The Arena

Boiled meats and sauces

In the arena kitchen smells of boiled meat and sauces filled the air and the hall way outside the door. No doubt the smell would be creeping out into the eating area where the fighters would be teased by the scent of food while they trained. Chef Charles did not seem disturbed by her sudden entrance, her flushed face or out of breath state. Instead he smiled before telling her to butter the bread rolls. The previous day Isabella had been told to do dishes and had to wait in the kitchen while he fed the fighters their meals. She was disappointed to miss out on that part but rather excited when she was told she would clean up after them. This time she was preparing bread rolls, placing them in a basket and stirring the stew pots. The day before she had seen that the stew had hardly any vegetables and questioned it, this stew had extra chunks of carrots in it that put a smile on her face, making her forget the attack she just endured from the guard. Someone had taken her advice.

"Once this is all done we will take it out to serve." Charles said approaching the stew pot she stirred to check on it. "You will not get the chance to eat out there so I suggest you eat something now."

"Am I serving with you today?" Isabella asked, her eyes wide with the sudden excitement. Charles nodded as he poured a bowl of stew out for her. They stood silently in the kitchen while they ate the stew, the day before Charles had told Isabella of his wife and daughters. Today he was not as chatty, only telling her about the good advice she gave but her mind was elsewhere. Isabelle could not get Guard John from her mind, it must have been that letter, she thought as she tried to eat the food. First James now John, except they were both going about their advances on her in different ways. If someone Isabella actually liked did what James did she would have liked it, but no matter who did what John was doing she would never like it. He was turning her dream come true into a nightmare. They ate quickly as to not keep the fighters waiting too long. When it came time to take the food out her heart beat hard in her chest with excitement once more. She had already seen them all up front but she still felt that childish thrill to seeing them again. Until the previous night conversation filled her mind and made her excitement turn to fright. They placed the stew pots on a bench that sat near a wall, enough gaps behind it for the chef and Isabella to stand behind them and face out to the row benches where the fighters would sit to eat. The eight fighters headed toward the eating area, dropping the sparring weapons on the sand just outside the stone flooring and heading straight to Charles where the trays were piled. They would each grab a tray then move to Charles where he poured the vegetable stew into a bowl and place it on their tray. They would then slide down to Isabella where she would pour the meaty slop of a stew into a separate bowl and place it on their trays beside the other bowl. The fighter would then grab a bread roll and sit down. None tried to make any suggestive remarks or movements while the guards stood around Isabella keeping watchful eyes. Lukas was the last fighter in the line, as he chatted to Charles her heart beat faster with what he said. A thought rushed her mind and made her fear rise, a simple bite on the finger would not slow down someone his size, if she ever had to fight Lukas off, and she suspected that she would lose in the matter of seconds. Her dream had not shown her a bad side of Lukas but more a side of tenderness and care. Despite the dream she still had that fear he would not be as she would hope. As Lukas approached her cheeks went warm and she knew she was blushing at her thoughts and dream. It was obvious Isabella was avoiding eye contact with Lukas, making him realise she heard what the boys had said the previous night.

"Do not let what was said get to you." Lukas said as she poured the meaty stew into a bowl. When she did not respond and reached over to place the bowl on his tray, Lukas balanced the tray in one hand and grabbed at her wrist with the other.

"Why will you not look at me?" Lukas asked, his voice stern. Avoiding his eyes still he could see her bite on her bottom lip and the pink of her cheeks darken. A sigh escaped his lips as he released her wrist and moved on.