Chapter 61: Revelations Part I
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Chapter 61: Revelations Part I
'Anyone familiar with the history of the Faith of the Seven will be familiar with the Schism. However, while the Four Maidens had already left Westeros years before it happened and, therefore, cannot be blamed for it, their influence on the Faith, and especially the reaction of the Septons to them, were clearly some of the most significant reasons for the Schism. However, many of the more controversial claims raised in the debate leading to the Schism about them are clearly manufactured by various Septons trying to support their own positions. There is no contemporary source, for example, that would prove that the Four Maidens favoured one of the Seven above the others, much less supported the Stranger's Heresy as 'Death's Chosen'.'
*****
Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
Ternesio Terys wouldn't call himself a braggart. He knew that he was a successful trader, and his ship, the Titan's Daughter, was amongst the finest trading galleasses of the City, and if he might embellish his virtues a little when asked about his business, well… Every sailor worth his salt knew how to spin an entertaining yarn. But he did run a tight ship, he was both experienced and skilled, and his crew was ready to follow him, if not into hell, then into any port and through most storms of the Narrow Sea. And being scrupulously honest wouldn't do him any favours when competing with his so-called peers. He might lose out on a lucrative trade that way, should a merchant assume that an honest claim was still embellished. So, really, he was as honest as any other captain.
Although when he saw the group approaching his ship - the Titan's Daughter was the only vessel tied up on this pier, and they were walking with a purpose - he couldn't help but reconsider that stance. Maybe a bit more honesty, or humility, wouldn't have gone amiss. Anything to have them pick another ship.
"Those are the Four Maidens," he heard his first mate, usually a stalwart sailor who'd curse the gods themselves in the face of death, whisper next to him, followed by a quick prayer. "Death's Chosen."
Ternesio would have scolded him for his outburst - everyone knew nothing good came from praying to Him of Many Faces - but with the four deadliest girls about to board his ship, he would rather not risk angering whatever deity had blessed them with divine power.
"Ahoy! Is this the Titan's Daughter?" their leader, a slip of a girl carrying a magical scythe that weighed as much as a horse, called out.
He heard his crew mutter, some quickly praying, and steeled himself. He was the captain; he could not look weak or afraid. "Aye!" he yelled back.
"Ah. Permission to come aboard?"
It was an odd way to phrase it, but those were odd - odd and deadly - foreigners. And as polite as it was worded, Ternesio knew it was a command. "Aye!" he repeated himself.
"Great!"
The four girls walked up the closest gangway as if they were walking across a solid marble floor instead of a narrow and - lightly - swaying and bending wooden plank, showing no concern for the danger of slipping and falling into the water below.
"Hi! Are you Captain Terys?" Their leader, Lady Ruby, asked.
"Yes, my lady." The girls didn't need an introduction, of course.
"Good! We've heard you're headed to King's Landing, and we'd like to book a passage on your ship."
That set his crew muttering and whispering again. The louts must not have realised what had been obvious to him: The girls asking for a passage back to their home was the most likely reason they were boarding his ship.
Ternesio hid a wince when he saw the cold look Lady Blake spared for some of the less discreet sailors nearby and quickly nodded. "I am, of course, at your service, my ladies, but I have to admit that my ship, as fine a galleass as she is, might not be a suitable vessel for such esteemed people as yourself; you might not find the accommodations to which you are accustomed and entitled here."
He hated to belittle his ship, but if there was a chance to dissuade four girls chosen by Death himself, as ascertained by the Faceless Men, to travel on her, he would do it.
"Oh, don't worry, we'll be fine!" Lady Ruby beamed at him. "We've roughed it before."
"Yeah. We travelled on foot through the frozen wasteland beyond the Wall," Lady Yang added with a chuckle. "This is a joyride compared to that trip."
The brief frown on Lady Weiss's face that he spotted seemed to indicate a disagreement of opinions about that, but she nodded in apparent agreement. "How much is the fare for this trip?"
An oath not to bring your god down on us, should a sailor's gaze insult your honour, Ternesio thought. He couldn't say that, of course. Not without starting a fight he and his crew, and possibly the entire City, would lose. Just as any survivors would lose their lives when the Faceless Men finished with them. "Oh, we would never demand coin from the Four Maidens," he said instead. "It's an honour to ferry you back to your home."
Lady Ruby frowned. "Are you sure?"
"Ruby! He offered a free ride! You don't turn that down! Not unless it's a trap," her sister, Lady Yang, cut in before Ternesio could confirm that he was entirely certain.
He did it anyway, bowing his head. "Yes, I am, my ladies." When dealing with women or nobles, and especially when dealing with noblewomen, it never hurt to lay it on thick. Doubly so if you were talking to noblewomen who, as the entire City knew, not only could sink any ship - or massacre any army - they wanted but also had the backing of the Faceless Men. Death's Chosen.
"Alright then! When are you gonna sail?" Lady Ruby beamed at him, and it was all he could do not to let his fear show.
"The day after tomorrow, early on, so we can use the tides, my lady," he told her with another bow.
"Great! We can't wait until we're home!" Lady Ruby smiled widely.
Terensio almost offered to set sail at once, lest she take offence, but they still had to load provisions, and the only thing worse than making Death's Chosen wait would be having them go hungry or thirsty during the voyage.
"We will return tomorrow, then." Lady Weiss inclined her head a sliver. "We'll also bring Ser Jon and Ghost, his wolf, along."
The beast that could swallow a horse whole. Terensio forced himself to keep smiling while his crew started to mutter and pray some more. He'd have to watch some of them closely so they wouldn't desert, he realised.
Or, he thought, I could just tell them that the House of Black and White would look poorly on those who deserted Death's Chosen.
That would keep most of the sailors in line. At least those who were afraid of the girls. He wouldn't have to worry about them.
No, he would have to worry about the men - and boys - who showed more interest than fear and respect towards the girls. Whom, he noticed with a sinking feeling, seemed to include his eldest son, Yorko, who was staring at the girls as they left with a troublesome lack of fear.
He would have to have a word with him before the girls returned. If his son angered the maidens, the consequences would be terrible.
*****
Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
"And remember," Terensio said as he watched the pier from the Titan's Daughter's aftcastle, trying to pierce the wisps of fog that concealed the waterfront in the distance at this time in the morning, shortly after sunrise, "they might look like beautiful girls your age, but they are Death's Chosen. They have killed men before for propositioning them. Crushed their manhood and let them linger in agony for days before finally granting them the gift of death."
"Father!" Yorko hissed. "I understand. I will not look at them at all!"
Terensio looked at his eldest son. Yorko was tense, clenching his teeth, trembling slightly - and not from the fresh morning breeze, it seemed.
"Good," he said, nodding sharply. The long talk he had spent to impress upon his son how dangerous it would be to court the maidens had not been wasted, then. He shuddered himself; when he had first heard the stories, he had thought them amusing, but now that the same girls who would do such deeds would spend weeks on his ship, the true horror was evident.
"But what about the others, Father?" Yorko asked. "Some of the crew seem a bit…" He trailed off.
"What do you say about those who raise a blade against the First Sword?" Terensio replied. If any of his men challenged the girls, Terensio would wash his hands of them. He had told them in no uncertain terms what the consequences would be for anyone so stupid as to accost their passengers. Anyone who still couldn't control their tongue or hand wouldn't be missed. As long as Terensio would not be blamed for their actions, he…
"There!" Yorko's call interrupted his thoughts.
He focused on the end of the pier, at the waterfront. Yes. Four, five people were walking next to a horse. No, a wolf the size of a horse. Death's Chosen and their pair of wolves, one with two legs, one with four legs. "I hope we have enough food for the wolf in our hold," he muttered. He must have underestimated the sheer size of the beast.
"Maybe it likes fish?" Yorko tried to joke, but his voice hitched a little.
It was a good idea, though. Terensio would have some of his crew fish during the trip. That should keep them busy and out of trouble.
"Ahoy! Permission to come aboard?"
"Permission granted!" he replied.
Strangely worded again, he thought. Part of him was curious about the sailors from their world, but Terensio knew better than to indulge such a whim. The more you talked with those girls, the greater the chance you would slip and insult them. Not unlike wearing a sword in the City.
Yorko had already disappeared down the hatch when Terensio climbed down to the main deck to greet his deadly passengers. "Welcome aboard," he said, trying not to flinch when he saw the giant wolf sniff the air and look around. "We've prepared two cabins for you." His own, and his first mate's. Terensio would displace the bosun from his cabin, tiny as it was, and the others had to bunk with the crew.
"Thank you!" Lady Ruby beamed, then stifled a yawn. "Sorry, we stayed up a bit longer, since this was our last night here."
"We wanted to enjoy the nightlife once more," Lady Yang added with a grin that was somehow more frightening than the wolf's open maw.
He nodded and kept smiling, playing it safe. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you the cabins."
"Alright!"
He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he turned his back to them, leading them down the narrow stairs to the lower deck. "Ah, your wolf might not have an easy time here…" he started to say after descending the steep stairs.
"Don't worry!"
He took a step back, then another, when Lady Yang grabbed the giant beast around its belly and lifted it up, cradled in her arms, as if it were a small babe instead of a monster twice her own size - and then jumped down the hatch, landing far too close in front of Terensio.
"Easy!" she declared as she set the wolf down.
Terensio nodded. At least, he was not the only one surprised - Ser Jon Snow looked flushed as well. On the other hand, the boy should be used to the four maidens, and if he was surprised, this wasn't promising for their behaviour during the trip.
But there was nothing Terensio could do, so he smiled and tried to keep his distance as he led them to their cabins.
