Summer Tea
Tenebrae - Monday, June 06, 2016, 8:03 PM
-=--=--=--=--=--<* A06: Lower Alexandrian Gardens District *>=--=--=--=--=--=-
The city is divided, unofficially, into Upper Alexandria and Lower Alexandria. The Upper resides further up on the slope of the mountain, and rests to the east of the great river. The Lower resides to the west of it, and if the Lower could be said to have a heart, this verdant park might be its center.
Amid all the bustle of the Lower City, its Gardens District provides a peaceful respite. The warmth of Althea holds sway here, and though Daeus receives the occasional nod, this is clearly Her domain. She shares it with Dana, in the verdant green of this area. Vines and trees, remain green no matter the season and numerous flowers bloom along the park's walkways. Faerie-light lanterns hang from branches and along hedgerows.
A number of shops may be found here, most notably the city hospital, for which the park was originally built. Though now open to the public, the gardens by and large, remain underneath the hospital's care. However, in the Althean tradition, much of the work is provided by volunteers.
It's hot. Too hot. WAY too hot if you're from the artic lands north of the world. And so Krom, warrior of the Mestnoor, sweats, resting under a tree in the Garden, idly watching the clouds and the people passing by.
Sandy is walking down the street with Myrana, at the moment. She looks... sour about *something*. She's not directly looking at the other well dressed woman at the moment. Whatever it is has annoyed her!
Myrana is fanning herself with a piece of hastily folded-up butcher paper and looking like she wants to die. This may be because its hot as death outside. Dressed in a green linen skirt bustled with rose-coloured trim belted over a lightweight blouse, Myra has a basket of eggs hanging from one hand, just barely covered by a bit of cloth to keep them from frying on the way.
"It wasn't my fault you know," she's saying, eyes barely opened to slits as they walk through the relatively cool and shady lanes of the gardens. Its a good way to cut through this part of the city without choking on dust and fumes during the summer. "There're just natural consequences to that sort of thing."
"That was our TEA," says Sandy, archly, to Myrama, "And it was the LAST of it. And now we have to go get more. Who's responsible for that, I wonder?" She glares over her shoulder at Myrna, adding that in immediately and /quite annoyed/.
"The butcher's." Myrana sniffs.
New to the city and making the most of it, Nyria had been exploring. Perhaps it was inevitable that she'd end up venturing into the garden's district. With the heat bringing a light sweat to the skin, the Llyranesi woman had given up in defeat and shed her coat, holding it folded over one arm as she wanders the gardens at a lazy pace while beside her a large but well-behaved wolfhound walks with only the light wagging of its tail suggesting the creature was as excited to explore as its traveller owner.
Krom perks an ear, and rises. He knows that voice, and whatever else happens, it's best to be on your feet when The Sandy comes near. Rasing a hand in greeting to the Lady Sandiel and the ever important owner of the Ox (best booze in town), Krom is distracted by the passing puppy. Well, wolfhound, but that's almost like a puppy, right?
Her eyes drawn to Nyria and her dog, Sandy briefly glances that way before saying to Myrana, "No. No. YOU were the one who threw our tea." She points a finger at her.
Karnak has arrived.
"Well, you heard what he said! I ought've punched him, but my hands were full." Myrana exclaims. Seeing a familiar face, she smiles in greeting to Krom, who she's no doubt seen drinking at her bar, and can't help but have her gaze caught by the big wolf. Big pretty wolf. "Afternoon!" She says. "Also, I've been warned against punching any more vendors. SANDY."
Myrana says, "Thanks so much for RATTING ME OUT."
None of the others are known to Nyria, but the scent of the meat is certainly something recognized by her fluffy companion. The quirk of it's head and the change in path is noted a moment before the greeting is called and the traveller reaches down to scritch the canine behind the ears in a prompt for good behaviour. "Afternoon," she returns to the pair, glancing sidelong at the movement that is Krom before continuing. "I think my friend here likes you."
"WITH TEA," counters Sandy to Myrana, "OUR TEA. THE TEA IS GONE, MYRANA. WHY IS THE TEA GONE?" She points a finger at her accusingly. This is all her fault. Stil, the dog, Krom, and Nyria are drawing her attention away from Myrana. Her expression veritably reads 'AWwww, Puppy!'.
