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Chapter 50

Ruby's head perked up when the door opened, though she had to repress a sigh at the fact Weiss had returned with company. Sun strolled into their room with a crude comment on being invited into the boudoir of two ladies, earning a furious squawk from Weiss that almost, despite all her efforts, brought forth a giggle of her own.

It didn't feel right to laugh considering what happened.

"Alright." Sun stomped up to her bed, gripped the covers and yanked them off her. All of this regardless of Weiss' horrified gasp and the fact Ruby could have been naked underneath.

"Sun!" Weiss shrieked.

"No time for going easy. I'm already dealing with one broody ass bastard without adding Ruby to the list. Rise and shine, Lady Initiate. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the Newbloods are wondering why their favourite Arcanist won't do morning drills with them anymore. Course, most Arcanists are stuffy pricks, so `favourite` isn't saying much. No offence, Weiss."

"None taken…? No, wait…"

"Cool." Sun yanked Ruby's pillow out from under her when she tried to cling onto it and roll over to show him her back. "Ah-ah-ah. None of that. You think I've not had to deal with sleepy Newbloods before?"

More fool him if he thought the lack of a pillow would bother her. She'd spent years sleeping on hard floors and Yang's shoulder. Hunching up, she locked an elbow over each ear and closed her eyes, determined to at least pretend she couldn't hear him. It seemed to work. Sun sighed, padded away from her and she heard a door open.

She thought he was leaving for a moment and then his footsteps came back, and she heard Weiss stammer out, "W-What are you doing?"

"Waking Ruby up. Time to wake up, sunshine!"

Ice cold water doused down over her, startling her like a cat. Shrieking and bouncing up off the bed, she landed on all fours bedraggled and soaked through, nightgown clinging to her skin. Sun stood in front of her bed, an empty pot in hand and a shit-eating grin on his face.

"S-Sun!" Weiss yelled. "Avert your eyes!"

"Morning Ruby. Lovely day, isn't it?"

"You son of a backstreet whore!" Ruby's mouth moved without thought, lips peeled back into a snarl. "I hope your dick rots and falls off!"

"Ruby!?" Absolutely mortified, Weiss rushed over to clamp a hand over her mouth, cutting off the stream of vitriolic threats mid-flow. "I'm so sorry, Sun, I have no idea where such languages comes from. Not that it was right of you to throw water on her!"

"Ha ha ha!" Sun bellowed his laughter. "That's more like it. Come on, Ruby. Show me some fire."

"I'll show you fire!" Ruby growled, yanking Weiss' hand off her mouth. "I'll show you it when I push your stupid blonde head into a furnace. Maybe someone can make a sword out of your head since it's obviously the densest material known to man! You… You…" A growl escaped her, followed quickly by a sneeze and a shiver. Her nightgown had gone see-through in places. "You ugly ass piece of shit!"

"Ruby!" Weiss silenced her by pushing Ruby's blue robes into her face. "Get dressed and for the love of all that's right in the world stop talking so vulgarly! It is not how a lady speaks. And you, Sun, I asked you here to help make Ruby feel better. Not cast water on her and ogle her body like a letch."

Ruby yanked the robes down and glared at her roommate. "You invited him here!?"

"Ah. Well, you see, I wanted to get you out of your funk…"

"I was fine in my funk!" she snapped.

"You were being a mopey-ass bitch." Sun grinned when Weiss gasped. "And yeah, I can swear as well as the next if I have to. Rough and tumble Merchant Quarter brat here. Not everyone grew up with a silver spoon in their mouth." He leaned forward to add, "Or one shoved up their ass."

"How about I shove my hand up your ass instead?"

"Ruby Rose!" Weiss had apparently had enough, because she practically jumped on her and wrestled Ruby into the robe, pulling it on over her nightgown while also stopping her from speaking. "Never have I heard such words. If my father heard me utter them, I'd be in such trouble I wouldn't be able to walk for a week."

"Eh." Sun grinned as Ruby was forcefully dressed. "I thought they were pretty tame."

"You would you… you savage! To think I thought you would help her feel better."

Was that why he'd done this? Ruby obediently held her hands up and let Weiss drag the robe down over her head. It was a clean one thankfully, the old one covered by now in blood and muck. Glaring over at Sun, she held up a finger when Weiss couldn't see. The Newblood returned it, grinning like a madman.

