Bread, Tea, and Unexpected Chemistry

The night was getting deeper, the breeze was starting to get cold under the moonlight when Luxe went out from her mansion. In the celebration, she felt very embarrassed, humiliated even. She thought that The Grand Duke was busy with the other higher noble, and took her chance to ridicule those disgusting imbeciles, but in the end, the table turned against her which made her fume in anger.

To vent her anger, she wanted a place that would calm her, not the grand mansion but somewhere around Landroich. Luxe wears a simple maroon dress with an open chest, and the same up-do hairstyle from earlier. The night in Landroich is getting more and more cold, the people around the streets are getting fewer as well. As she made a right turn at the corner, a warm bakery was still lit, its atmosphere still welcoming despite the cold night.

Luxe pushed the door open, as the bell rang above her. When the bell rang, a voice suddenly spoke, it was gentle and in a very affable tone, "Oh, Just in time, we're about to close, what could I get for you?" It was the owner of the Bakery. 

However, despite the warm welcome Luxe received, She returned it in a very shrewish and rude tone, "Serve me any bread— specifically the bestest that will lift up my mood." Then she rolled her eyes to the young lady at the counter and sat at the chair by the window. 

Although the lady was treated in a very unfair manner, the lady still talked to Luxe in the same way, she respectfully replied, "Your Highness, Pardon me but I need your preference, if you may, please choose some bread that you would like in the display." 

Luxe replied, irritably, "Ugh! Just serve me anything, I don't have time for that. Aren't you closing? hurry up and serve me!" 

"Alright." The lady said and went inside the room to fetch bread for Luxe. 

As Luxe waited for her order, she began to notice the young lady at the counter. Despite Luxe's harsh words, the young lady maintained a calm and composed demeanor. Luxe couldn't help but feel slightly impressed by the young lady's professionalism. 

As the young lady returned, Luxe watched as she placed a loaf of dark, freshly baked bread on the counter. The aroma of warm, sugary bread filled the air.

Luxe reached out to take the bread, but stopped before she touched it. Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation wash over her. It was as if a surge of warmth had flowed through her body, calming her nerves and soothing her anger. 

"What is this?" Luxe asked, her voice laced with wonder. 

"It's a special bread, Your Highness," the young lady replied with a smile. 

"It's made with a secret recipe, designed to calm the nerves and lift the mood." 

Luxe frowned slightly, "Are you making fun of me?" 

"Ah- that's not my intention, Your Highness, I would never dare." The lady said, with assurance, "Please, go ahead and taste it."

In truth, it was the bakery's special bread, which was the new creation of the bakery, it was not displayed just yet and was off from the taste test. Since Ezra had already done some survey, she thought it was good enough to serve the crown princess.

Luxe took the bread and sliced it open, revealing a soft and fluffy interior. She took a bite and felt a rush of pleasure flood her senses. The bread was delicious, a rightful balance of sweetness and fluffiness. and for the first time since the incident at the palace, Luxe felt truly at peace. 

"What was the bread's name?" Luxed asked after swallowing that bite she took.

Ezra smiled awkwardly, she hadn't thought about any name of the bread and she was still processing. She hadn't seen the crown princess in a long time since she saw her in the Rosette river. Ezra's heart was involuntarily pounding heart out from her chest. Her cheeks probably already have a tinge of pink.

"I.. to answer Her highness, I haven't thought of any name for the bread." Ezra finally uttered.

Luxe sliced another amount of bread and said coldly, "Too sweet for me, the fluffiness itself was too irritating at the roof of my mouth, it's too absorbent that it's hard to eat." Then she took a bite.

"Is that so.." Ezra sounded a bit disappointed in her own creation, "Well then, shall I serve another, Your highness?" 

Luxe darted a glare at her and said, pointing a fork to Ezra, "Don't you dare." 

This response left Ezra puzzled, the crown princess literally hated it, why won't she hand it over to Ezra then? She had put so much effort into creating the perfect bread, and yet it seemed that she had failed. 

