[Golden Dragon Inn and Tavern] A dinner party of two...er...make that three (private)
Golden Dragon Writeup-
Secrets :
Walking along the Royal avenue the main street of Vortex, that was dividing city on two parts - eastern and western, a passer-by was able to see an elegant building with a sign above the door. It was The Golden Dragon tavern that served as local inn as well. It was modest size building with two floors and an attic, covered with green paint and twined by wild grape; people of all sorts came and left the tavern throughout the day.
The wooden door, reinforced with brass bracers, was usually closed to keep warmth inside, but never locked. Anyone who came through this door found himself in a small mud room looking at the sign above the door to the main hall which said 'Please leave all weapons and coats here' . Throught the door lead to the main hall of the tavern, where one could sit at one of the decorated tables or ask for a drink in the bar. To the left there were stairs to second floor, where rooms was situated. And straight forward was a door that lead to tavern keepers’ office - and it wasn't an easy task to get to talk with him.
In spite of the fact that second floor of the building was almost destroyed during the siege it took the owner only a week to repair all damage. Some rumors were circling around the town; among them was the one, which explain this fact. It told that a golden dragon after whom this place was named visited this place and with power of his magic fixed everything.
Over the front door a sign hung, neatly painted upon it in red and gold lettering was the Golden Dragon's Menu:
Rooms:
Poor ... 3 crowns per brightening/ 27 per cycle
Common ... 9 crowns per brightening/ 81 per cycle
Suite ... 15 crowns per brightening / 135 per cycle
42nd Cryxatum, 14 era PF 19:15 Candlemarks
The Gaje city whirled around the surprisingly clean gypsy bruiser and made him a little woozy. The multitudes of people, the constant noise, the blah blah blah of people's voices were a definate change from his usual wilderness environment. Hanzi patted down his hair again, making sure the usually unruly mop stayed in placed.
He wore his temple best, which because of his backwoods upbringing, made him look achingly behind the times. The colors were so ten eras ago, and the rather garish floral shirt and string tie he wore? Yuck. His hair was combed and wetted down the long locks pulled behind his ears. Hanzi's cheeks were rosy and freshly shaven. While this was the height of Air'riela fashion, it most definately made Hanzi look like a bumpkin.
The broadshouldered gypsy was oblivious to all of this as he waited outside the Golden Dragon, unsure what to do with his hands. In the pocket? Out of the pocket? Should he wave when she arrived? Or should he give a cool what's up headnod?
Where should he put the puny half dozen tulips he brought with him? Behind his back? In front of him? With one hand or both?!?!
Calm down... Hanzi tapped his foot and looked around. Be cool!
Tulips behind his back with his right hand Hanzi became so nervous that he finally burst...into song. Hanzi sang in a deep, rich baritone an old Air'riela ballad.
"Come drift away, come drift away, come drift away with me...." He sang and waited for Anora to show.
She emerged alone from the dim streets into the pool of light the tavern spilt. An odd state considering the events of the day before, but solitude drew less attention than a flock of black skinned guards. A tactic she endorsed, but Dimitri didn't. Due to a rather disconcerting darkening the day before, she had her way on this point. For now. There was often a tussle between them over such things.
Her movements were crisp as she loathed being late, and elegant as she had trained her carriage to be so.
Beneath a cloak, the woman wore a well-crafted gown, but it was simple in its cut and free of embellishment. Its silvery gray color was a sharp contrast to the festive cacophony of Hanzi's Air'riela style. The snug sleeves ended around her elbow, exposing small little brands on the underside of her forearm. Her gestures were careful to obscure any clear view of what they were, though.
For all the looks of a comfortable upbringing, she didn't wear much jewelry. Only a fine gold chain around her neck, its pendant a signet ring with a garnet colored stone.
It took a decided amount of willpower to not indulge her Daltinan habit of raising an eyebrow at more 'exotic' manners of dress. The man had helped her out of a rather unpleasant situation, she could at least spare him subtle criticism of his attire.
