Chapter 11: Order of the Flaming Rose

Disclaimer: I do not own The Witcher or RWBY. The former is owned by CD Projekt Red and Andrej Sapkowski while the former is owned by Rooster Teeth.

[The Strong Cook Inn, Velen, Northern Kingdoms]

Geralt bit a chunk out of a soft, warm loaf of bread. He chewed and swallowed it before picking up a slice of cheese and piece of mutton from his plate and eating them as well. He then picked up his mug of cold, refreshing ale and took a sip of it.

It had been a few days since Ruby and Geralt had meet up with Keira. Since then, they had taken on a rather simple contract to clear out a nest of ghouls that had been plaguing a local village. Necrophages had become more common because of the war between Nilfgaard and Redenia, and that meant more work for witchers like Geralt. After collecting their reward from the ealdorman, the two decided to spend the night at a local inn. The witcher admitted it was nice to enjoy eating fresh food after spending so much time on the road eating food preserved for travel.

The witcher placed his mug back down on the table as he looked at the empty chair across from him. Ruby had finished her meal some time ago, her meal was some ham, bread, a glass of cow's milk, and some fresh strawberries. The young huntress had finished her meal in a heartbeat. After that, Ruby had decided to challenge the patrons of the inn to Gwent. Geralt then looked over to where Ruby was. She was currently engaging in a round of Gwent against a skinny bearded man in a coif and leather jerkin. She had been playing the game with the bar patrons for who knew how long. The young huntress smiled as he placed a card down on the table and smiled.

"I win," she said cheerfully as her opponent groaned in annoyance, placing his hand down in defeat. The man handed Ruby her winnings, some crowns, and a rather rare Gwent card. Ruby took them and went back over to her table. Geralt took another sip of his drink as he commented on Ruby's winnings.

"Hm, you've beaten everyone here. If your career as huntress doesn't take off, you could always become a professional Gwent player."

"Nah, I've wanted to be a huntress ever since I was little," Ruby said as she looked at the cards she had won. She had received a somewhat rare card of a man named Vernon Roche. Roche was the commander of the Blue Stripes, the special forces of the now defunct Temerian army. She had also received a card of Renuald aep Matsen (meant to be used in a Nilfgaardian deck), three Blue Strips Commando cards, and a Dol Blathanna Archer card (which was used in a Scoia'tael deck). Asides from the new cards, Ruby had won a hefty amount of money, around 150 crowns in total.

"So, what are we going to do next," Ruby asked as she stored away her cards and winnings in her knapsack. Geralt finished off the rest of his beer as he answered.

"We're going to start investigating the Baron's missing wife and daughter. Our best lead so far is to visit a pellar who lives some ways off near Crow's Perch. The Baron's wife visited him before going missing. And he gave her this."

Geralt then took out a wooden amulet from his pocket. It was simple in design apart from some intricate carvings on it. Ruby looked at the amulet in curiosity.

"What is it?"

"It's a talisman, which is simple enough to make by any mage. It offers protection against specific things for whoever wears it. What we need to find from the pellar is what this one protects against."

The door of the inn suddenly opened, and the two turned their heads towards it. Six men stepped into the room. They all wore matching red leather armor, with red leather kilt pieces. The only parts of the armor that weren't red were the bicep area of the armor and most the armor's chest. Instead, these parts were black. The black biceps parts were spiked. On the black chest of their armor were a sigil. Said sigil was of a red rose surrounded by fire. The leader of the man stepped forward. He had a grim-looking face, with cropped, brown hair and a goatee. A scar ran across his left cheek, and his right eye was covered with a leather eye patch. Draped around his shoulders was a white cloak. On his side was a broadsword that had an engraved hilt. The sword's pommel was in the shape of a rose. On his back was a red colored heater shield that had the same flaming rose shield that was on his chest.

"Can I help you," the inn keep asked the leader. The leader turned to him and spoke in a deep voice.

"Yes. I am Gunnar, knight of the Order of the Flaming Rose. My men and I would like a table, along with a flagon of wine and some bread."

"Right away, good sirs," the inn keep said as he showed them to their table. It was a bit away from where Geralt and Ruby sat. The inn keep then came back with a tall flagon of red wine with cups, and a plate of with a large loaf of bread with a bread knife for slicing. Ruby turned back to Geralt and began to ask him questions.

