"You're probably exposed now."
Levi turned to look at Thengel and shrugged with obvious amusement.
"Don't you think the wind really was quite strong back there?"
Thengel continued being stubborn about his disguise.
"I had just come of age when I left Rohan, and nearly twenty years have passed since then. I've changed so much they couldn't possibly recognize me."
"Fine, if you insist on believing that."
Levi couldn't be bothered arguing with him anymore. The situation was quite clear to anyone paying attention.
After all, that Rohirrim marshal wasn't just going through empty motions. As the king's general and highest-ranking marshal, hearing a foreigner declare he was going to beat up their monarch, even if the current king was widely despised, he couldn't simply do nothing.
No matter what personal feelings were involved, that was still their anointed king. Royal dignity couldn't be openly challenged without response. This was the marshal's duty and sacred obligation.
Even if the opponent was the legendary Levi, even if just for appearances, they had to make some show of resistance first. They couldn't just surrender without even attempting defense.
But then again, if it involved Levi plus Rohan's universally supported prince, Rohan's next and only legitimate heir, Thengel, that would create an entirely different political situation.
After quickly finishing the remaining warm mushroom soup in the pot, the two mounted their horses, carefully bypassed Helm's Deep fortress, and continued their westward journey.
One day later, on the rolling plains, Thengel pointed to the quite conspicuous magnificent palace crowning a distant hill.
"Meduseld, also called the 'Golden Hall.' That's where the king holds court and resides."
He looked expectantly at Levi. Levi returned his gaze with equal intensity. The two exchanged meaningful glances and nodded at each other in silent agreement.
At midnight, torches blazed brightly, illuminating the roads surrounding the royal palace.
Even at night, this hall's splendor remained undiminished. Firelight danced on the gold-inlaid pillars at the grand entrance and flowed across intricate bird and beast patterns crafted from precious jewels and gold leaf adorning the massive doors, proclaiming their wealth and power.
"Halt where you stand."
When Levi and Thengel reached the palace entrance, two guards crossed their swords to block passage. Though their weapon-holding hands appeared steady, their somewhat labored breathing revealed their inner feelings weren't nearly as calm as they pretended.
Standing before this legendary figure created overwhelming psychological pressure.
"I have urgent business with your king."
One guard glanced nervously at Levi and managed to say, "Please wait here."
Moments later, the Grand Marshal stationed at Edoras arrived with dozens of fully armed soldiers, quickly gathering at the entrance.
They surrounded the area completely upon arrival, creating an impressive show of force.
"Greetings to you, Legend Levi."
"Please forgive me, but I..." The Grand Marshal looked at Levi, his formal words suddenly catching in his throat.
Normally, audiences with the king required complete disarmament, but would enforcing such protocol on the person before him really accomplish anything meaningful?
Could a dragon without visible teeth really be considered helpless against mere humans?
His throat constricted nervously. The Grand Marshal took a deep breath and still chose to firmly fulfill his sworn duty.
"I must confiscate any weapons before allowing you to see King Fengel."
Levi cooperatively raised both hands in compliance. Seeing this unexpected cooperation, the Grand Marshal heaved a sigh of relief and personally conducted the thorough inspection.
Nothing concerning was found. Levi wore only that distinctive black armor set, carrying no visible weapons whatsoever.
After Levi's inspection was complete, Thengel received similar treatment and was also cleared. The two followed the Grand Marshal's respectful gesture into the hall.
"Who comes visiting at such an ungodly hour? Don't they know this is my late-night feast time?"
On the ornate throne, gray-haired King Fengel slouched with his prominent belly, starting to complain before even laying eyes on his unexpected visitors.
"Levi Stonecraft, Lord of Roadside Keep." Levi answered with characteristic brevity.
"A lord... oh wait, now I remember you. The big shot from the far north. Your exploits have been flying everywhere these past years like seeds on the wind. What brings you to my court?"
