To Friends, Family, and Cook

Writers: Anika, Suzee
Date Posted: 29th March 2015

Characters: Clovente, Gautrek, Geirlene, Geirolf, Geiran
Description: Clovente joins Gautrek and the family for a meal.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 12, day 1 of Turn 7

Gautrek

Gautrek swung the door open with a big smile. "Clovente, I'm so glad
you could make it! Come on in," he invited slapping his old friend on
the back.

Clovente held up a nice bottle from his private stash. It was one of
the perks of his craft. He had quite a collection of fine vintages
he'd collected over time. Some of which were the last remaining
bottles of famous crafters who'd perished in the earthquake. "Thought
we'd sample this one later." he smiled handing it to his friend.

"I don't know what I missed most, you or your private wine
collection," Gautrek teased accepting the bottle and ushering the man
in to take a seat. "That is going to be a real treat."

"You don't have a canine?" Geiran asked with a note of disappointment,
his green eyes peering up through strawberry blonde bangs in need of a
trim. His comment earned him a firm elbow in the side from his older
brother who might have been just as disappointed at the lack of a pet
but knew better than to comment.

The boy of twelve turns stepped forward, his hazel eyes meeting
Clovente's evenly, "I'm Geirolf, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Uncle Gautrek says you've been friends for turns and turns, since you
were my age."

Clovente grinned at one then another of the family as they spoke. Then
he held out his hand to Geirolf, "A pleasure," he smiled. "We have
indeed been friends since we entered the craft together." He looked up
and winked at Gautrek. "Nothing but the best for you my friend," he
added with a single clap of his hand on the other man's upper arm.

"Well, I'll return the favor with a delectable meal, though I can't
take full credit for that. My niece Geirlene is an exceptional cook
and this dish with pastry wrapped bovine tenderloins is a specialty."
The aforementioned niece was entering the room and blushed brilliantly
at her uncle's words. "The wine reduction is all mine, though," he
feigned an arrogant tone, knowing his friend wouldn't take him
seriously.

"Come Geirlene and meet Master Clovente, one of my oldest friends."

"A very great pleasure," Clovente smiled at the young woman's
heightened color then turned back to his friend. "You forget Gautrek,
I've tasted your cooking. I wouldn't come unless I knew you had an
accomplished cook."

Geirlene bobbed her head, "The pleasure's mine, sir."

"You wound me," Gautrek replied in mock despair. "Besides, after one
placement where everything served at the Hold tasted like shoe
leather, I actually taught myself to cook for the sake of self
preservation."

"But he likes weird foods," Geiran piped in, "Like strange fungus and
sea crawlers."

"Ah, I don't think this opinionated young lad has offered his name.
This is my youngest nephew Geiran and what he lacks in decorum he
makes up for in candidness."

"Oh really?" Clovente asked Geiran in mock horror. "Does he make you
eat them too?"

"He has a _rule_ you have to try a little bit at least once," Geiran
nodded, pleased that the Master seemed to appreciate the injustice
while Gautrek just rolled his eyes.

Clovente nodded with feigned sympathy. "My mother had the same rule,"
his eyes flared big with humor and then he turned a silly grin on his
friend. "So, Geirlene" he turned on their young hostess. "Do we have
to eat anything strange tonight?"

"Well, the pastry wrapped tenderloins are a fairly new recipe, but I
thing all of the ingredients are rather standard, herb roasted tubers,
and I made bubblies for dessert," she offered, adding with a knowing
smile, "For those who eat their greens."

"What no white bulb sautéd with crawlers?" Geirolf teased.

"Someday, you'll thank me for challenging your palates," Gautrek
insisted, motioning everyone to take their seats while he poured the
table wine that he'd decanted.

"I shall certainly be eating _my_ greens," Clovente said with relish
as he pulled out his chair. "I want bubblies."

"Me too!" Geiran agreed heartily.

