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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - MORNING
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Piper has taken a liking to the breakfast often on offer at the Minnow of late, partly because it reminds her of travels abroad, and how every tavern and inn seems to have a similar set of menu items that vary wildly in flavor and quality from one to the other. Her other reason is that many vendors refuse to deal with her appetite in the market, many of them admirably wanting to spread their thinning stock evenly among those who need it. Thankfully it seems one recent caravan has slipped through the gates, so perhaps there is a light ahead. She pokes her fork into an exceptionally well dried and aged salted meat... Which seems to avoid any species-type description after a number of bites.
Aelia walks down into the common room from the stairs, as always a bit relieved to wake up on a consecutive day. The deer walks very lightly in step across the bar, wearing one of the pastel colored garments purchased from Rhask. She smiles a bit as she spots the familiar hulking figure of one of the mercenaries from the boat, stepping up to take a seat next to her, "Oh um, I hope you don't mind some company? If um, you do I can leave, of course. Piper, right?"
Piper looks up from her food and over to the somewhat familiar voice, nodding with a perpetually-toothy smile. "Yes, join. And yes, Piper. Been well, Aelia? Sleeping alright? Eating?" Her face may not be emoting much, but there is a hint of concern in her eyes.
Aelia blinks, surprised at the questions, "Err... w-well enough?" She calls for the barkeep, and orders some hot oatmeal with tea and honey. "Food is easy... s-sleep is always a little hard though. I didn't... I wasn't sure you'd remember me. Or uh, gosh... care?"
Piper shrugs, tapping her fork on her plate as she relaxes a bit. "Always a little. Was a bad day. Especially for some, for passengers. Important to have routine. Good for the mind." She nods again as she looks down to her food again, though doesn't continue eating yet. "Keeping busy, then?"
Aelia nods slowly, cringing at the still very fresh memories of being pulled down off the wagon. "Y-yes. Starting to, at least. Still trying to find my place here. Got some new clothes, already made a few new friends, I hope they are at least. Routine is... difficult. B-but I'm doing my best!"
Piper leans back a bit on her stools, which protest the shift. Looking at Aelia again, she sighs slightly. "Haven't seen you since, ay? Haven't seen Phoebe, either... Was she... Well, found?"
Aelia starts up, a little nervous at the mention of her name, but slowly slumps down to sigh as well, "Y-yeah. She got into town ahead of me... err, us, I guess. She's the one who took care of my room and board. I... I guess I uh... stayed in the room for awhile, wh-when she was about town." She swallows, trying to give Piper a convincing smile. "Sh-she's out and about somewhere, now that I'm feeling well enough to uh, be out and about."
Piper tilts her head slightly, but nods with a shrug. "Understandable. Glad Phoebe is alright, then. And you. Hopefully find work, too. Should be a lot around here in a little bit, when it's calm."
Aelia 's smile fades, but returns much more genuine than before. "I've heard there's some performers who gather in the market. I'm going to ask about that... maybe... oh golly, this is silly... b-but I kinda want to try to put on a play."
Piper chuckles her three gutteral notes, smiling at Aelia. "A play, ay? What sort?"
Aelia blinks, "Oh! I don't even know yet! I'm a dancer, only got a little bit of acting training, and can only sorta sing. I don't really know any plays by heart, but I'm sure I could find some scripts somewhere? There's a library here right? I don't think I could write my own."
Piper hums, scratching her chin for a few moments as she observes Aelia. "Maybe. Decent selection. Might make a good Farianne... Usually has dance. Especially the ritual. Or... If you don't mind a suit, Hannity fits. You know, Sunset Wedding?"
Aelia melts a little in her seat at the thought of a beautiful outdoor production of Hannity, "Awwww that would be so beautiful! I don't know if I could pull off a suit, but maybe..." She giggles, glancing at Piper with a bit of a mischievous grin. "You've seen your share of productions, hmmm?"
Piper gives a shrug, chuckling. "Been all over. Every place has their stories. Never wanted to be on stage, but watching actors is fun." She pauses, tilting her head slightly at Aelia, "Surprising?"
