"It doesn't matter what he looks like. A dog of war is still a dog of war. He only belongs here because of the generosity of the Valderics."
Aveline, who was never far away, intercepted some of these comments. Her eyes darkened, but she remained impassive, her impeccable manners masking her irritation.
She knew that intervening directly would only fuel the gossip.
Maxime, for his part, heard the criticism, for his physique gave him exceptional hearing.
It didn't extend to being able to hear through walls, but as long as someone was talking about him in the same room, he could hear them.
However, he ignored them and continued to chat calmly with those who had come to speak to him, mixing modesty and confidence in his answers while smiling.
This attitude only accentuated his appeal, much to the chagrin of some of the nobles who saw their importance overshadowed by this mercenary.
