I don't think I thought to bring my own sleepwear, so I'll have to sleep in my traveling clothes.
You would probably have been traveling in riding clothes provided by Sapt and Frieda (which we should note to add to your sheet, along with the other things they gave you when you were leaving). Just looking at clothing on your character sheet, I see
- Pink Plad Shirt w/ short skirt & drawstring
Jeans
Brown Velcro Sandals
Gray Wool Cape w/ Red Strings and Hood
White Chemise Style Cotton Shirt w/ Drawstring
Black Short Dress w/studs and lacing
Black Ruffle Skirt 3 layers
Black Stocking Knee Highs
Black Heeled Shoes w/Shoe Laces
Black Top Hate w/ Ribbon
Gray furry/black cotton Renaissance Bodice w/ 2 drawstrings and a dragon embroidery
Black Renaissance Skirt w/ Drawstring
White Chemise w/ Drawstring
I'm not sure whether any of that would be more comfortable sleeping gear than a German riding outfit, but it would be cleaner.
--M. J. Young
Yeah, the chemise would probably be a better choice. I sort of doubt I'll need it completely clean again in a very short time assuming it's not still cold in the bed.
I take it that this is the loose dress definition of chemise, and not the women's undershirt version.
The night passes quietly, although it's a bit chilly when you awaken. The hot coals in the brazier near the window are long spent. Someone has brought fresh water, still warm, in a pitcher beside the wash basin at a small table.
--M. J. Young
((Yeah, that definition))
I'll probably wash up before I change, that way I don't get my clothes damp or anything before I'd have to travel in the cold. I'll probably try and leave right after thanking them once more.
They are expecting you to breakfast with them. They made some bacon specifically because you are here, and are asking what you like in your omelet.
--M. J. Young
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't want to be any trouble. I'll be happy with a plain omlete, thank you."
He converses with his wife in French, and she seems rather confused. He turns to you and says, "Plain means cheese, cream, butter, sausage, and onion, yes?"
--M. J. Young
"Well, I wouldn't think so, but that would be nice if it's not a trouble."
Omelet, small talk, questions about your present direction and destination, and how you intend to communicate with small-town innkeepers most of whom speak only French (although out here some speak a bit of German or Dutch) and who don't much trust the English and would not recognize an American as different from an Englishman anyway.
--M. J. Young
"I'm not sure if American is any better. I plan on seeing if I can find a book or something of that nature to help translate what is being said while on my way to Paris."
"Oh, mais non--the French, we love our American cousins. Your revolution and ours, your Liberte mirrored by ours. I do not know a Frenchman who does not love America.
"But a book? You could find one in Paris, no doubt, but you will want it long before that. Marie! We need paper, and ink and a quill. Our guess will need to make notes of a few phrases to help her get to Paris, yes?"
--M. J. Young
"Oh, that would be wonderful, it wont be too much trouble?"
"Oh, no trouble, really. I mean, too much trouble to give you an entire dictionary, but you could not use something so big as that, and so the difficulty is knowing how much you need to know. You will need to be able to ask what things cost, ask for a room, a meal, a drink. You will want to know how to ask where the bathroom is, and where you can wash up. You will have to understand the numbers, too, or at least have a list so that when you ask how much and they tell you you can work out what they said--although if you have them write with numerals, those would be the same. We call it trois and you call it three, but it looks the same if it is a numeral.
"So, let's make a list of what you want to know how to say, and then we will help you learn to say it."
--M. J. Young
"Well, the for-mentioned is obvious, though I would also need to ask for the directions toward Paris and how to understand the basics of directions."
"Ah, yes, directions. That would be much more difficile, of course. But let us begin at the beginning, and see what we can do."
Please make a list of those statements you want Marc to translate for you. Also, do you want him to write how it would be written in French, or do you want him to pronounce it and let you spell it the way you think it sounds?
Whatever you say you want to know will comprise your phrase book for the present.
--M. J. Young
I'll prefer a written list, someone is bound to at least guess what I am saying, but I'll need to study while riding. I'll very likely mess up badly if it's the other way around.
Basic numbers so I never not know how much or how far or what time etc.
How to ask for a room.
"I don't speak much French" would probably be very useful as well as "Do you speak English?"
How to ask for water.
How to ask how much something is.
Where is the bathroom?
How do I get to Paris?
Basic directions like east and markings like forest or train.
Where is the hospital?
Where is the police station?
Where is the inn?
Where can I keep my horse?
Where can I find a place to get a map?
Do you know a restaurant with regional dishes?
Polite things like "excuse me" and "I'm sorry".
As you depart your host, you are also departing this forum and moving to the new one, picking up your game with Ahmetia Travels from Ruritania to Paris there.
--M. J. Young