Chapter Text
Qrow watched in horror as Clover fell over the cliff.
All the color drained from Qrow’s face.
The one thing that he had going for him had just plummeted to his death at the bottom of the cliff, where the rocky riverside lay below..
They had nearly made it to Vale.
He was going to sponsor him when he asked for asylum.
They were going to finally be free to live normal lives.
Together.
They had made plans.
It was…all gone.
Qrow fell to his knees and screamed. Chilling. Blood curdling. Mournful.
The bandits were all shocked at his response. They had all taken a step back.
As the anger began to boil, all Qrow could see was red.
He reached for Harbinger, clicked the button and as the scythe roared to life, so did Qrow, in a blinding rage.
He took each one of the bandits down, killing without thought. And when there was no one left to fight and blood was everywhere, he dropped Harbinger, hands shaking, as he recognized the blood on his hands.
It was happening all over again.
His memories of his time as a teenager flooded his mind. There was the village where he had attended the local school and made friends. His friends, Tai and Summer, had actually cared for him and took him in, treating him like family. Real family. Hell, even Raven had gotten a bit jealous of the way that they had treated him. So much so that she invited herself along on a few of their escapades. Turns out, they treated her like a human too and she eventually admitted to liking them, albeit, reluctantly.
But for Qrow, it was the most fun that he had in his whole life.
Then the tribe decided to pillage what they could and cut their losses, as they had done before, Qrow was beside himself.
His friends had asked him to fight back and he agreed, turning his back on the tribe. What had they done for him anyway? Beat him. Make fun of him. Mock him. Shun him. Tai, Summer and their families were special to him. They cared about him.
As they fought together, a few of the tribe members took it personally. They went after Summer, Tai and their families. One of the tribe members got ahold of Summer’s great aunt and blinded her. The scream that Maria let out and the following screams of all of her family, including Summer, were sounds that he never wanted to hear again.
More and more of the tribe members got a hold of both Tai and Summer’s family. It was like they were torturing him, as they injured and killed them, regardless if they were armed or not.
Qrow lost his mind and turned towards his boiling rage, transformed Harbinger into scythe form. and used it for the first time in front of the tribe. He attacked and killed members of his own clan. He was unstoppable, as he chased after the bandits that dared to choose to hurt his adopted family. No. It was more than that to him. They were family now. The tribe was not.
Summer and Tai finally pulled him out of it. But only just barely without hurting them in the process. He would not have wanted to live if he had severely injured one of them or worse.
But the blood had been everywhere.
He could do nothing about it.
He froze.
The next thing he knew Tai and Summer were escorting him to somewhere. He didn’t remember where but he remembered the ceiling and the warm fireplace that cracked in its hearth. He remembered the smell of good food. But then he was surprised when suddenly Summer walked in and started talking, Tai right on her heels. It was surreal. Did this actually happen? He wasn’t sure. So he let it progress.
“Finally awake, sleepy head?” Summer asked.
“‘Bout time.” Tai added.
“I feel…strange.” Qrow told them.
“Yeah. The healer said you would.” Summer explained, “But it will pass.”
“You were quite a site to see.” Tai commented.
“I was?” Qrow asked. Summer and Tai looked at each other.
“What do you remember?” Summer asked.
“Agreeing to fight with you. The tribe attacking and killing y-your…” Qrow began to choke up.
“It’s okay Qrow. What about after that?” Summer asked, as she comforted him.
“I got angry. Really angry and I transformed my sword.” Qrow gasped, “Nonononono. I can’t show them. I don’t want them to take it from me.”
“It’s okay. They didn’t. It’s here.” Summer pointed to the wall next to Qrow’s bed. “See, your sword is right here.”
Qrow turned slowly to see that Harbinger was indeed learning against the wall, all nice and shiny. “They didn’t take it?”
“No. Why would they?” Tai asked.
“They always take things that I have or like.” Qrow explained.
Summer and Tai exchanged a look.
“They are gone and they won’t be taking this from you.” Tai said, trying to be reassuring.
Qrow turned back and glanced at his hands and a flash of blood on them had him curling in on himself. “There was blood. So much blood. And anger. And sadness. And then something cold and wet. And then something soft. And then warmth. And then I woke up here.”
Tai’s jaw dropped and Summer glared at him so that he could correct it quickly.
