Peeking from behind a pillar, Anwen could not believe her ears or eyes. The things she heard and saw seemed too absurd to be real. She had always had suspicions regarding her father, but none of them were that his ancestry hailed from the aliens that had ravaged her home for centuries.
Gareth has Titanian blood, she thought, her natural leg having become weak like rubber as she backed away from a pillar, needing to give herself some space after eavesdropping on nearly the entirety of Gareth’s confrontation with the Anbieter. And so does that man behind the mask.
Were the words she heard true? Did Gareth really originate from Titan? Nothing about him gave away that he could’ve been Titanian in any way, besides his strength, skill and intelligence. He looked like any other man. Nothing from the outside could’ve hinted at him being one. Unless he had carefully put in effort to hide his alien features, such as porcelain, indestructible glass skin and piercing, unnaturally blue eyes. But that was nothing like him. He might’ve been secretive, but putting effort into anything besides his crusade against what she now assumed to be his brethren was unthinkable. He hid much, but he never had to lie.
“Are you daydreaming or something?” an annoyed feminine voice said from behind. Anwen realized she was standing between the pillar and a wall which was around the corner from a storage room. Seeing the girl gripping the handles of a small handcart, Anwen frowned in embarrassment. “I have places to go.”
“Oh, s-sorry,” Anwen stammered. “I’ll get out of the way.”
“Thanks,” the girl said. “What were you doing, anyway?”
“I—I was…”
I can’t tell this girl what I was up to.
“Ah, forget that. I’m actually glad to see another girl in this damn place. I can’t be mad at you.”
“Me too,” Anwen said. “Not a lot of us here.”
“If you’re not busy, we can walk up the storage room together.” the girl, who was a little bit older and taller than Anwen said.
“Sure,” Anwen agreed. “Do you mind if I ask what you have in that cart?”
“Nothing in it right now,” she answered. “Just need to do some of the monthly provisions inventory. The Anbieter assigned me to do it since us Glacial Landers have a knack for keeping count of our resources. Well, apparently more than other northerners, anyway.”
“I don’t think I’ve seen you before,” Anwen noted. “Or anyone else from the Glacial Lands, to be honest.”
“That’s because I spend most of my time around the medics’ quarters. But I’m sure you’ve met Meinrad, haven’t you?”
That’s the boy who brought me to Stefan when we came back to Marius.
“Yeah, I have. Do you know him?”
“Know him? We grew up together. There’s only us three Glacial Landers in this whole group—myself, Meinrad and a guy named Detlef from another village.”
“So, there aren’t a lot of people like you here, then.”
“Yep. I can also say the same for you, right?”
“I guess you can.” Anwen shrugged, knowing that southerners were an even rarer occurrence in the Black Shield than northerners of the Glacial Lands.
“Good,” the girl patted her on the back. “That means we’ve got to stick together.”
The girls pushed through the swinging doors of the food storage room, where there were met with shelves lining all three of the tall walls. Some of the cubbies were filled with ceramic pots, filled with salted and smoked meat. But most of them—the majority of them, in fact, were empty.
“Well, that’s been a quick inventory check,” the girl sighed. “You mind helping me fill that cart with these pots?”
“Not at all.” Anwen responded.
It took 10 minutes to fill the cart with the remaining pots of meat, which was then hauled out of the room.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“So, where are we going to take these?” Anwen asked.
“To the Anbieter. He’ll decide if it’s time to have another replenishment. Judging by what we have here, that’ll have to happen.”
“Will we have to bring it all back into that room?”
“Nope, we bring them to Jay. We have a small feast at the end of each month with our remaining provisions where Jay cooks some of the dishes from his homeland.”
Southerner food?
“Sounds exciting. I’ve never had southern food, to be honest.”
“Oh, really? Well, judging by your accent, I’m guessing you never spent much time there. But you’ll be in for a treat.”
The cart was soon brought to the Anbieter, where he had delivered his decision.
“Looks like we’re due for another hunt, but we can push that concern to tomorrow. Tonight, we’ll be eating well.” he said beneath his mask, although Anwen could easily tell he was smiling, having caught a glimpse of his face shortly before.
-
Anwen sat wide-eyed as a steaming bowl lay in front of her, filled with beef braised in curry and colored by a foreign plant root which she was unfamiliar with.
“I’m glad that some of the farmers near by were kind enough to pass on a few of their goats to us,” Jay said with contentment. “Doesn’t taste nearly as good when it’s made with deer.”
