Fable - Ask Cultures of Elbion (College)

Despite not being from Alliria, Nilamani had found themself helping out at their booth that morning. This was because Thadd who was and whose house had made a sizeable contribution of goods to the booth, had a strong tendency to accidentally break things. That and his roommates complete inability to organize meant they had spent their morning acting as a go between for the servant who had arrived from house Orabela and the other students setting up the booth.

Thadd's first action had been to accidentally snapped a banister pole in half. He was then promptly banished to wander the festivities as gently as possible, as far away as possible for the time being.
House Orabela despite producing such a charming dunce was full of quite capable enchanters and had their hands in the cocoa trade. They had sent a great number of small enchanted boxes each embossed with the house crest, containing a sample of truffles. They were enchanted to play a short melody when one opened the lid. They were awfully extravagant little trinkets to be handing out for such an event. Then again seeing as the boxes themselves were of a decent quality, Nilamani supposed it was a clever bit of marketing.

Having sorted that out they were now 'walking' the stalls as a bit of a break. That and they considered it might be a good idea to just make sure the lunk head wasn't breaking anyone else's booth either.
They had chosen to attend in their true form today, these occasions had been building their confidence a bit in doing so. The art gala had been rather pleasant all things considered.
They did their best to be mindful not to let their tail trail into anyone's way or to knock into any of the stalls. It was certainly testing their grace, moving on lands wasn't entirely natural even if Nilamani's variety of Nerevyn was more capable than most at it. They had learned it with great effort.
So despite their own attempts to elegantly move through the growing crowd, they still floundered a bit. They kept getting bumped into, or their tail trod on by a stray foot.
Folks were indeed too preoccupied with the many offerings to look down after all.
Thus their usual easy going personality was clouded despite the bright sunshine.

With a small determined frown their eyes scanned for a treat which might alleviate their sour mood.

Lucien Valtiere did not belong here.

That much was evident in every precise step he took and in the glacial poise of his posture. He wore a doublet of storm-silver damask, trimmed with thread-of-pearl embroidery and buttons that winked like black diamonds. A cloak of charcoal velvet fanned behind him, clasped at the shoulder with a brooch shaped like the seal of House Valtiere, a falcon entwined with vines. His hair, a striking shade of moonlit platinum, had been styled back in Dalriadan fashion.

Lucien did not so much walk as glide, chin high, eyes cool and perpetually unimpressed.

His nostrils flared ever so slightly as the mingling scents of spiced fish, roasting boar, and something aggressively fried assaulted him. He resisted the urge to reach for the monogrammed handkerchief tucked into his sleeve. Instead, he offered only a tight grimace.

“Gods preserve me,” he muttered under his breath.

He was here, of course, under duress. His family had insisted. Something about goodwill between cultures. Merchant diplomacy. “Alliria’s financiers are almost tolerable,” his mother had said. “Smile if you must. And don’t say anything dreadful about their fish.”

Lucien had no intention of smiling.

As he swept past a particularly loud troupe of Bhathairkian students singing some guttural tavern song, his heel abruptly caught on something soft….firm, sinewed, and unmistakably alive. A tail. He stepped directly onto it, shifted, and looked down in annoyance.

His gaze followed the appendage to its source, a striking, aquatic-looking person (Nilamani ). He didn’t move. Didn’t offer even the ghost of an apology.

Instead, he lifted a brow and offered coolly, voice smooth as chilled wine, "This is a promenade, not a swamp. Mind that tail."

Uldyr

Pomrick was in a perpetual state of awe, mouth hanging open like a door someone had forgotten to close.

There were so many people here. So many colours. So much to see and do and buy that his brain nearly cooked as well as that boar on a spit near the orcish students. The meat looked fit to flake off its skin, turning slowly with graceful skill. Fat and flesh popped and sizzled, tantalising his ears -- and his stomach. The smell of well-cooked meat wafted into his nostrils, seducing him. With clockwork precision, his mouth salivated and his stomach rumbled. His sweaty fingers patted down his own belt, seeking his pouch, flicking it open and digging into it.