“You are safe here. Your memories are not wrong. You fought some of your tribe members and there was a lot of blood.” She paused for a moment. “But when Tai and I stopped you, you collapsed. You were still awake and you were, well, crying. You stared at your hands and wouldn’t move until me and Tai forced you to get up and dragged you away from the village. We dragged you to the river and shoved you in to wash you off. Then we wrapped you in a big coat so that you wouldn’t shiver from having been in the river. We walked and dragged you with us for the rest of the night. Until we found this place.” Summer explained.
“The old healer was more than willing to help us. We gave them a general idea of what happened and they were able to give you some concoction that would help you deal with what happened.” Tai added.
Then the room faded, as did Tai and Summer.
No. No. Come back. Don’t leave me..
“Alone…” Qrow said out loud.
The memory, the repressed memory, had risen to the surface in a fierce way. He was reliving it since he didn’t remember any of that since it had happened. He missed them dearly. Summer was gone. While Tai was in Vale raising their two beautiful kids, it wasn’t until the past few weeks that he understood the need or want to live a domestic life. Clover had made him see an alternative, which was an eye opening experience.
Now he was gone.
He opened his eyes and saw the blood on his hands. It wasn’t dry yet, so the amount of time that had passed wasn’t terribly long but the sun had moved a bit from where it had been when Clover had fallen…
He squinted his eyes and shook his head. He needed to get his bearings.
Then he glanced around for Harbinger. It was not so messy, having landed in the stream that led to the waterfall. It had a few smears here and there, but was for the most part clean and it shined in the reflected sunlight.
He reached for it but as his hands entered his vision, he stopped as the blood triggered him. He freaked out and buried them both in the streambed, trying to get off all of the red. He noticed that some was around his elbows and more on his clothes in various amounts and he took to jumping into the stream and rolling around to get everything either washed off or so dirty he couldn’t tell the difference.
After some unknown amount of time Qrow laid with his back in the stream as the water wafted over and around him, staring at the sky. The tears and the sobs followed and he just let it happen. Wave after wave of sorrow, remorse and regret. He had never thought that caring about someone else would affect him this much and yet, now he understood better why Tai had been so unresponsive after Summer’s passing. The pain tugged at your soul and it didn’t pass as easily as anger or pleasure.
After feeling completely drained of all of his tears, Qrow rolled over and crawled out of the stream. He reached for Harbinger and hesitated only briefly, as he quickly hit the transformation switch and closed his eyes as it converted back to its broad sword form.
He placed it on his back, where it felt almost normal. The feeling was comforting and he had no plans to remove it ever again. It carried too much pain, more than anyone but him should have to carry.
He looked around the area and found his cloak, which he donned immediately. No one should have to see Harbinger ever again.
He found their satchels of supplies and grabbed them too.
He glanced toward the spot where Clover fell and turned away immediately. He didn’t want to see what he looked like now. It would be too much. It wasn’t a memory that he wanted of Clover. So he walked away from the cliff and the waterfalls.
He followed the path that the bandits had used to get here and came across the horses they had used. He let all ten loose and then the one that seemed the most friendly to him, since it had followed him around, he decided was optimal for riding since he felt so tired. The other horses followed and when he arrived at a nearby village past night fall, he found a small clearing outside of the small houses and huts and let the horses roam for the night. He found the partial remains of a fallen tree that looked like it had been carved out but had actually been decayed by time, animals and bugs. He climbed into and fell asleep, too tired for anything but solitude.
It took him about a month's time using the horses on rotation to slowly make his way back to the inn where they first met. He avoided the forest and stuck to the main road. No one really bothered him. Most could see that he was not someone that they should mess with. And for some strange reason, not a single horse went missing on his trip back, not that he would have cared or bothered to keep track.
When he arrived, Melinda recognized him despite his sorry disposition. She put together a warm bath and helped to wash away all the grime, dirt and little bit of leftover blood that he had missed. He hadn’t bothered with hygiene. Besides, it kept everyone else at bay. They didn’t need to be around him and his misfortune. Look what it did to everyone that he had ever cared about.
When he woke up next, it was in a familiar but lumpy bed, he remembered why he liked this inn and tavern over all the others. Melinda was the granddaughter of the healer. The healer had given Summer, Tai and himself the name of this place all those years ago.