Krom listens, but isn't quite following. "Who is getitng punched? Krom is concerned it might become him. And isn't tea just water from a dirty cup?"
"Because I dashed it in his face," Myrana attests under her breath. Their iced tea. Precious, precious cold liquid. Its too hot. But it was worth it. Krom's question horrifies her though and she sucks in a breath, utterly flabberghasted. DIRTY TEA?! How do you even begin to respond to such a thing!? OH HER WOUNDED HEART!
Karnak moves along the street slowly, glad to see so much nature even if it is undercut by man-made structure. His eyes are still wider than normal, clearly not quite used to the size and complexity of of the cities outside the area he had grown up in. He is not alone however, and his companion is larger than a wolf hound and for that matter larger than a wolf. A large black bear ambles along behind the man, it may be mean looking but so far it had done nothing but show slight curiousity to those around him.
"Dashed who in the what...?" Nyria blinks, crossing her arms over her chest while she listens to the rather emotional exchange between the pair and casts a sidelong glance at Krom in silent questioning of help to understand. She'd figured people in the city would be strange to her but...wow. Her dog on the other hand has no such worries, instead sniffing at the member of the pair that had been carrying the meat from the butcher. Trained or not, the wolfhound was a dog after all.
Promptly, Sandy reaches out and takes a bit of meat from the folded paper and and gets down on a knee to feed it to the dog. "Well, of course. We have food. WE're suddenly /best friends/. Aren't we boy?" She reaches out to pat him on the head once he's had the bit of meat.
Krom shrugs, and looks to Myrana. "Krom wonders if you have another owlbear. Krom liked the stew." And then there's a bear. Krom might be distracted again.
Myrana lets Sandy take a piece of their stewmeat from the basket she's carrying (mostly eggs and stew meat, for that matter, though there's a loaf of bread in there) without complaint, straightening up a little bit at the further question as if snapping out of a horrified fugue. "H- oh owlbear? Oh, Svarshan brought that in. This here's just lamb, but we were gonna make kebabs at the bar." She shakes her head, setting her heavy black braids to waving down her back. "I lost my temper with Paulus," she explains to Nyria, and now that she's not argueing with Sandy about it, has the decency to look a little /tiny/ bit contrite. "...I suppose Sandy might've wanted to drink that iced tea. Good afternoon," she greets Karnak and his bear a little nervously, but politely. Alexandria is a city full of strange things, but a large black bear is nothing to be sneezed at.
Karnak grins at the nervous woman, one of his hands raising to scratch at his pointed ear. "Don't worry he is well trained. And friendly, well most of the time at least. As long as you don't plan on trying to run me through with a sword he will be as sweet as a kitten." He turns his body slightly and scratches at the fur along the top of the beasts over large head, which it in return shakes his head and presses against the hand. "I saw a few odd things in this city so i bought him in yesterday. Seems like he still draws plenty of attention though." Karnak shakes his head slightly "Oh well, i do not like the attention but he sure seems to love it."
"I've always found that a stomach is almost always the best way to make friends with many things..." Nyria grins lightly at Myrana before her attention is diverted over her shoulder and she blinks at the sight of the man with his animal companion. She'd seen the half-elf before, but the beast was a new sight. "That's certainly more then the weasel that other man had been carrying around earlier," she comments before glancing around just to see how the other citizens might be reacting to the well-behaved bear. Her dog quite happily devours the meat it was given, but the sight of the bear makes it defencively step between the Llyranasi and the much larger animal. Well-trained but still cautious and loyal. "Does he have a name?" she questions Karnak. Of course people would ask about the animal before the owner, who wouldn't?
Krom eyes Karnak, but smiles. "Krom knows kittens can be vicious. And painful even when playful. Krom would not want bear to climb his leg to reach food." He nods to Nyria. "Cities of the southlands hold many strange things. Most seem a little friendly." He glances sidelong at Sandy.
And now there's a bear. Sandy eyes the bear. She makes a 'hnngh' sound and mutters 'At least it's not another damn giant cat' under her breath. She straightens back up, then pauses. Makes a face.
