The sun was beaming through the large windows of the Bakery as Emmeline tottered about in the kitchen. The apron tightly tied around her was covered in flour and splattered with cream, icing and molasses, among plenty other stains from yet another busy morning that she'd spent baking up a storm of pies, cakes, pastries, tarts and many more. Ever since the repairs were finished on her beloved Butterbuns, she'd been in a non-stop frenzy of treat making as her loyal and fearful customers had come back in a veritable flood now that the door had reopened once again into her world of patisserie goodness.
At first it had been a little overwhelming, as she hadn't expected such a massive response when the advertisement had gone out. But after a day of shocked and unprepared preparation she'd gotten back into gear fully, grabbed her apron, her gloves and her rolling pin, put her head down into the bottom of several bags of flour and countless jars of spreads and created a feast of fancies for all the hungry mouths that awaited her works.
She'd blurred around the kitchen like a busty whirlwind, all with the support of her poor beloved that had been suddenly swept up in her wake in the bakery. Whenever she needed an extra set of hands to stir, fold, decorate, slam something in the oven or merely remind her to take a break, be ignored and then thrust a coffee into her hands and force her to sit down for a few moments to catch the breath she didn't even know she'd been running out of. And it was in one of these moments that Emmeline had found herself once again. After running ragged the entire morning, Dorcha had sidled lovingly up to her, wrapped his arms around her body and gently reminded her to take a moment to enjoy her day.
"My love you do yourself a disservice. The world shall still await your work tomorrow, and if you continue at this pace you will break something. There can be no bakery without our beloved baker, so I implore you... Take the afternoon off, and go for a walk in the parks. Perhaps to that favourite bench of yours?"
He had insisted, giving her a light kiss on the cheek as the pair of them swayed in their embrace. She hummed thoughtfully in his arms, reaching back and gently laying her hand upon his cheek.
"... I suuppooose... I could do with some air that doesn't smell of flour, at least." She says as she taps her fingers against his face. "I'll take an hour or so then get back to work."
"An hour free is still an hour, my dear Emmeline. And just to take some extra time off your worry, I have already prepared you a small lunch."
He says with a smile as he swirls his hand around. A small whirl of darkness follows his trailing fingers before a package emerges from it, lying flat on his palm.
"I can't have you working with an empty stomach."
He says with a smile, the pair of them looking at each other in their faint reflections on the window in front of them.
Emmeline beams at the revealed package, always grateful for her Impetus' doting affection. Not to mention his culinary skills which ensured whatever was in the package would be well worth it.
"Will you be joining me for this little picnic, Dorch?" She asks him politely as she takes the package in her hands, turning around to face him.
"Unfortunately no. I have some business I need to take care of, but if I finish early I shall meet you there, love."
Dorcha replies as he steps back from her with a trailing hand.
"I do hope you enjoy your walk."
"I'll do my best." And so, with an admittedly exhausted but very appreciative smooch, Emmeline took off her apron and hung it on the hook in her kitchen before making for the door. She locks it behind her as she leaves, knowing full well that Dorcha can make his own way in and out without any issues, and once out onto the cobbled road she sets her sights on Arrachspool's Inner City Wall and begins marching determinedly towards the greener pastures within.
As she passed through the Inner Wall into the City Park, Emmeline took a deep breath of the much fresher air within. She didn't know if it was simply due to the more open area or some enchantment in the walls, but drinking in the fresh air and sunshine in the grassy park always made her feel more rejuvenated, even when there for a few moments. Grateful for her Impetus' urging as usual, she began walking beneath the scattered canopy of trees, along the winding paths lined with green grass, bountiful flowers and glittering ponds. She tottered along slowly and contently, enjoying the waves of warmth that she felt as she stepped in between the sun and the shadows of waving branches above her.
As she walked she tucked the package from Dorcha under her arm and instead unwrapped the small brown paper parcel she'd carried with her and took out a handful of the seeds within. She cast them into the ponds and small streams surrounding her with carefree abandon, smiling as the ducks within the water scrabbled for the treats they were being given. Her smile broadened and she chuckled as she watched, the actions of the hungry birds reminding her of the fussing of her beloved Betties back on the farm whenever she'd feed them too.
