Fifteen

On his orders, they broke camp and marched back the way they'd come, two men trailing along behind Jaune and Cardin with Deery stretched out on a litter between them. The rest remained in formation, as they had the day before. But now, there were no stories or chatter passed along by any of them. A pair of his soldiers broke ranks at the rear, marching around to pass out bread, dried fruit and dried meat as they could so the soldiers could eat as they walked, because no one was stopping now. No one had complained when he ordered it all except the four he'd ordered on rotation to carry Deery. They'd gone quiet when, of everyone, Cardin stepped in to clamp down on the dissension.

Whether because Jaune had ordered it, or because Deery had saved Dove, Jaune couldn't say.

He also couldn't care less.

With an early stop, a fast pace that left Jaune soaked in sweat and as exhausted as his men and women were, and no breaks, they reached Patch just after noon.

Sweat dripping into his eye, he turned to Cardin and said, "Cardin, will you-"

"I'll get the men rested and watered." He cut him off, sinking to a knee and leaning on his mace while he sucked in breath. "And see your animal settled in. Get to Lord Rouge."

"She's not…" He sighed and shook his head, instead murmuring, "Thank you, Winchester."

"Of course." He grunted as he forced himself back up and paid him a nod, "First."

His patrol was the first to return, for obvious reasons, and so he made his way through an almost empty camp as he passed through. Chastened came and went, carrying clean clothes, dishes, and whatever else. There were also a few knights, kept in reserve, trained, ate and sparred together in open spaces between the tents. But for as many of them turned to him in surprise, even worry, noone got up to get in his way.

"Halt, and-" Jaune shoved the guard outside Rouge's tent aside and stormed inside to find the man frozen in surprise with a slice of pork halfway to his mouth.

"My patrol was ambushed." He snapped as the guard swept in beside him and grabbed his shoulder. Jerking it free, Jaune snapped, "The Grimm laid an ambush for us. Killed two of my men and crippled my Chastened."

"I see…" Rouge murmured, flicking a look up and down his armored body before grimacing and easing back in his seat. He waved a hand and sighed, "Leave us."

"But, my Lord-"

"Leave. Us."

"Yes, my Lord Rouge." The Guard grunted quietly, and coldly, turning and slipping back out of the tent without a backwards word.

"Sit, Lord Arc."

"I'm fine-"

"Sit. Down." Rouge cut him off, meeting his blue eyes with hard, glinting green eyes of his own. "You're exhausted, angry, and distraught. And you are dripping enough sweat that I can see it pooling on the floor."

Jaune frowned and flicked a look down. He was dripping on the floor, even if it wasn't pooling. Gods, was it that hot…?

"Alright." He finally relented, practically falling into the chair opposite the man and grunting for it. "Didn't realize I was so tired…"

"Back at this time, you ordered a forced march." Rouge sighed, and added when Jaune's brows furrowed. "Whether you used the words or not, you did. Sensible, if you felt you were being hunted. But draining. Have you eaten?"

"No…"

"Good. Don't, for a half hour at the very least. You'll get yourself sick if you do." Rouge nodded, snapping his fingers and summoning a Chastened from a small slit at the back of his tent. Turning his head he ordered, "Water, fresh and cold. And a rag, and fresh clothes, for Lord Arc."

"Yes, my Lord Rouge." The man nodded and turned, slipping back out the way he'd come in.

"Get your armor off." Rouge grunted, "And tell me what happened. Hound will be back with fresh clothes for you, and water to clean yourself with."

"Alright." He sighed, unlatching the mail that kept his helmet on and pulling it off with a sigh. The cool air hit his matted, sweaty head and he almost groaned. "Gods that be, that's already better…."

"I've forced a march before, Arc." Rouge chuckled, taking the bite of pork he'd abandoned earlier and biting it off. "This is normal for it. Rest, take some water, cool off. It'll pass."

"Right…"

"And report." He added with a chuckle, before he sighed and turned to grimmer matters. "So… Tell me what happened, then."

XxX----XxX----XxX

By noon the next day, Lord Rouge and Tai Yang had gathered a court of trial in Patch's great hall, which had been filled with food and people both. It was simple, but the banquet - Rouge's own word - had been hastily thrown together on short notice, as was normal for the event. Corn, bread, potatoes and pies made with melons of several kinds were what covered most of the long tables. But a couple of pigs had been roasted and set out at the ends of either of the outer tables, too, fire-charred and spiced warmly.

