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Post by Kayla on Feb 7, 2008 12:11:21 GMT -5
The smell of baking bread filled the springy air, bringing smiles to any who walked by. Kayla was baking again. And as was typical when Kayla was baking, all the children were in the shop. Any who entered would see rapturous faces watching her, asking questions, and hoping she saved something for them. "Miss Kay! Miss Kay!" shrieked one little girl, her brown hair flying around her face as she waved her hand frantically in the air, "the bread! It's rising! Is it magic?" The little children clamored for her attention, all wanting to be in the good graces of 'Miss Kay'. "Why does the bread turn brown? Why doesn't it get burneded? Whacha puttin' into the bowl, Miss Kay?" The questions peppered the air until finally the young girl turned. A laugh on her face, she smiled at the small group, at the eager faces turned to her. "Now, little missy," she teased, adressing the first girl, "I've told you all a million times! It's the yeast I put in that makes it rise. It turns brown when it cooks, and it doesn't burn because I don't let it!" Taking a small bowl in hand, she added water, sugar, and a few other ingredients. "Whacha makin' now, Miss Kay?" queried one curious boy named Donovan, his blonde hair unruly and sticking up every which way. This effect was not helped when Kayla reached out and ruffled his hair fondly. "Icing for the cakes," she said. Turning with a twinkle in her emerald eyes, she took out a small tray she had been hiding. "Now, who wants a cookie?" she asked. Such a question was merely for fun, because no one would turn down the cinnamon pecan cookies she made. Within seconds the children were munching happily.
"Now, you munchkins go and play. It's a lovely day outside! Go one now, before I pick one of you up and bake you in a cake!" The tiny children shrieked and giggled at this suggestion, racing out of the shop, making the small bell at the door ring frantically. Rolling her eyes expressively, Kayla turned back to her work. The children were a joy to her; the parents all knew they would come to no harm in the shop. Taking down a bowl covered in a cloth, she lifted it. Yes, the dough had risen well in the past hour. Dumping it onto a board, she began to punch it down and around, stopping only to sprinkle it with flour as it began to stick to her fingers. A slight increase in the noise outside made her stop. Then Kayla turned back to her work. It was probably just someone passing through; no reason to worry.
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Post by Terion, King of Ireland on Feb 7, 2008 13:05:32 GMT -5
Terion, King of Ireland, rode into the village with a company of around twenty light cavalry. It was not that impressive, in fact, it wasn’t impressive at all. Terion had about the same procession that a noble or simple lord would. He did not have the hundred-man procession that went before him with all of the flags and the horns and the other instruments blowing like the previous king. Terion didn’t care about that at all. He cared about one thing, his people and defending them, even if that meant giving his own life away in the process. Terion needed men for the army that he was going to use to attack the Romans and cease their invasions onto his island. He needed to recruit more men and that was the reason that he found himself in this village. Once he had ridden into the center of the city he dismounted from his horse and walked over to the first man he could find and spoke with him personally. The other men dismounted and began to do the same thing. Terion was in dire need of soldiers and it didn’t matter if they had previous experience or not. He just needed men. Men could be trained and sent to fight.
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Post by Kayla on Feb 7, 2008 15:09:22 GMT -5
The children watched, wide eyed, at the small procession of men that rode in. Horses were not overly common in the small village, and certainly not horses so fine as these. The little boys whispered and planned, boasting to each other about what they would do were they in the army. Still they did not approach, being in sufficent awe of the small group to be slightly fearful. All but one. A tiny girl, hair dark and wispy, sucking on her thumb, watched the men as they dismounted and talked to the villagers. Her thin shoes made no noise as she walked up to the group, small enough to escape notice from the men who were only interested in recruiting. Little Mara liked horses. And she had her big brown eyes set on one particular horse. He was big and strong, his coat chestnut and shining. A tiny hand reached out to touch the slender leg as she removed her thumb and yelled, "Hello 'orsey!". At this unexpected touch and noise the horse shied away and snorted, eyes rolling in startled fear. The little Mara shrieked and fell backwards as the horse reared above her, hooves flailing in panic.
A door slammed open as her mother gasped, noticing the commotion. But Kayla was two steps ahead of her. Having watched from the windows, she knew something bad was about to happen as the curious girl wandered over to the horse. Cheek streaked with flour, she dashed out to the square with surprising speed, her slender legs running towards the scene. Her small but strong hands grabbed the back of Mara's dress, yanking her away and shielding her as the horse landed, whinnying and dancing. One hoof caught her in the side, nicking her slightly, but she didn't care. The girl was safe. Setting down the teary child, she watched as Mara ran to her mother, frightened out of her wits. Turning to the owner of the horse, a broad shouldered stranger, Kayla snapped at him angrily. "Hey, you should pay closer attention! She could have been killed by your horse!" Her emerald eyes pinned him with an angry glare, a few dark curls escaping their halfhazard bondage in the ponytail. Kayla planted her hands on her hips, then winced momentarily as her hand landed on the forming bruise from the heavy hoof of the horse. That would hurt tomorrow.
