78. Dinner Party. *

We walked back inside after sunset and plenty of requests for Zephyr speciality, entertaining others.

He even took Yelena and Carlos , the maid helping us with bath with having a longing expression and offered her, she turned from a polite maid into a teenage girl who couldn't stop laughing. He was nice and took Carlos as well..and Ciren one more time.

I saw him a little fatigued, so I postponed my joy and shooed the others away.

We were changing in our rooms into something more refined and almost ready for dinner.

Our truce held and I occasionally caught him staring at my figure or getting lost in my cleavage but, made no move or even said anything remotely teasing.

I smiled in the mirror as his reflection, keeping his eyes on my ass. I turned around hiding it and helped Anna with her dress.

She still preferred basically boy clothes which allowed her to move better. But, her new dresses were both lady like and comfortable enough to move, she wore a little choker like me around her neck. It was uncomfortable but, very much in style in the city. I helping with her putting on her dress when I looked at the reflection in the mirror.

Looking at him sitting there..

He looked gorgeous.. put on a smaller black shirt that hugged his muscles almost seeing it as if shirtless.

His arms became more refined, from the work and working under the sun for months gave him near identical olive shade like those ladies from Lentila.

His hair now about an inch longer making him even more attractive, and those damn eyes.

He should walk around in cloth covering them and only take it off, for me.

" Mom..stop! I need it ON!! "

I saw how I took it off, the dress and apologised quickly. I turned away but, I could tell his arrogant smirk even blindfolded..hmm blindfolded him or me..

He saw my reflection and raised an amused eyebrow.

" We are..we are..umm we late? "

" Did you have impure thoughts? "

Caught red handed, with my back turned.

" Good one..now are we or are we not ?"

He layed down bed and answered to the ceiling.

" You heard Carlos my love, his chefs are prepared..they sure a strange bunch."

" How? "

" Weird tastes..be prepared for some delicacies. Dharma must be a wild place. "

I finished with Anna this time focusing. She looked like the perfect image of a girly girl, if only for a few hours.

We walked downstairs and into a dining room with a long table, seven chairs only three empty.

We were seated by the maids. Zephyr taking one head of the table, we sitting by his side.

Carlos had a great big smile and rested his hand on his heart.

" Ahh..our first dinner Zeph..can you feel it? "

" I am hungry.."

" No..it's fate. I been feeling it since the first moment I layed eyes on you. Refused to kneel in front of Mai. " - with a nostalgic smile he signalled the butler and the maids poured something in the adults glasses. " It was fate brother.. I'm telling you."

Zephyr looked like he felt the same. At least his expression were of quiet understanding. He lifted his glass.

" A toast then..."

He waited until we lifted our glasses as well.

" ..To faith. "

""" To Faith."""

The food came in small plates and Zephyr was right, they did look strange. Like this one..ain't this just a burned potato?

A maid came and cut it open for every one, the inside was steaming and with a fork they put butter and cheese in there melting it both.

Then something..like tomatos with beans and corns in there. It smelled incredible and I felt my mouth watering.

" Its a baked potato Zeph, with chilli. " - Carlos watched our reaction paying little attention to anything else. " Baked beans other vegetables with beef. Go, I want to see what you think. "

He looked intrigued and took a bite and Ilianna and I followed after.

Saying it's delicious was an understatement.

It was filling and savory, the cheese melted and mixed perfectly with the chilli. It was also a little spicy but, nothing bad. A very pleasant dish indeed.

Zephyr and Anna seemed to like it to.

" It's delicious...its..the house of Em on a plate brother. " - he genuinely liked it and gave the greatest compliment he could. Then turned to Anna. " Princess, the score please. "

" 100 points. "

The table and even the help were charmed by my little girl.

" Well thank you little Anna, in the name our ancestors and my humble myself. Please enjoy. "

He seemed so happy by the compliments he almost floated alway. We eat gratefully while barely spoke. Soon the maids came and took the empty plates.

More food followed in tiny portions..some better than others. One looked slimy and disgusting, Zephyr stopped us.

He turned to Carlos.

" Em? I thought we talked about the snails. "

Did he just say snails?

" I know but I also feel like you haven't given a fair try. " - he put up his hands and admitted then together as if praying. " Please..just try one more bite. If you still dislike it we never having it again."

He made hand gestures to the chef standing near and made sure he understood he meant it.

Both Yelena and Lovely looked disappointed. What is goin on? Ciren was smiling happily and saw how Zephyr reacts now that he knew the stakes.

Zephyr contemplate it a little then used the fork to cut of a small slime piece.

I felt my stomach churning. He quickly put it in his mouth and carefully tasted it. Raised his eyebrow in surprise and slowly nodded along.

He seemed to enjoy it.

"Big brother, you were right again. Worthy of your good taste. It's creamy and mushroomy..it's the whole package..for sure. "

Carlos clapped with a winning smile like it was a performance and signalled everyone to eat.

I saw the ladies of house Em breath again, and started their own plates with a happy smile.

I looked at the shells of the poor creatures and picked my fork up but, felt a hand on mine.

" Lylly..you hate mushrooms love and Anna is aller..she hates them too. Just skip this one. " - his eyes showed he was dead inside.

Even angry at me, he cared so much. Ahh..

I turned to Em's with a disappointed look.

" Ohh...it's to bad. Mushrooms are a bug..a big no no. Sorry. "

I took his hand under the table and supported him as he ate them fast.

I never loved him more than when he chewed those disgusting things.

The dinner went on ..it was much more like a small celebration of food. After two hours Carlos had them being in an entire village worth of alcohol. And went into deep conversation with Zephyr.

Anna and Ciren threw leftovers at each other having quite the fun with Lovely exusing herself once saw how needless her presence are.

I finally found myself closer to Yelena.

" So tell me..how long you and Carlos have been married? "

" Just over a year. In Dharma we marry mostly in the summer. " - she had a half hearted smile and sipped some or wine. " It's strange to marry in winter. Insatel sure have different customs. "

Well I kind of liked it..

The snow covered everything made it look brand new and beautiful. All the ugly blemishes got a coat of white and allowed be viewed beautiful for a brief time.

She looked towards Carlos with a sad expression and then leaned closer to me.

" Also ..we couldn't marry for months, he was so distraught about Juan gone. It's the reason why we here in this kingdom in the first place.."

Who was Juan? Why would someone from sounds of it..dead. Would keep him here?

I wanted to ask and many more but, she turned from me and listened to Zephyr and Carlos talk about Karta and the coming war.

" ..t when is the question Zeph."

" All I know is that the second largest of the four and not much else. Still it will make the King move soon. " - he leaned forward and placed a hand on his brother shoulder. "He have to meet them. I'm just surprised they didn't wait until spring. Happened much sooner that I thought. That's a good thing.."

Carlos hands turned white making a fist and didn't let up until Zephyr placed his own hand to stop the shaking.

" I'm ..sorry Zeph..I."

Zephyr tapped his hand a few times with a grim look.

" Soon,.. Em. "

He nodded some and relaxed in his high chair with a grateful smile.

I looked at my Zephyr and thought I might have to lose on purpose..to ask the questions this small snippet of their conversation created.

What are you planning my love?