The Hidden Crystal

Chapter 65

"Do you have the day off?" Iris asked as Char led her down the street with his irrepressible grin.

He shrugged. "I can fit in lunch, but I'll have to skip dinner with you tonight."

"What are you working on?" she continued curiously.

"You'll see," he replied, smirking down at her.

"When?"

"When I'm ready to show you. Have you ever eaten at a restaurant before?"

"Char. Really?"

He laughed. "Yeah, guess not."

Char led her to a building that was so covered in greenery she could hardly see any of the gray stone wall. Intricate carvings of trees and leaves covered the wooden door. He opened the door for her, and she stepped into the restaurant nervously.

"It's so dark," she whispered to him.

"That's because it's romantic," he replied, taking her arm and leading her to a podium where a man in a suit and tie waited patiently. "Table for two, please," Char told him. "In a quiet area."

"Very good, sir," the waiter replied, bowing and leading them deeper into the restaurant. Potted plants hung from the ceiling and decorated every corner, filling the air with the heavy scent of flowers in bloom. The bright colors popped in the dim lighting, illuminated by the warm glow of candlelight. Other couples sat at tables and booths strategically arranged to create an intimate atmosphere. Iris took everything in with wide eyes, not paying attention to where she was walking since Char was guiding her. She stopped when he did, and he pulled out a chair for her.

"This is really nice," she said, studying the table setting. A vase of red roses and a single candle graced the center of the table, one on the left, one on the right, so the eyeline between her and Char was unbroken. Napkins folded like flowers decorated the place their plates would soon occupy.

"Here are your menus," the waiter said, handing them each a sturdy but elegant piece of paper. "May I suggest..."

Iris stared at the menu while the waiter rattled off the drink and meal specials of the day. She wasn't familiar with any of the dishes listed. Char responded to the waiter, and then his laughter brought her attention back to him. She looked up at him. The waiter was gone.

"You're so cute right now," Char said, smirking.

She scowled petulantly at him. "You know very well that the inn was the closest thing to a restaurant in Little Rest, and it didn't have a menu or anything fancy like this."

"No, but it had the prettiest barmaid."

"You're impossible."

"I know," he said smugly.

It was getting harder for Iris to hold the fake scowl. She finally gave in and leaned forward, flipping the menu around to face him and tapping the page. "Why don't you make yourself useful and explain this menu to me?"

"Or I could just order for us."

"What if you order something I don't like?"

"Hm, we're getting married in three days, and I don't know what you do and don't like to eat."

"Lucky for you, being picky was never an option for me, so I'll eat just about anything. What about you?"

"Lucky for you, I'm used to Rath's cooking when we're out traveling, so I'll eat just about anything," he replied teasingly. "This place specializes in Elven cuisine," he continued in a more serious tone. "Elves don't eat meat, so most of the dishes are vegetable or fruit dishes. This one here..."