Dear readers, here are some one shots that include the characters from the Crimson Plumes series.
Three Teaspoons of Molasses: A Crimson Plumes Holiday Oneshot
A/N: What if the characters from the Crimson Plumes universe were in Vancouver for the winter holidays? Here’s a quick oneshot to spread some holiday cheer and bring Kevelynd and Darius to our universe for a day! Happy holidays, readers!
—
It was a crisp December day in Vancouver when Darius stepped out of the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel. He had arrived the night before, coming home early to attend the head office’s holiday party and participate in the year’s wrap up of meetings. As Chief Of Operations of Malyveld Metals & Technology, Darius looked forward to wrapping up the year by finalizing all pending business deals and avoiding his father, Chief Executive Officer Rezlend, during the holiday celebrations. The turbulent drama of the Malyveld family and his father’s indifferent attitude towards him was why he insisted on staying in the hotel in Coal Harbour, rather than the room his father kept reserved for him in the family home on Belmont Avenue in Point Grey.
Darius breathed in the crisp, clean air that filled the bustling city after a light snowfall. The snow cleansed the air of all the pollution and perfumes, leaving only a natural smell of earth and sea. With the waters of the Vancouver Harbour to the northeast and the Vancouver International Airport only a 26 minute drive away, the hotel was a convenient location to stay in whilst conducting business. Since it was located in the city centre with a view of the waterfront, Darius found the scenery refreshing. He stepped out of his hotel and was thrilled to find himself in a city of vibrant seaside air and familiar surroundings.
“What’s first on the agenda today, Mun Shi?” Darius asked, turning his attention to his personal assistant and best friend.
Mun Shi smiled at Darius and looked down at the tablet he carried. “You have a meeting this morning at ten,” he informed his boss. “And a lunch with Thynd Velshay to discuss the Divendyst accounts.”
Darius rolled his topaz eyes and sighed. “Velshay always wants to have next year’s meeting before this year ends.” He complained. “And we can’t bump him to a later date?”
“It would be most impractical, Darius.” Mun Shi replied with a smirk. “Last time you attempted that-”
“He called me a procrastinator and threatened to take his ‘serious business’ to Trarven’s company, yes, I remember.” Darius replied with a grunt of amusement. “As annoying as the Divendyst account can be, it is just a lunch.” Darius adjusted his wool-blend coat around himself and sighed. He dusted off the sleeve of the charcoal coat and checked the cuff. “After this morning’s meeting with my father and his 12 team members. It sounds like a good morning for a strong tea.”
Mun Shi laughed aloud. “I agree, sir.” He stepped forwards to ask the valet to bring their car around when Darius held up a hand.
“No, Mun Shi. Let us walk. The air is clean and the city looks enchanting today with the recent dusting of snow.” Darius gazed at the tall concrete and glass buildings around them, noticing the light layer of snow that covered the surrounding cars. “It would be good to stretch our legs before all this boardroom fuss.”
Mun Shi nodded and began to tap on his tablet. After a moment he looked up with a grin and gestured to Darius to go south down Burrand street. “This way, sir. There is a local cafe that you may find to your tastes.”
Darius nodded and smiled. He enjoyed to shop locally, and he had a very picky taste when it came to his palette. He let the wind gently tug at his shoulder length mahogany hair as he walked, even if it blew his chin-length bangs into his face.
Darius and Mun Shi walked quickly through the crowded streets, passing by busy storefronts that were made lively by last-minute holiday shoppers. They stopped at the intersection to wait for the orange hand to turn to a brightly lit person, then crossed the street and headed into the Golden Harbour Cafe, taking care to give the friendly black dog with white-tipped ears some room as they entered. Darius and Mun Shi were immediately greeted by the welcoming smell of freshly-made caffeinated drinks and the warm, spicy scent of baked goods. There was a short line of people in front of them, and many of the tables were taken by customers who were sipping their drinks and discussing their business and holiday plans.
Darius glanced at the people he saw in the line up before him. Two healthcare workers were at the front, placing their orders, both had long dark hair tied back into ponytails and medical lanyards around their necks. Behind them was a slender dark-eyed person talking excitedly to a shorter man with dark-rimmed glasses and a lip piercing about some kind of book. Darius noticed that each of them were wearing colourful toques.
“Quite the coffee rush in here,” Darius commented as he noticed the gathering of people waiting for their drinks at the other end of the cafe.
“Mm-hmm,” Mun Shi replied. He looked up from texting on his phone and glanced around. “Well, it is start of the day, sir,” he replied, then snickered. “Everyone needs their pick-me-up.”
Darius smiled at Mun Shi’s words, then shuffled ahead as the two healthcare workers with ponytails took their baked goods and stepped aside to wait for their drinks with the crowd at the opposite end of the counter.
The cafe appeared overrun, with only two baristas behind the counter to handle the rush of customers. Darius tapped his foot as he waited for the two people in front of him to order their green tea with honey and mocha latte, then he approached the counter.
