Work Text:
In Pirkstein castle.
Two large sacks fell with a clang in front of the quite puzzled Sir Hanush of Leipa. On the left side of the esteemed owner of the lands was a slightly less puzzled, but seemingly more tired, Sir Radzig Kobyla, and on the right, a noticeably livelier Sir Hans Capon, bored, as is often the case, while discussing anything with his uncle.
"Henry!" exclaimed Sir Hanush with indignancy in his trembling voice. "Even I heard rumors about your zeal in carrying sacks, but why the Hell would you drag them here of all places?!"
"This is a wedding ransom. For Sir Capon. The sacks contain groschen equal to the weight of the aforementioned honorable lord."
"Jesus Christ… Are you saying that you alone carried such a heavy load up here?"
"I’m quite used to it," Henry looked warmly at the unusually silent Hans. In his lord's golden hair still was a wreath, woven by Henry's own hands. Judging by the look of the flowers, they had served his lord as a crown for such a long time, that they would soon turn into a herbarium, right on his head. He will have to ask to give the withered flowers to him, for alchemy. Or tea.
"But where did you get so many groschen from?!" asked Sir Hanush, distracting him from Hans.
"I earned it in Kuttenberg."
Sir Hanush looked over the two plump sacks, the coins were poking at the seams, begging to overflow like a dazzling river at the lord's feet.
"So, let me get this straight. My nephew complained about his upcoming wedding so much, that you, as a true friend, decided to help him in such, um, unusual manner?"
Hans and Henry exchanged glances. Sir Radzig remained tactfully silent.
"Yes. That's right," the young men nodded in unison.
"Oh, what a good friend and bodyguard you have, Hans!" Sir Hanush burst out with praises seemingly out of nowhere. "He rides with you on the same horse to protect you from enemy arrows, he sleeps in the same room with you, so that, God forbid, no one attacks you at night, and he even swaps clothes with you so that the enemy cannot figure out who is who and cannot kidnap you again. I truly can't understand how you managed to find a friend like this, with that attitude of yours. If I had such a friend, I would never have married either!"
"I'm just lucky, I guess," said Hans quietly, pretending not to notice the glance Sir Radzig cast in his direction.
"Noble sir, am I correct in my understanding, that the wedding is off?" Henry asked politely.
Sir Hanush hesitated, stroking his chin, the sacks filled with groschen captivated all his attention.
"But... what should we do about the heirs?" Sir Hanush drawled with hesitation.
"These are not all the sacks, Sir."
"Deal!"
Henry picked up Hans, who blushed like a blooming poppy, in his arms and carried him towards Pribyslavitz, where the seventh tower made of groschen was just being completed.
***
+ An alternative ending to the quest about rescuing Hans from the fortress of Maleshov.
"Henry! Why did you came back so quickly?" exclaimed Zhizhka. "And why is Hans Capon with you? We haven't assembled a team yet."
"I bought Maleshov."