Pot of Luxury

"We'll take a stop here for the night."

Bailey brings the wagon to a stop as evening approaches. It's impossible to continue any further with no more light and little energy. All we can do is pull out to the side of the road and set up camp.

"I'll prepare us something to eat. Hard bread is great for staying on the move, but the flavour leaves much to be desired…"

She begins digging into one of her wooden crates, eventually extracting a pot and spoon. I stand to stretch my legs, watching as Bailey removes one sack of food at a time.

"Now the base…Ah!"

When she starts trying to unload a tankard of water, I finally step in. One misstep brings her falling back from the wagon and into my waiting arms. My predicted spot was slightly off to the side, but this preparation was more than enough to prevent an inconvenient accident.

"You don't have to go out of your way. Peo and I are accustomed to basic rations."

"I can't have that! You knights work hard to keep us all safe, so it's only fair that I offer you this much. Especially since I can't pay you properly."

"So we really don't get paid…"

Even with her braided hair directly in front of my face, she doesn't hear my mumblings. I really need to have a few words with the House of Aufrey about compensation for all of the work I have to do. Purchasing supplies and repairing armour can get expensive.

I release Bailey and allow her to light the fire that will serve as our light for the remainder of the night. She settles down beside the small flame before looking at Peo and me with a smile and thumbs up.

"Dinner will be ready in a bit!"

* * * * *

"You really can't beat city food!"

The three of us sit on the dirt with bowls in hand, forming a small circle with Apricot perched at her owner's back. In the centre of our ring is a pot still freshly boiled with a variety stew. All of us are eating, but Bailey outpaces everybody as she eagerly fills her mouth with few breaks in between. When she isn't blissfully chewing, she's gushing about the contents.

"You can't find fish like this up in the mountains! Then there are the spices! Even salt is a challenge for us to source on our own!"

"This is certainly unlike anything I've ever eaten."

I could never begin to describe the flavour. Each ingredient on its own is foreign to me, then they all combine to form something absolutely unique to my tastebuds. Earth could never possibly replicate this dish, not without the exotic produce and herbs.

As I take another sip of the broth, I turn to check on the beast beside me.

"Do you like it Peo?"

No response is given verbally. However, I am met with the young girl thrusting an empty bowl in front of me with a quiet grunt. Mine is still barely half empty.

"Alright, alright."

I top her up and the sounds of eating resume with little room for conversation. It isn't until Bailey devours her serving that she breaks our silence.

"You two are fortunate, having access to these kinds of ingredients all the time!"

"I assume options are scarce at higher elevations?"

"That may well be an understatement…"

She leans back against the large body of her mule and stares into her second helping of stew. The flame beneath the pot seems to dance within her blue eyes.

"It takes quite a while to get anything up the mountain, so we can't have reliable shipments. Sometimes merchants bring less perishable goods to our town, but we don't have the money to buy too much of it."

Bailey places the bowl on her lap and digs in a small sack at her side. From inside, she pulls out a pastry much like those sold out on the streets. The way she holds it tightly, you would think that her hands held gold or precious gems.

"Believe me, I love bread made from mountain rye. But eating it with every meal for twenty years will really tire you out!"

"Bread is a staple after all. Cheap to produce while providing enough energy to work through the day."

"Perhaps, but sometimes I want a little sugar!"

Whatever form of speaking she adopted for business has been cast aside with the entry of a pastry into her mouth. Her expression melts into that of pure satisfaction when met with the sweet jam at the centre.

"If only I could partake in such luxuries every day…"

The baked item is half gone when Bailey notices a pair of curious eyes aimed in her direction. Peo isn't digging holes into her, but the treat grasped tightly in her hands. It would have probably been less trouble if the young beast were looking at just about anything else.

Bailey looks between Peo and the pastry several times, a difficult decision sitting atop her shoulders. Her hand tries to hold it forward, but an instinctive reflex quickly pulls it back. She tries to take another bite, yet those green eyes fill her with guilt. This conflict within is on the brink of splitting her mind in two.

"Do you…want some, Peo?"

Her response was filled with absolute agony.

The beast looks up at me with another empty bowl in hand, waiting for permission like a child asking her mother for candy. My shoulders shrug as I eat another spoonful of stew.

"She's offering, so take it if you want it."

Peo nods before turning back to the woman across the fire. A pair of ears twitch before her head turns downward, hands pushing the silver scarf over her mouth. Despite her difficulties interacting with humans, she manages to release her request with upturned eyes.

"If you…don't mind…"

"No, please go ahead!"

Bailey almost flies into the boiling pot with the pastry held out with both hands. Such an arduous fight was immediately resolved by looking at the bashful face of the beast child. If only all wars were so simple.

"Thank…you."

After a brief hesitation, Peo reaches her hands forward. She flinches when their hands touch, but she pushes forward and grasps the gift. To see her not only speak with, but connect with a human other than myself, it has a strange effect.

"Well done, kid."

I rub the top of her head as she enjoys the reward of her courage. On the other side, Bailey has a smile reminiscent of a mother watching her child.

Warm from both fire and company, our night comes to a close.