And wished his new cabin were further away from theirs. Perhaps he might bunk with the crew as well, for old time's sake?
*****
The Narrow Sea, 299 AC
Ruby Rose stretched her arms over her head while she climbed the steep stairs to the deck. They were almost closer to a ladder than to normal stairs. Well, not really, but they came close when the ship moved through heavy seas.
This morning, though, the sea was calm, and the sky clear. And, as she found when she reached the deck, the wind was just strong enough to push the ship, but not strong enough to make you worry about your hats.
She looked around, enjoying the sunshine. There weren't many sailors on deck, and most of them seemed busy handling the ship. The Titan's Daughter was a very nice ship, far roomier than the Black Betha even if she was smaller. And they had more room - and more privacy - than on the Valyrian, which had taken them to Braavos. Although that was just because Captain Terys had given them his own cabin, and his crew was a bit shy.
Or scared, according to Blake, but that wasn't the fault of her team. They were scared of Ghost as well and gave him a wide berth.
Which was a good thing right now since it meant Jon and Ghost were not crowded by the crew while they were looking out at the sea from the railing. And that meant Ruby would have privacy for a talk. If Jon wanted to talk, of course.
She quickly walked over to him. "Jon! Ghost!" she called out as soon as she got close.
Both turned their heads to look at her as if they were synchronised. Cute!
"My lady," Jon said, bowing his head.
She smiled and leaned against the railing next to him, stretching her neck out a bit to look at the sea. There was nothing to see there, though, except for a few fish that jumped out of the water. So, she wasn't interrupting anything other than Jon's brooding. And interrupting that was fine. "So!" She turned around, leaning with her back against the railing. It was a bit too tall to rest her elbows on them like Yang liked to do, but that couldn't be helped. "How are you doing?"
"I am fine, my lady," Jon replied with one of his polite but not that honest smiles.
"Happy to see King's Landing again? I am sure your family is missing you. Especially Arya."
He smiled at that. Honestly, this time. "Yes."
Good. Progress! "And I bet you're missing your pack, too!" she told Ghost.
He chuffed at that.
Ruby was distracted by a sailor dropping a rope near them, and when the man had grabbed it and moved away, Jon was already staring out at the sea again. "You're brooding, though," she said.
He turned back to meet her eyes, and she could see how he opened his mouth, probably to deny it. But when she frowned at him, he closed it again without saying anything. He just sighed. "It's nothing."
"Is it about the duel?" Ruby asked. Killing someone did affect you - she knew that herself. Even if they asked for it.
"What? No, no!" Jon shook his head. "As you, and everyone else, said, I was just defending myself."
Ruby flushed a little; maybe they had overdone it with the explanations. "So, what got you brooding?" she asked, to change the subject.
Jon sighed again, and Ghost whined a little and prodded his hip with his nose. "It's…" Once more, he trailed off when Ruby raised her eyebrows at him. Two could play that game.
"It's… embarrassing," he said after another pause.
"Oh." Ruby bit her lower lip. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I know how annoying it is to talk about embarrassing stuff." Oh, did she know it! 'Crater Face' said hello.
"Oh!" He faked surprise at that - he knew her well enough to know she had her fair share of embarrassing moments.
"Anyway," she went on, "if you want to talk, we're here to listen. Well, right now, it's just me, but the others will listen as well." They'd better!
"I am not certain if that would be a good idea, my lady." She could see him nibble on his lower lip, then sigh.
Ruby waited, smiling encouragingly at him. This was his decision, and she wouldn't prod him (much) just to satisfy her curiosity. She was here to help him. If he wanted to get helped. Which he should. Being gloomy and brooding was bad even if there were no Grimms to attract.
"I'm just… Lady Yang and Lady Blake, I don't envy them their happiness."
Oh. He was lovesick. Maybe Ruby shouldn't have asked. That wasn't the kinda talk she was good at. Not at all. Especially if it involved her sister and her friend, and her team. But she couldn't just leave, could she? That would hurt him. "But you wish it were you?" she said after he didn't add anything.
He blushed and looked at the sea. "I know she never felt the same for me."
Ruby nodded.
He chuckled, but it sounded rueful. "That she is with Lady Blake makes it even more obvious, of course, since I am a man."
Ruby might not be experienced with relationships, but she knew pointing out that Yang 'swung both ways', as she had said once, wouldn't help. Like, at all. It would only make him feel worse. And make him brood even more. So she nodded. "But you can't just order your heart to stop, well, feeling."
He nodded with a sad smile, and Ghost whined again. "I know it takes time. I will not… cause any disturbance, though. You can be assured of that, my lady."
She nodded. "Of course. Time heals all wounds." Which wasn't true - some wounds never healed.
But Jon nodded with another sigh.
Time to change the subject again. To something that wasn't embarrassing. But what would… ah! "Say!" She beamed at him. "How exactly did you spot the opening you took against the bravo in your duel?"
He blinked. "The one I used to kill him?"
Ruby nodded.
"I saw him prepare his move and countered it."
"But how did you see him do that? You were in front of him, and he was facing you with his left side - you couldn't see him prepare," Ruby replied.
Jon blinked, and she saw him frown as he tried to remember. "Oh. But I saw him. I distinctly remember seeing his leg and arm tense, and…" He blinked again. "But you're right, my lady - the angle doesn't make any sense. How did I see that?"
Ruby managed not to pout even if she was disappointed. If Jon didn't know how he had done it, he couldn't teach it. Unless… "Let's test that!" she said, drawing Crescent Rose.
"My lady?"
"Let's see if you can spot me preparing a move!" Ruby grinned at him while she moved a bit back, spinning her baby before holding her behind her back, ready for a swing forward.
Behind her, a sailor dropped a bucket or something, but she ignored that. She wasn't good with relationships, and she wasn't that experienced with killing (and didn't want to be), but if there was one thing she knew lots about, it was fighting! And she had a mystery to sort out!
"Come on, Jon, focus on me!" She grinned at him, moved a bit to the side - as if she were circling him, but not quite - and shifted her grip on Crescent Rose behind her back before swinging it out in a low arc that…
…she had to stop before it cut into his leg. He hadn't reacted quickly enough.
"Ah!" Belatedly, he jumped back, out of her reach - unless she lunged, of course.
"Alright, you didn't see that coming. Let's try again. Focus!"
Jon nodded as he stepped to the side as well, facing her once more. He narrowed his eyes at her, ducking his head a little as he adjusted his stance, sword pointed at her, ready to parry - or trying to; he couldn't stop her baby at full swing - or riposte.
Once more, she shifted her grip and twisted Crescent Rose's shaft a bit behind her back. Feinting an overhead slash, she twisted it in mid-swing and then stopped when his sword met her baby's blade. The metal screeched a little, but there shouldn't be any damage on his sword - and Crescent Rose wasn't even scratched, of course!
"Better!" She beamed at him. "What did you do?"
"Uh… I don't know?" He smiled apologetically, as Weiss would say. "I just… knew what you were doing."
Hm. She frowned a bit. Was he doing it instinctively? That would make teaching and learning it harder. "Alright, let's go for a few more tries!" she said.
Oh! Maybe it was the shadow cast by the sun? She moved to the side until they were in the shadow of the mainsail, then tried another trick.
This time, she had to stop her scythe before she cut into his neck. She smiled. "I think I've got it!"
"Very good, my lady!" he replied, although he sounded a bit shaky. "And what did you get?"
"Let's test it a bit more to verify it," she said.
But of the next three attempts, he could foresee two even though she hadn't left the shadow. She scowled. "Looks like I haven't got it. I thought you were watching the shadows."
"Ah. No, I don't think I was, my lady."
Yes, she got that already. "Alright, let's step it up a bit!" She started circling around him, preparing to strike on the move. Ghost chuffed behind her, following her - probably trying to play. Fortunately, he kept his distance when she started attacking with feints and wild slashes.
Jon parried every attack. Technically - she had to stop each blow so she wouldn't cut his sword apart; it was hard to deflect and guide-parry a scythe the size of Crescent Rose, of course. But if she had used a lighter blade and had been weaker, he totally would have deflected her attacks. All of them.
"I don't know how, my lady, but I just… knew all your attacks," he said when she stopped her last swing.
Rats! Behind her, Ghost chuffed. Snorting, she turned her head and mock-glared at him. "Are you helping him, Ghost? Telling him what I am going to do?" She laughed at her own joke, and Jon laughed with her.
Then she blinked and quickly ran through their bouts so far in her mind.
"My lady?"
She held up a hand. "Gimme a second!" Right. The times Jon hadn't been able to stop her, and the times he had, where had Ghost been each time? "I think I've got it this time! Let's test it!" Before Jon could agree, she had already moved, so Ghost was no longer behind or at her side. "En garde!"
Jon didn't manage to foresee her move this time. Nor the next two times. But when she moved so Ghost could see her back, he was ready for her. And as soon as Jon was between Ghost and herself, he couldn't do it any more!
She repeated the cycle a few times to be totally sure, then beamed at Jon. "Yes, I've cracked the riddle!"
Jon, who was bent over and panting, all sweaty, raised his head and made a sound that probably was a question.
Good enough for her. "I don't know how he's doing it, but Ghost is telling you what I am doing!"
Jon made another sound that fell between wheezing and heaving.
Ruby was pretty sure she knew what he meant and nodded. "Yes, we'll find out, don't worry!"
She smiled as she took a deep breath of the clean air at sea. Now that they knew what was happening, finding out how it happened wouldn't be a problem!
*****
"Ghost is telling Jon what his opponents are doing behind their backs?" Weiss Schnee wasn't quite sure if she had heard correctly.