Aelia shakes her head, but slowly shrugs back, "No! Well, maybe a little. Just happy that there's someone else in this town who enjoys the arts! I met this nice lady from Sarn named Rondelethia and she thinks I should try to open a theater here. It's awful crazy sounding, but... it sorta gives me hope, you know? At least, it gives me something to work towards."
Piper smiles, glad she didn't get the same response she's received in the past, allusions to her bruiser-esque aires. "Could see it. Either way, after our welcome... Respite might need it. Big job is funds."
Beef comes down the stairs with loud but careful hoofsteps. The big grey ox takes a moment to push back the blue-grey mess of hair atop his head before walking over to the bar, taking the seat next to Piper. He gives the barkeep a nod and a snort which in his morning speak means "A lot of coffee, right now." As he waits for the blessed brew, her looks over and nods to Piper, then cocks his head at Aelia. "Friend?" he asks Piper bluntly.
Aelia hums, nodding, "It'll be a lot of work... I gotta find out if there's folks who actually want to participate and..." She goes quiet as the stranger reaches the bar, seeming to shrink slightly at the attention and waving a hand with a quiet "H-hello."
Piper watches Beef settle into his spot, smiling at him. "Ay, Aelia, from caravan." She looks between the two, gesturing at either in turn. "Aelia. Beef." She settles her gaze on Aelia again. "He was there, guarding. Good fighter." She seems to have perked up a bit in her posture since Beef arrived, though perhaps not a significant amount.
Aelia bows her head in a slightly more formal greeting. "Hello um, Mr. Beef. I... remember you. D-didn't see you fighting. Piper saved my life. I spent the rest of the fight hiding..." She shrinks a bit more, somewhat embarrassed.
Beef nods, smiling at the deer. "Hey. Need coffee, sorry..." He turns back as barkeep provides him with something more like a bucket than a mug full of hot, if weak due to circumstances, coffee. He takes a deep sip and sighs contentedly, closing his eyes as he tries to shake off the last of his sleep.
Piper chuckles, shaking her head. "You did right. No offense, you stayed out of danger. Less for fighters to worry. No dwelling on." She glances at Beef, chuckling her three notes yet again as she leans toward Aelia, half-whispering, "Could be a good Wagner, ay?"
Beef drinks down half of the bucket before he dares interact further with other conscious beings. He sets the big mug down and looks to Aelia. "Sorry about that, glad you're safe Miss Aelia. Was a nasty scene, all told. Wish folks would just let each other live in peace, but even in this town there's folks doing wrong by each other. Stayed up half the night last night trying to find someone who tried to grab at a nice lady who wanted nothing to do with him." He shakes his head.
Aelia blinks, hearing Piper's half-whisper. She glances at Beef, then glances back at Piper, doing the math in her head, and a slow smile returning to her face as she nods. "Oh... oh! Oh yes, the right choice, yes. And... Mr Beef... are you helping guard the town during this whole incident?"
Piper grunts, her smile falling as she looks to Beef. "She stayed here. Did you find him? Might have a few words."
Beef takes another sip of coffee. "Not officially, but when she ran up to tell me, couldn't exactly not help her." He looks to Piper and nods. "Yeah, me and some others tracked him down. He might have taken a couple of hits to stay still until the guards came. Nothing serious. Won't need the doc or nothing."
Aelia frowns. "Such a shame, that there are folks like that. Glad there's still some folks out there um, looking out for the little folks. No um... joke intended I guess." She glances between the two again. "You two could probably do a lot of good, working together."
Piper growls, poking at her cold plate. "Good. Some folks... Well." She looks to Aelia, "Head on a swivel, ay? Maybe less guards for now. Come to us if you need help." She pauses at Aelia's last, though. "Am no guard. Have much of my own to take care of. Can't be so distracted."
Beef nods a bit. "Stuck here until caravans can go again, so might as well do some good." He orders himself some breakfast as he stomach wakes up and protests its state of containing only coffee.