Prick. The worst part was that her misery had abated just a little – but she sure as hell wasn't going to admit that to him. He's like a male Yang, she thought unflatteringly. Yang always riles me up when I'm in a mood as well.

"Well, the bed is wet and it's pretty stuffy in here." Sun moved over and opened the curtains, smashing Ruby in the face with bright sunlight. He ignored her annoyed hiss. "I say we go outside and catch some fresh air."

"You can go ahead," Ruby snapped. "I'll stay here."

Sun approached with a wide smile.

/-/

"This isn't proper!"

Weiss followed them out the dorms, quailing under the shocked stares of passing Initiates. Her face kept alternating between indignant shock and utter embarrassment, which was rich when she wasn't the one being carried over Sun's shoulder like a sack of meat.

Ruby pouted, elbows on his back and chin in her hands, refusing to kick or struggle because that'd only give him the satisfaction. Instead, she hung limp, legs hanging down his front while he had one hand on the small of her back and the other holding her knees. The bastard was even whistling a jaunty little tune.

"This is highly improper!" Weiss went on. "Why, people watching might think the two of you are together! What if they believe Ruby's honour impugned? It may be fine for you, but this could terribly impact her chances of a good marriage match!"

"Oh wow. That'd be a shame. Would it make it better if I threw her in the river?"

Ruby stilled. "You wouldn't dare…"

Sun looked back over his shoulder at her. His smile grew. "Wouldn't I…?"

The switch from defiantly limp to thrashing madwoman was a sudden one. Kicking, squirming and lashing out in every direction with her arms, she managed to get off him by virtue of hitting the back of his head and wriggling out his grip while he was stunned. Weiss moved to try and catch her, but Ruby hit the floor in a roll before she could, recovering without any difficulty. A drop off Sun's shoulders was nothing compared to jumping off a rooftop.

"Ow." Sun rubbed the back of his head with a rueful expression. "You could have gone easy on me there."

"You're lucky I didn't strangle you." Growling and sighing at the same time – it came out a ruffled huff – she crossed her arms and glared at him out the corner of one eye. "Fine. I'm out. My day of laying in bed is ruined. Are you happy now?"

"Dunno. Do I get a thank you kiss?"

"You can kiss my knuckles."

"Like a noble…?"

Ruby raised her fist threateningly.

"Ah, like a proper person. See, that's why you're my favourite Arcanist. None of that noblesse oblige nonsense. Weiss is my second favourite," he said, shooting the embarrassed noble a roguish wink. "Though she could jump up to first if she wanted to kiss my injury better."

"That's a lot of focus on kissing lately," Ruby said. "Is Jaune not going down on you anymore?"

Weiss gargled on the very air she breathed.

Sun just laughed. "He's holding out. Can you believe it?" He feigned a weak and frightened tone. "Do you… Do you think he's getting some elsewhere? Is he cheating on me? Lay it on me, Ruby. Is it me?" He turned around. "Does my butt look big in this armour?"

"Like the back end of a cow."

"Eh. You're just jealous. Weiss is suffocating by the way…"

Ruby raised an eyebrow and looked back, rolling her eyes at how wide Weiss' eyes were. Sheesh, it's like she's never heard a bit of banter before. Ruby thumped her back a bit, allowing Weiss to cough and wheel on her with sheer panic.

"W-What was that? Ruby, you can't talk like that."

"Just did. It's fine."

"It's not fine! It's… It's vulgar. Horribly vulgar! Nobles don't do that."

"What? Have sex? Makes me wonder how anyone is born then…" She ignored the way Sun burst out laughing. "It's fine, Weiss. I don't care about a marriage match." A few people were still watching, stunned and disgusted. "What are you lot all looking at?" They quickly found other places to be. "Idiots."

"They're scions of powerful houses," Weiss whispered. "They're not idiots!"

An idiot was an idiot. It didn't matter who they were born to or what their parents had achieved – that just mean their parents weren't idiots. Then again, the nobles all took such pride in their names that it probably all mingled together for them. It was actually kind of pathetic really. People basking in the glory of deeds done by ancestors and pretending they had a hand in it.

Weiss was better than that since her family didn't have anything to rely on – and yet the fact she was trying to make her own fame was somehow seen as a laughable thing. Stupid. None of them knew what it was like to suffer.

"Better she's angry than miserable," Sun said to Weiss. "I think this is an improvement."

"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one she's going to be furious at later. I didn't mean for you to come and harass her like this!"