"Yes!" Ruby nodded several times, smiling broadly. "I tested it thoroughly!"
"I can see that," Weiss replied, making a point of glancing at Jon, who was still looking exhausted and making her remember some of Ruby's more enthusiastic and ambitious training regimes.
"Yeah, right?" Ruby nodded again. "It's the one variable I managed to isolate! When Ghost can see what I am doing outside of Jon's line of sight, he knows. So, Ghost must be telling him!"
"And how is he doing that?" Weiss asked. Ghost was a good boy - all of the puppies were - but he couldn't speak. Weiss would have known if he could; she certainly had him addressed often enough.
"Direwolf magic?" Ruby shrugged. "We'll have to do more testing to figure that out. And how we can tap into this. Oh! Imagine if we could do the same - if I could tell you what I can see and you can't!"
Weiss raised her eyebrows at her partner. "You can do that already."
"I mean all silently and instantly, duh!" Ruby shot back with that slight pout that made her look adorable. "Because Ghost's way must be very quick or Jon would not have the time to react."
"Yes, that is a point that, assuming your theory is correct, would argue against Ghost telling Jon what he saw," Weiss said. "Another point would be that Jon doesn't remember any such communication. It's all instinctively done, right?"
"Yes, my lady."
Ruby was still pouting. "Yes, I said, we need to find out how Ghost is doing this. But we know that Ghost is doing this. And that Jon doesn't know how it's being done. So, all we have to do is find out what Ghost is doing!"
Weiss looked at the two other members of their team, pressing her lips together when she noticed that they were paying more attention to each other than to Ruby's discovery. At least, they weren't making out - they were on the main deck of the Titan's Daughter, after all, and while the crew was considerate enough to give them as much privacy as possible, they were still in public. "And what do you think about this?"
Yang blinked. "Ah, well… back on Remnant, I'd say Jon discovered his semblance, and it lets him see through Ghost's eyes or something. But you don't have an aura, and without an Aura you can't have a Semblance."
"Checking!" Ruby reached over and poked Jon.
"Ow!"
"Nope, no Aura. I think."
Weiss sighed.
"What about Ghost?" Yang asked.
"I can't pinch him; that would hurt him! And he wouldn't understand why we're doing it!" Ruby protested.
A puppy with Aura… Well, Zwei had one, but he was an exception, as far as Weiss knew. Still…
"It might be magic," Blake, to Weiss's slight surprise, spoke up. "Direwolves might have a talent to share their senses with humans."
"Magic?" Ruby looked at Ghost, then at Jon. "You've got a magic wolf?"
"Ah…" Jon grimaced, then bit his lower lip, and Weiss narrowed her eyes. He must have thought of something and didn't want to say it.
"Yes?" Ruby must have realised it as well and smiled at him.
Jon winced. "There are tales, old folks' tales, in the North about people who can see through animals and even change into them. Skinchangers, they are called."
Weiss scowled at him. "That would perfectly explain the phenomenon that we've been trying to explain." And he had known about that, and not said anything while her friends and Weiss had stumbled around like fools?
He had the grace to blush. "They were just tales, my lady. Old Nan told many of them, but… she also tended to mistake Brandon for his uncle, or another Brandon. I didn't really take them seriously." He sighed. "I should have, of course. It's my fault that you were left wondering."
"No, no!" Ruby, as ever, was quick to console the boy. "You did fine! And now we know! Although… does that mean you're a skinchanger? You have magic!"
Jon blinked as if he hadn't already realised that. "That…" he trailed off.
Ruby didn't give him the time to think of an answer. "Oh! Can you see through Ghost's eyes, then? Try to focus! Oh! Imagine if you can change ito a wolf!"
Jon looked more than a little ill at the thought. Weiss could empathise with him. To turn into an animal would be weird. Although a small part of her wondered how it would feel.
A bigger part, though, knew that this wasn't a topic to bring up with Blake or Yang in earshot. There were too many ways she could put her foot into it no matter which direction such a talk might take. And uncountable opportunities to be teased for it.
"Best don't try to change into a wolf until you know how to change back," Yang said with a chuckle.
Jon grew even paler. "Yes, my lady."
"Yeah, maybe hold back on that. But try to see through Ghost's eyes!" Ruby, on the other hand, hadn't lost any of her enthusiasm.
"Maybe you shouldn't rush this," Weiss spoke up. This sounded quite dangerous. Like experimenting with unknown Semblances without adequate supervision and safety precautions.
"But you're already doing it, even if it's unconsciously," Yang told Jon. "Wouldn't it be better if you knew what you are doing?"
Blake didn't say anything but eyed both Jon and Ghost warily.
Ruby nodded. "It's your decision, Jon." Despite her laudable if a little late voiced stance, the way she sneaked glances at Ghost when she thought people weren't watching told Weiss exactly how curious she was.
Jon sighed. "I'll try, my ladies." He took another deep breath and closed his eyes.
Ruby looked from him to Ghost and back. "Oh, we forgot to set up a test! So, how many fingers am I holding up?" She raised her hand to Ghost.
Ghost cocked his head to the side and sniffed her fingers, then licked them, chuffing.
Weiss really hoped that Jon wasn't watching through his eyes right now. That would be weird.
Ruby, though, must not have made the connection and fed him a scrap of dried meat before holding up her hand again, three fingers on display.
Once again, Ghost chuffed - but suddenly, he stilled and stared at Ruby's hand, then looked around as if he was seeing the ship and Team RWBY for the first time.
Weiss felt a chill run down her spine at how weird, almost unnatural, his actions looked.
And then Ghost jerked, before looking puzzled, and Jon spoke up.
"Three fingers, my lady."
"Yes!" Ruby cheered.
Weiss nodded in approval, although she had mixed feelings about it. If Jon could do this… Magic was said to have once run in bloodlines, at least, according to Archmaester Marwyn. "What about your siblings?" she asked. Of course, they were Jon's cousins, not his actual siblings, but every Stark child had a direwolf pet. A very smart and obedient direwolf pet.
Judging by the sudden silence, the others harboured similar thoughts.
"I think I will have to speak with my family about this as soon as we're back in King's Landing," Jon said.
"Yeah!" Ruby was still smiling. "Imagine if all of you could do it!"
Jon didn't look very enthusiastic. "Some say this kind of magic - skinchanging - is unnatural, my lady. They were often hunted down and killed. The Faith, ah, does not look kindly on such magic."
"What?" Ruby blurted out.
He couldn't have mentioned that before? Weiss thought.
*****
Harbour, King's Landing, Crownlands, Westeros, 299 AC
"Home sweet home. Well, home-away-from-home sweet home-away-from-home, in this case."
Weak as it was, Blake Belladonna still chuckled at her partner's - and girlfriend's - joke. In a strange way, King's Landing felt familiar enough to feel like such a 'home-away-from-home'. The Red Keep towering over the city, the waterfront, the dome of the Great Sept of Baelor in the background… Well, she could have done without the stench of the city, which was starting to reach her nostrils now that the Titan's Daughter had entered the harbour.
"At least, the city's still standing," Weiss commented from her other side. "It's not been set on fire in our absence."
"We would have heard about that on our stop at Dragonstone!" Ruby commented. She was leaning forward, one hand gripping a line going from the ship's railing to the main mast to steady herself.
"And we would have seen the smoke from afar," Yang added.
Of course, there could have been changes that weren't so obvious. Though a change in government - like a coup - would have reached Dragonstone by raven. Still, the Court's balance of power could have changed in their absence. Not too drastically. Something like unseating Lord Eddard as Lord Regent would result in violence, in her opinion. But some of the minor positions might have changed. And they might have finally filled the open positions of Master of Coin and Master of Whispers, and found a seventh Kingsguard - they couldn't leave those posts vacant forever, after all.
Captain Terys lost no time to moor his galleass at the closest pier. Blake wasn't an expert by any means, but she had grown up on Menagerie, and this wasn't her first trip in a local ship, so she could tell that the man was skilled. Maybe not as skilled as his reputation claimed, but skilled enough.
"Looks like the raven from Dragonstone made it through OK," Ruby commented, shielding her eyes with one hand against the sun. "That's Lancel and Brienne at the pier!"
"Great!" Yang smiled as well.
"Unless they are here because things are dire and they wish to inform us as well," Weiss added.
Yang chuckled. "Don't always fear the worst, Weiss!"
"Yeah! They don't look worried," Ruby added.
Blake wasn't so optimistic. Hearing that the Faith had a problem with Skinchangers - to the extent of having them killed in the past, even - and disapproved of same-sex relationships wasn't reassuring her. Dealing with that kind of bigotry again was galling. Especially after Team RWBY had done so much to earn the trust of the people and the fear of certain nobles and had been hailed as the Four Maidens, blessed by the gods.
Then again, she had experience dealing with such a situation, and it wasn't as if she hadn't been hiding her true nature from everyone, even their friends, for over a year now…
A gentle poke to her ribs interrupted her thoughts. "Hey! No brooding! If Jon's not allowed to brood, you're not allowed either!"
She raised her eyebrows at Yang, who, as expected, was not the least impressed and flashed a wide smile at her. "We've solved the issues with Braavos, we found out what is up with Jon, and we've returned safely. Whatever happened in our absence, we can sort it out!"
Blake nodded, even though she wasn't quite as optimistic as her girlfriend. But she couldn't deny that there were good reasons for Yang's views. Not the least that Team RWBY could, should things turn from bad to worse or worst, defeat any force the locals could muster, and the locals knew that. So, barring an outbreak of suicidal stupidity, things shouldn't be too bad. Lord Eddard had experience ruling the realm, after all, and he had allies as well.