The barista greeted him with a blank stare and mumbled out a “what can I get for you?”
Darius hadn’t bothered to read the menu board. He knew from the posters around the cafe that they would have the ingredients, but his preferred drink wasn’t likely to be on the menu. “Hi, yeah. I would like a large black tea, with three teaspoons of molasses and a cinnamon stick.”
The barista blinked and then raised his eyebrows in confusion. “I’m sorry. What?” He replied.
Darius anticipated some confusion and chose to ignore Mun Shi’s snort of amusement. “I would like one large black tea. No cream, no sugar. Just put three teaspoons of molasses in it, stir well. And stir it with a stick of cinnamon. Nothing else.”
The barista blinked and gestured as he spoke, picking up an empty large paper cup from the stack beside him. “You want me… to put three teaspoons of molasses… into your tea… and stir it?” He asked, as if he could not fathom this as a customer’s order.
“Yes,” Darius replied with a nod. “With a cinnamon stick.”
“Okay,” the barista responded with a soft sarcastic laugh as he quickly pressed the buttons of the register to input the order. “Anything else?” He asked without looking away from the screen.
“Yeah, and I’ll have a large coffee, three cream, no sugar. And two lemon blueberry scones.” Mun Shi added, shuffling forwards, his black eyes on the phone in his hands. He patted his pockets for a moment, then handed the barista the business credit card he carried.
The barista nodded and punched the rest of the order into the cash register, then let Mun Shi tap his payment through. He placed two scones into a paper bag and handed it to Darius, since Mun Shi had already walked away.
Darius followed Mun Shi to the section where orders were being handed out. His unique order had held them up long enough to ensure the gathering had thinned out some. The healthcare workers with ponytails and the two writers discussing their book were still hanging out, waiting patiently for their drinks.
“What is so interesting on that phone?” Darius asked after noticing that Mun Shi was still frantically typing away.
“Volring.” Mun Shi replied, looking up from the cell phone. “He is insisting that you make time to speak to him today about the Veneressing deal.”
“Kret dannok,” Darius hissed. “Decline. Tell him we need to adhere to the schedule.”
“I have told him that and am giving him another reminder. That’s what is so interesting.” Mun Shi replied.
Darius looked up and sighed. It was then he noticed one of the healthcare workers with ponytails was looking at him, watching him with amusement in his violet eyes. For a moment, the world seemed to stop and Darius felt his heart skip a beat. The man was incredibly attractive and seemed to stand out in the cafe for reasons unknown to Darius. He immediately wanted to get to know him. He wanted to approach the man and talk about something, but seeing as he knew nothing about him, Darius wasn’t sure what to say.
“Kevelynd and Ambrose!” A cheery barista approached the counter and handed the two healthcare workers with ponytails their drinks. They took them and thanked the barista, then headed to the exit.
Darius watched as they left, noticing that the violet-eyed man had ordered a cinnamon stick in his drink as well. He smiled at him, meaning to say something flirtatious to him when he passed, but his tongue felt thick and he only smiled as the man passed by.
“Sir?”
“Huh?” Darius gave his head a shake and turned to Mun Shi, who had been speaking to him the entire time.
“I’m sorry, Mun Shi. I’m afraid I didn’t get any of that,” Darius mumbled quickly. He glanced back towards the entrance, watching Kevelynd and Ambrose untie the dog’s leash outside and start walking down the street. The man with the violet eyes —Darius wasn’t sure if he was Kevelynd or Ambrose— had taken a sip of his drink, then made a face of disgust. He said something and his friend laughed, before they had wandered out of Darius’s sight.
“I was saying that you have to deal with Volring eventually.” Mun Shi interrupted Darius’s thoughts. He noticed that his usually-attentive boss was suddenly distracted and he looked at him with an expression of concern. “Is everything alright, sir?”
“Hmm? Oh yeah.” Darius blinked and nodded. “Though I’m beginning to question the quality of this tea.” He was still wondering about why the violet-eyed man would have found the drink he ordered in bad taste.
“Darius.” The barista called in an unenthusiastic voice, “And Mun Shi.”
Darius and Mun Shi approached the counter and took their drinks. Darius immediately noticed that his lacked a cinnamon stick.
“Hey, excuse me,” he began, then paused when he suddenly realized why the violet-eyed man didn’t like his drink. Darius sighed, then shook his head as the barista approached. “Never mind,” he mumbled and took a sip of his drink. He found it was an earl grey tea with almond milk and lavender. “This is fine.”
Mun Shi took a sip of his drink, then nodded as if to confirm that what he was tasting was indeed the creamy coffee he ordered. He noticed the lack of cinnamon stick in Darius’s tea and raised an eyebrow. “That’s not your order, is it?”
