"Ma...Pa! Come quick! Voric's trying to kill Isthan!" Ceric's voice rang throughout the house as he crashed through the door. He was breathless as he flew into the house.

Ithos got up instantly, his eyes dark with rage, "That little git. He's be trouble since his family got here."

Myrai threw a shawl over herself, "Ithos, you go first. I'll be right behind ye. I'm going to give Miri to Sera first."

Ithos nodded and rushed out with his boy. Myrai was no less angry than her husband, but she had to take care of their young daughter. She hurried down the road and spied Sera herding her goats, "Sera, take Miri for a while. Someone's attacked my boy." Myrai called out. Sera's eyes widened in alarm.

"Miri. Stay with aunt Sera and behave. Yer Pa and Ma hafta go crack some heads open." Myrai said as she handed the five year old over, she muttered, "They just don't learn." She turned around and headed back to her house.

"Aren't ye going to the village Aunt Myrai? Why ye headin' home?" Sera called after her, Myrai turned to her, "I ain't going into town empty handed."

Sera shook her head and bounced Miri on her knee, "I don't know who angered this two, but whoever they are, they're going to be missin' limbs after this."

Ithos had just arrived into the town's square when he saw an incredible sight.

A gangly boy whose face was covered in filth, stood crying by a large, seething man built like a mountain with a bulging stomach. In his ham fisted hands he carried a large butcher knife. He pointed that butcher knife at the face of a youth with black hair. The big man swung his knife at Cybelline who didn't even flinch while everyone around her cowered.

The massive man was spitting and red from rage, "Ye filthy little shit. Ye broke my boy's collar bone."

Cybelline chuckled, "How ironic, have you taken a look at your boy? Now that's what a filthy little shit actually looks like."

Voric's howls grew louder when he heard this as he tried to wipe as much manure off his face. A woman rushed forward, her voice higher than an eagle's screech as she pointed to Cybelline, "I know ye, yer Ithos's new orphan. Do ye think ye own the place, bullyin' us poor villagers like? Everyone knows that Ithos collects broken trash and mongrels who mayhap have folk blood. We should burn ye where ye stand."

She grabbed onto the boy bully and started howling, "Look what ye did to my boy!" The crowd frowned and some turned away from the stench.

"Look what he did to my brothers!" Berin roared as he propped up Isthan, Ryion supported Isthan on the other side. Half of the boy's face was bruised and one arm hung at an awkward angle. Ryion's nose was entirely broken and blood poured down his tunic."

Ithos stepped foward. A gnarled hand stopped him, he looked to his left. The headman of the village, Seithos, shook his head, "Let me try first?" He murmered to Ithos, "They're ignorant peasants. Ye would cut them into ribbons like last time."

"He's a filthy mongrel!" The woman's voice could cut glass as she shouted at the crowd, interrupting Seithos's quiet counsel, "And if my boy treats him as such, what of it?"

Voric whimpered and said pitifully, "They attacked me first. My friends and I were just playin."

"Lies!" Cried Berin, "He grabbed Ithos and Ryion by their hair and pushed them to the ground. Then his friends started punching and kicking them. If I hadn't got there, they would've killed them."

"Enough!" The mountain of man glared at the crowd, "I'm going to cut off those boy's arms for what they did to my son. Anyone who dares get in my way, I'll cut ye too."

The headman stepped forward, "Gargan, this is a fight between children. How can ye say such a thing?" He shook his head, "We can ask Relana to make a few truth spells and see what really happened. Ye and yer family have only been here fer three weeks, let's not make this bigger than it is."

Gargan walked to the headman menacingly, "Headman, I demand satisfaction here and now." He twirled the butcher's knife and spat on the ground. He pointed to Cybelline, "I'm cuttin' yer hand off first."

Cybelline grinned, "If you insist."

Gargan growled and advanced on a child half his size, "I'll make sure ye bleed to death."

