[The Withering Rose] Table for Two (Tainon)

[Summer Dole]

Fall of 514AV, 20th

The popular restaurants Summer had been too held an air of invitation. The Withering Rose held the air of the shadiest taverns in Sunberth while looking nothing like them. Those buildings had not turned Summer away and neither would this one. She stepped in and was rewarded by the tantalizing smell of richly cooked foods. There was an undercurrent of pungency that she blamed on wine.

Once inside Summer found it to be bright. Lit by candles, covered with swathes of velvet gave it the ambiance of mystery. Summer paid close attention to it. Her eyes took in the expressions of the dinners. Their happiness, irritation, curiosity, and (the most important) how they looked when they took a bite of food. Summer noted how they closed their eyes or how they reached quickly for the next bite. It made Summer want to taste, to know what all the fuss was about.

These thoughts in mind she found a seat carefully. She drew little attention but diner etiquette…she wasn’t familiar with it. Her eyes took in the colored roses. It told her nothing. Was it the food? Did the people bring them? As luck would have it, a table of each color was available. Summer threw her caution out with a glare. This was not Sunberth or Syliras, there was no need to fear (not that she was afraid). She smirked, some of the people looked stranger than her.

As she took her seat, Summer felt a presence by her side. She looked up to find a waiter ready to attend to her. “That was quick.”

“We give the best.” Came the smooth reply.

“That’s what I’ll have.”

There was a moment of confusion. Summer waited for the waiter catch on. She did with a little nod and a quick glance at Summers state of dress. Her clothes were well worn but clean. Their eyes met after the appraisal. It was not Summer who looked away.

“One of everything?”

“Yes.”

“Right away, and what to drink? We have some of the finest wines—“

“No. I don’t drink.” Summer winced at the unnecessary information. If the interruption bothered the waiter she didn’t show it. “Just water.”

“Of course.”

As quickly as she had come the woman was gone. Summer sat back to wait. Her gaze strayed from person to person, curious. Some looked back but unlike Summer they looked away. Others held short staring contests with small smiles. It was different than what the half-Zith was used to and Summer wasn’t sure it was a good thing. She was grateful when the water came as it gave her something to focus on.

[Tainon]

When Tainon arrived at the door of the restaurant named the Withering Rose, the sky was getting dark and it was already past sunset. Perfect time of day, thought the Isur almost dreamily. There weren't many people on the street at the moment and he liked it that way.

The Rose was not his usual choice for dinner, but he needed change. He was sick and tired of being closed up in his tiny room in his current place of residence - the Cubacious Inn. He spent his time there researching and training. He planned to travel the world with Sultros being his first stop.

He looked down at himself. Grey short-sleeved shirt and long black trousers. Both were well-worn, but he didn't have much choice in his present situation.' You wanted it that way, so stop complaining!' he berated himself.

He sighed and entered the restaurant and immediately went to sit down at a bar located on the left side of the restaurant. As usual (or as far as he could tell), the restaurant was quiet although there were people present. Some were eyeing him disapprovingly, but he pretended not to notice.

"Chicken and a glass of wine, please." he requested and while he waited for his meal, he started looking around the restaurant and regarding the patrons. Perhaps there was someone who could offer him a job.

[Summer Dole]

When her water was gone her food was still not there but the glass was refilled before Summer had a chance to process that it was empty. She returned her gaze to the room for only a minute. In that minute the seat across from her was taken. Summer looked over the top of her glass in surprise.

“Do you mind? They're all out of room.”

“I do mind.” Summer warbled around her glass. Her unwanted companion looked stunned. Summer set her glass down and waited for the woman to leave but she didn’t.

“It’s a white rose, and I won’t bother you.”

The half-Zith waited for several minutes but her table guest didn’t speak again, it was clear they wouldn't be moving. It left Summer with no choice but to move herself after more awkward silence. She heard the woman call her back but waved it off to sit at the bar. It was not the first or last time she had been ejected from a table. It was no big deal. Besides, there were more bar seats.

Summer found said seat beside a male. He was about her height but his age was unclear. The most curious thing was his left arm, larger than the right with a shimmer of color. She thought it could be an illusion but had no way to tell. The aroma of meat wrapped in spices invaded her nose. From smell alone she could taste the sweetness of it. Her scrutiny dropped from the male to her food. The waiter addressed her softly, no comment on her new seat. “This is the chicken and salad, your pork and beef will be out shortly.”

“There’s no rush. Thank you.”

The waiter slipped beside her and dropped off yet another chicken. It was followed by the stench of wine. Sharp as it passed to over-powered the food. It was brief but enough to draw Summers attention back to her bar-mate. “That smells like crap.” She told him with a wrinkle of distaste. The half-Zith scooted away from the smell then returned to her meal.

