In the fall 1207 Bentalone gets an unexpected visitor- Gerard's wife...
Gerard has been doing a lot of reading in the last few years. The boys have become masters of swordplay and fledgling academics over the years; in the fall they usually stay with their father in the library as he reads, helping the scribes or reading whatever books interest them.
As Gerard's wife arrives, she has a 6 year old child with her, and states that she is here to reclaim her sons. The boys seem uncertain what to make of that.
Gerard smirks at her. "It's nice to see you again, too, Amaya. Just like that, eh, here you are and they're coming with you? Back to Iberia, I take it? It's not so simple as that. Are you going to introduce me to your new child?"
"Not Iberia, we are moving back to Provence for the crusade here. This is Rose, her father and I decided to return together."
Gerard nods. "I see. To aid the Crusade, or the Cathars?"
Her eyes flash anger "The fact you would even ask such a question shows why I must take the children. How could there be any question that I would support those devil worshiping heretics?"
Gerard shrugs. "It's been 10 years without so much as a letter. I have no idea who you've taken up with. Those on both sides consider themselves devout christians, and both sides include members of our house, you must know this. Myself, I am not among them. The boys are almost ready to go to war, I will admit, but dying for the sake of a church that intends the Order nothing but harm is foolishness. Why get involved?"
"If there are flambeau who support the Cathars they are guilty of diabolism and should be marched!"
Gerard gives her a sweet smile. "So declare War on them. Or charge them formally. Come along to Tribunal this winter and you can figure out who they are. But getting involved in a crusade is questionable at best. Provence is not Iberia, where the Quaesitores look the other way. If you march alongside knights you may be Marched yourself."
"I did not come to debate the rightness of my cause, but to claim my sons. Will you acknowledge that i may take them or shall we decide this by certamen?"
Gerard lets out a mirthless laugh, "Certamen? Are we Tremere? Dimicatio, I think, don't you? Surely you brought along your new man, I will get one of the other magi here to judge as well."
"At sunrise then, in front of the covenant, outside it's aegis. We will meet you there."
Gerard nods, and after she leaves, goes off to find a second.
He's not sure whether the boys remember her or not, but he will spend the rest of the day discussing the matter with them, answering their many questions, and explaining that if he loses, they may have to go with her, and end up fighting in a pointless war, in which case they are to watch each others' back and stay safe as best they can.
Then he stays up, thinking about what he wishes to do, and before bed, he prepares his lab for the possibility of his long absence (which includes sealing up every opening with stone pulled from the surrounding keep with Rego, and taking some important object that can act as an Arcane Connection to the interior of the whole laboratory.)
In the morning, he packs for travel, and will be fully kitted up for war when he appears for the Dimicatio. He sees that the boys are as well, and will bring them out to bear witness along with his sodale. (Advising Jaufres to watch things with his magic senses.)
Before he goes out to face his wife, he tries to cast a spontaneous spell to give himself the best magical sense he can manage, but on failing, just rests, so he will be fresh when it is time.
[Roll on Discord]
Upon realizing that his second also cannot see magics, he sends them with a message to the other second that Dimicatio cannot be judged, and the contest must be Certamen.
Amaya stands waiting when he arrives, a smirk on her face. "Since we are back to certamen., formalities first. Your prize should be chosen for if you win."
"You agree that Jaufres Vidal and Guilhelm Vidal will stay with me until they reach adulthood, and as long thereafter as they wish, agree to make no further attempts to remove them from my custody, and agree to make no claims upon my hospitality or that of any covenant in which I reside."
She nods. "As challenger I chose technique, and chose Perdo, you have the choice of form."
"I choose Corpus."
she smiles "Perfect"
You begin to concentrate and battle manifests as two plague ridden warriors facing off...
she has 17 on initiative