Being led out of the keep, Moira, Jalla and Vyvian made their way through the streets, the lights were being lit by the Lamplighters as they passed. Passing Rotunda Walk, the Main Square then finally reached the Guest Houses and boarding houses, but they passed right by them.
"Vyvian, where are we having dinner with The Representative?" Moira asked curiously. Vyvian did not answer, but they continued to walk, after a minute, they turned into what looked like a dark empty alley, only to be met with a giant, rectangular, black carriage. It had to be at least three meters tall, and the length of ten carriages put together, made of black iron with vines and flowers up the corners. Eight giant metal wheels on either side held it up, it was horribly huge. Moira wondered how it even went through the entrance.
The door of the carriage creaked open, the heels of The Representative clicking on the metal steps, her voice ringing through the alley. "My welcome guests, I thank you for walking all this way. I know it's a bit inconvenient but I do prefer my privacy when getting to know people. Please come in." She wore a fashionable black, long sleeved, high collared gown; her black and white hair flowing past her waist. Moira and Jalla curtsy gracefully at her, Olvina bowing back.
"Queen Mother Olvina, thank you for having us." Moira said as they walked to the front of the carriage. They saw the great windows light up as they passed, it was like their presence awoke the candles slumber. Jalla groaned quietly under her breath as Moira stepped past Olvina into the carriage. Entering, she was met with very hot air hitting her face, everything was decorated in black and gold and white. There were black wing back chairs with mismatched legs next to black ivory tables engraved with intricate carvings. The carpet beneath her was thick wool, and red with blues and blacks, embroidered with vines and teal flowers with silverberry thorn designs, matching teal and Silver flowers that bloomed and wilted instantaneously over the rooms walls.
Moira and Jalla felt out of place, dressed like relics, the white of their stola and chiton setting off the room. Olvina smiled at their reactions, ushering Vyvian off to another room in the front of the carriage, as she left their sight, two cooks come into sight with perfectly plated meals in each of their hands.
It was like Olvina heard Moiras stomach rumble, as she spoke suddenly, "Well, enough of the niceties, please, join me at my table."
Without delay, Moira and Jalla followed Olvina to a round walnut table with four matching slat back arm chairs, all having the same red design as the carpet. Sitting Moira and Jalla down, Olvina circled around and sat in her seat, the servers setting a plate in front of each person, one in the middle still covered with its cloche, then revealing the Bluegill, a hand-sized fish with tasty white meat, sided with buttery round crackers, lemon wedges, and a crusted cheese ball of some kind.
One of the men starts placing the utensils, and the glassware, Moira glances at Jalla every few moments to ensure she wasn't the only one that felt weird about this all. Olvina seemed to see this and cleared her throat. "Well, it is a lovely night. I suppose being a lady of the domes you've been everywhere here. Tell me about living here."
Moira grabbed her water glass, talking a small drink and put it down softly. "It's definitely different from all the rest of the kingdoms I have learned about, but unfortunately, I am not allowed outside the dome." She laughs uncomfortably and sighs. "This dome." she specified.
Olvina laughed chuckled, "Don't be sheepish, you are a very funny girl, Vyvian has told me more of your humor, your kindness, your need for knowledge and the willingness to grow..." she took a long sip of her water, her voice suddenly deep and serious. "and your fury."
Moira took a sharp breath, thinking about how she spoke to Vyvian today. Her face deepened, she knew Vyvian told her. There was no need to defend herself, shoving down her emotions to cry, Moira straightens. "Yes, it runs in the family." Olvina laughs lightly, clapping her hands together in amusement. Moira was shocked to see this reaction and smiled back. "My uncle, King Rejan, told me to be willful, never to honor the voice of Men and to honor facts first."
"A good piece of advice, too bad your uncle does not heed those words." Olvina added, taking her butter knife and cutting into a cheese ball, it was smooth and crunchy, she spread it over a few crackers and then slicing into the fish, it was pearly and flaky, it spread perfectly over her cheese and cracker. It looked amazing, Moira and Jalla followed Olvina's lead. An explosion of flavor burst in her mouth. The cheese was rich and thick, the fish was hot and savory, it made her mouth water, the cracker added that crunch, it was a flawless meal.
"My Gods, this is delicious. What is this?" Moira asked, covering her mouth as she spoke.
"Simple, really." Olvina said doing the same, covering her mouth as she ate and spoke. "Cheese and Crackers with Bluefish. Now..." she placed down her silverware, her eyes staring deep into Moira, the red from her face still hasn't dissipated from last time. "I applaud you for speaking up to Vyvian about Jalla, defending a friend, a handmaid, is commendable, which leads me to the question. Why are you a maid-in-waiting if you are human, surely that is ill advisable considering the humans here are on the verge of becoming half-breeds."
Moira stuttered and Jalla dared not to look Olvina in the eyes, the second they looked at each other was like a day of waiting, Moira answered. "When the Representative dies or resigns, it goes to the next oldest living heir, as Jalla was five, it went to Corrina, Jalla's aunt, and she didn't want any competition for her child so..."
"She disowned the child. Sad. Very sad indeed."
"Children." Jalla corrected, tears welling in her eyes. "Joro and Munar were only infants."
"What a travesty, such a thing should have never happened. In Odiovitae such a thing WOULD have never happened. After you receive your first couple of payments you should be to move them into the castle."
"Pay?" Jalla questioned, looking at Olvina. She was shocked at how easy it was to lose ones self in Olvina's eyes, Moira knew that look of contempt and was happy she was not the only one who succumbed to it. "What do you mean?"
Taking a sip, Olvina almost spat out her water, and gasped. "My gods, what does King Rejan do on that fat ass of his? He does not pay you?"
Jalla shook her head and chuckled nervously, "Yes, the king only pays us in our heads that we get to keep, preferably attached."
Olvina scoffed loudly, her hand on her chest in surprise, "That Son of a Bastard."
Moira and Jalla laugh at her remark. Olvina looked angry for a moment there, her eyes turning from a fiery red to a bright vivid red that almost glowed, her smile fading to a look of disgust then back to a lovely smile. Moira felt that she did not want to show her anger around them, but Moira guessed. After what felt like an hour of belittling the king and laughing about the kingdoms historical failures, the servants standing by pulled the cloche off the middle plate, revealing a black dome cake. Jalla and Moira were silenced in awe as their plates were taken away and replaced with new ones.
Moira couldn't help but laugh. "My Gods, is that my home?" she joked, "I swear it is uncanny."
"Ah, yes, I knew you would appreciate the ironic look of our dessert, I promise you it was not planned. I asked my cook, something chocolate, something fruity, something appropriate." Olvina proceeded to use another clean, long silver knife to cut the cake, the crackle of the thick chocolate layer cracking, baring the pale yellow and pale pink innards. It looked cold and wonderful.
"And this, my lady, is a bombe glacée." she place a piece on Moiras plate, then Jallas, leaving her own bare. "It is what Odiovitae call ice cream, a wonderful invention."
Taking up her spoon, that first bite of the bombe made her teeth hurt from the cold, the vanilla and strawberry flavour melted in her mouth, the colors turning into a slurry on her plate as she and Jalla devoured their ice cream. Her heart flutters at the thought of the many other wonders at Odiovitae, the foods, their markets. Moira was won over, she hoped for the nights to go by much faster now, but Jalla was not easily mesmerized by food as Moira was.
They walked themselves back to the keep without the accompaniment of Vyvian, the guards let them through and made it to her chambers. Jalla readied Moira's bath and her night robes, leaving the room and stepping into the hot bath was amazing, The Cheese and Crackers, the cake, the conversation. It was all too good. She never wanted to leave this moment.