The Fall of House Pancrazio Chapter Two

Griselda · Post by **Griselda** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:54 am

Agna takes a breath and steels her nerve to enter the larder. She searches the shelves quickly, first to find the big tea cannister, then check the levels of a couple of spices. It's not as bad as it was last night, when she had to force herself to go in looking for the drawing salve for Master Julian, but still, it doesn't take much to remember the thing in the doorway...

Along the way, she notes yet more to be done -- the work seems to grow exponentially around here -- but in particular remembering the floor in here will need to be scrubbed with sand to wash the remaining blood and other stains away. She turns and glances down at the place where the stain should be, wondering how large a job that will be, then does a double-take to realize it's gone. No, I know I swept in here, but that wouldn't have made that much of a difference. Flour, spices, pieces of the ceramic jars -- all would absorb spilled liquid, but the wooden floor would have still drunk some of it. Even if some was leaking between the floorboards -- which reminds me, the dripping, there's a chamber below here, I need to look into that -- there still should be something left. She drops down to touch the spot -- bone-dry.

Half-aloud, Agna mutters, "It's too early for this," rubbing her tired eyes. She stands back up, retrieving the tea and a couple of other jars, and returns to the kitchen.

The kettle is starting to whistle as she sets out the big brown teapot (downstairs) and smaller white one (upstairs) and spoons tea into the strainers, measuring very carefully from the dwindling store, although she makes the brown a bit stronger. After all, upstairs folk can sleep when they please. She pours water into the brown and goes into the scullery for cups.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:12 pm

Tristan shakes Goran's hand and says-

''Right, I've got errands today. I expect I've till got time to grab Tahl some breakfast and maybe scrounge up some scraps for the dogs. ''

Tristan heads into the kitchen, propping the door open for Goran to enter behind him.

Seeing Agna at work inside, Tristan says to her,

''Good morning, Agna. Are you feeling well today? ''

Griselda · Post by **Griselda** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:03 pm

Agna emerges from the scullery, her fingers looped with cups. "Good morning, Tristan," she answers with a smile "I'm all right, thanks." She sets down the cups and briefly rubs her eyes, which have bruiselike shadows under them.

"Did you get any sleep?" she asks.

PathOfDreams · Post by **PathOfDreams** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 9:25 am

Goran steps through the propped door as Agna and Tristan are exchanging greetings. "Good morning Agna, have others risen this morning?" The ranger unslings his pack, setting it down next to the small table, and waits for the tea to complete its steeping. The smells of the Pancrazio Manor electrify his senses. Has it been so long? he wonders to himself.

Griselda · Post by **Griselda** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:54 am

Agna turns, surprised by the new, familiar voice. "Master Goran," and the smile reaches a little further toward her eyes. "In answer to your question, sir, I don't know. I haven't heard any requests yet from upstairs. You and Tristan are the first I've seen. The tea's not yet done -- give it another minute. We'll want it strong today, I think."

She starts for the larder, hesitating for just a moment before entering.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 10:06 pm

Tristan gets up and follows Agna to the larder. Once inside, he answers her earlier question-

''Well, I slept as well as you might expect. ''

He looks about the larder.

Well, she certainly did a good job cleaning up in here. The place looks as if nothing happened. Too bad the lack of a full supply of stuff makes the place easier to clean.

Tristan picks a glass jar from its lonely perch on an otherwise empty shelf. He opens the top and examines the interior. The brown glass container has been scraped almost clean of the sticky blueberry jam that once filled several such jars, at a time when the larder was better stocked.

''I want to start making jam. Mariabe.....ummm...well....I figure that someone can teach me. If not, I'll try and find a book about it, maybe in town. You don't know anything about jam-making, do you, Agna?''

PathOfDreams · Post by **PathOfDreams** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 8:13 pm

While the tea comes to a rolling boil, Goran unties the short length of leather which hangs from his pack. He promptly knots back his long black knaps. I should at least show father I still show an interest in the affairs of the family. I hope he knows I am serious. Goran reassures himself in the distorted reflection of the near dull stock pot hanging above the stove. Only a glimpse of his visage is caught before the steam from the bubbling fluid below envelopes it once more.

Goran realizes it has been a long time since he last gazed his own face. "I am in dire need of a cutting" he says aloud to himself while scruffing his dark beard, now an entire season long.

