Beautiful Scar

Chapter 8

When James mingled around in the castle's kitchen, he managed took note that Scarlet was going to have tea soon. He suddenly volunteered to serve the dish out to the Lady Captain in waiting.

And he was relieved that only Scarlet was present at the dining table.

"The pleasure is mine to serve you, Captain", James humbly acted.

"So what are you going to serve? Did you prepare them?"

"Well, I was only helping. But I'll be serving you a bowl of hot broth with fine noodles imported from the Rise Continent."

Scarlet looked on as James explained one by one the dish he would serve her.

Then, out of the corner of the room, the big door reopened and came filing into the room were Princess Fina, accompanied by Zuber. Then, Jackel and Neville followed suit. They both looked a little bit haggard. Either they were not easily accepted by the people or they had a rough horse ride. But Dylan was nowhere to be seen.

As these people took their seats around the very wide and long dining table, servants came out from another door to tend them.

But James was rather alarmed at the number of people who came for tea. He recalled that the kitchen cook told him that the people of the castle wouldn't come for tea this early, or was he played by them? Or was it an unfortunate circumstance that somehow people were eager to have tea around this hour?

"What are you having there, Scar?" Fina was curious as she took in the wisp of the steam coming out of the bowl of broth and noodle served in front of Scarlet.

Scarlet smiled at Fina's query, "Your suitor here made me a broth. Isn't he considerate?"

Fina was impressed as well.

But these exchanges did not sit well with James.

It was even worse when Scarlet offered to Fina to taste instead his cooking.

"I think I can get the other cook to prepare another one just like it for Princess Fina", James tried to reason his reluctance to pass the dish to Fina.

"But I want to taste the one served to Scarlet. After all, you specially served her, James", the Princess remembered his name, "I'm jealous", Fina almost pouted. For others spectating this, it was rather endearing seeing a childish act portrayed by the Princess, but James had never felt so alarmed.

Scarlet noticed the nervousness in James' expressions. It only added to her amusement.

"Well, you can't deny the Princess's order", said Scarlet, as she lifted the bowl and passed on to another servant's tray for him to bring it to Fina's side.

James sighed in relief, but Scarlet caught on.

"Oh, I almost forgot. The sauce", Scarlet raised the small plate filled with a paste-like concoction. "This should add flavor".

James's eyes widened in frantic. How to overcome this?

"I-I think Your Highness should taste without the sauce first. The broth itself already has strong flavor", James tried again.

Scarlet merely looked at him and Fina too.

"Very well, James. If you insist", Fina, to James's relief, agreed and took a sip of the broth.

Apparently, everyone in the room somehow waited, anticipated as Fina finished her sip and slurp of the broth and noodle.

"Emm, it's good!" Fina declared.

The other three suitors presented glanced at James, impressed and envy.

"I think you can finish the rest, Fina", as Scarlet said this, she swiped a bit of the sauce onto her finger.