A Day at Home. Cook, Aim, and Shoot!

by **Liyana Winterflame** on May 11th, 2013, 5:38 pm

Summer 48, 505

“Go fetch me the cinnamon, dear”, said Liyana’s mother as she slashed the fish’s sides with a knife.

Liyana jumped from her stool and headed to the seasoning cabinet. Cinnamon starts with a C, so I should start searching from the third row. Cumin, chives, cacao, dried cactus fruit extract – aha! That’s the one. Cinnamon.

“Mmm. I think cinnamon with the fish sounds delicious. How come you’ve never tried it before?” Liyana peeped over the edge of the table.

Mother threw in a few pinches to the bowl of seasoning mixture. “Well, I only just recently learned of this combination, and have been waiting for the right type of fish to try it with.”

Liyana climbed on a chair and started rubbing the fish with the mix.

Mother glanced at her and then continued starting at the preparations. “Speaking of ‘the right type of fish to try it out with’, how is your boy-space-friend doing?” A smile played at the edge of her lips.

“Mother! It was only a kiss!” Liyana blushed. “And besides, Jayck and I are no longer best buddies.” She frowned and would have crossed her arms in petulance had they not been otherwise occupied. “He said hunting was more important than gardening and cooking.” She started stuffing with rosemary leaves.

Mother raised her eyebrows and looked at her daughter. “Oh? And did you try to tell him how all jobs are equally wonderful and essential?”

“I did, I did, mother, but he wouldn’t listen.” The meat was dipped and glazed in olive oil and crushed nuts. “Anyhow I’m playing with Reeyaen now.” Her frown dissipated. Her lips’ edges twisted.

Mother frowned, resembling her daughter from a few moments ago. Reeyan was a healer’s son, Nitaya’s, and she felt her daughter was being targeted for her philtering skills. A philterer prentice would suit the herbalist just fine. “Liyana, I want you – from now on – to inform me when you visit this friend of yours, understood?”

Mother’s voice seemed sterner than usual. “Sure mother, but I don’t understand wh—“ A knock sounded at the door, and then it flew open.

“Seelya, Liyana, my loves, come hither!” He burst into the common chamber, heavy sack over his back and his bow and quiver in his hand.

“Papi!” At a nod from her mother, she stood up. “Don’t worry, Lee, I’ll roast the last few fishies. Go greet papi.”

Liya ran to her father, and jumped onto him as soon as he had his items put down. “Papi, Papi, Papi! I’ve missed you!”

Klemend staggered two steps to balance himself, and then raised the latched thing high above his head. “I’ve missed you too, bunny cakes. What’s for dinner?”

“Not bunny cakes, that’s for sure. No wonder men are the ones to hunt.” Her left mouth edge twisted. She lowered her head to kiss him.

“Did you hear that Seelya? Baby’s got a witty mouth to her. I wonder where she got it from.” He started tickling as he lowered her to the ground, and Lee ran away squeaking.

“Not from your side of the family, if that’s what you’re thinking. Now shut up and come eat.” Seelya winked at her daughter as she passed by, signaling for her to bring the philter flavoring she’s been working on.
“Father’s going to love this one”, though Liyana. “I got the measurements just right this time, and mother even said it tasted fine. Hmm.. the vial with red and silver blue liquid. Green and yellow, brown and pink.” She hid it in her shirt’s pocket and left her makeshift lab behind.

The table was laid out when she arrived. Smoking velquit were arranged in circles, dripping with flavor. She sat and started tearing the meat apart, wrapping them in seaweed before ingesting them. Her parents did the same.

“Fantastic cooking, Seelya. And-“, he paused to chew, contemplatively, “it seems no philters were added. Wonderful masterpieces you have here.” His words were countered with thanks, but all seemed consumed and consuming.

“Ooh, daddy, I’ve been preparing this new flavoring philter to try with the new recipe. Care to try it?” She took the vial out and shook it around to homogenize the solution, making the colors twirl into a dreamy dance.

