Warin
Warin and his remaining crew that followed him reached the main feasting hall of Skyhold along with his father the System-lord and the rest who hadn’t been shuffled off to one of the many there waiting feasting halls for the lower ranks. It was a large hall with high walls, designed in the Old Blood fashion by Warin’s own ancestors. The room was lavishly decorated, banners hung against the large walls, and torch light danced throughout the hall from the many tables.
The smell of food hit Warin’s nose as a hundred different dishes lay on the large central table. The hall held only a single large table which went from one end to the other. The room could hold several such tables but his own ancestors had removed them to favor the Fabian fashion of dining which had become common when the Old Blood had begun to adopt the Fabian Faith.
Warin was not a fan of the Fabian fashion. He believed in the Old Ways of his more distant and ancient ancestors. Those ancestors which had crossed the Nord Void like Taryn Ice Aegis, and conquered Skyhold and the north of the Dragon’s Head Nebula. Those ancestors who had once ruled as kings in their own right. He also liked the chaos and chatter of a large hall full of guests. The drunken mishaps, laughs and jokes which could only be done when rank and title held almost no meaning. When people sat together as equals.
The Fabians forgot how to live, and they forgot that lords of the realms were not the only ones who deserved a good meal, or that they rested on the shoulders of those they deemed beneath them.
There were barely more than a dozen left from Warin’s crews. Each of them of either noble rank or tied to one through family bonds. People like his friend and once ward to Lord Ice, Aslaug Vault, granddaughter of System-lord Vault of Brightstone. The captain’s of the ‘Talon’, and ‘Umbrian Pride’, as well as a handful of the senior commanders from the three frigates, along with Ozma and others once employed by the System-lord to protect Warin.
Warin felt almost jealous of the others who had been funneled off to many of the other feasting halls throughout Skyhold. Those halls would be filled with great laughter and fun, as everyday people ate and drank expensive foods and drinks. He often would sneak away to those halls in his youth to escape the boredom of the great hall of Skyhold.
The hall was filled with at least two dozen people already seated around the massive table as Warin and the other continued through the great hall. Warin knew some of them, distant family members, as well as those of his father’s court sat scattered around the large table. Minor lords and nobles, and family friends.
The System-lord of Holderness had a joy of all things expensive, but he also had a larger joy in sharing those things and experiences with others. Warin could see the dishes scattered over the table. He could see food from all over the Commonwealth, and his mouth watered. Dishes from dozens of worlds, expensive and rare foods and drinks which came from outside the Commonwealth, and even Fabian Space itself. He saw a large dish from the world of Fabia itself, a dish he had been fond of as a child.
Warin could almost hear his father’s voice in his head as a child. “Everyone deserves the finer things in life. Share your wealth with them, share your food, and share your drinks. You never know how much it might mean to them, and things are always better shared.” It was an oddly Old Blood Furse way of thinking and celebrating, and yet the System-lord kept his circle small, and dined in the Fabian fashion.
The System-lord encouraged the guests to sit, and to try this dish and that dish. He grabbed a bottle, and poured drinks as he made his way around the table to his own high seat. Warin knew some of the dishes were worth more than half the crew would see in a year with what he could pay them. The table, with its fine carved surface from a single massive tree, likely cost more than what Warin had paid for all three frigates.
The evening went well into the night, what could be considered night for a space station. The System-lord encouraged his guests to drink and sample dish after dish as the night went on. Warin’s crew and the other guests complimented and savored the dishes and drinks to the pleasure of the System-lord.
“This has to be the best damn drink I’ve ever had,” The captain of the Talon said.
“That my dear captain,” System-lord Walter said, and raised his cup. “That is a 10,000 year old bottle of mead from the world of Sigtuna in Furse Space.”
“Fuck me,” Warin heard someone blurt out, and looked around at the faces closest to him as people looked at their own cups in shock. Warin smiled to himself as he took a long sip of the drink. It was smooth and just a little bit sweet. He tilted the cup back and drained the contents of the drink.
“After Skyhold was sacked I vowed to never let things go to waste. No point holding onto something for someone else to enjoy. Plus it is much better to share with friends.” The System-lord raised his cup which was followed through by others. “All of us, and the 300 other bottles spread out around the station will forever be bonded with the memory of the first time we enjoyed a bottle of Sigtuna Fire and Ice Mead. Let them be good memories.
A chorus of cheers and agreements went around the table as the System-lord, and others drank the mead in their cups, and Warin refilled his.
“I might have to go find one of those bottles,” someone said from down the table, which brought more joy to the System-lord.
“No need, no need,” The System-lord said with a light single clap. “I may have held several back for the guests of this table,” He told them with an almost childlike joy.
The drinking went well into what were late hours for even Skyhold. Warin knew that morning crews and staff throughout Skyhold would be starting their shifts, and Warin and his crew were well past their regular hours. Several members had to be carried out. and all of Warin’s father’s guests had long departed.
“Do you mind if I ask you about King Oswald lord?” Warin heard Beth ask his father. He felt his body sink a bit at the mention of the king, and turned in his seat to say something.
“No, No” System-lord Walter said quickly with both hands waving back and forth before Warin could speak.
“Not even one?” Beth continued, and Warin placed a hand on her shoulder.
The System-lord slammed his fists into the table. “No!” He shouted, and all noise from those who remained died down. The System-lord recovered quickly and looked at Beth with a smile. “I just mean, why ruin a good time and talk politics?” he said as he realized eyes were on him.
The System-lord stood. “I am sorry. I am old and have had too much. Please forgive me. Enjoy the rest of the evening.” He said and turned to Warin. “I hope you will visit me tomorrow,” he said with a nod and then turned to rush out.
Warin could feel the eyes on him, and grabbed his drink to take a sip. “He’s right.” Warin said and slung his boots up onto the table. “He is old,” he said and took a sip. “And I’ll bet he’s been plastered since we arrived in the system.”
Warin let out a small chuckle. “Not bad for an old fuck,” he said with a second chuckle and raised his cup. “To my father. For his kindness to outlaws of Holderness,” Warin said with a slight grin and raised his cup before he took another longer sip.
