When you make a mistake with metal,
you can melt things down and start anew

It had been a quiet morning in the shop. There were her few regular patrons that had stopped by, but mostly she was kept company by the steady hum of the display case filled with pastries. Cordelia had her back turned to the door to tend to some of her tea plants when the bell over the door sounded to alert her to a new guest. Cordelia turned and was about to welcome them when they greeted her. He was large. Larger than any other equine she'd met in Novus so far. Cordelia was used to that by now, but this man simply dwarfed her small 15hh frame. The crown on her head shifted as she peered up toward his face. Her cloak swept across the floor as she approached him from behind the counter. He introduces himself as Jarek, a soldier here in Solterra. Cordelia smiles up warmly at him. She has never been shy about showing her appreciation for the soldiers. If she had any adventure and excitement left in her bones to go to battle and train consistently she'd have joined them.

"Good morning, Jarek. I'm Cordelia. I'm just a merchant here, but I used to be an adventurer. Now I run Grandma's Tea Shop... Welcome." She greets him with grandmotherly warmth. Jarek compliments her work with the plants, and she beams brightly. There are other shops in Solterra that have botanists and arborists, but she hasn't seen many tea shops. "Thank you." Cordelia beams again. Before she can ask him if she can get him anything, he asks her a question about some worms that seem to weave threads. Jarek explains that they are native to his homeland and that their threads can be woven into fine silk. Cordelia's tail flicks as she grows quiet and her brows furrow in concentration. Worms that weave threads of silk sounded familiar to her, but she wasn't sure where to find them in Novus. "In my home, we used to call them Silk Spinners... or Weaver Worms. I'm not sure you'll find them in a desert. I tend to see them in the forests out in Ruris. They're fond of more temperate areas from what I remember. I'll bet you could ask some of the arborists here, I, unfortunately, know more about plants and their uses to brew teas than I do about how to attract those worms your after." Cordelia offered to him with a smile.

After a few moments of silence, she decides to offer him a tea and baked item. "Can I get you anything? I've just finished my baking for the day, and I have several teas brewing. On the house, of course, I like to treat the soldiers on their first visit to the shop. It's the least I can do as a retired adventurer you know." Cordelia beams warmly at him, hoping he'll take her up on the offer.