Fingertips rifled fruitlessly. He could have sworn he still had six copper pieces left, no? But nothing. Had he already spent it? He closed the pouch and searched inside his jerkin and vest, where he sometimes hid a small sack, but he must have forgotten it today, finding nothing but red chesthair. Huh. He slung off his salmon-red knapsack and knelt down in the middle of the busy street, sticking out his tongue and rifling through a clatter of belongings within. Still his coins stubbornly refused discovery. An old mug, a battered scroll-case, a wooden spoon, a broken quill, an empty inkpot and a tattered waterskin all spilled out on the dirt road. Tracing the bottom of his container, he finally came upon . . . two little disks. Aha! There it was!

Rubbing the two copper coins between his fingertips gleefully, his gaze trailed down to the inkpot, the one he had thought empty. Somehow, two more coins had found their way inside its glass. Victory, at last!

Scraping together his measly fortune, Pomrick clenched four pieces in total. It felt good. He nearly felt rich. Maybe he'd be able to afford a needle and thread, so he could sow back the buttons on his vest? That would be neat. But he better make sure not to lose it. So he stuffed all his coins into the ink-pot.

At about this time, he spotted Nilamani's unmistakable serpentine form and flowing brown hair through a forest of elbows and shoulders. His heart leapt with joy. A familiar face and a fortune? This was his lucky day.

Swiftly smashing scattered items back into his knapsack, Pomrick rapidly closed the distance, huffing and puffing excitedly as he broke into a half-run, waving like a happy idiot.

"Nilamani! Hoy, it's me! It's Pom--"

By the time he made it there, he saw Thadd, grinning even more happily. And he saw someone else.

A tall, young man who looked like winter dressed in midnight. Shockingly pale hair and skin, further accentuated by his umbral velvet and icy scorn. He saw him just as he stood on Nilamani's tail.

Pomrick's joy leaked from him like a punctured wine-sack, deflating. Instead, he was filled with apprehensible dread at this stranger; not unlike some other rich, aristocratic students he'd encountered before -- usually not for a great outcome.

Plonk. Something clattered down between his feet, rolling ponderously towards the mysterious tail-stomper. The inkpot. Somehow, it had slipped free from his knapsack -- probably from his run. It rattled with all his copper coins.

"Oh, uh, pardon me, let me just, uh--"

He was about to bend down to reach it.

Lucien Valtiere
Nilamani

"ah!" A slightly undignified yelp sounded from Nilamani's throat as they felt the unmistakable pain of one more boot. Only this time whoever it was didn't even have the good sense to remove it.
Their ill mood boiled into a simmering irritation.

They slowly turned their gaze to meet the menace planted on their tail. Their eyes were no less icy and full with a venomous stare. Golden iris' boiling with poison met the frozen blue gaze with a not so measured response. Nilamani seemed to size up the young man in an instant. They rose a touch on the height of their tail though admittedly they didn't have the length or strength to rise above the man's height, not with a foot still planted on firmly on a portion.
A frivolous pampered type with shiny locks as white as the clouds their ego must reside in. They bore a striking resemblance to a previous acquaintance in a way that immediately needled right under Nilamani's scales.
He wasn't so familiar with the stranger's crest but he could recognize the metaphorical high nose of a wealthy son from nautical miles away.
Heightened as they were in their anger they failed to notice that Thadd had emerged to witness their lapse in judgement. Even more surprising was that they had failed to hear Pomrick's cheery greeting, which surely would have righted their mood in an instant on any other occasion.

Instead their tail forcibly lashed free of his step and rebounded. Their tail moving quick and forceful as a whip in an attempt to either thwack the young man behind the knees, or to wrap around an ankle to pull him up off his footing.
It was a bit petty to lash out to immediately attempt to knock the stranger off his feet but Nilamani was far from in a forgiving mood today.
"Oh? So eager to be on the menu? Afraid I'm not in the mood for spoiled birds today." Nilamani shot back with their voice indignant and sharp.

Nearby Thadd lingered seemingly oblivious to the situation at hand as if Nilamani were simply making a bit of playful banter and not threatening to eat a stranger.

