Sneaks in the Kitchens
kitchen.jpg


Xanadu Weyr - Kitchens
As you enter this room from outside, good smells assail you from everywhere. State of the art equipment has been brought in from the various crafts to be used - stoves and large ovens replacing the 2 hearths that used to be in here. Three baking ovens are usually going full bore 12 hours of the day, while the nighttime hours bring the smaller stove beside the door to the main hall into use. This is where you find late night meals of stew and soup simmering in pots, and pitchers of klah and tea in their electric units to be kept warm. Large windows take up the entire of the western wall, generally open wide to the mountainous landscape beyond allowing the cool breezes in to keep the kitchen's temperature to a desirable level. Tables, cabinets, and counters take up the remaining spaces and walls. It is here the majority of the work is done, and spices, herbs, and other foodstuffs found.
Beside the night hearth in the southern wall is the door that leads out into the living cavern.


The seasons are beginning to turn. Days that were once sweltering now boast comfortable, breezy, nearly cool temperatures. Summer nights dip to chilly which lingers at sunrise. Autumn is definitely curling its grip upon Xanadu in a slow and deliberate way, touching the edges of leaves and panting them gold and red. It's beginning to turn into that soup and stew time, which is about the only thing that ka-el enjoys about the colder months of the turn. And so it's with a hopeful look that he arrives in the bustling kitchens, bringing with him a new set of pothooks to replace old or rusted ones. Looking more like a handyman than a smith today, a toolbelt is hung loosely around his waist, and the sack of hooks is et on a countertop. But why work right away? There are bubbling pots and wonderful smells here this late afternoon! Dinner is nearly ready, and it seems as if a certain someone is looking to sneak a taste as he inches towards a cooling rack of breadrolls.

Muir is here without the tools, without the reason, but with the same thought in mind. Eating something yummy before it gets to the caverns and is attacked by the hoard. "Hey," he hisses, seeing a comrade in Kale. "You distract em, I'll grab some stuff." He's already grinning charmingly at an approaching Journeyman Baker, who clearly senses Something Amis with two teenage boys invading the kitchens.

Ah! He's caught! Kale instantly innocent faces at a voice although he's nowhere near the goods right now. But upon realizing it's Muir with a masterful plan in mind, that too angelic look turns devious and he answers with a curt nod. Mission: Accepted! Blue eyes dart. Oh! There's an important looking cook over there! On his way towards her, he grabs those hooks. "From the smiths, ma'am!" he reports dumping the lot of hooks on a freshly wiped countertop. "I was instructed to count'm. And install the new ones. Er, these pots here? Are those on the older hooks, ma'am?" He gestures to a rack of hanging pots, conveniently positioning the somewhat irritated looking cook so that her back is facing Muir moreso than it was before. Oh, but then there's that pesky journeyman over there. Must distract him too. "Journeyman? Was it you who needed a new set of baking racks?" Fooood, Muir. Don't forget the breadrolls!

Muir gives a charming smile to an apprentice, lowering his voice to speak to her for a moment, and then she's blushing a bit and darting a glance around, before passing him a wooden bowl. With another few whispered words Muir grabs the bowl and ladles some stew into it, shoving roles into his pocket. The apprentice shyly hands him a few fruit muffins too, and Muir responds with a swift kiss to her cheek, that leaves her giggling. Then Muir is stepping back, heading for the stairs down into the store room, striding with purpose. He's the Weyrwoman's son, after all. Perhaps he can pull it off if they think the food is for her?

Yes Muir! Work your charm! Kale keeps talking, his eyes darting to the younger boy every now and then, quick enough to be taken as wayward glances of unimportance. Oh, there wasn't a baking rack needed? His mistake, of course! (Oo, stew!) And those hooks? There are ten of them, perfectly made. He'll even count them for you, ma'am. One, two, three…, (sweet, did he swipe a muffin??) The pots will have to be taken down. Kale will have those hooks ready in a jiffy! The cook seems happy to be rid of the chatty apprentice as she moves on to check on some rolls. And the journeyman gives him one last distrusting look before he too leaves him be. Kale begins to put those hooks back in the bag and lifts it. "Might as well check for more that need replacin' while I'm here," he muses aloud, nonchalantly heading to the store room as well. Hey. Things are hung in hooks there too!

Muir is stopped by a suspicious old Master, but a charming smile and a brisk, "It's for my mother, she wants some raw onion to go with it - I know, it's nasty, but what're you going to do? Weyrwoman gets what she wants, right?" and with another charming grin he's down the stairs, leaving the Master frowning, but not following. Down Muir goes, around a few bends until he stops amid some crates, setting the bowl down with a flourish and laying out the rolls and muffins too. Only then does he realize he forgot spoons, and so off her goes to try and find something that'll work for that.

