** Eighteen Years Later**
The smell of fresh bread and fruit tarts filled the small bakery as the early morning crow sounded throughout. Various cookies, almond pastries, rolls, and loaves of bread lined the shelves and display cases in the window, enhanced by the morning sunlight. All of this was the norm for Lunivette and had been the norm for the last fifteen years.
She was now the owner of the small pastry shop her mother left to her and her brother when she passed, and this had been the only way to earn some type of income.
It had been hard the first couple of years with her brother only being four at the time of their mother's passing, and the official announcement of their father's passing at sea a year later. But she managed to push through it.
The bell tower had also started to chime, overtaking the crows and waking up the rest of the village that wasn't at the docks or the entrance to the forest. Lunivette gazed out the back window at the old oak tree that was still standing after all these years. Of all the small trinkets she kept, she still held onto the ring the little boy gave her. Only now, she could only wear it on a chain as a necklace.
Hell, she still remembered the silly little promise they made that all kids their age did when playing 'princess and knights'. Funny how after that, life had a way of throwing her through the wringer.
After that day, Lunivette never saw her friend again, and the teasing started back up again and was almost unbearable to a point until it stopped at some point. Now it is just rumors and whispers among the townspeople. Every summer, she still goes to the old tree and sits till sunset when she gets the chance. A cruel reminder that he would never return, and if he did, there was the question of whether he would still remember her.
"Luni!" There was a cheerful giggle and a little girl in the doorway.
'Lyra, my baby girl! How are you?" Lunivette welcomed the girl with a warm embrace, with her mother in tow, looking frantic.
Out of the townspeople, Lyra and her mother were among the only ones who overlooked the rumors and whispers the first time they met her and her brother about six winters ago. They were also the only ones who had some sympathy for Lunivette, as it had been five years since she last saw her brother. While he may have taken most of his looks from their father, it was still the fact that he had been born from their mother that did almost nothing to keep the teasing from reaching him. It didn't surprise Lunivette either when he had finally turned thirteen, he went with the other young boys who wanted to join the royal army. It was a way for him to start fresh in a different city without the rumors about his family holding him back.
Might even be the reason it has been five years since he was last home or even received a letter from him.
"Lyra Olivine Rose, what have I told you about running and leaving my side this time of year?" Asena was breathless after the girl, struggling to catch her breath. From where Lunivette stood, she knew it was only a matter of time before Lyra became a big sister.
"I sowry momma," Lyra sniffled a little, "I just smelled Luni's bread, and I got excited."
Lunivette's lips twitched up at the statement and stifled a laugh. This child knew what she was doing. But she also had this warm, fuzzy feeling that made her feel like her pastries were doing some good. Asena could only stare at the little girl. There were some truths to what she had stated the moment she followed her daughter in. Lunivette had seen it one too many times in this village, heard the cries of mothers in the daytime. While they were only a quarter's day journey to the capital, they still had a decent number of traders who came from various parts of the kingdom and other countries. It was a sad truth that it also put the children here in danger from being taken at any given moment when their parent wasn't watching them. It didn't matter if they were across the walkway. If there were a way, someone would do it.
"Don't do it again, promise mommy." Asena held out her pinky to Lyra.
"I promise."
Silence filled the space between the three, but it held a promise. Lunivette knew how hard it had been for Asena these past couple of months. Her husband got called away at sea a month after she had announced her expectancy, and there has been no word on him or the crew since then. Some days were better than others, and then there were days when they spent the night at the bakery, waiting to hear the bells on his return. Turning towards the back, she grabbed a wrapped Dewberry tart and held it to Lyra.
"One specially made tart for one special girl who keeps promises."
Lyra's eyes lit up, and an ear-splitting screech rang across the small enclosure and out to the walkways.
"For me! For me! For me!"
This was one of those moments when everything seemed to be going the way it was supposed to. Laughter replaced the echo of the screech, and Lyra was running in circles around the displays, holding the tart. By the time Lyra had calmed down, Lunivette assisted Asena in getting some essentials, and just like they were once again out the door to finish the day's shopping.
From then on, the day had progressed with random bursts of business and different vendors coming and going. From time to time, there was a happy couple that came in looking for a treat to share between the two, or a husband who managed to sneak away from the docks looking for a treat to take home to their wife. The weight around her neck would usually feel heavy, sometimes even cold to the touch. Maybe it was due to jealousy, or possibly even something else.
The sun was just crossing the horizon when Lunivette took record of her inventory and let out a sigh of relief? Yeah, relief, that's what she called it. There was enough for her to donate to the local shelter for travelers if she closed up shop an hour earlier than normal. Granted, closing shop meant that she could lose out on any last-minute patrons from the docks. She had been lost in thought and failed to notice the bell ring from the front door.
"Ahm."
A cough pulled her from her thoughts. Standing behind her was a gentleman in what looked like Ivorian attire, accompanied by a small group of armed guards. As far as she knew, there wasn't anything major going on between the four regions.
"Are you Ms. Lunivette of Oskandor?"
Lunivette didn't know whether to respond to his question or to bolt out the door. It wasn't uncommon for people to come in asking for her, only to take the day's profits. But they were usually village regulars, and this man in front of her was from the Ivorian Duchy.
"I am. Is there anything I can help you gentlemen with?" She dusted any nonexistent flour off her hands and moved to the front of the counter.
In the gentleman's hands, there was a letter sealed with the Grand Duke's stamp, and it was addressed to her. For a second, her heart stopped, and Lunivette felt her knees lock in place. Was it something her brother did, and he asked the duke to contact her for compensation? Or was it something much worse?
"I am His Grace's personal attendant. He specifically requested this letter be delivered to you and is expecting a response within the week at the Inn and Tavern up the well." With that, he handed her the letter, and they walked back out into the walkway.