A farewell and the promise of a reward

At the camp, Lady Margaery was able to regain her peace of mind and feel safe. Ethan offered her some food, he prepared a chicken over the fire, so that she could regain strength after the harrowing experience she had gone through. The young woman accepted the gesture with gratitude and began to eat, appreciating the hospitality of her savior.

After Margaery felt more comforted, she and Ethan began to discuss the past event. They sat around the fire, sharing stories and details as they searched for answers about how he had ended up in the hands of those hooded men.

"It was a terrifying experience. I was on my way to Highgarden when I was intercepted by those men. "I don't know who they were or why they kidnapped me, but I fear it could be related to the political rivalry in my house." - Margaery said softly.

Ethan nodded understandingly, aware of the complexity of the political intrigues in the region. He was determined to help Margaery reach Highgarden safely and, if necessary, find out who was responsible for her kidnapping.

"Don't worry Lady Margaery, we will make sure she gets home safely, without any further problems." - Ethan said.

Margaery nodded her head, as she watched the fire, she began to show curiosity about the group of four and their purpose. She wanted to know more about them.

Ethan without delay, quickly introduced his entire group starting with him.

"We are a varied bunch, Lady Margaery. My name is Ethan Astaroth, and I am the leader." -Ethan said as he pointed to the others. Elara, Leandro and Dario also showed up introducing themselves, but without monopolizing too much of the young girl attention.

"I come from a small family of knights, my father, and in his time my grandfather defended the borders of The Dominion in the name of your house. Unfortunately my parents died, and my family survived with only one member. Now we are trying to set up an alcohol business in Highgarden to make a living." - the young man ended up saying.

"But you look like you're my age? "You must have had a very hard time being alone." -said Margaery, in a sad voice.

Ethan took his time to respond. Without showing too many feelings about it.

"Of course it was difficult the first few months, but then you start to worry about your own survival. That made me stronger, I spent a lot of time training my skills for cases like tonight." -He answered firmly.

Margaery was left wondering when she heard the young man's words.

"Certainly, no matter how different the status of people may be, none of them are free from difficulties in their path." - the young Tyrell finished saying.

"Let's leave the past behind, and celebrate the present." - said the young man.

The conversation continued, and Margaery and the group share stories and experiences, forging a bond amid the unusual circumstances that had brought them together.

In the early morning, Leandro was on guard while the other members of the group slept. Suddenly, in the quiet of the dark, the earth began to shake, alerting the man. Leandro immediately went on alert, getting up quickly and urgently waking up everyone else, warning that a large group of horsemen was approaching.

The news of the "earthquake" and the proximity of an unknown group filled the camp with anxiety and confusion. Ethan and the others quickly got up, preparing for whatever might come. They did not know who these riders were or what their intention was, but they were determined to protect Margaery and themselves.

Despite the efforts of the group of five people to hide taking advantage of the darkness, they were unable to escape the encirclement of the horsemen who were getting closer and closer. With the situation becoming more complicated and with no apparent way out, Ethan made a decision to surrender to avoid an unnecessary confrontation.

Ethan, raising his sword in surrender, waited as the captain of the horsemen approached. He knew that diplomacy and dialogue were his best option at that time to avoid a potentially dangerous conflict.

"Who are you and what are you doing in this forest in the middle of the night?" - asked the captain of the horsemen with a harsh voice.

"I am Ethan Astaroth, and these are my companions. We are merchants and we are on the way to Highgarden. We have no intention of causing problems. We recently rescued Lady Margaery Tyrell, who was in danger." - the young man said calmly.

The captain of the horsemen listened carefully and, after a moment of consideration, approached Margaery to verify her identity. After a brief conversation with the young woman, the captain seemed convinced of the group's sincerity.

"Alright, looks like you guys have had a rough night. We thank you for helping Lady Margaery and once you reach Highgarden you will be well rewarded. Now we will accompany Lady Margaery back to her home. Her family is very worried." - the captain said cautiously.

Ethan quickly turned around to look at Margaery. She nodded her head indicating she trusted them.

Before leaving with the group of knights, Lady Margaery approached Ethan to express her gratitude for the help they had given her and make a promise.

"Ethan, I want to thank you again for everything you have done for me and for your bravery in rescuing me. I am indebted to you and your group. I promise that we will meet again and that I will thank you properly." - Margaery said sincerely.

"Lady Margaery, it was an honor to help you. We will be happy to see you again in the future. For now, I wish you a safe journey and hope you arrive at Highgarden safely." - Ethan responded, giving her a captivating smile.

After Lady Margaery's departure with the knights, the group was left alone, surrounded by the darkness of night, with a few hours before sunrise. Although the initial tension had dissipated, the experience of being surrounded by unknown riders had left an impact on all of them. Unable to sleep due to restlessness and the need to share their thoughts and feelings, they gathered at the camp to talk about the recent event.

"These knights are surely from the Tyrell family, that they can send so many men on horseback shows the power of this ancient house. Surely they have come for the hooded men, I don't think it's just a patrol." - Ethan said.

Elara, strangely, and perhaps a little out of shock, nodded as he answered, "You're right, Ethan. This situation reminds us that we cannot take our journey lightly. We must be prepared for any challenge that arises."

"I agree. We must stay focused on our goals and be cautious on our path to Highgarden. Also if everything goes well, we will receive a good reward for helping the Tyrell." - Dario said.