So, last chapter's reveal of Magnis meant something to a lot of people but not much to others. Yes, it was a reference to my first story, but I don't really consider it integral people have read it. Those who do got a nice "oh God" moment, while for those that didn't the ending still made perfect sense, albeit with the final line just being the name of this fortress.
But for the one or two that got confused with names, no, Magnis isn't where Jaune is from. He is from Ansel and Magnis is just a different town. Nothing more. Just a nice, lovely place.
Beta: College Fool
Cover Art: Dishwasher1910
Book 5: Chapter 8
Considering we moved from the city of Vale it was perhaps understandable that we saw the pass, and Magnis, before we did the Mistral army. Although a traditional siege might have sought to encircle the fortress entirely, that was too much of a risk here. The narrow passes on either side limited the amount of space an army could use to march past it, and the risk of reinforcements from Vale crushing a siege force against the walls was too much of a risk.
In every way that mattered Magnis seemed the impenetrable fortress, at least if it came to a traditional siege. Mistral had already shown they didn't necessarily have to default to that and there were other ways to Vale than through this pass.
Even so, I could see where Cinder and Ozpin were worried. It would take some serious firepower to get through the tall walls replete with thick buttresses and guard towers. The kind of firepower a Hero breaking the treaty might be able to bring. Convince an Assassin to scale the walls, kill the defenders and open the gates, and you'd have a very efficient invasion indeed.
"Is that the place?" Ruby asked, drawing her mare to a halt with an expert tug of the reins. "Wow, it's so big."
"It certainly is," Pyrrha agreed. "I can see why Mistral has been brought to a halt here."
"For now," Weiss warned, touching a wooden compartment on her hip. "It might not last if the Greycloaks have anything to say. We should meet with the garrison defenders first and introduce ourselves to the local General."
"Weren't our orders to investigate this Corvo person?" Yang asked.
"Yes, but Magnis is right here in front of us. We'll have to meet with both eventually so we may as well do it in order. Besides, we have the scroll from Ozpin if we need it. If something goes wrong in the Mistral camp and we need help, we can't afford to waste time with introductions and explanations of what our Quest is."
"Weiss is right," I said, nodding to the Mage. "It won't take us long to introduce ourselves here and it may save time when we need it most. Should we tell them the truth of our Quest, though?"
"I'm not so sure," Ren said. "Cinder told us to keep the scrolls hidden, and I think she meant from more than just prying eyes. The defenders of Magnis might be very interested in getting a hand on it if they knew it would remove the enemy General from power."
"It could swing the battle," Weiss added, "especially since Corvo will be in charge because he's the best candidate to lead the Mistral army. Ren is right, even if we're Heroes from Vale that doesn't mean they won't try and use us to their advantage and getting rid of the enemy General would be a good way to do that. It's best if we keep our real Quest hidden from them, at least for now. No one can know about Cinder's scroll."
I nodded along, content to leave the decision in their hands. Both sides of the argument made sense but in the end Cinder's warnings had to win out, especially when so much was riding on this. Isaac Corvo was an unknown at the moment and their job was to investigate, not aid the Magnis garrison. There was no telling of removing Corvo might place someone worse in command, or a Greycloak agent.
The imposing walls of Magnis were arranged in a rough square shape, which felt odd for a town since most I'd seen had more substantial walls in the centre and smaller ones around where the everyday people lived. In that regard Magnis was different, and looked more like a keep with its town hidden within the central walls. There was no farmland, much of the food being shipped to Magnis itself. It really was more of a fortress.
We went unchallenged as we approached the gates on the back end, which were, unsurprisingly, drawn up and locked shut. From this angle, and with the mountains on either side, it was impossible to see the Mistral army we knew lay beyond.
"Who goes there?" someone called from high above. I caught sight of a glimmer of light off a metal helmet but little more. "State your business."
"Heroes from Beacon," I called back, fighting to control Faith as she paced impatiently, displeased with standing still or with me being sat on her back. "We have to speak with the garrison commander, Sullivan."
"Heroes, you say?"
It probably was a little too much for them to see our Classes, not to mention we could have been Mistral Soldiers in disguise. I nodded to Ruby. "Show them."
