Cinder's Cake
"You are absolutely the laziest, most despicably useless chef I've ever seen. And for the fifth time, don't kick the bowls!" It wasn't a shrill scream or anything of the like, more a weary tone of resignation at another's frustrating manner. But that was Emerald's way, her method of coping with the tragic fate of dealing with the world's most inept human being. Sure, he was fantastic at the art of disemboweling people... with his feet. But baking? No, that was distinctly outside the realm of foot-based combat.
"Hey, it's not my fault I never learned to do this," the silver-haired boy snapped back, "I never exactly had a calm, peaceful home life to learn in." He sneered at her, trying his best to shuffle away from the up-turned mixing bowl. The white smear on his shoe evidence to the crime committed. "Why even do this in the first place?"
Sighing, Emerald knelt down and snatched up her bowl, walking over to the wash basin to drop it with the others. "For the umpteenth time Mercury, I want to do this. So that she feels better," that last part came out more whisper than she wanted. Still, the boy smirked and turned back to the counter where his ingredients lay, picking up the bag of flour once more and staring at his measuring cup in earnest. She could almost make out the fumes rising from his ears.
"Here, let me help," Emerald murmured as she stepped up beside him. "You do it like-"
"I've got it, I've got it." He didn't have it, pouring out far too much and halfheartedly looking over the measuring line. "Then you throw it in the bowl like so," Mercury declared before tossing The whole cup in.
"Mercury, that was too much."
"Nonsense, it'll be... flowery, yeah." Grinning from ear to ear, he sauntered over to grab several eggs. Emerald watched as Mercury pulled back and tossed the eggs into the air, feeling her stomach collapse to the floor. "And," he shouted before kicking into the air three times, "there you go!" Much to her surprise, there wasn't any splatter across the walls or ceiling. Three soft plops sounded from the bowl.
"How in the world," Emerald muttered as she stepped up to the counter. Inside the bowl lay three perfectly cracked eggs, yolk just barely spilling out of the shells. She turned to the smug boy, trying to keep a calm face.
"And you were doubting me."
"Oh, I'm no longer doubting the great assassin Mercury. But," she tacked on, gently pulling him over to the bowl again, "I don't think eggshells go very well in a cake."
"I said I didn't know how to do this."
"It's alright, we'll start again." Dumping out the bowl, she picked up her flour and carefully measured out the needed amount. "Alright, bring me three eggs and another bowl, please," she cooed, trying to prevent another foolish mistake. Taking the two extra, she pointed Mercury over to the counter, smiling warmly. "Alright, let me show you." Taking a spot next to him, she gently reached over to his hand and grasped to guide him. "You pull back, just like this," the words flowed smoothly as she pulled, "and then smack it quickly on the bowl edge." A satisfying crack resounded, and she plied his fingers apart to let the gooey mess drop down.
Mercury gulped a bit, looking over and down at his hand. "You're pretty good at this. Which is surprising considering."
"Well, I was always on my own. So I never got to have a mom or dad make a cake for me. But there were plenty of bakeries around where I... lived," Emerald sighed, reliving the time before Cinder found her. "So I watched the ladies fuss and lecture each other all the time. Guess it stuck around."
She looked back, expecting to have finally caught him on his back foot. Instead, the same irksome grin dominated his face. "That's a pretty good lie. But really, did Cinder teach you this? Or one of the people you stayed with before?"
"It's not a lie." The grin wavered a little, but stuck around. "This might be hard to understand, but this is the first group of people who've ever shown me an ounce of kindness." It was hard, opening up like this to Mercury. They'd had a sort of rivalry, sort of hatred from the first day they'd met. But he never left them out of annoyance or anger, just continued on when they were down and shared in their successes when they finally came. Sure, there were other problems, the life that Emerald had been promised was looking more and more sinister with each passing day. But she trusted Cinder. And that meant also working with him.