Did Weiss think she'd blame her? That was depressing. Ruby sighed, shaking her head and reminding herself that Weiss and Sun really weren't the ones to blame for her current mood. "It's fine, Weiss. I'm not angry at you. Or Sun," she added. "It's everything else that happened. The Archives, the Grimm and…"

"The Wildmage?" Sun asked. "Weiss explained it all. Sounds like a rough deal all round, and that guy obviously helped you out."

Ruby relaxed slightly. "You're not against him…?"

"Judge a man by his actions, not his birth. That's what I always say." Sun's grin slipped. "Course, being as we're here in the Collegium I'm pretty much the only person with that perspective. Birth is a big deal around here."

Was that really it? Was that how simple it was? Most people in the slums judged you for the promises you did and didn't keep because who even knew where half of them were born from? You were born to filth and you could die, turn rotten or crawl your way out to make something of your life, short as it might be.

Yang was known and respected not because she was kind or gentle or because Summer and Taiyang had been of note, but because she stuck to what she said. If she said she'd break your hand for not having Junior's money, she'd break your hand. If she said you had ten days to pay, no one would dare come near you until then. Harsh but honest. Unmoving but reasonable. People knew she could be trusted because she didn't go back on what she promised, good or bad.

A little of that held true for her as well. It wasn't like she was as well-known, but those in the know trusted her to deliver messages without opening them. Junior had trusted her to carry money back when others might have tried to steal some. That was balanced by the fact she'd always known he was a stingy bastard who would count every lien and take a finger if she tried, but still, she judged him for who he was, and he gave her the same courtesy.

Nobles are raised to believe birth and blood are important. That probably works the other way too – some blood being tainted or evil just because someone in the past did something.

If a Wildmage had once wreaked havoc, she could imagine them hating all Wildmages forever in the same way they respected every scion of a certain house because of something good an ancestor of his did.

"What about you?" Ruby asked Weiss, trying not to show how much she needed this answer. "He saved my life. I wouldn't have made it without him. Does that make him guilty?"

"It doesn't change the fact he's guilty."

Ruby eyes slid away.

"But I still think how he was treated was wrong!" she quickly finished. "He's a Wildmage no matter what, so technically he did break the law, but he surrendered and helped you. That should have earned him some respect. It's as you said, if every Wildmage knows that is to be their fate then why wouldn't they turn violent?"

Ruby nodded. Maybe that was as much as she could expect from Weiss – she was a noble after all. Everything that had been drilled into everyone else here had been forced on her twice as hard because her father wanted her to be perfect.

"I also disagree with what Lady Goodwitch said. Associating with the Wildmage should not have earned those Arcanists death, and it certainly shouldn't reflect on you. I won't let it. You're my friend and I'm just glad you're back alive and well."

That was probably the best she was going to get.

"Thanks Weiss."

/-/

After they'd taken all the effort to get her out her room, Ruby deigned to eat lunch with them on the lawns, fighting back her mood to eat and listen to them chat. It was mostly Sun riling Weiss up for her and his amusement, but it kept Ruby from having to talk much so she enjoyed it all the same. Sun was called off for midday training before they could finish, and Weiss apologised and explained she and everyone from the White Arcana who attended the Archives had to attend a debriefing.

That left her on her own, and while she wanted nothing more than to go straight to the Sanctum, the bracelet from Atlas had yet to be removed. Instead, she made her way to the Archives, not intending to enter but to find some solace in its quiet, peaceful halls.

It was anything but.

Azure Arcanists stood outside arguing loudly with those in White robes. The doors were flung open and what she was sure were Sanctum Guards stood flanking it. Inside, white robed figures mulled about, while the Librarian from the Archives was loudly shouting and gesticulating.

She spied Jaune in the entranceway and waved toward him. He looked steadfast and determined, and his eyes scanned over her, drawn by her gesture. They swept on, not even acknowledging her, not once returning her greeting. He must have been busy, but couldn't he at least have smiled? They hadn't seen one another for a week and she'd almost died in there…

Ruby saw Ren on the outskirts and slid over towards him instead. He looked back when she whispered his name, favouring her with a tired and polite smile. "Ruby. I see you've arrived in time to witness the festivities."

"What's happening?"

"The White-" He snapped the term. "-are barring us from entering the Archives. Both the real and the false for now," he added with a frustrated sound. "All my research is in there. Everyone's is. I can understand the Archives below being sealed off, but not the entire building. It's a waste of all our time."