Darius shook his head and followed Mun Shi out of the cafe and towards the hotel. He chewed on some lavender buds as he looked up and down the street, but he couldn’t see Kevelynd or Ambrose anywhere. If Mun Shi had gotten the correct order, he figured it was only his and Kevelynd’s —or Ambrose’s— order that was switched. Perhaps it was a sign from the Tri-Gods. Darius felt his heart skip a beat at the thought that his chance encounter with the violet-eyed man could mean something more.
“Mr. Volring is not taking kindly to my message, sir. He said he’s left you a voicemail and demands you call him back immediately.” Mun Shi relayed the message to Darius after he checked the new notification on his phone.
“Text him back that I will not be calling him today because I am busy with meetings,” Darius informed Mun Shi. “And I have my lunches booked with other clients. I’ll call him tomorrow morning before we stop by the cafe.”
Mun Shi’s eyes brightened with realization when he suddenly understood why his friend had been so distracted by the events of the cafe. He smiled, noticing Darius’s sudden interest with the place and its teas. “And that your mornings are booked with your strange tea?” He teased.
Darius stopped scanning the busy streets and turned his attention back to Mun Shi, understanding that the violet-eyed man that had captured his attention had likely already left the area. “Yes,” he agreed with a smile. “My mornings are already booked.”
—
Darius’s day passed by in a blur of meetings and formal exchanges. He was glad to put aside his suit jacket at the end of the day and enjoy a quiet dinner in the privacy of his hotel room. His father had tried to call him on his cell phone, but Darius rejected the call, intent on spending the evening by himself. His room offered him an espresso maker, but since Darius preferred tea over coffee, he didn’t use it. It did make him think about the dark-haired man with the captivating violet eyes that he had encountered at the cafe earlier. He shivered involuntarily as he recalled the man’s amused expression; Darius wasn’t sure what he had said or done that had amused him so much, but his smile was dazzling. Darius had felt bursts of energy, like invigorating sparks of lightning, just being in his presence.
Darius slipped into bed still thinking of the enchanting man. He planned to head to the cafe the next day and see if he frequented there again. Darius recalled that he wore a medical lanyard, so he most likely had gone there with a co-worker before their shifts had started.
Perhaps there is a hospital or medical office nearby that he works at? Avor, Darius’s consciousness, eagerly suggested in Darius’s mind.
“Perhaps,” Darius agreed. “But I am not going to fake having flu symptoms just to get to talk to him. And what if he is a radiologist or something less accessible? Are you suggesting that I break my arm?”
Avor hissed at the teasing. At least we can use the mixed up drinks to start a conversation. He didn’t seem to like the flavour of our tea.
“I can mention the cinnamon stick,” Darius murmured in agreement, “But I doubt he will feel flattered by me watching him out the window.” He yawned and contemplated what else he could possible say to Kevelynd —or Ambrose— to strike up a conversation. “Perhaps asking which one is his name?” He mused to himself, “That would be a good place to start.”
—
Darius woke bright and early the next day. It was another day of clear, grey skies over Vancouver, which he was grateful for because he didn’t want a sudden snowfall to delay him. Darius got dressed and headed out, meeting Mun Shi in the elevator as they both headed to the lobby. He checked his hair in the reflection of the elevator’s mirror, running a hand over his head to smooth any flyaways that were making his ponytail look messy.
“Another morning of meetings, Mun Shi?” Darius asked him with a smile.
“Yes. But we have a full schedule today, I’m afraid.” Mun Shi commented. He glanced at his tablet and opened the agenda on it.
“Don’t tell me my father has decided to fill in my schedule again at the last minute,” Darius sighed.
“No sir. But your clients have. Your morning was free until the Navaryld’s bumped their afternoon meeting earlier. Your brother’s wife has called to remind you of your lunch time arrangement with him for half after noon. And your cousin, Talazor, has heard that you are in town and has made dinner reservations with you at six.”
Mun Shi looked up with a grin, knowing Darius would feel overwhelmed by the amount of family he would have to see so suddenly.
Darius closed his eyes and curved his thin lips into a strained smile. “Is Adamas going to bring Jadaron with him?” He asked instead. His nephew was growing to be quite a troublesome teenager.
“And Kolembyr, and Jadrelle. Naturally.” Mun Shi replied, as if this were most obvious.
The elevator made a clear, bell-like tone and stopped on the main floor before Darius could reply. The doors opened and Darius stepped out, walking briskly towards the entrance. Mun Shi took large steps to keep up.
“Tea, I take it, sir?” He asked, knowing Darius was most likely heading to the Golden Harbour Cafe.
“Yes, Mun Shi. Tea.” Darius replied. “I would like to start my day off with a nice, strong cup of molasses-ladened tea. While the Navaryld’s are a business meeting, Jadaron and his siblings are not and will likely need to be amused by holidays gifts while Adamas and I chat. I will need you to go out and buy something for them from me. And not any projectiles. Jadaron adores them but he is going to need to learn not to shoot his teachers with foam pellets.”
“Yes, sir.” Mun Shi replied. He grimaced, not wanting to bring up the subject. “And Ikrad Volring, sir? Have you spoken to him this morn?”