"Serale, Hanzi," Anora began politely, smoothly interrupting his impromptu serenade.
And, for a spell, she summoned the creature that her sister admiringly spoke of and Daltinan household recognized amidst gatherings. Speaking low and clear with deft touches of charm, even a trace of warmth. It took effort, but the fact that she would muster such effort for the occasion spoke more of her courtesy than any winsome gesture.
"You look rather well-scrubbed and bright, this darkening. My sister would be fond of your style of dress, she is enamored of all things Air'riela."
Her neck craned a little as she peeked around Hanzi's back at the vivid clusters of petals.
"Are those for me?" Anora asked with a knowing smile. Without waiting for an answer, she gently took them as her own. All pretty politeness, she admired them a moment.
"Tulips. I'm quite fond of them." She continued, but her thoughts were elsewhere, distressed by some passing idea. This was betrayed only by the slightest drawing in of her brows.
"Har'oloth makes me miss flowers. My home in Cloudkiss had such lovely patches of lavender and crocus."
Her azure eyes lifted from the gay petals in her hand, "Thank you, but you shouldn't have."
He really shouldn't have.
With a quick gesture, she snapped the stem of one, twirling the bright head between her fingers a moment before expertly placing it in her chignon of dark hair.
"Shall we? I am in the mood for some red wine and a well spiced meal."
The woman didn't wait to be escorted, but glided into the tavern leaving her cloak in the coarse mud room.
In the warm heart of the tavern, Anora passed by smaller tables for two, deciding on one that sat three. She stood by her chair a moment, patiently waiting for it to be pulled out for her.
Daltina seemed to produce rather formal specimens of the fairer sex.
__________________
"I saw a white flower standing straight and proud, shapely as a lily, and yet knew that it was hard, as if wrought by elf-wrights out of steel. Or was it, maybe, a frost that had turned its sap to ice, and so it stood, bitter-sweet, still fair to see, but stricken."
"Sastimos!" Hanzi greeted Anora with a small, shy smile.
The butterflies in his stomach left upon mention of 'all things air'riela'. Perhaps even an eye twitched. Hanzi, while rustic and a fair spot bumpkinish was nobody's fool. In fact he was even a tad intelligent, probably much more than Anora gave him credit for.
Her sister would be fond of this dress but not her, eh? Mayhaps this one's a queen, a princess of status and fashion that views me as an exotic creature, something quaint and a little bit behind the times. An oddity, something from another world.
A smile crept back as Anora discovered the tulips.
But alas, half of our blood flows from the same river, how strange to think you may think us worlds apart in the end we may be more alike than you will ever admit.
"Yes, my Daj always said to bring something to brighten the brightening, is polite she say." Hanzi explained with a small bow.
Hanzi studied Anora, totally intrigued by this most unexpected person that waltzed into his life.
"Is perfect." Hanzi said with pride at the tulip in Anora's hair. He escorted her with a great sense of dignity while listening to her recollect her younger, more sun-filled days.
"Is understandable. Vortex is very dark." Hanzi clicked his tounge. "Too much time without the sun and you can go crazy. Look at the small, elves who attempted to protect you last darkening. I played one of those little elves this morning in dice- bad losers." Hanzi said with authority.
Hanzi checked out the restaurant. Nice place. He stood at the table and counted the chairs...three? Hmmm...
"I am so hungry that I could eat for two! Buffo! I am starving!" Hanzi offered his take on eating.
Hanzi rebounded by pulling out feat of manners out of the proverbial hat. Actually on the way to the table he saw a husband do it for his mistress and Hanzi ahhhed with recollection.
He scooted forward and pulled the chair out for anora.
"So, educate me..." He grinned as he sat down. "What's a good vintage? I'm more of a moonshine guy in the Kumpania, however, why not enjoy some high society while I'm here? No?"
With a soft, "Thank you," Anora spread her skirts a little and took her seat. The tulips were discreetly nestled in her lap. Her posture was impeccable, as if beneath her gown she wore a corset with iron boning, but her pose was softened with a slight leaning toward her companion.