Lucien Valtiere
Pomrick Bloomsfield

Lucien knew the tail was coming from the way the student tensed, so he tracked it when it moved out from under his foot. Of course the creature would retaliate. It was always so tediously easy to get under lesser skins.

He didn’t blink, just hopped up with grace, letting the whipcrack of scaled muscle pass cleanly below him. His cloak swayed like a curtain drawn to the side of a stage. A calculated move and timed.

Unfortunately, someone else had wandered onto the stage.

CRACK.

The tail’s recoil lashed forward, fast, snapping, and struck squarely into the figure that wandered directly between them.

Lucien exhaled. Slowly. Like a man forced to acknowledge a pigeon had landed at his tea table.

His gaze remained fixed on Nilamani, cool and unhurried. “Please. If I wanted to be swallowed, I could find far better company.”

Only then did he tilt his head, just enough to glance at the chaos on the cobblestones. He casually swiped the inkpot off the ground.

Recognition flickered as he looked at the new figure. He paused. Tried to recall the name and shrugged. “Ah. Blunderfield,” he said, turning the inkpot around in his hand, ignoring the boy’s plight. “I have a booth that needs tending. Come along.”

He didn’t wait. He simply turned, pocketed the inkpot, and started to walk toward the Oban booth across the path. The booth that, of course, was directly next to the one Nilamani was helping with.

Nilamani Pomrick Bloomsfield

Aiko wandered through the collection of tents daring to hold a smile on her face. Her nose picked up a variety of scents, while her ears could pick up the inflection of over a dozen accents and dialects. Initially the girl had volunteered to help set up the Allirian tent, but the Orabela boy had told her that “My family has great respect for the Yamaguchi’s, and he would not trouble her”. Thadd was very eager to handle things himself, or at least without Aiko. The part that unsettled Aiko was his demeanor. It was as if he was balancing at the edge of a dangerous spell, afraid it would consume him. She didn’t quite understand, but soon decided it was for the better. There was so much world to Arethil that Aiko had never seen. Today she hoped to catch a glimpse of that world.

Aiko wandered from booth to booth, hoping to find a booth of Dornoch and hopefully one of Atticus or Yuebing Coquelicot . Sampling one of their teas would be welcome to fight the array of scents. Then again, she also hoped to learn of Maraan and Suleiman Askari . There were so many things to do. It had to be a wonderful day.

Aiko made her way through the crowd, keeping an eye out for interesting booths or interesting friends. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted what appeared to be the tail of the snake? Ahh, the Stargazer’s club was over there. Was Lysander taller? Aiko thought humans had stopped growing at this age, but perhaps not. Hmm, Nilamani looked angry at the boy. Perhaps now was not the time for hellos.

Nilamani Pomrick Bloomsfield Lucien Valtiere

CRACK.

All he saw was the foot lifting -- tail snapping, blocking his vision -- and suddenly, kinetic force smacked into his face. With a hint of rubbery scales to it. He only managed to grunt in response.

CRASH.

A puff of dust lifted around him, as he was suddenly prone on the ground. Pain bloomed from his reddened cheek, stinging his eyes with tears, causing him to groan miserably. Wh--uhwhat? What happened?

By the time he leaned up on his elbows and got a handle on the sequence of events, Lucien had swiped his inkpot. More importantly, the inkpot held his remaining coin.

"No-uh, wait! That's--that's--" he felt he should have some witty retort for the name Blunderfield, but couldn't get at any, too distracted and the world moving too fast for him. At a breakneck speed, in fact. He scrambled to his feet, blunderingly. "That's mine, can I ah, have it back, please--"

His words fell on uncaring ears. The one intended to hear them had already turned on his heel and made away. Drat! He rushed to both rise and pursue at the same time, leading to a sort of flailing ascent, which involved a fair bit of tripping and stumbling back up again, belts and bags sloshing about him.

"Wait!" he cried peevishly.

Lucien Valtiere
Nilamani

Indeed Yue was running a booth for Dornoch.
She had brought a small variety of teas and Osmanthus pastries.
Yue had participated in laboring to set up the booth. This fast paced, lively atmosphere didn't lend itself well to a real chance to enjoy these teas. Most of them designed for a slow and peaceful enjoyment.

