It was dark when she finally locked up for the night. Unusual for her, she was the last one to leave and she couldn’t shake how strange it felt. The crew had plans under the mountain, so they’d left earlier than usual, their absence leaving the bakery eerily silent. The sharp wintery air made her lungs ache with the first deep breath she took. Though it hurt, the bite it brought with it helped to clear her head as she walked across the street to collect Sorrel. She’d been kept nice and warm in the stable Mayor Luddie had hired the dwarven crew for recently to be built to house the townsfolk’s horses when they were in town on business. It was one of the first improvements Mayor Luddie had made for Smallburrow residents since Kaida and Eilaen had moved to town, and it was largely due to the expansion of business that had started coming in from the smaller communities close by. The warmth that filled the stable sent a shiver down her spine, the kiss of heat defrosting her nose just enough to feel it. She felt the raw nerves under her skin as she wiggled her nose around, quickly mounting Sorrel so that she could get home for the night. 

Thankfully, even though it was freezing and there was a light dusting of snow falling, her ride back was completely uneventful. Upon arriving at the farm, she was delighted to find Eilaen standing outside, waiting on her. “What’re you doing outside, Ellie? It’s a lot more than just a wee bit nipply out here and you are barely dressed well enough to be out.”

“I came outside to make sure that the animals’ stoves were still going, and they had enough wood inside of them to be sufficient so they would last all night. Then, I was planning on touching up the garden once more for the day before it began to snow, but I was minutes late doing so. The snow began just as I was walking up to the tomatoes. Thankfully, I was able to get everything warmed up and thriving again so it should all be okay until morning when Jareth comes to handle his round of magicking the plants. Even though my power has grown a lot over the last few weeks, it still wears me out. Anyways, I was just about to head in when I heard you and Sorrel coming up the road. You know, you’d be a terrible thief. You couldn’t ever sneak up on anyone. Your humming always gives you away.” Eilaen stopped to laugh. “Here, let me have her and I’ll put her up for the night. You go on ahead and eat. Dinner is on the stove and should still be warm enough to eat. Nothing fancy. I just made a simple shepherd’s pie tonight,” Eilaen responded, taking reins from Kaida so she could lead the donkey away to get her rubbed down and settled in beside the food and heater for the night.

Once inside, Kaida took her time getting out of her cloak and boots, relishing the peaceful quiet that always settled over her home at night. As much as she genuinely loved having the dwarves around and despite how strange the silence was without them this afternoon, they truly were a rowdy bunch. The commotion of their “demo and remo”, as she called it, definitely did nothing to help with the noise either. After eating and warming up, Kaida relaxed in her chair with a cup of lavender tea and discussed the day’s events with Eilaen. The aroma of the lavender mingling with the woodsy scent of the fireplace had a calming effect and was almost sedating after the long day that she’d had.

“Oh, Ellie! Are you busy tomorrow?” Kaida asked suddenly after draining her cup.

“Actually, I’m not. I was thinking that I could come to the bakery with you and see everything! Jareth and I have been so busy lately making sure everyone has what they need and it’s prevented me from being able to stop by like I hoped I’d be able to. I haven’t been able to come in, which I know you already know. It makes me feel awful. Here I am, supposed to be your business partner, and there’s been no ‘me’ to be partner with,” Eilaen said, her expression turning sorrowful. 

“It’s okay. I promise! I understand. Your dream is taking your time, and that’s okay. I know you love me, and that you love the bakery. There will be plenty of time, especially as the weather warms up in a few months and you don’t have to tend to the garden as much,” Kaida reminded her softly. “I can’t wait for you to see the progress Elkhean and the crew have made! It’s amazing. I never knew a group of dwarves could move so fast!”

Eilaen laughed as Kaida described how the dwarves always devoured her cookies or muffins quicker than Jareth ever had. They talked and laughed, sometimes to the point of bringing tears to their eyes and stayed up chatting well into the night. By the time they were stumbling up the stairs, the clock was chiming that it was two am, and Kaida knew she’d be tired in the morning. This time she’d spent with Eilaen tonight was just the balm her soul needed since she’d opened up the doorway to the hurtful memories she always kept locked up tightly. She fell asleep with a smile on her face, extra thankful that night for her best friend sleeping down the hall. 