"Oh Kale! Would you be a dear and help me lift this?" calls an older member of the baker craft, halting the hungry smith in his tracks. A lingering look is given to the store room, but perhaps it's better he not disappear just yet. Especially with that Master just having spoken with Muir! And so Kale is conned into moving pot A to burner B, then dragging that crate of apples for tonight's bubblies nearer to the oven. Oh, and while he's at it, why not move that sack of tubers to that bottommost shelf? Why he's such a dear! Just like her Gillus when he was his age. What can an apprentice do but follow directions? And he does so willingly, though still with glances towards the storeroom which he finally escapes to some many minutes later. And did he think to grab any eating utensils? Of course not. "Muir? Psst! Muir!" he stage whispers as he pokes around in search for him. He better not have gone and eaten all the goodies without him!

Muir is just stepping out of some stacks of crates with a few leeks in his hand. "Hey, got any spoons on you?" he asks, jerking his head down the cavern. "This way. Good thinking, yeah? I think we got away with it." A crooked grin and a rumbling stomach accompany that statement, steps quickening.

Ah, there he is. Kale grins upon hearing the other boy's voice, and he finally navigates his way towards him and (importantly!) the food! "Great thinkin'," he says, toolbelt jangling a bit as he approaches, following his gesture to the cavern while eyeing what he managed to nab. "An' good technique, makin' friends with that apprentice," is added in a humored tone. The mentioning of spoons has him snapping his fingers though, making a face. "No spoons, nope. What, y'mean you didn't think of everything?" he kids with a grin to match. "No matter. There's bound to be spoons somewhere in this joint. Wouldn't be much of a Cavern without 'em, huh?"

Muir grins crookedly and shrugs. "Might have to go out with her tonight, but. That's no big deal." Then with a laugh, he breaks off a leek and hands it to Kale, the base of the veggie making a neat little scooped spoon. "Here, then, we'll use these." Sitting on an upturned bucket, he grabs a roll to dunk into the stew. "What took you so long?"

Ah, dinner in the storeroom! The meal of meals is one that one earns through wit! Kale takes that makeshift spoon of his and uses it to give a little salute. "Can't complain about a spoon you can eat once you're done," he says before he uses his boot to push a small crate nearer, using it as his seat. He snags a roll for himself and dips it heartily into the stew as well, taking a bit. Ooo. Glory! He makes a face of utter contentment as he chews. "There's nothin' better than the stew here," he says with a pleasant sigh. Yum! "Eh. Had to do ten thousand things once they set their eyes on me. I swear they use me for my body." He laughs. "What are you doin', sneakin' food? Doesn't your mother feed you?"

Muir shrugs as he chuckles around a mouthful of food. Manners don't count when you're eating with a friend. "Well sure, but what's the fun in having food brought to you?" It's all about the hunt, apparently! "What're /you/ doing sneaking food? Don't the Smiths feed you?

"Barely," replies Kale. "Can't you see how lean I am?" Which he isn't, but he puts on a withered face and slumps a bit in his seat. "I'm on my last leg. Barely able to stand on my own. It's a a miracle I made it this far to try to swipe somethin' to keep myself alive another day." He exhales a ragged, broken sounding sigh before his act is ruined by a grin and he straightens a bit, dunking his bread again. Double dipping? Well … manners are out the window! "I can't help it. Whenever I've to deliver anything in the kitchens, it all smells so grand and even if I'm not hungry I start feelin' hungry. It think they bewitch the food," he says in hushed tones, glancing left and right afterward. "How've you been since I saw ya last?"

Muir snorts, "Yeah, and I'm a goldrider," he says, wry and sarcastic but good natured with a crooked grin. Leaning forward, he scoops up a bite of stew and then dunks his bread again. "I doubt that. They'd save more marks if folks ate less," he muses, thoughtful for a moment before he shakes his head firmly. "But anyway. Been good! Got a bronze firelizard from my mom. He's around here somewhere. Hunting trundlebugs I think. Other than that…" Shrug. "Oh, went on that ride with Idrissa. That was lots of fun. Said we should do it again and she agreed. What about you?"

Kale laughs at the goldrider comment while using his leek spoon to stir up the stew a bit before scooping some up to deposit in his mouth. Mmm. Brows lift upon hearing the news of him acquiring a firelizard, and he thinks back. "You hadn't had one before, huh? Would this one be your first? And a bronze too." A chuckle. "I'd say he an' Alloy coud spend some time. Have Allow teach'm the ropes … but you may regret lettin' me do that. Al has his own … way of doin' things." He nibbles his roll, leaving it dry this time. "Told you Idrissa was fun. She'll probably ask you all the time now." When the question is reciprocated, he has to think about it. "Uh .. not a lot, really. Ran into some folk. Saw your sister a few times."

Muir shakes his head. "Never managed to get one before this, so yeah." He puffs up a bit at the bronze comment. Yeah, he's that awesome. "Oh yeah? So does Kenpo. He lunged at this new girl in the caverns when she flicked some food at me. Shouldn't have flicked it, but still. I thought Seryth was gonna have a heart attack." He can't help but grimace at the memory. "Good! I hope she does. And yeah, she's around. Mostly working in that flower shop." And he frowns a bit.