"He certainly does, his name is Iorveth. A proud name for a proud and strong animal." Karnak moves his hand from the beasts head and rests it along its flank, feeling the strength in the massive bear. "I have done a little travelling lately, and he see's that i stay safe on the road." He shakes his head slightly "After all most road bandits have no fear of a lone man carrying only a staff. Throw in a massive bear that has obviously been in a few wars of it's own and they think twice about attacking me. After all no one wants to try and fight a bear with a sword and most bandits do not have war horses and lances to come against Iorveth."
Myrana lets out a breath that she'd been anxiously holding at the reassurance that the bear won't hurt anyone, though she does her best to cover it with a convincing little cough into one hand. "Just the kebabs later," she says. "I've got a marinade back at the bar just waiting for this lamb." she hefts the heavy basket in a little short-arc swing at the end of her noodly arm and gives Nyria and Krom an appreciative smile. "Sandy's harmless," she says in a light tone.
Krom gives Myrana a Look. "...'harmless'... Krom questions in what language you are speaking. But Krom also wants to know, what is 'kebab'?"
Myrana wiggles the fingers of her free hand illustratively. "Marinated meat and vegetables on skewers, cooked over coals."
"...harmless?" says Sandy, looking over her shoulder at Myrana before turning back to Karnak and giving him a nod. "Nice bear," she grumbles before rising back to her feet and eyeing Nyria. Just /eyeing/ her for the moment.
A nod from the elf woman and she looks to Karnak, a questioning expression before she steps forwards with a hand extended. She knew enough about handling animals to know that it's better to let them come to you, but there is a difference between large dogs and literal bears. As big as her companion was, 'Iorveth' could probably kill her with a single swat of his massive paws. If she'll manage to pet the creature, she'll look over to the others and then chuckles. "Sounds like you had quite the adventure seeking your dinner."
Nyria doesn't seem to notice the intensity with which she was being stared at.
"... I don't know if 'adventure' is the right word. next time, SOMEONE will not be throwing any of our tea. I don't eve LIKE tea and I'm still annoyed with you about that." She directs that at Myrana, grumbling. "But it's fine." She squints at her. "You look familiar."
Iorveth is calm as he is petted. Seems that unless someone offers his friend danger or he is ordered to attackk he is a rather calm creature. Or perhaps just at the moment he is particularly well fed. Maybe some bandits did attack him on the road and that story wasn't so much a hypthetical. Karnak nods his head slightly as the hand touches his bear "Nothing to be afraid of. He is quite intelligent and even more importantly well fed. So please don't worry. Just think of him as a dog with giant blood."
Krom ehs. "Bears are not dogs. Dogs do not climb. And bears drool less."
Sandy has partially disconnected.
"Next time I'll just hit them," Myrana agrees. To aggravate Sandy.
"A dog with giant blood?" Nyria repeats in clear amusement before looking over at Krom. "You might be suprised," she comments lightly before looking at Sandy and tilting her head the other way. "Familier?" she repeats, noticing the staring now a little more readily while her dog seems to have made peace with the non-threat of the bear and has turned its not-inconsiderable cuteness on begging for 'just a little more' food.
"Familiar. Can't place it, though," says Sandy with a shrug of her shoulders. "A giant dog. Right." She eye the bear warily. "JUst don't let it scare anyone, eh?" She grumbles.
Sandy also glares at Myrana.
Myrana smiles brilliantly at Sandy.
Krom eyes Sandy. "Right. Because the bear is the scary one here."
Myrana says, "Definitely."
"That's true," says Sandy, giving Krom a very flat look. VERY FLAT. She clears her throat.
Krom returns the gaze levily. "You remind Krom of Grandma Boadic. Few dare cross Grandma."
"...are you comparing me to a GRANDMOTHER?" ays Sandy to Krom, now, suddenly distracted from her thoughts of Nyria's familiarity.
Myrana pulls the bread from her basket and starts nibbling on one end of the baguette. Since she doesn't have popcorn.
Krom nods. "Yes. Many ways similar, though some ways not. Do you have children?"
Myrana suddenly chokes on her bread and starts coughing violently.
Hun'rar has arrived.
Krom considers a moment, and shrugs. "Too bad. Krom is told wisdom comes when you hold your first grandchild."
Karnak has disconnected.
Hun'rar comes walking along in the gardens with a placid pleasant look in his face, thumbs hooked behind the edges of his breastplate and humming a tune to himself. Spotting the group he walks over, clanging in his heavy armor "Ah, silk lady! Sandy was it not?! What a pleasant garden don't you think?!"