"Moonshine?" she allowed a wry smile, "It seems our hobbies are similar, but my concoctions are likely a bit more demure. My own brews are often touched with a soft floral note. Those are my personal favorite, but they are not commonly sold."
Her bright eyes glanced to a server retreating towards the kitchen, quietly signaling her readiness.
"As for high society, I can make no claim as to the formality of my family's vintage, but I know it is among the best. Dimitri has been considerate enough to import a great deal of it here to Vortex."
The server was now hovering beside the table, answering Anora's summons. Looking up to the server, Anora ordered in a low purr.
"Cloudkiss merlot, Era ten if you have it, please."
As the server departed to fetch the wine, Anora turned back to Hanzi, pleased to be talking of her family and their passion for the vine, if only in brief terms.
"Not the costliest year, but I am particularly fond of it. If you don't like it, I'm afraid you will have to pretend or I will be especially wounded."
When the woman spoke it was almost a low hum, so one was forced to incline towards her a bit to hear.
"Apart from besting unpleasant dark Elves in dice, how was your day spent? Mine was dominated with the pursuit of some employment. I am now a Vortexian librarian."
She punctuated her phrase with another wry smile. "Suitable, don't you think?"
It was rare that her smiles were anything but wry or polite, they smoothed the cadence of her conversation, but were bereft of any impulsive exuberance.
__________________
"I saw a white flower standing straight and proud, shapely as a lily, and yet knew that it was hard, as if wrought by elf-wrights out of steel. Or was it, maybe, a frost that had turned its sap to ice, and so it stood, bitter-sweet, still fair to see, but stricken."
Though it was difficult. He was dressed finer than usual. A pair of fine boots carefully laced up and a fine pair of trousers, made of the leather of some exotic animal. They had a slight red hue which Dimitri admired on occasion. His shirt was white and over it he wore a jacket of sorts in a somber black velvet. A black cravat was tied tightly underneath a collar with an upwards collar so his neck was not visible. His left hand was as ever bandaged, though with black cloth and his right had a black silk glove covering it. On his face he wore his usual eyepatch and a carefully fitted brimmed hat.
He was subtle spotting her quickly and flitting quietly round the bar so he was obscured from her view. In his solitude he quickly ordered and received a small glass of whisky. He also happened to spy a bottle of Eventide wine departing nearby and by now knew that that particular year was a favourite of hers. Carefully he watched the server go and shimmied along the bar so he could just see her table.
At first he saw flowers and polite conversation, sadly Dimitri being a jealous man in the extreme felt his blood boil for a moment. He decided to wait and watch and see if this creature made any further advances.
"Didn' do very much this brightening," Hanzi breezily replied. "Picked up some supplies, won some crowns, fixed myself for fast travel this next brightening. Slept in." Hanzi smiled at another successful day.
"You can leave the bottle," Hanzi informed the waitstaff. Hanzi pressed a crown into the server's hand. "And keep it coming."
Hanzi smelled the wine. He stuck his nose straight into the wine glass and gave a grave hum. He approached it with the patience of a wily drinking veteran that he was. However, he was more apt to drink some rotgut off the back of Uncle Jimmy's vardo than to daintily sip in a place like this.
Hmmm....This smells expensive. I sure hope I don't have to pay. Hanzi thought.
Hanzi sipped and a bright look stretched across his face.
"Baxtalo!" He exclaimed in joy. "Is wonderful!" He finished his glass and poured some more.
Hanzi relaxed and listened to Anora with interest.
This is a tough nut to crack. He thought while matching her wry smile with his own devil-may-care crooked grin. Hanzi judged it his third best look after too hot to handle, and the always powerful pensive Ambarando scowl.
"A library," He replied. "Never been in one, but I have heard of them." Hanzi was barely literate in Aire much less Common. "I am sure you would be wonderful regardless. Tell me, what is it that drew you to this job? Why not follow your family tradition and make wine?" He asked bluntly, as was his way. He was never as clever as he gave himself credit as being.