Tasting food was an art Summer was still learning. She followed the same steps each time: a sip of water, a scraping of the sauce, another sip of water, and finally a bite of the food. It would take seven slow chews for her to taste the food. When she finished she would have her evaluation. It usually worked but she usually dined at her home, not in the restaurant. She wasn’t sure she could ignore the smell of the other food around her to get a pure taste. Perhaps to help she could close her eyes? But first…

Summer pushed the salad to the side. When she asked for everything she didn’t know it had meant a salad too. Now she would have to pay for a salad she didn’t want to eat. Even if it didn’t smell bad or look too bad. Summer gazed back at the strong-armed wine drinker then shoved the salad at him.

“You can have this. I don’t like salad.”

Once more she proceeded to ignore everything around her, took a lick of the sauce and savored it. It was something like tangy. Like lemons? Or was it oranges? Summer opened her eyes with a little sigh. She didn’t know enough about the foods in Alvadas to recognize what she tasted.

[Tainon]

The restaurant hadn’t changed, he decided, since the time he had last visited it. In his opinion, it was filled either with strange, wealthy or dodgy patrons…or couples in love. The Isur felt somehow a little bit out of place here and some of the stares made him a bit uncomfortable, but he tried to ignore the feeling. Maybe it was only his wild imagination again.

On Tainon’s left side was sitting a man, who was throwing down glass after glass. The Isur, who was watching the man half amused half disgusted, was amazed that the man still managed to hold himself upright on the bar stool.

He almost stood up when the man began gesticulating wildly, explaining something to the woman behind the bar, who looked absolutely uninterested. Tainon didn’t like drunk people. It was true that he drank quite often himself now, but not to the point of embarrassing himself. He wouldn’t survive making a fool of himself in public.

Luckily, the drunken man left soon after, so Tainon was alone at the bar.

At least until the moment when a woman with dark hair and tanned skin sat down next to him. She had apparently placed her order before she came to sit next to him, because a waiter came soon to her and brought her food – chicken and salad. The Isur looked at her curiously and then frowned slightly when he thought the waiter say something about her pork and beef being ready in a moment. Maybe she was waiting for someone. There was no chance that she could eat all of that alone. She looked as tall as him and she was thin.

He was trying to think of a way to perhaps start a conversation, when his food was set in front of him. The woman made a comment about the wine so he raised an eyebrow, turned to her and said: ”It smells weird at first, but it’s actually quite good. It’s local speciality, you know. People say it’s the best wine in Kalea.” And as if to confirm his words, he took a sip from his glass.

Then she pushed her plate with salad aside, offering it to him. He raised a hand as if to stop her and then, after a while, he spoke again. “Let’s make a deal. You taste the wine and if you don’t like it, fine. If you at least taste it, I’ll take the salad, what do you say?” He was watching her, curious how she would react.

[Summer Dole]

Summer started when her bar mate spoke. Her eyes jumped from the plate to his face. Her head cocked as he spoke, her lips pursed. Summer took a sip of water to wash out the food as to try another bite but first…


“How young do I look? I’ve tried wine before. I didn’t say it smelled weird, I said crap. There’s a difference.” Summer pointed out. “It doesn’t matter where it came from, wine is wine.”

The half-Zith expected him to shove the plate back at her. Instead, he spoke of a proposition. Summer stared at him hard. What did he take her for? In that time he could have done anything to the salad. Dropped poison on it. Truly she thought he just wouldn’t take food from someone like her. That was not a surprising notion. “I don’t make deals with strangers. Eat the salad or don’t. I wont…I don’t like it.” Summer planned to return to her food but felt the need to add, “And I don’t drink. It’s disgusting.”

Whether she meant the wine or the habit itself, Summer didn’t elaborate. Let the man figure it out on his own. With her finger she rubbed off another layer of the sauce. Thoughtfully she tasted it for a second time. The zest was still there. Summer still couldn’t place it. Her mental list of foods was short and unfinished. Sunberth was unvaried in its food, Syliras overpriced. Summer drew a gulp of water, it pulled the zest out but the aftertaste still clung to her tongue. It taunted her with its taste.

The glass met the table with a soft thud. Summer would need to engage again. Once more she faced the large-armed man. Summer opened and closed her mouth twice. She felt sure she had insulted him earlier. To ask him for help now…she squirmed in her seat but acted swiftly.

“I’ve got a deal this time. I’ll pay for your food if you can taste the chicken then tell me what’s in the sauce…and the pork and the beef…and the salad.”

Summer didn’t care what was in the salad but food shouldn’t go to waste (even if she was technically the one wasting it). She also thought she might ask the cook what was on the chicken but it seemed like cheating. Or stealing. Summer didn’t think she was learning if she was just given the answers. This exchange seemed better. It wasn’t because she wanted someone to chatter with about food.

