Eliz had thought about wearing the new armor that had been made. She didn't need magic to see it had amazing properties that would have no doubt helped her greatly, but the last thing she needed was to cheapen the fight. Her victory had to be absolute and leave no doubt to her superiority. No one could pin this on a fancy suit of armor. She looked up on the chief of Clan Stormcaller and his entourage. He seemed rather certain to win against a scarred and seemingly frail girl, so much so he didn't hesitate to call on the duel to be in the middle of the village. Good, his humiliation would be complete then.

Wearing her unremarkable leather armor but without the cloak she usually had with it, Eliz clenched her hand on her Javelin, waiting for the signal to use what precious moments she had before her opponent rushed to close combat. He was old, wearing a suit of heavy armor along with a shield and a sword that seemed to weight rather heavily after all these years, but Eliz knew better than to see this as a sign of imminent victory. It could be a faint, he could have more tricks up his sleeve than he let on.

Finally, they saw it, the sun going just pass the line drawn on the floor, thus begining the duel. Too bad, Eliz would have liked to see the old man cook in his scale armor some more. He didn't lose time, lunging in with a roar meant to intimidate her no doubt, but she didn't lose time to lift and throw her first javelin in a swift movement. Her first strike saw itself stopped by the shield, but Cairis was on her side, for it strike true non the less, the point of the weapon just making it pass the wood to poke the chief in the arm.

Swiftly, he threw away his shield, not only because of the wound but because it was now useless, off balance. He had no time to remove the javelin. Still, that left him exposed for the second and last javelin Eliz had in reserve. Assuming she would throw it before he closed the gap, he quickly showed agile footwork by feinting to one side and the other and raising his sword. Eliz raised her throwing arm backward, but instead of throwing, also raised her shield arm. She wasn't competent with shields, oh she had some training but she just so rarely faced people in such close combat. But she didn't set her only eye toward the sword, but toward the chief himself, stepping forward to push the chief back with her own shield, his footwork preventing him from seeking his balance back and his blow being unable to get any momentum to do anything but hit her shoulder and leave a small scratch through the leather pad. Still, some blood. 

As he fell back, it was now that Eliz threw her javelin. He tried to roll out of the way despite the weight of his armor and almost managed to do so. If his age hadn't betrayed him maybe? Now however his leg was grazed and he didn't manage to complete his maneuver, falling instead of landing on his feet. Seeing Eliz approach from the corner of his eyes, he raised his sword and slashed on Eliz's blind side as he got up.

She dodged under it. Not by reflex or because she had seen it, but because she had expected him to make this move. The blade went pass her face by only a few inches, actually cutting some hairs as Eliz dodged under his arm. With Eliz behind her, the chief tried to move forward and to the side to get her in his sight once more, but found pressure on his back. Glancing backward, he caught a glimpse of a wicked smile on her twisted face as her own back was against his. Back to back, his movement ended when his foot tangled with Eliz's, making him fall down forward.

He turned back, slashing the air as he did and noticed he only narrowly missed the hideous face that was closing in on him. He tried to move back for another swing, but with no momentum, Eliz simply stepped on his blade and forced it to the ground. Eliz raised her own sword above her head, that of her father which she so rarely even unsheathed, and looked at the Stormcaller chief with a look of pure satisfaction and malice, a smile that told him she wouldn't ask him to surrender before landing this final blow.

"I yield!" He finally blurted out as he raised his arm above his face to try and protect his cranium from the unwanted and most probably deadly haircut. 

The movement of the woman slowed down and finally came to a crawl as she slowly descended her sword on the side of the Stormcaller's face, that murderous gaze now softening to smug satisfaction. "...Didn't take time to think about that one, uh?" She said, adding insult to injury by reminding him of what, at the start of the season, had caused all of this. But he couldn't reply, he could say nothing. She had won and by the ancient laws that united men, that meant the Gods favored her.

Around the crowd was silent as Eliz turned her gaze on them, managing to somehow look down on them all despite her own petite size, just by rising her chin in the air. It was over, the rains were over and she had proven herself to speak the truth: Might makes right.

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Then why did things go from bad to worst? 

It had been 2 weeks since the duel and yet the overall situation had somehow managed to deteriorate. Even the Gallocmen who had cheered for her triumphant return for a few days looked at her with something in their faces that betrayed revulsion. Oh they always did, with her face and all that, but this was something else, there was suspicion. Ultimately, Eliz didn't have to talk to anyone to figure out what this was about: Someone had opened his god damn mouth and went to talk about the 'terrible burden' that afflicted her.

It was either Bedwyr or Fflur. Or both.

The problem was that going and interrogating them, or dueling them for honor would only be admision of gilt, transforming rumor into reality. Oh she just wanted to get revenge on the filthy traitors they were in her eyes, but she knew she had to be smart about this. Most worryingly however, this only gave ammunition to the people who hated her guts. It made those who she counted to be on her side without any doubt question her.

Which was why she was with Cadoc and Morwen.

