Commander Alena couldn't be bothered with walking all the way down to get food from the royal kitchens, so she pivoted and headed back into the floor toward the cafeteria.
She barked orders at the cooks, and in less time than it took her to tap her foot fifty times impatiently, the head cook returned with a child-sized basket filled with what Astaroth could only imagine was food and drinks he had personally prepared.
The cook looked in their direction, a flash of sadness passing his eyes before he smiled wide toward the monarchs.
Astaroth and Phoenix returned his smile in kind, with a nod of their heads, before they headed toward the area where the roots were, which would bring them up in the tree's bough.
Castien walked up to the mage and shook his hand amicably.
"Hey, Barett. What are you doing here on your day off? Shouldn't you be with your wife in the outer city?"
The burly man guffawed at the question.
