Just smile and be happy.
Erica is more than happy to see him. The round, overbearing woman resembles a mother hen in every aspect, including her clucking tone as she walks around the bar to envelop him in a suffocating hug. "You haven't come by in ages! I thought you were going to starve! Who has been feeding you? You look so thin!" Despite her five-foot height, she somehow manages to smother him with her arms, pinching his cheek with chubby fingers. Zavien smiles kindly and returns the embrace affectionately. "It's good to see you too, Erica. I've missed your cooking." She steps away and smacks him lightly on the chest. "Of course you did. No one has better food in Stormbreak."
Glancing at Hawthorn, she elbows Zavien harshly in the ribs. "Where are the manners your mom worked so hard to beat into your head? Introduce me to your friend." Blushing at the chastisement, he chuckles. "Yes, ma'am. This is Hawthorn. Hawthorn, this is Erica, the best noodle chef in Stormbreak." Erica looks at him, a hand placed over her heart in offense. "Don't you mean 'the best chef,' period?" Her eyebrow is crooked in amusement and she reaches out to hug Hawthorn. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Hawthorn." She gives him a disapproving stare and assesses his physique. "Oh no no no. This will not do. You are much too thin!" Tsking to herself, she returns behind the counter, her eyes narrowed in concentration.
"Now, I'm going to give you the biggest helpings of my blink hare stew, making sure there are extra noodles!" Erica proceeds to spoon large ladles of steaming soup into ginormous bowls as large as Zavien' head. He just grins happily at Hawthorn, finally answering his question, laughing. "I get whatever she gives me." There is no arguing with Erica, especially when it comes to soup and trying to put him into a food coma.
Within seconds, they have piping hot bowls before them, overloaded with meat, vegetables, and noodles. In a commanding tone, Erica points her finger at each of them. "You boys better eat every bite of this. There will not be a single drop left!" Zavien salutes her in stiff form and shoots Hawthorn an apologetic look. He should have warned the man before bringing him, but just hopes that he'll be able to consume at least most of the meal. Erica would not be happy if they didn't finish the bowls. In fact, she probably had dessert sitting in the back. So Zavien begins devouring his food with extreme enthusiasm, mumbling a thanks around bites of hot broth.
Glancing at Hawthorn, she elbows Zavien harshly in the ribs. "Where are the manners your mom worked so hard to beat into your head? Introduce me to your friend." Blushing at the chastisement, he chuckles. "Yes, ma'am. This is Hawthorn. Hawthorn, this is Erica, the best noodle chef in Stormbreak." Erica looks at him, a hand placed over her heart in offense. "Don't you mean 'the best chef,' period?" Her eyebrow is crooked in amusement and she reaches out to hug Hawthorn. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Hawthorn." She gives him a disapproving stare and assesses his physique. "Oh no no no. This will not do. You are much too thin!" Tsking to herself, she returns behind the counter, her eyes narrowed in concentration.
"Now, I'm going to give you the biggest helpings of my blink hare stew, making sure there are extra noodles!" Erica proceeds to spoon large ladles of steaming soup into ginormous bowls as large as Zavien' head. He just grins happily at Hawthorn, finally answering his question, laughing. "I get whatever she gives me." There is no arguing with Erica, especially when it comes to soup and trying to put him into a food coma.
Within seconds, they have piping hot bowls before them, overloaded with meat, vegetables, and noodles. In a commanding tone, Erica points her finger at each of them. "You boys better eat every bite of this. There will not be a single drop left!" Zavien salutes her in stiff form and shoots Hawthorn an apologetic look. He should have warned the man before bringing him, but just hopes that he'll be able to consume at least most of the meal. Erica would not be happy if they didn't finish the bowls. In fact, she probably had dessert sitting in the back. So Zavien begins devouring his food with extreme enthusiasm, mumbling a thanks around bites of hot broth.
Zavien
