Apologies for the late update. Technical difficulties arose. Next chapter should hopefully be out on time next week. On the plus, you get to enjoy a much longer chapter this week.
Arc 2 - Chapter 24:
Everyone stared at her with varying expressions of surprise, shock and disbelief.
Finally, Roman spoke up.
"Huh. Well, that's convenient."
"Is it true you'll be able to hide me?" blurted Ruby suddenly, and everyone turned to look at her.
She glanced around nervously, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with so many eyes on her at once.
Hei let out a low groan. "Ruby…" he chided.
"O-oh. Sorry Hei," she startled, looking up at him apologetically.
"It's okay," he sighed.
"Hmm? And who's this little thing?" asked Maria, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh. Um?" Ruby glanced at Hei for approval, and he nodded.
"I'm Ruby. Nice to meet you," she stuck her hand out for Maria to take.
She didn't. If anything, Maria seemed to stare at where she was seated.
"Well," began Maria. "You certainly have manners." She reached out finally and accepted her hand, giving it a firm, but gentle, shake.
"Now what's this about being able to hide you?"
Hei cut in, placing a hand on Ruby's shoulder.
"Well how about answer this first. You claim to be this Cosmetician. What proof can you provide?"
Maria chuckled.
"Proof he asks. My my. Have you ever heard of something called faith? Hmm?
Hei's grip on Ruby tightened, and his lip curled in distaste. He preferred to not leave too much to chance if he could help it. Too much could, and already had, gone wrong. He voiced as much to Maria, who in turn scoffed.
"Well, I'm afraid there's not much I can do to change your mind then."
She tapped her cane on the ground, and her voice took on a firm edge.
"Either way, it doesn't change the fact that you still owe me compensation."
Hei scoffed, but it was Roman that decided to be vocal in protest.
"Listen, lady, do we really owe you? We haven't received anything from you. Hell," he snorted, "we haven't even done anything."
"My kids being beaten black and blue tells a different story," she bit out agitatedly.
"Well, they started it," he countered. "So if anything, you owe us," he finished smugly.
"You put a bloody hole in Amber's foot. You cost me time and resources. So, as far as I'm concerned, you can still pay me," she snapped.
"Oh yeah?" grinned Roman. "How are you gonna make us do that? Your kids didn't even last ten minutes against us? What? You're gonna force us?"
Maria chuckled, and it instantly put Hei on edge. Roman meanwhile cocked an eyebrow while Neo yawned.
"You know, it's been a while since I've met a Wound."
Roman's arrogant smirk instantly dissipated, and Hei felt himself slowly reaching for the flintlock under his jacket.
"What are you talking about…?" trailed off Roman, his voice losing its confident edge.
"Hehe…. You asked me how I can see despite wearing this cloth? Well, that's easy. I don't need eyes to see you. I can see your Aura. Or in your case, your lack of Aura," she gestured to a gobsmacked Roman.
Hei wanted to admit he was apprehensive, but she just pointed out something she had no reason to even know in the first place.
"Wha…? Who? Me?" he chuckled nervously.
"Yes, you," she repeated in exasperation.
"Can't say I've had the pleasure of meeting many Wounds before. But you all stand out like a sore thumb."
"How?" asked Hei.
"Hmm? What? How do I know so many Wounds? Well that' simple –"
"-No," cut off Hei. "How can you see Aura?"
Maria went silent. She almost seemed thoughtful. And then….
"I guess it's more akin to sensing it, I suppose. Though to me it's the same as seeing all over again."
"But..." Hei shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around what he just heard. Roman and Neo weren't faring any better.
"That makes no sense?"
"Well, you better start getting used to that fact. That's the reason I know you'll pay me!" she beamed greedily, her tone taking on a more jovial pitch. At least compared to her more stern one not but a second prior.
Roman stared at her dumbly. "What, because you can see…?"
Hei instantly clued into the implication, and Neo, having an active Aura herself, did as well. She wanted to facepalm at his ignorance.
"More along the lines I can see whose ass is going to get kicked, but yes, that will suffice," Maria responded with a mirthful chuckle. One that Hei could tell was half joking, and half serious.
"You mean yours…?" replied Roman with uncertain bravado.
Everyone felt tense, but it was Ruby who broke it up. Starting by kicking Roman in the shin. It wasn't hard by any means, but he let out a yelp of surprise. Ruby merely scowled at him, all while Neo watched on with a mildly curious upturned eyebrow.
"That was rude," she scolded him, and he openly gaped at her.
"Excuse you?! So is kicking me in the leg! Who taught you that?" he exclaimed, nursing his shin with an exaggerated massage.
Ruby ignored him, turning to face Maria fully.
"I'm sorry he's being a meanie. But we came all this way for help, and so far, no-one wants to help us! And it's not nice, and it's not fair," she pouted.
Hei kept an eye on the situation. He wanted to pull her back from speaking, but he noticed the way Maria seemed to tense up suddenly. It was subtle. But it was there. Yet for whatever reason she didn't do anything. Nor say anything. She seemed content to listen to Ruby speak, locking her blind gaze onto her.
"But if you are this Cosmetician person that everyone keeps talking about, can you please just give us a chance? We're sorry about hurting your bad girl," she added for good measure.
It was silent in the enclosed tent, and after a couple seconds, Hei began to feel slightly uneasy.
His hand drifted closer to his flintlock as he mentally readied himself to burst into action. This Maria had all but admitted she could use and control Aura. Aside from the immediate danger, there was the fact that she clued into Roman being a Wound.
Neo seemed to be similarly on edge, if the way her hands gravitated towards slipping out her stilettoes was any indicator.
"I don't know what you hope to achieve by doing that, but you can put your weapons away," Maria scowled finally, taking him off further guard.
"I'm not interested in a fight. Not unless you want to start one? Though I promise you, you will regret it."
Slowly, Hei released his grip on the flintlock, and after conveying a glance with Neo, she reluctantly did the same.
All throughout their silent exchange, Maria kept her face focused on Ruby, or her direction. Hei didn't know anymore.
"Why do you want my help so badly?" Maria's voice was suddenly terse. Hie suddenly found himself pondering if Maria knew what Ruby was. But that should be impossible. Even if she was being truthful about Roman, her deduction came from his lack of Aura. She said so herself!
"Because… because…?" Ruby suddenly floundered, caught an impasse between asking for help and revealing the truth about herself. Hei chose to step in as she shot him a desperate look. It was a gamble, but he was desperate.
"We need to hide her identity so she doesn't stand out as much," he stated, barely catching Maria's whisper of 'you can say that again'.
"Specifically," he took a deep breath. "Her eyes."
