"Lord Baron to say so really is much too polite," Mage Anbala waived off Gaven's breach of contract penalty with utmost cheer. "Apart from those warhorses, which do indeed require a bit of extra attention, the nags simply graze locally and don't cost much to maintain, so there's no need for further payment. Consider it a small token of our sincerity."
Ten days earlier, they had intended to take Gaven for all he was worth. The penalty amount had to be exorbitantly high, ideally taking part ownership of the Weizemay Vineyard. Such matters, after all, have intangible value, and it all would have hinged on their word.
But that plan evaporated after the other party swept through the Giant Plains, destroying a Troll Kingdom on the opposite side.
What a joke. Bargaining with a warlord bristling with armed forces? Wasn't that just asking for a death wish?
