Chapter 299 - 297: King In The Kitchen.

Chapter 299: Chapter 297: King In The Kitchen.

It’s a bit hard to tell with his mouth full, but he’s pretty sure Loac says, was that so hard ?

​"Can you believe this guy?" Khobi complains, protectively hauling the heavy basket away from Loac’s reach and getting a satisfied grin flung his way for his trouble.

​"...I certainly can’t believe what I’m seeing," is what Binny says, which isn’t quite the level of support Khobi was expecting, but he’ll take what he can get.

​Except for the ale. He asks the servants to bring him some water instead. It goes down easily, all in one go –he hadn’t realised quite how thirsty he was –then helps himself to one of the breads from the pile and lets out a low, appreciative moan as he bites into it.

​Fuck, that’s good .

​He moans on the second bite, too; even louder.

​It’s a real pity it’s gone so soon. Maybe it’s a good thing Loac had taken so long to finish with the dough; as a result he’d wound up cooking the meat a lot slower than he usually and it’s made the gravy thicker and deliciously rich. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

​Damn, he’s not gonna be able to make it any other way, now.

​Despite his earlier promises to himself that he wouldn’t he takes a second and polishes that off, too.

It’s fine; even once all the servants having taken their fair share –and with an extra one tucked aside for Binny to pass on to his sister –the pile stacked in the basket still looks enormous. It should do well enough for a handful of soldiers to snack on.

​The basket’s seriously awkward to carry though, and when Khobi finally hefts it up it takes him a couple of tries to get a good grip on it, and nearly drops the thing.

Twice.

Loac generously offers to eat a few more to lighten the load –offers that are not well received, mind –and Khobi has to tactically put his body between Loac and the basket to make sure that none go missing between here and the training grounds.

Or no more , at least. He didn’t count them in the first place so he has no proof but he suspects that a couple extra have gone astray while his back was turned, and then probably a few more while he was occupied with Loac.

Which he’s self-aware enough to acknowledge may have happened more than once. (...More than twice, even.

He doesn’t even really notice it happening, it just does; this current of theirs picking him up and sweeping him away before he even knows he’s caught.)

​Now, he’s not strictly saying that Binny had something to do with the missing bread, but once you know someone has sneaky hands, you never trust them not to be sneaky.

​" –Hey, where’re you goin’?" Loac queries with a frown as Khobi decisively wheels off down the corridor, "Training grounds are the other way."

​" I know that ," Khobi huffs. Obviously he knows that. "There’s somewhere I wanna stop first."

​"Fine, but if they get cold –" Loac warns, and to Khobi’s surprise, starts trailing after him.

​"You don’t have to come with me," he points out flatly, and then throws him a dry look, " –And, what’re you talking about ? You’d eat em anyways."

...

Now, Gurdet promised Bongo that he would be gracious, but if his daughter checks her reflection in the mirror one more time, he is going to crack.

In the short amount of time they’ve spent together this morning she’s already adjusted her cuffs three times, and her hair no less than eight , and the worst part is that she doesn’t even seem to realise that she’s doing it.

And she knows that princesses shouldn’t fidget.

​"...You’re looking very nice today," Gurdet comments offhandedly, and thinks he does a very admirable job of not sounding snarky. Bongo must not think so because while he knows better than to give him a reproachful look in company, Gurdet suddenly gets the impression that he very much wants to.

Xena tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and does it for him.

​"I always look nice," she sniffs, and while Gurdet supposes that’s true enough, they both know that for whatever reason, she’s taking extra care to make sure of it today.

​For whatever reason.

​The thought makes Gurdet’s skin itch.

​"...I take it you’re seeing Montrel," he states, and thinks he does a decent job this time at keeping his tone neutral.

​"And if I am?" Xena’s playing innocent, but the blush so pink it matches her hair rather gives her away.

​"Coy isn’t necessarily cute, sweet daughter," Gurdet tells her dryly, and isn’t sure he cares for how dismissively she waves away his comment, "...I’m sure you don’t need to dress up for him."

​"I know that," she sniffs, giving him a small, condescending smile that makes her look uncannily like her mother, "But I want to. I’m sure even you put in some effort when you were courting mother."

​It’s not often that Gurdet concedes a point to his daughter.

​If only it weren’t at his own expense.

​(He’s almost proud.)

​"She has you there, Your Highness," Bongo chuckles, voice just low enough that Xena won’t hear.

​" Thank you , Bongo," Gurdet replies flatly. Today has not gotten off to a good start, and he’s certain it’s only going to get worse from here.

​As if sensing the cue, there’s a knock at the door, and lo and behold Gurdet is once again proven correct when who should darken his doorstep but Khobi Frost.

​And then, unbelievably, his nephew.

​Oh, this should be good, Gurdet can’t help but muse, mood plummeting.

​"...At least they knocked," Bongo points out, reading his grim expression. It is not the silver lining he means for it to be.

​(Why does he suddenly smell fresh bread?)

​" – Told you he’d be here," Loac drawls as they wander up towards the centre of the room elbow to elbow, and despite his sour mood Gurdet most certainly doesn’t miss the way his nephew flings a smirk across at Khobi and gets an emphatic, "Shut up," thrown straight back.

​Hmm? He thinks to himself, eyes narrowing. What was that?