Wilham and Kovar
On the 3rd day of the 9th month of 813, the sun was setting on the Poed estate. As was Kovar's way, he arrived as the sun was setting. Wilham saw the guards fleeing from the road where the estate began. They had been told to do so should Dedestroyt's Knight approach. Dressed in the white death's head as was the long tradition of vigilantes of Yellowia, Kovar was mounted, surrounded by his raiders, also on horse. To be fair, the radiers' stories exceeded their actions. They did not pillage, loot, burn or rape. They did murder and extort.
From above, Wilham counted 25 including Kovar. He easily spotted those hidden and those waiting far behind. They stood at the gate, waiting. Wilham obliged and descending to talking distance, surrounded by his flock of birds, griffon, pegasus, giant insects, and winged dogs. Doubling the number of raiders among the larger creatures, and far outnumbering them if the tiny animals were counted, Wilham was as imposing as possible.
"You know who I am, you know my demand?"
"I do, please leave."
"Your choice is made."
Kovar, sword drawn, spurred his horse forward and the raiders followed, charging down the road towards the estate house. Wilham knew his father would not give in to the request to disavow the king, nor would he leave the land, that meant only death. Wilham sent his swarm to delay and dismount the raiders and he fired arrow after arrow at Kovar. For every arrow that hit, one was deflected by the great sword and one missed. Until his quiver was empty, he fired. Unable to bring himself to kill the horse, he hoped lucky shot would kill Kovar, but the knight was undeterred.
With the flock and the raiders at a standstill, the farm rose up to stop them. Entangled by plants slowed and poisoned lightly, the raiders were all stopped for the moment. But Kovar was seemingly unharmed and relentless. Wilham took up his lance and drove to attack. Kovar new what was coming, and readied himself. The two jousted with great sword and lance for pass after pass. Kovar only able to make sure that he wasn't run through and Wilham waiting for the perfect time to finish the duel.
It would have only been a matter of time before the fight would have been won by a well placed lance of Wilham's, but the raiders gained the upper hand on the flock. The four that had been hidden and held back joined the fight, putting the flock at a disadvantage. Only Kovar's death soon would save the flock and his father. The raiders would run on towards the estate house once they cleared the flock.
Kovar, unconcerned if it was him or one of the raiders that got to the lord was content to fight Wilham, the only threat on the estate, to a draw. After several minutes of battle, Wilham had to make the choice to ignore the risk and go full into Kovar's attack. The stories of what a Vigilant could do to finish his task were legendary, and Wilham now knew how true the legend was. Only an utterly devastating attack could stop Kovar. At full tilt, he flew in. Kovar readied his own attack, preparing a death blow of Dedestroyt.
The lance hit first, putting a hole in the chest of Kovar that no creature survives. But Wilham knew that was not the end, knew that the reputation of the Vigilant and Kovar meant that in the throws of death Vengeance would be sought. He hoped for luck, he prayed for deliverance, but Dedestoyt's grasp was strong.
The raiders, seeing the leader slumped over, held in place only by the lance of Wilham, fled. They knew the job had ended and wanted to be far away. Wilham, cleaved nearly in two by the serrated great sword, was quickly carried away by the remains of his flock. His mount, Pecan III, limped away towards the house, trying to keep up with others.
Days later, a great ceremony, and a simple one, were both held. The funeral of Wilham, presided over by his cousin the cleric of Habastly and watched by the family cleric of Dedestroyt, was attended by two thousand. 4,000 pies were eaten. The second ceremony involved only the cleric of Dedestoyt, who buried the faithful servant Kovar a thousand feet from the Poed cemetery. It would remained unmarked in words, but a small tree would be noted so that the family would know.
The raiders that had fled looked to keep up their fallen leader's ways, but within months they were all killed by an assailant they never saw, one at a time.