Cafe Fina - Wednesday - 6/3

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir was antsy. This wasn't his usual state (and yes, the dishware was staring at him a little for it) but it made for an interesting line up of dishes for the day. It was rather obvious he wanted to be elsewhere. Though it was probably best he hadn't gone to see Amber.
Today's Specials
Hog Island Oysters
Crab Cocktail with Avocado and Fresh Lime
Passion Fruit Soup

Mélange à Trois of Lobster, Oysters and Scallops
Braised Beef Short Ribs

Dulce DeLeche Tart
Rose Petal Sorbet

The Cafe Fina was open.

[and the OCD ran away with the spoons]

Comments

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

If Liir wasn't coming to the drama, then the drama would bring itself to him. Fresh off her conversation with Amber (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomtownies/4007624.html?thread=165865160#t165865160), Glinda made her way into Cafe Fina and spotted Liir.

"You." She pointed at him. "How- why-" She let out a little scream of frustration. "How in the name of Lurline, the Nameless God, and other any deities who would care to be listening right now was your father here?!"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

The choices lay before him quite clearly. One, he could try and explain. Or two, he could run into the kitchen, tell the pots to guard the door, and hope she wouldn't find him in the pantry.

...one won out. But only barely.

"It's... complicated, of course. I was rather surprised to see him myself, you know."

And I wasn't going to tell you because he was already gone and it would just hurt you.

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"But where did he go, Liir?" Glinda was still giving him the hairy eyeball, but it was ratcheting down. "I mean, all that time, he was still alive, and I could- I could have seen him."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir shook his head.

"No, no, he wasn't--" he managed to get out a breath.

"He hasn't been anywhere all these years. People come here from different times occasionally. He was, well, he was from just before it all happened."

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Trust me, he w-was pretty surprised with me. Almost as surprised as I was at him."

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"So now what? He's gone back to Oz... and the time he was from?" Glinda looked hurt, confused, and a whole myriad of other emotions. "I've missed him?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He nodded, quickly, as if he could cut off some of the pain if he just covered it quickly.

"He went back. For her. For me, in a way. He wanted to see if he could avoid the Gale Forcers this time."

His tone said what he thought of that.

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

Glinda nodded, slowly. "What's important is that he tried," she said. With a heavy sigh, she added, "Well, I wanted to know, and now I do. I'm sorry for snapping at you, Liir."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He shrugged and waved off the apology.

"You didn't know. And I would have told you if he was still here for you to try and perhaps talk him out of it."

But he realized one other thing, something he should have perhaps considered previously. Maybe he didn't have to be so careful as he thought he did. Perhaps her arrival was more of a boon than he'd assumed.

"Shell offered to tell me what they'd done with him," he said quietly, "almost a year ago. You know his connections in Southstairs."

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

Glinda looked square at him. "Did you take him up on it?" she asked, carefully. It was almost as if she wasn't sure that she wanted to hear it.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He shook his head.

"Price was a bit too high."

He gave her a wry smile.

"He wanted me to report to him about the technology here."

He met her eyes, finally.

"Do you know what he's doing?"

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"If I did," she said, "I believe that I would be doing the same as your mother did- fighting for others' freedom. Although I probably wouldn't last as long as she did."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"You started," he said, still quiet.

"I know enough to know that. Streetlings don't hear much of the up-and-ups, but we hear enough and newspaper travels in balls as well as folded."

She'd tried to clean house, even the Scarecrow had said that.

Liir considered his words carefully.

"He recognized me, before he left," he said, "as an heir. And the Scrow have pledged their help. I haven't heard back from the Animals in the Vinkus, yet, but I put out word."

Which didn't admit that he was doing anything, just that others had mentioned they might if he did.

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"Liir," she replied, "whatever you choose to do, I know it will be the right thing. You're a very thoughtful, smart person." Like your mother was. "I did what I could. What I had to. What was needed. Perhaps I am here to learn as well as to teach, and when the time is right, I'll return and set things on the path they should be on."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Hopefully."

"The lessons you're giving me are really very helpful," he said, trying to brighten the mood a little.

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad to hear that," she replied. "I've been enjoying the chance to give them."

Yes. Subject changes were good.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I haven't tried much, but I've joined the magic reserves," he told her with a faint smile.

"No sharp uniform like the Home Guard, though."

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"Yes, well, not every guard can look as well-dressed as those back home," she joked. "Although I hope that you see as little action as possible."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"You're not the only one. I'm not much of a fighter," he told her with a wry grin, "not even a little. But I do have the broom."

He reached over and patted the quiver she'd given him, in fact, that was looped around his waist.

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "Always a good item to have. You never know when being able to fly can help."

She then added, "And it's not such a bad thing to be a lover, instead of a fighter. Or whatever else you'd rather be instead of a fighter."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Like a baker?"

He looked through the kitchen window and pointed at one of the plates before it was brought out for him. He presented the tart (http://www.starchefs.com/features/aphrodisiacs/volume_08/html/dolche_de_leche_j_licker.shtml) to her with a little flourish.

"On the house."

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

Glinda looked at him, then at the tart, and took a bite. "Mmmmmmmmmmmmm," she said through closed lips, not wanting to be rude. She finished what was in her mouth and said, "Yes, like a baker. The world needs more food like this."

As she put another forkful in her mouth.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

That made him laugh.

"I'll make sure to bring you something for class Friday," he said with a bow of his head.

"If only as a thank you for the lessons. The thing about not burning your hands has been very helpful."

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"You'll make me look bad," she teased, "one-upping me with your treat when I'm trying to give you and your classmates cookies all the time." She took another forkful. "And the lessons really are no trouble at all. Just be thankful you aren't being taught by Horrible Morrible."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

The name got a strange reaction from him. He blinked, then peered sideways.

"Who?"

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"She taught sorcery at Shiz," Glinda replied. "She also worked for the government. Your mother... knew her as well."

She wasn't sure whether or not Liir knew of that particular deed of his mother's, so she opted to not speak of it.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

That made him lift his head.

"Oh?" he said, far too casually. More casually than Liir did anything. It was breezy and vaguely Gilikinese; a facsimile of Trism's more laid back ways that he used sometimes.

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

She gave him a careful look after hearing that tone. "Yes. She was a nasty piece of work. She would invite us in for tea in her salon, as a way of making us listen to her anti-Animal nonsense. It used to drive your mother right out of her tree, knowing that was going on."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I've heard the name a time or two. In rantings sometimes. Later in mutterings."

He was quiet for a moment.

"I don't suppose you know anything about her and goldfish, would you?"

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"No... I cannot say I do," Glinda admitted, slowly. "Why do you ask?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He shook his head.

"Nothing. It wasn't-- it's nonsense. I was half drowned and freezing to death."

Of course, he hadn't been half-drowned and freezing to death in front of the Queen of the O.Z., but that was another matter and one he wasn't sharing unless he had good reason.

[veryverypopular.livejournal.com]

"Oh. I thought for a moment that you had some proof of her taking part in what happened this weekend," she replied. She rose. "Well, I must be getting up to the school. Thank you for the tart, Liir. And do me a favor and go see your special someone today, won't you?" She grinned mischievously at him for a moment. "Maybe wear those leather pants of yours when you go?"

And before Liir could flail respond, she was up, had her bags from T&C, and was heading out the door.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Sweet Lurline, she didn't.

Nameless Name, she did.

...I should call Amber.

Yeah, there'd be flailing.