Chapter 148 Reprieve

With most of the immediate problems handled, Lucien finally found a brief reprieve.

There was only one place where he could find solace.

After taking a bath to wash off the grime, Lucien leaned back against his chair, gaze drifting to nowhere in particular around his study.

His eyes slowly slid shut as he listened to the fading sounds of a village that was finally starting to return to some semblance of normalcy.

Truth be told, he wasn't as tired as he had been during the days after the Tithe. The battle with the orcs had only lasted an hour at most, and the most urgent task left was already being handled as the men worked to clear the river of corpses.

Harlon and his men had already transported the scorpion back to the workshop, while the rest of the villagers were pitching in to collect the debris left from the battle. By this time, he reckoned they would be preparing the small celebration he had ordered earlier.

Lucien exhaled faintly, realizing he would have to show his face at the celebration long enough to be seen, even though he would much prefer to hole up in his study with a cup of coffee.

Speaking of coffee...he wondered whether Alicia would be free enough to brew him one.

A knock on the door interrupted his idle musings.

Before he could call for whoever it was to enter, the door swung open to reveal Talia holding two cups, an unusually soft smile on her face.

"Hiya, Senior! Care for a cup of coffee made by your cute junior?"

Lucien stared at her for a brief moment before looking outside the window. "...Perhaps Elias might need some help organizing the celebration."

Ignoring his words, she walked to the front of his desk and set a cup before him. The heavenly scent made him lean back further in his chair, his prior words forgotten.

Curse this junior for knowing him too well.

His thoughts must have shown on his face, because a chuckle escaped Talia's lips as she leaned against the side of his desk in a manner that reminded him faintly of a time back in their old world.

Talia took a slow sip from her cup, then set it on his desk and stretched her hands over her head. A light groan left her as a few cracks popped along her back.

"Sera's looking after the elf girl you brought back. We moved her near Cora's room to make things easier for Alicia."

Lucien dragged his gaze from his cup. "...Just to be clear, Sera was the one who brought her back. I have nothing to do with this."

At his words, she shot him another smile, this one more like her. "That's not what people are going to say, ya know. Just accept your fate, Senior."

Coffee, or flicking her forehead?

Deciding to hold off on Talia's punishment for now, Lucien reached for the cup instead. He took a slow sip to savor the taste, only to stop midway through.

His brow twitching, he shot a look at his junior. "...You didn't add enough again."

Talia shook her head wryly. "Alicia's been spoiling you too much. It's why I told her I would make it this time."

Those words brought back another travesty from before.

Lucien set his cup down, eyes narrowing at her. "You even asked her to limit my daily portions...you went too far, Talia."

To his annoyance, his junior merely grinned cheekily at him. He was about to change his mind and enact a justified punishment when something about her behavior gave him pause.

He had noticed something strange earlier as well.

Looking closer, he noticed the slight tremble in Talia's hands as she leaned on his desk, along with the way she seemed unusually still compared to her usual self.

Slowly, Lucien rose from his seat.

Talia looked like she was about to dart away, only to blink in surprise when he laid a hand gently on her shoulder.

"It's over, Talia. All the orcs are dead and the danger has passed."

Her eyes widened, and for a brief moment, she looked as though she was about to brush off his concern.

But the smile she tried to summon faltered before it could fully form. A small, uneven sound escaped her throat as she leaned into him, pressing her head against his shoulder.

"Stupid Senior...why do you have to be perceptive about stuff like this," she muttered, voice muffled.

Lucien patted her back, ignoring the wetness spreading through his shirt. "I was in the same shoes as you not that long ago, Talia. Though given I was far away at the tower this time, perhaps that is why-"

"Stop rationalizing and just hold me...dummy!"

He shook his head and fell silent.

They remained like that for a long moment, the setting sun casting the study in an orange hue. Already, he could hear a small commotion at the gathering hall as the villagers gathered early to chat and wait for the festivities to begin.