Ren turned back and Ruby stepped up beside him, listening to the librarian argue with a man in white. His Arcanum featured a singular red stone to mark his second focus, but from clothing alone it was clear he considered the Crimson a supplement to his true calling, not equal to it.

"The Grimm had been cleared away long before we left the Archives and the Wildmage saw to it that the rest were finished. The Grand Arcanist himself declared the threat dealt with. What reason have you to bar us entry from the Archives?"

"The Grimm were drawn to our Collegium because of the concentration of Arcanists. Allowing the Azure to enter that place once more only risks a repeat incident."

"You are suggesting complete closure of the Archives!?" The Librarian's voice rose in shock and many others around them muttered angrily.

"I am not. This is only temporary."

"Nonsense. Whether you let us in now or in two weeks from now there will still be a concentration of Arcanists. Nothing will have changed based on the time you keep us out. And don't believe me foolish enough not to notice the White coming and going as they please. Clearly, you're not too worried about drawing more Grimm."

"The White is conducting tests to measure the threat. Our work is to the protection of the Collegium, of which the Azure Arcana is a member. We do what we must to protect you and yours, Lord Arcanist. Please understand this."

"What of our research?" someone within the crowd shouted. "Why can't we collect our materials from our chambers? Those aren't under threat."

"The White has temporarily closed the Azure Archives to better allow us to deal with the problem. This is an inconvenience, I am aware, but it would only be more of one if we allowed the Azure to come and go. Would you rather we be here for one week or four?"

A week!? And that was just a guess. Why close the building for a whole week? That was ridiculous. The Azure would essentially be left directionless for that time – unable to continue their work, research or even study in the safety of the upstairs library.

Will we ever get the Archives back? There's still so much in there to learn.

All that effort she'd put into the Rubricator too.

"Ahem." A cough from the top of the staircase drew all eyes to Lady Goodwitch herself. Ruby shied behind Ren, hiding her snarl as the woman looked down on the Azure. "If you are done harassing the one I set to answer your questions, I am here to ease the inconvenience of our presence." Her eyes narrowed. "If you are prepared to co-operate, that is."

"It's not us who aren't co-operating," the librarian said. "We evacuated the Archives as you ordered. We have spoken of its secrets to assist the White. We have obeyed the Grand Arcanist's instructions. It is you who throws aside the sanctity of the Arcana system to further your own agenda."

"My agenda as you put it is to protect the Collegium. If I must step on toes to achieve that, I shall. I certainly won't apologise for it. As for your research and materials," she said loudly. "We will be allowing Arcanists into the building for a limited time and under escort to acquire any materials they wish from their chambers."

Murmurs broke out across the crowd. They were indignant and impatient, but the news was received well enough, if reluctantly.

"The White understands the disruption it is causing and will do its best to limit that. However, to make this easier on everyone and not intrude on important security measures being taken against the Grimm, you will be escorted into the building to collect your research in a limited fashion."

A gesture brought forth three Initiates carrying a wooden box between them. They placed it down and the third drew out some parchment and quill. None of it looked magical in any way.

"To assist in making the process faster, please write your name and chamber number on a piece of parchment and place it into the box. Our clerks shall go through them tonight and organise times for everyone to collect any material they have. I understand this may not be what you all wish, but it is the best we can offer at this time. There are still Grimm present in the Azure Archives, and we need to know who, how many and where we can find any of you in the event of a crisis."

There was nothing they could say to that. Azure Arcanists walked up and started to write their details down and slip them into the box, many shooting Goodwitch or the Initiates dirty looks as they did. This wouldn't be the end of it. If they tried to seal off the Archives permanently, she was sure there would be riots.

Well, whatever nobles did in the event of riots anyway. Muttered protests? Angry letters? Whatever it was, the Azure wouldn't sit in silence while their greatest asset and the very thing that defined them as an Arcana was taken away.

Ren left to write his details down and then return. "Aren't you going up as well?" he asked her.

"My research is tied to Merlot's," she lied. "We're doing the same thing, so he'll get it all out his chamber. He wouldn't want me touching his stuff anyway."

"Fair enough." Ren sighed. "This is all such a hassle, but I suppose there's no fighting it. We'll have to make the best of the situation. With any luck it'll be dealt with soon."

"What will you do in the meanwhile?"

