Warmer Pastures?

Aethelhun and Eadweard fought together through the passageways fighting back to back as enemies and friends dropped on all sides. They fought through door after door, up the many levels of the fortress, They soon found themselves at a massive wooden door, guilded with 2 massive dragons, The Brothers push a door each and they were followed by their men quickly fanning out the room watching the side passages as Lord Charmasse walked towards the brothers, sword drawn Aethelhun challenged the Lord to a duel, which was readily accepted.

The 2 nobles walked in a circle surrounded by the Rashdain Soldiers, On one side was the Experience Lord with decades of combat experience, and on the other, a relatively young noble out to prove himself to his brother and his soldiers the 2 fighters engaged and quickly Lord Charmasse gained the upper hand, going on the attack with sword swipe after sword swipe cutting hanging pieces of fabric and taunting the younger fighter, He continued with the attack before smashing Aethelhun's head with his shield, stunning him and throwing him to the cold stone of the floor. The lord stood back allowing him to recover before attacking again. The fight continued for well over 20 mins by which point the 2 combatants were tired and the elder called for a respite to recover. The 2 take the time to readjust their armor and take a drink. The end of their break was signaled by Eadweard and the 2 re-engaged, but the prolonged fight was a blessing for Aethelhun whose younger body allowed him to continue the fight and continued with the counterattack and had soon disarmed the lord and called for his surrender. The Lord agreed and removed his armor before being handed the formal documentation for his acceptance as a Duke of Rashad and renouncing all previous loyalties. He then grabbed a Rashadian banner and flew it from the balcony signaling the final collapse of the Laurian Kingdom now to be absorbed into Rashad bringing the total of Noble houses to 24.

The integration was confirmed a month later on the 10th of September in Kšena for the Emperor.