Image by Arturo Añez from Pixabay

Henrik glared at the seneschal. “I don’t care if no one at court has ever ordered it before,” he snarled. “I want coffee for me and my bodyguards.”

“Out of the question, Lord Henrik,” the man said with an insufferable smirk on his face. “It’s too expensive.”

Henrik stalked out of the seneschal’s office. His pad beeped, reminding him of his meeting with the Warmaster General. He turned his steps towards the military complex. His temper hadn’t noticeably cooled by the time he got there. “Bad day, warmaster?” the Warmaster General’s aide asked sympathetically.

“I hate dealing with civilians,” he told the man.

“I can sympathize. They never understand us, do they?” he asked.

“No, no they don’t. Not even when it comes to simple requests.” Henrik shook his head. “Is he ready for me?”

“Let me check.” The man sent the notification to Lord Hanzo. A moment later, he nodded. “Go on in.”

Henrik went into Lord Hanzo’s office. “Good morning, Henrik. What do you have to report?” Lord Hanzo asked. Henrik gave his report tersely. “You seem out of sorts today. Is something wrong?”

Henrik sighed. “I asked the seneschal to order coffee for me and my men. He flat out refused, saying it was too expensive. Warmaster General, with the income I’m generating, I can afford coffee for me and my men. He’s being intractable and I don’t appreciate it.”

“The man does have a point. It can be expensive. However, I do not see the issue with ordering coffee for you and your men.” Hanzo frowned. “Let me have a word with him. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Me and my men would greatly appreciate it. We find it hard to function properly in the morning without it.” Henrik laughed. “Too many years relying on the stuff to wake us up. Even me, and I wasn’t in nearly as long as they’ve been active duty.”

Hanzo chuckled. “I find I cannot start my day without it either now. It is the price of being in the military. Let me see what I can do. Dismissed.”

A few days later, Liam brought word from the seneschal that the Warmaster General had left specific orders that coffee was to be provided for Henrik and his bodyguards whenever they requested it. The first shipment would arrive in two days, and they could request their first pot then.

Henrik pulled up the report to see what they were being allotted. “So what did the Warmaster General get us and how much are we going to have to ration ourselves?” Manolo asked, looking over at Henrik.

“Well, we’re being spoiled. It’s not the best coffee out there, but it’s better than the swill they serve the regular troops. And judging by the amount shown on the accounting, we don’t have to ration ourselves as much as I was thinking we would. We can’t go crazy with it, but a few cups a day won’t be a problem,” Henrik told him.

“I’ll pass the word. Good coffee will be very much appreciated,” Manolo told him with a chuckle. “Starflare, any coffee will be very much appreciated at this point. Tea just does not cut it.”

“No, no it does not.” Henrik laughed and got to work on the research for his next trade deal.