Lucas stood on the wall of the fortress, watching the sunset. The other chiefs had left not long ago. The young chief, Gasper, had given him some trouble. It wasn't unexpected, considering that he'd suspected him from the very beginning.

If Lucas had to make an assumption, it would be that Gasper was working with the Viscount. Everything he'd done so far had somehow worked in the interest of the Lord of Ard. All of Gasper's actions smelled like a noble's conspiracy to Lucas. And He wasn't a stranger to such a smell.

"The scouts are back," a voice interrupted his thoughts.

He turned around and saw Avir, his young lieutenant. "Is the news good?" He turned around to gaze at the sunset again.

"No," came Avir's voice from behind. "There are a few hundred men from the Viscount's army near the southern pass."

"So we can't flee from the south, after all," Lucas smiled wryly as he watched the faint sun dipping into the horizon.

"Why can't we?" Avir said. "There are only 500 men there at most. The scouts even say that some of them are wounded. We can kill our way through and flee the basin."

"What if they retreat and decide to meet us in the narrowest point of the southern pass? It will be a bitter fight. We might be able to push through eventually, but they would delay us long enough for the Viscount's cavalry to strike us from the rear. It would be enough to devastate us."

"We have to try. We can move through the night and surprise them."

"Oh, you think the Viscount's forces in the south don't know about us? They likely do. And the Viscount is likely handling Viper and the siblings now like I told you."

"So we are just going to stay?"

Lucas sighed. "Even if we do flee the basin, where would we go? Duke Fortis already found us once in Count Westwell's territory. And the Baronies in the south wouldn't let us through their borders without knowing exactly who were are."

"There is another County in the southeast."

Lucas shook his head without turning back. "We'd have to pose as mercenaries again, and the Duke is likely looking for us as mercenaries. He'd find us within a month or two."

A sigh came from behind him, and Lucas heard the next words in the voice of a man who'd left this world. "Always gazing at the dark side of life, Lucas. Always."

He turned around and instead of seeing the man he wished so much to see, he saw a lad who would be going through his seventeenth winter in a few months. The boy had a strong resemblance to the man floating in Lucas's mind.

Lucas smiled. "Frederick, you're here."

"Indeed, I am," the lad grinned. "Things don't seem promising."

"It will pass," Lucas said with some difficulty, as if unbelieving of his own words. "We can negotiate with the new lord. Hopefully, we can leave the basin as a merchant convoy with his consent. We have the fortress. It won't be easy for him to wipe us out. He will want to negotiate."

"Didn't he remove Luwin from this fortress before?" Frederick tilted his head.

Lucas scowled. "It seems that I'm not the only one gazing at the dark side of things."

"Oh, but life isn't that simple. There is no true dark and there is no true light," Frederick said.

"You see, my lad," Lucas chuckled as he shook his head. "Those books make you sound clever. But that's about all they do."

"Don't blame the books, Lucas," Fredrick grinned again. "I'm just a young lad with no experience. Isn't that what you've always told me? The books are the only place from which I can know what I've never seen."

Lucas nodded. "I don't blame the books. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten them for you."

Avir cleared his throat, as if to remind the two about the matter at hand. "What do we do when the Viscount arrives?"

"We talk to him," Lucas said. A battle would harm both sides. Of course, it would harm him more than the Viscount, but the latter would likely try to avoid another siege. "The Viscount removed Luwin before, yes. But I'm certain he doesn't want to go through that again."

..

Night fell, and the fortress was lit by torches all around. The men were busy strengthening the fortifications, but otherwise everyone was silent. It was the sort of silence that came from experience. It always came when there was a difficult battle ahead, and none of Lucas's men were ignorant of the circumstances. They had sworn an oath together, and he had promised to never hide that which he knew from them. They had sworn to eat, live, and possibly die together. All for the sake of reaching their aim. They had left the Duchy almost ten years ago, and perhaps it would take ten more for them to return. But they would return. Otherwise, it would all be for nothing.

Lucas received some news during the night. The Viscount's men had surrounded the fortress under the cover of darkness. He wasn't shocked by the news. Whether the Viscount arrived at night or in the morning didn't matter. What mattered was what would happen after. He would have to wait till first light before negotiating with the Lord of Ard.

