"What do you say, Urien?" With disbelief still evident on his face, Duke Macheze turned toward his right-hand man who stood still with his gaze lowered. "Are you defying me right now?"
Putting aside the unfamiliar pressure that he was feeling at the moment, Urien knew very well that he should back down if he didn't want to experience the Duke's rage. This had never happened after all and as someone who knew the Duke well, he was aware of what consequence it might bring. However...
"I wouldn't dare, My Lord; but Lady Lenora's life depends on this," he said to the Duke and even he was surprised by how much courage it took him to say that!
When he was just an orphan who was supposed to be dying on the streets, it was Duke Macheze who took him in, clothed and fed him and taught him everything. He was only alive thanks to the Duke and he had long vowed to serve and stay loyal to him in order to repay the kindness that he had shown him.