Lilith sat at the lunch table in the main dining hall. It wasn't something she did often, as she supposedly had lunch privately with the prince. Although rumor had it that she was just eating alone, because the crown prince had been seen elsewhere during some of their supposed 'Lunch dates'. 

 

Lilith was careful to keep up appearances, lest the rumors get out of control. The women of her entourage all were sworn to secrecy and they all moved and acted in ways to protect Lilith's position. After all, as soon as Lilith became married to the crown prince, their positions were assured as well, but sudden shifts in political fortune have caused a cascade of problems.

 

Lilith had not approved of the 'joke' upon Reed when his date arrived with another man, but the fact was she didn't condemn it either. Since Lucinda and Reed's sister were both 'One of Lilith's', their actions were her actions. Reed's sudden ascending star due to his heroics at the demonic incursion turned Lucinda’s past actions from an amusing story to a matter of serious condemnation.

 

'I'm having a hard time trusting people.'

 

That's what he said when people tried to thank him. While many people have done harm to Reed in the past, everyone focused on what Lucinda did at the party. They felt guilty, so what better way to alleviate that guilt than to blame someone else? Lilith didn't do it. She didn't plan it. She didn't approve it, but she was paying for it.

 

Inwardly she was a nervous wreck.

 

She planned on making a show of punishing Lucinda as a sign of contrition but somehow Reed found out and interrupted, and THEN demanded this meeting. Here. While it was easy to cancel plans with the prince, since he wasn't showing up anyways, it was still awfully presumptive of him to order her to meet, especially in such a public fashion.

 

She succumbed to her nervous habit of chewing on her thumbnail, ~He knows he has me over a barrel. I've been backing his sister who's been torturing him since he got here. What fiendish revenge does he have in store for me? I hope I have prepared for every contingency.~

 

She eyed Reed's sister and Lucinda who were sitting at the far end of the lunch table. If Lilith was on pins and needles, they were being thrown into a haystack of razor blades and knives. The sweat was beading on their foreheads as they knew whatever was to come, they would be the first to be sacrificed.

 

"LILITH!"

 

The tip of her thumbnail snapped off in her mouth. With wide eyes she turned to look across the room. In fact, everyone did.

 

Ryan stood in the main entrance to the dining hall, arms held up and wide as he smiled brightly towards Lilith.

 

"WAAAAAZUP!"

 

Everyone looked back at Lilith.

 

Lilith went white as a ghost.

 

Ryan came walking over briskly, weaving his way through the room to get to her table, "Hey-Lill-LITH! Long time no see!" He held out a fist towards her, "Exploding Fist Bump!" She recoiled and stared at the fist, then back up at Ryan. Ryan just held the fist out and shook it a little, "C'mon. Don't leave me hangin'."

 

"What?" Lilith was completely out of her element. She was ready for many things, but not for this. She knew she had already lost control of the situation and it was not coming back any time soon.

 

Ryan sighed and gestured to his fist, "You make a fist." He held up another fist, "And I make a fist." He brought them together, "And when they meet-" He then made an explosion sound and had his two hands 'explode' away from one another. He smiled, "Exploding Fist Bump." He held out his fist to her again, "Now you try."

 

She looked around at everyone. Everyone was looking back. She forced herself to remain calm and made a small fist that she gently touched against Ryan's fist and then 'Exploded' it, except she didn't make an explosion sound. She said, "Boom."

 

Ryan had his fist 'explode' with a proper explosion sound, but paused when he heard her say, 'Boom'. He blinked then burst out laughing, "Boom???" He snorted and chuckled, "Boom! Oh my god! You are hysterical! Who knew you were this funny?" He backed up, grabbed a chair from a nearby table, spun it around as he dragged it over and sat in it backwards, "Hey. Thanks for coming on short notice. Means a lot."

 

Lilith looked at Ryan like HE was about to explode, but managed to keep her apprehension to a minimum, "Well... How could I refuse?" Ryan waggled his head side to side for a bit then said, "By telling me to go piss up a rope? That would have worked."

 

The term 'mortified' does not even come close to describing the reaction of all the ladies sitting at Lilith's table.

 

Ryan straightened up and looked towards the kitchen. He raised two fingers to his mouth and let out a loud, ear-piercing whistle, "Yo!" A servant at the door nodded, leaned inside the door and motioned. Out came three waiters. One held a dome covered tray, one with a large, covered ceramic bowl, the other came out with forks, spoons, serving bowls and small plates.

 

Lilith just watched as the three men started to set things up in front of her. Ryan took a deep breath then let it out, "Ah look. I know that things haven't always been the best between us. Especially after what happened a few months ago..."

 

The waiter lifted up the dome to reveal a cake, but a cake like Lilith had never seen. It was covered in brown frosting with black shavings on top. Next to it was revealed some sort of white creamy substance with brown globs in it. She held out a hand towards it and she could feel the cold coming from the bowl.

 

Ryan scratched the back of his head, "Sooo... I came to apologize and ask for your forgiveness. It was very rude of me. It was not intentional. And... Well... I'm sorry."

 

Lilith looked at Ryan and blinked, "I..."

 

Ryan snapped his fingers, "Ah. This?" He gestured at the table, "A peace offering. Made 'em myself." He pointed to the cake, "Presenting Death By Chocolate. You have no idea how long it took to order the ingredients." She blanched, ~He's blatantly trying to kill me???~ Ryan then pointed to the bowl, "And what is cake without ice cream? Specifically vanilla ice cream with globs of cookie dough." He then put his hand to the side of his mouth and spoke in a stage whisper, "The hard part is making the cookie dough without eggs."

