Chapter 57: The Knight
'Much has been said about the skill at arms that the Ruby Order's members displayed, and more so about their weapons. That they were exceptionally skilled at combat has been corroborated by so many trustworthy sources, only a fool would doubt it - the sheer amount of influence they wielded in Westeros, and the esteem in which they, foreigners, and women at that, were held by the local population, would have been impossible to achieve without such martial might. Even though some of their feats were, undoubtedly, exaggerated in the retellings over the centuries, they were consistently acclaimed as the deadliest warriors in the realm by their contemporaries, including Ser Barristan Selmy, himself acknowledged as the greatest knight of his generation. The idea that so many people, many of them experts or, at least, experienced in battle, would celebrate the Ruby Order as peerless warriors if they were not standing heads above everyone else, must be discarded as willfully ignorant. However, that does not prove that the schools of combat founded in their time were or are faithfully based on their combat style, much less taught by them. A lot of the weapon styles taught in the Ruby Order have roots that go much further back than the era of Four Maidens. Further, there is no solid, trustworthy evidence that they were responsible for any of the water dancing styles that various notables in Braavos claim were, if not invented, then inspired by them. Their weapons - with the possible exception of Lady Weiss Schnee's Myrtenaster - do not lend themselves to such styles, which precludes teaching, much less creating the aforementioned techniques.'
A Treatise On The Ruby Order, by Maester Kennet Bracken
*****
Fregar Manor, Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
Jon Snow - Ser Jon Snow - kept a hand on Ghost's head. He knew that his companion wanted to rip the man facing him apart; he could almost feel the direwolf's rage for daring to insult and threaten Jon. But he couldn't let Ghost loose; if he mauled or even killed anyone, the consequences would be dire, for Jon and, more importantly, for Team Ruby. He owed them too much, and… He blinked. 'Dire'? Had he truly made such a bad wordplay?
"You're carrying a sword!" The man - Jalem Ketro, according to his boasts a bravo of 'peerless skill' - sneered at him. "Either draw it to defend yourself, or drop it like the coward you are!"
Jon didn't quite understand what had riled up the other man so much. Sure, he had been aware that bravos could and would challenge anyone who wore a sword, but as he had been told, custom limited those challenges to certain areas. Jon had not expected, shouldn't have expected, to be challenged in the stables of their host's manor.
"Why bother? If he is too craven to fight, just cut him down!" One of the man's friends said, sneering as well.
Coward? Craven? Jon clenched his teeth and his free hand, almost aching to draw his sword and prove those men wrong. And Ghost growled, loud enough to spook all the horses in the stables - one of them even started kicking at its box in its panic. He saw a stablehand whom the bravos hadn't scared away yet rushing past the half a dozen bravos surrounding him and Ghost to reach the horse and managed to calm Ghost down again. "I will not break guest right!" he spat. No matter how much he longed to show those fools that if they threatened his pack, they would pay with their lives and… Pack? He shook his head. What was he thinking? Team Ruby were his superiors.
"Guest right? Where do you think you are, bastard?" Ketro scoffed. "You're in Braavos, not in whatever hovel you were raised in."
Bastard! Jon ground his teeth. He was a bastard, true. But he was a knight! A member of the Ruby Order! Which was why he couldn't just draw his sword and fight. Knights of the Order didn't brawl like this. He took a deep breath to steady himself, like Lady Yang had taught him. "We are in the stables of Lord Tormo Fregar," he said. "Not in the streets of the city. I will not shame myself and my Order by starting a fight."
"Craven, as I said!" another heckler jeered. "Let's cut them both down! My love will cherish the pelt of the beast!"
Jon stiffened for a moment. Attack Ghost? He growled, rage bubbling inside him. Any knight had the right to defend themselves. And the duty to defend those who couldn't defend themselves. "I will not…"
"Jon!"
He froze again. Lady Ruby! He whirled, just quick enough to see the cloud of petals surrounding her fade. "My lady!"
"What's going on here? We heard you were in trouble!" She looked around, her war scythe ready.
The bravos looked taken aback, but recovered quickly. Ketro scoffed. "You called for a woman to help you? How low can you sink! No man would do this!"
"Hey!" Ruby glared at them as she swung her scythe around and rammed the spike at the end of the shaft into the floor with an audible crack. "Oops!" she added in a lower voice. "Anyway! What's going on here?"
"Jon!"
"Jon!"
And here came the others! Lady Yang, Lady Blake and Lady Weiss, and behind them, he could hear many more footsteps.
The bravos must have noticed that as well - he could see them exchange glances behind his back. Whatever they had intended, it was now moot. He also caught a whiff of fear, but it didn't last.
"What's going on?" Lady Weiss echoed Lady Ruby's question. "We heard you were in trouble!"
"These men have been insulting me and challenging me to a fight," Jon replied. "I do not know why they felt so."
"Because you're strutting around with a beast and a sword that both are too big for your britches!" Ketro scoffed. "And everyone knows that if you wear a sword, you're ready to fight any challenger!"
"I thought that didn't apply on private grounds," Lady Blake said in a calm, almost bored-sounding voice as they joined Jon and Ghost. She smelled worked up, though Jon couldn't say why he knew that.
