Arnaud Malpart

*You survived! That comes with a price!*[src]
Arnaud to Amicia de Rune

**Arnaud Malpart** (pronunced are-no), also known as the **Wall**, is the former knight of Count Victor de Arles' army and now leads an group of mercenaries in the Red City in the region of Provence. He serves as Amicia de Rune's adversary during her time in the city, but later acts as guardian and companion to her and Hugo.

Initially, Arnaud was a ruthless mercenary hunting Amicia down for revenge after she kills his men. He gives her a concussion, but fails to kill her when Hugo summons rats to chase him away. Later, when Amicia is too weak to escape a horde of rats, he saves her life, and even helps the siblings find the means to travel to La Cuna. However, he secretly attempted to manipulate Hugo into using his rats to assassinate the Count, with no regard to Hugo or Amicia's safety. After the siblings save him from execution, he fully supports them from then on.

## Biography

### Background and Early Life

Arnaud was a knight in Guyenne before the plague demolished the land.

### Arnaud's Shield

Arnaud has a large tower shield which he cares for greatly. It is burned and battered, and the bottom has been broken. It bears the symbol of a griffin, a half-lion, half-eagle creature symbolizing courage and cunning. It was once Arnaud’s coat of arms. His shield has served him for years, including battles in Spain, Burgundy, and Guyenne. It broke in Guyenne and he says that was the only time it failed to protect, elaborating that it was not himself, but someone he shared his coat of arms with.

Arnaud's son died. The Count is at fault, and Arnaud has devoted himself to gaining vengeance.

When Hugo remarks that he wants to see Arnaud dance, Arnaud replies that he is "thirty years too late".

### Death

Arnaud dies in a battle with the Count when, while fatally impaled, he pulls himself closer in order to rip off his helmet and give Amicia a clear shot.

## Physical Appearance

Arnaud is a toweringly large man with an unkempt beard. He describes his body as being "as battered as his shield". He wears two golden rings on his right hand.

## Personality

Arnaud is ruthless on the surface, but Sophia claims he's been through a lot.

Arnaud snores loudly.

## Abilities and Skills

Arnaud is a skilled combatant. While in Amicia's party, he can be ordered to face enemies head-on. The noise of combat can attract nearby enemies, and if the enemies outnumber Arnaud for too long, they will eventually kill him.

Arnaud uses a large, durable tower shield, and in one case even uses it to help cross a cave of rats by allowing Amicia to shoot it with a flaming crossbow bolt.

## Relationships

### Sophia

Arnaud and Sophia have known each other a long time. Whether she likes him or not "changes with the wind", according to him. She owes him a favor for him not killing her when he was ordered to; she fulfills this by taking him, Amicia, and Hugo to La Cuna, no questions asked. In conversation with Amicia, Sophia says, "He's a bastard, I know. He has reasons to be. Deep scars.. Not that it excuses him, but..."

### Amicia de Rune

The relationship between Amicia and Arnaud is quite special. Arnaud left Amicia a "memory" during their first meeting, then after Amicia fled with Hugo from the men of the Count of Provence, she was going to abandon herself to the rats by exhaustion and falls incontinent, but Arnaud rescues her. Intially, there were tensions between the two, but Arnaud knew someone who can lead the siblings to "La Cuna", which prompts Amicia to stay with him. During a discussion, Arnaud mentions he had served in Guyenne as a soldier (on behalf of Provence), which brings the two characters a little closer.

When the group arrives on the island, the Count gives a speech and Arnaud takes Hugo's arm and talks about their "market". Amicia discovers Arnaud struck a bargain with Hugo that if he took them to La Cuna, Hugo would have to kill the Count by summoning his rats, creating a lot of tension. Subsequently, Amicia will hold a grudge with Arnaud, despite Hugo being attached to him. Later, before his execution, Hugo convinces Amicia to save him as they are escaping the island. Arnaud apologizes for his actions and fully supports her from then on.

### Hugo de Rune

Arnaud takes a liking to Hugo and goes out of his way to make him laugh often. Hugo thinks he's funny and says he looks like a bear. Despite Arnaud nearly manipulating Hugo into killing the Count and endangering his life, Hugo forgives him and insists Amicia to save him while the siblings are escaping from La Cuna. Later, Arnaud apologizes for his actions and truly cares for the boy.

### Count Victor de Arles

Arnaud's main motivation is revenge on Victor for the death of his son. He has known Victor for a long time, possibly since before the plague in Guyenne, and can give Amicia insights into the man's motivations. He reveals that the man was driven to madness by war, not by Emilie's death, claiming that Emilie's cult was "his outlet, not his origin".

## Quotes

*You survived! That comes with a price!*[src]
To Amicia de Rune

*So, if you want to get to La Cuna after the mess you made, it's that boat or a ten mile fucking swim.*[src]
To Amicia de Rune

*Nothing's totally dead till it's completely buried.*[src]
Arnaud

## Trivia

* The name **Arnaud** is of French origin and means "ruler of eagles".
* Arnaud takes on the role of Rodric from *A Plague Tale: Innocence*, a befriended outcast who is strong and emotionally supportive to Amicia de Rune.

## Gallery

Amicia meets ArnaudArnaud's shield on fire to escape ratsArnaud as an allyArnaud scared by ratsArnaud fights a soldier
## References

1. ↑ Dialogue in A Sea of Promises, during the sub-chapter "Celebration of the Brighter Days".