A Miserable Feast

[keep_hallways]

Unlike the dark, narrow halls of the barracks, the Great Hall was bright with candle- and fire-light. The smell of wood-smoke lingered in the air along with the scents of the dishes set out on the table

Comments

[dontgiveafock]

Having had little time or resources to put the feast together combined with the fact that he hadn't slept since morning of the day before, Joe had hit the point of not caring what the people thought.

He took a seat off to the side, devoured a chunk of bread and chicken and had been just about done with his ale when the need to sleep won him over. The green baseball cap on his head seemed horribly out of place in comparison to his surroundings, but right now it was just what he needed. Leaning back in his chair with his feet on the corner of the table, Joe pulled his hat down over his eyes and allowed himself a moments rest.

At least until someone decided to wake him the hell up.

[vivenieta]

Nieta put a piece of toast spread with jam on the table in front of Joe, and then set down the jam jar with a much louder thud.

"Don't let Isabel find you sleeping, Joe."

[dontgiveafock]

Joe jolted awake, legs kicking off the table and causing his seat to fall backwards. With a yelp, the Irishman tore the hat from his head and latched onto the table like it were his lifeline.

Processing what the hell had just happened and who was responsible took a few seconds before a pair of dark, bleary eyes target Nieta. Frown on his face, Joe stared at the woman before him.

"Right now I'm past the point of caring what she thinks, Nieta. We're all tired. They're here. They've got something to munch on so they won't starve to death."

[vivenieta]

"Are you certain that it won't poison them?" She glanced at the soup tureen, "What was the surprise in the soup?"

[dontgiveafock]

Joe can't hold back a mischievous grin. "It might. What's yer point? If we take a few out now with bad cookin' then it'll make shite easier for us down the track. I dunno what the fock Deior was thinkin' bringin' in a mess like this."

Rant done, Joe seizes the offered jam bread and takes a bite. "If I told ye what was in the soup, it wouldn't be a surprise."

[vivenieta]

"Joe!" Nieta makes a 'ch!' noise through her teeth and rolls her eyes. It's all that she can do, though if he were one of her dogs, she would have smacked his nose.

"That is not nice. We need them. And you know that to die is not pleasant."

[dontgiveafock]

Through a mouthful of bread, Joe smirks. "And you been in m'kitchen again. That's not nice either. Y'know how I feel about people gettin' in there when I'm not around."

It doesn't stop him from munching away. "Thanks fer bringin' me some though. Even if it was part of a shitty wake up call."

He leans foward, elbows on the table and the smile fades a little. "We need them ready, Nieta. Some warnin' would have been nice too."

[vivenieta]

"I haven't gone in your kitchen." It is not important, but she can't argue with anything else that he said.

[dontgiveafock]

Joe rolls his eyes. "Oh, so the jam just appeared on it's own then did it?"

He runs a hand down his face, tired from the events past and wanting nothing more than for everything to go back to how it was before shit got crazy. "Eh, whatever. How'd your dog squad go?"

[vivenieta]

"Don't be stupid, Joe," She started to grin but soon she was stifling a yawn, "Rem got it for me. And the dogs found nothing. I did not expect them to. They are too young and there was nothing to find."

Despite her warnings to Rem earlier, Nieta did not bother to keep her voice low. She was too tired to care about a scolding. She would blame it on Joe's attitude.

[dontgiveafock]

Too late, Nieta, Joe saw that almost grin and flashes a half smile in return that falters when she confirms finding nothing.

"Ach. Guess I shoulda known that was comin'."

He slumps a little where he sits and watches Nieta. "Get some sleep, won't ya Ni? I'll cover for ya if they need anyone."

[vivenieta]

"You mean the way that you were when I woke you?" But there is no conviction in the jibe.

[dontgiveafock]

Joe grins. "I was workin' very hard I'll have you know. Besides, now I that I've had me beauty sleep, I can stay up a little longer."

He still looks like hell, dark lines under his eyes even darker than usual, but he's definitely better than he was when he walked into the Great Hall.

[vivenieta]

"Whatever you say, Joe," She grins. "Unless you have become the castle's master of wardrobe, I don't think beauty sleep can be considered work."

[dontgiveafock]

He leans back in his seat a fraction, movement deliberately slow. Shoulders back a little, Joe lifts his chin and pops his collar. "M'starting to think that might be my new calling. Forget cookin'. I'll go be a pretty boy if it means I get to sleep some more."

[vivenieta]

She folded her arms. Her mouth twitched as she tried to hold back laughter. "And don't forget, you would have all of these new women coming to find you when they needed new mascara."