While she waited for his reply Summer asked for another glass of water. While she waited for the water she took another bite of food and chewed slowly. Her slipped shut. It truly was delicious. Aside form what they put in it Summer wondered how they cooked it. It was no quickly fried poultry. It was moist (something her chicken never had) and seasoned well. Before Summer could say anything more or try another bite, her pork, beef and water appeared.

The half-Zith waved at it. “Go on. Try some.”

[Tainon]

The woman looked a little offended after his words and proposition, so Tainon quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you were too young to drink." he shrugged, not knowing what to say, turning to his plate and shoving a small piece of chicken into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully so that he had something to do. Then he turned his head back to her.

"I used not to drink myself, but I seem to like this particular wine. I don’t want to argue with you, but I think that there is a difference between wines." He put a little stress on the word 'is'. "They’re all made differently, using different ingredients. Not that I'm an expert." He added and shrugged again.

He watched curiously as the woman tasted her food. It was like she was analysing it. ‘Is she trying to discover a poison? Can a person even do that?’ he mused.

When the woman turned to him, he quickly averted his gaze, not wanting her to think he was staring. When she stated her proposition, he frowned. “Taste your food? Why?” he asked slowly.

And she would pay for his meal? Did he look like some kind of a beggar who couldn't afford his own meal? He wanted to decline the proposition, it made him slightly angry, but at the same time, he didn't want to offend her.

“All right, I will do it.” He said finally. “Chicken first then.”

He took a piece of chicken and dipped it in the sauce. Then he put the piece in his mouth, feeling slightly silly. He was chewing carefully, then swallowed and after a while he said.

“It’s tangy.” He paused. He was feeling uncomfortable. Describing food was unusual to him, he always thought of food as simply a means to get energy, but his description was not enough. The woman was clearly waiting for more details.

“It’s tangy. It’s like there are onions or garlic or chilli and I think there’s something…” He thought for a moment again, looking at the food, as if trying to recall the taste. “Something sweet. Some fruit. Orange?” He turned his guess into a question and looked at the woman.

[Summer Dole]

Summer didn’t believe the apology for a second, her skeptical raised eyebrow said as much although she gave Tainon a slow nod. She almost laughed when he said wines could be different. There was no difference in getting drunk of alcohol and it they weren’t drunk what was the point? The bitter flavor left over from the drink was hardly worth any taste in the beginning.

“I’m sure you’re not. But wine, unless it’s used in food, is tasteless.” Summer said stubbornly. She rolled her eyes when he questioned her. She understood why but it made her impatient. “Because I don’t know whats in it. You might.”

Even as she assured him (in her own way) there was no weird motive, he still looked annoyed. Summer ignored it since he had agreed. She watched as he tried the chicken, her eyes taking in each expression. The annoyance was gone. It was replaced some type of thought and enjoyment. Summer leaned towards him as if it would she could learn just from watching.

“Tangy. And?” Summer said and pulled away. She tried another bit herself as he continued. As he gave her the answer that had eluded her, a wave of triumph washed over her. A small smile at the corners of her mouth. “Orange? Orange…orange! Of course! I couldn’t tell. I’ve only had them once. Did you know it’s a fruit? Not as good as peaches but good. I wouldn’t have thought of putting it in chicken. Meats are meats and fruits are fruits. I wonder how they made it like this though. Do you think it tastes good? I’ve had nothing like it before. I’ve never had chili, what is it?”

As usual Summers conversation was at rather than too the person. But she was enjoying herself, and the food, now that she new what it was. Summer ate two more pieces of the chicken then shoved another dish at her bar mate. “This one next. What is it? I’ll try too.”

The half-Zith was vibrating in excitement. Her previous unease took the backseat at the thought of learning more of the foods. Would the next have orange in it too? Summer chewed thoughtfully, strangely skipped her routine then cursed. She hadn’t been able to analysis anything but the flush of flavors washed over her. Summer grabbed for her water to wash it down. What did she need to taste it for? She had a taste-tester. Still, she knew she would try to figure out each herself. What sort of cook would she be if she couldn’t?

The waiter broke her out of her thoughts, asking if everything was to her liking. Summer gave a quick yes and took another bite in response. The waiter smiled and flashed off to the next person. Summer chewed slowly, savoring the rich flavor of the pork. It was nowhere near as tender as the chicken but it was thick and juicy. Instead of tang there was a salty taste. Summer hummed in appreciated and addressed her taste-tester. “Salt. I think it’s just salt. Can you taste anything else?”

[Marionette]

Through the door of the Withering Rose walked a man, thin and graceful. He floated across the floor, searching for something. His eyes scanned the room. A gloved hand lifted to tap his chin in mock thoughtfulness. No one addressed him, and barely looked twice. It was a curious sight. The man dressed in a finely tailored suit, strolled further into the establishment.