As Luxe sat there clutching the bread, Ezra could''t help but feel a twinge of guilt. She wondered if she had done something wrong or if there was something else going on. 

Ezra decided to speak up, "Your Highness, may I ask why you are refusing to hand the bread over? Is there something wrong with it?" 

Luxe hesitated for a moment, but then relented. "No... It's just... Never mind, it's nothing."

Ezra stood there for a while, thinking if the crown princess had something in mind. Since Ezra was standing there, Luxe couldn't help but scan her from head to toe— this young lady has ginger hair and bangs with a couple of freckles, adding more features in her face. She controls her demeanor professionally unlike Luxe. It's been more than a week since the bakery's owner died, that's what Luxe heard. In that case, if this young lady was the successor of the business, she handled it correctly. 

Luxe spoke, "What's your name?" 

Ezra flinched a bit, her eyes widened, "I'm Ezra Baker." 

"Well Ezra, do you like what you're seeing? Why are you watching me eat?" Luxe said, lightly knitting her brows.

"Ah.. that.. I thought Her Highness had something in mind to ask me." Ezra said awkwardly.

"If there is something, that would be a warm drink. If you have tea, get me one. Don't ask what kind of tea I drink, as long as it's richly made, I will not complain." Luxe scoffed.

 Luxe watched Ezra's reaction to her words, and while she expected some sort of response, the silence that followed was almost palpable. She waited a brief moment before adding, "Well? Why don't you get to it, girl?" 

In a moment of Luxe's mesmerizing features, Ezra's eyes widened slightly as she was pulled to reality, she quickly pulled herself together and nodded, "You're right, of course, Your Highness." she said, turning to leave. 

Luxe rolled her eyes as Ezra disappeared behind the swinging door, her frustration mounting. She sat back in her chair and sighed loudly, wondering why she always had to go back to these little places. They were always so disappointing, so beneath her. 

As she waited, Luxe looked around the nearly empty bakery, taking in the simple decor and cozy atmosphere. It was nothing compared to the palace she was used to, but there was a certain charm to it. Luxe found herself relaxing a little bit. 

A few moments later, Ezra returned with a cup of tea in hand. "Here you are, Your Highness." she said, setting the cup down in front of Luxe. 

Luxe picked up the cup and took a sip, rolling the warm liquid around in her mouth before swallowing it. It was surprisingly good, richly made just as she had instructed. She gave Ezra a small nod of approval, "This is acceptable," she said, "How much is this? I will pay now, I don't want to go to the mansion late." 

Ezra counted in her mind, subconsciously raising her hand in motion to count, but before she even concluded, Luxe pulled her wrist and placed a money on her palm— it was five silver bills, and obviously, too much.

But what's more important is, Luxe held her.

The moment Luxe placed the money into her hand, Ezra felt a sudden rush of heat spread throughout her body. She could barely keep herself from reacting, trying her best to maintain her composure. Luxe's fingers were warm and delicate, sending shivers down her spine. She couldn't help but wonder if the princess felt the same way. 

Ezra looked at the money in her hand with surprise, feeling guilty for accepting such a large sum. She turned to Luxe, "Your Highness, this is too much, I can't-" Luxe cut her off with an annoyed sigh. 

"Don't waste my time. You know I don't like waiting. I'm in a rush to get home, the night is getting deeper." Luxe said, her eyes fixed on the window behind Ezra, "I shall take my leave."

As Luxe turned to leave, Ezra cleared her throat, not wanting to ruin the moment. "Wait," she said, trying to gather herself. Luxe turned back towards her, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. 

Ezra took a deep breath, trying to gather her courage. "I just wanted to say, thank you for coming to my shop today," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And, if you're ever in need of something... sweet, please don't hesitate to stop by again."

Luxe looked at her with a surprised expression, as if she couldn't believe anyone would say such a thing to her. In her life, No one had ever told her, or made her feel that she's always welcome. Ezra could see a hint of a blush on her cheeks as Luxe smiled faintly, "Perhaps, I will." 

