The six assassins were now set in stone to complete the dangerous Quest of eliminating the powerful Vampire, The White Queen, and stopping the spread of the vampiric virus from defiling the Frontera System.
Now they had to prepare before they could begin their journey. They must be ready to travel across six different Realms inhabited by dangerous and intelligent species and still be in shape to assassinate the powerful villain in the seventh, the Blood Elf Domain.
Since the Zunbera-xefis spent most of their time training it was not a prerequisite rather they had to be energized to the brim to travel several days non-stop. That also meant any food they ate had to be properly digested.
Now gathered at a special feast were Cronan, Roshar, Skinner, Dayrue, Ezra, and Rue. It was in a spacious room opened to the outdoors on all sides with white curtains that swayed in the gentle wind and glowed from the sunlight hitting on them.
They sat far apart around a long table that was covered with delicious delicacies on silver platters. Several tiered slate food stands created height that blocked out the heads of members as they ate. Colors of all kinds were spread out in front of them and around the room from smaller tables packed with specific food items.
From dark sizzling reds of roasted and barbecued meat and fish, calm yellows of baked loaves of bread, stews, and soups, to the bright still greens of fruits and salads. There were also sauces and condiments to choose from. The air was filled with the thick savory smells of the feast.
Servants helped to bring food to them and also carried away empty bowls and platters. Low music played through the air above the sounds of foods crushing between teeth, hard swallows, saliva squirting around in the mouths, and snapping and breaking.
Though Roshar was a head-cook he did not help in the preparation of the meals. As of that day, neither he nor any of them were to perform tasks or crafts from their order that did not pertain to preparing them for the Quest.
There was a saying that the Meras ate anything that did not move. It would seem true as Cronan, Dayrue, Roshar, and Rue's jaws unhinged to allow anything to pass into their mouths.
They also had one of the most efficient metabolisms and could digest most things while producing the least amount of excrement. Most poisons also did not affect them.
Skinner was a picky eater as he was very concerned about being slim and swift, and so left the center table to walk around hardly putting anything on his plate.
For the first time, Rue saw him without a twig in his mouth. When his lips weren't busy chewing on one or eating, they were open from meaningless chatter. He mumbled to himself as the servant near him stood motionless.
Ezra who unlike the others did not have years of training sat depressed and without the appetite to eat. The feast reminded him of family gatherings he used to have and the fact that most of them including his parents were gone forever.
Rue, while walking around noticed his slow eating, marched over to him to take pleasure in forcing food down his throat.
"Eat you sluggard!" she mumbled down to him with rage after she shoved a spoon into his mouth.
Her father took no notice of it from being blocked by a four-tier slate food stand and the music that played.
Ezra's eyes were wide open with shock as he looked up at her and struggled to make sensible words behind the food in his mouth.
"You're the reason I'm now on this stupid and dangerous Quest--I hate you!"
His hands were able to grab hold of the spoon to stop it from reaching his mouth another time. It was not long until they were in an arm wrestle match with a loaded spoon.
Unlike her father, Dayrue noticed. She would snap her fingers to get others' attention and sign with her hands in front of her face, as that's where one usually looked when someone was talking.
"I sense great team chemistry. I like it," she gestured.
Only Roshar deciphered her message and nodded, even though he had no idea what she was referring to.
Even after the feast, Rue made her usual attempts to let Ezra know she was mad at him. She would make angry short glares, the occasional hard bump at his shoulder whenever she passed him, refrained from speaking to him, and took every chance to sabotage and make him look bad, like tripping him.
"You know this is called bullying right?"
Rue never responded and would pretend nothing happened. Unfortunately for him, no one except Dayrue ever noticed. Rue was a well-trained assassin and it showed.
After the feast and completing special yoga exercises to help digest the food, they remained at a special temple at the Zunbera-xefi plains and got ready for the night. It also meant Rue did not have to worry about Lucius as she never went back to the Royal walls. Plus with her father there she knew he couldn't come for her.
It was their last night in the Kingdom as they would depart the next day. The sleeping quarter was large for all six to stay together and had large oval windows to view the night stars through. The cool air blew through as they laid on futons on smooth wooden floors in the dimness.
Both Rue and her father laid close to stare at the stars. He told her more about her mother Azura, and how sad she was when he went away on the previous Quest. She was in the early stages of carrying Rue in her tummy and seeing his little girl was one of the things that motivated him to make it back alive.
Roshar and Ezra kept each other company asking the occasional question, but with a much wider gap between them.
"I know I've seen you somewhere before but I can't pinpoint it," said Roshar under a yawn. "It's like a dream."
"Did you see any numbers or words in that dream? Maybe this is a sign I should enter the lottery before I leave. Like my dad always said, dreams are a winner..."
That was the last thing Ezra said before he went into another episode of depression as he would whenever he remembered anything about his dead family.
Dayrue never said a word and instead was the first to fall asleep.
Skinner was too busy doing pushups and night sword exercises while blindfolded at a far section in the room.