Hi everyone! Thanks to Devi, Neha, CutetyHil and Rock the road for reviewing.
Devi: Hi, nice to meet you. Yes, Hilary got the Dranzer locket. And it'll play a significant role in her life. Just wait and watch! Anyways, thank you so much for reviewing.
Neha: Since you wanted a fast update, I've updated it. But I'm so sorry to say that I can't update so fast always as my other friends are so busy (They should get a chance to read it, shouldn't they?) Do one thing, read my another multichaptered fic, "Where there is light, there is shadow." It's a RayXSalima. Other than that, thank you thank you so much for reviewing in my fics :D
So...let's start! :D
The kitchen was gargantuan, equal to two football fields, more or less. Its walls were painted in orange color. On them, the pictures of different fruits and foods were drawn perfectly. Large bamboo containers were enclosing tomatoes, peepers, onions, garlics, pumpkins, apples, oranges, grapes and different kinds of vegetables and fruits. Fishes and meats were kept in large ice cubes. Powdered spices were in certain silver pots. Liquids like milk, oil, butter oil and water were put in quite high iron jugs. There were special metal and wooden racks for various utensils like plates, bowls, pots, pans, spatulas, forks, spoons, knives and other things. On many burners, sophisticated and delicious meals were being prepared. Their scent spread all over the huge compartment. The Queen herself was supervising the whole activity. Under her management, the maids were working with full attention. Some were stirring any food, some were cutting any vegetable or fruit, some were making the paste of something and some were washing dishes.
"Use two drops of lemon juice," Sayoko commanded, "Otherwise the stains won't go away easily."
"Okay, your Highness."
Going to another maid, she inspected her cooking carefully. Seeing the queen, the maid stood up and bowed. Allowing her to sit, Sayoko ordered, "Don't boil the rice anymore. Hilary doesn't like soft rice balls to eat. Okay?"
"As your wish, your Highness," The maid removed the rice pot from the stove.
Furtively, four little girls crossed the threshold of the kitchen. They were awestruck as the smell of cooked meals tickled their noses.
"Ah!" The purple-haired girl sniffed in the air, "Oni-Chan, I'm hungry. Can you give me some food to eat?"
"Shush! Don't talk loudly, Dew," The royal-blue haired one whispered, keeping her index finger on her lips, "Otherwise anyone will hear us."
"So what?" The dual-haired one cocked an eyebrow, "Have we come here to steal anything? No, have we? Then why to be so afraid?"
Nearly at the same moment, her eyes fell on a fruit basket. Rushing at it, she picked up an apple and sank her teeth into it.
"Julia-chan, what are you eating?" The empress asked, turning her stares at the Spanish princess. While chewing the fruit, the Spaniard was looking very cute. Everyone couldn't but utter "aw" at that.
"Chew it properly whatever you're eating, my girl," Sayoko advised, "If you don't chew it appropriately, it won't digest. Okay?"
"Okay, aunt." Julia tilted her head.
"Alright, my girls," Sayoko walked, letting the girls follow her, "As you all can see, this is the kitchen of our castle. All the meals eaten by the dwellers of this palace are cooked here. If we want to learn about cooking, at first we have to learn about tastes. Dew, my dear, tell me how many kinds of tastes are there that we get in our daily foods?"
"There are five kinds of tastes." The little girl answered.
"Very good," The mother softly slapped on her shoulder, "Now tell me what they are."
"They are: Very bad taste, bad taste, eatable taste, good taste and very good taste."
Hearing the words of the youngest kid, the other girls couldn't but burst out laughing. Snickering a bit, the queen asked her biological daughter, "Hilary, can you tell?"
"Yes," She nodded, "They are: Sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bitter."
"You're right, my girl," Sayoko cupped her chin, "Every taste has its own particularity. According to their taste and specialty, the foods have various impact on our body and mind."
"Mom, I've heard about food's impact on our body," Hilary voiced, "But on our mind? How's it possible?"
"It's possible, darling," The Regina sat on a low bench, "You know that a sound mind lives in a sound body. If we have our meals properly, we'll be fit for any work. Thus, our mind will be well always. No distress, no sadness can be able to touch our mentality. Remember, my dearies, cooking isn't a work. It's an art."
"But mom," The brunette couldn't help questioning, "We've to maintain certain rules and regulations while cooking, right? Then…it's a subject of gaining knowledge. How can it be any art?"
