Musicians were paid to perform, no matter the gossip or comments of the nobles that surrounded them. Famed musicians have continued performances even during a duel to the death. The Duke's musicians were not nearly so professional. The gentle strumming of strings and the single flute clashed for a moment with the sound of Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat's strike, then quickly settled, the notes still lingering in the air.

Alexis turned back to the smaller man, her breathing matching the focused pattern I had grown comfortable with. Her lips spread in a grin, white teeth showing clear through the blood before her jawbone clicked as it realigned itself. The bone crunched loudly as the joint slipped back into the socket. Her regenerative Skill wasn't nearly as effective as the mage assassin's. Hers was an active Skill, but she could continue to trigger it at the cost of growing exhaustion. I could still see her jaw's indent where the bone was broken, but Alexis ignored the damage even as it continued to heal.

Looking down at her former chief, Alexis' smile widened further into a savage look.

"The King asked that I not take you to task for your many failings. He wanted to continue the treaty in good standing with the Northmen. But this, even he would agree, demands satisfaction," Alexis said. Her voice came out slightly distorted through the broken jaw and swollen lip that even now was fading.

The Baron had offered up many different responses to the expected plots. The most likely was Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain forcing one of us into a duel. I was the primary target. My martial Skills were less well known. I had conflicts with the Mages by the nature of my profession and being Abby's Master. My death or loss would still cause problems for the King, the Baron, and Alexis. However, some words had been spared for if Alexis was challenged and the responses she should give if a duel was unavoidable.

None of us were expecting Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat, but this was an insult that could not be forgotten or forgiven. If Alexis let this go, she would lose her inheritance here and now.

Again, Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat struck out, this time on the other side. His movements were so fast that I nearly missed seeing the strike, and Alexis was only barely able to turn with the blow. The loud crack of his hit bounced off the side of her face, but she was moving with the strike this time and would only suffer a bruise.

Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain grabbed his chief's shoulder, pulling him away from Alexis. Shrugging away the restraining hand, Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat continued to stare at Alexis.

"falgha-lastifor! Do you accept my challenge?" Alexis shouted at first in her native language, the words clearly an insult.

Gritting his teeth, the shorter man spit out his response, "Tomorrow at noon, the Duke is our host and will provide a ring for our challenge! I will end your stain on our people and prove the lies of your mother."

Turning away, Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat marched from the silent room and back up the stairs, leaving Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain and Blood-of-the-Snowfed-Spring behind. The gathered nobles watched the man stalk away, then turned to watch the Northmen's continuing drama. Alexis waited until Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat left before turning again to Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain and raised a single eyebrow. The look was of bored disdain - only made more disturbing with bloodied teeth and the sound of a grinding jaw bone.

Tilting his head, Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain spoke in a deep, gravelly voice.

"With the respect you once showed me as your teacher, I ask to speak with you in private," he said as a look of shame crossed his face.

Shifting to a brief look of anger, she responded, "Given your actions, do you think you deserve the respect of being called a teacher?"

While the two large warriors spoke, Blood-of-the-Snowfed-Spring glanced between them. Her knowing look showed hints of sorrow at Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain being shamed by her daughter. That look said clearly that she knew precisely how Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain had treated Alexis.

Bowing his head slightly, Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain said, "I wish to ask forgiveness and a chance to explain my actions. I was left without a route of honor, only a choice of which dishonor I would suffer."

This seemed to pull Alexis from her anger, and she nodded to the large man. Glancing to me and the approaching thundercloud that was her father, Alexis gestured and strode from the ballroom. The ballroom of the Duke's mansion was a singularly large room set to the eastern side of the building. There were only two entrances, one for servants where food could be supplied, and the other through which we entered that passed through the house's central expanse where the Duke could show off the contents. Returning back through the halls, we diverted from the main hallway lined with portraits and statues to slip into a well-appointed library.

Alexis pulled open the double doors, passed through the room to the far side, and then leaned against the wall next to a large picture window. I followed her, then propped myself against the second door that led from the library and into a small office. The Baron took up his station next to the fireplace, his hands clenched by his side as he looked to the Northmen that followed behind him.

Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain stopped midway through the library then collapsed into a chair that faced Alexis and the wide window. He avoided Alexis' eyes as he stared into the darkness beyond the glass. When Blood-of-the-Snowfed-Spring closed the library door, he coughed and turned to his former student. Leaning forward, the large man locked his hands together, his head bending to touch his clasped hands.

