"We're not here to fight." Henrik stares evenly at the elderly man seated behind the large table, "But we will if we have to."

The elderly man leans back in his overstuffed chair, his eyes gleaming like a hawk. By his side are his two sons, one morbidly obese and sweating profusely in the heat of the study, while the other pulls at his pony tail with a grimace on his face. Amanda maintains a coolly polite look on her face while Christina stands ramrod straight, tensed for action.

Henrik spares a moment to glance about, noticing the trio of red clad maids standing squarely behind his group. Ordinarily, he would laugh at this attempt at intimidation. The strength his group could bring to bear would make dealing with sword masters trivial. But within the close confines of the study, the equation had changed. Henrik had no doubt that at this range, he would be dead before managing to finish casting one of his spells.

"There's only one baron of Southmarsh." the old man's voice rings out, as hard as steel.

"And that isn't you, Raymond Dasar." Henrik cuts in bluntly, "Your family failed to meet the conditions set by the crown. Southmarsh has been granted to the Izzaks."

"You guys are nothing but squatters!" Christina says with a pout.

Henrik notes with satisfaction the angry twitch on the face of Richard Dasar as he places a calming hand on Christina's shoulder. Christina's plucky outbursts have the effect of throwing the fake Baron off balance, but Henrik did not want the man completely incensed. At the end of the day, the best way to handle this situation was to cow the Dasars with a show of force. Baiting them into fighting would be counter productive.

"Hey! Watch yourself." the obese cretin, Richard Dasar, growls jowls shaking, "You said you wanted to talk, so we let you in. We can throw you out for bad manners anytime."

Ramon turns around, looking out of the window as his older brother fumes. The gendarme might not have assembled into battle formation yet, but the large number of tents sprouting up all over the ruined districts of Southmarsh is proof of how serious things had gotten. No matter how strong the Dasars were, they were not walking out of this fight unscathed.

"Bad manners. Yes." Henrik clasps his hands with a serious expression, "I intend to address that issue as well. Particularly your son's bad manners towards my comrade."

Raymond Dasar's eyes flick toward Amanda, the steel within wavering ever so slightly.

"Answer me when I'm talking to you, asshole!" Richard Dasar bellows angrily.

"Have you come here to fulfill your duties as my younger son's wife?" Raymond Dasar asks Amanda in a flat voice.

"My answer remains the same, Baron Dasar." Amanda performs an elegant bow, "I'm afraid that I cannot."

"Amanda! Please!" Ramon pipes up, "Didn't you hear how I fought the bear? I did it for you!"

"Ramon, it has nothing to do with you or your family." Amanda smiles sadly, "Its my fault. If I am going to marry, it will be for love."

"You could learn to love me?" Ramon shoots back hopefully, "Like, I do love you Amanda. I really do."

"You love many women." Amanda remarks wearily, clearly having had this conversation with Ramon before, "I believe love to be rather more exclusive."

"That being said," Raymond Dasar interrupts, "there is still the matter of duty, something a royal knight like yourself should understand."

"I was promised by my parents to Ramon." Amanda tilts her head slightly in assent, "That is why I'm here today. Enough trouble has been caused over this matter."

With that prompt, Henrik deposits an attaché case on the table and opens it, revealing a healthy pile of gold coins piled high within.

"House Robeur is willing to reimburse the Dasars for the dowry paid to Amanda's parents." Henrik explains to the stony faced patriarch, "There shouldn't be an issue with letting Amanda have her freedom."

At this pronouncement, Richard deflates visibly while Ramon bites his knuckles, suppressing the tears building up in his eyes. Ramon may love many women, but that doesn't make the humiliation any less.

"With this, there should be no dispute as to the Izzak's rightful title over Southmarsh, am I correct?" Henrik continues mildly as Raymond begins to sweat.

The gold glistens under the lights mounted on the walls of the study. Henrik speaks no further, letting the situation do the talking for him. Take the money and run. Or stay here, fight and quite possibly die in the bargain.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Raymond's hand closes in on the attaché case with tortuous slowness, his face riven by conflict. Richard and Ramon alternate between aghast looks and relieved resignation. Henrik smiles inwardly to himself. The Dasars know full well that fighting an actual war is a far different proposition than pushing random people around.

And on Henrik's own part, there's nothing better than fighting a war already won. It took him some trouble to persuade the Grandmaster to release the gold needed to pay the Dasars off, but spending a bit money was far better than getting more gendarme killed on their watch. House Robeur was already on thin ice thanks to Nair's antics, getting involved with the Dasars was a means of earning merit back, not stirring up more trouble for themselves. The Dasars would be easily dealt with anyway, once they vacate this fortress. Henrik wasn't stupid enough to let a bandit clan get away scot free and get paid for it in the bargain.

After all, the Dasars had the gall to besmirch a maiden's honor.

Henrik gives Amanda a meaningful look, but she merely responds with a empty nod. Well, no matter. Amanda would understand one day. Henrik's sure of that as well.

