Xenofos — Words At Breakfast
1627
Context
At Glasswall the morning after the argument about eating [[[s02:session-49|Session 49]]]
Events
In the morning after the fight Xenofos will come for breakfast at the time Varanis is doing her ceremony.
Lenta welcomes him.
“Good morning. How are you?”
“As well as can be,” she murmurs. “Did you sleep well?”
“Not worse than usual.” He nods outside “How was she?”
She shrugs. “Polite. Dutiful. Tired.” The Ernaldan looks to be easily as tired as Varanis is.
“My apologies. For putting you in awkward position and having to witness such unseemly arguing.” Xenofos says earnestly.
“You got her to eat when I couldn’t,” she points out.
“I did not notice she was not eating. You did.”
She gives him a small smile that almost reaches her eyes. “Then we both did well.”
He nods. And then shakes his head. “You did. My words may have worked but…”
“She’ll be back soon,” Lenta says. “If there’s something you need to say, best say it now.”
“I think I said the important things. Except thank you again.”
She nods, then fusses with the plates of flat-cakes and cheese. “I do wish we could offer the foods she likes to make it easier. But she would refuse anything the warriors don’t get anyway.” Her eyes dart to the tent flap.
Xenofos shrugs at her words and watches her work.
It’s several long minutes before Varanis ducks through the tent’s opening. Seeing her cousin, she gives him a smile and friendly greeting. In these moments after slaying Yelm, she always seems more centred. Calmer.
Xenofos returns the greeting in similar vein. He is pretty obviously observing his cousin though.
She notices and arches a brow at him as she takes a seat. “Like what you see?” she asks pointedly.
“Not sure, Varanis. Looking at you and trying to see if you are feeling well. You do look better than last night, but apart from that I can’t really tell.”
“We’ve been on the road a long time. I’m tired, like everyone else. I’m as well as I can be and unlikely to bite your head off unless you keep poking.”
He nods. “I try to avoid fussing too much then. I might still have use for my head… Even if I often fail to use my eyes.”
He’s rewarded with a ghost of a smile.
Xenofos returns the smile and leans back.
Lenta sets food before them and settles in to eat. She places herself carefully, so as not to be too close to either of the cousins.
As before, Varanis eats methodically, without evidence of enjoyment. But she does eat.
Xenofos tries to maintain a light polite discussion.
Varanis makes noises at appropriate times, but doesn’t really engage. Lenta has better manners.