"Yeah, I've been waiting for this!" the Repeater cheered, reaching down to her saddlebags. She brought forth a long pole with a tarp wrapped around the top, unfolding it with one hand. It was at least twice as long as her but she managed to wave it in the air, revealing a green flag with the golden symbol of unity on it, the same as our tabards.
Ruby had never looked prouder than when she waved it in the air. Actually, I was wrong. When the gates groaned and began to open – at her ushering, no less – it looked like her smile might split her face in two.
Soldiers fanned out either side of us once the gate was down, though there was no way we could have mistaken them for a threat since they pointed their weapons outwards, clearly warding away anyone else who might try to sneak in with us. They backed up after us, herding our horses in before one waved a hand above and signalled for the gate to be closed again. Only when it was halfway up did they relax, many laughing and putting their polearms away and some making their way back up onto the walls. One stayed, however, and approached them with a weary smile.
He was a middle-aged man with black hair streaked with grey, but he still managed to appear hale and hearty, garbed in muted grey armour with a longsword at his side. "Greetings, Heroes. Welcome to Magnis. How can I help you?"
"We're looking for Commander Sullivan," I said. A quick and meaningful cough from Blake, along with a nod upwards, drew my attention to his name. It only said Grey, but I recalled Ozpin's words. "Wait, you're the commander?"
"Surprised? Do I look that out of place?"
"Forgive him," Weiss interrupted, dismounting. "Jaune is simply surprised to see the commander greeting us so quickly. Word must travel fast in Magnis."
"Not even my Dexterity is that great," the man laughed. "I just happened to be here talking with some of my men when you arrived. Consider it a lucky break since it saves us both the pomp and theatrics that come with an official meeting. How can I help you Heroes? Are you going to be stationed here for the battle? If so, you might want to be outside the walls in the Mistral camp. I doubt there will be much room for Grimm to spawn inside Magnis."
I was surprised at how easily he said that, especially the lack of anger in him suggesting we protect Mistral rather than them. He wasn't wrong about Magnis being defensible, but I'd expected at least a little animosity at us defending both sides. Not here, it seemed.
"We likely will in time but we wanted to introduce ourselves to you first. My name is Weiss Schnee and these are my companions." The decision to have Weiss act as our spokesperson had been a unanimous one. Apart from being the better speaker, the fact she was from Atlas – a neutral Kingdom in the conflict – only made things easier.
She introduced us one by one and I nodded when it was my turn, keeping quiet. The tale Weiss wove was pretty much the same as what he'd given us; that we were here to protect both sides in the event Grimm spawned from any conflict. Grey Sullivan accepted it easily enough, likely because it was what everyone expected us to be doing.
"You should probably come and meet the Lord of Magnis," he said once she was done. "You don't need to rush off to Mistral's camp yet. There won't be a battle today."
"How can you be so sure?" Pyrrha asked. "Isn't it a little arrogant to believe they won't make a move?"
"Not arrogance, strategy. In battle you must consider every action the enemy can take, but that's the important part – what they can take. They simply don't have the means to get through our walls yet. I saw some trees being cut, so they're likely working on ladders and rams. That's going to take time and they'll encircle us before they launch an attack. Well, unless they want to make our lives easier and only engage from one side." The smile on his face said he wouldn't be against the idea, but he didn't expect it either. I couldn't blame him, nor fault his reasoning.
"You said the Lord of Magnis," I interrupted, earning a quick warning glare from Weiss. "I thought you were in command?"
"Oh, I'm in command of the Soldier Caste here but not the city. Just as the Treaty prevents the Soldier Caste from warring with the Hero Caste, it works the same between Soldier and Labour, and also Soldier and Noble. If Magnis is taken then the Noble will be deposed, but until then he – or she – rules over a region and sees to its defence and organisation."
"Magnis is ruled over by a member of the Noble Caste, then?"
"Essentially, yes. Lord Roux is the Baron of Magnis. In fact, I'm sure he would be thrilled to host you tonight in the main keep. There aren't many other places available as we've turned most of our inns into quarters for the wounded or storage buildings for grain and food."
"Do we have time to stop?" Yang asked Weiss. "It is getting on and we've been riding all day."
"Mistral won't attack today," Blake echoed. "We might as well be rested for our work tomorrow."
