The Prologue of Epilogue
“Brilliant, please process the application to increase the safety measures for Jex, Jax, and Jix's jewellery shop.”
Kara donned her black cloak, and her glance fell on the mirror's reflection, where an evidence board connected with threads and pins…
All weaving around the arson at Babylon.
“Heading off now, don't overwork, eat well, sleep well!” Says Kara as she signs off.
She thanked Beomus, who dropped by to help.
Next, Kara sneaked near Marina, jumped up from behind, and smirked when Marina turned around.
“Cheese is doing great! Swing by Epilogue with Skimmer sometime!” Before Marina could reply, Kara dashed into the palace to greet Aina and Mirara.
Finally, the dusk falls on Ytic. Kara unveiled her hardcover memo, inscribed with a line from Monty:
Live a good life.
With a rueful smile, Kara turns to the page bookmarked with a notice saying the restaurant is closed for the day, Kydomela feeling unwell. Guilts propelled, and Kara sprinted. Above in the sky, the crows freely soar. The same road that led her to become a Royal Guard now leads back to Epilogue, the restaurant run by Kara and Kydomela.
Homebound.
Indeed, Epilogue seemed closed, but a breeze through her cheeks awakened the half-closed door, squeaking, anticipating the little bird to come home.
Once Kara adapted to the dark interior, she was awed by the petals scattered from the table to the mahogany floor. Kydomela is doing fine. The faun, dressed in her finest attire yet, sits across the table, candlelight flickering in her eyes, eyes with hope, love, and potentially…
Surprise.
For the starter, “Hey Darlin'!” with a twist. The formerly house-special is now presented in a heart-shaped terrine topped with herbs fresh from the garden. The perfect time for Kara to taste this exquisite gourmet…
As she has finally found her darlin'.
For the main, the two have salt-seasoned soup noodles with magic beans, the last dish Kara serves on the night when everything unfolds.
Finally, Babylon's finest, Epilogue's proudest, plant-based tiramisu, was placed in an hourglass-shaped container for dessert. Bittersweet, followed by the plant-based mascarpone and the bitterness of the espresso extract, but the ladyfingers held the treat up like braches supporting the juvenile bird. The treat was finished, yet only half of the bowl was revealed.
“Am I suppose to know what's beneath?” Suspiciously, Kara raises her eyebrow with a grin.
“What would you think, love? See it yourself?”
Nothing can escape the observation of the Commanding Officer of the Royal Guard Investigation Department. Kara realized that the hourglass was two bowls stacked together. A crate was revealed from the bottom half. Inside, a ring awaited.
Surrounding the rim were floral engravings that gradually transitioned into feathery patterns. Shapes of feathers extended at the tip to hold the gemstone, where it shined.
Shinies are crows' favourite, but this outshined all.
“Kara, will you marry me, for us to be together, always?”
“Yes!” Kara cries, in tears of joy.
That, marks a prologue between a faun and a crow.1)
“Hm… no, that's not quite it. A little to the right!”
Kara Sutherland paces around the mahogany floors of Epilogue, trying to look at the artworks being hung on the wall from all different angles. Kydomela is up close, stood on a chair and stretched up as high as she can to adjust the picture. The construction of Epilogue has been an exciting time, but it's also been a busy time - builders, constant visits from investors, Kara's colleagues with the Royal Guard assessing that the construction is compliant with Modnik's new regulations. It's a long, messy process.
But it's over now. All that's left are the quiet days spent together, sorting out pots and pans and menus and table settings and…
And in honesty, it's all rather relaxing.
“Welcome to Epilogue!” says Kara. “Table for two?”
“Kara?”
Kara looks again at the customers. Marina and Skimmer are stood in front of her, one's hand intertwined in the other. Behind them is a bee.
“Aah! Marina! Skimmer! It's so good to see you both. Come in, come in, take a seat!”
It's Kydomela's turn in the kitchen, and it's a busy night. Kara is hurrying back and forth across the wooden floors about as fast as she can go. Every so often she dips into the kitchen to put the finishing touches on some desserts - still her favorite part of the menu, of course - before coming back out. One hand has a notepad for taking orders, and the other carries a tray stacked high with six portions of Epilogue's signature plant-based tiramisu.
“Ah! Of course, what would you like for desert?”
Kara's eyes practically light up as she brings out her pen and flicks to a blank page.
“I'd recommend the muffins! They've the queen's approval, you know!”
“Yes, Kara, I know.”
Kara looks again at the customers. Aina sits on one side of the table, and Mirara on the other.
The three laugh. “We'll take a muffin each.”
Kara ducks back into the kitchen, where she passes the notebook to Kydomela. “I'll start the prep for tables four and five!” calls Kara.
“Heard!” responds Kydomela.
And Kara starts, cutting vegetables and tossing ingredients into various pots and pans. It's a practiced kitchen, and the two work damned well together.
“Lieutenant Sutherland?”
Kara looks over her shoulder to see Beomus leant against the archway.
“Sorry to disturb you. I'm only in the city for a short while, but I thought you ought to see this lead.”
“Thank you, Beomus!” Kara calls after the wolfkin as she unfolds the note in her hand.
Aha.
This will crack the case wide open.
Kara Sutherland's life can certainly be busy at times. But she'll be damned if she doesn't enjoy every last moment.