| Tasty Tarts |
| Summary: | Two noble lords, a wanna-be commoner, and a barefoot chambermaid meet… |
| Date: | 10 Dec 2011 |
| Related Logs: | TBD |
| Players: |
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| East Walk - Stonebridge |
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| Cobbled walkway with more establishments and merchant stalls. |
| December 10, 288 |
Rainy season, for it never really snows in the Riverlands, though it is a bit cooler than usual. The stone walks in the area of the Stonebridge are slicked and darkened even as the storm clouds are beginning to slide away. The air catches and pulls a little, tearing the cold up from the fresh ground. Barefoot, skirts tied up to keep the hems from getting wet, Thea moves with a basket on her arm, stopping to look at one of the side stalls. The wild tumble of blonde hair is tucked back from her face, having escaped the wrapping of corded fabric.
She skips to the side and halts, plucking at a deep indigo color thread with delight, but the stall owner looks at her and watches carefully. Ignoring the odd look, she moves along and looks at the gold, that glints almost like the real thing. She plucks at it, lifting it up and turning it about as her watery hued eyes widen a moment, full pale apple shaked cheeks holding dimples as she smiles. "I am sure you can not pay for that, put it back…" That makes the little maid hesitate, giving the man an insolent look before setting the thread back down.
Despite his cloak, Iwan is indeed rather soaked by the time he makes it this far east, the most unfortunate effect of which is played out on his wig, which being heavier than usual with water, pulls slightly toward the back of his head, making his hairline higher than usual today. Possibly he does not notice. Given the direction of his gaze, his ultimate destination seems to be the brothel, but noting the stalls with wares for sale nearby, he makes a detour, perhaps only to tease himself and increase his anticipation.
Rainy season, something that any person who grew up in the Riverlands is quite used to. Like Riordan Nayland. He's certain that he's see enough rain in his life to fill a giant boat thrice over, at least. Probably more than that. Today, through the rain, he is gazing and casually sliding his way through the various stalls, looking at what goods there are for sale. He stops here and there, gazing at the various different wares that he can find. He may just happen upon something that he's interested in. He stops at a clothing stall near where the centre of the market. "Hmmm…" He gazes at the clothing. "My brother might like some of this clothing…despite how often it is said that he should not look like a commoner."
Rebuked still by the continued stare from the merchant, Thea takes a step back, barefeet skidding on the stone and nearly spilling her. As she puts distance between herself and the thread, the merchant turns to that of 'real' customers. Worrying her lip with her teeth, the young maid mutters something below her breath and makes to look like she is leaving. But when the merchant's side is given to her, she darts forward, grasping at the gold thread as she drops it to the basket and it rolls beneath the cloth and most likely next to what it is covering.
She turns blindly then, taking a few quicker steps but trying not to run even as the thrill flushes her face and a grin takes her rosey lips.
Iwan notes this theft with an interested perk of his eyebrows, and drifts over toward that stall from which young Thea just liberated a bit of thread. He does not, for the time being, intervene, but at least pretends to look over the merchant's goods.
With a sigh, Riordan shakes his head. "No. I don't believe I shall get this cloathing. If I get Rafferdy clothing, I'll have to make it some clothing suitable to a noble. I certainly know he will not get it for himself." Moving on, he looks about, peering at the various other wares that the market area has in store, not noticing any theft or anything else, for that matter.
Had she just been fast enough? Thea's heart rushes a moment and as she twists about she lets out a startled yip as the wet stones forsake her bare feet. The maid gasps and she lands hard on her hip, the basket thrown from her arm and spilling the fresh streaming tarts and the the spool of thread. It folls across the cobbles and comes to a stop. Wild white blonde locks of hair cover her face and she rises to sit, pushing her hair from her face as she looks to her basket. She makes a sound of anguish at the wasted tarts that escaped the basket, but there, that accusing spool of rich thread stares at her like an angry finger extending and pointing even as she starts to squirm and get herself up, skirts and pale legs now dirty as she tries to gather things up swiftly.