He noticed he wasn’t alone in the bed and turned to see Melinda sitting on the other side reading some form of cook book and making a list on a separate piece of parchment.
“What are you doing?”
She jumped and dropped the book. “Ah! Don’t do that.” She smacked him playfully. “You know how much I hate that.”
“Sorry. I didn’t realize that me waking up dazed and confused was enough to startle you.” Qrow commented
“How are you feeling, honey?” Melinda asked.
“Like shit.”
“You looked so lost when you got here. I took care of all the horses that you came with.”
“You shouldn’t have. They followed me here. I didn’t want them.”
Melinda laughed out loud. “You sound so put out. Did you ever think that maybe they sensed their own freedom and better life with you than their previous owners. Maybe they knew that you needed companions just not in the form of humans for a while, if all the grime I washed off of you was any indication.”
“How long have I been here?”
“About a day and a half. You showed up just before sunset and I happened to be outside tending to the chickens. I almost didn’t recognize you until you spoke and I caught a glimpse of your eyes in the light. I didn’t remember how pretty your eyes were when…”
“Shut Up!” Qrow barked. He closed his eyes, turned away from Melinda and then the tears started to fall. The last person to comment about how nice his eyes were was Clover and he didn’t need the reminder. “I-I’m sorry. I just…everything reminds me of…”
“Darlin’, you don’t need to explain. I could see the connection between you and that hunk before you left the last time you were here. You don’t buy just anyone a bowl of your favorite dish.” Melinda paused, and Qrow assumed it was to make sure that he didn’t get mad at her again. “I can only imagine what you have been through to return in the state that you did.” Melinda shuffled and then got off the bed. “I am going to collect a few ingredients and then get you on the mend. Broken hearts aren’t my specialty to fix but I can certainly make the memories a little less …intense. Grandma was always good with that sort of thing. I’ll be back later. Rest and I will have some food brought up so that you can at least try to eat.” She left without another word.
Melinda did exactly what she said she would and Qrow just laid in bed. He laid awake until one of the younger maids brought him some food. He nibbled on it, off and on. Slept and woke with still no perception of time. When Melinda returned it was apparently dinner time. She brought him a hot cup of tea, the likes of which brought back some vague memories of that time in the cottage with Summer and Tai. This was the medicine that she described.
"To help the memories fade." Melinda
"Please. I don't want to remember anything." He drank it quickly and without concern for its taste, which was actually rather pleasant considering.
"Doesn't quite work that way sweetheart. But it will help dull their impact."
"Thank you." Qrow handed her the mug and laid back down.
"See you in the morning."
Qrow woke up feeling lighter than he had in weeks. But as he got up and put on the clothes that Melinda had set out for him. He made his way to the door and glanced back at the bed to see Harbinger resting against the side table. It all came flooding back to him. Dread was not a welcome friend and he really wished it would leave him alone.
He walked over and placed Harbinger on his back, grabbed his cloak, which had been cleaned but not replaced and draped it over himself.
This was his penance.
To carry the bad omen that was a weapon of his own creation. To wield the most deadly weapon on all of Remnant and protect others from those who would use it for personal gain or to wage war.
He let Melinda care for him in the best way she saw fit and spent the next few days just going through the motions. It wasn’t as bad as it had been on the ride back to the tavern but it still lingered. All the memories and the fun that they had had along the way still haunted him but they had less of bite to them. Qrow was grateful.
The Royal Guard came for him on the fifth day after his return. Apparently some people had caught on that he had traveled with Clover and that he had returned without him. Melinda had tried to warn him and hide him from them. He told her not to bother. He gave her Harbinger, in its sheath and asked that she find a responsible and good hearted owner for it and she promised him that she would.
They cuffed him and took him to the castle. Qrow assumed that he was to be punished in some way. Most likely a public beheading for ‘abducting’ a member of the royal family. Not that he cared much, since he had fallen into this deep depression. He had almost gone back to drinking. Had Melinda not stopped him, he would have. Of all the things that Qrow had thought would make him lose his determination to quit, it had nothing to do with falling in love, nonetheless with a fraud and a royal, whom he could not be with. So death was likely the next best thing.
