He came out to find Lod Rouge and Chief Xiao Long easing onto the seats of the Great Hall's dais while food was spread out on the table, just past a wide map of the village. The map was a detailed one, at least to him, with the Hall marked out and broad lines spiraling down around the hill for the main roads and smaller, greyer ones spiraling off it for the secondary roads. A handful of buildings were marked out, but he only recognized one - the prison where he'd said goodbye to Ember, and met Black Cat. A painful night that, somehow, already felt like it was a decade ago…
He pushed the thoughts aside and, exhausted, fell into a spot at the end of the table and accepted the small bowl of potatoes handed to him.
"Lord Rouge, Chief." He nodded, taking a bite of the food and groaning - he'd never been so hungry before.
"Lord Arc." The two men repeated, the Chief going on quickly, before the other Lord could speak. "I'm glad to see you're well. And that I left my village in good hands while I was away."
"I… Did my best."
"Don't sell yourself short." Lord Rouge said, unslinging his arm with a grunt of soreness and rolling his shoulder. Jaune raised a brow and he shrugged, "Dislocated it. Bruised when I popped it back in."
"Ah." He winced, "Glad you're alright."
"I wouldn't go that far." Lord Rouge sighed, gesturing at his leg, bare from the knee down, bandaged past even that, and splinted straight and set out at an uncomfortable angle to sit at the table. "I'm not in shape to do much. Maybe not even walk, after this…"
"My prayers with you." He promised, flicking a look between them. "I was asked for?"
"We're seeing to the defense of the village." Tai Yang answered, gesturing at the map. "It's… Not looking well. And I'm certain that thing will be back. Likely with every Grimm in the area, if what I read about your recent skirmish is to go by."
"How do you mean?" His brows furrowed, and he winced, forcing himself to relax his eye. "W-What about my skirmish?"
"Grimm just happened to be coming from the other way while a Darkling was out there?" Tai Yang shook his head with a dry chuckle, "Unlikely. And, more, we were set upon out there. A lot of smaller packs, all headed roughly the same direction by our trackers' words, before they came for us."
"Gods…" It would be a siege, then, he supposed. "A Darkling?"
"Smart Grimm." Rouge explained gravely, "Very, very rare. And not as smart as you or I. Only just smart enough to build up, before a plunge."
"If you hadn't come, we'd likely have been wiped out when it hit." Tai Yang went on, "And with our panic, and Ansel's-"
"You think this monster is responsible for Ansel?!"
"Probably." Tai Yang nodded as Jaune's blood began to boil in his veins, suddenly lighting him up and filling him with a rush of energy he couldn't place. "It'd track. Terror spreads, and theGrimm take advantage of the chaos. If this doesn't end here, it could very well go on to be an Incursion."
"Gods…"
"Don't panic, lord Arc." Lord Rouge cut in, tapping a finger at his end of the table. "Focus instead. If we stop this here, we'll be heroes for the ages. But, as we see, we've no way to survive a drawn out fight."
"None?"
"We can neither sally, nor can we outlast." Rouge answered, "We've barely half our number who can fight without impairment. And with them, only two thirds. We'll be ground down."
"Lord Rouge just wants your eyes." Tai Yang added, "A fresh perspective, before we tell everyone we're all dead, and start trying to get the villagers out."
"Most won't make it-"
"Better they have a chance, lord Rouge, if they wish to try for it." Tai Yang cut him off sharply, more sharply than he should have dared to a proper, high ranking Lord at that. Though no one seemed to mind, turning back to the map with quiet sighs and frowns. "Gods, but at least the rest of the Grimm are as dumb as ever…"
"They are?"
"Mhm." Rouge offered, "Once they see something, they rush. Even a Darkling is eager to get into it. Just smart enough no to rush in until its won, though."
"Or…" He blinked, "Or until it thinks its won."
"My Lord?"
"I… Might have an idea." He answered, "A bad one, maybe, but… Well, I have one."
"What is it?" Tai Yang asked, one brow raised.
"Simple." Jaune frowned, standing and tapping the gate they'd fought outside of earlier that same day. "We let the Grimm think they've won. We sally out."
XxX----XxX----XxX
'War is about strategy and tactics.' I was told, once upon a time. 'Strategy is brilliance itself. Planning, thought, preparation, logistics, all coming together to bring victory in battle. But tactics? Tactics is stupidity. A clever ploy, with more holes than an archery course target, that happens to work out.'
I never believed that, even after everything, but… Maybe there was a certain truth to the end of the saying.
'When it works out, we call it tactics, and maneuevers.' It goes, 'When it doesn't, we call it courageous, foolish, and tragic.'
