So, this is the last chapter of book five, which isn't to say it's the end of the fic, but that there will be no update next week as I'll be planning the next book out in full.
Notice - 24th May
I mentioned before that come June I might have to take some time off writing due to a big exhibition at work, which will have me working from 6am to 9pm each night and sleeping in a hotel. I now have the specific dates. There will be no updates from Monday 4th June to Friday 8th of June. This will affect three fics – Forged Destiny, Service with a Smile and White Sheep. My weekend fics will be unaffected. The weekday ones will have no updates that week.
This is just to let you all know.
Beta: College Fool
Cover Art: Dishwasher1910
Book 5: Chapter 16 (Final)
"Cinder and I have pieced together what information we can to better understand the Greycloaks' motives," Ozpin said. "As the team involved, and with your involvement in the future all but guaranteed, Cinder thought it best if we called you here to explain what we've found."
"I believe it better for you to be informed," Cinder said.
It was the conversation that precluded our arrival in the staffroom once more, a venue that few students saw but that we'd been in twice now. We were even at the same table with a selection of drinks and small snacks provided for us. Knowing we'd be too tense to eat any while he talked, Ozpin had made light conversation until we'd had our fill. Now, it looked like the time for relaxation was over.
I was sat between Ruby and Ren and away from Blake and I doubted I was the only one to notice that. Ruby kept giving us positively grief-stricken looks, and honestly seemed more torn up about our break-up than I or Blake did. Maybe for me the feelings were just muted. I was sad, but I didn't want to deal with it, and after everything that had happened – the death of those soldiers I'd made Blake kill, the siege of Magnis and the death of Corvo – I just didn't have anything left. Whatever the case, no one complained and after a moment to make sure we were listening, Ozpin continued.
"Though we're still at a loss to what the ultimate goal and organisation of the Greycloaks is, it seems obvious that each individual cabal wishes to summon Salem, and seems to be under the command of a singular individual - Merlot for Atlas, Tyrian for Mistral and now Roux for Vale. Their wishes were all self-serving and personal, leading us to believe that although there is someone organising things – Roman's transport from cabal to cabal being the obvious clue – there is no central goal. Or, if there is, that goal is not to make use of the wish itself. Otherwise, these wishes wouldn't be gifted to whoever summons Salem."
"It also seems that the organisation behind the Greycloaks is not forthcoming with information to those below it, because all the wishes thus far have ended in the one making them being killed, and yet there is no shortage of volunteers. Similarly, though we reclaimed the tome of summoning from Mistral, the means with which to summon her has clearly been written down elsewhere as Roux had no difficulty."
"This tells us that the Greycloak threat won't end until the head of the snake is cut off," Cinder interrupted. "There's no shortage of people willing to risk their lives for a wish and the attacks will never end until the source of the ritual, and all information pertaining to it, is destroyed once and for all."
"What about Magnis?" Weiss asked. "What happened there?"
The headmaster and the future Queen of Mistral shared a look, before Cinder nodded her head, indicating that Ozpin should answer.
"From what we have been able to find out, the plan for Magnis was a rather complicated one. We have no idea when Lord Roux was convinced to join the Greycloaks, or why, but he knew he needed a sacrifice to summon Salem, and the information from Merlot and Tyrian's attempts must have showed him that a few would not be enough. As you have said before, Salem herself confirmed that it is the quality of the suffering which dictates her arrival, not necessarily the quantity. A war would generate a vast amount of it, and much of the Labour Caste population would be left feeling helpless and afraid – a never-ending cycle that would lead to panic, distress and perhaps even riots. Should the siege go on long enough, the civilians might even begin to starve or become ravished by disease."
"All boosting the amount of pain and negativity they felt," Ren realised.
"Indeed. We're not sure how they were able to draw so many Grimm, but it would not be hard. Greycloaks sent to raze and slaughter the surrounding villages would have managed it, and many of those have been destroyed."
"Euford?" I asked, shocked.
"Burned to the ground," Ozpin confirmed.