Maria was pensive.
"And why does she need to be disguised, exactly?"
Roman jumped in.
"Well, you see, she's a bit of a literal princess – " "Oh cut with the bullshit!" Maria barked.
"If you need her eyes disguised, which is a piss weak disguise by the way, then go find someone else!"
"Because there's bad people out there that want to hurt me and anyone near me!" blurted Ruby, and even Maria was taken aback.
"A-and I can't let that happen. I won't!" Ruby shook her head furiously.
"So please. Please help me. Because it keeps everyone else safe. We'll pay! Whatever you want!"
Hei winced at that. Sure, he was willing to do anything to keep her safe, but her phrasing it like that only made them seem desperate and opened them up to extortion.
Maria let loose an exhausted sigh, mumbling something about life being complicated.
"You know it's gonna take more than that to hide her, what with the way she is leaking Aura like a stuck pig. It's going to take more than a cosmetic change to fix that."
"…leaking aura…?" That was new to Hei. What even did that mean? Was it bad?
Apparently Neo was just as confused, if the way she looked at him upon his questioning glance was any indicator.
"Yes. I'm assuming you know she's special then if you've brought her all this way seeking my services. Well, that leaking Aura is going to be root cause of your problems."
"How so?"
Maria scoffed.
"Because, idiot. Have you ever heard of the 'eyes being the window to the soul'? Well, it's more than just a flowery statement. With matters of Aura, it's the truth. Aura is a byproduct of your soul, and since everyone's Aura is unique, any uncontrollable leaks like that will garner attention. She is essentially broadcasting her identity to every Arcanist that walks by her, telling them who she is!"
Hei felt his heart plummet as he realised the scope of such consequences. Besides that, did that mean that this Maria knew what Ruby was…? Surely not, right?
"It's that bad?" he asked dumbly, not sure of what else to say.
Maria chuckled darkly.
"Oh, it's very bad. Honestly, it's a miracle she even got into this city."
"So…" he ventured cautiously. "What is she then?" he tested.
"You tell me. You're the one saying she needs her eyes disguised, while I'm the one that can see such an unnatural Aura leak. It doesn't take much to piece together that she is some sort of Arcane anomaly. Plenty of different anomalies like that exist. As for what sort she might be, without direct comparison, it's hard to say. All I know is that if the Huntsmen ever caught proper wind of her, or rather those Arcanists, then they'd want to have a nice personal talk with her."
So not a Grimm Whisperer? He thought with pseudo relief. Ruby whimpered, unnerved.
Hei decided to roll with it.
"So, if it's that bad, will you help her?" Or at least point him in the right direction? He wanted to add.
"I don't do work out of charity," scoffed Maria. "Especially not for people that caused mine such trouble."
"Look," tried to explain Roman again, only for her to cut him off.
"Twenty thousand Lien."
Hei was taken aback by her abruptness.
"Wait, what? So you'll disguise her? How? What even would you do?"
"We don't even have that sort of money," protested Roman, but Maria was having none of it.
"If you've heard of me, then you've certainly heard of my pricing," she countered calmly.
"Twenty thousand, and that's including my compensation for what you did to Amber."
She stretched her gaining back before leaning heavily on the cane again.
"As for what I'll do, well I'll work my own tricks. With any luck, I can plug the leaks so she doesn't look like a freaking bonfire."
Hei contemplated what she said.
"I don't have enough on me right now. I can try to pay you back…" he offered, and Maria snorted.
"Well, aren't you so noble." She sighed.
"Why is the girl important to you?"
Hei was taken aback.
"Well, she's important to me. To all of us." Looking down at Ruby's watchful gaze, he continued.
"She's like family to us. She lost hers, and I… we've been doing everything we can to try and look out for her."
Her lips curled, and she rubbed the top of her cane slowly. She contemplated what she had heard, taking her time. The silence was insufferable, and everyone was beginning to feel antsy. It was if time itself had slowed down. It was almost as if she were doubtful of Hei's claim.
"So you acknowledge the girl is important to you then?" It was less a question and more a statement.
"Yes," conceded Hei slowly. He could only hope he wouldn't regret this.
"Bu why? Why is she important to you?"
Hei breathed. He wanted to say because he cared. Because he loved her like family. And all those things were true, but Maria was clearly interested in only the truth. For being blind, she seemed to see right through him.
"Because she needs a future," he finally answered. "And I don't think I can provide the best one for her. But I can damn well try to at least keep her safe so she can grow up to make her own."
"Hmmm," she breathed slowly. Finally, she spoke. Her tone was firm, and it was clear she would not be tolerating any argument.
"I am willing to make a deal with you, Hei."
He looked directly at her, broken out of his inner ruminations of financial planning.
"What sort of deal?" he probed warily. He didn't want to jump the gun and find himself off worse.
"Well, you still owe me for what you did to Amber, and you're going to be owing me plenty going forward," she said.
"No need to be so stingy about it," Roman hissed.
She ignored him.
"However, I am willing to offer a financial discount. Ten thousand upfront now, to cover the costs for Amber. And instead, you'll substitute the rest with something else entirely."
"And what is this something?" said Roman warily. Hei shared his scepticism. She elaborated.
"You run a pub. And I have kids under my care. Kids that are always hungry…." She trailed off, and Hei picked up on what she was getting at.
"You want me to feed them?" his eyes went wide with realisation?
"That's all you're asking for?"
Maria merely shrugged nonchalantly.
"What can I say? Food is hard to get down here. What with stingy merchants who half the time refuse to even have anything to do with us. And that's not counting the other gangs that roam around and try to strong-arm what little supplies we do have."
Hei considered it. Food was definitely cheaper to supply than straight out forking thousands of lien a month. At least on his end. Maria would be losing out by opting for this route. He felt his eyes narrow. What was her game?
"Why goes this route? Why food direct instead of lien for the shards? You'd make way more that way and could purchase more food yourself?"
Ten thousand lien worth of food would feed his old orphanage for three months. Being a business owner meant he could get into contact with the direct suppliers and get more for even cheaper now. That same ten thousand could supply four months of food likely, even. Versus twelve for three months, and sixteen for four.
Maria balked and bit back a scoff.
"Ha! And signal to all the other gangs I'm swimming in money? I don't get that many clients as it is, and most of them don't require hiding their Auras."
At that point, Hei supposed it made sense. Keeping low on the radar was a big priority and key to avoiding trouble. Though, considering Maria's reputation as the Cosmetician, he doubted she was too concerned with opportunistic gangs trying to strong-arm what they wanted.
He voiced as such, and with an irritated mutter, Maria went on to explain.