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Post by Terion, King of Ireland on Feb 7, 2008 16:14:24 GMT -5
The broad shoulder man was Terion and he turned around as the horse protested to the little girl's touch. Terion didn't have time to do anything because a young woman had already come from somewhere and shooed the girl away from the horse in time so the horse did not crush her. Then she openly accosted Terion in front of his soldiers. However, his men did not approve of this action and several men drew their swords and cut her off from Terion. "Save your tongue woman." One man snarled, his sword, dangerously close to the woman's neck. Another man put a spear towards Kayla put before it got too close to Kayla a hand reached out and took the spear and pointed it up. Terion stepped in front of the men. "Save your weapons." Terion ordered and the men back away, sheathing their weapons and returning to their duty. Terion turned to face Kayla, "You have a strange way of addressing a King." Terion asked as he looked at Kayla. She was covered in flour and smelled of cooked bread, "Especially for a baker." Terion concluded with a smile at her appearance.
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Post by Kayla on Feb 7, 2008 16:29:20 GMT -5
Instantly her defenses went up as the men bristled at her comments. "Did I have my knife with me," she snarled at the first man as he drew his sword, "you would have to save your manhood!" But then the man whose horse had reared stepped in front of them. The men reluctantly went about their business and the apparent king and Kayla stood there. Before she could open her mouth and say anything, Gemello trotted out from the bakery. "Kayla! Kayla!" he said running up, arms in the air. Stepping between the two, he stammered an apology, dipping his head nervously in a bow. "Sorry, sorry, king, Kayla didn' know. Twon't happen again, I assure you!" Taking Kayla reluctantly in hand, the small plump figure tried to usher her back into the bakery. But Kayla wouldn't have any such thing. "No, Da," she protested, "I've never heard of such a king! And king or no, that doesn't change the fact that he nearly killed Mara!" Finally, whisking herself around, she glared at him over her back, her chin set stubbornly, and stomped back to the bakery, the door slamming behind her with a resounding slam and jingle of the bell. The villagers chuckled at the scene. Kayla was always a matter of amusement to watch when her temper was riled. One of the young men, currently talking to one of the recruiters, shook his head and smiled apologetically. "Real spitfire, that Kayla," he commented in thick Irish brogue, "Tempered like a true Irish lass, eh?"
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Post by Terion, King of Ireland on Feb 7, 2008 16:48:17 GMT -5
Terion watched the little man come up to Kayla before she could say anything and apologized for her. Terion was going to say something before she was taken away by the little man who apparently was her father. It was a strange seen to be sure; however, it was not one that Tyler was completely unused to. Terion had grown up in a village smaller than this one and he knew what it was like to live poor and under the rule of others. Terion listened to the remark of the man before he looked back for Kayla but she was gone. "Kayla...." Terion whispered to himself as he though about her name, walking to his horse, calming it a bit. She did seem to be quite different than her father. She was very stubborn and yet he father was very quick to ask for forgiveness, as if Terion was going to behead someone or something. Terion beckoned for one of his men to come over to him after he had concluded his conversation with a local boy. "Drego, who was that?" Terion asked. "Ah yes, Kayla, she the daughter of the local baker." The man said and looked at the bakery, "Nothing special about her, just an ordinary girl." The man concluded. Terion shook his head and looked the man in the eyes, "And yet both you and I were ordinary once." Terion concluded and the man nodded, "Very good sir." "And i do not believe her to be ordinary. Her father, now he is ordinary in the sense that he did what every other person i have ever seen do to a king. He kept his head down, his words light and repentant as if he had done something wrong. He had done nothing wrong and neither had she." Terion said and the man nodded again. "Very good sir. What about the recruits?" "Drego, take care of it for me. I am going to talk to an "ordinary" person." The man nodded and walked off towards the other soldiers as Terion walked towards the bakery, walking into the building, looking around at everything.