"It is the law in the city!" Ketro boasted. "And I challenged this arrogant boy, who carries a sword he is too cowardly to wield!"
"You came to the stables to challenge a boy?" Lady Yang snorted.
He was a knight! Jon pressed his lips together lest he embarrass himself and his superiors.
"We came to the stables because we had heard there was a beast threatening the animals," the first heckler said. "And we found both the beast and its craven handler."
"I am no craven!" Jon spat.
"You can say what you want, your actions tell another story." Ketro sneered again, and Jon balled his free hand into a fist. He wanted nothing more than to make this braggart eat his words, as Lady Yang would say. But he was a knight of the Ruby Order. Not a hedge knight. His actions reflected on many more than merely himself.
And, a voice in the back of his head that sounded somewhat like Ser Barristan added, the bravo was clearly spoiling for a fight, and it would be foolish to give an obvious enemy what he wanted.
He pushed the voice away. He was a knight, and he had not only trained with the Kingsguard's best, but with Team Ruby as well - and longer than most! "The Ruby Order does not fight lightly." He had sworn to be humble for the Crone. To fight for his pricked pride would go against that.
"An order of craven, then!"
That was…
"You think that because Ser Jon doesn't leap to fight you, he is a coward?" Lady Weiss's sneer matched, no, surpassed, the bravos' easily.
"Any man with an ounce of courage in their blood would have long since answered the challenge! Is that the kind of man you keep company with?"
Jon growled at the insult - and felt livid at the lurid gazes aimed at them by the bravos.
"Really? You're going there?" Lady Yang narrowed her eyes.
But before anyone else could say anything, the people whose steps Jon had been hearing finally arrived, led by Lord Tormo himself. "What is the meaning of this? Who dares to insult me in my own home?"
Jon expected the bravos to cave, but they dug their heels in, and Ketro faced the lord with a haughty expression. "A man who carries a sword is expected to wield it, isn't he, my lord?"
Lord Tormo frowned, and Jon felt nervous, but also excited, at his expression. That was not the face of a man about to dismiss a claim.
"And you would challenge a man in my stables?"
"I would challenge him in your privy if he had given me the same insult!"
"Ew!" Lady Ruby made a gagging noise, and her friends looked perturbed as well.
But Jon steeled himself and straightened, his hand leaving Ghost, who stiffened as well and was mirroring Jon as he faced Lady Ruby. "If you'll give me permission, my lady, I will gladly face this ruffian."
Lady Yang was frowning at him, as was Lady Weiss, Lady Blake was as inscrutable as ever - though she smelt angry like the others. Jon was only looking at Lady Ruby, though.
"Ah… If you want to fight him, then…" Ruby tilted her head slightly and eyed Ketros with narrowed eyes before nodding. "...then kick his ass!"
Jon had grown used to the sometimes surprising profanity Lady Ruby could use, though it had taken him some time, and so he merely nodded and drew his sword while he turned to face Ketro.
"But not here!" Lord Tormo quickly said. "Such a duel should be held in a location worthy of it."
A what? Jon kept his eyes on his opponent, as he had been taught by Lady Yang, to avoid a 'sucker punch', and didn't stare at the noble.
"Outside, then? Or do you wish to see me deal with the craven boy in your ballroom?" Ketro asked with a wide grin, his blade raised a bit higher than a proper guard stance.
"Outside will do," Lord Tormo said.
"The grass will soak up the blood." Ketro laughed, and Jon couldn't tell if he truly was as confident as he acted, or merely faking it.
Well, Jon would find out soon if the bravo was as skilled with his blade as he claimed. He tried his best to keep a calm expression on his face as they walked out of the stables and onto the small lawn outside, but when he saw the crowd gathering, he flinched.
It was one thing to fight for your life against a braggart insulting his honour, but to do it in front of an audience? There were fewer spectators than at a tournament back home, but the mood was the same. How many of those people - nobles and rich merchants, all of them - cared about who would win this fight, and how many only sought entertainment?
It didn't matter. He was a knight of the Ruby Order. Whether he was alone or under the eyes of a thousand people - and there were not that many, surely, present - he would stay true to his oaths.
The people quickly formed a ring - they must be used to such a spectacle, then. They smelt of wine and exotic spices, and sweat as well.
"Keep your guard up and don't fall for feints and dirty tricks!" Lady Yang whispered next to him when he stepped into the empty ring. "He's got a lighter sword, so he'll be faster than most you are used to fighting. Not nearly as fast as us, of course."
Jon nodded and walked into the centre of the free space as Ghost stayed at Lady Yang's side.
Ketro smirked as he took up a position about five paces away, facing Jon. He twirled his sword in a flourish, bowing as people made appreciative comments and cheers.
Jon remained focused on the bravo, sword held in a two-handed guard position. He wished he had his shield, but he had trained both with one and without. He would not let the Maidens down.
Ketro flashed a toothy grin at him, but he smelled a little unsure. Jon almost snorted at his silly thought - as if he could smell fear, like the knights in the Age of Heroes, according to some epics.
