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 Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2020 1:11 pm
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 It was astounding how much change could occur over the course of a handful of Turns. Yunara had never anticipated that her life would take her away from her teashop, nor imagined that she might temporarily share quarters with a bronzerider. That last part was over now, for Padmia had allowed her to join the lower caverns workers full time. It was better this way, for she had not been comfortable sharing a room, however spacious it might have been. Her own small quarters complete with cot and trunk were quite enough for her.
And to be able to provide for the men and women who'd been charged with Pern's safety? It was the highest possible honor. Truthfully, Yunara liked working in the kitchens with the rest; she enjoyed kneading dough and forming it into neat little cakes or braided breads. The routine was comfortable and quite safe - for neither Padmia, nor her foster mother Alusia, would ever allow anyone to harm a single hair on her head. None of the workers were at risk from some of the blandishments they might face at another Weyr. Padmia's wooden spoon reigned supreme.
Humming to herself, Yunara carefully measured out ingredients for today's pastries, dimly aware that some of the Candidates had filed in to do their chores. At a station nearby several old aunties and uncles were peeling tubers, a task which almost certainly would soon fall upon the Candidates as well. Chittering from beneath Yunara's hair, gold Avarice kept covetous watch over all of the buns that had been neatly laid out on the counter. That batch was cooling, with another in the oven, and it was now time to bake a cake.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 10:16 am
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Weyr life had been doing it's best to teach Beelim a bit of patience. Back with his parents, the man had been able to snack with an almost unhinged freedom and luring him from the kitchen where he'd been content to work the days away had been a chore. For any work in the Weyr's kitchen to be considered a chore was rather the opposite to what he was used to. He enjoyed the days where he got to soak into familiar sounds and smells of cooking and there was little doubt that day would be any different.
Sure, being set to peeling tubers wasn't glamorous. Yet once one had done it enough times it became something like muscle memory, knife rested comfortably in one hand while he turned the tuber in his other. Sometimes he could do it in one peel. Sometimes one of the eyes would ruin the flow. There were no complaints, however. At least, not from his mouth or mind.
His stomach, however, longed for food more than a normal person's would. It was likely unsurprising, given Beelim's sheer size. He liked eating, however, and seemed unbothered nor embarrassed of the noise. Instead, it dragged his attention from the task at hand to look curiously over the room. Simply taking anything left out was strongly off the menu, but there was fresh bread cooling on the counter and it called to him. It drew him from his seat as he made his way over to investigate.
"Are these for lunch?" he dared ask to the young woman who seemed to be at work next to them. Maybe she'd let him have one.
Mr Cheri 1 big hungry boy. Always hungry.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 11:07 am
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Just as Yunara was folding in the eggs, she heard an unfamiliar voice. Glancing up, the girl blinked in surprise. She'd seen this young man over by the tubers earlier, but it had been difficult to grasp, well, just how much bigger he was than she was... or really, than some of the other Candidates gathered in the kitchens. Not too much of that surprise showed on her face, however.
"Yes, they are for lunch," she said. As she spoke, she began to stir the wet and dry ingredients into a batter, well aware that her answer was not likely to discourage him. Well... there were probably some of the next batch of buns that weren't quite up to her standards, but they weren't finished baking.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 11:30 am
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Upon realizing that the young man was serious about the potential bun theft, Avarice hissed. No! was the clear intention behind the flit's flared wings and red eyes.
"Sssss!" the little queen informed Beelim. RUDE! Projecting images of thieving boys to her person, the greedy little firelizard nearly hopped down on the countertop to defend the buns that were surely at risk of being poached.
Quickly, Yunara put up a hand to halt any forward progress. "No, Avarice. Flits do not go on counters," she informed the queen firmly. "He's not stealing, he's asking." Although if he did try to steal any, chances were good that Padmia's keen eye would catch him.
