This child was dense. Perhaps too literal and that was what had Nnerka laughing that musical laugh of hers. She had not meant the sort of fondness he must have thought and it would be a matter of explaining it — and that wasn’t her job. She could certainly tell the little bird when they next met to explain it to the poor boy. The spider wondered what the little woman’s reaction would be. Would she remain stoic? Or would a blush color her cheeks? And would this little one before her have a similar reaction if he knew what she’d truly meant?
Some many interesting scenarios to consider, that she would not. Instead, she slurped up a few noodles, letting the last centipede stew in the little bit of anxiety it could possibly feel. Watched it skittered around the bowl for a moment.
“Yes, well, it is certainly good for someone that they should not bother her.” She leaned in again, glanced down at his plate. “I take it you prefer the lacewings.” Merely a child and so...protective. Wherever he came from ought to have been a hostile place. The faintest quirk of a brow at the thought. Her own childhood was fraught with conflict. Territorial disputes; too brave people of the city thinking that they owned something that was neither theirs nor her own clans. Borrowed land to be given back when they finally shriveled up, dry and dead.
She glanced down at her bowl once more before deciding that the centipede was agitated enough. “I’ll get you something to drink from somewhere else. They don’t make drinks for the likes of you.” Nnerka forewent chopsticks, using the long nails of her hand to lift it up to her mouth. Each segment disappeared further down her maw as she gulped it down. Probably the longest that had been in her bowl. If anyone paid close enough attention, the final sounds of a struggle could be heard to precede the crunch of the creature as Nnerka chewed.
A sigh left her as she wiped her lips, blinked down at Yshvold. “Finished? We’ll take what you didn’t to go.” A single coin was placed on the table as a tip for the server before she made her way to the counter to pay. A few banknotes were nothing, she thought, for company and a good meal. She could still feel the tingle of venom in her mouth. Like one would taste the lingering freshness of a mint candy.
This place would certainly know her patronage in the future.
Some many interesting scenarios to consider, that she would not. Instead, she slurped up a few noodles, letting the last centipede stew in the little bit of anxiety it could possibly feel. Watched it skittered around the bowl for a moment.
“Yes, well, it is certainly good for someone that they should not bother her.” She leaned in again, glanced down at his plate. “I take it you prefer the lacewings.” Merely a child and so...protective. Wherever he came from ought to have been a hostile place. The faintest quirk of a brow at the thought. Her own childhood was fraught with conflict. Territorial disputes; too brave people of the city thinking that they owned something that was neither theirs nor her own clans. Borrowed land to be given back when they finally shriveled up, dry and dead.
She glanced down at her bowl once more before deciding that the centipede was agitated enough. “I’ll get you something to drink from somewhere else. They don’t make drinks for the likes of you.” Nnerka forewent chopsticks, using the long nails of her hand to lift it up to her mouth. Each segment disappeared further down her maw as she gulped it down. Probably the longest that had been in her bowl. If anyone paid close enough attention, the final sounds of a struggle could be heard to precede the crunch of the creature as Nnerka chewed.
A sigh left her as she wiped her lips, blinked down at Yshvold. “Finished? We’ll take what you didn’t to go.” A single coin was placed on the table as a tip for the server before she made her way to the counter to pay. A few banknotes were nothing, she thought, for company and a good meal. She could still feel the tingle of venom in her mouth. Like one would taste the lingering freshness of a mint candy.
This place would certainly know her patronage in the future.
