward her friends. She noticed a tenseness in Winter's expression as she looked at the approaching people. "What is it?"

"Is that…?" Winter trailed off, her eyes on the tall, white-haired boy with the fox dæmon, who was helping a sickly young man off the ship.

"Yes," Weiss affirmed. "That's our brother. Mother will be on her way once their ship comes in." She frowned. "I thought Hermes told you."

"He did," Winter murmured. "I just…" She shook her head before asking: "Do they want to see me, Weiss?" Her voice was rough, raw, and vulnerable.

"Do they- Why on earth wouldn't they?" Weiss gasped. "Winter, we all understand why you had to leave when you did. We just went through that fight ourselves. It's a miracle that we're all together. Why would we be anything but happy?"

Winter took a slightly-hitched breath. "You never lost your childhood optimism, did you?"

Whitley was half-carrying Jaune as Ruby zipped over. "Hey! Help me with him, would you?" he gasped.

Ruby grinned sheepishly. "Sorry." She grabbed Jaune's other arm. "Hi, Yang!"

"Hey, sis," Yang replied.

Whitley's eyes fell on the woman next to Weiss, and he stopped short, his own expression clouding with uncertainty. Demetria's tail lashed nervously as she eyed the snowy owl.

After a moment, Winter stepped forward, her stiff demeanor and posture back in place. "Hello, brother," she greeted. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Whitley nodded a little stiffly. "Likewise, I'm sure."

Weiss frowned at the slightly cold reception between the two. Yang placed a hand on her shoulder, silently reassuring her. Whitley and Winter didn't know each other, after all. An instant familial connection was a little too much to ask for just then, especially with all the other things to think about.

The awkwardness of Winter and Whitley's meeting was quickly overcome when a joyful shout came from the last ship. Willow and Varian hurried down the dock, the frailness of before long gone with the journey, Klein and Sonja stumbling to keep up.

"Winter!" she called, nearly tripping on her way to her oldest daughter. She fell forward and was caught by Winter, who ended up falling to her knees with her.

"Mother…?" Winter breathed, staring at the vibrant, beautiful woman who had been a mere shadow of a person back when she had left.

Willow nodded, cupping her daughter's face in her hands. "Look at you!" she breathed.

Winter wrapped her arms around her mother, pulling her close, sobbing quietly into her shoulder. All of her inner walls came crashing down in the face of her mother's open smile and immediate acceptance. "I'm sorry, Mother," she whispered. "I'm sorry I left you."

"Shh," Willow breathed, tears streaming down her own cheeks. "You were right to leave. You have nothing to apologize for. I'm sorry I didn't protect you from that monster."

"You couldn't have!" Winter protested. "How could you have done anything without getting hurt yourself?" She hugged her tighter. "Don't you dare feel guilty for that, Mother! Please!"

Klein stood near the two as they talked quietly. Winter quickly regained her composure and helped her mother up, glancing around a little self-consciously.

Weiss and the others, meanwhile, said farewell to the Faa clan. Poseidon pulled all of them into warm bear hugs, one by one. "I'll miss you lot," he grumbled. "Make sure to look for me the next time we trade here, and send messages with Pyrrha when you can."

"We will," Weiss promised. "Thank you for everything!"

"Our pleasure, lass. Our pleasure," he murmured.

After saying goodbye to everyone else, the group set off for the inn, stopping briefly to get some tea for poor Jaune's upset stomach. Eliana was so woozy, she kept swaying on his shoulder.

The Snow Lotus was a large but cozy establishment, boasting a strange but gorgeous blend of rustic northern architecture and decoration, and a more delicate style that was likely oriental in origin. Weiss was eying a nearby sculpture, which showed a mighty grizzly bear on its hind legs, holding a single lotus flower delicately in its large paws.

"Excuse me," Winter called in a sharp voice. "Are Lie Ren or Nora Valkyrie here? I'm with the party from the south, here on recommendation of Pyrrha Nikos!"

The workers immediately bustled around, calling for the owners. Within minutes, two people stepped out of the strangely-orderly crowd of patrons and workers that shifted from one place to the next in a never-ending bustle of domestic activity.

One was a young man of eastern descent, with long black hair and eyes of an unusual magenta color. He carried himself with a sense of calm grace that drastically contrasted with the lively weasel dæmon that kept scuttling from shoulder to shoulder.

His partner, whose arm was linked firmly with his, was a short, freckled woman with electric turquoise eyes, ginger hair, and an infectious smile. The dæmon she carried was an emerald-green snake that wound around her neck and inspected the new guests with dark, unblinking eyes.

Jaune guessed the truth immediately. "Soulmates?" he asked with a grin.

The woman giggled as she gazed adoringly up at her soulmate. "How'd you guess?"

The man bowed slightly, forcing the weasel dæmon to pause in his scrambling and cling to his shirt. "Pyrrha likely told you, but I am Lie Ren. This is my wife and soulmate, Nora Valkyrie. Welcome to the Snow Lotus. Pyrrha has made all of the necessary arrangements. This will be your home for as long as you need it, until you can find your own dwelling."

"Or, you can just live here forever," Nora added. "I already know I'm gonna like you, and we definitely need more workers!"

She noticed the traces of green around Jaune's cheeks. "Oh, seasick, huh? Let's get you by the fire." She let the snake slither back to her soulmate's arm and took back her own dæmon before leading Jaune to a cozy stone hearth and sitting him down on one of the benches. "How about some potato soup? It's super gentle on the stomach."

Weiss and Yang followed Ren to what would be their room. They were told that dinner would be in an hour, then the door was closed, leaving them in sudden silence.

