In the Wake of Giants

Watching Janine’s mother and Raban react to her news made Janine feel something she couldn’t put a finger on. She just knew that she was happy that they were happy about Raban’s wellbeing. She was aware that her initial reaction to Raban’s news might’ve been out of place, but she purely just wanted to know if Raban’s sentence included living, and Sir Kiegal allowed him to. Even so, seeing Raban stutter and gape about the honorable discharge made Janine chuckle a bit. She and everyone else had the same reaction.

“Your reaction is totally understandable, Raban. Nobody’s heard of this either. But, nobody’s heard of your kind either, so this must be the rarest of exceptions.”

Janine turned to sit down at Raban’s question concerning the other Knights. “Well… From what I could gather, hearing the news of you living in exile seemed to anger a few, but some others were somewhat…. Relieved? I couldn’t quite tell. But they all were relatively calm for once,” Janine commented with a nod of her head. She paused at his second question, regarding Greaves. She shook her head as her smile shortened into a sort of straightened frown.

“He never showed up. He most likely didn’t recognize our meeting bell, thankfully. Although, when he does show, he will find out, and I really do hope I’m not there when he does,” Janine said with a nervous sigh. As much as the man angered her, she only noted one mode of emotion from the man - a calm, calculative stoicism that creeped her out whenever she was in proximity to him. The knowledge of his werewolf captor being let free just might set him off in a way none of them might expect. Janine looked to Raban and her mom before sighing and glancing at the window.

“I hope that he doesn’t try to find you, it’ll make it a bit difficult to keep a low profile with him snooping around town,” she said.

Her mother got on her feet to tap her shoulders. “Well we won’t have to worry about that until it happens. For now, we’re just happy that Raban can stay with us longer, aren’t we?” the woman asked while turning back to the man sitting in his seat. She then turned her head back to Janine and tapped her harder.

“Aren’t we?” she asked once more.

Janine blinked before nodding her head. “Yes, of course.”

“Alright then! Now, if you’ll excuse me, my seat is calling my name,” the woman mused as she went to her original seat where her food was. Janine’s gaze met Raban’s as she stood up, a relaxed smile spreading on her face as she nodded.

“Yes, very happy,” she said before walking to the door. “I’ll be right back, we can talk after I get Venus situated,” Janine said before she left.
 
The information was still slow to sink in and he was amazed he had been granted such a thing. The most he had hoped for was to be allowed to live even if it meant a lifetime's exile. Well, he had anticipated that, but to receive an honourable discharge was something else and he didn't know how to react or what to say.

"Maybe," he answered in distraction as he considered it all before her movement made him refocus and he listened more attentively.

"That's actually not as bad as I was fearing," he mused aloud. Whilst he knew and fully understood that his fellow Knights would have felt betrayal at learning what he was, he still had come to regard them all with respect. Some he had known since he was yet a boy whilst others were newer but no less capable.

He frowned at that though remembering the Knight that had defied Kiegal's order and returned to the Dragon in a fool's attempt to slay it. Men like him should never had joined up in the first place and were often better suited for garrison duties.

He tilted his head as she spoke of Greaves' lack of attendance at the meeting and in many ways he should have realised that was very well a possibility. Greaves would undoubtedly be angry and frustrated when he learned that Raban was out of his cage and was to be set free once the winter was over.

"That thought alone is troubling. He threatened the Little Demon, if I recall?"

Chestnut's words filled him with a cold dread. Him being here relied on no one knowing where he was or who he was with. Given Greaves had known enough or had at least suspected at that point in time... there was a chance he had known where Janine and her mother lived. He hoped not or things would get more interesting. It would depend if Greaves observed the law... The Order would be all that was between the hunter doing the job of killing him instead.

He nodded in feeling as Janine echoed his mind, "It occurs to me he might connect dots once he learns of my current living status. I don't suppose it needs being said of the danger that puts the both of you in..." he was apologetic and mindful. This was their house, he didn't want things spoiled on his account.

Tina, however, seemed to brush off the concerns with a mantra of crossing a bridge when it came to it and not firs the first time thus far had she surprised Raban. Finding one person that didn't run away because his dark truth was rare. Two who didn't was rarer still. His heart warmed to them both.

He smiled and dipped his head, albeit a little sheepishly, in reply before he raised it again and glanced amusedly towards a distracted Janine.

Raban blinked as Janine rose and spoke of tending to Venus. he nodded in reply, "All right." He watched her leave before he slumped back into the chair he was sitting in and rubbed his face. "What a day..." he muttered still incredulous of what fate had held for him today.
 
Janine sighed as she went to tend to Venus. Many things swam in her head as she absentmindedly brushed the mare, including how things were going to be like now that she and her mother have to keep Raban in their home. Would the energy be different or the same? Would he like living with them, after being used to sleeping by himself for so long?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp noise, causing Janine to gasp in surprise. Venus made a harsh snort, her head flinging up and down as if she was vigorously nodding 'yes'.

