Solivagency - Empires SMP

III

Joel had been quick to go get some food from his many, many kitchens, and upon seeing how fast Xornoth had read their book, decided to get the next few volumes of Overgrown and Undergrove Medical Plants.

He'd never really been one to read. Mostly he read Mythic play scripts and poetry, occasionally fanfiction with Lizzie if they were in a silly mood. The books themselves had been an anniversary gift from Katherine, who had sweetly deposited all fifteen volumes into his arms and wished him and Lizzie a happy future marriage.

The idea that anyone could even be remotely interested in plants and stuff was astounding, it had only been the other day that Joel had discovered that azalea's were poisonous - he'd been completely stunned. He'd soon discovered that it was the reason fWhip and Pix kept declining his tea whenever they came over.

But, Joel had overheard Jimmy blushing to Lizzie about how intelligent Scott was (apparently it was considered very sexy to be intelligent in Oceanic and Codish culture) multiple times, and figured that Xornoth would be as much as a nerd as their sibling. And he was right; the demon lad had gobbled up that plant yada yada as if it was some kind of five star gourmet meal from the best restaurant in Smallhold. So - food and books.

His clones didn't pay attention to his wondering around the library, and he pulled Volume Two, Three and Four off the shelves of his library, just resumed reorganising books and polishing the marble floors. After a quick check in with a dutiful clone watering some azaleas in the courtyard and crossing the mosaic floor too the kitchen, Joel realised he was clueless as to what demons ate.

...would Xornoth be okay with horse meat? Lizzie and Jimmy enjoyed it, but Scott had given them the most shocked and astounded look in existence upon being offered some. Joel decided rather quickly it was a no. He turned back to the massive piles of food on the shelves. Dried kelp... smoked fish... warm bread loaves... sweet berries...

They would be safe with goat or rabbit right? Rivendell had a lot of goats, and they hunted wild rabbits. Joel picked up a plate of rabbit and reheated it, doubled checking there were no spices on, and hurriedly putting some sweet berries on the side. Not quite the epitome of Rivendell cuisine, but it was close enough he guessed.

The rabbit was done, and he pulled it out of the smoker and onto the plate. He bit his lip momentarily - was there anything he was missing?

Joel's gaze flickered around the room, before grabbing some cookies and an apple. You couldn't exactly go wrong with that, could you? He was unsure, but he didn't think he could. Unless cookies meant death in elven culture and he had gravely insulted both Xornoth and four generations of their family line by giving it to them.

Rabbit, sweet berries, cookies and an apple. That... seemed decent? Usually Joel snacked on whatever whenever, gaining his little cuisine knowledge at banquets and balls at other empires or when he went on dates with Lizzie.

He wondered what Lizzie would've done had she found Xornoth. Would she have given them a chance to explain themselves, gone straight for the kill, or delivered them to Rivendell trussed up in chains and a bow? Heck, he wasn't even sure of what she would do if she found Xornoth reading a book in the Matral Palace.

Joel groaned and rubbed his forehead. Politics was unnecessary and difficult, and with a demon involved? Everything just got a thousand times more complicated. He'd have to do some weird shit if he planned on officially granting Xornoth refugee, and then manoeuvre through some intense trials and debates and votes. Lizzie would at least hear him out first, Jimmy and fWhip too, and Katherine and Shelby would want to hear both sides of the story, but everyone else was unpredictable. Too many things that could go wrong.