Cadoc was a big oaf, with an intellect only matched by his temper, him being in short supplies of both but still being smart enough to know he was dumb. No one was sure if Eliz had befriended him or manipulated him, but the truth was he didn't really care either way, Eliz knew how to get loot and was fun to be around because of all the problems she created. All he knew was that she spoke his language: You take what you want, do what you want and say what you want and if people felt frustrated by that, well it was unfortunate this big oaf was also a beast of a man that could knock a bull unconscious with a slam of his fists.

Morwen on the other side was all but stupid, he and Eliz had been partners at a time, planning raids together and, for a time, sharing their tents as well (Before Eliz was inflicted with that new appearance of hers) but he had gone on to other things. He was never quite the same since the 'Great Cattle Raid' that had made Eliz the woman she was, respected, if by fear, and on the council, if because refusing a spot to a Gallocman of her prestige would have alienated the entire warrior caste. All he did as a warrior now was guard the gates, maintain the peace and manage the couple of thralls he had acquired over the years.

A strange thing today was that Eliz had invited the duo to dine with her, something she never did with anyone, something no one would think she'd do with any of them both. Cadoc because he was currently emptying her food supplies at an alarming rate with no regard for manners and Morwen because they barely even spoke together in the last year.

"So..." Said Morwen over the sound of Cadoc eating like a glutton. He looked at Eliz who had barely touched her already diminutive plate. Her appetite was even smaller than usual. "I'm going to guess this isn't a social meeting. Can I... help you with something?"

Eliz looked at her old friend and lover before leaning back in her chair and nodding slowly. "...Yeah... I... I'm thinking of going away for a while. Do the raiding season and then, something else. So... you know how it is Morwen, I'd need someone to take care of business while I'm gone, feed the thralls and watch over the cattle..." Oh? Well, that was less dramatic than Morwen thought. Though he did wonder why Cadoc, of all people, would be here. "You can count on me, no problem, I'll make sure that herd of horses of yours keep growing... and indeed that the thralls don't starve to death and that the cattle stay where they are. Might I ask though, how much time do you think of leaving?"

Eliz sighed and shrugged. "It depends. A few seasons? A few years? I just don't want people to have redistributed my stuff once I come back, because I will come back." The room went silent for a moment as Morwen slowly processed. Out of nowhere however, Cadoc belched and then spoke. "Is this because of the skeleton thing and everyone raving about dark here and dark there?"

That certainly addressed the elephant in the room in a way only Cadoc could. Morwen leaned in his chair, not as much to get comfortable but as to get away from Eliz who clenched her fists and her teeth in obvious anger. "And then there's that..." She allowed herself a silence, but no one took it as an opportunity to talk. Only Cadoc used it to take the pitcher of ale and drink directly from it loudly. Eliz thus continued.

"Had to know this would come back to haunt me." Morwen looked around for any thralls or kerns working in the house that might have heard that and looked at Eliz with a frightened look. "You mean..." She sighed. "The last raid, 'Great Cattle Raid'... it seems if an undead says it then its true, it was material for a Blood Feud. And that's bad." 

Probably even Cadoc realized Morwen was about to talk about the rumors of Kin slaying that haunted Eliz since she was young, but she had swept that under the rug completely and went to this instead. That explained Cadoc's presence. He along with Morwen and Eliz were the only people left alive that had partaken in that raid. Morwen's gaze sunk as his face seemed to become paler. "Why can't I escape from this..." 

A year, no more raiding, no more senseless violence... He was a changed man and still, this... "I won't tell anyone, of course. I don't want anyone to go through what I'm living right now." Morwen could understand this but... he eyed Cadoc for a moment, the giant of a man too busy snapping the bones of venison in front of him to suck out the marrow to notice. Eliz followed his gaze and nodded. "Its ok, really..." Cadoc had been with her for how long now? Surely they could trust him...

But Eliz knew that it was not the case. Cadoc didn't think before he spoke and frankly? It suited her just fine. That business with her brother, it was the go to thing people talked about in her back whenever something was wrong with her. No, the word that Eliz's Great Raid was a violent massacre would go out, at least a rumor of it, and that would distract, or at least split the minds of people on what the skeletons could have meant about her. Wasn't this putting oil on the fire? Of course not. It was only one year ago and everyone remembered how desperately they needed these cattle, how much of them and their children would have starved if not for Eliz's actions. The guilt was on everyone.

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Another season, another council meeting... This time however, Eliz was extremely interested and waited for everyone to have spoken before doing so. Of course, the council was leaning toward the more inclusive approach. And of course, Eliz had to disagree... mostly. "...As much as it may surprise people here, I have nothing against the inclusion of an orc. Did our clan not fight against the Thuad Rithe so long ago? There is hope for everyone and we should share the mercy given to us... That being said."

"Orcs are dangerous beasts, in general, and this one managed to say 7 seasoned bandits. This is no small feat. And I am extremely wary on how and where he acquired such skills! I agree that it would be an immeasurable help to see them at our service, but as a Gallocman of our clan, someone who needs to think about our security before anything else... whatever our decision today is, we must find out where he comes from, what happened to his companions and those who thought him, where they are and if they are so docile as he... or if the nest must be exterminated before they become a problem."

"Anything else is foolish. As in terms of reward, should he cooperate or not, as we would have normally killed him on sight under any other circumstances, I think leaving him be is reward enough. After all, perhaps he desires tranquility..."

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