"What the hell is so bloody pleasent about it?" snaps Sandy, immediately.
Myrana fans herself, managing to swallow the mouthful of bread that tried its darndest to get into her lungs and catching her breath.
"N-no, no kids," she wheezes.
Hun'rar seems unaffected by the snappy comment "Oh that we can have a touch of nature here in the city." he takes a deep breath. "Not bad at all, for a city."
"I hate gardens," says Sandy, grumbling.
Hun'rar frowns "Well then you need to see better gardens!"
"I do not! I've seen plenty of gardens! I don't like them!" Sandy is heated over SOMETHING. She stomps her foot.
Hun'rar says, "But how can you say that if you have not seen them all! Perhaps theres ones out there where all the fruit tastes of sweet candy!"
Myrana brushes crumbs from her blouse.
Sandy just gives Hun'rar a very flat look.
Myrana says, "Well I quite like this garden."
Myrana takes a sniff of the air. "Peaceful."
Hun'rar nods to Myrana "I am glad you do, I positively love it. I am Hun'rar de Villefort by the way." he says with a deep clanky bow.
Krom nods in agreement, turning his focus back to Sandy. "What do you enjoy?"
Myrana sets her basket of eggs and lamb (and partially choked-on bread) down on the swept cobbles of the path and curtseys with a polite sweep of her hand across the side of her skirts. "Myrana Jn'Rajh, at your service." Straightening, she casts a glance at Sandy and then stage-whispers to Hun'rar: "She's in a state because I got in an arguement with our butcher earlier."
"And threw our tea! She threw it!" Sandy gives Myrana a LOOK. A weird one. Then she kicks her (lightly) in the shin.
"Well he was being fresh!" Myrana shoots back at Sandy, picking up her knee and rubbing at her shin through her skirts. Oh god not this again!
Hun'rar throws up his hands "But what is this argument to you?! Especially for one as long lived as an elf? A blink, the tiniest mote of insignificance in the grand sheme of things. Just forgive and move on." he says with a broad smile.
"He was not! It was your IMAGINATION," says Sandy, loudly, to Myrana. Then she picks up the bread Myrana was choking on and throws it at Hun'rar.
Krom glances between Myrana and Sandy. "Krom is having trouble pictureing a time when Miss Myrana is upset, but Sandy is not. Unless Sandy is causing the trouble, Krom can imagine that easy."
Hun'rar bends down and picks up the bread that bounced off of his chestplate. "You want this back?" he says holding it out to Myrana.
Myrana takes the bread with infinite sadness and a tiny, polite 'thank you very much'.
Myrana then turns the most terrible, awful, bone-meltingly sorrowful look on Sandy. The kind of look that will possibly curdle weaker organs with intense guilt. Her big dark eyes are like pits of sad 'why did you throw my nice bread'-ness. She went all the way across town for that bread.
Krom sighs. "This is what Krom meant. Sandy causes trouble, Myrana is upset."
Hun'rar furrows his brow "So.. why spend any time with Lady Sandy if she causes misery?"
Sandy looks rather stricken. "..s-sorry," she mumbles to Myrana.
"That's alright," says Myra, patting Sandy on the shoulder. "You can walk back with me and get another loaf. They had seeded ones, too." And just like that, she seems to forgive the other woman. MAYBE she was laying it on a little thick, though its possible that it takes theatrics to get through Sandy's extra stompy defenses. Shaking her head, she waves it off and brightens. "A meddlesome paladin decided it'd be easier to keep track of us if he married us."
"..Wait, that sounds terrible." Myrana adds, quickly. "To each other."
Krom looks between the two. "...so if Lady Sandy does not yet have children, it is because of you?"
Myrana beams. "But Sandy is excellent at hiding my special casks from the Oxleys for me so they don't drink the scrumpy before its done ageing, so it works out!"
Sandy just glares at Myrana again. /Glares at her/.
Myrana nods to Krom. "That's right."
Hun'rar opens his mouth as if to say something and then closes it again.
"Anyway, we will get back at Svarshan for that eventually," says Myrana, confidently.
Myrana says, "As soon as we figure out the best revenge, that is."
"I should teach his kids magic," mutters Sandy, annoyed.
"Dark magic," Myrana agrees, serene.