Ten

The next morning, Kaida was woken by the scrumptious scent of bacon, eggs, and fried taters on the stove. She stretched, yawning as she sat up in bed. Before leaving her room, Kaida got dressed, her body begging for an extra layer due to the light nip in the air that she assumed was caused by Eilaen coming in and out. She ran her fingers through her hair to tame it as best as she could, her green tresses still wild from sleep. A grunt came from her as her fingers got stuck in a faerie knot. Rolling her eyes, she descended the stairs as she thought to herself, those aren’t even accurately named. Faeries don’t form knots like these. 

She hopped off the last step with a yawn and turned toward the den. There was a noise coming from the kitchen, which she assumed was from Eilaen clanging the dishes around since the smells of breakfast were so thick. She stopped at the archway that separated the kitchen from the dining room, amazed at the sight before her. Not only was Eilaen cooking breakfast, but Ms. Kestrel was mixing up cake batter. In the distance, she could hear the desperate and frustrated sounds of Jareth trying to wrangle Tillard back into the pen.

“Did you set up a breakfast party without telling me, Eilaen Adah-Mae?” Kaida asked, laughing at the way Ms. Kestrel and Eilaen had both startled. Somehow, Ms. Kestrel managed to keep the batter from spilling, even when her hands flew off the whisk and bowl and went straight into the air. Eilaen, however, dropped the pot she’d just finished drying. It landed on the floor with a loud crash!

“Well, Missy. You know it isn’t customary to tell the birthday girl about a surprise before the surprise actually happens,” Ms. Kestrel replied after she’d had a moment to catch her breath. Expertly, she transferred the mixed batter from the large bowl into the pan and slid it into the now-opened oven.

It wasn’t until that moment that it dawned on Kaida that she’d forgotten all about her birthday between running orders to customers, as well as everything she’d been doing in the bakery. “You guys are the absolute sweetest!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around both her best friend and the elderly gnome in front of her. 

Just then, the front door opened and shut with a slam. The three of them whipped around to find Jareth stomping into the kitchen, a scowl covering his face.

“Eilaen, why is Tillard still around? What purpose does he serve? I just don’t understand how such a pig can be allowed to stay here when all he does is ruin things and get into everything he shouldn’t,” Jareth ranted, not noticing Kaida standing in front of him. 

“Because of her,” Eilaen retorted with a smile as she jabbed her finger in Kaida’s direction.

Jareth looked where she’d pointed and his face changed from a scowl into a smile. “Happy birthday, Kaida!” he shouted, wrapping his arms around her as he scooped her up for a hug.

Once he put her back down, she laughed. “Thank you, Jareth! Oh, and just so you know, Tillard is still here because I have read several books on how pigs in areas like ours have a natural tendency to dig up truffles. I’m determined to witness Tillard do this. He may not be worth much, but if he can dig up even one of those bad boys, then he’ll be worth something. That’s why. Trust me. If any pig can do it, it’s that big ole meathead.” She put her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out at the Fae standing in front of her. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but knowing you, you won’t stop until you get what you’re looking for. I guess I can understand why he’s still here. But can you at least find a way to keep him where he belongs?” Jareth asked as he rolled his eyes. “Because potential truffle finder or not, we need to find a way to lock him up to keep him out of the vegetables. He’s wearing me thin with how much I have to patch things up after he’s torn through the plots.”

Kaida gave him a sympathetic nod before moving on. “So, what’s on our agenda today then, pals?” she asked after the four of them had made their plates and sat down at the dining room table.

“Ms. Kestrel is going to go with me to deliver produce orders to everyone in town so that Eilaen has all day with you. Then, we were thinking about eating dinner here tonight. Maybe you can invite a certain dwarf you talk about so much?” Jareth answered, giving her a look.

“What’s the look for Jareth?” Kaida asked, feeling her cheeks as the heat crept up on them. 

“You know exactly why he’s looking at you like that, Kai,” Eilaen said, laughing.

