Rongar
Second Mate
An expressive face reveals every happiness and woe...
Posts: 2,087
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Post by Rongar on Sept 16, 2009 18:06:06 GMT -5
Rongar glanced at the tavern Caipra pointed at. It looked like all the other taverns they had seen hundreds of different times in the past two years.
He wondered what made this one Caipra's favored one. He would have asked, but he wasn't sure if she'd understand.
Though friends they may be, they didn't interact to much.
Ever the gentleman though, he opened the door for the older woman and waved her in. He made sure Firouz had a grip on the door before he entered behind the sorceress and glanced around with both curiousity and a hint of wariness.
The tavern was established on a corner for easy traffic to and from the port. In the outside, there was bricks with the normal white mortar and white wash varnish with a large, heavy wooden door, above which hanging on a wooden arm and attached with iron hinges was the name Under the Crown of Ogotay.
On the inside, the first thing he noticed was the difference in light available and the smell of smoke in the air from cooking.
Then to the far wall was a matching brick half wall with the white mortar and white-washed varnish with a long grayish stone counter of which stands the keepers. Behind the keeper, on the white wall, were shelves full of jugs filled with different drinks: beer, ale, mead, water and grog and different food stuffs such as loaves of bread, bowls full of beets, dates, chickpeas, fresh fruit, and other such nuts.
Behind the keep was a doorway covered by a beaded curtain; Rongar knew that it lead to the kitchens and latrines.
As he glanced down, he saw that the wooden floor was littered with large wooden tables and wooden benches. All the utensils, platters, plates, and mugs were iron or wooden or clay.
The crew would most likely pay a little extra to get the clay utensils as wooden ones could splinter and it was to expensive for them to use the iron ones all the time.
With a swift glance up, he saw hanging from the ceilings from hooks the different varieties of meats, vegetables, and herbs drying in various levels of aridness for long term keep.
With a light frown, he shot his eyes to the dark corners of the tavern that hid barmaids for table service and or "night services" should a man be willing to pay them. Some were cheap and other, who knew their business, were quite expensive.
With a long gaze through the dark smoky haze, he saw, above them and connected through a back door on the side wall in the corner was the hallway that lead to the different private rooms for rent in which you could rent a single, a double, or a group sized bedding.
Most of the time Sinbad ordered three rooms for the crew: one for Doubar and Sinbad, one room for himself and Firouz, and one room privately ordered for Bryn alone.
But, perhaps Sinbad wouldn't order three rooms this time. Maybe he'd order rooms for them all, yet with how anxious Sinbad had been, even if he didn't act like it, they only order one large room so they could be in and out to sea once again without to many problems...
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Caipra
Boatswain
"Stop acting like an old married couple"
Posts: 1,775
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Post by Caipra on Sept 17, 2009 15:25:35 GMT -5
Caipra saw Rongar open the door to let her enter. she smiled and nodded her head in thanks. Once inside, she immediately felt the usual smell of delicious hot dishes that the cook was preparing. "Just in time for lunch!"
She cast a glance in the room. It was rather quiet. People continued to eat without paying attention to the crew who had just arrived. The inhabitants of Basra were not curious people. As a matter of fact, they were rather discreet. They led their lives without paying attention to others. That's what Caipra appreciated here.
The old sorceress turned to the bar and saw the small Aniel. When her mother worked, her son stayed always in the same place and played with his favorite toys. The conversation that Caipra had with Kriss yesterday about Aniel came back to her mind. but she quickly banished those thoughts. This was not the moment to think about that.
She approached the boy and took him in her arms. Aniel did not resist. "Hello, you! How are you today? I bring some friends with me today, do you want to see them? " She came close to the crew. "This is Aniel. He is Kriss's son. A true little angel! Her mother is very lucky to have him."
Where was his mother? Caipra had still not seen her since her arrival. She turned to the room and searched for her.
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Post by Kriss on Sept 18, 2009 12:56:41 GMT -5
Kriss was little sleepy, she hasn't been sleeping well last night, after converastion with Caipra. It brought back so many memoirs. And that secret girl upstairs. She was still very curious about her.
