Beorn looked up from the ledger. Aestrith stood across the desk with her arms folded. The tray was already sitting on the wood between them. From the look on her face, she'd expected him to argue about eating, and she'd already prepared to win.
He didn't see much point in making it a fight.
"You drive a hard bargain." He closed the ledger with his palm.
"I don't bargain. I threaten."
"Duly noted."
He pulled the bowl toward himself and started eating. It was the first proper meal he'd managed that morning. The food was still warm.
She must have carried it straight from the kitchen instead of getting distracted along the way.
She said nothing else and simply watched him eat, looking quietly satisfied. Considering how much effort it had taken to get him to stop working long enough to accept the meal, she had earned that satisfaction.
