Cath'rinne allowed herself to be led to a private area where she settles down, trying not to spend too much time in the common areas, or give mundanes a reason to interact with her.
Obstetrix goes along, not wishing to interact with the mundanes either, and engages Cath'rinne with a conversation about what they might find when they cross the channel, and what life was like for her before joining the Order. "I would need to learn the local language I guess, to make my skills known here. I was far too busy learning other things, and with no clear knowledge of when we might be allowed out, I failed to learn even the basics of a local language."
"I grew up in Normandie" a French accent shows up in her Latin as she pronounces the name "by the seaside, in a small fishermen town called Dieppe. It's further up the coast, I think, but I'm not sure how far. It's not an era I recall a lot, as I was taken in by my master when I was but a child, and my gift had started showing up. I recall the beach, the seagulls, the fishermen, my parents who were starting to grow restless with my presence... and not much more. I'm glad I was taken in at a young age, as I'm not sure my fate would have been very nice outside the Order."
Obstetrix's Latin is accented with German, making it sound rougher than the more gentle french accent of her colleague. "I can understand, though my Gift manifested when I was older, my parents, and my village didn't take kindly, and I was first taken in by a witch, who taught herbalism, and how to develop my gifts of speaking to animals, and finding nature's resources. But she turned me out when I refused to learn how to make poisons. Luckily, my gifts made it so that I could survive in the wild, until Meinard found me, and offered to train me."
Benedict looks confusedly at the bard when he wanders off, disappointed that his sign language didn't work, then he gets occupied getting people settled in to the private room. Afterward, he heads back out to the common room to look for Carl, and ask if he can speak to Gwenaël now.
Gerhardt, one of Obstetrix's two shield grogs, goes to the common room to try and find fellow speakers of German. Sadly, his mistress is leaving civilised lands and heading to the war-torn island north of Normandy. He tries to enjoy what time he can have with travellers before the journey starts getting risky.
Betula nods to Ruedi as if agreeing with him to find another inn but instead says, "Hat," as if that clears everything up. Then, turning to the two at the other cart, continues in Latin, "If you would be so kind as to watch my belongings since you are out here anyway." and without waiting for a response heads in after the redcap. She does not look back to see if Ruedi is following.
In the common room she sees the the man who was wearing the cap and approaches him. "Perhaps you might be able to help me with something... a conundrum of a broom, a hat, a horse, and a bird." Placing her foot on a chair she lifts her skirt showing a leg covered in a long sock which she begins to lower.
[edit: You know, unless someone interrupts her.]
The two ladies are already heading to the door, and it may not have been obvious if Betula was speaking to them. The two grogs, handling the wagon, just stares blankly at the cart being parked next to theirs. Maybe they do not understand Latin. Either way, Betula does not seem to care, as she rushes through the door.
She enters the room, just after the two ladies and rudely, interrupts the redcap as he turns towards his travel companions to show them their room. Carl looks a little shocked, to those who have a little folk ken, but he has to turn to Finn, who was approaching him to ask about the newcomers.
Benedict turns as he is approached by the strange woman. He feels the familiar apprehensive feeling of the gift, and takes a breath, suppressing his instinct to react violently to the sudden approach. Then he watches with interest as she lowers her stocking.
"A broom..." He trails off, and a smirk comes to his face. "The version I heard didn't have a hat in it... but I'd love to hear it. Clearly you are a woman of culture."
"Culture? I had not thought of that answer... no, that can not be it." On her calf ar markings similar to what you have seen on Criamon, the rare Criamon you have seen since the war began, though hers have a very floral or arboreal bent to them rather than merely being geometric. Around her calf, four... stems, branches? end in a broom, a horse's head, a bird, and what could be a hat like Benedict was wearing. "The stigmata have led me to this town, it has been a very enlightening journey from the Axi... from The Cave of Twisting Shadows and yesterday morning I awoke to find these blossoms had bloomed into the images you see. I was quite confused until I saw the sign of the inn and perhaps your hat but no idea how a horse and bird fit." At this point she notices the others in the room.
