33 Pride

Austria, January 4th 1792

4:12 PM

Ludwig was sitting on a bench right in front of Lukas. Ludwig was showing a wide smirk.

Lukas was not understanding Ludwig's expression. He raised his brow. "So, what will be the price?" the blonde boy asked.

Ludwig chuckled. "Don't worry, it's a very simple price, but first: I'll tell you a story," the old man said.

Lukas grunted in frustration. 'You gotta be kidding me! I'll do anything!' he thought.

Ludwig picked a pipe nearby and lit with a spill. "Do you know the fable of the peacock and the crow?" he asked.

Lukas raised his brow. "No," he said. 'I'm pretty sure you just invented that!'

Ludwig smoked his pipe for a while until he finally went back to speaking again. "There was a peacock, a very proud one. He was particularly proud of his beautiful feathers, he liked to boast them everywhere he went," Ludwig started.

"One day, it was winter, and the peacock still hadn't eaten at all that day. When he was looking for food, he saw a crow eating some grapes on a branch of a pine tree. Starving, the peacock asked the crow for some grapes. Jealous of the peacock's beautiful feathers, he decided to make a deal with him."

-----

"So, you want a few of my grapes? Fine, I can even give you all of them, however, you'll have to give me a few of your feathers in your tail."

-----

Lukas and Herman were listening attentively to the story. The bulky man was standing with his arms crossed and Lukas had his hands in his pockets.

"Shocked by the crow's evil offer, the peacock got very angry."

-----

"What?! You want my beautiful feathers in exchange for some small grapes?! I won't take them! They are probably sour anyway!"

-----

"So, because of his pride, the peacock left with heavy steps and without eating any grape. And, due to that decision, he ended up by starving to death that winter," Ludwig finished and started smoking on his pipe once again.

"Do you understand now, boy?" Ludwig asked. "The nobles nowadays are just like this peacock! They would die if it meant that their pride wouldn't be affected!" he said.

Lukas sighed. "Where do you wanna get with that story?!" he asked.

Ludwig chuckled and then showed a smirk. He placed down his pipe and stood up. "The price that you'll have to pay for me to make you the key is: kissing my boots!" he said.

As he heard Ludwig's demanding, Herman put his hand on his forehead in disapproval. 'You never change, old man!'

Lukas, meanwhile, was shocked to hear Ludwig's offer. His hands were shaking and there was sweat dripping down his face. "W-What?" he asked.

Ludwig laughed as he saw Lukas a reaction. "I knew it! No matter the age, a noble will always be a noble!" he said.

Lukas clenched his fist. Meanwhile, Herman watched him. 'I know Lukas, he will not be able to do it,' he thought.

Lukas took a deep breath. "Isn't there any other way to pay it? I have money, believe it," he said.

Ludwig crossed his arms. "I told you that I only accept this price! If you don't wanna do it, then you may go home," he said.

"Ludwig, this is not fair! You're venting out your anger on a chi-" Herman was interrupted by Ludwig.

"Shut up! This is between me and him!" Ludwig said. Then, he turned his head to Lukas. "So, Lukas... what will it be?" he asked with a smirk.

'Wh-Why is this so difficult?' Lukas wondered.

Then, Lukas kneeled down in front of Ludwig and slowly approached his face to the old man's boots.

Ludwig raised his brow as he watched the boy.

'He's gonna... do it?' he wondered.

Soon, Lukas stopped halfway through and punched the ground. Then, he stood up and left the smithy, running.

Ludwig laughed out loud in accomplishment. "See, Herman?! I knew the brat wouldn't do it! He's a noble! They're all the same!" he said with a wide smirk.

Herman sighed and turned to Ludwig. "That was not fair, Ludwig!"

"What happened to my daughter isn't fair either, Herman," he said with an angry face. "Now get lost! I have things to do!" he ordered.

Herman grunted in annoyance and left the smithy. Outside, he found Lukas with an upset face, sitting on the ground by Herman's horse.

The bulky man walked closer to the blonde boy and sighed. "Lukas-"

"He told me the story, Herman," Lukas said, frustrated.

Herman raised his brow. "Excuse me?" he asked.

"The intent of that story was to make me

 understand that pride can kill you. And that sometimes you have to sacrifice your pride to have what you want. In this situation I am the peacock, he is the crow and the key is the grapes," Lukas explained.

Herman went silent, so Lukas could keep speaking.

"And even though he tried to teach me that, I still wasn't able to kiss his boots," Lukas said. "I'm a lost cause, Herman!" he said with a frustrated expression.

Herman sighed. "Lukas, I hate to say this and I know that you already know it, but... you were an idiot not to kiss his boots," he said.

Lukas nodded his head in accordance. "I know," he answered.

Herman sat beside Lukas. "He's gone through a few things in his life and... well, he started hating nobles, at least the proud ones," the bulky man explained.

Lukas raised his brow. "I understand that he hates nobles, but why only the proud ones?" he asked.

Herman sighed. "Well, once Ludwig received a work offer from a noble, however, he didn't think the value was fair enough, so, he refused. Out of pride, the noble didn't increase the value of the offer, so he threatened Ludwig's daughter, however, Ludwig didn't take it seriously and the noble ended up by paying a mercenary to murder her," the bulky man explained.

"Now that he had nothing else to lose, Ludwig promised not to make anything else to anyone proud, mainly nobles," Herman concluded.

Lukas raised his brow. "But in that case, the proudest person was himself. He was the idiot who didn't believe that the threat was a bluff, and his pride was what probably made him believe that," the blonde boy said.