She had left the brewing that only required a bit of steeping to another student to prepare a larger quantity for quicker sampling. An older student had brought by a large kettle which was enchanted to stay at just the correct temperature when filled with water. She admired it with much more appreciation than she had many of the other enchantments she had seen at the college. In her assessment it was hot enough to almost burn your tongue but not so hot as to burn the tea. Truly it must have been crafted by someone who understood what an avid tea drinker of her type would want. Yue had decided to enquire latter where she could purchase one for herself.
Beside the kettle lined up on bits of parchment. were the bright yellow pastries, intricate designs of flowers pressed into their surface. Their flavor was floral and subtle in sweetness but rich enough that they were cut into small dense slices to be served, as if cutting the petals of a flower.

Yue was currently sat at the booth offering demonstrations of pour over tea in the Gong Fu method.
Her movements were practiced and elegant, she had done this sort of thing thousands of times. Yet there wasn't even a trace of a smile on the porcelain mask of her face.
She could see the glazed look of disinterest among a few onlookers as they stood mostly waiting for a free bit of tea. Perhaps they might have been more engaged if she donned a more chipper demeanor. It reminded her of lessons at the pagoda.
It was a strange feeling. If she was still there now she imagined she would have been punished for such a passionless performance. Then again patrons of the pagoda would never be given anything for free. They always paid dearly, even if not in coin.

As she handed over a small sample of the bright yellow pastry, her eyes met a familiar face and finally bloomed into the hint of a smile.
"JieJie, Let me offer some tea." She called brightly to Aiko beckoning her to the booth.

The twins were a late arrival, but that fact suited them just fine. They were able to slip in among the crowd and mix without issue, especially in light of the festival's nature. Such a mishmashing of cultures was wondrous to the pair, as they got to lay their eyes upon peoples and foods and dresses from across many of the lands they intended to visit at some point during their lives.

The Dornochi tent briefly caught their attentions; after all, while they themselves were not Dornochi, they'd spent the bulk of their youth on the fringes of Dornoch. Still, they collectively decided that a booth belonging to a place they'd already been did not interest them, even if they probably had a collection of ingredients they weren't supposed to that would have gone nicely in the tea.

Instead a different gaggle earned their attention:

A head of hair nearly the same color as theirs, atop a head that was most tall; the familiar bumblings of an oh-so-familiar redhead; and the shimmering of fish (or perhaps serpent?) scales along the cobblestone of Elbion's street, caught only barely through the plethora of passersby.

The former two were already making their ways away, Pom pursuing the tall one.

"Hello, tall person!" Eshara chimed as the twins slipped past the first.

"So long, Pom-Pom!" Elyon followed up as they further brushed by Pomrick.

And shortly thereafter they spotted the one that had truly caught their attention.

"Nilamananani!" Eshara said excitedly, trying her hand at the unfamiliar name she'd only seen in writing before. She knew that was not correct, but saying the syllables was too much fun not to let them come tumbling out.

"Nillalaminami!" Elyon followed suit, sensing the joy saying such a thing brought his sister and wishing to partake as well. Both twins snickered gleefully as they came to flank the serpentine student. The pair had seen her plenty in passing, but never really spoken to her before now.

"We wish to make festivities with you!" they announced in unison, beaming as they so often did.

Their tail walloped entirely the wrong person. What ever retort Nilamani might have had died in their throat.
They weren't even sure if they should count it fortunate that Pomrick seemed not to have associated his tumble with the lashing. On the one hand it was a relief he seemed more or less unharmed. On other they hardly had any time to form the words for an apology before Pomrick had righted himself and was chasing after their snobbish classmate.
They sheepishly turned to follow, their hand raising as if to reach out. The moment had passed it seemed.
The pale haired one was already tormenting Pomrick. Something they were surprised to find they felt strongly about. Yet their earlier attempt to teach a lesson had backfired severely.
They quietly came to the conclusion the apology would have to wait, and they would be better off making it up to Pomrick later in some other way.