The king of Atlas, James Ironwood, sat on the throne before him. Clover had spoken well of him, not that he could process this, as Qrow was escorted in chains to the front of the throne and forced to kneel. He didn’t fight it. He didn't have the will or the strength at the moment.
An advisor to the king spoke.
“We are here to discuss the sentencing of a Mr. Qrow Branwen, a known member of the Branwen tribe, who has committed a number of atrocities across the continent of Anima, mostly in the realm of Mystral but also in Argus. He also stands accused of abducting a member of the Royal family.”
Qrow considered denying his allegiance to the tribe but it mattered little that he had left them all those years ago, choosing personal exile over staying with them and hurting other people. Especially after he attacked and killed his own people.
Raven had searched for him in recent years. Even put a bounty on his head, which had not been successful. It was one of the reasons that he did his best to get to know the people at the places he frequented the most, so that they would keep an eye out for him. He paid them well for their assistance and they were happy to have a respectable, at least in their mind, patron.
Some of them knew him because of Harbinger and that was the story that helped keep his connection to the Branwen tribe a secret. He had even fought against his own kin, since some of the newer recruits and younger generation didn’t know who he was.
He had kept his sword hidden from the tribe so that they wouldn’t take it away from him. It had been a gift of the blacksmith of the tribe. The man had been kind to him and taken him on as an apprentice. He had learned enough to make his own adjustments.
During his travels, when he was still young, he had come across a clockmaker by the name of Ozpin who had trusted him way too easily. But it had worked to Qrow's benefit, as he taught Qrow how gears could be used in more than just clocks and watches. Qrow had used his knowledge with the blacksmith to create much bigger gears and integrate them with Harbinger so that his sword was so much more than just a broad sword, but no one would know unless he chose to show them.
He had shown Clover, who had recognized it due to rumors and stories that huntsmen told. He didn’t even have to ask for him to keep his secret. He knew that Clover wouldn’t talk about it unless Qrow gave him permission. Similar to how he thought of Kingfisher.
But now he was a poor facade of the man he once was. He glanced up and saw grief on the King's face. He may have even seen some red around his eyes.
“What do you have to say for yourself regarding these charges?” the king asked.
Qrow closed his eyes, but otherwise didn’t move. He was too…angry, sad, apathetic, depressed. Take you pick or all of the above. None of them came close to covering it. He didn’t have the will or the motivation to do much of anything. Why bother denying something that wouldn’t matter in a few days?
“Very well. Guards, take him to a cell. His sentence will be carried out in 3 days.”
Qrow sat in his tiny jail cell and just waited for the inevitable. Time didn’t matter any more. He just laid on the ground and watched the bugs crawl around the floor and then he would sleep and then wake up and not know what time of day it was or what day or how long he had slept. Not that it mattered. He just didn’t have the motivation to try to live when his life was about to end. He was given some food-like substance once a day and he would slowly reach for it and scoop it into his mouth without bothering to taste or smell it. It was just barely enough to survive on. Then he would go back to sleeping or some other monotonous task, such as counting the bricks in the wall.
He was counting the ants on the ground that were crossing in front of his face when there was an unusual noise. He ignored it but it repeated and got louder.
He slowly shifted his gaze to look toward the noise. He saw a cloaked figure standing in front of the bars of his cell. It seemed familiar but he couldn't focus on it properly. Then the figure spoke.
"Hey! Listen! We're going to get you out of here." It was a female voice and not one that he recognized. Didn't mean much since he knew people from all over but he didn't think he was owed this sort of favor.
"Go. Away." Qrow told them.
"I'm a friend of Clover's. Name's Elm. The letters that he wrote were sent to me and a few of his other friends. I got the last one. What I do know is that he left by his own decision and traveled with you by choice. I don't know why he isn't with you now but he wouldn't want you punished or killed for his choices. Besides, I think he is in love with you, based on the details he included in his letter. That wouldn't…"
"Clover's dead," Qrow blurted out.
Elm gasped. "No. That can't be true. His last letter…"
"I watched him fall off the cliff of a waterfall. He's gone." Qrow spit out and a sob left him as he said it. He didn't think he had any tears left to mourn and yet here they were again.
"Clearly, you believe what you saw. I don't know about that. Regardless, you don't deserve to die because of his choices. Look for me later." And suddenly she was gone.
