Being curious

Writers: Paula, Vix
Date Posted: 12th April 2007

Characters: Zelanka, Hartam
Description: Zelanka decides to check out the Tavern and Hartam gives her a tour.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 3, day 1 of Turn 4

Zelanka could confess it was sheer curiosity that made her walk over to the tavern. She wanted to see how the place looked in broad daylight and when it wasn't packed full of sweaty bodies. The main room of the Tavern was pretty much deserted, expect for the lone harper working on his
instruments. The headwoman was surprised how homely and clean it looked now. The tables looked like they had been just scrubbed thoroughly, which she approved.

Hartam looked up from his gitar, setting aside the cloth he had been using to polish the precious wood of its body. "Did you need a drink? If so, I'll need to call for someone to help you."

"No thank you. I'm just looking around," Zelanka replied with a smile.
"Couldn't get a good look during the opening, there was so many people!"

"Very true. It was extremely crowded and it's difficult to see exactly how much work has gone into the planning of this place when it's wall-to-wall with people." He rose from his seat. "Is there anything in particular that you'd like to see?"

"Everything?" Zelanka suggested wryly with a little shrug of her shoulders.

He chuckled at that reply. "I can't say that I'm privy to all areas of this establishment, but I see no reason why not to give you a tour of the public places." He gestured around himself. "This is the main room of our grand new Tavern. Of course, as you enter here you can see the bar," he
waved his left hand in that direction, "and are surrounded by tables for socialization and gaming. On the other side of this fireplace," he walked past the free-standing structure, "the bar continues, with the stage on
this other wall and the dance floor between the two."

"All right," Zelanka nodded. So far so good. She wasn't sure if she liked this tavern. The idea of tavern didn't bother her, it was the fact that dragonriders were invited to it. She didn't like the thought of dragonriders anywhere close to her husband. His tithe-delivering trips to the Weyr were bad enough. He was almost like different person, when he
came back. Happier, more relaxed. She could only imagine what he was doing there with those dragonriders. It was bitter to think she was not enough for her husband. Of course, she had done the same thing, she thought
guiltily.

The harper continued walking across the room. "The doors at the end of the bar, the double ones, lead to the kitchen. It's fully equipped with all that is necessary to serve our patrons, but I can't offer you a tour of that area - you'd have to ask the Tavern Cook, since that's her domain."
He finished his tour with a flourish toward the wall furthest from the main entrance. "And those doors lead to the private rooms. Those can be booked for business meetings, family gatherings, or intimate dinners."

Zelanka's eyebrows shot up. She didn't like the sound of the word intimate. She could just picture couples renting the room after few drinks. "Do you have rooms for overnight guests too?" she asked.

"Upstairs." Hartam indicated the stairs between the stage and the private rooms. Noting her change of expression and interpreting it as an indication of her Hold sensibilities, the harper leaned toward her slightly and spoke in a confidential whisper. "Of course, our good Tavern
Master likes everything on the up-and-up, so those who stay would be renting a room that is intended for _sleeping_ only."

"Well, that certainly reassuring to hear," Zelanka said.

"I know that there were some fears over the type of activity that would take place here," admitted the harper, "but everything is _proper_ here. It is a fitting addition to the area."

"I hope so. Decaying morals are last thing this hold needs," Zelanka said seriously.

"This or any Hold," agreed Hartam.

Well, at least the harper was nice fellow, Zelanka thought. She rewarded him with a little smile.

He gestured once again around the large central room of the Tavern. "I'm afraid I've shown you all that is at my disposal. Have you any questions about the place?"

"No," None the harper could answer anyway, "Thank you of the tour. It was very kind of you," she said.

The harper addressed her with an extravagant bow. "Always at your service, m'lady. And I hope to see you here again."

"Well, that reminds to be seen," Zelanka replied.

Hartam raised an eyebrow in question. "The Tavern isn't your type of place?"

"No it isn't," Zelanka said. "I'm more stay at home-type who likes to be surrounded by children and grand-children."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Though I enjoy my life, I sometimes envy those who have family and a permanent home."

"We always envy those who have something we don't", Zelanka said. She envied those couples that had happy, real marriage.

"I'm afraid we do," Hartam agreed. "None of us seems to be truly content with what we have." He turned that idea over in his mind, sensing a song within it somewhere.

Last updated on the April 14th 2007

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Being curious