the other side of paradise [p]
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Oh god, food. That's all Athena could think to herself as she entered the dining hall, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. She was starving, to say the least. It was normal for her to be hungry after training but this? This was out of the ordinary, she felt like she could inhale an entire table and still have room for dessert. She swiftly ran the back of her hand across her forehead, her green eyes darting around the food that was in the room. It wasn't anything fancy; nothing was ever fancy. It didn't necessarily taste the best either, but ever since she became a squire, she knew that food really was fuel. Still, she longed for those nights when her father first came back home. Her mother would always spend half of their money to get the best lobster in the kingdom, and she sat there preparing it all day. When he came home, his face always lit up with joy, after all, he was eating the same stuff she was now. "Hey, move it," one of the squires in line behind her called out, snapping her out of the joyous flashback and back into the harsh reality. She blinked, rolling her eyes before taking a step forward in the line.
She always felt like she had to have an attitude, when in reality, she just wanted to apologize. It always felt like that was a sign of weakness here, at least, for her. Knights were supposed to show chivalry and politeness, not aggression and a guard up at all times. However, when she first arrived there, it felt like the opposite. The more she was polite, the more she tried to be the knight she was to be, it felt like the more they looked down upon her. After all, not many girls came there. She chewed on her bottom lip, grabbing the tray before her as she took another step forward with the line, watching as a scoop of mystery food number one hit her plate.
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Milo entered the dining hall, sweat dripping down his face and his heart beating in a flustered pace. He hadn't eaten a single meal today as he had to skip his breakfast in order to make it to training that early dawn. Skipping meals is not a good idea when all you're doing is extreme physical labor and being a chore boy for a famous knight who treated Milo like he was below him. All he could think about was grabbing a bite to eat, his mouth almost drooling in anticipation. "Excuse me" he exclaimed as he almost ran down a nearby Knight on his way towards the line, boy was he a klutz.
The Knight gave him a dagger like glare but Milo ignored it as he stepped into the line behind Athena, tapping his foot in anticipation as he waited for the food, he'd wolf down just about anything given to him at this point.
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Athena looked back at the commotion that happened behind her, her eyes watching Milo for a second before she turned back to the food, watching them put a meat of a random variety onto her plate. She stepped away from the counter, looking around at everyone already seated before she made her way to the back corner of the room, where she always ate. She wasn't really lonely in there, in fact, the table had scratches on it from where she kept herself busy while she ate by craving little doodles in it. Most of them were flowers, she always did love flowers, but sometimes they were just random symbols; like what she pictured her family crest to be, or they were tally marks for when her father would come home. She put her plate on the table, pushing her hair back behind her ear as she swung her legs over the bench and sat down, getting a spoonful of the random mush that was on her plate.
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Milo put his right hand up slightly in an awkward greeting as Athena looked back at him, giving her a look of It's nothing! before stepping up to receive whatever piece of mystery meat was being served that night. Itching his nose, he stepped away from the counter with his tray balanced carefully in one hand, scanning the dining hall for any free seats. Usually he'd sit outside and eat by himself but today was a cruel day of heat like no other and he was already stinky and sweaty from the day of training, anymore and he felt like he'd be sick. Eventually he spotted a free seat in the very back where only one girl was sitting down by herself and made his way towards the back corner.
"Uhm, you mind if I sit here, everything else was taken and it's much to hot to be eating outside..." He piped up nervously towards Athena, giving her a soft look of hope.
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Athena found herself lost in thought, her delicate fingers tracing over the tally marks in the table until she found herself startled out of thought once more, sitting up as she looked to the figure in front of her. "Oh, I don't mind, at all." She smiled, motioning to the empty seats around her. "Pick one before they're gone, since clearly you can see that these seats are dropping like flies." Sarcasm was laced throughout her voice, a playful smile etched across her face as she turned away again, pushing her hair back anyway. She was always happy that she cut it short. Yeah, it wasn't extremely short, but to her neck kinda was compared to how long it had been. Though, she always wished she just shaved it all off on days like this. Not even the dog days of summer could compare to how absolutely hot it was today. It was offending, honestly. Looking back to Milo, she smiled before adjusting her posture so that she'd slouch a little, returning her attention back to her food. "Honestly, what do you think this stuff is? Like, I'll eat it but, that doesn't mean a lot because I feel like being here has made me realize that I actually have the appetite of a teenage boy and will eat anything they give me,"she teased, taking a spoonful of the mystery mash that she was hoping was potatoes before spooning it into her mouth, trying not to think too much about it as she swallowed. She didn't want anything to come back up, as gross as it was.
