“Sorry. I should have warned you. It is why the glass is so small. It is meant to be sipped slowly throughout the soup.” Ioaniss wiped a tear of laughter from his eye before taking another bite.
Shaking his head, Alburet saw a smirk on Stacia’s lips as she took another bite. “It does complement the soup,” she said as she caught his eyes.
The rest of the course passed mostly in silence. At the end of the course Ioaniss drained the bit of vodka left in his glass. “Ah. I rarely indulge in that beverage these days. Last time I did was with Marcus right after the museum was built. He then took me on a tour of the place and got us lost.”
Alburet snorted once, “He got lost in his own museum?” Again, he felt a tingle that insisted he should recognize Ioaniss from somewhere, triggered by Ioaniss’s comment.
“Oh, yes. The whole time he kept telling me to follow because he knew the way.”
Stacia giggled then went pink as she covered her mouth, “That does sound amusing.”
As she spoke the servers vanished the bowls and glasses, returning a minute later with the next course. They placed plates with filets of fish along with a glass of white wine at each place. “This dish is a filet of Snapmaw, from Ice Lake on the Dwelden continent. Accompanying it is a snow wine from the Elven Court that we find is a perfect match for the fish.”
Alburet grimaced slightly. He really didn’t care for fish, but to refuse would be very rude in this setting. With determination, he took the first bite only to be pleasantly surprised. The normal fish taste he expected was missing. In its place he found something new. He couldn’t begin to describe the flavor that infused the entire dish, but it was wonderful.
Ioaniss chuckled before taking a sip of his wine, “I see you find this dish to your liking.”
Alburet set the knife and fork aside as before, replying as he picked up the wine. “I hate fish. I have never had a fish dish that I have enjoyed. This, though, is amazing. It doesn’t have any of the after taste I ascribe to fish.” He took a sip of the wine, his eyes widening at the flavor that assaulted him.
Ioaniss chuckled again, “She wasn’t kidding when she said it complements the dish perfectly. It always amuses me that a fish from the Dwarven lands is so perfectly attuned to a wine from the Elven lands.”
“I heard of the fish before but have nay tasted it before now,” Stacia added to the conversation. “It be as exquisite as I heard. The wine be a perfect balance to it. I wonder how they got it to be refreshing and dry at the same time?”
Ioaniss shrugged, “They won’t tell anyone. It is apparently a secret of the court.”
Alburet was the first one done with the course, much to his surprise. “I do not know how they could possibly top that course.”
Ioaniss smiled broadly, “Well, you might find this next part something new as well.”
The servants came back out to whisk away the old and place before them their new course and drink. “Dragon steak, from the Ice Dragons of Dwelden. It will be served with the blood wine that King Bloodgold drinks when he partakes of this same meal.”
Alburet looked at the three-inch-thick cut of red meat that took up a good portion of the plate before him, then at the dark red wine. “Dragons do not exist on the world I hail from,” Alburet said softly as he picked up the steak knife and fork.
“I have heard that before, which is one of the reasons I wanted to make sure you got to sample some tonight,” Ioaniss replied before taking his first bite.
Stacia took her first bite a split second later, a deep moan coming from her as she slowly chewed her bite. Alburet blinked, looking at her in shock as she seemed to shiver in her chair. “Stacia?”
Stacia swallowed before opening her eyes to find Alburet staring at her. “Sorry mast… Alburet, it was just so good. I couldn’t hold back the sheer pleasure of the powerfully meaty flavor filling my mouth.”
Alburet held back a sigh at the hopefully unintended double entendre. The last time she’d used that line was with him, in bed. “Well then, I guess I should sample it as well,” he said, taking his first bite of a legendary creature. The rich deep flavor brought to mind the best steaks he’d ever had, but easily surpassed anything he’d ever even heard of. He wasn’t sure a meat like this could exist on earth. He sighed as he chewed his first bite, his eyes closed in bliss.
“Aye, see what I was sayin’?” Stacia asked, taking a sip of the wine. Her eyelids fluttered for a second as the wine brought back the flavor of the meat, and adding a smoky flavor. “A wine should nay be givin' meat a smoky quality when drunk.”
Ioaniss laughed, “Normally you would be correct. This wine, though, is only ever served with Ice Dragon. The Dwarves will not tell us how they make it or out of what. Speculation is rather rampant.”
Alburet didn’t add to the conversation, too intent on savoring this wonderful new dish. Silence descended upon them again as each of them gave their full attention to the food and wine. As soon as the food was gone they each let out a contented, sigh sitting back in their seats with grins plastered on their lips.
“This be so good,” Stacia said languidly.
The servers came out, exchanging their plates and drinks for the next course. “We have a simple salad with a light lemon vinaigrette accompanied with water that has been splashed with lime.”
That course was eaten in silence. Alburet finished his salad, aware that his palette had been cleansed by the simple course. “The salad course was designed to help cleanse the palette for the dessert course?”
“Indeed, that is the case. With all the specialty food we have served it was the chef’s idea to help make sure you were ready for the last course.” Ioaniss took a last sip from his glass as the servers came out to take away the empty plates.
“I did nay think I would ever eat this much in a single meal,” Stacia said softly. “Yet I feel I can easily handle the last course.”
A minute later the servers came back out with the last course. What was set before each of them was a masterpiece of confection, a replica of the castle with even the walls showing the details of each stone. “We have for the last course the specialty of our dessert chef. Stormguard Castle Cake. Accompanying it is a coffee beverage that the Lunari favor.”
Alburet slowly turned his plate looking over the artistry of the dessert. “I don’t think I have ever seen something to match the dedication it would take to make this.”
Smiling Ioaniss nodded, “She is special and surely dedicated to her art. She has pursued her heart for over four hundred years now and has only ever gotten better at her art.”
Stacia hesitantly took her fork and pulled a small part of a tower away, revealing a layer of chocolate inside the castle, while Alburet blinked at Ioaniss’s comment. She took the bite, chewing slowly as a sigh escaped her. Swallowing, she put her fork down on the plate. “This be as wonderful as all the rest, but the art makes it somethin’ else entirely.”
Ioaniss took a bite himself before replying, “True enough. She has never turned out anything except the very best. I still do not know how the king got her to accept a position here over the one she had for the Elven court.”
Sipping the coffee, Alburet decided the closest comparison was cappuccino with hints of chocolate. “This is a very good compliment to the meal as well.”
The others agreed as they slowly dismantled their castles. As each finished, they found themselves sated, enjoying the last of their coffee as the food settled. As the servers took away the dishes and glasses, the head server came out with three glasses and a bottle. She placed a glass before each of them, pouring a small amount of liquid into each cup before retreating once more.
Alburet wracked his brain for a moment, trying to recall what should follow a meal such as they just had. He noticed the covert glance of Ioaniss and decided to ask rather than just guess. “Sir Jones, I am not sure what comes next. I think a toast but am not sure if by me or by you.”