Emmeline pressed on towards her destination, a more intensely shaded portion of the park nearest to the high Inner Wall of Arrachspool, in its least densely inhabited area. After the overbearing army of ecstatic customers she had been faced with in the morning, she was ready to take her place on her favourite spot. Sure there was still people in this area of the park, but it was so far out of the way that she could sit in moderate solitude and relax, letting the stress that had built up over the morning's business melt away as she reclined in the breeze and took in the sounds of the trees surrounding her. It was as close to the countryside as she could get without leaving the City itself.
And there, beneath a dense collection of trees, right in the curve of the pathway, was a small blackwood bench beside a pond. The trees blanketed it in a healthy dose of shade and shadows, and even if it hadn't been an absolute scorcher of a day, she'd be lying if she hadn't come to appreciate a nice dark spot in recent times. She gratefully plonked herself down on the bench with the lunch her beloved had prepared for her sitting beside her. She let out a long sigh, stretching her arms above her head and yawning. Her muscles ached and groaned with her as she let her arms flop down onto her lap, reclining in the bench happily and closing her eyes for a little while, enjoying the pervasive heat as it was battered down by the cool breeze that whirled through the park.
She spends precious minutes beneath the shade cast on her by her own little canopy of trees, happily reclining in the warmth that surrounded her. Eventually, before she fell asleep entirely, she opened her eyes again and sat up straighter on the bench, having nearly slid off it in her relaxation. Emmeline turns her attention to the lunch Dorcha had made for her. On brand as ever, her lover had delicately covered the box in black paper and taken a small silver thread, tied it in a bow and sealed it shut. She picks it up and undoes the thread gently and the paper unfurled like petals in her lap. She smiled warmly at the vision in her mind of her beloved crafting this little mundane thing with such unneeded flair, just for her.
Inside she found a small black box and a silver note on its lid, and when she picked it up the spider web-like handwriting was all too familiar to her.
"My dearest Emmeline. Without you the hungry mouths of this City would surely wither away without you to provide their fill, so it is only right that you receive such dutiful attention yourself."
It read, and when she opened the box itself the smell of freshly prepared bacon wafted out from inside. Clearly this little box was more insulated than it looked, as she had been blissfully unaware of the heat inside that now drifted out from the hot sandwiches that lay inside. She gleefully plucked them from inside and began to tuck in, munching happily on the lovingly prepared lunch.
When she was done she picked up one of the napkins that were also stashed in the box and cleaned her mouth of any crumbs or sauce left splattered on her face, and then plucked out the small bottle that was the last thing to inspect in there. It was glass, and oddly ornate, and inside there was a faintly shimmering liquid. Emmeline unstoppered it and took a whiff, and while a sweet fragrance met her nose she hadn't the foggiest what her Impetus had given her. In fact when she sniffed it the scent left a slight tingle in her nose.
Though of course she trusted her lover to not be plotting to poison her this many years after they'd first tried to kill each other so she reckoned it was more than likely safe and just another of his eccentricities. She took a big swig of it and immediately was met with a blossoming heat that radiated throughout her body. The tiredness in her limbs began to get forced out as a new wave of energy raced through her and near immediately she felt herself rejuvenated by whatever mana-filled goodness her Elemental husband had given her.
She downed the rest, holding the empty bottle above her mouth as she opened wide to catch the last few drops that fell onto her tongue. And with a satisfied and content smile she relaxed on the bench again, placing the bottle back into the box before spreading her arms wide and laying them across the backrest. She closed her eyes again, revelling in the feeling of fullness and refreshment she felt from the gifted nourishment.
She sat there happily for a few moments, listening to the rustling of leaves around her, when she felt an odd sensation on her leg. At first she dismissed it as just a bug, and she absentmindedly shook her leg a little to dislodge it, not bothering to look. When it failed to do anything she tried to raise her leg to shake it properly, and found she was barely able to lift her foot. Immediately her eyes snapped open and she looked down in a panic, only to see something slithering beneath the leg of her trousers. It was barely at her knee but still, with images of snakes or some weird creature flashing through her mind she quickly tried to grab at it from the bottom, bending over and attempting to take hold. Only for her fingers to fail to find purchase.
It was then she noticed there was another such something inching its way up her other leg the same way. Heart thumping she tried to stand, and she almost managed to make it before something wrapped around her waist and dragged her down again. Emmeline's eyes went wild as fear set in at the sudden and unexpected restraint, and she tried to wrench herself free from whatever held her down, wriggling and struggling and trying to lean forward out of its grasp. She tried to shout for help only to have another wrap around her and gag her silent, slipping into her open mouth.
