Jaune woke up to a throbbing in his throat but, thankfully, silence. The room he was in was dark and quiet, aside from the gentle shaking of a window in its frame, and the soft rush of the wind shaking it outside. His blankets were thin and warm, but rough, too. Rougher than those at the castle had been, though nowhere near as poor as his were at home in Ansel-
His sleep vanished with the thought of home, and the sudden remembrance of its loss which dragged him to a grieved wakefulness.
Groaning, he rolled over in the bed and pushed himself up, sitting at its edge. The room he was in was decently sized, with a rug on the floor and a fireplace beside the window right across from the door. Oddly, the window was a short but wide one, set up closer to the ceiling than the floor rather than closer to the ground, where he could look out of it. And Gods, but it was dusty, all along the walls and ceiling and most of the floor, too. And empty of much other than the bed, and a table beside the door. There was bread on it, and some cheese too, along with a small cup with a drooping leather cap hung over its top to keep the dust - and insects - out.
He grunted as he stood and finally noticed, "Someone changed me out of my armor?"
And into a pair of loose, too-big, cloth trousers colored a dark sort of brown. A shirt lay at the end of the bed, hanging off of a short post at the corner. It was a dark, crimson sort of red, almost blood-colored, with a deep collar and dark laces he could use to draw it up tighter. It was weirdly thick, too. Layered, almost, but not thick enough to be gambeson. With a shrug and a grimace, he pulled it on, too.
It wasn't his armor, which left him feeling a bit naked and far too springy and light on his feet, but he'd make do.
With a full stomach, he stepped out into a short, but very wide, hallway lit in flickering Dust-light that bloomed to life as he emerged. A thick rug ran along its length, almost from wall to wall, and it was lined by shelves covered in old, worn looking books and scrolls, and stands for a variety of weapons ranging from the basic swords and axes to the far more exotic. Curved Mistrali swords he'd only read about - scimitars - and barbed whips hung alongside flails, swords that ended in odd hooks, and even a few war-scythes - rare weapons, with long, bracket-reinforced blades and gently curved iron handles.
It was… An impressive collection.
Gently, he picked up a heavy, tall war-axe and held it in his hands. It was iron-handled and hafted, with thick leather wrapped around its grip, with a thick iron guard in front of it to protect the hand and a steel spike at the base to serve as a counter weight as much as a possible weapon. But the broad head was bronze, the metal hammered smooth with a hooked axe-head and a long rear spike for puncturing armor. He ran his thumb along the gentle curves of the metal's flow - the residual signs of the layered metals being poured out and hammered into shape never faded.
"Beautiful…" He murmured, holding the weapon up in both hands. "Absolutely beautiful."
"Thanks!" Jaune squawked and spun, axe whistling through the air, and nearly caught the person behind him in the head. But she came apart just before the axe reached her, rose petals flying around him in a flurry before Ruby reformed a few inches to the side, face twisted in a scowling pout. "Hey! Don't kill me with my own axe! That's just weird!"
"S-Sorry!" He grunted, turning and hastily, clumsily, putting the weapon back on its stand where it rested, its head at Jaune's own height with its base spike resting against the floor. Flushing, he murmured, "Y-You just… Snuck up on me."
"Yeah, I do that sometimes. Nasty habit, dad says. Unmarriageable, when I sneak up on him, but he's teasing." Somehow, he suspected Tai Yang hadn't been joking when he said that. But before he could say anything about it, Ruby chuckled, bouncing closer and looking at the axe beside him with a smile. "Hresvelg."
"Hm?"
"The axe's name." Ruby nodded, laying a hand on its long hilt. "The head's the only original part we found. I made the rest myself."
"You made this?" Jaune asked, pointing at the long iron haft.
"Mhm!" Ruby nodded, clasping her hands behind her waist and smiling, "Father says it's very well balanced. Might even be like it was when Hresvelg used it!"
"I thought Hresvelg was the axe…?"
"Yeah, but, um- It's named for its owner." Ruby shrugged, turning and pacing over to another weapon. A long, segmented straight sword, each section parted barely and with small spikes at its base. "Hresvelg was… A mistralian emperor. Back when Mistral wasn't 'Mistral' yet. Her father started fixing that, when she was little. Then she grew up and finished it, and drove our Church out of Mistral."