"I suppose I'll honour your debt and spend some time with Nora." He flashed her a small smile and petted her shoulder. "A shame we didn't have longer to make use of the Rubricator, but a debt is a debt." He moved past her. "I will see you later, perhaps when the Archives is open again."

Ruby nodded and turned back to the melee of Arcanists writing their names down. There didn't seem to be anything off about the parchment or the box. Goodwitch had also gone back inside, her work done.

Spying Merlot on the far side and not at all interested in doing the same as his fellows, she made her way over, skirting the crowd. He saw her coming and nodded once, signalling it safe to approach. "Ruby," he greeted. "I'd say good day, but it really isn't. Distasteful to see grown men and women squabble like children, isn't it?"

"A little. Do you think there's a spell on the box?"

"Paranoid little thing." He chuckled. "I would say not. There are too many here who would sense it if that were the case. No, this is simply their way of getting the Azure off their backs as they plunder the Archives for knowledge and treasure."

Ruby stiffened. "Do you think…?"

"Almost certainly." He gestured for them to walk away a littles, keeping his voice low. "The Grimm are a threat of course, but this is all just a convenient excuse for them."

"You said they've always had people in the Archives. What has changed?"

"The Rubricator, dear Initiate. You must think it such a small thing but recall that it has the power to locate any book within the Archives. There must have been quite the frenzy in the White on hearing that. I'm sure your name came up a few times." Ruby tensed, but he laid a hand on her shoulder. "Worry not. I doubt they would think it suspicious."

"What do they want in there? More censoring?"

"Possibly. Or perhaps they have their own secrets they search for. Who can say how the White works but one within them? Even then, I expect only those in positions of leadership know the true purpose of this."

Ruby eyed the Arcanist warily. "Are you sure you're not the one being paranoid?"

"I might be. It's not something I'm willing to ignore, however." Merlot stopped them and reached down to her wrist. "I have procured permission to remove this," he said, taking the bracelet. "Everyone's will be removed tomorrow but I sought permission early."

With a brief flare of magic, the seemingly whole bracelet clicked open. Ruby took her hand back and rubbed her wrist. It hadn't been tight by any means but now that it was off, she wondered how she hadn't felt the weight of it.

"Don't do anything suspicious," he told her. "Don't be tempted to sneak out tonight either. I would not put it past Ironwood and Goodwitch to pay attention tonight, and if you are the only Initiate not wearing this and you're found absent from your room? Well, you can imagine how that might raise eyebrows. Especially if a Wildmage is spotted within the city."

"I'll stay in the Collegium until everyone is untracked. Do you know if I'll be able to visit the Sanctum?"

"Without raising suspicion? I doubt that. Then again…" Merlot cupped his chin and hummed. "You might be able to if you embrace their ire. The Grand Arcanist and Lady Goodwitch are already aware you harbour some sympathies for Adam. It wouldn't be beyond belief for you to want to visit him and apologise for what happened. I'm sure Lady Goodwitch would be frustrated at such sentimentality, but she couldn't exactly argue it's out of character or suspicious behaviour."

"Is it wise to annoy them on purpose…?"

"To be honest, no, but since when are children your age known for their wisdom? You could argue it might be more suspicious of you not to seek Adam out. They might think it strange you haven't tried when you were known before for visiting the Sanctum at least twice a week."

He had a point. Before, she'd not thought twice about going there, and it was only the bracelet which stopped her. There wouldn't be any risk of her being outed for it either – she had to sign in whenever she went, so if she were called up again to explain there would be the same proof there had been last time that she hadn't snuck out the Collegium.

Better they think I'm a defiant Initiate sympathetic to a Wildmage than them figuring out I'm a Wildmage myself. Maybe it would be a good idea to own the image she was making for herself.

"Would you like me to set up a meeting with the Grand Arcanist?" Merlot offered.

"No. That's fine. I'll think about it."

"As you will. There won't be anything I need of you until I can acquire my research. Worry not for anything they might find. I kept nothing on you or your nature, and my studies into the Grimm are known to Ozpin, and thus to the White as well. There's nothing to be found there. If anyone asks why I am not teaching you, mention that I have granted us both a week's rest to recover from our ordeal."

"Sure." Ruby nodded her head and backed away. "What will we do about your research?"

"There are other ways to procure Grimm. I may even request approval to bring you out of the Collegium." He looked her way, watching her draw in a sharp breath. "I may try," he said carefully. "I can guarantee precious little."

"R-Right. Thank you. Let me know?"

