One evening as Amukelo and Eliss were running out of supplies they stopped in a small settlement. The village was modest, tucked away between hills and surrounded by dense clusters of trees that swayed gently in the evening breeze. It was the kind of place that seemed untouched by the troubles of the world, insulated from the chaos that lay beyond its borders.
There was only a single pub, its worn sign creaking softly as it swung in the breeze, accompanied by a modest inn and a small stone church with a weathered steeple rising up into the darkening sky.
Eliss looked around. "This place looks so… peaceful," she murmured.
Amukelo simply nodded. "We'll stay here for the night," he said after a moment, glancing around. "But first, let's refill our supplies, and maybe grab something to eat at the pub."
They tied their horses near the inn, then made their way to the pub. The walls were decorated with simple carvings, old maps, and the occasional hunting trophy.
Inside, a few locals were scattered around, engaged in quiet conversation, casting curious glances at the newcomers as they entered.
When they reached the counter, Amukelo placed his order, keeping it simple, asking for soup and a bit of roasted meat. Then Eliss, with an enthusiasm that caught even Amukelo by surprise, grinned widely at the man behind the counter and declared, "Give me the best meal you have."
The man—a tall, wiry figure with a graying beard and a bemused expression—raised an eyebrow, giving her a puzzled look. "What do you mean by that, lady?" he asked, his tone slightly skeptical. "For some, the stew's best; for others, it's the roast. Everything here's of a similar quality, I'd say."
Eliss's smile didn't waver, her eyes bright and expectant. "Then give me the best," she repeated.
The man sighed, casting a quick glance at Amukelo, who merely shrugged as if to say, *Just go along with it.* With a resigned nod, the man turned back to Eliss, "Alright, then. One stew, coming right up. It'll be just a moment."
Eliss practically bounced on her feet as she and Amukelo found a table near the window.
Amukelo observed her quietly. "Why are you smiling like that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.
Eliss turned to him. "It's my first time eating at a place like this," she admitted, her voice filled with genuine excitement. "I mean, back home, everything's so formal, so… planned. But here, it feels real, like this is what it's like to actually live."
Amukelo sighed. "How did your parents even let you go on an adventure like this?"
Eliss shrugged, her expression growing thoughtful. "I guess… they saw how much I needed it. My father, at least, he understood." She looked down, her smile fading slightly, but then she seemed to shake off the somber thought, brightening again as their food arrived.
The man placed their orders in front of them, a bowl of simple soup with roasted meat for Amukelo, and a hearty bowl of stew for Eliss. The stew was thick, filled with chunks of root vegetables, bits of meat, and a dark, savory broth that smelled faintly of spices. But as the bowl was set before her, Eliss's smile faltered, her enthusiasm wavering as she looked down at the meal. It was… not what she'd expected.
Her brow furrowed as she looked at the stew with a faint hint of disappointment. "I… asked for the best," she murmured.
The man chuckled, casting her an amused glance. "Oh, trust me, our customers love it," he replied before turning back to his duties, leaving Eliss staring at the bowl with a mixture of disgust and curiosity.
She lifted her spoon, poking at the stew as is examining whether it was alive. Amukelo, who had just taken a sip of his soup, choked back a laugh as he watched her reaction. "Come on," he said with a slightly playful tone, "it's not going to bite you."
Eliss shot him a brief glare, clearly feeling a bit out of her depth. "It just… looks different than I thought," she muttered. But despite her hesitation, she steadied herself, lifting a spoonful of stew, bracing herself for the worst.
A moment passed, and then her eyes flew open, widening in surprise. She chewed slowly, the taste sinking in, and a faint, surprised smile spread across her face. "Mmh…" she murmured, her tone softening. "It's… actually quite good."
Eliss dove into her bowl of stew, eating with a gusto that left Amukelo raising an eyebrow, amused by her sudden enthusiasm. She took spoonful after spoonful. After a few moments, Amukelo couldn't hold back his curiosity.
"Is it really that good?" he asked, half-smiling as he watched her.
