Page 11 of The Dragon Shifters' Enemy
Tilly crossed her arms over her chest.“Uhm, maybe.”
“Why deny it?! You were brilliant!”He shook the lamb chop at her, which nearly splattered her dress with grease.
“Are you done being a barbarian, Illarion?”Esme asked dryly as she drew Tilly out of grease range.
“Never!Not if it means I must tolerate the questions of impertinent and disrespectful reporters!”Illarion devoured the lamb chop with relish.
Since his mouth was too full to speak, Esme got a word in edgewise and saved Tilly, “Go get yourself something to nosh on.I do have to say that Valerius knows good food.”
“Thank you, Queen Esme!”Tilly curtseyed like a pro, which got her a pat on the head before Tilly scooted off back to their parents.
Esme then turned to Caden and said, “You did very well, Caden.”
Again, Caden wanted to ask, “Really?”But instead he nodded and smiled.“It could have been worse!”
“Always, for certain.”Esme nodded back.“The thing is that you got across the type of person you are.The press will try to skin every single word, look and gesture down to its core to see if there is some disguise, but the audience will mostly take you at face value.And what they saw was a thoughtful young man who understands the position that many people are in today.”
Caden blinked.That made what he’d done sound quite a bit better than spout off problems without any solutions.
“You were quite inspirational,” Jahara said as she glided over to them, looking elegant and noble.
She had a plate of fruit and cheese in her hands.Purple grapes so dark that their skins were almost black.White cheddar that crumbled when she touched it.Creamy blue cheese that she smeared on some dried apricots.And walnuts that looked to be sugared.
“Thanks.These are great compliments from both of you.”Caden bobbed his head.
“And very well earned.”Valerius kissed his temple.“I will get us some wine.Sit and talk with them.”
Caden reluctantly let the Black Dragon Shifter go.But he was parched and hopefully Valerius would grab them some food.On the sideboard, besides the lamb chops that Illarion seemed to think were solely for him, were succulent glazed hams, crispy-skinned roast chickens, two turkeys overloaded with stuffing, prime rib studded with garlic and rosemary and sliced thin with au jus and horseradish sauce, and platters of steaks at all degrees of doneness.And those were just some of the meat courses.
Roast, mashed and au gratin potatoes filled between the meat courses.Refreshing salads with tomatoes, cucumbers and mint overflowed bowls.Green and white asparagus were dressed with lemony yellow hollandaise.Maple glazed carrots glistened next to piles of bacon and brussel sprouts.His mouth watered.But he turned back to Esme as she began to explain her thinking.
“You have something we do not: a closeness in perception to what it was like being human and being human in this age,” Esme said as she sipped from a perspiring glass of white wine.“Young people especially will look to you for support.The fact that you see their problems--had their problems--not all that long ago will aid you in knowing where you want to put your energy.”
“If you have the youth, you have the future,” Jahara agreed.
Kaila came over to them.She had a whole deep fried fish on a plate and was pulling off flaky white fish with her fingers.It smelled so good that Caden almost reached for it himself.She offered to share it.
“Have some!Valerius’ chef has tons more,” Kaila said.
Caden did not have to be asked twice and he pulled off some of the lovely fish that melted in his mouth.It was lemony and spicy too.He took off another hunk, finishing the one side.Kaila turned it over so they could devour the other.
“So what did you think of the interview?”Caden asked her.
“Reporters talk too much.”Kaila shrugged.
Caden suppressed a smile.“You don’t mind what I said?”
Kaila’s eyebrows rose and he wondered if she had even listened to the reporters.“Uhm, it was fine?”
Jahara let out a soft laugh while Esme sniffed or, more like snorted, but she was so ladylike when she did it that it could have been a sniff.
“Just about people feeling bad about where they are in life and not having opportunities.Ah, it doesn’t matter,” Caden said.
Kaila bobbed her head.“Ah, it is good to give people hope.To show them clear seas that they can swim in.But there is always a bigger fish.”
“What do you mean?”Caden asked her.
“That no matter where you are, there is always someone who has more than you.”Another shrug, but this time it was almost eloquent. “So, one must have happiness even if that bigger fish exists.”