It tasted like muck in his mouth…

"Arc." He turned as Cardin joined him at the end of the table, right beside the pork and ale and in the shadow of the raised dais Tai Yang and Lord Rouge sat on. Jaune turned to pay him a nod and Cardin went on. "Your Chastened is doing well. Pained in the shoulder, but… Well enough."

'Not that it would matter', went unsaid, but Jaune could read it in the man's grimace and stiff posture.

"Thanks." Jaune sighed, taking a sip of his mead and frowning. "It's like a damn festival…"

"Mhm." Cardin rumbled, laying a gauntlet on Jaune's back and giving it a comforting pat before he took it away and reached for some pork himself. "How it goes."

"I suppose…"

"It'll be right." Cardin said, "Or as the Gods intend, at the least."

"Yeah." Jaune nodded, "I suppose I'll take comfort from that…"

Or try to, at least.

Finally, Lord Rouge stood, with Tai Yang at his side, and raised an armored hand to call for silence. A silence that slowly spread across the long room, as men and women, Knights and villagers, all fell silent and found places to sit or stand. There were more than a hundred of them, Jaune could see as he rose. All dressed in their best clothes, or freshly cleaned and shined armor in many of the Knights' cases, and watching the looming, armored man closely. Eagerly, even, with a crowd packed in at the entrance where more than could be seated had come to watch.

Like a play was being put on…

It made the bile rise in his throat even more, to see them all.

"As it has reached noon, by the Gods' own measure in the sky above, I call us all to that matter of business for which we have gathered here today, in the hallowed halls." Lord Rouge said, speaking in the same odd, almost titled, way that the priests would to bring authority to whatever came next. Clearing his throat, he tugged his hauberk straight almost anxiously and went on, "As of yesterday, Lord Jaune Arc, formerly of Ansel, was dispatched on patrol. A hunt for Grimm, those beasts which have beset your lands. Lord Arc, speak of what happened."

"Yes, Lord." He answered, straightening and turning to speak to the crowd, "I and my company marched back along the road we approached Patch upon. At the forest's end, just beside the road's mouth, we made camp. I dispatched Deery-"

"Your Chastened."

"My Chastened." He amended with a grimace and a nod, "Her duty was to collect water, for the night and the return. Out of concern for her, and our provisions-" Cardin had coached him to mention that as well, "-I dispatched several Knights to escort her, in case of a wayward Grimm."

"And, what came next?"

"The Grimm." He answered, "Several attacked them. And, in the chaos, two of my Knights were killed. Another was wounded, and the last, Dove, was nearly the same. Seeing the plight, Deery-"

"The Chastened."

"-took up a fallen Knight's weapon, and used it to defend the other two. Working together, they managed to drive the Grimm off." He heard the crowd murmuring, scandalized, shocked and in a few cases, angry outright. Gritting his teeth, he turned and added a sharp, "And without her, they all would have died. And more, when I sent men and women out looking for them. Men needed here, to fight for your home."

That at least shut them up, but for as many looked chastised by his words, another looked angry he'd said them.

"Lord Arc, you will address the headman and myself, and answer our questions." Lord Rouge said, dragging his attention back around, and his gaze with it, up to him. "What came next?"

"I ordered an increased watch for the night, while the wounded rested." He said, "Come morning, we moved as quickly as we could to return to Patch. Before the Ghouls could trap us again."

"That is why you ordered the forced march?"

"Not in so many words." He nodded, "But yes."

"And that is all you know?"

"It is, Lord Rouge."

"Very well, sit." Jaune didn't want to - he wanted to pace - but he nodded and did as he was told. Turning, Rouge looked at the seat across from Jaune's and said. "Brother Bronzewing, please, if you are able, rise."

Dove did, standing with the help of a crutch and nodding stiffly, "Lord Rouge."

From there, the young Knight retold the same story Jaune had told. But, at the end, Lord Rouge asked, "And what of the ambush? Tell us about it, if you can countenance the recollection of such tragedy."

"As you wish, Lord Rouge." He sighed and turned, accepting the drink that a Chastened held up to his lips. "We reached the small river around half an hour after breaking from the formation. While the Chastened saw to the water, I ordered the Knights spread out, to keep a wary eye open. Two of my sentries, Sister Alicia and Brother Alaric were set further out as a first line of sight, and were taken down by the Nachzehrers as they sprung their trap."