Darius clicked his tongue. “I haven’t,” he replied, realizing that he had not done himself a favour in putting off his call to Volring to spend extra time on grooming himself and picking out a classy-looking outfit. “I should have called him. I know,” he added in an apologetic tone as he waited at the crossing before the cafe. Darius stood up on his tip toes to see over the gathering of people on the corner of the street, trying to see if the friendly dog was outside the cafe.
“Yes, and I advise you to call him today, sir.” Mun Shi confirmed. “He has left several messages. I am not sure how much longer I can keep him waiting.” Mun Shi started walking faster to keep up to Darius, who suddenly appeared to be in a hurry.
“Tell him I’m busy!” Darius suddenly exclaimed, as he dashed across the street the moment the pedestrian crossing lit up. “Once more, please Mun Shi. Just…” Darius took a breath. “Just tell him I’m with my father today. I’ll call him tomorrow. For real this time!” He threw up his hand, as if to finalize his plan. Darius grinned as he saw the familiar dog waiting outside the cafe; it belonged to Kevelynd —or Ambrose— so the pair must have already gone inside.
“I strongly suggest you call him today, Darius. He will only take that excuse for so long,” Mun Shi reasoned, following Darius into the shop. “What if he calls the office?”
The cafe was just as busy as it was the day before. The same baristas were running the shop, and several familiar faces were in the lineup. Kevelynd and Ambrose were ordering and the two writers were in the lineup as well. Between them was a well-groomed man in a finely-tailored suit. His silky blonde hair was combed over, exposing a sleek hands-free earpiece that he was talking animatedly into.
Darius stepped into line behind the writers, trying to find another excuse for Volring in his spinning mind. He breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Kevelynd and Ambrose ordering. Darius figured that he either appeared to be late, or rather the stern blonde appeared to be early, so the line between them had grown since the day before.
“Sir, about Volring?”
“Tell him that I am with my brother today.” Darius replied, then shrugged. “It is true, so if he decides to contact the office, then he will look like a right fool!”
Mun Shi laughed, relieved that Darius had come up with a good excuse. “I shall tell him that then. Should I tell him that you are visiting your cousin as well?”
“No,” Darius replied, shuffling forward as Kevelynd and Ambrose headed towards the end of the counter. “We can tell him that tomorrow. No doubt he will still be calling.”
“Why not today? Pardon me, but do you intend to put him off your entire trip, sir?” Mun Shi asked, already typing the message that Darius was booked for the day with his brother’s family to Volring in an email on his phone.
“If I can. I’ll talk to him tomorrow for sure. But right now…” Darius replied. He tapped his foot impatiently as the blonde ordered a black coffee and a long john doughnut. He tried to see over the counter, counting the paper cups lined up with names scrawled on them. He was hoping to place his order before Kevelynd’s and Ambrose’s cups were filled.
The writers approached the counter and ordered; green tea with honey, a hot chocolate, and two cinnamon rolls. Darius watched them tap their payment through and then shuffle off to the opposite side of the counter, debating about the idea of gifted weapons —whatever those were.
Darius sighed with relief and approached the counter; as if by some stroke of luck, Kevelynd’s and Ambrose’s cups were not touched by the barista making the drinks, since she had rushed to warm the writers’ cinnamon rolls instead.
The young man that had taken Darius’s order was taking orders again today. His eyes widened as he recognized Darius, then he shook his head. “Uh-hm, just a moment, sir!” He squeaked, before heading over to his overwhelmed colleague. “You take his order,” he told her. “And I’ll finish these.”
The lady seemed confused by her co-worker’s sudden choice to make the drinks, but she shrugged it off and agreed. She approached the cash register, where Darius was waiting.
“What can I get you today?” She asked cheerfully.
Darius sighed. “One large black tea, with three teaspoons of molasses and a cinnamon stick.” He replied, hoping that she wouldn’t question his drink the way her co-worker had.
“Alright,” the lady punched the order into the cash register. “Anything else?”
Darius could see the words “special order,” “molasses x3,” and “cinn stk” flash on the screen. He was relieved that she didn’t question his drink request.
“Yeah, one large coffee.” Mun Shi cut in, “Three cream, no sugar. And we’ll have three of your fruit and bran muffins.” He was ready with the credit card and tapped the payment in as soon as the machine was ready.
Darius headed over to the waiting area, glad to see that Kevelynd and Ambrose were still nearby. He intended to head over to them, meaning to make a joke about stealing one of their drinks from yesterday, when suddenly a fancy suit stepped in front of him and scalding liquid splashed onto his best crimson coat.
“Shoot. Sorry. Call you back.” The blonde with the earpiece spoke. He took several napkins from the dispenser on the counter and began to pat at Darius’s jacket. “My apologies, sir. I’m running late for a meeting and I didn’t see you there.”
Darius frowned. “Understandable,” he replied, trying to give the man the benefit of the doubt. He knew he didn’t mean to interrupt, however, he was impatient for the man to be out of his way so that he could approach Kevelynd and Ambrose.
