It didn’t take long before I got everything stored away. This included putting the cockatrice beak in a Silver Wood box, a material that kept its deathly magic in the check. Winter, who followed me inside, put the box on top of one of the taller shelves. "Thanks, Winter, appreciate it." Winter landed on my hat. “Not a problem, Mother.” I could feel her moving about up there.

“Something wrong?” Winter paused her movement, then flew over to the worktable. “No, well, not wrong, per se. I was just thinking… It’s almost Jaira’s birthday.” Ah, I could see where this was going. “Of course you are included in the present, Winter. Why wouldn’t you be?”

Winter gave a few happy chirps, then flew back out of the potion room in a much better mood. That left only one problem. What did I make for Jaira? I didn’t expect her for a while yet, which left me unprepared for her sudden visit. Well, there was nothing to do with right now. I would just have to pull an all-nighter to come up with something. Wait… maybe…

I rushed over to the bookcase and grabbed the alchemy book. “Index.” the book flipped open. “Incenses.” The book flipped to the index for all of them, and I began reading through them all. “High-grade monster repellant.” The book flipped through the pages like crazy, before it opened up on the page describing the ingredients needed to create monster repelling incense.

“Let’s see… troll fat, easy enough, antler of elk. Not an issue. Got more than I could ever use of that. Midsummer morning dew. Annoying, since I’m running low, but I have that. And… Bottled Disgust… Oh… Yuck. Well, I suppose that’s not surprising. Not making that right now, then.” There were more ingredients as well, but I decided it was better to wait with reading through the rest.

The Bottled Disgust was that bad for my enthusiasm. The sheer revulsion that the mere thought of the ingredients to make the Bottled Disgust caused was so bad I could feel my appetite dropping just thinking about it. I shuddered as I put the book down and walked back into the living room.

Once I returned, I found Meleri listening to Jaira telling Meleri about the South Lands. “… Yes Auntie, my home is a vast desert, with sandy dunes as far as the eyes can see. It’s quite the sight. It’s not without its perils, though, as those are untamed lands. That means that in difference from this region, where the magical beast population is kept in check by the local Fae Courts, Monsters are common and travel quite dangerous.”

Meleri looked thoughtful. “So, why risk the trip up north, then?” Jaira gave Meleri a big grin. “Aside from the obvious profits of trading in exotic goods from the frozen North Lands? Well, my dear Mother lives up here, and I will say she was a far better parent than my blood relatives. I’ll tell you that. If I’m being honest, the profits are just an excuse to visit mother, but don’t tell mother that.”

Jaira was about to keep talking, but stiffened when she saw Meleri’s expression. “She’s right behind me… isn’t she?” Meleri said nothing, but gave her a silent nod. I put a hand on Jaira’s shoulder. “Aw, you do care.” I gave her a loving peck on the cheek.

Jaira blushed for a moment, then shook her head. “H-hey, don’t sneak up on me like that.” I walked towards the kitchen and on my way there just waved at her. As I did, Midnight jumped into Jaira’s lap. “She just walked normally, you know, now pet me.” Jaira blinked for a few moments. “Your wish is my command, of divine Midnight.” I could hear Midnight’s delighted purrs through the closed kitchen door.

Lunch itself was, as promised, Jaira’s favorite sandwiches. Bread, butter, ketchup, meaty sausage, cheese, with just a dash of dried and grounded oregano and paprika powder on top. Placed inside an oven using a metal tray at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes, and it was good to go.

Jaira looked absolutely delighted as the scent of the sandwiches wafted into the living room. And a few minutes later, plates carrying sandwiches for everyone floated into the living room. To say sandwiches were popular was an understatement. Everyone ate far more than expected and for the first time in some time, I needed to make a second batch of food to sate everyone. I couldn’t even remember the last time that happened.

Well, it was a delightful feeling, to know they all appreciated my cooking, so I didn’t mind. “Thirds anyone? I made twice the usual amount this time, just in case.” My response was a pained groan from everyone. “Ate too much, huh?” Miva looked up from where she was half-sitting, half-lying on the couch. “If I eat any more now, I’m going to burst, let alone have any space for dinner later.”

At the mention of dinner, there was a whimper from Meleri. “Ugh, don’t mention food… Not right now.” The only ones that showed a modicum of restraint were Winter and Soot. Which they did out of necessity, since they didn’t have a choice but to eat slower, so getting full didn’t hit them as sudden as the others. And Ivy, who was only sated. But then I didn’t know if my pantry possessed enough food for her to get full, considering her ability to eat several times her own body weight in chow with no issues.

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“Well, I guess that means I should be saving the reminder for later, then. So you want me to continue the story, or do you just want to rest, so you can get your bloated feeling to die down?” I could see Miva struggle to sit back up. “Story…” Ivy flitted up and landed on Miva’s stomach. “Are you sure? You look like you have a balloon in your tummy. Well, if the others are up for it, I’m game.” She spun around in place and gave an amused trill as she used Miva’s bloated stomach to do a little dance.