She looked down to realize that her bucket of food was empty, and it was then that she realized that she never fed Venus at all. With a gasp, Janine scrambled to grab food, apologizing profusely as she did so. And of course, Venus did not hesitate to snort indignantly at her owner.

Janine finally finished tending to Venus, putting a large blanket over her back to keep her warm while staying in her stable. When everything was said and done, Janine went back to her house, where Raban was still in the living room. She closed the door with a small sigh, pleased that she could still feel the warmth of the fire as it permeated throughout the room.

As she came in, she looked at Raban with a slight smile. Her arms nestled on her chest as she approched.

"Okay, now that Venus is done, let's go in my room to -"

"Oh no, no you don't, you do not need to go upstairs," her mother's voice said.

Janine turned her head with a pout. "But Mom, I -"

"- Am still recovering from last night. I don't need you running all over the house. Besides, I'm going out for a short while to shop. I would rather you two to stay down here to watch the house," her mother said as she put on a thin coat and picked up a basket.

"Oh fine, we'll stay down here then. Be safe," Janine sighed as she walked to the older woman, kissed her and closed the door behind her. She cautiously looked out the window, watching her mother walk further from the house until she disappeared from view.

After Janine felt a bit more comfortable, she sat down next to Raban with a sheepish sigh.

"Well, there's that idea. But since Mom's gone, we can talk more."

Janine took her gaze away from Raban to think about what to talk about, eventually looking back at him to speak again. "Its hard for me to not dwell on negative things sometimes; unfortunately, I can't help but to think about Greaves. What should we do about him?" Janine asked.
 
Greaves presented a very real problem but it was one that could wait till he knew more or the situation presented itself to change. For now, he simply had to make it through living with others in a closer proximity than he was entirely used to and preparing for leaving come the springtime. He hoped he wouldn't be begrudged leaving with some extra supplies for the road ahead. He had no idea what he would do once his exile was in effect, it was a completely different lifestyle. The number of 'what if' situation increased with such a life and it raised a question of whether he would remain living a nomadic life in the saddle travelling from one point to the next or whether it was worth finding a new place in which to settle.

The latter would present its own slew of issues that had raised themselves whilst he was living in Amastad and there he would not have the same luxury of having earned an esteemed reputation and friendship of his comrades. He was under no illusion he'd be killed without the same level of second thought Kiegal had granted him.

A nomadic lifestyle would be equally be dangerous, he was equally aware of how Greaves would react and doubtlessly the bounty hunter might take to tracking his trail, looking to tie up his loose end. However, it made things more equal... if he didn't keep to his code or if he needed to defend himself. He also doubted Chestnut would be so accommodating to keeping the wretched man alive on Raban's account.

"Damned straight. He has hooves coming to him,"

His brooding was interrupted as Janine returned to the house and entered the room and he glanced towards her, returning the smile, when she spoke. She spoke of going to her room which felt a little awkward in some ways since it was a very private space for a person and he didn't particularly wish to intrude on what was essentially a safe space. It seemed that Tina also wanted Janine to do a little moving as possible, and the fire was in the room they were now. It made sense to him for them to remain here rather than move. Especially if she was going out. Raban also suspected that one other person had to remain with him in regards to his custody conditions.

He smiled towards TIna and nodded, "No problem, Tina." He didn't bother to mention that Chestnut was already acting as a sentry from the paddock she was in. He raised a hand of farewell echoing Janine's words of care.

Raban looked back to Janine at the shift on the couch and nodded, it certainly allowed them more air to talk, even if Tina had a fair corner to share in all of this. Janine spoke of Greaves and echoed his own thoughts.

"Keep our guard up, for starters," he breathed thoughtfully, he didn't trust Greaves wouldn't get up to dishonourable acts to achieve his goals. Not if he was willing to act upon torture in simple lines of questioning with someone who wasn't in a position to defend themselves. "He will want to finish the job but Kiegel's decision will complicate matters for him, I think. My dismissal from the Order will only free his hands once Kiegel announces it officially... and I doubt Kiegel will do so till the day of my exile."

"So, he'll either wait and bide his time and hunt me down once I leave... or if he feels he can get away with it, he'll do it before then." It felt a little weird to talk of his own murder but these were very strange times.
 
Again, with all his logic and wisdom, Raban suggested to keep up their guard and wait things out to see what will happen. Janine huffed as she folded her arms, wishing that he didn’t choose such a passive course of action all the time. Why wait for someone to end up cornering them in their own home?

“Waiting it out again, huh? I don’t like this, Raban. So we’re just basically waiting for Greaves to just march his skinny ass into my home, looking for you?” Janine asked with a huff.

