Dinner Out

Darkness is falling on Alexandria, a low fog rolling in over the city thick enough practically to walk on. In spite of this, Auranar is out and about with Verna at her side, a soft smile on her face as she greets the various familiar vendors and goes about her usual shopping efforts. Verna is of course with her more for company than out of necessity, but there have been werewolf attacks of late and neither of them want the other to be caught alone in such company.

"I think we have nearly everything." States Auranar as she checks her list for the third time. "Was there anything else you wanted? Something to snack on perhaps? I still need to decide what I'm taking to Cor'lana for Pothy."

"If we hope to acquire enough for Pothy," Verna notes to Auranar, "I did not bring enough platinum." Her usual robes are absent, replaced with maroon dress. She remains close, so as to not lose her in the fog, or to lycanthropes, and/or simply to remain close. She looks over at the list and, perhaps more logically, notes, "The list has not changed, Love. It appears completed. I did not put to mind any other needs, as that is why they were put to the list..."

Mindless he was, mindlessly cleaning shot glasses, mugs and other various sizes and shapes of glass cups. He let out a sigh as he returned back to behind the bar island separating him from the mid-night drunks and drunk rollers. He gazed outside the front window from his place seeing as it was dark he let his subconscious take over his mind and began to ponder what if? Of course it was the mid of his shift but that's when it was most quiet in the bar when those to visit for a drink were too drunk and sleepy to cause havoc or beginning to sober up. None of it came to his mind; it was merely beginning to fill with visions of endless possibilities.

Auranar smiles about the Pothy comment. "I promised a weekly delivery of goods for the year as a wedding gift for them. I'm not fool enough to think that they will be _enough_, but I do hope that they will lighten the burden some. As for the list... it's only a suggestion, to help me remember the most important things." Otherwise she might forget. She looks around and then points to a tavern not far from their current destination which offers some outdoor and indoor seating. Depending on the weather. Most have chosen the indoor option given the thick fog. "Lets get some dinner there then. It looks new, and I have not the energy for cooking tonight."

Lysos is another latecomer to the markets... in fact, she is emerging from the Anvilclang Forge. Being chased out, more like, with the master of the place wishing to close up. In her arms is a square-headed warhammer and a slightly curving sword. Hardly the implements of her style of hapless adventuring.. she certainly doesn't look like she knows how to handle them, by the way she awkwardly carries them in her arms. She is the picture of awkwardness until she finds a barrel to temporarily place them on, allowing her to take first the scabbarded sword and insert it into one of the pockets on her dress. The warhammer follows a few moments later.

A satisfied pat on Lysos's hip pocket has her smiling.. a smile which blossoms when she sees Verna. "Oh! Mourner! It's good to see you out and about!" Then there is a pregnant pause, like the young tusran had spoken without thinking. "Uh.. it is good, right?" She looks up at the sky, searching for the moon. "You're not feeling especially hairy or anything?" "Nor am I confident enough that you would enjoy anything that I prepared," Verna adds, accepting the guidance and moving with her. "Perhaps anything overlooked will come to mind when we are not trying to recall." She may have more to add, though Lysos' call pulls her attention towards the Tsuran, and a hand not occupied with Auranar is lifted in greeting.

"Lysos, a pleasure. All is well and, no, I do not feel anything of the sort." A pause. "Correction, I am a bit famished, which is why we are heading to dine." The greeting hand now motions to the tavern.

Mind wandering, the table squeaks pleased with its polished shiny look. The rushed sound of mild rum hits the bottom of the glass beating it like a drum, the fresh meat sizzling as it gently plays the fire and the drunk mid nap hums fill the room. The tavern tune, or so he calls it himself it's lovely to listen to as he plays made-up scenes in his mindscape? His personal Soap Opera even. One thought passes, dances even crossed his mind causing his blank and plain face to break into a hidden smile.

Auranar smiles at Verna. "I have heard of this hidden talent of yours, and one day you are going to have to cook for me." She hugs Verna quickly, or rather kind of sidles up to her and presses their bodies together. It's the intent that matters not the implementation. "Greetings!"

This is offered to Lysos, who is unfamiliar to her, but any friend of Verna's is an acquaintance of hers at least. "Would you care to join us for a meal? We were just headed in."

"Wellll..." Lysos actually gives a fairly good impression of putting actual thought into the invitation. Despite herself, her eyes drift skywards again before she catches herself. "If you don't mind! Some food and drink might be just what I need right now." She finishes approaching the pair, then offers a quick, informal curtsey for Auranar. "As the mourner said, I'm Lysos. Wandering layabout vagabond who keeps getting in over her head."

