Noble Solutions

by Schinhofen, Daniel

  “So not going to happen, then, not before it becomes moot...” Sean exhaled.

  “Even as a Knight, you couldn’t go after the one you are thinking of,” Mageeyes said.

  “No, I was thinking of an ally of his who’s a Knight,” Sean said. “Before I go after the one, I need to remove the underpinnings. You know the three I’m speaking of.”

  “Sadly, you are correct,” Bloodheart sighed. “As for the Knight you mentioned, I will be challenging him soon. My courtship with Amedee is becoming known, and my father seems to be accepting of the idea. It’s actually helping mend the relationship between us. He might allow me to challenge the pest.”

  “One less thing for me to deal with,” Sean said.

  Mageeyes gave Bloodheart a soft smile. “I will accept that as the next courting gift.”

  Bloodheart shifted in his seat. “Well, then, I will have to do it tomorrow.”

  A commotion started up near the inn doors, and Sean looked over to see what was happening. Three men stood in the doorway, wearing armor and carrying weapons. Their bearing and mithril breastplates spoke of their nobility.

  “Mithrilarm’s family,” Bloodheart said.

  “MacDougal, we have come to challenge you and your harlot,” the leader, an older man, spat.

  “You think killing the other Knights would teach them...” Sean sighed. He stood up and turned to face the men. “Who are you?”

  The older man sneered at Sean. “Knight Cullin Mithrilarm. Your wench there killed my son. We will have you, her, and Bloodheart for the dishonorable slaying of my son.”

  Bloodheart stood. “Dishonorable? He died in a duel.”

  “Where that… cretin… broke the rules of the duel, and you stood by, doing nothing about it?”

  Bloodheart inhaled slowly. “Are you accusing me?”

  “Yes!”

  Sean looked back at Bloodheart. “Toivo, is he skilled or something?”

  “He’s my father’s equal, in all honesty. I would worry about him by himself, but with his other sons here backing him, it will be tricky.”

  “Are you too afraid to face us?!” Cullin snarled.

  “This will be bad...” Sean sighed to Bloodheart before speaking to Cullin. “Look, I don’t mind killing you all, but the guard will try to arrest me again.”

  “Pura, go find one of the Carmady brothers,” Mageeyes said softly behind Sean.

  “Coward! You don’t deserve to be an Aspirant!” Cullin sneered.

  “Never wanted to be one,” Sean shrugged. “How many here heard them challenge us?”

  Hands all over the room went up.

  “We need a moderator who can be trusted,” Bloodheart added.

  “Yes, or the duel will be a mockery like the last one you moderated,” Cullin said.

  “My father?” Bloodheart suggested, his face going grim.

  Cullin considered the idea, then nodded. “Allowable, if he’ll come. It is well known that he would not care if you died.”

  “Wesa,” Bloodheart called, and a Messenger Fairy landed on his outstretched hand. “Tell my father that Knight Cullin Mithrilarm has challenged Aspirant MacDougal and myself, claiming that my moderating of his son’s duel was a mockery. I need him to moderate our duel.”

  “Yes, sir,” Wesa said before blurring away.

  “Now, we wait,” Bloodheart said. “Amedee, can you arrange drinks for them?”

  “We won’t drink in this… establishment!” Cullin spat. “That woman is not fit to be a Dame.”

  Bloodheart’s eyes went cold and he inhaled sharply, his chin coming up. “Insult to Mageeyes will not be tolerated. I am her champion and I have heard the insult. Regardless of your son’s pathetic attempt to duel, I would call for you to defend yourself now.”

  Cullin’s lip pulled back in a snarl. “You can’t even best your father, and you believe you can best me?!”

  “For Mageeyes, I could best the Queens’ champions,” Bloodheart said flatly.

  Cullin laughed, his two sons joining him.

  Sean clapped Bloodheart on the shoulder. “Which of the other two is the next most dangerous?”

  “Patik, the one with the shield and hammer,” Bloodheart said.

  “Helga, Patik is yours. Dismantle him,” Sean said simply. “What of you, dead man number three?” Sean asked.

  “Valorant Mithrilarm,” the other son smirked. “Only one of you is in armor. This will be quick.”

  “Hmm, that’s a good point,” Sean said, looking at their armor. “Is this duel going to be separate fights, or all of us at once?”

  “Separate and without Talents,” Cullin said.

  “We’re the ones who were challenged. We get to set part of this,” Sean snorted. “If you want separate fights, then it’ll be with Talents. Without Talents, it’s combined.”

  Cullin thought about it, then smirked. “You will fall to my son, and that will kill her. We’ll fight together.”

  “Works for me,” Sean grinned.

  Bloodheart kept his face impassive— he’d seen some of what Sean could do when they’d sparred before. “It will be tougher than you might think, Sean, but I will do my best.”

  “We’ll be fine,” Sean said. “They have no idea what they’re asking for.”

