Chapter 388: Comfortable Companions
After the intense conversation, both Zedya and Lennart pulled back a little, enjoying the small bites of their meal until they were once again interrupted by a knock at the door and the return of their server, this time bearing a flight of artfully prepared fruits and small cups of ale and cider.
"Master Lennart," the servant said, offering a deep bow. "Of all the dishes you sampled in the previous flight, the chef would like to know which was your favorite?"
"Just me?" Lennart said, blinking in surprise. "Perhaps you should ask Madame Zedya first," he said, feeling a touch uncomfortable with the attention. Zedya had made the arrangements, and given the level of luxury and service here, he was certain that they understood which of them was more important, so why start with him?
"It’s fine, Lenny," Zedya said with a light, musical laugh. "I asked them to serve things out of order for us tonight so you could pick a favorite meat dish. The chef will prepare a full portion of that dish for you as a main. I might be fine with single bites," she said with a smile that revealed a hint of her fangs. "But this isn’t an ideal menu for you. So choose what you like and I’ll keep you company during the next course. Then we can have desserts together."
"Oh," Lennart said with a hearty, belly-shaking laugh. "In that case, the pepper-crusted steak was perfect. But are you really fine just sitting there and watching me eat?"
"I’m fine spending time with my friend," Zedya said, reaching across the table to briefly hold his hand. "And I’ll sip on a full cup of something rich, full-bodied, and red," she added with a wink at the servant.
Once the servant departed, the two fell into a quiet, comfortable conversation as they worked their way from a dish of thin-sliced apples served with goat cheese and sweet syrup to a miniature plum tart shaped to resemble a plum blossom and several other delicate arrangements that blended sweet, tart autumn fruits with rich, savory herbs or sharp, funky cheeses.
By the time Lennart’s pepper-crusted steak arrived, they’d fallen into a more comfortable rhythm of conversation. Sometimes they chatted about the food, picking favorites and reminiscing about childhoods long past when one flavor or another felt nostalgic. At times, the conversation turned more serious as moments of nostalgia provoked worries about the days to come.
Though they had known each other for close to thirty years, during that entire time, they’d remained rigidly locked in the roles that defined their relationship. Some things, they came to know about each other in passing while others were heard only through rumors overheard by others.
"So what is it that you occupy your free time with?" Lennart asked, leaning back and resting a hand on a belly that felt very, very full after the flight of six decadent confections that followed his hearty portion of steak. "I’ve seen Lady Nyrielle’s paintings hanging a few places in the castle, and I’ve been told that Sir Thane writes poetry, but I’ve never heard a whisper of how you pass the idle time in the long years."