Facing the Past

“Don’t worry about it”, insisted Violet and smiled slightly.

“But… I…”, said with an apologetic tone.

“I said, don’t worry about it! Now stop making that guilty face! It’s not your fault the troll fell on top of it… Besides it was I that let go of it in the first place…”

They both looked at the wood splitters and the amethyst between them on the table. It was the remains of Violet’s staff after the troll had crushed it under his dead body. Violet sighed.

“You can’t cast any spells now, right?”, asked Cera sitting next to her.

“No… well I can still create a small flame or a weak wind blast, but nothing more powerful or more complicated that that…”, said Violet defeated.

“Isn’t that good news? I can finally rest easy and do not have to fear getting blasted with a fireball because of some unreasonable mood swing!”, interjected Caleb with a weak smile.

“I can still stab you.”, countered Violet and touched the hilt of her short sword.

“Ah fuck… Alex, why the hell did you have to teach her how to use that thing? That woman was dangerous enough without it…”

Caleb, Cera and Violet chuckled at that. Alex still stared at the staff remains with a guilty face. Violet furrowed her brow and looked at him.

“You know what that means, right Alex?”, she said to him.

“What?”, asked Alex and looked up.

“Since I can’t cast any meaningful spells anymore, I expect my Protector to take up the responsibility and give his all to keep me safe!”

Alex looked her into the eyes.

“I will protect you with all I got.”, he swore.

“Good… then how about we eat something? Hey, can we get something to eat?”, exclaimed Violet.

“Coming right up! Just give me a second!”, shouted a middle-aged man.

They sat inside an Inn where they tended to some of the wounded after the bandit attack. The middle-aged man came over to them with a simple meal of stew, a chunk of bacon and bread.

“I’m afraid it isn’t fancy but there is more where that came from… all for free of course, for the savior of our village.”, he said.

“Say good men, is it common that bandits just attack a whole village? Isn’t there a lord or count around, supposed to keep them in check?”, asked Cera.

“It used to be safe here in the old days… but it all changed when the… incident happened, and the new count took over…”

Violet pulled her hood deeper as she heard that. Only Alex and Caleb noticed.

“What do you mean by that?”, asked Cera further.

The middle-aged man seemed a bit nervous and looked around.

“Well, since the new count took over, more and more bandits roamed the land. They even started attacking villages. Strangely enough only villages that refused to pay the taxes to the new count were attacked at the beginning… Now those that could not pay as well… I guess we were short this month…”, he explained.

“And the new count does nothing against the bandits?”

“Well, not exactly nothing… He always rides out with his men to slay or arrest the bandits… but unfortunately, he always arrives after the bandits have burned, robbed and raped. But he always avenges the victims, according to him… how noble of our good count…”

“You don’t sound like the greatest fan.”

The middle-aged man just shrugged and vanished back into his kitchen.

“That does not sound good…”, said Caleb pensively.

“We should go, befo-“, whispered Violet but got interrupted by the loud opening of a door.

Alex sat with his back to the entrance, so he could not see who entered just now, but he didn’t have to look. Violet’s face told him everything and he felt a sudden rage swelling up inside of him.

“Well, look at that! I came rushing here to defend my good people because I heard of a bandit attack, but all of them had already been slain. And what do I find instead? Someone who I thought to be dead for so long. Good to see you well, Violet… my love.”, said the newly arrived.

Alex heard heavy footsteps behind him, someone in plate boots came closer. Violet’s face was as pale as a ghost.

“Oh, what a lucky day! This must have been fate! I promise you to keep an even more watchful eye on you than last time. This time I won’t lose you so easily.”

The footsteps got very close. Alex stood up and turned around. He saw the man, that he never met, but was very familiar with and barred his way. Eduard, clad in pristine full plate armor, except the helmet paused and looked confused at Alex, standing in front of him with a bloody and slashed linen shirt.

“And who are you?”, asked Eduard furrowing his brow.

He placed his hand casually on the luxurious looking hilt of the pristine sword on his waist.

“Her husband.”, said Alex curtly.

He placed his hand in an equally casual manner on the worn-out handle of his well-used axe. Eduard’s eyebrows went up in surprise.

“Well, now we have a problem... because the one you claim to be the husband of, is my dear wife Violet, who I thought dead for so long… And since we never got divorced, we are still married by the law… so that makes you… unnecessary and I would prefer if you bothered someone else with your made-up stories… and your smell.”

“You got the wrong person.”

“What? Do you really think I don’t recognize my wife? Even if she tries to hide her red hair… That woman right there is Violet von Tuerkis daughter of the late count Marius von Lila. I have known her since we were little children and have loved her for equally long. And look, she recognizes me too… you can see that on her loving face.”

Alex turned around and looked at Violet. He saw nothing loving in her face, only fear, dread and hatred. Alex turned back to Eduard.

“Leave.”, he said slowly.

“Oh? And what if I don’t want to… leave?”, asked Eduard with a mocking tone.

“Then I’ll make you.”

“Are you threatening me? Don’t you know who I am?”

Eduard stepped closer. Alex was at least a head shorter, so he had to look up now, but he did so unperturbed.

“You are Eduard of the house Braun. Married into the house of Tuerkis and made their heir according to the law of succession. After an… incident… which left you and Violet the lone survivor of the family you assumed the place as head of it and took the title of count. And no, my dear friend here is not threatening you, he is merely challenging you to a duel for the hand of our dear Violet right here.”, interjected suddenly Caleb.

“What?”, said Eduard and Violet at the same time.

“What what? Don’t you know? According to the laws and traditions of the Huelsn Empire a man can challenge another man to a duel for his wife.”, explained Caleb.

Eduard began to smile.

“You seem to be well versed in our tradition… but don’t you forget something?”, he said making a evil face.

“Oh, and that is?”, asked Caleb curiously.

“The challenged can set the conditions of the duel and the challenger has to agree to them.”

“Nah, I didn’t forget, I just found it unnecessary to mention.”

“You can name any conditions… I’ll beat your ass even unarmed and naked if I have to.”, said Alex immediately.

Eduard smiled triumphantly.

“Very well then… come to me tomorrow and I’ll teach you some manner … I take it my wife still remembers, where… our… home is?”, he asked.

Violet nodded.

“Good… then until tomorrow…”

Eduard turned around and left the Inn.

“Why did you… a duel?... Why did you agree? He always was a good sword fighter… unarmed? Why did you say that? He’s gonna k-“, began Violet panicked but paused, because Alex had turned around.

Violet saw the look in his eyes and was reassured.