Work Text:
Sanguinius stepped off of the Stormbird onto the docking bay of the Flamewrought. It was warm, about as warm as a Baalite summer, though darker. The reddish cast of the lights was familiar at least, and his eyes had no hesitation in adjusting. He cast a glance to the next arrival bay over, where Lorgar had disembarked. He had clad himself in lightweight linen robes with embroidered script picked out in silverwork. They had finished their compliance ahead of schedule, and as such Vulkan had invited them over for a meal. It would be a chance to relax and spend some rare time together. He treasured the rare moments like this that he had to spend with them.
“Sanguinius, Lorgar, welcome, welcome!” Vulkan flung his arms out wide in greeting. His sleeveless wrap was richly embroidered with goldwork in intricate geometric patterns. The belt at his hips seemed to be carved drake leather with the buckle in the shape of a dragon’s head.
“Thank you for your hospitality.” Lorgar inclined his head in greeting. “I bring a gift for you, as is custom on Colchis.” He offered over a small parcel.
“Indeed, thank you very much for hosting us.” Sanguinius added, as he watched Vulkan open the small gift.
A quick inhale revealed the contents to be a soothing blend of incense. “Oh how lovely, thank you Lorgar.”
“You are most welcome.” Lorgar’s tattooed face bore a gentle smile.
“Now, if you’re ready, follow me!” Vulkan turned, the click of his anklet beads a brief staccato against one another.
They made their way through the warm, ornate halls of the Flamewrought and arrived quickly at Vulkan’s quarters. Sanguinius set his dishes down on the table neatly, removed the cover of one, and settled himself into the low back chair that had been specifically set aside for him. Lorgar did the same, though he left the cover on, eyes closed. The mix of spice blends from the feast before the three of them was downright intoxicating. His own cooking held a sharp edge brought on by the keenly hot fruits he had used to craft them. Meanwhile, Lorgar’s were a blend of spices that worked together like a chorus, and Vulkan’s proved to be more of a party, and that dish still lingered in the kitchen, absent as it was from the table upon arrival.
“Thank you for hosting us, Vulkan.” Lorgar’s low, smooth voice cut through Sanguinius’s thoughts.
“Of course!” Vulkan’s deep, cheerful voice bounced around the room. “I wish Ferrus and Fulgrim could have been here to try this. I feel like we need a control group.”
Sanguinius stifled a laugh. “Ferrus would muscle through it no doubt, but we might actually cause Fulgrim to faint, his cuisine is flavorful yes, but very mild in comparison.”
Vulkan let a roll of laughter like thunder escape him. “True, I do remember the first time I hosted Fulgrim. He had to lie down on my couch for a couple of hours after dinner.”
Lorgar had an equally amused smile on his tattooed lips. “It cannot be helped. We are here and they are not, and so it is up to us to sample these dishes together.”
Sanguinius nodded, his soft gold curls bobbed with the effort. He ruffled and resettled his feathers in anticipation. “Who would like to start then?”
“Why don’t you, Sanguinius?” Vulkan offered. “You seem to have a soup course to start us off.”
“Indeed, though I would hardly call this a typical soup. It’s really more of a meal meant to last a family a week.” He confessed and began offering over the thin, fried grain chips meant to be served with it. Once he had scooped each of them a portion of the spice stewed meat and saturated grains, he cut into the tough skinned cactus fruit in the bowl next to them, scooping out the slightly blue-green flesh and picking out the massive pits with the tip of his knife. Finally squeeze of a pink-hued fruit’s juice topped each of the bowls.
Lorgar and Vulkan each took a bite of their meal, and nodded approvingly.
“Hot, but not overbearing, the citric juice you added cuts through refreshingly well, and the fruit innards provide a pleasant temperature contrast.” Lorgar complimented.
Vulkan smiled. “Agreed, though I’d prefer it if it had a little more kick to it.”
“I’ll bear that in mind for next time I make it for you.” Sanguinius smiled, lips as ever closed.
