So here's the thing I promised. There's Lalli in it too! And some eating, but not of anyone! I promise!
Courtship
Lalli was standing in front of a door with his hand raised. He scratched on the door vigorously, and Emilia answered almost instantaneously. Oh, Emilia! She was looking gorgeous! She reached towards Lalli and made a weird gesture, that was kind of like kissing him on the cheek but not really touching his skin with her lips. She also took hold of the enormous bouquet of large flowers Lalli seemed to be carrying.
“Oh, for me? How lovely! You shouldn’t have…” she was fluttering her deep blue eyes.
“I shouldn’t? You don’t like them? I’m sor…”
“I love them! How sweet of you to remember I love peonies!” She stepped inside and Lalli followed into a modestly sized but cosy room, with an old-fashioned fireplace, a sofa with lots of cushions, and some pictures on the wall.
Emilia was wearing a pale blue dress, and blue gemstones glittered in her ears. She cocked her head to better display the earrings.
“So, what do you think, love? I find them perfect for my eyes! Thank you so much! Or was it Tuuri again?”
“Ah, um… Tuuri?” Lalli was confused.
”Oh, honey, don’t be silly. I know it’s your secretary who chooses many of the gifts. I know you are a busy and important man, so I don’t mind. As long as it’s you in person delivering them!” She smiled dazzlingly, and Lalli couldn’t help but smile back.
“But look at the time!” Emilia grabbed his hand to look at a glittering clock he was wearing as a watch. “We must go! I’ll just quickly put these into water…” she was talking while popping into another room. She returned, holding the flowers perfectly arranged in a stylish vase, which she placed on the sideboard, made of deep brown old wood. “… and I’m ready to go!” She took his arm and led him outside.
In front of the small but cosy house, there was a… vehicle. It was slightly similar to some of the machines Lalli had seen, but it looked ridiculously flimsy and had huge windows, with no shutters to be seen. Mikkel was standing next to it, and when they stepped outside, he opened a door. Emilia ushered Lalli into the vehicle. In the inside, there were seats like the Cattank had for the driver, only much, much more comfortable. Mikkel seemed to know where they were going (as well as how to drive the contraption!) and they took off.
Soon they arrived at a white house set in a garden of sorts. Most of the garden appeared very bland with only short grass, but around the house there were also shrubs and flowers. Mikkel opened the door again, and Lalli let himself be led up the grand stairs into the house. They were greeted at the door by Sigrun, who was wearing weird black and white clothes.
“Welcome, welcome Mr Hotakainen! How wonderful to see you again! We have your table ready, please follow me.”
“Today’s specials are…” Sigrun was explaining as she was leading them to a high-ceilinged room with huge windows and many tables, all with pristine white tablecloths. She was saying words Lalli didn’t understand. Confit? Romesco? Escagots sounded like a dangerous creature!
But this was no hunting lodge, and Sigrun was not dressed for a hunt. Neither was he, for that matter. He was wearing very dark grey trousers and jacket, and a white shirt underneath. Despite the sensible color, the jacket was weird. There was only a couple of buttons, and it could not be closed properly. Right now, it was warm, but it wouldn’t be useful when it got cold. Stupid jacket. And the scarf was outright ridiculous, just a colorful strip of fabric. As if it was meant to make him stand out rather than hide! His shoes were light, but Emilia and Sigrun were wearing weird shoes with impossible heels. No one would be able to hunt in those!
Soon Reynir appeared at their table, bringing big plates with a tiny little thing in the middle. “Greetings from the kitchen, sir, madam! The club appreciates your custom!” As Emilia was eating it, Lalli gave it a try too. It tasted salty, and remotely of fish, but it was hardly a morsel. What as stupid food. Emilia and Reynir appeared to have a conversation in some kind of code, but soon Reynir left, and Emilia beamed at Lalli. “I ordered for you too, love! You should eat more! I hope you don’t mind.”
Lalli was starting to feel uncomfortable. The shirt was itchy at the neck, now that he had paid attention to wearing it. Other people were eating in the room, and the clinks of glasses and screeches of knives and forks, combined with the incessant chatter, was getting to him. He was trying to calm himself down, when Reynir reappeared with more plates, buzzing around noisily like a very large and hairy bumblebee. Stupid Reynir. On the plates there was something… weird. It looked like huge snails but cooked with butter. Surely, they were not expected to eat that too? Lalli shivered to think what a snail-like thing would feel in his mouth.
Reynir was raising a large bottle. He turned the stopper, which suddenly propelled from his hand with a loud POP, waking Lalli up.
Coming to his senses was unpleasant. The itching, the noises, Emilia’s weird behavior and impractical dress (Emilia? Dress? Was there something off?), the disgusting thing on the plate. Reynir poured some of the drink from the bottle to Lalli and Emilia’s glasses. Lalli took a gulp to calm his nerves, and was immediately attacked by a gazillion bubbles, all of which wanted to exit by his nose. Ok, this was enough. Time to wake up properly.
He stood up, and immediately noticed the room went quiet. Everyone was looking at him. Emilia was staring expectantly, smiling like crazy. For some reason, Reynir was winking at him from behind Emilia. Abashed, Lalli was about to cross his arms when he noticed there was something in his breast pocket. He fished out a tiny box. Too small to really hold anything. What a stupid, useless thing! He opened it, and Emilia’s eyes widened.
***
“Yes! Yes! I will!” Emil was yelling when he sat up in bed and almost crushed Lalli in his arms. Lalli was trying to disentangle from him after shaking him awake. Emil blinked a few times, seemed to get his bearings, and started blabbering to Lalli “I had the most wonderful dream! You were in it, and you were so handsome and cool and romantic…” Well, at least he was just one person chattering.
The book on Emil’s bedside table had a vivid cover, depicting a beautiful woman embracing a man with a chiseled jaw.
