Seeing Deleniel outside the safety of their village - especially at a place such as the Friendly Arms Inn - was a rare occurrence, and Mendel made sure to treasure the moment. Huddled under the small wooden overhang of a merchant caravan to escape the rain, they traded whispers about the latest rumors until the conversation turned toward the upcoming Lunar Festival at the beach lighthouse. When Mendel suggested she help with the food preparations, Deleniel agreed with a warm, easy smile; she was always one to lend a hand, and the prospect of some social fun by the sea was too good to pass up. Of course, a feast requires fresh meat, and when she mentioned needing to hunt, Mendel was already checking his bowstring. Luck favored them on their trek back into the treeline, as they managed to bring down a magnificent elk. While Mendel set to work preparing the carcass for transport, Deleniel moved through the underbrush with practiced grace, gathering the specific wild herbs and berries needed for her signature sauce.
The real amusement began once they returned to the village. With a mischievous glint in her eye, Deleniel instructed Mendel to haul the heavy elk directly into the First Mage’s office - the very room now occupied by Natariel. Though Mendel was initially taken aback, he complied with a growing grin as he remembered the village’s second best-kept secret. The previous First Mage, Ithilwen, had placed a permanent freezing spell on the room that had never been dispelled. To the rest of the world, it was a prestigious office, but to Deleniel, it was simply the most effective freezer in the Misty Forest. As he hung the game amidst the scrolls and arcane instruments, Mendel could already imagine Natariel’s mounting annoyance at finding a massive elk cooling in her workspace, and he found himself eagerly anticipating the look on the Mage's face.