"Alicia's stronger than she looks, ya know. She wore a calm expression throughout the battle and even had the leeway to organize the servants to be ready for any injuries," Talia spoke softly through his shirt.

Lucien looked down at his junior, a brow raising despite her not being able to see it. "You are comparing yourself to someone who had to live her whole life waiting for her father to return safely every year."

She let out a soft breath, tickling his skin. "I know, I know. It's just strange to see a different side of her...thought I had her figured out until she up and surprised me again."

"All those books we read...urgh, how the hell did those protagonists get used to being tossed into combat like that?"

Talia looked up, her eyes narrowing slightly at him. "Alicia's one thing. How are you so calm that you can go and face those orcs when we were just living normal lives not even a year ago?"

Lucien met her gaze, his brow still raised. "My only involvement in today's battle was firing two bolts...and one of them likely missed entirely."

"Who's the one making unfair comparisons now?" she shot back, a slight smile taking the bite off her words.

She lowered her head back to his shoulder, the slight tremble in her hands still present even as she took slow breaths. "I didn't even dare to step outside the manor, ya know. This whole thing made me feel kinda useless."

Lucien's brow creased slightly. "You have helped me more than you know, Talia."

She let out a scoff into his shirt. "What, the poison? I bought it with your gold anyway, and even those connections aren't really mine to be-"

"I am not talking about the poison," Lucien cut in gently, causing her to fall silent.

His gaze drifted to the window, looking out into the village. "You weren't here to see it...but I wasn't in the right state of mind when I found myself in this world."

Lucien exhaled through his nose. "Surviving the Tithe and pretending to be a noble was all I could afford to do."

He looked back down at Talia, and though he couldn't see her face, she seemed to be listening intently. "If not for meeting you in Helvarn...I wouldn't be as comfortable as I am today. So..."

"You were the one who insisted on calling me Senior, so don't hide behind smiles and just confide in me when you want to...Junior."

Talia grew quiet against his shoulder, her fingers curling faintly into his shirt.

Then she whispered something too soft for him to hear.

Lucien's brows furrowed as he nudged her lightly. "What did you say? I couldn't hear it."

She pushed off from where she had been leaning, a familiar curve on her lips. "I said I feel better now after recharging! Thanks, Senior!"

Stretching her hands up wide, she let out a hum before speaking again. "Anyways, I should show my face at the celebration today too! Gotta promote my shop and all that! Hmmm...I wonder if I could get Maris to organize an impromptu discount sale for some ale and snacks?"

Talia turned, the motion so swift her ponytail almost struck his face. Before he could say another word, she lifted a hand in a lazy wave, the orange light of dusk catching in her red hair like flames.

"See ya there, Senior! Oh, you can finish my coffee. Take it as your reward for cheering your cute junior up!"

With that, Talia slipped out of the study, leaving him no chance to speak as the door fell shut softly behind her.

Lucien rubbed at his temple, a soft breath leaving him as he suddenly felt more tired than before.

Dropping back into his chair, he reached for his cup of coffee. Just as he was about to take a sip, his gaze fell on Talia's still-full cup.

"...Isn't this pretty much the same dose of caffeine, just diluted into two cups?" he muttered wryly into the empty study.

The celebration in front of the gathering hall was already well underway by the time Lucien arrived.

He had stopped to check in with Alicia first, to see if she needed anything. The maid had gently waved him away, reminding him to have something for dinner while he was there.

Apparently, she had arranged for the cooks to prepare simple but filling meals for the impromptu feast even while taking care of both Cora and the elf girl, who was still asleep.

'That girl is getting more capable in her duties by the day...'

Setting those thoughts aside, Lucien came to a stop near the edge of the crowd and beheld the scene before him.

Tables had been set up in front of the gathering hall, piled with food brought from the manor kitchens and whatever the villagers could prepare in their own homes.

He watched as wives and daughters continued to come and go, setting down dishes that disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived.

Marcus's riders, the men everyone seemed most eager to praise, had claimed the center of the tables and were egging each other on as they took turns downing mugs of ale in one go.

