Benjamin Ashwood by AC Cobble Page A

his wine
mug up in a mock toast, “here’s to doing our jobs and keeping it simple.”
    Saala
raised his mug in response and replied, “if you say so.”
    Ben
remained silent throughout the exchange, hoping they’d continue to ignore him
and say more.  He was realizing that there was more to this trip than simply
travelling to The City.  He’d wondered why Amelie wasn’t travelling with a
large entourage or acknowledging Meredith as her handmaiden.  If she was on
some sort of mission on behalf of her father, then maybe secrecy was paramount.
    Before
dinner, Ben pulled Meghan aside and told her what he’d heard.  She had similar
suspicions but neither of them had much real information.
    “Let’s
keep it between us,” he said.  “I like all of them, but we don’t know them, and
we don’t know if we can trust them.”
    Meghan
nodded in agreement, “we’re part of this group now whether we like it or not,
but no reason we can’t look out for ourselves.”
     
    Despite
the serious thoughts and concerns, Ben couldn’t help but enjoy dinner.  It was
an experience unlike any he’d had before.  His first shock when they sat down
in the common room was the silverware laid out on the table.  He picked up a
heavy fork and with a start saw it was made of actual silver.  The idea that
someone would make something so utilitarian as a fork out of money was crazy. 
It was an over the top display of wealth that was beyond even the Pinewoods in
Farview.
    The
rest of the meal was just as bizarre.  It was a series of small plates that
just kept coming.  The first dish was a simple pasta and tomato sauce, but that
was the last thing Ben recognized.  There were vegetables floating in
alternating sweet and spicy sauces, tiny meat pies, steamed beans that curled
strangely when poured out of a heated pot, thin wafers he thought might be
bread that seemed to melt on his tongue, baked fish, grilled fish, lightly
fried fish and even pieces of raw fish wrapped around rice balls at one point.
    The
whirlwind of staff floating in and out to collect and disperse new dishes was
like a coordinated dance.  The thread of conversation from earlier in the day
had completely fallen off and everyone focused on the meal.  The vast array of
dishes, flavors and textures meant there was little room for anything else.
    Ben
was seated next to Amelie who did her best to show him the proper way to eat
each dish and explain where it was from.  The fashion in Fabrizo was to bring
in foods from a variety of cultures and the art was in creating complementary
pairings and menus.  As the meal went on, Ben started to notice not just how
the flavors interacted with each other but how the texture and color of each
dish was a play on the previous one.
    By
the time it was over, several bells after it started, it was late evening and Ben
felt like he was stuffed to the point of exploding.  The entire group was worn
out from the trip.  Coupled with being clean for the first time in two weeks
and the rich meal, it was an early night for all of them.
     
    The
next morning, Ben slept in and woke to find Saala and Rhys already out of the
room.  He headed down to the common area and found Lady Towaal and the girls
sitting over a light breakfast.
    In
her usual brusque tone Towaal said, “the men left to find a ship and arrange
passage.  The girls and I will take advantage of the day off and begin talking
about their studies in earnest.  You are on your own for the day but return
here by nightfall and be ready to depart at a moment’s notice.”
    Amelie
chimed in, “you should check out the Fish and Stranger’s Markets.  Also, we
need some ribbon for our hair.  I’ll want to tie it up on the ship.  If you see
something could you pick it up for me?”  She slid a few coins across the table,
“use it for the ribbon and you can spend the rest on something you need.”
    Ben
scooped up the coins and was surprised to see they were three thick