Nilamani was hesitating in that instant, if they should make the attempt to intervene, or retreat for the day from the festivities. Perhaps the gala had been a rare exception, and they ought to go back to a strictly two legged world.
A pair of energetic twins decided for them. They were a bit taken aback by the greeting at first, but a slow smile spread across their features as they warmed to the earnest request.
of course the pair were instantly recognizable, there were few non-human students but among them this set stood out as much as they did. They might have had only briefly managed to chat at the gala. However, they had left quite the positive impression on Nilamani then.
Even if they hadn't who could turn down such bright grins and puppy like eyes in stereo.

With a soft chuckle they replied "Ely'Esha, was it?" They tilted their head regarding them both "Or would you prefer I use your individual names?" They pressed a finger to their own cheek in thought then playfully added "Elylonan, Esharara" In parrot of the game they had been playing.
"I had just been looking for a bit of company. I will be happy to 'make festivities' with you." They replied sincerely, it really had been some time since anyone invited them along to something.
Well....Thadd didn't count that was more like babysitting.

"What were you interested in doing first?"

Lucien Valtiere
Pomrick Bloomsfield
Elyon and Eshara

There seemed to be trouble brewing with Pomrick and the other human, but Aiko was drawn by a familiar voice. She turned to find Yuebing, the barest hint of a smile beginning to curl on her lips. Aiko had heard many a human describe Yuebing as ‘cold’, but simply found her more reserved than most. The elf was a bit more expressive, putting on a smile as she walked over to the Dornochi classmate. The booth was adorned with a beautiful arrangement of colors and paintings that reminded Aiko of home. Her home rather, instead of Alliria. She suspected Dornoch and her ancestors to have some common ground, but chose to simply enjoy the sight instead of wonder about it.

As she arrived at Yuebing Aiko accepted the pastry with a slight bow and returned to face the girl's eyes.


"How does one properly accept tea in Dornoch?" She asked, with legitimate curiosity. A hand moved slightly bringing attention to the pastry.

"Is this meant for before, or after?" She dared ask again. Aiko knew not if she'd go to Dornoch, but even if she did not perhaps she had multiple friends that called it home. Perhaps she could surprise them one day.


Yuebing Coquelicot

Lucien’s stride did not falter, but the corners of his mouth twitched as a pair of voices chimed as they passed him.

Elyon and Eshara said:

"Hello, tall person!" Eshara chimed as the twins slipped past the first.

"So long, Pom-Pom!" Elyon followed up as they further brushed by Pomrick.

Click to expand...

His brows lifted faintly. Near identical faces. Twins. Joy.

He slowed just enough for civility, casting a sidelong glance at the duo as they slipped past. His pale eyes narrowed, taking a moment to study them with mild detachment.

They were not hard on the eyes, admittedly. Clear skin, symmetrical features, that same striking hair, though ruffled. There was even, he loathed to admit, a certain aristocratic sharpness to their cheekbones.

But then, they looked a bit like him.

That might explain it. Lucien did enjoy looking in the mirror. Frequently. At length.

“Lucien Valtiere,” he corrected coolly, as though they’d butchered the very air by speaking near him. Them addressing the snake person also triggered a memory. Of course, Nilimamnininina. He had heard that name before. She was a fellow student. Lucien groaned inwardly.

Then he moved on.

He arrived at the Oban booth, a clean, structured arrangement of white-linen-covered tables, silver trays, and tiered displays of finely cut cheeses. Crates of Obanese wine lay stacked nearby, and a hand-lettered placard bore the elegant Valtiere crest, flanked by gilt calligraphy: Artisan Cheeses of House Valtiere - A Taste of Oban’s Finest.

Behind him, the sound of scrambling footfalls and flapping bags finally caught up.

He sighed.

Turning halfway, Lucien lifted one hand, conjuring a small, perfect cube of ice with an idle flick of the wrist. It shimmered briefly in the sun before he offered it to the panting Pomrick without ceremony.

“Apply this to your face. You look absurd.”

He gave the redhead a once-over. Hair askew. Shirt misaligned. Desperation radiating like heat off cobblestone.

Lucien glanced at the inkpot now back in his hand, as though its value had become inconveniently real. Then back to Pomrick.