"I'm not entirely a stingy, heartless old crone, Hei. I can tell that the girl will run afoul of some mighty serious trouble if she isn't hidden properly. While I can't work on charity alone, I can offer a discount to try and give her a chance. Does that satisfy you?"
It eased some of his worries. The rest was just years of ingrained paranoia. Paranoia he refused to fully disregard for a reason. But for now, her answers did satisfy him.
"Can you guarantee it will work, then?"
She crooked a smile in his direction.
"Well, I can certainly try."
He took a deep breath.
"I accept your terms."
She didn't even waste a breath, jumping straight to barking orders
"Excellent. All of you, outside of the tent. Now. Except Ruby."
Hei was taken aback.
"What? You'll do it?"
"Don't make me change my mind. Now, outside."
Hei was shocked, but instantly, he narrowed his eyes.
"I'm not leaving her unattended –"
"And she won't be," cut off Maria.
"But if I am to disguise her like you so desire, then I need to be alone with her. The reasons need not concern you," she added, sensing a protest about to erupt.
"I adhere to the strictest of confidentiality with my customers. And I am certainly not going to be doing anything to harm her," she snorted.
"Now, unless you want to try your luck elsewhere, good luck with that by the way, then leave us alone. You can come back in a couple minutes. After I have said so," she stressed.
Hei didn't like this at all. Not one bit.
Ruby could see his unease. Squeezing his much larger and rougher hand, she offered a comforting smile. Or at least she hoped it was one.
"It'll be alright, Hei. I'll call out if anything bad happens. But I'm sure it won't," she said.
Hei didn't share her optimism, but with no other options, his only choice left was to ignore the fear in his heart and let her go.
"I'll be right outside," he promised her as he stood up, ushering Roman and Neo to follow him.
They were both as uneasy as he was, but there was little else they could say or do except trust in Hei. He in turn could only trust in Ruby and Maria. Something he hated having to do as they were now out of his control. Still, he acquiesced.
As they left the tent to wait outside, the flap folding closed behind them, Maria shuffled over to take a seat next to Ruby.
"Do you trust them?" she asked abruptly, and Ruby felt taken aback.
"Wha-? Of course! They've saved my life! A-and they've been so nice to me. Y-yeah sometimes they've seemed a bit iffy, but they've always been there for me," she rambled on, gushing in their defence.
"Calm yourself, girl," interrupted Maria with a raised hand.
"I'm merely trying to make sure what they said is the truth and that you are indeed in good hands. Otherwise, I will make sure they don't enter that tent again if you feel you aren't safe with them."
"What?! No! They're not like that at all!" Ruby protested fiercely, leaping to her feet.
Maria's hand shot out onto her shoulder and pushed her back down into a sitting position.
"Relax. I'm not going to do that. Like I said, I'm just checking."
Ruby pouted angrily, crossing her arms petulantly. "Well it's not fair or nice to them."
Maria snorted.
"Ruby, you know they are criminals, right?"
"They're not like that anymore. They're my friends! And anyways, I thought this was about me, not them?" she finally snapped.
She received a light smack on the back of the head, and she let out a startled yip.
"While I commend you for standing up for your friends, do not get mouthy with me," Maria scolded, going back to resting her hands on her cane. Ruby nursed the back of her head with a scowl.
"And this is about you. But I can see perhaps my concern regarding them isn't warranted right now. Now, I can plug your Aura, so is it just your eyes you are seeking to change? Or your face?"
Her face still scrunched up as she regarded Maria with a bitter expression. She kept her tone more neutral however.
"Oh, uh, no. It's just my eyes," she answered, only to receive a sceptical hum from the older woman.
"Really? After all that spiel about needing to keep your identity hidden, and you only want your eyes disguised?"
Put like that, and it did seem a little silly.
"W-well, it's only my eyes that need changing," she deflected weakly. "That way people can't see…."
Maria looked unimpressed.
"Girl. Did you not hear a word I said a minute ago? You need more than coloured contact lenses to hide your identity."
"What do you mean?" asked Ruby nervously, not feeling comfortable with where the conversation was starting to go.
"Ruby," began Maria.
"I can sense people's Auras quite clearly. I can tell yours is very… unique. If you are looking to hide yourself from regular everyday folk, contact lenses will suffice for a while, but all it will take is having a run-in with a Huntsman, an Arcanist, or anyone else trained to discern an Aura like I can, and you'll be found out. And that's not to say about your face becoming recognisable."
Ruby rubbed her arm uncomfortably as Maria listed out those facts. She wasn't done, however.
"I presume your friends know the truth, then? And the risks?"
"About what?" Ruby deflected. Maria could only sigh.
"Ruby, your eyes are a dead giveaway to your heritage. And your heritage –"
"What about my heritage?" Ruby finally snapped, her own fists balling up in anger.
Maria felt the urge to smack the girl again. But she chose not to. She listened as Ruby spoke.
"That it's going to lead to people getting hurt? Like Hei, and Roman, and my other friends? My family?!"
For a five year old, the passion she exuberated, and the conviction with which she articulated her words was beyond impressive. Clearly, she had been slowly picking things up from Hei and his people.
"My eyes are bad luck. They're the reason why…" she choked up as memories of the past flooded in.
"They're the reason…" she tried again, only to feel herself choke on a single sob again.
Maria waited patiently, only until it was clear that Ruby wasn't going to say anything.
"They're the reason what…?" she probed.
Ruby wasn't going to fall for it, however. She wasn't going to admit to weakness. And she certainly wasn't going to cry like a little girl.
Wiping her sleeve across her eyes to dry the faintest vestiges of tears trying to form, she shook her head defiantly.
"Nothing. I just need my eyes to be disguised. That way everything will get better," she said. Her young voice was firm and resolute, emulating the conviction which she heard Hei and Roman often speak. She would be strong for them, just like they had been for her. They were her family. Her real family.
Maria grumbled something unintelligible before speaking more loudly for her to hear.
"Well, let's not waste any time then. Because of your unique… status… I will need to try and hide your Aura as well. Tell me. Outside of your friends, does anyone else know about you or your eye colour?"
"No? I don't think so…?" she trailed off. The only other people that would know were Tyrian and Hazel, but they both presumed she was dead. That left Shion, who was still out there somewhere. But he was probably wanted by the Huntsmen and Arcanists, so it wasn't like he was going to rat on her. That's what Hei suggested anyways.
"You're certain? There's no Huntsmen or Arcanists searching for you explicitly? No wanted or missing posters of you?"
"No," she repeated with a shake of her head.
Maria let out a breath. Whether it was relief, or something else, Ruby didn't know.
