Solsday, 5th of Maia, 470th Year of the Fifth Era

As what looked to be the leader of the Hallack army and his entourage approached the surrendered bandits, Gregory couldn't help but gulp down his spit as he saw the imposing figures approach. He wasn't at all apt at detecting other warriors' aura, but he instinctively knew that these men were monsters as the energy that they were exuding was intense. The pressure was enough for him to instinctively kneel and plant the makeshift flag on the ground.

The leader of the Hallack approached closer and the light from the torch he was carrying made clear the intricate designs upon the armor of these warriors. The banner being carried by one of them was also needlessly gaudy. Three banners into one, red, black, and white with a bejeweled crucifix on top of it. How tribal folk could outfit their warriors in gear that would make the richest among the colonies fume in jealousy was beyond him.

The fearsome demon mask worn by the Hallack warrior obscured his actual eyes and all Gregory could see were shadowy pits with hints of red aura glowing and trailing within. If there was one thing these Hallack did right, it was surely intimidation.

When the Hallack leader finally closed the distance between them to only but a few metres apart, he stopped. The Hallack leader then scanned around the area of the surrendered bandits before he asked with a bellowing voice. "Ise do uluan dison?"

Gregory had caught some of what the Hallack was trying to say, but he still couldn't quite speak it and he didn't know whether or not the Hallack man could speak Feldonian. Noticing his predicament, Lasta immediately got up and knelt beside him to act as a translator.

"He's asking who the leader among us is…" Lasta said to Gregory while keeping herself in a submissive stance with her hands clasped on her forehead towards the Hallack warrior. "It would be best if you answered yourself and I'll translate for you…"

Gregory nodded before facing the Hallack leader and answering him, "I am the leader of these men… Lord…". Lasta had proceeded to translate for him but curiously, the Hallack leader now looked more curious towards her.

"Ai ho, ise do goarmu, boru? Boasa ho na mandok singkat ibana? Na hatoban do ho?!" Gregory had noticed the warrior's tone grew louder at the end and he was worried as to what Lasta had translated. Was this finally her chance to get rid of the bandits who had been effectively enslaving her for the past year? No he couldn't believe that she'd be so brash, but…

"Ndang pe i, tuan! Goarku Lasta Maria boru Sipirnitondi. So adong bernit manang hasusaan na dibahen i tu au…" Lasta had answered the warrior. Gregory could only assume that she was introducing herself after being asked for her identity.

The Hallack warrior only nodded at Lasta's answer and looked like he was about to say something before another Hallack came riding up towards them. This warrior had different armor than the black-cladded cuirassiers and his helm did not cover his face which allowed Gregory to see his middle-aged features. However, unlike before, this warrior's reaction was different when he saw Lasta.

"Agoo… Lasta! I do ho?" The warrior said as he immediately got off his mount and rushed towards the girl "Mauliate da debata! Na mangolu do berekku!"

"Tulang!" Lasta exclaimed happily as she embraced the older man in return.

Gregory was quite confused at what he was seeing. Who was this man? Looking at his armour and bearings, he seemed to be very prominent among the Hallack. Could he be a lover? No he seemed too old for that and Lasta never mentioned anything of the sort. But it was impossible for that man to be her father as she told him her father had died before she was born while her mother had died giving birth to her.

As if to answer the questions he had welled up in his mind, Lasta had immediately gone to Gregory's side after being embraced by the man. She had an excited look on her face which only served to make Gregory even more confused.

"Lasta, what's happening?" Gregory asked as he saw the man now looking at him with an incredibly severe look as he had folded his arms. Several other powerful-looking Hallack warriors had arrived at the scene and all of them looked just as important as the other.

"Gregory, I'd like to introduce you to my uncle!" Lasta said happily as she showed Gregory to the Hallack warrior after pulling him in, like a child excited to show a new toy. "This is Tagam Singalion, King of Hutangali, lord of the realm in which your brother intends to found his own kingdom."