"Alright, alright, we accept the offer," Weiss said, sighing dramatically. "Will you take us to meet this Lord Roux, Commander Sullivan? Things might go a little easier if we had you to introduce us. We wouldn't want to intrude, after all."
The man bowed. "It will be my pleasure. Please, follow me."
/-/
Lord Roux was a bear of a man. He had thick arms and thick shoulders, eclipsed only by his impressive girth. It was the clear he hadn't seen much of exercise as he approached us with a wide smile and a thin sheen of sweat. His clothing came in a bright shade of maroon and burgundy, with patterns of vines and leaves down a tunic stretched fit to burst, and gold-coloured pants that clashed terribly. To be fair, he probably couldn't tell since his stomach hid his legs from view.
It was my first sight of a member of the Noble Caste, at least this close up, and I couldn't say I was overly impressed. Though his title was Baron, his Class was actually something a little less impressive. He was a Scholar. Somehow I'd expected `Baron` to be a Class.
"Welcome, welcome," he bellowed, and the sheer gregarious cheer of his greeting was enough to put us at ease. I quickly realised that might have been the work of his Charisma, no doubt his highest Stat. "I am Roux Von Alva, of the Von Alva line. Welcome to my keep and to Magnis. It is not often we get Heroes staying here for any extended period of time. Ha, my walls are too strong for the Grimm to be a threat, so I shall take that as a compliment."
"Lord Roux saw to the restoration of the walls when he took power," Sullivan explained. "He also commissioned a new watchtower on each side, bolstering the defences."
"Grey, please, you will make me blush!" Roux laughed and his cheeks were already red, though likely from exertion more than embarrassment. "No one likes to talk about the past, least of all Heroes on a Quest. You are here to watch over the battle, I presume?"
"We are," Weiss said, lying easily.
"Good. Wonderful. You shall have first row seats to the action. The view from the keep is unimaginable."
"Actually, my Lord, they are going to watch from the Mistral Camp," Grey said.
"They are?" Roux looked confused for a moment, before he closed his eyes and shrugged. "Well, to your own, I suppose. Those bastards from Mistral probably need the protection more than we do. Bah, a shame for the Treaty or you could laugh and watch as Grimm do the work for us."
Ruby stiffened, and might have said something regrettable but for Yang quickly sliding over to drag her back. The blonde shook her head quickly, mouthing something I couldn't catch. Whatever it was, Ruby nodded and stayed quiet. She kept frowning, however, not that I could blame her. Roux's words were as close to treasonous as they could be and had instantly set me on edge. We were already looking for someone capable of breaking the treaty, and Rous wasn't making me feel any calmer.
He, of course, didn't notice our stiffness. "Come now, we shall have a feast to celebrate your arrival. You shall have the best rooms. Servants!" he clapped his hands, and a few men and women entered. One moved over to the Scholar and leaned down. "Have our guests rooms made presentable, as quickly as you can. Eight of them."
"Yes, my Lord." The man bowed and moved swiftly away.
"There's no need for all of this," Weiss said.
"Nonsense! I won't have it that Heroes came to my fortress and were treated to anything less than the greatest hospitality."
There wasn't much chance for Weiss to disagree, and we soon found ourselves seated at a wide table before a large hall, much of it empty but for a fire pit in the centre atop which a large hog roasted. The tables were covered in red cloth as soft as silk and the plates and cutlery laid before me were silver.
I'd been left with Blake on my left, the furthest from Lord Roux – and definitely on purpose – and Grey Sullivan to my right. The rest of the party were stretched between, with Lord Roux firmly in the centre, sat between Weiss and Yang. The two girls didn't look entirely thrilled about that, though Weiss did her best to maintain a smile as the corpulent man blatantly flirted with them. I caught sight of a little spray from his mouth every time he laughed, not to mention Yang's disgusted expression. I half wondered if I should do something to help them, but he was our host and we had to make a good impression.
Soon, the food was served, and that, at least, gave the girls some relief as the Lord enthusiastically dug in. I tested the food a little first, unsure of what most of it was. It was fancy and brightly coloured in a way none of the stews, roasts and soups I was used to were. I tasted a bite of the meat gingerly, and quickly warmed up to whatever it was.