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Post by Kayla on Feb 7, 2008 17:00:55 GMT -5
Back in the bakery, Kayla punched a piece of dough rather viciously, slamming it around on the board as a vent for her growing irritation. "Men!" she muttered, "Coming in...think they own us....a king...ha!" Cheeks in high color, she turned and began to mix a bowl of icing with growing ferocity. The nerve of them! Coming in, asking for help, nearly killing a child! Kayla was mostly angered about the fact that young Mara could have been hurt. She loved the children like her own, and would never allow anyone to hurt them. Gemello fluttered around the bakery, mopping his beaded brow with a small towel he carried. "Kayla, Kayla, what shall I do with you? Impetuous, bold girl!" he admonished. The words did not sting coming from her father, for he said them with an almost indetectable tone of pride in his voice. Secretly he loved the rash nature and quick wit of his girl, because he knew that behind those was a bright smile and a kind heart. "It's okay, Da," she finally said, setting down the bowl and kissing him on the forehead, "that supposed king will be gone soon and all will be well. Mara is okay, and that's what I care about." She decided not to mention the bruise forming on her side where the horse had caught her with its hoof. Gemello had no need to worry further. The pudgy man finally tottered off, threatening to marry her off to a vagrant. Temper cooled, Kayla turned back to her baking. She knew she was out of the water once he started to talk about marrying her off. Eighteen and not married. Kayla was just waiting for the right one to come along. She had a need for someone bold and adventurous, secretly, and besides, all the eligible men would no doubt leave with the small contingent of soldiers. The small bell rung behind her as someone entered. "Donny," she warned, thinking it was one of the children, "I told you, one cookie for everyone. No more, my little man."
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Post by Terion, King of Ireland on Feb 7, 2008 17:12:33 GMT -5
Terion raised an eyebrow as he was called a little man upon entering the bakery. Terion stopped and looked down at himself and then looked back at Kayla, not saying anything for a moment as he tried to think of how the world little applied to him. "Well i am not that smile, maybe my pride....but other than that there isn't that much littleness about me there lass." Terion said calmly and with his deep warming voice. He took a few more steps towards Kayla, his sword swinging to and fro as he walked. Terion put his hand on the hilt of the sword and made sure that it wasn't going to swing into anything. He held it firmly in his hands and walked to Kayla until he was all of four yards from her. He stopped and looked at her for a moment. "I don't think i am Donny either..." Terion said, holding back a smile. Usually by now someone would be bowing to him, trying to get him to forgive them for being mistaken, but Something told Terion that such a thing was not going to happen with this woman.
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Post by Kayla on Feb 7, 2008 17:25:08 GMT -5
Kayla whirled around, shocked, as a deep voice resonated in the shop. A flush crept to her cheeks as she realized it was that man who called himself king. Had she realized how she looked she would have had reason for embarassment. A smear of white flour was streaked over her cheek, a few dark curls falling in small tendrils around her face. She still held the bowl and sthingy in hand as she stared at him, her bright green eyes scrutinizing him as she regained her composure. Recovering quickly, she turned back to the counter, setting down the bowl with a resounding thud. "Pity," she commented, wiping her hands on her apron reflexively. This man flustered her, and she didn't exactly hold with him being king. Kayla had never heard of him before, not a king so young, and he had no proof that she could see. For all she knew he was a soldier being uppity with her. His sword indicated that he was, at least, in the army. "Well, king," she started, keeping her bristling back to him while putting sarcastic emphasis on the word 'king', "what do you wish?" Taking out a knife from a space beneath the table, she began to slice a loaf of bread into thin, even strips, a skill born of a lifetime of practice. The silver flash of the blade glinted dangerously as she cut with blurring speed, high color in her cheeks indicating that she was in a bit of a temper. The nerve of him!
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Post by Terion, King of Ireland on Feb 7, 2008 18:45:01 GMT -5
The bakery smelled very good and he could smell the fresh bread that she was cutting. Terion loved home cooking and anything that just came out of the oven. He was a guy and guys loved food. Terion was no exception. He could tell by the way that she said “king” that she did not submit to his authority and she had a right not do submit. Terion was not going to make her bow down before him. He was not going to make her do anything. That was the reason he hated the Romans so much. They forced their will upon people with little or no regard for the person’s well being. “Well for starters I would greatly appreciate a slice of bread.” Terion said as he listened to the rumble of his stomach, “Secondly, I would like you to look at me when I am talking you.” Terion said, “I am not a man that is going to make you bow before me, but there are levels or respect that I do wish for and require from those around me, whether they be peasants or kings.” Terion continued, “Perhaps you would be more suited if I bowed to you?” Terion asked as he bowed his head to her. “You see, bowing shows respect, not submission. I get cursed for coming here why?” Terion asked as he moved over to Kayla and moved his hand to her cheek and turned her head so that she was looking at him.
