Spiderfat soup

Esmiralda and her companions, the Optimist Monk Broo Fang Tane and Seymuhr Skullsquasher were enjoying a brief respite outside the walls of Veral Ski, the largest city in the land of Korrin, when a group of locals teased Tane into a deadly confrontation.

"You know, this spiderfat soup isn't half bad," I said. The thick liquid had a smoky flavor and a vague honey-like aftertaste. The chunks of carapace were boiled perfectly and retained only a touch of their crispness. I dug a stiff hair from between my teeth.

"You should try the spider silk ale," the serving wench added with a nod and a snorting chortle. "I've lost many a night to its seductive flavor." She raised her eyebrows at me suggestively.

"Perhaps later," I said. I put a reassuring hand--very tentatively, of course--on Tane's arm. "You didn't mean to kill those men. It's okay. They started the fight."

He made a non-committal noise and continued to stare glumly at the table top. Seymurh slurped a bit of stringy fluid from the inside of a spider leg and ignored us both. He belched and patted his stomach, then rooted around in a bowl for another stalk.

"They could have stopped. They didn't have to tease you that way."

"They ne....v...er do," Tan whispered.

"Poor little feller," The serving wench returned. Her name was Mallynda. "Is he always this gloomy?"

"Just the opposite, in fact," I said. "He is of the Order of the Optimists, and tasked with spreading good news and cheer throughout the land."

Mallyn whistled. "No wonder he's such a good fighter. Those are dangerous tidings, indeed."

Seymuhr belched again, louder this time and a few people in the corner cheered and clapped.

"Who would have guessed that we'd ever live in a world where a hearty belch is greeted with more enthusiasm than a message of hope and happiness," Mallyn said. "Hope, we need more of. Gastric distress is all too plentiful."

"You should know," Seymuhr said as he lifted a leg and squinted. "These spiced spider legs have my guts churning like a stormy sea."

I waved a hand furiously in front of my face and scowled at him. "And what was it yesterday, then?"

"Listen," Mallyn said as she sat down next to Tane. "You mustn't lose your spark of sun, even when others try to force it out of you. Those men needed to be taught a lesson. They are here often, looking to stir things up. Sometimes, the trouble you cook up doesn't sit well."

"Forgive me," I said to her. "But you speech has the cadence of education. Why is someone so learned serving roughnecks in a tavern?"

Mallyn snorted and chortled again. "Oh, I'm not that learned. You just pick up a few things here and there. My education is nothing more than that." She colored slightly and got quickly to her feet. Someone raised and empty glass and she hurried to retrieve it, leaving me to stare at her swaying hips and wonder.