"What are you doing?!" Az shouted as she approached the men in the snowy field. Bowen sat on a bench sharpening his sword while his opponent was speaking with his second.

"Oh, hello," said Bowen, glancing up briefly before returning to prepping his blade, "This shouldn't take long."

"Why are you dueling this man?" she demanded, coming to a stop directly in front of the Commander.

He stopped working on his sword, giving her a look that told her it should be obvious. "We are all vying for your hand and I considered it only fair to let them know the depths of my sincerity."

"But... you could be killed!" she hissed, her hands going to her hips. Bowen started to laugh but frowned when he looked up and saw her distressed expression.

"You're actually worried..." Bowen sighed. "I'm torn between joy that you are concerned for my well being and dismay that you think that man actually poses a threat. He's barely one and twenty; this will be over quickly, I assure you."

"Well... Jeb Cain is only twenty and he's killed plenty of men!"

Bowen raised eyebrow and peered around her to look at his opponent again.

"That-" he replied, gesturing with his blade, "is no Jeb Cain. Don't worry, my Queen. I'm not going to hurt him and he's not going to hurt me."

"Then what is the point of all this?!" she yelled, frustrated.

"The point?" he repeated, standing to look her better in he eye. "The point is that these men wish to waste your time with insincerity and falsehoods. They hope to manipulate you. Even if my feelings weren't as they are, I would still abhor them for it. They do not deserve your time."

Bowen then bent at the waist in an abbreviated bow and stepped around her to assume his position in the duel. The Earl's son stepped up as well, trembling as he held his sword.

As the duel began, the Commander snapped forward, slapping the side of his blade against the other man's shoulder before flicking it upward to press it against his throat.

"Do you yield?" He asked.

"Oh yes, thank you!" cried out his opponent, jumping forward and giving the Commander a hug before running off the field, his entourage not far behind. An amused commander just turned to Azkadellia and shrugged.

"See? Did him a favor."