Baked Bread

[Galius]

Ash, 2nd 121 A break from his usual toiling about with his work. Some fresh air and piece of mind from the carving and manufacturing of jewelry. Something he was in very much need of. The Ork had been hard at work crafting and manipulating metals into wearable times. Honing his skills so that he could fund his future endeavors. Whenever that future may come. Pulling his coat tight as he walked down the streets. Thinking to himself as he weaved between the crowds. How would he spend his day off?

He could venture into the surrounding woods. Find some various plant life and document it. Or harvest it and see if he could make any medicine out of it. It had been a bit since he practiced his medical skills. Barely being able to recall the ingredients of a salve. But no, that was just more work. Even if it was in a different field. He believed that his day would be better spent relaxing rather then switching to another interest. So then what should he do?

He could have found a tea shop and enjoyed a warm cup. Letting the soothing liquid relax his muscles as well as his mind. Having almost made up his mind as he walked. A scent caught his nose. Stopping him in his tracks as he was pulled from his train of thought. The smell of freshly baked bread poured over the street that he had been walking on. Thoughts of tea disappeared as his mouth watered slightly.

How long had it been since he had fresh bread? And in a second the man seemed to make up his mind as he began to moved with purpose now. Following the scent until he entered into a small bakery. The warm light mixing with the smell of freshly baked goods. Glancing about, his amber eyes moving from one item to the next. But now the questions was what would he get?

[Elle]

Ash 2nd, 121xx

Elle was feeling the heat of Searing lingering in the warm and slightly humid air that circulated inside and out of the bakery. The warmth from the ovens did nothing to help the situation and she had pulled her hair back into a messy bun for some relief. She didn’t typically mind the warmer weather, especially being so used to working through the summer months in the kitchen, but today she was feeling the mood of cool breezes, changing leaves and the coziness of hot tea.

It had been a slow morning for the bakery and the owner had decided to take the opportunity to spend the day working from home once the brunt of the morning prep had been done. The other staff member had the day off, so it was up to Elle to run the show. She honestly preferred days alone. Her boss was kind, he had been great friends with her mother, and was first in line to purchase the store from her when she retired, and her coworker was always nice to have around during busy spells, but Elle had quickly discovered they did not have much outside baking in common.

So today Elle was testing out a new recipe. Inspired by the upcoming season she had been wanting to experiment with the warmer, heartier herbs stashed around the bakery. After he first batch had come out a little too spicey, Elle decided to add fresh apples and apple juice into the mix… with some finely ground granola for texture. They had been in the oven for almost fifteen minutes and the scent of nutmeg, bread and cinnamon wafted through the space.

While waiting, Elle had situated herself at the front counter, lightly fanning her face with a list of their daily baked specialties. Hopefully the recipe came out right, so they could add it into their seasonal menu this year. Her boss always loved getting new specialties to peddle to customers, often with the selling tag of “limited edition! Get them while you can!”

Though, even if the muffins came out as she hoped, there was the second issue of having customers show up to even try them. Elle looked through the glass-paned front windows, over the displays of breads and desserts. There were people walking in the street, going about their usual shopping, but not nearly enough to expect many walk ins.

She had just been about to get up and make herself a cup of tea (one of the perks of working there- not having to pay to consume the goods!) when the little bell atop the front door rang. She turned around quickly and set her makeshift fan on the counter, ready to greet her first customer in well over three hours.

“Hello! Welcome in!” she greeted with her usual customer service cheeriness and a small wave. The guest turned out to be a tall, handsome Orkhan, with many glinting rings adorning his ears and nose. He did not scare her, necessarily, but his presence felt strong and intimidating. She wondered what someone like him could want in a small, side street bakery in the middle of the day. “Is there anything I can help you with?”