"Lancel! Brienne!" Ruby waved and jumped off the deck, landing on the pier below before the gangway had been lowered. "How are you doing? You're looking good! Did anything happen in our absence? We've got a few things to tell you!"
Blake smiled, Yang chuckled, and Weiss huffed as they took the gangway down to the pier, followed by Jon and Ghost, nodding at the clerk waiting to deal with Captain Terys - whom they had to properly say goodbye and thanks for carrying them here, still. Weiss was reminding Ruby not too discreetly about that while Blake, Yang and Jon greeted their friends.
"So, is there an emergency or crisis?" Weiss asked.
"Ah… not to our knowledge, my lady," Brienne told them.
"Things at court remain the same, more or less," Lancel added.
"Have they replaced Varys and Lord Baelish yet?" Weiss asked.
"Not yet. I believe Lord Eddard is still deliberating the decision," Lancel replied. "But he has approved of Ser Barristan's choice of Ser Balon Swann as the seventh Kingsguard."
Blake hadn't heard much about that knight. She remembered him doing fairly well at the tournament, but he hadn't come up in many, if any, of the discussions of a more questionable nature that she had overheard in the Red Keep. That was probably a good sign.
"Well, Ser Barristan knows what he's doing!" Ruby stated. "Oh, there's Captain Terys!" She quickly stepped over. "Thank you for taking us here so quickly! It was a very enjoyable trip!"
"I live to serve, my lady," Captain Terys said, bowing his head.
Blake noted how the clerk reacted; they might have saved the good captain a bit of money for bribes. It would be a bit of compensation for the fear Team RWBY had, without meaning to, put into the Titan's Daughter's crew - something Blake had kept to herself so Ruby wouldn't feel bad. It wasn't their fault that the sailors were worried about how Team RWBY would react to their usual behaviour.
"Jon! We heard you defeated a bravo in a duel over the Order's honour!" Lancel's question drew her attention back to her friends.
"You heard about that?" Jon sounded surprised. "We left shortly after the incident, and we made good time to King's Landing."
"Nothing travels as fast as rumours!" Yang commented. "And yes, Jon did defeat a bravo trying to kill him. And we got our problem with the Faceless Men sorted out."
That pleased the two; Blake could easily tell.
"So! Ruby reappeared next to them in a cloud of petals. "If there's no emergency, let's head to the Red Keep and check with Lord Eddard before we go to headquarters!"
"I'll head back with Lancel and Brienne," Jon said. "I'll have to catch up, if that's alright, my ladies."
Blake suspected that Jon was trying to delay his talk with his family, but that was, as Yang would say, no skin off her butt. She wasn't planning to attend a talk that would involve all the direwolves present in King's Landing.
Not unless it was absolutely necessary, of course. Which wasn't the case. Or so she hoped - she had a lot to catch up herself; she must have missed a lot of the plotting and politics while Team RWBY had been travelling.
*****
The Red Keep, King's Landing, Crownlands, Westeros, 299 AC
The Red Keep hadn't changed, either. At least, not in a way that was obvious. Not that Yang Xiao Long had expected that, anyway - she wasn't a worrywart like certain unnamed other members of Team RWBY. No, the gate was the same, the guards looked familiar enough - Yang recognised the commander at the gate, one of Lancel's more distant cousins, probably - and the smell certainly was the same. And… "That's new," she said, looking at a bicycle leaning against the wall in the first courtyard."
"Gendry's here? He was supposed to be in the Order's headquarters," Weiss said.
"That's not Gendry's bike," Yang pointed out. "That's another bike."
"He made a second bike?" Ruby darted over to the bike and peered at it from a few angles. "I don't see his mark. Did someone copy his work?"
That would have been fast, Yang thought. Then again, if Gendry could build something, others could do it too. She took a closer look. "Yeah. The wheels aren't quite the same quality. And the frame is heavier. A bit rougher finish, too." But it obviously worked well enough. She grinned. "I bet a few years from now, they'll have the first bike gang!"
"Yang!" Weiss, of course, was frowning at her while Ruby giggled and Blake smiled in that way that made her look even more beautiful than normal.
"Alright, let's continue. We've got a regent to meet," Ruby said before Weiss could say anything else.
After a quick check with the guards where Lord Eddard was right now, they quickly reached the Tower of the Hand, where Hunter greeted them with a pleased chuff followed by some low grumbling when Weiss bent down to pet him.
"You're back!"
And there was Bran. Yang reached out and ruffled the boy's hair. "So we are. Did you grow some in our absence?"
"Yes!" He took a deep breath, puffing his chest out with a wide grin - too cute. Then he frowned. "But where's Jon? He was supposed to come back with you!"
"Jon's gone to the Order's headquarters," Ruby told him. "But he'll visit the Red Keep soon - he's got important things to discuss with you."
Yang grinned. Whether Ruby had intended it or not, she ensured that Jon couldn't wiggle out of the skinchanger talk. She spotted the guards in the room looking at them, probably torn between trying to hurry them along and trying not to offend them by interrupting their talk with Bran. Well, that was their problem. "Where's Arya?"
Bran frowned. "Out hunting with Nymeria. And Sansa and Lady. It's my time on guard duty against the Faceless Men."
"Ah, you won't have to do that any more!" Ruby smiled at him. "We have a deal with the Faceless Men." She cocked her head to the side and frowned. "Actually, it's more like they owe us a favour, now."
Yang snorted. "It's more like they're ready to do our bidding. They almost went and killed a few nobles in Braavos that were annoying us before we told them not to kill anyone without our say-so."
"Whoa!" Bran looked impressed.
So did the guards, actually. And the two servants watching from the door to the storage room at the back. Well, it wasn't as if they were going to keep that a secret; the people here needed to know that they didn't have to fear the Faceless Men any more.
"So, we don't have to stand guard any more?" Bran asked.
"Well, that's up to your father," Ruby replied. "But we don't expect the Faceless Men to come after our friends."
And Bran pouted. "If I'd known that before, I could've gone on the hunt myself!"
Yang chuckled as she ruffled his hair again. "Well, we're off to tell your father. Stay at your post until you're relieved."
"I am relieved!"
"It means…" Weiss trailed off, narrowing her eyes, as Bran grinned at her. "Oh, you cheeky boy!"
Yang chuckled as they started up the stairs to Lord Eddard's solar. The Red Keep wasn't home, not their real home, but it was still nice to be back here.
*****
"...and then we took the next ship home!"
Yang nodded as Ruby finished her brief - or not so brief - recounting of their trip.
Lord Eddard slowly nodded. "I see. That was an eventful voyage."
"Kinda, yes," Ruby agreed. "But no one was hurt, and we all got what we wanted from the trip, so it's all good."
"You met with the Sealord and the Iron Bank."
"The meetings with the Sealord and the Iron Bank were mostly courtesy calls," Weiss replied. "They were concerned about our presence, but we successfully explained to both that we were not visiting for any other reason than to settle our differences with the House of Black and White, a goal which we achieved on our second day. We did inform both - the Sealord and the Keyholder meeting with us - that we were not representing the Seven Kingdoms and were not open to any diplomatic overtures. If they wish to discuss such matters, like a trade deal, that would be your purview, my lord, and they know they would need to contact you about it."
"Yeah." Yang nodded.
"So, everything's fine." Ruby smiled. "Though they are interested in closer trade relations. And the Iron Bank was wondering if you'd replaced Lord Baelish yet."
Lord Eddard slowly nodded. "I was hoping to discuss that matter with you upon your return, my ladies."
Yang frowned. That was none of their business, was it? Well, Weiss was probably the most business-savvy person in Westeros, so asking her about it would make sense - if she knew the candidates. Which, based on her frown, she didn't.
Yang grinned. Not that it would stop her, of course - the girl was always ready to give someone their opinion, asked or not.
"Whoever follows Lord Baelish as Master of Coin needs to have a solid grounding in finances. And has to be trusted to be more loyal to the throne than to anyone else, including themselves," Weiss said.
That sounded like common sense to Yang.
But the way Lord Eddard winced, it probably wasn't easy to find such people. "The overlap between loyalty and capability is not as large as I'd like, my ladies. I would trust Lord Wyman of House Manderly, but to install a Northener sworn to me as Master of Coin is a delicate issue."
Yang didn't shrug, but she felt like it. That was his problem to solve, wasn't it? He was the Lord Regent.
"And I assume the succession of the Master of Whispers poses similar problems," Blake said. She, of course, knew all about the sneaky stuff.
"Yes. Most of the people who can run a spy network are already spoken for by other Houses," Lord Eddard said. "I would be grateful for your insight in both matters, my ladies."
"We'll do what we can!" Ruby told him.
Yang didn't need Blake's ears to know Weiss was groaning under her breath. But that couldn't be helped - Ruby would always try to help if help was needed. Whether she could help or not.
So… Yang noticed Blake tense and glance at the door. Someone was coming, and it might be trouble.
A moment later, she heard a knock at the door. "Lord Eddard?"
"Come in."
"Lord Eddard! My ladies!" It was a guard who looked… shaken, if not shocked. And a bit out of breath. "There are visitors for you. My ladies," he quickly added. "And…" He swallowed. "They're… They're Children of the Forest!"
Lord Eddard rarely showed his surprise as obviously as he did then with a loud gasp. "Truly? I thought them extinct!"
"Truly, m'lord! They… they match the tales. Their eyes, their ears, their fingers… They are not humans."
"Really?" Ruby perked up. "And they want to meet us?"
"Yes, my lady."
Children of the Forest? Not humans? Weird ears and eyes?
Yang exchanged a glance with Blake. Maybe they would get to meet this world's Faunus.
In any case, it sounded interesting!
