Oaths and Family Pt. 1
“What do you mean professor?” Jaune asked confused by the man’s words.
“I was the officiant at your wedding last night, Mr. Arc,” Ozpin said, drawing gasps from the teens and a disappointed sigh from Goodwitch.
“Why?” Jaune asked shocked at the headmaster’s admission.
“To be frank Mr. Arc, the reason is political. I was thinking that having a couple of students from two different schools get married would help the current geopolitical situation,” Ozpin said straightening in his chair. The four teens looked at him a mixture of confusion and anger on their faces.
“What?” Pyrrha asked barely keeping her emotions in check.
“By having students from different schools get married this close to the Vytal Festival, the tournament would have more drama and the tie between to the two schools would grow closer around this narrative,” Ozpin explained seeming unfazed.
“He is trying to cover up that this was his logic while more drunk that a certain reaper’s uncle,” Glynda interjected before one of the students tried to strangle the headmaster. Ozpin looked betrayed as the teens looked at him not sure if they should stay mad at the him or be disturbed that this is what happens when he drinks too much. “Also, we should mention that your parents have been notified and should be on their way. I would suggest you at least let them know you are ok before they arrive.”
“That won’t be necessary, Glynda,” came a male voice from behind the teens. The all turned around to see a man who looked to be an older version of Jaune walking out of the elevator he was a bit taller and sported a short beard his face was hard to read seeming to be made of stone. He wore scale armor that shown with a dull bronze color. On his back he carried a great sword that seemed almost as big as the man himself. Behind him was a woman who was slightly shorter than he was and had the same blonde hair down to the middle of her back in a lose braid and blue eyes; she was dressed in leather armor that was obviously made with purpose of stealth in mind it hugged her form enough to not be excessive but not enough to restrict her movement. Her face was plastered with a more obvious frown. Over her shoulder was a rifle that looked to Pyrrha like it would put her Milo and even Ruby’s Crescent Rose to shame in the way of pure fire power.
“Hi, Dad, Mom. Um, how did you get here so fast?” Jaune asked confirming the suspicions of the three girls that these were Jaune’s parents.
“We were already planning to come to Beacon to speak with you about your decision to go behind our backs to get here, when we got a message from the good professor here that you had gotten MARRIED WITH OUT EVEN INTRODUCING THE GIRL TO US!” Jaune’s mother stated her tone becoming louder as she spoke. At the end she was in her sons face berating him on why she was mad about not getting to be at her only son’s wedding.
Jaune’s father sighed he walked over to group of girls as Mrs. Arc drug her son away from them to continue her triad. “This has been her all the way here. I’m Tobias Arc, and woman over there tearing my son a new one is my wife Gwendolen Arc, pleasure to meet you all,” the Arc patriarch introduced himself and his wife, “might I ask which one of you married my son?”
Reese looked at the other two girls for help, finding none from her partner or the amazon she turned to the giant huntsman. “I am, Sir, my name is Reese Chloris, well Arc now,” she answered timidly.
The huntsman’s face broke into a giant smile, “No need to be so shy young lady, you are part of the family now, so you got no reason to fear me.” He wrapped an arm around Reese’s shoulders and pulled her into a side hug, “Just wait until you meet all of your new sisters.”
“Um, about that I think there is something we need to talk about first,” Reese said.
“And what would that be?” Tobias said confused.
“YOU GOT MARRIED WHILE DRUNK?!?!?!?” came a scream from across the room as Jaune told his mom why she had never met Reese.
Reese swallowed, “That.”
“What officiant in their right mind would marry two intoxicated teens?” Gwendolen asked Jaune, “tell me so I can rip them a new one.”
Jaune immediately pointed in the direction of the group still around Ozpin’s desk. When she looked at them the four women pointed at Ozpin. As Gwendolen Arc focused on Ozpin, he felt a chill go up his spine.
“Ozpin, you had better have a good reason,” the woman growled taking her rifle off her shoulder taking moment to note the girl her husband was standing closest to, “Is that her?” Tobias gave a quick affirmative. “We can get to know each other later sweetie, for now I have a head master to hunt. Any of you three want to get in on this?” She motioned to the other three women in the room.
“I would love to, Mrs. Arc. Ozpin could use a bit of exercise,” Glynda quipped adjusting her glasses.