Geirlene brought out the serving dishes as everyone sat down and
gracefully took her seat. Like her mother, she enjoyed entertaining
and had always liked getting to know new people. Clovente seemed a
good natured man and put her immediately at ease, making the meal a
comfortable one.

Raising his wine glass, Gautrek offered a toast, "To good friends,
family, and to having an exceptional cook in the household."

After taking a drink, Gautrek started dishing his plate and looked up
to his friend. "So what are your thoughts on this upcoming
winetasting at the Hold? Should be a nice opportunity to showcase
some of our new releases prior to Turnover, don't you think?"

Clovente lifted his glass in response to the toast as well "Friends,
Family, and cook," he echoed. Smiling he waited for the dishes to be
passed in his direction. "These tubers look wonderful," he smiled at
Geirlene as he took a large helping. Then his attention shifted back
to Gautrek's question. "Well there's no doubt we'll get some good
business. We always do."

"Oh, I bet it's going to be a marvelous event," Geirlene injected, "So
lovely there in the Hold gardens and with the ladies in their spring
dresses and their escorts attending them." Her tone held the dreamy
enthusiasm of a very young woman with romantic fancies.

"You should come," Clovente smiled at her. His short experience as a
husband had made him a little familiar with what a young woman wanted.
Of course he couldn't speak to a new dress but he could help in other
ways. "I'm sure there will be plenty of young men willing to escort
you."

Gautrek's eyes grew wide at his friend's suggestion and the normally
affable vintner offered Clovente a brief glare before he turned a
smile to his niece. Her hopeful green eyes were his undoing. "Of
course you should come! You are after all a young lady now and the
Hall should be well represented. I promised you a new gown on your
birthingday and this would be the perfect occasion."

Geirlene's resultant smile was worth any trepidation over putting his
niece in a social situation where she was likely to be noticed by
eligible males.

Clovente flared his eyes in apology as he realized what he'd done. But
then when his friend caved his grin turned infections and he winked at
Geirlene like a conspirator. "I think I'll have to claim a dance if
you're having a new dress," he smiled.

Though, her cheeks turned a bit pink, Geirlene laughed at the man's
words, feeling enough at ease to reply, "Only if I've a new dress?
Are you prejudiced against old ones?"

"But _all_ your dresses are new to me," Clovente grinned back,
impressed that such a lovely young woman didn't find his knots in the
least intimidating. "So either way you look at it, I get a dance."

"Well, I guess you do then," she agreed with a smile.

Gautrek grinned at the interplay, pleased that the children seemed
comfortable with Clovente. "So, I was thinking about the wine list
for the tasting," Gautrek stated. We'll introduce the new releases,
do you think those will suffice?"

"Not really," Clovente answered pulling a piece of bread and spreading
sweet butter on it. "But it will certainly get us most of the way. We
should supplement with last Turns' summer white. You remember that
one? I think we have three barrels left that haven't been bottled."

"Ah, yes, that would be good. We released a few whites in the autumn
and only the one red but we've a few reds coming of age this spring,"
Gautrek commented before cutting into his meat and taking a bite
followed by a sip of the wine. "Delightful, my dear, perfectly
cooked," he said to Geirlene.

"Thank you, Uncle," she answered before addressing the previous topic.
"Will there be any bubbly wines?" she asked hopefully.

"You like those do you," Clovente asked with a smile. "You need to be
careful with them. They'll sneak up on you." He turned his smile on
his friend. "Isn't that blush about ready?"

"It is," Gautrek confirmed. "I think it will be well received. The
sparkling wines are always a turnover favorite so it I know we'll have
many orders coming in."

"And that children is the real reason for the tasting." Clovente
grinned around the table. "We've already started receiving Turn Over
orders. "Some cases have already been sent."

"Indeed, we must ply our wares to fuel our passion," Gautrek said
smiling as he lifted his wine glass.

Last updated on the March 30th 2015

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