NaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at FediFeb 15

Star-Cross Cookies: Part 1

#FanFiction #AscendanceOfABookworm
#Wss366 Revulsion

Having finished giving the chef the next recipe she wanted to try, Aub Rozemyne looked around the kitchen. Sometimes she got an idea when she saw something new. This time, it was a row of brown ceramic pots, each with two blue stars, that caught her attention.

“Milburn, what are those?” she asked the chef.

“Those would be pickles, Your Grace. They’re for Star-Cross Day.”

He took down a jar without further instruction, something he would never have done for another noble, let alone the Aub. But Rozemyne was different. She was relaxed about etiquette and had an insatiable curiosity.

He opened the vessel, releasing the smell of vinegar, wine, and spices. Then he reached in to extract a large, flat, brown bug. “This is a coach beetle,” he said, showing it to her.

“Ughhh.” Her response was involuntary as #revulsion swept over her. To her, they looked like giant cockroaches.

"Why would you eat that?" she asked, scrunching up her face.

“I suppose you wouldn’t know, Your Grace. Next week is a local holiday when the twin stars align. It’s said that proposals made on that day are blessed. Also, if your partner eats one of these, they’ll never stop loving you. Young men make quite a show of swallowing them.”

“Yuck! Why those?”

“When these little devils mate, the male rides around on the female’s back for weeks. That’s how they got the name coach beetle. Some people believe that men who eat them will be as faithful as the beetles themselves.”

Rozemyne thanked the chef and departed. “I know one thing: I’m not giving Ferdinand one of those. Revolting!”

[To be Continued]

Tags: #MicroFiction #TootFic #SliceOfLife #NMFic #Bookworm #AoaB #ValentinesDay

Show threadNaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at FediFeb 16

Star-Cross Cookies: Part 2

#FanFiction #AscendanceOfABookworm
#Wss366 recreate/re-create**

The thought of her subjects eating cockroaches wouldn't leave Rozemyne's mind. What a dreadful tradition! Star-Cross Day, a holiday similar to Tanabata and Valentine’s Day, deserved better. Giving chocolates or making wishes would make more sense than eating bugs!

Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything similar to chocolate in this universe, but giving sweets to your love sounded just as nice. What could she create that women could give to their favorite person?

Mochi was the first thing she thought of. She’d just introduced that, but it was difficult to make, and the grain was expensive. Ferdinand said they should reserve it for nobles for the time being. Next, she thought of heart-shaped sugar candies. Clear, sparkly red hearts would be cute, but perfecting them would take time.

“Cookies!” she exclaimed as the idea came to her. Those were easy, and the recipe was widespread by now. It had to be different, though, and #re-create Valentine’s romance.

Red heart-shaped sugar cookies came to mind, but that would just be a different shape of an existing recipe. It had to be something special. Something that only bakers who bought the recipe could produce. Profits were important; there were so many books to buy.

Different. Romantic. Hard to duplicate.

“Humm…”

Nothing was coming to mind.

Help! “Who can I ask?”

She thought about the people she was close to, most of whom were in Ehrenfest or Dunkelfelger. Not only could she not talk to them, but it would also be unfair to ask them to work for the benefit of her duchy. As for her councilors, they were old folks without a romantic bone in their bodies. Nor could she speak to Ferdinand; she wanted to surprise him.

Wait, she knew! There was a woman who came to the library every day to read romances. What was her name?

“Carnelia!”

[Continued in next post]

Tags: #MicroFiction #TootFic #SliceOfLife #NMFic #Valentines

Show threadNaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at FediFeb 16

Star-Cross Cookies: Part 3

#FanFiction #AscendanceOfABookworm
#Wss366 recreate/re-create

Armed with Carnelia’s name, Rozemyne headed to the library, much to the dismay of her chief maid, Lieseleta. Rihyarda could have handled it, but Lieseleta lacked the experience and gravitas to control Rozemyne when she was fired up.

"Lady Carnelia!" Rozemyne shouted, bursting into the reading room the girl was using.

Lieseleta said just loud enough for the Aub to hear, “At least give her a proper greeting.”

“Of course,” Rozemyne replied.

“May I pray for a blessing in appreciation of this serendipitous meeting, ordained by the harsh judgment of Ewigeliebe, Lady Carnelia?” Rozemyne rushed through her greeting.

“You may.” The lady in question spoke barely loud enough to be heard and trembled like a winter leaf, which wasn’t surprising, given that the Aub had addressed her so suddenly.

“I need something red, romantic, and heart-shaped,” Rozemyne said.

“You might want to explain a bit,” Lieseleta said. She was overstepping herself, but the poor woman Rozemyne was addressing looked bewildered and on the verge of fainting in fright.

“Sorry, I want something to use with cookies for Star-Cross Day. Something other than those dreadful bugs! I don’t see how anyone could think coach beetles were romantic.”

Lady Carnelia stared, and then, as the word "romantic" sank in, she began to think. Her brows furrowed, and then a smile touched her lips. "There's the 'desert heart.' They have red, heart-shaped leaves and a mild, pleasant flavor. Perhaps you’ve had tea made from them.”

Rozemyne’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, that lovely mint tea. I think we export it. That would be wonderful.”

Lieseleta was used to Rozemyne’s use of strange words, but Lady Carnelia looked puzzled at the word “mint.”

Blissfully unaware, Rozemyne continued. “Mild, red, mint cookies with a heart-shaped leaf in their center. Perfect!”

Carried away, she rushed off to see the chef, leaving poor Lady Carnelia to recover in the now silent library.

