Alexius: The Dinner I

It was no small relief to Alexius, as they entered the dining area, that the tables set up were really only large enough to seat their family, with a few extra heads. Courtly dinners could be the worst, most mind-numbing of affairs that Amber had to offer.

Harri, on the other hand, didn't notice the number of tables straight off; she was too taken aback by the spread upon them. Where food would be placed, she wasn't certain, for every square inch seemed to be taken up by linen, gold, silver, candles, china, cups, goblets, flowers...

Wolf's nose reacted almost instantly to the smells of food in the air. Though not yet present, he could clearly make out the scent of overcooked flesh and a disturbing mottling of spices and extracts.

"It could be far worse." Alexius murmured to Harri as they entered. He knew his voice would not likely carry over to the Twins, his words were for Harri alone.

And, oh yes, Wolf.

"Its not a full State Court Dinner." Alexius explained, looking at his cousin and smiling. "At worst it will be Present Family, and maybe a guest or two. No dull dignitaries from Unicorn-knows-where."

"And the food will be good. Not that Wolf probably wouldn't prefer something a little more bloody, eh?" he looked down at Angharad's lupine companion.

"I think Wolf generally prefers food he kills himself," said Harri cheerfully. "We had quite heated discussion in the early days about my insisting on cooking meat when we were hunting together."

She wandered forward to inspect the table.

"Alexius," she said at last, and her tone was a little awed, "what are all these knives and forks for? And all these glasses ... are we expected to break them or something? Or is it so we can choose the shape we like best?"

"What are you eating out of, Corwin?" Random took a seat in the center of the table, giving Harri a wink. "Clay bowls and waterskins?"

"We have plates and glasses too!" says Harri, a little indignantly.

"Only ... not quite so many," she is forced to admit. "At least ... not all at once."

She looks around carefully for where she should sit, very mindful all at once of her manners.

"They don't have the resources or the desire for a full state dinner." Alexius said, interceding between his father and his uncle and cousin.

"But I would be happy to show you just what all of this cutlery and glasses do and what they are for. It does suggest we have a full suite of courses before us." Alexius said, unable to resist a grin. "A full set of courses, and drinks too. It won't be as dull as it sounds. We'll make it." He looked to his father for where their guests should sit in relation to him and his parents.

It seemed that the table, a U-shaped set up, had the children on the inside, seeing as how some of the settings had no wine glasses. Random sat at the head, Corwin to his right, Vialle to his left.

And chances were, the seat across from Corwin, with a silver bowl at its feet, was for Angharad.

Harri moved to her seat with a beam at her father.

"Look, Wolf," she said. "It's silver ... and it's for you - I think they'll give you special food."

Then she bent to whisper in his ear, "And keep watch, because I'll post you any really nice tidbits - as usual."

[Wolf?]

Wolf nosed the bowl, sniffing it and whuffing when he found it empty and clean. He sat back on his haunches to look up at Cub with a canine smile.

The soft approach of small footsteps distracted him, and he turned his attention, coming back to his feet, to the small Girl that came close...

[segue to Sera's thread]

Alexius looked up as Sera approached.

"Ah, here comes our cousin Serasima." Alexius said mildly to Harri. "Flora's daughter."

"Goodness," breathed Harri, "she looks like a pretty little doll ... I'm sure I couldn't look so clean and neat if I tried ever so hard for days and days ... "