Meeting the court


"Welcome to the kingdom of Arcadia"

Jaune just couldn't believe what he was hearing the grimm eternal enemies of both man and faunus, he have also heard that some grimm are smarter than most but this, this is something else.

For sure Jaune thought that the only reason he is alive right now is be cause of Solomon's kindness (a trait that Jaune try to comprehend from a grimm) and for that he is grateful he only hope the other occupants of the castle is like him.

"come now child, I will show you where you be staying" Solomon gestured Jaune to follow.

the pair make their way to the numerous halls the armored grimm that was with them left a while ago.

"here we are" Solomon opened for Jaune to enter the room, the room is quite spacious a bed with a nightstand, a desk positioned to faced outside the window, a wardrobe that is empty at the moment, and another door leading to the bathroom, the room is simple to say the least.

"If you have any questions please ask them over dinner we will talk then" and with that Solomon left the room leaving Jaune to his devices.

Jaune sat on his bed and took a moment to reflect on his situation, he is stuck in a kingdom filled with grimm with human level intelligence, a kingdom he don't know where in remnant that is located, and he is under Solomon's mercy, Jaune didn't help but notice how the other grimm look at him, they have a look of curiosity is like they saw something they haven't seen before while other times they look at him full of contempt but one look towards Solomon make them quickly turn there heads, others just ignore him.

he can't help but wonder what kind of grimm Solomon is that make other grimm obey to his every word, their leader perhaps? Like an Alpha beowolve in the pack? the way Solomon carries himself shows he have much wisdom and knowledge from his surely long life.

a knock came to the door that snap Jaune out of his ravine "I'm coming in" he heard a sweet voice outside, the door opening revealing the sorce of the source, Jaune immediately identify as a grimm more specifically a lady grimm.

she have slim frame that emphasize her curves, long legs and a face of a young woman, she wore a black leather corset covering her abdomen showing a little of her chest and a short skirt, her hair tied in a neat bun and strands of hair frame her face like a portrait, she would have reminded Jaune of one of his older sisters...if not for the spider like legs hanging from her back and long speared fingers.

"so you must be our new guess, Jaune was your name?" Jaune nodded to the spider grimm.

"my name is Ara it's a pleasure to meet you dearie" she pull out a hand for him to shake, he shook the hand given to him and is surprised her hands is quite soft and delicate than what they appear.

"Solomon told me you would be staying here for a while and you don't have anything at hand do you?" Ara gestured to him, Jaune was wearing a simple blue shirt and brown pants it is the only possession Jaune have, no doubt Solomon would provide the rest.

"well we can't have that, stand overhear and stay still would you dear?" Jaune stood as Ara pulled a thread from her wrist and taking his measurements, once taken she sit on the bed and began weaving what to be clothes for Jaune to wear for his stay all being procured from her wrist, Jaune could only watch amazed.

"how can you do that?" Jaune ask, Ara smiled before answering "it's my specialty dear, i weave clothes from the silk i produced from my wrist, we Arachnids are known to weave the most finest garments of the kingdom and I am the best in the craft" she answered with no small amount of pride.

she finished her work and gave it to Jaune "here we are dear, go try them on"

Jaune took the clothes and try them on it's a simple white shirt and pants made from Ara's silk, surprisingly it was comfortable and soft to the touch.

while Ara made more to fill his wardrobe Jaune noticed the silk changing color "how did you change the threads color?", Ara turned to him and answered "oh this?" showing him a white thread that slowly becoming blue "I laced my threads with aura and using my semblance i change the threads color, this is how me and my sisters do it"

Jaune have a confused look and ask Ara "whats aura and a semblance? i ask Solomon but it didn't help much" Ara just patted his head "then you should ask him more about it" she said with a mysterious smile.

he opened his mouth but closed it, maybe he should wait and ask Solomon about it instead he thought.

after Ara finished her work she took Jaune and gave him a tour around the castle, the castle is huge built on-top of a mountain overlooking the entire kingdom, the very top of the castle is covered by clouds, she showed him a large statue of a winged knight stabbing a grimm in the chest with a spear at the front of the castle.

along the way Jaune learned a little about Arcadia from Ara, the stone like grimm perched around the castle walls are called gargoyles and Solomon is indeed the king of Arcadia, when he ask more questions she told him to ask Solomon later.

"where are we going next?" Jaune ask his guide "come dearie, i will introduce you to the rest of the court" the court are grimm that are tied to the castle and serve as Solomon's advisers Ara happens to be one of them.

Ara took Jaune to a large room filled with gold coins stacked high to the ceiling. gold, jewels, rings, crowns, anything valuable stored here as he could here a faint voice of an old man counting.

"Midas, come say hello to our guess" Ara called out

the grimm known as Midas raised his head to acknowledged the new arrivals, a muscular man with a beard and curly hair, pointed ears, a bone mask over his red eyes and a scowl on his face, he wore a white toga with purple details.

"I have no time to go fraternizing weaver, there are gold to be accounted and gold to gain" he answered with an edge on his voice.

Jaune hid behind Ara as she isn't affected by his dangerous tone "come now Midas don't be like that he is our guess and must be treated as one".

