CACKLE- Book 1

Chapter Twenty Two

When the dinner plates cleared Remi watched the servers bring out trays of desserts. Warm chocolate cake and fluffy white chocolate moose made Remi's stomach suddenly grow in capacity. Her eyes were drawn to the small scoops of something melting in ornate crystal bowls, places before each person at the table. The green hue it gave off was reflecting against the rim of the bowl.

Remi watched the rest of the guests pick up their utensils and dig in. a thin woman with a pointed nose selected a small silver spoon and scooped a bit of the melty green spheres.

The woman sniffed at it and delicately brought the spoon to her lips. She smiled to the man beside her.

Across the table another man took an entire scoop and grinned. The melty green stuff dripped precariously on the small silver spoon until he devoured it.

Huxley had somehow finished his portion so quickly Remi hadn't seen him eat it. He was now gorging on the white moose while simultaneously sliding two plates of chocolate cake towards himself. Remi selected the smallest spoon in front of her, just as she had seen the woman with the pointed nose do and scooped up a dollop of the green ball. She stared at it, memorized as it slowly began to melt. She sniffed it. Earthy aromas mixed with a sweet freshness tickled her nose and made her mouth water. From this close she could tell the substance was cold. Frigid almost, a temperature she hadn't really experienced before. She put the spoon in her mouth and her taste buds hummed. Delicious waves of sweetness with a hint of bitter caressed her tongue. She let out a small moan and proceeded to consume the entire confection.

"It's called green tea ice cream." Anna said. "Not a dish that has yet been made available throughout the villages since it's actually quite difficult to make and keep cold." She put her hand over Remi's. "Don't scrape at the bowl, they consider it to be impolite. We can get you more later." She winked and Remi squirmed to keep herself from squealing in delightful anticipation.

She tried the white moose, which was not better than the ice cream, but it was still sweet and satisfying. After trying the chocolate cake she decided chocolate was just one more important reason to ensure this world remained intact. Remi made a metal note to organize her preferences, chocolate, ice cream, and of course; bread.

Remi made it a point to not look across the table at Ryker again. When the hair stood up on the back of her neck she kept her eyes down. She would take a sip of water or fold the napkin on her lap this way and that. She did not trust herself to keep her temper under control. She had already felt pressure as the night went on to perform as one of the nobles. To take on their mannerisms. To wait until others had selected the correct fork before copying them so as not to stand out. When Huxley would lean over to talk to her, she would keep her voice low so as not to attract attention. She managed to get through the rest of dessert and an evening tea before there were discussions of wine and whisky.

A thin man with a dark mustache suggested that King Valerian try his newest invention, a dark orange colored drink he called Brandy. As the king rose, so did the people around him. People rose in pairs and left the dining room through tall wooden doors at the back of the castle.

"Now is when we go to the gardens. People will drink, dance and you will try to talk to a few of them. " Anna said. "I'll see if I can strike up a conversation with Indra. I'll come find you when I do. We can tell her about your skills back in Prilani. Really solidify your value. I don't think it would be difficult to explain your training since that village borders Drilis it's not inconceivable to think they would teach physical defense. I think I'll start the conversation there." Anna trailed off, seemingly talk more to herself than to Remi as she too began to walk towards the garden doors.

Remi's feet refused to move past the open doors as she followed Anna into the gardens. They were spectacular. Nothing like the wildflowers in the woods. Here, the garden was curated and organized in such a way that the fields and forests would certainly be envious of it's beauty. Flowering bushes covered in colors scattered the backdrop of a brightly lit clearing. People began to dance as musicians took up their instruments. A sound like nothing she could imagine played across the open space. She leaned her back against the door frame and listened as the musicians painted a brilliant picture for her ears to enjoy.