Tale of the Red Hat Gnomes - Part 3

--hmmmm things have changed....perhaps...a little bigger?? Times new roman?oh sorry folks....
--Well, if you want background, go see part 1 and part 2. The prologue of part 2 lists most of the characters in our tale. Our former narrator, Mingo the bard, has his nose out of joint currently and the winsome Gerta, aka Apsara Keeada San will take over the narration. Is this better? ah yes, I think so.
--"I'm not really an Apsara," Gerta had said, "I was adopted."
--So, in the demesnes of a small room or alcove of the Fire Lotus Tavern, stories shall be sung and songs told once again....Gerta insists with a stomp of her little foot, fetchingly clad in pink tennis shoes....

 

(In the Fire Lotus Tavern) "Let's go out on the screened porch," Gerta insisted to our small group. "The cool of the early morning and the breeze pleases me."
--I was still feeling grumpy. But since I was curious about Gerta, who she actually was, WHAT she actually was, and what happened to Krisskar after our parting on that stone wharf; I followed along.
--"Squirrel," Gerta said with authority, looking at me gleefully. "sorry, I got distracted." Then as we sat and sipped our morning kafe, Gerta began her tale."
--"She has a ...." Mig started to say.
--"Oh shut up," BlacqueRogue the not-a-morning-person snapped. "Sorry."
--"My grandmother died when I was seven," Gerta began. "so my origins and family history are based on what I can remember being told as a child. The land of my birth is no more, but grandmother told me it was a land of earthquakes and volcanoes, a series of islands where most of the people made their living from the sea.
--"My grandfather was a master carpenter, and ran a small ship building business. My father, I was told, worked for him and came to know and then marry my mother. It was due to their skill that I survived, as they built our house somewhat like a ship.