Iwan turns round to see the girl take a hard tumble to the cobblestones. "I say," he interjects, shaking his head with a pitying click of his tongue. "Girl, come over here," he requests, raising his voice so that she can hear him. He seems to have no thought that she might refuse. Nor does it occur to him to go and help her. After all, she's all muddy now.
One might not notice theft, but one certainly has noticed a fallen lass. Casually making his way to the young woman, Riordan kneels next to Thea and offers his hand. "Here, let me help you up." He glances at Iwan. "She shall be with you in not but a minute." He acknowledges the other man. He offers a glances to the young woman. "I shall help gather up your items if you wish to hurry on to the gentleman over there."
Rafferdy wanders out across the marketplace. He stops at a table selling hats for a moment, looking at them. He jests for a moment with the marketer, and then begins to move along. He is, of course, dressed like a commoner, in a brown leather pants and brown leather doublet. He doesn't seem to notice the others, as he stops at a cart selling musical instruments. He spends a minute examining an assortment of strings, asking a few questions.
Scurrying, she does her best to collect the ruined tarts and keep them from the ones that are still edible. To Thea they might all be yet edible but not likely to be accepted on account of addition to the flavoring. But when Riordan kneels to help her, the chambermaid hesitates and then catches her breath, looking up at him from the thread, and then back to the thread. "My..my lord..ser…" She falters a moment and then manages to gather herself. "I can do it. Yes…" Iwan is given a faint look but when she looks to the knight once more, those full round cheeks running suddenly with color. "Thank you, Ser..thank you.." She says and dips her head, curls falling about her face but she manuvers her barefeet in that unladylike squat to drab at the gold thread and tuck it quickly to her apron, keeping it in her pocket. "The basket can stay here…lest I drop it again and spoil the rest…please have one, Ser." She lifts one of the cherry tarts, still warm. "Made em myself, I did. If it's one thing I know, its how to bake." She gives him a coy smile and then rises, perhaps reluctantly so as she edges back towards the stall she had stole from. "My lord.." She says and dips a curtsey to Iwan, keeping at least a little distance from the merchant behind the wares.
"I see you picked up all the things I asked for," Iwan says, addressing the girl as a familiar servant. "Although possibly I asked you to choose another hank of thread or so." He turns and eyes the merchant. "Perhaps you didn't like the prices this man quoted to you. But nevermind, I shall make up the difference," he says, passing a coin over to the merchant. "You know whom to give them to, I suppose."
Beginning to collect items from the ground and placing them in the basket, Riordan shakes his head. "It is no matter. A knight is always at the service of those who require it. Even if it is merely to pick up some tarts that have fallen on the ground." He bows his head. "Go. Speak to the good Lord of…whatever it is he requires of you." He glances at Iwan before going back to the items.
Rafferdy asks the marketer if he can test some of the instruments, and the man nods. He lifts a veille and bow from a shelf, and begins to play. The stringed instrument seems to bend to his playing, and the market is filled with the rapid, beautiful music of his expert playing. It's an upbeat, fast tune that shows of his incredible talent while truly putting the instrument to test.
Thea's voice catches and she flushes with color at Iwan's words. "My lord…yes..I, I of course." The chambermaid says quickly, catching on rather fast. She steps closer than, barefeet sliding across the cobbles. "Yes..yes of course. Inidgo yes, my lord? And a pale blue for your Lord Walder's colors.." She reaches out to slowly take them, this time without having to dart away, the gold one tucked neatly in her pocket already. Watery green green eyes look up at him, a tangle of white blonde curls blocking some of her view of Iwan. But there is a slow grin, "I know where to deliver them my lord.." She says and pulls her hand back, now filled with a rich indigo and pale blue. She dips her head to him, no longer wary. "Is there anything more I can do for the lord today? I was on my way to deliver the tarts as well and there are some unspoiled if you would be wanting one." The music makes her head turn a little and ear perk.