Greaves was still very much a threat, even if Sir Kiegal no longer was. He has the power to turn the entire town against not only Raban, but Janine and her mother as well. And yet, even though the threat was always there, Janine and her mother would take it without hesitation. She just hated that feeling of being backed up into a corner. The decision would be easier if it was just her and Raban, because all this would mean is that they both would just get up and leave without so much as a word. But… that wasn’t the case.

“I don’t want him to try and look for you at all. I want him to just leave and give up on you. But I know that won’t work. He’s too driven and stubborn to do so. Ugh, this is so unfair,” Janine groaned.

She had to figure out what to do if Greaves did come looking for him. They needed a contingency plan. Something to hold on to if things began going a certain way.

“Okay fine. We have no choice but to stay here. I guess I can just…. Scout him out from time to time? See where he moves? No, that’s too suspicious. I never like being around him. Or…. I could try and do it without being on Venus?” Janine questioned as she looked at Raban.

She realized that this would be hard for everyone while Raban waited until springtime, but she felt safer with at least a small plan in place.
 
Raban glanced down to her as she huffed and he couldn't blame her for hating the suggestion he was putting forward but he had lived long enough to know that rushing into matters seldom solved a problem without raising consequences down the line. He was taught well and was experienced to know that for every action he made there was an equal reaction. However, he did sympathise with her anguish over waiting for the hunter to come to them. It was not in a predator's mindset to feel comfortable at being hunted down like a rat down a hole.

"I don't like it either, " he admitted, he'd be a fool to deny that feeling, at least of all to her or himself. They were of a similar cloth in that they were both from realms unknown to human minds and understanding of how the world worked, or was supposed to have worked in accordance to their beliefs.

Janine wasn't wrong in that Grieves would not stop his hunt or crusade just because of a little exile order from Raban's Order, but Raban knew the huntsman wasn't stupid. If he was that, they would be in so much of an onion of a mess but the man did well at his craft, such as it was and was acting within the realms of his rights within the established rules of Amastad and the Order. Raban was hoping it would cause the man to restrict his own hand.

Whether Grieves would try to deceive the rules in the meantime was another matter.

"It's his creed. Whatever drives him in his creed to hunt my kind or kind like me that, to a human way of thinking for most, I don't know but I doubt he'll just stop in his endeavours off the record. However, he can't hurt me or you just yet for the same reasons I won't go for him if my principles allowed it. He'd be in the wrong in the eyes of the human laws and he would pay that price regardless of why or who he killed. I am still technically a Knight until my Exile Day."

Raban wasn't going to pull wool over his eyes in thinking the human world would have kept him alive if not for his status, reputation and his record. It was all that had kept him alive and was keeping him alive until Spring.

"If I did do something before then to Grieves then all I would be doing is to prove that I am the monster Grieves calls me. I am not going to give that man the satisfaction of doing so, and I don't think you would either." Raban gently squeezed her shoulder with meaning.

Janine spoke of scouting and running through some pros and cons. He smiled and nodded lightly, "I rather you did keep your distance from him if only to not tempt his hand as opposed to your own. However, as long as your Mother was here to keep eyes on me, as it were, I fail to see reasons as to why you couldn't take a patrol around. Call it a means of furthering your ability to safeguard your charge." It was an odd feeling to refer to himself so in a distinctly third person of looking at it but he was also aware a guard was as only as good at protection as the information of outside threats was made available to them.

"You could visit my old lodgings... Mister and Mrs Longfellows are fond of me, I've no doubt they'd be happy to help you out, even tell you of what that wretched meat sack is up to. Though, make sure you check the stables first... Greaves lodges there too unless they've kicked him out."

Another thought occurred to him, "If you do though, take Chestnut. That way, you have an extra set of eyes watching out and gives me a head start should anything go foul."

It was only when Chestnut giggle in his head he had realised he had referred to Greaves as a meat sack and he snorted in belated amusement, scratching his jaw with a forefinger. He looked at Janine for a long moment before he smiled, a little mirth in his expression, "It's up to you though; I'm rather something under your instruction given Kiegal's terms."
 
Janine listened to Raban as he gave different ideas on how to keep out for danger. She nodded her head in thought, considering his ideas and mulling over them with her hands crossed. If she was honest, they didn't sound like terrible ideas, but she wasn't sure how attentive Greaves was to his surroundings. If he noticed her stalking him, she feared that he'd surely get suspicious and begin interrogating her and her mother.

“Hm…. I suppose that it could be an idea. I could keep an eye on him on the slight possibility that he might be in my patrol path. Otherwise, trying too hard would only raise suspicion. I hope the Longfellows won't be suspicious either, I really appreciated her help last night,” Janine said with a sigh. She turned her body to the fireplace, staring at the flickering flames in them as they burned firewood.

