Duched(92)

 

 

 

Honestly, not sure I will ever be able to wrap my mind around having dinner with the king of a country. I know Kellan likes to downplay the entire thing like it doesn't mean shit, but look at this place! He can't tell me his titles are just titles any more.

 

 

 

Five servants stroll in, each carrying a covered dish. The moment it is placed in front of me, he removes the lid, and exposes a green mess I'm not thrilled to eat.

 

 

 

Kellan leans over to whisper in my ear, "Try everything presented tonight and if you can't stomach it, I'll have them make you a bacon cheeseburger with extra pickles."

 

 

 

I offer him a smile of gratitude.

 

 

 

The conversation proceeds as I do my best to muscle through what Soph announced as summer wedged salad.

 

 

 

Why they felt the need to put strawberries and sunflower seeds in it is a mystery to me. Those aren't salad ingredients! And while I don't mind avocado I do when I mistake it for a cucumber. Oh, and don't even get me started about the 'light dressing' on this thing...

 

 

 

Somehow the topic travels back around to me and Kenneth states, "I assume this is the first time you've been to Doctenn."

 

 

 

I place my fork down in surrender. Turning to face him, I politely reply, "Yes sir, it's actually the first time I've ever been out of my own country."

 

 

 

He lifts his wine with a scrutinizing stare. "Not a big traveler?"

 

 

 

"Not really," I sheepishly answer. "Pretty much lived in the same place my entire life."

 

 

 

"Small town girl? Interesting."

 

 

 

"Are you gonna ask if she's livin' in a lonely world next?" Kellan sings the lyric in a teasing manner. "Perhaps mention a train?"

 

 

 

The joke lifts just enough tension from my chest to snicker. His eyes find mine and I shake my head.

 

 

 

"What? Surprised I know an American classic?"

 

 

 

"Surprised you still think you can sing."

 

 

 

Kris chuckles, "Ha!"

 

 

 

"Oh what are you ha-ing at? You sound like a bag of dying cats when you're crooning," Soph snickers and it spreads to the rest of us. "However, now that we're on the subject of music, we are attending the Shoreline Symphony tomorrow, if you two are interested in joining us."

 

 

 

"What is that?" I ask as our plates are removed and replaced with the next course.

 

 

 

"There's a theater right close to the coast line where the symphony got its start. They occasionally play classic pieces, but originally and typically they play music that sounds like or reminds people of the ocean," Kris explains. "It's all rather laid back and very soothing."

 

 

 

        

          

        

         

 

 

 

"You should go," their father insists. "Make better headlines for this family than we've been seeing lately. Perhaps ones around your brotherly relationship as opposed to the others the media has been relentlessly focused on."

 

 

 

Kellan's mouth drops in question, but Kris clears his throat and shakes his head to stop him from pushing.

 

 

 

"Brie," Kenneth calls to me. "What is it you do for a living?"

 

 

 

The question shifts me uncomfortably in my seat and my attention away from the mushroom risotto. "Um...at this time? Nothing. I just graduated from The University of Ashwin a couple of weeks ago."

 

 

 

"What was your major?" Soph sweetly asks.

 

 

 

"Art."

 

 

 

She giggles. "The thing Kellan hates the most next to poetry."

 

 

 

"Both are utterly useless," my boyfriend gripes. "At least being dragged through art showings typically results in getting my girlfriend naked."

 

 

 

A deep crimson color fills my cheeks seconds before his father asks, "And what have you decided you want to do with your degree? Which career path will you be taking when you choose to become employed again?"

 

 

 

The burning of my face increases. "Not exactly sure..."

 

 

 

There's a hum of what I can only imagine is disapproval.

 

 

 

Before the anxiety has the chance to spread further, Soph informs with a comforting smile, "That's alright. I had no idea what I wanted to do after college either."