and YOU! (please let me know if you, reader, want to be tagged or not, I'm flexible! <3)
writing under the cut, you know the drill!
Despite its reputation of being the favored stomping ground for ruffians of all sorts, the Newlands Lodge was no less of an established inn than its nearby competitor. Guilbert had the creeping suspicion that other locals attributed it this unfavorable reputation due to the publican's refusal to conform to certain standards.
Dervera Romalen was proud of her Lodge to be certain. And although she boasted about the allowances of fighting and cursing within the Lodge as well as of her usual clientele, it was pride in her business that ensured she kept a tight ship running regardless. Guilbert could faintly recall when he was much younger— and his father hadn't bought their house yet because they had only just arrived in Cheydinhal— watching Dervera handle several orders at a time without missing a single step once. Even though she was practically barking people's names when their order at the bar was ready, the food and drink was no less delicious for it. His father, apprehensive to everything as he was, had sat across from Guilbert at their table chewing on his own order of venison roast with a contentment Guilbert had not and would not see again for a long time.
It was this memory that encouraged Guilbert to return to the Lodge over staying instead at the larger Cheydinhal Bridge Inn. Though he figured neither he nor Dervera truly remembered one another he was more than willing to take a chance on her service remaining impeccable years later.
I know the people don't really look accurate to them but maybe fit vibewise?
And I remembered partway through that they're the same height or Miraina's taller, but I didn't find a pic to replace the tiptoe one with, so maybe in that one she's teasing him about that or something. XD