Bane of the Wolves

Chapter Six - Dining

Chapter Six - Dining

THE DOOR WE passed through led to stone stairs leading down to a door that swung open with a single push. I followed Alanza into a large open kitchen with tiled stone floors, white walls, and an arched ceiling where a chandelier hung. Savory smells filled the air from a variety of food boiling in large pots on stove tops, which is constantly stirred, and large trays of baked meats being removed from the oven. Along with the delicious smells and bustling people was a loud, demanding voice.

"That should have been done minutes ago!" It growled, followed by a snarl. "Watch it, you stupid girl!"

There, amid the kitchen, near a long wooden table covered in a white powdery substance with metal trays stacked at the end, is a large man. His meaty arms folded, stomach protruding out -ready to pop out of his tucked shirt-, and veins bulging on his forehead. His nostrils flare at a young woman bowing her head, leaving quickly. The man's nostrils flared again, wolfish eyes snapping toward me.

"If you aren't here to work, get the hell out of my kitchen!" He snapped.

"This way!" Alanza said, grasping my forearm, and pulled me along.

His wolfish eyes were still on mine, lips peeling back with teeth flashing. A warning. I held his gaze, narrowing my eyes but soon our contact broke. The slight squeeze on my forearm had me glancing at Alanza, who pulled me away from a tray being removed from an oven and had me dancing around a young woman carrying a stack of white plates, brushing her shoulder. We had cut across the kitchen, from one door to the next, pushing through it.

We stepped into a spacious room with cobbled walls, stone floors, and candlesticks lighting the area. There was a fireplace with a fire lit, warming the room. Three long rectangular tables took most of the space in the room, occupied by a few people chatting and eating.

"Welcome to our cozy dining hall," she said, walking in more as some people step through the door. "Let's eat, I'm sure you must be hungry!"

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It didn't take long for us to self-serve ourselves from a large pot on a small rectangular table beside a bowl of bread rolls. We made ourselves comfortable at the end of one of the tables, chairs scraping against the floor as we sat. Alanza bowed her head, mumbling underneath her breath as I stared at the steam rising from the bowl in front of me. It was a stew with chunks of brown meat, carrots, and potatoes floating in a dark broth. The savory steam tickling my nose causes my stomach to rumble and my mouth to salivate.

I was hungry, yet I couldn't take a spoon of it. My stomach was begging for the food, and my mouth wanted a taste. But, I was frozen.

"Not hungry?"

I glanced up at Alanza, who was dipping her torn bread roll into the broth.

"I thought you would be hungry, was I wrong?" Her head tilting, confusion taking over her features.

I frowned, not saying anything as I looked down at the bowl, curling my fingers into my palm. I was hungry, that was the undeniable truth. I hadn't had a decent meal since I was thrown into the cellars only to receive stale bread and a cup of water. It wasn't hard to figure out the reason I sat there frozen, staring at the bowl. My mother. This stew reminded me of hers, although the meat was never a part of it, except for a few occasions. It was one of her specialties and a favorite of mine.

It was always a delight to come home to it, especially during the winters when I was sure my fingers were going to fall off. My vision blurred, nails digging into my palm as I felt burning in my eyes. I didn't want to cry. I shouldn't cry. I brought this on myself. It is my fault I am here and not with her. Shoot! I saw a tear drop fall from my eyelashes, hitting the table and causing a dark circle to appear. I dropped my head, trying to hide the tears I knew were gathering. Why was I suddenly breaking now?