"I heard you planned to unlawfully detain my trading caravan some time ago?"
"Did such a thing actually happen?"
Fengel feigned confusion with theatrical flair, scratching his head and looking away from Levi to study his own hand with exaggerated interest.
"So terribly sorry, but I don't recall doing any such thing. Perhaps you're quite mistaken about the facts."
"My people would never deceive me about important matters."
"Then you'd better be extremely careful. There are many people in this world whose outward appearance and inner hearts don't match at all."
"Don't trouble yourself with my concerns. I already know exactly what happened here. I thoroughly investigated the situation during my journey. You did indeed attempt to confiscate my caravan's legitimate goods, correct?"
"So what if I did exactly that?"
Seeing that neither Levi nor the mysterious masked person beside him carried any visible weapons, Fengel simply couldn't be bothered maintaining his pretense any longer.
"Your caravan engaged in malicious trade practices, deliberately disrupting our local market stability. I had completely legal grounds to detain them."
"What specific law grants you such authority?"
"The relevant commercial law."
"Which relevant law exactly?"
"The relevant law that I personally created for such situations."
"Brilliant legal reasoning."
Levi applauded sarcastically while Thengel beside him clenched his fists tightly, trembling with barely contained rage.
He couldn't help shouting with obvious fury: "Incompetent fool!"
"What did you just dare to say!?"
"What outsider presumes to judge me!"
Fengel pointed accusingly at Thengel and berated him with royal indignation: "For the sake of the distinguished person beside you, I can graciously forgive you once, but if you can't control that insolent mouth next time, things won't end so simply."
"Outsider... how remarkably interesting."
"You insolent..." His angry words were suddenly interrupted.
Levi stepped protectively in front of Thengel: "So the final conclusion is you don't intend to admit any wrongdoing whatsoever, correct?"
"What possible wrongdoing could I have committed?"
"Fine then."
Levi smiled with dangerous calm and said to Thengel: "Go outside first. Come back in after I'm finished."
"Understood." Thengel looked meaningfully at Levi, then at the increasingly nervous Fengel, slowly nodded his agreement, and withdrew from the hall.
"It seems this king, whose brain is completely filled with eating, drinking, and obsessing over making money, has indeed lost his remaining sanity and needs some serious correction."
Levi spoke while walking forward with deliberate steps, flexing his fingers with obvious intent.
"What exactly are you planning to do?"
Fengel's heart tightened with growing alarm. Seeing the situation rapidly turning dangerous, he quickly commanded loudly: "Stop him immediately!"
"Sir, you must halt right there."
The Grand Marshal stepped forward with admirable courage.
Thud! The next moment, he was knocked to the ground with a single devastating punch.
Scrape! Just as the Grand Marshal desperately reached for his weapon to rise and continue resistance, a sword appeared from nowhere, stabbing deep into the floor directly beside his exposed neck. This startled him into breaking out in a cold sweat, his breathing and heartbeat stopping for a terrifying instant.
"You're already dead."
Their eyes met for that crucial moment of understanding.
Levi withdrew his weapon and with a sharp clang blocked an attack from behind, then kicked out powerfully to knock over two soldiers at once. Crash! He also toppled a nearby decorative lamp post in the process.
The scene immediately descended into complete chaos as Fengel quickly stood up, covering his head protectively and hiding behind his throne.
The sounds of clashing metal and intense fighting continued echoing throughout the hall.
Led by their marshal, soldiers threw themselves forward one after another, desperately trying to stop Levi's relentless advance, only to be systematically knocked down one by one.
When one particularly determined soldier tried to get up and continue fighting, suddenly a strong hand grabbed his foot and dragged him back down.
"Don't make unnecessary noise; just keep lying down quietly. That person is Prince Thengel's trusted companion. He won't do anything too excessive to us."
After saying these reassuring words, the Grand Marshal closed his eyes peacefully, tilted his head to one side, and adopted quite a serene expression of resigned acceptance.