A Private Dining Room, The Estate, Glacia

[glacial_queen]

The small dining room that Karla had set aside for her 'out of town' guests to dine in tonight was one of the ones they hadn't gotten around to denuding of Ludmilla's and/or Hobart's horrible taste in decor yet. Karla had chosen it deliberately, figuring her friends might get a kick out of how completely hideous it was. Everyone knew that extravagantly tacky surroundings aided digestion, right?

Well, Karla was a Healer. She's swear to it, anyway.

And, who knew? Maybe she'd give everyone a souvenir or something! 'I came to Karla's coronation and all I got was this ugly figurine.'

This was how they knew she cared!

Tomorrow was for long, boring speeches and painful formality. Tonight, she was looking forward to just hanging out with friends, having a good time, and threatening to make people sleep in some of the bedrooms that had thus far escaped redecoration.

Any question where Glacia's treasury had wandered off to?

[Open for pretty much anyone who wanted to be invited for the coronation that's absolutely not happening tomorrow! Up early for mega SP, because SP is wonderful. NFB for off-island shenanigans.]

Comments

[glacial_queen]

"Me? Cheat?" Karla gave Hannibal sad eyes. "Woe! How can you even suggest such a thing?"

Besides, you know, having met her and spoken to the people she was closest to and all.

Which was why she was quickly waving over another footman with a tray to tempt Hannibal with. Perhaps he'd be so busy eating he couldn't answer her question.

"You'll probably want to wait until after the coronation," she advised. "Cook has personally threatened the life of anyone who crosses her demesnes before then. Braised herbed chicken and marinated carrots, cabbage, and pickled beetroot?"

Though the main ingredients were the same as could be found on Earth, Karla rather thought that Hannibal would enjoy the flavors of both the herbs and the marinade, as they incorporated a few purely Kaeleeran plants.

[sharp_as_knives]

"After, then," Hannibal agreed. "I wouldn't want to distract her from her art." And this was definitely art. he took one skewer and delicately sampled it, closing his eyes to savor the different taste.

"I should have brought some herbs and seeds for trade."

[glacial_queen]

"If we have time after dinner tonight, I can take you to my stillroom," Karla promised. "I have seeds, shoots, and even plants to share. I'd offer to take you to the hothouse, but..." She wrinkled her nose. "It didn't fare well under my predecessor's reign."

They hadn't found a way to gild it or something.

"Still savoring it or should I wave over something else?" There were several empty skewers in Karla's hand already. She'd perfected the art of practically inhaling food neatly.

[sharp_as_knives]

"That would be wonderful; thank you." Hannibal nodded. "And I would be delighted to try something else." He didn't quite have her appetite, and was much more a fan of trying new things.

[glacial_queen]

Lucky for him. He should see Karla when she had to go a few days without eating!

The results were not pretty. Both figuratively and literally.

"There's plenty for you to try," she encouraged. She didn't need to wave anyone over this time; there seemed to be a group of them gravitating towards her. A sign of a staff trained to handle dark Jeweled Blood.

The first handed them glasses of a pale, bubbly liquid. Hannibal could be forgiven thinking that it was a type of champagne, but he would realize his mistake within the first sip. It was a heady drink, cold on the tongue and almost spicy, almost analogous to a very strong peppermint, but not quite.

"Essence of snowflower," Karla explained, smiling at him. "It's very strong. You'll likely enjoy it with the reindeer tenderloin. The cheese is also flavored with snowflowers."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Now you're just spoiling me," Hannibal teased with a smile. He took another sip. "The flavor's rather strong for my taste, but very interesting." And the tenderloin, when he took it, was excellent.

"How much of this is brought in specially for the coronation, and how many of these flavors do you eat day-to-day?" he asked curiously.

[glacial_queen]

"The snowflower liqueur is traditionally saved for Winsol celebrations--our winter celebration that encompasses our New Year's Eve," she explained, eliding over the Witch aspects of the celebration. For now, anyway. They could talk more about the glory of Witch after he'd met her tomorrow. "The snowflowers are harvested right after our first thaw; they bloom for a day or so and then die, usually because that's as long as the thaw lasts. So we harvest them and distill them down, keeping them for the following year's celebrations."

Or adding them to cheeses, as he was tasting now, and other items, but the majority of snowflowers went to making the liqueur.

"Most everything else we have is our usual fare, though we generally don't have it in quite this quantity or so painstakingly prepared. There isn't much trade between Territories and what little there is costs an exorbitant amount. My Steward and I decided it would be better to use what we had excess of anyway and just make that as fancy as we can."

[sharp_as_knives]

"I'm a firm believer in making use of the ingredients at hand," Hannibal answered with a smile. "Elegance is less in what you have than in how you prepare it."

He took another bit of reindeer. "And the preparation is excellent." Hannibal didn't praise other people's cooking often; it was possible he was in love. If he were a teenage girl which we're not giving the island ideas about, he'd be drawing hearts on his notebook with "Hannibal and Ermengarde".

He lifted his glass, turning it in the light. "Traditions are important, especially in times of upheaval. So is restraint, rather than profligacy. I may not be one of your people, but I believe you've struck a good balance."

[glacial_queen]

And if Karla were a few years younger, there might e hearts in her eyes at that moment. He was complimenting her, and not just about anything, but about being a Queen.

"Thank you," she said, trying not to grin. "I really can't take any of the credit. Lord Mallory, my Steward, and Ermengarde and the kitchen staff deserve it all. I just told them that we were going to be economical with this and let them haggle it out..."

She was babbling, she knew she was.

[sharp_as_knives]

"You surround yourself with good people, then." Hannibal toasted her. You were getting complimented, Karla; enjoy it.

[glacial_queen]

"That, more than anything else, is the secret to good leadership," Karla said, beaming at him. "Or, so I have been learning."

And one more tray of appetizers for them to share. "Of course, that's what they're all telling me, so there may be some bias there."