“Zed! Well, you're here early. How's the family?”
“We're all alive, though the oldest is a little shaken up.”
“Dragon? I heard it was down your way. Bero! Get those buns out here!”
Her younger apprentice emerged from the kitchen door carrying a tray of rolls and buns. He was a young man with his hair all up in a white hat. He didn't even try to resist pastries.
“Sorry, mistress Hana.” He huffed over to the shelves and began to empty the tray onto them.
“And remember the breadbaskets.”
“No mistress. I mean yes, mistress. I'll get right on it.” He finished with the rolls and went back to the kitchen.
“What brings you, Zed? Need some bread?” She picked up a loaf and laughed at her little rhyme. As though she had just thought of it today.
“I'm going to kill the dragon.”
The loaf of bread was suddenly flying at me. I ducked to the side, but it caught me on the shoulder.
“You can't dodge a loaf of bread, but you think you can dodge dragon breath? You gone daft?” She asked.
“No. No, I'm no fool.”
“Not what it looks like from my eyes,” she said, and walked over to the buns.
“I'm not. I bought a good sword, I'm going to get some help from-”
“A sword? Must be Newl, the little rodent. The other one'd charge more than you can afford.”
“Hana! I'm going. I'd be going without the sword, and told him as much.”
She grabbed three rolls and threw them rapidly at me. I managed to dodge them, though she's actually a good aim.
Bero emerged from the kitchen with another tray of bread.
“Bero – are all the baskets ready?”
“No, mistress, but we're opening soon. The displays - “
“Baskets first- they're already paid for. And when Stem gets in, I want to speak with him.”
“Yes, mistress.” He disappeared back into the kitchen.
She sighed and grabbed one hand with the other. I know my sister; that meant she was trying to avoid rubbing away a headache. “Did you even speak to a cleric? To Lord Maley? Hell, you can't go alone.”
“No, not planning to, and I'm going to ask some people to join me.”
“Fine, I'll come. Always had to watch out for you and – tell me you packed something to eat?”
She walked toward me, a hard glint in her eyes.
I rolled my eyes. “I'm stopping at my house on the way to hunt the dragon."
“Yes, well. We have a few stops to make first. The temple, cause I'll not let you go without the gods' consent. There's a tinker in town with interesting items, we should talk to him. Maley, cause he has guards - ”
“Lord Maley would stop me. He's too afraid of attracting the monster's attention, as if we weren't going to kill it."
She wiped her hands off on her apron. “Sunshine. I was hoping to get that one past you. Alright, well who are we planning on for help?”
“Hana, I can't guarantee your safety.”
“No, I'm watching out for yours. Like always.”
“Hana, you don't know how to fight -”
“Fine, you have the fancy soldier training, you're in charge. You do the getting killed. But I'm coming with.”
I clenched my jaw shut, and met her eyes. The heat rose like we were back in the kitchen, instead of the storefront. The door to the kitchen opened and broke the silence. Hana turned to see a grown young man, more plumped by pastries than her but less so than Bero.
She spoke. "You're handling the shop today. The cookies should be finished any minute. Be in early tomorrow to run things.”
“You said that this week - ”
“Your new wife's gonna have to let go of you early for a few days. Family business came up, and I'll be gone a bit. Now go get washed up and to work.”
He nodded and slipped back into the kitchen.
She turned back to me. “There's a tinker in town. Has some interesting wares. We should find him after we stop at the temple.”
“I didn't agree to you coming, yet.”
“Yes you did. Now grab all that bread you left on the floor and bring it with us. We have people to see.”
I nodded. “Fine. But we see the dragon, you head right back home. First sign. I don't want you in danger.”
She nodded her agreement. “That's as far as I can keep you safe. I'll pack after we know this is going to happen.”
“We already – Fine. Let's get going.”
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