The Tea Sorcerer
The Visit

"She said what?"

Victor Stone set down his hammer on his anvil and stared at his friend in surprise. Garfield felt beyond glum, no he was down right depressed. But could anyone blame him really? After all, he had spent the last two years chasing after Tara, and he honestly believed that being the one to find the cure for her would magically turn him into some kind of hero and make her fall in love with him. Surprise: it didn't. But, that didn't make the sting hurt any less. Although, even Garfield had to admit that he was taking the hit surprisingly well. It almost felt as if he acted this way because it was what was expected of him after getting his heart broken, and not because his heart wasactually broken.

"She said she didn't want to be married, Vic." Garfield hung his head and sighed, picking at a knot in the wood underneath him. "After all that work I did…"

"Work?" Victor snorted and rolled his eyes. "Tara's not a job, Gar. She's your friend."

"I know." He kicked at a stray piece of wood lying close to his feet and sighed again. "I just always thought we would get married… I mean, we've been friends forever, and she was my first courtship, and my first…" He trailed off and blushed deeply, even he knew that was kind of taboo to talk about. "Never mind."

"Ugh. Do not remind me of that stupid tryst between you two. You nearly damaged your friendship over that." Victor waved him off before returning to work. "Besides, you two were disgustingly sweet to each other for a whole three months. It was sickening."

Garfield shrugged, but looked otherwise unremorseful. "It was a good time for us… but I guess she really doesn't love me like I do her." He sighed and leaned back on the workbench he was sitting on. "I'm happy with our friendship, I just wish I didn't love her like I do… I would hurt considerably less."

Victor gave him a bit of side-eye as he finagled with something on the other end of the bench. He seemed to sense that his really didn't seem right. No, Garfield really should have been a hundred times more weepy, but now it felt like his tears were forced out of habit. Victor leaned back on his heels and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at his friend. "You're taking this surprisingly well for someone who was singing the praises of Tara's farts two days ago."

Garfield blushed and looked away, fidgeting with his scarf around his mouth. It had become a nervous tick with him, in spite of all of his efforts to stop it. "I just know she doesn't love me and there's nothing I can do about it." He shrugged. "I'm not going to mourn the loss of a love at the risk of losing a friend."

Victor raised an eyebrow. "That's surprisingly mature for you." He paused and continued to stare. "Are you sure nothing happened to you while you were gone?"

"No, I-"

"Excuse me, I'm looking for the blacksmith." A short, feminine form ducked into the hot stall, moving closer to the two of them.

Garfield knew that gait and those careful steps. He recognized that sharp slash of a mouth, and that pale, alabaster skin. Shock ripped through his body, and he jumped down from the work bench, clutching a hammer between in his hands in surprise. "Miss Raven!"

She stared at him for a long moment before pulling the hood of her blue cloak down, exposing her strange features to him. A minute passed between them before she spoke. "Garfield Logan. Good morrow."

Victor snorted and looked over at him, mumbling under his breath. "So… nothing happened while you were gone…?"

Garfield chose to ignore him, and instead focused on Raven, trying to control his blush. This was certainly a surprise, and he wasn't exactly prepared in seeing her so soon. Although, he was glad he did see her. It had only been a week since he had left, and he found himself having trouble sleeping at night. He was having phantom feelings of her warmth pressing up against him, and sometimes he simply lay there and held onto the memory of the taste of her kisses.

"Ah." He stumbled over his words. "I didn't know you came into our town."

"I don't often, but I am in need of a new iron bowl and I do not trust the blacksmith closest to me. He's rather clumsy, and I need someone I can trust." Her eyes turned to look at Victor, expression never changing. "I'm told you are the best, Mister Stone."

"Well, I'm not one to brag, but I do some pretty mean things with a forge." He smiled and offered her his hand. "Blacksmith, Victor Stone, at your service, ma'am."

She gave a polite smile and shook his hand. "Raven, Mister Stone."

He glanced between Garfield and her, and decided to take a flying leap. "You wouldn't happen to be the tea sorcerer, would you, Miss Raven?"

"Perhaps." Her eyes darkened a little and she looked away, pretending to be interested in something else. "Perhaps not. I heard rumors that she's a rather secretive person. If that's the case, it's unlikely that she would venture into such a busy town." She glanced back at him. "Wouldn't you agree?"

The question sounded more like a warning than anything else, and Victor seemed to catch on to what she was insinuating. He gave an affirmative, understanding nod. "I would agree indeed, Miss Raven." He paused and jerked his head over to Garfield, who was still staring at them. "And how would you happen to know Garfield over here?"

"My ravens are rather fond of him. It was merely coincidence that we met in the woods some days ago. But that is not why I'm here." Her last sentence seemed rushed, as if she were trying to cover something up. She pulled out a rusted, metal bowl that was cracked down the middle from a small satchel around her wrist. "I would like a replacement made of this bowl."

"Shouldn't be a problem." He took it from her hands and looked at it carefully, investigating the width and thickness. "Seems rather plain though. Wouldn't you like something a little fancier, Miss Raven? Something that suits yourself better?"

"No. It will do simply as it is."

He shrugged. "Alright. It's going to take me about an hour to-" Victor trailed off as he noticed Garfield standing behind Raven, jumping up and down for his attention, mouthing 'more time' as he did so.

Garfield wasn't ashamed to ask for a favor from his best friend. He hadn't decided how he was going to find the time and reason to return to Raven, but seeing as she had shown up in his town unexpectedly, he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. No, he was going to figure out how to spend the day with her.

"I mean, normally it would take me about an hour to complete this, but I'm a little backed up for requests today." He pretended to think for a bit. "I can have it ready for you tomorrow morning if that works for you."

Raven sighed, looking rather annoyed with him. "I do not have enough coin for my required supplies and an inn, Mister Stone. What do you suppose I do?"

He shrugged, and then his smile turned almost wicked. "You can stay with Garfield. His friend and roommate recently returned to her own home, I'm sure he has the space for you."

Raven turned around and stared at Garfield, who had now taken to looking through Items on the work bench with disinterest, as if he hadn't been bouncing up and down like a mad man a minute ago. He glanced up at her and shrugged. "I have a little space and a little food, Miss Raven. I might as well return the hospitality you showed me."

Raven raised an eyebrow, the beginnings of a smirk tugging at her lips. "I thought I told you all future debts were paid, Garfield Logan."

Garfield blushed and looked away, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "You actually said requests, Miss Raven."

"Ah. Forgive the mistake." She turned back to Victor and nodded. "Tomorrow morning then. I will pick up my bowl and return home."

Victor nodded in agreement. "Alright, Miss Raven. It'll be done."

Garfield walked up to her, smelling the musty scent of tea mingling with the ash and heat of the forge, and it brought back memories he had nearly forgotten in his brief time away from her. He offered Raven a small, polite smile, trying to ignore the beating in his heart and shrugged. "I've done all my chores for today, Miss Raven. If you'd like, I can show you around town."

She looked into his eyes, and he saw a dark blush stain her cheeks. "I would appreciate that, Garfield Logan."

"Alright, let's go."

As they walked out of the blacksmith's stall, Garfield ignored the knowing laughter from his friend. But he was unable to ignore Victor's final words.

"I can only imagine what kinds of requests you have for her, Gar."