Chapter Text
Dorothea had stabbed and ground but the mixture in her bowl refused to budge. She dropped the spoon and sighed. “Edie, could you lend me a hand? This butter needs some muscle.”
“You’re saying this as if you didn’t have any.” Edelgard chuckled. She came over and wrapped her arms around her wife, planting a kiss on her shoulder.
“Hush,” Dorothea gently swatted her hand. “Cream it for me, will you? I need to pit the cherries.”
“Cherries!” A fair-haired girl barreled into the kitchen. “Can I have some?” She tilted her head, looking at her moms with large, pleading eyes.
“If there are any left once we’re done with the cake.” Dorothea patted their daughter on the head.
“Cake! Can I have some, too?”
Edelgard laughed. “We need to bake it first. Would you like to help?”
“Ummm…” The girl picked up an egg from the table and turned it between her fingers. She plucked a tiny feather still attached to the shell and examined it curiously. “Maybe?”
Half-listening to her wife and daughter bickering, Dorothea went into the pantry. Thanks to a special crystal embedded in the floor, the room was pleasantly cool despite the summer heat outside. She scanned the wooden shelves stacked with preserves, vegetables and ripening fruit, trying to remember where she’d left the punnet with cherries.
Their son was due to return from Enbarr for the summer break and they wanted to welcome him with something special. A black forest cake was one of his favorites and they had just gotten the perfect recipe from an acquaintance in the village.
Dorothea spotted the box on one of the bottom shelves and bowed to fetch it. Picking it up, however, she noticed it was surprisingly light…
“Edie, did you move the cherries from the pantry?” She called out, surveying the adjacent shelves.
“No, love, I did not! Is the punnet not there?”
Dorothea returned with the empty box and a baffled look on her face. “It’s here but the cherries are gone. If you didn’t move them…”
That left only one cherry-loving culprit.
“Elodie, do you know what happened to these cherries?”
The girl twiddled her thumbs. “Uhh. Maybe somebody broke in at night and took them?” She gave her mom a crooked smile before dropping her gaze.
“Some picky burglars they must have been.” Dorothea sighed. She could not blame a child for taking food from her own home.
“There should be some cherries left in the garden, I’ll check.” Edelgard offered. The butter in her bowl was perfectly creamy and ready to be mixed with other ingredients. “Come, Elodie. Maybe those burglars overlooked some.”
“Thank you, love.” Dorothea blew her a kiss.
Content that the crisis had been averted, Dorothea returned to making the batter. The instructions were easy to follow and she hummed to herself, breaking the eggs and measuring out milk and sugar. She was ready to start adding everything into the butter bowl when the door swung open.
“Forgot something?”
“Bad news, love. The tree is almost bare.” Edelgard placed the punnet onto the table. A few lonely cherries rolled from one side to the other and bumped against its walls. “The birds must have feasted on it after we gathered our share.”
“Really, that’s all there was?”
Edelgard nodded. Elodie stood behind her with her head bowed. Although her parents didn't bring it up, she was old enough to understand when her behavior resulted in an inconvenience.
Dorothea sighed. Even if she could modify the recipe and use a different fruit, strawberries were already out of season and raspberries were too soft to produce enough flavor for such a rich cake. A cherry jam would be a viable option but they saved the canning ritual for the end of summer and had not made any yet.
“I suppose it’s got to be a chocolate cake instead.” She pouted.
It was their son’s first year away from home and she wanted his return to feel special. They all missed him terribly and anxiously awaited his letters throughout the year. He wrote about his studies, the friends he was making. Whenever he mentioned the places he visited, he remaked how strange it was to live in Enbarr and walk its streets on his own. All he had before were blurry memories of a childhood in the Imperial Palace, which now seemed imposing and distant.
With time, however, the letters became short and sparse. As expected as it was from a young man, it made their longing all the more tangible. The empty chair at the dinner table, the room they only opened to dust the shelves. His absence felt almost material and Dorothea could not wait for that void to be filled.
“Why don’t we try in the village?” Edelgard rested a hand on her shoulder. “It’s not like Tristan would have left the city first thing in the morning. We have time.”
“You think so?” Dorothea looked at her wife with a glimmer of hope. Whether it was a matter of state or a household emergency, Edie always had an idea what to do.
“You know he’s not an early bird. I bet he’s still asleep.” Edelgard’s smile revealed the soft wrinkles around her mouth.
“You’re probably right.” Dorothea brightened up.
“Is there anything you need to finish here before we leave?”
“I should mix the batter, but it won’t take long. Why don’t you and El get ready, and I will join you shortly?”
The path to the village lead through a small grove. The trees, although not too dense, cast enough shadow to offer a respite from the summer heat. Birds chirped and bugs buzzed overhead. Every now and again, a startled critter darted through the underbrush to a new hiding spot.
Edelgard carried a wicker basket filled with vegetables, honey and pastries they selected to bring along as gifts. Elodie ran up ahead, pointing out birds and protruding roots.
