Coll's attempts to introduce Eilonwy into the scullery had started poorly and had quickly sunk to abysmal levels. Although the girl had been eager to please and genuinely excited at the prospect of contributing to the little farm, she reacted with something less than enthusiasm when Coll had ushered her away from Taran and Hen Wen and into the scullery. It was then that the farmer encountered the princess's stubborn streak. What ensued was a battle of wills which could only result in casualties. After a seemingly endless lesson (interrupted frequently by Eilonwy's mistakes and mishaps) which included not only how to properly clean, cut, and prepare the evenings vegetables and cuts, but also how to manage the cooking fire and keep the water safe to drink. Already tired and increasingly impatient to be done with the meal, Eilonwy felt an impending sense of monotony at the prospect of going through these tasks multiple times a day. Every day. So when Coll stopped her from dropping to a bench and enjoying the food she had so painstakingly prepared because she had not cleaned the bowls nearly well enough, she was not entirely surprised when her infamous temper flared.
Frustrated beyond endurance, Eilonwy snatched the offending bowl from Coll's hands and threw it to the ground in a fit of girlish petulance. As the pieces shattered around her feet, she was instantly overcome with guilt and embarrassment and turned her wide eyes to Coll. The gardener did not say a word, but sighed heavily. As he reached above her head to take another bowl down from the shelf, Eilonwy flinched and turned her face away from him. With a sickening of heart, Coll realized that the girl had been expecting him to strike her. He took a step back, unconsciously rubbing his bald head as Eilonwy bent quickly to the floor and began picking up the mess with hands that betrayed a slight shake.
"I'm sorry, Coll. I'm sorry," the girl finally began to stammer into the awkward silence. "I don't mind working in the scullery, I really don't. I know I've been as pleasant as an angry beehive but I promise that I'm not - I was just being stubborn because…well I'm not sure why but I just need some more practice and Achren-" Here, Eilonwy swallowed and Coll interrupted her hurried ramblings.
"Child, I… why don't you take these and share your meal with Taran outdoors. You've been cooped up inside too long." He smiled reassuringly at her questioning glance and placed two bowls in her hands, careful not to touch her. As she left the scullery rather hurriedly, Coll sank down at the table and laid his exhausted head in one hand.
"I'm afraid," came a voice from the doorway, "this is only the beginning." Dallben entered and sat across from his friend, giving the farmer a sympathetic look.
As Taran approached the door of the cottage, he heard a shattering crash followed by a deathly silence. Freezing in his tracks, the boy thought a moment and tried to breathe as quietly as possible. After weighing his options, Taran turned on the spot and retreated on his toes to Hen Wen's enclosure. Shortly after, Eilonwy emerged from the cottage carrying two bowls of food and made her way in his direction. Taran noticed a strange tightening in his stomach which was not unpleasant, but could easily be attributed to hunger. After unceremoniously handing him a bowl, the girl sat down with a heaviness unusual for a child who appeared to have been slightly underfed her entire life. Leaning her back against one of the fence posts, she began picking unenthusiastically at her food. Taran had eagerly begun to eat, but slowed his pace as he chewed the substance in his mouth with difficulty. Continuing his dutiful chewing, Taran looked over at Eilonwy who was wrinkling her nose at her own meal. He wondered why she was so quiet and would have asked, but his mouthful was still not soft enough to swallow so he began to think instead. Hen Wen poked her nose inquisitively between them, and Eilonwy broke into a smile as the pig began nuzzling her hopefully. With a resigned sigh the girl slid her bowl into the enclosure. Her smile vanished, however, when Hen Wen prettily turned up her nose and ignored the food altogether. Apparently at a loss for words, Eilonwy simply let her head drop back and bounce hopelessly against the fence post. The girl recovered from defeat and returned to moody faster than Taran had expected, or at least faster than the rate he was able to consume his food. Arms crossed, Eilonwy turned her glare to him and he paused mid chew, feeling slightly ridiculous with his mouth partially open. However, remembering the sound of shattering crockery, he was unwilling to move lest his skull take the place of the scullery floor.
"Well go on then! Spit it out! Honestly, you look sillier than a fish trying to drink air."
Taran discreetly emptied the contents of his mouth back into the bowl and then added his share to Eilonwy's next to Hen Wen. The white pig looked at him reproachfully.
"I wouldn't worry about the food. It was only your first try. Coll said that my first horse shoe wasn't fit for a mule to walk across the barn in. It didn't even look like a horse shoe actually. But Coll also said that everything becomes easier with practice."
Eilonwy didn't look convinced, but she did seem calmer. Taran wondered when he had started remembering the things Coll told him.