"I think I remember the story…"
"Probably the Church version." Ruby giggled, turning and walking up the hall, with the clear meaning that he should follow. As he did, she said, "The real one is… Well, a lot longer. And way more complicated, too."
"And…?"
"And Father wanted to see you when you woke up." She said quietly, "And the full story is about two hours long. So…"
"Ah." Jaune blinked, "Yeah, makes sense."
"Yep!" Ruby chirped, bouncing ahead of him and turning to walk backwards, grinning widely. "S'why I said it, ya know."
Jaune just rolled his eyes and chuckled quietly. His mood was still foul, and his throat sore, but… Ruby was happy and eager, and so full of energy she seemed like sugar given human form. And that energy was infectious, somehow. Soon, in spite of how worried about Deery - Ember, he corrected himself - and how sore his throat was, he was smiling thinly, too.
How Ruby could be so stunningly bright and positive, he had no idea.
But he appreciated being around it.
Though, that did bring up a thought, "How'd you know I was up?"
"Hm?"
"I was only out of the room for a moment, before you came." He said, reaching up to rub his throat gently. "But you came right to me."
"Ah." She pivoted on a heel as she walked and then slowed a bit, so he could catch up and walk beside her. "Father wanted me to come check on you, when you were up. One of our servants came and got me when he saw you."
"I didn't see anything…"
"He's a sneaky one like that." Ruby chuckled, "Taught me how to do my sneakin'. Not that Dad was happy about that."
"Ah." Jaune hummed, "So he wants to talk to me?"
"Mhm."
"About?"
"What happened."
"Yeah, but…" He grimaced, "More specifically?"
"Dunno!" Ruby chirped again, "Didn't ask."
"Ah…"
Finally, they reached a wide set of double doors and a set of curved stairs that lead up and down. They were made of wood, but reinforced by iron and lined by Dust-lights every few steps. Ruby waved for him to follow, and they started climbing the stairs. At the top was a wide landing, in a room lined by crates, boxes and barrels. A pair of guards stood to either side of the stairs and paid them each nods as they passed, pushing open another pair of reinforced double doors.
And stepping out into the great hall, beside the raised dais Tai Yang's table sat on.
Jaune blinked, "Wait, we were-"
"Underground? Yep!" Ruby turned to smile, "We live on a hill. Most houses have cellars. And some even have tunnels between! Gotta use our space, ya know?"
"I suppose so, yeah…" Ansel hadn't done that, aside from some of the wealthier homes that had basements. But then, Patch was built entirely on a hill, as opposed to throughout a series of them. So maybe it made more sense?
He couldn't begin to guess - he knew how to work a forge, not plan a street.
"Daaaaad!" Ruby called out as she made her way around the platform and flitted up onto it, body briefly coming apart in a spray of red petals before reforming. Smiling, she said, "Jaune's up!"
He came around the corner as the man stood up. Unlike before, now he was dressed in a thick pair of cloth trousers with a belt of leather plates across his waist. His chest was bare, but he wore braces on his forearms, backed by thin layers of steel that reminded him of Black Cat's own armor.
He looked ready for a brawl, but smiled as Jaune came up onto the platform. "Glad you're doin' alright, Arc. Gave my girl a fright when one of my men found you."
"Dad!"
"What?" He raised an eyebrow, "You were flying around the village like a bird after a bee, Ruby. Don't deny it now, everyone saw it."
"Yeah, but…" She flushed, "Still."
"Heard it, too." Tai Yang smirked, "Pretty sure everyone in the town heard you-"
"Daaaad!" The girl whined, "Stoooooop!"
"I'm sorry I worried you." Jaune said, smiling when Ruby just whined and hid her face in her hands. She vanished in a shower of petals and reappeared at the far end of the couch, staring into a bowl of stew purposefully, and Jaune snorted a laugh and then winced and clutched his throat. "Okay, laughing is bad…"
"I'm sure." Tai Yang said, voice low and somber. He waved for Jaune to sit and he did, right at the end of the curve or the couch, opposite Ruby. While he poured him some of the stew, Tai Yang said, "This'll help. Had more than a few hands around my throat, in my life. Hot, soft food does wonders. I'm having honey-mead brought in from a tavern, too. This doesn't work, that will."
