20th Day of Spring 514 AV
There was a reason Cosette was often called upon to work the shifts a few hours just before the break of dawn. It wasn't just because she was competent at her work, nor was it because her polite manners appealed to the staff, it was primarily because she always seemed available. Somehow the proprietors and other staff members of the Herald's Arm could always count on the strange girl to be free whenever they needed extra hands on the floor or in the kitchen.
Needless to say they were never really aware of her peculiar nature, she'd never shared the truth that she wasn't a pulser like the rest of them. She could count the number of people who knew her secrets in Syliras and as far as she knew Glav Navik, Abashai and Malia the nuit, were no longer within the city's premises. There was of course, that Loren fellow, but surely he wouldn't remember a no-name nuit without a personality.
She was grateful that there weren't too many customers at this ungodly hour, the hours just before dawn were the least taxing of the shifts for Cosette. The customers she dealt with had often already eased their loneliness with some woman of the night, or already burned themselves out in a night of luxury, those were the sort who didn't really bother to ask questions.
A waitress excused herself momentarily and Cosette volunteered to take the post. Sure she wasn't the most hyperactive of waitresses and she'd struggle pulling off a bubbly persona but she didn't mind being thought of as a comely though dim-witted girl. If it made her life easier she'd take it.
The nuit put on the waitress' apron and sauntered forward to the only unattended customer. A man, who seemed to her, look nothing like the rest of the others here who were merely nursing their last bottle of a night of drunken revelry. He seemed... somehow more astute, more alert, and that bothered her. Individuals of such energy so late into the night - or early in the morning - were often industrious, and such men were often intelligent. Best she get over with it quickly.
"Good Morning Sirrah." Cosette bobbed her head and performed a small ineffectual curtsy. "Welcome to the Herald's Arm, what might you be having today?"
"We've wine, marinated pork, shirmp freshly delivered - not even an hour old." the Herald's Arm didn't have a menu per se, but rather they served what was available on the markett and the chefs had to work with that. Fortunately, this wasn't the most expensive place in the city and so people who came here often didn't have a too discerning tongue, nor were they too demanding. Usually. "We've also pumpkin soup, an assortment of vegetables, the chef's lemon glazed fowl..." she tried to keep her voice bright, her smile vivid and her gaze happy. It was a quality that she had adopted in life and fortunately, still served her well after it. Her gay mood had seen her through many things and she found it worked even when she dealt with difficult customers.
There was a reason Cosette was often called upon to work the shifts a few hours just before the break of dawn. It wasn't just because she was competent at her work, nor was it because her polite manners appealed to the staff, it was primarily because she always seemed available. Somehow the proprietors and other staff members of the Herald's Arm could always count on the strange girl to be free whenever they needed extra hands on the floor or in the kitchen.
Needless to say they were never really aware of her peculiar nature, she'd never shared the truth that she wasn't a pulser like the rest of them. She could count the number of people who knew her secrets in Syliras and as far as she knew Glav Navik, Abashai and Malia the nuit, were no longer within the city's premises. There was of course, that Loren fellow, but surely he wouldn't remember a no-name nuit without a personality.
She was grateful that there weren't too many customers at this ungodly hour, the hours just before dawn were the least taxing of the shifts for Cosette. The customers she dealt with had often already eased their loneliness with some woman of the night, or already burned themselves out in a night of luxury, those were the sort who didn't really bother to ask questions.
A waitress excused herself momentarily and Cosette volunteered to take the post. Sure she wasn't the most hyperactive of waitresses and she'd struggle pulling off a bubbly persona but she didn't mind being thought of as a comely though dim-witted girl. If it made her life easier she'd take it.
The nuit put on the waitress' apron and sauntered forward to the only unattended customer. A man, who seemed to her, look nothing like the rest of the others here who were merely nursing their last bottle of a night of drunken revelry. He seemed... somehow more astute, more alert, and that bothered her. Individuals of such energy so late into the night - or early in the morning - were often industrious, and such men were often intelligent. Best she get over with it quickly.
"Good Morning Sirrah." Cosette bobbed her head and performed a small ineffectual curtsy. "Welcome to the Herald's Arm, what might you be having today?"
"We've wine, marinated pork, shirmp freshly delivered - not even an hour old." the Herald's Arm didn't have a menu per se, but rather they served what was available on the markett and the chefs had to work with that. Fortunately, this wasn't the most expensive place in the city and so people who came here often didn't have a too discerning tongue, nor were they too demanding. Usually. "We've also pumpkin soup, an assortment of vegetables, the chef's lemon glazed fowl..." she tried to keep her voice bright, her smile vivid and her gaze happy. It was a quality that she had adopted in life and fortunately, still served her well after it. Her gay mood had seen her through many things and she found it worked even when she dealt with difficult customers.