[Sequel coming someday]

Tags: #SliceOfLife #AoaB #MicroFiction #TootFic #NMV366 #NMFic #Bookworm #Valentines

Show threadNaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at Fedi

Desert Hearts: Part 1

#FanFiction #AscendanceOfABookworm #HanneloresFifthYear
#Wss366 Stasis #Mastoprompt Figment

[Two parts for White Day in Japan and one for tomorrow is fir White Day in the West]

•⋅☾The Royal Academy☽⋅•

“Lady Sorrona would like to approach,” Cordula said to Hannelore.

Hannelore had successfully dodged Sorrona for the last three days on instructions from home. She’d come to the commons early today, thinking Sorrona wouldn’t be there yet, but she arrived seconds after Hannelore had taken a seat. Her bad timing had struck again.

“Can’t I say I’m too busy?” Hannelore asked.

“I’ll tell her you only have a few moments to spare. But saying no when you're clearly relaxing would cause an open breach. We’re in a public place, and you’re rumored to be on excellent terms with her. Let's not give the other duchies a hint of our concerns. They will try to take advantage of it.”

“Very well.”

Sorrona approached, and after a fulsome greeting, presented Cordula with a red box for Hannelore. Scarlet ribbons adorned the present, with a carnelian at each ribbon tip. The box itself made a stunning present.

“I hear Dregarnuhr, the Goddess of Time, has woven your threads exceptionally short today, but when you have time, please partake of the contents,” Sorrona said, curtsying.

“Thank you,” Hannelore said, putting on her best smile.

She continued, “It seems Dregarnuhr, the Goddess of Time, has woven today’s threads with exceptional speed and grace.” Then she quickly withdrew.

Once Hannelore was back in her chambers, Cordula checked the box and handed it to her. Inside were light-red heart-shaped cookies. Each one had a “desert heart” leaf pressed into its surface.

“From Wilfried?” Hannelore asked hopefully. It was a #figment a of hope since Sorrona was from the Duchy of Alexandria, while Wilfried remained in Ehrenfest. But perhaps Rozemyne was acting on her brother’s behalf, Hannelore thought desperately.

Cordula crushed those hopes. “It’s from Aub Rozemyne, my lady. I fear you must make your feelings clear to your parents soon about a match with Ferdinand. The present we return must reflect the direction we wish to take. We can no longer ignore their overtures. #Stasis is not an option.”

#TootFic #MicroFic #NMFic #WhiteDay #ValentinesDay

Mar 13 at 7:00pmWeb
Show threadNaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at Fedi4d ago

Desert Hearts: Part 2

#FanFiction #AscendanceOfABookworm #HanneloresFifthYear
#Wss366 Stasis #MastoPrompt Figment

[Continued from previous post.]

•⋅☾Same Day, Alexandria☽⋅•

Ferdinand opened the red box and looked inside. “At least they aren't coach beetles,” he said. If Rozemyne had been expecting him to be excited, she was disappointed.

“Are you going to try them?” she asked.

He took a red, heart-shaped cookie and nibbled on it, nodded, and spoke. “Not bad. We should declare a monopoly on the sale of desert heart leaves. I am sure others can copy these, but if we control the prime ingredient, it will bring wealth to the duchy.

He popped the rest of the cookie into his mouth, not letting a crumb fall on his outfit.

Rozemyne smiled; that was as good as a compliment.

The aub’s eyes gleamed as her husband took out another cookie. This was as good as it got in terms of receiving praise from Ferdinand.

“Who else did you give these to?” he asked.

“Just Hannelore,” she replied. Ferdinand froze mid-bite.

[Continued tomorrow]

#TootFic #MicroFic #NMFic #WhiteDay #ValentinesDay

Show threadNaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at Fedi3d ago

Desert Hearts: Part 3

#FanFiction #AscendanceOfABookworm #HanneloresFifthYear
#Wss366 Present #WhiteDay

•⋅☾A week later, Alexandria☽⋅•

“Would you be in a good mood?” Rozemyne asked Ferdinand.

It was a fair question, considering the dark circles under his eyes from spending three days in his private study. A question met with a skeptical look as he took in the baked goods and tea set out on the table.

“I'm not in the mood for taste-testing. Ask a courtier; they will be happy to help,” was his reply.

“Oh, no. Hannelore sent these: rose-scented tea and cookies that their chief has invented. They're nice, like lemon drops. It's kind of like a White Day gift.”

“I’m tired, but we need to talk later in your private room.”

Rozemyne frowned. Private discussions were never good.

“She sent you #present too,” Rozemyne ventured, producing a white handkerchief. “She even embroidered it, a cute cornflower entwined with an edelweiss.”

Her husband sank into a chair and gulped down a cup of tea, notwithstanding its temperature.

“Rozemyne, is this what you want?”

“No, it’s for you.”

“Rozemyne! Not the present, are you a total idiot!? They mistook your gifts for a marriage proposal. Since Hannelore can’t marry you, they assume you intend for her to become my second wife.”

“What? A marriage proposal?”

“Obviously that at the next Council of Aubs, Klassenberg will approach me about this. If this is what you want, I will signal my agreement. It wouldn’t hurt to have a stronger alliance with Klassenberg. But if I accept, she becomes your responsibility. I have no interest in a second wife.”

Ferdinand rose. “Think about it. I will get your answer later.”

Rozemyne watched him leave. “Marry Hannelore? My book-buddy? Like one of those yuri romances from my former life? Humm…”

#TootFic #MicroFic #NMFic #WhiteDay

Show threadNaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at Fedi3d ago
Note: AU: The threads of fate are uncut, so the Gods do not descend again. What might have happened with Hannelore?