Midnight, Meleri and Jaira seemed half comatose from the food. “Hmm, I think we might have to wait until after dinner with the story-time. I doubt those three are in any state to listen right now, anyway.” I looked at the three of them and shook my head. “Eh, it’s just as well. Since I need to work on a little something anyhow.” I waved to them and walked into the Potion room. I wasn’t looking forward to this, but Jaira’s birthday present wouldn’t make itself.

"Well then. Let’s get this thing started." I waved towards the cauldron and set it stirring, then walked over to the shelves. “Let’s see. Making Bottled Disgust for the repellant. Ugh.” There was a flapping noise as Soot and Winter joined me. “So, Mistress, what are we making?”

I took a deep breath. “Monster Repellant, which means I need to make Bottled Disgust.” Soot and Winter looked at each other. “I… see. Well then, we will leave you to it.” The two took off and flew back out. I couldn’t really blame them. Bottled Disgust was about as fun to make as being exposed to it.

I began gathering the material, each more disgusting and nauseating than the last. The stench was… horrendous, and I could see the glyphs around the doorway working overtime to purify the stench before it spread into the living room. None of the others interrupted my work either, so I guess Soot told them to stay away if they valued the lunch they just ate.

After finally adding the last few ingredients, which created an absolutely disgusting stench far beyond everything else so far, I finally finished the brewing. I filled as many vials as I could with the damn stuff. The longer I could wait to make more of this absolutely abhorrent cocktail, the better.

With that done and over with, I voided the remains in the cauldron and immediately began casting multiple stench removal spells. The stuff was that resistant to removal. Afterward, I staggered out of the potion room. “Soot, be a dear and grab something strong to drink for me. I need something to recover from that nightmare, and I’m not up for more casting right now.” Soot took off from the chair he was sitting. A few moments later, he returned with a bottle of wine and a glass in his talons. “Thanks, Soot, appreciate it.”

My hands were shivering as I poured one and downed it in a few gulps. “Ugh, I needed that.” Meleri looked at me with a worried expression. “What in the world were you making that have you that out of sorts?” I was silent for a moment. I was considering whether I should answer the question. Then I grabbed the bottle and began pouring another glass and took a sip before I answered. “Bottled Disgust. It’s even more revolting than the name suggests. As for why I would make it, don’t ask. It involves her birthday present.” I pointed towards Jaira.

Jaira looked a mix between intrigued and horrified at what I could be making that needed something that awful. “Don’t worry Jaira it’s not something horrible. You know me better than that. Trust your old lady a bit, eh?” Jaira hesitated for a moment, then relaxed. Then she chuckled. “Knowing how vindictive you can be, Darling, I wouldn’t put it past you to create some kind of stink device that would go off when I opened the present as a punishment for something I did twenty years ago.”

I scoffed. “Hey, I know I can be vindictive, yes, but I wouldn’t wait that long to get even.” I corked the bottle and sent it back to the cooling closet with a gesture. Jaira shrugged, and with a crooked grin leaned over out of her chair and gave me a hug. “I know, Darling, just messing with you.”

I returned the hug myself. “Oh, I know, and it’s only because you are family I allow such things. Anyone else would have been a toad a long time ago, I can assure you.” I let go of the hug and leaned back in the chair. “That aside, Jaira. What brought you north this early? Surely, it wasn’t just because you wanted to see your dear old mum, right?” Jaira’s smile faded. “I wish I could say it was. Unfortunately, the political landscape down south has become… unstable of late. It’s to where I am considering staying up north for a while just to not get dragged into things. Well, more than I already have.”

More than she already has? “You suspect it wasn’t a coincidence you got jumped by a Cockatrice, that it?” Jaira nodded. “The damn thing was too well kempt to have been out in the wilds for more than a few hours at most. No scars, no ruffled feathers, and more importantly, its feathers were in pristine condition, dusty, sure, but pristine. There is no way a wild Cockatrice’s feathers would be pristine, given their eating habits. That means someone or something groomed the damn thing.”

I couldn’t really fault her logic on that one. “So someone was trying to usurp your position as Master Merchant, using a monster to hide the assassination attempt.” Jaira nodded, and bit her lip while making doe eyes in my direction. I looked at her for a moment. “Ugh, fine, FINE! I will see what my divination can find out, but not today. It’s too nice a day to waste over the cauldron, even more so after brewing two dozen bottles of Bottled Disgust.”

Winter fell off her roost after hearing the number I made and barely slowed her fall before she hit the floor. “Why on earth would you make that many, Mother?” I leaned back in my chair. “So that if I need more in the future, I won’t need to make more then. Now let’s just relax for a bit, and I will resume the story after dinner. How’s that sound?” There was unanimous agreement with everyone about that suggestion.