"I -" Raymond begins to speak, but the door of the study begins rattling as someone twists the knob back and forth in rapid succession.

"Who the hell is that?" Richard barks as the battle maids tense, ready for action. Henrik on his part, protectively stands in front of Amanda and Christina, his lips drawn into a tight line.

The door creaks open, despite being securely locked. A woman wearing a midnight lace veil blithely enters the room before abruptly stopping short as she is confronted by the battle maids and their drawn swords.

"Oh ..." the woman mutters, taken by surprise by this encounter.

"Hey! You're blocking the way." a familiar voice complains from outside, causing a bad feeling to creep up Henrik's spine.

"Mac?" Ramon asks, leaning forward slightly.

"Yeah, I'm here Ramon." the voice shouts before going back to complaining at the veiled woman, "Will you just move? Loaner's getting antsy."

An arm extends from the door's open gap and pushes the woman aside and a face Henrik never wanted to see ever again makes its appearance.

"Nair." Henrik snarls.

Raymond Dasar however, is distracted by his own concerns.

"Alice, is that you?" Raymond says breathlessly, getting up from his chair, "You really came back?"

"Its been a long time Raymond." Al responds hesitantly before giving a shy wave, "Hello Ramon. You've grown up."

"I ... I ... " Ramon's mouth opens and closes helplessly as he vainly tries to marshal his thoughts.

Its a beautiful moment. Spoiled by the impatient neighing of a horse.

Alice walks toward Raymond, ignoring everyone else completely and the two of them tightly grab at each other's hands. In the background, Nair leads his horse through the door by the reins.

"Why is your bodyguard letting his horse walk through the manor?" Richard asks his brother with a confounded expression on his face.

"I've waited so long, hoping against hope ..." Raymond begins to cry.

"Al! Al!" Nair yells, "Loaner's stuck! The door can't open any further!"

"Trust you to turn everything into a farce, Nair." Henrik snarls, thunder clouds forming at his brow.

"Will you just hold a moment?" Nair snaps back, "I'm busy right now."

Nair attempts to force the door open to let his horse through, but as he had said, it had been stuck tight on the hinges. Nair pushes his horse's head back out before noisily butting the door with his shoulder.

"Enough!" Henrik roars but no one can hear him over the sound of Nair shoulder checking the door.

"THE DOOR'S NOT MOVING AL!" Nair shouts, trying to get Alice's attention.

"Hold on, I need to help him ..." Alice sighs to Raymond and they reluctantly release their hands. She then goes back to the door and starts wrestling with the knob again. The battle maids stand to the side, completely forgotten in the commotion.

"Mac? What do you even think you're doing?" Christina demands hiding behind Henrik's back, chewing her lip nervously.

"Trying to get inside obviously." Nair responds as his horse stretches its head to peek into the study, "By the way, don't think I've forgotten how you tried to kill me."

"You are a wanted criminal -" Henrik snarls, preparing for trouble.

"You too, Henrik." Nair squares his shoulders in challenge, "Let's cut the bull and get down to brass tacks. Duel, right now."

"Duel?" Christina yelps.

"This is ridiculous." Henrik snorts, "We're not obliged to duel a criminal."

"I'm not a criminal in Southmarsh." Nair steps forward, chest to chest with Henrik, "So let's duel. Two of you against one of me."

"We came under the banner of peace though." Amanda speaks up from the side, "Is this really appropriate?"

"I'm not a member of the Dasars, so its fine." Nair airily waves the objection away, "Sorry, don't recognize who you are."

"Amanda." the healer performs an graceful curtsey, blushing, "Please treat me well."

"Stay away from Nair," Henrik warns the healer, "he's -"

"There! Finally!" Alice throws the door open and Nair's horse leisurely canters into the study with an irritated look on its face.

"ENOUGH!" the Dasar patriarch slams a fist on the table before sweeping the attaché case and its contents to the floor.

"Raymond?" Alice hesitantly asks.

"The Dasars won't be driven out of our home so easily." Raymond Dasar declares to Henrik, "Take your gold back and leave!"

Henrik takes a look at the gold scattered all over the floor before snorting coldly. Seeing that Nair had gone oddly quiet, he pushes the sword master aside before leading his group out of the study. Amanda however lags behind, leaning close to Nair.

"This is different." she says happily, "But I like it too."

"We're leaving." Henrik says for emphasis and with that the trio drift out of the study, escorted by the battle maids.

"Well, that was a thing." Richard finally manages to comment as he scratches his belly.

"I don't know what you were up to," Raymond Dasar eyeballs Nair, "But your antics prevented me from doing something I would probably regret. So thank you."

"Oh hey, Ramon." Nair finally comes to from whatever trance he was in, "There's stuff I need to report."

"I'm sure you do Mac." Ramon grins while shaking his head ruefully.

"I'm sure you do."