Cedwyn watched the grey plumes of smoke climb into the early morning sky, rising and dispersing against the grey clouds above.
The outdoor oven, at the Hamglen Trading Post, was efficiently baking the first round of bread loaves to be delivered to her customers a little later that morning.
Cedwyn had decided to use the outdoor oven as she needed some fresh air to clear her head and although the day was just breaking and the sky cloudy, it was dry and the temperature not cold.
Cedwyn's mind drifted back to her thoughts and memories of the last week when, as a member of the Black Steel company, she had helped investigate what had seemed to be just a case of a Bree couple's wedding celebration plans being sabotaged - drink supplies spoiled, a party venue vandalised and the catering facility wrecked. But what the company had uncovered was far darker and more upsetting than Ced would have imagined.
The wedding plan disruption had been just the tip of the dog's tail, the deeper investigation had uncovered a plot involving murder, grave robbing, a twisted dark ritual and a mother obsessed with a deceased lover from her past.
The hairs on the back of Cedwyn's neck seemed to rise and a shiver pass over her as she recalled the mutilated bodies they had found in a cave near Staddle and the foul smell of decay mingled with incense that permeated the lair.
So angry and fearful of what sights she had seen, Cedwyn had resolved to help the company deal with the perpetrator and stop the ghastly affair.
This led to her engaging in the final conflict at the Bree graveyard along with other members of the Black Steel.
Armed with her bow, a quiver of arrows and a feeling, or rush, of exhilaration Ced had shot arrows into the melee to protect her friends from the 'unnatural servants' of the perpetrator as well as putting two arrows into the mistress of the dark ritual, ending her life.
But it wasn't a feeling of being triumphant that came to Cedwyn after the skirmish. It was one of guilt.
She'd felt relieved that the orchestrator of the nasty crimes and rituals had been stopped, but the guilt of her own actions and not finding another way weighed heavily on Cedwyn's mind.
Firstly, how could Mrs Brightblossom, a fabric trader at the Bree market, have been so willing to embrace such a dark plan and twisted ritual?
Ced had always found her friendly and 'normal' when she visited the Brightblossom stall to purchase wool or fabrics. They would talk about Bree life and their families.
Never once did Mrs Brightblossom mention pining for a deceased lover; the reason for her deciding to carry out her evil ritual and sabotage her own daughter's wedding plans just because the wedding would fall on the date she needed to perform her dark ceremony.
Cedwyn felt guilty that the company had been unable to stop the murder of Mr Brightblossom. He had been killed as part of the dark ritual - an innocent used in the plan.
Then there was the guilt for injuring Fiontann with one of her arrows.
During the skirmish, a yellowish unnatural mist had smothered the graveyard. From her vantage point, the mist had hindered the visibility of friend and foe. She thought the shape in the mist was a servant of Brightblossom, but it had been dear beloved Fion!
Thank Bema her arrow had been low and struck his leg.If it had been higher…
Cedwyn closed her eyes, not wanting to contemplate that outcome.
Taking a breath, she opened her eyes again, staring at the oven.
Finally, there was the guilt of putting herself in harm's way on the investigation.
If something had happened to her what would Averick, her young son, have felt?
Cedwyn looked at the large sandtimer she used to gauge her baking times. The bread would be ready to remove from the oven. She could smell its freshly baked scent - a comfortable reassuring smell.
Yes, the recent events had taught Cedwyn something. Even if you do what you believe is just and you think you'll be acting like a brave shieldmaiden, there will be pain inside and innocence lost.
