Jonathan smirked at Rowan, who was staring at the delicacy, almost drooling at the sight of it. “What…what is that?” Rowan asked.
Jonathan looked up from the cake. “You’ve never had cake before?”
Rowan shook his head and Jonathan explained.
“Cake is a dessert. It’s made from flour, eggs and a bunch of other non-important stuff. But it has a special ingredient: chocolate!”
When Rowan stared blankly at him, Jonathan elaborated. “Chocolate is a delicacy from…”
Rowan interrupted him, “Alright, it’s a delicacy from somewhere far away that I’ve never been to and probably never will. Can I have a bite?”
After the meal was over, Jonathan and Rowan followed Lydia to their room. It was clean and comfortable, with two beds side by side along one wall. The beds had mattresses stuffed with straw and pillows of a similar make. A rough sheet and blanket were folded neatly and placed at the end of the beds.
After Lydia had left, Jonathan collapsed atop one of the cots. Rowan followed suit more slowly, taking the time to remove his boots and set them to the side.
“Rowan?* came Jonathan’s voice, muffled by the pillow.
“Mmm?” Rowan responded as he settled into the bed, pulling the covers over him.
“I was wondering…did your parents teach you much about the world?”
“What do you mean?”
Jonathan sat up and propped his head up with his hand. “I mean, who taught you to read and to write? Do you know anything about manners or girls?”
Rowan laughed, *I don’t know anything about women but I have a decent understanding of manners. And my mom taught me basic things like arithmetic, simple geography and reading and writing. She did*’t always live in Aridy, you know. She used to live here, actually.”
Jonathan was taken aback, “Your mother used to live in Derthi?”
“She lived around here, at least. I think that her family’s home was a farm in the hills. She came into town occasionally and, believe it or not, used to talk to people.”
“Amazing,” Jonathan said dryly, *do continue.”
Jonathan looked up from the cake. “You’ve never had cake before?”
Rowan shook his head and Jonathan explained.
“Cake is a dessert. It’s made from flour, eggs and a bunch of other non-important stuff. But it has a special ingredient: chocolate!”
When Rowan stared blankly at him, Jonathan elaborated. “Chocolate is a delicacy from…”
Rowan interrupted him, “Alright, it’s a delicacy from somewhere far away that I’ve never been to and probably never will. Can I have a bite?”
After the meal was over, Jonathan and Rowan followed Lydia to their room. It was clean and comfortable, with two beds side by side along one wall. The beds had mattresses stuffed with straw and pillows of a similar make. A rough sheet and blanket were folded neatly and placed at the end of the beds.
After Lydia had left, Jonathan collapsed atop one of the cots. Rowan followed suit more slowly, taking the time to remove his boots and set them to the side.
“Rowan?* came Jonathan’s voice, muffled by the pillow.
“Mmm?” Rowan responded as he settled into the bed, pulling the covers over him.
“I was wondering…did your parents teach you much about the world?”
“What do you mean?”
Jonathan sat up and propped his head up with his hand. “I mean, who taught you to read and to write? Do you know anything about manners or girls?”
Rowan laughed, *I don’t know anything about women but I have a decent understanding of manners. And my mom taught me basic things like arithmetic, simple geography and reading and writing. She did*’t always live in Aridy, you know. She used to live here, actually.”
Jonathan was taken aback, “Your mother used to live in Derthi?”
“She lived around here, at least. I think that her family’s home was a farm in the hills. She came into town occasionally and, believe it or not, used to talk to people.”
“Amazing,” Jonathan said dryly, *do continue.”
14-Feb-2011 20:51:26
