Year 14 of the Fourth Age, Formenos:
"Uncle?"
Celegorm looked up from where he just had been busy with making minced meat in a separate shelter for his freshly killed game.
"Yes, Rûsa?"
"Can I watch you cooking the lunch later?" the red-haired toddler asked, his black eyes focused on the meat knife his uncle held in one hand.
"Only if you tries not to steal anything. Remember, we are a big family when it is family gathering and the food need to be enough.
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Now, two years after his rebirth, the Fëanorian siblings and their parents had a very good guess of his behavior. Rûsa was curious about thing they found normal in everyday life, yes, but that was a result of his earlier life in Angband. Once he had understood that he would not face any harsh punishments for simple mistakes, he still had been smart enough to not test any limits.
"I will first season the meat with spices, by rubbing the species into the meat with my hands like this, for more taste later. Then, I start with this amount of water, then add those chopped vegetables and herbs which are commonly found in the woods. By boiling the meat and the vegetables together in one big pot, all the food parts will be done at the same time and there will be less for washing the dishes later, as well."
Rûsa watched as Celegorm worked at the stove. His second uncle knew a surprising many details about food and cooking related to living outdoor, for as a hunter it was important to know cooking, even if it so was only how to roast a small game over a open fire, because otherwise the only alternatives was either to food poison yourself or starving.
"Those who are spoiled by having a lot of servants and getting the food served at the table without doing any of the work themselves, are the ones most likely to give themselves food poisoning or even flat out ruin the meal because they have no idea to actually do the step for step in cooking."
Based on the way he went pale for a moment, Celegorm guessed that Rûsa must have done a few such mistakes in the past. Then again, as a slave he would have been dependent on whatever food he was allowed to eat.
" I prefer the food here. It tastes far better and the only times I have gotten sick from it, is when we tried to make my stomach used to the new food."
It had been a real struggle, that one, to try and find something which poor Rûsa would not throw up later when his stomach had protested. Sometimes he only had taken one tiny taste piece, before he had turned green in the face as warning. Everyone had been so worried about that he could not eat enough to start adding weight because his reborn body as a toddler had still shown evidence of the life-long malnutrition he had suffered as a slave. He had been even smaller than a normal toddler of a such age!
"Everyone who is reborn in a new body is a bit sensitive about food the first few weeks, yes. I longed for some nice meat when all I could keep down was some porridge, soup and bread," Celegorm spoke after tasting a little to see if he needed to add something to enrich the favour.
"No gruel, or you will be really sorry for serving it. I hate it, there is nothing you grow to dislike more than what we was served at almost every meal."
Unfortunately for Rûsa, his attempt of a scowl with his current small face look more cute than dangerous, though the death glare was pretty good.
"Explains why you ended up spitting it out in the face of your grandfather, then, the first time we tried it and you realized what it was for taste."
Fëanor, thankfully, had been more shocked than angry over getting the food on himself in that manner. Then again, he had some experience of such situations when food-refusing toddlers was involved at the kitchen table, with seven children of his own and a grandson before things had gone south in the past. Nerdanel had been too busy trying to hide her laugher at the sight to be angry at Rûsa, because it reminded of old times.
"Alright, you can run and tell the others that the food is soon ready. Give the Ambarussa and Curvo the task of setting the table."
With a mission to do, Rûsa hurried out of the kitchen with Huan following after him to ensure that no chaos would happen before all the Elves was inside for lunch.