"Hilary-chan, of course cooking is a treatise," Her mother smilingly replied, "You're right. It's a source of knowledge. But obeying all the rules, if you add your creativity with it, it doesn't remain knowledge anymore. It becomes an art."
Bewitched, the princess of Japan kept listening to her mother. All on a sudden, a basket full of the pumpkin seeds drew all of her attentions towards itself.
"There are two types of ingredients that we need for cooking, girls," Sayoko itemized, "Visible and invisible. Visible ingredients are spices, water, oil, vegetables, fruits, salt, sugar and other things that we can see. And invisible ingredients are concentration, respect, love, care etc. For preparing the best meal, both types of ingredients are equally important, got it?"
Each of the girl waggled except the brunette. Frowning, the queen asked, "Hilary-chan? Are you listening to me?"
"Yes." Hilary responded, but not looking at her mother.
"My princess, what are you looking at?" Curiously, she inquired.
"Baby vegetables."
"Baby vegetables?" Sayoko grimaced, "What do you mean?"
"I mean…those pumpkin seeds," Hilary dashed to the earthen basket, "From them, new pumpkins will grow. Then they are baby vegetables, aren't they?"
"Hmm….you're right, my girl," Sayoko caressed the cheek of her daughter, "But don't play with them. I'll cook a special dish of those seeds."
"What?" Hilary's ruby-colored eyes glittered with tears, "Will you kill these babies?"
"No no, I mean….." Sayoko continued but her daughter stopped her, "If you cook them, they can't grow up into new pumpkins. One way or another, they will be killed. How can you be so cruel, mom? If anyone kills me, how will you feel?"
The Queen gasped but didn't speak anything. More or less, she felt sorry for her soon-to-be deed. Really, how would she feel if someone snatched her loving daughter from her? She wasn't only her daughter, she was the daughter of the whole kingdom. How would the subjects feel if she was gone forever?
"Mom, do one thing," Hilary continued, "Give me those seeds. I'll sow them into soil. When they'll grow up, you can cook whatever you want. But don't cook them now. Please?"
"Alright," The mother cleared her throat, "Take and sow them. But don't forget to take care of them. If you look after them well, they will grow well. Okay?"
"Thank you so much, Mom!" Rapidly, the princess gave her mother a tight hug. Then taking the basket, she disappeared within a moment along with her comrades.
Sighing, Sayoko instructed the maids, "Don't waste the seeds of any fruit or vegetable from the next time. Give them to me or Hilary. Got it?"
The navy-haired boy completed digging the soil and excavated a petite hole. Spreading the seeds into it, the brunette began to cover them with sands.
"Hilary, do you know?" The dragoon-wielder said, "You've such a beautiful heart. Besides, you're so brave. If I were in your shoes, I couldn't speak anything before her Highness."
"But you're also brave and strong, Tyson." Hilary complemented, "Can't you remember that you've defeated me for many times at sword arts and archery?"
"Yes, I may be strong, but I'm not as brave as you," Tyson spoke, "Oh, don't forget to cook pumpkin soup for me once they grow up. I love pumpkin soup a lot."
"As your wish, Tyson." Done with her job, Hilary stood up, "Let's have a duel once again, won't you?"
"Of course!" Tyson leaped, "It will fun to defeat the princess of Japan once again."
"You can't defeat me this time, Tyson." Hilary winked and ran. Tyson followed her.
"Princess Julia, Tyson and Princess Hilary are so good friends, aren't they?" Mariam asked.
"Of course!" Julia grinned.
"What do you think? In future, will Princess Hilary marry him or not?"
"I think Hilary won't marry him," The Spaniard replied, "Because Hilary is a princess but Tyson is not a prince. Tyson is the grandson of a minister. If Hilary agrees to marry him, she can't marry him. A prince can marry whomever he wants. But it's so difficult for a princess."
Hearing her words, the face of the purple-haired girl darkened. Lowering her eyes, she kept walking slowly.
"Dew, what happened?" Mariam interrogated, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, Mariam ni-chan," She retorted, "I think I should walk in the fresh air for a while. See you later." As she left the place quickly.
"Wait Dew…." The Spanish princess attempted to stop her but it went in vain.
Sighing, she looked at Mariam. Smiling, she asked, "What kind of boy would you like to marry, Mariam?"
"Me?" Mariam scratched her head thoughtfully, "Hmm….I would like to marry a brave prince who will be so strong and intelligent. Like me, he should love fishes and aquatic animals a lot. He has to know how to swim. Then I'll marry him."
