#baronyofthesilverwolf

For Nadeen? Shopping about town proves to be a good way to learn of the local fae. She needs to get to know the changelings here. To see who has what talents. She has a sword at her side, a pocket full of dross.

The city is small, but not tiny - there is a decent variety of stores, shops, boutiques. Unlike a major metropolis they might not have a half dozen competing coffee shop chains, but they do have at least a couple coffee shops in town. They're not desolate, after all!

Wandering down the center of town, there's not much foot traffic during the weekday workday, but shops are open to masked public.

Catching her eye include an antique furniture store called 'An Eclectic Boutique', a self-storage facility with attached pawn shop - 'Carefree Storage'. Several churches, a hospital, nursing home, and there's town hall and the city clerk's office. A Habitat for Humanity branch, A diner down on Church Street called the Church Street Diner, and another over on State Street called 'Chatterbox'! Here's a coffee shop/salon called 'Hair and There', odd combo, but it seems popular enough? A realtor's office, oh, that's where that nice Clurichaun works - Above and Beyond Realty. Empyre Tattoo is down on Alexandria street! Gamble Distributors is a sporting goods store.

A large billboard outside of townhall (Donated by a company called Black River Valley Riders?) also shows a map and has some advertisements for other local businesses, and those in nearby villages. A feed store out in Great Bend - Nadeen recognizes the name from some of the crates and bushels in the stables. An artist with a home gallery in Watertown, an indie book store in Black River. Looks like there will be a farmers market come summer.

There are quite a few shuttered storefronts... COVID has hit small towns hard... but some businesses cling tenaciously to life, and others seem to thrive. Carthage persists!

She makes sure her mask is on tight

She considers the antique shop wondering if she need be on guard against sluagh? But she's looking for cooks who can be trained so she his the Church street Dinner. It has the more mundane name but one at a time

“Never too late for breakfast and never too early for lunch” proclaims the sign above the door. The brick storefront on Church Street is so diminutive that it could be the neighborhood diner adjacent to a girl’s dollhouse. It leads to a homey, light-filled dining room decked out with a jam-jar wallpaper border and wall-mounted saw blades painted with pastoral scenes.

An open kitchen gives Nadeen a view into the powerhouse of the diner, where two cooks are working to churn out grub.  A bored looking fellow in a 'FoodDudes' jacket waits for his delivery orders.  The diner is small - only 8 tables, and it seems they are mostly doing takeout these days. A waitress leans against the counter, flicking through her phone. Not a whole lot for her to do.

It smells good - breakfast - pancakes and maple syrup, skillets laden with hashbrowns and sausage, onions sizzling to go on the burger patties frying up next to them on the flat top grill.

"ORDER UP!" A call comes from the kitchen, as one of the cooks slides eggs into a styrofoam container, adds beans and avocado, salsa in a side container, and to the waitress, "Now, put the tortillas in their own bag, or they'll be soggy by the time it gets there. It's already going to be cold, I bet." A sigh. He looks up and calls, "Flo, guests." Seeing Nadeen enter. The waitress hops up and turns to greet her - "Welcome to Church Street Di..." She blinks again, and then tilts her head a little. A flicker of recognition and then a tentative smile. The pretty waitress is kinain. The vivid green of her eyes, a little deeper than most mortals boast, and just the slightest curve to her ears hints at sidhe heritage. "Welcome to Church Street Diner." She repeats, and steps over to offer her a menu. "How can I help you?" Seeing no one watching, she inclines her head in a deferential nod.

"Hello, I'm called Tanya, new to the area" Using her mortal name "What would you reccomend, and did I hear right, is it Flo?"

A grin, and she leans a bit so that the the nametag shows. It's rather nicely boosted on her shirt front by her natural qualities. Actually, the nametag says "Flo!" and has stickers on it. "That's what the nametag says! Are you here for lunch, or breakfast, or a bit of both, or...." She leaves it open ended.

Making sure the girl is enchanted, she says "is there a house speciality"

?

She is, it's a bit faded, but still there. "Well, personally I like the sweet breakfasts. The Belgian waffle with strawberries and whipped cream. If you're in for savory, we do a nice patty melt with fries, waffle fries, or tots."

"Let's try the belgian waffle with the strawberries and whipped cream. "

A smile and she shows Tanya to a table in the back, a corner booth. She wears a mask, but the smile is visible in the crinkle of her eyes above it. "You can have the comfy booth, normally it's for parties of four or more, but we're not seeing any of those, obviously."

"Anything else I can get you? Coffee, tea, strawberry milkshake?"

"Oh, cup of coffee would be fine, thanks for the comfy booth" She says "I'd love to ask you a few questions about other matters.. but I don't want you in trouble with your boss"

"I'm about due for my break. Let me get your order in and I'll get you that coffee."

