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"Huh."
"What? What is it?" Essek queries upon hearing Caduceus's little huff of surprise.
"Hmm? Oh. Well, Beau and Yasha are always talking up that neighbor of theirs, being a good cook, her own home garden, all that good stuff. I'm pretty sure they said that lady was in the house on the left. But maybe I'm wrong, because that garden is getting by on magic alone by the looks of it," Caduceus absently explains, eyes still taking in that not-natural garden.
"Martina Steward, yes? I believe Yasha has mentioned learning some recipes from her… though nothing about gardening tips that I've heard," Essek contemplates aloud.
Their eyes meet, daring the other to begin.
"The green beans are completely out of season," Essek starts with what he intimately knows. Caleb has been growing some in the planter boxes of his (their) cottage, and Essek has made efforts to help with their upkeep.
"I don't even think that's the right kind of soil for green beans," Caduceus adds, bending down for a closer look. "Or much of anything in this garden," he continues, gaze sweeping across the vivid greenery with too many different needs all in dirt of the same shade and consistency to his casual yet discerning eye.
"It would not need to be, with as much magic as is coating this garden," Essek agrees, having caved to his curiosity and cast a quick detect magic.
"Horrible way to grow edibles," Caduceus huffs. "There's a reason our garden back home is hand tended only."
"Yes, I recall. Particularly the way not-yet-Archmage Becke turned her nose up at being reduced to such work," Essek reminisces.
"Too much ambition, not enough grounding in her. Eadwulf did a lot better. Pulled the weeds up neater too," Caduceus agrees with a nod.
"Do we think this travesty of a garden is the result of ambition as well, or some other personal flaw?" Essek queries.
Caduceus scratches his chin. "Hard to say without seeing the owner."
"Maybe later. I believe Beauregard has complained about Martina being a nosy neighbor."
"Hmmm."
Martina does make an appearance during the Nein's little get together, delivering a basket of fruits and vegetables with the comment that her neighbors' friends "looked so interested, I just had to bring over a taste for you all." The following attempt to join the group's dinner was pathetic and easily turned down (if awkwardly. Dear Light, why did they let Beau and Yasha try to talk the woman down? Ah yes, it was their house and neighbor).
"Your thoughts, now that we've seen the garden's owner, Mr. Clay?" Essek quietly asks as Caduceus washes some of the delivered produce, and casts a quick dispel magic as his friend works. Just in case.
"...She wants to look like she's very good at gardening while she's busy doing anything, and everything, else," Caduceus decides. "A fan of fruits, but not the labor needed to get them."
Essek nods, having reached a rather similar conclusion. And slips a nibble of (dispelled) tomato from the cutting board.
"Her garden is fake, and her tomatoes are watery," Essek snidely declares (if only after making a face about said watery tomato).
Caduceus gently chuckles in agreement. "Do you think we should tell the others?"
"...No. I want to see how many disparaging comments we can make about it before someone realizes we're right," Essek plots with a devious grin.
The matching grin Caduceus returns is right at home on a trouble-making sibling's face.