The conversation between Afzal and Laris dies down as the former frowns abruptly. Muzi makes a show of grabbing his lover's arm to stop him. I frown internally, until I feel a tug on my fingers. I don't need to look to know whose calloused fingers are kneading my palm.
Afzal huffs, turning his head away in bottled anger.
"What's the matter?" Laris can't help but ask, after all, he made it so obvious that he's unhappy.
Afzal takes this chance to deflate his anger through a series of complains.
"Seriously, Laris. I've been telling you to gather a competent set of servants since the last time you've visited. Why do you keep settling for...for...", he purposely trails off, before clicking his tongue.
The atmosphere plummets at his remark.
"We've been through this, Afzal", Laris sighs. "They're not my servants, but my allies. Videre is also my family—my little brother."
"I know you aren't lying, but I simply can't accept it! They have such ominous black hair, and black eyes. And one's even a little thief", he glances at the oblivious-looking Obrecht and his sword. "How do you tolerate them being in your presence? Laris, you're too kind!"
Muzi at his side, pulls at the fabric of his shirt, almost clinging to the man. Minimally, he shakes his head, looking all worried that Afzal had said too much.
Laris' mood also degrades. "What do you mean by this, Afzal? The other remarks, I can sort of understand, but a thief? Who are you accusing?"
"Please don't take offense, Laris." Afzal makes an act of reluctantly telling Laris the truth. "You know how much I dote on Muzi, right?"
Laris glances at Muzi, neither nodding nor shaking his head.
"Afzal, this isn't necessary", Muzi says softly.
"But, Muzi, my love, didn't you say you have that same sword in your collection and it has gone missing in the last couple days? I've seen you looking for it all over the place because you said it was something the other guards gave you as a gift. How can I let you suffer such an injustice?"
"Afzal...", Muzi utters, his eyes glistening for a moment. He sneaks a glance at Obrecht's sword. At this time, Obrecht finally stills his hands and looks up blankly at them. Upon meeting faces, Muzi shyly looks down, as if afraid he'd offend the other person. This angers Afzal.
One thing I can adamantly read from Afzal's body language is 'Why can a person like you, who is loved and spoiled by me, lower his head at the sight of an incompetent low class servant?'.
Lowering my head, my hair hides the darkening expression on my face.
"Videre", I hear Laris warn. "Surely, there must be a mistake?" Laris quickly questions Afzal in hopes of mediating.
"There can't be. A Faerie-kind cannot tell a lie. Our words alone are proof of our innocence and evidence, are they not?" Afzal sighs, patting Muzi's hand on his arm. "It's alright. In lieu of our friendship, I can let this slide, Laris. But I hope you can have your servants rightfully return my lover's sword."
Laris exasperatedly looked at Afzal, "Like I said—"
"How foolish are you that you can't even remember no matter how many times it's repeated to your face." I sharply glare at them from the corner of my eye.
"What—"
"We are not his servants", I squint at Afzal. "If you're looking for servants, why not look at a mirror yourself?"
In anger, Afzal stands, then Muzi and Laris.
Afzal, "What do you mean by this?"
"The first person to serve you will always be yourself."
Muzi, "How dare you insult the prince of the Fae!"
"Oh? Where was there an insult in what I said?"
"You called him servant-looking!"
"You can't even understand such a simple saying? Ah, but what did I even expect from the intelligently-challenged." I raise my eyebrows at him, also taking my stand to face them. "Besides, wasn't it the pair of you who slandered us first? How dare you insult us and call my man a thief, irrumator (bastard)!"
My anger brews. How dare a person who can't even tell the difference between a human and a clone puppet slander my person at the insistence of his ridiculous lover. Wasn't he one of the first to see Obrecht's sword when we came in into this valley?!
Muzi, "But a Faerie can't lie!"
"So what if you can't lie? Don't the Fae people like to twist the truth", I counter, not fully understanding at this time that insulting a Faerie's candor was great insult to their racial dignity.
