Rum Raisin. Flavor of the Day.
AUTHOR: Shrimp
CHALLENGE: Rum Raisin 12. guide ; Flavor of the Day: axiomatic (self-evident; obvious).
WORD COUNT: 767
RATING: PG
NOTES: This happens some point after their first adventure and before their adventure when they find Bliss. Just thought Reynard deserved a little building up for himself :)
“Remember when that was us? Oh, the good old days.” Addison sighed nostalgically. Reynard snorted.
“I don’t remember you being particularly fond of this particular task.” He leaned back in his seat and glanced down the aisle that separated the tables. Boys of various ages were hurrying about to fill the orders of the Knights. It was hard to imagine that each of those boys was training to be accepted into the Order. When Reynard and Addison had enrolled it had never seemed so crowded. “As a matter of fact I think what I remember is that you had a bad habit of spilling drinks and dropping bowls.” He turned his attention back to Addison with a grin.
“That’s precisely why I didn’t like it. I wasn’t good at it!” He laughed and shrugged. “Pretty stupid skill to need to learn if you ask me. We haven’t exactly had to balance many plates on our arms, have we?” Reynard’s grin turned into a smirk. It was fun to get Addison defensive about his shortcomings. They were so few and far between and Addison took the ribbing so good-naturedly that it was innocent enough amusement. The blonde haired knight pushed the cracked shells of nuts he had eaten into a pile. Reynard reached over and flicked one up at his friend’s face.
“It was meant to teach us humility and respect. I don’t think the Order actually intended for us to be waiting tables.” Addison smiled broadly.
“Well, it didn’t really work did it?”
“Not for you in any case,” Reynard admitted. Addison feigned a frown and swatted the shells into Reynard’s direction.
“You aren’t the paragon of humility yourself, you know.” Reynard opened his mouth to respond when the knight in training approached the table with their drinks. The two knights gave the younger boy a nod of appreciation. Reynard went to continue his joking with Addison but fell silent when he noticed Addison’s attention was on the still present boy.
“Can I help you?” Reynard asked brusquely, turning his body so that he was facing the boy who had been standing behind him. He was a plump boy with straggly hair and crooked teeth. He seemed nervous, though he couldn’t be faulted that. Reynard recalled how in awe of the Knights he had been when he was training.
“Are you…” The boy started and then stopped.
“Are we the most handsome Knights in the Order? Why, yes!” Addison filled in. The attempt to soothe the boy’s nerves didn’t seem to work one way or the other. Reynard frowned.
“Are you Sir Reynard?”
“Yes, I am.” His chest was tight with suspicion. How did he know his name? He wasn’t famous by any means. He and Addison had only a few years under their belts. What did this boy know of him? His answer in the affirmative seemed to bolster the boy’s hopes. He brightened and took in a deep, excited breath.
“You were lowborn before this, right? A farmer’s son?”
“A farmer’s third son,” Reynard corrected tensely. “That life has no bearing on who I am now. It doesn’t matter.” From the corner of his eye he saw Addison’s disapproval at his harsh tone. This was likely some jest. One of the Knights that graduated around the same time as them must have put the boy up to it. Reynard had thought they were all over the fact of his low status. It had been years. He was a Knight of the Order of the Hound now. Apparently the smell of pigs permeated deeper than anything else.
“I wanted to say… thank you. If you hadn’t become a knight I don’t think any of us would’ve known we could do it. There’s more lowborn to nobles in the training now, Sir Reynard. I just… well, I wanted to let you know it means a lot that you were so brave. You’re a hero. I just wanted to say that… that I hope history remembers you as one.” The boy ducked his head and retreated before Reynard could properly respond. It took him a moment to recover. His heart was beating hard against his chest. He closed his mouth when he realized it had been hanging open and turned himself back around in his seat. Addison was leaning on the table with his elbow, his chin supported by his hand. He was smiling warmly and it took Reynard by surprise to see what looked like tears in the once prince’s eyes.
“Can you believe that?” Reynard attempted to say in a joking manner. Addison nodded solemnly.