I stared down at the table before me, hands clutching onto my knees and clenching so tight they drew my pant legs up. That meant Finn and all his men had died, along with the people in the village, but more than that it meant that even if I'd not sabotaged the siege towers, they'd have died. A disgusting part of me tried in vain to cling onto that. I shook it off. There was no excusing what I'd done or the consequences of it. I'd have to live with it for the rest of my life.
"Either way, when the Grimm were spawned they came for the highest concentration of negativity they could sense, which was always going to be the siege of Magnis. I expect they believed the Grimm would pin and slaughter the Mistral army, generating enough pain to summon Salem or, failing that, the rest would be gathered when the walls were breached and the slaughter of the innocents began."
"Wouldn't Roux have died too, though?" Ruby asked.
"Jaune fought a Mage who specialised in portals," Pyrrha pointed out. Ruby made a sound of understanding.
"Exactly, Miss Nikos. It was no mistake that said Mage was there and he would have been able to help Roux and the other Greycloaks escape the city once their work was done. The inner walls would have helped this, giving them an early warning system and a barrier. The Greycloaks really did think if everything. However, they didn't expect siege of Magnis being delayed due to sabotage, nor for a group of Heroes-in-training to broker a peace between two enemies."
"You saved thousands of my people's lives with your quick thinking," Cinder said. "I, and Mistral, thank you from the bottom of our hearts."
We all felt a flush of pleasure at that, with Ruby and Yang sharing excited glances and Nora cheering. Even I felt a little lighter, the truth of our good decision undeniable. My eyes strayed to Blake's for a second but she didn't notice. I'd nearly ruined that possibility, too, since my first instinct to being challenged by the Seneschal had been to draw my sword and force the issue – another impetuous decision that could have ended badly. It had only been Blake's earlier warnings that made me hesitate, and which gave time for another plan to be formed.
"The Greycloaks were able to adapt their plans quickly, however. When the forces joined, the Greycloaks realised that the walls would hold – or that they would hold long enough that too little negativity would be summoned. As such, they sought a new path, and used their influence to have the retreat to the inner walls called. Since there would not be enough housing for all the civilians, they knew the people would need to be housed somewhere, and it would be the Seneschal's job to handle that. Obviously, he had long since been recruited as a Greycloak and saw that the civilians were all located together. He also arranged for their protection and guard detail, stacking the temple with Greycloaks. From there, the sacrifice could begin."
"We're not sure why he used a fire," Cinder interrupted. "But Ozpin thinks it might have been a way to frighten the victims, building up their panic and fear as they were forced to walk into it. If Salem is picky on her agony, then something like this might catch her attention. While everyone else was focused on defending the inner walls, the Greycloaks began their ritual, content in the knowledge that everyone's gaze would be focused outward on the Grimm."
"How did Roux manage to control all those people?" I had to ask. "They didn't want to do what he said and I saw some try to resist. What was it; some kind of Passive or Skill?"
"I'm afraid not, Mr Arc, it was actually quite simply a disparity in Stats."
"Charisma equals mind control?" Yang barked, alarmed.
"In almost every normal case, no it does not. You need to understand that Stats come in context," Ozpin explained. "A high Strength means little if your opponent has an equally high Strength. Ten against ten is the same as a thousand against a thousand. It's only when Stats are different that the effects become obvious, and the greater the difference the more pronounced they become."
My sword cut through the man, bursting through his armour and ribcage and then out of the other side. Blood poured down over my hands.
"- not to mention the effects of high differences in Stats are not always obvious," Ozpin said. I realised that I'd spaced out for a moment, and judging from the worried look Ren was giving me, I'd started to shake, too. I forced a smile for his benefit and ignored how little he didn't believe it.
"Lord Roux, as a Noble, would have had an unusually high growth with his Charisma Stat, and while that might not normally be enough to achieve the results you described, it would be were the difference great enough. According to reports Cinder and I dug up, Lord Roux was an unusually active Noble, working on a great many projects, shoring up the defences of his fortress and eschewing much of what a normal Noble would be focused on, such as a family or a lineage."
"Commander Grey did mention that," Blake said. "He claimed Lord Roux was a good leader because he prioritised the city and never stopped working."