"Y-You don't have to-"
"I let you get hurt, nearly killed, under my own guard." Tai Yang cut him off, turning to him with a hard, flat face and offering him the bowl of stew. "And I let the Faunus take your Chastened woman and run."
"I mean…" He grimaced and took the bowl, "At least she's alive?"
"I suppose, hopefully. Though who knows what the Faunus will do to her…" Tai sighed, falling onto the seat a bit away from Jaune. Frowning, he folded his arms and said, "Keep that kind of talk to yourself, though. Church, and your Brothers and Sisters, wouldn't really approve, if you catch my drift."
"Y-Yeah." He grimaced, "Sorry."
"Don't be." Tai Yang smiled, "You just woke up. And judging from the room, you put up a hell of a fight. Don't stress being, well…. Stressed out."
"Y-Yeah?"
"Mhm." He nodded, "Don't recall?"
"N-Not really…"
"Cots were flipped, my man downstairs was dead, missing a lot of his throat… Found you with your hammer in the wall, sprawled out on a broken cot with a red throat." Tai Yang explained, "Wasn't a long fight, someone outside heard and went for a guard, but… Damn, man, if you didn't put up a hell of a fight."
"Ah." He blinked, "Yeah…"
Why would Black Cat have staged that? She had no reason to…
But Ember did.
Had Ember forced her to cover for him? If so, how and why? Black Cat had wanted him dead, she'd as good as said so. But then she'd turned around and trashed the place to cover for him. And it had to be Black Cat, too - Ember had been in no shape to trash a room. At least not in any good time, and without exhausting herself. Which would have made escape near enough to impossible.
So, why…?
He couldn't exactly ask anyone, unfortunately. So he set it aside and asked, quietly, "Where is everyone?"
"Hm?"
"I half expected Winchester to be there when I woke up." Jaune chuckled, "Or some guards or something."
"What, like out of one of the old Church fables?" Tai Yang chuckled, waving for Jaune to eat. Which he did and, surprisingly, the hot stew really did make his throat feel better. It must have showed on his face, somehow, because Tai Yang snorted. "See? Told you it'd help."
"Yeah…"
"You pick up tricks out there, fighting on your own." Tai Yang said, gesturing for Jaune to ear. Which he did gratefully, enjoying the way it soothed his throat. "From animals to Grimm, and bandits to raiders. If it exists, I've probably killed it-"
"Or run from it." Ruby called from the other end of the couch, flopping out on it long ways and sighing tiredly.
"Ruby…"
"What?"
"You stole my punchline."
"You're a brawler, dad." Ruby chuckled, "Aren't all your lines 'punch' lines?"
"Sometimes, I'm so proud of you…" Tai Yang sighed, shaking his head and turning back to Jaune. "Anyway, where was I?"
"I don't know?" Jaune shrugged unsurely, setting his empty bowl on the table in front of him. "You've been… Meandering, a bit."
"Yes, well…" Tai Yang sighed, and gestured to his clothes. "As you might have guessed, Lord Rouge and I have… Decided to change our tactic, after what happened to you, Lord Arc."
"How so?"
"I've drummed up a militia, to mix in with your brothers and sisters." Tai Yang explained, "Not much, but about as many as you brought. Mostly local hunters and shepherds. Slings, bows, a crossbow here and there from some of the wealthier folk. Also some youths. Just for scouting, running around formations to keep a look out, that sort of thing."
"I see." It made sense, of course. More people meant more eyes, and archers? Slingers? They could help, too, he was sure. And they knew the land. "Has it worked out, yet?"
"Several Ghouls dead." Tai Yang answered, "Two of yours and four of mine, too…"
"Damn it all…"
"These bastards are smart." Tai Yang said, "It's why, starting tomorrow, I'll be out there myself. Hunting personally, with some of my people."
"You will?" He couldn't help the thrill of excitement that shot through him for that. The chance to see someone with Light, a Wanderer, in action? It had to be rare. He smiled and said, "The Grimm will be gone in a day."
"Don't fill me up with hot air, Arc." Tai Yang chuckled, voice growing low and somber as he went on. "The Gods' Light or not, Ghouls can swarm me. Drag me down. Like peasants pulling an armored cavalier off her horse. No matter how well protected you are, sheer numbers can pin you until someone finds somewhere to stick something in you."
