Chapter 9

"When will be able to bring Lukas back home? He must be so afraid," Alexander said to his grandfather.

They had been trying to figure out what to do about Lukas for a week, but neither had any ideas but to gather a crowd to storm the castle. This idea wasn't working like they'd hoped, either. Nobody wanted to go near the castle.

"You have to be calm, Alexander. We will bring him back."

"What could possibly be so awful about the castle that not even soldiers will come with us?"

His grandfather paused, looking away. "I don't wish to frighten you."

Alexander sat on his bed and leaned down, pulling him into a hug. "Please," he said quietly. "I need to know more."

After a moment, the old man sat up more, looking to his maid. "Bring me the bard," he said. She nodded obediently and left.

Matthias was unsure if he should avoid Lukas. There was part of him that said there was something not right about ignoring him like he'd been doing. It had only led to trouble.

He had decided that night that he would stop avoiding the other, but for the next few days, it seemed like Lukas was avoiding him. Whenever he tried to talk to him, he was occupied with something else.

Finally, after a week of being avoided, he shoved Lukas' door open and found him sitting in bed playing with his bunny. He looked up with wide eyes when Matthias barged in.

"You could have knocked," he muttered. Matthias walked over and stood over him, his face serious.

"You have just forgotten your lessons, then?"

Lukas was silent for a moment before saying, "What about you? You haven't tried to give me a lesson."

Matthias' eyes narrowed and he stepped closer. "This is not about me. This is about you. I have been lenient, but now I feel as though it was a mistake."

Lukas picked up his rabbit and nervously stroked it, not making eye contact. In all actuality, he was avoiding Matthias because of his second dream about him. Every time he looked at him, his mind wandered back to the dream and he became flustered. He knew Matthias would notice, too, and ask him about it. It was easiest to avoid him.

Well, it had seemed easiest before. Now that he had approached him and didn't show any signs of leaving, he regretted avoiding him. Now he was going to have to face Matthias and he was sure he was already blushing because his cheeks felt so warm.

"I was just tired."

Matthias raised an eyebrow, not buying into the excuse for one second. "Tired for a week? I want to know why you've been avoiding me."

There was no way Lukas could tell him about the dream. He quickly thought up different lies to tell. "I have been feeling ill again and I didn't want you to catch it," he said, hoping the other would buy it. He looked at Lukas for a moment, trying to decide if that really was the truth.

"You haven't asked for medicine? Extra care?"

Lukas opened his mouth to speak, then closed it and thought. "No. I didn't want to bother any of the servants."

"And now you have recovered so quickly without any care?"

He was growing more and more nervous and the lies were becoming more difficult to uphold. He didn't speak out of fear that he would incriminate himself further. After a moment, Matthias' gaze turned colder and he stepped closer. "Answer me."

"I didn't mean—"

"Now."

Lukas gulped, nodding slowly. That's the only answer he could muster, and he knew it wouldn't be good enough for Matthias, who was sighing lightly and rubbing his forehead. "I find that hard to believe. I want the truth now. No more lies."

"That was the truth!" He lied again.

Matthias looked up, glaring now. "You think you can continue to lie to me? I ought to—"

Just then, there was footsteps in the doorway and they both turned to see Charles standing there. "Dinner has been prepared, young master," he said.

They both stared at him for a moment. Lukas was relieved and Matthias was a little annoyed. "Lukas, you will join me this time." He moved past the butler and went downstairs, Lukas reluctantly following behind.

The dinner, as always, looked fantastic. Lukas tried to sit down in the chair farthest from Matthias, but Matthias shook his head and beckoned him closer, forcing him to sit in the seat beside him.

"You must feel lucky that our conversation was cut short. I will find out why you have been distant. Maybe not today, but that's a promise. And you will continue with your lessons."

Lukas looked down at his food and refused to look up. It took Matthias a minute to realize what he was doing, but when he did, he reached over and lifted his chin. "That's no way to sit. Sit up."

Lukas' eyes widened when Matthias' hand was on his jaw and he quickly sat up straight, eyes no longer down on his plate.

"You lack basic etiquette, too."

Lukas almost glared at him, but managed to keep his annoyance to himself. "I am not wealthy. I'm a peasant in your eyes. Or did you forget?"

"How could I forget when you walk around with awful posture and can't pick up a book and read it yourself?"

Lukas tried to look away, but Matthias' grip on his face tightened and he couldn't move. "Let go," he said quietly, trying to push Matthias' hand away. After a moment, Matthias just sighed and released his hold on him.

It was almost instinctual for Lukas to reach up and touch where Matthias' hands had been, but he refrained and continued to eat his dinner, hoping that Matthias wouldn't do something like that again and he would be able to leave right after dinner.

This didn't happen. When he tried to leave, Matthias gripped his wrist and said, "Sit down."

He reluctantly did so, not seeing any other option. Matthias offered him some of the liquor from the bottle he was pouring from, but Lukas turned up his nose and shook his head, remembering his last experience.