"That would be a good thing, had his ultimate goal not been more self-serving. In truth, it seems his hard work was less to help his subjects and more to inflate his own Level. Where Heroes gain Exp from battle, there are some craftsmen who gain it from tilling the fields or sewing an ornate piece of clothing. Nobles gain Exp rom ruling, and considering the expense and size of the defences Roux commissioned, he must have been a high level indeed. His Charisma, as a result, might easily have been over two-hundred."
"And it would have been opposite for the civilians!" Weiss gasped. When she saw our confusion she quickly explained. "Magnis was a fortress city, so it didn't have any farms or fields to work and the people inside would have been kept safe by the walls, so wouldn't have any reason to gain Exp from Grimm, either. At best, they'd have been around level fifteen, but safe and sound, they'd have been a lower level than the average N- Labour Caste member," she quickly recovered. "That means the difference between their Charisma and Roux's would have been even worse."
Five times the Charisma might make them susceptible to suggestions. Ten times might make them smitten, but what would fifteen or twenty times a person's Charisma do? How much was enough to rob someone of their thought entirely or take control of their bodies in one go? I shivered at the thought. I'd always seen the core combat Stats as being the most dangerous. Now, I wasn't so sure. You could fight a skilled enemy like Watts with numbers, but Roux could command an entire army to lay down their weapons and have a fair shot at it working.
Or maybe not that much… I could vaguely remember that those civilians gathered at the back of the temple hadn't been chanting like those at the front. If Charisma worked on voice, it would make sense that distance would mute its effects. Charisma would be incredible if you were face to face with the person, but if you were far enough away – or were, for example deaf or deafened – then it would become meaningless.
But how had I resisted its effects? My Charisma was terrible – the worst of our group, by far. Corvo must have had more, yet he'd fallen almost instantly. Charisma worked against Charisma, surely? Or did it?
Strength worked against Strength if two people were in an arm-wrestling contest, but if you were being punched in the face the Strength would work against Constitution, or if you were dodging – Agility. Was it possible that the disparity in Charisma had meant I'd not fought it with that? What else could have helped?
Resilience…?
It was the only thing I could think of, and yet everyone was talking as if it were Charisma against Charisma. I knew that couldn't be true but couldn't explain that to them, and like Oobleck had said, research into Resilience wasn't well known. Was that because no one cared to consider what was essentially a dump stat for the Labour Caste?
Or was it just that no Labour Caste member had ever reached the level I had? Like Ozpin said, it was all in context. Even if you had an A-Stat in Resilience, that only influenced how much you gained per level. If you were a low level, your Resilience would still be low.
"Wait, if you're saying that the Greycloaks plan in Magnis required the villages outside to be killed, there to be a war on, and for Roux to be a high level, then that means this was planned much further in advance than we initially thought!"
"Indeed, Miss Schnee," Ozpin said. "It means that Lord Roux planned this years ago, enough time as to build up his level for this moment, and enough time for the war between Mistral and Vale to be sparked to life. It means that the Greycloaks are by no means a new organisation, but could in fact be almost a decade old, perhaps two."
"And they've been waiting all this time…"
"Yes." Ozpin sighed. "That is why we need to stop them as soon as possible. We've no idea if they've been working for ten, fifteen, twenty years or more, but if they have decided to act now, then it is because their plans have finally come to fruition. I dread to imagine what it is they ultimately desire for Remnant, but there can be no more delays. The Greycloaks must be stopped once and for all."
"Then we need to follow Torchwick," I said. "He's the only lead we have. We need to go to Vacuo."
"Yes. Cinder and I are concocting a reason for this, and believe we will be able to disguise it as a diplomatic Quest for peace between Vale and Mistral."
"And since this is of so much important, I, too, will be going to Vacuo," Cinder said. "The time for subtlety is over, I believe. For once, we will be able to force the issue on the Greycloaks before they've had a chance to begin their plans."
An early strike, as it were. Whatever Torchwick was there for, it was important, otherwise the Mage wouldn't have wasted so much energy calling a portal for two people across a continent. Miss Goodwitch hadn't even been able to do that to send us to Atlas, not with fifty Mages to support her array. That this man had been able to was probably due to a Passive, but either way it meant a specialist had been called in to send Torchwick and Neo away. It meant that no expense had been spared – and that Torchwick's role in Vacuo was nothing short of integral to their plans.
