You know this story feels easier to write then the main story. I think that's because as I go through the chapters I gotta split my focus between moving the plot and trying to push for romance. Speaking of which I realized that I suck at the romance aspect of the story so maybe I should focus on just the plot and see where it goes from there. (Sigh) Salems knight what am I gonna do with you.

How long had it been since there was a meeting between Salem and what was left of her subordinates? A couple months and all thanks to the brat his mistress brought back. Alec's eyes narrowed on the baby that Salem held up with her index fingers.

Jaune took a wobbly step forward and held on tightly to both of Salems fingers for support. "Keep going jaune you need to keep practicing until you can do it all by yourself" Salem cheered from behind. She continued to guide the tiny Arc through the hall's for the next ten minutes until the baby fell on his butt because he was tired.

Salem smiled gently before scooping up the tiny child in her arm's "your such a hard worker" she whispered as she gently kissed his forehead. The action made Alec's teeth clench because it was completely unlike his mistress to show such affection to anyone. What worried him more was the markings that once decorated Salems body had begun to change and recede.

The baby yawned which signaled Salem that his nap time was near so she turned and left Alec alone in the hall to return to her room. Salem leaned over the crib and place jaune under his blanket before tucking him in "there you go nice and comfy" she whispered gently. The babies eye's got heavy as he listened to Salems soothing voice once she started to hum a tiny lullaby.

It didn't take long for jaune to fall asleep and yet she remained at his side, content to watch the young one sleep. Salems memory overlapped with her vision to see her youngest daughter in the place where jaune was sleeping. Her hand reached down in the hopes that just once she'd feel the warmth of her youngest but unfortunately it was not to be.

As soon as her fingers caressed the young girls cheek the memory shattered and she returned to the present. Salems hand froze at jaunes side and before she knew it there were tears dripping off her face. The pain, hurt and betrayal she experienced so long ago rushed back to her all at once which caused her anger to burn anew.

Salems hand began to clench into a fist before something warm grabbed her hand. Her eye's focused on the young Arc who had rolled to his side without her notice to grab her hand with his own. Salem blinked through the tears as she watched the baby before her. His hands squeezed her like he was trying to comfort her as best he could.

Salems other hand came up and quickly wiped the tears from her face before looking back to the young Arc. She slowly untangled her hand from his before backing away to the door of her chamber. The door clicked shut and Salem turned to see Alec standing a few feet from her with a serious expression on his face.

Salem began walking through the hallway and was followed closely by her right hand subordinate. "Speak what is on your mind unless your hoping for me to guess" she said once they were far enough away from her door to not wake jaune. Alec opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water because he just couldn't muster up the courage to tell her what he really thought.

Salem seemed to recognize his hesitation "you have my permission to speak freely so speak". Alec took a breath to prepare "mistress I'll be frank I don't see any merit in allowing that child to become one of us". She had suspected that Alec wouldn't let the matter go so easily so she only had one question "do you believe that because of the boys father"?

Alec looked a little perplexed by the question but quickly shook it off. "I will not lie to you my queen, some part of me does still bears hatred for that man and just by looking at the boy my anger grows but more than that I know a day will come when he will turn against us, of that I am sure of".

Salem turned to regard the man for a moment "what makes you so sure he'll betray us"?

"Because it is fact that by your hand that boy was made into a orphan. You slayed not just the boys father but his actual mother and siblings".

Each of Alec's words were not wrong and with each reason listed off it felt like he might as well have stabbed her with a sword of guilt. He was right and what's worse was that she already knew that long before she brought the boy here. If she trained him like she planned and used him against Ozpin there was a chance the old wizard would use the truth to turn jaune against her. Was her whole operation worth the life of one child?

The answer to that was easily a no. Alec saw his mistress deep in thought and thought it best to leave her to contemplate his words. Her right hand subordinate gave her a bow before turning away "I shall leave you to your thoughts but take this to heart mistress, a child so young is hardly a threat but given time and he may grow into one".

Those parting words were what she was left with as Alec retreated down the hallway to who knows where. Salem returned to her room and stood before the crib which held the young Arc child. Her mind was stuck on Alec's words and she knew what he wanted her to do but the question was could she do it?

Sure she had killed many in her time but all of which at least knew what was going on before they died. The kids that had perished by her will were done in by the Grimm so she wouldn't have had to see their demise.

Salem reached into the crib and cradle jaune in her arms one last time. They had spent months like this and it was only fitting that if she were to end his life she would do it when he was at peace with the world. Salem brushed jaunes blonde hair aside before kissing his forehead "I'm sorry" she whispered before raising her right hand to gather magic within it.

She would make it as painless as possible and grant him a slumber he would never wake up from. Dark magic burned at her finger tips but before she could use it jaune had awoken. He was still tired but his eye's had opened slightly before he snuggled closer into Salems side. His hands had grasped onto her dress just before he fell back asleep.

The dark magic in Salems hand began to fluctuate before disappearing all together. Her hand trembled and her breathing become rapid while her eye's watered in horror at her own actions. Was she really going to kill a defenseless child with her bare hands for her ambitions? Had she truly become the monster Ozpin had claimed her to be?

Salem hugged the young Arc hoping that in some way it would serve as an apology for what she was about to do. In that moment in her room she declared she would not become the monster her ex husband had declared her to be. Sure she would still fight to get revenge against Ozpin and would work diligently to keep the gods from returning but never again would she lowered herself to something only a mindless Grimm would do.

Finally it feels like everything that I wanted to put in a chapter actually turned out how I wanted. Usually I think about it to death and then when I go to put it down it turns out differently then what I wanted but not this time.

Nexus out!