“I'll try to remember to bring Chestnut with me. It would be smart to have extra eyes on the situation,” Janine added with a small nod. After she stared at the fire for a long moment before she turned her head to the window. Shifting out of her seat, Janine walked towards the window, her eyes casually scanning her grey-toned town.

“Let's just pray that these next several months won't lead Greaves closer to us.”


~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Sir Kiegal sighed as he watched the rest of his brigade with another training session. He knew that this wouldn't distract them from what had transpired these last 24 hours, but at the same time, this kind of mental juggling was also part of being in an occupation like this. There were bound to be events that challenged one's way of life, and in spite of how one felt, they would still have to deal with the rest of their life with whatever came at them.

The Knight wished that this event wouldn't be the one event to shake up their minds, but alas, he had no control of that. But distractions tended to help ease the impact. With this in mind, he also strived to keep himself distracted. Training his brigade- barring two members - to fight better was better than dwelling too hard on his thoughts.

And yet, he knew that this event was far from over, he just didn't know when he would have to explain himself to one other person who started this whole fiasco.

“Yes Warren, your stance is good, but you need to raise your sword a little higher. You don't want the enemy's weapon to nick an important part of your body,” Kiegal said with a nod.
 
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Raban nodded and not for the first time did he wish he could be of more use to her but with his house arrest, the amount he could help her was limited. He knew there'd be much that would make her rely on her own initiative whilst she was out on patrols or working in the city itself with whatever that arose. He had no doubt she could handle herself as long as she reigned in her fire, but it didn't stop his concerns and worries that someone, Greaves or otherwise, wouldn't try something.

"They won't be. In fact, I'd rather you be honest with them about this situation. I don't think they like Greaves either, truth be said. Don't suppose anyone would in their right mind. No, the Longfellows may even be more of an ally to you and I then one could give credit for. If Greaves is still lodging with them, I don't doubt that either of them would mind telling you of Greaves' doings as far as they know them."

The Longfellows had been a couple he had lodged with for several years now and their relationship and friendship had surpassed anything that was just cordial or trivial. He cared about them as he knew they did about him. Raban was aware they viewed him as family, a second son perhaps, and in the years since, he supposed they were really as good parents as anyone could wish for. Aunt and Uncle perhaps.

"You can trust them. I haven't told them about my true self since I didn't want to land them in more stink than was necessary, but I would like to write them a letter, explain everything and convey my eternal gratitude towards them. They've looked after me as if I were family and they are both quite dear to me."

He watched her face the fireplace and smiled, she was lot like Chestnut in that both beelined for the heat.

"She's very useful in that regard. I imagine she'll find a way to convey anything of serious immediate import if she needs to," he agreed, and it was truth. There wasn't much a werewolf missed in terms of reading and interpreting what their heightened sense told them but quite often Chestnut picked up on something he hadn't spotted or paid much heed to the relevance thereof.

Raban was in the same view. He didn't doubt that Greaves would not try anything. Fact was he would. However, he knew he was safe as long as he kept to the terms of the house arrest and to the day of his exile in the Spring. Only after that would he have to be extra vigilant. It would be a case of anything goes after he left Amastad.



Jedidah Greaves was livid and frustrated with the whole affair. They had one chance to rid the world of another spawn of evil and the Commander of the oh-so-fine Order just had to let the werewolf go. Did he not realise the danger he had released? The number of innocent lives that were now in peril should the wolf get thirsty?

Did the beast even have full control of his condition to prevent that?

He did not entirely know himself since this form of Lycan was rare. So rare he had not realised it was even a possibility. He was however in the view that this version was all the more dangerous of its breed. It could turn at will much like in the ways of the Vampires. It could choose its victim.

Jedidah hoped the man had a good excuse as he made his way to the compound where the Knight's all were. He hadn't even bothered taking his horse, he had walked the entire route, his feet caked in mud and other detritus. He sniffed rounding a corner and came upon the entrance. The sounds were indicative of training taking a centre stage and he arrived in the archway.

Greaves paused for a moment and then settled for leaning against the stone of the archway, arms cross and watching the Knight's go through their training practice with a mild expression of bored interest. They weren't why he was here. Kiegal was. But he was content to watch till the Commander saw him.

Once the man had acknowledged his presence, he nodded and then arched a finger to the rest of the Knights present in the indication that the man was welcome to continue the training session or call its end. Jedidah Greaves was not all that concerned, only for an answer that had been denied him before. He had been by earlier but Kiegal had been in no mood for discussion and Greaves had made a sounder decision to back off to a later time instead of pressing the Commander further and running the risk of being kicked out of the city.
 