"Oh…..today I've had a lot fun playing with those fishes," A voice could be heard by the girls. Soon, the owner of the voice appeared in the spot, wiping his bare body with a towel.
"Look, your prince charming has arrived." Julia whispered.
"Not at all!" Mariam seethed, "He's not my type."
"Of course, he's the one for you."
"You won't believe me, will you?" The royal-blue haired girl pouted, "Let me show you something." As she called the boy, "Max!"
"Coming." Hearing her, the flaxen-haired boy rushed to her. Smiling, the Japanese girl asked, "Can you solve a riddle?"
"Okay, tell me, I'll try."
"A certain five-lettered word becomes shorter whenever you add two more words in this," Mariam blinked, "What's it?"
"Uh oh….it is….sorry, I don't know." Max bit his nails.
"C'mon Maxie, try a bit more."
"No sorry, I've to go for a sunbath, then archery," Max giggled, "I'll give your answer later. See ya."
"See ya," The blunette heaved a sigh. As the hyperactive American left the place, she told, "See, Julia. Prince Max is not only stupid, but also a coward. And still you'll be saying that he's perfect for me? Horrible it will be!"
"Ahahaha, why to chide him, Mariam?" Julia kept a hand on her shoulder, "He may be speaking the truth."
"Never ever!" Mariam protested sternly, "I know him better than he himself! Since today's Sunday, he'll never go for archery training on this day. Rather he'll now draw his horrible pictures. Eww…"
"You've told that you don't like him at all," The Spaniard didn't forget to tease her, "And then how do you know everything about him?"
Mariam blushed a bit, biting her inner lips, lowering her head.
"C'mon, tell me." Julia poked her.
"Princess Julia, don't forget that he's my enemy," The Japanese girl put her hands on her waist, "And one must know everything clearly about his or her enemy. I'm fulfilling the duties of a true warrior and nothing else! Okay?"
'No, it's not okay, Mariam,' The dual-haired princess purported, 'I know you like him a lot. And I'll expose it to everyone, sooner or later.'
"Today we've had a lot fun in duel," Tyson walked while cleaning his sword with his handkerchief, "Haven't we?"
"Yes!" The brunette smirked, "And see, I've won today's match!"
"You may have won today's match, but you can't defeat me every time, Hilary," The navy-haired boy poked her, "Can you?"
"Let's see," Smilingly Hilary tucked the sword into the case. Soon the smile vanished away from her face as she heard her father talking about any important matter. Scurrying towards the courtroom, she tried to listen to the words of her father.
"Hiro Granger has challenged us for a war," There was a letter in the hands of the king, "He'll be here till the next morning. We should be prepared."
'Hiro Granger?' The bluenette ruminated, 'My name is Tyson Granger. His and my surname is same. Then….is there any relation with me and him?'
"We think we should start the training of the soldiers from today, your Majesty," A minister recommended, "Then we can be prepared enough in the battlefield."
"I'll also go to the battlefield, father."
Hearing the babyish feminine tone, the emperor stared at his daughter. She was standing at the doorway of the courtroom, bowing her head respectfully.
"Greetings, everyone." She greeted.
"Hilary-chan!" Being surprised, the father queried her, "Why do you want to go to the battlefield, my girl?"
"Father, I want to open a temporary dispensary there," She proudly answered, "Thus I can treat our injured warriors. Even if you want, I can treat the soldiers of the opponent also."
"But princess, why the opponent?" The elder Granger stood up, "They're our enemies."
"Mr. Granger, when I'll go to the battlefield for my duty, I'll be a doctor," She smiled, "And a doctor should never discriminate among his patients, should he?"
"You're right, Hilary-chan," The father came to her and softly hugged her, "Your father is proud of you, my girl. Of course you can go there. But don't forget to take care of yourself."
"Your Majesty, don't worry about your daughter at all." Someone assured him.
In a wheel, the king discovered the navy-haired boy with her daughter. Smiling, he guaranteed, "I'll also go there for accompanying princess Hilary. I'll take care of her. She'll be safe with me."
"As you want, my boy," The king approached him. Squeezing his shoulders, he spoke, "You both are the future of my kingdom. When the kids like you live in Nippon, why should she be worried?"
The toddlers looked at each other. Honeyed and sanctified smiles spread all over their innocent faces.
So...did you like it?
Do read and review. Pardon the grammatical and the spelling errors. Take care :D
-Misty ^_^