For once, we had the Greycloaks on the run.
"The main goal will be to capture Torchwick alive if possible," Ozpin said. "He clearly knows about the Greycloaks and may have information we can use. His accomplice, as much as it pains me to say it, is too dangerous and should be killed. Should Torchwick prove too difficult, you have permission to kill him as well. He's proven himself too important to the Greycloaks to be allowed to roam free."
"What do you think Torchwick's role is, sir?" Ren asked.
"We're not sure yet, but it's possible he carries with him the means or information on the ritual. For all we know, he may have met with both Merlot and Tyrian before their respective summoning attempts. In regards to Magnis, it appears their goal was to sow confusion and distract us. Neo was sent to fake the murder of Roux because it would cause chaos, some early negativity, and also free him to move around unhindered."
"But Torchwick failed to kill Corvo," I said.
"He did, but we believe that may have been deliberate. Had Neo slain Roux but nothing happened in the Mistral camp, the obvious choice of action for you would have been to stay in Magnis. This was too dangerous for them, especially with Roux still alive. Instead, the Seneschal accused you of being responsible, which inevitably led to you all needing to leave Magnis until things died down."
"And by the time we reached the Mistral camp, the attack by Roman took all our attention. Since we thought their plan failed, we naturally hung around to prevent a follow-up attack or rescue attempt." Yang said. "Figures. He's a Thief, after all. Getting out of trouble and escaping is their speciality. Even if Corvo beat him, there's no reason he should have remained there as a prisoner."
"But Corvo might have executed him," Ruby said. "Was he really willing to risk that?"
"Is it a risk if he was a higher level?" Blake asked. "Corvo might have fully intended to execute him at first, but it's possible Torchwick used his Passive to force him to change his mind. Corvo would never have known and neither would we."
She was right. We'd never thought to consider it and now that I did it seemed so odd that Corvo hadn't just ordered Roman killed. We'd accepted it as a cultural thing from Mistral, when the answer was right in front of our faces. What better way for Roman to influence things than being right in the middle of Corvo's camp?
"Regardless, the summoning failed and that is solely thanks to you all. Magnis stands, the Greycloaks are in flight and most of the civilians were protected." Ozpin smiled at us all. "For now, I want you all to focus on that. You have done well, students. I shall be marking this Quest as a complete success."
Everyone cheered and I managed to fake one to go along with it, even if it felt anything but for me. For Ruby, Yang and those who had risked their lives and fought hard, they deserved the praise. For Blake and I, the Quest had been far more problematic. I watched her go as we were dismissed. She hustled away without waiting for me and without so much as a glance in my direction.
I'd made her kill, and killed myself. It wasn't the first time, but it was the first time I'd done so without my life being in danger first. With the adrenaline and panic from the siege over, such thoughts haunted me constantly. I wanted to apologise, but who could I possibly apologise to? Those Soldiers were dead because of me, and their families in Euford were no doubt dead, too.
I couldn't handle being with everyone else as they celebrated; I'd have only dragged them down. Instead, I turned and headed to Beacon in search of a distraction.
/-/
"HA! HYAH!"
The Grimm's arm slipped off as the girl darted past it, and her follow-up strike took it in the small of the back, severing its spine and bowling it forward to die on the ground. She panted and wiped some sweat from her brow as the Grimm dissolved.
Her head shot up at the sound of clapping, and twisted left and right, trying to locate it. A branch cracked beneath my foot as I stepped out from the treeline.
"Not bad," I said, honest in my praise. "You're a lot stronger than you were before, Ellayne."
Her eyes met mine. They were very wide. "M-Master?"
I winced. "Didn't I tell you to call me Jaune?"
To my horror, her eyes filled with tears and her lip trembled. I wasn't sure what I'd done but Ellayne looked on the verge of tears and her entire body shook. Her sword clattered to the ground and she charged me. It was a fast charge, but slow by comparison to what I was used to seeing from Ruby and Blake. I could have stopped it but was too surprised and instead held my ground as Ellayne rammed face-first into me.
"Master!" she wailed, now crying in earnest.