"You're... you're not pulling my leg?" Mercury asked, finally letting his smirk fall off, "I always figured you were a stuck up girl who leeched off of others. Not, well, a person." She frowned back at the tiresome annoyance that always bothered to get on her bad side. "What I'm trying to say is," there was a pause, a shuffle of feet, "I'll take it easy, for now, so we can do this right."
"Thank you." Emerald offered a warm smile, something as genuine as she could make it. "If you can grab the butter and sugar then?"
"Sure thing."
Taking the ingredients from her partner, she added measured amount to her bowl and began mixing them into a sticky mess. Something that felt off was how intently Mercury was watching now, the usual smug air subdued to a point of being unnoticeable. Finishing up the mix, Emerald went back to her flour and dabbled in her baking mix. Now with two bowls, she pointed out the mixing instructions to Mercury. "And don't... please just don't kick it around. We don't have much left in this castle."
"Hey, have a little faith will ya?"
That was what worried her, and those worries flared up in force as she saw Mercury lift the bowl up before winding back. "No, don't!" and it was in the air, the boy blunder below jumping slightly before starting to twirl. A booted heel spun, coming closer and closer to her precious mixture. It tapped. And the bowl started to spiral, its cargo staying neatly inside the rim. Again he hit it, and again it spun around with increasing speed. A small Dust storm brewed, nothing like the one at the tournament, but enough to give him control and speed.
"I think that's enough mixing!" Emerald called over the noise, adding as much confidence as possible. The whirlwind died down little by little and, with one last tap of a heel, Mercury spun around and back onto his feet. The beloved bowl sank almost immediately, landing with a plop on the counter as the spinning stopped. "Mercury, please, we just got done with all the..." she cut off as he walked up and leaned over to peer in. A small smile perked up as Emerald stamped over to the expected disaster.
"Should have a little faith in me." Inside wasn't a disaster, instead was perfectly prepped pre-batter, waiting on milk. "I am the best, you know," the proud boy said softly, that irritating smile back now.
"Well, the last part is easy at least." Severe eyes turned on him, "no kicking this time. We're just adding milk to the mix, to make it gooey and ready to bake." Her devilish partner just nodded his head, walking over to the cold-box. Returning with it, he hesitated a moment as he looked over the bowl and cups assembled. "Don't worry about it," Emerald sighed, proffering her hand, "I'll help with it."
"No, don't worry, I've-" he cut off as her slim hand slipped into his, pulling him over to the bowl. Standing beside him once more, she took up the milk as well and tipped it gently. A bit sloshed in, soaking the mixture swiftly.
"Just a little and then we mix," she spoke softly, enjoying the finally calm moment.
"That's alright, I've got it handled."
Emerald just continued to poor it in little by little, soaking the mixture swiftly while gently nudging Mercury. "Alright, now the mixing." Taking up her whisk and snatching the vanilla from beside her, she began the laborious process of thickening. To her surprise, Mercury let her guide his hand and everything went smoothly.
"Hey, let me take over for a bit, it's just mixing that's left, right? Take a break."
Looking over, she saw a smirk that wasn't his usual cocky, antagonistic smile. "Just slowly mix, alright?" Mercury nodded calmly, and she retracted her arm, checking on some of the other things, like frosting and the oven. "This should put a smile on her face, if for just a moment." She hoped at least.
"Thanks." The words pulled her eyes back, but he was just whisking away. "For putting up with me. Nobody really wanted to show me the ropes, my dad... well... it wasn't a kind touch that he had." There was a slight hangup in his throat. "Not like yours."
That took her aback, this wasn't the usual irritating Mercury Black. This was something entirely different, closer to her in a way she didn't think about until now. Maybe this was a boy who had a past, one she neglected until now.
"Geez Merc, don't make it all weird." Sauntering over, she took a look in and saw the mass thickened perfectly. "Let's get this in a pan and baking, it's ready to go." Muscling the boy aside a bit, Emerald swiftly took the bowl over to some waiting pans, pouring out the goop into both in measured amounts. It'd been nice at least, sharing something from her past with another. No, that was dumb. But it was still nice. "Hey Merc," she called over her shoulder, waiting for the shuffling to stop, "you're still the most irritating person I've met."