Yang sat down heavily on one of the beds, groaning loudly. "Whoa." She fell back with a sigh, closing her eyes as the fluffy blankets and comfy mattress welcomed her aching body in a warm, enfolding embrace. "Feels like forever since we got a moment of quiet. I'll never get the sound of the ocean out of my ears."

Weiss giggled, sitting down next to her, internally sighing at the softness of the bed, especially compared to the cots they had slept on for the past while. "It wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Nah." Yang grinned. "Just crowded." She pulled Weiss down to lay next to her. "I like this a lot better." She slipped a cold hand under Weiss's shirt, delighting in the shiver this caused. Her intentions were not-so-subtly conveyed through both her actions and the soulbond.

Weiss blushed, abruptly aware of the fact that they were alone for the first time in months, with a little less than an hour to spare. Quickly, she got up to lock the door, then hurried back to her soulmate's side. Yong Shi and Anmut were already tangled together, gladly reigniting the passion that had remained dormant, but burning hot over the course of their long journey.

In the aftermath, they lay together, cuddled up under the covers, their dæmons dozing at the foot of the bed. Weiss combed her fingers gently through Yang's hair, marveling once again at the fact that she didn't have to hurry back to the Manor or sneak through a dark town. She could just be with Yang and enjoy being with Yang. She knew that, no matter how much time passed, she would never grow tired of this feeling.

She felt safe. She felt happy. She felt loved, without condition.

There was a knock at the door. "Dinner in ten, you guys," Jaune's voice called. He didn't bother trying the doorknob. He already knew it would be locked.

"Coming," Yang called, though she didn't get up right away. Instead, she nuzzled a kiss into Weiss's hair, which fanned out like the rays of an icy sun on the blankets. "You're ridiculously gorgeous. Have I told you that, lately?"

Weiss blushed, combing her fingers through her soulmate's thick, golden locks and watching those lavender eyes drift shut. "Look who's talking." She got up reluctantly, her cheeks darkening as she felt Yang's obvious appreciation of her nude form.

"Oh, stop staring and get dressed for dinner," she snapped.

Yang snickered as she got up. "Okay, okay." Once they were dressed, she pulled Weiss into another hug, relishing the closeness of her soulmate and a welcome lack of the urgency that had plagued all of their meetings back in Vale. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you too," Weiss replied, smiling up at Yang. "But, you should probably let go if we want to eat dinner." As she was reluctantly released from the hug, she slipped her hand into Yang's, squeezing it gently, silently reminding her that they wouldn't be separated anymore, that they had all the time in the world to be happy together.

Yang threaded their fingers together and smiled down at the woman who had brought so much change and so much joy to her life. Together, they exited their room and went to where their friends were waiting.

They paused at the sight of everyone else seated at a round table, being served warm cider, crusty bread, and a hearty fish stew. Jaune, who had recovered from his seasickness, was sitting next to Pyrrha, who had just flown in a few minutes ago. Hermes and Eliana were talking quietly on a nearby perch.

Whitley was sampling the stew while Ruby quizzed Winter on the armored bears. "Can I actually meet one?" she was gasping.

"Yes," Winter replied. "General Ironwood is a well-respected warrior, and an old friend of mine. Just try not to be too hyper when you see him. They find such attitudes taxing."

"Oh, I'll tone it down!" Ruby promised, her silver eyes wide and excited.

Willow was sitting with Klein, who was chatting with Ren about a potential job in the kitchen. "I do have prior experience, after all."

Nora noticed Yang and Weiss, and hurried over. "Have a seat!" she invited cheerfully. "Eat all you want! After dinner, we'll have some music from a local group. Maybe afterward, you can tell us some stories. The people here love stories."

"I have one story," Weiss remarked, smiling up at Yang. "It's a long one, and it's a bit sad in some parts, but it's a good one."

Nora nodded, a look of solemn understanding coming to her face. "I've got one of those, too. So do most of the people here." She patted Weiss's shoulder. "The best thing is that none of those stories are over yet!"

Weiss sat down with her mother on one side, Yang on the other, and thought about Nora's words. It was true. Her story hadn't ended with her escape from her father, the attack in the Faunus District, or even her first sight of Yang. Those were all mere parts of a much greater puzzle, one so abstract and confusing, no one could possibly guess what it would look like.

The entire rest of her life was beginning right now, with her friends, family, and soulmate, in this wonderful inn that may or may not become their home over time.

"Home." Weiss smiled, leaning against Yang. That was a word she loved every bit as much as "freedom."

Yang kissed Weiss's head and passed her a mug of cider. Welcome home, Weiss, she thought.

Weiss heard the words through their soulbond loud and clear. At her feet, Anmut was snuggled up against Yong Shi, who had curled protectively around the swan and was purring loudly.

She kissed Yang's cheek and smiled at her friends as she nestled closer to her soulmate. The powerful drum of Yang's heartbeat thudded loudly against her whole body, wrapping around her and filling her with promise after promise of a bright future for both of them. For all of them.

Welcome home.

October is coming to an end, which means that my hiatus is coming up. During my time away from FF, I intend to type out the rest of "Wings of Dust" as well as original works that will be posted on my P/atreon, which will go through a major makeover. Unlike before, I won't give a time mark as to how long I'll be gone. To avoid the issues I've had with shrinking backlogs, I'm going to remain on hiatus until everything is finished. When I start preparations for my return, you'll absolutely hear about it.

You may catch me occasionally posting fics for other fandoms, as my brain may need a break while I'm working. "Wings of Dust" will be my last major fanfiction project, and likely my last RWBY fic. After that, FF will be something I use only for fun.

Thanks again for your support, everyone.

Peace out!