Chapter 6 Aisling
“You’re here with Brook?” a voice asked.
Aisling, who had been on her way back to the elf in question with two drinks in hand, paused and nodded politely. “I am. Are you a friend?”
The elf was tall and broad, with bright hair and a stiff bearing at odds with his easy smile. “I was. I think. I’ve been trying to get this to her all week, but I think she’s ducking me.” He held out a little golden ear-cuff in one large, bluff hand. “Would you see it gets to her?”
Aisling glanced around, uncertain what she should do with the two glasses in her hands.
“Oh, I’ll take one!” He helpfully did so.
She put the cuff into her bodice, checked it was secure, and said, “I doubt she’d be ducking you, though. She’s right over there.”
“Oh, she is ducking me.” He chuckled. “But you know how it goes. I was last summer, you’re this summer.”
Aisling smiled because she felt it was expected, not because she understood the joke.
“Anyhow, thanks. Have fun—you look beautiful, by the way.” And he handed her the other drink and took off into the crowd again.
Aisling stared after him, mind whirring like one of Darra’s steam engines, trying to understand what had just happened.
“What did he want?” Brook stomped up to her.
“Oh. He had a—here.” Aisling handed Brook her drink, then reached into her bodice for the cuff. “He said he’s been trying to give you this, but he thinks you’re hiding from him.”
Brook stared suspiciously at the cuff as Aisling dropped it onto her hand.
“Are you hiding from him?” Aisling asked.
“Well, yes, but…” Brook huffed. “I thought he was… I didn’t realize he had this. I must’ve lost it last year.”
“Yes, he did say something about him being last summer.”
Brook snorted out a laugh. “He was. And I thought he was annoyed that I disappeared without saying goodbye and then…” She glanced up, caught Aisling’s eyes. “Really? He just wanted to return something to me?”
“He seems very pleasant,” Aisling said quietly.
“No. I mean, yes, he is. He’s called Sunny for a reason.” Brook frowned at the cuff again. “Well, more fool me. I’ll have to thank him, now.”
“He was your lover last year? And you didn’t say goodbye?” Aisling didn’t know why she asked; obviously that was what had happened, Brook had just said it.
“Lover is a strong word.” Brook wrinkled up her nose. “He has nice shoulders, though.”
“He does,” Aisling said, smiling briefly. Then her stomach felt as if she’d eaten a whole vat of raw dough, of a sudden. “Why didn’t you say goodbye?”
“Oh, I just…” Brook stuffed the cuff into her own corset and waved the question off. “You know how it is, when things have played out. No point making a whole drama of it, is there? He’s one of Aldian’s guards, and they all bore the tits off me.”
“And so…?”
Brook nodded. “Yes.”
Aisling frowned. Had she actually answered the question already? Or…?
“It went very well with your parents!” Brook said brightly. “They’re lovely.”
“Oh. Yes, I mean, they try,” Aisling said half-heartedly. “I…”
“Are you all right? You look pale,” Brook asked, taking her arm.
Aisling allowed it. “I think I’m just tired. I should probably get back to the wagon.”
“So soon? I thought we had everything ready for the morning,” Brook said.
“Well, yes, but the food competition is the day after tomorrow, and I need to decide if I should enter the jewelberry cakes or the new egg custard ones,” Aisling said stupidly.
Then a familiar figure, tall and handsome, caught her attention, and she latched onto it gratefully.
“Oh, there’s Raylen. Everyone’s here tonight. ”
“Wait, you know Raylen?” Brook followed her line of sight. “And who’s that on his arm?”
“Sylar,” Aisling replied. When she looked back to Brook, there was a look of pure confusion on her face. “Raylen brought him to my stall on the first day of the market.”
“So he is getting married?”
Aisling shrugged. “They make a nice couple, though.”
Brook looked over Aisling’s shoulder again before deciding, “They do, actually. How do you know—? ”
“I’d better go. Unless you need me for anything else?
” The crowd noise and crush was starting to get to Aisling.
That must be it. She was used to being out of the way when the market got busy like this; the pavilion made it much harder to stand and watch from a distance.
And the bodice on this dress might be a little too tight, now she thought about it.
That was probably why she couldn’t catch her breath.
“No, let me walk you back.” Brook began to lead her out of the maul and toward the cool, magically lit pathways beyond. “You don’t look well.”
They abandoned their drinks on the nearest sideboard and left the party without a backwards glance.
The air was lighter outside the pavilion, the sound of the party, music, and chatter they’d just left behind far pleasanter from a distance.