"Headman, ye tried. I think it's my turn." Ithos said and made his way to Cybelline.

Cybelline was about to draw her knife, when a weathered hand stopped her. Ithos patted her hand, "Child, thank ye for takin' care of the little shit. But for filth like him, leave it to me."

Gargan stopped and looked at the thin, middle aged man. Suddenly he roared with laughter. "Ye think ye can take me? Yer nothin' but a twig." He looked at his wife, "When they said a fearsome warrior lived in these parts with a family of orphans, they surely were blowin' tall tales."

Ithos grinned and waited for the man to stop laughing, "Apologize and no harm will come to ye." His voice was quiet but no one could mistake the authority for anything else.

Gargan growled and looked at the headman, "His family injured mine. If I kill him now, I demand no harm be done to me and mine." He grinned evilly, "If he dies, it means I told the truth. His widow will have to pay us 10 gold coins and get on her knees to beg forgiveness. We'll own the rest of their family as slaves." His wife's smile was as equally greedy.

People began to murmur in anger. Trial by combat was rare in a village like theirs, and Gargan's demands were a steep price to pay. Most families earned three gold coins a year and very rarely did anyone demand slavery.

"And what if we win?" A voice sounded out from behind the crowd. Myrai walked forward, her hand delicately lifting her skirts so she could step over the mud without dirtying the hem. Her hair was smoothed back from her face, her eyes bright with anger.

Ithos saw his wife and his face went pale, he looked shocked, "Wife, how could ye say that. Have ye seen Gargan's size? I don't know if I'll win, ye would have a better chance." Some villagers laughed at the thought of Myari fighting the massive man.

But Cybelline could swear she saw a glint of mischevious pass through Ithos's eyes. Myrai patted his cheek, "Calm ye old bag of bones. I'm only askin' what if on the small chance we win."

She looked at Gargan, who was already dreaming of the wealth he was coming into. "Well? If we win, what would we get?"

Gargan's laugh boomed through the village, "If ye win, we'll apologize." The rest of the village could not refrain from rolling their eyes. Some even spat on the ground in disgust.

Myrai shook her head, "Ye must be a coward, to offer so little." Gargan's face went red.

Ithos patted his wife's hand, "Now, now, wife. Gargan doesn't have that much te offer. We can't take advantage of the poor."

Gargan's face reddened as a quiet chuckle went through the crowd, "I've got a house, a horse, two cows, a herd of goats and an ox cart!" He roared, "I'm a man of means, and if ye win, ye can have it al!" He grinned viciously.

"But if we lose, we'd lose our money." Ithos said hesitantly to his wife, "It aint a fair deal." Somehow Cybelline got the feeling that they were enjoying this a little too much.

Myra nodded, she thought for a moment and said, "Didn't ye still have a healin' stone ye got a reward from the last raid?" Ithos nodded and took out a tiny green rock. There was an audible intake of breathe as everyone stared at the magic, transfixed.

Graham's eyes went wide. It was worth a hundred gold pieces maybe even more.

Myrai took it and held it up to Gargan, " If ye win, ye can have this as well."

"But" Myrai's voice suddenly went hard "If we win, ye'd leave town, takin' that little shit of a son with ye and never show yer face here. And ye can give us all yer gold." She grinned, "If ye ain't a coward, that is."

Gargan hesitated, he did not think he would lose to that twig of a man. But still, all his livestock and his money was too much to wager. But then his eyes wandered to the green stone and his mouth watered. With that, he would never have to work again.

Just then, his wife elbowed him and whispered in his ear.

Gargan's face lit up, "Headman." He growled, "Our laws state that we can demand combat from any adult of the family. Am I right?"

Seithos nodded and bit back a sign, "Yes, Gargan."

Gargan's lips twisted in a cruel smile, he pointed to Myrai, "I'll agree to yer terms, if I fight her." Many villagers' mouths fell open.

Myrai thought for a minute, then nodded, "Deal."