Erin
*Compared to the disheveled figure stumbling in, Sirdan was much more well-dressed. Indeed, the same could be said of most of the patrons of this tavern – one that is a fair distance away from the city, but still so popular that plenty go out from the city or suburbs just to pay this a visit. For that was how good the food were.

The one sitting nearest the entrance turned toward the visitor as she entered, and as others noticed other staring at her longer than usual, more of the crowd looked at her, alarmed by the noise, the stares, and the blast of chill air briefly introduced by her.*

"...Woah..." *One of them exclaimed as he looked at her, with the hood pulled against her face, and clothing that looked like they haven't visited a tailor for a year and a bath for a month.* 

*Sirdan examined the newcomer, drawn in by interest, though she looked like some sort of... Mysterious beggar of some sort, so probably not of any note? He didn't feel a compulsion to sit near her, having not noticed her race. 

Sirdan sat on another table next to the kitchen, next to the one Artoria sat on – for the convenience of ordering food. He picked up the menu and started looking through it – plenty of delicious Irunian curry, local wine and imported whiskey. Mmm, Silnarian whiskey sounds right up his valley now. 

On the other table, a waiter approached Artoria with a stiff, professional face, unfazed by the shabby appearance of the newcomer – so long as they have coin, there's services. *

"Welcome, would you like anything?" *No look at the menu. Better pressure the customer into ordering as soon as possible.*
Bridget
*Seems her presence attracted eyes from all around. Now that she saw, many of the people in the tavern were all gussied up in nice clothes. It didn't really matter to her, but she couldn't help feel a twinge of jealousy when she compared it to what she wore.*

*Artoria had to do a double take as the waiter showed up. She didn't expect service this quickly; judging by how packed the tavern was, she was prepared to wait a while before she even got to order.*

"Right..." 

*She picked up the menu, her eyes scanning every entry on the small piece of paper. There were foods here that were familiar to her, as well as foods that she'd never even heard of. To be frank, it overwhelmed her seeing the vast array of options. In the end, she could only have one, so she had to make her choice count.*

"What do you recommend?" *She asked the waiter, tilting her head up to return her gaze. Hopefully the attention was already off of her. Didn't these people understand it's rude to stare?*
Erin
*The waiter paused for a moment, thinking of what to order, and looked at the manual.* 

"There's plenty of choices - but we are famous for our lamb and muttons, served in Irunian style. How about a lamb curry in southern spices - you can order it in the buttery or the spicy style. And we will serve it up with good Irunian wine or whiskey, your choice." 

*And there's also the options of the much cheaper and much more affordable local beer - the one that many patrons are still drinking. If she were to stretch out her budget, that is a choice.* 

*The smell of different types of spices permeate the place. It is quite complex - and would irritate the noses of anyone not used to it.* 

*Sirdan himself ordered a rather typical fare - buttery curry chicken with rice, on the table next to hers. The two are separated by a few meters apart.*
Bridget
*Curry? She certainly hadn't had that in a while. But the Irunian style mutton also captivated her too, though she had no idea what "Irunian style" Was. Both sounded like great options, and she would've continued to ponder what to get, if not for the embarrassingly loud grumble of her stomach that prompted her to abruptly sputter out an order.*

"Ah- The curry, please. With Irunian wine." *She said.* "On a side note, do you know of any tailors around the area? Or any clothes vendors, really."

*The aroma of spices suddenly filled her nose as the kitchen door swung open, a waiter carrying a tray of foods waltzing out. It was like a punch to the face; the scent was just that powerful. She reared back to sneeze - letting a single tuft of an ear show - and hurriedly pulled her hood back down after she did.*
Erin
*The waiter would jot down the order.* 

"One Irunian style mutton curry with a glass of Irunian wine. Got it." *The waiter stopped for a moment, finding the question quite strange,*"Tailor? You will have to go to the city, there's no tailor in the villages nearby that we go to." *The answer made sense - the tavern itself was just a small stop away from the main metropolis of Salvainia. Naturally, most tailor wouldn't go there.* 

*The sneeze revealed that the mysterious stranger was a kitsune. Now, Sirdan formulated an attack plan - how do he approach this stranger? He don't see kitsune that often, and he would like to make a new friend of his own. They are inevitably powerful or magic-wielding. And so he convinced himself. It was not for any other reasons.* 

*Sirdan turned around to the other table.* 

"I don't see many kitsunes around here."
Bridget
*As soon as the waiter finished taking her order, Artoria leaned back in her booth, crossing her arms. The room seemed to become increasingly raucous the longer she waited, which became a slight annoyance to her. Guess she should've expected it from such a place.*