Iwan's smiling face, with his somewhat crooked teeth, is perhaps not a particularly more pleasant sight than his serious face, but at least it means good will for the girl, whose purchases he oversees with approval. The mention of the tart gets his attention, and although he is trying to play savior, he can hardly resist. "Yes, I will have one of those," he decides, glancing only briefly toward the source of the music before returning his attention to the girl. "Any clothing ruined in your fall that needs to be replaced?" he wonders.
Riordan's own attention is drawn by the music. He tilts his head as his gaze picks up on it's source. "Rafferdy Nayland. At the music, are you?" He twitches his nose. He raises to his feet, having gathered up all the items he believes to be salvagable, returning them to Thea. "Here you are, Miss. I hope they find you well, and are brought to their final location all well."
Rafferdy plays loudly for another few moments, before nodding a bit to himself, and sits the instrument back on the shelf. He thanks the keeper, and then turns to look at whoever said his name. Spotting Riordan, he sighs, and walks over. "Riordan," he offers as greeting. He looks over Thea, and then back to Riordan, "Who's your friend?"
Nodding quickly, Thea tucks the two blues away into the pocket of her short apron. She looks to the basket and then to Riordan with a suddenly shy smile and bob of her head. "Ser…" SHe says and then pulls free a tart, careful to try to keep less of her hand off of it. She insists he take it, giving a look to the man with the instrument as well. "Thank you …" She insists to Riordan though and her gaze flits back to Iwan and the knight before her. She reaches in to pull out an untouched tart and takes a step closer to the portly Frey, offering it to him. "My skirts will be fine, most likely in need of a patch, but I am even better with a needle and thread than I am with baking and you will find that tart the best in the Riverlands.." She says in something of a boast, but her gaze darts to the dark haired men a moment. "Thea Damsen…." Rafferdy looks nothing like a Ser, that earns him a bright smile and a flutter of lashes.
Iwan looks quite excited at the prospect of eating the best tart in the Riverlands. Particularly as he meant to go and visit the best tart in the Riverlands from the get-go. He gives the tart a lascivious gaze before he begins to enjoy the food, leaving the conversation ot others in the face of this more pressing business.
Riordan graciously accepts the tart from Thea. He looks at a loss when it comes to introducing Thea. "Well, there you have it. The young lasses name. And I'm sure…" He smiles at Iwan, "you remember the Lord Frey." He smiles offers a nod. "It is good to see you once again, Lord Frey." He says to Iwan. "I hope you have been having a good time in Stonebridge?"
Rafferdy smiles, perhaps a little flirtatiously at Thea, "A pleasure," he offers her. He looks at Iwan, "My Lord." Returning his gaze to Thea, he grins once more, "You bake?"
Iwan smiles and lifts his tart in an odd sort of toast to Riordan and Rafferdy. "Good day, gentleman!" he calls cheerfully around a mouthful of tart, spraying crumbs. Then his eyes roll up at the sheer pleasure of tasting the delectable treat, and he grunts to signal his delight.
Beaming at the obvious enjoyment of the tarts, Thea tucks white curls behind her ear. The petite curvy girl looks shyly to Rafferdy again, 'fixing' her dress a little. But it is to Iwan she looks. "Another, my lord? For such a fine gifts you have given me.." her words are soft, better to keep the merchant from hearing. The little chambermaid shifts on her feet and she nods to the musician. "I sew, bake, and tend to the Lady Lucienne. But I also dance and sing, and when I can, make some mischief…" There is a grin with the last a knowing glint in that green gaze, but suddenly is throwing that closed, coy smile of rosebud lips.
"How fare you, my Lord Frey?" Riordan asks, taking a bite of the tart he has taken. "Might I say, you do bake quite well. And it appears that the Lord Frey would agree with you as well." He glances to Raffardy. "Perhaps my brother here would care for a taste as well. Brother?"
Rafferdy flashes Riordan a quick, dissatisfied furrow of his brow when he's identified as his brother, but he just as quickly turns back to Thea. "Mischeif, eh?" He smiles once more, "I'm sure your tarts are unbelievable."
