Courting, Tea, and Swordplay

Chapter 9: Dinner pt 2

(Song recommendation: https://open.spotify.com/track/1VQ51JwbtqY3ZIuEQQC6WH?si=nz-VSQG_Sn-4Cx3uaIGRwg )

     (Warning again for hints of child abuse/neglect and food)

     "So, Remus." Logan began, ignoring the tension that came from Agatha as he did. "What is your amulet? We heard about your siblings, but not yours." He inquired. Remus looked at Logan with a mouth full of olives, then looked questioningly at his mother. Agatha nodded, giving a wave of her hand to permit Remus to answer.
     Remus spit the olives into a napkin, which a servant reluctantly took to dispose of. "Balance." Remus began as he wiped spit from his mouth. "I basically can't fall unless I want to, and when I do fall, I always land on my feet, unless I don't want to." Remus answered. "That's an incredibly useful gift." Logan commented. "I heard you got yours quite young?" He then asked. "It's okay I guess, and yeah." Remus muttered. "He was an early bloomer alright. Got his at seventeen. For a gift of balance though, it was used for anything but." Agatha scoffed. "Yes, Remus is very chaotic, but we still love him." Richard agreed.
     "Yes, of course." Agatha agreed with a forced smile. Logan held back a reaction, though his lips became quite thin as he bit his tongue. "And I'm sure you'll all come to love him as well. He can be quite amusing." She went on as the servants began to serve the second course, soups and salads. Agatha, Maria, Roman, and Janus had tomato soups, Richard and Remus had Italian wedding soups, Logan had a caesar salad, and Patton had a fruit salad. "I'm sure we will." Logan agreed, giving Remus a reassuring smile. Remus just focused on his soup, stirring it absentmindedly.
     They ate in silence after that, enjoying their soups and salads. Patton would often offer some of his own food to the servants, and thank them for working so hard. Agatha assured him it wasn't necessary, but Patton did it anyways.
     "So, now that we've discussed many uncomfortable topics, perhaps we could discuss something more pleasant?" Janus suggested once he had finished his soup. "Yes, let's. Oh, I know! I can inform you all of the schedule I've planned for the week!" Agatha cheered happily, ringing a small pink bell. A servant came and handed her a scroll. "Thank you, Benjamin." She said before dismissing him. She pulled the scroll open and cleared her throat.
     "Tomorrow, we will have a day of rest to recover from today's excitement. On Monday we will show you all around the castle and the kingdom. On Tuesday, Roman and Remus will show you skills they learned in class, and you can show them your own skills in turn. On Wednesday, we will play croquet. On Thursday, we will have you all perform the 36 Questions challenge one on one. On Friday, Roman and Remus will be going to Patton's kingdom for the weekend." Agatha declared.
"Works for me." Roman agreed. "Logan and Janus will be spending time with your father and I during the weekend so we can get to know them more." Agatha informed them as she handed the scroll to a passing servant. "Wonderful." Janus replied sarcastically. Agatha simply ignored it. "Any questions?" Agatha prompted, getting shakes of the head in turn.
"Alright then. What else should we talk about?" She questioned as servants served the main course. Agatha had steak and potatoes, as did Richard, Janus, and Logan. Maria and Roman had pasta, Remus had pizza, and Patton had sandwiches and french fries. "Oh, I know!" She then cheered, cutting off Janus and Logan who were both about to make suggestions. "Roman, you should tell them about that play you're writing." She decided.
Roman nodded, smiling as he looked to the others. "Remus and I are writing a play about a young woman travelling through a fantasy world in order to find her missing father. She runs a travelling flower store, using her power to grow flowers to make money as she ventures through a dangerous realm full of monsters, mysteries, and more." Roman informed them. "That sounds fascinating. Would you like to tell us more about it, Remus?" Logan encouraged, once again ignoring Agatha's tension.
"Sure! I made all the monsters, and I'm working on the props and special effects. There's one Monster that's made of goop and eyeballs and has telepathic powers, so it can move its eyes around the area. It's a decomposer that only eats dead things, but it still freaks Luna out when she sees it." Remus told him with a grin. "Luna's the main character." Roman explained. "Also Luna gets pregnant at one point." Remus added. "Remus! Spoilers!" Roman scoffed, causing Remus to laugh.
"It certainly sounds very interesting. You clearly put a lot of work into it, and I look forward to seeing it." Logan stated. Agatha seemed slightly relieved, but also slightly irritated. Patton was poking nervously at his meal, while Janus was observing the twin's family. Logan and Remus enjoyed discussing the various creatures Remus invented for the play, though every now and then Agatha would bring the conversation back to Roman and one of his many achievements.
As tense as the dinner was, it was the first time that Remus wasn't the first to excuse himself from the table. It was in fact Patton that was the first to excuse himself, having hardly touched his meal due to filling up on bread. Remus happily took Patton's leftovers for himself, earning a look of disapproval from his mother. Not that he wasn't used to it by now.