Son of the Branwen

Chapter 83: Fault

Robyn: "You should have seen the look on Joanna's face! I don't think she'd ever lost a fight before that. At least, not fair and square."

Robyn burst out into laughter, before sitting up to check on her cell mates. Qrow was still stuck in his own thoughts, staring at Clover's pendant. And Jacques was frantically swatting at a fly that was stuck in his cell.

Robyn: "Tough crowd tonight. Guess Ironwood should have paid for better cell block entertainment."

Robyn got up from her bed, walking over to the wall of Qrow's cell, while Qrow quietly chuckled at her comment.

Robyn: "And he smiles. Did I win?"

Qrow: "Hey, it's your game. I don't make the rules."

Robyn's cheerful demeanour started to fade as she watched Qrow.

Robyn: "I'm sorry for what happened. It wasn't your fault.

Qrow: "It was, though. I made a deal with the darkness, and he paid the price. It was all happening so fast, but Clover wouldn't let up. Could have worked together against Tyrian if Clover just... but the thing that really stings? For the first time in a while I thought, maybe, maybe I could be around somebody, anybody, without my semblance making it... complicated. And now, it just feels like a childish dream. Gone... like everybody else."

Robyn: "But... you still have your son, Hawk. You haven't lost everyone."

Qrow bowed his head in shame, while Robyn could only watch with worry.

Qrow: "Hawk... oh kiddo. Did you know... I used to have five children."

Robyn's eyes widened in surprise as Qrow began to absentmindedly run Clover's pendant along his fingers. Tears caused his eyes to glisten as Qrow pictured his family, sitting back home on their couch. The five would always manage to squeeze themselves onto the couch, some days with blankets over them to make pillow forts.

Qrow: "Hawk had four sisters... and they were very special, in more than one way. They were pieces of Hawk, five individual souls bundled up in one. For the longest time, they were my reason to live, to fight against my semblance..."

Qrow slowly stood up, his fists clenching as he began walking around his cell.

Qrow: "Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. My girls. Gone... whisked away from us unfairly. You're right, I haven't lost everyone... yet. But... with how things are going... how much longer can I keep what matters most to me safe."

Qrow punched one of the walls, before resting his head against it. Robyn glanced down at her hand, and gently placed it against the cell wall dividing them as Qrow flopped back onto his bed.

Robyn: "Believe it or not, I know a little of what it's like for a semblance to make things difficult."

Qrow had glanced towards her as she spoke.

Robyn: "When people are worried you're gonna sniff out their secrets, they tend to push you away. It makes a real connection... difficult."

Qrow: "I... never thought of it that way."

The three jumped a bit when the door to the chamber opened. Atlas soldiers were dragging Watts back to his cell, with Marrow and Harriet providing additional escort.

The soldiers tossed Watts to the floor of his cell, as Marrow started booting up the security wall again. Harriet stormed towards Qrow's cell, glaring at his hand that was clutching Clover's pin protectively.

Harriet: "You don't get to keep that."

Qrow: "I didn't kill him."

Harriet: "You keep saying that, but it was your weapon covered in his blood. Guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering the monster you call a son is a traitor to the entire world."