"Have you ever fought a water dancer, boy?" Ketro asked, jabbing his blade at the air between them. He was fast, as Lady Yang had warned Jon. But even if he was holding back a little, to fool Jon into underestimating him, he wasn't nearly as fast as Lady Weiss or Lady Blake were, even when they were going easy on Jon during training,
"No," Jon replied, not moving from his stance.
"Then this will be your first and last lesson!" Ketro grinned again, then looked at their host. "Lord Tormo?"
"Are you ready?" Lord Tormo asked.
Jon thought that would be obvious, but it was likely a formality. "Yes," he said, without glancing at the man.
"Always!" Ketro replied, flourishing his blade again.
"Then begin!"
Ketro swung his sword around in a wide arc, almost lazily - and then suddenly lunged, his body, arm and blade forming a line aimed at Jon. He was not much faster than he had pretended earlier, Jon noted.
But he wasn't nearly as fast as a Maiden. And not as skilled as Ser Barristan. Jon parried his lunge with a twist of his wrist, catching the blade on his own and half-guiding, half-forcing it to the side.
He had just moved his sword back to a guard position when Ketro's next attack came, and he deflected that one as well. And the next, though with more effort - Ketro was probing his defences, as Weiss called it, trying to overwhelm him.
Jon had more trouble parrying the next attacks and had to step to the side to dodge a quick follow-up to a stab at his legs that turned out to be a feint. His own riposte was deflected, and Ketro quickly tried to keep him off balance for another attack.
But Jon had weathered worse in training. Much worse. He had his sword up in a guard before Ketro could slide around it, and when the bravo started circling him, Jon carefully turned around himself as he had been taught, not letting his opponent come at him from an oblique angle.
"What's the matter, boy? Too much of a coward to fight back? Or did you only know to hide behind your sword?"
Jon ignored the taunting. The man was not as good as he claimed, but Jon had no trouble - not after facing Lady Blake and her clones in the sparring ring - to see how Ketro was trying to bait him into losing his temper and attack him without thought.
When Jon didn't show any reaction, Ketro glared at him, and, for a moment, his smile turned into a scowl. Then he pressed his attack, adding more complicated techniques in an attempt to get past Jon's defences.
He came close, but Jon had felt Ser Barristan's training sword, and the Maidens' various weapons, too often to fall for this. It took all his skill, and some luck, but he managed to fend the man's attacks off without suffering more than a cut sleeve.
And when Ketro started to slow down just a little, Jon began to attack himself, launching a few two-handed slashes to break the other man's rhythm, then pressed him. Ketro was fast with his sword, but Jon had trained with Lady Weiss, and he could see Ketro faltering just a tiny bit as he was forced to fend off the heavier blade. He was good, but he was no Kingsguard, and certainly far from the likes of Ser Barristan. Nor did he have a Maiden's endurance and strength.
Jon stuck to controlled attacks, probing the man's defences, and the mounting pressure did create openings. But he kept from committing - Ketro could be trying to lure him in. However, after two such openings, he was sure the man wasn't faking, and when the bravo's blade left another gap in his defences, his footing unbalanced, Jon lunged.
His blade once more forced the bravo's sword to the side, and this time, Jon pressed the attack and sliced into the man's side. Ketro cried out, stumbling to the side, one hand going to his wound as the tip of his sword dropped. Jon was already halfway into the follow-up strike, guiding his sword into a cross cut that slid over the bravo's lowered guard and opened his neck.
A gasp went through the crowd, and Jon clenched his teeth when he saw the man's eyes widen, blood gushing out of his neck, before Ketro collapsed to his knees. He tried to say something, but could only gargle as blood poured out of his open mouth, then fell forward, his sword ending up stuck point-first in the grass.
He had killed his second man, Jon realised with a start. And in a duel, not a desperate fight against an assassin.
And Team Ruby were staring at him.
*****
Ruby Rose stifled a gasp as she watched the bravo die on the grass. Jon had killed him! But the man had been trying to kill him, she berated herself at once - he had said so multiple times. Still… Jon had killed a man. For the second time, even if the first had been a sort of suicide when the Faceless Man had pushed himself on Jon's Blade. But she didn't think Jon saw it like that. And Ruby knew how killing felt. "Are you alright, Jon?" she asked.
"His blade didn't touch me, my lady," Jon replied with a nod as he cleaned his sword. From blood, Ruby realised as she clenched her teeth. She hadn't meant physical wounds.
"Yeah," Yang spoke up. "You were clearly better." She grinned, though Ruby could see that it was forced. "But then, we already knew that from training."
Training, yes. Ruby nodded. Jon had fought as they had trained him. Fought defensively at first, to judge how good his enemy was, then exploited the third - or fourth, by her count - opening with a combo of Blake's and Ser Barristan's moves. Just as he had trained, he had taken out his enemy as soon as he found a way to do so.
"It was an impressive display, yes." Weiss wasn't as cool and calm as she acted, either, Ruby could tell, of course, when her partner nodded just a bit too sharply.
"Thank you, my ladies." Jon bowed. He was shaken a bit - maybe more than a bit - himself. But he was trying to hide it, of course, as he patted Ghost's sides.