The conversation about protecting Raban had Janine internally sighing - she had never thought she would be tasked with harboring a "threat" and therefore was a bit on edge as she talked about precautions in keeping Raban safe. She was fine with keeping this between her family and Raban, but Raban mentioned telling the wife and husband innkeepers that housed him all this time. Her head turned from the fire to meet his face, her expression revealing curiosity and shock simultaneously.

Despite his reasoning, she didn’t think it was a good idea to let them in on his dangerous secret. Not everyone could handle something like this; secrets like theirs often resulted in betrayals, something she could live to do without.

“Tell them? Raban, I know you care for them, but I don’t think it would be wise to let them know. At this point, the people that know who you are are me, my mother, Greaves, and the whole damn Order. That is entirely too many people in one spot that know this secret, and we can’t even trust the others to not tell. I know the Longfellows probably mean the world to you, but we can’t let them be in the face of danger, especially when our main enemy is living in their inn,” Janine explained as she sat in the chair across from him.

“And even if we were to trust them, there’s no way I can allow you to write a letter to them. That’s physical evidence! It’s almost like you want Greaves to know you’re still alive and well. If that got in his possession, there’s nothing that could stop him from just bypassing the Order and exposing you to the entire city of Amastad. You need to think this through and not just rush things,” Janine concluded with a shake of her head.

The moment those words left her mouth, Janine felt awash with guilt and shame. The irony had not gone past her mind; she realized that what she was scolding was what had gotten her family and Raban into this mess in the first place. She could just imagine her mother’s eyes glaring at her with smugness as Janine sat in the chair.

It was as if all the warnings her mother gave her about being careful collectively came together to say “told you so.”

Straining to keep her embarrassment down, Janine shook her head and sighed. “I’m sorry, but we can’t risk more unnecessary exposure. I don’t trust telling them in any capacity; until I’m sure that they’re safe to tell, we can’t let them know.”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Kiegal watched the young men train diligently as he stood a short distance away from them; whether they were distracted or not was hard to discern. He opened his mouth to say something to the group when his eyes caught movement in his peripheral vision. Turning his head fully, Kiegal saw the one man he somewhat wished hadn’t shown up: Greaves. Foolish thinking if he did say so himself, there was no way the Hunter would let this go quietly.

He saw Greaves' gesture, pointing out his brigade as they trained. Was he asking about them? Perhaps, but even then, he didn’t think the rest of the knights had to be privy to their conversation. Sir Kiegal walked to the man with a stoic face, keeping his display of calm and collected stature in the forefront of his being the whole way.

“Greaves, I was wondering when you’d be here. Come, we shall talk in the Tower,” Kiegal said as he gestured his arm towards the Order’s building. He kept the same stoic demeanor the entire walk back with Greaves beside him, opening the door to let the man in like an usher before church service before closing the door behind them.

“I assume you’re here to talk about certain…. things?” Kiegal asked as he walked over to his table further down the building.
 
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Raban looked towards the window, mixed in a heady set of thoughts about a lot of things. He was grateful he wouldn't have to leave in the midst of a heavy winter where foraging was ten times harder not just for him but for Chestnut too, or where the weather would catch him out especially if he had to go through a rough turn without Chestnut there, and other thoughts that went into 'what if' scenarios. However, that was not till a month or so from now and it left him mulling over what he should be doing other than preparing for his exile.

For the first time in his life, he did not know what to do.
And that was a scary thought.

He looked back to her as she reacted and spoke her feeling on what he had said. The more she refuted it all, the more he realised their tables had turned so much and he felt as he had when he was young and naive.

"She has you there."

Raban could not deny that. It was true in every sense of it and yet it had come from a well meaning place in heart and mind that two people who had formed a strong relationship with him over the years ought to have known his truth and were strong enough to see past the darkness within.

Yet he knew Janine was right.

How could he have so easily wandered into that trap by putting them in danger? The tables had also changed in other ways. Raban was no longer in charge of his own life in what he did or who he spoke to. His life was now under Janine's care and jurisdiction, and she had every right and power to do with that as she saw fit to. Raban hadn't been under that level of control since Cadfael had found him when he was eight. Perhaps one side of him recognised and resented that but he also recognised she was not controlling him in quite the same way or intent.

His frame shifted in the seat as Raban drew forward, setting elbows on his knees as he let out a groan of frustration and rubbed his face with both of his hands. He was frustrated at himself for not having thought that through as well as he normally would have done and had done in the past. He was not used to doing nothing beyond what he could help Tina with. The feelings of being useless and unhelpful to Janine in all of this was not lost on him.

Or on Chestnut.

"It will take time, Little Wolf. I doubt Janine thinks any less of you."

He exhaled in a deep breath of air, "I know... I know... I... Stupid..." he looked away from her again, annoyed at him and embarrassed for it. He knew why he wanted them to know; they were as good as family and he cared but in that same vein, they could not not or else they would be used against him.

