Akahana's stomach grumbled hungrily as she watched Darby set out plates full of steaming meat, simmering vegetable broth, and whole grain sandwiches that had strawberry jam oozing slightly from their crevices. The entire room was filled with so many unfamiliar yet delicious smells that it flooded Akahana's nostrils and stunned her.
"Dig in everyone!" Darby said, and the other Vikings took to their plates eagerly. Gjurd and Maiken bit into their food with fervor, as Hakon watched disapprovingly, book in hand as he picked at his food with a fork. Eira smiled at Maiken's rambunctiousness as she carefully cut her steak open with a knife, and giggled as Maiken got some jam on her cheek. Kanin absentmindedly stirred her broth as she looked at Takahiro with a longing gaze. Darby oversaw it all with an amused and content smile as she took a hearty gulp of her mug, as Dagfinn sat beside her, clearly bored.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Akahana was broken out of her stupor, Asmund, looking at her expectantly. "Your friends are already feasting." He nodded to Ryota, Takahiro, and Stormfeather.
Akahana smiled nervously. "Sorry, I was a little surprised. There are a lot of smells around here, and I got overwhelmed."
Asmund smirked. "Darby does have a way with her cooking that sweeps people off of their feet." He twirled his fork. "Go on." Akahana nodded, and grasped a fork, and she tore off a chunk of the steak. She chewed on the sizzled flesh, and wonderful sensations flooded her mouth. "Well?"
"It's amazing." Akahana licked her lips. "You were right. Darby's a great cook!" She carved another piece of the meat and gnawed on it, and Asmund chuckled.
"Trust me. She's the best of the best." He took a sip of his broth. "So, how do you like it here so far?"
"It's wonderful." Akahana replied. "It's a dream come true."
"Believe me, I know the feeling." Asmund said. "I remember when I first passed the test. The best day of my life."
"You sure about that?" Maiken called from across the table. "I remember you getting your butt kicked." She cackled, and the others tittered.
"Well, I don't remember that particularly..." Asmund flushed an embarrassed tinge of pink.
"You sure?" Maiken asked. "Hey, Darbs, do you remember who fought Asmund?"
"Ah, let me think." Darby tapped her chin, before her eyes lit up. "Oh! Yes, I remember now. Asmund was fighting against Erik." She sighed fondly. "I can still remember how Asmund kept fighting, even as he had bruises all over."
Asmund's face grew even redder. "Okay, maybe I did have a hard time. But what did you expect me to do when Erik charged at me?"
"Move out of the way, for starters." Dagfinn remarked, and Asmund crossed his arms, flustered.
"But, you could imagine the surprise on our faces when he managed to defeat Erik." Darby said. "Now that was something worth remembering more than the errors." At that, Asmund's chagrin lessened, and he regained his composure.
"Thanks, Darby." He said.
"No problem, kjære." She winked. "Anyways," She said. "I have something for everyone." She reached into her pocket, pulling out a six-sided wooden die.
"A die?" Akahana asked.
"It's for a simple game. We'll each take turns tossing this die; if it's over three, then we can ask our new members a question. If it's three or below, then they can ask us a question."
"That sounds fun." Ryota wiped the jam from his mouth. "Let's play."
"Alright then, I'll roll first." Darby said, shaking the dice in her hands, before tossing it out onto the table. It tumbled before stopping, and a six was on the top side. Darby clapped her hands. "Just what I wanted. Now," she turned to look at the three of them, "how do you know how to fight they way you do?"
"Oh," Akahana dusted the crumbs off her cheek. "My brother was the one who taught me how to fight. He had to teach me in secret though; my father wasn't too keen on the idea of me fighting."
"Why's that?" Eira asked.
"I was supposed to be married, instead of becoming a hero." Akahana said. "But I decided to come here, and prove him wrong by becoming a Viking."
"Well, you definitely proved him wrong." Maiken said. "Imagine if he could see you now. I'd bet he'd fall over from the shock."
Akahana giggled. "He probably would."
"Eh, I didn't really have one person to teach me." Ryota said. "I mostly learned how to fight by watching the monster hunters that were hired to protect our village. Some were willing to show me how to, and some weren't. When I got my own weapon, I practiced with it until my skills were good."
"I had multiple mentors as well." Takahiro smiled proudly. "True masters at the ways of the blade. From them, I learned how to fight with grace and power."
"Then how come you lost that one round?" Hakon asked, and Takahiro reddened with embarrassment. "If you had the best of the best, I would expect you to have defeated me that one time."
"W-well..." Takahiro scratched the back of his neck. "I-I..."
