The first dinner with the wild man Aolo had got surprisingly well, though Maria could tell he was uncertain. He had, nonetheless, enjoyed the food and she had retired back to her study to try and finish the ledger she had been going over before she was interrupted, certain that Garth and Squire Medren could handle Aolo.<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr"/><br/>A full week had passed since Aolo's arrival, and his grasp on the language had improved drastically. This was due, in part, to the village scribe, who took time out to visit the castle each day and tutor Aolo in the language. So it was that on this day, at the mid-day meal, Maria hesitantly tried to initiate a conversation with him.<br/><br/>"Aolo, is the food very different where you are from?" she asked, trying to keep her words as simple as she could.