Chapter 31: Discussing trade (2)
"Wait until you taste what Elowen can truly offer."
Riku pulled out a cloth-covered tray from a nearby crate and set it down with a soft thump.
When he lifted the cloth, a rich aroma immediately filled the room — buttery, nutty, slightly sweet. Loaves of rustic bread, golden-brown and dusted with flour, rested neatly inside.
Rennan leaned forward, sniffing reflexively.
"Hmm, this bread smells better than all the inns I've passed in Luxia."
"Try it," Riku said, breaking off a small piece.
Gently, reverently, Rennan tore off a piece. The crust gave a soft crack, and a spiral of steam rose up.
He lifted it to his mouth and took a slow, careful bite.
The outside crunched softly. The inside — pillowy, light, yet rich — melted against his tongue with a subtle tang, a hint of sweetness.
Rennan closed his eyes.
And for one, fragile moment, he wasn't a dusty merchant haggling in sun-beaten streets.He was a boy again, standing barefoot in a kitchen filled with the smell of harvest, of his mother's laughter, of warmth that had no price.