"I have done you a deep wrong. I followed the orders of my chief and crippled your training. Turned the hunters against you and used my Skills as a smith not to help the tribe but to harm you," Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain said. His suddenly raised head showing a sudden trail of tears.

"The chief has obtained knowledge and training from the nobles of this kingdom, offered the secrets of our people, all specifically to harm you," he said. The admission seemed to cut into the large man.

"You-" I started before Alexis raised her hand to cut me off, her face never turning from her former teacher. At her movement, I stopped, then remained silent. As angry as I was, this was for Alexis to deal with. I would be there for her after.

"Why? Why would you do something so dishonorable? You had a duty to refuse any dishonorable order the chief may demand of you. Why?" Alexis asked, her voice rising before dropping into the sound of a lost child.

Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain hung his head, not answering the noble woman's heartfelt plea.

"Because I ordered him to do so," Blood-of-the-Snowfed-Spring said, stepping forward to put her hand on Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain's shoulder. At her words, Alexis' face collapsed in anguish.

"You bitch!" shouted the Baron as he stepped away from the fireplace, his words causing the older woman to flinch, her head bending as if from a blow.

"Why, mother? Why would you do this?"

I stepped away from the door and approached Alexis, my arms wrapping around the larger woman. Despite holding her, I stayed silent and kept my arms loose to let her accept or reject my support as she felt the need. Silently, I would support her, but I couldn't hide her from this betrayal.

"The day your magic manifested, the ancestors offered three paths forward for Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat. Train you as his replacement and relinquish his position as chief, or drive you from the tribe unharmed and under your own power," she said, then her words ground to a stop.

When her mother claimed the ancestors had demanded her action, Alexis calmed. Though, when her mother went silent, Alexis asked, "The last path?" with a tone still filled with anger and betrayal.

"All other paths led to the death of the North. Our people would die, and we would be destroyed by a wave of undead immune to the cold," said Blood-of-the-Snowfed-Spring with a tone of horror.

"Because of your delusions, you betrayed Alexis? You left her to be tortured by those she should have been able to trust?" the Baron demanded, his voice cracking as he said Alexis' name.

Alexis shook her head, then gave a sad smile to her father.

"She swore on her soul as a small child to do the will of the ancestors. To betray her oath would be to die. She had no choice," Alexis said.

"I had a choice. I could have died. I could have accepted our people's fate. I could have sent you to your father before accepting my own death," Blood-of-the-Snowfed-Spring said while tears gently rolled down her cheeks.

Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain nodded in agreement as the shaman spoke. When she was done, he looked up and spoke. "Blood-of-the-Snowfed-Spring has tried to convince me that I acted honorably by following the will of the ancestors. But…" he said before his words drifted away as he looked between Alexis and her father.

I was unconvinced with their excuse until Blood-of-the-Snowfed-Spring mentioned cold-resistant undead. With that, I could see how things would have progressed without Alexis. Abby would have remained a captive and been forced to produce Noble's Bane. The Mages would eventually have turned their attention to the north to stem what they thought was the source of the poison. They would have killed everyone to keep more of the critical herb from the north from coming into the kingdom. All while Abby continued to produce the weapon. Eventually, they would have discovered the actual source. Still, the north would have been aflame by then, and the kingdom would likely have marched to conquer the remains.

It was a stretch of coincidences and happenstance, all colliding to create the chosen result. We only had Blood-of-the-Snowfed-Spring's assurance as to the reason for her actions, but the shiver running down my spine made me think she had been telling the truth. By the look of Alexis, she agreed with me. Her father, on the other hand, didn't seem to care. His anger at the two remained.

Gently, Alexis pushed herself out of my arms and straightened, approaching the pair. Placing her hand on Ashen-Arm-of-the-Mountain's shoulder, Alexis reached for her mother and pulled her into a one-armed hug. Silently forgiving them for falling into a situation with no escape. Her father looked ready to pull his daughter away from the two, his anger growing as Alexis forgave her tormentor and her mother. Before he could move, I gestured to catch his attention. I shook my head and then looked to his daughter, trying to silently convey that he could change nothing here.

I wasn't sure if my message was entirely received, but the Baron leaned back against the fireplace and seemed to be trying to ignore the center of the room. I would speak with him later and see if I could help him see that Alexis wouldn't let him act against the pair. To her, they were serving honorably, and while she was hurt by their actions, they had no real alternative in her mind. It was Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat, who forced the tribe to act as they did to avoid their doom. I didn't even need to ask her, and I knew this was how she would see things.

Alexis would never have let Blood-of-the-Mountain-Cat escape her in tomorrow's duel, but now she had yet another reason to see him dead.