"I apologise for Lord Roux," Sullivan said softly as we ate. "He can be a bit too much for people at times, but he genuinely does care for Magnis. Even if he says and does things we don't always agree with."
Blake didn't respond but I knew she was listening. Her foot touched mine beneath the table, hinting that she wanted me to speak. "How did he get to be the Lord of Magnis?" I asked.
"He was born into the position, though his mother and father died when he was young. He was raised in Vale, with a cousin left as regent in his stead. His cousin did a fair job of looking after the place but didn't really improve lives any. He maintained the status quo and that was about it. Lord Roux came in with fresh ideas from Vale, however. He transformed much of the town, along with our fortunes."
"It sounds like you're pretty loyal to him."
"Oh, I am. If, well, I do wish he would curb a few of his excesses, but… well, I suppose they are harmless. To us, at least. He eats and whores himself into an early grave I fear, and no heir to speak of."
"He isn't married?"
"No woman would take him," he said frankly. "And I don't just mean for how he looks. The Lord sups often of… other fruit. He doesn't spend a night without a girl in his chambers. All willing, I assure you. He pays handsomely and if any bear fruit he provides them a stipend to live a life well. It's just… ah, do not mind my words. Perhaps I am simply being uptight. He often tells me that. We all have our flaws."
That was fair, I supposed, and as long as he wasn't forcing anyone then it was no business of mine. I did have the feeling he might try it on with Weiss or Yang, but they weren't stupid and could look after themselves. If not, we were here.
The meal progressed with a hum of light chatter, occasionally broken by a bellowing laugh whenever Roux found something particularly funny. He'd gotten Yang and Ruby to tell him about some of our adventures, I gathered, since that was the only way I could imagine Ruby actually wanting to speak with him.
"Bring out some wine," Roux suddenly shouted. "Come now, wine for our guests – and for you, too, Grey. Don't try and sneak away on me."
"I wouldn't attempt anything of the sort," Grey said, sitting back down. "Drat. There goes my hopes of getting away without a hangover," he mumbled.
"I take it this is a regular thing."
"More than I care for it to be." Grey paused to hold out a silver-encrusted flagon, which was promptly filled by a shapely serving girl. She giggled silently and winked at him before she moved over to me and then Blake. I noticed her shake her hips as she strutted past Lord Roux, though so did Blake if the foot digging into mine was any indication.
"I wasn't looking," I protested.
Blake didn't look fooled for a second and glared back at me.
"I suppose she'll be making some extra tonight," Grey sighed, nodding to Roux, whose eyes were fixed on the woman's legs. She bent down to serve some wine to Ruby, giving Roux – and us – a show of her shapely thighs.
This time I had the presence of mind to hide my attention in taking a long drink, saving myself a dagger in the side. I coughed a second later, spluttering on the wine. "W-What is this!?"
"Magnis Red," Roux laughed, having overheard and apparently finding my choking to be the height of hilarity. "Brewed here from a spring that comes from the mountain and provides a continuous source of fresh water to the fortress. I've had some of the finest Alchemists in the land come and convert it into wine capable of knocking a man off his feet." He saluted with his own flagon and took a long gulp. "Enjoy!"
"You paid Alchemists to come and turn water into wine?" Pyrrha asked. She sounded vaguely offended at the waste.
"Not all of it, of course. That would be foolish and I doubt Grey would allow it."
"I certainly wouldn't," the man chuckled.
"It's but an addition, harvesting some and fermenting it. All very boring, I assure you. Still, it's our prime export and makes up a large amount of our revenue. Why, it's drunk as far as Vacuo and Atlas – and I hear even the taverns in Mistral have started to order some."
It was certainly fragrant enough for that. Since I was a little better prepared I didn't choke on the second drink, and that gave me a chance to savour the fruity taste and soft texture. It was strong, unbelievably so, but a little easier to manage when sipped.
"Not bad," Blake said, sipping from hers and putting the flagon down a second later.
"It's an acquired taste," Sullivan explained. "The Soldiers love it, though obviously I've told the inns to withhold it with the war on. It wouldn't do to have our men and women getting sloshed when they should be protecting the walls."