She walked out form the kitchen and figured out that Aniel didn't sit where she had left him. She looked around and then she saw her friend with Aniel on her arms. "Hi, Caipra!" Archer smiled at old woman.
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Caipra
Boatswain
"Stop acting like an old married couple"
Posts: 1,775
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Post by Caipra on Sept 18, 2009 14:51:51 GMT -5
Caipra saw Kriss and smiled at her. "Hi, Kriss! I was looking for you!" She put Aniel into the arms of the first person who stood beside her, Sinbad, and approached her friend. "I would like to introduce you to someone. You remember yesterday when I talked to you about my friends that live on a ship? Well they just arrived in Basra and I thought you would like to meet them. Besides, they are a little hungry!" She took Kriss by the arm and came closer to the crew. "This is Rongar,Firouz,Bryn, Doubar...and Sinbad, the captain of the Nomad." Caipra looked at Sinbad a little amused. He held Aniel in his arms like if it was a very fragile thing that he was afraid to break. She looked at Kriss and laughed.
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Rongar
Second Mate
An expressive face reveals every happiness and woe...
Posts: 2,087
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Post by Rongar on Sept 18, 2009 19:20:58 GMT -5
Rongar smiled at Caipra's friend, Kriss, and nodded in greeting.
He was curious about this woman.
She was a Tavern owener, a mother, and a single mother by the looks of things as she was a tavern owner.
She must be a right business woman to survive in a predominately male business.
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Post by Sinbad on Sept 19, 2009 3:06:34 GMT -5
Sinbad felt uncomfortable. Not that he didn´t like children, but he simply didn´t feel too good about holding one. And such a young one, too. They always looked so fragile and he felt he was barely fit for the task of keeping them comfortable and safe. He was many things and he knew about his skills, but was well aware of the fact that handling little children wasn´t one of them. For a fleeting moment, the thought crossed his mind that handing the young boy over to him was something that Maeve would definitely have done. Just to tease him. And then she would have been standing there, giving him a raised eyebrow and a self contented, teasing smirk. And he would have tried to hide his insecurity and would have glared at her. Most likely in combination with an off the wall remark. But this wasn´t Maeve. And gladly his attention was distracted soon enough when Caipra introduced him to the owner - Kriss. She had to be rather young still, definitely quite a few years younger than him. Well, he knew from experience that age and success in something weren´t too strongly interrelated.
He gave a nod and then carefully set the boy down, brushing over the kid´s hair somewhat clumsily before he introduced himself. "Caipra told us your tavern was a place worth visiting." he said. "I would be glad if you could offer rooms to me and my crew for a night or two."
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Post by Kriss on Sept 19, 2009 4:20:51 GMT -5
Kriss looked at young, handsome captian and she could see how uncomfortable he felt with her son on his arms and how he breathed a sigh of relief when he set Aniel down. That remided her first day as a mother. Such a great archer and warrior like her had been so afraid of one little boy.
Archer simled at Sinbad and held out her hand to to shake Sinbad's "I'm Kriss de Valnor but please call me Kriss."She looked at Aniel "and that's my son, Aniel but I think you already know him closer"She smiled again at captain "It would be my pleasure to have you as my guests"
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Post by Sinbad on Sept 24, 2009 13:52:36 GMT -5
He took her hand with more confidence than he had taken up the kid a moment ago, feeling safe again now that he saw the boy safely being settled on the ground again. The captain believed to see a brief smile of amusement flicker over the stranger´s face, but chose to ignore it. Instead he gave the kid another smile when his mother mentioned his name, only to turn his attention to the woman in front of him again.
"The pleasure is ours." he replied, nodding his head in a faint bow. "As long as you have a few beds and some good ale I´m sure we will be more than glad to be your guests."
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Post by Kriss on Sept 26, 2009 13:25:00 GMT -5
Kriss gave Sinbad one more smile. "Stay here as long as you wish!" she said and added "Friends of Caipra, are also my friends!"
'Friends' funny, she hasn't had any friends before. Only enemies everywhere. So, for her that was just frothy word.
"Plaese, follow me. I will give you a table" Archer took her son on her arms, started to walk and looked back at captian. "Oh, and how many rooms you need?"
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Rongar
Second Mate
An expressive face reveals every happiness and woe...
