OOM: Oswin's Visit To Goldkrone

[herr_bookman]

The morning mist has burned away this Saturday, and the cobblestone streets glisten with dew in Goldkrone. People mill around, getting ready for the day and greeting one another. There are no cars on the streets, but the occasional horse is put to use. Autor leads Oswin through a door near his school from Milliways.

"[Remember,]" he says in French, "[I've told my mother you're coming, so try to... I don't know, act natural? But not too natural. I don't want her scandalized.]"

Comments

[souffle_girlek]

Oswin abuses Autor's ability to translate to trade tips for getting souffles to work with Autor's mum while the rolls slowly brown. She fails to mention that some days the souffles still don't work for her either.

When she pulls out the tray of rolls, she has to fight to not do a jig of 'yay omg they worked' when they actually look like real rolls.

[herr_bookman]

Erna finishes tossing the green beans and potatoes in olive oil and herbs, and serves them on a fresh bed of spinach. She covers the eggplant and mushrooms with the lemon caper sauce, and declares them done.

Erna rings the dinner bell, and the inn's guests begin filing in. A younger, redheaded man and his pretty wife enter the room. The redhead smiles at Erna. "::This looks wonderful, thank you,::" he says.

Clara comes bouncing in, and an older gentlemen with a scraggly beard follows behind her. Next comes a reedy man and a man in a hat going back and forth in a flurry of German too fast for Autor to translate. "[They're talking politics,]" he explains to Oswin. "[It's very boring.]" From his narrow-eyed stare, however, it's anything but.

[souffle_girlek]

"[Liar liar pants on fire.]" Oswin sing-songs under her breath, tough her expression also becomes cold. These are the people getting everyone all spun up. The ones that are going to cause the war that hurts her friend.

It's tough not to throw something at them. Like a roll. Throwing one of those rolls would hurt.

[herr_bookman]

Autor gives her a look, but doesn't say anything. The two men keep talking even as they sit down, increasing in volume.

"::And I'm telling you that the war's going to last!::" the reedy man says.

"::No, there will be a breakthrough, you'll see!::" the man in the hat retorts.

"::You're just saying that because you don't want to get drafted!::" the reedy man says, leaping to his feet. The man in the hat follows, as does Erna, who clears her throat.

"::There will be no fisticuffs in this house,::" she says quietly, commanding their attention. "::If you must, take it outside.::"

"[She's telling them to take it outside,]" Autor translates softly.

"::Yes, Miss Erna,::" the reedy man says, and sits down. The man in the hat apologizes and follows suit. "::Sorry.::"

"::Autorchen, apologize to our guest for their rudeness,::" Erna says, sitting down again.

"[She's apologizing to you for their rude behavior,]" he says.

[souffle_girlek]

"[Tell her she doesn't have to apologize, it's not her fault some people just have no manners or sense.]" They should be glad, they should be oh-so-very glad this world doesn't have internet, or computers. If it did, Oswin would have no problem whatsoever making their lives perfectly miserable as fast as possible.

[herr_bookman]

"::She says you don't have to apologize,::" Autor tells his mother, who shakes her head.

The two men return to their conversation in quieter tones. The redhead and his wife engage the older gentleman, and Erna turns to Oswin. "::Your rolls are just lovely,::" she says, smiling. "::Well, don't be shy, eat up."

"[She says your rolls are lovely and to go ahead and eat,]" Autor says, nibbling on a roll. "[These really are excellent, Miss Oswald. Ha, I will never get used to calling you that.]"

"::Autorchen, ask her if she likes German food,::" Erna says, serving Clara.

"[She wants to know what you think of German food,]" Autor translates.

[souffle_girlek]

Alana's going to be so confused by her food diary, Oswin just knows it. It'll go from 'some cereal' 'fruit' 'tea and stuff' to 'so much food all the food all of it help'. The Tone will come out. Oswin isn't sure why, since in general the goal has been to get her to eat more, but... the Tone will definitely come out.

"[It's all really very good.]" Oswin assures Erna, obligingly loading up her plate. "[Different than French, definitely.]"

[herr_bookman]

Autor's so distracted by the political discussion at the end of the table that he almost misses Oswin's answer. He translates for his mother, who smiles.

The rest of lunch passes in a significantly less dramatic fashion, with Autor translating his mother's questions and food being consumed. Autor leans back and pats his belly once he's finished, full and content.

"::Autorchen, tell your friend that she doesn't need to help with the dishes,::" Erna says, patting him on the shoulder.

"[Miss Oswald? You don't need to help with the dishes, my mother and Clara can take care of them,]" he says. "[We might want to head back to the bar soon anyway.]"

[souffle_girlek]

Something like sadness, something like wistfulness flits across her face before she makes it disappear entirely.

"[That's awfully nice of them, thank them for me. I don't suppose we could see more of the town before we go?]"