"H-Hey," I protested, putting my hands on her shoulders hesitantly. I'd once imagined being the suave guy who would comfort a crying girl, but the reality was very removed from fantasy. There was nothing cute or pretty about her tears. They were loud sobs that soaked my shirt and slowly gave way to painful rasps as she tried to draw breath. I had no idea what to do.
After a minute or two, she took the decision from my hands. Her tears dried up faster than a Vacuan oasis and she pushed back, glaring up at me with angry eyes rimmed red from her crying.
"How could you!?" she howled. She slammed a fist into my chest.
"How could I what? What did I do?"
My ignorance didn't please her and she hit me again, and then a third time. When I still didn't get it, she growled and struck me a fourth time, now in the stomach. They were good blows, a part of me was forced to concede, but the difference between her Strength and my Constitution was just too much. It felt like a child batting its hands on me.
"I thought you were dead!" she roared. The sudden shout proved too much for her and she descended into tears again. "I-I thought I was never going to see you again…"
"What?"
"W-When the siege ended and everyone came back, I kept trying to find you," she explained, blubbering once more into my chest. "I thought for sure you'd be alive, but you weren't with the people celebrating, and then when I went to the healer, you weren't there, either. I… I didn't know what to think, but so many people died and… and…" She lost control and held onto me. "I saw the scary Assassin and was going to ask her, but she looked so sad that I didn't dare. I… I thought it was proof…"
Comprehension came with its own guilt, just another added to the pile, really. I'd been taken away almost instantly by Ozpin for private healing and an interview with both him and Cinder. The rest of the Guild had, too, so Ellayne probably hadn't been able to ask them. I'd been around Beacon since, but mostly in the Guild Village down below, and Ellayne had no reason to go there.
It was very easy to see how she'd thought I'd died in the siege. It was also obvious that I should have expected this and sent a message to her, or hunted her down sooner. She was my responsibility, after all.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I forgot…"
"You forgot." Her laugh was equal parts hysterical and bitter. She hit me weakly. "You forgot about me…"
"I shouldn't have, Ellayne, and I won't again. I came back injured, badly injured, and by the time I was able to move around on my own I already had so much to think of." I was making excuses, and true as they might have been they weren't enough. "I should have contacted you, or asked Glynda to pass on a message. I'm sorry, I really am." I have her a quick hug. "Forgive me?"
Ellayne grumbled something into my chest. It might have been a string of insults, but I was fairly sure I heard a `but I forgive you` at the end of it. Yet again, a comparison between her and my littlest sister flashed through my mind. I knew how to deal with her and applied it to the girl before me.
"I saw you fight those Grimm. You've gotten stronger."
"Hm!" Ellayne pushed back and smiled widely. The evidence of her tears was still there, but pride eclipsed the pain now. "It's because of your training," she said. "I've grown two whole levels while you were gone!" She looked proud and rightfully so, expecting my praise.
It took me a second to give it. I'd gained three levels in just as much time and I was a lot higher level, thus requiring exponentially more Exp. I had to remind myself that my growth wasn't natural, however. Ellayne had no reason to fight a grossly over-levelled Noble and a traitor Mage. Hopefully she never would.
"That's great," I said, rubbing her head. Her cheeks flushed at the action but she didn't pull away.
"I'll be as good as you someday," she boasted.
Stood in the rain as Blake walked by, covered in blood. She reached up and tore off her locket, letting it fall to the floor with the blood money the soldier had offered her.
It was all my fault.
I swallowed and closed my eyes. "You'll be better than me, Ellayne."
"You're hurt."
"Hm?" I opened my eyes to look down at her and catch her staring back up. My hand rose to touch the scar beneath my eye, the only one visible. "A Grimm caught me but it's not too serious. Things were a little touch and go for a while."
"I didn't mean that," she said. The smaller girl reached up to touch my face, poking me directly between my eyes. "You're hurt in here." Like every other woman I'd met, she seemed unusually adept at reading me like a book. Maybe I was just painfully obvious and unable to hide my mood. I looked away awkwardly.
"It… wasn't a great Quest," I said. "Things happened."
Ellayne bit her lip. "Will you be okay?"
