The smell of cooked food was even more intense and made her mouth water as she left her room. Hurriedly she walked around the edge of residential area to a grassy area decorated with various trees, some of them fruit bearing. Down below several wide semi-circular steps to a large round stone plaza in the distance was the market area full of well dressed people browsing stalls and market billboards. A large white haired roejiit was checking various crates and boxes nearby and tapping on what looked like a tablet. A woman who had been staring at one of the market billboards wavered him over and after a few words were exchanged he reached into one of the boxes and handed its contents over to her.
Her eyes then followed another nearby stone stairway leading up to circular stone platform hanging above a deep canal that flowed under the city. A number of small barges with traders transporting goods in large crates slowly sailed their way through the brick arches built into the canal walls. Above on the platform dozens of round wooden tables and stools surrounded a large circular bar area in the middle. Her stomach gurgled again as she made her way up the stairway to the Wandering Stairs and to the bar and breathed in the glorious scent of freshly cooked food.
"Ah, Warrior of Darkness, and what brings the pleasure of your presence to our establishment?" a greying and short bearded roejiit barman with thinning hair and wearing a soft orange and black leather uniform addressed her as she approached the bar. His green skin was strange for her to look at but right now appearances weren't on her mind. Melanie looked hungrily at a number of plates already prepared on the counter with what looked like delicious cuts of meat steaks and broth.
"I'm not sure, I'll have the usual" she replied. The barman laughed loudly.
"You jest, you usually don't buy anything from here" he said, then he leaned over closer to her. "Word is you're already an artisan of fine cuisine. If it wasn't for your continued dedication as an adventurer I'd hire you on the spot."
"Oh..." Melanie replied trying not to blush. The food on the counter looked so good that her mouth began to water.
"But if you want to buy food from me then good old Glynard never turns down a customer, especially one with your credentials!" he continued in a booming and cheery voice as he straightened himself back up. "Since this is your first time purchasing at this establishment might I suggest to you a plate of grilled rail made from the most freshest seared rail tenderloin with just a touch of garlic. If big meats aren't for your liking then we also have a rather simple yet flavoursome mushroom saute. And to wash it all down we have the highly recommended espresso con panna which is a favourite amongst many of our customers and a personal favourite of mine."
"Mmm" Melanie exclaimed. "I'll definitely go for the grilled rail, and I'll also take an espresso."
"Excellent choice, that will be 7,238 gil."
Melanie began fumbling around looking for where her gil was stashed. Glynard watched in amusement. "Long night?" he asked.
"Huh?" Melanie looked up. Glynard pointed to a small leather bag tied to her belt. Melanie followed where he was pointing and unfastened the leather bag from her belt and peered inside it. There was several coins inside, so many she couldn't count them all. Glynard raised an eyebrow as he watched her start to shake out some of the coins onto the bar counter. Melanie began sifting through the coins Glynard shook his head in disbelief. "One would think you've never shopped before" he said to her, then he drew out a small number of coins from the pile and pushed the rest towards her. As she began to scoop up the coins with her hands and drop them back into her purse Glynard reached below the bar and pulled out a plate with a large slab of seared meat and a mug filled to the brim with dark coffee topped with a tall layer of cream and cinnamon. "Enjoy your meal" he said as he placed them on top of the counter. "Thank you" she said with a smile after tying the purse back onto her belt and she took the plate and mug off the counter along with a fork and steak knife and walked over to a nearby table. The smell of the meat was teasing her so much that she felt like just grabbing the whole thing off the plate with her bare hands and stuffing it into her mouth.
Placing the plate and cup down on the table she sat down on one of the small wooden stools surrounding it and began to cut into the meat. She closed her eyes and let out a gentle moan as she raised her fork to her mouth and chewed on the tenderloin. It was so succulent and juicy and cooked just right, not too little and not too much. The searing gave off a strong meaty flavour with just the lightest touch of garlic and rock salt. The taste was like ostrich with a strong gaminess to it. She didn't like gamey food before when she was human, but there was something about the flavour that was now exciting her that she wanted more of it. She quickly devoured the rest of the meat and sat back patting her stomach. "Man that was good!" she thought to herself. A warm sesnsation began to flow through her body that made her feel energized. She then lifted the mug of espresso from the table to her lips and gently sipped at it. It was incredibly strong and there was a slight burn of cinnamon and a sourness to the cream topping. She felt more awake as she took in another gentle sip. At first she was startled as she never thought to use soured cream with an espresso, and yet it worked in harmony with the cinnamon and the bitter coffee much to her surprise.
Finally she picked up and slurped down the rest of the espresso and placed the empty mug back on the table next to her plate. A slightly darker skinned elf with silver braided hair and wearing a simple green linen dress and white apron walked over to her table and began to clear it up. "I take it you enjoyed your meal?" she asked with a slightly mischievous smile.
Melanie nodded smiling back. "It was very satisfactory. My compliments to the chef" Melanie replied.
Overhearing her the bartender's eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped in surprise. "And I shall take those compliments with great honor my lady" Glynard shouted over with a greatful smile.
The silver-haired elf took away the empty dishes and disappeared with them whilst Glynard walked over to a slightly older lady who was busy filling out an inventory of goods and gave her a gentle nudge with his elbow. "Did you hear that?" he whispered to her, "The Warrior of Darkness complimented my cooking!"
A group of young men walking nearby overheard him and stopped in their tracks in astonishment. Quickly they scouted the various tables with their eyes and spotted Melanie just about to leave her table with a satisfied look on her face. One of them hurried over to the bar counter and slammed his hands down on the surface in excitement. "Barkeep!" he shouted, "We'll have whatever the Warrior of Darkness ordered!"
