(no subject)

[sunbaked_baker]

Rae couldn't get to sleep tonight. She just couldn't seem to get her thoughts to quieten down and let her rest. But this is nothing unusual. When she had nothing to occupy her thoughts, they tended to revert back to worrying about Jay and Autor, worrying about her own situation, and feeling guilty for how long she has hidden away in Milliways, still 'not ready' (read: too scared) to go home and face the meeting with the Executive Director of Special Other Forces.

So, when the wee hours of the morning start becoming a little less wee (around the time Rae would normally get up to go make cinnamon rolls if she were back in her world and not about to risk her entire life and everything she's worked for on the trust and support of a complete stranger), she hauled herself up and out of bed, showered, and came down to the kitchens.

The summer fair is coming up soon, and she has to prepare. She is thinking of focusing on pies this year, as she focused on ice pops last year.

If you stop by the Milliways kitchen this morning, you'll be met with a number of pies cooling on wire cooling racks on some of the counters, more pies in the oven, and Sunshine herself mulling tiredly over a list of pies that have been baked, are in the process of being baked, or are still needing to be baked. Hmmm.

Comments

[maid_of_tarth]

Brienne, contemplating a return to Westeros for good, is more than willing to be distracted with pie.

Like most foods in Milliways, the pies look much better than their medieval quasi-European equivalents. Brienne stands there staring for a moment.

[sunbaked_baker]

Checking off maple-infused cherry pie from the list, Rae catches sight of Brienne staring when she glances up from her work.

The red-headed baker smiles a true but tired smile, and greets the other woman, "Good morning."

[maid_of_tarth]

"Good morning," says Brienne. "You're a very industrious baker. I don't know when I've seen so many pies, except at feasts."

[sunbaked_baker]

"That's why I've made so many. There's going to be a fair in a few days, and I am going to be running one of the food stalls." Rae's smile strengthens but turns slightly wry. "My attempts at sleep weren't getting anywhere, so I gave up and decided I could make some progress on getting things ready, instead."

[maid_of_tarth]

"Oh! I'd forgotten the fair was going to be so soon."

Brienne gives a wry smile of her own. She hasn't slept much these days, either. "What sorts of pies are they?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Here is Ragnar, completely not intending to steal any pie for his and Athelstan's breakfast. Nope. Totally innocent Viking.

[sunbaked_baker]

Rae looks up from her list with a tired but true smile.

"Uh-oh," she says, seeing the totally innocent viking. "A hungry raider as infiltrated the kitchens."

Not that he'd ever have to steal any pie from her. It is still early in the day, but it is clear that she has been at work for hours already.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Good morning to you too," Ragnar says, grinning cheerfully.

[sunbaked_baker]

"Good morning, Ragnar," she grins back at him. "Come looking for breakfast?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yes," Ragnar admits. "Something to feed to Athelstan as well."

Who is very picky and eats not nearly enough, as Ragnar suspects she has gathered by now.

[herr_bookman]

The scent of baking pies draws Autor into the kitchen this morning. He follows his nose and nods when he sees Rae, raising a hand in greeting. Bags take up space beneath his eyes, and his face is pale. "Busy work?"

[sunbaked_baker]

"Keeping busy, yeah," Rae says, looking up from her list. "The summer fair is coming soon, and I'll be selling pies."

It is still early, but from the sheer number of pies cooling on wire cooling racks, in the ovens, or waiting to be put into the ovens, she has been working for hours. Rae takes in his exhausted appearance, and sympathizes.

"What about you?"

[herr_bookman]

"I think I'll submit some of my strawberries," Autor says, dropping onto a stool. "They'll be just ripe enough. What kinds of pies have you made?"

[sunbaked_baker]

"I bet you'll win," Rae says, not knowing her younger self is entering her peppers.