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Post by Kayla on Feb 7, 2008 19:30:24 GMT -5
Despite her dislike for the young king, Kayla would not turn away a customer. Men were always hungry; once in her shop they would invariably order something. The tantalizing smell of bread would always draw in hungry people. Slicing a thick slice of honey wheat bread, she was about to give it to him when his hand was on her cheek, forcing her to look at him. For a moment her green eyes were lifted to his. The moment was broken by an angry shake of her head. "No one," she snarled, her eyes flashing as she stomped to the other side of the room, knife still in hand, "touches me." She checked on the bread she had put in earlier. It was a dark brown, being of a coarser grain, and it was done. Taking a thick cloth from the table next to the oven, she grabbed the pan and yanked it out, slamming it with unnecessary force on the table. Then she turned to look at him, her jaw set stubbornly, dark ponytail wisking behind her. One hand on the table, she shook her head at him. "If bowing means you respect someone, forgive me if I don't comply," she said, purposefully jabbing at him with words. He had the upper hand in the strength department. He did have rather broad shoulders, a strong jaw, thickly muscled arms....shaking her head slightly, she forced herself away from these thoughts. For a moment there was silence. Stomping a small foot, raising a small puff of flour, she planted a hand on her hip. Kayla winced as it hit the bruise there. She should probably stop doing that. "Eat your bread," she commanded, turning to cut the bread she had just taken out and then promptly trying to ignore him.
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Post by Terion, King of Ireland on Feb 7, 2008 20:09:12 GMT -5
Terion was a little taken aback by her sudden movement of her head. She was quite defiant indeed and Terion could see that. He couldn't help but smile to himself when she said that no one touched her. He highly doubted that as her father had just pulled her inside the shop a few moments earlier. However, he doubted that was the kind of touching she was talking about. Terion listened to her ramble on and he was getting this strange urge to do something. He watched her as she got the bread out of the oven and then offered it to him and then finally shut up and told him to eat his bread. She probably should have known something was coming from the smug grin that was on his face. He took the bread and ate it, smiling as he cleared his throat, "That was good." Terion said with a smile, "You are a good cook." King complimented, "So, will you be a cook all your life or will you do something else for a career? You would make a good lady in waiting." Terion said with a smirk, thinking about having her in his court. That would be a fun time. She would probably try to chance diplomacy or something.
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Post by Kayla on Feb 7, 2008 20:28:36 GMT -5
Kayla's temper, though it flared quick and hot, cooled just as quickly. She was not one to hold eternal grudges. "Thank you," she accepted grudgingly, "I've been cooking all my life." Finishing the slicing of the bread, she picked up a bowl and started mixing whatever was inside. As long as her hands were busy she could stay in control of the conversation. Looking at the man, sitting and talking to him, would not be a good thing for her. For some reason this 'king' was interested in her. As long as she could just stave off his interest she would be fine. "I am not going to leave my home and family to go with a young upstart who claims he is king," Kayla declared brisquely. She would not leave her village for something as mundane as being a lady in waiting. She was not a servant. Her stirring strong, she noticed with dismay that the dough was thickening fast, meaning she couldn't keep stirring it much longer. Then she would have nothing else to do. Kayla hoped the small contingent of men would leave soon, because then this man would leave with them. He unnerved her.
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Post by Terion, King of Ireland on Feb 7, 2008 20:34:05 GMT -5
Well at least she accepted compliments. Terion watched her as she finished slicing the bread and listened to her as she began to talk about how she had been cooking all of her life. Terion was a healer, a doctor, he didn't cook food that could be eaten every day. The cooking that he did was with herbs and medicines and things that healed people. Terion couldn't help but smirk as she began to talk about her not leaving with him because he claimed to be king. "Well i am pretty sure that i am King." Terion said, pausing, "And um, yea i am pretty sure that i don't have to claim it." He said and he moved over to her again as she stirred the dough. "And you may or may not come with me." Terion said with a smile, moving his hand to her chin and bringing her lips to his as he kissed her deeply for a few moments before pulling away, smiling slightly.
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Post by Kayla on Feb 7, 2008 20:53:23 GMT -5
Stirring, Kayla was almost finished when he stood up and walked nearer. Automatically she backed up. Unfortunately there was a table behind her. She set the bowl down as he came closer, her eyes a dark emerald, warning him to stay away. But he didn't seem the type to heed warnings. Then before she could do anything his hand was on her chin again and he was so close...then he kissed her. His lips were firm and warm on hers, his arms strong. Having never been kissed, Kayla didn't know quite what to do. He was so close, so warm against her, so strong. Despite herself Kayla lowered her thick lashes, her slender hands against his chest. Then, just as he pulled away, a tiny voice shrieked, "The king-man is kissing Miss Kay!" Kayla shoved him away as the voice broke the moment, whirling to see a small trio of two boys and little Mara standing there. For a moment the woman and the children stared at each other. Then, with shrieks and giggles, the children ran out, bell jingling madly. "He KISSED her!" they proclaimed to anyone who was outside. The young village men had a mixture of jealousy and disbelief stamped on their faces, and the adult villagers lost no time in beginning to gossip about it. The king kissing Kayla? Bold, sassy Kayla? Almost unbelievable. Inside the bakery, Kayla whirled around, anger staining her cheeks a bright pink, eyes snapping with malice at him. "Who do you think you are!" she snapped, walking up to him and poking him viciously in the chest, "you can't just walk around kissing people who don't want you to be even near them!"
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