"Lysos," Verna offers to assist the introductions, giving Auranar a return side-hug in indication, "this is Auranar," she smiles broadly, "astute scholar, spectacular chef, of great innate arcane talent, and, most recently and delightfully, my fiance." For Auranar's benefit, she notes, expression returning to a more typical neutral, "Lysos aided us in Quelynos, and before. She witnessed me ... at my worst, so her concerns are valid."

Smiling dimly he checks the rooms energy making its a good time to take fully doze off into wonderland peacefully, the room is silent and restful all that's needed is to make rounds to refill a few drinks and back to behind the counter it is just enough time to grab a drink for himself and dream on half conscious just enough where he can still tell when someone leaves or if he's needed in the back? Then again. He thought to himself almost longing with curiosity looking to the back door. 'I'm never needed in the back room? ugh' Turning back his attention to the customer he almost spills his bottle he was using to refill the cup. "Oh, My apologies sir." He nods to the man and retreats to the tavern counter.

Auranar has the grace to look embarrassed by the introduction that Verna gives her, waving her free hand at the complements. "Only in Verna's mind am I so accomplished." She laughs lightly and offers a low nod to Lysos. "A pleasure to meet you then, and you've my gratitude for going on such a dangerous mission with Verna. Come. We clearly owe you a meal at least."

At this she leads the way into the tavern, letting her eyes adjust briefly at the doorway and then looking around the room with curiosity as she's never been inside it. She picks a table near the fireplace, for its warming properties and motions toward the man at the tavern counter in greeting. "Hello sir!" She offers warmly and takes her seat.

Lysos grins at Verna. "You don't know the half of..." Then she clears her throat, giving her head a small shake as her cheeks darken. "Nevermind. Hey! Sure smells good in there!" she says, silently congratulating herself on the coverup as she follows the pair of woman into the tavern.

As Auranar picked the table, Verna selected a chair: for Auranar, that is, by pulling it out for her use. This is followed by another for Lysos. She then moves to seat herself, following Auranar's greeting to the man and echoing it with a gesture of hand. "I may owe Lysos more than one meal, or numerous drinks," she adds, perhaps indirectly completing the aborted prior comment.

'Ah at last I can- wait. Oh never mind then, I'll have to save late night - daydreaming for later? Crap. Ughhh.' Putting on a bright and welcoming face he smiles widely back to Auranar looking pleased as a peach. " Welcome! I'll be right with you to take your order!" Picking up his notepad he muttered under his breath. "...This would have been a lot easier if I wasn't the only one working tonight but nooo the bosses birthday is today there for taking everyone but me- Approached the three ladies at the table he stood close to the fire. "Hello! I'm Daniel, your server tonight. Is there anything I can start you three off with? Or are you waiting for more to show up?" He handed the closest lady to him the thin books of meal options with a bright aura.

Auranar smiles warmly at Verna for pulling out her chair, sitting down and waiting for the gentleman behind the counter to come over. He seems to be cheerful enough, but his quiet muttering to himself makes her wonder exactly how welcome they are at this late hour. He hands menus to - well not her - so she waits patiently to receive a copy and in the mean time she offers a warm smile to their server. "I'm Auranar, this is Verna, and that is Lysos." She introduces everyone around the table politely "It'll just be the three of us I think."

"Ehhh. No debts between us, mourner," Lysos tells Verna. "Any of us," she adds, eyes including Auranar as she settles into the chair Verna pulled out for her. "Remembering debts is too stressful. And.. oh, wow." She looks up at Daniel. "They sure do grow them tall out here."

"Ahaha, I'm not really from around here but thank you? mhm, lovely. Alrighty! Any drinks I can bring you?" He tore a page of notes off the notepad from previous customers and placed it in his pocket. His eyes looked like he hadn't slept in quite a long time at the minimum forty-two hours but still he was enlightened. He turned his gaze to face the rest of the room making sure chaos isn't on the brink. After the menu's had been passed around he dusted his hands on the apron, not that the menus where dirty no. It had only come to his mind that his hand almost made contact with the strangers. He was slightly disturbed but he didn’t drop his shiny smile.

"Just us, so far as I am aware," Verna confirms to Daniel. A glance is then made to Auranar and Lysos before she suggests, "A bottle of wine, please, sildanyari if available, and three glasses. "Else, I am uncertain what food to order." Now her look to the other women is more solid and inquiring.

Auarnar lowers her voice to Verna. "You have the menu's dearest." She murmurs to the woman, offering a hand to take one of the things from her fiance and then look at it. "Just the wine for now while we look at what you have? Thank you." She flashes him another warm smile and then looks at Lysos for reassurance that this is acceptable.

