The tour had finished some time ago.

Morrison had shown him and Erica around some more, and then he had their single maid prepare dinner for them. During dinner, Morrison spoke with Erica at great length, though Caspian noticed how the Sorceress's attention kept drifting away. It was also during dinner that Caspian had met Morrison's youngest son, though the less said about that pretentious little brat the better.

After dinner, Elric had intercepted Caspian before he and Erica could return to their room.

"I was hoping we could have that spar," Elric had said, sounding almost uncertain. Caspian thought for a moment before deciding that, indeed, a spar sounded quite nice. It would give him a chance to test this young teen's abilities.

It's always good to know the skillset of your potential enemies.

And Elric was a potential enemy. He didn't know anything about this boy, but it didn't change the fact that he was a noble. Caspian had yet to meet a noble who was trustworthy, and he sincerely doubted he would ever meet one.

Elric led Caspian to a large training hall. While not as extravagant as the one at Arcadia's Knight Academy, it still possessed a simple sort of elegance, and the many tapestries hanging from the wall added a little color to the otherwise drab room. Also unlike at the academy, this hall didn't have a training matt. It was just a tiled floor composed of large stone blocks.

"It was pretty unusual of you to try and protect that dwarf," Elric said as he studied the many weapons situated on the wrack. "I was surprised."

"Yeah, well, you're not the only one," Caspian grunted, watching as the young man decided on a weapon to use. Standing off to the side, Erica and Morrison spoke in hushed tones, though it appeared the man was paying more attention to the Sorceress's bust than her words.

I wonder what Morrison's wife would think if she saw that, Caspian pondered the thought, then snorted. She probably already knows, if her hatred of Erica is an indication.

"You mean that you were as surprised by your own actions as everyone else?" asked Elric.

"I... I guess so."

Caspian still wasn't sure what had come over him when he'd tried to protect that dwarf. He had no real reason to care about what happened to their kind. They were a violent race who, without being held underneath the rule of humans, would have torn themselves apart centuries ago. Looking at it like that, what happened back there was nothing compared to what the dwarves had been doing to themselves centuries before humanity entered the picture.

So, why do I care so much?

"You're just a freak! The only thing freaks like you and your mom are good for is labor and whoring yourselves out!"

Caspian pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. His head throbbed like a battering ram was hammering away inside of his skull. He gritted his teeth, riding the pain out. The memory soon faded, and with it, the pain vanished as well.

"I guess I just don't like senseless violence," Caspian said at last. "It's one thing to defend yourself, or to fight against someone who is capable of fighting back, but it's wrong to fight someone who can't defend themselves."

"Hmm, I guess." Elric finally picked up his choice of weapon; a thin falchion, which he experimentally swung several times, testing its weight and balance. Caspian noticed that his form was quite graceful. He obviously knew what he was doing. "But, then, those were only dwarves. It's not like they're human or anything."

"Yeah," Caspian agreed, though he didn't sound very happy about it. "I guess you're right."

"Right." Elric turned a smile on Caspian. "Now then, how about that spar?"

***

Touring all of the facilities at the Avrondale mines took longer than Caspian had expected. Altogether, he and Erica were there for nearly two days. Fortunately, after Caspian's initial blunder, everything proceeded smoothly, until finally, the day to leave was upon them.

"Do you really have to go?" Krystal looked up at Erica, her eyes holding traces of tears in them.

"Yes, I do. I have a lot of work to get done, you know? I can't do that if I stay here," Erica offered the girl a very maternal smile.

The girl sniffled. "But I don't want you to go."

Erica knelt down next to the girl and pulled her into a hug. Standing off to the side, Caspian watched the scene play out. He wondered if, in another life, this could have been Erica's future. He banished the thought before it could depress him.

After reluctantly breaking free from Erica, Krystal trotted over to Caspian, who looked down at the little girl, wondering what she wanted of him.

"You are going to protect Auntie Erie, right?"

Caspian's lips twitched at the stern look Krystal gave him. He didn't like nobles, but he would admit that this was a cute kid.

"Of course. As her Knight, it's my solemn duty to protect her from anything that would harm her."

"Promise?" The girl held out her pinky.

"Promise," Caspian said, leaning down and hooking his pinky around hers.

"Kay." They broke pinky contact, then Krystal ran into him and surprised Caspian with a hug. "And you had better come back. I wanna hear more stories."

During his time here, Krystal had asked him to tell her stories about his time at the academy. Caspian didn't have many stories, but he regaled her with embellished tales of how he defeated several nobles in a spar, or how he'd shown up the instructors in class. The child had hung onto his every word with the kind of intensity that only a child could have.

"It seems my daughter is rather taken in with your Knight," Morrison said to Erica, who stood beside him while Krystal said goodbye to Caspian.

"That is to be expected," Erica replied, most of her attention fixated on Caspian with a contemplative gleam. "Despite being somewhat boorish and temperamental, Caspian is an awfully kind and compassionate soul--even though he does not like admitting it."

"Is that why he defended that... dwarf?" Morrison asked, making a face.

"That is certainly part of the reason," Erica admitted. Not wanting to remain on the subject of her current temporary Knight's issues with inequality, the Sorceress changed the subject. "I'll be sure to let Sorceress council know about how productive your mining operations here are in my next report."

Morrison bowed in gratitude. "I am very grateful to you, Lady Erica."

Goodbyes were soon finished. Caspian shook hands with Elric and had to pry a crying Krystal off his leg before entering the MAFT. As they were driving off, Caspian thought back to the dwarves.

That old dwarf had not been the last one he saw getting whipped like that. Many of the others had also received lashings at the hands of a human. Caspian had restrained himself from acting on his desire to aid them, but seeing the dwarves getting abused never failed to bother him.

Perhaps it was because they were both considered beneath humans, but thinking about the dwarves situation reminded him of the problems that most half-elves face; the discrimination, the isolation, the abuse. He wondered if that was why the dwarves situation struck him so hard.

He looked down at his hands and saw that they were shaking.

Are we really doing the right thing?

"Is everything all right, Caspie?" Erica asked.

"It's Caspian," the young man responded automatically, "and I'm fine, just thinking is all."

"Oh?" Erica raised a single, delicate eyebrow. "And what, pray tell, are you thinking about?"

"Nothing important."

Caspian closed his eyes and willed away the guilt he felt at his inability to do something for those less fortunate than himself. Yet even as he tried to relax, his mind continued to plague him.

As one of the few who'd had the good fortune to rise above his station, shouldn't he do what he could to help those in need?

"Nothing at all."