"Very well. Then I might as well get started. Wait right here. I'll be back shortly." With that, Maria forced herself upright and began to hobble off, leaving Ruby alone with her thoughts.
Hei was stuck pacing in agitation outside of the tent while Neo leaned against the building wall. Roman tried to fish in his pockets for a cigar, but upon catching the glare Hei sent his way, he wisely put it away.
"You lot can come back in now," called Maria, just as Hei felt tempted to barge in regardless.
He wasted no time in barging through the flap, Roman following him, while Neo lazily took her time to push off the wall and saunter behind them.
He would admit, he wasn't sure what to expect. So when he locked his eyes on Ruby, his first instinct was to push forward and check her over for anything different.
She squirmed under his hands, trying to pull away as he fussed over. Maria delicately took a seat back on the couch and faced the group's general direction.
"I've changed her eye colour to appear more like yours, so you'll be able to sell your story as more believable."
It was true. Ruby's eyes no longer bore a vibrant silver colour. Instead, they were a more dull greyish light-blue colour. Maria continued.
"However, she'll need to come back every five weeks to get her eyes renewed."
Hei glanced up at her confused.
"Renewed?"
"Yes. In order to mask her Aura signature in the process so she doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, I've applied an Arcane technique to mute any Aura leakages that she has. However, the effects will only last for up to five weeks before she'll need an Aura Shard to re-catalyse what I've done. Otherwise her eyes will revert back to their original colour, and her Aura will keep leaking."
It all went over everyone's heads, and Roman stepped forward in confusion.
"Uh, I don't profess to be an expert on Aura or anything, but could you perhaps simplify what you just said? Preferably in Valean?"
Maria sighed.
"Her Aura is unique. How I can tell is because it leaks through her eyes. Any trained Arcanist will be able to pick up on that. I've applied a special Aura-based lense to her eyes that will essentially plug those leaks. I've manipulated it so her eye colour is different in the process. Not only will her eyes appear different, they won't give cause to suspect anything."
Hei wasn't sure what to say to that. Aura and its technicalities went way above his head. However, Maria was not finished.
"However, because it uses Aura shards as a catalyst for fuel, they will only last up to five weeks. Less if she decides to go burning through her Aura like a madwoman. Though," she tilted her head down to Ruby. "I doubt she has the reserves nor the training to do so at this point. She'll need to schedule a visit with me every month so I can replenish her lenses."
Hei cut her off.
"Can't we just do that with a regular Aura shard? Why do we need to strictly use you?"
Everyone looked at Maria. It was a valid question. She merely sighed in response.
"Because the Aura shards need to be hyper-refined and receptive to my own Aura, otherwise they won't work properly. If you feed her lenses with alternative shards, you will run the risk of potential Aura rejection, because make no mistake, Ruby does have an unlocked Aura beyond what is latent. She just hasn't trained in using it yet."
"Aura rejection?" asked Ruby. That was a topic she remembered Hei mentioning ages ago back at the orphanage. It had something to do with Wounds like Roman, but Hei said he didn't know the specifics. Maybe Maria would elaborate?
"Yes. If a foreign Aura tries to feed off of or manipulate your native Aura, your body can try to reject it. How it does so can vary. For some, it might be through a headache. For others, their Aura becomes completely drained. Others might have a limb explode. And for some cases, depending on the application of the foreign Aura, there might be no rejection even. It really does depend," she shrugged.
"However, considering my lenses work to suppress your Aura leakages, I would advise not meddling with them by feeding them unsanitised catalysts. You wouldn't want to go blind like me, would you?"
Ruby gulped, even as Maria cackled. Hei picked up on something, however.
"What do you mean by feed? You keep saying that with these lenses?"
"Oh, that? That's exactly what I mean. The lenses need to latch onto something, and being Arcane in nature, it's more efficient to have them attach to the Aura trying to leak from her eyes. They will passively drain your Aura. Don't be alarmed, though. It's at such a miniscule rate," she waved dismissively.
Roman shook his head.
"But if they're feeding off her Aura, why even bother with the shards then? Why not just train her to use her Aura?"
"Do you know how, mister Wound?" she shot back with a sceptical voice.
Alas, Roman didn't know how. On account of being a Wound, he was the least qualified person when it came to matters of Aura.
"And what about you boss man?" she levelled her covered gaze on where Hei was.
"Do you know how to train someone to use an Aura? Outside of the basic projections for a shield in a fight? Hmm?"
No he didn't. He had helped show the twins some basic stuff, but they already had the foundations established back their mother back in Mistral. Maria took his silence as proof that he didn't know.
"Like I said, the lenses are based on using my Arcane and Aura, which is ultimately foreign to hers. It's much safer if I provide a catalyst to recharge it. Plus, it's easier to use a clean catalyst, which I will provide each month. For a fee of course," she smiled.
Hei smiled thinly.
"You'll have your food ready for each month."
"And ten thousand now. And you better hook me up with some good food too!"
"Really, that's your plan? Hook us up to be dependent on you or risk Ruby in the process?" Roman scowled, but Hei was already reaching into his jacket to pull out a wad of Lien.
"I assume this will cover todays costs?"
Maria snatched the cash from Hei's hands.
"LUCAS! Come count this for me!" she bellowed out into the main building.
The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard as Lucas entered the room, still covered in grime and filth from earlier in the day.
He took the cash out of Maria's hands and began to count it in front of her. Meanwhile, she turned her attention back Hei.
"Assuming there's ten thousand in there, I think today's expenses will be covered. But my Aura shards are expensive, and you'll be burning through a lot of money a month to keep young Ruby here properly disguised."
Hei grimaced. That was very true.
The expense reports that Carter had gave him a rough estimate of the pub's prior earnings. With the current Prohibition Act strongly regulating all Valean liquor vendors and taxing them heavily on sales, there wasn't a whole lot of money left.
Oh there was certainly still going to be profit, but having fork out thousands a month was still a bitter pill.
Aura Shards in general were expensive, but Maria was outright extorting them. Or should be normally. Food was cheaper than whatever bulk sum she wuld want each month. He was still suspicious as to why she really wanted to go that route, but sh assured him it was because of pity for the girl. He supposed that came in handy.
Still, Hei could at least walk away satisfied now. Sure, his pockets were much lighter, but if Maria's words were true, at least now Ruby would be safe. And that was all that truly mattered. So he was satisfied.
Roman wasn't, however. At least not fully.
"Well, we all get the happy ending then, eh? I have one question," he leaned forward, his face hovering mere inches from Maria's.
"You admitted you have no eyes, but you can still see us."