*****
'Anyone familiar with the history of the Faith of the Seven will be familiar with the Schism. However, while the Four Maidens had already left Westeros years before it happened and, therefore, cannot be blamed for it, their influence on the Faith, and especially the reaction of the Septons to them, were clearly some of the most significant reasons for the Schism. However, many of the more controversial claims raised in the debate leading to the Schism about them are clearly manufactured by various Septons trying to support their own positions. There is no contemporary source, for example, that would prove that the Four Maidens favoured one of the Seven above the others, much less supported the Stranger's Heresy as 'Death's Chosen'.'
- A Treatise On The Ruby Order, by Maester Kennet Bracken
*****
Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
Ternesio Terys wouldn't call himself a braggart. He knew that he was a successful trader, and his ship, the Titan's Daughter, was amongst the finest trading galleasses of the City, and if he might embellish his virtues a little when asked about his business, well… Every sailor worth his salt knew how to spin an entertaining yarn. But he did run a tight ship, he was both experienced and skilled, and his crew was ready to follow him, if not into hell, then into any port and through most storms of the Narrow Sea. And being scrupulously honest wouldn't do him any favours when competing with his so-called peers. He might lose out on a lucrative trade that way, should a merchant assume that an honest claim was still embellished. So, really, he was as honest as any other captain.
Although when he saw the group approaching his ship - the Titan's Daughter was the only vessel tied up on this pier, and they were walking with a purpose - he couldn't help but reconsider that stance. Maybe a bit more honesty, or humility, wouldn't have gone amiss. Anything to have them pick another ship.
"Those are the Four Maidens," he heard his first mate, usually a stalwart sailor who'd curse the gods themselves in the face of death, whisper next to him, followed by a quick prayer. "Death's Chosen."
Ternesio would have scolded him for his outburst - everyone knew nothing good came from praying to Him of Many Faces - but with the four deadliest girls about to board his ship, he would rather not risk angering whatever deity had blessed them with divine power.
"Ahoy! Is this the Titan's Daughter?" their leader, a slip of a girl carrying a magical scythe that weighed as much as a horse, called out.
He heard his crew mutter, some quickly praying, and steeled himself. He was the captain; he could not look weak or afraid. "Aye!" he yelled back.
"Ah. Permission to come aboard?"
It was an odd way to phrase it, but those were odd - odd and deadly - foreigners. And as polite as it was worded, Ternesio knew it was a command. "Aye!" he repeated himself.
"Great!"
The four girls walked up the closest gangway as if they were walking across a solid marble floor instead of a narrow and - lightly - swaying and bending wooden plank, showing no concern for the danger of slipping and falling into the water below.
"Hi! Are you Captain Terys?" Their leader, Lady Ruby, asked.
"Yes, my lady." The girls didn't need an introduction, of course.
"Good! We've heard you're headed to King's Landing, and we'd like to book a passage on your ship."
That set his crew muttering and whispering again. The louts must not have realised what had been obvious to him: The girls asking for a passage back to their home was the most likely reason they were boarding his ship.
Ternesio hid a wince when he saw the cold look Lady Blake spared for some of the less discreet sailors nearby and quickly nodded. "I am, of course, at your service, my ladies, but I have to admit that my ship, as fine a galleass as she is, might not be a suitable vessel for such esteemed people as yourself; you might not find the accommodations to which you are accustomed and entitled here."
He hated to belittle his ship, but if there was a chance to dissuade four girls chosen by Death himself, as ascertained by the Faceless Men, to travel on her, he would do it.
"Oh, don't worry, we'll be fine!" Lady Ruby beamed at him. "We've roughed it before."
"Yeah. We travelled on foot through the frozen wasteland beyond the Wall," Lady Yang added with a chuckle. "This is a joyride compared to that trip."
The brief frown on Lady Weiss's face that he spotted seemed to indicate a disagreement of opinions about that, but she nodded in apparent agreement. "How much is the fare for this trip?"
An oath not to bring your god down on us, should a sailor's gaze insult your honour, Ternesio thought. He couldn't say that, of course. Not without starting a fight he and his crew, and possibly the entire City, would lose. Just as any survivors would lose their lives when the Faceless Men finished with them. "Oh, we would never demand coin from the Four Maidens," he said instead. "It's an honour to ferry you back to your home."
Lady Ruby frowned. "Are you sure?"
"Ruby! He offered a free ride! You don't turn that down! Not unless it's a trap," her sister, Lady Yang, cut in before Ternesio could confirm that he was entirely certain.
He did it anyway, bowing his head. "Yes, I am, my ladies." When dealing with women or nobles, and especially when dealing with noblewomen, it never hurt to lay it on thick. Doubly so if you were talking to noblewomen who, as the entire City knew, not only could sink any ship - or massacre any army - they wanted but also had the backing of the Faceless Men. Death's Chosen.
"Alright then! When are you gonna sail?" Lady Ruby beamed at him, and it was all he could do not to let his fear show.
"The day after tomorrow, early on, so we can use the tides, my lady," he told her with another bow.
"Great! We can't wait until we're home!" Lady Ruby smiled widely.
Terensio almost offered to set sail at once, lest she take offence, but they still had to load provisions, and the only thing worse than making Death's Chosen wait would be having them go hungry or thirsty during the voyage.
"We will return tomorrow, then." Lady Weiss inclined her head a sliver. "We'll also bring Ser Jon and Ghost, his wolf, along."
The beast that could swallow a horse whole. Terensio forced himself to keep smiling while his crew started to mutter and pray some more. He'd have to watch some of them closely so they wouldn't desert, he realised.
Or, he thought, I could just tell them that the House of Black and White would look poorly on those who deserted Death's Chosen.
That would keep most of the sailors in line. At least those who were afraid of the girls. He wouldn't have to worry about them.
No, he would have to worry about the men - and boys - who showed more interest than fear and respect towards the girls. Whom, he noticed with a sinking feeling, seemed to include his eldest son, Yorko, who was staring at the girls as they left with a troublesome lack of fear.
He would have to have a word with him before the girls returned. If his son angered the maidens, the consequences would be terrible.
*****
Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
"And remember," Terensio said as he watched the pier from the Titan's Daughter's aftcastle, trying to pierce the wisps of fog that concealed the waterfront in the distance at this time in the morning, shortly after sunrise, "they might look like beautiful girls your age, but they are Death's Chosen. They have killed men before for propositioning them. Crushed their manhood and let them linger in agony for days before finally granting them the gift of death."
"Father!" Yorko hissed. "I understand. I will not look at them at all!"
Terensio looked at his eldest son. Yorko was tense, clenching his teeth, trembling slightly - and not from the fresh morning breeze, it seemed.
"Good," he said, nodding sharply. The long talk he had spent to impress upon his son how dangerous it would be to court the maidens had not been wasted, then. He shuddered himself; when he had first heard the stories, he had thought them amusing, but now that the same girls who would do such deeds would spend weeks on his ship, the true horror was evident.
"But what about the others, Father?" Yorko asked. "Some of the crew seem a bit…" He trailed off.
"What do you say about those who raise a blade against the First Sword?" Terensio replied. If any of his men challenged the girls, Terensio would wash his hands of them. He had told them in no uncertain terms what the consequences would be for anyone so stupid as to accost their passengers. Anyone who still couldn't control their tongue or hand wouldn't be missed. As long as Terensio would not be blamed for their actions, he…
"There!" Yorko's call interrupted his thoughts.
He focused on the end of the pier, at the waterfront. Yes. Four, five people were walking next to a horse. No, a wolf the size of a horse. Death's Chosen and their pair of wolves, one with two legs, one with four legs. "I hope we have enough food for the wolf in our hold," he muttered. He must have underestimated the sheer size of the beast.
"Maybe it likes fish?" Yorko tried to joke, but his voice hitched a little.
It was a good idea, though. Terensio would have some of his crew fish during the trip. That should keep them busy and out of trouble.
"Ahoy! Permission to come aboard?"
"Permission granted!" he replied.
Strangely worded again, he thought. Part of him was curious about the sailors from their world, but Terensio knew better than to indulge such a whim. The more you talked with those girls, the greater the chance you would slip and insult them. Not unlike wearing a sword in the City.
Yorko had already disappeared down the hatch when Terensio climbed down to the main deck to greet his deadly passengers. "Welcome aboard," he said, trying not to flinch when he saw the giant wolf sniff the air and look around. "We've prepared two cabins for you." His own, and his first mate's. Terensio would displace the bosun from his cabin, tiny as it was, and the others had to bunk with the crew.
"Thank you!" Lady Ruby beamed, then stifled a yawn. "Sorry, we stayed up a bit longer, since this was our last night here."
"We wanted to enjoy the nightlife once more," Lady Yang added with a grin that was somehow more frightening than the wolf's open maw.
He nodded and kept smiling, playing it safe. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you the cabins."
"Alright!"
He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he turned his back to them, leading them down the narrow stairs to the lower deck. "Ah, your wolf might not have an easy time here…" he started to say after descending the steep stairs.
"Don't worry!"
He took a step back, then another, when Lady Yang grabbed the giant beast around its belly and lifted it up, cradled in her arms, as if it were a small babe instead of a monster twice her own size - and then jumped down the hatch, landing far too close in front of Terensio.
"Easy!" she declared as she set the wolf down.
Terensio nodded. At least, he was not the only one surprised - Ser Jon Snow looked flushed as well. On the other hand, the boy should be used to the four maidens, and if he was surprised, this wasn't promising for their behaviour during the trip.
But there was nothing Terensio could do, so he smiled and tried to keep his distance as he led them to their cabins.
