"I claim his life and horn as forfeit!"
For a moment, Ashlynn's words shocked the assembled council, soldiers and servants into complete silence. The ones who had carried the fallen Tuscans here already regarded Ashlynn and Hauke with deep awe, and a bit of that even spilled over onto Virve, though no one believed that the greatest credit for the battle went to the veteran soldier.
It would take more than skill at battle to defeat an almost equal number of Tuscans. The Frost Walkers believed that victory had been achieved due to the combined powers of their little lord with his iridescent horn and the vampire's Seneschal with her witchcraft.
Because of this admiration, they were sympathetic when she asked for Andrus' heroics to be recognized, even if his accomplishments were minor. Nothing, however, could prepare them for the accusation leveled by the woman whose strength they had just come to recognize.
