Alerya

Alerya plops down next to Crisaryn, eyes alight, "Oh can I join in the lessons? I would love to learn something that creates beauty or uh...uh...usefulness instead of just knowing how to hit things."

Crisaryn Melkial

"Umm, sure, I would be interested. Warm feet for the winter is good," Crisaryn replies.  She is a little surprised when Alerya sits down next to her, but she quickly nods in response to her question. "It is fine with me if you would like to join. As long as Lysana doesn't mind." She glances up at the woman a moment then back to Alerya. "I have little hope for creating beauty, bit I can at least hope I manage usefulness."   

Lysana stood up and nipped into the back of her vardo. She came out with a large basket full of yarn and a pair of half finished stockings in multicoloured yarn. She hands a ball of yarn and 5 sharpened sticks to both Alerya and Crisaryn. Before you can knit like this you need to be happy with a basic stocking or sock. She sat down between the two of them and showed them how to cast on for the toes, and the simple knit stitch. We won't turn a heel as this way you can get better wear and tear out of them.

Arrigal arrives, three daggers once again in his leather armour. He smiles gently at his wife. Annabelle is right as rain, we gave her something to eat and now her mother put her to bed.

Crisaryn Melkial

Crisaryn takes the yarn and sticks from Lysana, looking even more skeptical about her ability to make any of this work. "This looks complicated," she says, but listens carefully and tries to remeber all that she is being shown. Having never done anything like this before, she certainly struggles at first. 

Hearing the news from Arrigal, she smiles. "I'm so glad to hear Annabelle is well."

Illmirth

Approaching the knitting circle with a smile, Illmirth says, "I bet a raven sized scarf would be a great project to start with."  Turning his eyes skyward he let loose a sharp whistle.  If Frederik hears and joins him, he asks the clever bird, "What do you think, buddy?  You would look quite dashing with a nice warm scarf."

Crisaryn Melkial

"Scarf?" Crisaryn says, turning to Illmirth. "Do ravens even need a scarf?" She sounds very skeptical about the usefulness if this suggestion. 

Illmirth 

"Practically, perhaps not, but...  A tiny scarf would be a simple pattern and fairly easy to make.  I thought it would be good practice, plus he would look adorable!" he says with a smile 

Alerya

She is not at all skilled and you can see the obvious errors between loops and curls. She focuses on her work though with her tongue sticking out and after some effort she comes out with a short and thin raven scarf.

She holds it up proudly for all to see!

Illmirth 

The happy-go-lucky bard claps like a child at a magic show.  When Frederik makes an appearance he puts it on him, making sure the ends won't interfere with his wings.  He is positively beaming.  "Oh, if only I had a matching scarf..." he laments with a grin.

DM

Lysana patiently oversaw the beginners knit, showing an easier knit stitch. She listened to Illmirths plea for a scarf and the tiny one that Alerya had knitted for the Raven. She laughed as Illmirth placed it around Frederiks neck.

Frederik glared at him and after a quick dance he managed to snag an end. He put it down against a cushion and performed a little raven dance fluffing up the scarf. Better now. he stared at Alerya. Thank you for nest, will add to my home when we return to Vallaki. He hops over to the roasting venison and calls plaintively Eyeball! 

Crisaryn Melkial

It is slow going for Crisaryn as she works on the knitting.  She sticks to stockings and making the easier stitches until she feels like she has a small idea of how to do it.  When Fredrik glares at Illmirth she grins. Seems the raven didn't need a scarf after all! "You know Frederik, you could probably have just a bit of yarn for your nest if you like. Save you the trouble of unraveling scarves." 

When the raven places claim on the eyeball, she looks at Lysana. "Is it time to eat then? Oh, and thank you for showing me the knitting. I'm sure the time will come when I appreciate having the warm stockings."  She gives her a grateful smile. 

Illmirth 

"For shame!" he said to Fredrik in jest.  "You will hurt Alerya's feelings.  Although, the scarf was for warmth and it shall still do so, just in in a different way as attended." 

"May I?" he asked Lysana, motioning to the eye that caught Fredrik's eye.  Barring objections, he pops one out with his dagger, working carefully to keep things as intact as possible.  After he gives it to the hungry raven he subtly casts minor illusion to "replace" the tiny scarf around his neck.

Alerya

Her face turns red under the praise. Not too often did anybody tell her she did a good job at anything.

With a smile on her face she gives some stockings a try.

DM

Arrigal clears his throat and says The festival in Vallaki tomorrow starts at 10 bells, our contribution musicians for dancing will leave at dawn. Enjoy your meal and rest here until your duty calls you. Rictavio will be performing illusions on his carnival stage, he may also be someone that you need to see according to my wife. He smiles at the raven and winked at him enjoying an eyeball, Frederik turned his head and then nodded gravely.

Lysana went back to turning the venison on the spit. Those who prefer their meat nearly raw can tuck in now, those who like crispy skin and well cooked meat it will be another half bell.

Illmirth

"The perfect cut of meat is dark on the outside and tender on the inside; not unlike myself!" he proclaims with a hearty laugh.  Illmirth does in fact wait about another quarter bell, he wasn't joking about the perfect cut.  When all have been served, he thanks their hosts for their hospitality and digs in!

Crisaryn Melkial

Crisaryn is in no hurry to eat. She makes sure all the knitting tools and yarn are collected up neatly. "Do you want these back?" she asks. Once everything is cleaned up and put away, she then goes to get some of the meat, probably roughly the same time as Illmirth. She fills her plate with small portions then finds a place to sit down to eat. "Again Lysana, a big thank you for all your hospitality. The food, the knitting."  She glances down at the blouse she's wearing. "And the dry clothes too."  

Alerya

Nodding she agrees that too much red is not good. The meat is still too gamey then. Some like it that way but she prefers a little bit of burnt bits.

Lysana deftly cut slices of of the venison from both the rare and well done sides, then passed it around. Better to eat well tonight so breakfast is just  some bread and cold meat for an early start tomorrow. She then passed the thick vegetable stew with its spicy sauce around. It set off the venison nicely. Enough sauce to dip the meat into. She smiles at her two industrious knitters. Keep the ash sticks and yarn, and all of our settlements have those that knit, when you are ready to use multiple coloured yarns in stockings. You only need to ask and bring something to the campfire towards a meal, for a lesson, drag your bard along she chuckles.

Are you staying the night? We have room in our tent, said Arrigal, our children are all old enough to have their own vardos, so you would not worry us when you leave.

As do I remarked Ellis

Crisaryn Melkial

"I imagine at this hour it would be best to stay and get an early start in the morning," Crisaryn says. "It is kind of you to provide a place for us." 

Illmirth 

"Drag the bard.!? I should say nay," Illmirth proclaims in mock indignation.  "If we are doing anything fun, its the bard doing the dragging!"