Today the triplets, Harleen, the duke, and Erichean had come to visit me for a very special occasion. They came because today is the day I start solids! I am officially seven months old and I have grown three front teeth. It's time.
Early in the morning I was dressed in outside clothes and taken to the dining room to wait to be served.
The others arrived after me with their entourage. Eris and Derrick didn't show but no one said anything. Together we waited for the kitchen to bestow food upon us. After an hour servants started trickling into the room with metal trolleys. Huh. Surprisingly modern.
At least they have the wheel here.
Meng Yuchen whispered to his siblings."What will she pick?" Niathe bounced me on her hip while the kitchen staff finished setting up the table.
Hadrian replied confidently."I bet you she'll like the mapo tofu over your spaghetti."
"How much?"
"Three gold."
"Ten."
Meng Yucheng quipped."I'll join in."
The boys and Harleen huddled in the corner of the dining room to place bets. The duke grew curious and joined in as well to place bets on me. Erichean was on the fence but was eventually persuaded to add to the pot. They even requested paper so they could write down all of the bets.
I feel like the prized mare at the Kentucky fair. I wish I had a stake in it.
The food's ready now. "Hurry."
That's right! I can now speak a few words. My teeth definitely helped with the pronunciation.
They all chuckled at me and had Niathe set me down on the table in front of a bunch of covered dishes. A bib was placed around my neck and I barely noticed. My eyes remained glued to the treasures that awaited me.
One by one the metal lids were lifted with great fanfare, and the contents of the dish were revealed.
The first to be uncovered was soup.
I'm pretty sure it's vegetable and chicken soup. Yes! Now that one got me excited. Warm food. Flavors. I can't wait. A staff member tasted the soup for me first and tested the temperature before I was allowed to partake. They're so considerate. I had practiced with my spoon in preparation and was messily able to bring a couple of sips to my lips.
Yes. That's the taste I have been missing. God that's so good it warms the soul.
I even gave out a happy burp before I pointed at the next one.
"Next!"
Giggles rang out and the staff obliged. Come to mama!
A servant in a culinary uniform uncovered the next dish. Is that a sub sandwich? Huh. I've actually never had one of those before. The chef cut the sandwich into tiny bits and fed it to me personally after tasting it themselves.
They used a different spoon thankfully.
Not bad. It's really meaty. However, it's not my favorite. The bread feels scratchy and a little soggy in some places. I turned my face away and rejected any more.
The doors opened and instead of more food. In came Captain Evil herself.
"I heard you were having a little party, what's going on?" Right at that moment Hadrian waltzed in and joined us. The gambler and his aspiring children jumped. Ha!
The Duke looked guilty of something and seemed to be thinking of an excuse. Too bad.
Harleen exposed the whole operation to her mother."Mother! We're just betting on what food she'll like more. I have a fifty gold stake!"
"Fifty gold? You better win then."
Harleen smiled craftily."I will. I've got a secret weapon."
I glanced at Harleen suspiciously and she gave me a toothy smile. Hmm. Suspicious.
I shouted again. "Next!"
Meng Yu Sheng pouted to himself."I can't believe she didn't like sandwiches."
Our older brother consoled him and explained why it might've happened. "She's a baby, it's probably too scratchy on her throat or has too many flavors. We're adults so we can appreciate it better."
Meng Yu Sheng seemed to accept that excuse and perked up afterward.
I nod at Erichean and he beams at me. Smart kid.
The next plate is served. Ooh! That's mapo tofu alright! I just know it is! It's never smelled so good before.
The bloody tofu is piping hot and my throat burns with hunger. Oh yeah. I abandon my spoon and lunge at it. It's so spicy but so good. The sauce. Everything is so good. This is the bomb!
Meng Yuchen exclaimed."Hadrian! How did you know?"
The little imp giggled."She's a dark elf! Do your research silly. She's genetically predisposed to love blood."
Niathe spares a rare compliment to the girl."Well done Harley."
Harleen beams at her and rocks back and forth on her heels while fighting a smile. She loses and grins big and wide.
A few other dishes were served after that. Salads, porridge, fries which I loved, a few dishes I didn't quite know of but weren't that bad, and a dish reminiscent of red velvet cake pops.
Once I was done stuffing myself the table was cleaned up.
To determine the final winner. All of the dishes were set on the table again and I was encouraged to walk towards the one I liked most.
It smells so good in here.
Everyone pointed subtly at the ones they wanted me to pick and I ignored them. It was a hard decision and I deliberated internally with my stomach. Mapo Tofu has my heart but that chicken soup warmed my soul. Still, it can't be a tie.
Which one do I like better?
"Hey. Baby. I'll give you twenty percent of what I make off you."
Harleen whispers in my ear and walks past me quickly. Well…That's a tiebreaker for me. I subtly throw up three fingers and she nods from the corner of my eye. Deal.
I crawl towards the mapo tofu, devour it again, and hug the plate. This is the best day of my life.
Meng Yucheng groaned."Ugh!"
"Wait! She hasn't picked second and third best!"
I looked at Erichean's earnest eyes and felt a little bad for him. The duke can kiss my ass though with those puppy eyes. I saw him looking at that salad. Really? To your infant daughter? That early?
Hells no.
"What's your second favorite Ria?"
The youngest triplet Meng Yu Sheng hints at his sandwich and I grin. Fine. I crawl over to the chicken soup and take a slurp. Everyone but Erichean groans. Then I went over to the sandwich and grabbed it too. A little white lie for a nice kid.
"Yes!"
The duke groans and starts emptying his pockets. Everyone does. Including Niathe. Really mom? What did you bet on? I follow her gaze and look at the cake pops. Oh! Well just to make her happy. I grabbed a cake pop and munched on it. I'm so full.
Food coma incoming. My stomach is bulging.
She spares me a grin from her generally impassive face and I wave my cake pop at her.
"That was a good show twerp."
My good mood fades away as Hadrian pokes at me. This bitch.
"You look like you jumped in a vat of sauce."
She throws a towel at me and I throw a spoon at her. She dodges and I growl. Why does she have beef with a baby?
"Vengeful too. That's quite a personality kid."
"Leave me alone!"
"Woah!"Harleen distracts me and shields me from her childish mother. Her cherry-red eyes stare into mine.
"Shhh. Here." She gives me two gold coins in advance and I sit up straighter. She helps me stuff them in a pocket in my dress and I smile victoriously. Money. My one true friend and first love. I missed you so much.
I still have the gold coin she gave me on my birthday. It's on my bed and I sleep with it every night. Niathe seems humored by it but Sarabse keeps trying to correct my 'money grubber habits' by trying to replace the coin with dolls.
I have thwarted every single one of her attempts and in doing so I've succeeded in saving my gold coin from the treasure chest.
I'm a material girl and a proud one at that.
Harleen comes up to me and whispers in my ear. "I'll have the money hand-delivered to your room before bedtime."
I nodded at her and held up three fingers again. Just to confirm.
Wait a second. How much is thirty percent of the profits? Will it be divided evenly?
Are gold coins the only currency here? I haven't seen any other coins.
"Thirty."
"Yes, I know."
Hadrian gasps and laughs hysterically once she figures out our secret conversation's context."You rigged it? You bribed an infant?"
Harleen snaps at her mother."I did no such thing and I will not tolerate such slander Mother."
Hadrian holds her stomach and almost bends over from laughing too hard. I give her a cursory look and abandon her for more food. Fries! But not really. These are green and not very oily. They remind me of the skin of edamame but softer in texture.