The Bastard of RWBY

Lord Commander Black

"Kneel and live or you can burn," CInder told him

Adam looked around, this time to the trees and to the sand and the sound of water rushing nearby.

"This was my home for many years. I would do anything to save it" Adam told Cinder and he looked to her "I wish you good fortune in the wars to come," Adam told Cinder

Cinder sighed and nods to her men and they take Adam onto the burning pyre and tie him to it. Cinder walks to the front of the pyre.

"White Fang, his choice decided his fate. Learn from his fate" Cinder told them all

Cinder then used her semblance and maiden powers to light the pyre. The flames began to consume Adam. He could feel the heat. The fire began to spread and it sinched Adam's legs. Adam twitched as the flames burned him and the Flames grew higher.

"AH! AHHH!" Adam screamed out as the flames consumed his legs. He couldn't take the pain anymore and he was going to scream.

A single shot ran through the air. Mercury, Cinder, Fennec, and Blake looked behind them to see Jaune with Rifle in his hands. Adam looked to see the blood leaking from his chest, and before everything went black, he mouthed the words 'thank you' to Jaune with a smile.

Jaune stood in front of Cinder in Gwen's old Office. Cinder had called him in about the events of last night.

"I ordered Adam burnt at the stake. You prevented that order from being carried out. You showed mercy. A Queen's word is law" Cinder told him "Show too much kindness, people won't fear you. If people don't fear you, they don't follow you"

Jaune looked at her and sighed "With respect, Your Grace, the easterners will never follow you, no matter what you do. You're the man who burned their king alive" Jaune told Cinder

"Who then? You?" Cinder asked

"No," Jaune told her "Only one of their own"

Cinder sighed and handed him a written letter, "this is from Carolina Church" Cinder told him

"The Lord Commander's niece?" Jaune asked as he took the letter

"Lady Church now. She's head of her house now and a child of 15. I asked her to commit her house to my cause, that's her response" Cinder told him

Jaune opened the letter and read it out loud "House Church knows no king but the King of the Arks, whose name is Arc" Jaune read and he smiled

Cinder smirked but made it fade and looked at Jaune "That amuses you?"

Jaune quickly made his smile go away and looked to Cinder "I apologize, Your Grace. southerners can be a bit like the White Fang. Loyal to their own" Jaune told her

"Seems so. Tonight, the Blue Fang elect a new Lord Commander. It seems Commander Fennec is going to win"

"Most likely" Jaune sighed

"He thinks you're a traitor. What's your life going to be like on the Wall with Fennec in command?" Cinder asked

"Shitty, I expect," Jaune told him

Cinder almost laughed at that but she stood up and looked at Jaune "Your bravery made him look weak. He'll punish you for it. I don't punish men for bravery. I reward them" Cinder said

"I don't doubt it, Your Grace. I don't know what I have left to give you" Jaune told him

"You can give me the South" Cinder said

"No, I can't. Even if I wanted to, I'm a bastard. A Black"

"Kneel before me. Lay your sword at my feet. Pledge me your service and you'll rise again as Jaune Arc, King of Ark Town"

"He'll make you an Arc with the stroke of a pen!?" Blake cried

"It's the first thing I ever remember wanting. I'd daydream that my father would give me the Arc name and just like that I would never be the bastard of Ark Town again" Jaune said with a sigh

"You deserve this. You do!" Flynt said

"you can't! we need to be here! you saw what's out there! we all did!" Blake cried

"But you'd be King of Ark town! we could travel back to Vale and save Weiss!" Flynt cried

"I swore to Kali I would deal with the White Fang and Silver Hand First!" Jaune cried

The Room began to get crowded and Ilia walked in and next to her was the last person she expected. Kali herself! Both Jaune and Blake were surprised.

Kali stood in front of them "Does anyone wish to speak for candidates before we cast our tokens for the 998th Lord Commander of the Blue Fang?"

Corsac stands up with Fennec by his side

"Commander Fennec, My Brother, he's a man of true nobility. He was an acting commander when the Wall came under attack and led us to victory against the White Fang. He's a veteran of 100 battles and has been a defender of the Wall almost all of his life. He's the only true choice!" Corsac Finished

Some of the Men cheered and patted them on the back.

"Is there anyone else?" Kali asked, Hoping for a certain person

"Queen Kali!" Flynt cried

Every soldier, including Jaune, look to Flynt at the back of the room in shock.

"Go on," Kali said with a smile

Jaune looked to Flynt and he shook his head at Flynt

"While Commander Fennec was quickly wounded and was hiding, Commander Jaune Black was leading," Flynt said

Every soldier went quiet.

"Commander Fennec fought bravely, it is true. And when he was wounded, it is Jaune who saved us. He took charge of the wall's defense. He captured Mercury Black. He went East to deal with Adam Tarrus, knowing it almost certainly meant his own death. Gwen herself chose Jaune to be a Commander as soon as he arrived" Flynt told Kali

Kali looked at Jaune and then to Blake and Blake looked to her mother and nodded

"She saw something in Jaune, and now we've all seen it, too. He may be young, but he's the commander we turned to when the night was darkest!" Flynt said

The men give Jaune a strong cheer. Kali was clapping as well

"I can't argue with any of that" Fennec said as he stood and he looked to Kali

"But who does Commander Jaune want to command? Everyone knows he loved a Silver Hand girl and spoke with Adam many times. What would have happened in that tent between those two old friends if Queen Cinders army hadn't come along? We all saw him put the King-beyond-the-Wall out of his misery. Do you want to choose a man who has fought the White Fang all his life? or a man who makes love to them!" Fennec cried

Jaune doesn't respond. Kali looked at the two and sat down and Ilia took the stand

"It is time!"

Soldiers walk to the front of the room, placing their tokens into a jar. Ilia breaks the jar and counts the tokens. Fennec and Jaune have the same amount of tokens.

Ilia looks at Kali "It appears to be a tie, Your Grace"

Kali rises once more and casts her own vote for Jaune. The men near Fennec look angry. While Everyone else cheers

"Jaune! Jaune! Jaune! Jaune!" cheered the soldiers

Jaune rises and see's Fennec glaring at him. But Jaune and lets out a small smile for the first time since he entered the room.