Placing the clucking chickens at the shed besides the neighing horse. May told me to fill up a basin with water to put the pork in. May then told me start a fire as she was going out the city for ale before she left.


    I was unable to say that I didn''t know how to make a fire...


    I mean there''s a bundle of wood, and some brown dry grass near the hearth, then she gave me a peculiar bow and a round block with a hole in the middle.


    She used this last night, but I don''t remember how she used.


    Plus, I''m not a guy who can breath out fire through his palms or fingers, nor a survivalist on making fire with just bare hands. I was just a kitchen hand who used lighter, gas, and electric stoves.


    It was at this moment when I heard a loud satisfied yawn as door creaked open. It was our purple robed renter, walking down the stairs whilst stretching his hands up.


    “A-afternoon.”


    I greeted him.


    “What''s on the hearth today, Elfien?”


    He replied. Rubbing the sleep of his eyes as he lifted his hood up and showed his ancient gray hair and fashionably trimmed bushy gray mustache.


    What struck me most about this man is that one: He must know me, or Elfien that is, and two: his purple grape eyes. The nuance of such vibrant violet eyes that looked more realistic than any contacts lens that I saw at school cosplay conventions and what Erika used -- and she wore a rainbow of contact lenses.


    Pulling my mind from that, I assumed he knew Elfien and assumed that when he said hearth he probably meant what are we cooking..? Because May cooked there last night.


    “I''m sorry sir... Um... But I don''t know how to do it.”


    He smiled when I confessed that I don''t know how to start a fire.


    “Can I have some Gotale then?”


    He raised his eyebrow in a jolly tone.


    “G-g-gotale? Sir?”


    At this point, in fear of being seen as incompetent, I was in stutterers when asking – at the same time apologizing – what he meant by that.


    “Hahaha! It''s ok, it''s ok.”


    He wiped off a tear when he stood and said it was a joke.


    “Don''t worry about it Elfien. I also have some problems on fire making in my first days.”


    He then headed to the fireplace,


    “I''ll teach you how to start a fire.”


    He said hooking his hands around me.


    I don''t have any choice but to say yes.


    “Alright that will do for now.”


    He said as when we placed the wood and grass in to the hearth''s mouth. I then gave him the bow and the round wooden block but he shook his and refused.


    “Now, if I were a diligent young boy like you, I would use that cumbersome device. And if I was a great adventurer, ”


    He muttered as he reached inside his robe and brought out a oil dark smooth stone. It resembled a fat pencil but looked smooth as a marble. After that he brought a iron like claw that looked like a fat fishing hook.


    “I''d spew embers out of my palms and be done with it. But, alas I am just an old cheating traveler. ”


    What came after was sparks upon sparks as he used the iron claw to cleave through the black stone. He was like sharpening the stone and each clicking stroke produced sparks upon sparks that flamed the dry grass, the wood, then the heart was burning good.


    “Here.”


    “But, what about you?”


    I said when he gave me the oil black stone and iron claw. He laughed a plenty and walked off without giving me an answer. He just kept saying that I should keep it.


    “Plus think of it as an apology,”


    He sat down and assured me that it was ok for me to keep it.


    “I did say that I would teach you how to make a fire, but I''m no better than an adventurer when using magic.”


    I thanked him. Trying to hold my smile for this amazing item.


    “You can thank me by making me food.”


    “R-right away, sir!”


    Putting the invaluable item on my pocket I darted to the kitchen and quickly thought of a quick meal to give him. The pork would be too long to cook. The only spice I have are onion leeks. No salt, nor pepper. Onion leeks, onion chives... yes... This could work, even without salt. Probably.


    The fork Neil gave me, a stalk of leek, a knife, a wooden bowl and eggs.


    Getting the knife I took one stalk of leek and minced it. After which I took three eggs and a bowl. Once I cracked the eggs and scrambled them, I sprinkled the leeks in the egg and mixed it again.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Taking the shield-pan and the vial of oil to the hearth.


    I waited for the pan to heat up before biting off the cork and spreading it to the shield-pan generously. And so on until I began to cook using the wooden fork as my spatula.


    “I hope this is enough, ”


    I said when I served him scrambled eggs with minced onion leeks.


    “If it''s not enough the innkeeper will return soon.”


    I do hope that this was enough for an appetizer. Plus I do hope May returns with the restock of drinks and some salt.


    “Hey, where''d you learn this recipe?”


    He commented and when I looked back, his bowl was already empty.


    “How much if you teach me this?”


    He smiled. Well, I didn''t ask a price, I just told him that it''s just minced leeks mixed in with scrambled eggs.


    “Oh, and I am sorry if the eggs aren''t that salty to your liking. We''ve run out and the innkeeper is coming back with more, and the ale too.”


    “Yeah, I think that it should have some more salt. But still, can I have some seconds? ”


    The fire was still a light and flaring and he is a customer. Thus, back to cooking I go again. Whist, I began to fry, I began to smell something very reminiscent; something disgusting, stinging, and destructive adult like smell.