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Milo gave her a half smile before slinging his feet over the bench of the table, sitting across from Athena as he looked down at the table eyeing the tally marks that were etched in with a squint. "You don't wanna know what the food is that's for sure, for all I know it could be dog food, cheapest thing they could find that's for sure to feed all of us." He blinked, looking down at his food, messing with it with his fork before stabbing a piece of smiley meat like substance munching into it quickly, trying to fight off his hunger and hopefully return some energy into his almost lifeless body. Milo's hair was everywhere and he looked like he was in need of a lengthy shower. "On any note it's best not to think about it... so how did the table get like this, did you do all this?" He spoke softly as he swallowed more food, feeling the etched in drawings with his index finger.
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"You're right, on both of those things." Athena mused, shoveling in another spoonful into her mouth. She watched Milo for a second before forcing a swallow down, looking to the table. She hesitated, not really sure what she should do. She didn't think Milo would care that she drew them in, but, she wasn't sure. "Oh, no. They've always been here." She watched him touch the carvings for a moment, eyes glued to the flower under his finger before she looked back up, offering another smile. "They're just. Here," she reiterated, eyes casting downwards again as she returned her attention to her plate. She suddenly lost her appetite, just staring at the piece of meat that had been so careless slapped onto her plate. "Do you want to trade? I'll give you my meat for the mystery potato substance."
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"Augh this is so... can't believe we're expected to be chore boys all day and then fed this slop, I missed breakfast just so I could make it to training at dawn, I tell you Auron, the knight who I'm squire to... he's such a hard-ass on me all the time, I can't even breathe without him harassing me..." Milo sighed, ranting a little as he eyed her meat across the table. "Uhm yeah let's trade, I don't even wanna know what this mashed up mess is, it's like they tossed a bunch of things in a pots and smashed it was the blunt of a blade and called it a meal..." Milo didn't believe that the drawings were just "here" but changed the subject and decided it wasn't best to question her on it.
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Athena listened to the boy's ramble, tilting her head and laughing slightly. "Yeah, I agree," she hummed, twirling her fork in her food. "You would think that the knights to be would get fed a buffet. Like, god, I was picturing a mean lobster when I was in line," she joked, pushing her hair behind her ear again. "Who knows, maybe we'll get it one day? Maybe not now. Maybe one day, though. I mean, do the knights eat terrible?" She paused, turning back to try to glance at some of the knights. She didn't think they ate terribly, but she couldn't tell. Turning back to Milo, she chimed in, "Well, that might be how you know you're gonna be a great knight? But I feel, I feel like almost everybody here in general is a hardass, if I'm being honest." She paused, looking back at their peers. They irked her sometimes, to say the least. "Like, who knows. Maybe we're gonna be hardasses, too." She joked, a smile playing on her lips as she turned back to Milo. "And just take it dude," Athena laughed, pushing her tray over to the boy so he could simply take the meat and then scoop his mash onto her tray.
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"Lobster? I'd be happy for some simple cow meat..." Milo squinted, tilting his head at the idea of such a thing, to be completely honest he wasn't even sure what a lobster was as he has never seen such a creature in his life. He mopped out the mash onto her plate as he staked the piece of meat with his fork, plopping it on his plate. "Oh, the knights eat plenty well I'm sure of it, especially mine, Auron eats meat off the drumstick, I don't blame them... knights are this kingdoms most important resource well alongside the metal which is why we need the knights to begin with." A small smile was showing on his face as he chatted with Athena over the meal, glad to finally have some company during mealtime for once.
