Something was amiss. Something had changed. The talkative Yvonne fell silent, deep in her own thoughts while cleaning her plate. Maybe she just did not like speaking while food was at the table? Or maybe she was afraid of the pending journey?

Ah! Could it be that someone in the Graceful Bark was bothering her? But who?

Lilly’s soft blue eyes scanned the inhabitants of the bustling tavern. Yvonne could’ve been bothered by any of them.

There was the middle aged local couple arguing over whether their billy goat could walk on his hind legs (he couldn’t). There was the brown haired human who had been ogling Lilly since she walked into the bar. The table of rodents whose entree had just arrived, if a giant slab of cheese could be called an entree. Or perhaps it was the rowdy group of adventurers chugging beers!

Her questioning closed in proximity. Someone nearer the pair’s own table? That was it, Yvonne was... embarrassed? At the interaction between the orc and his cohort! Unlikely, the half elf did not seem capable of embarrassment after her show of force just now.

Then what? Had it been something Lilly had said or done? No, Lilly had been most polite, she had even paid the half elf with a compliment. It couldn’t have been anything she had... oh no.

As the flames of the above chandelier raged on the tension at their table engulfed the two women as well. So thick it could’ve been cut with a rusted spade. Panic arose in Lilly as she realized her error. It was so obvious now. So plainly simple, how could she have been so insensitive? The offense was indeed great and it seemed unlikely to be remedied in the dark elf’s mind. How could the pair continue with this faux pas laid bare?

The fork!

To her utter dismay Lilly had finished eating so quickly that she laid the fork on the wrong side of her plate. Worse, it was laying diagonally. She had been scolded for committing this very sin several times as a child. She could feel the sting of the reed from the transgression all over again. Quickly she attempted to remedy the blunder by straightening the utensil and moving it back to its proper position. Letting out a sigh of relief she noticed Yvonne was still silent.

Cautiously she stammered out, “i-is everything alright?” Her sky blues focusing on Yvonne’s glistening silvers.

Praying for her tablemate’s forgiveness she tried to remind the duo of the prize ahead. Twirling a finger on her napkin she innocently posed a more pertinent question, “if you are finished perhaps we should begin to take our leave?” Lilly hoped she wasn’t adding to the insult by making her new half elf companion feel rushed.