    Turning my head to him, I saw him puffing out a dark gray cloud out of his mouth. Eyes closed as his ancient face contour into a serenity of happiness as he sunk his head into his body. As if he found peace and heaven on earth with just a cigarette on his right hand. Yet, I was irritated how he was liberal on the ash. So much so that I broke his peace by telling him that the floor is not his ashtray and that there''s a minor nearby.


    “I-I mean..!”


    I soon realized my folly.


    “Hahahaha!”


    He held his stomach as he chortles and apologized.


    “I thought this was the smoking area! Hahahaha!”


    He quickly put off the burn of the cigarette and gently put it in a metallic container.


    I sunk my head in despair and embarrassment as I cooked his order. It didn''t took long for me to cook it, he wanted it soft and creamy like texture. When giving him the order I apologize for what I did. Old habit never dies.


    “Nah, I don''t blame you, he he.”


    He then reached inside his robe again what he brought out and gave to me as a tip almost got me jumping.


    “It almost felt like I was in a family restaurant when someone finally damned scolded me for smoking. Not asking what kind of pipe I''m using. So here''s a... Tip... Yeah almost forgot that, a tip for remembering a fond memory.”


    A gold coin, smaller than what Allan and Roland showed me, but larger than the silver coin Roland gave me last night.


    Even if he assured me that I can have this coin. My heart is still filled with doubt and uneasy emotions. It feels like the time some tourist gave me a 300$ ‘tip’ if I could just tell the family eating on a table situated on the scenery deck was reserved for his ‘family’


    But he doesn''t seemed to have any motive when saying I can have it. He was too busy eating away on the scrambled egg with minced onion leeks.


    Still, I don''t have the confidence to take something too high for just menial work and a simple task that can easily done by else where. Plus, while I apologized for not accepting it, he said that he like me, my service, and the way I cook. Which made me recall what Roland said about this guy.


    “So, I think it''s better to wait for the innkeeper and the drinks before accepting the gold, sir.”


    He gave me a snicker.


    “I hope I last long enough under her kindness when we met.”


    ****


    While I evicted the roaches that took residents under the barrel storage. The violet robed man was near the hearth, tossing some wood and sipping the nicotine tobacco that he asked permission to smoke while we await for May. But, after just one puff of smoke he quickly threw the whole unfinished cigarette into the fire before I saw him putting on his hood back on and shuffled to conceal his whole face.


    I thought nothing of it and just wiped the tables and cleaned the bar. It took about a few minuets until I heard May''s voice coming from behind.


    In awe I saw her carrying a  barrel on her right shoulder and a small sack on her left hand. All while smiling and explaining how he got a good deal from the lord''s trade post.


    “Thank you for clearing the bar, dear.”


    She said when placing the sack and the barrel in the pantry.


    Then, before I could tell her about the gold. Four, sweaty, buff men with with red bandana on their forehead came in with two more barrels. Two men carried one and placed it to the pantry. They sat on the floor and laughingly remarking that this race wasn''t worth the drink.


    May then gave me wooden mugs, filled with the new ale, and give it to the workers. Eagerly they plunged the drink their throat and wheezed out in satisfaction.


    “Is that the renter from this morning?”


    She said giving the last two their drink and wage. 3 and a quarter coppex each.


    I quickly whispered her the situation.


    “See you this story fair May.”


    The workers bade their goodbye with a smile as each one took the empty barrel. Just as they left she quickly told me to satisfy him with many ale as he want.


    “I''ll butcher the chickens for him.”


    She said in joyous tone.


    Quickly, I did what she said.


    “Sir, she''s here.”


    I said while serving him the drink he wait for so long.


    “Heh. Good to hear then but Um, can I ask that she''s the one who serve this to me?”


    He said pushing the wooden mug back to me.


    “I just want to talk to her, to one of my...”


    He sighed.


    “Long time friend.”


    He pursed his lips and gave me the gold coin and dug his face deeper inside his hood.


    “I-I''ll give this to her at once.”


    I said. I was ecstatic when I told May about the renter''s proposition. I found her near the shed. She was on the verge of cutting the flapping panicking chicken''s head off with a knife.


    “What''s his name then?”


    She asked as she spared the chicken but tied it''s legs.


    Which... I didn''t asked. She gave me a small scolding and advice that I should always ask the name of the customers here.


    “You always remember the name of everyone when you were young.”


    Er... I don''t know how to respond to that. I mean I still remember Miss Anne who always asked for her crust to be surgically removed on her ham sandwich, then there''s old man Tom and his family always due to reserve the scenery deck at 5 pm on Summer solstice and 3 pm on winter solstice. But, I guess me and Elfien has some similarities.


    Either way.


    “We''ll ask him together.”


    Whispering with a smile as she took a mug with ale.


    “Um. Sir,”


    I said.


    “The innkeeper.”


    Then May walked to him with the drink in hand.


    “Are you an acquaintance of mine?”


    She asked as she placed the mug on the table.


    “May.”


    The old man threw off his hood.


    All hell broke out.