faderift | [SEMI-OPEN]

Okay that's very specific wording, from both her and Athessa, and he looks from one to the other uncertainly.

"When you say dirt..."

The two women speak in unison: "It's dirt."

Athessa supplies an explanation first, idly passing her own bag of coffee beans from her right hand to her left and back.

"There've been shortages for a while, so some folks started cutting stuff into their wares to stretch 'em a bit. Sawdust in the flour, dirt in the coffee. I don't think they fucked with sugar, though, it was just extra expensive," she says. "Did they do something with that spice, the one you keep in the little glass bottles?"

The spice merchant frowns for a moment, working out which spice Athessa means.

"Oh, the saffron? No, no, that's just expensive by default."

"Really? Damn," Athessa shrugs, oh well, and returns to the reason they're here, retrieving some coin from her pockets. "Anyway, Samira, one more pound of coffee, please. For—"

She sustains that for— until Coffee Guy Jim Holden picks up on the cue to supply his name.

For a moment, it's surprising. But then Athessa explains, and he starts nodding, because he isn't unfamiliar with this. Scarcity is pretty much synonymous with space, with the Belt, and he's docked at enough stations where even the substitutes were cut with substitutes. Kirkwall is still full of more bounty than he can ever imagine getting used to, and his childhood was better than most.

He catches the cue, but is distracted first, holding out a hand as Athessa pulls out her money.

" — Please, no. Thank you, but I've got the scrip."

As he pulls some coin from his own pockets.

Belatedly, he adds, "James Holden," for both of them, and asks Samira, "How much will it be?"

He's received some money from Riftwatch until he finds another means of earning, but hopefully he's got enough on him for the coffee. Instinct expects the cost to be far beyond his means; but experience here tells him he can probably afford it.

Samira gives her price (a lower one than she gives Athessa, though the elf doesn't bat an eye about it) and exchanges coffee for coin, amicably.

"A pleasure doing business with you, James Holden," Samira says. "And if you ever need more coffee or exotic spices from beyond the Nocen Sea, you know where to find me."

"That rhymes," Athessa points out, idly, then thanks Samira and turns to walk elsewhere.

"Anything else you need to find in the city, Serrah Holden? Or was it just the coffee?"

Holden thanks Samira as they make the exchange, before leaving, with more genuine warmth than before. Is he that relieved about having a coffee hookup? Honestly, yes. Shut up, you don't know his life.

(Not having coffee on Ilus was t o r t u r e.)

"Just Holden's fine," he says first, because Lord knows he doesn't need to be called Serrah every time he speaks to someone, but before answering her question, he adds, "Unless I'm supposed to be calling you Lady Athessa."

Athessa barks out a wholly unladylike laugh.

"Oh, please. I'm no Lady, not by a long shot," she says, and salutes irreverently. "Just Athessa suits me fine. Serrah Sulahnan would be too formal for the likes of me."

"In that case, Athessa, I have what might be a hard one. Do you know any citrus sellers?"

It doesn't even occur to him to wonder if the time of year is right or not, even if there are any in Kirkwall.

"Depends on what kinda citrus you need. Usually we have stuff like oranges or lemons on hand at the Gallows we can just pilfer from the kitchens, but stuff like grapefruits or those little Antivan oranges that are cute and easy to peel are gonna have to come from a market stall."

It wasn't too long ago that she had to hunt down a grapefruit, she can probably find another one somewhere.

"They have lemons in the kitchens?"

That is...much easier than he was imagining.

"Wouldn't the cooks notice?" If they, you know, steal any.

Athessa shrugs.

"They don't seem to mind when I do it, or anyone who likes hot water and lemon instead of tea."

Huh. He might seem a bit slow, because he asks, "Real lemons?"

Fresh, real lemons? Wild.

"As opposed to... what, wooden ones?"

"Powdered," he suggests, clearly without need to think about it. "Juiced. Synthetic, I don't know."

He at least thinks before saying freeze-dried, figuring no one around here would probably be familiar with the process.

She takes a breath to ask how one would powder a lemon, but her brain catches up with the conversation in that short amount of time. Obviously you dry the lemon first, then powder it, but why?

"I dunno what sinthedic is but they're just regular lemons. Sorta oval, yellow, sour, that kind of thing," This guy is weird. "But if you're worried about it the stall is right there."

Oh, look at that, while they were walking and waxing philosophical about lemons, Athessa led them to the merchant that sells lemons, imported oranges, grapefruits, kumquats, and pomegranates. The latter of which Athessa snatches up and buys without much fuss.

"Synthetic. An imitation," he clarifies, or hopes he's succeeded to, anyway.

He's not that worried, really, but since they're at the stall he takes the opportunity to (1) see all these fruits for himself, wow, and (2) buy a couple of lemons. Like the coffee, the price seems really low to him!! But he at least has the sense not to say so.

It's as they're walking away that he decides he probably should explain himself. She's done nothing but help him, and he can tell her the truth, give the benefit of the doubt she won't take the Rifter reveal too badly. Still, he doesn't quite come out and say it yet.

"There aren't a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables where I come from. Same goes for real meat, cheese. And what you can find comes at a premium."

To Athessa's mind, the alternative to fresh fruits and vegetables is either pickled, or rotten, and surely he doesn't mean the latter. Real meat and cheese means...probably cannibalism? She doesn't think hard enough about it to come to that conclusion, she's too busy piecing together his bizarre terminology, scrip, synthetic, the gloves he's wearing, his general disorientation in the city that doesn't align with what she knows of travelers from outside of Kirkwall but still within Thedas.

"Hm. So is the lemon for the sake of a lemon, or are you somehow planning to combine it with the coffee?"

"Lemon juice in the coffee. Someone I knew once recommended the combination."

"Won't that curdle the cream?"

Subtle giveaway of her coffee preference, though she doubts it'll stick. The point of the disclosure is just to be open and friendly, not a hint.

These are the thoughts that pass through her mind in conversations now, thanks to Bard training. Yippee.

"Not if you drink it black," he says with some amusement.

Cream in coffee, please.

She keeps making that face, clearly not sold on the idea. But, then again...she doesn't have to drink it.

"Well, if it's what you like, it's what you like, I guess. I don't like black coffee unless it's cold."

Rather than take them directly to the docks, Athessa stalls, meandering a bit so Holden can decide if he's done with his fetch-quests for the day or if he'd rather go to the Gallows.

"And it doesn't make it too bitter? The lemon?"

"It's an acquired taste."

He hesitates when she stalls; on the one hand, he's technically done here in the market, but on the other, he's not in a hurry to go back to the Gallows. She likely has other places to be, so he expects to part ways soon enough.

"Apparently, it enhances the flavor profile, balances the pH," do people in Thedas know what pH is??? "and makes it taste better. Too much might make it too sour, but it'll also depend on the beans."

Add pH to the list of weird Rifterisms. Tony would probably know what it is and what it has to do with lemons and coffee. But Tony isn't here, and Athessa just blinks at Holden with mild confusion and nods the nod of someone who doesn't quite understand.

"Sounds...complex," she decides, and idly tosses the pomegranate she bought a few inches above her hand and catches it again. "Can I point ya toward anything else in the city or are you good to wander alone a while? I'm gonna head back to the docks."

Belatedly, he realizes he should've put it in terms of acidity and alkalinity Well — next time.

"I'm good, but thank you. And for the rescue from Graystone." Dirt coffee... "If there's anything you ever need a hand with, I owe you one."

She waves that off.

"Nah, consider this one a freebie," she says, starting back towards the docks. "To welcome you to Thedas."

[SEMI-OPEN]

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