In the late morning, Ta'Lina can be seen entering The Smoking Boar laden with a tray and a bulging bag. She sets the tray and bag on a table mid way through the tavern near the windows. The tray is covered in stacked cups and plates, several spoons, a tea pot, cream pitcher and sugar bowl, all mismatched. She unloads everything from the tray except the tea pot and creamer pitcher, then, taking the tray and the bag, she goes into the kitchen. Some noises of water and pots can be heard and 10 to 15 minutes later she emerges with the tea pot and pitcher in hands. She sets them down and returns to the kitchen long enough to retrieve her tray, now laden with fresh fruit, cheese, bread with butter, and a variety of small cakes and cookies. Her bag seems mostly empty. She sets the tray on the table with the tea things, settles herself at the table with a cup, spoon, and plate, and places a small sign, which she took from the bag, at the end of the table.
It reads: Please Join Me For Tea.
Taking a cup of tea and some fruit and cheese, she waits, hoping someone will join her.
A few jingles can be heard in the doorway as Wren pokes her head in around the door. A giant grin spreads across her face.
“Tea?”
Ta'Lina gestures to the bench. "Tea. Please join me. Life is always so busy I never seem to be able to talk to people, get to know them...so I'm making some time." She takes a cup, spoon and plate from the collection, ones with yellow flowers and blue birds, and sets the plate and spoon opposite herself. She then pours tea and sets it there also. She looks up and smiles at Wren.
She jumps a little with excitement and shuffles forward to take a seat.
"Ooo! These look lovely!" She fidgets her fingers a bit and places a few cookies on her plate. "Did you make these?"
"Zyvian helped me. She's so good at...everything."
"But, how are you today?" Ta'Lina takes a bite of cheese and fruit and smiles.
"She really is! I'm a bit tired but good. Thought about writing a song, if only just for fun. What about you? How are you doing?"
"I am well today, also a bit tired, but, oh well. What kind of song do you want to write? I'd love to hear about it." She sips her tea and takes another bite of food.
She hugs the warm cup close to her, "I don't know yet. Maybe something funny to get everyone to laugh. I'm getting better at the ukulele I found at the KT party."
Smiling, "I like funny songs. Where did you learn music, Wren?"
Another sip of tea.
"My grandad." She smiles but shifts nervously. "He taught me most of the songs I know. We used to sing together to pass time on long trips. Sometimes when we were in one place for a few days we would perform on the street for extra gold." She takes another cookie off her plate.
A grumble and pained steps can be heard coming up the tavern steps. First thing through the door is the big black hat. Gallin Skale skulks his way to the table. Bandages cover his abdomen and upper right thigh. "Mind if I sit? Need to take some weight off this leg."
Wren turns to face the new person, waves, then scoots over a bit.
“Sure. You’re just in time for tea.”
Gallin nods and throws back his coat to take a seat. "What's in this tea? I'd like to know what herbs I'm ingesting." He says as he stares at the liquid in the cup.
Smiling up at the monster hunter, "Gallin, I'm so glad to see you. Please, sit. Wren was just telling me about her grandfather." As she speaks she reaches for a set of dishes, solid dark blue, and places the plate and spoon on the table next to her. She pours some tea, "Do you take cream and sugar?" She places the cup next to herself also. "Wren, I can tell you love him very much. It's nice to have such good memories in times like these." She reaches across the table and squeezes Wren's hand, smiling comfortingly. Turning to the monster hunter, "How are you today Gallin, you look a bit worse for wear. What happened?"
Wren reaches across Gallin, grabs a couple more cookies, and places them on his plate.
”I actually want to hear this one.”
Smiling at Gallin, "Its just basic black tea, nothing fancy. If you want something more interesting we can set a time to meet. Now if you look like this I worry also for your apprentices. Please tell your tale."
Gallin gives a smirk. "I'm alright. Fell down an embankment chasing after some grendel that had stolen a man's pants. All of his pants." He pulls the tea a bit closer to him and pulls out a vial from his pocket and adds it to the tea. "This is all i take with my tea." He gestures with the empty bottle. "Please, continue your story."
Cocking her head to the right, "What, if I may ask, is it you put in your tea?" A curious look on her face. "And did you get the grendel and the...", she giggles slightly behind her hand, "...mans pants back?"
Gallin takes a sip and twinges his face a bit. "A mixture of herbs and juniper berries I let sit in a dark room until it's refined. As for the pants. They threw them in the water and fled. The pamts were my bouty and I got them."
“Why would you want another mans pants? I get sharing trousers but pants is not one I’ve heard before.“
His brow furrows and his face drops. "I didn't want them. The grendels took them. I was getting them back for the man."