*She didn't realize how close she was to the capitol city. It was reasonable enough to assume that all the gifted tailors would pool there - she supposed that, after finishing her meal, a clothes storefront would be her next stop. But how should she disguise herself? There was a chance she could blend in with the beggars and the poor, yet that could backfire on her if she tried to enter a shop. It wasn't as if she could sneak in and steal something either; she was far from stealthy enough. Her thoughts were cut short, however, as she felt a pair of eyes staring directly at her from behind.*

*She cautiously turned around to see an elf fixated on her. His hair was long and white, a trademark for the silnari; those light orange eyes seemed to bore into her with how steely his look was. It was a bit off-putting.*

"What's it to you?" *Artoria replied cautiously.*
Erin
*Sirdan looked at the kitsune, wondering how to follow. It seems this stranger was not too receptive to talk. He has heard of the infamous former New Sunlight member before, but this thought would not cross his mind at this moment, not at all.* 

*His eyes was red, a stark contrast to his hair - almost as if he was a stereotypical vampire of some sort. But his face was full of life despite his pale skin, so he must not be a vampire... Or at least not a stereotypical one.*

"Sign of someone interesting. Most kitsunes come here to make a living from Runra, bringing their skills - many settle down, become privileged."
Bridget
*She snorted. "Privilege" Was a luxury she'd lost years ago. The other kitsunes she met during her travels - Hitoshi, wherever he was, and Ishikawa - they too were far from it.*

*A lock of hair trickled down from the hood. It was a regal black that blatantly contradicted what she had on; a forgotten link to her past as a noblewoman. She stared back at the elf's face, which - despite being abnormally pale - seemed infused with energy. While it didn't deplete her guard fully, something told Artoria that he wasn't a foe. Or rather, he wasn't looking to be one, anyway.* 

"I wish." *She mused.* "And you? Can't say I've seen too many elves around."
James
*The elf leaned back and looked at her, examining her hair. It was quite regal, well-maintained. A sign that this woman was probably once in much better circumstances.* 

"Fallen on hard time, I see." *Sirdan said. Not a great thing to start a conversation with, but it seems like the only one he could thought of,*"Plenty of elves around in Salvainia. This was once the dominion of Silnaria, after all. But I'm a Fricharii, a mercenary from the steppe who came here for money and stayed here for the delicious, warm, fluffy rice." 

*As he spoke, the waiter arrived with the meal the two requested, both of them receiving a large helping of fluffy, local Salvainian rice, and each of them receiving a bowl of curry, one with plenty of cut mutton cubes, and the other with plenty of cut chicken thighs. The mutton was boiled until it was tender and soft, and Sirdan's chicken were picked from juicy, fatty part that rendered its fat into the liquid. The flavor was complex, the curry yellow, and full of fat "Bubbles" Indicative of the richness of the curry.* 

"And you? What lead you here?"
Bridget
*She took the mini history lesson in silence, duly broken by the sound of the kitchen door being kicked open. If the smell before was powerful, then this was almost overwhelming. The waiter from before came out to their table, laying out their dishes before them. Artoria's dish was massive in proportion; a plate almost the size of her head held the curry inside. Piled atop a generous heaping of fluffy yellow rice was a rich brown sauce, chunks of lamb and cut vegetables drowned beneath. It glistened in the light, bubbles of rended fat dotting across the curry occasionally. Captivated, Artoria took a fork and poked it into a cube of mutton. It tore at the lightest press, revealing the exquisite brown interior of the meat. Compared to her own cooking, this was something else entirely - a welcome treat after weeks of scorched rabbit and deer.*

*She took her first bite: a spoonfull of rice, sauce, and a small chunk of lamb. From the moment her tongue touched the food, the flavors swirled in her mouth; everything played off eachother, heightening each component of the meal. The gamey taste of the lamb was cut back slightly by the fresh undertones of the rice - which usually entailed a chaotic, fractured flavor - but was brought all together by the curry itself. She swallowed, immediately going for another bite, but heard the elf across her ask something.*

"Shelter," *Artoria answered immediately.* "There's a giant snowstorm on it's way over from the west. Even I-" *She stopped before she revealed too much information, trying to play it off by clearing her throat.*

"That's really it, to be honest. Shelter and food." *She finished, spooning another mouthful of curry. Every taste was heavenly, almost to the point of intoxication.*