Page 49 of Sorcery, Swords & Scones (Tales from the Tavern #2)
Forty-Nine
Sass stifled a yawn as she walked into the kitchen the next morning. As she’d hoped, there was a pot of chai bubbling away on the stove, but there was no Lira.
She rubbed her eyes at the flutterstoat dutifully stirring the aromatic tea. “Sweet simmering cauldrons! She left you in charge, eh, Crump?”
Crumpet chirped something, but didn’t stop swirling the long wooden spoon.
She supposed she could get used to Crumpet taking a more active role in the kitchen, but she did a double take when she spotted the raccoon sitting on the open windowsill.
Sass eyed the pile of pears inside the window, along with a brown hair ribbon that looked remarkably like one she was missing.
“Oy.” She walked past the wooden worktable to the counter, picking up the ribbon and giving the raccoon a stern look. “I have no objection to your bringing us things you’ve foraged, but no foraging in my room.”
The creature rubbed his black hands together, his eyes luminous, and Sass was sure he understood her. The raccoon didn’t look enchanted, but she couldn’t be sure he wasn’t magical, and she wouldn't chance being on the wrong side of an enchanted animal.
Sass pulled her thick braid forward and tied the ribbon around the end before grabbing a nearby mug. “Any chance I could get some chai before I start work?”
Crumpet bobbed his white, furry head, stepping aside so Sass could lift the pot and pour herself a cup of the spicy tea. She winked at him and backed out of the kitchen. “Thanks, lads.”
Sipping her spiced chai, Sass walked to the great room, which was empty and quiet.
She and Vaskel had done a good job of leaving the place tidy from the night before, so the tables gleamed and the air that drifted in through the open windows was cool and fresh.
Even though the temperatures were dropping, she enjoyed the nip in the morning air and was in no rush to light up the peat in the fireplace.
She curled her hands around the earthenware mug, letting the warmth seep into her fingers as she walked out the back door of the tavern, where she suspected she’d find Lira again.
Sure enough, the woman was sitting beside her uncle as his various companions and attendants drifted around the ornate collection of tents that looked more like miniature palaces than temporary structures.
The lute player sat on a purple tufted ottoman, strumming as he blinked away sleep, and what Sass could only assume was a strolling poet wandered around the perimeter speaking in verse.
Glen stood next to the most impressive tent, grooming his feathers with his beak and sparing Sass only a cursory glance.
“You’re awake,” Lira said when she spotted Sass. “I haven’t seen Thrain yet, but I assume he’s having another lie-in.”
“He does like his sleep.” Sass also knew that he liked his late nights over ale and runes, and he’d lurched up to bed long after the rest of the tavern patrons had left the night before.
Erindil crossed his legs at the knee and draped his hands over the ornate armrests of his chair. “I take it he’s not heading back to the Ice Lands anytime soon?”
“Rog promised to teach him the secret to making brandy, so he won’t be leaving yet,” Sass said. “That and he’s made friends he’d miss. Not that he’d admit that, mind you.”
Lira gave a knowing nod. “I did notice a bromance brewing with Vaskel.”
“If and when he does return, I’d love for him to find out where your parents found that marvelous dragon.” Erindil fluttered his fingers on the arms of his chair. “There’s a story there, and I must hear it.”
Sass wouldn’t mind knowing either, since she’d never heard her parents speak of dragon-riding and had only ever seen one dragon before the one that had transported her parents to the forest. “After you tell me how you know my parents and how many times you’ve been to The Ice Lands.”
Erindil chuckled. “That’s a longer story, my dear. Perhaps best told over the course of a few evenings.”
“You’ll be staying for a while then?” Sass asked the elf, noticing that his encampment looked more and more permanent every day. They’d even erected a golden flagpole, and a colorful flag bearing the sigil of Lananore flapped in the breeze.
The elf smiled at Lira and then at Sass. “My niece and I have years of catching up to do.”
Lira returned the elf’s smile. “There’s still a lot I want to know about the elven side of my family.”
She didn’t mention her father by name, but Sass suspected she wished to know more about him, as well, and where he might be.
Erindil squared his shoulders. “Plus, Lira has asked me to walk her down the aisle, and I would not miss that for all the jewels in the Known Lands.”
“Your wedding!” Sass smacked her hands to her cheeks. “I almost forgot about the planning with everything that’s been going on. ”
Lira waved a hand at her. “Don’t worry. I have too, but there’s no rush. Besides, Tinpin is adamant I wait for a special fabric he’s ordered from Hearthorn, and I can’t get married without a proper wedding dress.”