"No, I couldn't possibly," Iwan says, around another mouthful, although from the light in his eyes, he absolutely could and probably will. He polishes off the tart with the most extreme pleasure. "You /are/ a wonder of a girl, aren't you?" he observes, then smiles Riordan's way. "Extraordinarily well, now that I've had some of this tart." However, he doesn't encourage anyone else to try one directly, as that might result in fewer tarts for him.
Compliments all about her and Thea is flushing with color. Though obviously enjoying it. The chambermaid reaches down, plucking another for Iwan. "THe best are my apple tarts, but they are not in season now, cherries keep.." She instructs and gives the Lord Frey a winning smile and bat of her lashes as well, dimples appearing to top it all off. "My lord is far too kind…" She says ever so sweetly to the larger lord, lifting on her toes daintly until he takes the tart and then she is lightly darting towards Rafferdy to offer him one as well, the movement agile unlike the fall previously. A flash of pale legs and bare feet as she does brings her closer and a wisp of curls fall across her eyes. "You are the knight's brother? Why you must be one too, yes?" She asks curiously as she offers the treat to Rafferdy, perhaps a bit more boldly now.
"Yes, I can imagine that these tarts might brighten the day of anyone." Riordan responds to Iwan. He glances, then between Rafferdy and Thea. "Why yes, Miss, you WOULD think that the younger brother of a knight, a Lord knight at that, would be a knight as well. Especially since it is a favoured path of their father. But I digress. Perhaps I should allow my Lord," he emphasizes the word 'lord', "Brother Rafferdy here inform you of his path? Though we heard, I do believe, a bit of it earlier?" He smiles at Rafferdy, kindly and lovingly. "Don't worry, brother. I support whatever path in life you choose to take."
Rafferdy looks at Riordan, his smile fading to a flat expression. When Riordan finishes, he grinds his teeth for a moment, and then looks at Thea, pressing a smile back to his lips. "While Riordan may be content to have his life planned for him, I find I prefer to be my own man and choose my own path. I am strong enough to live for myself, as opposed to cowing to the decisions of others." He shrugs, and slaps Riordan on the shoulder. "Alas, not everyone is able to make decisions for themselves, so it's probably good I am. It leaves father more time to dictate Riordan's decisions." He smiles, and bows to Thea, "Be well, lovely." He smiles, and then turns to walk back to the market.
The girl's sweet manner only adds to the savor of the sweet, and Iwan plucks up the tart she is offering him and introduces it to his mouth like its poor fallen relative. He watches the girl as she skips away, perhaps not with the purest of thoughts. With these tarts and the girl who makes them about, he seems little interested in the career choices anybody has made.
Rivarly! A relish to the air and a nice spice to add. Thea smiles ever so gently at Rafferdy and tilts her head to draw that gaze of green throg her thick lashes. "My lord…" She says to Rafferdy, though her face falls quite quickly as he makes to leave. And she hurries after a step or two, still offering that warm tart to him as she brushes in along his arm to do so. "Wait..please…for your music." She offers quickly in way of explanation. At least she tries, but also gives a glance back at the other two.
"Brother, don't leave on my account. I mean no offence to you. I am not our father. You should know that I do not have always follows his same way of supporting others. He is way more harsh than I am." Of course, Riordan can probably get away saying things like that. "I don't chastise you for your decisions, but I merely state facts!" He smiles and shakes his head sadly, looking back toward Iwan. "So, my lord, what have you gotten yourself up to?"
Rafferdy pauses, and he takes the tart. He smiles, and if she allows, he reaches out and gently caresses Thea's cheek. "Thank you," he offers with a charming, dimple-laden smile, before looking back at Riordan. "What one means and what one does are rarely the same. If there's anything fighting in the Rebellion taught me, it's that." He sighs, and looks at Thea, "If you'll excuse me. I must prepare for my trip to see the King." He glances at Riordan, and then walks away.
Iwan chuckles in reply to Riordan s he plows his way through the second tart. "Well," he says around the last mouthful, "I had a splendid start, but then a blasted fever took me down for a couple of weeks and I could do absolutely nothing but eat and sleep. Just coming out of it now." He frowns a little as he glances over to see a fellow caressing the girl whose crimes he's just paid for, but he says nothing about it.
