What IS that smell?

Writers: Laura-Lee, Vix
Date Posted: 30th August 2008

Characters: Tanas, Garnon
Description: Tanas finds a friend in whom to confide
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 11, day 11 of Turn 4
Notes: Mentor Approved

Things had not been going well that morning, at least not as well as Tanas
had hoped. He had set a pot on the stove to simmer, but an apprentice had
moved it, allowing the ingredients to cool before they had released their
coloration into the water. Besides that, the concoction that the apprentice
had placed on the burner in its place had been quite odorous, chasing all
of the weavers from that room until it had time to air.

Now he was in a smaller room, one that opened off the main workroom,
containing long tables and used mainly for design work, though it sometimes
was used as extra space to cut fabric for projects. Tanas, however, was not
working. Instead, he took a few deep breaths as he contemplated the sack
before him, trying to shove away his anger and frustration before starting
into the lunch that Marida had packed for him.

Anger and frustration seemed to be the theme for the day. They were both
writ large across Garnon's face as he entered the room. The journeyman
wrinkled his nose and muttered, "Shards! What a smell! What did that fool
boy put in there?" He nodded to Tanas. "Was that your dye he took off the
stove, Tanas? Sorry about that. Last time I let him work unsupervised for
awhile, I can tell you that!"

"He ruined mine," Tanas admitted. "As to what he placed on the stove,
apparently he tried to make a dye from blackberry stems and vinegar without
adding any water. To make it worse, he set the burner on high and had
barely enough liquid to cover the stems. The result was a burned mess." He
shook
his head with a sigh. "Hopefully the other fabrics here won't hold the
odor."

Garnon's face darkened. "If they do, that'll cost him." Panic crossed his
face briefly, "Me, too, more'n likely." Garnon couldn't keep a smile off
his face for long, though. He brightened as he turned back to Tanas.
"Say, don't let it get you down, son. You don't want to be going home to
that
lovely new bride of yours with a sour look on your face."

"Uh, no." The younger journeyman blushed at the mention of his bride. He
fixed his gaze on the sack containing his lunch. "Of course, I've the rest
of the day to prepare for that."

Garnon chuckled at the young man's obvious discomfiture. Newlyweds could
be so shy, sometimes. "S'okay, son, we all start out nervous at first.
Why,
I remember when I first wed my Janira. We barely knew each other. It won't
be long before you're both at ease and she's throwing shoes at you for
comin' home late." He chuckled again, memories of his first late night
fresh in his mind. "You learn to dodge quickly."

Tanas blinked at that. "Throwing shoes? Your wife throws things at you?" He
and Marida barely spoke to each other, let alone show any type of reaction
to what the other said or did.

"Heh, it's a joke, son. Shells, you're really worried, aren't you?
Everyone's different, son, and so are every couple. Just 'cause my girl's
got spirit doesn't mean they all do. Not every husband would want it so."
He reached out a hand to Tanas' shoulder. "Are things going well at home,
then? I'm here if ya'd like to talk about it." The journeyman looked
genuinely concerned.

The younger journeyman bit his lip thoughtfully. "It's not going badly.
It's just. . . we don't know each other and don't really know what to say to
each other."

"The best way to get a woman talking is to find something in which she has
an interest." Garnon took on the air of a teacher, pontificating for the
benefit of his students. He was well-practiced at the posture. "Ask her
questions about herself. Ask her about where she grew up, what games she
played as a child, what is her favourite thing to do, things like that.
Also, trying finding things you can do together. Help her make dinner or
clean up the dishes. Y'know, just spend time with her and you'll get to
know each other with time."

"Help to make dinner?" Tanas' face showed his doubts at that working out to
the good. "But we are. . . she's been teaching me how to play card games."
He didn't feel that they had become exactly close through that but it was
better than just sitting in the same room each evening.

"Playing cards together is good. But don't forget to talk to each other
while you play. Act like you really want to know more about her. Women
like that." Garnon chuckled. "Not that I'm any expert, mind. The main
issue is time. Mostly, just be patient." He let out a long sigh. "That
lunch looks good. I should get m'self something to eat, too." He looked
into the pot ruined by his apprentice and wrinkled his nose. "Then I
better set that boy to cleaning his mess."

"Talk to each other. . ." The younger man murmured the words. "I'll try to
remember that." Making a decision, he rose to his feet. "And I think I will
get out of here. There's no sense in ruining a good meal with that stench,
is there?"

"Shells no!" Garnon said as he gingerly returned the ruined pot to the
counter top. "Grab that food and follow me. I need sustenance before
facing that mess. To the kitchen!" He declared as he put his arm around
Tanas' shoulder and steered the young newlywed out the door.

Last updated on the September 1st 2008

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What IS that smell?