Erindil’s eyes sparkled. “There’s nothing quite like a winter wedding.”
The nip in the air whispered the coming of colder weather, and Sass knew that winter would descend before they knew it. “Has Pip had any more thoughts about your wedding cake?”
Lira laughed. “Only that it has to be the most extraordinary confection anyone in Wayside has ever seen.” She held up a finger. “His words. Not mine.”
Sass’s stomach growled at the thought of Pip’s creations. “Speaking of Pip, I should head to the village for supplies.”
“I’m assuming those supplies include sweet rolls?”
Sass grinned at Lira’s eager expression. “You assume correctly.” She glanced around the camp. “How many should I get?”
“None for us.” Erindil leaned forward and winked. “I’m going to visit the baker myself today.”
“I might see you there then.” Sass waved to the elves as she headed back into the tavern. “Don’t forget that you left the chai on the stove with a flutterstoat stirring it.”
“Hells and cinders,” Lira said as she leapt to her feet. Clearly, she had forgotten that she’d left Crumpet manning the stove.
Sass was already halfway across the great room and snagging her market basket from behind the bar when Lira rushed in and ran straight to the kitchen. Sass shook her head as she walked out of the tavern, pausing under the swinging Tusk & Tail sign to take another deep breath.
Rog and Rosie’s wagon squatted near the entrance to the tavern, the stairs folded up and the doors shut tight.
Snoring and singing came from inside, both sounds muffled.
Even when Rosie wasn’t hawking her apple brandy from the back of the wagon, the tart aroma of fermented apples seemed to seep from the wood itself.
The basket swung from the crook in Sass’s arm as she strolled toward the village, humming a sea shanty to herself.
Once she could no longer smell apple brandy, every breath filled her lungs with the welcome scents of yeast and sugar.
She picked up her pace and was about the turn onto the main road when her gaze snagged on something.
Val sat on the stone bridge with her feet dangling over the side and one of Pip’s paper bags in her lap. Her gold hair was pulled up into a messy bun, and she wore causal pants and a blousy top instead of her guard uniform. She waved at Sass and held up the bag.
Sass didn’t need more convincing than that. She quickly changed course and headed for the bridge.
“I thought I might catch you before you went to the market.” Val held out the bag when Sass reached her. “And I decided to lure you over with sweet rolls.”
“You don’t need sweet rolls to lure me,” Sass said, as she plunged a hand into the bag, her fingers meeting sticky icing.
“Then let’s call this me buying you breakfast.”
Sass pulled out a pumpkin spice sweet roll and sighed. “I’ll never say no to a date that has pastry.”
Val laughed and chose her own roll from the bag. “That’s good to know.”
Sass hopped onto the stone wall of the bridge and shimmied herself around so that she was pressed against Val with her legs also hanging over the side. “Now you know all my secrets.”
Val chuckled and bit into her sweet roll. “I doubt that, but I have all the time in the world to learn the rest.”
Sass hid her grin behind her oversized pastry swirl and took a big bite, savoring the burst of sugar on her tongue and the sweet moment with Val. After chewing and swallowing, she peered at the stream gurgling beneath them. “This is nice. ”
“It’s a good place to come and think.” Val nudged her gently. “Almost as good as rooftops.”
Sass nudged her back just as gingerly. “It’s a nice place for a morning date.”
“I hoped you’d like it.” Val slid her a shy smile.
“Especially since you’re my very, very good friend,” Sass teased.
Val rolled her eyes. “About that…I thought we might discuss upgrading our status.”
“To very, very, very good friends?”
Val elbowed Sass, but took care to do it gently and not knock her off the bridge and into the stream. “To girlfriends.”
Sass’s heart tripped in her chest, as Val entwined her fingers with hers. “I like the sound of that.”
“Me too.” Val’s voice was a throaty rasp that sent a jolt through the dwarf.
They sat side-by-side on the stone bridge holding hands and breathing quickly until Sass twisted to face Val. “I suppose we should make it official.”
Val curled an arm around Sass’s waist, pulling her closer as she lowered her mouth to the dwarf’s. “I suppose we should.”
Val’s lips were as soft as sweet rolls and twice as sweet, Sass thought, as she let herself savor the kiss every bit as much as she had the pastry.