Good riddance .
Elm returned but Qrow wasn’t sure when. He suspected it was the night before his sentence would be carried out but wasn’t sure. She had gotten the guards keys, although he cared not how and did recognize her as resourceful, but maybe he was giving her too much credit. He realized that he didn’t really care as she led him out of the jail area and into an adjoining courtyard. Clearly the darkness gave them an advantage.
They almost got caught on a number of occasions because one or both of them were being careless. It wasn’t until she whisper-screamed at him, “Do you want us both to get caught?! Is my life not worth saving?!”
“Fine. Should have just left me…”
“And leave one of my closest friends broken-hearted for the rest of his life. I couldn’t bear it.”
“He’s…not coming back. You won’t have to…”
“You’re wrong! I have known him for a lot longer than you and I know that a little scuffle with a cliff or a waterfall wouldn’t have stopped him from using his beloved tool, even if it gave his identity away.”
“You’re referring to Kingfisher. I know all about it.” Elm seemed shocked as Qrow continued, “but it was broken a few days before. I learned of his identity after I learned about Kingfisher, not that it ever mattered to me…”
“You knew and it didn’t…damn. No wonder he was falling for you.”
“Let’s not…just…later. Before staying here gets you locked up with me.”
Elm followed a path that she had chosen but before they got even halfway to the end, the alarms went off.
“Shit. Someone must have checked your cell.”
“You didn’t leave a decoy.”
“I did but someone must have done a more thorough check. Although I cannot imagine why.”
“We need to split up. If I get caught no big deal, I go back to my cell. If you get caught with me, then you will likely hang right beside me. No need for more senseless death.”
Elm reached out her hand and Qrow grabbed it, “Good luck,” and she took off into the shadows. Despite her height and bulk, she was surprisingly decent at finding places to hide in plain sight.
Qrow decided to take her gift and run with it. He didn’t know Argus well but he knew enough to find a safe place where he had stayed previously when he had come to town. The concern was could he make it there before the guards blocked the path and would the connections he made still recognize him.
He managed to evade all of the guards which he had not expected to be successful. But when he got to the establishment, it looked abandoned. Still a half decent place to hide but not what he was hoping for. He slipped between two slats of wood that covered a boarded up window and ducked inside.
He waited quietly for a while, he didn’t know how long, until he could hear nothing of the search for him going on in this area. Then he got up and walked around. The establishment was a bit run down, but he noticed that it lacked dust. So either someone was squating here or it had only recently been closed, which didn’t line up with the state of the slats he had slid past to get in here.
He cautiously walked around and listened for any noise. Suddenly he heard a creaking and wood hitting stone, followed by footsteps and voices.
“So the guards didn’t find him?” a female voice questioned.
“No. They are still looking on the south side. They have all of the entrances to the city blocked. They even doubled the guard on the wall.” a deep voice said, as Qrow heard the voices getting louder. He then saw the tops of their heads appear over the bar, as they were climbing stairs from the floor below.
“We need to find him first. I promised that I would help and I would hate for our first collaboration to..” At that moment, a blonde-haired woman, who had been speaking, had made it to the landing and walked around to look around the deserted tavern. She was staring at Qrow who had not moved from the dark corner he had ducked into when he first heard voices. Apparently her eyesight was better than most.
“Well, well, well. If I didn’t know better, I would say that we just got lucky,” the blonde commented.
Qrow stepped forward out of the shadow and, of the six people standing with the blond, five of them stepped back in shock or surprise. He wasn’t sure if his reputation preceded him or what caused their hesitation but it gave him an edge if he decided to make a quick exit.
“Elm is surprisingly good at getting people out of jail.” Qrow retorted.
“She is resourceful when she needs to be. Not her usual gig, I’m afraid.” the blond paused for a moment. “So, where would you prefer to go? Back to jail or follow us and eventually get you out of town.”
“Depends on who’s asking?”
“Fair enough. I’m Robyn Hill.” She held out her hand.
Qrow looked at it and then back up at the ladies behind her.
She sighed, as she dropped her outreached hand. “We are the Happy Huntresses. I would do proper introductions but we don’t have the time for that. The Royal Guard is bound to make its way back around and we need to leave. Now!”
Qrow glanced out a window to his right, as the boards let in the moonlight. Then back at Robyn and the Happy Huntresses.
