“It’s a small menu, so no need to worry too much,” Varen explained. “They roast boar, ox, and chicken with traditional orc spices. It’s very... Notspicy, but spiced, compared to elven food. Very herbaceous. You’ll like it. I get the ox with fried tomatoes and greens. Or you can get it as a savory porridge—that’s good, too, almost like a stew.”
Lavi came by then, carrying a kettle of tea and several cups, which she set in front of them. Most orcs had jet black hair, but hers had a reddish tint to it and was tied back in a long ponytail that swished behind her as she walked.
“You brought new blood,” she remarked to Varen, who managed a slight laugh. Taneas blanched; Lyielle looked entirely unaffected. “You were busy? Long time since I see you.”
“I’ve been away, yes,” Varen chuckled, then added in orcish, “A mission in Krag Gabriz. Mountains. You know?”
Her eyes brightened at that, and she spoke in orcish too quickly for him to understand, before adding in elvish, “Never been. But my sister marry a man from there. Says beautiful, but dangerous too. Nature, animals.”
“I saw plenty of both,” Varen answered, nodding. He wondered if she knew Korik, if Korik had ever been there. He almost asked, then stopped himself. “But I’m glad to be home.”
“Glad to see you safe,” Lavi continued. “Usual plate for you?”
“Yes, please,” he answered, then gestured to his guests. “And whatever they’d like.”
Lavi turned to them brightly.
“Er... I’ll have the same as him,” Taneas said, gesturing back toward Varen. Lavi nodded. Lyielle had turned her head over to where the menu was displayed on the wall and now turned back to look at Lavi with the same stoic expression.
“I’ll try the porridge, please. With boar.”
Lavi’s smile somehow widened. “My son’s favorite. You’ll like it.”
Then she hurried off to the kitchen, leaving them alone.
Varen eyed the two elves sitting across from him. He was decidedly not in the mood for conversation. Lyielle seemed the quiet sort, but maybe he could get Taneas to fill the silence with all his nervous energy.
“So, Taneas,” he remarked—the younger elf nearly jumped out of his seat when Varen addressed him directly. “How did you end up stationed in Solitude? Do you like it so far?”
A slight smile spread across his boyish features, and sure enough, he quickly launched into his entire life story. Varen nodded and hummed at the appropriate moments, but was only half-listening. His thoughts kept going back to Korik, wondering where he would go,whyhe wanted to leave. Had he really been that insufferable? Did Korik really hate him so much?
We don’t ever have to see each other again. While he’d regretted the words immediately, it hadn’t felt so painful when he was the one saying it. Having Korik throw his words back at him... If it had made Korik feel as terrible as he felt, then that would explain the orc’s coldness toward him; but to leave the city entirely? It made him miserable to consider, but he couldn’t bring himself to think of anything else.
“So then I ended up in Solitude,” Taneas said, concluding his story and snapping Varen back to attention. “It’s much colder than home. But I’ve learned a lot so far, and I’ll just be there another year. So I’m enjoying it, all things considered.”
“I see,” he said. Luckily, Lavi came by with their food before he needed to say anything more. Taneas eyed his plate suspiciously, but the dish looked delicious as far as Varen was concerned: thick pieces of meat in a green, herby sauce with tomatoes and leafy greens piled high on the side. It was his favorite dish in the city. He wondered if Korik liked this kind of food, or maybe even had a family recipe that he used.
“Thank you,” he said politely, smiling up at Lavi.
“Thank you,” Taneas echoed, as if chiding himself.
“Enjoy!” Lavi replied cheerfully, stepping away. Lyielle primly picked up a spoon and began to eat her porridge, with no outward sign of whether she enjoyed it. Taneas hesitantly took a bite, then his eyes flashed with surprise, and he quickly ate more, clearly pleased with his choice.
Varen forced down a few bites, but his appetite was non-existent. He should have been jumping at the chance to devour such a decadent meal, after so long subsisting on rations and what they could scavenge, even with a few days of hot meals from the Solitude mess hall. But it all tasted bland and sad, somehow.
He ended up pushing his food around his plate, more than actually eating. When he glanced over, the scout had all but cleared his own plate, and Lyielle was eating at an unhurried pace—he supposed that probably meant she was enjoying it, so at least they got a good meal out of all this.
“Thank you for the recommendation, Commander,” she said when she was done, setting her spoon down carefully. “I enjoyed the meal.”
He forced a smile. “Glad to hear it.”
“Yeah, it was great,” Taneas agreed. “I’ve never tasted anything like that. I don’t know what herbs those are, but I’ll have to see if there’s any way I can take some back with me. Delicious.”
“Commander,” Lyielle said, before Varen could answer. “Are you feeling well?”
Varen blinked, surprised. “I—well, yes.”
“I only ask because you didn’t eat,” she said. He winced, glancing away.
