Present Problems

by **Orin Fenix** on May 1st, 2015, 4:16 pm

53rd of Spring, 515 AV

Orin looked at the crowd in front of him and sighed. He hated going into the swirls of people that always seemed to be present in the Great Bazaar. He’d remembered something the other day that had made him nearly panic. Sayana’s birthday was coming up, and Orin had overheard the two barmaids at The Rearing Stallion discussing what present they were planning to get for the Eypharian. Orin had totally forgotten that presents were traditional on someone’s birthday. Orin had never celebrated his own, so he didn’t really know what the proper series of events was supposed to be. When he was growing up, his birthday had been an incredibly sensitive subject around his father. After all, it had been the day that Orin’s father had lost his mother. So it had never been a cause for joy in the Fenix household. Once his father had passed away, taking everything Orin knew with him, the families who had taken Orin in hadn’t been interested in taking the time or the effort to celebrate the birthday of a child who wasn’t theirs. Besides, thinking back to it, ever since the fateful day when Orin’s home had gone up in flames, taking his father with it, every birthday since then had some disaster or another happen on it. So Orin didn’t especially associate joy with his own birthday.

Still, he wanted everything at Sayana’s to go exactly right, both for her sake and in some strange way, his own. Even if his own birthday wasn’t a happy day, Orin would do everything in his power to make sure Sayana’s party went right. That way Orin could vicariously experience what a real birthday was supposed to be all about. Orin had planned out the menu, some of the potential events, and had snuck out invitations to everyone who Orin personally knew to be Sayana’s friend, and had asked them to do the same. Everyone had been enthusiastically grateful. Many of them had been at Sayana’s New Year’s Partee and were happy that Orin had given them a way to return the favor. Still, to make it all perfect now Orin felt he had to come up with the best gift he could for Sayana. He’d wracked his brain, despairing that he would ever come up with something, until inspiration had struck him last night before going to bed. He had wanted to share it with Sylvette, but decided to hold off until Orin knew he could actually do it.

So this morning, when normally Orin might have gone to The Fighter’s Pits, he’d instead found himself here, at the edge of the Great Bazaar, not quite ready to take the plunge into the people before him. Still, Orin didn’t have all the time in the world to do this. He did, eventually, have to go to work. Steeling himself, Orin took the few steps forward that would bring him to the edge of the crowd. Immediately he was swept up. Orin tried to use the motion of the crowd to go in the direction he wanted instead of fighting them, with mixed success. Luckily, since he’d known where he was going, Orin had chosen the entry point to the market that was closest to his destination, one of the scribe’s booths. So it wasn’t long before Orin arrived. The boy, who looked far to young to be running his own business so Orin assumed that his master was elsewhere, there greeted Orin cheerfully. Orin smiled and returned the favor. ”I’m looking for some parchment and some quills.” The boy’s grin widened, if such a thing were possible. ”Then you’ve definitely come to the right place, I have the best switing supplies in Syliras. And don’t forget ink, my friend.” Orin actually had been going to forget the ink so he was eternally grateful for the reminder.

Orin was planning to give Sayana a book of recipes that were good for pregnant women and babies. Today, he was planning to pick Remi’s brain about what she knew on the subject. After all, as a cook with her own child, she’d probably be the resident expert on this subject. However, he needed the necessary supplies. Since Orin didn’t make a habit of writing anything down he didn’t particularly need to have quills, ink, parchment or books handy. In fact, the only time he’d ever seen a book was either from a distance, or one of the rare peeks he got into someone else’s cookbook. Orin dreamed of one day penning his own book of recipes. While this would be a present to Sayana, it would also end up being quite good practice for that day. As he perused the supplies, Orin ended up with thirty pieces of parchment, two quills, and two vials of ink. He was still browsing when a book caught his eye. The leather that made up the cover seemed almost red in the light. Orin couldn’t tell if it was actually dyed or if it was just a natural property of the leather itself and the animal it came from. Regardless it would be perfect for Sayana. While Orin didn’t know this for certain, he was pretty sure Sayana’s favorite color was red, if the

