[Albion Plane, Porfield Kingdom, Mount Thor, White Lion Stronghold]
The crowd parted. Alicia stood there. Greem's chip instantly focused on her.
[Name: Alicia von Valetta. Class: Knight. Attributes: Strength - 2.2 | Agility - 2.5 | Vitality - 2.0. Skills: White Lion Swordsmanship (90), Logistics (80), Leadership (40), Litteracy (30), Etiquette (25), Horse Riding (20), Banditry (15), ...
Status: Controlled fury]
Greem did not need the biochip to understand her emotional state. Alicia always struggled with her position as the bandit's chieftain. Be it Jack who always tested her limits, or Ragnar who did as he liked, any long-term plan would be foiled. Besides punishment and beheading criminals, she had found no way to control them.
For instance, internal conflicts was forbidden among white lions. And it took three public executions for them to stop.
At her shoulder stood the old knight, Kael.
[Name: Kael Urion. Class: Knight. Attributes: Strength - 2.2 | Agility - 2.0 | Vitality - 2.6. Skills: White Lion Swordsmanship (65), Litteracy (10), Etiquette (25), Horse Riding (15), Banditry (15), ...
Status: Neutral, defensive posture]
The dynamic was laid bare.
Alicia stood with her knight and disciplined soldiers, ready to apply the rules she implemented.
Ragnar, surrounded by his bloodied raiders, challenging Alicia in the open.
And watching from the longhouse was Jack, ready to take advantage of the winning side, as always the silent opportunist.
Ragnar grinned and talked in a confident voice: "The right? I took it, little queen. Just like I took the food that will fill our bellies this winter"
"You broke my law", Alicia's voice was cold steel, "We do not raid villages. We draw no lord's eye. You have lit a beacon that could bring the Barony's army down upon us all!"
"Your laws are a cage!", Ragnar shot back, "You offer discipline and drills. I offer silver and glory!"
He gestured to the crowd. "Why do you think they follow? For pretty words? They follow strength!"
Tony and the others nodded in union. Greem could not help but observe the situation. The helplessness on Alicia's loyalists did not serve them well. Even those unaffiliated, mainly those from Jack's faction, were starting to tilt in Ragnar's favour.
Alicia's eyes swept over the men. A direct fight now would be catastrophic. Years of quiet strength accumulation and recruitment would be burned to the ground.
"There will be no civil war under my command," she declared. "But this cannot stand. Our path must be decided, clearly, for all to see"
She took a step forward.
"I challenge you, Ragnar. Not with armies. Man to man. A duel for the right to lead."
A collective gasp went through the crowd.
Ragnar's grin widened. "A duel? You'd stake your crown on a fight?"
"I stake the future of the White Tigers on it", she corrected him, "The winner's vision becomes law. The loser yields. All of us will abide by the outcome."
Kael was the first to react: "Lady, I beg you to reconsider. If you get wounded...At least, please let me fulfill my role and fight in your stead"
Jack, from his doorway, gave a single, slow nod. His approbation might look insignificant, but had he wanted blood, the results would have been catastrophic.
Ragnar laughed.
"Agreed! Tomorrow at dawn. We'll see how your noble sword arts fare against my axe."
As Alicia turned and strode away, the clearing erupted into a frenzy of whispers.
[Crowd Analysis: Cohesion shattered. Factional lines solidified. Widespread betting behavior initiated.]
Greem looked down at the twenty silver coins in his hand. They felt different now.
Tucked against his chest, the acolyte's book looked more interesting than ever. The conflicts between the bandit group's leaders mattered little. No matter the outcome, they would not inflict lethal damage to the other. After all, them being knights was the only reason why the baron had not marched to the mountains yet.
Knighthood. If he wanted to become part of those discussions, he needed to reach the knight realm.
But perhaps the book could provide him with an alternative way to become stronger, faster.