Misses Vale was outraged.

"How could you bungle cooking rice? It is rice! All you have to do is boil the water and let it sit. What was so hard about it!"

"I got nervous! I've never cooked it before, so I was watching it, you know, because I was afraid it would overcook or catch fire or explode or, I don't know... Summon a demon? No one taught me how to cook rice."

A vein throbbed. Misses Vale rubbed her temples.

"Then why would you try without assistance? Importing rice is expensive!"

"Please stop yelling. I was scared you'd all laugh at me. And I wanted to act independent, like an adult."

The experienced head cook didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was a disaster. Wilson used almost the entire stock, not accounting for how rice expanded. Everyone in the castle would get rice for dinner tonight and the next three nights. It would be a crying shame for it all to go to waste.

"Forget it. Go take some soup from Vienna."

Vienna stirred a pot nearby, pouring some creamy potato soup into a wooden bowl. Picking it up with both hands, she addressed the cowering Wilson.

"Here."

Wilson accepted it gratefully, about to take a sip.

"Oh, thanks, I-"

Misses Vale smacked him across the head.

"It's not for you. Take it to Lannie. She'll feed it to April."

Apologizing out of hand, Wilson took the soup gratefully. He fled quickly before the furious woman could find her rolling pin.

"Where is it? I just set it down for a second, and it is gone."

"Here."

Vienna produced the baking utensil/improvised weapon from an unknown location. Misses Vale grabbed it swiftly, looking around for her target. Not finding the blubbering boy, she bonked the nearest person instead.

"Ow."

Vienna rubbed the lump on her head.

"That is for saving him."

"Yes, Chef..."

Vienna got back to work stirring her pot while Misses Vale attended to the rice fiasco. The other cooking staff, having avoided getting involved before, started clamoring with gossip like normal. Several whispered thanks reached Vienna's ears.

"Nice job."

"Vienna's a gem."

"Rarer than rice."

"Is rice really that rare?"

"Aye. Especially after a long winter. You know how it grows, don't you?"

"Vaguely. I heard it grows in paddies. Whatever that is."

"It grows in water. Technically, flooded soil. There are only certain sections of the kingdom that have the right conditions. Most of it is imported from Eul."

"I had no idea."

"It is one of their main exports. If you want to know more, I suggest checking the library. Master Bellavarn is bound to have a book related to Eul or rice."

A few cooks nodded.

"Have any of you seen master Bellavarn lately? I heard he took to throwing rocks at Kerv."

"He must still be upset that April hasn't woken."

"They did get along well, didn't they?"

A maid passing by joined in exuberantly.

"I'll say. You didn't see them kiss!"

Mutters and shocked whispers.

"Why haven't I heard about this?"

"What happened? Tell us. Quickly!"

"Spill the beans."

"NO SPILLING BEANS!"

The gossip stopped from Misses Vale's angry shout. The guilty party spoke.

"Just a figure of speech, Head Chef. Harmless."

Misses Vale grumbled, going back to cleaning the mess.

The chatter picked back up. The maid still excited as ever.

"It started off with the alarm. Bellavarn triggered it, and seeing as I was nearby, I joined the others to run and see what happened."

"But, you're just a maid; what would you have done if it was an intruder?"

"Shut it, let 'er tell the story. Not like you wouldn't 'ave gone running."

The cook shrugged.

"Eh. True."

The maid continued.

"As we all ran up, the first thing we saw was Kerv in the distance, holding onto a squirming April. Then, Master Bellavarn came out and grabbed her, shouting for her to wake up."

"That doesn't make any sense- Yow! That hurt!"

"April was acting out. Punching. Kicking. Calling Master Bellavarn evil names. Then, all of a sudden, he kisses her! Straight on the lips."

Whoah's and aww's were exchanged. The young maid set down her burden of towels to gesticulate.

"But it didn't stop! It kept going! And going. And going."

Her lips smirked by themselves.

"What! For how long?"

"Long enough to make me lose my breath. They kissed so long; that is why April passed out!"

The redness in her face wasn't from the close fires; she was remembering the events vividly. Up until Kerv made them turn away and Cynthia hit her.

The young maid wasn't even eighteen yet. She was younger than Vienna, around Wilson's age. Likely the youngest and least experienced. One could tell from her excitement and the fact she was relegated to towel duty.

More whispered gossip exclamations and short words were exchanged before Vienna spoke.

"Why is April still asleep?"

It was good that her friend had a moment with Bellavarn. But she should be awake and continuing to have moments. Soup was best eaten while awake, after all.

The young maid, Ness, scratched her head.

"You know... I don't know. I thought she was waiting for Master Bellavarn to kiss her again. You know, to wake her up?"

Most of the cooks rolled their eyes or chuckled. A particularly grouchy one answered.

"That only happens in books. You've been spending too much time in the library and not enough time doing laundry. Don't you have a job to do?"

Ness winced and drooped. Picking up her load, she shuffled out.

"What's with you? You didn't have to be so mean."

Several others voiced their agreement, but the gruff cook only grunted.

"Gossip leads to misunderstandings. Or have you all already forgotten?"

Lowered heads. No one could answer.

Much more reserved chatter sprung up. Like what the best local restaurants were, arguing what goes best with salad, and how to pop a cork using only an elbow. Normal things.

As they continued to prepare dinner, several switched what they had planned with something that would go together with rice. Seeing as they now had bucket loads. A few even made trips to the pantry to grab extra ingredients or spices. Tonight would be the last day before the festival. Many of them planned on going out and spending quality time with family.

There were confirmed rumors that they would all be heading home soon. Back to the North.

Before that happened, Vienna was hoping to spend tomorrow with Bellavarn's group, testing festival broths and gumbo. It's supposed to be a party.

That is... if Bellavarn still feels up to it.

=

Bellavarn sneezed.

Shrugging, he continued pelting rocks at Kerv.

*Ting-Ting-ting-ting-Ting-ting*

He was trying to sound a christmas carol off Kerv's shield.