The path crossed a stream which ran further East. It was shallow in the summer but became pretty rapid once the rains came down in the fall. Dorothea took a tentative step onto the wooden bridge which spanned it. Hardly anybody from the village used it and it had fallen into disrepair.
“You seem tense, love,” Edelgard spoke, her voice barely louder than the murmur of the stream. “You can hold onto me if you wish.”
“Oh? No, no, thank you.” The corner of Dorothea’s mouth twitched. “I’m alright.”
“Is there anything else bothering you?” Edelgard didn’t let go. She had always been good at reading people, there was no use hiding from her.
“I just… I had this idea of a perfect reunion and now I feel like I’m letting everyone down. I know it’s silly to fixate on something like this, but I really wanted to do my part.”
Edelgard squeezed her hand. “It’s going to be perfect, cake or no cake. We are going to see our son, and he will be with us for the rest of the summer.”
“You are right, of course.” Dorothea nodded but the crease on her forehead lingered.
“Is there anything else?”
She thought about it for a quiet moment.
Elodie waved at them from the edge of the tree line. They waved back and watched her run circles around a mossy rock.
“I want him to know that we missed him. That this is still his home and he can always come back.” She had never been good at letting people go.
“He knows.” There was no doubt in Edelgard’s voice. “And he knows we are his mothers, regardless of where he came from.” She climbed to the tips of her toes and kissed Dorothea’s cheek. “El does, too.”
“Thank you.” Dorothea smiled. “I needed this.”
The village was nestled in a bend of a road. Small houses and barns were scattered along the curve, making it look like a strange amphitheater with the market square as its stage. There were no more stalls and tents at this hour. Business usually started at sunrise and lasted until early afternoon when everybody retired to eat and take a break from the heat.
“Where to?” Elodie turned around and started walking backwards, facing her moms.
“Watch out, you’re going to trip,” Dorothea warned.
“I am not!”
“We’re going to Mrs. Lowell’s to ask if she would sell us some cherries.” Edelgard pointed at a red-brick house at the far edge of the village. Right before it, one could see a fenced orchard and a green field with a spotted horse and a few grazing cows.
Elodie twirled on her heel, following her mom’s gaze. “Okay!” She was about to run off once more when Dorothea called her back.
“Wait! Your hair is all over the place again.”
They paused while Dorothea brushed her daughter’s curly locks with her fingers. No matter how skillfully she tied or braided them, they always found a way to escape.
“You’re pulling, mommy!” Elodie wriggled.
“I’m sorry, almost done. There.”
They continued down the road, greeting wagon drivers and occasional passers by. Everyone was cordial and warm, but it hadn’t always been like that. When the villagers first learned that the former Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg and her esteemed diva wife moved into a nearby cottage, the family was welcomed like royalty, with a mixture of reverence and practiced fear. It took years of polite reassurances and building relationships to find the neighborly middle ground they now enjoyed.
“Mom, look at that goat’s tongue!” Elodie shouted as they turned into a side street. The houses were more scattered there, with plots of land and farm buildings tucked between them. It was quiet, almost as if the whole place was taking an afternoon nap.
The goat tried to push its head under the wooden bars of its pen, visibly interested in their gift basket. Edelgard laughed and waved a finger at the animal.
“Not for you!”
“But mom, can’t we feed it? Look, it’s so cute!”
“No, Elodie. Suppose we feed it now and then it refuses to eat. The owner may think it’s sick and get worried.”
“Okaaay.” The girl pouted. She kicked a pebble and watched it roll into the grass.
When they reached the orchard, a few workers were already up and about, carrying fruit in large, shallow baskets. Cherries, peaches and currants filled the air with a mixture of mouth-watering scents, reminding everyone of the generosity of the summer.
“Excuse us, is Mrs. Lowell home?”
“Yeah, right there.” One of the young men pointed.
The Lowell house was adorned with pink climbing flowers bursting out of its facade like fireworks. A stone well covered with a wooden lid squatted next to the entrance, partially shaded by the crown of an old oak. A swing hung from one of its branches on the opposite side, overlooking the pasture.
“Mommy, can I play here?” Elodie tugged on Dorothea’s dress.
The branch looked sturdy and the ropes seemed strong. Dorothea exchanged a quick look with her wife, who nodded before walking over to the door.
“Yes but be careful, all right? And don’t go anywhere near that well. We won’t be long.”
“Yes, mommy!”
Edelgard knocked and they were promptly invited in. Mrs. Lowell was seated in the kitchen, languidly sorting raspberries into different baskets. Some would end up on the market while others were destined to become delicious preserves, much sought after by those who missed the flavor of summer once it was over.
“Oh, good afternoon, ladies,” the woman said with an easy smile. She was thin and small, fragile, one might think, but nobody in their right mind would dare to cross her without a good reason. Wise woman, the villagers called her, and came to her for advice.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Lowell. We hope you’re well.”
