Knight Henned (Baron Shahin)

Captured during the first northern campaign, released by Lorist under «no mistreatment of knights» pretext. Returned to the duke only to be publicly humiliated, walked out with five thousand Northern Corps soldiers, took the Sakura Ridge manor, and joined the Norton bloc under his civil-name Baron Shahin.

**Captured, freed, returned.** Henned commanded the second battalion in the punitive force Duke Lukins sent in ch 133. Lorist took him alive, refused Baron Camora's demand for his surrender, and freed him under chivalric custom in ch 165.

**Defection.** Back at the duke's court he was publicly humiliated, walked out with two battalions of the Northern Corps — five thousand men — and seized the Sakura Ridge manor as Baron Shahin. Aligned with Norton from the second northern campaign onward.

Loud, brash, childishly vindictive toward his old master and, in his own way, charming. Once he got the duke's study, the first thing he did was smash it to splinters — a long-held dream: the duke would wreck his study in a rage in front of his subordinates during reports. He chases women and money, and loves to 'heroically rescue beauties' (he even staged the abduction of the duke's concubine with Lorist's help).

For all his familiarity, he is sincerely loyal to Lorist and counts him a friend — because Lorist took him captive in a single move and treated him with knightly honour.

A battle-hardened Gold Knight of the second star — far above, say, Princess Silivia in skill and experience. His level is still not enough against a Sword Master, however: in his duel with Princess Silivia (covertly aided by her wet-nurse, the Sword Master Shandi) he dominated, but at the decisive moment he slipped, lost, and was captured.

Commanded the second battalion of Duke Lukins's punitive force (ch 133); captured by the Nortons. Lorist refused to surrender him to the envoy Camora and freed him 'by chivalric custom' (ch 165). Returning to court he was publicly humiliated by the duke — whereupon he walked off with two battalions of the Northern Corps, five thousand men, seized the Sakura Ridge manor and proclaimed himself Baron Shahin.

During the 'Disaster of the South' (ch 164-165) Henned became Lorist's guide through the ducal lands, drew another two thousand Gildusk garrison soldiers under the Norton banner and helped strip the domain. It was he who found Baron Camora in the ducal palace's water dungeon.

After victory he joined the four-family alliance and received half the former Grand Duke's lands — Gildusk, the Sakura manor and several towns. By agreement with Lorist, he and Baron Filim were to harry the Iberian Kingdom and deny the Second Prince time to rebuild.

In Gildusk (ch 191-195) he and the gold knight Tabek were captured by Princess Silivia. Lorist freed them by beating the princess's wet-nurse, the Sword Master Shandi, in a duel. Henned remained a loyal and comic Norton ally; the poorest of the four houses, he was forever wheedling steel armour out of Lorist.