A Release and A Drink

Jp with mdman and Cindy

Cronk thought about that statement, especially the word detour. What exactly was that? He hoped it was a strong drink. He could see where an encounter with the Baron would lead the Lady to drink. So, that is where his mind settled. A stiff drink sounded good about now. In fact, for Cronk, a strong drink sounded good any time.

He followed the Lady Elizabeth, wondering if it was some of the same stock of bourbon the maid had been leaving for him. That would be nice, although Cronk would settle for any hard liquor.

Elizabeth led Cronk to a field behind the currently closed for repairs Magic building. The field was full of burnt stumps, rings in the ground where things that had been destroyed once stood and some burnt grass in patches. It was definitely not the most pristine looking area.

"Please, Mr. Cronk wait here." Elizabeth commented when they got to the edge of the field. She knew her power and didn't want him injured in the slightest even accidentally because of it.

Elizabeth then walked towards the middle of the field where a few wooden crates stood, stacked precisely on top of one another. The Eldren wondered for a moment if a mind mage had something to do with that. Did not matter much. Closing her eyes and bringing the anger, annoyance and anything other emotion Baron Greenwood had caused her to feel she barely touched the stack of crates - exploding them into pieces. She was controlled enough to do each crate one at a time, until a five were nothing but a pike of wooden sticks.

Feeling a little better she then went back over to Cronk. "Mr. Cronk thank you for indulging me. Would you like to get a drink?" Fully knowing what that answer would likely be.

Cronk watched the destruction of the crates, happy that he wasn’t them. Lady Elizabeth had some intense power. Cronk tightened his lips, impressed with feat.

At the offer of the drink, Cronk grinned. He was right. A detour involved a drink.

Cronk enthusiastically bounced his head up and down. “Drink sound good!” he agreed.

They made their way to the Cafe that was pretty much in the middle of the complex of buildings. Elizabeth ordered a sherry and then told the waitress to bring Cronk whatever he wanted.

Cronk inquired if the establishment had any Irish Whiskey. He was pleased to hear that they has some from the Bushmills distillery. So, that is what he requested in a large tankard.

When the drinks came, Cronk thanked the server and took a healthy swig. He looked at Lady Elizabeth, ever the lady, sipping at the sherry she had ordered.

He thought of their different upbringings. Yet, the Lady treated Cronk almost as if they were equals. The Baron was likely raised much like Lady Elizabeth, yet he was a snooty man who looked down his nose at others. No respect at all. Which is why Cronk gave a warning. Certainly, the Baron was not a true leader. Lady Elizabeth, despite her age was.

“Cronk thank Lady Elizabeth,” he assured her, lifting up the tankard, “for detour.” He took another drink.

"You are quite welcomed, Mr. Cronk." Elizabeth commented, then she leaned and just loud enough only Cronk could hear. "I believe Baron Greenwood could drive anyone to drink."

Cronk nodded at Lady Elizabeth’s revelation. The Baron was nasty. Cronk imagined he could be cruel as well. He definitely didn’t know how to treat the ladies.

Cronk patted the Lady Elizabeth’s forearm, being careful to be gentle so as not to break bones. “You good leader,” he announced. “If Baron bad to you, Cronk teach respect.”

Cronk held the tankard up, almost as a salute to Lady Elizabeth. In his mind, it was actually the sealing of an oath. Cronk didn’t like men who thought they ruled over women and could treat them however they wanted. Women were to be lifted up, supported, almost as if being worshipped.

"Thank you, Mr. Cronk." Elizabeth responded, to the Orc's words and his salute.

She had noticed something when they were with the Baron, now was perhaps a good time to ask. "Mr. Cronk, you seemed a little confused when I curtseyed to the Baron. Is that correct?" Having had to do that kind of thing, practically, her entire life, it was easy to forget not everyone had been raised with the same protocol.

Cronk finished a gulp of the whiskey. “No mister,” Cronk requested. “Just Cronk.”