Thea blushes sweetly even, her head dipping down as she worries her lower lip with her teeth. "It was my pleasure.." She says on airy tones before she looks up to him again. There is a slow smile that spreads further and she gives him another coy look as he turns to go. It seems she is dismayed by his departure, quite sullenly so as her smile fades a little and she lingers in watching. She draws a breath to heave a sigh and swings the basket in both hands before her and turns to look at the other two. "I can make excuses for the tarts if my lords would like more." She offers, renewing her smile for them as dainty feet bring her back towards them.
"I am sorry to hear that, my lord, but I am glad to hear that you have recovered." Riordan responds quickly to Iwan, though it is obvious that part of his attention is being paid to Thea and Rafferdy. "If there is anything I can do to help make your stay here comfortable, my lord, please do not be afraid to ask it." He sighs at the sight of his brother, shaking his head. "I must apologize. My brother seems to have an overfondness for wishing more equality between commoners and nobility. He IS quite talented at music, however, as I am to understand it. That is what I hear, regardless. And I do love him, for he is my brother. But sometimes, a lord must know his place. Unfortunate, or fortunate, as thay may be."
"Oh, yes," Iwan answers proudly, "Takes a good deal more than that to take down a fellow like /me/." He pushes his chest out a bit, but there's no chance of it surpassing his stomach. "You're too kind, though," he adds with a smile, looking over toward the departing brother. "Indeed," he comments, but is already distracted by the return of Thea. "My girl, if you will bring more to me another time, I shall reward you handsomely." By which he hopefully means with money and not with the gift of himself.
Giving Iwan a brilliant smile, Thea dips her head, wild curls falling to her face. "Aye, my lord. I shall find a stock of other berries was well…and make you quite the feast. If my lord would tell me where he is staying, I would like nothing more than to cook for you and make your day as sweet as you have made mine." She says demurely. "I would gladly tend to any other work my lord would have of me." She offers as well and then looks to Riordan. Perhaps she blames him for something, but then as quick as a whip there is a bright smile for him too.
Riordan smiles at both Iwan and Thea. "Well, as much as it has been a pleasure to be speaking to you both, I do believe I must be off. I've got items to which I must attend, and unfortunately my time demands that I responds to them as quickly as possible. But it has been wonderful, and I'm sure it shall be easy to find me should either of you wish."
"Would you indeed?" Iwan asks with a chuckle. Possibly he's thinking of work she might not agree so readily to. He recites the name and dwelling place of the family with whom he's staying, but then Riordan's departure demands his attention. "Well, good day, my Lord," he says. "Keep well."
Dipping a curtsey to the knight, Thea is gracious as well, bidding Riordan well before she repeats the names back to Iwan. "When would be best for my lord? It would be much easier if you were at an Inn, I must confess. I am not sure many nobles would like a strange chambermaid clamoring around their home." She worries her lip - oh what to do, what to do? She's fretting over it a little and takes a step closer with a pat to the apron pocket. "But of course my lord has been -most- generous, I would find a way."
"Oh, indeed, we can meet at an inn any day you like, my girl," Iwan says with an insinuating smile. "That would, after all, be the easiest place to meet so that I could sample your tarts." He is possibly no longer talking about food, though the double entendre is hardly apt. He nods toward the Common House. "How about there? One day this week? When can you get the time?"
"My lady will be returning to the Roost soon I think, so it best be before than. I help her in the morning, but she usually does not need me the rest of the day…." Either the chambermaid is just a cute face with no understanding of the double meaning of tarts, or she does and doesn't fear it either. She smiles sweetly, dimples showing as her white curls bounce a bit. Her head tilts and she has to tame the few strands away from her face with a sweep of her tiny hand.
"Splendid," Iwan answers, broad smile splitting his broad face. "Absolutely perfect. Tomorrow afternoon, then? I'll anticipate it keenly. But I'd better not keep you. I know you didn't bake those tarts for /me/, so I expect you'd better be running along to replace them for whomever they were meant for."