The two teen girls looked at each other and nodded. Arslan thinking that no one messed with her partner like this, and Pyrrha seeing it as a way to vent her frustration at missing her chance with Jaune. All four readied their respective weapons. Ozpin looked at them and heard a small voice in the back of his mind narrate, ‘and it was at this point Ozpin knew, he fucked up.’ Ozpin stood from his seat and grabbed his cane. “Well look at the time. I must be going I have a meeting with General Ironwood in ten minutes. Farewell everyone,” with that he sprinted to the nearest window and jumped through it shattering the glass and soaring out into the open air. Leaving the occupants of his office stunned at his impromptu exit.
The Arc matriarch was the first to recover, “I’ll follow him out the window the rest of you go through the elevator. I’ll be sure to slow him down.” Glynda and the two girls nodded turning to the elevator as Gwendolen jumped out the window.
“Well that happened,” Tobias said walking up to his son. “So, you got married while drunk, huh?”
“Yes Sir,” Jaune answered.
“You know our family motto, ‘an Arc never goes back on his word,’ is absolute right?” Tobias asked.
“I was going to ask if it still applied to us being drunk,” Jaune said looking at his father with a small bit of hope in his eyes.
“It does, Son,” the older man looked at Reese, “the reason he is the youngest of eight children is after our fourth daughter was born, my wife got me drunk one night and made me promise that we would keep having children until we had a son. So, your oath as an Arc still stands, Jaune.” Both teens looked at the Tobias as the weight of the situation settled in.
“No,” Reese said making her way to one of the seats in the corner of the room. “No way I’m trapped in a marriage because I got drunk and met some guy the same night a crazy headmaster happened to be drinking, and the guy I married has a family motto he can’t break so I can’t even end it.” Tears started welling up in her eyes, “Why me?” as she started crying the two men were not sure what to do or say.
Jaune looked at his father who just shrugged, “For what it is worth she is your wife. So, be a man and try to comfort her,” he whispered.
“How do I do that?” Jaune whispered back.
“You gotta figure that out on your own.”
Jaune sighed and walked over to Reese and placed a hand on her shoulder she jerked away slightly, “You know your not the only one in this right?” Jaune asked trying to get a response from the crying girl.
“I know but it’s just a lot to take in,” Reese sniffed tears still falling freely.
“I agree it is pretty scary to be suddenly thrust into this.”
“What are we going to do? If we can’t divorce, that means we are in a committed relationship, but we barely know each other,” Reese sniffed.
Suddenly, Jaune had an idea of what to do next. He knew what he need to say, “Well if there is no way out of this. I guess we are just going to have to make the most of it, huh.”
“What?” Reese asked, as Jaune’s dad watched on with a small approving grin on his face. Tobias had pulled out his scroll and was recording the whole interaction for his wife to see later.
“We are going to have to get to know each other we will treat this like any other relationship. Just instead of us getting married down the line we will be trying our best to make this work. We will take it one step at a time and learn about each other just like if we had just started dating. After all, I think there is a whole part of the wedding vows that states we will be there for each other through thick and thin. So, Reese, I will do my best to be the kind of man that deserves a lady like you. After all an Arc never goes back on his word.” Jaune said all of this not entirely sure where it came from but knowing that it was the best thing to do.
Reese looked at him for a moment then laughed, “You don’t even know what kind of lady I am Mr. Arc.”
Jaune smiled and extended a hand to help her up, “Then how about we try and change that, Mrs. Arc.” She grabbed his hand and stood hugging him once she was on her feet. He stood there surprised for a second then returned the gesture.
“By the way that was really corny,” Reese said.
“That is just me,” Jaune replied.
“Nice to see you’ve learned to man up since you’ve been here, Son,” Tobias suddenly roared still holding up his scroll.
“Dad!” Jaune said as the two teens turned matching shades of crimson as they separated.
“What, I was just recording it so we can show your mother later that you have grown at least a little.”
“That is just wrong.”
“OH, OUM HELP ME!!!!!!!” came a scream from somewhere outside.
“I think the ladies have found Ozpin,” Tobias said.
“I’d hate to be in his shoes right now,” Jaune said getting a nod of agreement from his father.
“I still think he deserves it,” Came the answer from Reese the seriousness of her statement mollified by her still sniffing from her recent break down.
“Agreed,” both men said listening the screams of the tortured headmaster.