"I'll be fine."
"Can… Is there anything I can do to help?"
The offer surprised me, as did the completely serious look on her face. It was enough to wipe away the pain, if only for a moment, and I laughed, rubbing her head once more. "Hey now, you're my apprentice. I'm supposed to be the one helping you, not the other way around."
"Then maybe you should actually help me," Ellayne growled cutely. As an attempt to distract me from my sorrow it was fairly blatant, but I appreciated it nonetheless.
"That sounds like sparring talk to me, young lady."
/-/
It was almost evening by the time I reached the Guild Village once more, covered in sweat but feeling all the better for the exercise. I'd heard once that activity could get rid of sadness and this proved it. Ellayne had handled herself well, not by the standards of someone like Blake or Pyrrha, but well for her age and Level. Eighteen, she'd told me – her level, that was. I couldn't help but be surprised at how openly she admitted that since Pyrrha had said it was intimate information.
Still, that meant she'd been sixteen on coming to Beacon – the perfect average. Gaining two levels in the weeks since I'd left for Magnis was impressive. She must have been training hard in the Emerald Forest.
Before I'd parted, I'd gone so far as to provide her the address of the Lodge and details on how to reach us if she was ever worried something had happened to me again. I'd even described Velvet for her and how to reach her if she needed to leave a message. The information seemed to please Ellayne, who looked much more relieved for having a way to get in touch, even if she'd promised never to abuse or take advantage of it. I wasn't entirely sure why she'd added the last bit, but she'd looked almost expectant, like she wanted me to say or offer something.
We'd parted soon after – with me promising to meet Ellayne's friends some time before my next Quest since she'd apparently told them so much about me. With the cold air of evening washing over my sweat-covered skin, I felt cool and refreshed and walked through the streets of the Guild Village as Labour Caste staff from the academy went around with long sticks with a candle on the end, lighting the torches that lined the streets and casting the buildings in a ruddy orange glow. After the turmoil of Magnis, the peace and tranquillity here was a blessing.
It wasn't enough to ignore what had happened entirely, especially not when the scar on my cheek itched, but it helped. I took a deep breath and let it go. A figure outside the Lodge caught my eye. I caught hers, too, and she quickly turned away.
"Blake…"
She froze at the sound of her name, perhaps knowing that to leave now that I'd seen her would be tantamount to fleeing, or maybe it was something else. I couldn't tell because she had her back to me.
There was so much I wanted to say, but right here, right now, I couldn't. I'd not worked out everything in my head and no matter how much I wanted to rush in and blurt out how I felt, a part of me held back. Wasn't that exactly what had caused this in the first place, my refusal to stop and think instead of rushing in? Did I really want to risk this with everything else?
I didn't. I couldn't afford to.
"We said we'd talk after the war," I said to her.
Her body stiffened. "We did."
I let out a long sigh.
"Well, the war isn't over yet, is it?"
Blake paused. Her head tilted a little, just enough for her eyes to catch mine. Her raven hair covered the side of her face, making her seem somehow unattainable. She really was beautiful, but she was also hurt – and that was my fault.
"The war isn't over," I repeated, "at least not officially. I guess it's not really time for us to talk yet."
"I guess it's not," she said, surprised at my decision. She wasn't ready, either, and the fact she kept avoiding me was evidence enough. If I forced the issue, I'd be forcing her to confront this before she was prepared. I'd be forcing her to dance to my tune again. I breathed a sigh of relief when her shoulders slowly relaxed.
"There's a lot I want to say, but I can hold it in until you're ready." I laughed. "Until we're both ready. With all this stuff about the Greycloaks going on, it's hard to think straight, let alone sort out all the different ways I've messed up."
Blake turned to face me more fully. It was such a little thing, but us standing face to face, even if we were separated by more distance than I'd have liked, still felt like such a wonderful improvement.
"It is," Blake acknowledged. "The Greycloaks are a problem for all of Remnant."
"I wonder if that's how they see us – as problems."
She smiled. "Maybe it is. We've caused them enough trouble." Her eyes met mine. "You handled yourself well in the temple."
"The first time I did so without you to back me up. You were always saving me before."
