CHAPTER VII #4
Cal guides me through training on the larger blade before our stomachs start grumbling for food. We quickly heed the call and stash away our blades, the two of us putting on our cloaks as the cool of the forest takes over.
“Cal…” I turn to my big friend in thought.
“Hmm?”
“If the Leviathans or anyone from Pyre want to visit Disce, they would need to travel through Fumagalli first, right?”
“I would assume so,” he replies casually, “the Pyrenese definitely would, but the Leviathans could travel through Varon as well. Both this village and the southern city connects along the Great Road, and I can’t envision any foreigners wanting to travel through our forests. ”
“No,” I agree, thinking of our thick forests. Anyone not familiar with our woods would get lost trying to navigate them on their own without the use of the road.
“Why do you ask?” he asks.
“This place just seems like too much of a small town to rest so near the border,” I frown, “it’s too peaceful to be the first village that greets or defends against visitors.”
My friend laughs, “Ancients, Alex, what would it need defending from?”
I shrug, “I’ve seen delegations from Livyatan and Pyre visit Bardot occasionally.”
“And I’m sure some of those groups do travel through here as their first stop,” Cal nods, “just as the Kingdom of Aireal passes through our Woodlands Court in the north.”
“So they would have to ride through this village…” I step over a large root as the smell of cold, damp stone reaches my nose, “and see a quaint and cozy sleeping town that’s nearly defenseless?”
“Again, Alex, I have to ask, what would the people here need defending from?” Cal chuckles.
I shrug again, genuinely not having an answer for that. The Four Kingdoms have been at peace for over a thousand years now, the only attack close to breaking that peace being the one that took Desmond’s father.
“Is that cinnamon I smell?” Cal hurriedly walks past me.
I shake my head, “I can only smell the wet road ahead.”
“Your nose is off, then, because the air tastes like home,” he smiles, “let’s go find it.”
The little shop on the side of the road is indeed cooking early breakfast with cinnamon when we find it.
Cal and I are quick to take up two seats in the outdoor courtyard at a small table with Golem standing not too far behind us.
The owner, an elderly Discerni woman with long brown hair and white streaks falling from her temples, just as quickly greets us with a smile.
Her eyes flick to the noticeable green of our attire and her features come alight.
“It’s been a long while since I’ve seen any brothers and sisters from Knowledge in this neck of the woods!”
Cal and I promptly stand to greet her.
“It was the smell of cinnamon, Duhni,” my friend replies.
Duhni is a word of respect for the elder Discerni in our Kingdom, one that appreciates the wisdom of their many years on this Old World. It’s origins come from the Old Tongue, the language first used when the Elder Father and Mother formed our world.
The woman’s eyes crinkle in a soft grin, the many wrinkles around her brows and temples fitting her friendly personality perfectly. Her glance flicks to me with another smile, then darts over to Golem who is standing at my back.
“And traveling with the King’s Golem, no less,” she bows low, “it’s been a while since I’ve seen you in the halls of Castle Bardot with King Zander, Golem. What are you doing out here? You never leave his side.”
Golem bows in response, eyes flicking back to me in answer. I smile and turn to the woman in greeting, holding out my hand.
“Alexis.”
“A bit of a ways from home, young Alexis. I suspect you and your friends are just the very beginning of a long list of interesting people that will be traveling through these woods in the upcoming seasons.”
“Friends?” I smile in confusion.
The woman drops my hand and looks over my shoulder, her eyes landing on the main road as her smile widens, “more from Knowledge.”
Cal and I turn and spot Hollis and Mana quickly making their way towards us, the hint of excited grins playing at their lips.
“We smelt the cinnamon!” Holis laughs.
He opens the small gate to the courtyard and gives the owner a smile, then bows to Golem and takes the chair next to mine. Mana, in all his quiet and reserved excitement, also bows to Golem and then turns to the owner with a low nod.
“Duhni.”
The older Discerni smiles at the twins and takes in all the gold and striking green of our group’s attire, looking at it with deep appreciation.
“A beautiful sight,” she murmurs, “I’ll get a pot of hot tea and coffee for the table, then we’ll work on your breakfasts.”
We all nod in thanks and watch her move back into the shop.
“I was telling Mana on the way here that I had the best sleep last night,” Holis sits back in his chair comfortably and looks down the village road.
“Cal and I were mentioning the same as well. He thinks it’s the village,” I reply, taking in the gloomy morning and covered forest around us.