And yet, while his attire could have cost more than most made in a season, his face was obstructed. A white mask, the color of alabaster covered his features, only emphasized by the blood red hair that stuck up in every direction. The eerie presence watched silently, strolling confidently towards the two eating and drinking - the half-Zith and Isur.

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?" Something in the way he walked was off. Predatory, perhaps? His smooth voice spoke again, a hint of interest tinting the edge of his words, "Are we having a taste testing?" The masked man turned towards the woman, and then towards the Isur, watching him. "Do continue, please."

Long limbs crossed themselves casually, the man leaning against the nearest wall. When he stopped moving, he appeared almost like a statue, the white mask only adding to the effect. His posture suggested he was oblivious of cared little for the approval or those he was harassing. He was smiling.

[Tainon]

The Isur stared at the woman, amused, as she seemed to get very excited by his answer. His mouth curved into a small smile. He felt quite proud of himself that he didn't make a fool of himself even though tasting food was not on his list of favourite pastimes.

“So I was right?” Her excitement was infectious. He found himself grinning, though still very reserved. At her questions he started explaining: “Well, chilli is…my mother used to put it in her meals sometimes.” He scratched his slightly stubbled chin, unsure how to continue. “I think it’s a kind of spice. I remember that when I watched my mother cook, which wasn’t often, she seldom put a red powder in some sauces. She called it chilli. The sauces became very hot then. Sorry, I don’t know any more.” He shrugged apologetically.

“It is quite good. This meal, I mean. I haven’t noticed before. I guess I didn’t pay any attention to what I was eating.” Tainon was surprised, but he found this activity engaging, so when the woman suggested that they should taste the other food together, he nodded enthusiastically and then he said: “By the way, I think it’s time to introduce myself properly. My name is Tainon and it's pleasure to meet you.” He inclined his head in a way of greetings. Then he watched as the woman tasted the pork and then he began reaching for it too.

Just as he put the piece of meat into his mouth, the door to the inn opened and a strange man with red hair and a mask on his face entered. Tainon glanced at him, but didn’t pay him any attention. The inn was usually full of patrons like this one and he had a task to do. After a moment, he swallowed and nodded at the woman. “I think you’re right. There’s only salt in this.”

He was reaching for the last plate, when the red-haired man in fine clothes, who had entered a while ago, came near them, said a few (not very nice) words and leaned against the nearby wall and started watching them. The Isur withdrew his hand as it was reaching the remaining food. It seemed awkward discussing food in front of the man.

Something about his behaviour irritated the Isur. It wasn't his words. People sometimes spoke to Tainon like this, trying to get attention or provoke him. No. It was the way the man held himself, how he stood there, his back against the wall. He seemed to mock them. Tainon stared at him with narrowed eyes, but didn't say anything. Then he turned his eyes to the woman, an eyebrow slightly raised in question.

[Summer Dole]

“I don’t know if you were right. That’s why I asked you…because I didn’t know. But it does taste like orange. I’ll have to try chilli; there wasn’t variety where I lived. Couldn’t make a thing! But here, have you seen some of the things they make? I’ve been to the bizarre, they had delicious cakes. Tasted nothing like cake.” Summer said to herself, and speared another piece of the pork. It melted in her mouth, made her toes and her lips curl. “You should pay attention. Someone could feed you poison. Or you could eat rat.”

Summer informed Tainon of this as if it were normal dinner conversation. She took his name with a nod but didn’t offer hers. She let a silence fall over them, savoring the food and the fact that she could eat the food. It was a novelty she had not been able to previously afford but now, now she could pay for hers and Tainons. During the short silence came the appearance of a man. The half-Zith had taken no notice, even after the man spoke. She’d assume he’d spoken to someone else, people didn’t approach her. Not willingly, it was the other way around. It was Tainon who tipped her off, retreating from the food as if it were truly poisoned. Summer frowned and swallowed.

“What?” She demanded then put two and two together with his questioning gaze. Summer turned to see a white mask facing their direction. Her mind replayed the words, her eyes took in his stance, his walk, his watching. He was wrong. On an instinctual level Summer could understand that. It was not the same as Alvadas fun and dangerously mischievous way but in a way that made the food taste flat in her mouth. “It’s none of your business.”

Summer told the mask, her lips drawn back into a snarl. She would have, could have left it but she felt his stares. Like a statue of judgment. Habit made her shift her back away from scrutiny. Loud enough to be rude Summer snapped, “Done staring? Or do you want scraps?”

If she had the hair of her father they would have stood on end with her. Since she didn’t she waved at Tainon, purposefully ignoring the man in the mask. “Eat. Go on. We’ve still got…beef.” Summer took a bite without tasting it, glaring at the table. Feeling the need to fill the silence or have Tainon leave Summer bit out attempts to continue as before. “I’m S—Dole. My name is Dole. I’m a cook.”