Luke wished he ate inside even with all the girls and ladies mindless gossiping surrounds him, it would be better than meeting Montes and his band follower.
-----
Luke first Montes through a count's party.
The adults where all talking to each other inside the ballroom, while all the children was gathered outside to play in the garden.
Luke remembered that this was on the first year he was living with the Duke.
This was supposed to be his first appearance in front of the noble so he wanted to make a nice impression so he wouldn't embarrassed the Duke and Duchess as well as his brother.
Vasile went to his friends immediately after he saw them leaving him alone in the crowds.
Because of the circumstances with his birth the nobles' children didn't want to interact with them and when he tried to talk or get closer to them, they would promptly live the area.
Disgruntled, he sat by himself in one of the table arranged in the garden not knowing what to do.
After some time passed and with still no one wanting to be near him, Luke's stomach ached from hunger. He went to the buffet table filled with sweets and other finger foods and took a plate of sandwich.
While he was walking back to his seat, a foot suddenly sticked out on his path and he tumbled down on the grass, hands and knees scrapped, bleeding, from the force.
The plate he was holding breaking from the fall since his hand was forced to let it go and support him.
The startling sound of a dish breaking followed by a clamor of laughter, made the conversations of the people around them stop.
Luke all felt the eyes staring at him and the laughter in his ears is definitely mocking him, forcing tear into his eyes not from the pain from the humiliation.
Looking up, all Luke saw was the judgement in people's eyes.
No one tried to help him.
Not even Vasile.
He saw him staring at him from the mass, face impassive, not moving.
And when he finally moved, Vasile turned his back on him.
"Sorry," a mocking voice sounded behind him, and when he went to stare, a smirking lips and hostile eyes met his view.
-----
This wasn't the last time Montes tried to humiliate him.
Luke didn't knew what he did to garner such hostility but he wasn't one to stay still and accept it all.
He isn't naive enough to think they would stop with a simple 'please'.
And all his experience dictated that he have to fight for himself for them to live him alone.
So he fought.
All those time spent in the library reading was time spent well.
His mind became his weapon.
At a Duke's daughter's birthday party, someone poured juice all over him, hands blocking his laughing mouth saying sorry.
Luke mocked him then for "being clumsy, maybe you should try to learn etiquette again? Since you don't even know how to hold a glass properly nor apologize decently." After saying this, he went inside the banquet room, the other children following him and straight to his parents, being asked what happened to his clothes he stared at the father of the culprit, head tilting, "the count should have his son relearn his etiquette," the count spluttured at this, "wouldn't want to think that spilling drink on others is acceptable yes".
At the horse riding lesson, he's horse was startled too much he was thrown off.
Luke brushed off the dust on him and sneered "and here I thought the horses in this ranch is properly trained. It seems to me they didn't properly do the job." The son of the owner who was one of the perpetrator reddened from anger but he can't deny that as the incident happened in front of everyone.
When he was in visiting the library in town, someone pushed him when he was climbing the stairs.
Thankfully the knights with him was able to catch him in time. After being asked if he saw who pushed him, Luke described him as "tall but thin, his head was covered with a hat but the locks he saw was brown and the eyes he saw staring at him was black," frowning in thought, "he also had a scar near his hand starting from his middle finger up to his wrist." Later on, when the culprit was apprehended and questioned all he stated was "he was to try and injure a noble with light ash hair and bright light blue eyes, that's all, please!"
At a camping he was suddenly dragged into, he was pushed down a small cliff.
The trip was in the mountains near the duchy, he was forced to go because it seemed like he was wasting his time indoors. After wandering around lost from the camp and following the markings left for this purpose, Luke could see the red light from the fire, hurrying his footsteps he was abruptly pushed to the left and feeling the soil give way under his feet, he fell seeing Montes looking at him with anger.
He was rescued, but he didn't know what happened after that, the doctor said that he had amnesia since he received a blow on his head, but no one would explain all the other injuries he sustained, when he asked all he would get is sad and worried looks so he stopped.
No one said anything about him falling of a cliff, so he didn't said anything about it either.
One conclusion could be get from this is that Luke and Montes would never be able to get along. Ever.
Don't put them on the next to each other.
Don't put them on the same table.
And never ever put them on the same room together.
Those things happening are just asking for trouble, trouble which they would get.