 

Lilith just nodded slightly. Ryan gestured to the first servant, "Rack'em up!" Then pointed at Lilith, "She gets the first bite."

 

Lilith looked on in horror as a triple layer slice of chocolate cake, covered in frosting, and dark chocolate shavings was placed before her. Ryan smiled softly, "It's also called devil's food." Lilith froze in terror.

 

Ryan looked at her and either didn't notice, or didn't care about how scared she was. He motioned to encourage her, "Trust me! Take a bite." Lilith looked around. Everyone was staring at her. She stared back at Ryan, ~He... this... it's a joke. He's just messing with me. He wouldn't actually kill me. So... I will play his game.~

 

She picked up a fork, sliced off a small piece, carefully lifted it to her mouth and took a bite.

 

Everyone froze.

 

Lilith's eyes went wide, then she slowly closed them. A number of Lilith's followers' jaws dropped open as they thought he had really killed her.

 

Lilith let out a moan.

 

Everyone looked a little puzzled. Ryan simply said, "Well?"

 

Lilith swallowed and let out a little gasp, "What was that?" She sliced off a much bigger piece this time and popped it in her mouth, getting some of the filling this time. Ryan gestured, "Death By Chocolate. It... doesn't actually kill you... well... it could... but that's very rare." The other ladies looked askant at Ryan, "But so worth the risk. It is the most chocolatey thing known to mankind."

 

Lilith was already onto her fifth bite and looked at him with chipmunk cheeks, "Dis 'ish incred'bul!" Ryan held up a finger, "Ah ah ah..." He took out a spoon and dug into the ice cream to get a glob of dough on it, "Make sure to clear the palate between bites. It allows you to savor the flavor more." He offered the spoon to Lilith. Every single pair of eyes in the room bugged out.

 

Ryan... was daring... to feed food... to the CROWN PRINCE'S FIANCEE.

 

Lilith looked at the spoon. Normally, she wouldn't even have dreamed of eating, but this food was incredible. She swallowed the cake in her mouth, then wrapped her lips around the ice cream. Ryan let go of the spoon, to leave it sticking out of Lilith's mouth.

 

Every other mouth in the entire room dropped open.

 

Lilith reached up to take the spoon out of her mouth, rolling the ice cream and dough around a bit then nodded, "That... that..." She looked at him, "That's good. That's..." She took a small bite of cake, then a small scoop of ice cream, then nodded to Ryan, "You are right. It... it's so much better when you alternate." She giggled a little, "It's amazing."

 

Ryan smiled and leaned back, spreading his hands, "So... Do you accept my apology?"

 

Lilith swallowed what was in her mouth and eyed Ryan, "Umm... I'm going to be honest here. I... don't remember what you are talking about."

 

Ryan looked around, "Oh. Uh... C'mon. I'm... too embarrassed. Don't make me say it out loud."

 

Lilith looked like she was trying to remember, then her eyebrows shot up, "OH." She cleared her throat, "THAT." Ryan looked away, "Yeeeaaaahhhhh... THAT." He rubbed the back of his head, "So... uh..."

 

Many people were starting to ask each other what 'THAT' could have been, but Lilith had managed to keep a lid on the incident in question, ~Let them wonder.~ She smiled at Ryan, "Very well. Apology accepted." Ryan smiled brightly and held out a hand, "So, we're even Steven?"

 

Lilith looked at the offered hand and put down her fork. She took his hand and shook it with a single pump, "Even Steven... indeed." Ryan squeezed back, "Thanks. That's a load off my mind." He got up and spun his hair around and gave it a shove with his foot. It slid back into place at its original table.

 

Lilith looked a little saddened, "Are... you leaving?" Ryan paused, "Just... came to apologize. The cake and ice cream is yours." He gestured to the rest of the table, "Share it with your friends! Enjoy yourselves!" He pointedly gestured towards Lucinda and his sister. Lilith didn't miss the implication, ~Why you tricky devil.~

 

Ryan started to back away, "I'm a fifth wheel anyways... I'm rude... I pick my nose... I'm covered in fleas..." He held up his hands to the side of his face and wiggled them in a way that gave the impression of insects leaping off of him.

 

Lilith cleared her throat, "Well, yes. You are certainly being rude by bringing such a delightful treat yet refusing to share it with us." She gave Ryan a slight pout, "I'm hurt."

 

Ryan froze, glanced about then shrugged, "Well... I guess... I can't hurt your feelings, right after we buried the hatchet, can I?" One of the ladies sitting near Lilith moved her chair to the side to make room. Ryan paused to reach into his pocket and fished out three coins that he dropped in the coat pockets of all three servants, "Have a beer on me after work." and hit the last one on the arm before he pulled his chair back over.

 

Lilith eyed Ryan curiously, "What... was that?"

 

Ryan gestured and the servant happily sliced off some cake and the other prepared a bowl of ice cream. Ryan looked at Lilith, "What... the tip?"

 

"Tip?"

 

Ryan nodded, "Yeah. Tip. A little something extra for going above and beyond the call of duty."

 

Lucinda chimed in, "Why would you pay them to do their jobs?"

 

Ryan looked at her, then up at the servant who was handing him a bowl of ice cream, "Excuse me. Is this bowl of ice cream made with love?"

 

The servant gave his shirt pocket containing his tip a pat as he smiled at Ryan, "All the love, sir." Then paused to poke a smiley face in the ice cream with a spoon, "ALL the love."

 

Ryan looked back at Lucinda as he scooped up some ice cream and put it in his mouth, "Mmm... Mmm... MMM!” He gave her a wink, “Don’t you know?”

 

"Love costs extra."