"Where's that damn food!" The Earl shouted, slamming his fist into a table. It was just as well that the maids chose that moment to come through with their loaded trays, for they might have been executed otherwise. "…About bloody time," he said, falling back into his chair.
They gracefully swept along the length of the table, ten or so maids, each of them carrying trays loaded with different delights. One slid a tray of honey-glazed pork just next to Ermos, whilst another came with a platter of fish and a huge bowl of spiced rice.
There were more meats than Ermos had ever seen. Chicken and duck, beef and lamb, elk and boar… there was so much of everything. His belly rumbled just looking at it all. When an empty plate was set down in front of him with a pair of chopsticks to go with it, he couldn't hold himself back and he lunged at the pork, stripping himself a handsome section.
