"Thank you for the meal!" they all said in unison before starting to eat.
King Arthur noticed Connor sitting still, his plate untouched. "What's wrong? You aren't eating?" he asked with a kind smile.
Connor hesitated for a moment. "Nothing, Your Majesty. It's just… I don't eat meat."
Arthur's eyes lit up with understanding. "Ah, I see. Very well. Help yourself to the vegetables and bread. There's more than enough to satisfy."
Connor nodded with gratitude, filling his plate with the vibrant array of greens and grains. As the meal progressed, Arthur turned his attention to Jason, who was tearing into a hearty piece of roast.
"I must admit, Jason," Arthur began, "I didn't think we'd see more of your kind in Camelot. Yet, here we are."
Jason chuckled, wiping his mouth. "Yeah, me neither. But it's a good surprise, I'd say."
Arthur raised his goblet. "The more, the merrier. Speaking of which," he turned his gaze toward Connor and Annabelle, "do you two plan on staying in Camelot?"
Annabelle exchanged a glance with Connor. "I think so. This kingdom is beautiful, and after so much traveling, it feels like a good place to settle down."
Arthur leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Wonderful! And I suppose you've found a place to stay?"
Connor gestured toward Jason with a small smile. "Jason was kind enough to offer us rooms at his place. It seemed rude to refuse."
Arthur chuckled, impressed. "Generous and resourceful. You've chosen your allies well, Jason."
Just then, the grand doors of the dining hall creaked open, and all eyes turned to see Princess Emily entering.
"Ah, welcome, my daughter," Arthur said warmly. "You're usually painting at the garden this hour."
Emily took a seat beside Jason. "I got tired and decided to eat dinner a little early," she said.
Her attention shifted to Connor and Annabelle. "Who are you two?"
Connor stood and gave a small bow. "Greetings, Your Highness. My name is Connor, and this is Annabelle. We're elementiels as well."
Emily's eyes widened slightly before turning to Jason. "I see you've made some new friends," she said, her tone teasing.
Jason rubbed the back of his neck, his face turning a faint shade of pink. "Yeah… something like that."
Their eyes lingered on each other for a moment too long, and both quickly looked away, their faces flushed. Annabelle observed the exchange with a mischievous grin but said nothing.
Suddenly, Annabelle grabbed five large chicken legs from the platter and began devouring them with gusto. The entire table paused to watch as grease smeared across her face, and she licked her fingers unapologetically.
Connor sighed, shaking his head. "My apologies. She has… an unusual obsession with chicken."
The room erupted into laughter, with Emily covering her mouth to stifle her giggles.
Arthur leaned back, a playful glint in his eye. "It's alright. But if that's the fastest she can eat, then I'm quite disappointed."
Annabelle's head shot up, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "Oh? Is that a challenge, Your Majesty?"
Arthur smirked, leaning forward. "I don't know. Is it?"
"Bring it on!" she declared.
Emily sighed, shaking her head. "Oh no. Not this again."
Moments later, the maids brought out two trays piled high with roasted chicken—ten pieces each. The room filled with cheers as Annabelle and Arthur squared off in a feasting contest.
The hall erupted with laughter and chants as the competition unfolded. Annabelle's hands moved like a blur, while Arthur maintained a steady, regal pace. In the end, Arthur stared at his final piece of chicken as Annabelle slammed down her empty plate triumphantly.
Arthur chuckled, extending his hand for a shake. "You were a worthy opponent," he said.
Annabelle grinned, clasping his hand. "And you, Your Majesty. But today, I claim the title of Chicken Lord!"
The hall roared with laughter, even the knights and maids unable to contain their mirth.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Connor glanced out the window. "It's getting late. We should head back."
Arthur stood, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Yes, of course. Thank you all for joining me tonight."
He clapped his hands, signaling the end of the meal. "Thank you for protecting Camelot. I hope you enjoy your stay here."
Connor and Annabelle bowed in unison. "Thank you, Your Majesty," they said with gratitude before departing.
As the hall emptied, Jason felt a gentle tug on his shirt. He turned to see Princess Emily standing behind him, her expression uncertain.
"Hey, so… can we talk?" she asked softly.
Jason's face flushed. "Yeah, sure."
