Lord Anselm: leans in, eyes sharp My Liege, AN ALLIANCE WITH HOUSE BLACKTHORN! But beware, TRUST few. They are TREACHEROUS!
slams his fist on the table You don't know?! We need allies, Martinez! House Blackthorn may be treacherous, but they can be useful.
stands up, pacing the room Look at the map, Martinez! Their lands border ours, they control the trade routes through the mountains.
pauses, thinking We send an envoy to their castle, offer them a treaty.
narrows his eyes, a sly smile playing on his lips With something they can't refuse, my Liege. We offer them our finest wine, imported from the south.
claps his hands, a glint of excitement in his eyes Excellent! I will personally prepare the envoy, gather the finest vintners in our land.
races to the door, grabbing his cloak I'll see to it immediately, my Liege. Prepare for the journey, we must not waste a moment!
grabs his sword and shield, strapping them on We ride out at dawn, Martinez. The fate of our alliance hangs in the balance!
rushes out of the room, shouting to the servants Make haste! Prepare the horses, we depart at dawn!
returns to the room, breathless The horses are ready, my Liege. We must not delay. Come, Martinez, we must not keep them waiting!
grabs Martinez by the arm, leading him out of the room Hurry now, Martinez! We waste precious time.
As Martinez and Lord Anselm ride out, they are ambushed by a band of ruthless bandits, leaving them for dead in a shallow ravine.
grabs Martinez by the arm, pulling him out of the ravine Stay close, my Liege! We must find a way out of this treacherous trap!
looks around, assessing their surroundings We seem to be in a remote area, my Liege. Perhaps we were led here by the bandits.
scans the area for any signs of civilization Fear not, my Liege! I will find a way to save us. spots a nearby hilltop
grips his sword tightly, his eyes gleaming with determination We shall fight our way out of this cursed place, my Liege!
nods resolutely Very well, my Liege. If flight is our only option, then so be it. takes a deep breath, preparing himself Bandit Leader: shouting from a distance Come out, you cowards! Face your fate!
stares at the bandit leader, fear evident in his eyes
steps in front of Martinez, shielding him from the bandit leader Fear not, my Liege! I will not let these scoundrels harm you!
whispers Please, don't leave me here...
tightens his grip on his sword, readying himself for battle Have no fear, my Liege! I will protect you with my life!
swallows hard, clutching his sword tightly Fuck...this... stepping forward, trying to muster courage
slams his shield into the bandit leader's chest, knocking him to the ground Take that, you vile fiend!
gasps, taking a step back
quickly disarms the fallen bandit leader, pinning him down with his foot You will pay for your treachery! slashes his sword through the bandit leader's throat
voice trembling Did...did we win?
turns to Martinez, wiping the blood from his sword Yes, my Liege. We have emerged victorious. Now, we must make haste and find a safe refuge.
grabs Martinez by the arm, leading him towards a nearby village We must find shelter and tend to our wounds before our enemies catch up to us.
paces around the room, deep in thought We must gather information about our surroundings and seek out allies.
snaps his fingers, signaling Martinez to follow him We must start by gathering supplies and weapons.