Near them, the militia who had taken part in the fighting were eating heartily among themselves, from those who had stood upon the walls to the men who had loosed stirrup crossbow bolts from the eastern fields.

The older woman who had worked the windlass crossbow on the tower alongside him and Sera sat within the group as well. Someone had pressed a mug into her hands, leaving her looking somewhat embarrassed by the attention as the men around her laughed and raised their own cups toward her.

A short distance away, several women stood together, whispering among themselves as their gazes flicked between her and the celebrating militia.

One of them was a young woman Lucien vaguely recognized from the meeting where he had asked for women willing to take on defensive duties.

She had almost stepped forward then, only to lower her eyes at the last moment.

Tomas and Henric sat nearby, the former looking somewhat overwhelmed as men gathered around him and spoke almost all at once, while the latter was likely spouting something ridiculous about the virtues of House Varentis.

At the edge of the tables, villagers with streaks of gray in their beards drank quietly with Merek, who took slow sips from his cup while looking around the gathering. The oldest of Lucien's household guards caught his eye and dipped his head toward him.

Away from the tables, a small bonfire had been set up.

Upon closer inspection, he realized it was the signal beacon from earlier, now repurposed into a bonfire. With the orcs dead, Harlon had probably decided to use the pitch that had been left there rather than let it go to waste.

The corner of Lucien's mouth lifted as he saw couples, some perhaps newly formed today, dancing together while the flames cast a soft glow over them.

A light cheer drew his attention toward Talia's shop, where a small group of men, already flushed from drink, had gathered in front of a makeshift stall.

Somehow, Talia had made good on her earlier words.

Barrels of ale had been set beside the stall, along with several trays of refreshments he only vaguely recognized. A sign planted in the ground before them had words written boldly across it.

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Behind the stall, Maris clapped her hands lightly, a smile wrinkling the edges of her eyes as she spoke to the customers lining up.

Alicia's mother really knew how to roll with Talia's chaotic plans. Lucien resolved to remind the older woman not to let his junior get away with her antics too often.

His brow twitched when Bran emerged from the shop carrying another barrel of ale.

'That junior...that's the future reeve you are asking to do menial chores there.'

The man had just set the barrel down when his eyes met Lucien's. A silent exchange passed between them as the older man gave a shrug that all but said, What can you do? before going back inside, likely to bring out more supplies.

Lucien looked to Talia, who was cheerfully calling over customers nearby. From the looks of things, it seemed like she really was feeling better now.

Her eyes drifted mid-call, halting slightly when they met his. She recovered quickly, giving him a wink before returning to her hawking.

"Lord."

Lucien nearly jumped at the sound, turning around quickly only to relax at the sight of Garrick walking toward him with a small barrel in one arm. From the light flush on his face, the man had likely already had more than a few cups.

"Garrick. I didn't think you would be this far into your cups already."

At his words, Garrick coughed before gesturing toward the walls. "Today's a little different, My Lord. Besides, I am not the only one...your captain and Gerald were with me when I came over to bring a refill."

Lucien's brow lifted. "That is an...unusual group."

The answer hit him a brief moment later.

"The orcs...I see. In that case, don't let me keep you, Garrick. And tell Dorian to relax for today. I won't be drinking anyway."

Garrick dipped his head. "Harlon and Joren said they'll join us once they're done fussing over the scorpion, so don't wait for us to begin your speech, My Lord."

'Huh? Who said anything about a speech?'

Lucien had ordered this impromptu celebration both for the men who had taken part in today's battle and to draw attention away from the elf girl.

Feeling a sense of impending dread, he decided to retreat. He had already shown his face long enough to be seen by Merek anyway.

Roland's voice came just as he was about to leave.

"He's there! Lord Lucien, we found you! Quick, don't let him escape!"

He slowly turned to see the group of rascals running toward him. Zara and Aisha trailed behind them, the mother and daughter with identical apologetic smiles sprouting on their lips.