Making his selections, Orin came back to the boy. ”Any chances I could get a discount on a bulk purchase? I’d be much obliged. And really, I would tell everyone to come to your stand.” The boy shook his head then held out his hand for the items that Orin was carrying.. ”No sir, sorry sir. No exceptions for anyone, not e’en the grandmaster himself.” Orin figured it had been worth a try. After all, one never knew when one could get a bargain if they only asked. And there was never any harm in asking. Shopkeepers sometimes seemed to take a perverse pleasure in haggling with their customers. Orin didn’t understand it himself but if it made them happy, Orin didn’t have a problem with it. ”That’ll be eleven golden mizas and one silver one, sir.” Orin handed over the coins, then gathered up his purchases. If he ran, he’d have just enough time to drop these off in his apartment then get to work. Breaking into a jog as soon as he was free from the oppressing crowds of the bazaar, Orin soon discovered how awkward it was to run with a burden. He kept going for a while, but eventually had to slow down to a brisk walk. He got back to his place, dumped everything, stayed long enough only to make sure the vials of ink wouldn’t break, then went into a full out run for The Rearing Stallion.

Reciept :

by **Orin Fenix** on May 1st, 2015, 4:17 pm

Work was hectic, as always. Being a cook in one of the most popular taverns in town insured that there was always a new task waiting for Orin. Whether it be prepping the food for the day, actually cooking it, stoking the fires on the stove and oven, stirring a pot to make sure the contents didn’t settle and burn, or just cleaning the dishes and organizing the kitchen, Orin rarely had a moment to himself. So, while Orin had been planning to try and catch Remi during a break, today it turned out that neither Orin nor Remi had one at the same time. So as they were doing last minute tidying up, Orin finally managed to pose his question to Remi. ”Remi, I was just wondering, are there special foods for babies and for pregnant women?” Remi paused from her sweeping, looking incredibly thoughtful. Orin wondered what was going through her mind and she turned her gaze evaluating towards him. ”Well now, well now. Haven’t thought about that in years. Come, let’s finish up in here then we’ll have a little chat.” Orin nodded, then started scrubbing the pots with renewed vigor. The sooner he finished this, the sooner that Remi could share her knowledge and the sooner Orin could go home and write it all down. Then Orin would get to sleep.

Eventually they were gone and Rondo gave them a gruff goodbye as he left. Orin barely acknowledged the man, so focused on shifting his mind to that peculiar mental state that would allow him to recall the recipes or foods that Remi was suggesting. She settled herself at the table where the kitchen staff normally ate their own meals and Orin sat across from her. ”I’m going to start with baby foods because it’s simpler. Most women breastfeed their children or get someone else to do it if they can’t. However, when that’s not an option for whatever reason or the baby is being weaned, then there are a few options. Mostly, any food that is soft. Bread soaked in milk, goat or cow preferably, is a favorite. Mashed vegetables, such as broccoli, or vegetables that are already soft like potatoes and sweet potatoes. Beyond that, apples are fine if you cook them. And soft-boiled eggs seem to be a particular favorite. Honestly, children can eat pretty much anything adults can, parents just worry about choking. So, soft foods that can be eaten without teeth.” Orin nodded. All that made sense to him. And there were more than a few suggestions that Orin could think of on his own to add. Remi probably knew this, which was why she was just giving Orin a general category instead of specific recipes. ”Oh, and we try and avoid spices and salt. Bland foods, like plain broth. Similar to what you might give to an invalid, now that I think of it.” Orin smiled at the thought. Babies were invalids in their own way, completely reliant on others until they came into their own strength. While Orin didn’t foresee this knowledge ever being useful in Orin’s own life, it was good to have regardless.

Remi gave Orin enough time to process her words before continuing on to the second part of her explanation. ”Alright, now for the foods I would recommend for pregnant women. I’d urge them to remember that they’re supporting two lives, so not to stint on their food. Again, since they’re passing it all along to the baby, I’d avoid spicy foods.” She gave Orin an amused look. ”You’ll never have to put up with morning sickness, so be thankful. Let’s just say we want foods that will settle the stomach.” Orin blushed. He’d never really considered how pregnancy must be on a woman until that particular moment. He would be sure to treat Sayana as well as he could until the baby was born. ”Soft cheeses are really good for that. Oatmeal too. Now let’s see what else I can come up with.” Orin waited patiently for Remi’s mind to pull up the information Orin was seeking. ”Eggs and beans and salmon. I personally found that when I was pregnant those foods did wonders for me. Oh, and if you’re looking for something sweet, berries are always a good choice if they’re in season. You can even add them to the oatmeal. And mashing them up for the baby is great too. That’s all I’ve got. If something else comes to mind I’ll let you know. Now shoo, these old bones need their rest.” Impulsively Orin got up and gave Remi a hug. The matronly woman had always been kind to Orin and for that Orin was grateful beyond words. She seemed pleased and returned Orin’s enthusiasm. Slightly embarrassed, Orin gave her a shy smile before darting out the back door of the tavern. He wanted to get home sooner rather than later before he could forget any of this information. Unfortunately, his tired limbs didn’t seem to want to move as quickly as they had this morning. Orin was reduced to a leisurely stroll rather than the fast walk he’d been aiming for. Feeling his eyelids drooping along the way, Orin rubbed his face furiously, trying to will energy back into himself. He still had a long night ahead of him.