Lysos, turn down wine? There's a punchline for a joke there, somewhere. The tusran nods her agreement. "Yes, please. And maybe some bread?" Daniel's glance at the rest of the room draws her attention to.. maybe for similar reasons.. but she doesn't seem to see anything of too much concern. And there's a question that's been on her mind. "So.. mourner. How's the... you know..." She holds up her own hand, wiggling her fingers.

"Oh, so I do..." Verna spent her focus far too much elsewhere, it seems. "Apologies." She passes a menu to each of the others, and then lifts her own to peruse it. Possibly in such a manner as to conceal some of the heat in her cheeks. Fortunately, Lysos' question serves as a better diversion. She lifts her hand to wiggle her fingers in kind. All of them. "My fellow Vardamen were thorough enough to repair all in the course of healing and proper revivification. I-" she pauses, perhaps belatedly realizing that, to quote the vernacular, 'shop talk' may not be appropriate dinner conversation. "I would like the steak, please," she advises Daniel. "Medium rare."

Daniel paused for a moment waiting, hesitant to ask. But clearly he wouldn't receive the answer until the question was asked. "Uh-um? White or red wine?..." Losing his confidence, the lack of rest was getting to him and was starting to show.

"Sildanyari wine." Offers Auranar again, this time a little more slowly. She's sensitive to the fact that the young man might be new to this establishment. "It'll be the wine with an elvish script on it. As for me, I'll have the wedge salad if you don't mind?" Now that she has a menu, the option of salads they have is much more clear. Of them, the wedge is least objectionable to her preferences.

"Whatever the house soup is will be fine for me!" Lysos says.. apparently deciding to live dangerously. Or simply wishing to make it easy for Daniel. Then she grins when Verna wiggles her fingers back. "Well, all the same. It's good to see you whole. Though I'd guess you're even happier for that," Lysos adds, directing the last to Auranar.

"I am pleased to be, as well," Verna may state the conspicuously obvious. She does turn to glance to Auranar with Lysos' presumption, a brow lifting slightly. Not that she has any doubts, truly.

"Ah, my sincere apologies? I'll have your food right out." Turning away from the table he yawns tiredly and walks back to the counter and begins to place the glasses and wine bottle strategically so he could carry the glasses in one hand and the bottle in the other. He turns and heads to the kitchen to prep the materials for cooking the steak and checking on the soup. Back to the table by the fire he sets the glasses on the table careful not to make loud clanking noises. After he sets down the bottle in hopes that it's treated well and these ladies know better than to drink too heavy so late in the night

Auranar watches the man go, setting the menu aside and smiling at Lysos. "Yes, I'm thrilled to have her in one piece again." She lowers her voice slightly looking at the two women. "He seems a bit tired yea? I hope he's alright. No, you know... nightmares?"

Well, here's hoping at least two of the ladies know better... Lysos is quick to open up the delivered bottle and half-fill each of the three glasses before snatching one for herself. Unfortunately, she's halfway through her first, prolonged sip when Auranar makes her lowered voice comment and she ends up choking a little bit, coughing a bit. She quickly puts down the glass and pulls a handkerchief from one of her pockets to cover her mouth, then dab at it as her throat finally clears. "Uh. Yeah, me too? Because that would be terrible?"

Verna takes up her own glass, though not as quickly, and is shy of her sip when Auranar speaks low. She pauses and her lips purse in concern. "I certainly hope not. If so, he may need his own bottle..." The shift in mood is unwelcome, though not Aura's doing. Perhaps in attempt to counter that, she follows Lysos' example and proceeds to rapidly down her glass.

Back in the kitchen once more he seasons and puts the last finishing touches on the food, sets it on a serving tray and yawns one more time before heading to the table again to drop off the food. "Alright, correct me if I got any of this wrong, I'm assuming I may with my current status I don't trust I'm at my best to remember anything? House soup: Clam chowder, Medium rare steak and a wedge salad." Placing down each plate carefully not to bump them together at every sound he seems to flitch or tense up the clam Chowder had a side of rye bread for dipping purposes, the steak was perfect just as rare as asked for and the salad fresh as fresh as the bread.

Realizing that she's changed the subject for the worse, Auranar picks up her glass of wine and takes her own sip. She's silent until the food comes, and then she offers a warm smile to the server. He leaves again too quickly for her to ask any questions and she sighs. It's going to be a bit of a night she suspects. If the way the wine is flowing is any indication.

-End