Emily hesitated, bowing her head slightly. "I… I'm sorry."
Jason blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
"When we last spoke, I said some things I shouldn't have. I just wanted to apologize."
Jason stammered, caught off guard. "Hey, it's okay." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "To be honest, you weren't entirely wrong."
Emily lifted her head, her eyes searching his face. Jason took a steadying breath and continued, "When I was young, I wanted to bake so I could be better than my grandpa. Back then, I never understood why he loved baking so much."
He glanced at the floor before meeting her gaze again. "But as I got older, I started to see it differently. Baking isn't just about making something taste good—it's about how it makes people feel. The smiles, the warmth, the way it can brighten someone's day… it changed how I looked at it."
Emily's eyes softened as he spoke, her attention locked on him.
"Don't get me wrong," Jason added with a small, confident smile. "I still want to be better than my grandpa, but now, I also want to make people happy through my baking. I want to give them something to smile about, even if it's just for a moment."
Emily studied him for a long moment, the sincerity in his words sinking in. Then, she smiled. "Well, I hope you achieve your goal."
Jason smiled. "Yeah. You too."
Emily extended her hand. "So… we're okay now, right?"
Jason took her hand, shaking it gently. "Definitely."
They held the handshake a moment longer than necessary, their faces heating before they both let go abruptly. "Well, I'd better catch up with the others. Later," Jason said, giving her an awkward wave before walking away.
Emily watched him go, a soft smile lingering on her lips.
Jason jogged to catch up with Connor and Annabelle, who were waiting near the castle gates. "Sorry for the hold-up, guys."
Connor smiled easily. "It's alright. Shall we?"
As they walked, Annabelle sidled up to Jason, slinging an arm around his shoulder. A mischievous grin spread across her face. "So… you like the princess, huh?"
Jason's face turned crimson. "What?! No…"
"Don't lie to me. I saw how red you were around her."
Jason flailed slightly. "No, I wasn't! Tell her, Connor!"
Connor chuckled, tilting his head as if observing the stars. "Well… it was pretty obvious you've got feelings for her."
Jason groaned, staring at the ground. "Was it really that obvious?"
Annabelle burst into laughter. "Awww, that's so cute. You two are perfect for each other."
"Shut up, okay?! Don't rub it in!" Jason snapped, his face now a vivid shade of red.
"Alright, alright," Annabelle teased, releasing him. "Don't be a baby."
When they reached the bakery, Grandpa Mark was waiting by the door, his arms crossed but smiling. "Welcome back! What took you so long?"
Jason tried to keep his composure as he answered, "Sorry, Grandpa. We had a… meeting with the king." He glanced at Annabelle, who barely stifled a laugh.
Mark waved it off. "No worries. So, have you two decided to stay?"
Connor nodded, looking at Annabelle. "Yes. We'd be happy to stay and help out here too, if you'll have us."
Grandpa Mark beamed, pulling both of them into a hearty embrace. "Splendid! I've already cleared the rooms upstairs. Go on, take a look."
Upstairs, Connor peeked into his room first, nodding in approval. "Not bad. It's spacious, and the view from the window is great."
Annabelle opened the door to her own room. "Same here. It's cozy."
Jason leaned against the wall, smiling. "Get some rest, you two. Tomorrow, I'll show you around the kingdom."
Connor emerged, slinging an arm over both of their shoulders. "Well, I guess this makes us roomies."
Jason and Annabelle said in unison, "Yeah…"
Connor yawned and stretched. "Goodnight, Jason. Goodnight, baby girl."
Annabelle's cheeks turned pink as Connor ducked into his room and shut the door. Jason raised an eyebrow, but before he could say anything, Annabelle turned to him.
"So… I hope it won't be weird for you, staying here," Jason said after a moment, scratching the back of his neck.
Annabelle tilted her head, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you know… since you're the only girl here," Jason mumbled, avoiding her gaze.
Annabelle laughed, her voice ringing light and carefree. "It's not a problem at all. But it was sweet of you to have thought about that."
Jason looked up and gave a small smile. "Yeah…"
She stepped into her room, pausing in the doorway. "Well, goodnight."
"Goodnight," Jason replied as the door clicked shut.
"Tomorrow… is going to be a good day."