"Of course. I'll send word if I need you. Do try and stay out of trouble until then."

That was a promise she couldn't make.

/-/

It was dark out when she approached the Sanctum. Convincing Weiss to let her go meet the Wildmage hadn't been easy, but she'd eventually caved if only because there was no way for Adam to hurt her now that he was in the Sanctum. What had gone unsaid was that Ruby hadn't exactly asked for permission to come.

Merlot might be angry, but this was something she'd always done, and if that meant getting in trouble then that was also something perfectly normal for her. Goodwitch would huff and puff and complain, but she couldn't say it was unusual.

Ironwood said the only reason I couldn't go in was because it made the tracking bracelet lose its hold on me. Now that it's off, there's no reason why I shouldn't be allowed to go back. At least, no reason they could argue without sounding controlling.

Getting in was easy. The gates were open and the Sanctum Guards at the main entrance to the large manor spared her a stray look and nothing else. She didn't know if they recognised her or not, but she had come in from outside and that didn't seem to bother them. Their job was to prevent those leaving. Inside, the dimly lit entrance lobby was mostly empty, save for the white-haired man behind the counter who had vouched for her before.

Jaune's father, Nicholas. Ruby slid up to the front desk and waited for him to notice her.

"Ah." He smiled faintly. "I believe I know you. Juniper…?"

Her smile faltered a little. "It's Ruby."

"Forgive me." His eyes flashed with something akin to sadness. "Ruby, of course. The name is familiar now. You are…" He closed his eyes, frowned and held a hand up for her to wait. "No, there is something. Something important. One second please." Pulling away from her, he reached into a bag beneath the desk he was working at and came back up with a sealed envelope. "This is for you."

"A letter?" Ruby swallowed. Why would the Sanctum have a letter for her? Could Cinder and Adam write out? Why would they? It would only draw attention to her! "Um. Why do you have a letter for me, Mr Arc? Did someone inside the Sanctum write it?"

"No. I believe it was myself."

"You… believe…?"

"I cannot remember," he admitted sorrowfully. "I woke up to find it on my bed a week past. There was another beside it, written by myself, explaining that I had to keep this on me and deliver it to the one named. I had signed it myself. I can't remember why or what it contains, but I sounded serious." He chuckled. "I must sound insane to you. I apologise. My… My memory isn't what it used to be. There are times I can hardly remember my name, let alone others."

"Oh. Thank you, then. I'll read it now?"

He shook his head and pushed the open book of names to her. "Later. Please sign yourself in." He brought out the purple sash that she would wear to denote herself a guest, while she wrote her name down, thankful for the writing lessons from Cinder. "Thank you. And welcome back."

He smiled an odd smile. It ought to have been warm, and there certainly wasn't anything cold about it, but his eyes lacked much emotion to back it up. He looked like a puppet smiling. Frozen and false. It could have been his illness, she supposed. Not wanting to be rude, she smiled back, pulled the sash on and made her way into the Sanctum, stopping around a corner in a dark corridor to slide a finger under the sealed envelope and break the wax.

The parchment inside was faded and crinkled, wet on one corner from something spilled upon it. The author had clearly been writing in a hurry – and that fact was even more obvious by the text. It was scrawled at such speed that it was almost illegible. It was also uneven and messy, with numerous notes written around it as though he'd lost focus numerous times in the writing.

"Remember. Remember. Remember," she read, the word repeating itself and sometimes being underlined, as if he'd been forcing himself to recall something while trying to pen it. "Don't forget," other scribbles said. "Remember who you are. Nicholas Arc. Nicholas Arc. Remember." Further along, another quick word read. "Juniper? Who is Juniper? Why do I feel sad whenever I write this?"

It was a look into the mind of a man unable to maintain his sense of self. She'd seen elderly and infirm who were like that, forgetting details in their final moments. Most died soon after and she felt that might have been a blessing for everyone involved. It couldn't be easy to lose track of who you were, and it couldn't be easy for family spending a person's last moments with them to realise you'd been forgotten.

As sympathetic as she was, the message just seemed to be the musings of one such man. The scrawl went on all over the parchment, some of it written at angles like he'd been turning the parchment around to find space. She put it away to mull on later, only to notice more on the back of the parchment when she slid it back into the envelope.

The message was clearer – not any less hastily written – but because it was only the one message on the back. Just the one.

"They will make my son like me. It has already begun. Please save him."

Welp.

Next Chapter: 2nd August

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur