Dish Of The Day

Whilst Maya was trying to brandish her sword fighting skills. Edýia was dishing her latest punishment, she'd cooked up in the dead of the night.

Rom sighed as he glanced around the musty-smelling room, filled with gossamer, dust, and woofinpoofs, grimacing.

" What is this?" Rom asked as he brushed his fingers over the dusty furnishings, disgusted with the thick layers of everything.

" This was once the private quarters of the man that had started to carve into this rock. As they added the upper layers, this was left behind when the seat was passed on." Edýia added as she glanced around the room in wonderment. Whatever Edýia was seeing, it was lost on him. All he saw was just a dusty chamber that would look better if it would get burned to a crisp. Probably smell nicer too.

" And what do you want me to do with it?" Rom asked both brows quirked up, curious. She was about to satisfy his curiosity and then some.

" It is a gift for Dakran and Maya and an apology " Edýia sighed as she strolled around the vast room, taking the sheets of furniture.

" What makes you think they would want this?" Rom pertinently asked as he followed her with his eyes around the room, deeply frowning. He was in for a surprise.

Edýia sighed " Dakran holds great admiration for the man that has built this place. For everything he has done and the way he lived his life," Edýia picked up a book and opened it.

" This" Edýia leafed through the book, " Tells his story. Dakran loved his parents, but he never took after either of them. There is a reason he still uses the old study when he has his own, in his private quarters." Edýia shut the book and placed it back on the shelf.

Rom hummed " What do want me to do? Clean?" Rom asked, a little displeased with the task she had handed him. He was in no position to be displeased.

" Yes. Spruce up. There are lots to do and so little time. And I would like it to be ready by the time Dakran returns" Edýia grinned, leaning against the wooden table in the middle of the room. Satisfied with herself and the punishment she'd cooked up.

Rom puffed his cheeks and shoved his hands in his pockets, doing his best to stay levelled. What Edýia was asking was no easy thing. Rom glanced around the room, at odds with himself. Torn between dead on refusing to do anything, all together, and accepting the punishment, hopeful that it would end with that.

" Do this and I will lighten any further punishments" Edýia quirked up a brow at him, defiant. That presented some appealing prospects. Rom raised an eyebrow in question, defiantly.

" And if I don't?" Rom foolishly asked, without even thinking it through. Edýia set her lips in a thin line, furrowed brows, and judging by the mischievous glint in her eyes, he'd asked a dumb question.

Rom raised his hand when she opened her mouth to answer his question " Don't bother" He said running his hands through his hair, clearly displeased, already aware that the answer to his question would be more unpleasant than cleaning a grubby-looking room.

Edýia giggled " All right. If you need anything, I'll be in the infirmary or the kitchen, lending a hand with the chores." Edýia pushed herself off the table to walk out of the room.

Rom cleared his throat " A kiss would be a wonderful encouragement." Rom tried his fortune, making Edýia halt her steps before stepping over the threshold.

Edýia chuckled " I don't pay the layman before the work is done." She glanced over her shoulder, smirking and reprised her steps.

Rom rolled his eyes the moment Edýia was out of sight, and buried his face in his hands, exasperated. She wasn't making it easy, at all.

He didn't have the faintest idea where to even begin. Everything was covered in grime, dust, and sticky gossamer. The air was so stale and thick that he could taste the dust. Rom grimaced, repulsed when he plopped himself in the nearest chair and he found himself shrouded in a cloud of dust.

Rom grunted and pushed himself off the chair, trying to brush away the dust that had settled on his clothes but to no avail, it stuck to him.

He needed things to start cleaning. He had no clue what those things were, but he knew someone that did. Sala was his saviour.

With that thought in mind, Rom stomped out of the room, heading to the only place where he knew he would find Sala.

When he stepped into the kitchen, he found Sala and Falkirk hovering over Maya, who slumped in a chair, huffing, profusely sweating, looking like she'd been chased around for soots.

Rom frowned " Who chased you?" That was the first question that came into mind when he saw his sister, among many others. Dakran had left to fetch Haren, leaving Maya with a workload suitable for four people.

Maya panted " No one" She grunted, strained " Sword" she kept huffing, slurring her words " training " Maya took a swig of water, and forcefully swallowed. Parched and out of breath, drinking appeared to be more challenging than she'd thought.

" I trained you already " Rom took a seat at the table, worried that she'd forgotten how to swing a sword. The deep frown etched on his forehead, and the fact that he wasn't tailing Edýia was a sign that there was more that met the eye.

Maya blew out a breath " Not good enough. Eisza says so" Maya took another swig of her water and slammed the glass on the table.

Rom leaned back in his chair, frowning, displeased " Eisza? I taught you defence. That's what you needed. And so did Sylus." Rom sighed, resigned.

" Yes. I know. But " Maya paused " Dakran is worried, and he won't let me set foot outside Ironstone unless I can properly fight to defend myself." Maya retorted, wiping the sweat off her face.

Falkirk chuckled " If you ask me. Not a bad idea. There are many things out there" Falkirk frowned " There were. Not so much now" He sighed and took a seat next to Maya.

" Don't worry, precious. It will be over before you know it" Falkirk tried to comfort her, patting her hand.

" Not until I defeat Eisza. That will be the day my training ends " Maya sighed whilst Sala gasped, worried.

" That will never happen, dear. Oh, dear" Sala stroked her hair, pitying her. Sala wasn't the only one pitying her, she pitied herself just the right amount.

" What are you up to?" Maya deviated seeing that Rom wasn't following Edýia around.

Rom frowned " Cleaning" He puffed his cheeks and glanced at Sala.

" Where do I get the stuff for cleaning?" He stood up before Sala even had a chance to speak.

" Follow me. What are you cleaning?" Sala asked as she led Rom out of the kitchen.