Behind him, the man's friends were checking on the body. But they already knew he was dead - they hadn't rushed to his side.
"Honour has been satisfied," Lord Tormo announced. "Well fought, Ser Jon," he added with a nod to Jon.
"Yeah!" Yang grinned again and elbowed Jon in the side - a bit too hard; Ruby saw him jerk and wince and Yang grimace briefly afterwards; she hadn't meant to, then.
Only Blake hadn't said anything yet, Ruby noticed - but she was tense and watching the crowd intently. Though that wasn't really unusual, not even at Beacon…
"You calmly took the man's measure, fending him off, and then killed him with a single attack; despite your age, you must have fought many duels," Lord Tormo said, nodding approvingly. A bit like Professor Port if you did well in one of his combat tests. Except that Professor Port sounded more genuine, less… calculated. And his smile looked nicer, too.
"Thank you, my lord. Although I would praise my training - my teachers," Jon replied. He hadn't sheathed his sword yet, even though it was pretty clear that there wouldn't be another fight. And if there were, Team RWBY would end it before Jon could kill someone else.
"Ser Barristan would be proud of how you applied his lessons," Weiss said.
"And we are proud of how you applied ours!" Yang added, patting Jon on the shoulder - more gently, this time.
"Thank you, my lady." Jon smiled, and it looked honest this time.
"You were trained by Ser Barristan the Bold?" The Black Pearl - and just when had she joined them? Last Ruby had seen her, she had been watching from the side - beamed at Jon. "He is the most famous knight alive. Were you his squire?"
"Ah, no, my lady…" Jon blushed. A lot. "But he was kind enough to show me a few moves when we trained in the Red Keep."
"More than a few moves, Jon!" Yang snorted. It still sounded forced to Ruby; she knew her sister. "And he knighted you!"
That sent whispers through the crowd still watching them.
"And we trained you as well, of course," Weiss said. "That was Blake's technique you used at the end."
"Yes, my lady."
"You must be extraordinarily talented to rate such teachers," the Black Pearl said, putting a hand on Jon's arm.
"He is," Ruby said, nodding. Jon was one of the best swordsmen of his age. Though everyone should have realised that from the way he fought. He had caught the bravo's attacks almost before they happened and parried them easily. And that against an experienced bravo - the crowd hadn't expected the man to lose, and lose so badly.
She blinked, running the fight through her memories. How had Jon noticed some of those moves she had seen? From his position facing the bravo, he couldn't have seen the early tells, the angles were all wrong, yet he had been ready to counter them…
She cocked her head and moved a bit to the side, mentally aligning Jon and the bravo - and trying not to look at the body while servants covered him. Yeah, no way Jon would have seen that second feint from the front.
Just how had he managed that?
"Ruby?"
"Huh?" Ruby turned and saw that Weiss was looking at her with a frown. "Just going through the fight again," she said.
Weiss nodded, then glanced at the others.
Ruby followed her gaze. Oh. She had gone a bit further than she had thought, retracing the steps taken in the fight. The Black Pearl was still holding onto Jon's arm, though she didn't have a strong grip, so Jon could break free easily, if he wanted. Which he didn't seem to want, even though he looked uncomfortable, all flustered and blushing.
Well, Ruby would be uncomfortable as well, in his place. Both because of the duel's end, and because the Black Pearl was smiling a bit too much and standing a bit too close, at least in her opinion. "Maybe we should do something," she muttered.
Weiss huffed in response.
*****
Weiss Schnee frowned slightly. It was obvious that the courtesan's attention was making Jon uncomfortable - he was blushing worse than Ruby would, if she were in his place, and from what they could overhear, he could barely keep up a coherent conversation. Granted, Jon was the taciturn - or brooding, as Yang would insist - type of boy, and he hadn't been very comfortable at such occasions to begin with, but this was worse than she had expected; Jon, even as a bastard, should have been more prepared to deal with this kind of attention after spending as much time at the court in King's Landing as Team RWBY had. He had been raised as Lord Eddard's acknowledged son, after all, and in Winterfell, and had not been shunted out of sight as, as Weiss had learned, so many other bastards in Westeros. And she was almost certain that at least a few nobles at court would have thought of trying to 'honey trap' him, to use the term from that Spruce Willis movie the others had made her watch on a 'team day', in order to gain more information about Lord Eddard's policies. And Team RWBY, of course.
Then again, he must be shaken after having killed a man in a duel; that was different from doing it in the middle of a battle. Technically, it was his first kill, so to speak, even though he had seemed to act just as he had trained to do, as much or more instinctively than by deliberate choice… Though she didn't really want to dwell on that right now, that could wait. She should focus on the problem at hand.
The courtesan was, as her title and reputation, as well as Weiss's personal observation, proved, a master of her craft. Yes, the boy was no match for her wiles. And yet… "I am not certain that that would be a wise move," she told Ruby in a whisper, masked by a sip from her glass.
"What? Why not? He doesn't like her hanging on his arm!" Ruby's whisper was a bit louder, and the courtesan might have overheard her, although she didn't show any reaction Weiss could detect, and Yang and Blake were currently talking with her and Jon as well as their host.