As far as being confused, Cronk’s wasn’t confused. It was his belief. All were created equal, with men a little lower than ladies.

“No confused,” he confessed to the Lady Elizabeth. “Baron should respect to lady. Man respect ladies.”

No mister. That was going to be a difficult habit for Elizabeth to break. Even Sung was Mr. Sung. "I have to admit calling anyone by their name without a title in front of it, is going to be hard for me to get used to, but I will try. You can always remind me, if I forget." Elizabeth gave a soft smile.

"I do appreciate that." Cronk’s words regarding men and woman was nice to hear. "It has to do more with where his rank is as opposed to mine. Not only does he outrank me in the Order, but also among nobility. A Baron or Baroness is a step above a Lady or Lord. My father and mother though outrank the Baron. You should watch him bow to them, its quite the sight." Elizabeth explained.

“Like worm,” Cronk said. “Worm swing this way, then that. People free to be self.”

Cronk took another swig of whiskey. It was helping Cronk calm down to the point where Cronk felt philosophical, if an orc could philosophize.

“Title no matter,” Cronk added. “People same. Except ladies fair and beautiful. Treat gentle and good.”

Titles don't matter, Elizabeth supposed in Cronk's world that was true.

"You do an excellent job of treating women well." Elizabeth complimented the Orc.

Elizabeth noticed the time, it was about twenty minutes to tea time. She supposed not much research would be done today. These headquarters might be in France but they were far more British in how they operated. Everything here closed at about 4:30 for tea time, except the places that served it, like the Cafe they were sitting in.

Elizabeth then noticed, a messenger likely retrieving the last messages of the day. She asked the messenger, a human boy probably about 16, to wait while the Eldren pulled out her fountain pen, ink and a blank paper and quickly wrote a note. Suddenly, realizing she didn't have an envelope. Fortunately though she had some blue ribbon.

With the message, rolled and the ribbon wrapped around it and then tied into a bow. She then wrote the name and, likely, current location of the recipient on another piece of paper and handed it to the messenger, tipping him for his trouble.

Unknown and as a surprise to Cronk, Elizabeth had invited Lorem to meet them at the cafe and have tea with them. She also had a lot to catch the gnome engineer up on.

"I do not think much research will be done today. We will have to come back. However, we should just wait and have tea time here. They have excellent tea time." Elizabeth commented.

Cronk remembered the day of the tour. He, the Wise One, and the Masked One had tea here. Well, more like coffee, although Cronk had Irish coffee.

“Cronk not sure tea,” he confessed. “Coffee good.”

Cronk could never get used to the tea time. He wasn’t much for sitting and relaxing. He needed to be busy. It kept Cronk out of trouble. Being busy also often got Cronk into trouble. By being busier was more more satisfying.

"You can drink what you like." Elizabeth said. "Like tea time at my house." She then paused. "I hope you're not too bored sitting here. We could take a walk, before tea time, if you like."

Cronk usually never got bored. Thinkers usually got bored during times when they were not doing anything. Cronk wasn’t a thinker, and often found even the simplest things interesting.

Also, Cronk could never get bored in the presence of a lady. He always gave them the attention they deserved. He found the ladies of the team had accepted him for who and what he was. Some would cringe at the huge tusks that had grown from his lower jaw. But, these ladies accepted him. Because of that, he owed them his loyalty.

“Cronk no bored,” he admitted. “Lady Elizabeth can’t bore Cronk. We walk.”

"Very good," Elizabeth finished her sherry and waited for Cronk to be ready, then the two walked around the grounds for a few minutes, taking in the sites.

They returned to the same cafe just a few minutes before tea time, and Elizabeth requested a slightly larger table. Which was easily accommodated. She ordered a tea, and asked the waitress, once again to get Cronk what he wanted.

Elizabeth then said, "Someone is joining us. Let's wait for them before getting food."