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Painted Moose via Discord

Taijana had been busying herself all morning with a bit of Autumnal cleaning. It was just cool enough that she could open all the windows and doors to allow a fresh breeze through the home without leaving a chill. There was a fine layer of grime on her arms, a little smudge across her nose where she’d run a hand over it, and much more on the apron tied about her waist. All in all she felt relatively peaceful with the repetitively, cleansing work-

-until someone burst in the door.

Taijana let out a surprised squeal at the noise and reached up to grasp the cloth above her chest. If she’d been a few years younger she might have fainted, but experience with teenagers prepared her for the noise. Still, the noises of footfalls pounding through the home was worrisome, more so when she could hear sobbing accompanying them. At first she wasn’t sure which one of the children it was, but soon enough Alfina made herself known and Taijana followed after her.

For a moment she hovered by the doorway to judge the situation. The scene before her made the mother’s heart ache. “I rather like your baking.” She wasn’t sure if her voice would be heard over her daughter’s much louder presence, but Taijana didn’t want to just come in if she wasn’t wanted. “What happened in town?”

Oooh no. This called for more than a few sweet words and a promise of better days. Taijana brushed her hands off on the apron around her waist before making her way into the room. The petite yaeli sat on the edge of her youngest daughter’s bed and reached out to put an arm on her shoulder. “No no, sweetheart; I’m saying it because it’s true. “

She moved her hand from Alfina’s shoulder to her back where she started rubbing comforting circles. “Alfina, you make wonderful puffs and just because some boys didn’t like them doesn’t mean they’re bad. It just means it wasn’t the taste they wanted and that’s okay.”

Taijana furrowed her brow and turned to look at Alfina with concern. “Papa says he likes them and so does Caolan, your Auntie Trilanna, Uncle Dennet, Uncle Tyrios….” She trailed off a bit so she could just keep an eye on her. Was it really helping, having only family to back it up? Taijana wasn’t the best at pep talks, mostly because her own confidence was always naturally low, but when it came to her children Tai really tried. She hated seeing Alfina so distraught over something some stupid brats said.

“And that’s okay. I know it doesn’t seem like it is, but it is okay. I’m sorry that they were so cruel, but a few rotten berries doesn’t ruin the batch, does it? If you stop doing what you love because of something they did then they’ve won and then all those people who adore your puffs will never have another one.”

Oh sweetheart. Taijana shifted herself on the bed when Alfina started to sink back into it. Situations like this left the yaeli at a loss. She wanted so badly to shield her children from the world, but Alfina was so happy when she got out and now…”You could come work with your Auntie, Uncles and I.” Her family had always held a shop that not only processed meat, but tanned hides and sold pelts. Both of her siblings worked there, as well as their husbands, so it wouldn’t be stretch, but surely Alfina had bigger plans than that?

Or maybe working in something she hated would remind her of where her heart truly lay? “It won’t smell like warm bread in the mornings, though, and your dresses won’t wash out as easily as they will with flour.”

Taijana’s offer got the expected reaction. While none of her children seemed interested in the family business it was all she’d ever known. There was comfort in the familiar, even if it wasn’t as glamorous as some of the other occupations one could find in larger cities or even when traveling abroad. She’d expected them to take after their father, had planned for it even, so to have Alfina show interest in baking of all things…Well, it was a wholesome surprise.

Now she just had to keep that spark alive, no matter how small it may have been now.

“Y’know, I bet you could share your recipe with Mrs. Vysker. You remember her, don’t you? The merchant from Pajore who comes by for our furs. She always raves about the puffs she buys at bakery and how she looks forward to coming to our village just to get them.” It wasn’t a lie; the older woman really did enjoy her daughter’s work. Of course she already knew it was Alfina’s handiwork, but Tai didn’t have to say that part just yet.

“She might not come as often now, but at least then she’ll have something to eat on her trip back.”

“She does.” Taijana confirmed and moved her hips just enough to tuck a leg underneath herself on the bed. “I like she’d like that.” It was a start, and hopefully just enough to keep Alfina’s interests alive. Taijana was certain that once Alfina left and started working somewhere else there would be a riot to bring her back. Or at the very least the tannery would have a lot more customers simply trying to get her attention for other matters.

“You know, we keep talking about them and I think I want some now. Would you mind making some for Mama? And I could make some soup?”

“Let me think about it…” Taijana trailed off, giving into a little ‘hmm’ before turning around and giving Alfina a kiss on her forehead. “Of course I will. Anything for my little sweetling.” She would pluck the stars from the sky if it would bring the light back to Alfina’s eyes. So long as she breathed she would do whatever it took to give her daughter everything she needed to succeed, and cooking her a good, hearty meal was as good a start as any.

Giving her a good pat, the slip of a woman moved up off the bed and smoothed out her apron. “Alright then, come on, we better get started. Can’t very well cook when we’re holed up here, can we?”