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* Rhys comes in from the back room, an empty and washed clean wine bottle in hand. He sets the bottle on the bar, heads to the door, and unlocks it. On the way back to the bar, he lights the lamps one at a time. "Hall's open." * Glossaria wanders in, a hefty book cradled open in her arms, her eyes (figuratively) glued to the page. She navigates around a few tables and seats herself at the bar, still reading. <Rhys> ::quietly, so as to not disturb the bibliophile too much:: Good evening, Glossaria. * Felice tentatively pokes her head in the door, then seeing Glossaria hops through the doorway and walks to the bar, "Good evening!" * Felice hops up onto one of the stool, as usual managing to arrange herself so that only her tail hangs off the top of the stool. <Rhys> Good evening, Felice. Can I get you anything? <Glossaria> ::slides a pencil automatically from her hair, using the unleaded end to point to her place in the book before she looks up with a smile:: Good evening, Master Rhys. ::sighing happily and propping her chin on her fist:: I think I'm in love. Well... in love *again*, I suppose. <Felice> Umm... Kipper? <Rhys> Oh, really? Would you care to elaborate on the circumstances? And I'll see what we've got, Miss Felice. * Felice looks curiously at Glossaria. * Tarri comes in just in time to hear Glossaria's declaration of love. "Is this something Val should know about?" She grins. * Rhys rummages around just inside the doorway to the kitchen, and comes back with a small bowl for Felice. "We had some lox. I hope that will suffice." <Rhys> Good evening, Miss Mandeil. Care for anything? * Felice bounces on her stool, "Thanks Rhys!" <Tarri> ::considers as she takes a seat at the bar:: A glass of white wine would be nice and relaxing, I think. <Glossaria> ::blushing faintly:: Oh, Val needn't worry, I promise. This is platonic love. ::tracing lightly around the edge of the tome's cover with a finger:: I only... I went to look up an unfamiliar acronym, and I just couldn't stop. ::coloring a little deeper:: He's so knowledgeable, and witty and funny... and OH, his cross-references! And his style, though concise, manages to be remarkably conversational.... * Felice pulls some of the lox out of the bowl with her fingers and pops it in her mouth, purring contentedly, her eyes half closed as she chews. * Rhys fetches a goblet off the racks and studies the taps intently. "Anything for you, Miss Glossaria, while I'm at my business." <Tarri> ::blinks at Glossaria, then giggles:: You've fallen in love with a book? <Glossaria> A glass of red wine, please, Master Rhys. A Waterdhavian, if you have it? <Glossaria> ::somewhat defensively:: Well, books *do* have authors. At least, most books do. <Tarri> ::looks amused:: So you've fallen in love with the author of the book. Based on a single work? * Rhys takes another goblet off the racks and resumes his study of the taps. He reaches out, hesitates, picks the tap two to the right of his initial selection and pulls it. Tarri's glass fills with a light, pale liquid. Rhys sniffs it dubiously. "This should be a nice, crisp white..." He hands Tarri the goblet. * Tarri sips hesitantly, then nods. "It's very good, Master Rhys. Thank you." * Rhys ponders some more, and picks the tap for Glossaria's wine, pulls, and nothing comes out of the tap. He pulls again, and again nothing comes out. The third time he pushes, and there's a cheery gurgle as Glossaria's goblet fills with a rich red wine. "And for you, Miss Glossaria..." <Glossaria> ::eyes wide:: Well, it's a yes, but... it's an unabridged dictionary! * Felice shakes her head and has some more lox. <Tarri> ::tsks softly and shakes her head:: I don't know, Gloss... These whirlwind romances so often end badly... One minute everything is stars and flowers, and the next thing you know, he's made some unforgivable grammatical error, or defined your favorite word incorrectly, and suddenly everything's a horrible mess. <Felice> ::grin:: Personally Gloss, I think you should just be in it for the cheap paper. <Glossaria> ::hugging the book a little awkwardly to her chest (as it is, after all, about the size of her torso):: Oh, no, he's quite open about his errors in the foreword and dedicatory notes. It's quite well-written. And he has so many terms I hadn't encountered before! ::smiling fondly:: And quite clever about copy protection... he slips the funniest false definitions in-- thoroughly footnoted, of course-- and, well... ::sighs happily:: <Tarri> ::laughs:: I'm just teasing, Gloss. I'm glad you're enjoying your find... ::eyes the massive tome:: It doesn't look very cuddly, though. * Vallel walks in. He has a few large brown bags under his arms and his cloak and boots are two inches deep in mud. "Good