They ate the rest of the soup in silence, focused for the moment on the tender meat and rich flavor. While it may have lacked ‘kick’ as Vulkan had put it, it was still plenty spicy. Sanguinius had seen to that, but then this was a comfort dish from his childhood and not a later development of his culinary work. They finished the soup and Lorgar pushed forth his own dish.
“I’m afraid mine may not be as spicy as yours, for us spice is less about the physicality and more about the interplay between it and the food’s inherent flavor.” Lorgar’s golden eyes flicked to meet Vulkan’s red ones.
Vulkan reached over and clapped Lorgar on the back. “Do not trouble yourself Lorgar, this is about community, friendship, and good food. We agreed to compare spices, yes, but at the end of the day what matters is that we are together and sharing this experience.”
Sanguinius nodded, inhaling the rich scent of Lorgar’s cooking as it was unveiled. “Vulkan is right, now please Lorgar, introduce us to this.”
The unveiled dish was piled high with brightly colored and richly scented grains, steam cooked to tender perfection. Interspersed throughout could be seen flecks of meat, dried fruit, and caramelized allium. “Much as Sanguinius’s dish, this is meant to be a communal dish shared over several days. Unlike many of us, I am no great cook, but I have done my best with the materials and knowledge at my disposal.”
“If it tastes half as good as it smells, I’m sure it will be delicious. Thank you Lorgar.” Sanguinius bowed his head and took up his serving spoon to collect some of the dish.
Vulkan likewise served himself. “Indeed, thank you both for the food so far.”
“You are most welcome.” Lorgar bowed his head. Once Vulkan and Sanguinius had each taken their share, he served himself.
Satisfied everyone had food, Sanguinius took a bite. The interplay of spices danced across his tongue, there was some heat to be found there yes, but the emphasis upon the harmonies and melodies of flavor were the standouts. He took another bite, this one with a piece of the dried fruit in it, and much like his own dish, the sweetness added a new layer to the song.
“The verdict?” Lorgar tipped his head, golden eyes soft but keen.
“Hmm, the kick is there, but it is more complex than the kick. I quite like it.” Vulkan grinned.
“Indeed, I appreciate that the heat isn’t overpowering, but contributes to the larger piece. Also the pieces of dried fruit throughout provide quite the nice contrast.” Sanguinius bowed his head. “Thank you for the food, Lorgar.”
Lorgar smiled, quiet and fond. “You are both most welcome.”
The three of them finished Lorgar’s portion of the meal before Vulkan disappeared from the dining area into the kitchen. Lorgar and Sanguinius, for their part, cleared away the empty serving platters from the center of the table. When Vulkan returned, he hefted his own plate and set it down on the middle of the table with a gentle thud. As he removed the lid, the scent of hot spices kicked Sanguinius in the nose and throat. The meat on a bed of cooked noodles was huge, reminding him more of something one might find at one of Leman’s feasts, though more spice forward than herbal.
“Here we are!” Vulkan beamed. He picked up a pair of serving forks, and began to gently pry the meat from the bone. Once he had dismantled a good portion, he portioned some out to both Sanguinius and Lorgar along with some of the grain beneath it. “Let me know how you like it!”
“Thank you, Vulkan.” Both Sanguinius and Lorgar smiled as they took their plates.
Sanguinius breathed in the rich spices once more before he took a bite. The initial heat kicked in his teeth, but as he chewed and swallowed, the flavor mellowed and brought forth the other flavors in the savory meat. He breathed steadily, calming the fire alight on his tongue. A bite of the noodles helped as they had an almost creamy texture, and while spiced, were not a vehicle for the same sort of kick in the teeth that had caught him off guard.
Lorgar was the first to break the silence with a thoughtful hum. “Yes, I believe I understand what you mean by a kick, it does initially catch one off guard but it does fade into something harmonious.”
“It is quite good Vulkan, I quite enjoyed that kick.” Sanguinius agreed before going for another bite. Sure enough the same kick followed, though lessened now given that he had become accustomed to it. That gave him a chance to think about the composition of the flavors and their place within the meal.
