Bacon Bits
Legend
Suggestions, ideas as to what the players might try?
So, violence and incarceration won't work.
I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with Zweihänder, so I don't know how they could solve it mechanically. In D&D it might be done with spells like Dream, Modify Memory, or Geas.
What comes to my mind non-mechanically is:
1. "Mistaken" identity. "I'm not Jerry Gallow. I'm Jerry Callow. You're looking for my cousin."
2. Propose, then claim you cannot marry until your name has been cleared, for he could not bear to so tarnish her good reputation.
3. Propose, marry her, set her up somewhere, and then leave.
4. He's married to someone else already. Preferably in the party. Bonus points if they go through with it. Extra bonus points if they make it work for the rest of the campaign.
5. Some very elaborate contrivance. A "curse" prevents him from ever being in contact with his fairest love, lest they both meet a gruesome fate. His current unfortunate situation is itself caused by the curse! He is seeking to undo such a baleful enchantment and will join her as soon as he can.
6. A duel to first blood, preferably against a brother of hers. That can typically be more than enough to satisfy honor.
All I can think of is Carrier Fisher's character from Blues Brothers.
Funnily enough, Dan Akroyd got engaged to Carrie Fisher on the set of Blues Brothers. The engagement ended when she decided to go back to her ex... Paul Simon.