The desserts were brought out soon after, some kind of fluffy cake in a rich sauce that tasted far too sweet for my liking and yet remained moreish enough that I finished my plate off. Blake seemed to like it too, as did most of the other members of the Guild. Roux had two portions. It wasn't hard to see how he'd grown so fat.
"This war is all a silly mistake," he said, sipping some more of his wine. "Those idiots in Mistral have always been up for it, while most of us here have nothing to do with them. They'll take a few provinces on the east coast, but we'll starve them out and counter-attack at our leisure. They'll be pushed back into the ocean. Isn't that right, Grey?"
"You're not wrong, my Lord."
"Ha ha!"
The Noble wouldn't actually have any part in the fighting, of course. From what I understood of the Treaty he wouldn't even be able to take part, but his ancestral home was on the line so it made sense he'd be passionate about it. Still, I had to wonder if that passion was a little off. He had no idea what real combat was like. I thought I had until I'd seen the battle at Caddin's Rest. It wasn't something to be proud of, let alone something that should be encouraged.
Either way, the meal slowly wound down as the sun outside the tall windows began to set. I'd had two flagons of wine in total and felt a pleasant buzz, while Blake had one less and already looked a little tired.
Roux, noticing the state of his guests, clapped his hands to summon his servants once more. "I think the ride has been hard on our guests. A warm fire and a full belly always makes a man fit to sleep. Come, show our Heroes to their rooms for the night, and see to any of their needs." The man's beady eyes fell on the full bodied woman from earlier, who had paused in front of him with a large pitcher of wine. "And you, my dear, would you care to have a sip with me in my chambers?"
She smiled and nodded. Weiss tried not to look violently ill when the two left. Luckily, many of the other servants looked equally embarrassed. They were probably used to dealing with it.
"So," I began.
"Don't even start," Weiss snapped. "Next time something like this happens you can damn well do your Guild Leader duties and sit next to him yourself!"
"I-"
"Hmph." Weiss pushed past me, or through me – slamming her shoulder into me.
"Ooh, someone's angry," Yang laughed. "Though to be fair he did hint more than once that we could spend a little time with him if he wanted."
"He didn't…"
"Yep. He got the hint I wasn't interested but Weiss decided to try and play it polite for fear of offending him. Big mistake. He basically took that as her being interested." Yang looked more amused than she had any right to be. That might have had something to do with the wine. She was still drinking it. "Anyway, I'm going to crash. See you guys tomorrow. Come on, Ruby."
"We're leaving?"
"Yes, Ruby. Put the nice drink down."
"Mm'kay…"
I watched as Yang helped Ruby up and away, following after a servant who left to direct them to their rooms. Blake coughed from behind me, standing there with a raised eyebrow. "We should head to ours as well," she said. "We have a busy day tomorrow."
"Ours?" I echoed, hopefully.
"Our two rooms," she clarified. "We're on a Quest."
"Got it." I tried my hardest not to look or sound too disappointed, instead motioning to catch the attention of an elderly man nearby. He came over and introduced himself, before he led us down the same corridor Yang and Ruby had taken before.
"All your rooms are relatively close to one another," he explained. "You have the floor below the Lord, though I can assure you the bedroom below his is empty. And sound-proofed. You should not hear anything too – ah – distracting."
"Thanks. Is it always like this?"
"It is, I'm afraid. Life in the city gave the young lord many great ideas, but a few vices to go with it. He is good to us and his people, however, and he has no wife to feel spurned by his actions. That is, I feel, a decision he has made out of kindness."
"But won't his line end when he does?"
"The Lord has many illegitimate children who might take control of Magnis, but yes, I suppose a new Noble Lord will be inducted once he perishes. That will be some time yet, I hope. Ah, here we are." The man paused at a set of double doors. "If the madam would care to enter, this will be your room."
"Thank you," Blake said, nodding once to me before she left.
"Your room is two along," the servant said. "If you need anything you need but return to the hall we came from. There will always be someone there."
"Thank you. I think I'll be okay."
The man bowed. "Then I shall leave you to your rest, good sirs. Have a pleasant evening."