“Here,” the man handed Darius a business card. “Have them bill your dry cleaning here.” He stated, the touched his earpiece again. “Yes, I’m on my way.” He spoke quickly, taking his half-spilt cup of coffee from the counter and heading out.
Darius shook his head and tried to recollect his thoughts. “Right,” he began, adjusting his jacket. He looked around the crowd, unable to find Kevelynd and Ambrose. He began to frown, realizing that they must have gotten their order while the business man had interrupted him.
Darius stood up on his tiptoes to catch a glance at the friendly dog outside, but it was also gone.
“They left again,” he mumbled to himself, scowling. He looked down at the business card in his hand, reading over the lawyer’s name. “Thanks to Raylosh Jentling, I missed them.” He clicked his tongue in frustration.
“Excuse me, but were you trying to speak to those two? The healthcare workers?”
Darius looked up from the business card to find the writers staring up at him. They seemed curiously surprised, but offered him kind smiles.
“Yeah,” he replied, eager for any help they could give him. “Do you know them?”
“We see them come in from time to time.” The short man waved his hand.
“It seems Kevelynd left his cup behind.” The taller writer explained, pointing out the cup sitting on the counter with his name scrawled in dark marker along the side. “Said something about the baristas ruining his tea with molasses again.”
“Kevelynd,” Darius repeated the name. “Is he the one with the violet eyes?”
“Yarlan and Rynor!” The barista called, approaching the counter with two cups.
The shorter writer headed to the counter and took the cups from the barista.
The taller writer nodded. “Yeah. He’s been coming here longer than Ambrose has.”
“Ambrose and the dog.” The shorter writer handed the cup labelled Yarlan to his friend. “Better luck tomorrow?” He offered Darius an apologetic smile. “If we see you, you can cut in front of us in the line.”
Darius nodded, then sighed with relief. He watched the writers head out of the cafe. They paused to debate which way to go, then turned right.
“Recruiting the locals?” Mun Shi teased Darius in a gentle tone.
Darius rolled his eyes. “No harm in surveying the locals,” he replied. “They were a great help.”
“Darius and Mun Shi.” The unenthusiastic barista called. He handed Darius and Mun Shi their drinks.
Darius immediately noted the cinnamon stick in his. “Did you add the molasses?” He asked, glaring at the man.
“Yes.” The reply was quick.
“How many spoons?”
“Two. No, three. Three.” The barista affirmed.
Darius raised the cup to his lips and took a sip. The liquid was warm but the tea was neither black, nor had any molasses. Instead, it was a sweetened bergamot, vanilla, and cinnamon-tasting drink.
“You mixed up my order. Again.” Darius frowned, then pushed Kevelynd’s abandoned cup towards the barista. “This drink has the molasses in it. That’s why Kevelynd left it behind. I know you guys are busy around here, but why bother writing our names on the cups when you mix all of us up?” He shouted, then turned from the counter and stormed out with his —no, most likely Kevelynd’s— improperly-made drink.
Mun Shi followed behind him, understanding Darius’s frustration. “Another mix up? That means you retain the opportunity to apologize to Kevelynd for drinking his tea twice.” He spoke cheerfully, hoping to give his friend some hope.
Darius glanced at Mun Shi and took a sip of the drink. Avor hissed in his head. The taste of the earl grey tea latte made Darius think of Kevelynd. This time there were no lavender buds in his tea —or lavender at all— which made Darius wonder if Kevelynd had asked for a different drink or if he had been an unknown victim of a busy barista.
Darius sighed and began to head back to the hotel. “I need a change of clothing,” he told Mun Shi, already refocusing on his meeting with the Navaryld’s. “Of all coats, he had to ruin my best one. Mun Shi, make sure we do bill Mr. Jentling for the dry cleaning.” Darius added, handing Mun Shi the blonde lawyer’s card, still annoyed that he had gotten in the way of him speaking to Kevelynd. “In full.”
—
Darius woke up the next morning to the sound of rain falling outside his window. He threw back the sheets and heaved a sigh. He had a headache from drinking too much of Talazor’s favourite Okanagan wine, having spent time with him after their dinner to indulge in a bottle or two. It was always hard to keep track of bottles with Talazor, and Darius did need some time with his cousin to recharge after having to interact with his brother’s unruly children. Adamas, unlike Darius, was carelessly laid back, which made his children impulsive and unapologetic. After his lunch date with his brother had resulted in chaos and headaches, Darius was more than happy to spend a quiet evening with his cousin laughing about their family and current world events.
Darius didn’t even know what was on his schedule for the day, but he already knew that it was definitely going to be a day for a strong cup of properly-made, molasses-sweetened tea. He considered going to a different cafe just to have his tea made properly, but the idea that Kevelynd would frequent the Golden Harbour Cafe motivated him to sit up and check the time on his bedside alarm clock. He rushed to get ready for his day to ensure that he was once again in the elevator at the same time, hoping to make it to the cafe to have a chance to speak to Kevelynd.