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"oh, see, i want that too, lobster's just the first thing that came to mind." Athena giggled, pushing her hair back again. She watched him take the, how she could only describe as sweaty, meat onto his plate, her eyes flickering up to the boy as he spoke again. "Oh, true. They probably get the lobster. Maybe even some cow? Or a full buffet. God, I want a buffet," She hummed, pulling her tray back to herself after she finished stealing the rest of the boy's mash. "We should get a buffet. Just once, really. Let us live like kings!" She said the last phrase a bit too loudly, slamming her first triumphantly on the table before a blush began to cover her cheeks, a meek "Oh, sorry," leaving her lips as she sunk back into herself. That was dumb, she thought, shaking her head to herself. Completely uncalled for.
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Milo couldn't help but chuckle, smiling a little, letting his teeth show slightly as he did. Well this girl sure is something alright... he thought, tilting his head curiously at her as she slammed her fist down onto the table. "Well it seems like training doesn't burn you out any, good to know... and about the kings thing, well I doubt that'll ever be a thing, I think the nobles think we're below them, I guess that's what you get for "signing up" for being a servant to the king" He spoke with a smirk, knowing none of them really signed up for any of this to begin with.
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Athena giggled, the blush still on her cheeks. "Well, it does, but I think the mash certain helps in regards of keeping you awake," she mused, a smile on her face. "And honestly, who knows? Maybe one day we'll get lucky." That's what she hoped for, anyway. All she wanted was a chance to dine like a king, not even live like one. Milo was right though; the nobles did look down upon them. "Besides, when we're knights? We'll be the ones protecting them. We deserve just as much, if not more." She smiled triumphantly, her nose crinkling in the process. "And when we're knights, we won't be asses to our squires." She ended her ramble finally, taking another spoonful of food before shoveling it into her mouth, her eyes casted downwards on the table once more.
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Swallowing the rest of his piece of meat down with a small cup of water to wash it down with, Milo looked upon Athena with curiosity noticing her blush. "I'm sorry I don't think I even told you my name hah, too busy ranting and all, I'm Milo, it's really nice meeting you!" He put emphasis on the nice, smiling at her all broad like, clearly having a good time in her company. "I think me and you, we'll make a really good pair of knights if you ask me, you got that sort of knights quality!" He chirped warmly, feeling one of Athena's drawings with the sides of his thumb.
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Athena felt slightly embarrassed by her outburst, to say the least. Looking back up to Milo as he spoke, she smiled before being like, "you didn't, but I knew it already. I'm Athena though, if you don't know that." She offered a small smile once more, "But it's nice meeting you too. And I'm sure of it, honestly. We'll be the best knights this kingdom has ever seen," she beamed, her face lighting up with joy just by the idea of it.
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"With that attitude I'm sure you will be, I enjoy it... most people are brain dead around here, like emotionally so and it's hard to get along with a pile of walking bricks if you know what I'm saying." Milo was still smiling, invested in the conversation for once. "We'll have books full of stories written about us and they'll have tales to tell the generations to come!" He exclaimed, raising his cup of water in a boasting manner like it was a huge mug of ale.
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//s orry i think my notifications are lagging?? i didn't get a lil 1 until now.
"I mean, I'd hope. Yeah, they might have the personality of an actual rock but that just makes them stoic. I feel like I feel things and emote too much honestly. Who knows, though?" She shrugged, sitting back in her chair as she smiled to Milo. She really did enjoy the conversation; she didn't always talk to her peers but this was a nice refresher. Smiling, she nodded before picking up her cup to tap Milo's in a manner of cheering, her eyes crinkling at the sides as she beamed. "Honestly. We'll be legends." She retracted her arm, taking a big gulp of her water before putting it down and letting out of a sigh of content.
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(It's all good!)
"I'd take that over a stoic rock any-day if you ask me, if you've read the old tales you'll know they don't write legends about unfeeling rocks they write them about great warriors of kindness protecting their people from danger!" Milo chirped, tapping his water cup with Athena's as he spoke, chugging it down. "Ahh I agree, no need for me to get cocky, but I think we have what it takes." He responded with a wink.
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// it didn't take me almost an hour to find this what do u mean BU T do you wanna potentially timeskip? just so we can get to some action~