Quoted By:
The Duke whose face Lucian had yet seen seemed to ponder to himself for a moment in thought. He must have been realizing several tomes worth of lore and knowledge that Lucian could only dream of accumulating in his rather short uneducated life.
“Vampires are creatures that we the living could barely understand. I am sure the Empire knows more thanks to their Sylvania but I know that they are lacking a complete record as well.” He said to not Lucian but the Knights who had accompanied him, “We will have to question the Priests of Morr to see if they have knowledge on the matter. I have heard that Vampires do not attack things that are pure, maybe this creature the Peasant owns is in some way pure.”
“What shall we do with him?” One of the Knights barked quickly as he presented a lance in the direction of Lucian, “He can’t run all this land himself and none of the peasants will want to move here once they hear a Vampire attacked.”
“We can just send him to another village.” Another of the Knights said as he leaned to look at Lucian, “He seems quite well built. Make him work the fields.”
“But if we do that he’ll just become a pariah. A creature for them all to fear and eventually Lynch. I don’t want to flog a bunch of peasants just because we caused them to lynch someone.” The first of the two knights said back to his fellow.
“Luquin, Robinet.” The Duke called out both his lessers with a force of will that shamed even Lucian, “Have either of you heard of a Peasant act like him? What would you call it?”
The two stopped their bickering and looked at one another. There was a clear sense that they wanted to speak the words they wanted to but were simply too dumbfounded to say anything. They faced Lucian and examined him once again with a more inquisitive lense. Their eyes trying to see if somewhere upon the face of the Peasant the answer to their Lord’s question laid hidden from their view.
The Lord shook his head as he spoke out, “Lucian, I ask you, why did you defend your people?”
“B-because I should Lord!” Lucian stammered as he felt the inquisitiveness of those men glare upon him, “I… I did so not just because it was the right thing and that I could not live myself for doing it, but that it was my duty as a man of the village to do it. If my life saved two others it would have been worth it.”
The two Knights suddenly had a realization but they dared not say it. They seemed to almost question their thoughts as a phantom smile appeared upon the helmet of the Duke.
“It is Honor, that is what this peasant displays.” Declared the Duke as he gave a hearty laugh, “A normal peasant would have ran in fear of a Vampire yet he did not. I rarely ever see a peasant with such qualities and his bravery is beyond even them.”