"The darkest," agrees Sandy.
Myrana says, "We could give them arcane chalk. Mister Jansit makes it on Brooker street."
Hun'rar takes a deep breath "I... hrm. I believe its high time I return to the temple of Gilead. Have a good day!"
Krom continues to look between the pair, back and forth, before finaly peering at Sandy. "...she has the better child-bearing hips."
"...YOU SHUT UP," says Sandy to Krom.
Myrana curtseys politely again to Hun'rar as he takes his leave, though Krom's comment causes her to cover her mouth rather quickly. "I don't think anyone would be silly enough to hand their baby to Sandy," she says. "Though she has got good arm muscles." She reaches out and pinches Sandy's arm.
"Ow," says Sandy as she's pinched. She promptly pinches Myrana back.
Krom considers. "Maybe a pet first... a puppy..." He eyes Sandy. "...or a pet rock. Something durible."
Myrana says, "Ow! That's why people won't hand you their kids!"
Myrana says, "What about you, mister Krom? Do you have any children?"
Krom shakes his head. "Not when left Great Valley, pretty sure not along the way. Krom have much to learn before ready to raise next generation."
Myrana smiles, warming. "That's a good way to go about it," she says. "It's important to know what you'd want to teach your kids if you had some." She puts her hands on her hips. "If I had children we'd be teaching them how to upset paladins and the Watch, so no kids for me." She flashes a grin at Sandy, then picks up her basket. "Fortunately we don't have to worry about that, whatever Svarshan thinks about how mammals reproduce."
Scowling, Sandy says, "Right." She scowls at Myrana some more. "You think YOU'd be teaching them that? Hmph."
Krom considers, and shakes his head. "No, you wouldn't. Miss Myrana knows shouldn't, so would change. Is what children do. Grandchildren, even more. Wisdom come with responsibility. Already wise enough to know are responsible, duty brings more wisdom."
"...screw wisdom. And responsibility," says Sandy, firmly.
Myrana pauses, about to say something. And instead lets that breath out, considering what Krom said. "I suppose so," she says, eventually. Smiling wrily, she shakes ehr head again to dismiss whatever glum thought tried to hook in on her just then, making her heavy braids swing. "Well, its not as if we can have children anyway, so there's nothing to worry about."
Sandy just looks at Myrana for a long moment and then nods, "It's a good thing."
Krom waves vaugely. "Anything possible. Children are always surprise. Sometimes more than others."
"...no," says Sandy to Krom.
Myrana purses her lips and starts to look like she's considering clarifying-- but then turns slightly red and coughs into her hand and gives Sandy a sidelong glance.
"NO," says Sandy, loudly.
Myrana says, "Wh-what?!"
Krom waves vaugely again. "Krom not judge. Krom have two great-great-great-great..." the northman blinks, and counts rapidly on his fingers. "...great-great-grandfathers. Well, many more across all family lines, but two from line of Linnsbane."
Sandy puts a hand over her face.
"Did THEY have a baby?" Myrana asks, astounded. "B-but what..." She makes vague and inaccurate hand gestures. "I mean, how?"
"I'm sure they adopted. Plenty of unwanted babies out there!" Sandy laughs.
Myrana pauses. Beat. "...OH! Oh I thought you meant like..." She stutters, and clams up and looks embarrassed.
Krom shakes his head. "Nope, no adoption. Krom not sure details, something about curse. Grandma say she explain when Krom is older."
"...uh huh," says Sandy with a roll of her eyes.
Krom shrugs. "Magic." As if that explains everything. Which, pretty much, it does.
Somewhere up there in Myra's unfortunately pretty squeaky clean brain, a penny drops.
"Oh," she says. Then: "OH!"
Sandy puts a hand over her face.
Krom considers. "Great-aunt Silvari and Great-aunt Perile had child, but Cousin Tromhas from Silvari first marriage."
"Excuse me, I need to go find a calender," Myrana says, and pulling a broom impossibly out of her satchel, hops on it and ZOOMS OFF with a fart of sparkles from the bristles, leaving the basket of meat and eggs in her hurry.
Sandy just stares at Myrana.
Krom blinks after the suddenly flying Myrana, and shrugs, turning his focus back to Sandy, and considering quietly. "...Krom will find you a good pet."
"We are not having kids!"