Trembling in anger, Afzal didn't even bother to look at Laris when he said, "Forgive me, Laris, but it seems that until you've rid yourself of such insolent people, I can't help question your sincerity regarding our friendship. Much less, accept an alliance with such people in the mix. We're leaving, excuse us."
"Good riddance", I fan the flames.
Fuming, Afzal storms out but not forgetting to mention, "Let's see what the Queen has to say about this questionable alliance. If you leave, you'd better not think of returning."
The pretentious little guard tilts his head up in disdain as he follows after. For that brief second that our eyes met, he couldn't hide his ridicule.
Emotionlessly, I snort when a shadow vine trips him over. He burns red in anger when he hears it, but I've already walked over to the kitchen by then.
"What was that?"
I give Laris a glare, as I bump his shoulder on my way inside. He focuses his interrogation at Obrecht instead after noticing my misdirected anger. The bad after taste those two people left was hard to diffuse.
Laris and Obrecht's hushed yelling can be heard discussing over the topic in the living room.
"Are you not done yet?" I take a seat at the kitchen table, chin in hand. I plan to take a page from Letitia's book and simply eat away my dissatisfaction.
"You can eat after that? Aren't you worried what will happen now?" He says that but Raguk still places a clean bowl in front of me.
"Futuo (fck)", I curse. "Why would I let such fools influence my appetite?" I scoff.
Raguk smirks. "Very well said." He serves the food from the stove to the table, still steaming. Placing a stack of three more bowls with utensils on the top, he sits down in front of me.
"You're not going to eat?" I scoop some of the chicken soup he'd made. The brown stock can't hide the many fresh vegetables Raguk chopped and added in.
"Well aren't you talkative today", he chuckles.
"Got a problem with that? You want to test how far my mood can worsen?"
"I'll pass on that."
He watches me open the lid of a pot of rice on the stove. Seeing the rice slightly bounce off my spoon, I place the lid back and take it with me to the table before sitting back down.
"You know, I'd never have though that you'll be..."
"What?" I lean the lid to one side and scoop rice into one side of my bowl. Rice taste delicious with soup, broth or stock after all.
"Nothing, never mind."
"..." Weirdo.
I take a bite of his dish, and my eyes widen.
"You", I start, abruptly looking at him intensely. I don't notice the small bead of sweat falling the side of Raguk's face as he awaits judgement. "What did you use to lessen the gaminess?"
"If it's gaminess, it may be because of the rosemary. I found some hidden at the back of shelf. It's hardly been used. Or maybe it's the garlic?"
I ask Raguk about the recipes he can do. Eventually, we end up comparing and giving each other pointers. I suppose someone who's interested with crops can't completely be uninterested in food. Lumean food are usually a mix of flavors, mostly spicy. Raguk even shares a few of his family's recipes that I want to try cooking too.
"How'd you know if it's bad inside?" I ask after chewing and swallowing.
"The smell. It's sort of a musty smell. You usually can't tell outside if the rotted part is small and inside, but there'd be black spots."
"What if I can't see the black spots?"
"Then definitely the smell. Fresh crops always smell good and earthy. Or it's mushy on some parts. If there are mushy parts, then it's definitely rotten inside, or it's started to rot."
"I see." I really shouldn't underestimate a person with a farming dream.
"What are you talking about?"
Obrecht takes a seat beside me, and Laris grabs a stool to sit on the other side. Raguk pushes a clean bowl to both of them, before taking a portion of the food for himself.
"Food", I answer Obrecht. "Are you done discussing?"
He nods.
"We're heading over to the Fae Queen's abode to request for her presence. We can't clear anything up unless we go there to explain ourselves. Let's hope she takes this as children's quarrel, and not intervene." Laris rubs his temple, yet I'm not the least bit guilty.
Unbeknownst to me, Obrecht shot Raguk a look while my attention was at Laris.