by **Orin Fenix** on May 1st, 2015, 4:18 pm

Finally Orin arrived with a distinct sense of relief. He couldn't see Sylvette but that didn't mean she wasn't there somewhere. She seemed to take great amusement from Orin's reactions to her. Orin never knew whether she was legitimately out or lurking somewhere. It didn't really matter. He'd keep an eye out for her regardless. Either way Orin had to get this writing done before he went to sleep tonight. He had another day to finish it but Orin liked to finish his tasks as much as an advance as possible. That way, if he did end up running into an issue he had more than enough time to correct it. In fact, two days was cutting it closer than Orin liked, but considering he didn't even know about this until yesterday Orin figured he was making the best time he could.

Before Orin got down to the actual writing portion, first he should plan out what he would do. Obviously the parchment would be for the rough draft. Once Orin was satisfied with his work on his parchment he'd transfer it to the book itself. Getting up, Orin started lighting candles for better visibility. He placed them around the area where he'd be working, but away from the flammable pages. When he sat down again Orin was pleased to see that it was much easier to see. Next, Orin plotted a rough outline in his mind. Since Sayana was currently pregnant and wouldn't be giving birth for a while Orin decided he'd start with a short introduction on the contents of the book, along with a rough idea of which recipe went where, then go into the foods for pregnancies and then baby foods.

Pleased with himself, Orin uncapped his vial and dipped his quill in. It had been a long time since Orin had written anything this extensive. And since it wasn't just for personal use it had to be perfect. Putting his quill to the first sheet Orin began to write. A bell and fifteen sheets of parchment later, Orin finally had something he was happy with. Unfortunately his hand had also cramped horribly and his shoulders ached from the hunched posture he'd adopted while writing. Orin rubbed at the space between his thumb and index finger until the pain lessened. Next Orin massaged his shoulders out as best he could. His best in this case wasn't very good but it was still better than nothing. Orin was getting tired though, and couldn't put off the last part of the writing for any longer.

Orin shoved his discomfort out of his mind. It was pretty minor compared to some of the pain Orin had experienced in his life. Settling in once again and shuffling his pieces of parchment into the proper order and final drafts, Orin trimmed the end of the quill before dipping the tip into the ink. He went significantly slower with his words this time, making sure everything was as clear and legible as he could make it. Another bell passed, since Orin was forced to let each page dry before he could move on to the next. He had gathered sand from the earth outside The Rearing Stallion earlier that day to use on the ink but Orin was paranoid about the quality here and hadn't wanted any smears to mar his final product. Now, though, as Orin inspected it, he found himself inordinately pleased with his work. It had definitely been worth it. There were still some blank pages in the back, but Orin decided that he'd leave those for Sayana to fill if she came up with her own ideas and recipes. Orin couldn't wait to see the expression on her face when he gave it to her. Of course then she'd discover that it was all plain, bland food and she'd probably hate it since she loved exotic food, the spicier the better. There was nothing Orin could do about it and Orin figured she'd thank him when she discovered this was food she could actual swallow down through the worst of her nausea. Closing the book, Orin blew out the candles and undressed until he was in nothing but his underwear, and fell asleep almost immediately.

by **Keene Ward** on May 9th, 2015, 6:51 am

Grades

“For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.”
-Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene

Orin

Skills

Lores

Rewards/Consequences
+ 1 red leather bound book mostly filled with Orin's baby-friendly recipes
+ 2 quills

+ 2 vials of black ink
+15 pieces of parchment
+15 pieces of parchment with various recipes, ink blots, and scribbles on them
-11 GM 1 SM

Notes
Very nice! You sneaked some skills in there that I almost missed! Very endearing little thread. I got really excited when I read about him getting undressed, but alas: the underwear. I jest, of course! Good work, and keep it up!

If you have any questions or concerns, please send me a PM!

Solo Present Problems