Mun Shi greeted him in the lobby, having woken up without a hangover. He approached Darius with a smile, then took long strides to keep up with him as Darius left the hotel and headed to the cafe. He barely had time to hand Darius a sleek black umbrella before the man was heading down the street in the rain. “Morning, sir. You are meeting with Tyurn Kweldove today.”
“What happened to Fontys?” Darius asked, raising an eyebrow. He held the umbrella high, so that those around him wouldn’t be hit by its spokes. “Am I not important enough for him to meet with?”
Mun Shi snorted, agreeing with Darius about their client being condescending enough to send his brother in his stead. He struggled to hold his tablet and his umbrella at the same time as keeping up with Darius’s long paces. Mun Shi was not a short man by any standard, but when Darius was motivated, his fiery spirit made it hard to keep up with him.
“I am not aware, sir. We just received an email saying that Tyurn is going to meet with you today in place of Fontys. After which, you have a meeting with Plad Luthos regarding the gold exchange. Your sister-”
“Varelda is in Vancouver?!” Darius grinned excitedly, turning to face Mun Shi as he waited as the intersection for the cross light.
“She is. And her husband. She has contacted to arrange a dinner together tonight, which conflicts with one your father has set-”
“Cancel Rezlend’s,” Darius ordered. “I will have dinner with Varelda and Borth. It’s about time I get a chance to see them. Why, I haven’t seen her in two years!”
“Since her wedding, yeah.” Mun Shi replied. “That long already. Everyone has been so busy these days.”
The cross light changed and Darius led the small gathering of pedestrians across the street. He noticed that Ambrose’s friendly dog wasn’t outside, which had fuelled his desire to cross the street in record time and enter the cafe.
The gathering at the opposite end of the counter wasn’t as large, and Darius immediately noticed that Kevelynd and Ambrose were not there. He gazed at the tables, but knew that they had usually visited the cafe before their work shifts, so they were probably not going to be sitting around drinking their teas. His eyes finally fell on the lineup. There was a group of five teenagers placing their orders. Standing behind them were the two writers. They turned to face Darius as he entered and their smiles fell.
“He didn’t come in today,” Rynor informed Darius.
The group of teenagers shuffled out of the way, so the writers approached the counter and gave their usual order of two beverages. This time it was a green tea with honey and a black current smoothie.
Darius frowned. He wasn’t interested in the Golden Harbour Cafe’s tea if it didn’t present him with the possibility of speaking to Kevelynd. He contemplated leaving the cafe, perhaps to even brew his own tea in his hotel room before meeting with Tyurn, but he felt like he was giving up on talking to Kevelynd.
Darius remained in the lineup and this time he looked up at the board. He read over it once, trying to find what drink it was that Kevelynd ordered. He was surprised to find that the teas that they advertised were labelled as ‘hot tea.’ Darius realized that the drink he had tasted two days ago was also not featured on the board and it gave him an idea.
Darius approached the counter and ordered two drinks: one black tea with three teaspoons of molasses and a cinnamon stick and a second earl grey tea with vanilla almond milk and lavender.
Mun Shi had been texting into his phone, mumbling something to Darius about calling Volring, so he didn’t notice Darius’s extra order. He simply added his large coffee with three creams and two lemon blueberry scones that were in the glass case beside the cash register, before paying for their order. Mun Shi was so busy with checking the recent messages from Volring that he didn’t notice that Kevelynd wasn’t there until their order was called and Darius picked up two drinks.
“What did you do that for?” Mun Shi asked, confused by Darius’s plan.
“Quality control,” Darius replied with a grin. He took a sip from his own tea, then took a sip of Kevelynd’s preferred drink. They were made exactly as he had ordered them. “I figured out how I am going to talk to Kevelynd and make sure it isn’t because our drinks are mixed up.”
Mun Shi raised an eyebrow, then shook his head lightly, before he sipped his own coffee. “I’m sure you have, Darius,” he replied with a knowing smile. “I’m sure you have.”
—
Darius woke bright and early the next morning. He pushed off the sheets and headed to the window, opening the curtains and breathing in the crisp, December morning air. There were puddles on the streets down below and rain drops on the windows, but the rain seemed to have stopped, for now. Thankfully, there was no sign of snow.
Darius glanced at the clock. He had had a tiresome day the day before, with meetings not going at all to plan. His meeting with Tyurn Kweldove had ended with no agreement, since it all had to be approved by Fontys —who had been the one to pull a no-show in the first place. Darius had finally drafted an agreement and passed it to Tyurn, informing him that Fontys can read over it on his own time and get back to him after the holidays. His meeting with Plad Luthos had been agreeable but unproductive, since Darius’s plan to expand on their contract seemed to be a point of friction between them. Darius decided to schedule Luthos a meeting with his father instead, which had caused him to be late for his sister’s dinner since Rezlend had insisted on speaking to him on the phone and getting every last detail.