“See, I feel like every dish needs a good kick, something to wake up the senses. Ferrus says that he likes being kicked repeatedly, so I’ve been doing some horticultural development with him to make a spicier blend. Unfortunately it’s not ready yet, Ferrus says he wants something to scald his tongue and make him cry. I think he’s missed the point a little but so be it.” Vulkan shrugged before beaming at them and taking a bite of his own cooking.
“Sanguinius, Vulkan, I have some dessert for when we finish this particular dish, if you are interested.” Lorgar said after some moments of silent eating.
“Ooh yes, I still have room, Sanguinius?”
“Indeed, I would like some dessert.”
When they finished Vulkan’s dish, Lorgar took his turn to disappear into the kitchen once more and he returned carrying a dish of delicate pastries, the layers of which carried some sort of floral cream and topped with what appeared to be some sort of chopped seed or nut. “Here, I will confess this is not a dish of Colchisian origin, but one I learned from Roboute.” He set the dish in the middle. “I am no baker the way he is, but I followed his directions and they seem to have turned out well.”
“I’m sure they’ll be great! Thank you, Lorgar.” Vulkan smiled at him before carefully picking up one of the pastries.
“What sort of flower water did you use in their construction? It smells familiar.” Sanguinius picked up one of his own.
“A mixture of Colchisian bidrashi bloom, and Chemosian wisteria that I received from Fulgrim when we last crossed paths.” Lorgar explained. “They pair well together and seem appropriately light in flavor after a heavy meal.”
Vulkan tapped a jug beside him on the table. “Anyone care for some tilx’ari as well while we eat?”
“What is it?” Lorgar cocked his head, even as he offered his empty wine glass to him.
“It’s made in a similar way to Leman’s mjød, though not as heavy on the tongue. I think it will pair well with your dessert.” He poured a small sample into the proffered glass.
“I will also have some then, Vulkan.” Sanguinius smiled, careful as ever to keep his mouth closed.
In truth, it was the perfect end cap to the meal, the pastry and the tilx’ari were both light and refreshing. In the end Sanguinius ended up drinking three glasses, one for each of the pastries he had consumed. He ran a finger around his glass with a soft, fond sigh. “This was quite excellent.”
“Which part?” Vulkan asked, now slouched slightly in his chair.
“The company for one, and the food. I never get to share things like this with many people.” Sanguinius smiled, this time a little carelessly, the edges of his fangs dipping past his lip.
Lorgar, resting slightly on the now cleared table space before him, let out a soft giggle. “Indeed, I find myself quite pleased by the meal.”
“I think you actually managed to get Lorgar drunk.” Sanguinius stifled his own giggle.
“We should probably all turn in for a while then.” Vulkan stretched and stifled a yawn. “You can share my bed, both of you, I have space.”
“Then, let us adjourn.” Sanguinius bowed his head. “Thank you for your generosity.”
Vulkan stood up, and shuffled over to Lorgar’s seat. “On your feet my friend.”
“I shall, as soon as the room stops swirling.” He protested. Thankfully, given the size disparity between them, Vulkan effortlessly supported him towards the bedroom.
Sanguinius stood, and swayed, wings flaring slightly to help counteract the motion. Perhaps he had overdone it. Still, he followed them towards the bedroom and kicked off his soft slippers, setting them politely out of the way. Lorgar sat on the edge of the bed, humming softly to himself as Vulkan removed his shoes before taking off his own sandals.
“Make sure Lorgar is propped on his side, I’ve heard tell that helps in the event he gets ill.” Sanguinius unbuckled the top and back of his shirt, leaving himself clad in only his lightweight wrap pants.
Vulkan coaxed Lorgar into position on his side in the center of the bed. “There. Do you have enough room, Sanguinius?” He asked as he removed his own richly embroidered robe, and undershirt.
“I do.” He replied, settling in facing Lorgar, and carefully blanketing the other two with one of his wings. His other wing remained folded and gently bedded on the floor. “Good day, Lorgar, Vulkan.”
“Mmm, sleep well.” Vulkan mumbled through a yawn, one arm draped securely over Lorgar.
All that Lorgar offered in reply was a soft, sleepy snuffle.