..

.

Morning soon came, and a torrent of activity came with it. Lucas's men began preparing for a rough defense. Arms were cleaned and oiled. Armors were mended and donned. And walls were manned and crowded.

"How is it?" Lucas asked Avir who was now standing in front of him inside one of the camp's houses.

"It's as you expected," Avir said. "Gasper's men are surrounding the fortress alongside the Viscount's soldiers."

Lucas snorted. "He wanted to fool me. I would have died many times before were I that easy to fool."

There was a knock on the door then Frederick entered. "Are you going to meet with the Viscount?"

Lucas nodded. "I will try. Hopefully, he won't disdain negotiating with bandits."

"I want to come with you."

"Huh?" Lucas eyed the lad carefully. "Why?"

"Do I need a reason?" Frederick shrugged.

Lucas contemplated for a moment. He doubted the Viscount would do something as low as attacking them during a negotiation. Frederick would be safe. And Lucas did want to bring the lad with him. If the negotiation was a success, then he could learn a thing or two from it.

Lucas looked at Avir. "Send a rider to the Viscount."

Soon, a rider was dispatched, and Lucas prepared his horse alongside Avir and Frederick. It didn't take long for the rider to return with the Viscount's agreement. They would meet 500 yards away from the wall.

Lucas led Avir and Frederick out of the fortress. They rode well out of a longbow's range and spied a contingent of riders approaching from afar. He recognized two of them as Gasper and his masked lieutenant. At the lead of the riders, Lucas saw a young man whom he assumed was the Viscount.

The two groups soon met. The Viscount halted his horse, while Gasper and his lieutenant halted right behind him. Farther behind, a few men brought their horses to a stop as well. Lucas believed they were just guards brought to ensure the young noble's safety.

"Lord Tellus," Lucas nodded. Then he glanced at Gasper. The latter stared back at him expressionlessly. Lucas didn't say anything regarding the pretend bandit chief. He was pretending to be a bandit himself, after all. And there was nothing to be said. The Viscount had played his hand right, and he'd earned a banditless territory, or at least he was close to earning it.

"Lucas, yes?" the young Lord said.

"Yes," Lucas nodded. "It's an honor to be in your presence." He flattered the young noble. Hopefully, it would help with the negotiation.

The young Lord raised his hand to stop Lucas. "Let's speak of the more important matters. I don't care much for the thoughts of brigands about meeting me."

Lucas smiled wryly. It wasn't going to be easy. "I hope we can reach an agreement that would allow me and my men to leave your territory unharmed, your lordship." He observed the young lord. The latter had dark brown hair and piercing brown eyes. He was observing Lucas carefully as well. "That would mean your men would not have to shed blood as well, Lord Tellus," Lucas continued.

The young Lord chuckled. "You believe that I would set you free after you've robbed from my family's lands? I don't tolerate bandits, and I certainly don't tolerate treacherous deserters who prey upon my subjects." Lord Tellus's voice sharpened at the last few words.

Lucas didn't let the Viscount's words affect him. He preserved his stoic expression as he spoke again. "A battle on these walls," he gestured towards the fortress behind him, "would be both bloody and costly. Are your men worthless in your eyes?"

"No," Lord Tellus smirked. "I value my men, but I also value my subjects and my house. And you've trampled upon the latter two."

"My men never harmed even one of your subjects," Lucas said solemnly.

The young Lord was visibly surprised by the words. Then he seemed to remember something, and he glanced back at Gasper as if confirming his thoughts. Gasper nodded as Lord Tellus glanced at him.

The young Lord then rested his eyes on Lucas again. "That does not mean that you have not stolen from my house."

"There was no blood. And that matters quite a bit," Lucas said. "Today, there should be no blood either. We will simply leave and compensate your lordship with gold as well."

The Lord snorted with an expression of disdain bordering disgust. "Compensate? You speak as if you've merely done me a disservice. You've been robbing in the territory of my family and undermining the name of my house for years."

Lucas pressed his lips. It seemed that his hopes of leaving without blood were wishful thinking. He would have to make some sacrifices.

The young Lord continued speaking. "What you've done demands retribution. Blood. I doubt you have enough gold to compensate my house for the dishonor you've inflicted. If you surrender, I'll spare some of your men. They'll work in the mines, but they'll live." He glanced at the two behind Lucas then his eyes landed on him.