And wished his new cabin were further away from theirs. Perhaps he might bunk with the crew as well, for old time's sake?
*****
The Narrow Sea, 299 AC
Ruby Rose stretched her arms over her head while she climbed the steep stairs to the deck. They were almost closer to a ladder than to normal stairs. Well, not really, but they came close when the ship moved through heavy seas.
This morning, though, the sea was calm, and the sky clear. And, as she found when she reached the deck, the wind was just strong enough to push the ship, but not strong enough to make you worry about your hats.
She looked around, enjoying the sunshine. There weren't many sailors on deck, and most of them seemed busy handling the ship. The Titan's Daughter was a very nice ship, far roomier than the Black Betha even if she was smaller. And they had more room - and more privacy - than on the Valyrian, which had taken them to Braavos. Although that was just because Captain Terys had given them his own cabin, and his crew was a bit shy.
Or scared, according to Blake, but that wasn't the fault of her team. They were scared of Ghost as well and gave him a wide berth.
Which was a good thing right now since it meant Jon and Ghost were not crowded by the crew while they were looking out at the sea from the railing. And that meant Ruby would have privacy for a talk. If Jon wanted to talk, of course.
She quickly walked over to him. "Jon! Ghost!" she called out as soon as she got close.
Both turned their heads to look at her as if they were synchronised. Cute!
"My lady," Jon said, bowing his head.
She smiled and leaned against the railing next to him, stretching her neck out a bit to look at the sea. There was nothing to see there, though, except for a few fish that jumped out of the water. So, she wasn't interrupting anything other than Jon's brooding. And interrupting that was fine. "So!" She turned around, leaning with her back against the railing. It was a bit too tall to rest her elbows on them like Yang liked to do, but that couldn't be helped. "How are you doing?"
"I am fine, my lady," Jon replied with one of his polite but not that honest smiles.
"Happy to see King's Landing again? I am sure your family is missing you. Especially Arya."
He smiled at that. Honestly, this time. "Yes."
Good. Progress! "And I bet you're missing your pack, too!" she told Ghost.
He chuffed at that.
Ruby was distracted by a sailor dropping a rope near them, and when the man had grabbed it and moved away, Jon was already staring out at the sea again. "You're brooding, though," she said.
He turned back to meet her eyes, and she could see how he opened his mouth, probably to deny it. But when she frowned at him, he closed it again without saying anything. He just sighed. "It's nothing."
"Is it about the duel?" Ruby asked. Killing someone did affect you - she knew that herself. Even if they asked for it.
"What? No, no!" Jon shook his head. "As you, and everyone else, said, I was just defending myself."
Ruby flushed a little; maybe they had overdone it with the explanations. "So, what got you brooding?" she asked, to change the subject.
Jon sighed again, and Ghost whined a little and prodded his hip with his nose. "It's…" Once more, he trailed off when Ruby raised her eyebrows at him. Two could play that game.
"It's… embarrassing," he said after another pause.
"Oh." Ruby bit her lower lip. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I know how annoying it is to talk about embarrassing stuff." Oh, did she know it! 'Crater Face' said hello.
"Oh!" He faked surprise at that - he knew her well enough to know she had her fair share of embarrassing moments.
"Anyway," she went on, "if you want to talk, we're here to listen. Well, right now, it's just me, but the others will listen as well." They'd better!
"I am not certain if that would be a good idea, my lady." She could see him nibble on his lower lip, then sigh.
Ruby waited, smiling encouragingly at him. This was his decision, and she wouldn't prod him (much) just to satisfy her curiosity. She was here to help him. If he wanted to get helped. Which he should. Being gloomy and brooding was bad even if there were no Grimms to attract.
"I'm just… Lady Yang and Lady Blake, I don't envy them their happiness."
Oh. He was lovesick. Maybe Ruby shouldn't have asked. That wasn't the kinda talk she was good at. Not at all. Especially if it involved her sister and her friend, and her team. But she couldn't just leave, could she? That would hurt him. "But you wish it were you?" she said after he didn't add anything.
He blushed and looked at the sea. "I know she never felt the same for me."
Ruby nodded.
He chuckled, but it sounded rueful. "That she is with Lady Blake makes it even more obvious, of course, since I am a man."
Ruby might not be experienced with relationships, but she knew pointing out that Yang 'swung both ways', as she had said once, wouldn't help. Like, at all. It would only make him feel worse. And make him brood even more. So she nodded. "But you can't just order your heart to stop, well, feeling."
He nodded with a sad smile, and Ghost whined again. "I know it takes time. I will not… cause any disturbance, though. You can be assured of that, my lady."
She nodded. "Of course. Time heals all wounds." Which wasn't true - some wounds never healed.
But Jon nodded with another sigh.
Time to change the subject again. To something that wasn't embarrassing. But what would… ah! "Say!" She beamed at him. "How exactly did you spot the opening you took against the bravo in your duel?"
He blinked. "The one I used to kill him?"
Ruby nodded.
"I saw him prepare his move and countered it."
"But how did you see him do that? You were in front of him, and he was facing you with his left side - you couldn't see him prepare," Ruby replied.
Jon blinked, and she saw him frown as he tried to remember. "Oh. But I saw him. I distinctly remember seeing his leg and arm tense, and…" He blinked again. "But you're right, my lady - the angle doesn't make any sense. How did I see that?"
Ruby managed not to pout even if she was disappointed. If Jon didn't know how he had done it, he couldn't teach it. Unless… "Let's test that!" she said, drawing Crescent Rose.
"My lady?"
"Let's see if you can spot me preparing a move!" Ruby grinned at him while she moved a bit back, spinning her baby before holding her behind her back, ready for a swing forward.
Behind her, a sailor dropped a bucket or something, but she ignored that. She wasn't good with relationships, and she wasn't that experienced with killing (and didn't want to be), but if there was one thing she knew lots about, it was fighting! And she had a mystery to sort out!
"Come on, Jon, focus on me!" She grinned at him, moved a bit to the side - as if she were circling him, but not quite - and shifted her grip on Crescent Rose behind her back before swinging it out in a low arc that…
…she had to stop before it cut into his leg. He hadn't reacted quickly enough.
"Ah!" Belatedly, he jumped back, out of her reach - unless she lunged, of course.
"Alright, you didn't see that coming. Let's try again. Focus!"
Jon nodded as he stepped to the side as well, facing her once more. He narrowed his eyes at her, ducking his head a little as he adjusted his stance, sword pointed at her, ready to parry - or trying to; he couldn't stop her baby at full swing - or riposte.
Once more, she shifted her grip and twisted Crescent Rose's shaft a bit behind her back. Feinting an overhead slash, she twisted it in mid-swing and then stopped when his sword met her baby's blade. The metal screeched a little, but there shouldn't be any damage on his sword - and Crescent Rose wasn't even scratched, of course!
"Better!" She beamed at him. "What did you do?"
"Uh… I don't know?" He smiled apologetically, as Weiss would say. "I just… knew what you were doing."
Hm. She frowned a bit. Was he doing it instinctively? That would make teaching and learning it harder. "Alright, let's go for a few more tries!" she said.
Oh! Maybe it was the shadow cast by the sun? She moved to the side until they were in the shadow of the mainsail, then tried another trick.
This time, she had to stop her scythe before she cut into his neck. She smiled. "I think I've got it!"
"Very good, my lady!" he replied, although he sounded a bit shaky. "And what did you get?"
"Let's test it a bit more to verify it," she said.
But of the next three attempts, he could foresee two even though she hadn't left the shadow. She scowled. "Looks like I haven't got it. I thought you were watching the shadows."
"Ah. No, I don't think I was, my lady."
Yes, she got that already. "Alright, let's step it up a bit!" She started circling around him, preparing to strike on the move. Ghost chuffed behind her, following her - probably trying to play. Fortunately, he kept his distance when she started attacking with feints and wild slashes.
Jon parried every attack. Technically - she had to stop each blow so she wouldn't cut his sword apart; it was hard to deflect and guide-parry a scythe the size of Crescent Rose, of course. But if she had used a lighter blade and had been weaker, he totally would have deflected her attacks. All of them.
"I don't know how, my lady, but I just… knew all your attacks," he said when she stopped her last swing.
Rats! Behind her, Ghost chuffed. Snorting, she turned her head and mock-glared at him. "Are you helping him, Ghost? Telling him what I am going to do?" She laughed at her own joke, and Jon laughed with her.
Then she blinked and quickly ran through their bouts so far in her mind.
"My lady?"
She held up a hand. "Gimme a second!" Right. The times Jon hadn't been able to stop her, and the times he had, where had Ghost been each time? "I think I've got it this time! Let's test it!" Before Jon could agree, she had already moved, so Ghost was no longer behind or at her side. "En garde!"
Jon didn't manage to foresee her move this time. Nor the next two times. But when she moved so Ghost could see her back, he was ready for her. And as soon as Jon was between Ghost and herself, he couldn't do it any more!
She repeated the cycle a few times to be totally sure, then beamed at Jon. "Yes, I've cracked the riddle!"
Jon, who was bent over and panting, all sweaty, raised his head and made a sound that probably was a question.
Good enough for her. "I don't know how he's doing it, but Ghost is telling you what I am doing!"
Jon made another sound that fell between wheezing and heaving.
Ruby was pretty sure she knew what he meant and nodded. "Yes, we'll find out, don't worry!"
She smiled as she took a deep breath of the clean air at sea. Now that they knew what was happening, finding out how it happened wouldn't be a problem!
*****
"Ghost is telling Jon what his opponents are doing behind their backs?" Weiss Schnee wasn't quite sure if she had heard correctly.
"Yes!" Ruby nodded several times, smiling broadly. "I tested it thoroughly!"