And Weiss had to answer Ruby. She didn't want to mention the possibility that Jon might not appreciate being 'cockblocked', as some crudely put it. Sure, the boy was uncomfortable, but that might be because the courtesan was not conforming to his expectations and pursuing him far more aggressively than would be acceptable in Westeros - at least, outside Dorne. Boys, like men, often fancied themselves as the hunter instead of the hunted and were unsettled if the roles were switched, even in Remnant, where such notions should have long been discarded as sexist and foolish. And, something true in both Westeros and Remnant, and certainly also in Braavos, most teenage boys wanted - or thought they wanted - to have such encounters as a courtesan would provide, no matter the circumstances.
She took another sip from her wine to cover the time she needed to answer the question.
She could point out that interfering - once more - with the courtesan's attempts at seducing someone might be seen as an insult, though while Team RWBY certainly didn't want to make more enemies after settling with the House of Black and White, that was no excuse to leave a friend at the mercy of a predator. Ghost certainly couldn't protect him against that kind of threat - the loyal wolf didn't even growl at the courtesan.
"His victory has made him the subject of a lot of attention," she pointed out instead. "And I think the Black Pearl's obvious interest is the only thing that keeps others at bay." She nodded at several young women eyeing the spectacle with barely hidden frowns. "If Jon became entangled with a noble's daughter, things might grow even more complicated."
"We can deal with them as well!" Ruby replied.
They could, no doubt. "But do you think Jon would want us to make such a decision for him?" Weiss asked.
"Uh…" Ruby blinked, obviously caught off guard. "But…"
"Would you like it if someone else decided that they should determine whether or not someone was fit for you to have a relationship with?" Weiss added before Ruby could formulate a reply.
"No, I wouldn't," Ruby replied quickly. "But…" She frowned, a fried shrimp - one of the few who had escaped Blake - pausing halfway to her mouth. "Wouldn't we just be doing what we have been doing before, when she was, ah, flirting with us?"
Oh. Weiss took another sip from her glass - which was now empty - and considered how to explain that that had been completely different. "That's different," she said while signalling a waiter for a refill.
"How so?" Ruby, unfortunately, was being stubborn about this.
And how was it different? Weiss asked herself as she took another glass from the waiter. It was, she knew that, but how to explain? "You didn't want her to flirt with you like she did, right?"
"No, I didn't," Ruby confirmed. "But do you think Jon wants her to flirt with him? He doesn't look like it."
"I don't know," Weiss replied. "I don't know Jon as well as I know you."
"Oh." Ruby nodded in acceptance. But then she continued: "So, we need to find out what he wants."
Yang would have added 'or who he wants'. Weiss frowned at the frivolous and pointless thought. "Without embarrassing him," she said.
"Of course!" Ruby nodded. "So, we need to be subtle."
Weiss hid her wince - Ruby was a prodigy as a Huntress, a gifted team leader and the most loyal, earnest partner one could wish for, but she wasn't really subtle. At least, not in social situations. An endearing trait, to be sure - you would never have to wonder if she had hidden designs or was hiding something from you - but it did mean she was not the best choice to take the lead here. So, it would fall to Weiss to… Oh. She noted with relief that Blake was staring at them with raised eyebrows. Of course, their friend would have easily followed their conversation despite the distance, the background noise and the distractions near them. "I think Blake has that covered," she said.
"Oh." Ruby blinked. "Right." She blushed a little. "I should have thought of that. You go, Blake!" she added, obviously relieved, as Weiss noted with some amusement.
"Shall we rejoin our friends now?" Weiss asked. "Or do you want to go over the fight once more? We could move outside," she suggested. The body would have been moved, though she wasn't certain if the servants would have washed the blood away with a few buckets of water yet.
"Oh, right!" Ruby nodded. "I was just wondering how Jon noticed that opening he used. From his position relative to his enemy, he shouldn't have been able to spot it. At least, I don't see how he could have done it."
Weiss frowned. Now that Ruby mentioned it, it was indeed odd. The angles would have precluded it, and she had not seen any other obvious tells that Jon could have picked up. "Maybe he had a moment of inspiration?" Sometimes, you instinctively knew what the enemy would be doing, your subconsciousness putting clues together without you realising it, or how, as Winter had it explained once. Though that usually required a lot of experience - specific experience to be precise; fighting Grimm wouldn't help you notice the tells of a human opponent - and while Jon had been training hard, he still lacked that kind of experience. Although he had shown some flashes of similar insight in some bouts, hadn't he?
It wasn't a very satisfactory answer, though, and Ruby's expression, briefly interrupted by a piece of honey-glazed apple, showed she didn't like it any better than Weiss did. "We'll have to ask him about it," she said. "But, imagine, if it's a technique and he can teach it to others!" She smiled widely.
"First, he would have to know how he did it," Weiss cautioned. A significant part of fighting was instinctive, as she knew. Of course, without skill, training and experience, the best instincts - or talent - would not carry you through multiple battles, but those could be taught and acquired with diligence and hard work. Instincts - or talent - on the other hand, were not quite as accessible. You could compensate for a lack of talent, but only to a degree.