"You're stronger now."
"I feel like I'll still need help every now and then."
"That's normal. We all need help sooner or later."
"You helped me more than anyone else, Blake."
"True…" she said, uncertain where this was going. To be fair, so was I.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I hope you'll continue to help me when I need it, just like I'll do my best to help you." I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. "There's a lot I want to say, but you were right – a war is no place for us to try and make something and rushing it now will just lead to more fighting. I can wait until after it to talk, but I don't want us to be strangers the whole time."
"Neither do I," Blake whispered. It gave me hope.
"That's why I want us to be friends again," I said, holding out a hand. "We're not ignoring the issues between us, just saying there are more important things to focus on, but you were my friend before you were more and I don't want to lose that. I won't lose that."
Blake stared at my hand, but to my relief didn't look upset. She quirked a small smile and tilted her head, giving me that sarcastic look she often had when we'd first met. "Is this you trying to call a truce?"
I laughed back. "Fitting, no? Mistral and Vale are in the middle of a truce and we can be, too."
"And once we've brought peace between them, we'll do the same for us?"
"That's the hope."
Blake laughed. She laughed out loud, stalked forward and put her hand in mine, gripping my wrist tightly. "You're such an idiot, but I suppose that's what I lo-" She bit off her words before they could betray her.
My heart leapt, but I forced myself to pretend I'd misheard. "That's what you get for hanging around with a fool like me, huh?"
"Exactly." She looked relieved, perhaps even grateful. "Very well, brave sir Knight; this Assassin will accept your truce for now. You can rest easy knowing my dagger won't find you in the dead of the night."
"And you shall rest easy knowing I shall not burst through your wall on horseback and with a lance," I declared presumptuously.
Blake cocked an eyebrow. "I'm fairly sure if that happened, your horse would be on my side."
"Ugh, Faith hates me."
We stared at one another, and our smiles slowly became more natural, more familiar. We'd been this before we'd been more, and even though I desperately wanted to draw her in – even though her hand felt like molten lava in mine – I held back. I wouldn't rush her again. I wouldn't try and make her decisions for her.
"You're a strange knight," she mused.
"My Strange Knight," she breathed.
"And you're a Strange Assassin," I countered. I'd never called her that before but her eyes lit up, pleased with the moniker. Considering how other Assassins were, I could see why. I forced myself to let go of her hand. "But I'm glad we're back on speaking terms. Things were getting awkward."
"I thought if I talked to you, you'd demand a decision."
"I would have," I admitted. "I… I stopped to think about it, though."
"Learning already?"
"I have a good teacher."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, but I'll accept it for now. We should head in before Ruby notices we're missing and starts to panic." Blake turned away toward the door, but paused. I couldn't see her eyes nor could she see mine, but I could sense her anxiety. It was obvious in the way her shoulders stiffened. "When we…" She took a deep breath. "Do you still have the locket?"
"Yes." I swallowed and touched it, but realised a moment later that she couldn't see it. "I'm wearing both of them." Along with the amulet that altered the words above my head. All three were beneath my shirt.
"Good, keep hold of it. I… I think I might want it back after the war." The words said, Blake didn't wait or give me a chance to respond. She hurried away, inside the Lodge and through the door without a single look back. I knew that was on purpose, as near a flight as she'd ever admit to. It was probably for the best. If she'd looked back, she'd have seen the shock on my face, and the transformation from it into a hopeful smile.
My hands clutched the two lockets, holding them close together as my eyes slowly drifted shut.
"I'll look forward to it."
And there we have it, the end of the fifth book. Blake and Jaune are on the rocks but have reached an understanding and a measure of peace. Now, with more of the Greycloaks plots revealed and some degree of organisation behind them, the fight can finally be taken to them.
Jaune's still dealing with the guilt and fallout of his actions, especially now that the adrenaline from the life and death struggle in Magnis is over, but he's seeking distraction wherever he can and forcing all his attention on the peace effort between Vale and Mistral.
There won't be an update next week for this as I'll be planning the sixth book.
Next Chapter: 11th June (HAS BEEN ALTERED - see Note at top of chapter for details)
P a treon . com (slash) Coeur