evening, everyone." <Glossaria> ::sniffs a little:: I *said* it was platonic! ::eyes Felice:: And he does *not* use cheap paper. It's quite nice, really. Quite a high rag content... ::licks her lips and takes a sip from her wineglass:: * Rhys looks at Vallel and his face sags. <Vallel> ::looks down at his feet:: If someone could grab these, I'll take the boots off. Before Rhys cries over his mop. * Felice waves to Vallel, "Hey Vallel." <Tarri> ::looks around:: Vallie! Did you know about your wife's lates- Where on earth did you find all that mud this far into the city? * Tarri gets up to help Val with his bags. <Rhys> I'm sorry, Vallel. I had just gotten used to certain short cuts in matters of the maintenance and upkeep of the Hall, and not having them available to me has made certain bits ache. <Glossaria> Oh! Good evening, Val! ::blushing faintly as she replaces her pencil with a proper bookmark and closes her book on it, setting it carefully on the bar before going to Vallel's aid as well.:: <Vallel> ::the bags are very heavy and appetizing smells come from deep within:: I wasn't in the city most of the day, actually. <Tarri> Well, if you managed to keep most of the mud on you from as far as the city gates, I shudder to think how filthy you were when you came in! I'm surprised the guards let you past; they must have thought you were some sort of mud-man! ::She hefts a bag onto the counter:: <Glossaria> Not in the city? ::tucking her hair back into her collar before kneeling to help Val with his encrusted boots:: <Vallel> ::bends over and removes his boots:: Nope. I was doing a job. What's in the bag was my payment. * Vallel removes his dirty cloak and hangs it on a hook. In his sock-feet, he crosses the room to start unloading the bags. * Glossaria goes to wash and carefully dry her hands before returning to her place at the bar, one arm leaning on her huge book rather protectively while she watches Val unpack. <Felice> So what were you doing Val? ::has some more lox:: <Vallel> Tracking someone down... <Glossaria> ::cocking her head:: Tracking? Isn't that more Mistress Lisl's line of work? * Vallel removes several loaves of bread from one bag - rich honey wheat, white, raisin nut, sourdough, rosemary herbed, and several crunchy trencher rolls. <Glossaria> ::blinks and glances (somewhat guiltily) at her dictionary:: I thought "bread" was only a slang term for currency? <Tarri> ::laughs:: You were paid in bread? How are you going to eat all that before it goes bad? <Vallel> ::shrugs:: They didn't have any actual money and positively refused to not pay me. ::removes three wheels of cheese - two cheddar and one goat:: <Glossaria> ::faint smile:: "Cheese" has also been used as a slang term for money... please tell me you don't have a head of cabbage in the bottom of that bag? * Vallel folds up the one bag. "No, actually. Did you want some cabbages, dear?" From the other bag, he pulls out two small baskets of strawberries and a crock of cream. "There. Anyway, I thought I'd share. Rhys? If you could provide plates and bowls and knives?" <Tarri> ::eyes widen at the strawberries:: I thought it was too early for berries! Did they have a hothouse? <Rhys> I have all three of those in supply, Master Vallel. If you'll allow me a moment... ::he turns and heads into the kitchen:: * Vallel looks guiltily at his wife. "Well, I wasn't... sort of." <Glossaria> ::sighs a little and shifts position, leaning her elbow on the dictionary and her head on her hand, idly tracing the letters of the title with a free finger:: No, thank you, I was attempting humor. * Rhys comes back with a stack of bowls on a stack of plates, and a pile of knives balanced precariously on the plates. He sets the tower of stoneware down on the bar and starts setting places. * Vallel takes out a strawberry and offers it to his wife. "Sorry, dear... it was hard work, today." * Felice finishes off her lox as she watches the preparations. * Tarri looks plaintively at the strawberries. "May I have a few?" <Glossaria> No, no, it's alright. I'm comedically challenged, I'm afraid. ::eating the strawberry delicately from his fingers:: * Vallel offers the strawberries, bread and cheese with a wave of his hand. "By all means. I already ate some of it earlier." He helps himself to a few slices of bread and hacks off a chunk of cheese. He cuts the cheese into a few slabs and spreads them on top of the bread, then waves one hand over the lot. The cheese sizzles suddenly and melts onto the bread, which toasts nicely. * Tarri picks out a plump strawberry and bites into it with relish. "Oh, these are wonderful." She sighs happily as she finishes the berry. "I thought I'd have to wait another two or three months for good strawberries." * Felice helps herself to a chunk of cheese, "Thank