"How did you not hear the fighting?"

"They worked together." Dove answered, "Attacked at the same time, and from the side. They'd been hiding when we passed them by, and struck them when they were far enough apart."

"You saw this?"

"Some." Dove nodded, "I only caught that before the rest were on us, in a number I do not know. In the chaos that followed, I was wounded, albeit mildly, and the Chastened joined the fight."

"With her help, you drove them off?" Lord Rouge pressed gently, "Is that correct?"

"Yes, Lord Rouge." Dove answered, "Without her, I fear that we would all have died. And more. The Ghouls would doubtless have attacked the Knights Brother Arc would send after us."

"You would have done so, Lord Arc?"

"Yes." He said, rising and leaning on the table, "I would have sent teams out. At least two or three a person, and preferably three of them. All those men and women owe the Chastened their lives."

"He doesn't know that!" A voice from the crowd shouted, shrill and old. "All he knows, the Grimm would've been killed by 'em!"

"And you don't know that would have happened!" Jaune snapped, turning to search for the woman that had said it. When he couldn't find her, he turned back to Tai Yang and Rouge and went on hotly, "The Grimm ambushed my water collectors. With the intelligence to do that, they would have done the exact same to my men sent in after."

"Lord Arc-"

"Caramella." Tai Yang cut Rouge off, raising his voice and narrowing his eyes, "This is a trial. If you cannot approach the matter with open eyes and ears, then you may take your leave."

"But-"

"Leave." Jaune turned and finally spotted the old, dark-skinned woman.

Mostly because, once Tai Yang had called her out, the crowd at the back of the room parted, pressing apart to leave the woman alone and in the open near the door. She bowed her head and did as she'd been told, slipping out the door before the crowd took the space back. In her wake, the crowd looked… Chastised. Like children who had been scolded by their father and made to stand through the meal.

It was impressive, that they respected Tai Yang that much.

"Forgive me, Lords Rouge, Arc." Tai Yang sighed, "But she's something of a loud one. I didn't wish for her to poison the crowd."

"Regardless…" Lord Rouge sighed, and flicked Jaune a look that was strangely remorseful. Even so, he stepped forward and spoke, voice echoing across the silent hall. "If no one else has testimony?"

No one did, and Jaune felt his heart hammer in the silence that came of that fact.

"Then, I must ask." Lord Rouge took a breath and paused, as if giving them all a chance to consider the weight before them. "Who here will speak for the Chastened's innocence? Who will bet their soul upon it? Will any gathered as witness step forward, and deny the facts presented by those here?"

No one moved, and Jaune shot to his feet and stormed away from the table, to stand in front of them all. Blood boiling in his ears, and head full of fog and pressure, he snarled, "Deery risked her life for you people! And this is how you repay her? This is the thanks she and I get for the risks we take?"

"Lord Arc-"

"I demand a trial by combat!" He snarled, turning to look up at Lord Rouge. "In Deery's place, as her Master, I make the demand. By right of loss of property and holding, do I make my claim. How do you answer?"

"You would dare challenge your brothers, and these people, before the gods, Arc?"

"Someone studied the law…" Tai Yang chuckled and stepped forward to lay a hand on Lord Rouge's shoulder when his face darkened and his brows knit together. "It is rare, to be true, but Lord Arc has every right to make the challenge. You're taking his property, after all. He has every right to be heard."

"Very well." Lord Rouge sighed, scowling and raising his voice. "Who would turn their hand upon Lord Arc, the last of his name? Who will answer his challenge with their steel?"

None answered, and Jaune couldn't resist the urge to growl, "Cowards!"

"Not cowards." Lord Rouge countered, face softening a bit as Jaune turned to look up at him. "Merely loyal. Your brothers and sisters won't strike you down for a mere Chastened. And the common folk won't strike at the last male Arc. Your challenge has gone heard, but unanswered. As such, I will lighten the sentence to death by horse hoisted rope. She will be raised to the sky and cleansed of her sins by the Gods."

Jaune bit his cheek until it bled.

Then he turned and stalked away, pushing past the crowd to get out the door and into the open air.

Before he said something he shouldn't…

Or worse, did something Deery wouldn't like.