New Rules

The tavern was a distraction is what No Face would say.

It wasn't her business and Meksta whom she felt indebted to would not return to the tavern.

But these tavern girls and boys it was clear that Meksta had taken them in out of the goodness of her heart. These were Meksta's people.

Though whatever success she accomplished with the tavern it was likely that it would all be erased when she successfully returned the Prince to Sukech and brought war to North Chedii's capital city.

She shook her head trying to erase the image of a war torn Cheq.

She had to do the best she could in the moment.

Breakfast crawled by in silence again.

This time Esme made sure to finish her meal first.

She arranged her bowl neatly to the corner of the table without rising from her seat.

'I have something to say this morning', She announced.

All the chewing and slurping stopped and hands holding spoons stopped midway to the mouth.

Eris as usual was the one who broke the silence.

'Miss Ria has come up with a good idea to help the tavern'.

All eyes remained on Esme, she cleared her throat.

'I've studied the records and patterns in this tavern so far and have come to the conclusion that much is being overlooked'.

Niaki snorted and stuffed a whole bun in her mouth. Wekya and Miyaicy chuckled at her antics. Esme ignored them and continued talking.

'I came up with a diet table for the tavern that i believe if we follow strictly we would be able to draw more customers, cook more with less and earn more'.

Clena spoke up this time.

'We have all the customers we can get already. All the people that can afford our food on this side of the city already buy it'.

Esme shook her head 'Not all. We don't have a fixed price only very few people purchase our meal at its worth. The others may be able to afford it but they can see that you are weak in negotiations and make sure to buy it as low as possible. That's not business'.

Everyone around the table gave her their undivided attention now.

Roukan spoke 'So what is this new idea'.

Esme smiled 'Ideas' she corrected.

'First breakfast must be incredibly cheap to make. Eris and I have come up with a list of seven cheap breakfast people on this side of Cheq can afford to buy from us'.

She turned to Roukan.

'Eris tells me you will never allow her score the mountains for ingredients'.

Roukan's face grew hard, 'Yes never'.

'And if you were to go with her?'

Roukan shook his head, 'I avoid the mountain side. It is much too dangerous'.

'But our next step depends heavily on Eris having free reign of the mountains'.

'Then we shan't be moving on to it'.

Esme had expected this response and this was the part where she ought to back down. Pushing further from this point would be peeling back her disguise but she had made up her mind.

'I'll go to the mountain side with her'.

Amad let out a laugh that was unmistakably mocking.

'And that makes it better?', he asked.

Esme nodded, 'I might not look like it but I'm a trained huntress. My family gathered their living from the mountains. I may be unused to the mountain sides that surrounds Cheq but it is not much different from my home town'.

'Where is your hometown?', Souse asked.

'Yogo in Otunara'.

Yogo was a small town in Otunara famously surrounded by hills, mountains and beautiful waterfalls. It's fame had spread far because of its unique views and miraculous herbs that grew on its mountain sides.

'I don't believe that', Wekya said after a split second of silence.

'Meksta's mother hails from Yiken which is the neighboring town to Yogo that's how we know each other'.

'Meksta's mother has been dead many years', Niaki said.

'Only a year and a half give or take', Esme said with strong conviction.

It earned her a look of respect from some of the people at the table. She appeared to know what she was talking about.

In reality she didn't know, she just remembered that Meksta's mother was from Otunara and Meksta had mentioned having a two year old brother.

Turning to Roukan, Esme said, 'I can guarantee your sister's safety to and from the mountains. I am undefeated with my bow and arrow. I swear that nothing and no one would be able to harm her'.

Roukan stared deep into Esme's eyes looking for anything even similar to a lie. When he didn't find any his shoulders relaxed a little.

'When do you plant to go?'.

'You can't be serious', Miyaicy interjected.

'It's true that Meksta asked her here to handle tavern business. She spoke to me about having a new manager she said she thought might do us good. Meksta is away on business and she has guven us miss Ria, I think we should at least put some faith in her'.

He turned to Esme, 'I will be accompanying you and Eris on your visit to the mountain till I am satisfied'.

'That's fair. I have a good bow and a quiver of arrows. We only need to gather ingredients in the mountains twice a week and once Eris can teach me and you what she requires we would never have to go there again'.

Roukan acknowledged her ideas with a hesistant grunt.

Esme smiled continuing on.

'Secondly, for lunch we shall advertise limited slots for which people would pay a fixed price. That way people who can afford our meals but tend to negotiate prices would be forced to secure their slot for a meal and lastly dinner time shall remain the same with the most costly meal of the day'.

She looked around her at faces staring back

'Any objections?'.

*IMPORTANT NOTICE*👇