"He was getting used to his new weapons." Ryota cut in. "Believe me, he's much more skilled than that little fight you two had."
"Y-yes..." Takahiro muttered. "That's exactly the reason."
"Hm. I see." Hakon scooped another spoon full of broth. "Well, now that you've proven that you can fight with them, I expect that you'll be an excellent warrior out in the field."
"I hope so too." Takahiro said, his redness simmering down. "Thanks." He whispered to Ryota, and the fox coyly smiled and winked.
"No problem, prince." He murmured back. "Now, who's turn is it?"
"Why, Dagfinn's," Darby smiled, grabbing the dice and offering it to Dagfinn. "Go and roll."
"I'd rather not." Dagfinn mumbled, but a pleading look from Darby made him groan. "Alright, fine." He rolled his eyes as he tossed the die onto the table. It landed on a one, and Dagfinn sighed. "Ask away, then."
"Oh! I have one." Ryota cleared his throat. "Why are you such a pessimist most of time?"
"I don't know. Maybe because I'm constantly being annoyed by everything most of time." He responded. "There's your answer." He grabbed the die and gave it to Eira. "Your turn."
"O-oh! Okay...I'll go." Eira jumbled the die in her palms before casting it. It rolled on a five, and Eira smiled. "Alright then, a question." She pondered for a few seconds before her eyes lit up. "Here's one; what do your names mean, and why were they given to you?"
"That's an interesting question." Takahiro remarked. "Why are you asking?"
"Knowing someone's name can help in getting to know them better, in a way." Eira said. "Names are a part of character, aren't they?"
"Huh." Ryota said. "Well, if you really wanna know, my name means stout." He ripped a sandwich in half as he spoke. "My parents named me that in an ironic way, because when I was born, I wasn't a healthy kid. They weren't even sure that I'd make it through the night." He chuckled. "But here I am, defying expectations." He gestured to himself proudly.
"That's neat." Eira said. "And what about you two?" She asked.
"Well, since I have the blood of nobility in my veins, my name of course means nobility." Takahiro proudly declared. "Quite simple."
"Kinda like your brain." Ryota murmured teasingly.
"Not true." Takahiro mumbled, blushing.
"What about you, Akahana?" Eira asked. "What does your name mean?"
"It means red flower." Akahana said. "My mother named me after the red lilies that grew in our garden, and my father called me his little water lily." She chuckled softly.
"That's sweet." Eira said. "Your father sounds like a kind man."
"He is." Akahana sighed. "And I miss him. But he would never allow me to become what I always wanted to be had I stayed with him."
"That's too bad." Maiken said. "I think he'd be proud that you're here."
"You think so?" Akahana asked.
"Heck yeah." Maiken replied. "Hey, ain't it my turn?" She asked.
"Y-yeah." Eira said.
"Gimme." She opened her palm. "I wanna ask something!"
Eira giggled, "Here you go." She dropped the die into Maiken's outstretched paw.
"Alright, here it goes!" Maiken shook her hands eagerly before flinging it onto the table. It rattled as it spun, before it landed on a two. "Huh. Not what I was expecting, but I don't mind." Maiken yawned. "So, what do you guys wanna ask me?"
"First off, how did you learn how to fight like that?" Ryota asked. "I've never seen anyone use their fists or legs like that."
"Oh, that?" Maiken said. "That's from having to grow up in the countryside of Oppdrettsby. My family were monster wranglers, protecting the other farmers and their crops from any monsters who would try to destroy them. Needless to say, I was quite the wrangler." She smirked proudly.
"And quite the rabble rouser too." Darby added. "Believe me when I say that I had never seen such a wild spirit before. She was picking fights left and right with the other farmers!" She guffawed heartily. "In the course of one day, she took down five, and then the day after, eight!" Laughter echoed around the table, and Maiken blushed shyly.
"You really have to describe me like that, Darbs?" She said. "I know was a troublemaker, but I don't remember punching a lot of people. Only those who pissed me off."
"And how many was that?" Dagfinn raised an eyebrow.
"Well..." Maiken paused. "Okay, maybe Darbs described me right." She cracked a smile. "I couldn't help it, honestly! I was always itching to fight something."
"I guess that's something to expect, seeing as you are descended from rough and rowdy folk." Eira smiled.
"Yeah, definitely." Maiken said. "But I'm a different person now, right Darbs?"
Darby tilted her head in thought. "I'm still deciding on that. But compared to when I first met you, you've definitely become a little more tame."
"See? Told ya." Maiken leaned back in her chair. "Whew, that was a long answer. Who's turn is it now?"