"I-I know, I didn't mean to upset-"
"You didn't." He grunted, waving Jaune off. "I'm just anxious, I suppose. Been years since I was really out there. Really fighting."
"I can understand that. I think." Honestly, he was happy not to be in a fight. But at the same time, the thought that his fellow Preying Eagles had gone out to fight, and some had died, while he lay in bed?
It made him feel sick.
And it… It made a sudden rage burn in the back of his throat, choking him. His Brothers and Sisters had died, and he'd lost Deery to these things… And he'd spent a day in bed. Sleeping while everyone around him suffered and fought. And who knows what else, too, when it came to Ember.
"What… What about me?"
"What about you, my Lord?"
"What will I be doing?"
"Resting." Tai Yang said, "Here, in Patch."
"But I-"
"Am fine enough, I'm sure." Tai Yang cut him off, "But you're resting here for more than just your throat and your lost property, Lord Arc."
Jaune pushed aside the vitriol that welled up at the casual way he dismissed Ember - as mere property - and grimaced. "Then… Why?"
"You, and some of my militia as well as your detachment's survivors, are to remain in Patch as garrison." Tai Yang explained, "If left undefended, I'm not convinced the Ghouls, smart as they are, won't make a move for the town. Even if they're repelled, it'd cause chaos. And chaos breeds the Darkness from which Grimm spring."
"I see…"
"No to mention the Faunus." Tai Yang added, standing up and pacing around the table to stand at the edge of the dais and look out on the hall. "They made a run on us for your Chastened. Who's to say that wasn't opportunism? That they weren't here for something else. Information, maybe, on patrols and defenses. How many guards we have, and where we have them. Grimm take me, they could get plenty of that from your Chastened in and of itself."
"So you want us here to defend the town against… Raiders, or Grimm?"
"Or, worst comes, both." Tai Yang turned and nodded, "One attacking and being repelled could give the other the opportunity to strike. While I'm miles away. I'm leaving my home in your hands. More than that, even, I'm leaving my daughter in your hands, Lord Arc."
"That's… A lot." Too much, Jaune felt. The pressure settled on his shoulders like a weight, dragging his rage from him and leaving… Anxiety. Heavy, dulling and full. "Tai Yang, I-I can't possibly-"
"You're an Arc." Tai Yang cut him off, "And I heard how you lead in the forest."
"I failed…"
"Yes, you did." The blonde smiled, then set his hands on his hips and nodded. "But not because you made a mistake. You kept your men fresh on the math, ready for a fight. And listened to your Second's advice before you did it. Then you reacted admirably to the attack, placing additional sentries and tended to the wounded before quick-marching back to safety as fast as you could."
"That's all just… Obvious, isn't it?"
"You'd think." He sighed and shook his head, "But when I was young, before I even knew the Light as I do now, I marched under a Lord's banner. Mercenaries, not Knights, but still. The same happened to us. Ambushed foragers. You know what my captain did?"
"What?"
"He ordered us into the woods." Tai Yang said, "To hunt down the Grimm, with less fighters on our side, no clue what we were up against, and no eyes on terrain."
"You survived…"
"We killed them." Tai Yang said wearily, "And damn near our whole company, too. Just me, the Captain, and another woman named… Well, it was three of us, now. And the Captain didn't survive his wounds to get back to the city. A nice pay day, fifty fighters' worth split two ways. But that, Arc, is what a fool would do. You reacted like a man taught to fight, to lead."
"So, I'm asking," Tai Yang finished, "Will you protect my home, and my daughter, while I put these bastards in the ground? Or do you want revenge more? Whatever you decide, I will back you. Lord Rouge isn't of rank to force you to ignore justice for the sake of his orders and pride."
"I see…" It was tempting, to get out there, and fight. It would have felt good to, too, he was sure. But… Tai Yang had asked, genuinely and from the heart, for his help.
And what kind of man would spit on that?
"I'll hold Patch for you." he promised, easing back in his seat and sighing. "I couldn't protect Ansel. But…"
"You'll protect Patch." The brawler nodded, "I'm certain of it."