"Oh not this tripe again," she groaned. "Treat it as more I can sense where a person's Aura is," she exclaimed.
"See, sense. Whatever," he waved off.
"My question is why are you so invested in Ruby? What do you see? Sense," he immediately corrected.
Maria exhaled from her mouth, blowing hot air up into her hair, and Roman backed away to give her space.
"Why do I care? Because I do. As for what I see? Well, you only asked for one question. That's two," she cheekily replied.
Roman rolled his eyes in irritation, but before he could voice his annoyance, he suddenly felt something hard shoving into his chest and pushing him backwards.
It was Maria's cane as she ushered them all out.
"Now if that's all, you all got what you want, and I have an idiot patient to care for. I will see you in one month Hei. And it better be with food, otherwise I won't be replenishing her catalyst!"
With that, they suddenly found themselves outside the tent, all while Maria's chuckling could be heard fading away as she slowly walked inside the building with the help of her cane.
"Well, that was something," finally admitted Roman. All Hei could do was nod as Maria's words kept replaying in his head.
"Does this mean I'm no longer a risk?" asked Ruby, daring to hope.
The three others looked down at her, hood still covering her head.
Hei gently pulled it off her head and let it drape over her shoulders.
"Yeah, kid. You don't need to hide away anymore."
"Really?!" she exclaimed with such a toxic sweet tone, her excitement infectious. Hei felt a smile grace his face, and as he took Ruby's hand, ushering her to follow him, Roman laughed.
"You betcha Red! And you know what that also means?"
"What?" she asked, curious.
"You can finally come on our heists with us, now that people won't peg you as a… you know what," he finished lamely under Hei's stern glare.
"Absolutely not," he refused.
Roman was affronted.
"Why not?! She's little, she's nimble, and you gotta teach 'em while they're young! Right Neo?" he turned to the mute girl for support, which she enthusiastically gave with a vigorous nod of her head.
"After your last escapade, I think not!" shot Hei furiously.
"Oh, c'mon, it wasn't that bad!" argued Roman with a frustrated whine.
Meanwhile, Ruby watched the two bicker with a growing smile. When she glanced up at Neo, the older girl had her hands locked behind her head as she leisurely strolled with them, a content smile plastered on her face.
Just then, she sent Ruby a mischievous wink, and it was then that Ruby knew. She had her family. And everything was going to be perfect.
Things would finally settle down, and she couldn't be any happier….
The city of Vale was experiencing a rather sunny day as the first signs of spring started to appear. Hardly any clouds were in the sky, which radiated a vibrant blue, and the weather was starting to warm up slightly.
The snow was starting to show signs of receding and melting. People bustled in the city streets to prepare for the warmer weather. Merchants considered opening up their wares with more exotic goods now that ferocious blizzards were a thing of the past. Food stall owners, farmers and butchers looked at expanding their variety, and street rats began to move further about the city now that the risk of freezing to death on the streets was starting to become lesser with each passing day.
All in all, there was plenty to do now, and no reason to pay attention to, nor care, about the surrounding world. The terrorist attack had been long forgotten, and with massive walls and a massive army of soldiers and Hunters, there was no reason to fear a Grimm attack.
Which was why when a large shadow was suddenly cast down upon the city from the heavens, peoples attention was garnered.
Panicking, people looked up into the sky to see what was causing the distant low rumble and the massive moving shadows over their city.
High up in the sky, but clearly visible to all, arrived two airships.
The first shared the same design as Vales own, with a large cabin-like undercarriage supported by a massive balloon.
However, unlike Vale's own, it was refitted with expensive wooden and golden inlays and protrusions. All while proudly displaying the emblem of Mistral; a golden wreath enshrining a crown on white background, symbolising purity and the harmony of art and the royalty. At least, that was what Ozpin had heard as he watched the airships arrive closer and closer the large docking platform built specifically for these massive flying machines.
He, alongside his deputy Glynda, stood waiting near the platform. General Alexander and several nobles stood behind them, each with a small retinue of their finest guards, and all dressed to the bells with the finest clothing, armour and weaponry.
It was unnecessary, but Ozpin acknowledged it was important to show some strength and refinement. It wasn't a very convincing show however, he privately mused. Still, Vale didn't need an outstanding army like Mistral and Atlas boasted. Its strength came from its Huntsmen and economy.
He felt his lips pull down in a slight frown. An economy that was very much suffering. Hopefully, the upcoming talks would yield positive results.
The Mistral airship kept its course direct, opting for the end of the platform edge.
The other airship, however, blew the Mistral one out of the water in terms of sheer size and intricacy.
It dwarfed it by at least three times, and its design was reminiscent to that of a large galleon in the water instead.
It slowed down as it descended near the edge of the massive docking platform nearest the waiting delegation, its details becoming more discernible to the eye.
The whole ship was cylindrical in shape, with several bubble-like protrusions jutting out.
Ballast tanks for air, or fuel, or whatever other means of propulsion Atlas had engineered no doubt.
Upon closer examination, the whole airship was made entirely of metal, with numerous windows and open ports. Crew cabins, or viewports for the passengers perhaps? Ozpin would admit he didn't know.
A couple of large masts suck out from the top and back of the airship, with several angular pieces of steel built on hinges. A rudder system for steering perhaps?
Atlas sure is inventive, mused Ozpin. And it was an Atlesian airship, for if the stark white and grey colours accented with navy blue and black stripes didn't indicate its origin, then the large black cog encircling an ornate staff, the official emblem of Atlas, did.
Where the Mistral airship was content to land directly on the platforms edge, the massive airship instead hovered beside it out of well-placed concern that it is was both too big for the occupied platform, and fear its weight would be too much for it to sustain.
As it was preparing to dock, steam hissing and the sound of gears turning and machine roiling, the ramp to the Mistral airship descended, and its doors on the bottom of the hull opened up, revealing a grouping of people dressed in colourful robes.
Even from a distance, everyone could tell they were dressed expensively in the finest of silks and jewellery.
"And here come our foreign guests," muttered Glynda, not at all enthused about having to greet the foreigners.
"Come now, Glynda," chided Ozpin mirthfully.
"Being a Huntsman isn't all about glory and Grimm. It's also about being a humanitarian bridge to connect people and cultures. To offer safety and guidance."
Glynda glanced up at him with a strained expression.
"Please don't go into one of your speeches again. Not only will your monologue put us all to sleep, it might very well start the next war."
Ozpin's response was to chuckle lightly as he tapped his cane on the ground.
As they approached closer, General Alexander let out a grunt of annoyance.
"All that wealth, and yet not a single warrior amongst them. Disgraceful."
