Demesne

There were always some fruits left over, too bruised or ripe by the time they'd been picked. It wasn't a lot, and they were still perfectly edible. In times past, no one would have thought twice about eating a too-soft, bruised happyfruit as long as the skin was intact. If it wasn't some would have hesitated a little, but there were a few who wouldn't have even thought twice about it. Food was food, after all, and if there were some bugs in it… well, that was meat right there.

But between the farms and the fruits from the local trees that hadn't been cut down, and the fruits coming up from River's Fork downriver, and the tubers and greens they were growing, and all the meat—kept cold instead of aged or salted, but they had some of that as well—the men and women of Lorian Demesne could afford to be picky and not eat anything that squished too much when they squeezed it. It was practically like being townsfolk, who had so much they could actually afford to throw away food that was still perfectly fit to eat!

They didn't, because many of them had lived on the edge of starvation or had gone on patrols where not enough rations had been packed, but they could if they wanted to!

And while Binder Lori had a rather hued view of booze—she had a hued view of many things that most people would have thought were universally well-loved—she hadn't outright banned it. And Gunvi had made so many jars—many small, but a few not so small—that one or two being used for something wasn't going to be missed.

The fruit had been mashed together in a jar, mixed with water and a little bit of brew jelly to help it along. Gunvi had been willing to make them a little tube to let the brew bubble out without letting anything in.

The result hadn't been the best, since they'd only let it sit for a couple of weeks. It was weak and watery, and there hadn't been enough for everyone to have a glass. But after so long, it… it…

…all right, it was piss. The second batch wasn't any better. Or the third. For the fourth batch got kicked over and spilled. But the fifth batch…

…eh. It was all right. But since it was still better than the first three, they'd take it!