"Not from this batch. There's another nearly done in the oven, though. I think there were a few that could disappear and no one would notice." This reply brought another hiss from the flit, who was Not Impressed. Excuse.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 11:46 am
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Avarice's display of wings and red eyes, along with that hiss, kept Beelim's attention. Even if he'd not been making a grab for anything on the counter at that time. His experience with firelizards was fairly limited, being a former farmboy-turned-baker, and each one just cemented how little he really knew.
"Oh," he answered to Yunara's explanation of the incoming batch, his eyes half looking towards said oven before quickly darting back to the hissing entity of potential bites that had hopped from her shoulder. "As long as it's okay," it was more of a reflexive response to the offering, especially when she'd said a few. Though he stamped his hopes of having more than one or two down.
But if he'd have to wait for a bit he could at least pretend to focus on tubers, but... "It doesn't look like you're working on more bread." Briefly he looked towards Avarice, just in case the little gold got offended he was even looking[/i[ at the mixing bowl.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 11:53 am
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Yunara gave a little sigh as Avarice continued to throw a small temper tantrum. "Avarice, the buns are not for you. They are for lunch." At this proclamation, Avarice gave Yunara what could only be described as a wounded look, sulking beneath the girl's coifed hair.
Woe. How was everything not hers? Everything should be hers! Creeling as though she was dying of hunger and neglect, the queen wrapped a possessive tail around her lady's neck.
Ignoring the flit's antics for the time being, Yunara focused on stirring the batter in the bowl - it was nearing readiness, only a few clumps remaining. "Yes, this isn't bread. It's cake. Or... well, it will be cake." Not the little cakes that often accompanied meals, but a nice, largish sized cake.
This, however, drew Avarice's ire anew. Beelim was committing Cake Crimes, and that was just unforgivable. "Sssssssssssssss!" She raised her wings again, making herself bigger than her smallish size. Well, for a queen. She was undoubtedly still larger than most firelizards.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 12:08 pm
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There were undoubtedly other Candidates giving Beelim the stink eye, by this point. Yunara was largely oblivious to that, however, given that cakes required a certain amount of focus. After a pause for consideration, she decided that she'd accept a little help, since giving away buns for free was probably not best.
"You can grease the cake tin, if you like," she informed him, even as she paused to check on the buns that were still in the oven. Well, they were close, now. Only a few more minutes, most likely. They'd definitely gained some height during their time in the oven. Avarice did not approve of any assistance from this rapscallion, and hissed vehemently from Yunara's shoulder.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 12:56 pm
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Ah. Suddenly uncomfortable that she'd asked a journeyman baker to grease a tin, Yunara averted her gaze, switching out the buns for the cake easily enough. "I ... am not formally trained," she said instead, worrying her lip. "My family owns a teashop. We bake - er, they - bake what's sold along with the tea there, but mostly I know how to brew tea." Anything else she'd picked up from working in the shop or helping out in the kitchens.
Not like this boy. Sensing that her mistress was uncomfortable, Avarice hissed at Beelim again, spreading her wings up and wide. BIG! Sssss. He was doing crimes and no one was going to stop him!
So rude.
"You can have these buns," Yunara told Beelim, swiftly plucking a plate from where they were drying, and setting the slightly misshapen buns on it. "Anything else you'll have to get at lunch time." For it really wasn't fair to anyone else that he had gotten these few, let alone any more buns.
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 1:16 pm
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"Avarice, we don't bite!" Yunara interjected, just as the flit was reaching out to snatch more than the proffered bread. The guilty party hissed her disapproval, but savagely stole the piece of bun that Beelim had fearlessly (or foolishly) extended toward her. Climbing back up Yunara's arm, the queen hoarded her prey on the girl's shoulder, wings fanned out aggressively. This was her bread! With a faint smile, Yunara shrugged. "It probably would, yes." She'd never really thought of it that way, but... well, she could follow a recipe too, so it wasn't the only type of cake she knew how to bake. Tea itself was expensive, though, and she hadn't had any of Redoubt's fine blends in awhile - the local variety wasn't quite so flavorful. |
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