"Wait... he thinks I'm dead?"

His mind had almost glossed over that as he stared at her owlishly and with no guards raised.



Greaves lip twitched. Kiegal almost looked as if he had not expected him to show up and that was a curious thing. Why would he not be here? Did he not have a right to be here, given things? That was strange in itself... but this whole thing was strange, the beast more so.

He pushed off the side of the wall and nodded content to not be so outnumbered with so many of the Commander's staff so close to them, "After you." He followed the man through the buildings that consisted of the Order's enterprise. Such as it was.

The door was opened and Jedidiah walked through only coming to a pause in the midst of the space. He half turned at the waist, watching as Kiegal moved for his table. Smooth.

"Damn right I am," he rounded on the question as if he had not quite believed they had come out of the Commander's mouth. The whole thing stank. "I leave that hall and that wretched beast was in the cage. Next time I go and check, it's gone and all anyone tells me is 'It's not my concern?' What gives, Sir Kriegal?"

Greaves stared hotly at him in his questioning, anger, frustration and disbelief.
 
Janine sighed as she watched Raban shift in his seat in frustration. She didn’t like denying Raban this way, especially since he talked so highly about the Longfellows, but she didn’t want to risk anything. Too much was at stake for her to just let things happen, and she had to keep the collateral damage minimal. Maybe one day there would be a time to tell the Longfellows of his secret, but now seemed like the worst time to do so.

Raban mumbled and grumbled and talked to himself (or maybe to Janine?), which made Janine lean back with her arms crossed. She kept silent so he could think better, hopeful that he was thinking this situation through more deeply than he currently was.

But then he spoke up again.

Raban asked about whether “he” thought he was dead. Janine blinked in confusion before searching her thoughts at what she said.

“He?” Janine echoed as she thought further. Oh, she did say something about being alive. And of course, Raban was talking about Greaves.

“Oh! Umm… I…. I don’t know what Greaves thinks. As far as he knows, you’re still alive and breathing. That he knows for sure. But he would never let you out of that wretched cage if he was in charge. Between you and me, I’d rather Greaves think you were dead if I’m honest,” Janine added with a scoff.

Janine lifted a brow at the question. Was Raban planning something?

“Why do you ask? You’re not planning anything are you?” Janine hesitantly asked.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​


Kiegal listened to Greaves make his complaint as he poured water into a cup. He wanted to know why his quarry was released, which was a valid question. He lifted the cup to his mouth to drink his water, putting it down when he was done talking.

"Firstly, I am surprised that my Knights talked to you in such a way. I apologize for their rudeness, and that will be dealt with accordingly," Kiegal said with a nod of his head.

“Secondly, I understand that you went through a lot of trouble to find a werewolf in our ranks, especially since I called you. But unfortunately, things got a bit more complicated than that,” Kiegal said with a small sigh.

“Sir Raban had shown himself to be a valuable Knight in all his years of being in the Order's ranks. During his time, not once did we have any werewolf incidents. And then there is the fact that he can change his form at will. It was shocking and revealing, and caused a lot of confusion, even in me, unfortunately,” the Knight said with a furrowed brow.

Even as he was speaking and recalling everything in his head he couldn't completely grasp the gravity of his situation.

“The Order has never seen anything like this before. We don't know what to do with circumstances like this, and as such, I had to take a different approach with it,” Kiegal concluded.

“Are your concerns focused on Sir Raban's character, or are they focused on the fact that he isn't restricted in the same place as before?” Sir Kiegal asked as he gestured to the cage in the far side of the large room.
 
Raban was not a man used to a civilian's life and yet this was now potentially the life set before him. He had known it was a time that would come but the bounty hunter had forced his hand. Forced many hands really. He wished he had given more thought into knowing what a regular civilian even did with their days. It had not been anything he had needed to worry about since Cadfael had found him, all his needs and requirements had been provided and had continued to be provided as he had grown. This new chapter of his life threw that all behind him and made him realise he had a lot of catching up to do.

He rested his chin on his hands, looking towards her before he nodded, "He would not have." That was of course if Greaves had to have kept in line with the protocols in accordance to Order law. Had it been outside of that, Raban would already be dead. However, if Greaves did think him dead, he couldn't deny the benefit even if he doubted the man would readily believe that. If Raban could gauge the hunter, the man would not rest in that believe until he had seen physical proof. A sole lack of an individual did not always equate to a death.

He peered towards the fire as he thought and reasoned, before blinking back at her at the question. Planned anything? Raban shook his head, "No... I'm not going to throw it in Kiegal's face or yours by breaking the terms of my house arrest."

"It was just how you said it, I don't know," he shrugged, "I doubt he'd believe it anyway, not till he saw my corpse or grave."