Lucas frowned. He looked back at Avir with a resigned face. Then he turned back to the Viscount. "If you need retribution, then take me."

The Viscount froze for a moment at Lucas's words.

"Take me, but me alone," Lucas continued. "Spare my men. Let them leave." He trusted Avir to continue their journey. Many brothers had died since they'd left the Duchy. He wasn't any better than them. Loyal men had paid their lives so that they could continue their journey. Perhaps it was time for him to pay a similar tribute. "I'm the chief that has robbed your lands. My head on a spike should be enough to uphold your reputation."

"Lucas," a hiss came from behind.

Lucas gazed back at Frederick who looked both indignant and sorrowful. He smiled at the lad. There was always a farewell. That was something he'd learned long ago. Perhaps Frederick would learn something today, after all.

The young Lord seemed to be thinking for a moment then he shook his head. "That won't do. You don't get to decide. You're a trapped rat now, and so are your men. Surrender."

The furious but suppressed voice of Avir came from behind. "Your men will bleed on those walls." Lucas's lieutenant glared at the young Lord. "For every one of our men that falls, two of yours will fall. We will fight better than any bandits you've ever battled. If we fall, then your men will pay for it with blood, a lot of blood."

"A necessary sacrifice," came the unhesitant reply from the young Lord.

Lucas's eyes rested on the ground. His countenance lost all hope. The day demanded more sacrifice. 'More of your men will have to die, my lord. I hope you're watching us at least. By the gods, I hope you are.'

He steeled his heart and spoke, almost pleading. "Half. Half of my men and I will surrender. You can have our heads, but let the rest leave." As long as Avir could lead the remnants of his men and leave with Frederick safe and sound, then he would have fulfilled his duty.

The young Lord pierced Lucas with his gaze, and a sneer drew itself on his face. He looked like a man ready to wager. Lucas felt like the young man was reveling in his misery. "No," came the reply from the young Lord.

Lucas dropped his head and closed his eyes. He slowly dismounted the horse under the puzzled gazes from those around him, including the Lord. "A hundred. Just a hundred," Lucas said, bowing deeply. "Only a hundred of my men need to leave." As long as Frederick could leave safely, then the men wouldn't hesitate to put their necks under the Viscount's blade.

"Lucas!" Frederick yelled. "No . . . No. No more of you can die. It's enough."

Lucas turned to Frederick, wishing he could hush him. "Speak no more, Frederick. Speak no more."

Frederick dismounted and ran to him. He pulled Lucas by the shoulders from his bowing and straightened him up. "This is enough, Lucas."

"Don't," Avir yelled, hoping to stop Frederick from uncovering that which nobody could know but them.

"How many more of you have to die for me?" Frederick yelled back at Avir.

Lucas patted the lad's wrist. "We must do this."

"No, you don't. Many have died already. More than half of the men have fallen for me. How many more lives must be paid? The families of the men wait for them in Maleh, only to receive letters of their death. They've received nothing but those letters." Frederick turned to the young Lord who was watching in amusement. "Take me."

"You?" Lord Tellus raised a brow. "And who might you be?"

Lucas tried to grip Frederick's shoulder, but the latter had anticipated it before he'd even spoke. Lucas's hand grabbed nothing but air as Frederick stepped back and spoke.

"I'm a treasure. Deliver me to Duke Fortis in the Warring Duchies and you will have more gold than you can count. Enough gold to forgive any offense these men have done you."

Lucas gritted his teeth. "No." He glanced back at the Viscount. "You can't have him." Then he turned to Frederick. "Don't, Frederick. It would have all been for nothing. I swore an oath. The men swore an oath. They are only fulfilling it."

"They swore that oath because of their loyalty to my father," Frederick said with an apologetic smile. "They loved my father because he would do anything to preserve their lives and care for their families. You always told me that I would be a great Lord like him. If I were to let you all die for me today, how would I be like him, Lucas?"

The silent Viscount spoke before Lucas could retort. "I wonder why this Duke Fortis would spare so much gold in exchange for you? How do you relate to him?"

"I'm his nephew," came Frederick's reply that ended any hopes Lucas had of sending him away.