Glynda kept a forced smile warm, but that didn't stop her lips from thinning ever so slightly as chided the giant man with a warning undertone.
"They are a diplomatic envoy. Try not to cause any trouble, General."
Ozpin was more relaxed than his high-strung deputy.
"Mistral is actually a fairly strong Kingdom. They are a culture of warriors, much like our own. As I'm certain you are aware."
Alexander scoffed derisively.
"They're a culture of sportsfighters, fancy acrobatics and rich temperamental children."
The councillors around him stiffened uncomfortably at his proclamation.
"There is no chivalry, or warriors conduct. Still, they are at least a civilised culture. Their wealth speaks for itself," he conceded with a thoughtful nod.
Ozpin quirked an eyebrow at that, but Glynda was much more vocal in her candour.
"Their wealth comes from trading in slaves. Slaves that they take through conquest. That is hardly what I call the peak of civilisation, General."
Ozpin shook his sadly.
"Much of human civilisation is founded on slavery or conquest at some point in history, Glynda. We can't escape our past."
Glynda's brow furrowed in agitation at his words, but he continued.
"However, that doesn't give excuse to not rise above it either. We can either come together as one and triumph, or we can let our divisions separate us further and ultimately destroy us."
It was Alexander's turn to snort.
"Because of the big bad Grimm, right Headmaster?"
Ozpin's face turned sharp for a moment as he fixed an icy glare at Alexander.
"Because of our selfish nature. And the Grimm. You'd do well to remember that, General."
And just like that Ozpin's glare vanished, replaced with his staple serene expression.
Whatever the Valean General was going to retort was cut short as the Mistralians finally reached them.
To say they were dressed elegantly was like saying war was hell. It was a known fact and anticipated well in advance, even by those with no first-hand experience. But it didn't truly sink in until you actually experienced it yourself. And the Mistralians were very elegant.
Perfect golden skin kissed with just the right amount of sun, smooth as silk. Flawless faces carefully tended to and treated with subtle amounts of natural oils and exotic foods to curate a healthy texture and exemplify the chiselled structures and curves. Their bodies split in two. Either the wealthiest of them with ballooned skin from excessive diets, their obesity proudly on display for all. And lithe, toned bodies of the others, their most athletics specimens.
It was a well-known fact that many members of Mistral's society engaged in gladiatorial combat as a chance to both gain and show off their martial prowess, and it showed in their bodies.
And that was not to say of the fine clothing and jewellery they wore.
Multi-coloured and layered robes of vibrant silks and satins flowed over their skin, revealing bare shoulders, legs and midriffs on the few women in their collage, while the men had exposed chests with some robes covering one half of their body, as if teasing onlookers.
Mistral was a warm climate, not unbearably so like Vacuo where exposing one's body to the heat and intense sandstorms would cauterise and shred the skin off. It made sense to dress for the warmer weather, and the exposed skin enticed anyone looking with a primal hunger of envy. And the Mistralian's knew it, and they openly flaunted it much like they flaunted their jewellery and adornments like a coveted wealth.
On display, but always just out of reach.
The robes and sashes not only kept them cool and exemplified their wealth, buried in centuries of tradition, but they also added a flowing grace to their movements in combat, and even in just basic walking. Like they were so light they could walk on the clouds themselves. As if they were gods amongst mortals.
It complemented their acrobatic fighting styles, adding a layer of awe to their graceful movements.
While many Mistralian were descended from secular monk sects historically speaking, and thus the robes were born from tradition, it soon evolved to the point where it was an art to show themselves off, some more risqué than others, but always still within acceptable social standards.
After all, they were wealthy, they were prosperous, and they were graceful and beautiful in Kingdom and in person. So why not show off what they were to the world?
However, it also put forth the level of arrogance they held, even if they were cordial or polite. That they were always superior to others, especially non-Mistralians.
"Welcome to Vale," greeted Ozpin with a respectful incline of his head to the man and woman heading the Mistral party.
Several aides and other important nobles were grouped behind them, so he deduced they must be the most important.
The man, wearing white robes which left one shoulder side exposed and complimented his buzzcut white hair, stepped forward and gave a respectful bow to Ozpin in return.
The other members of the group followed suit, and the Valean councillors, not wanting to be left feeling awkward, gave their own awkward attempt at reciprocating it. If it was botched, the Mistralians gave no show of being offended, or even noticing.
"Thank you, Headmaster, for hosting us during these… interesting times," replied the man with a rather soft-spoken voice.
"My name is Javi Pastel. I have been sent on behalf of Mistral to lead and discuss the upcoming peace-treaty with… Menagerie," he said the name strangely, though not with the disdain that everyone would have expected. It was more along the lines as if it were a strange word to pronounce.
"This is my highest aide, Lemon," he gestured to the blond-haired woman with sharp features and even sharper eyes beside him. Her hair was much shorter than the other women in the congregation, with the exception of one. An older woman with white hair so short it was only a finger-width away from being a buzzcut.
The Valean councillors were quick to introduce themselves, and Ozpin was quick to note the eagerness with which both parties seemed to ingratiate themselves with.
Vale was interested in doing business with a wealthy Kingdom in the hopes of boosting its own economy, and possibly pocketing a little extra.
Mistral wanted to expand its influence and export its exuberance to assimilate Vale as hopefully a dependent vassal, of which Vale was too eager to overlook.
As Ozpin made his show of shaking hands and greeting the ambassadors, he made note of each and every face that arrived, and committed their names to memory. It wouldn't hurt to keep tabs on who Vale would be doing direct business with after all.
After several minutes of show-boating and exchanging pleasantries, Lemon spoke up with a sharp voice and commanding smile, deigning to ask where they could be shown their quarters. Of course, the Vale councillors were more than happy to help escort and show the ambassadors where they would be staying, too busy fawning over the women's attractive curves and toned skin on display, and the promises of wealth if they played their business cards right.
The peace treaty was only a happenstance to build the real opportunities as far as they were concerned. Money and connections.
Ozpin was not so trite, nor selfish.
As the Mistral congregation was lead way, leaving only Ozpin, Glynda, Alexander and of course Rosaline Tully of all the nobles, steam hissed and escaped as the giant Atlesian airship came to a stop. A large steel ramp extended to the ground as a pair of doors on the starboard side slid open, revealing several figures dressed proudly in white uniforms standing at the top. Yellow light shone from within.
The first representatives to reach the ground were of course the Atlesians directly in front of him.
Unlike the Mistralians, who openly flaunted wealth and beauty, using flowing robes and movements to exude an air of gracefulness and cultivation, Atlas was cold efficiency.
Every nut and bolt served a purpose. Every strip of material getting straight to the point of either warming its wearer, or signifying their importance.