Raban sat back heavily in the chair, slouching and lost. He felt lost. No... adrift was perhaps the better word. He looked to the window and sighed softly before he looked back to Janine and smiled ruefully. "I'm sorry, Janine. Really, I am, for all of this. I've outrun this too long; I have no idea how normal people use their day and that thoughts' just sunk in."

"Besides, I can't do anything without your say. Or your mother's, really. Or at least I can assume Kiegal tasked you with keeping charge of where I go and what I do?"

Raban had been on the block long enough to know the potentials of protocols and it would not have surprised him for this to have made true for himself. Especially regarding what he was but it did raise a certain difficulty if he was bound solely to the house if the moon forced her way on him in her fullness.

He would have to speak to Tina, he had mucked out the horses and seen to their needs but he imagined she might have more jobs he could do for her over the winter months that'd help keep hi s mind busy. Raban was aware he had much to learn.

====================================
​
Greaves watched the man, folding his arms as he awaited an answer and then hung his weight on the one leg as he considered the following words he was given in reply. He did not interrupt the man, knowing this meeting would only be made longer than he had time or inclination for but he did snort at 'complicated'. How was dealing with such a beast complicated when the simple answer was to kill it. Jedidiah frowned, the fact the man they were dealing with was apparently valuable and devoid of previous attacks meant nothing to the Bounty Hunter. However, he could not deny the fact that Raban was able to change at will and lost nothing of the man himself in doing so was something he could agree to be a shocking installment into what he understood of werewolves.

"Shocking is an understatement and then some," he commented in a light huff, frustrated at the whole affair of the thing.

"My concerns are with the safety of humanity in this city and others like it, Sir Kiegal, as it ought be for you. Yet, you've deemed it safe, whatever 'safe' means for you, to allow it out of its cage. Whatever you knew or however you knew the man, he is not human. The fact he can choose the targets of his kill makes him all the more dangerous to humanity."

"There is only ever one answer to circumstances regarding its kind; kill them before they kill you. It's bound to have someone it didn't like that it'd not mind killing at all. Have you considered that reality, Sir Kiegal?"

He approached the desk and tapped a forefinger firmly upon its surface, "Because I have."

"I've kept to your ways of doing things since Raban was your own and he had been discovered during what had been an otherwise routine training lecture. This ends in Amastad, Kiegal. Where is it?"

Jedidiah knew he was calling the commander's bluff, but either this man was weak or had no clue as to how dangerous werewolves were. They were argueably far more dangerous than vampires as there was a specific way vampires were made and it was not in a vampire's interest to create more hunters that would drain their 'livestock'. Werewolves held no distinction or gravity of maintaining what they fed on. Their primal rage blinded them from that and if another werewolf was made in such a rampage, it wouldn't remember it happening anyway.

This new wolf was different perhaps in that... Another reason why it should not have left the cage. It had been safe in there. The fact it was no longer in the cage was beyond his comprehension to believe.
 
A simple misunderstanding of the tongue. Ah. Janine had to think about what she said next time.
“I know you’re frustrated; I am as well. As I’ve said before, we just have to take things slowly and carefully. The thing we need to ensure is that nobody knows where you live. Please understand; I don’t want you to feel like you’re leaving anyone behind, but at this point, you have to not exist for now. We don’t want anyone to see you, hear from you, or even smell you. As far as Greaves is concerned, you not being in pieces means you’re alive, and you being alive is all the motivation he needs to start another investigation,” Janine suggested.

“We've already established that Greaves will most likely find ways to find you behind the Order's back. And I'm not willing to make a move without knowing what to do first…” Janine muttered with a huff.

As far as she was concerned, she wanted to stay as far away from the dreaded man as possible. She hated the energy he gave off; it was unsettling and ominous, and he was a threat to both of them, not just Raban. She had to make sure that she didn't lose her composure around him, or else she might slip up.

At Raban’s apology, Janine leaned forward and put a supportive hand on his knee. “I know circumstances made everything go super crazy, but we can make this work. You’ll be a nice normal citizen before you know it,” Janine said with a small smile.

Soon enough, the door opened up, and Janine’s mother passed the doorway as she came in. Janine nearly yelped and recoiled her hand, trying to look as normal as possible.

With a laugh, her mother closed the door to show her bounty; meat, fruits, vegetables, and a very rare commodity: spices. Janine beamed at the small sacks of different colored spices, smelling and examining them like an excited child. Janine’s mother explained how she forgot it was the second Tuesday of the month because the streets were a bit less crowded because of the gloomy skies. The merchants risked setting up their booths in hopes of selling, and in doing so, she was able to discover a foreign merchant from across the sea; with a little bit of chatter, she managed to purchase the spices. Because of its higher price, she was rather proud of being able to obtain them.

Because of her excitement, she declared that she was going to make a stew for dinner, and everyone was going to help with it. Excited, Janine looked to Raban with excitement, her eyes and energy clear as day.