"I can see that," Weiss replied, making a point of glancing at Jon, who was still looking exhausted and making her remember some of Ruby's more enthusiastic and ambitious training regimes.
"Yeah, right?" Ruby nodded again. "It's the one variable I managed to isolate! When Ghost can see what I am doing outside of Jon's line of sight, he knows. So, Ghost must be telling him!"
"And how is he doing that?" Weiss asked. Ghost was a good boy - all of the puppies were - but he couldn't speak. Weiss would have known if he could; she certainly had him addressed often enough.
"Direwolf magic?" Ruby shrugged. "We'll have to do more testing to figure that out. And how we can tap into this. Oh! Imagine if we could do the same - if I could tell you what I can see and you can't!"
Weiss raised her eyebrows at her partner. "You can do that already."
"I mean all silently and instantly, duh!" Ruby shot back with that slight pout that made her look adorable. "Because Ghost's way must be very quick or Jon would not have the time to react."
"Yes, that is a point that, assuming your theory is correct, would argue against Ghost telling Jon what he saw," Weiss said. "Another point would be that Jon doesn't remember any such communication. It's all instinctively done, right?"
"Yes, my lady."
Ruby was still pouting. "Yes, I said, we need to find out how Ghost is doing this. But we know that Ghost is doing this. And that Jon doesn't know how it's being done. So, all we have to do is find out what Ghost is doing!"
Weiss looked at the two other members of their team, pressing her lips together when she noticed that they were paying more attention to each other than to Ruby's discovery. At least, they weren't making out - they were on the main deck of the Titan's Daughter, after all, and while the crew was considerate enough to give them as much privacy as possible, they were still in public. "And what do you think about this?"
Yang blinked. "Ah, well… back on Remnant, I'd say Jon discovered his semblance, and it lets him see through Ghost's eyes or something. But you don't have an aura, and without an Aura you can't have a Semblance."
"Checking!" Ruby reached over and poked Jon.
"Ow!"
"Nope, no Aura. I think."
Weiss sighed.
"What about Ghost?" Yang asked.
"I can't pinch him; that would hurt him! And he wouldn't understand why we're doing it!" Ruby protested.
A puppy with Aura… Well, Zwei had one, but he was an exception, as far as Weiss knew. Still…
"It might be magic," Blake, to Weiss's slight surprise, spoke up. "Direwolves might have a talent to share their senses with humans."
"Magic?" Ruby looked at Ghost, then at Jon. "You've got a magic wolf?"
"Ah…" Jon grimaced, then bit his lower lip, and Weiss narrowed her eyes. He must have thought of something and didn't want to say it.
"Yes?" Ruby must have realised it as well and smiled at him.
Jon winced. "There are tales, old folks' tales, in the North about people who can see through animals and even change into them. Skinchangers, they are called."
Weiss scowled at him. "That would perfectly explain the phenomenon that we've been trying to explain." And he had known about that, and not said anything while her friends and Weiss had stumbled around like fools?
He had the grace to blush. "They were just tales, my lady. Old Nan told many of them, but… she also tended to mistake Brandon for his uncle, or another Brandon. I didn't really take them seriously." He sighed. "I should have, of course. It's my fault that you were left wondering."
"No, no!" Ruby, as ever, was quick to console the boy. "You did fine! And now we know! Although… does that mean you're a skinchanger? You have magic!"
Jon blinked as if he hadn't already realised that. "That…" he trailed off.
Ruby didn't give him the time to think of an answer. "Oh! Can you see through Ghost's eyes, then? Try to focus! Oh! Imagine if you can change ito a wolf!"
Jon looked more than a little ill at the thought. Weiss could empathise with him. To turn into an animal would be weird. Although a small part of her wondered how it would feel.
A bigger part, though, knew that this wasn't a topic to bring up with Blake or Yang in earshot. There were too many ways she could put her foot into it no matter which direction such a talk might take. And uncountable opportunities to be teased for it.
"Best don't try to change into a wolf until you know how to change back," Yang said with a chuckle.
Jon grew even paler. "Yes, my lady."
"Yeah, maybe hold back on that. But try to see through Ghost's eyes!" Ruby, on the other hand, hadn't lost any of her enthusiasm.
"Maybe you shouldn't rush this," Weiss spoke up. This sounded quite dangerous. Like experimenting with unknown Semblances without adequate supervision and safety precautions.
"But you're already doing it, even if it's unconsciously," Yang told Jon. "Wouldn't it be better if you knew what you are doing?"
Blake didn't say anything but eyed both Jon and Ghost warily.
Ruby nodded. "It's your decision, Jon." Despite her laudable if a little late voiced stance, the way she sneaked glances at Ghost when she thought people weren't watching told Weiss exactly how curious she was.
Jon sighed. "I'll try, my ladies." He took another deep breath and closed his eyes.
Ruby looked from him to Ghost and back. "Oh, we forgot to set up a test! So, how many fingers am I holding up?" She raised her hand to Ghost.
Ghost cocked his head to the side and sniffed her fingers, then licked them, chuffing.
Weiss really hoped that Jon wasn't watching through his eyes right now. That would be weird.
Ruby, though, must not have made the connection and fed him a scrap of dried meat before holding up her hand again, three fingers on display.
Once again, Ghost chuffed - but suddenly, he stilled and stared at Ruby's hand, then looked around as if he was seeing the ship and Team RWBY for the first time.
Weiss felt a chill run down her spine at how weird, almost unnatural, his actions looked.
And then Ghost jerked, before looking puzzled, and Jon spoke up.
"Three fingers, my lady."
"Yes!" Ruby cheered.
Weiss nodded in approval, although she had mixed feelings about it. If Jon could do this… Magic was said to have once run in bloodlines, at least, according to Archmaester Marwyn. "What about your siblings?" she asked. Of course, they were Jon's cousins, not his actual siblings, but every Stark child had a direwolf pet. A very smart and obedient direwolf pet.
Judging by the sudden silence, the others harboured similar thoughts.
"I think I will have to speak with my family about this as soon as we're back in King's Landing," Jon said.
"Yeah!" Ruby was still smiling. "Imagine if all of you could do it!"
Jon didn't look very enthusiastic. "Some say this kind of magic - skinchanging - is unnatural, my lady. They were often hunted down and killed. The Faith, ah, does not look kindly on such magic."
"What?" Ruby blurted out.
He couldn't have mentioned that before? Weiss thought.
*****
Harbour, King's Landing, Crownlands, Westeros, 299 AC
"Home sweet home. Well, home-away-from-home sweet home-away-from-home, in this case."
Weak as it was, Blake Belladonna still chuckled at her partner's - and girlfriend's - joke. In a strange way, King's Landing felt familiar enough to feel like such a 'home-away-from-home'. The Red Keep towering over the city, the waterfront, the dome of the Great Sept of Baelor in the background… Well, she could have done without the stench of the city, which was starting to reach her nostrils now that the Titan's Daughter had entered the harbour.
"At least, the city's still standing," Weiss commented from her other side. "It's not been set on fire in our absence."
"We would have heard about that on our stop at Dragonstone!" Ruby commented. She was leaning forward, one hand gripping a line going from the ship's railing to the main mast to steady herself.
"And we would have seen the smoke from afar," Yang added.
Of course, there could have been changes that weren't so obvious. Though a change in government - like a coup - would have reached Dragonstone by raven. Still, the Court's balance of power could have changed in their absence. Not too drastically. Something like unseating Lord Eddard as Lord Regent would result in violence, in her opinion. But some of the minor positions might have changed. And they might have finally filled the open positions of Master of Coin and Master of Whispers, and found a seventh Kingsguard - they couldn't leave those posts vacant forever, after all.
Captain Terys lost no time to moor his galleass at the closest pier. Blake wasn't an expert by any means, but she had grown up on Menagerie, and this wasn't her first trip in a local ship, so she could tell that the man was skilled. Maybe not as skilled as his reputation claimed, but skilled enough.
"Looks like the raven from Dragonstone made it through OK," Ruby commented, shielding her eyes with one hand against the sun. "That's Lancel and Brienne at the pier!"
"Great!" Yang smiled as well.
"Unless they are here because things are dire and they wish to inform us as well," Weiss added.
Yang chuckled. "Don't always fear the worst, Weiss!"
"Yeah! They don't look worried," Ruby added.
Blake wasn't so optimistic. Hearing that the Faith had a problem with Skinchangers - to the extent of having them killed in the past, even - and disapproved of same-sex relationships wasn't reassuring her. Dealing with that kind of bigotry again was galling. Especially after Team RWBY had done so much to earn the trust of the people and the fear of certain nobles and had been hailed as the Four Maidens, blessed by the gods.
Then again, she had experience dealing with such a situation, and it wasn't as if she hadn't been hiding her true nature from everyone, even their friends, for over a year now…
A gentle poke to her ribs interrupted her thoughts. "Hey! No brooding! If Jon's not allowed to brood, you're not allowed either!"
She raised her eyebrows at Yang, who, as expected, was not the least impressed and flashed a wide smile at her. "We've solved the issues with Braavos, we found out what is up with Jon, and we've returned safely. Whatever happened in our absence, we can sort it out!"
Blake nodded, even though she wasn't quite as optimistic as her girlfriend. But she couldn't deny that there were good reasons for Yang's views. Not the least that Team RWBY could, should things turn from bad to worse or worst, defeat any force the locals could muster, and the locals knew that. So, barring an outbreak of suicidal stupidity, things shouldn't be too bad. Lord Eddard had experience ruling the realm, after all, and he had allies as well.
