Chapter 152 Roots

For the umpteenth time, Lucien reached for the damp cloth at the side of his desk and dragged it across his forehead.

He wondered whether it would be worth devoting Ashridge's entire budding industry to discovering air conditioners.

In this summer heat, Talia would support it wholeheartedly too.

"The weather will be cooler in a month or so, My Lord."

Lucien exhaled through his nose as he met Bran's slightly amused expression.

"Perhaps we should have held this meeting in the lower rooms instead," he replied, leaning forward to take a sip from his cup of water.

Alicia had insisted he start drinking more water instead of coffee, with the weather being this hot. He had agreed reluctantly, though not before shooting an annoyed look at Talia's teasing grin.

Setting aside thoughts of his nosy junior, he leaned back in his chair. "Has this heat delayed the expansion efforts in the eastern fields, Bran?"

The farmer shook his head. "No, My Lord. With the amount of labor now, we started rotating the work groups to ensure no one's working too long in the open."

"We expanded out toward the north and a little further east, along the new fence line that Harlon and his men have been erecting."

Bran scratched his beard. "...Well, mostly Harlon's men. The old man has been busy making sure the first courtyard building is properly built before the refugees begin moving in."

The fence line wasn't exactly a fortified perimeter around the eastern fields. It would only deter wandering beasts to a certain degree while giving the militia better places to watch from, especially once the raised platforms along intermittent stretches were manned by men wielding stirrup crossbows.

Despite the new labor force, Ashridge still lacked the skilled hands and materials needed to build palisade walls across the entire eastern border.

Resting his arms on the armrests, Lucien tapped one finger lightly against the wood. "At least the complaints that I am not paying enough attention to the eastern side of things have begun to die down..."

His words trailed off when a hesitant expression formed on Bran's face.

Lucien's finger stilled, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Is there a problem among the farmers?"

Bran cleared his throat before slowly speaking. "Nothing related to the fields, My Lord. It's just...there has been talk about your new guest at the manor as of late."

At the farmer's words, Lucien rubbed his temple. "I assume it's coming from the farmers at the western fields? I believe some of them were from the heartlands."

Bran gave a nod, looking just as tired. "Yes, My Lord. Not a lot of them, but there are some who had their villages raided by elves long ago before they came here."

Lucien had anticipated a reaction like that when he decided to reveal the presence of the elf to the rest of the villagers, though there was little he could actually do except send her away.

In the time since the elf had woken up, he had made several clumsy attempts at communicating with her. During that, he had learned that the elf's family was dead and that the rest of her village had been destroyed by the band of the Broken Tusk as well.

At least, that was what Lucien could glean through Alicia's blessing and several awkward exchanges as they tried to make sense of each other.

Bran interrupted his thoughts, his hands raised palm up. "But it has not caused much trouble yet, My Lord. Those who are grumbling...they aren't being listened to. Actually, the problem is something else..."

At Lucien's questioning look, Bran ran a hand across his beard, looking oddly unsure of where to begin.

"The ones who came here this year have been shutting the ones grumbling down, My Lord. But the problem is how rough they were in doing so."

Lucien's eyes sharpened. "Dorian hasn't said anything, so I assume no one came to blows?"

The farmer shook his head firmly. "Nothing like that, My Lord. Just a group of men who are more loyal to you. They wouldn't hear any slander and would quarrel with the farmers from the western fields about it in the gathering hall."

Lucien stared at the man for a brief moment. "Why? I haven't done anything particularly impressive recently."

He had been buried in other work that had been delayed by the orc threat for the last few weeks, along with trying to speak with the elf and finding out more about Alicia's blessing.

Which was why he found himself caught off guard when Bran looked at him with disbelief.

"My Lord, your plan wiped out the band of Broken Tusk. And the men you had placed along the walls watched it happen with their own eyes."

At those words, Lucien's gaze lowered in thought.

He had posted those men there more out of necessity than anything else. Though looking at it from their perspective, the end result spoke for itself.

"Keep watch over that group for me. Blind loyalty can be just as dangerous," he said at last, head lifting to meet the older man's eyes.

"Yes, My Lord. I will let Joren and Harlon know."

Lucien was about to wave the farmer away in dismissal, only to stop halfway through when it became clear the man still had something to say.

Bran coughed into his hands, his gaze drifting to the map of Ashridge at the side of the room. "Is Alicia feeling alright with her...blessing?"

Shortly after telling Alicia, Lucien had sat down with Maris and Bran to speak at length about their daughter's ability.

Alicia had been in the room, sitting between her parents. When Maris immediately clapped her hands lightly and told her that she had known all along, the maid flushed beet red beneath her mother's fussing.

Bran had reacted more calmly, though Lucien had seen caution and pride both in the way the man watched them with his arms folded.

