The little noble lady Althea forced the two barons to let them present their case before the Earl. Her own father was just a guest—he did not have any authority here, but Lord Cedric Cornvell did.
All of them moved toward the large banyan tree under which the barons were having breakfast with their sons.
"Althea! What is this now?" her father, the tall, packed man, asked.
Lord Cedric, on the other hand, stayed quiet, measuring the two barons and villagers with his unhurried gaze. Althea started telling the whole case as Sable had described—though she did not mention the 20 gold Thornmarch had offered to make it all go away. Auren was wearing a full-sleeve tunic, properly hiding his black bracer. To villagers, it was just strange-colored metal, but a nobleman would recognize the odd thing.
"This boy.. defeated two knights? Even severed one's hand?" Althea's father asked, surprised.
