Chapter 81 - Jaune vs Field Trip


As Sir Jaune continued constructing an odd structure that the villagers were to run their well water through, all the while explaining to the peasants what he was doing, why he was doing it, and how they could build and maintain their own, Velvet couldn't help but watch her mentor with spellbound fascination.

It had been three days since she and Sir Agravain had found out that Jaune had agreed to escort a caravan from Camelot to Ightham.

Three days since Agravain had persuaded Sir Jaune to take his squire along for the journey.

Three days since the pair had left Camelot for the territory of the Jutes, in the Kingdom of Kent.

And in that time, Velvet could safely say that her devotion to Sir Jaune had only grown in leaps and bounds.

Oh, she'd always held nothing but admiration and respect for the Red Huntsman, but those had all been second-hand accounts, that seemed to tell of an existence like her brother Gawain, the Solar Knight of Chivalry, or the High King himself; an existence far beyond the grasp of normal humans.

And then she'd met him, ten days ago, and her expectations had been shattered.

Sure, he was still intelligent in a way that had reminded her of Merlin and her mother, and the martial prowess he displayed had been more than sufficient to prove that the tales of his deeds were in no way exaggerated.

But it had been the way he'd interacted with her, the other knights, and even the servants of Camelot, that had opened her eyes to why he'd been called the Knight of Compassion.

And watching the way he'd treated even the simple and lowliest of villagers on the road had only made things clearer for her.

Where King Arthur stood at the pinnacle of perfection, and Sir Gawain was the idealization of chivalry, Sir Jaune was humble and modest.

And with that humility and modesty, he was able to relate with everyone in Logres.

Most importantly, though, even her, the newest squire of Camelot, found herself inspired by the example he was setting, being both the greatest Knight of the Round Table, and also still being, simply and undeniably, human.

Oh, how she longed to write poetry about her mentor! If Gawain was the Sun, an impossible goal that all strived for, then Jaune was like a tower that reached up to the heavens, blazing a path towards the goal from the front, and showing all that it could be done.

Even the stories he told reflected his ideals.

While it was true that she liked the tale of Ruby of Ironwood the most, she slowly found herself sympathizing more with the young and foolish boy who always featured in tales, finding the folly of the lad who was determined to do something despite his lack of training and experience to be courageous and endearing.

As Jaune wrapped up his impromptu lesson and got up, waving down the grateful people down before they could overwhelm him with their appreciation, Velvet immediately straightened her back and ceased her swooning, not wanting her conduct to reflect badly on her mentor as she approached him.

"Oh, thanks Velvet." Jaune nodded to her, as she firmly took the tools from his hands, and held out a wet towel for him. "You really don't have to go through all this trouble, though..."

"And I keep telling you, Sir Jaune, that it is of no trouble to me." Velvet remained adamant. "As your squire, it is my duty to assist you."

"If you say so." Jaune just sighed in fond exasperation, even as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Anyway, I guess our job here is done. They've got supplies for the coming month, and hopefully the village benefits from what I've taught them."

"I'm sure they will." Velvet spoke with confidence, before hesitantly asking a question that had been on her mind since they'd entered Ightham: "Sir Jaune... if you don't mind me asking... may I know why you went to such lengths?"

"Such lengths?" Jaune echoed in confusion. Then an idea came to him, and he adopted a serious tone as he demanded: "You mean... why did I help a village of Jutes in another kingdom?"

"No, Sir Jaune!" Velvet vehemently denied those implications. "Of course not! I have no quarrel with the former invaders, and I know of your kindness and compassion for all people, no matter where they be from."

"Oh." Jaune rubbed the back of his sheepishly, feeling embarrassed at her earnest praise. He'd only been teasing her, Dust damn it! He doubted that the sunny and friendly girl could even consider such a position! Clearing his throat, he then inquired: "So, what did you mean?"

"I mean... why go through all the trouble of explaining, going into so much detail, Sir Jaune?" Velvet clarified. "Would it not be easier and faster to merely construct your devices, and move on?"

"..." Jaune took a moment to ponder her words, before remembering that he was in an era where education wasn't really a thing. Motioning for her to sit next to him, he began with a rhetorical question: "Velvet... in your opinion, what is our duty?"

"To help the people, of course." Velvet responded immediately.

Jaune nodded, and conceded: "Yes, and we could probably help more people in the short-term, if we simply built filters and fields, and killed whatever monsters were in the area, before simply moving on to help the next village.