Despite the many setbacks Darius faced, he had risen early and gotten ready for his day. He had Mun Shi clear his schedule the night before so that he only had an afternoon meeting with representatives of Rakudaav. He left the hotel early, before Mun Shi even had time to meet him, and headed to the cafe. Usually, he had arrived after Kevelynd and Ambrose, but he had plans to arrive there before they did. It was a relief to see that Ambrose’s dog was not yet outside the cafe when he arrived, but it was also a gamble; because Kevelynd did not show up the day before, Darius could not be certain that he would return to this cafe and its mixed up orders.
The line was short and full of unfamiliar people. Yarlan and Rynor were not there yet, and there was no Raylosh Jentling and his flashy suit. Darius headed to the counter and placed his order: one large black tea with three teaspoons of molasses and one cinnamon stick, and one large earl grey tea with vanilla almond milk and lavender.
“Please strain the buds,” Darius informed the barista.
With the line being shorter, the wait for his order was shorter too. The baristas appeared less rushed, and they were giving the correct orders to the customers. Darius stood at the far counter, watching the entrance and hoping that his plan would work.
He didn’t have to wait long, but the minutes that passed felt like hours. He looked away from the window to glance at the counter where steaming paper cups filled with warm, spicy beverages were collecting. The unenthusiastic barista had begun passing them out.
Darius’s head snapped back up to look out the window as he heard the sharp bark. He felt delighted as he saw the two healthcare workers arrive; Kevelynd stood with his hands in the pockets of his black coat as Ambrose secured the dog’s leash and petted its head.
“Now’s my chance. Let’s hope nothing gets in the way this time,” Darius murmured with a smile.
The barista’s voice broke into his thoughts, calling out his name. Darius turned with a spring in his step and took the two drinks from the barista, then sipped the one that had the cinnamon stick in it. It tasted sweet and spicy, just like how he liked it. “Perfect,” He complimented her. “Would you mind if I borrowed your marker?”
“Sure!” The cheerful barista appeared confused but handed the black marker to Darius anyways. Darius took it and wrote on the cup he ordered for Kevelynd, then headed to the line up with the two cups of tea.
“H-hi, K-Kevelynd?” He began, approaching the violet-eyed man.
Kevelynd turned to face him, and his eyes widened with recognition. His lips curved into a small smile. “Uh, hi!” He greeted him in a soft, deep voice. “You must be Darius.”
Darius’s eyes widened in surprise. He couldn’t recall how Kevelynd knew his name, but it sounded good to hear him say it.
“The man whose drink I kept getting this week.” Kevelynd explained, gesturing with his hand to the cups Darius was holding.
“Oh, yeah.” Darius replied, realizing that Kevelynd had read his name on the cups, the same way he had learnt his. “Well, I, um, I bought you one to make up for that.” He held out the cup which contained the earl grey tea latte. “Not that I’d planned to mix the tea up,” Darius began to mumble out of nervousness. “They…” He motioned to the baristas.
“Don’t worry about it. This has happened here a few times during the morning rush.” Kevelynd laughed softly and he accepted the drink from Darius. “Thank you,” he replied, “No molasses, right?” He teased Darius.
Darius chuckled softly. “No molasses,” he confirmed. “Just Earl Grey, vanilla almond milk, and lavender. I, I figured that was your order since that was what I got three days ago when you got my cinnamon tea.”
Kevelynd chuckled softly and took a sip of the drink. “And they strained the lavender buds,” he sighed. “Finally. Sometimes they miss that too. Shall we go? I’m sorry but I have to be getting to work.” Kevelynd gave Darius an apologetic smile.
“Sure. That’s understandable.” Darius walked with Kevelynd towards the cafe door. Time itself seemed to slow down in his radiant presence and every action around him appeared to move with a fluid gracefulness. “You’re… you’re a hard man to catch,” he began, hoping his words wouldn’t sound too invasive to Kevelynd. “I wanted to make up for the molasses since the start of the week.” He explained, trying to grasp the right words to use while his nervousness made his thoughts race.
“You didn’t have to,” Kevelynd responded quickly. Then he smiled and wrapped his fingers around the paper cup, enjoying the warmth of the tea. “I mean, you didn’t have to correct their mistake. But I’m glad that you did.” His eyes twinkled in the bright morning light.
“I’m glad as well. Well, that we got to meet. Yeah…” Darius nodded and smiled, feeling frustrated that his nerves were making it difficult for him to express himself. Yet he was glad to have finally had a chance to speak with Kevelynd. He saw Ambrose getting their drink and knew the two healthcare workers had to be on their way. “Well, stay in touch,” he told Kevelynd with a soft smile. “My number’s on the cup if you’d like to go for tea again. Maybe someplace more versed in tea than this?”
Kevelynd nodded and took a sip, then raised the cup as if to cheers Darius. “I will,” he responded, then greeted Ambrose. The pair nodded at Darius, then left the cafe, taking the dog with them.