It honestly was no surprise that Atlas chose to park its airship nearest the delegation in the hopes of minimising time wasted in walking to them.
There was a joke, or rumour, that Atlesians would calculate the shortest, most time-efficient route to their destination, whether it be to an active warzone, a wedding, or to the restroom. And they would do it every time without fail, no matter the urgency. To them, there was no such thing as leisure.
Then again, Atlas being such a frigid climate, it was hardly a surprise they valued efficiency and actual performative use over garish exuberance and displays.
Seven figures approached, but judging from their attire, only three were actually important. The rest were guards of some sort. Each held a tight grip on a bayoneted rifle similar in design to those of Vales own Royal Guard.
The guards themselves were dressed in a white uniform with navy blue pants. Knee-high polished black boots clacked on the ground in synchronised step as they matched the pace of the leading three representatives.
Ozpin took a step forward, hand extended, and the lead figure, a high-ranking military officer with slicked black hair, stern features and clean-shaven face reciprocated.
"Ah. Brigadier General Ironwood. It's a pleasure to meet you again. What's it been, now? Six months?"
Ironwood's grip was firm, but not ridiculously so.
"Headmaster," he reciprocated. "I've been promoted. It's General now. And yes, it has been a little over six months since your last visit to Atlas."
Ozpin scoffed with a slight smile.
"Please. I do not need to be reminded of such a stuffy title. Ozpin is just fine."
Ironwood nodded with a smile of his own.
"Then I would ask you simply call me James as well. It's what my friends and most trusted know me as."
"Well then, James. Welcome to Vale." Ozpin gave a slight bow of his head.
Ironwood instantly snapped a salute, and the guard detail mimicked the same until he dropped his gloved hand.
James turned his head slightly to appraise Glynda and Alexander, the latter of which merely kept his arms crossed over his breastplate.
"Glynda. You are looking as lovely as ever."
She could only roll her eyes at his words.
"Charmed, General," she drawled, earning a gruff chuckle from Alexander.
James redirected his attention to the burly man dressed head to toe in the finest set of armour, complete with gold inlays and wreathes of engraved flowers and vines.
"And you must be General Alexander, of the Valean Army."
Alexander smirked arrogantly.
"You've heard correctly, James. Ours is a proud military, built upon centuries of tradition. I'm sure you will come to appreciate what we have to offer when we show you."
It was subtle, but Ozpin noted the way James' lips thinned and his head leaned back. Clearly he wasn't as eager as Alexander, but the other man's ego refused to let him see his displeasure.
"Perhaps later. Unfortunately, I am not here to inspect your army. Rather…."
"Yes, yes," nodded Alexander with a huff.
"The peace treaty, and those savages."
James raised an eyebrow, and Ozpin felt himself grimace.
Politics was not Alexander's strong suite, and he could only hope the man had little to do with the talks for fear of offending or alienating the multiple parties present.
"While I understand there have been many rumours circulating lately, I would hope that you aren't basing your opinion solely based on them. The situation is much more complicated than that. I hope you will not see that as a problem?"
Ozpin could only privately hope the same as James reprimanded Alexander.
The silence that followed suddenly grew awkward and uncomfortable, so Ozpin spoke up.
"Moving on. Would you care to introduce us?" He gestured to the two men beside James.
One was a middle-aged man wearing a grey two-piece suit with greying black hair and glasses. He wore a warm expression.
The other man was notably younger, easily mid-thirties if Ozpin had to guess an approximate age.
He was dressed in a much fancier white suit, complete with a striped blue dress-shirt complete with white-tie and gold clip with an ornate symbol.
A gold chain hung from his breast-pocket, indicating a likely pocket-watch.
His expression was much more stern and, if he dare say so, haughtier. Like there was an arrogant glint of superiority, coupled with a hawkish gaze that barely held back its owners greed.
He held a full head of greying hair and espoused a rather full grey moustache.
"Of course. Councillor Sleet, of the Atlas Council," James gestured to the first man.
"And Jacques Schnee, of the Schnee Dust Corporation."
Both men held their hands out to clasp with Ozpin, and he did so.
"Pleased to meet you. Though, forgive me for being abrupt, but to what does Vale owe the pleasure of the head of the SDC coming to visit us?"
Jacques stood tall and met Ozpin's gaze head on.
"These are tumultuous times we are in, Headmaster. However, with the prospect of a peace treaty, the Kingdoms of Remnant will want to rebuild. The SDC is willing to step forward and help in this process. Not just for the sake of Vacuo and Mistral, but also Vale and, if the talks look promising, even Menagerie."
Ozpin regarded the corporate leader with an interested look.
"I must admit, I am not as well versed in business enterprise as my colleagues, though I am certain they will be more than willing to discuss with you new business strategies and proposals. I myself would be open to hearing what it is you have to say and offer."
Jacques gave an incline of his head.
He never got the chance to respond, however, as Alexander spoke up.
"Speaking of Vacuo, how long until they arrive?"
It was blunt, and it was crude articulation. At least to the clearly abhorred eyes of Jacques who looked mildly offended at being interrupted by such a brutish man, even if he was an esteemed General and noble.
It was James that answered.
"Likely a few more days. Hopefully no more than a week, but they were insistent on travelling by their own means."
"You mean by boat," scoffed Jacques.
"Please, let's not pretend that it is an unfortunate setback, and that they aren't deliberately aggravating everyone involved with their petty plays to stall us."
James side-eyed Jacques, but didn't say anything directly to him. Instead, "I, Atlas that is, offered them transit via an airship. Even a private one so they wouldn't have to ride with us and our guests, but… they are stubborn."
Alexander bit back a bark of laughter.
"You can say that again."
"Guests?" picked up Glynda with an inquisitive raised brow.
"The main reason Vacuo decided to not ride with us," offered Councillor Sleet with a warm smile, much unlike the forced ones everyone else seemed to bear.
"The Menagerie ambassadors agreed to fly with us, saving time and hopefully getting results sooner. Though I fear our friends from Vacuo will have only escalated things further. Pointlessly."
"Honestly, I would have expected this from Mistral, not Vacuo," pointed out James surprisingly, "but apparently their resentment to Menagerie runs deeper."
"Well, then it's a miracle they agreed to these talks to begin with."
James sighed, almost as if he knew something Ozpin did not.
"Honestly, I fear it's because they aren't interested in peace, but instead hope to stall the fighting long enough to gain more allies and resources," he admitted.
"What? Isn't Mistral good enough of an ally for them now?" balked Alexander.
