It put him on guard. "What now? You have some mockery for me?" he snapped. I shook my head. "No, sir. I have a great deal of respect for knights and nobility. I am in need of trade and investment. Would you permit me a brief audience with your father?" I asked as I bowed my head. He balked and said "You!? Meet my father? Are you mad? I would not let someone of your ilk within a town's length of my father if I could help it." he said. I said "What would I have to do to prove my worth?" I wanted to know. He smirked and said "For a knave like you... I might be convinced if you sparred with me. If you would allow me to slap you around a bit, I would consider giving you an audience." I smiled and said "I'm not a warrior like you, Sir Swiftheart, but I do know how to hold my own in combat." We agreed to meet in an hour. The centaurs wanted to know what had gotten into my head. "We all can benefit if we have a baron in our pocket. I also need to launder my loot. If I can exchange my stuff for his the people after me will have no leg to stand on." I told them. They just rolled their eyes.
Getting on with things, I asked them what they would be doing. I still had to get my knives and holsters for them. "What do you think we'll be doing!? 2 of us are in heat. I am not letting either of them out of these stables. I'm not a mare, galloping around corralling foals." Casone said. That was fine with me. I let them get back to their day and I went back to the inn. I found my blades and attached the holsters to my clothes. I stretched and tested the sharpness of the blades. I was not sure how a spar was supposed to go. I hoped that it was only to first blood. I did not want to let him get one of us killed out there. I got my rest and I had a good meal in me, so I was confident that I could win. When I met him at the stables, Sir Anthony was with another young man. "Is this the man that challenged you? He doesn't seem so strong. Why do you need me here?" he asked. "Fabien, this is serious. You have to be my second. It is a matter for the house of Swiftheart." "Is this your fellow knight, Sir Anthony?" I asked politely. "No, I am Sir Fabien Swiftheart, the second born son of Baron Swiftheart." he said.
He was a bit taller and had a slightly deeper voice, so I assumed that he was older. "It's nice to meet you, Sir Fabien. I was told that we would be sparring, but I'm new to the region. How do spars work here?" I asked the elder brother. Fabien looked at me and said "You try to beat your opponent in combat. When the rival yields, you stop. I do not want to see any foul play." He was looking at me like I was a dirty street rat. To be fair to him, I was born a poor person. Both brothers could probably see right through a phantom thief like me and were reacting. We then moved to an open area and faced off. Anthony drew his sword and I took 2 of my blades out of their holsters in a practiced manner. The fight would start when Sir Fabien started it. When he did, I threw the knives at him as I ran in. He dodged out of the way with wide eyes. I then pulled another knife in my dominant hand struck out at him. I wanted to end it early. He was not deterred at all. Anthony swung his blade in a wide arc which knocked me back a bit. "What are you going to do now? I have the longer reach." he mocked me.
I just smirked at him and he frowned back at me. "What's so funny!?" he demanded. "I just have to reach you then." I said. "Try it if you dare, knave!" Anthony snapped in annoyance before falling into a ready position. He was not rushing me. That meant that he had some level of discipline, even if he was hot headed. I was going to have to take him on in a straight forward manner. I closed in and gave a slash at him. He blocked it with his blade and locked us together. He was not very strong, but he was skilled. "What, not going to make any snappy remarks?" he said. I was looking at him and trying a way out of this. I found one, but it was a bit dirty. "Hey! I'm talking t-" was all that he got out before hooking the outer leg and pushing against him. He fell and I threw the dagger near his head as he hit the ground. I had the next throwing knife ready. His eyes slid to the knife less than an inch from his face and shivered. The fight was over. "It looks like you are the victor in this contest." Fabien said. "Thank you, Sir Fabien." I turned to Anthony and reached an arm to him. "Thank you as well." I said.
