Sariya had eaten breakfast but she was forced to go back inside after a couple hours because they were nearing what other passengers were calling Thunder Lake. It seemed to be a massive lake in western Silubra where the waters crashed against the western mountains, the Echoing Highlands. It was called Thunder Lake because of the sound the waves make when they hit the mountains.
She heard that the sound will stop as soon as they cross the Highlands. It didn't bother some people, but the noise really affected Elfin races like her. She wanted to see the lake, but should only be able to do so through a window.
There she sat, looking out a window in the dining compartment, eating some fermented cabbage. While on Terranthea, she learned many eastern dishes from their various cultures suited her food preferences and the way Eoduun usually prepared their food. She found she had a special fondness for the fermented dishes.
And there was vinegar which made so many things that suited her taste. She'd even studied how to make vinegar and the various ways to use it. There were so many uses! So many types! She had a feeling her people would like it very much.
Perhaps her fermented cabbage smelled far more strongly than she realized. She quite enjoyed the pungent, spicy, tangy scent. She kept having people look her way with crumbled faces.
She ignored the looks as she used chopsticks to pick up another piece of the fermented cabbage and put it in her mouth, patently ignoring the looks. Yes, she'd also discovered chopsticks. No one else found them as fun as she did except Meili Mystvale, the Jade Dragon who she worked with on Terranthea. She'd said the monks of the Temple of Eiryu's Way would look elegant using them. She'd even showed her some "dramas" on one of the native devices showing her what she meant.
Sariya had laughed. She had a feeling Terranthea might end up influencing Emphyralis in ways no one has even thought of yet. She was proof.
The only person who didn't seem to be affected by her snack was the hopeful mage/scholar Hegan. He watched her food and chopsticks with interest.
She rubbed her temples. They were getting closer to the cliffs of Echoing Highlands and the sound was getting louder even in the passenger compartment.
"Earplugs help. Most Elf Folk carry some with them," a smooth, silky voice stated, coming up behind her.
She looked back and raised a brow at the man coming up to her. He was tall, lean, and really well proportioned. Well, that was a staple of their kind. He was a Huaesek, a Gray Elf. He had dashing features, light gray skin with blue undertones, and electric purple eyes. He had ears similar to Eoduun and rakishly long black hair hanging in his face. He wore nice clothes and a deep blue frock coat. Gold earrings dotted his ears.
Huaesek were often mistaken for light skinned Eoduun to those who didn't know any better. Huaesek had many differences from Eoduun. Eoduun had nearly black blood, and Huasek had indigo blue blood. Eoduun had enhanced vision and hearing, but Huaesek had enhanced smell and taste.
Another difference was the body types. Eoduun men were short, slim, and delicate. Women were tall, curvy, and strong. Huaesek men and women were usually all tall and lithe. They could also shapeshift for brief periods of time. They were what people came to call a succubus or incubus. They did feed on a certain type of energy produced during intimate encounters.
She was surprised to see a Huaesek here. They were usually found where other Elf Folk were. They just didn't have as much of a community as other Elf Folk. They rarely gathered in villages or tribes, but they always found each other when it was necessary.
"It's my first time traveling here. I didn't realize how loud it would be," she answered. She noticed he was eying her curiously. Although Huaesek were known to be sensual creatures with large appetites, she didn't get the feeling he was eying her in that way.
She understood why he might be confused by her. She had a period of almost two years after her parents were killed where she barely got enough to eat as she made her way to the Dark Forest to find the Eoduun there. She'd been severely malnourished. Therefore it affected her development. She was shorter and thinner than other Eoduun women. She was only around five and half feet tall. Her body, while strong, was lean.
She was often teased as looking "boyish" when she lived in the group home. She also wasn't very attractive to the men there. That was fine. She wasn't really attracted to them either. She preferred tall, well proportioned men. Like Qahim. Even if he had a tail and small horns, he still tickled her fancy. And other things.
The man shook himself slightly. "Apologies for intruding. I smelled your food all the way from the pilot house," he explained sheepishly, but gave her a charming smile. "I'm Saar Ulvo, first mate of the Lady," he introduced. He then fished in his pocket and brought out a pair of ear plugs that looked like they were made of cork. "A trade perhaps?" he tempted.
Sariya didn't hesitate. She pulled out a container of fermented cabbage and set it on the table next to her.
Ulvo chuckled. He set the earplug on the table and picked up the container. After studying it he opened the container. He didn't know what it was made of, but it was interesting.
The concept of a waterproof, air tight container wasn't something anyone on Emphyralis needed for a long time. Dimensional storage effectively froze whatever was put into it stayed in the same state until it was taken out again. He sniffed the cabbage and grinned delightedly. He went to get a fork. He couldn't wait to try it.
Sariya put the earplugs in her ears and sighed in relief. They didn't block all sound, only the thundering of the lake. She noticed the scholar-mage had disappeared at some point, but was rather grateful. She was getting tired of being watched while eating.
Ulvo came back with a fork and sat at the next table. He politely didn't presumptuously join her at her table. He took his first bite and nearly moaned with delight. "What magical food! Where did it come from?" he asked.
Sariya swallowed her mouthful before answering. "You've heard of the witchborn?" she asked him.
Ulvo nodded. At this point, the first contact with a new world since the Dragon Gate Network was dismantled was big news. "This came from their homeworld?" he asked curiously.
Sariya nodded. "It's fermented cabbage," she explained. "The witchborn living in Crowley House in Silvermoon plan to start selling their food. I don't know if anyone will sell it, but you can always inquire," she explained.
He was a stranger, so she wouldn't explain that she was planning to teach the Eoduun to make this and other foods that the Huaesek would probably enjoy as well.
Ulvo was still savoring his first bite. "I will definitely remember that. I'll be sure to check it out on our next run," he said, electric eyes sparkling. He then glanced at this unassuming, undersized Eoduun woman.
For her to have access to food from another world before plans are even made known to the public for it to be sold, she must be someone very notable and exceptional. He finally took another bite of the food. He then very reverently put it away for another time. "I thank my lady for such an unfair trade," he said, bowing gallantly. "May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"
Sariya finished her last bite before answering. "Golgfelaket Sariya," she said. She wiped her mouth with a napkin and wiped off her chopsticks before putting everything away. She didn't realize she was suddenly labeled "an important person worth knowing" in someone's mind. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Saar," she said.