"What's the Order of the Flaming Rose?"

"They were one of the military arms of the Church of the Eternal Fire, made up of the remnants of the Order of the White Rose. They were formed to protect the poor and downtrodden from evil, and to spread the word of their relgion, the Eternal Fire. However, they've trade the first goal for a new one."

"And what's that?"

"Burning people alive that they consider heretics."

Ruby blanched at the witcher's words.

"Who do they consider heretics?"

"Mages, non-humans, people who don't confirm to their beliefs," Geralt answered as he picked at the remaining bits of his meal.

"Strange thing is, King Radovid V of Redenia disbanded the Order some time ago, and the remaining members moved to the east. I don't know about these members."

Geralt then picked up another piece of meat from his plate while Ruby looked over at the Order members. The young huntress then overheard some of them talking about business.

"What did the reports say about this place, Gunnar," a black bearded man asked as Gunnar poured a glass of wine.

"The reports say that a heretic has been hiding out in this village for three months, Rickard," Gunnar answered as he took a bite out of a slice of bread before following it up with a sip of wine.

"Excuse me, but what do you want to do with this person," Ruby asked as she interrupted the members.

"None of your business, girl," Gunnar said bluntly as he took another bite of his bread. Ruby was taken back by the knight's rudeness. Geralt finished up the last bits of his meal.

"I think it's time we turn in for the night. Come on, we can finally get a hot bath in before that."

Ruby replied with a nod and followed the witcher up the stairs. She quickly looked back at the Order members with a concerned look on her face.

A few hours later…

Ruby stared up into the ceiling of the room, lying flat on a bed. Geralt lied on a bed adjacent to hers, sleeping peacefully. The witcher was sleeping in his armor, having took off his harness and boots. Ruby was still sleeping in her outfit. Being away from Remnant and stuck in a strange world like the Northern Kingdoms made her miss the simple comforts in life like pajamas. However, that thing was small when compared to what was currently on her mind.

The talks that the Order knights had been having concerned her. They talked about seeking out a "heretic" in the village. From what Geralt said about the Order's practices, they were going to burn her alive. She couldn't rest while knowing that an innocent person would be killed. Ruby then got up and sat on the bed. She then noticed something outside of the room's window. She quickly got up and looked out it.

Marching out in the streets were the Order of the Flaming Rose, armed with torches and weapons. Ruby knew that they were going after this "heretic". Moving quickly and quietly, she walked out of the room and down the stairs, walking outside of the inn. She followed the Order knights, walking twenty paces behind and sticking to the shadows. Finally, the Order arrived in front of a tailor's shop. Gunnar kicked the door open with his foot and barged in, the rest of his men following him.

"What are they doing," Ruby said to herself as she reached on her back for Rosebud. However, all she grabbed was empty air. She then remembered that she left Rosebud back at the inn room. She quickly searched her belt for any other weapons before she founded her sword-dagger, pulling it out of her belt. Ruby admitted that she felt unfamiliar with the weapon. She had been trained to use a scythe be her Uncle Qrow ever since she was young. She had always relied on her sweetheart, Crescent Rose. She always relied on it. The sword dagger felt small and strange in her hands. And she felt practically naked without her scythe. However, she had to rely on it now, as it was too late to run back to the inn to get Rosebud. She then saw the knight named Rickard drag a woman out of the shop.

The woman had brown hair, and wore a simple green dress with a white blouse. However, what stood out about her was her ears. They were pointed. Ruby recognized this trait belonging to an elf.

"Please, let me be," the elf woman cried out in fear as two of the Order knights threw their torches into her shop.

"Quiet, whore," Rickard shouted as she struck her hard across the face. Ruby's grip tightened on her dagger as she watched the events unfold before her eyes. She remembered when Yang use to tell her stories about heroes like knights. In those stories, knights were honorable people who would defend the weak and poor, defeating villains and wrongdoers. These were the kind of people that Ruby aspired to be like. These men in front of her called themselves knights, but were proving themselves to be anything but.