Midas looked over Jaune who is trying to shrink behind Ara "so this is the boy who appeared from the gate? look at him covering he should be gone save least a coin that way.

"Solomon intended to keep him here until he find where he is from" Ara answer back.

the Treasurer pinch his chin deep in though until he looked at Jaune again "what is your name boy?" he ask "J-Jaune Arc", Midas took a moment before gesturing Jaune to come closer, Jaune hesitated but Ara urge him to go closer.

"Here" Midas toss something to Jaune, the boy manages to catch it almost fall down opening the pouch he found it's filled with gold coins "consider it an early investment for what Solomon have in store" Midas said as he return to his work.

Jaune was confused to what he meant until Ara called for him "come dear that was the closing thing as a hello we can get from him".

Ara then lead Jaune to the castles armory the room filled with weapons and armor all lined up, getting deeper in the room a steady beat of a hammer meeting anvil can be heard.

getting closer to the figure in front of the anvil is boarbatusk or looks like one, the Grimm is short about four feet have a round barrel body and thick arms and legs, his face covered mostly by hair and his braided beard is long reaching his waist covering his torso, his seven red beady eyes focused on his work.

"Beor come meet our guest"

the smith stop his hammering and looked up, a grin on his face.

he approached the duo and took Jaunes hand with two hands and shake them vigorously "so this is the human who drop by, it's good to meet ya lad I am Beor the castles smith" Beor introduced himself.

"I'm Jaune, it's nice to meet you" Jaune greeted.

Beor lets out a loud hearty laught "it sure is lad it sure is, here have a drink" Beor hands a flask for Jaune.

Jaune took it and drank its contents, his whole body shivered the drink is too sweet for him "what is this?" He ask.

"mead my people make these in barrels full, honey, water, tree sap, and a pint of nectar" Beor answered with a laugh.

Jaune return the extremely sweet drink which Beor emptied in one gulp apparently he really like sweet.

"I was just about finishing me work, getting myself clean before coming over" Beor said "by the way lad here" he gave Jaune a pendant with a rune "my people gave these to people they meet, the rune means 'friendship' i have a feeling we are going to be good friends".

Jaune took the pendent and hid it in his pocket "thank you, i will take good care of it"

"then we will take our leave then" after introducing the smith Ara took Jaune to the kitchen, it is a large room with a big cooking pot at the center and someone attending it.

"Zao I like to introduce you to Jaune he will be staying here" the grimm known as Zao turned from the cooking pot to meet them.

now Jaune wasn't sure how to best describe him but he is a cross between a catfish and a frog, two red beady eyes and a toothy grin, he wore a white apron that covered his front and a chef hat on his head.

"a pleasure to meet our honored guest" Zao greeted "I'm the chef and i will be making the meals, here try some of it" Zao held a spoon for Jaune to taste.

Jaune took a sip and it is very good.

"it's great!" Jaune cheered "It's terrible" Zao deadpan.

Zao lift the pot and swallowed it whole, Jaune went slacked jaw to his action.

"sorry about that but rest assured the next batch will be very good" taking a new pot from a counter he began making something new to replaced what he swallowed.

"come along dearie its about time for dinner, go wash your hands now" Jaune washed his hands and followed Ara to the dining hall where the others are already seated, Jaune sit beside Ara and Zao came with the food.

Jaune enjoyed the food ranging from an assortment of fruits and vegetables, peas, mashed potatoes even a whole turkey where they get the bird he would never know, Beor eating a drumstick and drinking his mead making jokes and laughing, Midas disgusted from his lack of manners, Ara gently trying to calm him down, Zao inhaling a whole roasted pig and finally Solomon eating his meal silently, his face devoid of emotion but Jaune could tell he find it all amusing.

supper has ended and Jaune left for his room before he could enter Solomon approached him "how did you find the others?" Solomon ask "there very nice in there own way they can be loud sometimes" Jaune chuckled and Solomon nodded.

"in regards of your way home, as you are now it would take some time to train your body and control your aura to use the gate again, i just want you to know that you would be staying with us for some time possibly years" Solomon stated.

Jaune knew it would take time but he didn't imagine it would take years he's worry about his father, mother and siblings, he wanted to get home soon but with the way it is unfair it may be he needed to be stonger until a thought came to him.

"a hunter".

"sorry?".

"a hunter is someone who protects people from grimm a hero, my father and grandfather were heroes and i wanted to be one like them to save people so could you train me?" Jaune said full of conviction.

Solomon went silent until "the path that you wish to take will not be easy, but with the right training and the motivation its possible" he said and Jaune couldn't help but smile, he would be a hunter, Solomon has given him a chance that even his family denied him.

"very well Jaune tomorrow we will begin your training, now get to bed you need the rest" and with that Solomon left.

after taking a nice bath Jaune went to bed eager for tomorrow.


Solomon was walking in the many hallways of the castle, portraits of men and woman, human and faunus decorated the walls their features immortalized in the painting but what all of them have in common are an emblem of a twin crescent moon in their persons.

he reached the very end of the line of paintings and gazed at it, the portrait of a young man with golden hair and ocean eyes as well as the twin crescent moon engraved in his silver white armor.

"he is just like you mi'lord" he said softly as he went away.