you Val." * Glossaria grins suddenly, glancing at the "no magic" sign, and kisses her husband's cheek. "Oh, you *are*-- how is it? "handy to have about"?" <Vallel> ::smiles:: I'm glad you think so, dear... ::leans into the kiss:: * Tarri has another strawberry, grins at the couple, then waves at the wine bottle on the counter. "What's this, Master Rhys? Reduced already to setting out a bottle for tips? It works better if you pick one with a wide enough mouth for the coins to fit." * Felice looks at the bottle, "You could fit snakes in it." * Vallel raises one eyebrow at Felice. <Tarri> ::shudders violently:: Oh, yuck! <Tarri> ::glances at the bottle again, as if to reassure herself that it *doesn't* contain any snakes:: <Glossaria> ::rubbing his back with a hand as she takes a sip of wine:: "Snakes" has never been used as a slang term for currency. Although Chult does have an "asp" among their small coinage.... * Felice blinks at Tarri, "What? Snakes make nice gifts." <Rhys> It's a-- no, please, no reptiles. At least not yet. It's a container, in waiting. Its occupant doesn't know about it yet, though. As soon as I catch it, though.... <Tarri> ::shivers again and smiles weakly at Felice:: Remind me never to do anything that might prompt you to give me a gift... <Tarri> ::to Rhys:: Occupant? What are you chasing that can fit through that opening? A fly? <Glossaria> ::blinks, eyeing the bottle again:: Have you a djinn in the house, Master Rhys? ::half-muttering:: I thought one needed to enchant a vessel as a soul jar before one would take up residence.... <Rhys> It's a little... small... red and blue... mouse. Chaos creature. Thing. Verminous pest. <Tarri> A red and blue... mouse? ::blinks in confusion:: <Felice> Oh! Yb's little friend! ::noticeably perks up:: <Glossaria> Yb's... Yb's mouse? It sur-- no, of course it survived. It's a chaos beast. It was against all logic for a living creature to survive the blast, ergo, it survived the blast. <Rhys> We're beginning to think it might have been involved in causing the blast. * Felice tilts her head and looks at Gloss, "Does that mean it got lucky?" <Tarri> A *mouse*? <Rhys> It's not really a mouse. It just looks like a mouse. <Glossaria> ::slaps a hand over her mouth, muffling a burst of laughter:: The mouse that roared? <Tarri> ::eats another strawberry while she thinks about this:: Oh. I see. I guess. <Vallel> ::sighs:: Those things again? I thought we got rid of all of them *last* year. <Rhys> All but one, Master Vallel. All but one. I think that it had been crawling around in the tap system, when it somehow ended up at the mulekick repository... <Glossaria> ::shakes her head:: No, no. Luck implies chance. I posit the mouse is... ::frowns slightly, choosing her words:: ... it is *mis*chance, as it were. It is, always, the product of the least unlikely outcome. At least, such is my theory. It would be... most hazardous to test it. <Tarri> ::grins at Glossaria:: Ought we name it Murphy, then? * Felice blinks, "Does that mean that it could eat cats and kill gods? Or is surviving the Hall blowing up less likely that it doing those things?" <Glossaria> ::blinks and cocks her head:: Murphy? <Tarri> Sure. Murphy's Law: If something *can* go wrong, it *will*. ::she pauses, considering her audience, and continues:: It's meant to be an ironic statement, not an actual law, of course. * Vallel chews his bread thoughtfully. "Rhys, could I get something to drink? Hard cider, if you can find it?" <Glossaria> Ironic statement? ::frowning slightly:: A characterization of the often poignant incongruity between expected and actual outcomes? ::blinks a few times:: Ah! I see. Murphy's Law. Clever. <Rhys> I'll do my best, Vallel. ::he gets a mug out and studies the tap system:: <Glossaria> ::taking another sip of wine and nibbling a wedge of cheddar:: So what is it that you tracked, love, to win such largesse? <Vallel> ::takes a bite of bread:: A child. * Rhys eventually picks a tap and fills the mug. He sniffs it and sets it down in front of Vallel. "It's not red apple cider, but give it a try and see what you think." * Vallel takes a tentative sip of the "cider". <Vallel> Mmmm. Interesting. ::takes a larger swallow:: <Glossaria> Oh! Someone's child went missing? But... ::blinks slowly:: ...was it psionic? * Tarri nibbles on another strawberry as she listens. The corners of her mouth are stained red with the juice now. <Vallel> ::nods:: Yeah, she was. I already talked with the parents after I recovered the girl. They'll want to talk to Mistress Tyl fairly soon. <Vallel> I mean, *this* time she didn't get any place dangerous, but she's not really controlling the shifts. She could have just as easily ended up in a bear cave as at her grandmother's house. <Glossaria> ::nodding and hugging his