Chapter 28
"Is it really okay for me to eat this?" he asked nervously.
"Have as much as you want," Caedmon smiled. "I'm afraid that it's only leftovers from an early supper, but it's the best I could come up with under such short notice."
"It's more than enough!"
Alistar ate a spoonful of the stew and was blown away by the taste. He tried to hide his reaction, tried to maintain his composure and eat small, calculated bites just as his mother had instructed him to do during all of his unfathomable lessons on manners and etiquette. He figured that if there was ever a place to put the previously useless knowledge to use, it was here in this great dining hall. But it was impossible. There were too many tastes that he'd never experienced, all in just a single bite. A variety of vegetables made up the delicious stew, while the bread was warm, soft and rich. He gulped down all of the milk in one go, for he had never enjoyed such a savoury sweetness in a drink. Alistar asked what each of the ingredients were while unconscious tears pooled at the corners of his eyes, his voice light with emotion all the while.
"You tried telling me I don't know anything when you don't even know the difference between carrots and corn?" sneered Anice.
Caedmon held up a hand, his expression low in thought. "Could it be that you've never eaten these foods before?" His eyes idled on the silver bracelet that Alistar wore on his wrist.
Alistar nodded as he swallowed down the last of his food, his body soaking up the nutrients and revelling in the flavour. He went to wipe his mouth with his bare arm—the clothes that Caedmon sent for had yet to arrive—but paused and remembered to dab at his mouth with the linen napkin that sat beside his plate. He also cleared away his tears. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" He bowed his head so low that his face almost touched the wooden tabletop. "That was the most delicious food I've ever eaten."
"Young man, you never did give me your name."
"I'm sorry," he blurted. He'd forgotten his manners after Anice had attacked him. "It's Alistar."