Timestamp: The third cycle of Melora. Winter, Era XV Post Fractum. During The Regency of Milo L'Evienne
Something new, something deliciously sweet filled the air that brightening in Jaedaxia. It came early in the brightening, just before the Jaedaxians rose from their sleepy slumbers and got ready for the blue brightening ahead. There had been snow, hail, and occasionally a blizzard formed somewhere outside the walls. All these were expected, but not this. Not this strange aroma. Everyone seemed perplexed by it first until they found the source. But one sip was all it took and they went through the rest of their brightening with a renewed bounce to each step and a warmer smile.
A vendor had decided to give free coffee and some spiraled cookie-cakes to anyone willing to have a decent conversation for a change. "I ain't tryin' to convert you, I swear!", he often joked and everyone seemed to giggle or laugh. "I'm just tryin' to keep warm. Why don't you join me?" The vendor walked with a slight limp and leaned lightly on a crooked cane. His grey-blue eyes seemed to light up with each visitor and his sharp moustache rarely ceased to wiggle as he smiled, grinned, and laughed along with each new face he met. He wore an old cloak over his form and the only thing repelling the horrible weather was a bunch of umbrellas he had set up around his corner along the Southern Quarter. Strangely enough, no one ever sees him set up and nobody seems to know when he packs up and retires for the brightening.
But one thing was certain: he had the best coffee and cookies anyone's ever had. As the saying went: "One sip, one bite -- that's all it takes." And the old coffee vendor prided himself on that promise. He served each cup of coffee in a clean, wooden mug along with a circular cookie-cake the size of a child's palm. The coffee was always warm, but never too hot; and the cookies seemed to dance with flavor: chocolate, vanilla, butter, and sugar all at once. It was a heavenly treat and all it cost was some small talk.
Secrets :
OOC: Welcome to Jaedaxia's new event! No, this isn't a super quest but you know how HB and I love surprises Join me for a cup of coffee and a free cookie. Who knows? Such magical things await those who come first! This is a moderated event, but feel free to interact with each other! Remember: the price is a sincere conversation!
Rowan tightened her rough brown cloak tightly around her body. A small shiver started at her feet and worked its way up to her head. She looked around her, noticing other figures hunched into themselves, protecting themselves from the cold.
She noticed one older man with a cart, umbrellas opened above it for protection. A delicious smell was floating on the crisp, cold air. She picked up her pace and walked over to the cart. "Serale," She smiled towards him with a small nod of respect. "Mmm, that smells good." She said about the coffee and the cookies. "How are you this fine morning?"
__________________
If you want to make enemies, try to change something.
Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924)
The important thing is never to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein SoF ** CIR
The vendor smiled when the young woman arrived and he nodded and greeted her in turn. "Bonjour madamoiselle", he said with a tilt of his cap, "I do finely, thanks. May I offer you a cup of coffee and some cookies then? They taste more delicious than they smell." He grinned, showing a row of straight teeth. With a free hand he easily poured a wooden mug full of foamy hazel colored coffee. And with his other hand, he pulled a single circular cookie dotted with nuts and sweets before handing them both to Rowan.
"I hope that keeps you warmer now", he offered happily, "now tell me, young lady, what brings you to my little corner here in the Southern Quarter? Off to work? Maybe a rosyun date?" He chuckled, "or, let me guess, you are a student at the collegio?"
"I would love some, thank you." She replied. She let her cloak fall to the her sides and took the coffee and cookie. Holding the coffee was already starting to warm her up just holding it. She gingerly raised it up and carefully sipped. She felt the warmth of the coffee moving down her throat and into her chest. Hey green eyes sparkled at the taste. "Wow!" She exclaimed, looking down into the mug; then excitedly back up at the man, "This is delicious!" She quickly took another sip, followed by a bite of the small cake. The mix of the cake and coffee was better then anything she had ever eaten. "Did you make these yourself?" She asked curiously.
"It is keeping me warm, sir. Thank you," She said kindly. A tilt of happiness in her voice. After another sip and bite of her coffee and cake she replied to his question. "I was out for a walk. The cold wakes me up and clears my mind." she said. "I'm an Apprentice with La Couloir de Musique and La Grandiose Théatre. I'm there for the singing mainly. I love it!"
She took a few more bites of her cake, "Do you just run this stand? I don't think I see you that often. Do you travel a lot?"
__________________
If you want to make enemies, try to change something.
Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924)
The important thing is never to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein SoF ** CIR
Even from a distance, Raphael D'Aubert could easily smell the fragrance of the hot coffee and cookies from his relaxed position atop a public bench, and wasted very little time in quickly arriving on scene for a brief "midday snack". Scurrying quickly through the crowd of Jaedaxians, the young man soon made his way to the vending cart of a friendly-looking snack vendor positioned conveniently in the shade of a sycamore tree.
While he had his note-stuffed wallet in hand, one glance given from the old man charged with cart's responsibility seemed to bid the man to "rest" and "take it easy" in his presence. Without further ado, Raphael gladly replaced his pocketbook back into the inside of his green vest, smiling happily as he approached the older gentleman with arms outstretched in a friendly embrace.
"Bonjour, Papa..." greeted the young man amiably, grasping the vendor in a friendly embrace, "Tis' a beautiful morning, no?"
"How much for a cake, my friend?"
Turning his head slightly to the left, the young man immediately froze in utter shock and surprise as the form of Rowan, a companion he had initially come across in his initial arrival to Jaedaxia. For quite some time, the young man had been nursing an unknown crush on this young woman, and was totally at a loss for words at the sight of her shapely form once again.
Oati was on his morning break as he made his way towards the vending cart. He looked at the man and said "Good morning monsieur... What is your name monsieur." Oati asked as he looked up to the man. For some reason he was nice to the man though it was against his dwarven nature. He then looked at the cakes and coffee and said "How much for one good sir?"
The vendor grinned before chuckling well-naturedly. "Why, I am glad that it has brought warmth to your young heart. Eat well, drink until you are satisfied!" Then leaning against his side of the cart, he listened attentively while Rowan began to discuss her general profession and aspirations in life. He seemed only too pleased when she mentioned her talent in singing. "I had a daughter, great singer, a songstress like yourself", he returned, "unfortunately, the Pox took her some eras ago ... she would have made the most beautiful songs. But I have some of her music ... perhaps you would like to continue her dream?"
Raphael / Ignatius
The coffee vendor smiled as the young man arrived. The lady next to him seemed a bit speechless as well despite the occasional arrival of some random young fellow who desired a cup of coffee and a cookie-cake. "Serale lad, these aren't for sale so to speak", he chuckled briefly then added, "how about you stay a while and enjoy some anyway?" With that, he poured Raphael a cup of the creamy hazel colored liquid complete with a delicious looking cookie on the side. "Bon appetit!"
It didn't take long for the dwarf to join the fray. And upon seeing the stout figure of the blacksmith's apprentice, the coffee vender, smiling brightly, proceeded to pour him a cup and even picked out a cookie for him before he arrived. "Oh, no charge sir", he returned, "and you may call me Papa. It's what the Jaedaxians call me anyhow. And what would I call you in turn, master dwarf?"
When Oati took a sip of the hazel colored liquid, the sweet fragrance of a thousand roses filled him instantly and a strange but energizing warmth caused his heart to soar. And what of the cookie? Well, a single bite was enough to cause even the hardened blacksmith to grin a little, giggly even, to the point that the cold weather didn't seem all that cold anymore!
Oati looked at the man and said "Mmmmmm this is just absolutely delicious. You can call me Oati or oat Papa." As he took the a bite of the cookie he started to smile and giggle a little. It felt like his heart had grown a size after that. He looked at Papa again and said "This is simply amazing. How did you do it?"
Nibbling curiously at the cookie, which Raphael found to be suitable for his needs, the young man could not help but grin slightly at the taste of the small pastry. A taste, one simple bite yielded an explosion of flavor which coursed vibrantly through the tongue of Raphael, past his palate, and straight towards the strings of his beating heart. Emboldened by this discovery, the young man continued on with his midday snack, slowly savouring each bite with the sophisticated taste of a person well versed in the luxurious ways of the aristocracy.
"Bon..." muttered Raphael, smiling at 'Papa', "It's very good indeed.. None com-"
The young man stopped suddenly in midspeech, clasping his heart tightly as he momentarily crouched down to a stooping position. From the tips of Raphael's fingers, a queer tingling (but not unpleasant) sensation began to course down through his arms, pumping through the torso, and eventually ending in a fantastic explosion of undescribable feeling at top of his forehead.
Through his eyes, the young man began to see a spinning collage of color radiating from the most base of objects. The dirt itself, a coarse brown color, no longer seemed so dull and void; it instead expelled warmth and comfort from it's dark complexion, comforting the young man..