"Cloudkiss, cloudkiss," He murmured to himself. "I have heard the name. Many Air'riela follow a trail of the harvests, as we call them in Aire. Good way to make quick money. Vineyards, orchards, vegetables. I have heard this name spoken those that follow that trail. Not that I do, I am not much of a fruit picker." Hanzi grinned, drained his glass, and refilled his as well as Anoras.
When her glass was filled, Anora went through a brief ritual of inhaling the scent of the wine and swirling it in the glass. The small gestures were not overwrought, and spoke of a true appreciation and evaluation of something her hands had helped produce.
Anora's face turned both pleased and sly at Hanzi's reaction. Her answer was a caramel hum.
"I'm glad you like it, or at least feign to." She lifted her glass, "To appease my pride I will assume you are rife with sincerity."
His following question was quickly hedged in an answer.
"Oh I would like to brew wine someday," she sipped her wine and in a softer voice added, "Very much so."
Her voice brightened, leaving the moment of introspection behind, "But Cloudkiss goes to my brother, Austin, or rather half-brother. Any vineyard I tend will have to be from my own ingenuity or gleaned by marriage."
She sipped her wine again, yes, this was a very good year. A memory blinked in her mind, the white stone of Cloudkiss set against crisp skies. Their traditional jaunt in the wine press. Her and Avrie's hems stained plum. The future she had charted then was a duller but brighter thing, pieces of her wondered if she could return to such plans. These past few months were like drops of wine in water, coloring her in new shades.
"The library is not an aspiration, but work to fund my visit here. My host is very generous," She absently pulled at the pendant she wore, "But I do not like relying on him overmuch."
"Apart from necessity, I chose the library because I'm given over to the habit of reading. Learning is a mild thrill for me, like clustering new talents about oneself."
His toast to her health was quickly parried as their glasses clinked, "To your luck."
After another taste of wine, Anora gave a slim, mysterious smile, "You should visit the library, it is not as lively as fighting gangs or gambling, but it there is an excellent section on warfare you might enjoy. Not to mention, the basement is rumored to be haunted by rather foul things."
Her final phrase was delivered off-handedly, like a comment on the fluctuating price of grain, and she was soon summoning the server again with a pretty look.
When the server stood beside her, she regarded him politely and gave her order.
"Could I have the rack of lamb, please, rare."
After Hanzi ordered Anora, murmured to the departing server, "We may have another in our party, who will order later."
Turning back to the Air'riela, Anora continued to take a sketch of his character with interested questions.
"What do you do amidst your kumpania, Hanzi? Are you a guard of some sort?" Her tone had a touch of flattery, "That would be my guess after yesterday's events."
__________________
"I saw a white flower standing straight and proud, shapely as a lily, and yet knew that it was hard, as if wrought by elf-wrights out of steel. Or was it, maybe, a frost that had turned its sap to ice, and so it stood, bitter-sweet, still fair to see, but stricken."
Dimitri picked his time carefully, he walked to the table behind Anora letting this gypsy see him fully. He would not be awed by the subtle mysticism of his people or their ways, his body was large and his single eye fixed on the man alone with his better half. He moved behind Anora placing a gloved hand on her shoulder, "Serale my dear I apologise for being late." he casthis eye at the other and smiled softly, "Likewise, apologies ser." He leant in and gently pushed his lips to hers as a small affectionate greeting, in his jealous ways it was almost like a warg cocking its great hingleg and spraying a litre of warm urine against a marsh tree, it declared her as his territory. Not the most subtle or populist sentiment he told himself but good enough for him.
He took the empty seat and carefully summoned the waiter, before the server arrived he spoke plainly, "The food and drink is my debt to pay this evening, please have all you want." He looked at the gypsy, "For helping my beloved one yesterday you understand, if you need anything you need but ask my friend." He sat back and when the server arrived again he spoke slowly and surely, "Your three most expensive bottles of Eventide vintage, and I will have two duck." He smiled carefully and sat back not wishing to interupt the existing conversation entirely.
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