After installing the luggage, the grogs get a chance to socialise in the tavern. Most of the patrons speak Flemish [Low German], which is common enough among the covenfolk at Crinthera. Obstetrix is from the South, however, and her High German is rarely heard on the Coast from Crinthera to Calais. The languages are mutually comprehensible though, and whichever of the languages the grogs speak, they are used to the other.
The clientele is mainly fishermen; the smell of saltwater and fish is never going to wash off their clothes. The three men playing dice at the end of the longtable, seem to be a more diverse group. Without looking even remotely rich, they seem to have more to spend than the fishermen. The storyteller in the jesterly atire is still entertaining. He seems to be speaking a foreign language [Anglo-Saxon], even if it is intellegible to German speakers.
Nobody goes out of their way to start a conversation with the grogs, but they look friendly enough and don't try to avoid them.
If the magi linger, Carl will return and usher them into the private room to continue their conversation, treating all the magi as one group as if they arrived together. «Please, you make the other guests uncomfortable, and I depend on them too.» He speaks Flemish [Low German] unless directed to speak something else.
Ruedi notes, as always, how others seem to have this aversion to Betula, and while he recalls how he had this knee-jerk reaction as well, he was smitten by her beauty, and he doesn't want to cause any problem at this inn. "Milady, why don't we find a more private place to dine and rest? The road has been long, and we'll need our rest before we set out to cross the sea."
Betula allows herself to be ushered into the private room but on the way asks the innkeeper, “Perhaps there is someone who can help me bring my things inside? I must keep them dry.”
«I sent the groom out to help you, didn't I?» Carl seems to be a little stressed up, and glances back at uneasy crowd of locals. «It should be dealt with.»
The grogs and the groom hauls the Bjornær stuff inside a little later, but unless Ruedi takes action, it will take both a while and some inquiry to correct the misunderstandings and get Betula's stuff is carried inside. Luckily it was not raining, so no harm is done. Eventually the job is done, and the people can resume their conversations, Gifted ones in the private room, and unGifted ones in the common room. Oh, how wonderful it is to get away from those Gifts for an evening.
Ruedi will definitely make sure Betula's belongings get brought in. He will make sure her belongings get brought in first, with a commanding voice.
The tavern is still busy when Benedict has a chance to look for Gwenaël, and it takes some time to get Carl's attention. Finn's story is good though, so it is not a waste of time. Before it the end of the story, Carl spots you and waves you over as he turns to one of the fishermen, speaking a strange language which you do not know. «This is Gwenaël,» he says. «He has a big boat, and often take travellers across the Manche.»
Gwenaël turns to you and speaks to Benedect - completely incomprehensibly - it does not make the slightest bit of sense. Gwenaël is insulted and Carl is confused. «You should not mind his French accent,» says Carl. «He is a good man.»
Benedict smiles apologetically at Gwenaël, and says to Carl, "Please pass along my apologies, and ask him speak to me in a tongue more familiar to him. I am blessed with an understanding of mother tongues, but others are more difficult for me."
“Where did the man with the hat go?” Betula says to the others present in the private room. Obviously she think he is the only one of consequence who was supposed to be here.
Carl raises an eyebrow -or two- and frowns. «You wizards never cease to surprise,» he mutters under his breath, as he turns to Gwenaël and speaks in a different language even more remote from your native Danish. Gwenaël listens, still looking insulted, but turns to the redcap and asks, «Carl tells me that you speak my language better than his, is that right?» Others in the tavern may recognise the language as French or Norman, but to Benedict it is just another strange tongue.
When the confusion and insults have been cleared out of the way, Gwenaël says that he often takes travellers across the channel. His boat can carry a dozen people and maybe a donkey if they insist. He charges a handsome fare, but then he is not picky about the passengers, and God knows he has ferried a strange lot in his days.
Obstetrix looks at the tall beautiful lady, and smiles at her, as she gestures at a nearby seat "Please, sit down with us, if you're taking about the man in red cap, he's probably gonna be back soon, since he went to find us some means to cross the channel." She speaks to her in Latin, as she's unsure whether the newcomer has any grasp of High German, but her accent is clearly German.