Gregory couldn't help but feel his heart sink to the lowest at that point. For all intents and purposes, his brother's fate was sealed now that he knew the Hallack were seriously treating them as a threat. But the fact of the matter now remains that he was in a precarious predicament.

Gregory could've sworn that Lasta had never before mentioned that she was a noble of any kind. But at the same time, it now made more sense considering how educated she was compared to most other Hallack folk he had interacted with. It also made sense from a political standpoint as it allowed her a certain degree of freedom than it otherwise would be if his brother had found out about her identity and decided to use her as some sort of bargaining tool.

But the fact of the matter now is that his life - along with all the lives of his surrendered men - rests upon Lasta's shoulders. In this situation, whatever she says and however she decides to spin her story would determine whether or not he and his men would live to see another day. However, considering the things that he had personally did with Lasta - despite her expressed consent and willingness - won't at all look good were she to tell the king.

The Hallack King approached Gregory and started eyeing him from top to bottom with such a scrutinizing look that it gave him chills. He felt like he was a shoe being inspected by its owner after having stepped on a pile of cow dung. Or perhaps it would be more apt were he to describe himself as the literal shitstain.

Finally after a few moments, the king had opened his mouth, and Gregory couldn't help but be more surprised. "So tell me now, boy. Who are you and what are your intentions here?" The king asked in very fluent and understandable Archioric despite a somewhat thick and rustic accent. It would appear that talking to the king didn't require an interpreter at all. This might seem like something practical, but now Gregory couldn't just rely on Lasta to cover for him in translations as she usually had a way of interpreting him to the best of her abilities. Now, he had no choice but to speak for himself in these matters.

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"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Gregory Palmer, your majesty." Gregory had bowed once more to the Hallack king.

"Palmer you say? Like the name of that bandit George? Are you two related?" The king had narrowed his eyes at the mention of Gregory's last name.

"...He is my older brother…" Gregory had hesitated to answer, but at this point, there was no use nor need to hide it.

Hearing his answer, the King nodded while a frown was still stuck on his face. King Tagam then turned towards the Hallack leader still riding atop the tiger as he said something to him. "On do anggi ni parjahat pamunu i."

"Ai I do? Boasa dang tapamate imana saonari?" The mounted Hallack warrior said with a slight chuckle, but at his comments, Lasta immediately showed a panicked look on her face before she immediately groveled at the ground in front of the warrior.

"Unang be, tuanku!" Lasta said to the mounted warrior before she turned and beseeched her uncle "Na denggan roha do ibana tulang, unang di pamate hamuna imana…"

Now Gregory was worrying even more as he had no clue where the conversation was going as he could only make out the words 'him' and 'kill'. And that wasn't good at all.

"Boasa ho gabe pangondian halakkon, bere?" The king asked with a confused tone "Dang pe halakkon do na manaban ho?"

"...This man is the father of the child that is inside of me…!" Lasta finally proclaimed as she couldn't hold herself back anymore when facing her uncle.

"...What?" Gregory could only afford to show an absolutely dumbfounded expression at what he had heard come out of Lasta's mouth. Was she actually serious? He couldn't believe it, but at the same time, it could only make sense as he was the only man close enough to her and he wasn't aware if she had any other lovers but…

It didn't matter whether or not it was the truth, but judging from the absolutely livid expression on the King's face, it was clear that he at least believed it.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU RAPED MY NIECE?!!" King Tagam had drawn his sword and looked like he was about to cut Gregory down but Lasta had thrown herself between them as she held her uncle back.

"I promise you I did no such thing!!" Gregory said as he moved back slightly, weary of the power of an aura warrior stronger than him.

"Then you didn't bed her outside the confines of marriage?!"

"..." It was at that point where Gregory couldn't afford to answer truthfully as he could only bow his head.

"BASTARD, I'LL SEND YOU TO GOD!"

Just as further pandemonium was about to erupt, Lasta blurted out once more, "He has promised to wed me and I've convinced Reverend Hazelby to officiate it!"

