We tied up our horses in Rowan’s warm barn, making sure they were well fed and watered. Then we followed Rowan into his cozy home, a large A-frame cottage with a tall loft. A fire blazed cheerfully in the brick fireplace. Enchanting children’s drawings of all colors and sizes covered every available surface of the walls. Everything was neat and tidy, except for a pile of wooden crates filled with various supplies stacked haphazardly in a corner.
“Scarlet,” Rowan said as he knocked the snow from his boots and let us in. “We have guests tonight.”
“Really? This time of year?” a melodic female voice answered from over the stove, “Please come in.” The female approached, a small blond elf child on her hip. Another child sat at the table painting cheerfully.
I noticed with a burst of surprise the shape of the woman’s ears. She was—human!
“Y-your majesty!” The woman’s eyes popped open in alarm as she caught a glimpse of Elden. His face was unchanged, but most only knew the handsome king based on his brilliant white hair. No one had recognized the burly male with black hair and beard as their king. But this woman’s cheeks flushed a bright crimson. She bowed to Elden, her blonde hair flying around hershoulders and her shocked husband followed suit, blinking from the dark-haired Elden to his human wife, then back again.
Elden held up a hand, “I am just Elden tonight, Scarlet. It is good to see you so well.”
Then, quite unexpectedly, Elden walked up to the woman and wrapped her in a warm embrace. The husband and I shared twin expressions of shock. A strange sensation squirmed in my gut that most definitelywasn’tjealousy at the ease of the king and this mystery woman’s relationship.
“I am well, though I have never been quite so busy.” Scarlet flushed as she handed her toddler a small biscuit. The elfling sucked on his new treat happily. I noticed the ears of the elfling and his brother were both a bit shorter than their father’s, than Elden’s. They were half elf, half human children.
“Two little ones?” Elden smiled as broadly as a proud uncle.
“Yes. Oak,”—Scarlet gestured to the beautiful boy painting at the table— “And Hawthorne.” She bounced the young baby on her hip. “I’m a bit of a mess, but I am happy. We’re happy.” Scarlet smiled at her husband. “I’m sorry, Rowan, this is his majesty Elden Thornwood, High King of Ravensong.”
Elden’s hair fell white in a flash of light as he nodded in greeting to the husband, whose eyes nearly popped out from their sockets.
“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Majesty.” Rowan blinked furiously and worked his jaw in surprise.
“The pleasure is all mine.” Elden smiled and clapped the elf on the back. “But, please, call me Elden. I had word that Scarlet lived in Stormhold, but had no idea you lived in this lovely home. You truly have a beautiful family.”
Scarlet beamed, “I was grateful to be able to make that choice.”
Something kind and…intimate, knowing, passed between the two of them. A shared past deep with meaning. In a blink, the connection was severed.
“Now, let’s get you out of those wet clothes and into something a bit more cozy.” Scarlet motioned for me to remove my coat and boots, which I did gratefully, reveling in the warm air of the cottage.
“I’m sorry,” I wrinkled my brow as I caught up with the shock, “But how do you know each other?”
“Of course, how inconsiderate of me.” Elden placed a hand on the back of my shoulder, “Scarlet, this is Noelle. Noelle, Scarlet. Noelle is from the human lands as well.”
I felt the enchantment of my bluebell hair and pointed elf ears recede. I threw my hands up to cover, but it was too late. I stood before the woman and her husband as I was. A human with brown curls and round little ears. Heat rushed into my cheeks.
A large smile lit up Scarlet’s face. “Oh! We shall have so much to discuss!” Then she turned to the king, “I did not know anyone would ever touch your heart, but of course now there is no doubt with the way you look at each other?—”
“No, no—” I flushed, “You are mistaken, no, we are merely pretending to be married as we travel to remain inconspicuous, but apparently, the king is no longer concerned about that.”
I said the last bit between clenched teeth. I felt exposed before these strangers, and it frightened me. Elden clearly knew Scarlet, but I didn’t know any of them, and frankly, I felt a little too vulnerable.
Elden’s smile was a bit strained as he nodded.
Scarlet’s eyes missed nothing, but she gave a curt nod, then led me over to the kitchen table. “Of course, Noelle. Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable. You must be exhausted. I was just starting on dinner.”
“Dinner?” I perked up, my stomach rumbling.
“Yes.” Scarlet smiled. “I’m about to make my famous roasted chicken and vegetable pie.”
“Adinnerpie?” I asked, intrigued. I’d made several different flavors of pie for my bakery. Mostly with whatever produce was in season and always sweet. Peach pie was a town favorite, but I’d never once made a pie for dinner. “Can I help? I’m a bit of a baker. I’d love to learn from you.”
Scarlet raised an eyebrow at the king who shrugged, but said nothing. Then she turned to me and beamed, “I’d love nothing better. The butter is over there.”
A flutter of familiarity and warmth settled in my stomach—every good recipe started with butter. Scarlet pointed to the larder, and I produced the butter from a large bowl wrapped in wax paper. Scarlet cut the cold butter into the salted flour with a practiced hand. I opened my cookbook to the blank page after “Tabitha’s Salted Caramels” and added “Scarlet’s Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Pie”. Elden and Rowan went outside to chop more firewood.
The two children colored at the kitchen table, humming cheerily. The smell of flour and buttermilk stung my nose with a nostalgic tug. I often worked in my kitchens as Daisy colored on the ground beneath my feet, humming to herself.