Acting rashly, Ruby rushed out in a burst of her semblance and kicked Rickard in the back, hard. This caused the man to stumble and loose his grip on the elf woman. Ruby quickly turned to the woman, who looked back at her in shock and gratitude.

"Run," the young huntress shouted, and the elf quickly heeded her advice. The rest of the knights tried to advance after her, but Ruby stood in their way, bold and defiant.

"You're a brave little lass, aren't you," Gunnar replied coolly as her unsheathed his sword. Rickard, however, rushed passed his leader with his sword drawn. He tried to strike Ruby down, but she was too quick, and the young huntress quickly stabbed him in the thigh where there was a gap in his armor.

"Fucking tart," Rickard roared in pain as Ruby used her semblance again to rush pass him.

"She's usin' witchcraft," one of the knights shouted as Ruby dodged a sword blow. She then swiftly dodged pass another man who tried to stab her with a pike. The man again thrusted his spear at her, but Ruby parried it with her dagger. Ruby then turned around as she saw Gunnar walking towards her. Ruby used her semblance once again rush forward. She stretched out and tried to stab Gunnar with her sword dagger. However, the man simply deflected that with a strike from his shield. Before Ruby could react any further, the knight strike her on the head with the flat of his blade, knocking her out cold.

Meanwhile…

Geralt woke up with a jump, sweating dripping down his brow. He had that dream again, the same one he had discussed with Vesemir before arriving at White Orchard. It was a dream in which he was training with Ciri when she was young. However, that dream quickly turned into nightmare when the Wild Hunt had arrived, covering the fortress of Kaer Morhen with ice and frost. Ciri has been frozen solid, and Geralt had been struck down when he tried to stop them. The dream had always ended at that part.

Geralt looked around the room before she noticed that Ruby was missing. Geralt would of usually took as a sign that she had went to use the outhouse. However, something felt off about this. The witcher quickly put on his boots and took his steel sword with him, just in case if anything would happen. Geralt then walked out of the room and went outside of the inn. He noticed that a fire had broken out at one of the shops of the village. Geralt had guessed that this was the Order's handiwork, trying to seek out the so-called heretic. Geralt then put two and two together.

"Ruby must have been woken by the fire, and went to investigate," he concluded as he looked around. The witcher couldn't find any tracks of Ruby on the ground, so he did the next best thing and sniffed the air. The smell of smoke filled the air, but he still detected the distinct scent of roses among it. Geralt then went off and followed the scent. As he did so, he remembered a saying that Vesemir had told him when he was training at Kaer Morhen: when in doubt, follow your nose, as it always knows.

[Order of the Flaming Rose campsite]

Conciousness quickly returned to Ruby, and she was quickly greeted by a bright fire in front of her. Her ears then picked up a prayer by said by the Order knights:

"Eternal Fire. Enlighten, burn and cleanse.

Protect us and shower us with your light.

For the night is dark and full of terrors.

Ignite the darkness, and spread your warmth."

Ruby quickly looked around her and saw the knights kneeling before a great big bonfire. The flames crackled and illuminated the area around him. Her hands had been bounded with rope. She then noticed Gunnar approaching her. His sword was in his hands, covered in an oil of some sort. Sheathed in his bely was Ruby's sword dagger. The knight looked down at her with his good eye.

"Ah, the lady awakes."

"W-what are you doing with me? Why did you attack that elf?"

"You interfered with our business with the elf. And you used witchcraft in full view of us. As for why we attacked the elf, it is simple. She is an abomination in the views of the Eternal Fire, a heretic. And like all heretics, she must be burned in fire."

Ruby's eyes widened at the knight's words before they narrowed again.

"You call yourselves knights, but you're the furthest thing from one! You're nothing but the lowest of scum!"

"It matters not what you think of me. Soon, you will pay for your crimes, and be purified in fire."

Ruby's eyes widened at his words before she started to struggle in her binds. However, she was soon distracted, along with the rest of the camp, when a rustling was heard in the bushes. Geralt suddenly walked out of the bushes, and looked over the campsite.

Rickard was the first of the men to react immediately. He charged forth with his sword, but Geralt nonchalantly backhanded him once he came into range. Rickard then crashed into a tree. Gunnar stared at the witcher as he turned his attention away from Ruby.

"I'd have a feeling you'd arrive sooner or later, witcher."

