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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - AFTERNOON
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Prachi walks in the door, the camel dressed rather lightly, only a wrap around her chest and short pants. Wearing big shirts is not easy anyway with her humps, something that is a constant point of consternation to the camel, but a fact of life. She's been working all day again, though perhaps slightly more distracted than before.
Louma slithers into the bar a few minutes later, dressed in a loose fitting cotton shirt, cinched just below where her feathers end with a polished leather belt. She approaches the bar, moving a couple stools out of the way for her to coil up and order a glass of water and a glass of wine, and some toasted bread. She glances about the place after settling.
Prachi gives Louma a nod and her usual sort of still smile, having sat down at a table with a sizable beer. She's also found a blueprint to stare at, although her expression tells something might be off with either the schematic or its' reader.
Louma nods to Prachi in return, turning enough to speak with her. "I believe I've spotted you among the construction, ma'am. How is that all coming along?" She nods toward the blueprint, assuming it's for one of the homes.
Prachi gives a careful smile: "It's... well, it's not bad. The Saurs are... hard workers, if also a bit haphazard in terms of building diligence, if you will."
Louma chuckles, shrugging. "Their village was quite nice in the mountains, but they are probably a little anxious to just get someplace to live up. They also tended to work with raw timber, not as much with sawn lumber. We want them to be safe and warm, which is why we asked folks like you to come and assist."
Prachi chuckles: "Happy to help. It's work, keeps me in muffins." She looks at her big hands: "I'm not one for more precision work anyway, so doing the moving of big parts is what I do."
Louma grins, nodding. "Well you certainly have the build for it, hmm? How long have you been in Respite?"
Prachi shrugs, motioning Louma to join her: "Few weeks. Came down from Vamas, so this climate is taking some getting used to." She shakes her neck and thus the sizable piles of shaggy hair back there, somewhat amused.
Louma nods in thanks, picking her things up and moving over to coil up next to Prachi's table. "Vamas, hmm? A good idea to come here during the winter, then. At least you'll have time to ramp up to the heat of summer. That is if you're not planning on heading back to Vamas during that ah.. Roughly six month stretch."
Prachi shakes her head: "I plan to stay if it is at all feasible. Seems there's at least construction for the foreseeable several years."
Louma nods, sipping her wine. "Oh yes. Even after the saurs are fully settled in, this town has been growing rapidly. You'll likely never run out of work here."
Prachi smiles, lifting her pint: "Like I said, keeps me in muffins." She chuckles, then gives Louma a meaningful look: "How about you? I don't think I've seen you around the sites, at least."
Enver steps into the Minnow and makes his way over to the bar where he orders a bowl of stew and a mug of mulled wine. He looks around and nods to the other two, but doesn't want to interrupt them just yet.
Louma chuckles, shaking her head. "Oh no, I am not in construction. I am with the town guard, and had seen you from airborne patrol." She glances toward Enver, giving him a smile and friendly wave.
Prachi blinks, only now seemingly realizing Louma's wings: "Oh. That would explain. You don't look all that subtle, much like me." She glances at Enver and nods.
Enver stifles a dry cough before taking a sip of his mulled wine. He waves to Louma. "Captain. Good to see you."
Louma chuckles, turning back to Prachi. "Mmh. I've found being less subtle to be very good at deterring someone from doing things we'd have to intervene in." She smiles at Enver. "And you, Enver. How have you been?"
Prachi nods: "I suppose that does make sense. How much does a growing town like this attract would-be wrongdoers, anyway?"
Enver sets his mug down and turns to face Louma directly. "Oh, not too bad. Caught a bit of a cold from being out in that sudden rainstorm a couple nights ago." His voice sounds deeper than normal and a bit hoarse.
Louma hums, looking a bit concerned. "Oh, I hope you're sleeping warm then. Perhaps Doctor Plume has something for that sore throat?" She looks to Prachi. "Not many, thankfully. We were unknown enough to begin with, and the founders opted to build the guard presence first, never really giving us a limit on recruitment."
Prachi leans back on her chair, only slightly making it creak under her: "I guess that would make sense. I hear Respite was founded as a post for exploration first, and sort of became... anything more, only later?"
Louma shrugs. "More or less, many frontier towns start out that way. We've had one expedition disappear a couple years ago, and that seems to have tempered folks on trying to push further into the continent for now. I'm sure more will come for the adventure eventually."