arm lightly:: I'm glad that people are availing themselves of the school's services. <Glossaria> ::frowns:: ...shifts? * Felice finishes her cheese and helps herself to some bread, "So have you managed to re-open the Music Box Val?" <Glossaria> ::looking at Tarri's berry-stained mouth, and back to Val:: Where does the girl's grandmother *live*, precisely, Val? <Vallel> Um... she dream-travels... goes to sleep and wakes up wherever it was she dreamed of. It's actually a very effective means of traveling. You can go anywhere you want in the space of a dream. Once you have control over it. <Glossaria> Anywhere? Even the past? Or... a nightmare? <Vallel> ::nods:: You see where it can be really dangerous. <Tarri> ::eyes widen:: Well, there's something I can worry about when I can't sleep at night. <Felice> I don't know. It sounds like it could be fun. <Glossaria> Oh... my... indeed. ::taking another sip-- more like a gulp-- of wine:: <Glossaria> ::nods:: It could be quite pleasant. But it has the potential for a great deal of unpleasantness as well... that's a very powerful gift. ::glancing at Vallel:: It's rare? I don't believe I've read of it. * Vallel glances at Glossaria again. "Oh my. Yes. The young lady in question's grandmother had been living in Maztica. She died seven years ago. Fortunately the shade wasn't too upset about being roused." <Glossaria> ::shudders:: She visited the land of the dead, then? Was she... she came home... untouched? <Glossaria> ::murmuring softly to herself:: "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause..." <Vallel> It's hard to say, exactly. I think she thinned the barrier between there and here. And she's physically fine. A little... traumatized. I gave the parents a tonic that'll repress her abilities for a few days, so they can get her to Mistress Tyl. <Tarri> Poor little thing... <Rhys> Last call, ladies and gentleman. * Vallel finishes off his mug of cider. "This is really quite good, Rhys. Try and remember where that tap is, okay?" * Felice finishes her bread, "Well I think I'm off to enjoy the night. Say 'Hi' to Yb's little friend for me Rhys." <Rhys> I'll try, Master Vallel. We're still sorting things out. <Rhys> I'll pass on the greeting, Miss Felice. <Glossaria> You fear she may become haunted, then? ::pressing her lips together:: Just as well that psychometrist graduated already.... * Felice hops off her stool and produces from somewhere a topaz, "Is this enough Rhys?" <Vallel> ::shrugs:: I don't know *what* I fear. But can you imagine what might happen if she dreamed about another sphere? Or the world of the demons? We'd never get her back. <Rhys> It's enough to start you a tab here, Felice. <Glossaria> ::distractedly:: Good night, Felice. ::finishing off the last of her cheese and wine, her hand sliding across the cover of her book to trace the letters again:: I never thought of that. *He* could be dead... how curious.... <Tarri> Oh! ::she finishes the last of her wine and puts a silver coin on the bar. She hesitates a moment, then snitches another couple of strawberries to eat on her walk home:: Thank you Master Rhys. And thank you, too, Val. ::she grins:: If you aren't going to be able to finish them in time, bring them over and I'll make some preserves. Or a pie. * Vallel reaches into his pocket and pulls out a few copper coins. "Here you are, Rhys." <Felice> Oh. ::smile brightens and she drops the topaz on the bar:: I've got lots o shiny, pretties. I should bring more by later. * Rhys gathers together all the offered coins and gems. "Thank you, very much. Everyone have a safe walk home." <Tarri> Good night! * Felice heads out the door her tail swinging cheerfully in her wake. <Glossaria> ::patting several pockets before discovering one that jingles properly and adding a few more coins to Rhys's pile:: Thank you, Master Rhys. * Tarri heads out, taking tiny bites of her strawberries to make them last longer. <Rhys> You're very welcome, Miss Glossaria. Pleasant reading. <Glossaria> ::blushes faintly again as she gathers her tome into her arms:: Thank you, Master Rhys. * Vallel looks over at Glossaria. "What are you reading now, dear?" He gathers up his foods and puts them back in bags. Putting them down near the door, he gets his muddy boots back on and folds his cloak over his arm. <Glossaria> ::blush deepening:: Oh... oh, it's... just a dictionary. ::waiting for him at the door:: * Vallel gets his things together finally and exits with Gloss. "*Just* a dictionary..." <Glossaria> ::protesting as she follows him out the door:: It's a platonic relationship, I assure you...! * Rhys follows the couple to the door, smiling, and locks it behind them. He cleans the dishes up off the bar, and heads back into the kitchen. |
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