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[i]Not sure?[/i]  Well, that answer did fall into the disappointment category, but at least there was a chance that his idea had limited the griffin's mobility enough that such a killing blow could be landed.  [color=6ecff6][i]A man can dream, eh.[/i][/color]

Serenity.  One of Gerard's sparring buddies.  She was a ferocious fighter.  Even after a bunch of bandits had been blown off their feet from a mere flap of the griffin's wings (one even high-tailing it out of there, Lucas saw,) Serenity had gotten right in the beast's face and stayed there.  The mental fortitude, the physical skills... the girl was a phenom.  It was hard to believe she was the same age.  She carried herself with far more dignity and power than any 17 year old girl Lucas had ever known.  Lucas found himself wondering what her childhood must've been like, for a moment, but brought himself back to reality and the conversation quickly.

[color=6ecff6]"Let it [i]live[/i]?"[/color] Lucas echoed the older knight, a little perplexed.  Fleuri went on.

[color=A0A0A0] "Griffins are majestic, noble creatures once you get past the whole horse-eating thing.  There'd have been no point in trying to capture it, though- they're also immensely proud creatures that as we saw already, don't take well to being caged."[/color]

[color=6ecff6]"Just imagine we broke it though, eh,"[/color] Lucas offered with a grin.  [color=6ecff6]"My old man's best mate was the finest horse breaker in all the lands.  Carrot was his name.  Broke the [i]wildest[/i] of stallions.  Imagine we broke a griffin.  Imagine the Knight-Captain's charge at the head of a column.  There'd be no stoppin it.  And no finer sight.[/color]

It was a joke, of course.  Well... a half-joke.  Well...

"[color=6ecff6]"Anyway, I guess you're probably right.  If the griffin was no danger to good folk, then it was just another prisoner of Jeremiah.  I didn't really think about it that way.[/color]

Lucas put a whole large potato in his mouth, not anticipating that it would still be so hot.  His face froze in pain as he bit into it, desperately wanting to spit it out, but realising that such an action would cross the line of table etiquette, even by his own standards.  And so, without thinking, he just swallowed.  In one slow, laboured and painful motion, he swallowed the entire thing. The heat was intense, his face stuck with one eye squinting as he stared at Fleuri who was sharing his misgivings about their wild decision-making regarding the griffin.

[color=A0A0A0]"...It's a miracle I got out of it unharmed."[/color]

Lucas wasn't sharpest tool on the rack, but he noticed that this lesson wasn't just for Fleuri himself, but both of them.  It was true; so many things could've gone wrong.  He, himself, didn't escape without injury.  After the battle, once he got himself to one of the healing mages in the rearguard, he'd discovered that adrenaline had been masking quite a few injuries. A broken collarbone. A broken rib.  Fractured wrist. Concussion.  And that was without the various grazes and lacerations.  Back in the circus, they could've really done with one of the Iron Rose mages in their troupe.  They were a boon unlike any other.

What he wanted to say was that heroes don't think about the danger to themselves, they just act - try to save the day.  But this was the nonsense rambling of a young man.  Instead, he tried to listen to the more experienced knight who was doing him the honour of imparting some wisdom and reflection on the battle.

[color=6ecff6]"I'll try to do better aswell,"[/color] he told Fleuri.  [color=6ecff6]"I just... it's hard to think... battles are..."[/color] it was difficult to find the right words.  [color=6ecff6]"Bloody madness,"[/color] he finally settled on.  He stopped himself from going on.  It was just excuses for his misconduct.  [color=6ecff6]"But I will try.  To think about my actions more."[/color]  As much as he was trying to be more mature, the boy in him still escaped.  [color=6ecff6]"Got out of it alive though, eh. Sir Lein didn't get flattened.  And we rode a griffin... sort of... for a second."[/color]  He offered the last words with raised eyebrows and a cheeky grin, as if daring Fleuri to smile back.  [color=6ecff6]"Not bad, eh?"[/color]

[i]By Reon.[/i]  Already, the lesson appeared to be disappearing out of the thick skull of the gypsy.

After their exchange about the griffin, Lucas chose to focus on wolfing down the third and final course of his meal.  Once he'd stopped talking, it didn't take long for the plates to be clean.

[color=6ecff6]"Ah, I. Am. Done,"[/color] he said to the Flower of the North.  [color=6ecff6]"I think I need proper drink tonight.  A few, in fact."[/color]

Such bravado. Inside, he was worried that these images and sounds of the battle might not ever go away, but he could hardly explain that to anyone here.  They were all well beyond their first battles.  And what if word got back to the Knight-Captain or Paladin Tyaethe.  Sir Lucas Storm can't handle the weight of killing?  That might be the last straw.

[color=6ecff6]"What will you be up to, with the rest of your day, Sir Fleuri?"[/color]