  The Mithrilarms laughed and went to wait by the door.

  Pura landed on the table. “I’m sorry, mistress. Both declined, as it would be out of their patrol area.”

  Mageeyes looked upset, but nodded. “Toivo, will you use the blade?”

  “Your honor was impinged, so yes,” Bloodheart replied.

  Mageeyes’ face mollified. “Good.”

  Wesa flashed back to flutter before Bloodheart. “Your father is coming, sir, along with your brothers. His words were as follows: ‘Tell him if he fails and lives, he will be stripped of his title. If he wins, I will grant him the right to challenge Knight Solanice.’”

  Bloodheart’s smile grew. “Perfect.” He raised his voice, “My father and brothers are coming to oversee the duel. If I lose and survive, I will be stripped of my rank.”

  Cullin’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Good.”

  “Will it be blood or death?” Sean asked.

  Cullin smiled evilly. “Death.”

  “Ven, check the area,” Sean whispered. “Make sure there are no ambushers.”

  The flashes of silver Sean saw made him smile. Everyone else looked around, curious as to what caused the mass exodus of Messenger Fairies.

  ~*~*~

  Time passed slowly as they waited for Bloodheart’s father to arrive. After a few minutes, Sean shrugged and took his seat again.

  “Might as well finish our drinks,” Sean said.

  Helga took her seat, copying Sean. “As you say, sir.”

  The three nobles stared at them with rage in their eyes.

  Bloodheart gave Sean a quizzical look, then laughed and took his own seat again. “Yes. I’ll either be stripped of my title, dead, or on my way to my heart’s desire. A drink sounds good.”

  “I think their heads are about to pop,” Joseph snickered into his mug.

  Sean’s back was to the door, so he couldn’t see the nobles. “They came for us. Fuck ’em.”

  Bloodheart looked at the door, and then toward Mageeyes. “They deserve the insult, considering what they’ve said.”

  “Oh? Is this an insult?” Sean asked.

  “Of course it is, you damned commoner!” Cullin snapped. “Do you know nothing about etiquette?”

  “I know which fork to use at dinner,” Sean replied. “I think that’s enough.”

  “I’ll have to help Sharpeyes. If his dumb wife thinks you deserve to be an Aspirant, she isn’t fit to be at his side.” The room stirred, but no one was going to point out how disrespectful Cullin was being toward the Lady.

  “And yet he’s lost every ally that’s gone against me,” Sean said calmly. “Is she dumb, or just more insightful? If you haven’t been in the city, how did you even
hear how your son died?”

  “Trying to cast doubt will not work,” Cullin snorted.

  “Wasn’t casting doubt. I was just wondering who painted the false picture you’re seeing,” Sean replied, draining off the rest of his wine.

  Patik turned to the door. “Father, they come.”

  “About time,” Cullin snorted.

  Sean turned in his seat to face the door. The inn door opened and a bear of a man in adamantine plate entered the building. Cold eyes looked over the room, taking in the scene, and his lips thinned. “Toivo, you’ve been challenged, but are drinking?”

  “I was drinking when I was challenged and had to wait for you, Father,” Bloodheart said as he stood. “What else should I have done? We offered them drinks and they refused, insulting Dame Mageeyes personally in doing so.”

  The elder Bloodheart’s eyes went to Mageeyes, who stared back at him. “My son is besotted with you, Dame. It looks like that infatuation is going to cost him dearly.”

  Mageeyes shook her head. “I have the utmost faith in Toivo, Knight Bloodheart. Your son has been ever the gentleman and is my champion. Even if Mithrilarm hadn’t called him to a duel for other reasons, he would still be fighting for my honor.”

  “Where is this MacDougal?” Bloodheart’s father asked.

  Sean stood, and Helga copied him. “I am Sean MacDougal, and this is my Soul Bonded, Helga Oathsworn. Who are you, sir?”

  “Knight Julian Bloodheart, head of the Bloodheart family in Hearthglen.”

  “An honor, sir,” Sean said. “The fight has been decided as three-on-three, with no Talents.”

  Flashes of silver stopped further conversation and Ven floated in front of Sean. “Sean, there were two unsavory men with bows positioned on the guild building. We’ve driven them off. Both will need to see healers, as they each lost an eye.”

  “Well done, Ven,” Sean smiled. “The square should be clear enough now.”

  Everyone in the inn blinked at Sean.

  Julian turned to Cullin. “An ambush? After calling out my son for being dishonorable?”

  Cullin sneered at Julian. “I would never! I have only ever fought and killed with my blade, as a Knight should.”

  Julian paused, then nodded slowly. “That is true. You, Fairy— did they have any insignia on them?”

  “None,” Ven replied. “If they did, I would have reported it.”

  “Hmm, fair point,” Julian nodded. “Very well. No Talents, and in the square. Are there weapon restrictions? Is it to blood or death?”