"Yeah, I know." Ruby sighed, pouting in that cute manner of hers that made you want to hug and squeeze her. But she quickly grew serious. "We need to talk with him, anyway. He killed someone."
"Yes." Weiss nodded. Slaying your enemies was seen as a chivalric virtue in Westeros, something to be celebrated, amongst men, at least, but that didn't make it any less of a shocking, sometimes traumatic experience. It only meant that you were expected to carry this burden without complaining. On the other hand, Westerosi society didn't shun you for it; Weiss was aware that while Huntsmen and Huntresses were often idealised in the media, the fact that they not only fought Grimm, but also human threats, was a controversial subject. "Provided he wants to talk," she added. People could be stubborn about such things, often refusing help they needed.
"That's not something he gets a vote on!" Ruby declared, nodding firmly.
"But we should rejoin our friends before we get waylaid by the other guests," Weiss said - a few of the people near them were already looking as if they were about to descend on them at the next opportunity.
Ruby glanced around and grimaced. "Uh, right! Let's go!"
*****
Usually, Blake Belladonna would have been amused - a little bit, at least - by Jon's reaction to the Black Pearl lavishing attention on him. The boy was blushing terribly, and when he managed to say something, it was more often than not stammered. Of course, she knew that she shouldn't be amused by the sight of a friend going to pieces because he was in a situation most men would envy him for; Jon wasn't experienced enough in such matters to stand up to the courtesan's wiles, and the Black Pearl was shamelessly taking advantage of that. Still, Blake knew how most boys thought about sex, and how they bragged when they were amongst themselves; her ears were as much a blessing as a curse in that regard, and Jon was not so different from others, except for his firm intention not to father any bastards. And she had no intention to let the Black Pearl take advantage of Jon past teasing the boy, unless Jon actually returned the interest, if said interest was even genuine in the first place; Blake was not as clueless as Jon, but she couldn't tell what the courtesan was really feeling.
But that wasn't the reason she wasn't amused right now. Nor was it that Jon had just killed a man, though that would have to be addressed as well, if later, and in private. No, the real reason she wasn't the least amused at the display in front of her was because she was in a similar situation - like Jon, she didn't know how to handle the attention of a beauty who professed to be interested in her, namely, her own partner, Yang.
Yang had not been acting weird because she had caught wind of a threat, but because she had, seemingly very recently, become attracted to Blake. And Blake had no clue how to handle that. Why would Yang fall for her, anyway? Blake was just a former White Fang member, someone who had been too stupid to realise what path she was going down, too stupid to realise what Adam was doing to the White Fang, and to her, and had run instead of trying to fix things. Yang, on the other hand, was brave - she would never run from a threat - and always stood up for others, always had Blake's back, and was just so beautiful and passionate, yet also so caring, and far more observant than one would think if one judged her by her appearance. And yet, she had a crush on Blake. And Blake didn't know what to do about that.
But she could deal with her problems later, once she figured out what to do. For now, she had to focus on helping her friends. Namely, Jon. And while she didn't know what she should do about Yang's unexplainable crush, she knew what to do about a courtesan pushing herself on Jon.
"Your family and friends will be proud once they hear about this, Jon," she said, using the Black Pearl's brief distraction by a servant offering them wine. "Defeating an experienced water dancer is no small feat."
"Ah, you think so, my lady?"
She had Jon's attention. Now to hold it and give him time to recover from the assault by the courtesan's wiles. "I do. He had the advantage of having a sword better suited for the fight - both of you were unarmoured - and more experience as well." The man had killed before, and, in Blake's opinion, had intended to kill Jon. His eagerness, his spoiling for a fight… she had seen that before.
"He wasn't as skilled, though," the Black Pearl cut in, handing Jon a glass of wine.
A predictable ploy to draw his attention back to her, and an attempt to loosen him up. But Blake had expected that. "What do you think, Yang?"
"Ah." Yang nodded. "Well, you could say that the result speaks for itself. The guy underestimated you, but only at the start. And when he realised he couldn't get through your defence, he tried to make you lose your concentration so you'd give him an opening instead of forcing you to give him an opening by adjusting his attacks. He tried a cheap trick, and when that failed, he had nothing left." She smiled at Jon. "So, yes, you were more skilled as well."
"Which is very impressive - Ketro was a veteran water dancer," the Black Pearl said - and went for Jon's arm again. "He has killed half a dozen men in duels."
"And he tried to kill you - the youngest member of Lady Ruby's retinue - at my soirée," Lord Tormo added with a scowl. "That is not done."
Evidently, it was done, Blake almost replied. But she understood the implications: their host assumed that this had been an attack on him. Blake wasn't quite certain he was correct; Jon also was an obvious target for anyone wishing to harm Team RWBY.
"Well, let's hope that he serves as a lesson so no one tries to follow his example," Yang said.
"They said if I wore a sword, I had to duel anyone who challenged me," Jon said.
"That's not exactly true," the courtesan spoke up. "Bravos are expected to fight each other, and in venues known for such duels. They are not supposed to challenge strangers everywhere in the City - especially not at soirées - to duels without cause."
"Which you didn't give them," Yang added.