Gregory could only stare at Lasta with wide eyes. No such agreement had been made and no such promise either. Well, at least no verbal promise. He didn't mind eventually taking the Hallack girl to wife but he was also wary of his brother's whims the entire time. But this current situation - even though it was clearly done by Lasta in an act to save his hide - really came off as very shrewd politicking on her end.

Lasta gave him a quick meaningful glance, motioning him to follow along her lead in convincing her uncle. Gregory could only clear his throat before he faced the king and answered, "It is true, your majesty. I have been fully intent on taking Lady Lasta as my consort. Though circumstances up to this point have prevented me from making an official request to Reverend Hazelby to fully officiate due to concerns against my brother…"

As he said that, the king looked like he was in deep thought before he looked at him once more, this time asking, "...Reverend Hazelby is truly still alive?"

"It is true, uncle! Gregory here and Sir Ambrose were one of the strongest voices in Palmerton advocating for sparing the good reverend."

"There's that word again, 'Palmerton'. That bandit truly dares to carve up a new kingdom within my realms?" King Tagam spat out again "The nerve and audacity of that bastard!"

"...In no small part was that audacity fueled also by his confidence that your majesty wouldn't be making any serious moves against him…" Gregory said as he figured out something he could leverage for his life.

"And what would that be?"

"A few months ago, my brother had received letters of assurance signed by the 'elders of this land' guaranteeing that no action would be taken so long as some of their merchants would be allowed to pass through. Though with your presence here, I assume it was either a forgery or some other likewise ploy…"

When Gregory explained that, the King's expression grew even more severe as he scowled at the mention of the elders. "God accursed old bastards!" King Tagam spat to the side before he looked back to the Hallack warrior riding upon his tiger "Dang dibege ho do, Ruli? Natuatua i na bujjang i na mambahen on!"

As the king looked incensed at the information he had just received, the Hallack warrior riding upon the tiger finally raised his hand before looking at Gregory while saying, "I, Lord Parulian Sigumogo of Goria, represent the Kingdoms of Goria and Hutangali in accepting the surrender of Lord Gregory Palmer of Palmerton." Gregory was surprised that even the mounted warrior was able to speak the Archioric tongue with such fluency. Were the savages far more civilised than he gave them credit for?

To be fair to them, his interactions with the Hallack thus far were mostly centered around the smaller villages and hamlets and less-important groups. He had never personally interacted with the elites of the Hallack society but also judging from how the elders sent a letter written in Archioric Feldonian, he should've suspected as much. However, what intrigued him the most was how the Hallack Lord Parulian had chosen to address him as a lord instead of a common bandit.

"...Ruli, what's the meaning of this? Why are you accepting the Lordship of some vile and common bandits?" King Tagam seemed to not have liked what Lord Parulian did.

"Bang Tagam, I need you to trust me on this. Further conversation with your niece's man is required to better assess the situation." Lord Parulian said as he too finally got off his mount and took off his helmet "This is a sign from God that we are on the right track. We need to extract any and all information we can get from him… We would also need a place to stay and camp for the night and won't you have it, we have an encampment right here made for us and horse meat to feed us and our tigers!"

Gregory could only look at the encampment that was still burning even though some of its buildings were still somewhat standing. He didn't know if the structure could seriously withstand even a few more hours let alone until the next day. However, as he thought that, Lord Parulian had motioned to an old woman from the army who was walking with a staff.

"Urupi ma hami, namboru…" Lord Parulian said to which the old woman scoffed and raised her staff towards the burning encampment. In the next moment a small dark cloud formed on top of it and it started to rain upon the encampment, quickly dousing the flames. It took only a few moments for the camp's situation to be secured and with that, Lord Parulian led the army inside of it while some of the other soldiers started raising tents outside of the burnt palisade walls.

Lord Parulian looked at Gregory and told him, "We have much to discuss, boy.", before patting his shoulder firmly.

Gregory couldn't help but nod. They indeed had much to discuss.

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