Lord Marcus was a black haired tall and handsome man in his early forties. He was normally quite approachable. But now he looked like molten lava. Although he had no weapons on himself other than a sword and his retinue being in the same position he walked to the 21 armed and armored men like he can beat all of them by himself. I was right behind him. “What the hell is happening here Alfred? How dare you come to my land this way” I always think Herch was some fat guy with swirly mustaches. But no, he was around 35 and quite handsome actually. Of course unlike Marcus who was known to be a rather great warrior, Herch was just a noble, having the land because of his ancestors.
Herch dismounted, he wasn’t wearing any armor, just very luxurious, colorful expensive clothes and his sword looked more like a fancy wall hanger than a real sword. He looked at Marcus with disdain. And said “Know your place you upstart, real nobility here.” Marcus grinded his teeth and said “State your business and begone” He said “I am here for my livestock as usual, an ungrateful serf who thinks he has more important things to do than serve me.” He pointed to Tom with his finger. I looked at him. He wasn't a coward but he was shaking. Eva looked like someone mourning a dead too. The villagers I saved from Gilbert were terrified too, they were trying to hide behind other people, but they were in no danger. I kept their paper just in case something like this happened.
Marcus said “Do you have any proof this is one of yours, his nephew of our carpenter.” Herch throw a paper to Marcus list of families from one of his villages called Tannersville, and four malnourished and in rags serfs come forward “Say it” They looked desperate but they had no choice they said “Yes he is the one, He is Tom Fall” My father said in surprise Fall?” I got near my father “He is from Tannersville” He turned to me and said “You knew and didn’t say to me? Why?” I said “I just read it from the paper on the lord's hands” He told me “When you learned to read.” Priest said “Yesterday from me” Father said “If I knew who he was I would have helped the poor boy more. Tom is your cousin. We need to save him.” I nodded.
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Lord Marcus said “We need proof before anything” Among armored people one of them dismounted her horse, this was a priestess of god of truth. They had the power to make people say the truth. She just raised her hand mana turned into purple strings, I looked at the priest, I wondered if I was the only one seeing it. Apparently I was. He looked clueless what was happening. So other magic users don’t see other people's mana and the mana transforming shapes they use. I just sat down, took out my paper and quill from my pouch and drew the shape. The strings got to Tom's head. He started to talk in a monotone voice “I am Tom Fall, I escaped from Tannersville from evil Alfred Herch” Herch turned the priestess “Isn’t he supposed to talk only the truth my lady?” She said “He can only speak what he can believe true my sir” He said “That stupid, ungreatfull animal thinks I am evil? What a travesty” Marcus started to speak “Look Alfred, he is going to get married, ok. I can pay you money so you can buy a slave instead of him” He looked in disdain and said “Look you bumpkin lover, I said this before, these animals need examples. If I don’t show them who is the master they just rebel. I am going to kill him quite entertainingly in Tannersville so they can see nobody can escape my justice.” I looked at Marcus, he looked quite helpless. I needed to step up.