“I will pay you triple what’s in here if you manage the booth.”

He set the inkpot down on the table beside a wedge of soft ash-rinded cheese, as if it belonged there.

“All you have to do is smile. Nod. Be cheerful. Lure passersby. Ideally, convince them to try the brie and leave a coin.”

A pause. Then, dryly: “You do know what brie is, don’t you?”

Pomrick Bloomsfield

Pomrick's chest was heaving from his staggered sprint. One cheek redder than the other, hair a mess. The ice cube landed in his hand, accepting it barely before understanding what it was; an automation of courtesy.

He applied it cautiously to his cheek, half-expecting some trap, but it helped the dull throb of pain recede a little.

Then his eyes locked on the inkpot. He reached out for it, but stopped mid-motion:

Lucien Valtiere said:

“I will pay you triple what’s in here if you manage the booth.”

Click to expand...

Pomrick blinked. Had he just heard that right? Triple?

Lucien Valtiere said:

“All you have to do is smile. Nod. Be cheerful. Lure passersby. Ideally, convince them to try the brie and leave a coin.”

A pause. Then, dryly: “You do know what brie is, don’t you?”

Click to expand...

"Oh yeah. Ain't that some kind of fish?" His eyes then landed on all the cheese about the booth, neatly tiered and stacked. Oh. "--Fish-tasting cheese, I mean."

Suspicion crept into his face, while Lucien treated his hard-earned coin like just another slice of cheese. To be fair, he looked nothing like a cheesemonger. More like a -- tall -- scary -- undertaker's son with a well-paid tailor or something. In fact, he was making Pomrick uneasy just by touching that inkpot. He could probably be doing something as menial as cleaning dishes and still make him uneasy.

"Hang on, you--you are going to pay me . . ." Quick algebra rattled around in his skull, his eyes glancing upwards for a moment in his counting. "Twelve copper pieces? Get out of town." He caught himself, chin dipping near his collar, attempting to correct his last statement. "I mean, not, like, literally, but, you know, it sounds -- I mean, that's quite a lot! . . . isn't it?"

He glanced over his shoulder, trying to simultaneously check that Nilamani hadn't disappeared in the crowd.

Lucien Valtiere
Nilamani

Both twins' eyes lit up at hearing their own whole-name. It was an especially unique treat to hear someone whom they'd not spoken to before say it aloud.

"You know us!" the pair cheered in tandem, then snickered a bit when Nilamani recanted their individual names with too many syllables, just as they had done.

Shortly, Elyon took a slightly more relaxed posture while Eshara began to bounce on her heels like a wind-up toy.

"Of the two, you may call us what you wish!" Eshara said excitedly. Elyon nodded his agreement.

"Mm! Wholesoul tongues and minds are still strange to us, but we like to hear how those not-like-us call us," Elyon elaborated with a nod.

"Nicholas names! They are fun!" Eshara chirped.

"'Nick names,' sister," Elyon reminded her.

"Those!" she agreed. "And as for what to do first..."

The twins looked at each other and gave another nod before looking back to Nilamani.

"Foods!"

"...Or games."

"New ones, strange ones!"

"Ones not from here, preferably."

"Or Dornoch!"

"We lived there first, it is familiar already."

"New things, please!"

Their speech came quickly, almost frenetic, as they alternated speaking.

Lucien gave Pomrick a look that could sour milk.

“Brie,” he said slowly, as if addressing a half-trained dog, “is a cheese.”

His expression soured further as he regarded the man’s visible awe at twelve copper coins, like he’d just been offered the deed to a small barony.

“How did you get into Elbion, exactly? A needs-based scholarship, no doubt?”

His eyes then flicked toward the Allirian booth across the way, glowering.

Pomrick Bloomsfield

Pomrick squirmed below Lucien's skewering stare. He glanced away, attempting to chuckle to retain some control of the situation. It came out as a half-choked gargle. He scratched the back of his own hair, producing a warbling grin, squinting his eyes painfully.

"Oh, Maester Krellos Thunderbeard is my patron and, uh, tutor." It sounded strange to say that, especially the tutor part. As if Pomrick could come anywhere near his level. "I work for him as an--an apprentice. Mostly in his laboratory, when I ain't, uh, ain't sleeping. I mean, studying."

