“Is your leg bothering you?” Elden asked from where he stood rummaging through his saddlebags.
“Yes, but the tonic helps,” I said into the swallowing silence. It was so quiet. The lack of noise deafening.
“Take care not to take too much of the tonic,” Elden said as he produced his own flask and pulled in a sip. “The effects can be a bit…unexpected.”
I had no idea what he meant, but instead of asking more, I went straight for the crock of stew and freshly sliced loaf of bread. The proof of this bake was perfection. The inside of the bread had just enough spring, and the crust was nice and crispy. “Do you mind if I eat? I’m starving.”
Not waiting for him to agree, I brought the food basket over to the center of the room and plopped down on the thick and intricately woven rug. I pulled the lid off the forest green crock, and the most delicious aroma flooded the room. I breathed it in, then tore off a chunk of bread and dipped it in the stew.
“Mmmm.” I moaned as I took the first bite and chewed. The hot chicken broth dripped down my throat, with rustic vegetables, noodles, and meat seasoned to perfection. I’d had stew, I’d had vegetables and chicken, but after a full day of riding horseback, I didn’t think I’d ever tasted anything so delicious. I leaned back onto the bed and sighed.
Elden sat beside me, not close enough for my shoulder to brush his arm, as he followed suit. “You know, the king is always supposed to eat first.”
I raised an eyebrow, worried that he might be annoyed, but the lift to the side of his mouth told me he was teasing.
“We are married, husband,” I teased back, “And every husband knows that if his queen is hungry, he better make way.”
A laugh sounded from Elden, low and rumbling. I curled my toes.
“Indeed, Little Baker. I would no sooner stand between you and your meal as I would a dragon and its prey.”
“Are there truly dragons here in Ravensong?” I asked. I’d heard of the creatures, but knew nothing about them except that they were wild, strong, fiercely intelligent, and dangerous. Tales were told of dragons flying over human lands and scooping up children as they slept in their beds. They’d also fought along side the elves in our many wars and skirmishes.
“There are. Most of them live deep below Sunspire, near the coast in the tundras south.”
“I never knew The Undying Lands were so vast.”
Elden nodded. “Our lands were not closed off a thousand years ago.”
“And we are here to find out why that changed,” I said through a mouthful of warm bread and stew.
Elden chomped down on some bread and nodded. He ate as fiercely as I. And for a long moment we said nothing as we ate.The silence didn’t bother me so much as the idea of having only one bed. It would not be proper to?—
“I will sleep on the floor tonight,” Elden said as though reading my thoughts.
“Oh,” I breathed. “Thank you.”
Elden nodded and pushed the bread over to me. I shook my head. “I’m full,” I lied. If he was going to sacrifice and sleep on the floor, I could do something for him.
I stood and stretched as Elden finished off the last drops of stew and bits of bread. Then I tossed Elden a caramel and unwrapped one myself. It was squishy, softer than a hard candy. I popped it in my mouth and chewed. Brown sugar, browned butter, pecans—an explosion of deliciousness hit my mouth. It was both chewy and sweet. The soft crunch of the nuts offered a satisfying texture to the confection. I had never known such happiness was possible to achieve from one bite.
“Wow.” I moaned.
“Wow, indeed,” said the king through a mouthful of caramel.
“I have got to learn how to make these!” I exclaimed, and almost rushed from the room, but Elden grabbed onto my hand. I looked down at him, where he sat back against the bed, one hand in mine. He was so beautiful it hurt.
“You might want to wash up first.” He smiled, gazing at me through impossibly long black eyelashes.
Oof.Here I was, admiring his beauty and all the while, I must look a complete mess. It was as if I’d been smiling and talking happily, all while having a piece of broccoli in my teeth.
I blushed, then attempted to smooth out the frizz that must be flying around my head from out of my braids from our journey on horseback. Resisting the urge to sniff my armpits, I asked, “Are you saying that I offend?”
Elden’s eyes popped open in alarm and he worked his jaw for a moment before sputtering out, “No, of course not. I am sorry, it is just?—”
I giggled. Sometimes Elden just said the wrong thing. It was veryhuman. It was fun watching the Elf King scramble for the right words. “I’m just teasing. I know I must look awful.”
“You look…” Elden glanced away and cleared his throat. “As decent as ever, I was merely suggesting that you may not get another opportunity to bathe on this journey and since you have tasked us with a party tonight, I thought it would be prudent.”