"Sounds like Ripley," remarks Kale at the jumping story. "Next thing you know, he'll be off terrorizin' the weyr. Congratulations." He mock bows at him then goes shuffling around for another roll, snagging one as he speaks. "Your ma's dragon sort of impressed on you too, huh? I mean not … literally or anythin' like that. But, you bein' your mom's son an' your mom bein' .. er, her rider, Seryth cares for you too, doesn't she? And your sister." He pauses, thinking of Marel. "Speakin' of her and that shop, I owe her something. Haven't forgotten, but…it's hard to think of doin' something for someone that you know, but .. don't really know." He eyes Muir. Here's a source of information if he ever hoped to find one! But oh, that frown. "You don't like the shop?"

Muir looks a bit blankly at Kale, shaking his head a bit. "Well…yeah? I guess she cares for us, sure. But she was pushin' on the firelizards to get them to stop what they were doing. Meant it for Kenpo, but she pushed on /all/ of 'em." Then he eyes the other boy. "Owe her what?" Color him curious. And maybe a *tad* suspicious? "Eh, the shop's fine," he says with a dismissive shrug.

"Kenpo.." he says the name, trying it on for size. "Ha, there's a load of new firelizards about. Xanadu's gonna have clouds of them fly's about after a while." He perks a little. "Now that you have one, you can go to the next firelizard class. .. If there are to be any more in the future. The last was a bit … loud." Kale grins, tearing off a piece of the roll between his fingers. "I don't know much about dragons really. Less than most do on a weyr, I guess. It's sort of, kinda, interesting to hear about'm from people who've had them a part of their lives, but not in their heads all the time." A different perspective than a rider's. The question regarding Marel is answered then. "M'not sure what I'll owe her, but I owe her something. Told her I'd surprise her but I'm doin' a shard awful job of holdin' up my end of it. I messed up a letter she was writin' to somebody. She was pretty mad, I could tell, but she does a good job of.. keepin' her composure, doesn't she?"

Muir nods, "Yeah, I was sad I missed the last one. Hope there's another, now that I've /got/ a firelizard." He's part of the club, now! The boy snorts. "In public, yeah, she does. But she'll read you the riot act if you push her too far. She's not afraid to speak her mind, even though she wants to be a proper lady. I tell her, sometimes a lady's got to kick someone's ass, but she doesn't believe me."

"You've got the right of it. Maybe she'll listen to you … eventually," remarks Kale, nodding his head a few times. "Or there'll come a time when she figures it out on her own an' next thing we know we'll hear of Mabel the Terrible who ravaged someone who deserved it. We'll have to be sure to applaud her, if an' when it happens." He kicks the back of his boot against his crate a little, contemplating just one more roll … or should he save room for his actual dinner? "Soriana says she'll have another class if she's allowed. Keep your ears open for it. If I get word of it, I'll be sure to tell ya. Oh!" he perks, remembering. "Are you goin' to the gather thing that Zahleizjah's putting together? She calls it a 'meteor shower observation' but I know a gather when I hear one."

Muir laughs. "Well yeah, and then go make sure his ass /stays/ kicked." His grin is there, but there's a protectiveness in his eyes that's hard to miss. "Yeah, thanks," he says with a nod, taking another bite of stew and then another roll. "Should've grabbed butter," he murmurs absently. "Mmm? No, I haven't heard about that. You taking the girls?" Yeah, now Soriana and Idrissa are 'the girls', lumped together as such.

The girls, huh? Kale's not quite sure just how much either one of them would like that title, especially one in particular! But Kale himself? Pft. He's a boy. It's easier to say than saying both of their names separately, so he's all for it! "They'll probably go without me. I don't think I'll be able to convince Orik or anyone else that I should be off early so I can hang out with my friends and stargaze," he smirks. "I've chores, then a late class. Once I can get away, the light show'll probably be over. But … maybe the party will still be goin'." He lifts a brow. "You should go. It'll be fun. Bet a lot've people will be there. I know of at least four who are going."

Muir nods thoughtfully as he nibbles on the end of his now soggy leak. "Might go," he says non-comittally. "Maybe I'll take that apprentice girl," he muses, tilting his head towards the stairs that go back up to the kitchens. "Or maybe just go stag. See who I can find there." That's his father talking, for sure, as he snares another roll. Endless pocket rolls are the best kind. "Hopefully you can come after or something," he adds. "After your class."

"She's cute," approves Kale, nodding. "An' you gotta appreciate a girl that can make ya stuff to eat." Especially if that stuff happens to be pastries! "Speakin' of bakers though, I should head back an' take care've those hooks before someone figures it'd be worth reporting back that it never got done." He rises from his crate seat now, snagging a muffin for the road. "Thanks for the snack, an' I hope you can make it. It's up at the observatory. Should be fun. If it isn't, we could always make it fun."

Muir grins, crooked and amused. "Sure, I'll bet we could do that no problem," he says with confidence. "I'll just finish up here." Right, like eating the rest of the food is some big chore. "See 'ya, Kale."

Kale lifts an arm in a wave to him as he heads back upstairs, grinning at the prospects of the 'fun' the two of them could come up with together. Watch out Xanadu, troublemaking boys are on the loose!


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