New Beginnings
Soon pleasant smells are coming from the firepit. The stables are in fairly good repair and there is one somewhat jittery horse there. Oleg says "2 silver pieces to stable a horse and for that I'll feed him and give him a rubdown. Beds in the bunk house are 5 silver and you'll get breakfast and dinner as well."
The meal when it comes is indeed pork, though perhaps a bit older than requested. The stew is well prepared and the meat tender and succulent. It is elevated by the freshness of the vegetables and a handful of wild morels no doubt gathered in the nearby Greenwood. The more well trained palates among you recognize the wine as last years 'new wine', but it seems to be holding up reasonably well. Fresh bread is served as well. Svetlana engages in conversation while Oleg seems to find his plate more interesting than the group. He isn't rude, but has little to say. It is clear from the glances he makes as Svetlana that she is the most important thing in his life. He does lighten up a bit after a couple glasses of wine and trencher of stew.
For desert she brings out a loaf of 'horse bread' baked with dried apples, oats and walnuts. She serves it with honey and cream. "Oleg wrestled a bear for this honey my lords," she says with smile at him. He demurs, "I didn't exactly wrestle the bear, we came to an equitable arrangement. I got first pick of the honey while he got the lion's share and the seat of my second best pair of breaches. Fortunately, they were a bit loose on me."
Finally, as the meal winds down Svetlana asks, "What more can we tell you?"