Chapter 531: A Time for Preparations
The following day, Ashlynn dutifully slept until the afternoon sun had turned soft and golden, shining through the vale’s mists in soft edged rays of pale light.
On her terrace, overlooking the valley beyond the ancient fortress walls, Ashlynn sat with Virve while they enjoyed a sumptuous feast prepared by an enthusiastic Georg. The bearish chef had used every technique at his disposal to assemble the flavors of fall in the Vale and place them all on artfully arranged plates for his most prestigious student and the soon-to-be Oak Witch.
Sitting across the table from her, Virve dispensed with knife and fork, using her claws directly to disassemble the soft duck breast that had been slow clooked in its own fat along with fresh herbs and sharp pepper corns, resulting in a texture so delicate that it melted on the tongue like butter, with a flavor so rich that Ashlynn had struggled to eat more than a few bites of her before moving on to lighter dishes.
"Did you sleep well, Virve?" Ashlynn asked, cutting a small piece of orange autumn squash that had been studded with cloves and basted with honey as it roasted. The flavor was just as delicate as the duck, but sweeter with a touch of earthyness that paired well with the goblet of red wine at her elbow. "Seeing a ritual like that, and being so close to the energy of it all, I can understand if it made it difficult to sleep afterwards."
"I slept fine my Lady, er, I mean, Mother Ashlynn," Virve said awkwardly as she licked the juices of the duck from her claws. "I sleep when I can and wake when I’m needed. I lost track of day and night years ago."
"I wish I could say that it will be better now that you’re joining the coven but..." Ashlynn said, sighing heavily. "I’m starting to lose track of day and night myself. There never seem to be enough hours and I get so few to spend with Nyri," she said wistfully.
"The winter should be a good time to slow down," Virve said, picking up bright pink lamb chop by the bone and placing the entire medallion of mutton in her mouth before biting down and tearing the meet free from the bone. The meat wasn’t as tender as spring lamb, but somehow, under Georg’s tender ministrations, he’d still delivered a chop that was rich with an earthy flavor that blended with a crust of crushed walnuts and dried berries to create a flavor that exploded in the veteran soldier’s mouth as soon as she bit down.
"My clansmen might not hibernate through the winter," she added around a mouthful of mutton as she dropped the bone on her plate. "But we all tend to withdraw to our long houses to escape the dreary days and the snows when they come. No one wants to be trudging through the cold and wet when you could cozy up by the fire with your close ones. You should do the same," she suggested, picking up another walnut crusted chop and pointing it at Ashlynn to emphasize her point.