Chapter Text
“…lamb, onion, pine nuts, parsley, paprika, cinnamon, garlic…”
The Crown, her Imperial Majesty Avin Xanî, runs out of fingers to count on as she lists all the ingredients contained in the rice balls she’s cooked. Ashti, Xalera and Delal all look up at their crown, listening with rapt attention.
“All brought to you by the cook with the pleasing complexion.” Avin holds a hand to her cheek, and extremely most briefly glances at Delal before plopping to the floor to sit and join them. The general’s eyes immediately go wide at those last two words and she nearly chokes, Xalera notices this and smirks, and Ashti pretends not to notice anything at all.
Avin had been looking for something, anything to distract her from her own thoughts. The intrusive mental images of assassins and blood that would drive her up a wall if she let them. Cooking turned out to be a great distraction. And while not ready to cook an entire meal she figured she could make a snack and some tea for the women she cares about. She watches expectantly as the others cautiously take bites of the Crown’s own special boiled rice balls. Silence.
Silence broken by Xelara, as always.
“You know. They aren’t as bad as I was expecting.” Her backhanded compliment has the sting taken out of it by her smile and her tone.
“Watch your mouth, mercenary.” Delal practically growls and shoots a glare at Xelara. Who immediately is shrugging and looking offended.
“It was a compliment!”
“Your words were suggesting of low expectations for Av- for Her Imperial Majesty’s cooking!” Delal is now squinting and pointing a finger at Xelara, and hoping no one notices her almost slip up.
“Did I say that? I did not say that! Her cooking is fine! Good even!” Xelara, to prove her point, chomps down the rest of her rice ball in one gulp and -almost- completely hides the flicker of discomfort that flashes across her face.
Avin sits in silence, eyes going back and forth between the two bickering women. Ashti meanwhile has been tucking in the entire time. The extremely over-seasoned food not too offensive to her palate apparently.
Delal meanwhile rubs her temples and sighs. “The Crown has very generously offered us this delicious food and you continue to slight her. Unbelievable.”
Xelara’s mouth hangs open, and she turns away from Delal. “Ashti. Help me out, I have said only nice things about the Crown’s cooking, yes?” The mercenary’s green eyes are playfully pleading for some kind of back up.
Ashti just calmly swallows her bite of food. “I’m sorry I wasn’t listening.” Which causes laughter from both Avin and Xelara.
Avin does recover enough to try to diffuse the fight, as entertaining as it was. “Oh! I also made tea. You can tell me how that is as well.” She scoots up to her knees to fill little cups with steamy the steamy thick liquid.
This does stop the argument, and all three women mutter their thanks and take sips of the supplied tea. And again, there’s silence. Then three things happen at once. Ashti puts the cup down, holds her hands together in front of her mouth and closes her eyes. Delal’s hand she’s had resting on the table slowly tightens into a fist. And Xelara’s head suddenly swivels in one direction.
“It’s. Good.” Xelara is the first to speak again, though this time it’s a murmer.
Avin doesn’t miss a beat, and gives the mercenary a stern look. “Be honest now.”
Xelara immediately amends her declaration. “It’s absolutely undrinkable.”
Even Delal can’t rebuke her for this. After a few moments of her standard frowning she pipes in as well. “Perhaps this concoction needs some work.”
Xelara laughs. “Well the downside is the tea is awful. The upside is this would make for an amazing hangover cure.”
Ashti blinks a few times, even her strong palate was beat down by the sludgelike tea. “It’s absolutely shattering. I… have never had anything like this.” She takes a breath. “What did you put in this?”
The crown, eyes wide and sparkling gold, very seriously replies.
“Everything.”