Aelia shrinks a bit at Piper's joke, but the smile doesn't fade. "Just uh, just an idle thought. You two might not be guards, but uh... well..." She sighs, "Gosh, I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just overthinking it a little too much."
Beef laughs. "Don't worry, I get you. Don't gotta be a guard to help folk, though."
Aelia blinks, seeing the opportunity, "And... and maybe Beef could help you, Piper! With um... whatever you have to take care?"
Piper glances at Beef, hesitating. "Well I... Yea. Will help, of course. Just not... Paid." She clears her throat, a blush creeping into her snout. "Yes, would like that. Half the guard are gone. Need their information."
Beef turns to look at Aelia. He cocks his head, seeming a bit confused. "Been doing that already, don't see why I should stop?" The innuendo finally starts to worm into his brain and he turns back just as his cheeks begin to show a hint of a flush under his dark coat.
Piper completely misses any innuendo, looking to Aelia. "A private matter, of sorts."
Aelia nods, having intended no innuendo and not quite picking up on it. "Well good. You two would certainly make a good team, I'm sure of it. Information or uh, fighting off bad guys, just like Artallon and Corris in The Unbloodied Blades, right Piper?"
Piper chuckles her notes, taking a bit of calm from the comparison. "I'm Corris? That's cruel to poor Corris."
Beef cocks his head. "That's a play, right? Think I heard someone talk about it once."
Aelia: "Oh, yes! It's a play! It's about two warriors who find each other in the wilderness, each with their own mission, and as they share the road together, they overcome all sorts of challenges together. And after they complete their missions, they um... well, maybe I shouldn't spoil it if you've never seen a performance of it."
Piper nods along, then pauses and seems to boil as she blushes a dull crimson over a few seconds. "Aelia. That's inappropriate." She's fighting a smile, though.
Beef busies himself with his breakfast wheatcakes, keeping turned away from the ladies. He manages a nod and grunt though, glad for the excuse to not have his blush seen.
Aelia giggles in a most unlady-like fashion, covering her mouth to stifle it. "Oh gosh! I'm sorry, Piper! I just... um... w-well! I wasn't thinking about the ending when I mentioned it, I swear!"
Piper narrows her eyes at Aelia, chuckling a few notes after a few moments. "I'm sure... An idea though. To unwind. The play, I mean." She glances at Beef. "For now."
Beef swallows down his current mouthful and collects himself enough to turn back. "What about the play?" He looks between Piper and Aelia, a touch confused about what exactly is going on other than blushing on his part.
Aelia slowly lowers her hands, clearing her throat, "O-oh um, well, I was talking to Piper about maybe... f-finding some folks to put on a play... n-not Unbloodied Blades though... something more um..." It's Aelia's turn to blush this time, "wholesome."
Piper nods along, Beef having caught her sidelong glance before she grins at him. "She is a dancer. And actor. Respite might use the cheer, ay?"
Beef nods and laughs. "Aye. Never tried acting. I'm good at being me, never tried anyone else. I can drum a pretty good beat though..."
Aelia smiles, "I'll do what I can! And if I need drums, I'll come looking, Beef, um, sir! I just need to get out there to see if there's real interest in participating, and then I'll be more than happy to put on something."
Piper pushes her half-finished plate back to the bartender, as well as dropping some money on the counter for it. "Don't forget, invite me. To watch, of course."
Beef smiles. "You should talk to that kid that juggles... Enver is the name I think? He's real entertaining." He then turns back to his own breakfast.
Aelia grins at Piper, "I'll be sure to, Ms Piper! Thank you again!" She turns to the bar as the Barkeep delivers her oatmeal, lifting up her spoon to nod to Beef. "Enver, eh? I'll have to meet him."
Beef smiles at Aelia and then looks to Piper. "Find you later, then?"
Piper nods at Beef as she gets up, brushing her arm against him briefly. "Ay, we'll catch up. Take care, Aelia." She nods to both before turning, careful not to knock anything down with her tail as she makes her way out of the Minnow.