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Lucas was like a well-oiled machine - head down and spoon shovelling - as he devoured the last of the pottage.  It still amazed him, just how tasty something so simple could be.  Like the grand gates and entrance of castle Candaeln; it would never get old.  As the food in the bowl disappeared and the spoon became ineffective, Lucas dropped the utensil and picked up the bowl itself, pouring the last of it down his throat.  He was in heaven already, and he hadn't even gotten to his favourite; Lamb on the bone with roasted potatoes and gravy.

"Reon, lad, save some for the rest of us, will you," was the comment from one knight, a few seats down and across the table.  He was with two others and had been distracted enough from his own conversation to interrupt Lucas' bliss.

After putting the bowl down, Lucas scratched the back of his head sheepishly, closed eyes and a smile.  It was met with some laughter.

"You eat like it's your last meal."

That resonated with Lucas and he bounced back, [color=6ecff6]"Well, you never know when all this will come to an end.  One minute you're flying high.  Next; you're carrion.  Or worse."[/color]

Worse, for Lucas, would be being thrown out of the Order, left on the streets to live with his failure.  Dying for the cause would most definitely be preferable.  It was all borrowed time, anyway.  He should've been dead already, or a slave in unknown lands.  His entire existence, at present, was a free shot at honour and glory he was never born for.  Never worked for.  In spite of the relatively small hardships that had come in his few months of being a 'Sir Lucas Storm,' it still all seemed to good to be true.  Perhaps it was partly why he threw himself into the very front lines of the vanguard in his first battle - to use his own life to spare a more deserving knight from the fate of a probable death.

It was certainly partly why he got as much of this gourmet cuisine down his gullet as humanly possible!

"Aye, that holds true for any warrior," another of the three replied.  "As good a reason as any."

Lucas wasn't far into his third course when Sir Fleuri joined him at the table.

[color=A0A0A0]"Sir Lucas,"[/color] Fleuri greeted him...

[color=6ecff6]"Flueri,"[/color] he announced joyfully, before realising himself and awkwardly correcting his words.  [color=6ecff6]"Sir Fleuri... I mean."[/color]

[color=A0A0A0]"It's good to see you're unscathed."[/color]

[color=6ecff6]"Thanks, you too, my friend."[/color]  It was satisfying to think that he might've bonded with a comrade after standing shoulder to shoulder on the battlefield.  It was more likely that Sir Fleuri was simply being polite, but Lucas couldn't help but romanticise the situation.  Before this, his only experience of battle was in romanticised books, after all.  As far as he was concerned, they were gods-damned warrior brothers who'd daringly took on outnumbering odds, plus a beast of legend.

[color=A0A0A0]"That battle got rather hectic, didn't it?"[/color]

[color=6ecff6]"Sure did,"[/color] was the reply.  [color=6ecff6]"I still can't believe we got through all that fire... fire both metaphorical [i]and[/i] literal."[/color]  He laughed, the lamp chop in his hand, dripping gravy onto the table.  Gypsy table manners didn't exactly measure up to the standards in castle Candaeln.  [color=6ecff6]"But of course, I'd have been dead before the battle had even begun, if it wasn't for you."[/color]  He was referencing the first skirmish, where his impulsive charge had left him in no man's land and the jaws of death.  [color=6ecff6]"I appreciate you looking out for me.  Can't wait to return the favour... Well, hopefully I won't have to but... you know."[/color]  The young lad laughed again, unashamed of making a fool of himself.

He took a chomp of his lamb chop and chewed it for a moment before speaking again.  [color=6ecff6]"Unfortunately I missed the griffin being taken down.  I ended up with my hands full with Jeremiah's prisoners.  I had to get them out of there before they burned to ash along with camp.  When I got back, the beast was dead.  What happened?"[/color]

And also, [color=6ecff6]"I managed to leash the griffin.  And tie the chain down.  Did it help at all?"[/color]

The answer to his last question was dripping with hopefulness.  Whether 'yes' or 'no,' Lucas would make no effort to hide his reaction - either great pride or disappointment.