The room I'd been given was well-kept and stylish, with a large four-posted bed with curtains on either side drawn open. To my relief it was more expense and less ostentatious, with clearly high quality furniture that spoke of wealth without screaming it in my face. It still felt a little odd to sit down on a cushion and feel it caress my backside, not to mention that I had no idea where to put my arms or armour. It would chip the obviously expensive wooden table, but the floorboards were polished to a shine, the crimson rug was soft and immaculately clean and the couch in the corner of the room looked far too nice to have a weapon rest on it.
In the end I put it down under the table, resting my armour and weapon above my backpack and tabard, so that they'd protect the floor. Most of my delicate things, like my pouch of armour runes and the wooden scroll-container strapped to my belt, I placed atop the table. I dragged off my brown leather jerkin and tossed it aside, leaving myself in just faded dark-blue hose and a white linen shirt. I kicked my boots into the corner behind the door and fell back onto the bed with a sigh.
It was disgustingly soft. I frowned; more annoyed I couldn't take it with me than how nice it felt. My sleep was going to be forever ruined after sleeping in this. Nothing would compare. It also reminded me that our sleep on the following nights in the Mistral camp wouldn't be nearly as comfortable.
A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Blake? "Come in."
"Hey!" Ruby said, poking her head inside. I had to fight back my disappointment, and then my guilt straight after. The Reaper skipped in, bare foot for some reason and dressed not in her usual red pants and black corset, but a pink gown tied at the waist with a thin chord.
"Ruby? What are you doing?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to talk."
"What are you wearing?"
"My sleeping clothes." Ruby did a little spin, though she stumbled before she could finish her pirouette and nearly fell. Her hands caught one of the wooden posts holding the bed up. "I'm fine," she yelped. "I'm totally in control!"
"Yeah, sure."
"I am," she said, pouting. Her hands swept her the bottom part of her gown back and she sat down on the bed next to me. With a giggle she leaned back, laying down flat like I was doing. "Hm, these beds are so nice!"
"A little better than what we're used to."
"Do they have to be? We're Heroes, right? We earn money. Why can't we buy beds like these?"
"Because we'd have to get them up the staircase at the Lodge," I pointed out.
"Oh yeah…" Ruby pouted, though it only lasted a second. She rolled over, planting both elbows down and resting her chin atop her hands. Her face was very close to mine. "This Quest is pretty scary, huh? But everyone here is nice. Even that Roux guy. Well, he's creepy nice."
"Did he try anything on you?" I had to ask.
She giggled "Nope. He left that for Weiss and Yang."
"Thank goodness. Well, he's nice enough, I guess. He's friendly and cheerful and according to everyone here he does well for his people. He has his faults, but I guess it's like Grey says – everyone has their own issues."
"Hm. At least his don't hurt people," Ruby agreed. "He's nicer than the Nobles I've met before."
"He isn't your first? I've never even seen one before."
"No, I met a few before I was let into Beacon. They were pretty stuffy, though. All rules this and rules that. They act like they have the right to make all the decisions in life and you have to follow them. It sucks but I had to play nice and listen to them." Ruby stuck her tongue out, or tried to. She mixed it with a giggle and instead slipped off her cupped hands, falling face-first into the quilt. That amused her enough to make her laugh into it.
"Um, Ruby…?"
"I fell!" she laughed.
I had a sinking suspicion I knew what was going on. "Ruby, can I smell your breath for a moment?"
"What?" She poked her head up. "Ew, no. That's kind of creepy."
"Humour me."
"Hm… kay." Ruby pushed herself up once more and blew on my nose. It wasn't really what I'd meant and she grinned as she did it. Even so, it was enough for me to pick up the tang of wine on her breath. With how small she was, not to mention her unusually low Constitution, I dreaded to imagine what effect the powerful stuff was having on her.
"How much of the wine did you drink?"
"A little," Ruby said, smiling. "Why?"
"How much?"
"Hm… mine, and another."
Two whole flagons? That was a little much for—
"And the remainder of Yang's when she wasn't looking," Ruby added, giggling like she'd just shared some clever secret. "She looked so confused when I switched our flagons. She thought she'd drunk it herself!"
"Ruby, you're drunk…"
"Am not." She tried to push herself up to argue but stumbled. She might have fallen and hit her head again but I caught her by her shoulders. She leaned into me for support. "Okay, maybe a little." She giggled again. "I feel so airy. Is this what Yang always feels like when she drinks? It's nice."