“Time to decide. Freedom of the noose?” Robyn asked.
Maybe it was her giving him the option to choose for himself. Maybe it was Elm’s optimistic view about not believing him when he said that Clover was dead. Regardless, his will to live decided to kick into gear. “Lead the way”
Robyn and the Happy Hunters help get him away for a few days. Elm even came by to chat. But she had more to share than just words.
“So we have a few friends in common.”
“Oh? I can’t imagine that.” Qrow wasn’t in the mood to make small talk.
“Yeah, one in particular said something about finding this baby a ‘responsible and good hearted’ wielder.”
Qrow froze at her words and then stared in shock as she took Harbinger out from behind her back. He didn’t think that he would miss her and yet he did.
“I had a friend of mine make a few tweeks to it. Nothing too crazy. He just added a simple feature to it.” She stated as she walked it closer to him. She stood shoulder to shoulder with him, as she clicked a button and a large portion of the broadsword tipped down and showed the now obvious shotgun that had been added to the top of the remaining broadsword, with the trigger inside the handle. It was an ingenious addition. Something that he had considered doing for many years but had never had the opportunity.
He goes to reach for it and then a flash of blood on his hands, had him curling back in on himself. There was a reason it had been easy to let her go, especially in the thrall of depression.
“I appreciate the offer but…I-I can’t.”
Elm stared at him in awe, jaw dropped. “This is Harbinger. You are the ‘ Harbinger of Grimm .’ You can’t just give it away an…”
“Stop! I already gave it up! I don’t even know why I bother to hide from the guard. I would be better off dead.”
“Don’t you dare!” There was a sorrowful look on her face. “Don’t! You may have given up hope but we haven’t. He will come back. He has to.” Tears slid down Elm’s face.
It made Qrow feel bad for causing her pain. Qrow reached out and touched Elm’s shoulder. “I don’t know what you expected of me or him. But we are not your salvation or any other grandiose idea that you have of us. Harbinger isn’t just mine anymore. It belongs to people who can't speak or fight for themselves.” Qrow turned around and began to walk away. “I hope that you find her a good home.”
Qrow’s depression returned as his glimmer of hope slipped out of his grasp, alongside his will to live. He got careless when he went out looking for a quick fix. He decided that drinking or not, now wouldn’t really make a difference. He was a dead man anyway.
He sat at the bar, ordered a drink and stared at it for a while. Am I really going to do this? He had done so well. But then all of the despair returned as he re-lived watching Clover tumble off the cliff. He picked up the drink and brought it to his lips.
Lucky or unlucky for him, depending on how you look at it, someone started a bar fight right at the moment, knocking the drink from his hand.
He just watched as the glass slowly drifted in the air, tipped to the side and the liquid poured out and onto the floor, the glass following shortly after as it shattered on the ground. He ignored the brawl that started. He just sighed and took his leave, as he had no desire to get into a fight that was pointless.
He made his way out of the door and before he got three steps, he ran into the Royal Guard. He apologized profusely and stepped aside. Most of them moved past them and into the tavern to deal with the fight. Qrow then moved to step around the few who remained, as he assumed that they would pay him no mind.
He continued to walk away, ignoring the commotion from the bar. When suddenly he was grabbed by the shoulder, pushed to the ground and cuffed. Just his luck.
As he was dragged back to the bar, someone kept shouting and another person kept pointing at him. Qrow just rolled his eyes. He didn’t have the patience for this shit.
They were all led to a group cell, where they were expected to stay the night. As they acquired the names of each person before they tossed them into the cell, Qrow didn’t have the will to make up a name or the care to tell them his real name. So when it was his turn he didn’t bother answering or even when they beat him. They tossed him in with the others regardless.
The next morning, as they began to charge each of the detainees, some of the higher ups from the Royal Guard came around. One of them took a look at the few in the cell and gasped.
Qrow heard whispers and mumbled phrases. He wasn’t really paying attention as a throbbing headache made it hard to do much of anything. Their beating of him really did a number on his head. Some time passed but Qrow didn’t notice as he tried to sleep off the headache.
As the Royal Guard entered the cell, the other detainees parted like a magical force had pushed them aside.
They grabbed him and shoved him against the wall.
