A place to yourselves

Having left the dining hall, you catch up with the Specialist and request to lend her your assistance. After a moment of thinking it over Winter nods her head and the two of you begin your patrol around the Schnee manor together. Thankfully, since most of the guests were congregated near the entrance to the manor and dining hall meant that the halls were as empty and as devoid of any kind of presence whatsoever. It is pretty evident that while the estate itself is large and very eye-catching for guests it is a different story for those who have to call this place 'home' or at least for Winter's case the one she once called home since she moved out some time ago after joining the military.

After what felt like an hour going down one long hallway to the next you finally come to a halt when you notice Winter had stopped in front of a door. When you ask her "Where does that door lead exactly?" curious as why she would just stop there to which Winter replies by saying that "This was my old room..." while placing her hand on the door with a sad smile on her face. She then opens the door and starts to walk inside with you following right behind wondering why she looked so sad entering a place that she once lived in. Upon entering Winter starts to look around inspecting the room she once occupied and was surprised at how much the room looked the same way it did as she had left it.

"I'm pleased to see that the room is still kept clean and in order. I'll need to give Klein my thanks when I see him for keeping my old room presentable." She says while gently running her hand over her old bed.

"Ma'am, am I to understand that you don't visit this place very often? Don't you enjoy visiting your family for Christmas?" You ask due to your curiosity.

Winter turns toward you with a rather somber expression on her face. From this, you can infer that whatever was troubling her may or may not have something to do with the present situation of her family. Sure enough, you were on the right track when Winter reveals that the last time she was able to enjoy a Christmas with her family was when her grandfather Nickolas Schnee was still alive, and their family wasn't in complete turmoil. Now with her little sister Weiss going off to Beacon Academy in the kingdom of Vale, Winter doesn't have much going for her when Christmas comes around.

After listening to what she had to say you couldn't help but feel as though something inside the pit of your stomach began to swell up from her story. You hated how on a day of celebration where everyone was to feel a sense of joy was replaced with sadness and deep down wanted to do something, anything to make things even just a bit more enjoyable. Even if it was just for a moment, you wanted to offer this woman a small piece of happiness. That is when an idea suddenly popped into your head!

"Perhaps a gift will help cheer you up, Ma'am!" You say in an attempt to cheer her up.

"A gift you say? ...Well, I'm a bit old for such childish things but if you insist, I'll accept whatever it is you have to offer without complaints." She closes her eyes and extends one of her hands waiting for you to place whatever the gift you mentioned was.