Enver digs into his stew a bit before answering Louma. "Already seen the doctor, yeah. Doesn't hurt too much really."
Louma looks to Enver with a warm smile. "That's good, as long as you'll recover. We'd miss you if you were gone from the marketplace for too long."
Prachi chuckles softly: "I occasionally think I'd be one for adventure, but then never really do anything. Maybe once I've settled down here better, solved the 'having a home' issue and all that." She glances at Enver: "Hello, as well." She doesn't really know what to continue, so doesn't. Awkward camel.
Enver smiles at Louma and nods to the camel. "Hello, ma'am." He looks to Louma. "Not so many people now that the solstice has passed, but yeah..."
Louma sips her wine again, eating a bit of her toast. "Oh well I am sure it will pick up again soon enough. This is Enver, by the way. And I am Louma." She blushes a bit, but bites her tongue. She can't yet, it's not official.
Prachi nods: "I'm... Prachi. Just, uh, Prachi." She pauses for a second before continuing: "It's nice to meet you."
Enver smiles at the camel. "Nice to meet you too, ma'am."
Louma nods, grinning. "You as well."
Prachi nods: "I figure it is good to get to know people, if I am going to stay. Making connections and all that." She looks at Enver: "So, what is that you do when not sick, something on the marketplace?"
Louma chuckles. "Well you're on the right track, as you've become acquainted with a guard Captain and the most prolific entertainer in Respite. The second being more important, of course."
Prachi raises an eyebrow at Enver: "Entertainer?"
Enver blushes a touch and nods. "Only from lack of competition, captain." He looks to Prachi. "Juggling, acrobatics, storytelling... that sort of thing, yes..."
Prachi smiles a bit: "Sounds like fun thing made into a job. I'm a bit jealous. If only someone paid me for regularly invading bakeries."
Louma laughs quietly. "Well, that may be true, but it only makes what you bring to everyone that much more valuable, Enver."
Enver smiles a bit. "If you say so, ma'am... I'm just doing what I can to make folks happy..."
Prachi takes a sip of her drink: "Do what you enjoy. I, uh... well I try to."
Louma: "Hopefully we will eventually have proper theater some day. I didn't think I would miss it until a recent trip to Sarn."
Enver looks up from his bowl of stew. "Yeah... Aelia was talking about that before..."
Prachi chuckles softly: "Good luck with that, I reckon. My involvement might be in building it, at best."
Louma nods. "I know it's not for everyone. Perhaps it would take some fund raising, and getting the saurs all settled into their homes comes first of course."
Prachi nods and finishes up her drink before getting up. "It's a lot of work. Speaking of, I want to go to rest for more of said building tomorrow."
Enver sips his drink and nods. "Yeah. Well, it was good to meet you, Ms. Prachi."
Louma nods to Prachi. "Take care, don't work yourself too hard out there."
Prachi nods at the two, smiling: "I try not to, at least." She heads upstairs, sighing to herself as she goes.
Enver coughs again before continuing on his stew. "She seems nice."
Louma chuckles, looking to Enver after taking a drink of her water. "Yes, she does. I do hope she manages well in the summer heat with all that hair. I suppose we'll find out."
Enver nods. "Yeah, but I thought camels were good in the desert?" He pushes back his empty bowl and looking over to Louma.
Louma shrugs, playing with her last piece of toast a little bit. "I suppose that makes sense, though she said she's from Vamas."
Enver shrugs too. "Well, she would know. I'm just glad it doesn't get as cold here as it did in Sarn."
Louma grins. "Haven't been up high enough, then. But I can imagine why you'd prefer to avoid the nostalgia trip."
Enver laughs. "Yeah, not really, no." He coughs again. "Sorry, but I should probably go rest up more..."
Louma gives Enver a sympathetic smile. "You should, yes. Would you like a ride back to the manor?"
Enver nods. "Yes, thank you." He finishes his drink and leaves a few coins on the bar. "Whenever you're ready, of course."
Louma finishes her last piece of toast and drains the last of her water, fishing some coins out of her pocket to pay as well. "Lets get you home, ser juggler." She chuckles, clearly in the best of moods as the two leave, Enver getting the faster route home over Respite's rooftops.