Aisling took a few good, deep breaths in rhythm with her stride, and that soothed her.
They were halfway through the near deserted market when Brook finally said, “Did he say anything to upset you?”
Oh, only that he was last summer, and you’re now avoiding him. And then there’s the bit where you just admitted you left without saying goodbye to him, even though he was me last year.
Aisling bit her tongue and shook her head. “No. No, he was lovely.”
“I feel terrible,” Brook admitted with a sigh. “Poor Sunny. He was just—very attached, you know? He’s one of those romantic types, always talking about forever, always looking for love. Writes horrible poetry.”
“You asked me when we first met how I feel about love,” Aisling said quietly.
Brook smiled. “I did.”
“I think it’s a gift,” Aisling replied. “But I’ve never had it. Not romantic love, anyhow.”
“No, me neither,” Brook said. Then she snorted. “Well, I admit I meant sex, not love. At the time.”
Aisling could hardly believe herself as she asked, “And now?”
“Now…” Brook’s grin was wicked in the dark. “I see the appeal of both. One could certainly augment the other, if both parties were interested.”
“I think so.” Aisling’s voice came out very silly and breathless. She wondered if it sounded flirty, even though she felt quite… terrified, really. She wasn’t sure why or how, but she was shaken, and Brook’s easy smile wasn’t having its usual effect.
When they reached the wagon, Aisling disentangled their arms and said, “Good night,” without looking back.
Brook asked, “Do you need help with those laces?”
“No. Thank you.” And Aisling ducked inside and shut the flap behind her. Then sank down to the floor in a pile of silken finery and stared for a long while, trying to understand what was wrong with her of a sudden.
“You’re being silly,” Aisling told her reflection the next morning. With her everyday clothing on, her hair tied back, and her face washed, she felt far more herself. Sensible, practical, and with her intent fixed on all she hoped to accomplish this week at the market.
So, Brook went through lovers like a pagwai through berries.
So, their little flirtation would last only another week before Brook would ride away with her royal family and never look back.
It was better to know, surely, so Aisling didn’t get too swept away.
Because for a moment there, last night, when Brook had wrapped them both in invisibility magic and swung her around that crowded pavilion unseen, Aisling had almost let herself…
She shook her head at her reflection, making a face. Silly, impractical, foolish. She had a competition to win. Last night had been an entertaining interlude, but now it was back to reality. Back to cloud cakes.
As she took the prepared elements from the ice box, lined them up, and started working, Aisling’s mind wandered.
Should she avoid Brook, now? Ask her not to come around?
After all, they’d both gotten what they needed from their false engagement, so there was really no need to spend more time together.
But then she thought of Brook’s arms around her, the soft, woodsy-sweet scent of her hair and clothes, and the way last night’s suit had hugged those long legs.
Was there any harm in having a little fun while the market lasted?
It was only another week, after all. And now that she knew better how Brook operated in love, Aisling would be prepared for it when the time came.
When Brook left without saying goodbye, and life went back to how it had been.
Which was lovely, because Aisling loved her life, her work, her research, her baking, her… everything.
But it had been nice to have help for a few days. And someone to sit by the river with and flirt. And the way Brook kissed…
Perhaps Aisling’s heart had been in danger before she’d understood what Brook’s idea of a Midsummer market fling was. But surely there was no reason to worry now.
Surely.
“What shall we do first?” Brook asked as she leaned against the counter lazily. Back in her regular leathers, her long hair cascading down her back, she looked every bit as beautiful as she had in her fancy suit last night.
Aisling smiled at the sight of her; any thought of telling Brook to go away flew from her mind in an instant. And if her heart did flutter a little, well, that was just attraction. It didn’t mean anything.
“We?” Aisling teased.
Brook grinned. “There, you’re looking much better tonight, pretty baker. I was worried last night.”
“I think I was just overwhelmed.” It wasn’t a lie, anyhow.
Brook nodded. “Happens to me regularly. Hence the disappearing act. Still, it’s nice to see your smile back in place and your cheeks all pink.”
Aisling finished wiping down the counter from the day’s sales. “I sold out again today, so I’m closing up early. But I really must work on my bakes for tomorrow’s competition. And do all the fillings for regular sales.”
“That’s why I came,” Brook said easily. “I know, I know, usually it’s to drag you away and flirt with you, but I’m very good at improvisation. I can flirt and help you bake.”
“You are quite a flirt,” Aisling said with a chuckle.