A little early, I know, but I couldn't resist. I'm trying to get as many chapters done as possible before school starts again

Thanks this chapter go out to all my lovely readers. You are all wonderful!

This chapter is on request from Tiffile. I hope it was worth the wait. I tried to be unconventional on it. Thank you for your ideas and your belief. Please let me know what you think about it!

Gorse-Briar Cooking Lessons

Roach wondered if he was looking for a cute little servant boy, and grinned. Men who liked play-toys always regretted meeting him. -Roach, Sandry's Book

He was never in the kitchens for longer than a minute or two before Gorse showed up and gave him something to eat. -Briar, Tris's Book

Timeline: Scattered, mainly pre-Sandry's book

Contrary to popular belief and local Winding Circle lore, Briar and Gorse were not immediate friends. Briar was too cagey for that, still with one foot in the streets and a wariness for anyone who promised a full belly. He didn't trust the dedicate in charge. No one with that much work was that happy, ever. And Gorse, if that was his name, had a disconcerting habit of knowing exactly where Briar was.

So, hard as it was, he limited his times in the kitchens to the dusks and half-lights, when the fires were dimmed and the apprentices were off cooling their toesies in the bathing halls.

It wasn't hard to slip out of the Air Temple Dormitories at night, not like it would have been if Niko hadn't gone running off to Capchen. Niko was hard to get past, but not these stiff-necked dedicates and stupid merchant boys. No one wanted Briar in the normal lessons, least of all Briar himself, and if he skipped them, no one complained. In the daylight, when the other boys were stuck in classes, he wandered the paths, memorizing faces and escape routes; breaking leaves and twigs off the plants lining the roads, and waiting for the time to raid the kitchens.

It was stupid to miss Niko; since when had he needed a nursemaid? Briar forbade himself the hollow feeling. There were rules to break, cupboards to pilfer, and no thief lord to demand he steal from this or that house. All he needed was for the clock on the Hub to strike the sleeping hour.

When Gorse still appeared, ready to offer him something to eat, he was instantly suspicious. Briar didn't like when men took such a strong interest in him. It didn't mean anything like good in Deadman's District. The first thing Gorse gave him ended up in the trash heap; Briar had seen the effects of drugs before, had seen the dead eyes in still-living kids who listened to the adults. Niko was different, but Niko was also gone, so a lot of good that had done him.

"That is thyme."

Briar jumped away from the voice, snatching his hand out of the bowl of dried herbs. A man as large as Gorse should not be able to move that fast. And no one was supposed to know he was here. The kitchen had been deserted, he had checked, waited for everyone to leave. "I know that." Niko had told him once, before vanishing.

"And what you are holding is basil."

Against his will, Briar's eyes snuck down. A large leaf, wilted and bruised from its journey in his pocket, hung limply in his hand.

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you're saying!" Indignation was good; it confused people.

The cook chuckled, "Of course not. Basil would do no good like that." He was careful not to actually touch Briar as he ushered him towards a table. "In my country, we use basil in soup. Gengtang. Strong food." Briar stopped just short of actually sitting in the chair offered to him. "I will teach you to make. Then you will not be so skinny."

Briar hesitated. This was out of his comfort zone. But he'd never tasted yanjingi food before, and he'd be able to see what the bigger man put into the bowl…

It wasn't like there was anyone waiting for him in the dormitories…

"I want to use the basil from here," he said, waving the wilted leaf, "Not this one. The good kind."

"Of course." The man was already gathering ingredients. He sat down on the opposite end of the table, leaving Briar's path to the door unimpeded. "Now, to work! In this country, basil is more used dried. But is still good fresh."

It wasn't until after the soup eaten and he had been ushered from the warmth of the kitchens that Briar realized he had forgotten to be wary.

It was two days before the boy reappeared in the kitchens. He clutched a sprig of some plant in one hand. Its leaves were layered almost like a flower, though Briar was sure it wasn't one.

Gorse was already approaching. The rush of preparing for dinner was dying off now, the crowds thinning. There were people though, cleaning and storing ingredients, if he needed to lose himself in a crowd. "Good to see you again!"

Briar shoved his hand up through the air, inexplicably nervous. He was being ridiculous; he had four knives on him and could run faster than this man any day of the week.

Still, he couldn't quite bring himself to meet the man's eye. "What's this used for?"

The cook smiled brightly, "Oregano?" He clapped Briar on the shoulder, "Many things! You are from Hajra, yes or no? Let me show you how to make native dish!"

Not-quite-so-reluctantly, Briar let himself be led to a familiar table.

Later, Rosethorn would give him lessons on spices, and would be surprised that a boy so skinny knew so much about their culinary uses. Then, seeing where he disappeared off to in his spare time, she decided it wasn't so surprising after all.

Gorse swore when he cooked, but not in any language Briar had ever heard. It was an odd language, with his voice going up and down and up again, in odd sing-song. Briar supposed one of the skirts he was penned up with would probably think it was pretty. He locked the words into his mind anyway. He had an idea of what they were used for.

Four years later, Evvy giggled when Briar cooked, muttering in yanjingi. "Do you know what those words mean? You'd better not say them to the emperor."

Gorse did not allow rats into his kitchen. When one of his assistants told him one had snuck in and was hiding by the benches, he almost punted him into an oven.

Then and there, hiding under the table, Briar decided maybe he could like the man after all.

Niko features in Briar's thoughts so much in this chapter because he is the first man Briar has ever met who's been remotely kind to him, and then he abruptly vanished. As I doubt Briar went to any of the lessons that the others attended before going to Discipline, I am sure that he had a lot of time to think, and probably wondered about the man.

Please let me know what you think! Constructive criticisms welcome! And if anyone else has any ideas, please let me know!