So, where's Carlos? He doesn't think he knows him by appearance.

He, on the other hand, does know of Feliu; the paladin's rather a lot more famous than he is. 

"Sir Tauler? I'm Carlos Llano, the Conde Acevedo's second."

"Pleased to meet you, Sir Llano. I assume your principal isn't willing to be talked out of this? It's a tremendously silly thing to do, for two men to try to die for their right to insult each other." Feliu is a third circle paladin and the concept that he is trying to seek peace out of cowardice is a shoe that simply would not fit him.

"Not lightly. If lady Seguer spoke not of her own choice, but because she was enchanted or threatened or ordered; if it was critical to the nation or church that he do so, on evidence for the first or your word for the latter? Yes, I suspect, though I would not speak for him without asking. But the conde is an honorable man, and does not let insults to his allies pass unchallenged nor hide from the consequences of his actions."

"I cannot say it is critical to the nation and church that he do so. I can say that I think it is of significant, though not critical, importance that neither of the duelists is arrested for murder. It is brave of him to be willing to protect the honor of his political allies with his life, but if two nobles kill each other it will be a blow to the authority of the Queen and to her work to restore the state, since her designated appointee has forbidden them from doing so."

"My lord has no desire to see Count Ardiaca dead," though humiliated and injured is another question entirely, "and will of course accept surrender as soon as it is requested. As I recall, he was somewhat impressed his excellency took up the challenge himself, and understands that wizardry can make it difficult for observers to grasp the extent of an injury. But beyond having a healer on standby, I am not sure there is much else to be done; my lord has not had occasion to speak to a weaponsmith about merciful blades of late. Did you have something else in mind?"

One of the most important skills for a paladin is to learn how to let dueling insults to your closest friends just sliiiide off your back. "Count Ardiaca has no merciful blades," he says. "I would request first blood, but as I doubt His Excellency wishes to agree to that," because it is a frankly ludicrous handicap to give a wizard, "I suspect the best solution would be for the two duelists to pay for a cleric with a scroll of Breath of Life to stand by so that no death suffered in the dueling is final."

There's a reason you keep both aggrieved parties as far from the arrangements as possible.

"I expect that first blood will not be possible, but purchasing a scroll or having a cleric with it prepared on standby are prudent measures that should not prove an issue; I expect my lord will be willing to cover half the cost." Hopefully it won't be necessary, because he can already see in his minds eye the harried face of his lord's steward if they can't recoup some of the losses by reselling it, but if something went wrong it would be far better than Acevedo actually killing the man. "Have you selected a time and place?"

He has some suggestions! Once the important part is settled the last few details will be pretty easy.