"I'll admit, from what I understand when speaking to the Mistral Ambassador earlier, they admitted they were starting to become weary of the war, and constantly having to bail Vacuo out of the heavy fighting," said James.
"But Mistral had openly declared war with Menagerie?" Gylnda was confused. "They can't just simply stand down now and claim to only support Vacuo while shunning their own involvement?"
"Well, whatever Vacuo has been doing, it isn't working. And neither is Mistral," pointed out Sleet.
"So what, they hope to enter a treaty or clause with us?" she suggested.
Jacques frowned.
"Potentially, though I'd wager they are looking for alternative means to secure their Kingdoms future. You must understand, outside of trading in slaves, Vacuo has nothing else of real value to offer the world. Their land is arid and infertile, barren at best, and ruthless at worst."
"And while Mistral profits off slavery greatly as an empire, it is still a commodity for them. An essential one that they deem as necessary, but a commodity nonetheless. Whereas it's a lifeline for Vacuo. Honestly, I'd be more surprised if they didn't come to the table to try and negotiate something to try and prop their Kingdom up," Jacques finished.
"Well, if they're interested in business, then they're doing a poor job of showing their commitment by deliberately acting up and postponing these talks. All they're doing is alienating us and letting others forge deals and alliances with their enemies," said Rosaline with an upturned nose.
"Well, they're still bitter about Menagerie, and didn't seem too keen on sharing a cabin with them for eight days," replied Sleet.
"Speaking of the Menagerie representatives, they should be joining us now," suddenly said James, looking over his should to the ramp they had descended from mere minutes ago.
Sure enough, several more figures could be seen slowly descending the steps.
There were seven figures in total, much like the Atlas group. The makeup seemed to be similar; three individuals of importance, and four guards, likely Royal Guards, if the elaborate robes, sashes, belts and headpieces were any indicators.
They guards were dressed in black and grey robes, with red sashes, and a tussled headpiece with red feathers or hair draping down from the crown, which comprised a gold-inlaid cup.
Youthful tanned faces and darker skin could be seen quite clearly as the guards presented themselves with massive halberds. Sandaled feet marched down in unison as they silently followed the lead three figures.
It was almost impossible to tell they were faunus, if it wasn't for the lead figure, a woman dressed in robes not too distant from those the Mistralians wore, only less vibrant and more humble instead.
She espoused pale skin with very human-like features and body, accompanied by long brown hair styled in a braided ponytail which hung of her right shoulder and trailed down her breast.
Her face was undoubtedly attractive, but that wasn't what garnered everyone's attention. It was the two massive rabbit-esque ears standing tall and erect atop her head.
Beside her, two young men dressed in identical hooded robes with clasped palms, as if they were monks, followed either side of her, only a single step behind.
Their footsteps were linked, and as they got closer, so were their features. The only difference being the one on the right had two large fox-like ears protruding through his hood, while the other had a bushy tale that swayed gently behind him, like a pendulum to a clock, only instead in synch with the movement of his hips.
The trio came to a stop not even two metres from Ozpin and the others, the Royal Guards following them coming to an abrupt halt, slamming their halberds onto the platform at an attention pose.
"Esteemed enoys of Menagerie," began Ozpin with a cultured smile and slight bow.
"On behalf of this united council between the unified Kingdoms of Remnant, I welcome you to the City of Vale, Capital of Vale Kingdom. I am Headmaster Ozpin, and these are my peers on the Valean Democratic Council. Councillor Rosaline Tully, and General Alexander. This is my deputy, Glynda Goodwitch."
Glynda supressed the urge to raise a brow at Ozpin's words. She knew the man was well cultured and educated, but she was not expecting this level of eloquence from him, especially considering his open disdain for politics in the past.
Yet the way his flowery words were spoken and captivated everyone's attention, it was if he had practiced for over a millennium and was fluent in the art of, how would Qrow say it? Bullshittery?
She would never indulge in such vulgar language, but in the private confines of her mind she was free to do as she pleased, and so with amusement she settled on the word.
She and everyone else mimicked the bows, her own noble upbringing making such a well-practiced and versed move effortless.
Often-times people overdid the bow. The point wasn't to lower yourself too low. That signalled inferiority. The idea was to supplant a gesture of welcoming, but not one of subservience.
Surprisingly, the three faunus ambassadors gave a deep bow to the everyone.
"Well met, Headmaster Ozpin. On behalf of Territory of Menagerie, I would like to thank you for your warm reception, and express gratitude for your hosting of our humble envoy."
They raised their bow, standing straight and level again, meeting everyone's eyes.
"My name is Meg Scarlatina. These are my aides, Fennec and Corsac Albain," she gestured to the fox-eared faunus and tailed one respectively.
"Though they may appear young, I assure you, their skills and professionalism is without question. Their words are my authority," she stated.
"Unfortunately, due to current circumstances, our Chieftain, the highest authority in our lands, was unable to attend this summit, so we have been sent in his stead to represent his will."
If there was any outrage amongst the others, they kept it well hidden.
"However, if these talks bear fruit and show genuine promise of everlasting peace, then I have been instructed to send missive, where he will attend and consummate the peace."
Alexander, because of course it had to be him, the fool, cursed Ozpin internally, spoke up.
"If he is the only one that can 'consummate' this treaty as you say, then why are you here?"
Upon the confused looks the faunus had, Rosaline interjected, silencing Alexander.
"Forgive the General. He is used to speaking in blunt terms. What he is asking is, understanding your Chieftain is preoccupied, what is the extent of your authority that you are permitted to operate within then that will assure all parties involved that Menagerie is indeed addressing these talks as significant and of utmost priority?"
Glynda silently thanked the normally spiteful woman for salvaging the talks before Alexander could ruin them.
The faunus woman seemed to understand, and she spoke up.
"Ah, but of course. As an Ambassador, I have the authority to render any terms and clauses in our negotiations, and they will be honoured without hesitation by our Chieftain. However, according to our laws, before any act of legislature can be passed, it will require his signature to fully validate it. So while I have the authority to act as his voice and will, it will still ultimately require his blessing to be acknowledged. Again," she placated, "this is merely a formality. And it is only under the fear that if these talks should fail and violence return that he is not present. Our own counsel was adamant on that. This is no disrespect, merely a precautionary measure. I hope you understand…?" she trailed off, and Ozpin nodded.
"But of course. I too hope for these talks to be successful and, hopefully, amount to more than just peace between our nations," replied Ozpin. For the first time, Meg cracked a smile.
"As do I."
"Please, come with us," gestured Rosaline sweetly.
"You must all be tired from such a long journey, and there is much to discuss in the coming days…."
Next chapter: Monday 16th September
Hopefully without any delays this time