And I will luve thee still my dear, while the sands o' life shall run.
This particular artefact hunt had taken Myka, Pete, Helena and a very excitable Claudia very far indeed - Dundee, Scotland, to be precise. With a deep rooted industrial past, Dundee was a major export of marmalade (with the first commercial brand of marmalade created in 1797), home to a large jute industry and many large publishing companies. So Dundee quickly became known as the city of “jute, jam and journalism”. Located beside the River Tay (the longest river in Scotland), Dundee was at one time a major site of shipbuilding and also served as a whaling port. Still present today and a major tourist attraction is the RRS Discovery which was built in Dundee and taken to the Antarctic by Robert Falcon Scott in 1901.
“All this trouble for an old jar of jam” Pete scoffed, dropped it into the bag, sealing it so it could no longer carry out its dangerous deeds.
They were standing in the university's library which now stood in ruin. Books were strewn everywhere and what once were small fires were now just embers.
“It’s marmalade, Pete” Helena countered.
“Marmalade is jam.” Pete said pointedly, waving the bag in front of Helena.
“No it isn’t Pete” Helena said through gritted teeth.
“Ladies ladies ladieee--” Claudia sang as she sauntered in to the room, stopping abruptly as she saw Pete scowl at being called a lady.
“Let’s not argue over the sticky concoction that is jam…or marmalade…or jam…” Claudia scrunched up her face in confusion, her little nose twitching like a rabbit.
“What is all this noise? I can hear Pete all the way down the corridor.” Myka questioned as she entered the room.
“We” Pete shot a glare at Helena “were discussing jams”
Helena breathed out deeply through her nose. “Marmalade” she sighed.
Myka didn’t dare enter this “discussion”. She knew Helena would indeed know the difference between jam and marmalade. And she didn’t dare laugh at the frustrated expression on Helena’s face. Helena’s cheeks were tinted slightly red and her eyes smouldering. Myka let her eyes wander slowly taking in every frown line, every rapid bat of her eyelids and the curve of her pursed lips. She is sexy as hell when she is mad.
The clock in the room ticked loudly as moments passed in silence. Claudia looked wide eyed at Helena then Pete and back again. Pete crossed his arms and turned his head upwards in a rather haughty childlike manner.
“I don’t really like marmalade…I like… I like honey though, what about you Myka?” Claudia stammered trying to break the silence.
“Me? Do I like honey?” Myka looked around, catching Helena’s gaze. Her lips were no longer pursed, nor was she frowning. Her eyes were full of lust and her smile wicked.
“I seem to remember you do like honey, don’t you Myka?” Helena purred.
Myka blushed remembering the delectable use of Helena’s tongue and a jar of honey. Myka opened her mouth to reply but decided firmly against speaking for fear that a stray whimper would escape her.
“Anyways…let’s go before we start debating other condiments” Claudia quipped grabbing Pete’s arm.
Helena in turn slipped her arm through Myka’s.
“That’s funny” Helena said “I seem to recall you had a certain fondness for honey last night” grinning ear to ear.
Myka sighed, turning her head away from Helena as they walked so she wouldn’t see the desire building up inside her. Her last comment was enough to turn her weak at the knees and the soft touch of their arms brushing up against one another had her trembling.
“Isn’t it odd that a simple jar of marmalade could turn a bunch of university students into hyperactive maniacs?” Claudia quizzed.
“Well if you think about it, really what are students if not hyperactive maniacs, full of red bull and coffee? Add a spoonful of crazy artefact sugar and you have a problem my friends!” said Pete.
“That one girl with the trident just took it too far though! Spouting on about ending the world, I mean really?” Helena replied.
“Right well all this running around has made me ravenous so can we go eat something now?!” Pete asked, clutching his stomach as it growled loudly.
“I know the perfect place.” Helena smirked, leading the way.
********
They were promptly seated at the back of the restaurant Helena had picked. It was crowded and the sound of glasses clinking could be heard above laughter.
“Right, where are the menus?” Pete asked weakly as his stomach growled loudly again.
“Oh, we won’t be needing menus tonight, I took the liberty of ordering in advance” Helena replied.
“Oh gooooooooood!” Pete exclaimed, not even asking what was on the menu for tonight.
Myka glanced at Helena and swore she could see a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
“What are you up to?” Myka whispered in her ear.
“Sshh my love, it’s a surprise” she spoke softly into her ear, her hot breath making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Helena slowly ran her hand down Myka’s thigh, unbeknown to everyone else at the table, leaving it to rest at the top. Myka held her breath and put her hand over Helena’s to keep it in place, wanting to prolong the feeling of her warm hand stroking the inside of her thigh.
The waitor soon brought the hot plates to the table much to Pete’s enjoyment.
“Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!” Pete exclaimed grabbing his fork before the plate even hit the table.
Myka grinned when she looked down at her plate and recognised the dish. Claudia too glanced up from her plate to grin at Myka and Helena, who simply watched Pete as he shovelled food into his mouth.
“mmgwbfr…What?” Pete spoke his mouth full of food.
“Enjoying your food?” Helena was practically beaming.
Pete’s face dropped at the sight of Helena’s grin.
“Helena...what is this?”
“Haggis, neeps and tatties” she chuckled in her best Scottish accent. “It’s Robert Burn’s Day”
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*Happy Robert Burns Day everybody!*