"Suit yourself, then," Matthias said. He was silent, and Lukas wondered why he was being forced to stay in the dining hall when he could have been enjoying solitude upstairs in his room. He almost asked if he could leave, but suddenly Matthias said, "How is your arm?"

Lukas looked up at him, then down at the faded bruise on his arm. It was yellow now and didn't look very good, but it would be gone soon. It didn't even hurt anymore. He gave a small shrug and said, "Better."

Matthias nodded, but it was obvious that he wanted to say something. He just couldn't find the words.

"I was too rough," he managed at last, looking away at the wall. He sounded like he wanted to say more, but nothing came out, and Lukas could only stare at the man as his eyes wandered off, avoiding Lukas'.

Not once since he had been to the castle had Lukas seen Matthias look ashamed, guilty, or regretful. He hadn't expected him to bring this up.

"Are you trying to apologize?"

Matthias pursed his lips and gave one curt nod, clearly struggling with apologizing. Lukas would have rolled his eyes, but the other seemed so serious and he ended up tapping his shoulder and saying, "You need a lesson on apologizing, Matthias."

At that, Matthias' lips curled up into a faint smile and he nodded more eagerly, actually able to look over at Lukas again. "That I do."

Lukas scooted a bit closer and cleared his throat. "I know I didn't have etiquette or rhetoric, but I do know how to treat people well," he said. Matthias scoffed and shook his head at that.

"And you are saying that I don't?"

Lukas' eyes narrowed and he gave a small shrug. "You are bad at apologizing," he replied simply, not wanting to discuss any of Matthias' so called "morals".

"Alright. I suppose you can teach me," he said, sitting up and leaning in closer. "Although I will say that I never imagined a peasant would be teaching me anything."

Lukas did roll his eyes this time and said, "Every person you ever meet knows something that you don't, Matthias."

Matthias raised his eyebrows, opened his mouth to retaliate, but figured that Lukas was right.

"Now, look at me, Matthias."

He looked at Lukas, but he seemed dissatisfied and annoyed, and Matthias wondered what he could have been doing wrong. He was doing as he was told. He was definitely looking at Lukas.

"Look at my eyes."

Oh, he thought, moving his eyes a little up to look at Lukas'.

Looking into anyone's eyes had always made him uncomfortable, and he despised it. There was just something so strange about it. Like they knew something about him that he hadn't been willing to admit. They could see through him, things that he probably couldn't even see himself.

But now he was looking at Lukas, and it was different than anything he'd ever experienced before. There was no discomfort, no attempt look away or look down. There was nothing he had to hide.

Although the contact didn't make him uncomfortable, the realization did, and soon, he looked away. Lukas let out a sigh and said, "No. Look."

Matthias took a deep breath and finally looked at him again. His eyes were locked this time, and he didn't look away. "I am looking. Now?"

"Now you repeat after me. Ready?"

The man just gave a nod and waited, not especially pleased with having to follow orders, but it was too late for that now.

"Lukas, I apologize for hurting you."

Matthias sighed and said, "But did I really hurt you so badly that I need to—"

"Yes."

He paused, ceasing his argument as quickly as he had started it. "Lukas, I apologize for hurting you," he said, smiling faintly. He thought he was finished, but Lukas had more.

"I will not hurt you again."

"What?"

Lukas kept his eyes on his, although they grew curious and a little suspicious. "Repeat. I will not hurt you again. And when you say this, it is good to mean it."

Matthias gulped and looked away for a moment, then glanced at his eyes, quickly saying, "I will not hurt you again." He looked away immediately. Lukas didn't really pay attention to this, though. He was just glad that he'd said it at all.

"You did well."

He supposed he did. It was just words, after all. He stood up and walked towards the door. "Thank you, Lukas," he said quietly, offering him a genuine smile that almost made Lukas smile. It was such a nice smile. He wondered why the man didn't smile more with a smile like that.

"You're welcome, Matthias," he replied, also standing. Matthias gave a little nod, his smile fading, and left without another word, leaving Lukas alone in the dining hall.

"We must control them. Their practices are growing more and more harmful each year," the Duke said, looking to his wife first, then his council. They all nodded in agreement.

"Last month a man was burned alive. This is unacceptable behavior and I will help my husband put a stop to it as soon as possible," the Duchess said, taking a drink of wine. She held up her cup until Charles filled it, then continued to sip. "Children should not be around such an environment, either. It is not morally right."

"I have to agree. I have three children myself and I cannot allow them to grow up with these heathens around. Especially Matthias now that he is old enough to visit the village on his own. They are a threat to every person in this branch of the kingdom."

There were nods and murmurs. Not a single council member disagreed with these statements.

"These events are taking place in the villages, as well. It is no longer in the country," a man said, a worried look on his face.

Everyone murmured again, louder and louder until nobody could be heard. Finally, the Duke slammed his fist on the table and said, "Quiet!" They all turned to stare at him, then slowly regained their composure.

"We will have messengers go into the village next week. We will make a law against it. No more sacrifices. Hang it up on banners, yell it, whisper it in the alleys. Let them know. And if they violate this law, they are to be either imprisoned or killed, depending on the degree."

They all agreed, and the council was dismissed.