"So, what would you like to eat? You can choose whatever you want!" Katherine asked.
"Uhm... I don't really care as long as it's edible..." I said.
"I really like steak, or fish, or cheese... I like everything actually!" Mim said.
I looked at her, smiling after realizing that she wasn't struggling when talking to them.
"If that's the case—Albert choose whatever you want to make," Edward said.
"It will be ready in a bit," Albert said, bowing down before he walked away.
"We can wait in the sitting room, Albert will pick us up when dinner is ready," Katherine said, pointing to the room left of the doorway.
We followed behind her, and sat down in the same formation as yesterday.
After we sat down, I spoke before the silence could settle in.
"I wanted to thank you for the cookies—they were amazing!" My eyes were unable to meet hers, shifting past them to the wall behind her.
"I am glad you liked them, let me know if you want more—okay?"
"And at home we even have a cook, who is even better at making them." Her eyes almost disappeared while she showed a smile.
Before I could think of anything Mim spoke before I could,
"Yours are already great enough!"
Katherine's gaze shot up, alternating between the both of us.
"Really...? I would love to make them for you then!" Her cheeks had reddened alongside the smile she formed.
"Yayy, thank you very much—I can't wait to eat more, even after this trip!"
I had the half full bag in my hand,
She made us twenty each—one for each day and more... she really put a lot of thought into it... I tried to turn my head away, hiding the slight smile that formed.
"And besides that, how was the journey today—was it comfortable enough?" Edward said.
"Uh... yeah I was able to sleep, which I couldn't do before—" I said.
"And I didn't get woken up by bad reining—" Mim said.
"—So it was perfect," we said in unison.
"Wait—bad reining? Cut me some slack... it was my first time doing it."
"I'm sorry—but it's the truth." She nodded with each word.
"Sigh..." I said, my head hanging.
"Hahaha, you luckily don't have to worry anymore," Edward said, looking at Mim.
"You did well, I have heard it's quite a difficult task after all," Katherine said, looking at me.
While both looked the other way, they held the same tensed face.
"You can just laugh..." I said, holding my own in.
They exchanged glances followed by their trembling lips, and both burst out laughing.
Unable to hold it in any longer as air started to escape my mouth, stopped by the sound I heard next to me.
"Pfft!"
It was Mim, whose tears were flowing with each laugh that got louder, and louder—it was the first genuine laugh I heard that I could remember.
Tears settled into my eyes as I joined their laughter, it may have looked like some crazies laughing around—but we were just people connecting to one another.
Even as the laughter settled the conversation kept going.
While I may not even remember what we talked about in a few days, I will remember that we had this conversation—and the feeling it gave me.
"My lord, my lady—the food is ready." Albert had walked in, and turned his lowered head to the both of us.
"I have chosen to make lamb chops with gravy."
"Gravy?" I asked as I stood up.
"Yes, it's a type of sauce... it makes it taste better—you will find out after you try it."
We walked over to the dining room, welcomed by a wooden table—as long as the house we had lived in—covered in a cloth.
I should just sit where the plates are I guess?
I followed Edward and Katherine, sitting down after them—Edward took the head of the table, and Katherine to the left of Edward, with two plates by the seats right of Edward.
Does it matter where I sit down?
I stood still, with my eyes shifting between the two chairs in front of me, with Mim still standing next to me.
"Let me give you the first lesson now, you should sit right of the lord, that is what is expected of his eldest son, or rather heir." Albert chimed in from behind me.
"Thank you... and lesson?"
"Yes, when we arrive in Kardiotza. I have been asked to teach you the manners expected from a noble's son—that's when you can truly be revealed as his eldest son."
I just blinked after hearing that.
"Okay..."
"Do you hate that idea?"
"Learning is troublesome... I understand it, so I'll try my best."
"Brother, come sit down, we should start eating!" She had also sat down, all eyes were on me.
"Uh... sorry..." I walked over to my seat, and sat down.
I looked at the varying tableware, there was more than just a normal fork and knife like we received in the inns, and guild house.
I saw Katherine and Edward grab a specific knife, and I followed their lead, while Mim next to me grabbed the first knife she laid her hand on.
It was meat still connected to its bone, covered by a light brown sauce, with a green leaf on the side—half of it covered by the sauce.
Can I eat it? I have never seen it before...
I looked up and saw them cut pieces of the greenery, and pierce it along with the meat.
I can trust it then.
An audible gulp sounded as I turned my head to Mim whom I hadn't heard a single squeak from.
Her plate was already empty, but she kept staring at it in silence.
She didn't like it?
And I took my first bite.
"..." I fell into silence as well.
I understood the problem—there were no words fit to describe this dish.
I couldn't help but sit in the same manner as Mim after I was done—leaning into the back of the chair, while slightly looking at the roof above.
A new world had opened in front of us.
Are we going to eat like this every day?
I couldn't believe the new life we were going to live.
"And how did you like it kids?" Edward asked us.
Both Mim and I shot upwards, and leaned over the table, answering,
"It was the best!"
"Thank you very much, if you want another plate let me know," Albert offered us, standing by the doorway.
"Yes! We would love it," I responded, knowing that Mim wanted the same.
"Okay wait a bit longer then please," he said, as he walked towards the kitchen.
He took the same amount of time as with the first plate, before he came back, holding two steaming hot plates in his hands—tasting as great as the previous one.
After we finished another plate, Mim and I nodded at each other, and simply thanked Albert before we stood up.
After dinner we went back to the sitting room, and we continued to talk—Mim and I drank juice, while Edward and Katherine had wine.
"And I hope you don't mind, but you'll have to share a bed together for tonight—we couldn't ask for two extra rooms, that would have been too suspicious," Edward said, sipping from the glass in his hand.
"We don't mind, right Mim?" I responded, looking over at Mim.
"Yes, it's more fun this way! And we always slept next to each other anyway." I nodded along with each word she said.
It was narrowed smile he showed as he said,
"That's good to hear..."
"And we have already readied your rooms in our home."
"Already? Did you do it in advance?"
"No—we sent them a message after you decided what you wanted."
"Sigh... please teach me as much as possible when we go back," I said, followed by Edward's laughter.
"We were already planning to!"
I winced after hearing that.
The conversations went on for a while longer, after which we went to our rooms—we had an early departure tomorrow.
Mim waited for me before we simultaneously dove into bed, bouncing around while we sank into the solid mattress.
"This is even better than the inns!" Mim screamed.
"It really is—I may never wake up after I fall asleep!"
"Me neither!"
Those were the last words said before we fell asleep.
We were woken up by Albert,
"What do you want to eat children?"
Both of us sat up hearing him, and in unison we said,
"The dish from yesterday"
"Sorry, that is just dinner," he smiled after.
"In that case a sandwich?" I asked, remembering Lusd.
"You too Mim?" Albert asked.
She nodded and we both stood up, following after Albert.
After we ate breakfast we went on our way again.
Edward had walked over to me when we stood outside, told me that we would pass through a forest today—unlike last time beasts may actually appear here.
We left while the sun was starting to reveal itself, and reached the forest before afternoon.
The moment we entered it a scraping sounded across from me—followed by a light that reflected as Edward's sword moved towards me.
"WATCH OUT—" He screamed, my eyes widening,
"NEXT TO YOU!"