He bit, chewed, swallowed, and grimaced. “Och, there is a great deal necessary, ye can see that this tavern inna known for its fare.”
I said, “Torin, is this going to make us sick?”
“Nae likely, soup daena make ye sick, tis the lack of soup.Everyonekens.” He swiped the bread through the stew again, and bit it. “Ye ought tae eat up, Princess, it tastes terrible, aye, but it will fill yer belly and keep ye alive tae morn. Ye want tae survive?”
“Yes, definitely. I need to get home.”
“Then eat up!”
I swirled my bread through the bowl. “Well I am very hungry. And without the stew I might break a tooth on the bread.”
I raised it to my lips, sniffed, and touched my tongue to the broth. I gagged. “Ew. It tastes like... burnt.”
“Aye, likely.” He shrugged. “Ye never had a forever stew afore, Princess?”
“Never. I don’t even like leftovers, no old foods except cheese.”
He grinned around another bite. “Think of it this way — ye are eatin’ a story. That burnt taste? That was last week, when the drovers came through and the wife was so busy she forgot tae stir. For months now, every soul who eats from this pot will taste that same burnt place. Continuity, Princess.”
I stared at him.
He jerked his head toward my bread. “Eat up. Daena think on it. Just chew.”
“To the history of it.” I shoved the bread into my mouth and chewed, and chewed, and chewed. “I can taste the long months,” I muttered after swallowing. Then I scooped another chunk through the stew and ate that too. “I was hungry, and now that I’ve started, I don’t care what it tastes like. I just want it in my food hole.”
Torin chuckled. “Me as well.”
We ate until the bowl was scraped clean.
“Dost ye want more?” he asked, already half-rising. “I can ask, though it will make the men at the end of the table furious.”
“None for me, you go ahead. I’ll just enjoy the ale for a minute.”
He grinned. “Ye can hae some of mine if ye grow hungry watchin’.”
I said, “And if I want more — it’s not like she has to cook more. It’s just… sitting there.”
I sipped from my ale.
Torin ate his second serving.
Then I said, “It’s kind of brilliant, actually. To just have a stew rolling day in and day out. Now that I think of it, the cooking kills the bacteria, probably. As long as it boils. Do you think it boils?”
Torin shrugged, dipping more bread into it. “I think ye might be considerin’ it too much, if ye dwell upon it ye will decide ye canna eat it. If ye eat it and let it fill ye and daena think on it much ye will like it a great deal and feel full and not hungry. That is the most important part of it.”
“Very good point. I am really enjoying this ale, it’s hitting the spot.” I raised my cup. “This must be the one thing that is good in every century.”
He raised his mug to mine. Then asked, “What dost ye think is missing from the stew?”
“Salt. Pepper. Spices. The bread could be much softer, it’s almost a weapon.”
“I was thinkin’ the same thing.” He pushed the empty bowl away. “But I will tell ye, Princess, the last bite was the best bite.”
“Good, I’m glad you got it then... Where do you think Dude is?”
“He ran through the room a few minutes ago.”
“Did he? Wild. Was he checking on us?”
