#fenixtj

"They're mushy, they don't need teeth."

"but they're GOOD..."

"And arroz... Oh, we should make arroz con leche. That's rice with milk, it is sweet..." A glance over to Ahpuch, and she offers, "If we make some today, you could have some soon?"

"well, I suppose. it will something I can eat to gross out holger while he learns the English"

"Well... I like rice. And milk..."

Ariel whispers "Not like sluagh do you dont'"

the boy overhears and smirks

"Si, tell the poor Caballero that they are little bugs in the milk. You know, the fly babies." She wrinkles up her nose, "Gusano."

"Ew!" She makes a face, but giggles.

"Oh, but that is mean. Maybe try that on Diego. Holger is our good guardia."

"Is muy excellente" Then a sigh "I will try, but holger is such an easy mark. He is so very troll, you know? He is always 'I must succeed' and the guilt about the Summerstrike he used to be in the court of. Trolls are tiresome sometime. Oh no, a tree, it has fallen in the wood and I was not there to save it, let alone hear it. it is MY fault.'" he makes a dramatic gesture of wrist to forehead, "it is good they do not have sharper horns or they would spear their hands"

"Ohhh, that is not nice..." Big eyes.

Ahpuch winces as she cheats with the big eyes. Stupid guilt. "fine. i will pester others."

"An easy mark, but no challenge, eh? If you can get Senor Diego to turn green or skip his meal, I will give you a reward. I will find something especial in the kitchen just for you." An impish grin.

"Especially something green."

"The rojagorros would be too much of a challenge. They will eat anything... anyone! Oh, they frighten me sometimes. Even when they smile to be nice, it is too much."

The boy lifts his head "i will do this"

then he nods "Beward, Sir phobos, I think he is the summer, but the sun blisters eh? And Demos, he is .. not tame"

A crease between her dainty little eyebrows. "Redcaps are scary, yes. But they aren't... some are alright."

Ariel gulps "I heard a redcap bit a troll's ARM off once"

"you know an 'alright' redcap?" Ahpuch asks

"Well... Sir Phobos seems alright?"

"There was a rojagorro once I knew. He was el capataz - the... boss?" Ahpuch may recognize the term as more for an overseer. "He was supposed to make sure that everyone worked, but I think he liked when there were shirkers, so he could punish them. It is not good to enjoy more the punishment than the hard work. A lesson, Princesca, for when you rule, si?"

"As a ruler, you must be fair to ALL of your people, even if they are scary or unseelie."

"well, i like this thing you say" the sluagh says "Scary people are people too"

Ariel blushes "Well, I guess we should all be fair if we can even when we're not rulers."

She nods soberly at Salma's admonition.

"It's important to be fair."

"Wait, we were talking about arroz con leche. And the only thing better than that is champurrado. And that goes with tamales. And all tamales, whether rojo or verde, are equally tasty. It is like seelie and unseelie. Different but still delicious?" Apparently it's close to lunch time.

Salma is handed a buttered roll , or another one, by Ariel

She grins and takes a bite. She did have one earlier - where did it go? She must have already scarfed it. Growing girls...

Ariel gives a suspicious look, then laughs "I think we'll be called for lunch soon"

"Indeed you are," it's Dame Ash "If you're not too full of rolls?"

"Never, Lady." She swears.

"Can we have rice and beans? Dame Ash, we need to make sure some food is saved special for Ahpuch..."

"They have food for Ahpuch I am sure... but we'll suggest just that. Follow me, girls, young sir." And she leads them onto eat.

The dining table has ahpuch and his food angled so the girls won't see him eating. Holger is there. And the kids find themselves subject to Spanish and English lessons. Regarding the names for Forks, spoons, knives , plates, and the food and drinks themselves. You use the the words as you grab it or stab it.

It's almost a game! Ellie, at least, takes to it like one.

It's not too forced. They understand Salma might..well, pooka. And Ash will praise succeess more than fuss at failure. She's been a mentor plenty of times "Very good. Now later we can learn the words for more specific silverware"

"Specific? A fork's a fork, ain't it?" Ariel says. Who would be surprised to find out that there's a Shrimp fork on top of Salad forks and regular forks and so on

Oh, Ellie knows ALL the silverware, where it goes, how it's used, how to set it down....

Ariel has good manners, but the sheer elabaorote ceremony nobles use baffles her 'Don't hyou ever get to just..eating at these fancy dinners?"

Siiiiigh.

"Dinners are more work than fun."

"Then why have them?" Areil says baffled

Ahpuch whispers "because, it is another form of court."

She nods.

"It is important to be seen, but also to watch."

"I suppose," Ariel says with a nose wrinkle "But I'm starting to see why Miss Jessica doesn't eat out here often"

She nods. "A lot of pressure. Say... you make a face at a vegetable? Then, oh, there's a scandal."