"But, if you really want to help the people in the long run... that isn't enough." Jaune shook his head, before quoting: "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for life."

Velvet's eyes widened at Jaune's wisdom.

Jaune continued, butchering the explanation Ren had given him after he'd found that phrase in a Mistralian fortune cookie: "When the fields go barren, when the filters break, when another monster comes to terrorize the village... what then? What if there's no knights nearby to assist? Then what will the people do? No, it's far better in the long run, if I tell them what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and how they can do it themselves."

Velvet was fighting the urge to swoon, even as she began taking notes on Jaune's words.

"And besides..." Jaune added sheepishly, unaware of what his squire was writing. "I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, and my techniques and methods aren't perfect. By spreading the concepts as well as the methods, the people can modify and adapt it to better suit their different situations, and even refine and improve upon it in time."

"You truly are too modest and humble, Sir Jaune..." Velvet murmured, face flushing in admiration, before clearing her throat and straightening her back, to keep herself focused on the conversation. "Are your thoughts always fixed so far into the future, Sir Jaune?"

"Uh... not really." Jaune admitted. "I used to also only focus on killing monsters and fixing problems, last time. It's only recently that I learned about how important it is to also see the bigger picture."

Yeah, him messing up non-stop in Remnant and Skyrim had not gone well (what with him ending up delivering Serana and the Elder Scroll to Harkon), and he really owed it to Yang for pointing out the importance of also thinking about the long-term as well.

"Probably also helps that I've got a bit of experience with this sort of thing." Jaune added, recalling his days in the Wasteland. "Ru-a friend of mine even gave me a book that really dealt with survival. If you'd like, I can show it to you when we get back."

"Really?" Velvet's side-bangs perked up. "So, are we returning now?"

"Uhhh..." Jaune nervously scratched his chin. "About that..."

Honestly, the reason he'd agreed to the trip to Ightham in the first place had been because he'd wanted to scout out the road for the highway project to Kent.

Unfortunately, he'd been caught by Agravain before he'd left, who'd promptly informed him that Arthur had told him Jaune had promised to take someone with him if he wanted to leave the castle, before suggesting that it would be a good experience for Velvet, to observe him in the field (and threatening to tell on him to the King if he refused).

And since an Arc never went back on his word...

Well, it wasn't like he was averse to Velvet's company or anything.

"What is it, Sir Jaune?" Velvet inquired, looking up at him with wide innocent eyes even as she cocked her head in curiosity.

"... truth is, I had ulterior motives for agreeing to escort this caravan..." Jaune admitted sheepishly. "I'm also studying the road between us and Kent, and evaluating the feasibility of building a proper paved highway between us and the Jutes."

"You mean, like the one you had built to connect the villages surrounding Camelot?" Velvet's eyes were sparkling with admiration now.

"Yeah, just like that." Jaune confirmed, guiltily averting his gaze. "So... I know we finished our job... but want to take a quick detour?"

-NORTHERN BORDER OF LISTENOISE, FIVE DAYS AFTER THE INTERRUPTED FEAST-

Artoria looked at the carnage in front of her, and fought down the urge to throw up.

The combined force of Britons and Saxons that had sallied forth from Gwent had managed to intercept the raiding party of Picts and Scots near the northern border of Listenoise, limiting the damage they'd been able to do (and thank God for small mercies).

But still, a few outlying villages had been attacked, in the time it had taken to get there, and it had been the sight of razed fields, burned-out buildings, and scattered bodies that had greeted them, as they'd rode to intercept the invaders.

Her knights, hearts filled with righteous fury, had wanted to sally forth and slaughter them all.

Instead, to minimize casualties among her allies, she'd opened the battle with a strike from Excalibur.

Even now, she could still hear the screams of the raiders, as they'd belatedly realized something was off, before half their number had simply vanished in a burst of golden light.

And, of course, minimal casualties wasn't the same as no casualties.

Disorganized as they may have been, it had still been half an oversized raiding party that they'd charged into.

Artoria suppressed a shudder once again, seeing the blood covering her armor.

Then her gaze fell upon a fallen horse, and her heart fell ever further.

At least the raiders and her knights had known what they were getting into.

The poor horses hadn't, couldn't. They only did as they were commanded to do.

Llamrei neighed softly under her, sensing her rider's distress, and she absent-mindedly brushed her mare's mane.