When they came within speaking distance, Roland lifted his head before giving a low, almost knightly bow. "Lord Lucien. We have come at Cora's request. She can't join us today, but she would like to know every single word of the speech you're giving!"

Leofric exhaled through his nose. "Lord Lucien isn't giving one, Roland. Cora probably heard wrong...although she would be disappointed, we can just appease her with Maris's scones or something."

As expected, Leofric was observant enough to notice his attempt to escape. He could still get out of this without...

Elin tugged his sleeve, looking up at him with wide eyes, her ragdoll dangling limply from her other hand. "Lord Lucien, she really wanted to come today to see it..."

Behind her, Matthias watched Lucien's face closely, with just a hint of anticipation in the quiet boy's eyes.

Lucien's resolve lasted all of half a breath. "...Fine. I will say a few words, so make sure to tell her later when you visit."

The children immediately let out cheers, drawing the attention of more than a few people nearby. Heads turned one after another, and before long, more and more villagers had noticed his presence.

Realizing he had been spotted, Lucien reluctantly made his way to the front, a gaggle of children escorting him like an honor guard.

Zara mouthed an apology to him when he passed, though he just shook his head and waved it off. Aisha mirrored her mother, though the effort was somewhat marred by the parchment she was holding carefully in both hands.

It seemed she had been appointed to write down the contents of his speech for Cora.

Reaching the front of the gathering hall, Lucien turned to face the villagers, who had all paused their revelry to watch him.

"Rest assured that I won't interrupt your fun for long. I want to eat something as well."

A few chuckles spread through the crowd, easing some of the attention fixed on him.

"Today is a day for all of Ashridge to celebrate, to make merry and rest after what we have achieved."

The word Ashridge seemed to settle over them differently tonight. Villagers glanced at one another, some still flushed from drink, others standing quieter now with cups held loosely in their hands.

"In this land, we do not often have much cause for celebration. Every year, frontier villages fall, most fading into history without even a name."

The murmurs faded at that. More than a few faces in the crowd turned solemn, especially among the refugees who had learned that truth too recently.

"And while we might still face challenges ahead, there is one that we have defeated. The band under the Broken Tusk is dead, and it is this village that has defeated them!"

A stir passed through the crowd, the first sparks of pride breaking through the silence.

"From this day on, Ashridge's name will be remembered across the frontier as the village that wiped out an entire orc band without losing a single soul in battle."

This time, the silence that followed felt different.

"That is what we shall celebrate today!"

The villagers erupted as mugs were lifted into the air, and voices rose together until the sound seemed to roll through the village streets. The men who had stood upon the walls shouted loudest of all, their faces flushed as though only now realizing what they had survived.

Near Marcus's riders, Tomas stared at the crowd for a heartbeat before joining in, his cup raised awkwardly in one hand. Henric remained far more composed beside him, though even he bowed his head slightly, the corner of his mouth tightening in what might have been pride.

Marcus, of course, had no such restraint. He threw an arm around one of his riders and roared with the rest of them, earning a weary look from Merek, who stood nearby with a mug in hand with the expression of a man pretending he was not watching every corner of the celebration.

By Talia's stall, Maris clapped her hands together, her smile deepening the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Bran lifted the cup he had been carrying, only for Talia to snatch it from his hand and press another barrel into his arms with a bright grin.

Even Aisha giggled at the sight of the burly man being led around by Talia, whose head barely reached Bran's shoulders.

She quickly covered her mouth when her mother glanced at her.

The other children were far less restrained.

Roland cheered as though he had personally taken part in the battle, while Elin bounced in place with her ragdoll clutched tightly to her chest.

Beside them, Leofric tried to look composed and failed almost immediately as Roland dragged the poor boy toward another group of children, who had been watching them enviously from a distance.

Matthias began tugging at Aisha's sleeve, likely reminding her to write down every word before they forgot. Zara gave Lucien a small apologetic bow and hurried to catch up with them.

He watched them for a moment longer, then let out a faint breath.

At the very least, Cora would receive a more enthusiastic report.