[herr_bookman]

"[Sure we could,]" Autor says, brightening. "[We can check out the old bell tower; it's just opened up from being renovated. And there are some museums if you wanted to stop by.]"

Autor thanks his mother and Clara for Oswin as they start clearing the table. The inn's guests start filtering out, all of them thanking Erna for the meal.

"[Well, shall we?]" Autor says, standing up from his seat.

"::Goodbye, Miss Oswald,::" Clara says, standing at her elbow. "::Thank you for the rolls!::"

"[She says goodbye and thank you for the rolls,]" Autor translates.

[souffle_girlek]

Oswin crouches to get on a more level playing field with the girl.

"[Goodbye, Clara, and don't forget to say hello to any fish you see swimming about for me, alright?]"

[herr_bookman]

Autor translates, and Clara giggles. Erna returns from taking dishes into the kitchen and offers Oswin a handshake. "::Please come back anytime. We're happy to have you.::"

"[She says they're happy to have you anytime,]" Autor translates, smiling.

He sidles up to Oswin and offers his arm. "[Let's check out the bell tower.]"

[souffle_girlek]

After shaking Erna's hand and giving a last wink to Clara, she takes Autor's arm and lets herself be led outside.

"[They really are lovely, Autor. I can see why you don't want to leave.]"

[herr_bookman]

Autor nods, patting her arm. "[I really don't,]" he says. "[But I know I have to.]"

He leads her across town to the bell tower, an impressive, ninety meter structure. "[The bell tower is actually called the Daniel,]" Autor explains as he pays the nominal fee that allows them to go to the very top. "[It's part of Saint George's church.]"

The climb is harrowing, up a significant amount of wooden steps. Signs are posted on the walls in German, telling them how far they've come. "[There are four bells in the tower,]" Autor says. "[Everything will look like doll houses once we reach the top, you'll see.]"

[souffle_girlek]

The wooden steps are a bit concerning, honestly, but the height of it almost feels... homelike. It reminds her of the buildings she grew up in, with the canyons between them in perpetual twilight.

"[Whatever do they need four bells for? Couldn't they have made bigger ones?]"

[herr_bookman]

"[I have no idea,]" Autor admits, shrugging. "[I suppose they could have.]"

They reach the top, and everything does indeed look miniature, with fog rolling in across the city wall, which creates a circle around the town. "[There's only three towns in Germany that have intact city walls,]" Autor explains. "[I forget which ones they are, though, aside from Goldkrone.]"

He leans against the wall of the tower, folding his arms. "[My mother said you can come back anytime. We should plan another visit.]"

[souffle_girlek]

"[There's so much space.]" She leans against the wall, drinking in the sight. "[Are you... sure?]"

She doesn't want to intrude, or take up time he could be spending with his family.

[herr_bookman]

Autor chuckles. "[There really is,]" he says, glancing up at some birds flying overhead. "[And no, I don't mind at all. It's a pleasure to have you visit. Frankly, I'm surprised you came, but I'm glad of it. And my mother enjoyed meeting you, too.]"

[souffle_girlek]

"[She was wonderful, really. Though, of course, I didn't muck up the rolls, so she has a false impression of my baking ability.]" Or there were people around to keep her on course, one of those.

...

"[Why were you surprised?]"

[herr_bookman]

"[You did well on the rolls,]" Autor says, looking out over the red-roofed city. "[I was surprised because I thought you might want to stay in your rooms again. But here you are in the fresh air outside, and all the space. I'm happy you can stand it. Why can't you go outside at the bar, if you can manage out here?]"

[souffle_girlek]

"[Initial impressions are... important. When I first came to the bar, it was snow. Snow and ice and rocks. Just like the outside of the Asylum.]" She explains, staring off to where the horizon fades into a blue haze.

[herr_bookman]

"[I see,]" Autor says, concern etched in his gaze. "[But now the outside isn't full of snow, at least until winter comes this year. And the Caribbean inlet is always nice. Maybe when we get back to the bar, you can come outside with me.]"

[souffle_girlek]

Oswin shudders, and shakes her head quickly.

"[It... I know it's not dangerous. But it's dangerous.]" She explains (sort of) after a long moment, giving up on trying to make sense. She knows it doesn't, she's known that for years.

[herr_bookman]

Autor hesitates. "[Okay. You don't have to come outside,]" he says eventually, flicking a pebble over the edge. "[I'll just be happy with you coming out here. Are you ready to head back to the bar?]"

[souffle_girlek]

"[I suppose so.]" There is the urge to run and go on running. She's clever, she could find a place here, she could survive. There's also no computers - this is good, and bad, she does feel a little disconnected without her computer under her fingertips, but it's definitely unlike the Ayslum. More than that, there will be a war here soon, and she's pretty sure that she's just not capable of surviving that.

"[It will get dark soon, I think.]"