"Let's see, this morning I've made three each of maple-infused cherry, cinnamon-crisped pear galette with crushed almond crumble, raspberry-rhubarb pie with orange zest, apricot-peach, caramel apple, and sticky date and pecan pie with toffee crumble sprinkled on top."

"I've got a bunch of individual blackberry-ginger tarts in the oven, though they should be ready to come out in a little while, and a few different kinds of pies still to make. I'm thinking mojito key lime, blueberry-almond, chocolate-peanut butter, and pumpkin to round out the flavors."

Because of course pumpkin, seasons be damned.

[herr_bookman]

"You really have been busy," Autor says, his eyes widening slightly at the list. "They all sound delicious. I'm looking forward to trying some of them at the fair. What made you want to try for pies this year?"

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan slips downstairs and is drawn to the kitchen by the smell of baking. He leans on the doorframe and waits to be noticed, not wanting to put Rae off her train of thought, whatever it is.

[sunbaked_baker]

Her train of thought is made of pies for the fair, at the moment. It's something to focus on, to drive her forward. It keeps her from being miserable and exhausted, though the exhaustion still lingers at the edges. She doesn't look like she's been sleeping very well at all.

Rae checks off another pie from her list, and notices the figure the doorway, looking up. The tension that had been in her for that moment disappears when she sees Athelstan, and a smile for her friend appears on her face.

"Good morning," she greets him, hoping he has been doing better since the last time they spoke. Someone needs to be doing better. Everything seems to be going to pieces, lately.

(ooc: Gonna disappear for the rest of the afternoon - got a two hour drive ahead of me. Will tag back late tonight or sometime tomorrow! <3)

[athelstanthescribe]

At times, he's been doing better. At times... but he smiles back at her anyway, even if it's tired.

"You've been busy."

[sunbaked_baker]

"Yeah," she admits, smiling tiredly. "I figured I would make an early start of things for the summer fair. I'll be selling pies at one of the food stalls there."

"Come on in and I'll make us some tea. How have you been, Athelstan?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Pie for all, to judge by this." He's not at all avoiding the question in the interests of neither lying nor bringing the conversation down, as he sits. "Tea would be good. Have you seen Autor?"

[soldier_blade]

Sonya was always an early riser (both habit and general insomnia), and being in millways did nothing to break from that habit. She came in for an early morning swim, meant to go in for a change and quick breakfast and head to the stables.

Seeing all of the pies on the counter, and the smell of baking, for once Sonya finds herself drawn to the kitchen. That people might use the kitchen for their own use hadn't yet occurred to her.

She frowned when she saw Rae. "You've been up all night?" There was no way she could make this many pies without having already been up for several hours.

[sunbaked_baker]

The gaze that looks up from the list she's writing is definitely the gaze of someone who didn't sleep the night before. "Just since three-thirty or so," she answers with a slight, wry smile. "That's when I gave up."

"I figured I might as well do something useful."

[soldier_blade]

A look on the clock showed it was several hours past, and from the smell and selection of pies already up, Sonya had to give her credit for being able to recall such recipes when clearly tired. She was in no position to lecture anyone on not being able to sleep, but the officer in her knew well enough that it still wasn't an excuse.

"Do you think you could manage a thirty minute nap?" She looked at the oven. "I can keep an eye on the clock if you're waiting for something to cook."

Rae looked like even a nap would do her some good.

[sunbaked_baker]

Rae looks at her for a moment, before gathering her list and standing. "I can tell you it'd take longer than thirty minutes for me to get to sleep, very likely. Much longer to get any useful rest out of the deal."

"And I have things to do. I'm hoping... if I make myself tired enough today, I'll sleep tonight."

[soldier_blade]

Sonya could only look at her. "I'm not about to judge anyone with insonia, and lord knows I keep myself busy enough for several people."

Still, the woman looked dead on her feet. "Will you atleast let me make you some breakfast? I was just going to have some toast for myself, but maybe a side of eggs as well."

Eggs and toast would be simple enough to prepare and provide some form of energy.