"It isn't easy, is it?" Merlin asked rhetorically, as he and Kay approached her, seeing the subtle tells on her emotionless mask.

"How can it be?" Artoria answered anyway. "They were people too."

"So were their victims." Merlin retorted.

"We're warriors, knights." Kay agreed. "We fight and die so that they don't have to. This... was honestly the best-case scenario."

Before Artoria could answer, Gawain joined her, along with Hengist and Horsa.

"A glorious victory was won this day." Hengist began.

"Your blade's power was remarkable." Horsa nodded. "Truly worthy, of a companion of Siegfried Reborn."

"That was a jolly good fight, wasn't it?" Gawain added rhetorically.

"... I suppose." Artoria forced out, after a moment's hesitation, forcing down the wave of revulsion and sorrow.

"In any case, sire... we managed to take a few prisoners." Gawain explained, once it was clear that was all she had to say on the matter. "Would you like to question them?"

Would she like to? Honestly, no.

"Merlin, let's go." Artoria's mouth said instead, and she gestured for them to lead on.

They needed to know how much more forces the Picts and Scots had, if she needed to increase the patrols, if this was just a raiding party or a scouting party for some bigger invasion force.

As she was brought to a bound-and-kneeling man, he looked up at her, and spat, before receiving a brutal punch to the face from Gawain.

"Allow me." Merlin stepped in, before waving a hand in front of the Pict.

As he fell asleep, the half-incubus chanted a quick aria, before peering into his dreamscape.

"..." Merlin's brow furrowed, and after a moment he informed them: "This wasn't a raiding party, or the precursor to an invasion force, no. They were mercenaries, hired to attack Listenoise."

"What for?" Hengist demanded.

"Political rivalry?" Horsa suggested.

"A distraction." Merlin said, after finding the relevant information. "Morgan wanted to draw us away from Camelot."

"Morgan le Fay?!" Gawain asked in disbelief. "My mother? Why?!"

"... Sir Gawain has a point, Merlin." Artoria chimed in. "Me and my sister may not get along, but what would luring us from Camelot do?"

"Even if she were bold or spiteful enough to attempt to attack the seat of Arthur's power, Camelot's still defended by legions of knights, and the Red Huntsman himself." Kay added. "Are you sure, wizard?"

"That is what this man believes..." Merlin shrugged, before digging further into his memories.

Then his face paled, as he saw the next step in Morgan's plan.

"While we are up north... Morgan has sent Frankish and Germanic mercenaries, led by a Saxon who wishes to resume hostilities between the Britons and the Saxons, to ambush and assassinate Jaune." Merlin continued.

""... what?!""

"With all due respect, Magus of Flowers, this story is ludicrous!" Gawain protested. "The martial prowess of the Knight of Compassion is known throughout the land! Even if I believed that my mother was capable of such treachery, there is no way she would be so foolish as to believe a single company of common mercenaries could overpower the Red Huntsman!"

"Ordinarily, I would agree." Merlin's composure remained shaken, despite the Solar Knight's protests. "However, Morgan has managed to locate the Tomb of Prince Nennius.

"Aelle of Sussex is armed with the ancient blade that Nennius took from Julius Caesar himself during their duel, when it got lodged in the Prince's shield.

"The golden gladius that killed all who were struck even once by it.

"Morgan has found the Crocea Mors."


Author's Note: Just another short chapter, as things begin to progress. And honestly, did anyone think I was going to do Dark Ages Britain and forget about Caesar's original sword?

As I mentioned back in Chapter 77, Artoria has never actually fought any battles against the Saxons. More specifically, she's never actually fought against groups of normal people before, which is why slaughtering an army does not come easy for her.

Also I find it weird, that Mordred was spurned, but Gawain, Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth were accepted with little issue. I mean, they knew they were related; Gawain and Artoria knew they were, at least, cousins, after all. And it's not like Morgan was a low-key figure, being married to the King of Lothian and/or Orkney...

And so, in this story, while they're known to be estranged siblings, nobody actually knows that Morgan is plotting against Artoria. They don't know of her role behind the loss of Caliburn, and while Agravain may not like his mother he doesn't know about her true schemes. He just thinks she's a controlling bitch.

Also, I couldn't find any information about how Gawain, who treasures family above all else, felt about his mother being behind the Fall of Camelot. That's... kind of weird. Maybe I just haven't dug deep enough into the FATE rabbit hole yet...