There was a distinct ringing in Ironwood's ears. The bickering mouths around him threw insults and accusations across the table, none of which caused their white-haired recipient to move. Ozpin sat like a concrete statue, his only sign of living being the occasional rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathed.
Ironwood desperately wanted to be anywhere other than where he was. His chair was uncomfortable, the room was warm and beginning to grow humid, and he couldn't be bothered to listen to what any of the other Councilmen were saying. Just by watching angry spittle fly past the plump lips of Ashra Suthnill, however, he could tell that she was inquiring towards the murder of Larun Marital, the ambassador to the region she represented as High Councilwoman of Vacuo.
As her tirade came to a close, James noticed a distinct shift in the room. Everyone seemed to squirm minutely, some ancient force in their minds forcing their bodies to contract as Ozpin stood to speak. His gaze swept over the room impassively, and James could feel shivers running through the flesh of his body.
Frankly, Ozpin didn't seem bothered by the fact that he was being accused of assassination. If anything, he looked a little bemused. "Fellow Councilmen, I stand accused of conspiracy and assassination." Ironwood could feel the room's temperature drop as Ozpin spoke. "Truly, the death of ambassador Marital is a tragedy, one which I could not have foreseen. However, I will point to the grounds of evidence levied against me. This assassin, a Huntsman named Erick Rosaouro, has no connection to me."
Ashra stood up with force, sending her chair backwards with a screech. "That is a lie! He graduated from your school!"
Ozpin didn't raise an eyebrow, but Ironwood could tell he was trying not to. "He has no record of having attended Beacon."
Ashra banged the table with a fist. "You've scrubbed his records!"
Though his face did not show it, Ironwood could tell Ozpin was not happy with such an accusation. "Your evidence?"
Ashra threw her hands in the air. "You've obviously done this to ruin our relations with Menagerie!"
Ozpin was characteristically unmoved. "You are making wild and incoherent accusations with no evidence."
"Evidence?" Ashra shouted. "The evidence was gutted in his own office! You are responsible for Marital's death!"
Ironwood dropped his chin onto his hand. Ashra would get nowhere, he could tell. The other Council members were beginning to eye Ashra. Ozpin spoke slowly and with purpose. "Believe what you want, Miss Suthnill, but you must bring proof if you are going to throw accusations."
Ashra opened her mouth, but James could see that she had nothing to say. Looking around the room, the other Councilmen seemed to be done with this charade. After a short bout of tense silence, Ashra returned to her seat.
Ozpin spoke up again. "If that is all, we have more pressing matters to attend to."
Ironwood lifted his head, eager to listen to whatever Oz would consider pressing.
"Yesterday's riot ended with the deaths of eighteen Faunus protesters, six human protesters, and two riot officers. The fires on Basket Street will cost millions of Lien in damages, an—"
Ashra interrupted Ozpin, something few ever had the gumption to do. "We all saw the news, Headmaster, we have more important matters to talk about than your bleeding heart."
Ozpin didn't seem particularly disturbed from being interrupted. "There were reports of a skirmish in the sewers beneath Basket Street, and the tunnel to Mountain Glenn has been reopened. The construction workers who were sealing the tunnel were all slain by gunshot."
The room was silent, Ironwood could almost smell the tension. He could tell Ashra had to restrain herself from making a quick comment.
Ozpin pushed up his spectacles and regarded James with a nigh-indistinguishable expression of urgency. "Forensic analysis points towards this being part of a mass migration from Vale, and a hostile one at that. Coincidentally, local informants have reported that White Fang safehouses and soup kitchens are woefully understaffed."
James felt himself grow tense. The Fang in Mantle were growing bolder by the day, and the Fang in Vale were establishing a foothold in Mountain Glenn? James leaned forward and spoke, "Ozpin, if what you are suggesting is true, then why would they choose to reside in Mountain Glenn? That place is overrun with Grimm, setting up there would be suicide."
Ozpin slowly returned to his seat. "Truthfully, Councilman Ironwood, the only explanation I can provide is pure conjecture."
Ironwood felt worry gnawing at his gut. "What are you thinking?"
Ozpin met James' eyes, sending him a look that he dreaded. Freezing worry gripped Ironwood's chest as Ozpin's eyes suggested they needed to talk privately. "Conjecture would only be harmful at the moment." Ozpin lied. "I only wanted to make the council aware that the White Fang has likely moved most of its members out of the city."
"Did you even try to stop it? You didn't think to have a Huntsman watching the tunnel?" Ashra inquired, leaning back in her chair with crossed arms. "Seems like a pretty important thing to keep safe."
Ozpin sighed, exasperated. "The council has made it abundantly clear that I should leave matters of domestic security to the police."
Ashra glared but did not respond. After a few tense moments the meeting continued into suggesting how the Mountain Glenn situation would be scouted, negotiating a trade deal between Vacuo and Atlas, and planning on how the Frontiers would be expanded. The whole time, though, James could feel the weight of Ozpin's eyes on him.
When the meeting adjourned, Ironwood did his best to rush to his ship without making himself look like a fool. The airship ride back to the Eisschwert was unbearably tense, only made worse by the fact that Winter, who had been waiting for him in the airship, was watching him intently. She could definitely tell he was perturbed, but her temperament meant she probably wouldn—
"General Ironwood, you seem disturbed." Winter's cold voice almost made Ironwood jump.
James sighed. "I'm sure I do." He really didn't want to therapize with Winter, he'd rather save all his anxiety for Ozpin.
Winter was clearly unsatisfied by his answer, but she didn't speak out again. She did, however, stare imploringly at him for the rest of the trip.
Fortunately, James was spared her glare when they returned to the Eisschwert as her attention was needed for other matters. Finally, he could have a mome—
"General."
James barely restrained his hand from reaching for his weapon. How the hell had he arrived this quickly and managed to sneak up on him past Winter? "Headmaster Ozpin." He replied, his tone trained and steady. "My quarters?"
Ozpin nodded and began walking as if he was the one leading Ironwood. They walked in silence until they reached his spacious