"Yes." Lord Tormo nodded. "There are rules for water dancing. Bravos take care of those who break them. Although if you are skilled enough to make challenging you too dangerous, you might be able to abuse those rules - it has happened in the past." He smiled a little lopsidedly. "And duels aren't generally fought to the death unless there's a grievance worthy of such stakes. But," he added with a smile at Jon, "that's custom, not law."
Blake suppressed a scoff. Even laws could be abused, as any Faunus knew. 'Custom' would not deter anyone with power or influence.
"Though the House of Black and White tends to take a dim view of those who abuse the custom of water dancing to effectively assassinate others," the Black Pearl said. "Even the best sword in Braavos is not immune to poison - or wasn't until you arrived, my ladies." She bowed her head in Blake and Yang's direction, 'incidentally' offering Jon a clear view down her cleavage, as Blake noted.
"Well, I am rubbish with a sword. Blake, on the other hand, could cut a path through all the bravos in the city," Yang declared, and Blake felt her hand on her shoulder.
She tensed at the contact, and then felt Yang tense and withdraw her hand before Blake could relax. Damn! She hadn't meant to imply… whatever this meant. She didn't know how to deal with Yang's crush, but she knew she didn't want to make her partner feel bad or self-conscious, much less think that Blake didn't want… whatever.
"All of us trained extensively with the best swordsmen of Westeros, regardless of what weapon we use." She smiled at Yang and felt relief fill her when her partner returned her smile. One mistake avoided. Or fixed. Whatever.
But the Black Pearl was still hanging on Jon's arm, and Blake was aware that there was nothing coincidental about how that caused her chest to touch his upper arm whenever she leaned a bit to the side. And Ruby and Weiss were trusting Blake to help the boy out, so she had to step up her own game.
Well, since it was obvious that with the courtesan all but rubbing herself over Jon, the boy was not as easily distracted as Blake had expected, she would have to take a more oblique approach. Even if that meant getting closer to the beast at Jon's side than she was comfortable with. "How is Ghost doing?" she asked Jon. "It must have been hard for him to watch you fight someone to the death without getting involved." Blake had half-expected the wolf to tear into the bravo, or the bravo's friends, but he had stayed remarkably calm.
"Oh, he is fine," Jon replied at once - and then blinked, looking at the beast at his side. "You are, right?" He patted Ghost's flank, and the wolf chuffed in return.
"Are you sure?" Blake asked, forcing herself to smile - without showing her teeth, of course - at the wolf. "He isn't used to this, isn't he?"
"You would never think that from seeing him. He's as well-behaved as the finest hunting dog," the Black Pearl cut in with an adoring sigh that couldn't be honest - Blake could see how the other guests were eyeing the beast with some trepidation, and Lord Tormo kept some distance himself.
"Oh, yes." And Jon, instead of taking the opportunity to excuse himself and take care of his wolf, smiled back at the woman. "He is far smarter than any dog, though."
And far more dangerous, Blake thought. But as clueless as his owner.
Then again, she added to herself as she sent a subtle glance at her partner, so was Blake herself when it came to love. What was she supposed to do? The responsible thing would be to tell Yang that she wasn't interested. Her partner would be able to move on and find a better… love interest.
Blake felt her stomach drop at that thought. No, she didn't want that. That was… She clenched her teeth. That was… That would be dishonest. Yes, Yang deserved the truth. Blake owed her that. The truth about herself. About her past. About everything.
But not here. Later, when they would have some privacy.
Yes, later.
She nodded, but instead of relief, she felt dread.
*****
Yang Xiao Long felt a mixture of relief and disappointment. And some confusion. Not about Jon, of course. Not really, at least. She was relieved that he had won his duel, and a bit disappointed that he had killed the idiot. Sure, the man had been blatantly trying to get him into a duel so he could kill him, but Jon could have spared him; this wasn't like the Faceless Man he had fought in the Red Keep. That man had killed himself on Jon's blade. On the other hand, while she knew that he was a great swordsman, Jon hadn't been so much better that he could have easily disarmed the bravo. So she couldn't really be mad or disappointed that Jon had killed someone - as a Knight of the Ruby Order, he would probably kill more people. And he had been trained to kill; both by the Kingsguard and Team RWBY, not to disarm or subdue armed enemies. You couldn't blame Jon for doing what he had been trained and drilled to do until he could do it without thinking about it.
No, most of the confusing mix of emotions that filled her right now was the fault of Blake. Her partner was sending a lot of mixed signals ever since she had pushed Yang into confessing her crush on Blake. Yang had been prepared for rejection and hoped for acceptance. Preferably with a passionate kiss on the dancing floor - so sue her, she liked those sappy romance movies as well as any other girl she knew! That Blake had done neither, stalling instead, shouldn't have been a surprise in hindsight; Yang's partner wasn't the type to rush into things blindly; she preferred to think things through and plan ahead. Yang's confession obviously had surprised her.
But her actions since then were confusing. Blake was a private girl, but Yang had thought she knew how to read her, and yet… She couldn't tell if her partner was interested in her or not. One moment, she shied away from Yang's touch, then she all but hugged her, getting close, and suddenly, she was all distant and focusing on Jon. Or the Black Pearl. Sure, they had to help Jon escape the woman's clutches - he wasn't exactly in the right state of mind to handle her advances - but that didn't mean you had to play the woman's game. Not when she was so much better at it.
