As Eliz began to walk away from the crowd that had been so ungrateful to her, Serhiem stepped out of the group and shouted to the dark woman. “Eliz! Come back here now! You have to answer for what you have done!” He was accompanied by his sister of course as she was his guide. Though, Serhiem’s face showed the anger that he has built up over the seasons. The normally peaceful man seemed gone as he faced Eliz, sending many of the crowd to seem confused or shocked about the chief’s new demeanor. 

Eliz closed her eyes as she heard that voice. Oh that was just… peachy, just what she needed now on top of all things. She turned on her saddle to slowly face Serhiem, showing her ugly side to him. “...Would you mind if we did this inside, chief? I just travelled around the valley for an entire season and I’m tired at the moment.” Tired of being the piss bucket everyone had a go at, that was. Nothing she wanted more right now than go back outside to do her things and be away from here… Mostly however, she knew there was no reason to make this a public encounter for her, since she’d either come head to head with Serhiem, thus forcing him to be more drastic to establish his authority in front of everyone, or she’d have to kneel in the mud for him. In front of everyone.

“As you wish,” Serhiem said, paying no mind to her face as he was blind after all. His sister guided him over to her, through the mud and rain. He did seem to be muttering many curses, not all of them seeming to just go to her, but also Stormcaller and more importantly the mud.

It took only a few minutes for them to be at Eliz’s house, and move through the thralls and the stuff being stored around. It seemed to be more of a workplace than a house and in many aspects, it was. Leading them to the second floor, the group went to a single room who seemed to be the closest to a living space there was here, rather luxurious all things considered, showing many of the fruits of Eliz’s previous expeditions. “Feel free to take the seat.” Singular, the only chair being behind an overloaded work desk. Eliz herself flung her boots around the room and began to undo her armor. It was a courtesy, but in truth? Eliz simply wasn’t one to sit around.

Serhiem was guided to the one chair, which he grudgingly sat in. “Now, you have been stirring up quite the trouble Eliz. The kerns are angry, the Stormcallers have cursed us, and you seem to be disrespecting the rest of the council.” He sighed deeply before continuing on with what he wanted to say. “You are risking a lot right now. I could have you banished, but I am not going to. I believe you can still right your wrongs. Unfortunately, I cannot allow the things you have done to go unpunished. First I must ask, what did you exactly say to the Stormcallers?”

Eliz finished undoing her armor pieces, letting them fall on the ground as she clenched her teeth. Punished, punished for having a backbone? And what punishment did Maire have for doing something that ended the lives of two persons? “You believe I’ll become a bandit and be more trouble than I am.” She spat out before taking a deep breath to try and contain her anger. “I tried to say little, because I know I am not a diplomat. But they kept probing, twisting every words that I used and I can say this, they were looking to be insulted. So I did what any good clansmen would do and when people ask for something, I deliver… ‘I have no interests in having men who will only talk and question what must be done following me in this expedition.’... I’m going to guess this is what justifies the rain, in their mind… A rain that didn’t kill anyone, might I add.” 

“No, but a rain that could destroy our homes and crops. A rain that could force us to move once more! The problem here Eliz, is that you do not know when to keep your mouth shut. While you do good things, such as raid our foes and bring back a strange bow, you bring the ire of other clans. Have you thought that the Stormcallers were simply being cautious when you went to them? Have you thought to consider that maybe it takes more backbone not to say anything? In fact, you have proven to be as spineless as a thrall.” 

Yes, she had considered them being cautious, she kept nodding, infuriated at the speech about moderation and cautions until he went on to tell her it was her, that had lost her backbone. “You… you would dare… Y- ARG! You would tell me that I lack backbone?! While your solution, is to send the few priceless resources we have to people who have brought us nothing but ruin? So they may, if they would be oh so generous and merciful toward our poor and weak selves, as to please stop the rain they sent our way?! At least when I do something I commit to it, and I go through with it! I- Oh by the gods! Since when has honestly being considered as such a default as now! At least I speak my mind, I don’t do as Maire and talk behind my back, blaming me for her own shortcomings! And you want to punish me, for something that MIGHT happen while she is free to go around and spill all the venom about me as she wants?! People died while my mission was nothing but success!” Eliz’s jaws wagled some more for a few seconds as she tried to find words, but she wasn’t foolish enough not to realize Serhiem had after all, just told her to know when to shut up. She finally closed her mouth and her eyes for a moment, finding her words. “I’ve never been so insulted in my life at this moment, and yet I am not coming to blow. It's the difference between me and… them.” She said, talking about a very wide and non specified group, that Serhiem could in fact very be apart of. “Anyone who feels insulted by mere words rather than actions… I cannot…” She stopped, her words failing her mind. She knew Serhiem understood though… even if she didn’t really expect to sway him.

“Listen,” he began before sighing, not really seeming to react to what she had said. His sister, however, seemed very nervous that Eliz might try and do something. “You are not like everyone else, you make your thoughts heard and you have never lied. At least to what I have heard. While, Maire has cost the lives of two people, it was not her fault for not knowing the beasts that lay in the Barrows. I like that you are straight forward and take an effort to help the clan against our enemies.” Serhiem casts his gaze to where he knows the stairs are. “You just must know, I have to manage a good lot and I am sorry, but a majority of the people in this clan, are idiots. They simply do not know what they truly want. However, they are the majority and I must appease them. Thus, all I am going to do is take one of the horses you have captured and have you work alongside the kerns during the harvest. I am sorry that you feel insulted, but now you how the Stormcallers feel.” The chief gets to his feet before saying one last thing. “I hope you do not think any lesser than me. Also, I hope to study that how you acquired. We may be able to replicate that for the rest of the Gallocemen and the hunters.”

Eliz clenched her teeth, as if incompetence was an excuse for failure. Probably if she had gone and lost her men they’d have told her it was unacceptable because she could have prevented it. “At least there’s one thing we agree with.” She said, referring to the comments about people being idiots. “Still, even if I might agree to losing a horse I worked so damn hard and risked my life to get, you know sending me to work with the Kerns is just a recipe for disaster…” She thought for a moment. Realistically, this should be over, but… there was one thing. “Give me one shot. To right the wrong that I’ve made…” She puffed a small laughter. “I’m sorry the Stormcallers feel insulted, you know how I feel…” She said, twisting the words used a moment ago around. She turned to face Serhiem. “Allow me to go to them… and challenge them. We know they did it, it’s undeniable. They know it to. Send someone with me to do the talking, I don’t care. Their problem lies with me and I will challenge them to a duel for it. If I win, they will have to stop, if I lose… I’ll die and their quarrel will be over.” She looked impatiently at Serhiem.

“You would give your life just to end the rain? While if I were not blind I would follow you to them and challenge them myself, I cannot. I feel that what you say will end the rain and I will permit it. However, I urge you to find a more… peaceful solution to this. One that satisfies both your honor without the risk of you dying. Though, who am I to stop you. You have my blessing to challenge them if you so wish,” Serhiem smiled at her, warrior to ex-warrior. “Now, I will not take up anymore of your time. My sister and I will see ourselves out.” He then turned to his sister who guided Serhiem out and to his place in his home.

Later he announced the punishment to the rest of the clan, even going as far as to publicize the duel. Serhiem did leave out that Eliz would work with the Kerns mainly to keep the kindles of that relation from going ablaze.