With that, Luxe turned and walked out of the shop, leaving Ezra to dream of what could have been.

I'll never wash my hand.. Ezra thought as she held her right hand. 

Ezra sat in daze as she looked through the window from where Luxe made her way to the street. Then, Luxe's maroon dress immediately disappeared as she made a left turn across the street. This little interaction made Ezra feel like she's in cloud 9, though the crown princess is definitely the Archduke's wife, Ezra will still fall in love with her, no matter what.

She wondered, if they would see each other again, but she believes in Luxe, so she got her hopes all high. 

A worker from the back entered the front desk, "Madam, are we going to close yet?" 

Ezra flinched in the voice, ah, right, she had to close the bakery.

"Yes, I think it's about time we closed up shop." Ezra said, still lost in thought. She stood up from her seat and walked over to the cash register, totaling up the day's sales and recording it in her journal. The employee began cleaning up the front desk area, putting away the leftover baked goods and clearing away the coffee pots and cups. 

As the employee worked, Ezra couldn't help but notice how quiet the bakery had become without any customers. She felt a sense of warmth and comfort in the familiar surroundings, knowing that this was her safe place where she could be herself. 

She picked up a stray crumb from the counter and tossed it in the sink, wondering what the rest of her day would hold. She knew she had a lot of work to do, both in the bakery and at home, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Luxe and their interaction earlier. 

As she locked the door and turned off the lights, she allowed herself to daydream for a moment, imagining what a life with Luxe would be like. She knew it was a silly thought, but the encounter had left her feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time. 

In fact, as she walked upstairs to her apartment above the bakery, Ezra found herself humming happily. She couldn't wait to tell Elias about what happened. Perhaps she would have some advice on how to handle a situation like this. 

All in all, today was a good day. Ezra felt a sense of contentment that she hadn't felt in a long time. Maybe things were finally starting to look up.

As she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Luxe's features continued to appear before her eyes. Ezra found herself feeling drawn to the princess, unable to stop thinking about their interaction earlier. 

Luxe's face was truly angelic, with smooth skin and expressive plum eyes. As she thought about it, Ezra realized that she had never seen anyone so elegant and graceful before. It was like staring at a painting of a goddess brought to life. 

She lifted her right hand, feeling the warmth of where Luxe had touched it, and smiled to herself, "I'll never wash my hand." she whispered, as if savoring the moment. She clutched her right hand close to her chest and giggled. 

Ezra closed her eyes, allowing herself to be swept away by the memory of their brief encounter. She could feel her heart beating faster and her stomach flutter with excitement at the thought of seeing Luxe again. 

She wondered if there was any way to reconnect with the princess, to somehow find a way to be close to her. Ezra was determined to do whatever it took to make it happen, even if it meant crossing boundaries and risking everything.

****

[BACKSTAGE:]

Luxe's Actress: [Sipping tea] Can you believe we have to do that bakery scene tonight? It's one of the best parts of the play, but I'm always nervous.

Ezra's Actress: [Adjusting her costume] I know what you mean. Luxe is such a complex character. She starts off as this high and mighty princess and then, by the end, she's completely different.

Luxe's Actress: [Nods] I love how Luxe transforms. It's like playing two characters in one. She goes from haughty and entitled to vulnerable and appreciative. Quite the journey.

Ezra's Actress: [Smiles] And then there's Ezra. She's so earnest, hardworking, and full of admiration for Luxe. It's such a unique dynamic.

Luxe's Actress: [Sets her tea aside] That moment when Luxe tastes Ezra's bread... It's magical. I can feel the connection between them, even though we're just acting.

Nappen (Director): [Laughs nervously, trying to hide his concern] Ah, yes, Luxe and Ezra, quite the, um, dynamic duo, I'd say. Their relationship is a bit... complicated, isn't it?

[The two actresses exchange a quick glance, unsure of how to react to Nappen's comment.]