“Oh, you guys are nutty ninnies. There’s nothing going on there. We’re just... Friends. Just friends. Nothing more,” Kaida explained, her statement growing more defensive. 

“Okay. Okay, you two. Leave her alone. We treat our birthday girls like the birthday queens they truly are around here,” Ms. Kestrel said in her grandmotherly way, winking in Kaida’s direction as she passed the syrup to her for the pancakes that were sitting on the table.

“Yeah. I’m the birthday queen, you nuts.” Kaida laughed as she stuck her tongue out at them before crunching on the slice of bacon in her hand.

After they had all finished eating, Jareth and Eilaen cleaned up before the girls drifted outside to the stables. Once they’d saddled up Mable and Sorrel, they began their journey into town. Though the wind wasn’t blowing, Kaida was sure that she could feel ice dripping down her nose instead of rivers of snot, a curse she’d encountered every winter since she could walk. 

When they had almost reached the inn, they checked Mable and Sorrel into the stables across the street. Once they were sure everything was in order at the check in, they counted to three before opening the door and quickly ran across the road to the bakery. Unsurprisingly, the door was unlocked and they were able to walk in without worrying about keys in frozen fingers. Kaida was astounded, however, to see the dwarves had gotten the fireplace in the dining area patched up, cleaned out, and lit. No more need to bring in heat enchanted stones to warm the place up anymore. The warmth felt like heaven across her still partially frozen face, filling her with a giddiness that had her jumping up and down while clapping her hands and squealing in delight. Eilaen stopped in front of the fireplace, her hands stretched out in front of her, and looked around. Kaida could see the amazement and surprise as it washed over her face.

She looked around for a few moments before finally finding Kaida’s face again. “Kai, I knew you’d said they were fast, but I never could have imagined! This is incredible! Let's go into the kitchen! I want to see what they’ve done with it all.” She grabbed Kaida’s hand, Kaida groaning about the loss of heat from moving away from the fire before she was ready. Together, they quickly made their way across the room and into the kitchen.

The moment Kaida stepped inside the kitchen, she was blown away. The entire kitchen had been finished, so much having been finished since the day before. On top of the walls being finished and fully painted, the crew had also installed both stoves, as well as gotten the kitchen sink in place, the water piping placed and running in all the right places. When she turned around to look for the dwarves, she couldn’t find them–not a single one. 

“That’s strange. The door was unlocked, the fireplace was going, and the lights were on. They should have been here. I wonder where they’ve gone off to,” Kaida mused, tapping her finger to her lip. 

Before Eilaen could offer any suggestions for their whereabouts, the bell over the door rang as the door opened, and the sounds of the rowdy dwarves filtered in from the lobby, the group laughing and joking amongst one another. 

When they stepped into the kitchen and saw Kaida, a chorus of cheers rang out. Elkhean pushed through to the front of the crowd and smiled broadly at her. “Happy birthday, Kaida!” he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. Together, the rest of the dwarves circled her, tossing her up on Elkhean’s shoulders.

Kaida’s hands flew to her mouth as she squealed in surprise, her heart thumping rapidly inside of her chest. Please don’t drop me, it seemed to shout within her. “What are you silly dwarven gooses doing? How did you know it was my birthday? I didn’t remember until breakfast, and I’ve been having this same birthday day for the last 26 years!” Her sapphire-colored eyes sparkled with the shine of excitement, tiny tears threatening to well up in them at the thoughtfulness of everyone around her. This was the last thing she had expected to happen when she and Eilaen decided they’d head into the bakery to work on things today. 

“Well, ya see, Ms. Eilaen over there mentioned it when she came by last week,” Elkhean replied, nodding his head in the halfling’s direction.

Kaida’s head whipped around to where Eilaen was standing next to her. “You- You told them?” Kaida asked in surprise. 

Eilaen nodded before responding. “I came by one day last week to ask you something, but you hadn’t made it back from running an order out to wherever Nadles was that day. I may or may not have mentioned that today was your birthday. And these nice dwarves over here may or may not have wanted to surprise you because in your sweet, amazing, unique Kaida way, you have charmed them just as you do everyone else. Also, I hope you don’t mind, but I may or may not have also invited them to dinner tonight.”