"Sure, I'll be happy to buy you a cup too during your break if they charge you. Big spender that I am" Wrly

A laugh. "They cover coffee, at least. Be back in a jiff."

She smiles

Shortly thereafter, Flo returns with her dish, two mugs of diner coffee, cream and sugar, and sets up the table. Slipping into the other side of the booth, she offers the first mug to Tanya, then takes her own.

"Eat, before it gets cold. I can hang out a bit... it's not like there's all that much to do along the lines of waitressing right now. Harv and Maude, that's the couple cooking back there, they were sweet to let me keep the job."

She starts to eat and gives it a taste test, "Okay. " Between bites "I guess my first question is are harv and Maude kinain too? or kithain?"

"Oh, you're getting right to the nitty gritty. Pardon me Lady, but I hope they're not in any fae trouble. They're as normal as the day is long, but they're good people."

Flo looks a bit nervous, toying with her coffee mug.

"First, let me assure you, I am not out to give anyone, kithian, Kinain, son of adam, daughter of eve, trouble." She says in a low voice

"If there was a kinain cook that caused trouble, you're at the wrong diner. You probably want Cha-" She stops. "Oh."

Her own voice also pitched low to avoid being overheard, but the sound from the kitchen and the music playing helps as well.

"Oh indeed, i told you I'm not looking for trouble so you start naming one troublemaker? who's 'cha'?" She laughs

She looks a little uncertain. "Not who, but where. Chatterbox is the other diner across town. Their chef is kinain... a redcap. I mean, not that I think he's causing trouble! It's just... seeing a great lady seeking kinain in a Diner, I can only imagine you seek him and not any one here."

"Truth I'm more looking for ..well, not sure how much I should say but I don't want to scare anyone, honest. May I ask who enchants you?"

Now she does look a bit scared. "What is this about?"

"Relax. I just wanted to make sure it woudl be okay with them if I left you a tip... in the form of glamour" Nadeen says "Some kithain consider it rude to intrude on others family or friends. I'm trying to make a good impression, and apparently making a bad one. " A troubled look

Flo relaxes a bit, and says in a wry tone, "Starting with I don't want to scare you, but...' is generally a good way to get someone a bit nervous. But no... no one will get upset."

"I should have paid more attention lessons from a Liam friend" She says between bites, and touches a sugar packet "mix that in your coffee. "A bit of glamour flows inn

She accepts the coffee and sips, and the glamour accentuates her features a bit. Not to the level of a kithain, but definitely sidhe blood there. "Still, thank you. I don't know what I've done to deserve the gift, but thank you all the same."

"Well, for one thing, I appeared to have frightened you. That was not my intent, Flo . I'm new to the area and trying to get to know the kithain here. By the way, you do know the right of ignorance means we don't tend ot tell mortals about our ways, not that kinain enchanted can't tell KITHAIN right? I mean.. I am quite litterally on the approved list" Amusement "For my side, if I seem evasive it's because I don't know how much you know about who rules and so forth so I'm not wanting to break the rules myself. It's a bit of a tightrope "

Nods agreement. "I can't say I know all the ins and outs, but I was taught the Escheat, and I know the rules. And... I know my place." She bows her head to Tanya. "I am in your debt now... but I hope you will not ask too much of me. I live a simple life, with kind folk, and haven't sought more."

A part of her stirs at this. This is what was denied her , to be simply heeded, obeyed and placated. this is as it was in the old country

And in old times that no longer are. She reminds herself then says "Then please tell me when you think I ask for too much. I am looking for other kithain my age, or younger. Preferably with cullinary interests and talent. "

"Oh... well, there's Al, I suppose." She sounds a bit doubtful. "He's the only one I can think of who works with food. And Jack is a bit older... Um.... I'm sorry. I haven't... I guess I preferred to keep to myself. I can try to find out more for you though."

"No don't risk yourself nosing about for my sake" She's not going to put her in danger per se, "Tell me about Al, please"

"He's a good cook, I have to admit. But he's... he's not like you, lady. He's... " A small shiver. "A bit frightening. It's the hunger in his look."

"I see" A frown "Do you know what kith he is? "

"He's Redcap, so I've been told it's his nature..." A bit tentative. "Not that I mean to judge him without knowing him... it's just.. an impression. He applied to work here, but, well, even if the owners didn't handle all the cooking between then, he might scare off the customers." Glancing into the open kitchen.

"Redcaps are born of rather hungry and brutish dreams. They have their place but you're right, they are rarely 'safe'" She ponders "What of you, did you learn to cook? I sort of assumed not as you're waitressing but now that I consider, that's probably rude too. Off day"

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