Caution entered his features, tentatively placing a hand on the booth; as if he might stain it or wreck it by his mere touch.

"So, umh . . . You just um . . . want me to look over this, yes? And ah, talk to -- people?" A bright idea landed in him. "Hoy! Maybe Nilamani could join me. Two's better than one, no?"

Lucien Valtiere
Nilamani

Lucien quirked a brow, more at the attempted explanation than the content of it. Maester Thunderbeard? A reputable teacher taking on….this?

Still, he made no comment. His gaze had already begun drifting toward the Allirian booth, narrowing slightly. Something there was catching his interest, snippets of conversation, a glint of familiar colors, or perhaps just a vague sense of competition. He waved Pomrick off with a flick of his fingers, like one might dismiss a persistent fly.

“Yes, yes, manage the booth. Sell some wine. Convince people the cheese is aged and meaningful. Bring whomever you like.”

He didn’t wait for a reply. He was already striding away.

But as he passed a gentle breeze scented with florals and subtle steam, he slowed.

The Dornoch booth.

He caught the unmistakable aroma of tea brewed properly, not dunked, not steeped like laundry, but carefully coaxed into being. His head turned. The display was precise. Refined. The motion of the student at its center, controlled, efficient, almost reverent.

He approached.

When he stopped before the booth, it was with quiet elegance instead of overt arrogance. He lowered his head just slightly, executing a formal Dornish bow, precise and graceful.

“Your presentation is exceptional,” he said softly, voice sheathed in velvet. “May I trouble you for a cup?”

Pomrick Bloomsfield
Nilamani
Yuebing Coquelicot

Nilamani chuckled, they sure were an excitable pair. If anything it might have been stranger if they had forgotten, but then it had been a fairly brief greeting before.
Nilamani had let Lysander do most of the talking then.

They hummed in thought "Nick Names hm?....Then I suppose you can call me Nil if you like." They smiled at the two and pointed at each in turn as they added "I'll call you Ely, and you Esh"
There was bound to be plenty of food that was sure. Nilamani would quite like to find the source of the fishy smell. They didn't serve as much seafood at the college as Nilamani was used to.
Their search was cut short by a plaintive call.

Looking just past the twins they could see that Pomrick had somehow been put behind a booth. An interesting choice. They were relieved to see that he seemed to harbor no hurt feelings over a bit of scales to the face. He was a resilient young man in that way.
Still they couldn't just abandoned their new companions, and they were loathed to help the one who put him there. Their tail tapped against the cobbles a few times in thought.

The telltale sound of scolding occurring at the Alliria booth enlightened them.
Nilamani clapped their hands together "How about a few sweets first?" They took hold of a hand each of the twins and led them the few steps back to the Alliria booth.
"Oh it seems like the Oban booth across the way needs an extra hand....Only I just picked up a date...."
As if in an offhand playful way Nilamani called to the inside of the booth holding up their hands which still held one each of the twins.
They retrieved two of the small boxes and handed one each to Elyon and Eshara.
"Here, Chocolates from Alliria. The powder on the outside is a bit bitter but the inside is nice."

Nilamani heard rather than saw Thadd drop whatever pile of things he had been holding. The hulking figure appeared from the back immediately volunteering. Several relieved sighs came from the students and servants in the booth.

Nilamani waved him off and turned back to the horned pair. "If you haven't much of a sweet tooth I thought I might have seen a roasted meat booth...?"