“Yes! We’re finally gonna have stew again! You’ll love it, Mom never makes bad stew,” Janine said as she put the bags down.

Janine’s mother told her and Raban to wash their hands before helping, and Janine did just that. She helped Raban wash his hands before doing the same, afterward setting out to help prepare the food for dinner.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Sir Kiegal stood behind his desk, listening patiently as the Hunter stated his frustrations. He should’ve expected this, for the man to not see eye to eye with him in his decision. In this light, he felt that Greaves’ thought process would be more… aggressive in his endeavor to get rid of Raban. But even then, he did not appreciate Greaves calling Raban ‘it’. He wasn’t a thing, despite not being entirely human. And he didn’t appreciate him challenging his endeavors as a Knight.

He was quiet until Greaves suggested that Raban would use his werewolf side to kill people as he pleased. His eyes narrowed at the idea.

“Are you implying that Sir Raban would go as low as to disregard his morals just to satisfy morbid thoughts? You don’t think he would have any dignity or strong enough conviction to be a good man?” Kiegal asked with growing agitation. How dare this man imply such an accusation?

“No, I do not think Sir Raban would do such a thing, not today, not tomorrow, not any other day. If he was a normal werewolf, I wouldn’t have any second thoughts about killing him at all. But he’s not a normal werewolf; this might not weigh on your mind, but it does for me. I have to make sure that everyone in my ranks is treated fairly, and I have to make sure that everyone is safe during such a time when one of the Knights is under scrutiny.” He walked from behind the table and stood up straighter as he stared down the Hunter.

“I don’t appreciate you considering the thought that I don’t look out for humanity’s wellbeing. I do my best to make sure every human is as safe as possible, including my Knights. I understand your arguments and I understand your conviction, but I have Raban moved for a reason. He will remain kept away from the open world until I’ve decided otherwise. He is not a free man, just relocated. This is for everyone’s safety. Do you understand that?” Sir Kiegal asked Greaves with a slightly tilted head.
 
Raban was a lot of things, frustrated included but he knew he had to get a handle on his emotions before they ran away with him. He could see what Cadfael would say right now and none of it pleasantly worded. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes for a moment before he reopened them and nodded. There wasn't really much else he could do, his hands were tied in that he wasn't going to stain his relationship with Janine by getting her into trouble with the Order if he had so misbehaved like that.

"You're just not used to having nothing to do or the usual worries meat sacks concern themselves with. Give it time, Little Wolf."

Time. He never used to have much of it, and now he had it in relative spades.
He looked up at her when he felt her hand to his knee, and snorted at her words, unable to stop himself from smiling at her. "I'm always nice," he mused at her, trying to not let the whole aspect of everything get him down. He knew he could be in a worse situation right now which could have included everything from torture to death.

He looked towards the door almost before it opened and was vaguely aware Janine had removed her hand quicker than a viper's strike. Tina looked very happy and was bubbling with energy. Now he saw where Janine got her own from. The joy was almost infectious and he smiled as Tina talked of merchants and vegetables and spices. Janine was already having a gander and he tilted his head, bemused. He was not used to this... Was this what a family life was supposed to be like? He had no clue, but he liked to think it was. Family life, for him, had ended when he was eight.

Raban rose from the chair and stretched lightly before he looked to Janine and nodded, "It sounds delicious already." If Janine was all jumping beans about the stew, he could not believe it to be anything less. He was glad to be able to help out, it made him feel less of a burden and whilst he had blinked, he hadn't stopped Janine helping him with hand washing before they helped Tina with the stew making. He made sure he observed everything and knew perhaps even could learn a few recipes from Tina herself that would be helpful out on the path once winter was over. He was capable, but he never had much opportunity to cook and he knew he had room for improvement.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Yes. I do imply such since werewolf morals are nonexistent. If a normal one has none, one an only speculate the level of a lack of morality an abnormal one has. You and your city have likely just gotten lucky it's not acted on it," he huffed back, irritated that this man was not seeing it his way. The man was clinging to whom the werewolf had been. It was a werewolf regardless of whether it could turn at will or not. It was not human. Not anymore.

He watched with a scowl as Kiegal moved and sought to intimidate him. The wiry hunter was not so moved as he stared back with a sunken gaze. However, it was evident he was not going to get anywhere with this man now her had decided his knight was still human and not worth killing to save his precious city.

It was no matter. He would find it eventually. It was just a matter of when.

"I understand you may have grossly made an underestimation of your so-called knight, Sir Kiegal. But I can see you're unmoved and any further protest I might have is going to fall on deaf ears. I just hope you're right because the residents of this city will pay for your negligence if you're not."

"No such thing as 'safe' with the likes of what your knight is, Sir Kiegal. You should acknowledge that."
 
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