Groin, we're in Tolkien's Middle-Earth, not in the Christian Middle-Ages of Europe...
Even the Vikings were more civil.
And the "ordeal by combat" (I'm not sure what the actual historical term actually is as in Finnish it's called "God's verdict") was only between even persons by class... eg. two noblemen, two knights etc. and the winner was winner by God's favour - so if an "oldtimer" and a young "bodybuilder" met in a challenge (probably not initiated by the gaffer
) it was God's will the muscle-hero was more pleasing to him and had right on the issue.
But fear not, lord Athanar is not going to suggest to burn Lithor on the stake, mutilate him, or anything like that. Actually he's planning an overall deal between the nobles for all that happened- and Lithor will bear some blunt of it. But he will also have a chance to talk openly against W & W of the late evening's happenings...