Unaware that she was being closely watched, Hilde let her guard down for a moment. Her shoulders bowed and fatigue was written across her features. It had been almost two years of her inner war, sleepless nights, and quiet terror. For a time, things changed and she began to feel that terror lift and sleep was welcome. John had helped her immensely with that.

With out realizing it, however, she had fallen back into that self-destructive pattern. Gunther's dogged persistence had made him one of the few who were aware of it. Nat, when he arrived at the Embassy and was greeted by Hilde, knew immediately. Thinking that she was unobserved for a moment, the troubled Knight let slip her mask of cheerfulness as she tried to decide if she really had the heart to eat. Nat looked over, elbowed her in the ribs and said "Eat. Even the hostess gets to eat."

Hilde sighed and looked over the food. Her depression had made food flat and unappealing. It was ironic for she had made a point of including all of her family favorite foods. All her favorites from her youth sat arrayed before her but she couldn't find it in herself to take some. At her apparent indecision, Gunther excused himself from the conversation he was involved in and walked over.

"Go sit," he said taking the plate from her hand, "Let me deal with it." Hilde started to open her mouth to protest and got a stern look from her fiancee. Nat watched the silent exchange and nodded with approval as she relented in the contest of wills and sat down. The pleasant mask of tired good nature returned as those Gunther had been talking with pointedly made room for her and expressed their thanks for her hospitality. As Gunther put a plate of food together, he said to Nat, "How long has she been like this?"

Nat pointed to a dish of potato salad and said, "Since Tom died. That'll be one of the first things she'll eat. It's her Great-Grandmother's recipe from the Old Country. The sliced tomatoes too. Hilde's real proud of 'em. Four generations of the best tomatoes in the valley, and that was before her Awakening." Gunther nods, following Nat's suggestions as he loads food up on the plate. Nat frowns at the roast he carves. "I know she won't do it, but I'm hoping that maybe I can get that mage fellow to help her," Nat says quietly, "This is killing her. She doesn't even know it." Gunther frowns.

He looks over at Nat and starts to speak. Nat raises a hand from his work. "I saw the knife," he says, "That's why I'm saying something. Take care of my little sister. She chose you. That's enough for me." Nat looks over at Gunther as he sets the carving knife down on the platter. In a solemn tone, he says, "Hurt her and the Gods themselves will curse you." Gunther nodded and clasps Nat's extended hand at the wrist in a solemn gesture. Nat regarded Gunther's hand for a brief moment and returned the gesture with a nod. He then slapped Gunther on the shoulder with his free hand. "Go on. Looks like Ginny is gonna try to rope her into a conversation about wedding planning. Go save her," Nat says with a smirk, letting go of Gunther's wrist to point at the petite red-haired woman making a bee-line for Hilde thru the crowd.

Gunther walked over and sat down beside Hilde. As she moved to take the plate from him, he grinned and moved it away slightly. "Oh c'mon," Hilde said in an exasperated tone. Gunther picked up a fork and got a scant mouthful of the potato salad on it. As Hilde's expression began to turn to one of annoyance, she started to say something. Gunther deftly fed the bite of food into her before she could get a word out. Hilde's shocked expression made their companions laugh as Gunther scooped up another tasty morsel.

He said conversationally, "Consider this my making good on a boast. You do remember it, yes?" Hilde gave him a suspicious look. "That I would feed you from my own plate at a banquet in the Duke's hall," he said innocently, "I believe that was after you threw the ladle at my head but before you kicked my brother's seat out from under him for laughing."

Hilde's eyes widen slightly and she reaches to snatch the for away from him. She again starts to say something in protest and finds her words stilled with a mouthful of food. A few Knights nearby that overheard the exchange join in the good hearted guffaws, remembering the incident many lifetimes ago. Around her bite, Hilde grumbles, "Remind me to thank him." This gets a few more chuckles as Gunther offers a bite of some sweet concoction Jack had brought. With a sigh of mock dramatic resignation, Hilde swallows her bite and opens her mouth. As Gunther places the bite into her mouth, Jack makes an 'airplane' reference. His wife smacks his shoulder and the whole group bursts into laughter.


OOC: Somebody PLEASE post SOMETHING in character on the forums! And lolcats don't count! I know there are asshats who'd do it. *points at Kaela*