“Is this him?” one of the guards asked.
Qrow heard another person hum as they considered him. As he cracked open his eyes, he saw someone scrutinizing him. Qrow blinked a few times to adjust to the light and then as the guard studied his gaze, they nodded.
“Despite the bruising and scrapes, it's him. His red eyes are ones that I will never forget.” One of the Royal Guard commented.
He was lifted up and carried off by four sets of hands, as they carted him out of this cell and into another.
Sorry Elm. I guess it was all for not.
He was placed in another jail cell by himself. It was quite a bit nicer than the first one but it still had bugs and stones to count. But unlike last time, he had company. Apparently, after his first escape they decided that he required more security.
He was surprised to receive a visit from the King. Perhaps that was how they found out that he had escaped the first time.
“Mr. Branwen. Tell me where he is?”
Qrow grunted. “Who?”
“The prince? Clover. Where is he?”
Qrow tried not to get emotional but it was pointless as he re-lived the memory of Clover falling off the cliff. It didn’t work. “He fell…off a cliff.”
“Where?”
Qrow didn’t answer as tears returned to his vision. It surprised him since he thought that all of his previous tears had left him dry.
“Where!!?” King James insisted.
Qrow still didn’t answer. He heard metal clanking and then some rustling of clothes. Suddenly he was hoisted into the air, feet no longer touching the floor.
“Answer ME!!” King James was clearly furious.
The tears fell down his face and a few landed on James’ hand. It took a bit longer than it should have for the king to register what was happening.
“You..you mourn him. You cared for him.” James looked down and pinched his nose with his free hand, before he looked back up at Qrow. He lowered him back to the ground. ”Please! Tell me where. I want to find his…remains so that I can…mourn, if what you say is true.”
Qrow recognized the hurt in the king’s voice and remembered how Clover told him how they had been close friends as teenagers. He remembered a few of the shenanigans that Clover had told him about. It was for this reason only that he answered him. King James needed closure like everyone else.
“Near Vale border crossing. Waterfall.”
James let go of Qrow and readjusted himself. “Thank you.”
Qrow watched him turn to leave. Before he left, Qrow added, “He told me about you.” Qrow watched King James freeze, “You were the one that found him after he was captured as a kid. He thought of you as good friends.”
King James turned to glance back at Qrow. “Clearly he trusted you, which is more than I can say for myself.” He took the last few steps to the door. “You will meet the brothers tomorrow morning at the end of a rope. Upon their judgment and with their grace, may you be reunited with him.” And then he vanished behind a huge head to foot cloak and his aids.
Qrow was escorted with little fanfare to the gallows.
He was not alone but he was last in line. Apparently, he was the main course for the audience, which became apparent when they escorted him up the stairs and announced his name, causing the crowd to roar. It didn't help the emphasis on his last name and the crimes that they listed that he was being charged for. ‘Pillaging, stealing, theft, rape, murder and destroying whole villages’ were just the tip of the iceberg, when it came to the Branwen tribe and what he knew they had done as a teen. Despite his dissociation from the tribe, it didn’t matter. His name made him guilty by association.
He looked up at the crowd. The sun had peeked over the top of the building in the square. He could just make out the King at the far end. Seeing him reminded him of his words from last night.
‘ Upon their judgment and with their grace, may you be reunited with him ’
Oh, did he wish it was possible. But he had little hope or faith in the brothers. And if they did exist to judge him, he was likely not going where Clover was. The best he could expect was purgatory, while the worst was outside his comprehension.
He slowly was guided to the noose assigned to him and strung it over his head. They tightened it a bit and asked if he had any last words. He shook his head.
Then there was a trumpeting sound, announcing the arrival of someone important, followed by a booming voice. “Stop. I demand that you release him at once.”
King James stood and looked towards the voice in question, before he responded, “On whose orders? “
“By order of the Duke of Argus, Prince of Mystral.”
Qrow heard the voice but was not sure if he could believe his own ears. He squinted as he narrowed in on the voice and the figure attached to it. He thought that he recognized the figure. It was a bit more lean than he recalled but perhaps his memory was faulty. At that moment, hope and love came flooding back into his head. Was it really Clover? He had to know if it was truly him. He had to get to him as quickly as possible. No matter what it took, as the noose still hung loosely around his neck.