"Oh! Me!" Gjurd said. "I wanna go!"
"Knock yourself out." Maiken threw the die into Gjurd's eager hands.
"Okay, okay! Here I go!" Gjurd blew his breath on the die and t it, tossed it. The die clattered onto the wooden surface and as it rested, it landed on a four. "Yes!" He pumped his fist into the air. "Now, what to ask..." He rubbed his hands together, before an idea lit up in his eyes. "Oh! I know one!" He cleared his throat. "So, what are your guys' favorite foods?"
"Millions of potentially more interesting questions, and you pick what food they like the most?" Dagfinn asked.
"I mean...it's a valid question still, right?" Gjurd responded, and Dagfinn rolled his eyes. "Anyways, I wanna know."
"Well, I personally enjoy miso." Takahiro said. "It's a soup made from soybeans that I ate before I came here." He explained.
"Cool! What about you?" He asked Akahana.
"My favorite food are rice cakes." She admitted. "They are really sweet."
"Eh, I just like eating whatever." Ryota said. "As long as it's edible, I'll eat it."
"That, I can respect." Gjurd said. "Anyways, that was my question. Who's next?"
"I believe it's me." Hakon spoke. "I would like to try." He grasped the die in one hand and sent it rolling. It stopped on a three, and he shrugged. "Hm. Go on then, ask me a question."
"You said that you were from a royal house, right?" Takahiro asked. "If so, how are you related to the King of the Svellands?"
Hakon looked up from his book. "I'm not sure I understand."
"Well, if your family is apart of the nobility, then they had to have been descended from the main ruler...no?" Takahiro said. "That's how it worked where I'm from." At that, the table burst into snickers. "What?"
"Hakon's not related to the King," Maiken sniggered. "If he was, he'd probably be some freak hybrid!"
"The King is a polar bear." Darby chuckled. "Hakon...isn't."
"Oh..." Takahiro murmured, embarrassed. "My mistake."
"It's fine." Hakon said, cracking a smile. "And to answer your question, my family is related to the King due to my ancestors aiding the first King in his quest to establish peace. As a reward, we were given the status of nobility." He shut his book and laid it on the table. "Now, who's turn is it?"
"I believe it's mine." Kanin said, grabbing the die and pitching it. The die rolled for a little, before it stopped on a five. "Perfect." She leaned forward. "So...what is the one thing about yourself that you think is the best part?" She batted her eyes at Takahiro.
"Hmmmm..." Ryota bit his lip, thinking. "I'd have to say my general sense of humor." He smirked. "Or my general unruliness."
"I think my best trait is that I'm stubborn." Akahana said. "It's gotten me far."
"And what about you, Takahiro?" Kanin asked.
"Well...I believe that my intuition is my foremost feature." He stated. "It's the pinnacle of my pride."
"When you put it like that, it makes you sound smart." Ryota remarked.
"I am though, aren't I?" Takahiro said, and to that, Ryota gave a coy smile.
"Well, I think you are." Kanin said.
"See?" Takahiro said. "Someone else who agrees with me!"
"Can we get moving please?" Dagfinn spoke from across the table. "Most of us have already finished our food and this is getting long."
"Well, I'm afraid that this little game has to end." Darby sighed. "But, we could squeeze in one more question before we clean up."
"Oh yeah, Asmund didn't get to ask one yet." Gjurd said.
"I don't think I have a question to ask, though." Asmund said. "Besides, it is getting rather late, no?"
"Aw, c'mon. It's just a little question." Maiken teased.
"...Fine." Asmund grasped the die and tossed it. It landed on a three, and Asmund grunted. "Ask me a question then." No one spoke. "What? Nothing?"
"Sorry, I don't really have anything." Ryota burped. "I'm too full to think about anything."
"I'm afraid I have nothing either." Takahiro wiped the crumbs off his mouth with a napkin.
"I have one." Akahana said, and Asmund's ears perked up. "How did you win against your fight with Erik?"
"Oh, that?" Asmund said. "Well, it took a lot of resilience to beat him. He was a relentless warrior, and I almost couldn't stand up after his barrages. But, he had a weakness; he always left his underside unprotected, and so, I took advantage of it."
"It was quite the spectacle." Darby added. "You should've seen Erik's face. He was both furious and impressed."
"I'd be impressed too, if I was there." Akahana smiled, and Asmund blushed slightly.
"Thanks." He said.
"Okay, how about we clean up now and get ready for sleep?" Dagfinn interrupted. "We'll need it."
"Oh, yes!" Darby stood up and clapped her hands. "Everyone, please clean up and get ready for your showers!"