Chapter 145: She Meets Ayva
Before they could even begin searching for the Kicking Mule, several small dwarf children rushed past, intent upon their game. Because they weren't paying attention, Robin's eyes followed them, slightly concerned. Then, what she was worried about happened.
They knocked into a passing dwarf, causing the bag of apples to fall and scatter. As the children were scared that they would get yelled at, they also scattered.
"Oy! You lot get back here and help me pick these up!" The dwarf yelled after them. But that only spurred them on to disappear even faster than usual.
Robin sighed, and moved to help the dwarf that was busy picking up the scattered fruits.
"Oh, thank ye, deary, ye didn't have to." The dwarf said, grateful for the help.
Upon hearing the higher timber of her voice, Robin looked at the dwarf in surprise. After closer inspection, Robin realized this was a dwarf woman. She hadn't expected it, since the scarf about her neck had looked like a beard from a distance.
"Not at all." She replied, dusting her hands off. "I was actually about to ask for directions. Me and my companions are a bit new to the city. The guard at the gate referred us to the Kicking Mule. I don't suppose you could point us in the right direction?"
The dwarf lady's eyes widened. "Well, I'll be!" She chuckled. "Your luck is on point today. I was just headed there meself! I'd be happy ta show ye the way there! Please, follow me~!" The dwarf lady asserted, with a bemused smile.
"Much obliged. Nice to meet you. My name is Robin." Robin introduced herself with a slight nod of her head.
"Ayva." The lady said, shifting the bag of apples to one arm as she extended the other for a handshake. When Robin shook her hand, Ayva laughed.
"Still, It's rare to see a human that doesn't look down on us dwarves."
Robin tilted her head, confused. If one was taller, then wouldn't they need to lower their gaze to look others in the eyes? Ayva chuckled at Robin's confusion.
"You really are a good bunch, huh. All right, this way!" She led them through the streets to a building the size of a manor. Inside, the entire bottom floor was completely open to view, with a window into the kitchen at the back. The air inside was much cooler than that of outside, maintaining the perfect temperature.
The receptionist desk stood at the front, its counter curving around in a complete circle. Ayva placed the bag of apples on the counter, and pushed up a section, to let herself in.
"Now, from the looks of ye newcomers, ye'll be wanting rooms, yes? How many will ye need?" Ayva asked, flipping through a ledger.
"You work here?" Robin asked.
"Sure, ye might say that. I'm usually here if our tavern beauty is not. Looks like she stepped out while I was gone. How many rooms?" Ayva asked again, dipping a quill pen into some ink.
"Enough for ten men, two girls, as well as a separate room for me." Robin replied.
"So...that'll be five rooms, then, of the human-sized variety...three quads, one double, and one single....at a hundred zetu per head..that'll be 1,600 zetu per night, including dinner. For how long will ye be staying?" Ayva asked.
"Put us down for a week." Robin replied, placing down eleven large silver coins ans two large coppers.
"A pleasure doing business with ye~ All the rooms are on the second floor. I'll have someone send ye to yer rooms. Dinner'll be out before the half hour, so don't forget, okay?" She said with a grin, after writing it down in the ledger. Then she grabbed Five keys off a key rack behind her and handed them over.
"The brass keys are for the quads. Iron are for the doubles,and the steel one is for the single. Room numbers are on the keys, and don't lose them I don't want to have Goorda bust down another door and have to change locks again."
"Understood." Robin agreed.
Obviously, Robin took the single. Jasmine and Chelsea took a double. Christian and Keith were in a room with Gerard and Liam. And Quinn had to squeeze into one of the other two rooms with the knights and the driver.
After signing them in, Ayva picked up the bag of apples and headed straight for the kitchen. Not even a minute later, a dwarf came out and led them upstairs. Everyone retired to their rooms to settle in and refresh themselves. After that, they all met once again, downstairs. The room was already almost full of dwarves, with only a few empty tables left.
Dinner was then served. It was thick steaks with stewed root vegetables on the side, and a free ale from the local tap. Gerard was more than eager to start drinking from his mug. But Robin stopped him by pushing his mug over to Keith.
"This is better for you." She said, withdrawing a cup and a pitcher from her storage.
"Water?" Gerard pouted.
"Oh? you think it's water, do you?" Robin smirked. "That's no mere water, kid."
Gerard, curious, decided to try it. It was really good, despite its bland appearance.
"Why does this taste like fruits?" He asked.
Robin smiled. "Well, you could say it's water...but then again, it isn't merely water." She took out some glasses for her, Jasmine, and Chelsea, and poured the fruit infused water into them.
"Here. After a long day's travel, this will be better for you." Robin handed them over. After trying it, Jasmine and Chelsea's eyes lit up, and passed their untouched ales over to Ponzu and Liam.
Robin's Ale still sat in front of her, as she also decided to drink water that evening.
"Are you going to drink that?" Christian asked, having eaten half his steak and downed his own mug already.
Robin looked at the mug and shifted it over his way. She didn't really care for it. "Have at it." She replied.
Christian accepted it with a smile, happy to have gotten it before anyone else claimed Robin's mug.
"Oh, so ye don't like the local tap, do ye? I see ye've got some drink of yer own here." A familiar voice came from behind Robin. She turned around to see Ayva, who held an apple pie in one hand. The room suddenly became rather quiet for one so popular.
"It's pretty good, despite the lack of alcohol." Robin replied, taking out a cup. "Care to try?"
Ayva looked at the cup, and then called out to the barkeep. "Toss me an empty quaff!"
An empty mug flew across the room, and into Ayva's hand. It was twice as large as Robin's cup. "Let's see how yer drink measures up." Ayva smirked.
Robin chuckled and poured the water into the mug. "Cheers~!" She said, lifting her cup and knocking it against Ayva's mug. Both downed the drink to the bottom.
Ayva smacked her mug down on the table, ruminating upon the flavor. Then she nodded. "Aye, that's something new...I like it!"
"In that case, you can have another." Robin refilled her mug. "I just arrived, so I'm not too sure about local customs. Care to give us some advice on how not to accidentally insult a dwarf?"
Ayva nodded, And placed the pie on the table. Then she pulled a chair over, and sat with them as she drank her second mug more slowly.
"In that case, the first thing you should know is that bringing drink to a tavern is considered an insult, unless it is approved by the owner..."
Robin's company looked at each other, with a somewhat worried expression. Everyone's expression was pretty much the same: 'Oh snap, did we just...?'
"...but yer lucky I'm the owner here, so it's all good." Ayva finished her sentence with a big grin.
"It's not every day that I can taste water that's completely clean of the tang of sulphur, with foreign fruits to boot. If I said I didn't like it, it'd be an insult to my own tongue. Ye got any more of that stuff?"
"In that case, I can leave you with a small barrel, but it's easy enough to make if you have fruit and a water mage." Robin replied. Jasmine sighed. It seemed Robin was going to give away yet another recipe.
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