I always wondered - am I courageous, or just foolish and tragic?
XxX----XxX----XxX
Jaune stepped into the small, open-air smithy to the familiar sound of hammer on molten metal, a soft, dull 'thunking', and the scents of molten iron, coal, and smoke and sweat intermingling. It was heady, oppressive and hot, even in the light linen shirt and trousers he'd worn. And, for the first time in a while, he smiled and felt… Not quite at home, but near enough.
It made him a bit sad, too, somehow.
The smith, a broad-shoulder man in his twenties, turned as Jaune stepped in and scowled, "Who the- Lord Arc?! What, uh, what can I do for ya?"
"Nothing." He answered, picking up one of a dozen arm-long metal rods, capped by a ragged point. "These will do nicely."
"Eh, it's pig-iron." The man grunted, moving over to join him. Picking one up, he sighed, "Farmin' implements, knobs, pots 'n kettles- Ain't gonna be much. Oughta bend soon as something hits it, ot it hits somethin'."
"It'll do what we need." He assured the man, setting it down and reaching down to tuck in his shirt. "You've a spare apron? Tools?"
"I do, Sir, but…" The man grimaced, "Why do ya ask?"
"I'm a smith's apprentice, Sir." He answered, turning back to him a smile. "Been one for most of my life. Only been a Lord a couple months at best."
"Yeah?"
"Mhm. And, with Lord Rouge and the chief back, I'm not needed as a Lord." He gestured at the lengths of ragged-tipped iron shafts and smiled more broadly, more c comfortably, than he had in a long time. "So, if you wouldn't mind an apprentice's hand…"
"I…" He blinked, "You're sure?" You'd have ta listen ta me."
"I know."
"Well, alright…" He took a breath and nodded, gesturing at the door at the corner of the shop. "Scrub down an' get your shit, then. Don't want no dirt in the iron, pig-worth or not. Then you can start ammerin'."
"On my own?"
"Yeah, why not?" The man waved him off, moving back to his iron and rolling his shoulder. "Just make 'em straight and jagged as all hell, it'll do."
"Right." He nodded, "I'm on it."
Hours passed in an old, but familiar, rhythm. Up, down, in, out, heat, mold, cool, sharpen, stack and measure. Outside the forge, he caught glimpses of Chastened, villagers, and Knights - his sister's and his own Brothers and Sisters of the Order alike - coming and going, doing whatever they could to prepare for the coming Grimm or to prepare the villagers for flight. But, for the most part, he kept his head down, focused on his work.
"Arc!" He looked up from a piece of jagged iron as the smith came over and sat a basket in front of him. He pointed at it and grunted, "Nails. Can ya straighten 'em?"
"Yes, Master." He nodded, "What about the-"
"I can cover it." He waved Jaune off, turning and heading over to the forge. "Extra hand sped us up, so we're ahead anyways. Carts 'n wagons need those nails, though."
"Got it." he nodded, letting the man take his iron rods and carrying the basket over to a seat.
Straightening nails was inglorious, tedious, and agitating, but at least he could sit while he did it, gently hammering the nails straight and firm. The trick was just not breaking them… And knowing which ones you could straighten without the forge's heat, so you could stay out of the way of more important - or at least more difficult - work.
"Brother?" He looked up, then smiled as Cardin stepped in, Dove's slighter form beside him. The smaller Knight still wasn't healed all the way, but he'd fought regardless, and his arm was splinted and hung in a sling for it. Even so, both smiled as they came over and Cardin laughed, "I didn't believe the others when they said you were smithing!"
"Yeah." He chuckled, setting the last of the nails aside and turning to call over. "The nails are repaired!"
"Good!" The smith called back, more focused on his work on the axle he was repairing now. "You can be done for the day, boy. We used up all the pig-iron, so I'm onto more complicated crap."
"He's… Surly." Dove murmured, "And improper."
"He's a smith at the end of a long day." Jaune chuckled, standing and straightening his back. "Leave him."
"As you say, as you say." Dive sighed, "You should rest, though."
"Yeah?"
"The Grimm have been sighted." Cardin rumbled, stepping closer so he could whisper. "Our scouts and hunters saw them. At least two score, mostly Ghouls but with Beowolves, Ursai and Boarbatusks mingled into the mess. Everyone who can be is being told to rest while they can."
"What about-"
"Everything is ready, brother." Dove assured him, "The wounded are loaded onto what carts there are, and those who can will take them once everything is committed and run."
"Ideally, they won't have to run far." Cardin grunted, "Just far enough to get away from the fighting."