"It won't be in the morning."
"Ugh." Ruby pouted. "Can I sleep here?"
"W-What? No!"
"Why not?"
"I-I shouldn't have to explain why," I stammered. My eyes nervously trailed down her bare shoulders toward her gown, which had pooled a little below her since she was practically on top of me. I averted my eyes quickly. "It's not proper. You're fifteen-"
"Sixteen," she corrected. "It was my birthday in Mistral."
"S-Sixteen, then, but it's… I…"
"It's not like I'm saying we should have sex."
"R-Ruby!"
"What? Do you think I don't even know what that is?" Ruby giggled again and struggled out of my hands, falling flat with her face on my chest. She crawled up me a little, not even aware of how sensual the motion was. "I'm sixteen, not six, and you and Blake aren't exactly quiet when you do it." My face flushed with colour. Damn it all to hell. "Besides, Dad told me how it all worked years ago."
"Ruby, this is a little awkward," I stammered, cheeks heating up. "You're drunk and you're doing things you really shouldn't be doing and-"
"Hey." Ruby pushed her face close to mine. She smiled cutely and her eyes were lidded. "Do you want to do something naughty?"
I croaked uselessly. My mouth felt drier than the desert.
"We have that scroll from Cinder," she said, voice low, like she was sharing some conspiracy with me. "We should use it."
"What?" I wasn't sure whether to be more shocked at what she suggested or the fact that she hadn't meant something dirty when she mentioned us being `naughty` together. My head was already spinning in circles. "Wait, you mean...? You don't mean...?"
"The scroll," she explained, as if she were talking to a particularly dim child. "We could present it to Mistral and make them arrest their General guy, Cordo."
"Corvo."
"That's what I said. We could take the scrolls and give them to the Mistral soldiers," she whispered. "It would put a dent in their plans."
"Ruby, we can't."
"Why not? It would stop the fighting, and since it's an in- an internal affair," she hiccupped. "Since it's inside the Mistral army it wouldn't break the treaty. We wouldn't get in trouble, the treaty would still stand and Mistral would be delayed here. Everyone wins."
"Corvo doesn't," I pointed out. "Nor does Cinder or Mistral."
"But people won't have to die. Isn't that a good thing?"
"Not if the Greycloaks replace him. Besides, we made a promise to honour the treaty, Ruby. We can't break it. Not like this."
She looked up at me with lidded eyes. "Not even to save lives?"
I gritted my teeth. It was hard to resist her simple logic. "Not even for that. I'm sorry."
Ruby didn't respond.
"Ruby?"
"Hngh…" Her breath tickled the underside of my chin. She'd fallen asleep. "Huu…"
"Seriously? Just like that…?" I sighed and shifted, trying to move her off of me. It was awkward though because she'd clung onto me in her addled state; not suggestively, but almost like one might a large stuffed animal or warm pillow. Damn it, Ruby. I tried patting her head, and then shaking her shoulders, but neither was enough to wake her up. It was that scene, with Ruby laid out on top me in her sleepwear, which Blake walked in to.
"Blake, I can explain!"
"Ruby is drunk and fell asleep on you," she replied, almost bored with the whole affair.
"Uh… yeah. How did you know?"
"Yang told me she's missing, you're dressed, and I have eyes. I'm not about to jump to every wrong conclusion, you know. Have a little faith." She rolled her eyes as I laughed nervously. "I'll go get Yang."
"C-Can't you help get her off me first?"
"Be strong," Blake quipped, abandoning me once more.
In the end it took a few more tense minutes for Yang and Blake to return and yet more for Yang to get over how adorable the scene was. Eventually she managed to pry Ruby's hands off me, made easier be a quiet tune she hummed under her breath which seemed to make Ruby turn to putty. She picked up the smaller girl in her arms and winked at me. "I'll deal with this one. Next time you try to make a move on my little sister try to keep the booze out of it. She's little and it gets to her."
"Try and keep your booze out of her, then," I accused in return, face flushed crimson. "What kind of role model sister are you?"
"The bad kind." Yang cackled. "See you tomorrow."
