Pollinated Juniper Berries +1
Part 8 b (aka A Winter Holiday cont.)
Let it be said that Amber, Aurelia, Orla, and Amethyst had learned during the Rescue Day celebration who told a good holiday story. Before the four littlest (and Nora) had a chance to corner Blake, with puppy dog eyes at maximum yield, the faunus already had a storybook in hand and a cozy spot by the fire to read aloud.
Blake: “So it was that King Wenseloz the Good and his knights rode at dawn, to repel the invading bandit army. The people of Stephanos, immigrants from Mistral, had held the pass through the mountains for two days without aid. And truly they expected none, for they were foreigners with no ties to the Kingdom but the taxes they paid. Their spears were blunted and their shields were bent and the injured now outnumbered the whole. On the dawn of the third day, as the bandits made ready for another charge a horn sounded in the east. None from Stephanos knew the sound, but they saw the response from the bandits. The outlaws turned toward the east, stringing bows and planting spears to take a charge. The ground vibrated with the rumble of hooves and the King’s banner came into view.
Seeing a chance to route the bandits, Captain Ageon Nikos…huh.” *Blake flips the book around to see who the author of this edition is* “I wonder if he’s one of Pyrrha’s ancestors? I’ve never heard a version that names him before.”
Nora: “You can ask her. After you finish the story, please.”
Blake: *goes to apologize but Ren kisses her before she gets the chance* “Okay, not apologizing. Just gonna read.” *reopens the book* “Seeing a chance to route the bandits, Captain Ageon Nikos commands his sturdiest men to bring two shields each to the front line. Then his best spearmen were posted behind them and his remaining archers behind them. Then he timed his mad charge to disrupt the bandit archers before they could release their volley. Surprisingly from the north, the most perilous part of the pass for man and beast, arrows flew, taking the lives of the bandit leaders. Without their leaders, and attacked from three sides, the healthy bandits ran away. Leaving their injured and their slaves behind.’ Oh, thank you for the tea.” *Blake paused to sip the soothing drink*
Yang: “Our pleasure Cutie-cat.”
Ruby: “Yeah…have you gotten to Johanna’s Ride and the King’s Trees yet?”
Blake: “Not yet. The slave boy is about to reunite with his father.”
Ruby and Yang: “Oh, okay.”
Blake: “Brunaz ran in from the north. ‘Brun!’ he yelled over and over until a boy of ten ran from the huddled slaves into his arms. The bandits, to their folly, had abducted the son of the man known as ‘The King of the Wilds’ and his father had tracked them across the lands. The two celebrated their reunion, speaking words in their native tongue. None of the knights or the Stephanosians understood it, but King Wenceloz the good looked on in surprise upon hearing it.”
Nora: “We can ponder if Wenceloz is just another incarnation of Ozpin and Brunaz is an ancestor of Ranger later. Story! Now!”
Weiss: “Kitten, I apologize for the interruption. Please entertain our pregnant girlfriend.” *looks at the large crowd now gathered in the Arc’s living room* “And everyone else.”
Blake: “Brunaz brought his boy to the king. ‘Tell him what you said to me, boy,’ and with that prompting Brun told the king of the bandits that had ridden out. Dressed as royal knights and planning to ride into the castle and raid what they could while the king was here. ‘We must warn them,’ the king said, ‘but how. They have a head start and our horses are tired.’ ‘HA!’ laughed Brunaz, ‘there are faster paths than the roads if you know the wild areas of your lands. And my beast will take any knight you wish through them.’ With a short discussion Johanna came forth and shed her heavy armor. Brunaz threw his heavy brown cloak over her shoulders and whistled back towards his men. A creature of legend answered his call, bigger than a horse and built like a rabbit with ANTLERS!” *Blake shuts the book* “Okay, this seems unreal. Every version I’ve ever seen described a reindeer. Not a jackalope!”
Every Arc in attendance gave a chuckle at Blake’s outrage. Saphron pulled out her scroll and sent Blake and the rest of the Octuple a picture. It was of her and Terra in a date at a museum. The pic showed them posing in front of a large painting showing a blonde haired, blue eyed woman astride a creature somewhat between a reindeer and a rabbit. Most of the Octuple zeroed in on the woman’s tabard. Blue and white with a pair of yellow crescent moons.
Ren: *looks around the room* “Does Jaune know about this?”
Amber: “No. Saph just saw the portrait herself.”
Aurelia: “But she bought him a print of it at the museum gift shop.”
Amber & Aurelia: “It’s supposed to be a surprise.”
Weiss: “I’m sure he’ll love it. Now, Kitten, continue the story please.”
Blake: “Johanna hopped into the saddle of the strange creature and, after Brunaz whispered something in its ear, they took off. ‘It will be dark soon. Is she a faunus?’ Brunaz asked the king.
‘No,’ the king answered simply, ‘but I should be able to assist her with my own magics.’ With an elaborate wave of his arms Wenceloz released his spell. It was meant to make tell the leaders of the villages and towns along her way to light torches or signal fires to help her see.”
Blake: “But the bandits had their own mage, who had cast a spell making the king’s magic go awry. So it instead put the adults along the way asleep and gave the children the message. But the evil mage had underestimated the determination of the kingdom’s children. As night fell and Johanna’s ride continued she saw torches, lanterns, occasionally even toys that had been tied to the trees to reflect the moonlight. And where other light sources had run sparse, wooden and cloth toys set afire and thrown into the trees. With these lights, and her strange steed she rode through the night. When the bandits arrived at the castle, they found it barred against them and every adult capable of holding sling or bow awaiting them on the ramparts.
Ruby: “Woohoo! Imagine their surprise!”
Blake: “Back in Stephanos, King Wenceloz received a magical message letting him know his gamble had paid off. The Wild-men and the Stephanosians insisted on celebrating the victory and the Festival of Winter together with the king’s men. But none of the three groups could agree on how to celebrate. Arguments got heated to the point that some worried another battle was about to begin.”
Blake: “However the king pulled a sword off the wall and pointed at the town blacksmith. ‘You there? Is this sword iron?’ The blacksmith was quick to answer. ‘No, your Majesty, it is Mistralian bronze. A combination of bronze, iron, and dust that makes for a longer lasting blade .’ The king nodded, ‘so I assumed. Alloys ARE stronger. Blending our traditions can make us stronger as a people too. A royal decree! From this day forward the Winter festivals of all our many cultures shall be blended. We will call this new Winter’s holiday, “Nomme Deliquesce!”
Pyrrha: “Wait a minute! Are you saying the ridiculous name of Remnant’s winter holiday is just, just…”
Jaqueline: “A bastardization of the original name from days of old? Yes.”
Yang: “So how did the name Halloween come about? It’s a MUCH cooler name than…that.”
Weiss: “According to a legend I read, a flying person sheathed in green flame said the word to one of the Old Kingdom monarchs on Solitas. Supposedly as a description of the Grimm. I always thought the story very silly. All Atlesians do.”
Blake: “SO the king had created a new tradition and upon his arrival home was told of the bravery of the kingdom’s children and their sacrifice of toys and other possessions to aid Damme Johanna. So he made it a point to have one of his knights recreate her ride on its anniversary and pass out toys and treats to the children. The practice spread to most the nobles of the kingdom and the holiday as we know it was born.”