Posts: 2,087
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Post by Rongar on Sept 26, 2009 16:29:28 GMT -5
Rongar's stomach was about to commit mutany.
He could smell all those tasteful fruits and meats and his mouth was watering just by thinking about them.
He hoped Sinbad would finish their business soon, he wanted to eat!
He glanced around again; he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Why was he so on edge lately?
If only he could ask Caipra she might know since her magic could sense things he as a normal mortal could not.
So, once again he cast his gaze about trying to find where his antsy feelings were coming from.
Still nothing.
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Post by Sinbad on Sept 27, 2009 7:52:53 GMT -5
Sinbad cast a glance over to his crew, motioning to them that they could find some seats already and that he would be back in a moment.
"Three would be best." he said. "Two with two beds and one with a single bed. Or one four bed room and one single." When they travelled he usually took care that people had their privacy which also included that he tried to get a single room for Bryn as the only woman. They all knew it was more from cortesy than from not feeling comfortable sharing a room if need be. They did that, too, if there were no other possibilities, but the captain usually asked for more private options first.
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Post by Doubar on Sept 27, 2009 8:52:01 GMT -5
Doubar nodded at the request Sinbad had done. In deed that was just how they used to split when it came to sleeping over in a tavern. Noticing however that Rongar was getting slightly impatient and considering that Sinbad had just given them a go to already find a seat, he simply patted his younger brother's shoulder lightly before turning around and motioning to his friends to finally move over to the tables and get some good fresh food. His own stomach had been complaining for quite a while now and knowing that Sinbad would most likely soon join them, he bowed his head slightly to the woman who had been introduced as Kriss before slowly strolling off to one of the bigger tables.
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Rongar
Second Mate
An expressive face reveals every happiness and woe...
Posts: 2,087
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Post by Rongar on Sept 27, 2009 12:57:08 GMT -5
Rongar smiled at Kriss in goodbye and hurried after Doubar.
While he could get his own food well enough, it took some patience on his part, to get his point across on what he wanted to eat.
If he could grab Firouz or Doubar or even Bryn to help him, it'd save both his patience AND his stomach!
He lightly tapped Doubar's shoulder and nodded towards the keeper behind the stone half-wall. If anything, he could count on Doubar's voracious appetite.
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Caipra
Boatswain
"Stop acting like an old married couple"
Posts: 1,775
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Post by Caipra on Sept 27, 2009 14:01:41 GMT -5
Caipra watched the scene with amusement. Definitely, those guys did not change ! Sinbad was always so kind when he was talking to a woman. Doubar was always the first to react when it came to food. Rongar was always observing each detail of the scene. As for Firouz, he was silent until now. The old sorceress also watched Kriss. She rarely saw her talking with her customers. But right now, she seemed comfortable with the crew. Caipra was happy. Her friend needed to change herself ideas. Caipra watched Doubar and Rongar sit at one of the largest tables of the tavern, while Sinbad reserved rooms with Kriss. Caipra was about to follow Firouz who was joining his friends at the table but she suddenly felt something. And she didn't like that. Something was wrong. A danger approached. Caipra looked around her, but everything seemed normal. Where did this threat could come from? The sorceress tried to act normaly. She didn't want to worry the others. Maybe it was just her imagination, after all. She was still tired.
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Post by Doubar on Sept 27, 2009 14:17:18 GMT -5
Doubar had already chosen a table that was big enough for the whole crew plus Caipra to sit on, when he felt Rongar tapping his shoulder. The first mate turned around to face his friend and smiled when he saw in his eyes what he wanted. "Oh sure we can plunder the kitchen together", he exclaimed happily, knowing that the moor would know it was just a joke. Together with him he then went over to the keeper, ordering a rhich and good meal that all of the crew would enjoy he hoped.
After the order had been done, Doubar finally moved to that table he had spotted earlier, motioning for Rongar to follow him and taking the spot closest to the wall. Only out of the corner of his eye he then noticed that not only hadn't Caipra followed the sailors till now but also that the elder woman's features seemed tensed somehow. Gently he nudged Rongar and nodded towards the sorceress, mumbling: "That look on her face isn't a good one, or is it?"
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