Kre was busy watching the tunnel opening, as was almost everyone else, so he didn’t notice Beleg’s back stiffen up. He did notice the big man move quickly to get up from the table, his meal only half-eaten, which was certainly unprecedented.
Beleg hadn’t quite made it to the tunnel leading to the back rooms when the stranger emerged. He was a hulking best of a man, dressed in hides and leathers, and dark haired where Beleg was fair.
“Cuthalion,” the stranger growled, all thoughts of food seemingly gone from his mind. At the mention of his surname, Beleg stopped in his tracks.
There was some frantic whispering behind Kre’s back as the other boys started to gossip about who the new stranger was and if he was a match for Kre’s massive employer. At least, that’s what Kre assumed the whispers were about. Instead of worrying about what the other servants were discussing, he had most of his attention focused towards the stranger that obviously knew Beleg so well.
Beleg remained frozen for a few seconds and Kre could see the indecision crisscrossing his face. He imagined that Beleg was trying to decide whether to deny the stranger and continue on his way or to turn and acknowledge the accusation of his name. Unfortunately, the longer he delayed wrestling with the decision, the less viable the first option became.
He finally lowered his head, decision now made. With his shoulders slumped, he called back, “It’s been a while, Barry.”
The stranger frowned, “Too long. Far too long.” His eyes swept the room and Kre could see how intently he was taking in every aspect of his surroundings, studying them and sizing it all up with a single look. “It seems that you’re leaving before you’ve finished eating. That’s not only an insult to the fine cooking staff here but I know you were raised to clear your plate, so why don’t you sit back down, and I’ll join you for dinner? After that, maybe we can finish our long-delayed business.”
“Odd as it may seem to one as arrogant as you,” Beleg rumbled, finally turning to face the other man, “I have no desire to share a meal with you, Barry, and we have no business with each other.”
The man’s lips twitched again at the mention of his name, but he made no other fuss about it. “Sit, Cuthalion,” Barry said sternly, moving to sit opposite where Beleg had been enjoying his meal just minutes prior. “I’m not asking.”
Even Kre, as naïve as he was to the workings of this Yahaestran underworld, could hear the threat underlying the man’s tone. If Beleg refused, the man might casually hurt or even kill someone in this very room to make his point. Judging by the way he carried himself, Kre was certain that there wasn’t a single person in this room that could stop him either, except maybe Beleg, and even that was starting to look questionable.
“You buy the next round, and I’ll join you,” Beleg responded, turning his mouth upwards into a jovial smile. Kre wondered if he really was glad to return to his dinner, or if he was pretending to be so to put the other man at ease.