04 - Mulled Cider and Wine; Eel and Root Vegetable Hand Pies; Creamy Cod Chowder

[tisfinished]

1: The Milk Run, docked at Flotsam

Senshi seems unusually focused and far less chatty than usual as he serves up hearty winter fare; in addition to the headline items from this post's title, he has hot tea, coffee and cocoa available as well as pork pies and (as a vegetarian option) mushroom pies and an array of pickled vegetables.

He tries to be friendly as ever, but it's clear something weighs heavily on his mind.

2: The Vault's Practice Halls

Senshi is in need of a sparring partner. He's practicing with axe and shield - curiously, practicing with a cage strapped to his chest - and the poor wooden practice dummies he's been whaling on have been taking a serious beating.

"Think maybe I need an actual opponent," he says, his voice unusually clipped.

3: Solstice Gift-Giving

Beware: if you've done any kindnesses to the weird dwarf that loves to cook with monster meat (even more so than most Flotsam pirates, at any rate) then you're liable to find a box outside your home or apartment door wrapped in a ribbon.

While there is no name identifying who could have left them, the fact that they are exquisite, frosted gingerbread monsters narrows down the possible culprits significantly.

Comments

1 with a side of 3!

[newmemorywhodis]

By this time, Link's more than familiar with Senshi's meals; it doesn't take him long to figure out just who the mysterious gifted of gingerbread is.

Link's not entirely sure of the expectations around this tradition of solstice gift-giving; it's not a tradition present in Hyrule. But returning with a gift of his own seems appropriate - so when Link makes a point of catching Senshi on his next milk run.

He pauses, noticing that Senshi seems...a little more solemn than usual. But maybe that just means he needs a gift even more. Link presses into Senshi's arms a small box, inside which is a freshly baked nutcake.

[tisfinished]

"Thank you," he says, simply. "Kitchen's open, if you want anything."

He opens the package and is, for a moment, taken aback by it.

"You made this?" he asks. "Well. In that case, would you prefer coffee or tea?"

The solemnity is not gone, but it is for the moment lessened.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods. Yes, he made it. But the offer of a drink gets a slightly perplexed head tilt, mainly because Link doesn't actually know one of the options.

"...Coffee?" Link asks - and it's clear that this is a question, not a request.

[tisfinished]

“Never had it before? It’s a stimulant, like tea. Dark, bitter, aromatic. Can stand sweetening and a drop of cream - and excellent with cakes and pastries.”

He raises a cup. “Care to see how it pairs with your fine nut-cake?”

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods his head rapidly. Yes, of course he wants to try it. Link wants to try everything.

But while Senshi prepares the drink, Link looks at the man. He doesn't say anything. But he looks, and there's something in his gaze and in his posture that suggests that Link wants to listen.

He won't insist Senshi talk, of course. Not if he doesn't want to. But if the man wants to talk about just what was weighing on his mind, Link will listen.

[tisfinished]

He sets down both cups, with lumps of sugar and a small jug of milk, and stirs himself in sugar without milk, leaving Link to season his own to his taste as he slices the nutcake.

After a moment of silence, he sighs. “You’ve been briefed on the planned new years fireworks, of course.”

[newmemorywhodis]

Generally, Link would just immediately gulp down the drink in one go. But unusually, he waits. Looks at Senshi, and nods.

Yes, he knows the plan. He was there when it was being debated. Had objected very clearly when some had suggested the farms as a target, in fact. Even though Link almost never spoke up at those meetings, preferring to listen to others speak instead.

[tisfinished]

And Senshi knows that.

“I used to be in a mining team,” Senshi says. “We were supposed to have the full faith and backing of the Empire. We… didn’t, when it mattered the most.”

“Now I’m going to have to go to the mines myself to stop… others from suffering that, if I can.”

His voice is careful, level, and he watches for Link’s expressions, his reactions.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link's expressions are never easy to read. His face tends to be largely blank, his thoughts and feelings only noticeably to those who are very good at reading micro-expressions - or who know him well.

But perhaps Senshi will still be able to pick up those faint hints of sympathy and understanding on Link's face, as he nods his understanding.

"Bad memories," he says softly.

He understands those. All too well.

[tisfinished]

"The only reason I didn't starve was because the others insisted on feeding me first," he says. "I was the youngest."

He cuts a wedge of nut bread for Link, and one for himself.

"To eating," he toasts. "The privilege and duty of the living."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link's no stranger to hunger. In those early days on the Great Plateau, he hadn't yet remembered how to hunt. How to forage. What foods were good to eat, and what weren't. He'd had to relearn that, so there were definitely a few times where he'd ended up hungry.

But there was something truly terrible about that hunger being inflicted on someone else. Not just the result of poor circumstances by change, but of deliberate neglect.

He makes a soft noise of agreement, as he raises his own cup in response to Senshi's toast. Then falls silent for a moment.

Zelda would know what to say. How to use her words to emphasise with Senshi, to speak about the wrongs that were done to him. Link's not Zelda. He never knows what to say; he only knows what he wants to do.

"...I always have food," he says. An offering; Senshi could always come to Link, if he was hungry. Link would be happy to share.