Elyon and Eshara
Pomrick Bloomsfield

Thaddeus was in the middle of getting an earful. It seemed he couldn't avoid it on busy days like this. There was just so much of himself to get in the way.
He had only intended to help unload the cart....how was he supposed to know the wheel would come off, he only leaned on it a little.
Just then the familiar sing song tone of Nil's voice called into the booth. Perfect! A chance for redemption. Everyone here kept telling him they didn't need any help, or I've got this, or don't touch. Now was his chance to shine. "I'll help out!"
He held out the crate he had been holding to the other student stocking the booth and let it go. Thadd didn't seem to notice the way the crate pulled the student down with it as is landed with a loud thunk onto the cobbles.
With all the enthusiasm of an off leash golden retriever he closed the short distance to the Oban booth.
The other student working the booth looked familiar. An expression of rusty cogs turning entered his face as he tried to recall. "ah! you're that one guy, Pomegranate! Long time no see!"
He took up a seat next to Pomrick inspecting the booths cheese with the sort of air of some who surely knows exactly what to do. Thadd's grin beamed with confidence. He was quite good at eating, especially cheese, what could go wrong.
He picked the cheese wheel up and causally tore the rind off like one might peel an orange before setting it on the wooden platter. He the stuck the cheese knife in the middle proudly.

The first passerby to stop and show interest in the cheese was met with Thadd's cheerful but booming voice.
"Want to try some Cheese?"
His smile subtly pressuring her with the brightness of a thousand sunny days. The passerby nodded hesitantly,
He scraped up a handful of the cheese with the knife and placed the gloop of soft cheese into the unfortunate woman's hand.


Pomrick Bloomsfield
Lucien Valtiere

"I'm afraid this paltry booth can't accommodate the proper way. Tea is a best enjoyed slowly in comfort."
Yue gave a pointed glance to someone else inside the booth who then brought out a chair.
She gestured for Aiko to have a seat as she scooped the leaves into the steeping pot and poured some hot water from one of the kettles not already filled with tea. Really she would have liked to serve Aiko tea in a garden or lounging among cushions but this busy street would have to do.

"This one isn't ceremonial, so however you choose to drink it is acceptable."
Her movements were more careful this time, clearly treating this as a real demonstration over the rote way she had been doing before. She poured off the first soak over a small ceramic frog. The hot water giving off steam and turning the tea board a darker shade of chestnut as it ran into the reservoir.
Then she poured a second round of hot water into the steeping pot.
"You may eat it before or after, but it's a touch dry so perhaps after is recommended.
This tea is mild in flavor. So the sweet isn't needed to counteract bitterness, this one was selected to compliment the earthy notes of the tea."
Yue replied her tone soft as she poured the tea into a small cup with a delicate smile.

Just then the voice of a man cut into her serene tea time with Aiko. She glanced up at the tall man with cold eyes. Her smile flicking to a stiff frown. She clicked her tongue glancing at the at one of the boys working the booth.
He reached over and poured a cup from one of the kettles to offer him.
Yue turned her head and placed the small cup she had poured with care in front of Aiko. Her smile returning. "Be careful not to scald your tongue."

Aiko

The way Yue commanded a room reminded her of her father. Her two brothers as well, but neither had quite the presence of her father. It was a strength all the Yamaguchi’s held but her. Perhaps she could learn to be more like her family with study. Aiko took the seat offered and carefully watched the Dornochi as she prepared the tea. While the hustle and bustle of the festival offered many distractions Aiko was able to calm herself and focus on the offering. Aiko noticed the deliberate and graceful motions of Yuebing. Others manning the tent did as well, though they tried to hide their glances.

At the arrival of Lucien Valtiere Aiko let her eyes wander at the boy for glance, then put them back on Yuebing. Aiko knew of Lucien, that he was one of the ‘rich boys’ along with Calixtus, but had never dealt with him directly. Yuebing however summoned another to attend him, and Aiko respected her decision to exclude him from their tea.

“Thank you.” Aiko responded as her tea arrived. She held the cup in her hand and let the scent waft to her nose. Taking it in she took a sip and tasted the earthy notes, noting it was muted enough as not be very bitter. The pastry complimented it well, adding a slight bit of sweetness and tang from what Aiko guessed was lemon.

“It is an easy brew. Not overwhelming, but bot without depth. A fine brew to keep in rotation.” Aiko said. Aiko did not believe it for special occasions, such would be wasted here, but Aiko would not be unhappy to have it before a class day.

“A pity there is only so much to be done on the Square.” Aiko responded to Yuebing Coquelicot , referencing the lack of true ceremony. “We shall have to arrange something more formal at another time. I think it only fair I offer the next hosting, if you are willing and have the time.”