The colors seemed to "speak" to Raphael, beckoning the young man to further embrace the delightful oblivion which seemed to befall both himself and his surroundings. Not bothering to resist, Raphael D'Aubert willingly surrendered himself to the demands of the ever speaking colors...
------------------------------------ Flashback
The fields were green with the warm embrace of Spring, bidding Raphael (who oddly enough took the form of a young child) to frolick carelessly in its arms. Flowers bloomed, like magic, before the feet of the child Raphael, creating a soft velvet carpet for the boy to walk on..
Far away, the figure of a beautiful young woman stood solidly before the shape of a massive pond, quietly fiddling about with the soft tressels of her flower-embedded hair. In her hands, she was skillfully weaving the various lilacs, lilies, and orchids into an intricate crown of flowers.
A smile.. A beckoning gesture..
Sprinting like mad towards this figure, the boy dashed desperately on the carpet of magically blooming petals, eager for a glimpse.. a touch of this beautiful figure..
Closer, and closer...
With ten meters left, the figure of the young woman abruptly swung around to greet the boy... her arms outstretched... her beautifully open face welcoming the arrival of a son...
"Mama...." --------------------------- Reality
Daylight..
The colors finally released their hold on the young man's mind, snapping Raphael back to the realm of reality. Gasping heavily for air, Raphael was stunned to discover an odd wetness running down his face, dripping down like rain to dot the dusty ground below.
"What?" whispered Raphael, shocked to discover a stream of tears coursing down his cheeks, "W-What is this bewitchment?"
A crisp Jaedaxien morning greeted the elfling, as he briskly went about his business in the busy streets. The hawkers and locals were about their shopping; even the wintry chills did little to keep them these hardy folks indoors. As Xyltha turned round a corner shop, he could smell the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee tantalising his senses.
Lifting his head up, as if to sniff the trail of rich coffee scent, he spotted the origin of the aroma. A small stall with coffee, and chockablock with customers too. Though he had never frequented this establishment before, if the number of customers were anything to go by, the coffee here must be superb.
"Serale, Master Coffee-makeur. Your coffee smells fabulous. Mind if I have a cup as well?"
He rubbed his cold hands together for more warmth. They had been exposed to the wind, and were already blue with cold.
While munching on her cake she listened to the vendors answers. "I'm deeply sorry for your loss," she replied sadly. She did smile a little after though, "I would love to continue her dream, as it is also my dream. The songs she did write should be heard and sung in her memory." she answered back. "I know its what I would want."
Then whlie she was drinking some of the delicious drink, none other then Ignatius came to the stand as well. Her eyes widened in shock and she gave him a smile, "Serale, Ignatius."
__________________
If you want to make enemies, try to change something.
Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924)
The important thing is never to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein SoF ** CIR
Ped came down the street, his nose in the air as he followed the sweet smell of what he could only describe as the best coffee his nose had ever sampled. He turned the corner and saw a group of people clustered around an old man and his cart, which held several cups of steaming coffee. Ped slipped through the crowd, smiling widely at all despite his unkempt appearance. "Greetings Old Man! Your coffee smells absolutely divine, if you believe in such things. How much for a cup?"
The coffee maker turned, smiled, then chuckled at the man's preliminary reaction to his brew. "Tis free if you care to stay for a chat", he replied with a wink. The vendor was a kind hearted fellow who dressed warmly in anticipation for the frigid Jaedaxian brightenings. His gray hair was tied neatly in a stiff ponytail while his round face and green eyes seemed most friendly if not outright inviting. "Where you off to this brightening, sir?", he went on, "work? School? Work?"
This was his area. The place he was most comfortable with. His hunting grounds. It was rare the elven man left the Southern Quarter, except to pursue important and needed purchases.
He almost passed by the mans little Coffee stand, but today he paused and appraised the man.
Eventually, Curunas approached him, and spoke one word. "Serale. He never was one for much talking, not when it wasn't needed.
![[Event] A Fresh Brew for Me and You (OPEN)](http://www.playbypost.com/forums/iconimages/jaedaxia/event-fresh-brew-me-you-open_ltr.gif)
[Event] A Fresh Brew for Me and You (OPEN)
Join me for a cup of coffee and a free cookie. Who knows? Such magical things await those who come first! This is a moderated event, but feel free to interact with each other! Remember: the price is a sincere conversation! 
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