Plinth stood next to a large rolling cart. Circular wooden tables were slotted into the cart sideways. While he watched, Ash heaved one of the tables out of the cart. The round table landed on its edge and rolled forward over Ash’s foot.
*Crunch*
“Ahhh!”
“What did I say about keeping your foot loose!?” Plinth shouted.
Lux, Cophin, and Lady Starling stood off to the side of the street. Tasha, Rosy, Ave, and Luke took turns pulling stackable chairs out of a storage closet and moving them into the street.
“Sorry about tha sudden request Madam Starling.” Cophin tilted his head. “We didn’t know this was happening until a few hours ago.”
Lady Starling waved a hand. “It’s no trouble. When you own a building it’s a good idea to make sure you have extra furniture on hand to decorate it. I would never refuse my precious son such a simple request.”
Lux smiled at Lady Starling. “Thank you mother. I was at ease knowing that your preparedness would have already anticipated something like this. Tonight should be quite the fête.”
Cophin scratched one leg with the other. “You can say that again Lux.”
“Tonight should be quite the fête.”
Cophin smirked. “You can say that three times.”
“Tonight should be quite the fête.”
“You can say that… thirteen times.”
“Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête. Tonight should be quite the fête.”
“You smartass.” Cophin smiled and kicked at Lux’s shins.
Lux danced out of the way.
As the two of them took turns trying to slap each other, the street between the E-teary and the Galaxy Lip began to slowly fill in with tables and chairs.
Plinth walked over where the three of them were standing.
“We’re almost done setting up the tables.” Plinth said.
Lux hopped on one leg. “Good to hear. I’ll have my servers get started dressing the tables with linen cloths.”
“And we will need to block off the street now that we have all these extra tables. Foot traffic should be okay. Carriages will have to be diverted.”
Lux smiled. “Don’t worry Plinth, I’ve already taken care of it.”
“You have?”
“I have. I made some arrangements with the Guards when we were at the Ocean’s Bounty. They will redirect traffic so our two restaurants will have the whole street to ourselves. And look, there they are now.” Lux pointed up the street.
Platina, Nevre, and the Petty Officers walked down the street towards them.
“Ave! There you are.” Platina shouted.
Ave paused in the middle of the street holding a chair over her head.
“Here I am?” she said.
Platina stalked over and grabbed Ave’s arm. She yanked the smaller girl behind her. The chair collapsed in the street.
“Stop screwing around Ave, and get dressed. We're meeting the mayor.”
#
Lux stood in the middle of his kitchen. Row after row of stainless steel countertops were arranged for maximum efficiency. The rows were measured to allow Lux, in his ringed uniform, to walk between the aisles without bumping into anyone. Servers were busy stacking plates and polishing silverware. Prep cooks diced vegetables while sauciers sorted their pots and pans.
Lux turned to the Veiled Mixologist and the Bandaged Cleric.
“I know this is a busy time, what with the Tournament only a few days away. But tonight is a special event. That’s why I called everyone in.”
The Veiled Mixologist nodded. “You can count on us sir.”
The Bandaged Cleric straightened her apron. “The entire kitchen is ready on your command. We won’t let you down Cuisinier Starling.”
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“I know.” Lux raised his voice. “This kitchen is a place where we live and grow. Our food is the gift we share with the world. And we are gifted to share it with each and every meal. I expect the best from you, only because I know you will deliver it. Do you all understand?”
“Yes Chef!”
“Wonderful. This is going to be a fantastic evening.”
#
Cophin waved a meat mallet at Ash. “Do as I say and you might make it through this evening alive.”
“If you say so.” Ash scrubbed his hands in the kitchen sink.
“Just try to wash all that soot off of your skin.”
Ash scrubbed his hands. “I’m trying. There’s a lot of it.”
“I want you to know that you are not the person that I would have chosen to assist me in tha kitchen tonight. But, Luke is going to be eating with Lady House at tha big table so he’s out. We are going to be extremely busy tonight so I had no other choice.”
Ash ran his hands under the water. “Thank you. You have made your position extremely clear Cophin.”
“Call me Chef.”
“Okay chef.”
“Hey! Try again. You didn’t give me any respect that time.”
“How can you tell?”
“I can tell.”
