[LM] Working Man (Light and Shadow Luxuries - OPEN)

[Qasim al-Basiri]

Qasim smiles with a soft chuckle "of course none of these pedestrian luxuries appeal to you, come take my hand, let me show you the world right here in the Jewel." He says as he extends a smooth browned hand to her the smile on his lips earnest and inviting.

[Soraya al-Menjari]

Completely naively the woman takes the outstretched hand to follow, "Ah... of course, I should have known the more special things would be kept some place even more special. Lead the way good sir."

Though whatever food "tea" was, the lacquered box it was being sold in certainly looked exotic, of note as her eyes finished one last sweep.

[Qasim al-Basiri]

His smile lifted up more at the corners as he walked gently guiding her through the shop toward a curtain that had a particularly burly man in the white quality cotton thawb of an employee stationed next to it.

Qasim pulled the curtain to the side, a much darker room lay beyond dimly lit and smelling of incense silk cushions sat on the floor around a low table. Qasim motioned to a cushion and released her hand as he moved around the table and sat "please join me." He clapped twice and a slender man entered, Qasim motioned forward and the employee came to Qasim who whispered in his ear and waved dismissively.

"Let us have a discussion of sorts, I have many curiosities but I must ascertain your proclivities before I parade them before you. In other words I must get to know you to offer you your hearts desire." He said smiling

[Soraya al-Menjari]

Soraya took a graceful seat on the offered cushion, legs tucked to one side.

"Oh, like a consultation of sorts? How exciting! I will do my best to be honest and helpful for my part then."

[Qasim al-Basiri]

Qasim chuckled "yes, yes but consultation is such a dry word. So formal. Please just think of it as a conversation between friends, honesty is important but more than that openness will be the most important thing."

The worker from earlier returned with a tray and two small cups with a strange steaming pot set down on the table the worker placed a cup before each of them and poured a warm amber colored liquid into each cup. A fruity, herbal scent filled the room with notes of caramel "I saw you eye this tea as we entered the room. I hope you like it, it comes from the land of Rokugan itself the leaves picked from the lands of the fire bird. Depending on your taste it can be sweetened with sugar or have a little milk poured in to blunt the flavors, in that respect it is much like our coffee but it has a much lighter flavor and rather than the richness of coffee it has a more fruity fragrant flavor." he smiled as he spoke and took up his cup to sip.

Should Soraya follow suit his description would be a fair one a light tasting drink with notes of plum and lychee and a lighter background flavor of caramel tying it all together.

[Soraya al-Menjari]

"Ah, so it DID say tea; How delightful! I have a book from Rokugan at my house, a most curious scroll about the wise sayings of their profit, Shinsei I believe it was. I even picked up a little Rokugani from a tutor."

She picked up the cup and smelled the steam coming off it, her eyes half closing as she took it in, "What a delightful aroma; Like the garden after a storm mixed with some earthy herbal background..."

[Qasim al-Basiri]

Qasim's eyebrows rose a bit "my aren't you a deadly combination? Beauty and brains, not many here in the city know much about the Emerald Empire. I unfortunately never picked up the tongue, though it does sound lovely the way you speak it." He smiled.

"Yes the teas they have their are so complex, I was lucky to aquire this box for such a low price especially considering how reluctant they are to accept visitors."

[Soraya al-Menjari]

"There are multiple varieties of the drink? That I did not know. All I knew is it was made from leaves, and that it is treated much like coffee is here; A sort of special drink to settle the mind and energize the body."

She took another sip.

"Personally I find this much more relaxing; My father always like his coffee, but I need mine with sugar in it."

[Qasim al-Basiri]

"Oh yes indeed there are numerous blends some lighter some stronger, herbal, fruit based, some with spices even. Much like there is a vast amount of coffee beans that make different flavors there are many different leaves and ways to prepare them that make different flavors." He explained carefully and then took a sip of the warm tea in front of him.

"I find the tea is more refreshing but not quite as energizing as coffee. Tea is much nicer for a light midday drink."

[Soraya al-Menjari]

"Mmmm... well, if there is one thing I do not lack on a wonderful morning like this is energy."

She takes a sip and smiles happily.

"So... you said you wished to know more about my desires, yes? How do we go about this?"