Another day, stuck to this bed, stuck without my freedom or my dignity. Cinder Fall hadn't known such humiliation and indignity in her life, the proud and powerful woman rising ever upward. Now she lay without either power or pride and with scars and pain as her only companions. Well, that wasn't entirely true, she had two minions that stayed by her side, brought her out of that forsaken place. But what else were they for? They ended up a liability sometimes, doing whatever they pleased in order to curry favor. A loose cannon assassin and a starstruck thief.
Sharp raps came from her door, knuckles that were too large to be Emerald's. A moment passed, and the door opened, but the person revealed was indeed Emerald. Carrying... a cake?
"Hey. We brought you something." The girl stepped through, checking each corner before walking up to the bed. That was normal, it wasn't like being on the road anymore. Here Cinder had to make sure she was safe, guarded, prepared for any treachery from the vultures that served her mistress. That meant the tricks and traps of an underhanded criminal, for lack of better methods. Effective and brutal, but the two knew how to watch out. Emerald slowed and stopped at the edge of her bed, Mercury holding back by the door. She motioned for the girl to come to her, and Emerald set her gift down on the stand, leaning in to listen to her words.
"Why?" Cinder let out, the bare breath all she could muster.
"I just thought it'd be nice... I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," Emerald stood up straight and took a step back before bowing. No, that's not it, Cinder pondered, holding her hand out for the girl to stay. Beckoning again, she had her sit on the edge of the bed, sinking low in plush mattress.
"Why... a cake?"
"Oh! Well, we've seen how much of a toll the treatment is taking. And the food here isn't that good so," Emerald stopped for a second, eyes downcast as she seemed embarrassed, "something sweet sounded good."
The embarrassment on her face was something new, a crack in the facade that Cinder liked to see. It meant she was being honest, something that wasn't a luxury for the woman anymore. Her world was filled with deceit and horror. "Thank you," she rasped, letting her guard down and finally smiling a bit.
"No, no, it's alright. It was easy, and Mercury helped." The boy scoffed behind her, and the slightest twitch of her mouth was the only sign of displeasure. "I just wanted you to be a little more comfortable."
Well, it was working at least. Cinder's tension had been at an all time high, but now she was feeling more at ease. These two... they worked for her, but she never realized how they might also view her. Mercury was hiding a small smile behind his hand as he watched the two of them sitting there. Looking over at her treat, she motioned toward it and Emerald grabbed the plate, settling it on her bed. The crumbs are going to get everywhere. Somehow, she didn't care that much. Grabbing one of the forks Emerald had brought, she stabbed a chunk of flaky treat out. It was white cake under white frosting, so it wasn't unexpected when the burst of vanilla took over her mouth. Surprise came when it was delectably thick and delicious, able to be savored for a while.
"This... is good," her words were a bit stronger, not as raspy. How dry had her throat been?
"I'm so glad you like it!" Emerald chirped, before sitting back in horror at her own tone. But Cinder smiled nonetheless, it wasn't time to be the harsh mistress. And Emerald had done something wonderful, taking her mind off of the pain. "I mean, thank you Cinder."
She beckoned to Mercury, proffering another fork to the boy. He had a hand in this, so he must want to savor the spoils. Like a moth to fire, he came and gently grabbed his utensil before taking a sizable chunk out of her delectable treat. The look in his eyes was all the confirmation that she needed that he'd never done this before. "You've... never had... this?" Cinder queried, prodding for a bit more info on her silver-haired assassin. He shook his head, mouth full of crumbly cake.
This was nice, sitting in her bed with company. Something that she'd taken for granted all those years, and here they both sat, enjoying a treat they'd made for her. Almost like they weren't in a terrifying castle of horrors serving a mistress in her goals. Just the three of them, holed up while her pain subsided and numbed. Cinder glanced over to Emerald, busily chewing away at the thick, springy cake. Noticing, her servant... no, companion turned to give her attention. Leaning in, she spoke softer than even her rasp was.
"I used to... make cookies... long ago."