Herman nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, you are right. My hunch is that he's trying to teach everyone that pride may be lethal, and using that proud noble thing as an excuse," he explained.

Lukas looked at Herman with a frown. "Why did you take me to his smithy if you knew that he would ask me to do that?" the blonde boy asked.

Herman sighed. "I thought he wouldn't, since you are only three years old. At least, that's not what the Ludwig I knew would do," he explained.

Lukas sighed. "I see," he said. "The loss of our loved ones... makes us change the view that we have of life," the blonde boy said with a sad smile.

Herman looked down at Lukas.

Suddenly, the blonde boy stood up with a smile and renewed confidence. Then, he turned to Herman. "Time to kiss some boots."

Herman laughed. "Yes, let's go," he said as he nodded his head.

The both of them went once again to the smithy.

Ludwig looked at Herman and Lukas. "What do you want? I have more things to do today than dealing with you!" the old man said with a bored expression.

"I'll pay the price," Lukas said straightforwardly.

Ludwig suddenly stopped working and bursted out in laughter. After laughing for a while, he nodded his head. "Fine. I'll give you a second chance. However, if you don't kiss them this time, I won't allow you to do it again," the old man said.

Lukas nodded his head with resolve. "Okay, deal," the blonde boy said.

Lukas then, kneeled down in front of Ludwig.

Ludwig was standing confidently. 'Pfft! He's done this last time! He is gonna call it quits in the last second,' he thought.

For Ludwig's surprise, Lukas did end up by kissing Ludwig's right boot. The old man was shocked.

"Huh... huh... kiss the other one!" he ordered.

Then, without saying anything, Lukas kissed the old man's left boot. 'This guy doesn't wash his boots! That's for sure,' the blonde boy thought, disgusted.

Then, Lukas stood up. "I paid the price! Now you'll have to make the key!" he said.

Ludwig was speechless. "Why... you... no, I won't!" he said.

Lukas raised his brow. "What?!"

"Ludwig, he paid the price you demanded! You'll have to make the key!" Herman said.

Ludwig looked at Herman and gritted his teeth. "You! You told this brat my daughter's story, didn't you?! You should mind your own business!" he said, pissed.

"Don't change the subje-" Lukas was interrupted by Ludwig.

"SHUT UP!" Ludwig said, enraged.

Lukas sighed. "You know what? You are an asshole!" he said.

Ludwig abruptly looked at Lukas. "What did you say?!"

"Yes, that's what you heard! You let your daughter die because of some pride that was more stupid than mine! And now, you can't even take the courage to honor your own deal!" Lukas said.

After Lukas said that, Ludwig promptly slapped the blonde boy, making him fall on the ground. "You! Get lost!"

Lukas slowly stood up, panting. Then, he looked at Ludwig, furious. Ludwig's slap had left a red mark on his cheek.

"Ludwig, your daughter isn't coming back. But you could at least honor her memory. I bet she wouldn't be proud if she saw you doing this because of her. You are not doing this to teach a lesson to anyone! You are doing this out of frustration!" Lukas said.

The blonde boy then left the smithy without looking back. Herman sighed. 'It goes without saying that this didn't go well,' he thought.

When he turned to Ludwig, he saw the old man crying. Herman showed a sad expression.

The bulky man put his hand on Ludwig's shoulder. "Ludwig, I-"

"Where's the mold?" Ludwig asked.

Herman looked taken aback. "W-What?!' he asked.

Ludwig finally turned to Herman. "I'll honor my daughter's memory," the old man said. "I'll make the key," he said.

"Y-You know that you don't have to, Lukas didn't act well either," Herman said.

"I insist, Herman. Please, give me the mold. And call the brat here. I owe him an apologize," Ludwig said.

Herman smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you, Ludwig. Here's the mold," Herman said as he took the mold out of his pocket.

Ludwig nodded his head and took the mold. "It'll be ready right away," he said.

Herman nodded his head and left the smithy.

There, he saw Lukas standing with his arms crossed. He was showing a confident smile.

"So, he noticed he was screwing up, right?" Lukas asked.

Herman widened his eyes and then grunted. "You knew this would convince him?!" he asked.

Lukas shrugged his shoulders. "I had a good hunch. Well, let's go. I owe him an apologize anyway," the blonde boy said.

Then, he headed to the smithy, where he found Ludwig already working on the key.

Ludwig looked at the boy with a smile. "It won't take long boy," he said.

Ludwig walked towards Lukas and put his hand on his shoulder. "Sorry for the price I made you pay, boy, I wasn't fair. I shouldn't have slapped you either," he said.

Lukas scratched the back of his neck as he blushed slightly. "Huh... well... I guess that slap was also my fault, I admit that I overdid it," he said.

Lukas took a deep breath. 'It was harder to apologize than I thought,' he thought.

Ludwig chuckled. "Wait here," he said as he headed back to the key.

After a few minutes, the old man had finished forging the key. He was already holding it with a smile.

"Here you go, boy, you deserve it," the old man said.

Lukas took the key and felt that it was still kinda hot. "Thank you," he said with a smile.

"And I won't even ask you why you wanted that key so much," Ludwig said.

Lukas chuckled. "You'd better. I'll not answer anyway,"

The both of them laughed.

After a while, Herman and Lukas left the smithy and started riding the horse back to the mansion.

"Look, I'm glad we didn't, but we could have just gone to another smithy, you know," Herman said.

"Well, I don't like it when people face me like that. It was a matter of pride," Lukas said.

Herman laughed as he nodded his head. "I see."