Kaida couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “But... But does Ms. Kestrel know? Did she make enough cake? Do I need to make anything? Oh nuts. I need to go bake.” Kaida’s frantic rambling began to increase in speed the more she spoke. 

“Kai. Hey Kaida… Oh for goodness’ sake. Kaida Louise!” Eilaen said loudly. Kaida stopped speaking, mouth still gaped open, and looked at Eilaen. Eilaen took a slow, deep breath before speaking again. “We have everything handled. No, you do not need to bake anything unless you want to. Yes, Ms. Kaida does know. Yes, she did make a big enough cake, or she will have made a big enough one by the time we get home tonight. You, my dear friend, are going to calm down and relax. It is your birthday. You’re the birthday queen, remember? Isn’t that what you were telling us just a bit ago while chomping on that delicious, crisp bacon? And no, Kaida, you cannot give me that look. Tell your face to stop speaking.”

Kaida couldn’t remember the last time she was struck silent by Eilaen. Fatter tears began to well up in her eyes as she threw her hands around her friend’s neck and squeezed her tightly. It had been so long since someone else had overseen all of the details and she was left with none to handle. Sniffling, she let go and wiped the tear that tried to escape her eye. Turning around, she faced the dwarves.

You... You are all coming to my house? To celebrate? My birthday? To celebrate little me?” she asked, still sniffling and still in shock.

Elkhean stepped closer to her and pulled her hand into his. Kaida looked down, the familiar strangeness of her small hand cradled inside of his large one not going unnoticed, nor did she miss how nice it felt as his thick fingers curled up around her own. She looked up at him and smiled, her lips quivering from emotion.

“Kaida, why would we not want to celebrate you? You, who are the most unique halflin’ any of us have ever met? You have brought us more happiness an’ cheer than any of us have had in a long time. Not everyone is as kind to us dwarves as you have been, ya know. You even got us addicted to those blasted baked treats o’ yours. Nothin’ under the mountain compares now,” the dwarf said softly, wrapping his free hand around hers.

As if suddenly remembering they weren’t alone, he released her hands and stepped back, blushing. She felt her face growing warm in response yet again, knowing that the entire room had more than likely witnessed the subtle shift in their relationship. She watched as he took a long step backwards and heard him clear his throat as he smiled at her, the corners of his sparkling eyes crinkling as he did. 

“Alright, ya lazy brood. If you want to be eatin’ anythin’ at Kaida’s when we go an’ celebrate tonight, I suggest you be gettin’ back to work. We have lot to do before we stop for the day.” Before he turned to face the crew, he looked at Kaida. “By the way, your table decoration whatevers were delivered just before we left. I left ‘em on the table in the back corner.” And with that, he turned to pick up the saw on his left and began to work on the countertop he’d created for the island. 

Kaida and Eilaen left the kitchen to find the package. The tablecloths and linens were the prettiest icy blue Kaida had seen. As she unfolded each of them, she couldn’t stop the squeal that released or the little dance that her feet would do at the sight of them. Eilaen helped her drape them across the tables as they went across the room. The sight was a breath of fresh air. Kaida was ecstatic to see her dream panning out. This had been an amazing birthday, and she wasn’t even halfway through the festivities. 

As she and Eilaen worked together on decorating and cleaning the dining area, her mind went back to Elkhean and the moment they shared in the kitchen just a bit ago. What did it even mean? she asked herself, his words spinning around her head over and over again. Surely, he doesn’t… No, nobody has ever wanted me romantically. I’m sure I’m just misreading it. After all, we’re just friends. Just… Friends. Aren’t we?

Hours later, she and Eilaen dusted the lint off of their hands and let the dwarven crew know they’d see them at the farmhouse soon, the bell chiming as they opened the door to leave. Their ride home was fairly quiet, both halflings tired from the hard work they’d put in at the bakery. Once home, they took turns bathing and getting changed. As Eilaen waited on Kaida to finish, she put on a kettle of water and poured the both of them a cup of tea.

Eleven