Darius watched them walk to the end of the block, before they turned the corner and disappeared from his sight. His heart pounded in his chest as he sipped his spicy tea and smiled, gazing around the bustling street. It were as if time had begun to move at its usual hectic pace.
Finally getting to speak to Kevelynd had put Darius in high spirits and so it amused him when he saw Mun Shi rushing over, taking long steps while juggling his tablet and speaking into his cell phone. He turned the phone off as he approached Darius and sighed heavily.
“I’m sorry, I was late meeting you and Volring keeps calling-”
Darius chuckled and reached out to take the tablet from Mun Shi’s hands. “I left early,” he replied in a voice full of amusement. He noticed that Mun Shi had no cup in his hands. “Go get your coffee. I’ll wait here.”
“Are you sure? We’re already behind schedule. We only have today to finalize all of the business deals for the year. Christmas Eve is tomorrow sir.” Mun Shi gave Darius a worried look.
“I’m sure. It’s better if you get your breakfast before this busy day. Besides,” Darius motioned to the tablet. “You just reminded me. I have to call Volring.”
“Ah. Very well, sir.” Mun Shi took the tablet from Darius and headed back into the cafe.
Darius took his phone out and made the call to Volring. He spoke with a firm tone, making sure to arrange a Zoom call with him for the late afternoon.
“Yes, we’ll discuss this in more detail this afternoon. I can’t meet with you before the holidays because I have obligations with my family. We’ll meet after the New Year when I’m able to travel again. Okay, Volring. Yes. You’ll have to ask Rezlend that yourself. That’s not in my power. Alright. Merry Christmas.” Darius ended the call, feeling accomplished. He was glad that things were finally moving out of the state of stalemate that they were in earlier in the week. He was about to put his phone back into the inside pocket of his coat when it lit up and played the familiar bell sound of an incoming text message.
Darius looked at the phone curiously, expecting the message preview to be the usual phone call summary and demands of Volring. Instead, he was surprised to see an unfamiliar number with a heart-lifting message.
Hello again. It’s Kevelynd. Thanks for the te-
Darius eagerly tapped the message and continued reading it.
tea. Are you free anytime after the 29th? I’ve got a few days off of work and was wondering if you’d like to go for tea in a place that’s more versed than Golden Harbour Cafe. So?
Darius grinned at the screen and added Kevelynd as a contact in his phone. Then he began to quickly type his response.
Hi Kevelynd. Thanks for texting me back I-
Darius shook his head. Then hit delete repeatedly.
Hello Kevelynd. Yes my schedule is clear after the 29t-
Darius cringed as Avor chided him in his thoughts. Darius this isn’t a business email. Put some casual language in there and give him hints that you’d like to see him again. As a date.
“Okay, I’ll try again then.” Darius took a breath and began to text.
Hi Kevelynd. Tea after the 29th sounds great. Count me in!
Darius stared at the message with Kevelynd’s name on the screen and then hit send just as Mun Shi came out of the cafe with his coffee.
“What’s wrong, sir?” Mun Shi rushed over with a look of concern when he saw Darius staring at the phone.
“Nothing’s wrong, my friend!” Darius chuckled. He slipped the phone into his pocket and gave Mun Shi a grin.
“Good news, I’ll take then?” Mun Shi smiled and his worried expression faded.
“Very good news. I’ve got myself a date!”
“A business one? Or a real one?” Mun Shi teased, smirking at Darius.
“A real one.” Darius felt delighted as he said the words that affirmed his date with Kevelynd to be a real world event and not just a hopeful figment of his imagination.
“Good on you, Darius!” Mun Shi gave his friend a slap on the back. “Now, about our business dates for today-”
“We’ll get to them Mun Shi. For now, let’s make a quick trip to the tech store. I want to buy you an earpiece, like Raylosh Jentling has. I feel terrible that yours was lost on the flight. Besides, it’s a wise investment since Volring and my father are always hissing in your ear.”
“Sir?” Mun Shi replied, surprised by Darius’s sudden change of plans. “What about your schedule? We need to finalize all meetings before you leave Vancouver.”
Darius waved his hand as if to dismiss his friend’s concern, then took a sip of his molasses-cinnamon tea. “Fret not. I have decided to extend my holiday here in Vancouver past the 26th.”
“But Darius, you have a flight on the-”
“Please cancel it, Mun Shi,” Darius replied quickly, noting the look of worry on his assistant’s face. “I know my father will not be pleased —as if he ever is— and Volring will complain, but they’ll just have to wait.”
“Are you absolutely sure, sir? You know Volring will be angry. He might even tell your father that he’s going to decline busin-”
“Ah, he can’t afford to decline anything we offer him,” Darius laughed, his voice full of delight. “I’ll get to Volring in the New Year just like I promised him. Until then, I have many more teas here to enjoy with Kevelynd.”
social media
Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with our posts.
Vincent Hunter Official 
You must be logged in to post a comment.