The door slammed shut behind her. Bereft of the presence on top of me, though not the scent of her, I sighed and leaned back. "There, there," Blake said patronisingly, patting my cheek. "Did the big, bad Ruby scare you?"
"She wanted the scroll."
Blake's smile faded. Her eyes hardened. "I thought she might. It was a good idea to keep it away from her. Lessens the temptation."
"Her heart is in the right place," I defended.
"I'm not questioning her heart. Well, I wasn't before tonight. Next time she sneaks into your bed maybe you'll tell her you're taken, hm?" Her eyes, and the smallest hint of a smile, let me know she wasn't serious.
"Well, you know, if you were here with me then she would have run away with red cheeks."
"We're on a Quest," Blake whispered, though she did lean in when I did, meeting my lips half way. Sadly, she pushed my chest away with one hand, laying me down flat. "Maybe if you're good I'll visit you in the night," she teased. "But only if you go to sleep."
"Why do I have the feeling you're leading me on here?"
"Well, you'll just have to go to sleep and find out." Blake kissed me again, but quickly slipped out of my grasp when I tried to deepen it. She backed up to the door, smirking the whole way. "Pleasant dreams, my Knight." She left with a kiss blown my way.
Pleasant dreams, huh? After that? What a tease. With a sigh, I pulled off my shirt and pulled back the blankets. They still smelled of Ruby and now of Blake as well. With the wine coursing through my system I had a feeling it was going to be a restless night.
/-/
A clicking sound caught my attention, slowly waking me up. It was the sound of the latch on the window opening, and how I knew that was a secret Blake and I would take to our graves. Yang tended to notice, and tease, if she saw Blake slipping into my room through the door. The room was incredibly dark but I heard soft feet pad down onto the carpet.
"Blake?"
There was a sound of a breath drawn before the feet padded closer to me. I opened my eyes and caught a glint of amber eyes and black hair, before a pale hand settled over my face, hiding Blake and her coy smile from view. A weight pushed down onto the mattress beside me, and my initial thoughts of surprise were quickly replaced with something more as a knee settled on either side of my hips, a body pressing down on my lower half. I could feel her heat creeping into me, and my body responding eagerly in kind.
"I thought you were just teasing," I whispered, stroking one hand against her knee.
Her lips caressed mine softly, and then delved a little deeper. Her tongue darted out, pushing past my lips as Blake leaned down with all her weight, pushing her core against mine, grinding our hips together. Her hand left my face and trailed down my cheek, even as she pushed harder against me, sealing our lips together. It was far more forceful than she'd ever been before. Her hair tickled my face and I groaned into her mouth, my hands seeking her hips. They were small, firm and warm. They were also clad in some tight-fitting fabric.
Blake leaned back and smiled down at me. It was a sharp smile, a cruel smile, and one that spoke of dark promise. Her hands, already having trailed down to my neck, closed around it. Her fingers caressed my throat lovingly. Her golden eyes roved over my nose and cheeks, before they settled on my eyes. She smiled even wider.
There was a crash from behind me – several rooms down. It sounded like something striking metal. My eyes widened and I tried to sit up but Blake pushed me back down and settled her weight onto my stomach.
"What was that-?"
Blake made a silent shushing sound and leaned in, cutting me off with another deep and passionate kiss. As she did, her eyes flickered and changed before mine. They were no longer amber, nor did they shine in the dark. One was pink, the other brown.
And her hands clamped down on my throat.
Gods, Jaune. How many girls do you want in your bed in a single day? Harem fic confirmed. And auto-erotic asphyxiation, too? That's taking it a little far. Yep, well, some OC's introduced and shit instantly hitting the fan in multiple ways. Welcome to Magnis; leave your sanity at the gate.
And hey, I bet you forgot about these people. Best Gril returns. Accept no substitutes.
Also, I had a request to update and point out how people are dressed and what they're wearing, so I sprinkled in a little more description ala clothing here. I kept it subtle, of course. It would be weird to suddenly have Jaune take an interest in everyone's fashion when he's shown little care before. But I do realise that the initial descriptions of outfits were almost 70 chapters ago. And wow, this fic really is a long one, but it's managed, or at least I hope so, to avoid dragging on like some of my other long fics occasionally did.
Next Chapter: 2nd April
P a treon . com (slash) Coeur