Eliss looked up, her face lighting up with excitement as she nodded. "Yeah, I'm honestly surprised! Though, they really could work on the presentation," she added, wrinkling her nose slightly. "It doesn't exactly look… appetizing."
Amukelo chuckled, shaking his head. "Let me try it," he said, reaching over with his spoon and scooping up a small bite before she could protest.
The moment the spoon left her bowl, Eliss froze, her eyes widening as she watched him bring it to his mouth. Her spoon hovered in mid-air, her expression caught between shock and horror. Amukelo tasted the stew, nodding thoughtfully. "Oh, it's really good," he admitted, glancing over at her. "Didn't expect that from a place like this."
Eliss's jaw dropped. "What did you just do?" she demanded, her voice dripping with offense.
Amukelo blinked, taken aback by the intensity of her tone. "What? I just… tasted it. Should I have asked first?" He pushed his own bowl of soup toward her, trying to smooth things over. "You can try mine if you want."
But Eliss's expression only grew more indignant. She pushed the bowl of stew toward him, crossing her arms with an air of defiance. "I'm not eating it now. It's yours. Enjoy."
Before he could respond, she got up, her chair scraping back as she made her way to the counter. Amukelo watched her, bewildered. "Where are you going?" he called after her.
"I'm ordering another one!" she replied over her shoulder, her voice laced with offense.
Amukelo let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair. "What's her problem?" he muttered to himself, eyeing the abandoned bowl of stew with a mix of confusion and amusement. But he wasn't one to waste food, especially good food, so with a shrug, he pulled the bowl closer. "Well, not gonna complain," he said, digging in with a grin.
Moments later, Eliss returned, sitting across from him with a look that could have scorched stone. She crossed her arms, glaring at him, her chin lifted defiantly. Amukelo only smirked, too busy enjoying the stew to care about her theatrics. He finished both his soup and the commandeered stew with a contented sigh, glancing over at Eliss, who still sat in silence, her gaze fixed somewhere off to the side, clearly still fuming.
Just as he leaned back, contemplating the best way to tease her out of her foul mood, the waiter returned—this time with not one, but four steaming bowls of stew. The server placed them in front of Eliss, one by one, his expression mildly amused as he arranged them in a neat line.
Eliss's eyes sparkled, her earlier annoyance disappearing in an instant as her face broke into a wide, delighted smile. She turned her attention to the array of bowls.
Amukelo raised an eyebrow, trying not to laugh as he took in the scene. "Uh… didn't you say you were ordering another one?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement.
Eliss merely shrugged, reaching for her spoon. "Hmm," she replied, dismissively, her focus already on her feast as though he wasn't even there.
Amukelo leaned back, watching in awkward amusement as she attacked the first bowl, savoring each bite with a look of blissful satisfaction. She didn't rush; she took her time, eating slowly, as if each spoonful was a small piece of heaven. One bowl disappeared, then another, and then another, and Amukelo's surprise only grew.
When she finally set down her spoon after finishing the last bowl, she leaned back in her chair, exhaling deeply, her face glowing with contentment. Her cheeks were flushed, her smile wide and satisfied.
Amukelo shook his head, unable to contain his astonishment any longer. "How in the world can you eat so much?" he asked, genuine bewilderment in his voice.
Eliss just grinned, patting her stomach in satisfaction, her eyes shining with joy. She didn't bother answering, simply shrugging with a playful look that suggested she was just as surprised by her own capacity.
They paid for the meal and made their way out of the pub, stepping into the cool evening air. Eliss walked ahead with light steps. She seemed to be in her own little world, a dreamy smile lingering on her face as they walked toward the inn.
Amukelo watched her from behind, shaking his head, trying to make sense of her uncontainable happiness.
As they settled into their rooms for the night, Amukelo lay awake for a while, the memory of Eliss's infectious happiness lingering in his mind. It was strange, witnessing someone who could find joy in something as small as a bowl of stew. But then his demeanor changed as he reminded himself about is life.