"Yes, and I believe you have a friend of mine."

"I will not give you the girl, witcher. She must pay for her crimes of witchcraft at the stake," Gunnar replied vigilantly. Geralt glared at the knight before speaking to him. His voice was calm but there was venom it.

"You've attacked an innocent person simply trying to live out her life, and plan to burn a young girl on a pyre. What brave and noble knights you are."

"Don't you mock us, freak" one of the knights shouted at Geralt who simply ignored them. The witcher then continued his attention on Gunnar.

"All I'm wondering is why you're still around. King Radovid disbanded your order over a year ago."

"It matters not of the King disbanded us. We still continue our all for the Eternal Fire."

Geralt simply snorted at this.

"You have any honor in you, then face me in single combat for the girl's freedom. We'll use swords, and I won't use any of my Signs."

Gunnar thought this proposal over before answering Geralt.

"Very well," he said as he approached the bonfire and suddenly swiped his sword over it. The blade suddenly caught on fire, illuminating through the night. The knight always applied a flammable oil to his blade and preferred to light it on fire. It served as good intimidation tactic. Gunnar's men gave him a wide berth as he approached Geralt, flaming sword and shield in hand. Ruby watched the scene intently as Geralt took out his steel sword and held it in his hands.

Gunnar made the first move, bring his flaming sword down. Geralt swiftly dodged the first blow and parried the following one with a flick of his blade. Geralt then quickly followed it up a strike of his own. Gunnar endured the force the blows by raising his shield to block them. As soon as Geralt gave him a reprieve he struck, hitting the witcher with a swing of his shield before thrusting his sword out. The blade hit Geralt in his side. Ruby's eyes widened as Geralt let out a grunt of pain.

"Is that all you got, Witcher," Gunnar taunted as he Geralt resumed his grip on his blade. The witcher quickly parried his next strike before kicking him in the chest. The kick forced Gunnar to his knees as Geralt raised his sword to block the witcher's blade. However, Geralt's blade cut through the flaming sword and buried deep into the knight's shoulder before stopping at his stomach. Geralt pulled his blade out as Gunnar collapsed on the ground dead. While lighting his sword on fire served as a good intimidation tactic, it had weakened the blade considerably. Geralt looked at the rest of the Order, who were in shock at their leader's defeat.

"If you have any honor, you'll let us go," Geralt said as he approached Ruby. No one stopped or challenged him as he cut her from her bonds. The two then left the campsite, but not before Ruby retrieved her sword dagger from Gunnar's corpse.

"You're mad at me, aren't you," Ruby said as the two walked along the forest.

"I'm not. You did what you thought was right. However, you didn't think things through."

Ruby blinked at the witcher's response.

"What do you mean?"

"You did save that the tailor shop owner from getting burned by the Order. However, you didn't really think beyond just that, and acted on your impulses. You even left your scythe back at the inn. What would you do if you couldn't hold off the Order?"

"I… don't know. I just jumped into things, like I always do."

"You'll learn from your mistakes. Thinking things through and preparing are an essential part of my line of work. If I didn't do that, I'd be dead several times over."

The rest of the walk continued in silence as they went back to the inn.

Next Time - To Rescue a Princess

A/N: And here's another chapter of White Wolf and Red Hood.

And this chapter has an group from the books, the Order of the Flaming Rose, formerly known as the Order of the White Rose (insert your own RWBY shipping joke here). However, I soon realized that in the Witcher III, the group had been disbanded some time before the events of the game. I fixed this plot hole by having this group of knights be very fanatic to the cause and continue to due this work in spite of its disbanding by King Radovid.

And I admit this chapter, yet again, takes inspiration from Game of Thrones. Namely, I got inspired by the trial by combat between Sandor Clegane and Beric Dondarrion in the episode Kissed by Fire. It's honestly one of the best fights in the series, and one of my favorites. And I've made a very on-the-nose Game of Thrones reference in the chapter itself. Whoever spots the reference earns brownie points.

Anyway, please leave reviews, and don't forgot to fave and follow. I'd also REALLY appreciate it if you'd all check out my other RWBY crossover, Into the Great Wide Open, which I updated on Monday (I'd really love some reviews for it). I'll see all next update.