The Kingmaker's Game (Invite-Only)

[Kingdom of Derita]

Jean felt a bit bashful at Kanatus’ words, and he was happy to know that he couldn’t heart the sound of his heart beat pounding like a drum in his chest. How was it that in one breath Kanatus could be so harsh and cruel and in the next make Jean want to melt into a puddle of goo on the floor? The man claimed to have no experience in romance, yet he certainly knew exactly what to say. But that was something Jean wasn’t sure he’d like to question.

Jean studied the plate as it was settled before him. It smelled delicious and he recognized most of the food items on the plate but he pointed to the poronkaristy with the tongs is fork. “Oh, what’s this?”

[Patuania]

Kanatus looked up from his plate, mid chew of the sautéed meet. He hasn’t waited a moment once the server had set down the plate, taking his utensils and digging into the meal. It was one of his favorite, and a otherwise popular dish in Patuania, though it wasn’t the most popular in the country. He was saving that for the second course, between the main meal and dessert. Kanatus finished chewing and down our with the rest of his wine, snapping his fingers for the first of the servers to refill his glass.

As the server hastily did so, Kanatus spoke around them, gesturing to Jean’s plate with his knife like it was an extension of his index finger. “Oh, try it. You will love it. Its reindeer,” Kanatus said, smiling face to himself. “It’s the best game meat there is. Voarok shot this one himself earlier today.”

Reindeer were quite common in the forests of Patuania, particularly so in the summer months when their population regularly exploded past capacity levels, due to several over abound any decades following the great collapse, which was why in the summer and fall months the creatures were regularly hunted and consumed. They had become quite the popular food dish over the years.

[Kingdom of Derita]

Jean froze mid bite, he had skewered a bit of the sautéed flesh on his fork and was indeed finding it quite delicious when Kanatus finished his sentence, informing him of precisely what creature he was eating. Jean was stunned, and for a moment he was certain that Kanatus had to joking, playing some sort of prank on him. But then he recalled that this was a man who found dates an exotic chore.

Jean swallowed the rest of his bite, not wishing to be rude and then lookd down at his plate with entirely knew eyes. He looked back at Kanatus, an eyebrow raised and a head full of hope that was indeed being messed with. “Are you serious?” Jean pointed at his plate with his fork. “This is reindeer? You all eat reindeer?” Jean hadn’t even been aware that reindeer lived in Patuania, not that he was any expert on the habitats of animals.

[Patuania]

Kanatus shrugged his shoulders, not quite sure what he’d said to spark such a reaction. Kanatus had tried Deritain dishes before, during his trip to Aukusa City over a year ago, though admittedly he had been more interested in cutting deals and sampling the fine specimen of men that the Celestial Empire had to offer, hence Jean, than the food, though from what he recalled the Deritains had a great fondness for sweet and bready things. Things that were a bit frivolous to Kanatus’ northern taste buds.

“I’m sure not everyone eats it,” Kanatus said, returning his attention back to his food, taking a bite and chewing and swallowing before continuing, “Though most do. It keeps the reindeer population down and it’s delicious, and honestly I’d say that they are missing out. It’s good isn’t it?”

[Kingdom of Derita]

Jean tried to mask his shock as best he could, but found it to be a daunting challenge. He decided for the moment to focus on the rest of his plate rather on the reindeer as he tried to reconcile the dissonance of its taste, not wanting to be rude and the fact that it was reindeer.

“Yes,” Jean said. “But… it’s reindeer.”

[Patuania]

Kanatus furrowed his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders. He wasn’t exactly sure where this conversation was going nor where the hang up was over the meal.

“So? Is it good or not?”