"If you are the smith, then what authority do you have to arrest someone?" Maric said, trusting the man less and less by the minute. "And how do you know of what the child has seen? If you truly are a member of the nearby town like you say, you'd know nothing of the girl."<br/><br/>The unkempt man did not seem like the lawful type either. If he was a sheriff, he'd be a rather corrupt one. The paladin could sense that his aura was rather dark and stormy.<br/><br/>"Another thing, why would a mother have a complete stranger, a man no less, transport her daughter somewhere?" Varrat added, advancing slowly, his large bulk towering over the other man. "I very much doubt someone would let a little girl left at the mercy of a man as crooked as you.<br/>"If you are really a lawman, how come you refuse evidence that proves this lad innocent? Five witnesses is definitely more than enough to prove the word of one distrustful woman wrong. And of these five witnesses, two of them, sworn to uphold the law on their life are defending him.<br/>"So boy, either you walk out of here to do a bit more investigating, with the help of proper men of the law at your side, or you can try limping out of here on a gimped leg or two."<br/><br/>While Varatt spoke to the strange man, Faren was trying to usher Samantha and Maisie upstairs. In case things went badly, he wanted them out of the way.<br/><br/>"Maisie, stay upstairs and listen to Samantha, alright sweetie?" He said to the little girl before turning to his love. "Samantha, please take care of her. Make sure she does not come down here, or even look in case something happens, alright?"<br/><br/>Once Samantha acknowledged him, Faren summoned a weak smile and kissed them both on the brow.<br/><br/>"I love you." He said quietly, as he gently pushed them to the ladder.