  “No projectiles, and death,” Cullin smiled darkly. “Say goodbye to your black sheep.”

  Julian nodded. “That is entirely possible, but would you kill him or see him disgraced and alive?”

  “We’ll see,” Cullin laughed as he swept from the room.

  “Fighters, come,” Julian said, leaving the inn.

  Sean, Helga, and Bloodheart followed Julian. Sean was aware of the others moving to get good views out the windows and doors.

  Julian looked back, then shook his head. “Do not step away from the inn.”

  “We will not,” Mageeyes said. “We just wish to see this from the best vantage point.”

  “Fighters, show me your weapons,” Julian said, approaching Sean’s group.

  Sean pulled Dark Cutter and held it up before him. “Be nice. He’s just looking.”

  Julian frowned at him, then took the blade. After inspecting it, he handed it back to Sean. “An adamantine blade has a chance to cut into their armor, at least. It is too bad that you are unarmored.”

  Sean smiled as his armor flowed over him. “No, I’m not.”

  Julian blinked, looking at the mithril armor. “A full suit of mithril? Expensive. And where was it hiding?”

  “Says the guy in adamantine,” Sean smiled, not answering the second question.

  “Yes, but I earned this armor. Have you?”

  “You can tell me when we’re done,” Sean said.

  “Very well.”

  Julian went to Helga, looking over her armor. “You outfitted her in the same?”

  “She’s my champion normally,” Sean shrugged, “so yes.”

  “Weapons?” Julian asked, not seeing any on her.

  Helga smiled and her spear and shield were suddenly there. “I will use these.”

  Again, Julian blinked, clearly taken aback by the armor and weapons appearing from nothing again. Taking the spear, he looked it over. “Rubies set in the haft…? Wasteful.” He handed it back to Helga.

  Helga took the spear back. “You shall see their purpose during the fight.”

  Going to Bloodheart last, Julian looked upset. “Blade.”

  Toivo Bloodheart didn’t move to draw the one on his waist, instead pulling the sword strapped to his back. The mithril blade came free easily, and he held it out to his father. “My champion blade. It is drawn in service to Dame Mageeyes only.”

  Julian took it and looked it over carefully. “Shaped, not smithed... good. The eye decoration is a bit much.”

  “Mage Sight is useful,” Sean said.

  Julian inhaled slowly, glancing at Sean, then back at the blade. “You made this, MacDougal?”

  “My friend asked me for a blade worthy of Toivo.”

  “Mage Sight can be useful, but will be useless in a fight with no Talents,” Julian said.

  Bloodheart took his blade back and held it in his left hand. He then drew his other sword and handed it to his father. “I shall be fighting double today.”

  Julian snorted. “It won’t deter Knight Mithrilarm.” He still took the sword and looked it over before returning it. “Your weapons are clear of poisons.”

  Sean glanced at Bloodheart when his father left to check the other group’s weapons. “You haven’t told him about it?”

  “It is Amedee’s blade. He had no reason to know,” Bloodheart replied.

  “You wanted it to be a surprise,” Sean chuckled.

  Bloodheart’s lips twitched. “Perhaps.”

  “That’s fine, considering Helga’s spear,” Sean grinned.

  Julian moved to stand between the two groups. “This duel is being overseen by me. The rules are death, no projectiles, and the groups will face each other. The fight will not be stopped unless someone breaks the rules and I step in, or until one side is dead or rendered unable to continue. Do all parties agree to this?”

  All six people agreed to the stated rules and Julian nodded before backing up to the fountain. “Form up and deploy the barrier,” Julian commanded.

  Sean watched the twenty armored men form a square around the groups. After a moment, a gray bubble surrounded them. Once it was in place, Julian, the only noncombatant inside the bubble, nodded.

  “Fight!”

  Helga shifted to the side, her eyes locked on Patik. “Come die to my spear. Your soul will be useful.”

  Sean went the other way, motioning Valorant with his sword. “Come on.”

  Bloodheart shifted his feet as Cullin advanced on him, his two blades at the ready. “Your son died because he underestimated his foe,” he said. “You do the same now with all of us.”

  Cullin was about to reply when a burst of fire and an agonized scream came from his left. Backpedaling, he looked to see Patik retreating from Helga, whose spear had a continuous flame engulfing him.

  “What is this?! No Talents!” Cullin snarled. “Bloodheart!”

  “It’s coming from the spear,” Julian replied with a raised eyebrow. “That is the weapon, not a Talent.”

  Cullin’s lip pulled back into a snarl and he launched himself at Toivo Bloodheart— he’d kill the lesser man, then the wench.

  Sean smiled when he saw the fire, but he didn’t look toward it, as he expected it. Valorant hadn’t and his gaze drifted over to see his brother being burnt. Sean lunged forward, intent on ending the fight as quickly as he could.