Glynard looked surprised. "Yes of course!" he said as he quickly walked back to his station and began withdrawing plates of smoking hot grilled rail and mugs of espresso. He looked back over to the other servers behind him. "We should put this up on the board, Today's special: Grilled Rail and Espresso con Panna as recommended by the Warrior of Darkness herself!"
"I'm right on it!" yelled back one of the workers who was already grabbing bits of paper and pinning them up on a board behind him.
"Ah, Warrior of Darkness, and what brings the pleasure of your presence to our establishment?" a greying and short bearded roejiit barman with thinning hair and wearing a soft orange and black leather uniform addressed her as she approached the bar. His green skin was strange for her to look at but right now appearances weren't on her mind. Melanie looked hungrily at a number of plates already prepared on the counter with what looked like delicious cuts of meat steaks and broth.
"I'm not sure, I'll have the usual" she replied. The barman laughed loudly.
"You jest, you usually don't buy anything from here" he said, then he leaned over closer to her. "Word is you're already an artisan of fine cuisine. If it wasn't for your continued dedication as an adventurer I'd hire you on the spot."
"Oh..." Melanie replied trying not to blush. The food on the counter looked so good that her mouth began to water.
"But if you want to buy food from me then good old Glynard never turns down a customer, especially one with your credentials!" he continued in a booming and cheery voice as he straightened himself back up. "Since this is your first time purchasing at this establishment might I suggest to you a plate of grilled rail made from the most freshest seared rail tenderloin with just a touch of garlic. If big meats aren't for your liking then we also have a rather simple yet flavoursome mushroom saute. And to wash it all down we have the highly recommended espresso con panna which is a favourite amongst many of our customers and a personal favourite of mine."
"Mmm" Melanie exclaimed. "I'll definitely go for the grilled rail, and I'll also take an espresso."
"Excellent choice, that will be 7,238 gil."
Melanie began fumbling around looking for where her gil was stashed. Glynard watched in amusement. "Long night?" he asked.
"Huh?" Melanie looked up. Glynard pointed to a small leather bag tied to her belt. Melanie followed where he was pointing and unfastened the leather bag from her belt and peered inside it. There was several coins inside, so many she couldn't count them all. Glynard raised an eyebrow as he watched her start to shake out some of the coins onto the bar counter. Melanie began sifting through the coins Glynard shook his head in disbelief. "One would think you've never shopped before" he said to her, then he drew out a small number of coins from the pile and pushed the rest towards her. As she began to scoop up the coins with her hands and drop them back into her purse Glynard reached below the bar and pulled out a plate with a large slab of seared meat and a mug filled to the brim with dark coffee topped with a tall layer of cream and cinnamon. "Enjoy your meal" he said as he placed them on top of the counter. "Thank you" she said with a smile after tying the purse back onto her belt and she took the plate and mug off the counter along with a fork and steak knife and walked over to a nearby table. The smell of the meat was teasing her so much that she felt like just grabbing the whole thing off the plate with her bare hands and stuffing it into her mouth.
Placing the plate and cup down on the table she sat down on one of the small wooden stools surrounding it and began to cut into the meat. She closed her eyes and let out a gentle moan as she raised her fork to her mouth and chewed on the tenderloin. It was so succulent and juicy and cooked just right, not too little and not too much. The searing gave off a strong meaty flavour with just the lightest touch of garlic and rock salt. The taste was like ostrich with a strong gaminess to it. She didn't like gamey food before when she was human, but there was something about the flavour that was now exciting her that she wanted more of it. She quickly devoured the rest of the meat and sat back patting her stomach. "Man that was good!" she thought to herself. A warm sesnsation began to flow through her body that made her feel energized. She then lifted the mug of espresso from the table to her lips and gently sipped at it. It was incredibly strong and there was a slight burn of cinnamon and a sourness to the cream topping. She felt more awake as she took in another gentle sip. At first she was startled as she never thought to use soured cream with an espresso, and yet it worked in harmony with the cinnamon and the bitter coffee much to her surprise.
Finally she picked up and slurped down the rest of the espresso and placed the empty mug back on the table next to her plate. A slightly darker skinned elf with silver braided hair and wearing a simple green linen dress and white apron walked over to her table and began to clear it up. "I take it you enjoyed your meal?" she asked with a slightly mischievous smile.
Melanie nodded smiling back. "It was very satisfactory. My compliments to the chef" Melanie replied.
Overhearing her the bartender's eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped in surprise. "And I shall take those compliments with great honor my lady" Glynard shouted over with a greatful smile.
The silver-haired elf took away the empty dishes and disappeared with them whilst Glynard walked over to a slightly older lady who was busy filling out an inventory of goods and gave her a gentle nudge with his elbow. "Did you hear that?" he whispered to her, "The Warrior of Darkness complimented my cooking!"
A group of young men walking nearby overheard him and stopped in their tracks in astonishment. Quickly they scouted the various tables with their eyes and spotted Melanie just about to leave her table with a satisfied look on her face. One of them hurried over to the bar counter and slammed his hands down on the surface in excitement. "Barkeep!" he shouted, "We'll have whatever the Warrior of Darkness ordered!"
Glynard looked surprised. "Yes of course!" he said as he quickly walked back to his station and began withdrawing plates of smoking hot grilled rail and mugs of espresso. He looked back over to the other servers behind him. "We should put this up on the board, Today's special: Grilled Rail and Espresso con Panna as recommended by the Warrior of Darkness herself!"
"I'm right on it!" yelled back one of the workers who was already grabbing bits of paper and pinning them up on a board behind him.
