The Marvel of Underworlds

6: A Quaint Little Meal

"And that's how I got the gig in Durak!" Talori proudly ended her anecdote, taking a huge bite of chicken.

    "I wish I could come and watch you perform," Mr. Maret smiled, dishing up more food for her, "But work has me so busy."

    "It would also be difficult getting you in. It took some convincing to get three extra invitations."

    "I'm looking forward to it!" Felix exclaimed, piling food onto a fork.

"I know why you're excited, Talori," Cedric teased with nonchalance.

    "What do you mean?" Talori laughed.

    "The Prince," He said with a singsong voice. The boys all erupted with laughter as Talori's face turned bright red.

    "Not true!" Talori pouted, hitting her fist on the table.

    Leonidas flashed her a funny look, "Oh, it's true."

    "Well then," Talori folded her arms like a child throwing a tantrum, "You know Cedric, the princess..."

    "Oooh..." Felix laughed, staring at Cedric.

    Cedric practically spat out his food, "Forget it!"

    "And I hear she is a beautiful girl," Leonidas wiped his mouth with a napkin, joining in on the fun, "I mean, you probably already know her. You are practically royalty already."

    Cedric buried his head in his hands as the whole table laughed at him.

    "Now now, we all know Cedric is too focused on magic to think about girls," Mr. Maret piped in.

    "Oh shut it," Cedric chuckled along with everyone else.

    "Enough of that," Mr. Maret cut into the laughter, "I would love to know what you kids have been up to," he turned to Leonidas, "Cedric told me you traveled around the world."

    "Yeah, but I never visited Durak before. Felix and I actually met up a few times though."

    "Oh, son? I didn't know you traveled too," he directed his attention to Felix.

    "Oh, it was a while ago. Right after high school, in fact."

    "I didn't know you went to school!" Talori laughed.

    "Yes, he did, and he was an excellent student. Voliara Prep, to be exact," Mr. Maret stated proudly, "He was pretty popular."

    "No..." Felix brushed it off.

    "I think you had a new girlfriend every three days," Mr. Maret snickered, spinning his fork in his stew.

    "Aw..." Talori fluttered her eyelashes at him with tease. Felix brushed it off.

    "Dad, there are some times when you should stop talking," he countered.

    "Anyways... What was the best place you visited?" Mr. Maret immediately spun the conversation back to Leonidas, who was taken aback at this turn. Leonidas was genuinely content with merely listening in while they spoke. He was never very fond of talking about himself.

    "Um... I guess Vedrailand was cool," he muttered.

    "What was it like?" Cedric suddenly chimed in.

    "Oh, um. The people there are passionate about what they do, the architecture is beautiful. I don't know."

    "I heard the tsarina is practically a dictator... " Talori mumbled.