“Fine. Okay, Chef.”
“That’s better.”
“Why couldn’t you have won that contest?” Cophin shook his head.
“That is a question for the universe, Chef.”
#
“Is this her?”
Platina kicked the door of the guest room in. Tasha turned in place in front of the vanity. Tripillli was curled into a ball on the top of her head.
Tasha tried not to sweat as she watched Platina and Nevre (in full Guard uniform) stalk into the room dragging Ave by one arm.
Ave limply nodded in Platina’s grasp. “That’s her.”
Platina stomped over and stood in front of Tasha. She looked even taller in comparison to the two other girls.
“I understand you are the one that I’ve been looking for.”
“Uh…” Tasha floundered.
Platina pulled Ave in front of her and cradled the smaller girl’s head like a beachball. “The one that can finally do something with my Ave’s hair.”
“Oh? Oh! Yes. I can style Ave’s hair.” Tasha nodded.
Platina put a hand on Ave’s shoulder. (Thumb on the back of her neck, finger slightly above her collarbone.) “That’s great. I’ve already picked out her outfit. Now we just need to get her washed, dressed, styled, and we should be all set for our dinner with the mayor.”
“And you want me to do her hair?”
“That’s right.”
“Let me get my hair gel.” Tasha rummaged in her travel bags.
“No hair gel.” Ave said.
“A little bit of product.” Platina interjected.
Ave glared sideways behind her bangs.
“And while you’re making the effort, do something with my hair too while you’re at it.”
Tasha held up a hairbrush and hot roller, a huge smile on her face. “You don’t have to twist my arm.”
“Good. Ave! Get washed.” Platina kicked Ave towards the bathroom. “Nevre!” she shouted.
“Here sir.” Nevre waited patiently in the doorway.
“Get me my jewelry.”
“Fighting jewelry or fancy jewelry?”
“Fancy jewelry.”
Nevre nodded and turned to go.
Platina put a hand on his shoulder.
#
“Not so fast.”
Plinth reached over and grabbed Vance by the collar. Vance had been trying to sneak into the E-teary and grab a table ahead of everyone else.
“What are you doing?” Vance thrashed his arms.
“You young man, do not have a reservation.”
“Reservation? This establishment is barely worth the stones it’s built on. I’ve never needed a reservation before.”
“That was before. Our popularity has exploded recently.”
Vance smirked. “I find that unlikely. This building is more likely to explode from a methane leak than popularity.”
Plinth smiled and looked Vance dead in the eye. Vance, despite his bluster, glanced away.
Plinth set Vance down. “Most people have nine senses. As a sommelier I am primarily concerned with the big three: look, taste, and smell.”
“Are you a professor now-”
Plinth continued. “In addition to the nine normal senses I have an extra sense. Some call it the tenth sense. It is a sense for the unseen and the unknown. And right now that sense is telling me that you didn’t bring any damn money did you?”
“Are you saying you charge money? For this food?”
Plinth patted Vance on the chest with one of his large hands. “But don’t you worry. We have an age-old tradition for people that try to get a table without any payment.”
#
Platina, Ave, and Nevre walked down the hallway away from the bedrooms and back towards the front of the restaurant. Behind them, as soon as they were out of sight, appeared Rosy and Luke.
Rosy pushed Luke towards the door to the guest room.
“Go on. Ask her.” Rosy hissed.
“I don’t want to bother her.” Luke slouched.
“You’re not going to bother her. Knock on the door and ask her. What have you got to lose?” Rosy put her hands on her hips.
“It’s not really a big deal.” Luke shrugged.
“If it’s not a big deal then go and ask her already.” Rosy urged.
Luke stopped and stared at the door to the guest room. He turned and looked over his shoulder at Rosy.
Rosy pointed at him, then pointed at the door.
Luke shrugged his shoulder and gave the door the quickest of *Knocks*.
“Yes? Come in.” Tasha called into the hallway.
Luke poked his head into the room. “Tasha?”
“Yes.”
“I’m going to meet the Mayor tonight.”
“I heard. That must be so exciting for you.”
“Yes so…”
“Is everything alright?”
“Would you… do my hair for me?”
“You want me to style your beautiful golden hair?”
“I guess…”
Tasha held up a brush. “Gimmie!”