Even Maris's enthusiasm dimmed when Lucien brought up the uncertainty surrounding Alicia's blessing. Bran, however, seemed somewhat prepared for it as he listened intently, his brows furrowing at the mention of Alicia feeling tired after using it to find the flaw in the scorpion.

Lucien told them of Sera's own troubles as well, and they vowed to keep that information to themselves.

After he was done, he left the family to speak privately among themselves.

He didn't know what was said, but it seemed Alicia's parents had left the decision of whether to continue using it to their daughter.

Lucien let out a faint breath before finally speaking. "She's mostly using it to try and communicate with the elf so far."

"There were times when she became tired immediately after, but we haven't found a pattern yet. And somehow, the elf seems to know what she's doing."

Bran's eyes widened for a brief moment before a look of comprehension dawned on his face. "Ah...yeah, I have heard elves are more sensitive to those sorts of things. Blessings, the Goddess's touch, and all that. Though I think they refer to her as the Great Mother instead."

"Yes. At the very least, she seemed to recognize that there was something unusual about both Alicia and Sera from the start."

He wondered whether to say the next words before deciding to do so, unwilling to lie to Alicia's father.

Having made his decision, Lucien met the farmer's eyes. "I will try to refrain from straining her abilities, Bran...but I can't make any promises."

At his words, Bran's shoulders tightened.

For a long moment, the farmer only looked at him, the easy warmth from earlier fading beneath the weight of what Lucien had just admitted.

Then Bran gave a slow nod. "I know, My Lord. I have already entrusted her to you, remember?"

The meaning escaped him at first, until he remembered Bran walking away without calling Alicia back.

Slowly, Lucien inclined his head, just a little lower than usual.

By the time Bran left his study, it was already nearing his next task of the day.

Lucien reached down for the shoulder sling of his bow, settling it over himself with an ease he still found unusual sometimes. Adjusting his cloak so it would not get caught in the straps, he turned and was about to leave when the door swung open.

"Seniooor...can we not go today...it's too hot..." Talia all but whimpered, stumbling toward him.

He shot his junior a dry look. "No. It was your idea in the first place. Imagine what Harlon would say if you weren't there to see the opening of the first courtyard building."

Talia slumped at that. "That sly carpenter...he's doing it on purpose. He could've set it in the evening when it's cool! Who told him I hated the heat anyway?"

Lucien kept his expression carefully neutral. "I am sure there was a perfectly good reason why, Talia."

Walking past her, he ignored the suspicious look on her face without meeting her eyes.

A brief moment later, she began following him, her stare boring into the back of his head as they walked down the stairs to the entrance.

"Senior...you-"

Lucien's brow lifted at the sudden halt in Talia's voice. Turning around, he immediately knew the reason why.

The elf was approaching them, her pace still a little slow, though at least she could walk on her own now.

When she stopped before them, she lifted a hand to her chest. "My...name, Kyrïe."

His eyes widened while Talia clapped her hands lightly. "That's your name!?"

The elf, or rather Kyrïe, stepped back from the sudden burst of energy before composing herself and giving a small nod.

His junior seemed to catch Kyrïe's discomfort and began to adjust accordingly. "That's great! It's been kinda strange to keep calling you elf girl or elf. So...Kyrïe, do you need something from us?"

Even then, it seemed Kyrïe didn't understand the majority of her words, her brows drawing close together. After a brief moment, she gestured to the manor door. "Me...follow?"

Lucien and Talia shared a look. Then, annoyingly enough, his junior stepped back and waved to him.

It seemed he had been delegated to make the final decision.

Kyrïe's eyes met his, and once more, she made the same gesture of placing a hand on her chest. "Please...Lord...Lucien."

It was stilted and broken, but it was unmistakably his name that left Kyrïe's lips.

Talia, a pout on her face, let out a groan. "How come she learned your name first, Senior! I talked to her just as much...hmm actually, probably even more than you!"

He rubbed his temple, trying to push down the temptation to flick this nosy junior's forehead.

"It's not a competition, Talia. Perhaps she would have learned your name first if you stopped mentioning me whenever you tried speaking with her."

Ignoring the continued grumbles from her, Lucien turned back to Kyrïe, who had been watching them intently.

There wasn't really any harm in bringing her along since it wasn't a military weapons test. Since Ashridge already knew there was an elf staying in the manor, perhaps this would make for a fine opportunity to slowly introduce her to the rest of the village.

Lucien inclined his head. "You can come, Kyrïe. Though I would ask that you do not wander from our sight."

He knew she wouldn't understand most of his words, but perhaps she would be able to begin learning the language if he spoke slowly and in complete sentences.

Kyrïe returned the gesture before walking to stand behind him, slightly to his left.

As they began to leave, Lucien caught Talia's subtle look toward him.

He gave a small nod in return.

Kyrïe had deliberately learned his name first.