“Sure, I’ll have a go. Which beer should I prepare to wash it down?” His daughter meant well, but sometimes the results could be.. unexpected.

“Haha. No, this time I had mother try it out beforehand.” Drops of color fell through the air and splat on the seaweed. “There.”

“Here goes”, said Klemend, as he wrapped the plant around the meat to form a full bite. His tongue was instantly bombarded with sensations, and it took him a lot of willpower to say, “Real subtle, sweet heart. What is it you want?”

“Whatever do you mean? Merely because the food is too good, you presume that I am aiming to persuade you to do a favor? Shocking, father, really.” She would wait until the philter’s effect took over. The stimulant will leave him willing to play around.

~~To Be Continued~~

by **Liyana Winterflame** on May 11th, 2013, 8:12 pm

Seelya jumped in to change the subject. “Dear, bunny cakes sound interesting. If there is any cook who can it would be our daughter.” That girl works wonders with these filters. Balancing candy and flesh would be a fun combination to behold.

“You think so, mother?”, said Liyana. Her brows drew together in thought, and then she said, “But I’ll need to fetch some new ingredients. I’m not even sure I know which.” She was still a novice philterer, after all, and what she knew of botany was only a step higher than usual cooking ingredients and staples.

“Why don’t you have one of your friends go with you? Jayck, perhaps?”, said mother. “A few nudges here and there and I’ll be steering the discussions just fine”, she thought.

Lee wrinkled her nose. “Mother, I already told you, he is too proud of his archery.” Why did her mother mention this now?

“Why don’t I teach you some basic stances right now? You’re well of age, and doubtlessly you’ll need the skill later.” The food had a refreshing air to it, and now Klem felt energized enough to teach.

He stood up and kept talking. “The short bow should do fine for this round.”

Lee smiled and her brows rose. She turned to look at her mother, still looking bemused, and mouthed “thank you”. A subtle remark had helped her progress many steps forward.

She donned her boots and headed outside. The weather was calm, no cold wind to deviate her arrows, but still the snow, ever-present, reminded her of the earlier storm.

“Let’s choose a target, shall we. How about that sack over there?” He went over and hung it against a wall. “Now, show me what you can do”. He handed her the equipment and stood aside.

She shot a number of arrows, half of them missing, before father spoke.
“The stance is balanced, but the key is consistency. Do not correct your aim: aim at a single spot and shoot repeatedly to hit it.”

He noticed she benefited from the advice, and so had her move backwards, to the side, and he hung a smaller target. “Now, shoot.”

I don’t think I can do this one, she thought. Would he possible expect me to? True enough, half of the arrows missed the mark. “They’re just too far.”

“No, they’re far enough. I needed to check your follow-through. You should always allow your drawing hand to continue backwards, and your other hand to go forward with the bow.” She nodded, and he watched her spew arrow after the other. She seems determined, he thought. A natural.

“This resembles philtering, somehow”, she thought. “One simply has to find the right angle and pressure. The precise variables. I wonder..”
She turned around and attempted to shoot behind her back. She missed by an arm. “Liya, what are you d-“ She shot again. A hit.

“Fantastic technique, love!” The sky had started darkening, so he led her back inside.

“Seelya! The kid is a natural. I think I’ll be taking her with me to hunt tomorrow.” He hung the quiver and unstrung the bow.

“Like the Void you will, mister! I saw those seal meats you brought today. She’ll be in charge of the cooking tomorrow while I tend to the crops. Why, this time next year she’ll be a better cook then I’ll ever be, with all the flavorings she prepares.” Liyana was already on her way to her room by now.

She looked at some of the potions she was working on. She stirred a few vials and moved some bowls around. Then she lay down to rest.

by **Noblesse** on May 29th, 2013, 9:50 am

Liyana Winterflame :

True nobility lies in being superior to your former self

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out. Heehee.

Flashback A Day at Home. Cook, Aim, and Shoot!