Jan 4th-2012

Disclaimer: I've been reading Tad Williams the War of The Flowers lately so that may have played a somewhat small role in the inspiration for this piece...as I'm sure it will in future. And if you haven't, go read it, it's an awesome book.

Heady aromas filled the air, sweet teas and coffees from far off lands. They swirled and mixed to create new and wonderous smells. A gentle melody of chinking cups and glasses played under the contented mutterings of convbersation. The small shop was busy, but not crowded. It was filled with men and women of all shapes and sizes, each slowly enjoying their expertly brewed drinks, some partaking in pleasant conversation. Others, like Theo say quietly, content to watch and observe the tea shop in silence.

At the bar, or as close as could be considered in a place like this, sat a large creature. Easily the width and breadth of three full grown human men, it sat hunched over the bar. It’s skin was like sandpaper, dark grey and wrinkled. It reminded Theo a bit of a rhinocerous, with the obvious exception of the horn, of which this creature had three, ringing his forhead like a natural sort of crown. The creatures expression was hard to read, not for the least of reasons because it’s back was turned to him, but also because Glovar’s faces were locked in a sort of eternal glare. Theo was fairly certain he had never seen one so much as crack a smile. This made it very hard to tell whether one was about to spear you through the chest or have a drink with you and sing a song of the old world. The Glovar was dressed in a neatly pressed pale green uniform, Theo could just make out the insignia of the royal gaurd emblazoned on the shoulder. A palace gaurd just off duty, Theo guessed. The ringingof the small bell above the shop door caught the gaurds attention and he turned to look. Which was no small feat for a Glovar as it happens, a small pixie waitress had to dive sideways to prevent herself from being thrown halfway across the room and the small goblin next to him had nearly been faceplanted into his coffee by the Glovars wayward hand.

                Theo, holding back a grin looked to the small waitress, now hovering a foot from the ceiling as to ensure no more near misses with flying Glovar arms. She was brushed a long stand of golden red hair out of her eyes as the Glovar gave her a short apology before returning to his drink. Theo managed to catch her eye as she looked up, she gave him a small nod and one of those charming pixie smiles, that could cause any mans heart to melt, and flew back to the kitchen.

She must make great tips. The thought flew threw Theos head but he was quickly distracted by the sight of the large gaurds drink disappearing behind the great bulk of the mans body. Theo fought hard not to truly burst out in laughter. For although it had only been visible for a moment the small plate in front of him held the smallest tea cup he had ever seen. It was a pale shade of pink and covered in small pastel colored flowers, a small trail of steam issued from the top of the miniscule cup. Just one of the many reasons Theo loved coming here. In fact, one of the other reasons he enjoyed this place was what had caught the Glovars attention.

From his seat the door was blocked from Theos view, but he didn’t need to see her to know that she had arrived. The entire room lit up when she entered; Theo took a moment to enjoy the double meaning of that phrase here, on one hand it was literally true, in that she was one of the few fairies who still bothered to glow on a daily basis, most fairies had either stopped altogether or simply reserved it for more auspicious occasions, and the other hand, there wasn’t a soul alive that she hadn’t met that didn’t like her.