Before leaving the stove, Goran removes the pot and sets it atop the hardy wood surface of the counter.

Griselda · Post by **Griselda** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:29 am

At Tristan's question, Agna looks up from the flour cannister with a slightly startled expression. Did I hear that right? Tristan -- jam-making?

His fumble on mentioning Mariabella's name catches her off-guard, and the wince flickers across her face before she can stop it. Standing here, in the same place, the memory is raw. She starts to look toward the door, but Tristan's frame (thankfully?) blocks her view.

Seeing him with the jam jar in hand, though -- he seems quite serious, though. "M-Mariabella and her mother taught me what I know. Last fall's plum preserves are a good estimation of my making. I can show you what I know -- I don't know if it's what you're looking for. If you bring the berries, we can see what we can do."

She starts pulling down yesterday's leftovers -- the bread, the cheese, the cookies -- and goes back toward the kitchen.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:12 pm

''Thank you, Agna. ''

Tristan sets the jam jar down in its place and follows Agna into the kitchen.

'' I'm sorry to say I won't be staying for breakfast. I've got errands to run. Agna, I'd better grab something for Julian and Tahl to eat; they will be going with me, and I don't know when we'll be back. He have anything that'll travel well...some old hard biscuits or bacon, maybe? Dried fruit?''

Griselda · Post by **Griselda** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:00 pm

Agna pours out the tea from the big brown pot and hands Tristan a cup poured from his preferred strength. "At least have your tea -- you'll need it after last night."

She pauses in pouring. "Tea for you, Master Goran? I don't recall how strong you like it."

"Biscuits never got made yesterday -- Mariabella and I were too busy with the reception preparations. Any leftover bacon is long gone. If it didn't go to the dogs, it was being used for flavoring. Dried fruit...," Agna puts down her cup and buzzes in and out of the larder, returning with three canisters. She opens one after the other. "Apples, plums, raisins. I don't see the cherries -- I guess they were broken last night. The rest of the portables, you're looking at them." She gets a knife and starts slicing the bread into portions. "So where are you all off to this morning?"

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:14 pm

''Well...we're going to the local church. I don't expect that we'll be gone too long, but one never knows. ''

Tristan looks over the scanty store of foodstuffs.

'' I've got a little food that I can share with the others, so maybe I'll just take an apple each for Julian and Tahl. That'll be alright, won't it?''

PathOfDreams · Post by **PathOfDreams** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:45 am

Goran returns to his pack for a moment while the others are engaged. When there is a pause, Goran interjects. "Thank you Agna, your morning blend is always tasty, and ..uh strong please."

He swiftly joins the flank of Agna and Tristan. Goran sets two small bundles on the counter next to Tristan. (1) The packages are quaint, no larger than a grapefruit. Each is tied at the top with a thin strip of leather. "Put those in your pack in case my father chooses that I am not to accompany you. This one holds a good lump of dried, salted boar meat,' pointing to the more discolored of the two, 'the other is lightly packed with wild grapes I picked yesterday on the outskirts of town, they should be eaten this morning before they bruise. That should help sustain you three further, should you be away longer than expected"

Goran faces Agna and forces into her hands a small wrapped package as well, "This is the last of my raisin tart. It's a little dry but I think you most of all could use a nice sweet treat this morning."

(1) Remove 2 days rations from carried inventory.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:19 pm

''Why, thank you Goran!''

Tristan smiles at the man's genorosity.

''Well, I'd best be off. I need to find Julian and Tahl. We've got to a get moving. ''

Tristan grabs his tea on his way out the door.

''Thanks for the tea, Agna!''

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:45 am

Tristan leaves the kitchen and walks to the room where Julian is staying. He knocks on the door, three times.

Griselda · Post by **Griselda** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:28 pm

Agna finishes pouring a cup for Goran and passes it to him.

Her cheeks flush after he puts the tart package in her hands. She starts to speak, perhaps to protest, then thinks better of it. So she simply dips her head with a smile and, "Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome, and take care!" she calls to Tristan as he heads out.

She unwraps the tart package, breaks off a bite and dips it in her own cup of tea. "Did you arrive yesterday, or were you in with the birds this morning?"

Café de Nuit

Welcome, friends, to our establishment.

The Fall of House Pancrazio Chapter Two