“As well as I can be,” the woman quipped. “Couple years back I was still climbing ladders and shaking trees, and look at me now!” She eyed one of the berries as if it had offended her and shook her head. “At least those young lads are doing a good job, eh.”
“We just saw them on our way here,” Dorothea answered. “It’s like a beehive. Everybody plays their part.”
“Trained them well, haven’t I? Heh.” The woman smiled. “And what have you got there, sweet doves?” She glanced at the basket Edelgard placed on the table.
“A little gift from our cottage.” Dorothea explained. She removed the cloth from the top and unpacked it, describing every item. What their plot produced was not much compared to Mr. Lowell’s vast orchard, but they put a lot of love and hard work into every seed and sapling. The fruit of their labor was a gift of their affection.
“We were wondering if we could bribe you into selling us some cherries from your orchard,” Edelgard added playfully. It seemed as though Edelgard’s regal upbringing and Mrs. Lowell’s local renown canceled out, allowing them to speak like peers.
“We wanted to bake a cake to greet Tristan, he returns home today, but a little gremlin ate all those we had,” Dorothea added.
The woman laughed heartily. “Hah! But of course, you can have as many you need. I’m not taking any money from you.” She waved her hand.
Edelgard opened her mouth to respond but Mrs. Lowell’s expression turned sombre. She wasn’t done speaking.
“Your son, he’s studying to be a doctor, yes? But with magic?”
“Yes, we are very proud of him!” Dorothea beamed. From the corner of her eye, she saw Edelgard withdraw. She didn’t have to meet her eyes to understand why.
It was one of the shadows looming over their family from the day Tristan saw Edelgard’s scars. They never intended to hide them, not exactly, but they had hoped to wait for the right moment to speak of the past, and make sure he understood. Alas, life didn’t always stick to the plan and their son grew up with the knowledge that bad things had happened to one of his mothers, and that she needed a special cure to go on living.
When he announced he wanted to become a doctor, Edelgard was shocked. She blamed herself for exposing him to suffering at such a young age and worried that it had been the fear kindled by her condition which prompted him to pursue medicine.
“Could you send him down here, if he’s staying for the summer?” Mrs. Lowell asked. “One of our boys, Clement, fell off a ladder and broke his arm. The village doctor did what he could, he’s a good man, but not a healer…”
“I will check up on Elodie,” Edelgard said suddenly. She excused herself and left the house.
“O-of course, we will ask him to come. He’s only just started learning though, I don’t know if he will be of much help.”
Only just started. What an odd thing to say. She thought about Lin who was on a battlefield mere months after joining the academy. They all were. Everything happened so quickly back then, they had to grow up fast and learn even faster. A year could change everything. But in times of peace, it was as if hardly anything had happened.
Mrs. Lowell did not comment. Instead, she blessed Dorothea with another one of her kind smiles, rocking slightly on her stool. “If it can’t be helped, it can’t be helped. But at least we try.” She took a deep breath and went back to sorting the fruit. “Ask for the cherries when you pass the orchard on your way back.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Lowell.”
When Dorothea left the house, she found her wife and daughter crouched in front of a boulder by the road. A small lizard with green-yellow scales sat on it, basking in the sun. When she approached, it shuddered and skittered away through a crack. Elodie whined, disappointed.
“El, sweetheart, will you run to the orchard and get as many cherries as those burglars have stolen?” Dorothea spoke softly, placing their now empty basked on the ground. “Mommies will catch up in a moment.”
“Okay!” Distracted with the prospect of a new adventure, Elodie darted off through the gate.
“Remember, be polite!” Dorothea shouted after her. Like every child her age, their daughter could be terribly blunt.
“Are you all right?” She reached for Edelgard’s hand and squeezed it softly.
“No…” Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet. “But I will be.”
They strolled in tense silence. Edelgard’s eyes darted from one place to the other, unable to linger on anything in particular.
“What if he stopped writing us because he regrets that apprenticeship?” she spoke suddenly, staring at her boots.
“I highly doubt it. I don’t think he’d wait that long to tell us.” Dorothea brushed her wife’s cheek with the tips of her fingers. “He’s usually the first to point out flaws in everything, just like his mom.” She winked.
Edelgard blushed. Public displays of affection had always embarrassed her, and this time was no different. She looked adorable with rose tinted cheeks and Dorothea found it hard not to kiss her right away.
“Mom! Mommy! Is this enough?” Elodie trotted over with their basket almost overflowing with cherries. “I got a bit more in case those burglars try to rob us again…”
“Oh, I am sure we will be safe now,” Dorothea giggled.
When they approached their cottage, they were relieved to see no horse or carriage parked in front of it. It seemed Edelgard was right and there should be enough time to finish the cake and get ready for dinner.
Edelgard pulled a keyring out of her dress pocket and unlocked the door. Elodie squeezed in front of her and pushed inside.
“Hey! I was starting to think you’d abandoned me!” a cheerful voice called out them from the sitting room.