Moon's Call (Sample)

Chapter Nine

Everyone watched Lycidas as he leaned down and set the chair right while the boy muttered an inaudible thank you and nervously sat down but obviously pulling his chair away from Lycidas. Claire shot him a glare and he cringed and looked down knowing that Claire would cuff him severely when no one was around.

Elaine smiled to ease the obvious tension in the room. She stood up and with the assistance of Karen began to dish the food out but as she was about to dish out to Lycidas, Claire surprised everyone by standing up with a winsome smile which was obviously to please Lycidas. "Mother, I shall serve his." She offered.

Elaine exchanged looks with her husband, having telepathically communicated with her husband. When Darius nodded his reluctant approval, she passed the bowl and ladle to her daughter who began to scoop some soup into Lycidas' bowl. "Mother prepares the best soup in Pragoth." She was saying to Lycidas. "I bet you'll lick your paws off by the time you are through."

Lycidas didn't say anything, he just placed both hands around the plate and was about lifting it to his mouth with all eyes resting on him. "What are you doing?" Claire asked.

"Drinking." He stated.

Claire chuckled and placed her hand on his arm and he flinched from her touch, making her withdraw her hand to her chest immediately, then she suddenly laughed to wash away the awkward moment noticing that all eyes were on her. "You'll need this." She told Lycidas as she picked one of the fresh loaves of bread from a tray and handed it to him then she put a spoon into his plate. "You break the bread and eat with the soup but you don't drink directly from the plate but drink with the spoon." She instructed while everyone watched with obvious interest.

Lycidas looked across the table at Darius who was wearing an amused look with his arms leaning on the table. "What's so funny?" He asked, not smiling.

"My daughter teaches you to eat properly like a growing cub, you should stay out of the woods and become civilized, Moon's Call." Darius replied, breaking a loaf of bread.

Elaine shot Darius a displeased look and whispered. "You shouldn't say such to him, Darius, that was unfair." Her husband shrugged innocently and she turned to face Lycidas. "I apologize for my husband's uncouth words. It's a pleasure to have you here with us."

Lycidas grunted his approval and broke the bread too just like Claire had instructed. Claire sat down and began to eat, smiling at him but he hardly looked her way anymore. Elaine turned to look at Astrophel when she heard him speak. "Would you like more soup?" He was asking Theresa.

Theresa smiled awkwardly and said. "No, thank you. I'm fine."

Astrophel nodded and went back to eating. While Elaine turned to Herrick who was whispering something to Karen which was making her smile. Elaine smiled too. She liked it when everyone was in good mood and flowing with each other.

"Guess who I saw today?" Medea, as usual started the conversation at the dining.

Herrick groaned aloud in dread. "What now, Medea?"

Medea ignored his obvious attitude that showed that he was sick of her stories. "I came across an elf, yesterday."

"Elves aren't in these parts." Darius said.

"But I did see one near the crystal brook last night." Medea insisted. "She was drinking from the brook."

"A she?" Elaine asked. "Elves have few females."

"Well, I was lucky to see one, she isn't tall, she's just two feet or so. She was friendly. She lives in the needle groves."

"Okay..." Herrick stated, tired of her stories. "She-elf or He-elf, just keep it to yourself, Medea."