"Yeah." Jaune nodded, though part of him still… Doubted it all. It was too late now, though, and he knew it as well as anyone. Everything had been prepared by now, and most of it was irrevocable.
And there was no time left besides.
"Come on, then." Cardin waved for him to follow. "Let's get you some food, and a cot to fall onto for a few hours."
Jaune nodded and followed.
XxX----XxX----XxX
Jaune woke up to a hand on his shoulder - and over his mouth. He started when he noticed the second, and looked up into the pale mask and amber eyes that had haunted his thoughts since he'd first seen them. And, for a second, panic raced through him and his hands shot up, trying to force her off. But, when he pushed, she receded, raising a single finger to where her lips would be and shushing him.
Quietly, he sat up in the little room the Chief had given him and asked, "Black Cat?"
"You know many White Fang, do you?" She asked, retreating and reaching for her knife, eyeing the door anxiously. "I wouldn't have thought it."
"No, I just." He scowled, "The mask. Makes it hard to know who I'm talking to. You know?"
"Mhm." She sighed, "Almost like it's on purpose."
"Yeah, I know." He sighed, sitting up and idly eyeing the hammer by the door. It was too far to even try, though, so he checked the bandage on his head and grunted. "Why are you here? You know how dangerous this is."
It wasn't a question, obviously, but she turned and nodded anyways. "Of course I do. What do you take me for?"
"A White Fang soldier who snuck back into this village in the middle of a siege." He frowned as the obvious occurred, "How did you even get past the sentries? They should be watching every damn approach!"
"It's my job, and I am very good at it." She hissed, "Why should I tell a Human about it?"
"Could the Grimm do it, too?"
"No." She answered, voice softening as she realized what he'd meant. "I… Your eastern fields. I crawled through them, then climbed the wall at a high point near the steeper edge of the hill. Grimm wouldn't do that. Not quietly, or quickly enough with my Light to avoid the patrols that run across that section."
"Okay…" He sighed, "Thanks."
"Mhm." She shrugged, "Get dressed. And hurry with it, too."
"Why?" He stood as she backed away, flicking him a wary look. "You still haven't said why you're here, Black Cat."
"Eber sent me, on a favor and a mission both." She sighed, "You're too valuable to lose here, Arc. The Cause needs you alive."
"You… Want me to run?"
"At least to the forest, yeah." She quipped, "I have horses there."
"I'm… Not going to do that."
"Arc, I don't know what clever plan you think you have, but-"
"It doesn't matter." He snapped, straightening and shaking his head tiredly. But resignedly, too. "I know how this is probably going to go, Cat. But there are innocent people- Men, women, children, Chastened or otherwise, here that will die if we fail. I won't leave them to die while I run, tail between my legs."
"You'll die."
"Then I die." He nodded, "But I die for something. For a good cause. I'm sure you can at least understand that. Right?"
"I can, but…" She turned to him suddenly and sighed. "Arc, dying here won't change much. But you come with me, you help my cause, and you can save thousands. Not die to maybe save some of a few hundred."
"If you care so much, help us."
"What?!"
"You have Light." He pressed, "You could help us fend the Grimm off."
"For a Human village." She scoffed, "You'd seriously ask a Fang to help defend a Human settlement?"
"I just did." He answered, frowning when she scoffed again. "What? Do you want me to beg? To sell myself? To trade my life for this? I will. I'll do whatever you ask if it saves these people's lives."
"By the Sea and Tides, she said you were a romantic…" Black Cat sighed, "And far too self-sacrificing."
"I'm a Knight." He shrugged, flicking the door a look when someone wandered by. When it was quiet again, he went on, "Growing up, I… Loved the tales the Church told. Of Knights, fighting back the darkness for the innocent."
"They aren't like that, you know." Black Cat pointed out, "They're oppressors and tyrants. Not some... Beacon of light."
"I know their faults." He nodded, even if he wouldn't go quite so far in describing them. "But… I can be what I believed in, growing up. To me, it's worth it. So I'll fight, until I die or I can't anymore, just like those Knights in the tales. For the innocent."
"Fine." Black Cat sighed, turning for the door and hesitating. Finally, she said, "I'm…. Alone, Arc. I don't have an army. I can't help you in the siege."
"I… Understand."
"But," she sighed, "I can whittle them down as best I can, before they come."
Before he could answer, she stepped forward and the shadows warped around her. Inky smoke flowing out and merging with the shadows of the wall, before they sagged back to normalcy like they were relieved. He just barely caught the door shuddering as it closed and chuckled, shaking his head.
Maybe it would be enough…
He doubted it, but at least he could say he'd tried.