The Hug in a Cup

The Hideaway Tavern - Entry 137

Coffee Passport

"Tandis and Mareiya"

It was another beautiful and sunny morning as Tandis walked out of The Hideaway Tavern with her second coffee. Today she decided to get herself an Almond milk shaken espresso with cinnamon, one of her favorite drinks to have on such a warm day.  Penanna was still new to working on the kinks with the expresso machine, but luckily Tandis understood it’s mechanical properties and was able to show her how it worked. Normally Lillikins were not adept to the steam technology from Vapotentia and often disliked it, but because it made coffee, Tandis was eager to master it quickly. Penanna’s husband often brought back many odd machines powered by steam from the City-State and all of it went over Tandis’s head. However, the day he brought back the “Expresso Machine,” her interests in steam tech peaked. Though there was an art to brewing the perfect cup of coffee that she loved, there was something she found rather convenient about getting that delicious, rich taste right away. She had never been to the City-State of Vapotentia, but if they can make the wonderful delight of coffee even better with their steam technology, then surely, they must be a fantastic country.

As Tandis walked through the gardens surrounding the Hideaway Tavern, savoring the aroma of her morning coffee, she noticed a young elf girl wearing a yellow cloak in the gardens, just staring off into the distance. The young elf had long wavy purple hair and had a black dress on and appeared to be lost in thought. “Oh! That must be one of the guests that checked in a couple days ago that Penanna told me about.” she thought. She knew that three women had checked in recently. A young Hikarian, a human from Vapotentia, and an Aquariousian, who dressed like an Vapotentian. That one was injured though but was making a full recovering from what Penanna said. Tandis was used to travelers passing through the tavern and often she got to meet with them, especially if they were staying for several days. However, these guests mostly stayed out of sight.

Tandis was thrilled to see the young Hikarian in the garden with her. It had been atleast forty or fifty years since she last saw one. It was always a captivating feeling to see a Hikarian, but these days seeing one felt more like a blessing because of how rare it was becoming. There were even rumors floating around that they were vanishing from Taliavilla. A concept Tandis didn’t fully understand, and other elves didn’t have a word for yet.

Eager to meet one of these guests, Tandis began to approach her. As she got closer, she noticed that the young Hikarian had a worried look on her face. Tandis’s excitement changed to concern. “Why does she look so sad?” she thought while debating if now was the best time for a meet and greet. She pondered on how she could help this young girl. She could still smell her coffee in her hand and looked down at it. “It doesn’t hurt to say hello.” Tandis thought as she continued to walk up to the girl. The young Hikarian had not noticed Tandis approaching until her shadow fell over her. “Good morning, Ms. Hikarian. Your presence blesses me.  My name is Tandis. May I please join you?” Tandis asked respectfully. The Hikarian’s trance was lost as she looked up to Tandis. She cracked a small smile and nodded. “Good morning, Tandis. Thank you for the pleasant greeting. My name is Mareiya. Please, join me. I wouldn’t mind the company.” Mareiya replied kindly.

The two elves then began to walk through the garden along the cobblestone path together. “I’m sorry, I was lost with my thoughts.” Mareiya said as she looked down to the ground. Tandis smiled warmly back to her. “No need to apologize, Mareiya. We all have those moments.” she said. “You’re staying at the Hideaway Tavern, yes?” she asked. Mareiya nodded and asked, “Yes, my group and I arrived two days ago. Are you a guest as well?” Tandis shook her head. “I am not. I live nearby. I always come here for my second coffee, that I do.” she said as she held up her coffee cup. Mareiya tilted her head in confusion. “What’s coffee?” she asked while turning her head to Tandis. Tandis’s eyes widen and she stopped walking as her mouth dropped. “You’ve never heard of coffee, or even tasted it?!” she asked in shock. “No. I’m afraid not. But I have heard the Professor and Danika talk about it. They are the companions I am here with. They always say things like ‘Oy, I could use a coffee right now’ or ‘I am useless without my coffee.’ I assumed it was a Vapotentian slang for a bath?” Mareiya said while shrugging her shoulders. Still in shock, Tandis giggled alittle. “Well, it is from Vapotentia, but it is not a bath. Though, in a way it is like a bath. A bath for your soul.” she said while showing off the cup in her hand, like a magic potion. “Here. Try this and tell me what you think.” Tandis said while handing over her cup. Mareiya looked at the cup curiously with wide, innocent eyes. She gently took the cup from Tandis’s hand and nodded. She was worried it would taste slimy at first until she got a whiff of the cup’s content. She thought it smelled good. Tandis looked on with excitement as Mareiya brought the cup to her lips and gently took a small sip.

Mareiya’s tastebuds were instantly met with the cool, creamy almond milk that swirled in her mouth, followed by the rich flavor of the espresso mixed with cinnamon, causing her cheeks to smile. She let the taste savor in her mouth for a moment before swallowing, which flowed smoothly down her throat. “By the Light...” She said with a serious tone, causing Tandis to worry that she didn’t like it. “... what have I been missing out on my whole life?!” She continued, giving Tandis a sigh of relief. “This is delicious! And the innkeeper just has these inside?!” she asked while expressing joy and curiosity. Tandis nodded with delight. “This is the best drink I ever tasted. Can we go get one?” Mareiya asked while handing the cup back. “We can, yes! But you can keep that one. My gift to a Carrier of the Light.” Tandis replied with a warm smile. Mareiya smiled back. “I haven’t been in high spirits lately. But this made me feel a lot better. Thank you, Tandis.” she said reaching out and hugging her. Tandis hugged Mareiya back, gently, but firmly. She felt alot of grief on Mareiya’s shoulders as the two embraced each other for a long moment. As she hugged her, she didn’t let go of Mareiya until she made the first move, feeling that she really needed a hug right now. After about a minute, Mareiya let go of Tandis and smiled at her. “Thank you, Tandis.” she said sincerely. “Of course, Mareiya.” Tandis replied. “Now... lets go and get me one of those. I can show you how the espresso machine works, then we can talk more in the gardens. It is just beautiful this time of year.” she said with excitement as the two began to walk back to the Hideaway Tavern together.

 Fin