And they smiled wider. I almost expected them to burst into song, to sing about how wonderful the world was and how perfect people were, and love and rainbows and butterflies and puppies. And, of course, cheesy dicks and candlesticks.
They didn’t, but I’m sure it was close.
A feast! they said. A feast for the travelers.
Eloise smiled and decreed it so.
As we were paraded around Tarker Mills, long wooden tables were brought out to the center of town, covered in blue and green tablecloths. We were handed mugs of mead and wine and ushered toward the tables.
Great plates of food were brought out. Cornbread. Corn tortillas. Corn soup. Corn on the cob. Corn casseroles. Cream corn. Corn salad.
“You guys really like your corn,” Ryan said.
“Oh, Knight Commander,” a man laughed. “You’re just being corny.”
Everyone laughed except for us. Because it wasn’t funny.
It was terrifying.
Sex puns I could understand.
Corn puns were beyond my realm of comprehension.
I smiled weakly and ate more corn.
Gary, Tiggy, and Ryan followed suit.
There were about fifty people altogether in Tarker Mills. There didn’t seem to be any children, which I thought was odd. Everyone appeared to be my age or older, and from what I could see, Eloise was the oldest person in the village.
“What brings you this far north?” Eloise asked from her spot at the head of the table.
I looked up and found all eyes on me. I put down my fork slowly and rested my hands on the table. “Our quest,” I said slowly. Because she’d been the one to bring it up first and now she was acting like she didn’t know.
Eloise arched an eyebrow. “Oh? How exciting.”
I smiled at her. “Very. That’s an interesting sash you’re wearing.”
She reached up and touched it briefly. “Thank you. It was handmade here in Tarker Mills.”
A clue! “The detail is very… detailed,” I said. Then I tried to hold back the wince because holy fuck, that was not sub
tle.
Gary groaned, but he was too far away for me to try and kick him.
“It’s all about the details, don’t you think?” Eloise asked.
“Usually,” I agreed. “Details are important.”
“What is important to you, Sam?”
“I’m not sure I understand your question.”
“You don’t? I thought it very simple.”
“Then why don’t you go first.”
“Unity,” she said promptly. “Being united under a common purpose.”