"How did you tame him, anyway?" the woman asked - looking at Jon, not at the wolf.
Shows where her real interest lies, Yang thought.
"Oh, I raised him from when he was a newborn whelp," Jon explained. "Like my trueborn siblings. Everyone of us has a direwolf as a companion."
"Yeah," Yang added with a grin. "When they gather, it's quite a show. Couldn't ask for better bodyguards for the kids."
"Children? Truly?" The Black Pearl seemed surprised.
"Yes," Jon said, patting Ghost's head. "They're very obedient. Nymeria and Lady obey Arya and Sansa's every order. Just as Ghost follows mine."
"And is it true that they can spot a Faceless Man?" Lord Tormo asked.
"Ghost did so," Jon replied. "And then we fought and defeated him together."
"You killed a Faceless Man?" The Black Pearl's eyes widened. That was real surprise, Yang noted. And the smile that followed… "I must confess I still underestimated you even after I saw your skill with the blade." She actually fluttered her eyelashes at him.
"Ah, thank you, my lady, but all the praise belongs to my teachers." Jon blushed a lot again.
"Don't be too modest, Jon," Blake said. "You have a great talent for the blade, as everyone who sparred with you knows."
If her partner wanted to get Jon out of the Black Pearl's claws, she wasn't really doing a good job, Yang realised. Really, Blake was great, the best partner you could wish for, but she wasn't the most famous courtesan of a city famous for its courtesans. She sighed. Time to deal with this more directly.
"And speaking of training, let's have a word in private, Jon," Yang said, grabbing Jon's free arm as she nodded at the Black Pearl. "We'll be right back."
The woman nodded in return, pleasant smile in place, and Yang still couldn't tell if she was annoyed or not at the interruption.
"My lady?"
"Come on. Won't take long," Yang told him as she dragged him towards the doors leading outside.
She saw a few people eyeing them as they stepped out, but none approached her; Ghost was doing his job, it seemed. Yang couldn't see the blood on the grass in the dim light of the stars, but she could see where the grass had been trampled by the crowd watching the fight and steered Jon there. "So!" She nodded at Jon, then turned around to watch for eavesdroppers. "Do you want to sleep with the Black Pearl?"
"Wha…what?"
"She's trying to seduce you," Yang went on. Not that there was much trying needed, in her opinion. Jon was a teenaged boy.
"Ah, that… Are you sure? My lady? Why would she be interested in me?" Jon was looking everywhere but at her.
Yang rolled her eyes. She'd call him out for fake modesty, but Jon probably was honest about this. "You just duelled and killed a pretty well-known bravo. And you're not hard on the eyes. And you're a knight of our order."
"Oh. If you word it like that…" Jon sighed.
Yang snorted. "Yeah, she's interested."
"In my position, not myself."
Yang shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. She knows we'll be leaving soon for King's Landing, and unless she plans to seduce you into staying here, she can't exactly exploit you. She might just want to seduce you before anyone else does." She hadn't missed the looks the courtesan had shot at other women in the crowd. This was probably just about the Black Pearl's ego. "She might just want to sleep with you before anyone else."
Yang didn't need Blake's Faunus eyes to see that Jon was gaping at her - his teeth caught a bit of the moonlight. She grinned. "So, the question is, do you want to sleep with her? Or should we tell her that she should go take a hike or something?"
"Ah… that's… err… What do you think, my lady?"
She snorted. "I'm not going to control your love life, Jon. That's your decision."
"But… She's a courtesan. I mean… And I am a knight of the Ruby Order."
Yang shrugged again. "So? It's up to you to make a decision. Our members don't have to be chaste or whatever." They had made that clear.
"But… the chance to father a bastard… I can't risk that!" He shook his head.
Yang was pretty sure that if anyone could avoid getting pregnant, the Black Pearl could. They had moon tea and stuff for that. But no method was perfect - Dad had drilled that into them - and if anyone wanted to marry Jon, getting pregnant with his child would ensure he'd say yes to a proposal. And she didn't know if that was on the table for the Black Pearl or not. She didn't think so, but the woman was awfully hard to judge.
So she nodded at Jon. "Then tell her that you're flattered, but that you won't risk fathering a bastard. Or something like it. And be nice about it." He didn't need to insult the Black Pearl; Yang might not be able to read her like, say, she could read Ruby, but she was sure that the woman would hold a grudge if she felt insulted.
"As you wish, my lady. And… thank you." Jon sounded relieved.
"Sure thing," Yang replied. "We can…"
Ghost suddenly growled, and Yang tensed as she spotted someone approaching them. "Great," she muttered when she saw it was a man in expensive clothes - probably a guest of Lord Tormo - with two flunkies following him. "Shoulda been looking for a more private spot."
She didn't think they wanted to fight them - who would be as foolish as to try ambushing her, anyway? - but Yang would almost prefer an attack to what was probably some idiot trying to talk politics and plots with her. Or propose to her.
Then she saw Blake appear behind the group and grinned. That could be amusing.