“Yes.”
CHALLENGE: Rum Raisin 12. guide ; Flavor of the Day: axiomatic (self-evident; obvious).
WORD COUNT: 767
RATING: PG
NOTES: This happens some point after their first adventure and before their adventure when they find Bliss. Just thought Reynard deserved a little building up for himself :)
“Remember when that was us? Oh, the good old days.” Addison sighed nostalgically. Reynard snorted.
“I don’t remember you being particularly fond of this particular task.” He leaned back in his seat and glanced down the aisle that separated the tables. Boys of various ages were hurrying about to fill the orders of the Knights. It was hard to imagine that each of those boys was training to be accepted into the Order. When Reynard and Addison had enrolled it had never seemed so crowded. “As a matter of fact I think what I remember is that you had a bad habit of spilling drinks and dropping bowls.” He turned his attention back to Addison with a grin.
“That’s precisely why I didn’t like it. I wasn’t good at it!” He laughed and shrugged. “Pretty stupid skill to need to learn if you ask me. We haven’t exactly had to balance many plates on our arms, have we?” Reynard’s grin turned into a smirk. It was fun to get Addison defensive about his shortcomings. They were so few and far between and Addison took the ribbing so good-naturedly that it was innocent enough amusement. The blonde haired knight pushed the cracked shells of nuts he had eaten into a pile. Reynard reached over and flicked one up at his friend’s face.
“It was meant to teach us humility and respect. I don’t think the Order actually intended for us to be waiting tables.” Addison smiled broadly.
“Well, it didn’t really work did it?”
“Not for you in any case,” Reynard admitted. Addison feigned a frown and swatted the shells into Reynard’s direction.
“You aren’t the paragon of humility yourself, you know.” Reynard opened his mouth to respond when the knight in training approached the table with their drinks. The two knights gave the younger boy a nod of appreciation. Reynard went to continue his joking with Addison but fell silent when he noticed Addison’s attention was on the still present boy.
“Can I help you?” Reynard asked brusquely, turning his body so that he was facing the boy who had been standing behind him. He was a plump boy with straggly hair and crooked teeth. He seemed nervous, though he couldn’t be faulted that. Reynard recalled how in awe of the Knights he had been when he was training.
“Are you…” The boy started and then stopped.
“Are we the most handsome Knights in the Order? Why, yes!” Addison filled in. The attempt to soothe the boy’s nerves didn’t seem to work one way or the other. Reynard frowned.
“Are you Sir Reynard?”
“Yes, I am.” His chest was tight with suspicion. How did he know his name? He wasn’t famous by any means. He and Addison had only a few years under their belts. What did this boy know of him? His answer in the affirmative seemed to bolster the boy’s hopes. He brightened and took in a deep, excited breath.
“You were lowborn before this, right? A farmer’s son?”
“A farmer’s third son,” Reynard corrected tensely. “That life has no bearing on who I am now. It doesn’t matter.” From the corner of his eye he saw Addison’s disapproval at his harsh tone. This was likely some jest. One of the Knights that graduated around the same time as them must have put the boy up to it. Reynard had thought they were all over the fact of his low status. It had been years. He was a Knight of the Order of the Hound now. Apparently the smell of pigs permeated deeper than anything else.
“I wanted to say… thank you. If you hadn’t become a knight I don’t think any of us would’ve known we could do it. There’s more lowborn to nobles in the training now, Sir Reynard. I just… well, I wanted to let you know it means a lot that you were so brave. You’re a hero. I just wanted to say that… that I hope history remembers you as one.” The boy ducked his head and retreated before Reynard could properly respond. It took him a moment to recover. His heart was beating hard against his chest. He closed his mouth when he realized it had been hanging open and turned himself back around in his seat. Addison was leaning on the table with his elbow, his chin supported by his hand. He was smiling warmly and it took Reynard by surprise to see what looked like tears in the once prince’s eyes.
“Can you believe that?” Reynard attempted to say in a joking manner. Addison nodded solemnly.
“Yes.”