"Lancel! Brienne!" Ruby waved and jumped off the deck, landing on the pier below before the gangway had been lowered. "How are you doing? You're looking good! Did anything happen in our absence? We've got a few things to tell you!"
Blake smiled, Yang chuckled, and Weiss huffed as they took the gangway down to the pier, followed by Jon and Ghost, nodding at the clerk waiting to deal with Captain Terys - whom they had to properly say goodbye and thanks for carrying them here, still. Weiss was reminding Ruby not too discreetly about that while Blake, Yang and Jon greeted their friends.
"So, is there an emergency or crisis?" Weiss asked.
"Ah… not to our knowledge, my lady," Brienne told them.
"Things at court remain the same, more or less," Lancel added.
"Have they replaced Varys and Lord Baelish yet?" Weiss asked.
"Not yet. I believe Lord Eddard is still deliberating the decision," Lancel replied. "But he has approved of Ser Barristan's choice of Ser Balon Swann as the seventh Kingsguard."
Blake hadn't heard much about that knight. She remembered him doing fairly well at the tournament, but he hadn't come up in many, if any, of the discussions of a more questionable nature that she had overheard in the Red Keep. That was probably a good sign.
"Well, Ser Barristan knows what he's doing!" Ruby stated. "Oh, there's Captain Terys!" She quickly stepped over. "Thank you for taking us here so quickly! It was a very enjoyable trip!"
"I live to serve, my lady," Captain Terys said, bowing his head.
Blake noted how the clerk reacted; they might have saved the good captain a bit of money for bribes. It would be a bit of compensation for the fear Team RWBY had, without meaning to, put into the Titan's Daughter's crew - something Blake had kept to herself so Ruby wouldn't feel bad. It wasn't their fault that the sailors were worried about how Team RWBY would react to their usual behaviour.
"Jon! We heard you defeated a bravo in a duel over the Order's honour!" Lancel's question drew her attention back to her friends.
"You heard about that?" Jon sounded surprised. "We left shortly after the incident, and we made good time to King's Landing."
"Nothing travels as fast as rumours!" Yang commented. "And yes, Jon did defeat a bravo trying to kill him. And we got our problem with the Faceless Men sorted out."
That pleased the two; Blake could easily tell.
"So! Ruby reappeared next to them in a cloud of petals. "If there's no emergency, let's head to the Red Keep and check with Lord Eddard before we go to headquarters!"
"I'll head back with Lancel and Brienne," Jon said. "I'll have to catch up, if that's alright, my ladies."
Blake suspected that Jon was trying to delay his talk with his family, but that was, as Yang would say, no skin off her butt. She wasn't planning to attend a talk that would involve all the direwolves present in King's Landing.
Not unless it was absolutely necessary, of course. Which wasn't the case. Or so she hoped - she had a lot to catch up herself; she must have missed a lot of the plotting and politics while Team RWBY had been travelling.
*****
The Red Keep, King's Landing, Crownlands, Westeros, 299 AC
The Red Keep hadn't changed, either. At least, not in a way that was obvious. Not that Yang Xiao Long had expected that, anyway - she wasn't a worrywart like certain unnamed other members of Team RWBY. No, the gate was the same, the guards looked familiar enough - Yang recognised the commander at the gate, one of Lancel's more distant cousins, probably - and the smell certainly was the same. And… "That's new," she said, looking at a bicycle leaning against the wall in the first courtyard."
"Gendry's here? He was supposed to be in the Order's headquarters," Weiss said.
"That's not Gendry's bike," Yang pointed out. "That's another bike."
"He made a second bike?" Ruby darted over to the bike and peered at it from a few angles. "I don't see his mark. Did someone copy his work?"
That would have been fast, Yang thought. Then again, if Gendry could build something, others could do it too. She took a closer look. "Yeah. The wheels aren't quite the same quality. And the frame is heavier. A bit rougher finish, too." But it obviously worked well enough. She grinned. "I bet a few years from now, they'll have the first bike gang!"
"Yang!" Weiss, of course, was frowning at her while Ruby giggled and Blake smiled in that way that made her look even more beautiful than normal.
"Alright, let's continue. We've got a regent to meet," Ruby said before Weiss could say anything else.
After a quick check with the guards where Lord Eddard was right now, they quickly reached the Tower of the Hand, where Hunter greeted them with a pleased chuff followed by some low grumbling when Weiss bent down to pet him.
"You're back!"
And there was Bran. Yang reached out and ruffled the boy's hair. "So we are. Did you grow some in our absence?"
"Yes!" He took a deep breath, puffing his chest out with a wide grin - too cute. Then he frowned. "But where's Jon? He was supposed to come back with you!"
"Jon's gone to the Order's headquarters," Ruby told him. "But he'll visit the Red Keep soon - he's got important things to discuss with you."
Yang grinned. Whether Ruby had intended it or not, she ensured that Jon couldn't wiggle out of the skinchanger talk. She spotted the guards in the room looking at them, probably torn between trying to hurry them along and trying not to offend them by interrupting their talk with Bran. Well, that was their problem. "Where's Arya?"
Bran frowned. "Out hunting with Nymeria. And Sansa and Lady. It's my time on guard duty against the Faceless Men."
"Ah, you won't have to do that any more!" Ruby smiled at him. "We have a deal with the Faceless Men." She cocked her head to the side and frowned. "Actually, it's more like they owe us a favour, now."
Yang snorted. "It's more like they're ready to do our bidding. They almost went and killed a few nobles in Braavos that were annoying us before we told them not to kill anyone without our say-so."
"Whoa!" Bran looked impressed.
So did the guards, actually. And the two servants watching from the door to the storage room at the back. Well, it wasn't as if they were going to keep that a secret; the people here needed to know that they didn't have to fear the Faceless Men any more.
"So, we don't have to stand guard any more?" Bran asked.
"Well, that's up to your father," Ruby replied. "But we don't expect the Faceless Men to come after our friends."
And Bran pouted. "If I'd known that before, I could've gone on the hunt myself!"
Yang chuckled as she ruffled his hair again. "Well, we're off to tell your father. Stay at your post until you're relieved."
"I am relieved!"
"It means…" Weiss trailed off, narrowing her eyes, as Bran grinned at her. "Oh, you cheeky boy!"
Yang chuckled as they started up the stairs to Lord Eddard's solar. The Red Keep wasn't home, not their real home, but it was still nice to be back here.
*****
"...and then we took the next ship home!"
Yang nodded as Ruby finished her brief - or not so brief - recounting of their trip.
Lord Eddard slowly nodded. "I see. That was an eventful voyage."
"Kinda, yes," Ruby agreed. "But no one was hurt, and we all got what we wanted from the trip, so it's all good."
"You met with the Sealord and the Iron Bank."
"The meetings with the Sealord and the Iron Bank were mostly courtesy calls," Weiss replied. "They were concerned about our presence, but we successfully explained to both that we were not visiting for any other reason than to settle our differences with the House of Black and White, a goal which we achieved on our second day. We did inform both - the Sealord and the Keyholder meeting with us - that we were not representing the Seven Kingdoms and were not open to any diplomatic overtures. If they wish to discuss such matters, like a trade deal, that would be your purview, my lord, and they know they would need to contact you about it."
"Yeah." Yang nodded.
"So, everything's fine." Ruby smiled. "Though they are interested in closer trade relations. And the Iron Bank was wondering if you'd replaced Lord Baelish yet."
Lord Eddard slowly nodded. "I was hoping to discuss that matter with you upon your return, my ladies."
Yang frowned. That was none of their business, was it? Well, Weiss was probably the most business-savvy person in Westeros, so asking her about it would make sense - if she knew the candidates. Which, based on her frown, she didn't.
Yang grinned. Not that it would stop her, of course - the girl was always ready to give someone their opinion, asked or not.
"Whoever follows Lord Baelish as Master of Coin needs to have a solid grounding in finances. And has to be trusted to be more loyal to the throne than to anyone else, including themselves," Weiss said.
That sounded like common sense to Yang.
But the way Lord Eddard winced, it probably wasn't easy to find such people. "The overlap between loyalty and capability is not as large as I'd like, my ladies. I would trust Lord Wyman of House Manderly, but to install a Northener sworn to me as Master of Coin is a delicate issue."
Yang didn't shrug, but she felt like it. That was his problem to solve, wasn't it? He was the Lord Regent.
"And I assume the succession of the Master of Whispers poses similar problems," Blake said. She, of course, knew all about the sneaky stuff.
"Yes. Most of the people who can run a spy network are already spoken for by other Houses," Lord Eddard said. "I would be grateful for your insight in both matters, my ladies."
"We'll do what we can!" Ruby told him.
Yang didn't need Blake's ears to know Weiss was groaning under her breath. But that couldn't be helped - Ruby would always try to help if help was needed. Whether she could help or not.
So… Yang noticed Blake tense and glance at the door. Someone was coming, and it might be trouble.
A moment later, she heard a knock at the door. "Lord Eddard?"
"Come in."
"Lord Eddard! My ladies!" It was a guard who looked… shaken, if not shocked. And a bit out of breath. "There are visitors for you. My ladies," he quickly added. "And…" He swallowed. "They're… They're Children of the Forest!"
Lord Eddard rarely showed his surprise as obviously as he did then with a loud gasp. "Truly? I thought them extinct!"
"Truly, m'lord! They… they match the tales. Their eyes, their ears, their fingers… They are not humans."
"Really?" Ruby perked up. "And they want to meet us?"
"Yes, my lady."
Children of the Forest? Not humans? Weird ears and eyes?
Yang exchanged a glance with Blake. Maybe they would get to meet this world's Faunus.
In any case, it sounded interesting!
*****