“Could be,” he nods, “it’s definitely got a sleepy feel to it.”
“Too sleepy,” I mumble.
“It would be a nice place to spend your final years,” Mana adds quietly, nodding in appreciation.
I smile. Of course the quietest of the twins thinks this sleepy village is a good place to retire.
The Discerni woman brings out the kettles and places a few mugs on the table.
“Let’s see. I have apple cider oatmeal, a few crumble muffins about to pop out of the oven, and some sticky beef buns this morning.”
“We’ll take the lot of it,” Cal smiles, “enough for the four of us, please.”
The woman nods, looking at us with a wide smile, “in Knowledge fashion?”
Without hesitation, the four of us grin and reply together, “in Knowledge fashion.”
“It’s been a while since we’ve taken a proper meal together, hasn’t it?” Holis reclines deeper into his chair when the woman leaves, thoroughly content.
“It has,” Cal smiles, “fitting that we’ll do it here, just a few days before crossing the border.”
A cool breeze flows across our table just as he says the words. I reach for the hot coffee and let the steaming liquid warm my hands.
“Are the Bulwark Plains inhabitable?” I ask the table, taking a small sip.
The men sit contently, considering the question.
“I’ve heard the flat plains are thin of grass and dying, that the shrubs are a light yellow and brown for as far as the eye can see. It would be hard to think of anyone living on that land,” Holis replies.
“But if the rumors are true, then some do?” I press.
“The nomads of Livyatan,” Mana nods quietly, “they roam the plains that border the Riverlands.”
I frown and take another sip.
“But our travel has us taking the road towards the border of Pyre, Alex, not Livyatan,” Cal muses.
“Foreign land is still foreign land,” Mana shrugs, “there is always a risk that we run into foul parties.”
“I suppose we’ll just have to get Cal drunk enough so he’ll start singing,” Holis chuckles, “that’ll keep them away.”
Cal mumbles something that sounds a lot like I hate you as the older Discerni woman brings out our breakfast, the smell of Knowledge food making my mouth water.
“I’ve put everything on the large platters and have your individual plates here,” she nods, laying three platters in the middle of the table while she hands Holis four empty plates. We all smile in appreciation and quickly dive in.
When eating in Knowledge fashion, you host the food in the middle of the table for everyone to share and pass amongst themselves.
There’s no single plated meals, just a big combination of all the food placed in the center.
It’s a type of meal that’s extremely intimate, one that makes you engage with the friends at your side by passing the platters to them.
It’s also a type of meal that shows a deep love and appreciation for the people that you eat with, emphasizing the fact that you respect both their time and their company.
I haven’t had a proper Knowledge fashioned meal since two months ago at court, so it really is fitting that the four of us share one at the edge of Disce borders, right before we embark into foreign lands.
The four of us pass and pile our plates with food that reminds us of home.
We continue in conversation throughout breakfast, with Cal and Holis spending a great deal of time debating over which sticky buns are better, Chef’s or the Discerni woman’s.
I still think Chef’s are better overall, but there is something about sitting outside in the cool of the forest with the warmth of the food and these three men that has me re-considering the thought.
We’re nearly done with our meal when the sound of strong hoofbeats patter from behind our table. The four of us turn in our seats towards the riders and quickly stand from our table, watching as the Princes and Lord Daniel all slow their horses in front of the courtyard gate.
“Our friends from Knowledge,” Keane greets, eyes darting from the four of us to the shared plates now empty on the table, “not surprising that you’ve found Margaret’s Courtyard on your first day here.”
“A good reminder of home, Your Highness,” Cal gives a small nod as Margaret walks out of her storefront with a beaming grin.
“Keane!”
The Prince averts his gaze and smiles at the woman with kindness. He dismounts and walks into the courtyard, giving her a small hug.
“Why does it not surprise me that this crew shows up at the same time as you?” she laughs, “traveling partners of yours?”
“Yes, Duhni. We leave for Pyre the day after tomorrow.”
The woman’s brows spike in surprise but she nods all the same.
“Safe travels to you, then. And you as well, Prince Desmond, Lord Daniel.”
The men smile in acknowledgment as the Prince moves back onto Ash and faces the four of us.
“The day is yours,” he nods, “we have meetings to attend and will be in and out of the village all day, but I’d like for us to meet again at sundown for a group dinner at the inn.”