Anwen tore off a piece of the accompanying flatbread which she dipped into the sauce which glazed the mutton. “Whatever it is, I like the aroma.”
“It’s called rogan josh,” Jay said. “Us southerners speak the same language as northerners, more or less, but the name comes from our ancient tongue that our ancestors spoke until the Angels came.”
Anwen smiled.
“I’m glad the food stayed, though. Can’t wait to try it.”
“What are you waiting for?” Jay asked.
Anwen picked up a chunk of mutton using the flatbread and tossed it into her mouth.
It suddenly feels like… I’m somewhere I’ve been before. I know this feeling. But I don’t know what to call it.
“Do all southerners eat this?” Anwen asked, too enamored by the taste to chew before speaking.
“Pretty much. But this is my ma’s recipe, and it’s the best.”
“Your mom must be a really good cook.” Anwen noted.
“It’s one of the ways I remember my family. It reminds me of them when I haven’t been with them in years.” Jay said, his smile having become a tad bit melancholic.
“When we’re free, I think I’ll have to pay her a visit just to try more of this.” Anwen said pleasantly.
“I know she’d love to have you over,” Jay chuckled. “She’d treat you like her daughter. Or maybe… granddaughter? I don’t know. Ah, well, I’ll leave you alone to finish in peace.”
“Thanks!” Anwen said as the older southerner took his leave to fill his own plate after serving the 300-plus soldiers under his supervision.
The girl would not be left alone for much longer. Soon she would be joined by someone she knew longer and was considerably closer to.
“Why aren’t you eating with the other combatants?” Anwen asked Stefan who casually took a spot next to her.
“Doesn’t look like you get to have much company around here in the engineering division,” Stefan chuckled. “Want me to leave?”
“Oh, no, no! Well, Vigdis does eat with me sometimes, but she’s much more of a workaholic than I am, so she’ll only eat when she’s completely done with her tasks. But I’m fine with you staying.”
Stefan jokingly looked over each of his shoulders, then returned his gaze to Anwen’s eyes.
“Doesn’t look like Meinrad’s looking for me. Eh, at a time like this, he’d be with his two Glacial Lander buddies. What’s that thing old people say… birds of a feather stick together? Flock together?”
“Something like that,” Anwen shrugged. “Also… I think I might’ve met one of his friends a little bit earlier. She asked me to help her with the meat inventory earlier.”
“Oh, so you met Klaudia. I’ve met her a few times. I don’t think she likes talking to guys, she can barely tolerate the two of them she’s friends with. It’s a good thing you and her have started talking.”
“We’re more alike than I thought, then.” Anwen giggled.
Stefan paused for a short while before he spoke his next words.
“…Sorry.” he said rather sheepishly.
“Huh?” Anwen wondered. “Why?”
“For doing things that are intolerable to you.” he said, a small frown appearing on his face.
Anwen clamped a hand over her mouth, forcing back the air that caused her cheeks to puff up. But it was ultimately to no avail as she burst out laughing, which she desperately tried to suppress again by covering her mouth with her shirt.
“…Did I say something you didn’t want to hear?” Stefan asked, fearful of being taunted by Anwen like she’d done when they had first met one another.
“No,” Anwen eventually said, dropping the shirt from her mouth. “I think we’re a little cooler now, aren’t we?”
“I… I guess.”
“So let’s not worry about what used to get each other pissed off, then.” she spoke.
“Of—of course.” Stefan agreed. His uncertain frown was replaced by a warm, confident simper.
He’s so much happier than he was a month ago, Anwen thought. How am I going to tell him that Gareth and the Anbieter are Titanians?
Her tension was interrupted by the sounds of Stefan’s stomach growling.
“You have a whole plate of food in front of you,” Anwen remarked. “How could you still be…”
Stefan’s eyes floated down to his somehow empty receptable, which Anwen noticed after her eyes followed his.
“That quickly?”
“I ate most of it on my way here.” Stefan said with a humble tone.
“I guess you can’t help it,” Anwen said. “Here.”
She pushed her half-full plate in front of him, prompting him to stare at her with a furrowed brow.
“This is your dinner. I can’t have this!” Stefan cried.
“I’ll shove it down your throat if you keep trying to act so modest.” Anwen said menacingly.
I’ve heard this tone before. Stefan noted. She sounds like—
“Don’t overthink it, Stefan. Just take a bite at least. You know you need it.” Anwen said, switching to a more polite tone.
Stefan smiled, acknowledging her attempt to understand his dilemma.
“Okay, just a bite.” He relented.
“There we go.” Anwen said pleasantly.