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Day Five- Rayner

Baking with Tula.

May 29, 2024 Newsletter

“Cookies!” Tula cried, rushing into the kitchens at the Fiera Palace.

 

Rayner smiled from the pantry where he was already gathering ingredients. He leaned out of the doorway, peeking out at her. She was busy shucking off her cloak and boots.

 

Boots that were leaving muddy tracks all over the floor.

 

“Weren’t those boots supposed to come off before you got this far into the palace?” he asked, arching a brow at the child.

 

She paused mid-tug, looking up at him with those baby blue eyes. “Eliza always wears boots in the palace. So do you. And Scarlett.

Unless she’s wearing those slippers. You know. The pretty silver ones that…”

 

Sighing, he stepped back into the pantry while she continued to chatter about shoes in the kitchen. He never thought he’d possess so much knowledge about shoes and dresses, but here he was. He already knew everything there was to know about Scarlett’s damn silver slippers. Mostly because Scarlett always spoke about them, but now Tula had joined in.

 

When he emerged from the pantry, his arms full of everything they would need, Tula was twirling around the space, her arms out wide and her light teal dress flaring out as she spun. 

 

“I’ve been waiting for this day forever,” she sang.

 

He huffed a laugh as he set everything on the counter. “Forever, huh? Because I recall making cookies with you just last week.”

 

“Yes. Forever,” she insisted, making her way to him and bouncing on her toes as she watched him get organized. “You were gone forever too.”

 

He winced internally. He hadn’t been gone that long. Only three days to monitor some things happening in the Shifter territories, but every time he left, he made sure that the next day home was spent with her. He’d returned late last night and promised they’d bake cookies as soon as her daily lessons were over.

 

“Three days is not forever, Tula,” he said. 

 

She sighed dramatically. “I know, I know. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to keep those we love safe. But I could come with you sometimes. Be a snake like I did on the—”

 

“No,” he interjected more harshly than he intended.

 

He knew it the moment she went still and her face fell. 

 

“Ok,” she whispered.

 

Rayner reached for the towel to wipe his hands off before crouching before the little girl. He knew this was hard for her after not having anyone for so long, but there was no godsdamn way he was taking her anywhere near the Shifter territory, let alone on any of his other missions. He couldn’t move through the smoke and ashes with another anyway.

 

“You know you are never alone, right? Scarlett and Sorin are here. Cassius. Cyrus. Eliza and Razik—”

 

Her eyes went big. “Razik is only nice to Eliza,” she said seriously.

 

“Yet he sneaks you chocolate cake and says it’s for her?” 

 

Tula giggled. “That was supposed to be a secret.”

 

Rayner smiled softly, reaching for the necklace that she never took off. “And when I’m gone, I’m still with you, right?”

 

“Right,” she said softly, going quiet again. “But they still aren’t you.”

 

“But I’m back now,” he said, not sure how to make this any better at this point. Scooping her up, he settled her on the counter next to the mixing bowl. “So let’s make some cookies.”

 

“Yes!” she cried, reaching for the measuring cups and fiddling with them.

 

She was chattering on about the things she’d done while he was gone, and he was digging in a drawer for the mixing spoon he preferred when she said, “And then! Wilder gave me flowers.”

 

“Fuck,” he hissed when he slammed his fingers in the drawer, but of course, her little ears heard it.

 

“Rayner! You can’t say that word!”

 

“You’re right,” he gritted out, examining his fingers. “I’m sorry I said that. Who is Wilder again?”

 

She gave him a stern look. Or as much of a stern look as a child who hadn’t even lived a decade yet could give. “You know, Wilder, Rayner.”

 

“I don’t think I do,” he said tightly, grabbing the sugar. “Why did he give you flowers?”

 

“Because I like flowers,” she replied as if this were the silliest question he’d asked all day, but it certainly wasn’t. Who the fuck was this Wilder child, and why was he giving her flowers?

 

But he only hummed an acknowledgment as he started adding other ingredients, letting Tula help by pouring the items into the bowl.

 

He was still contemplating the best way to figure out who Wilder was and where he’d come from when Tula cried, “We forgot the lemons!”

 

Rayner paused mid-stir, giving her a quizzical look. “Lemons for what?”

 

“For lemon cookies!”

 

“I didn’t know we were making lemon cookies.”

 

She nodded earnestly as she rubbed her belly. “They’re my favorite.”

 

Rayner set the bowl down, wiping his hands on the towel again. “No, they’re not. Extra chocolate chip is your favorite. There is no chocolate in lemon cookies.”

 

Her nose wrinkled in disgust. “Who eats cookies with no chocolate?” Then realizing her mistake, she said, “I mean…” Blue eyes darted around the kitchen before meeting his swirling ones of grey again. “I changed my mind while you were gone.”

 

He chuckled at the blatant lie. “Mhmm. Did Cyrus convince you to ask for lemon cookies?”

 

She shook her head from side-to-side, blonde curls bouncing with the movement.

 

“What did he promise you if you convinced me to make them?”

 

“That I could have all his chocolate cake from now until forever,” she said, sounding a little panicked. “That’s sooo much chocolate cake!”

 

Rayner huffed another laugh, reaching for the salt. “Tell you what, Tula. How about we make Cyrus his very own special cookies and some extra chocolate chip ones for everyone else?”

 

Her eyes went wide with excitement. “Really?”

 

“Absolutely,” Rayner said, dumping salt into the bowl. “Just make sure you get that deal with Cyrus in writing.”

 

She nodded seriously. “I will, Rayner.”

 

She shifted onto her knees, watching him stir the ingredients once more.

 

“Now,” Rayner said, sliding the baking sheet closer. “Tell me more about Wilder.”

©️Melissa K. Roehrich 2024

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