Fable - Ask Midnight Munchies

[Houri]

Ssshh... be quiet, the Proctors could hear us.

Me? You're the one jabbering on!

Oh do shut up Vayu!

Well I never, I was just pointing out that this is absolutely ridiculous when there was a perfectly good ra--

We're never eating rat again! We're OUT - remember?!

Houri paused on the last flight of stairs leading down from the dormitories to the main floor. The light from a candle of were-light grew bigger and with it the sound of shuffling footsteps. The old initiate pressed herself into the wall and summoned the thin mists that helped her blend in to the darkness just as the Proctor stalked by. His arms were full of books and clearly far more interesting than making sure students stayed in bed. Houri waited for the light to vanish around the next bend then counted to ten and dashed down the rest of the stairs. Taking the left where the Proctor had just come she crept along the torchlit corridor, past the Great Hall where they usually ate their meals, and to the kitchens behind it.

Casting her eyes about for anyone else she slipped inside and put her back against the door.

"There you are," Houri hummed in excitement as she beheld the room. Breads were proving in the open low-banked fire place, an assortment of dishes laid out for the morning feast, and beyond the door to the pantry. Giving a tiny squeal of excitement she headed for the latter, threw open the wooden door and breathed in the scent of food. Real food. There wasn't another moment of hesitation before Houri ploughed in.

 

[Thraah]

In thick Woolen socks and her sleeping gown Thraah had slipped into the dinning Hall right before the Proctor passed.
From there it was a straight pass along the dark hallway into the kitchen/pantry.
The hunger had taken her STRONG that day. It still happened sometimes despite the regular meals at the Academy.
She ducked low and crawled along the floor under the tables.
When she got to the kitchen door she didn't get up only nudged it open with her shoulder and crawled inside.
That was when she smelled it.
Bread.
Fresh bread.
Not fearing the fire she reached inside and pulled a crunchy loaf down onto her lap and bit into the hot crust, tearing at it with her teeth and letting the steam waft into her face.
It was starting to warm her throat as she reached up again, still sitting on the floor much as she could, to grab an apple from the fruit bowl.
As she did her eye spotted something.

Movement?

Another person?
Stuffing the loaf end into her mouth to carry it she snuck around the central table to the other side to get a better look.
The moon light was strong tonight but they were in the pantry, she needed to get closer.
Still on all fours she poked her head around the doorway to see who it was was also in here when they weren't supposed to be.

She spoke through the loaf held in her mouth.
"Oury!?! Oury Vashenoe!?!"
Why would she be raiding the pantry?

Houri

 

[Houri]

Houri jumped a near foot into the air at the sudden sound of her - muffled - name. Lightning appeared on her fingertips as she spun around, tiny storm clouds gathering around her head..

"Oh," she let out a breath when she realised who had spoken - and what she was doing. "It's you Thraah - you scared the shit out of me," glancing up Houri waved her hand to break up the thunderous black cloud and the lightning faded. She took another deep calming breath then fixed her eyes on the loaf of bread.

"It looks like you beat me to it," her lips twitched with amusement and then faded, her brows knitting together in confusion. "Did you just call me my brothers name?"

 

[Thraah]

Embarrasment wasn't supposed to be lethal but Thraah felt like dying anyway.
"Huh, mo? Vhy vud I boo bat?"
She absolutely did but she wasn't going to admit it because she couldn't explain to Houri why she had called her by her brothers name. It just, happened. She was blushing but she was hopeful that in the dark it wouldn't be noticed.
Slowly she stood up, still with the crust of bread in her mouth. A chewing bite freed it to her as she munched on it. It was clear she was not the only one with the bright idea to raid the pantry that night but was glad it was Houri who had it. Houri was pretty smart.
"So... "
Attempting to lean against the door and look cool she gestured with the loaf.
"... I got nuthin, we're both stealing food. You want some bread?"
The gesture turned into an offer to take the bitten loaf. It was still warm and slightly steaming and smelled like good mornings.
Thraah was already biting into the apple she pilfered with her other hand.

Houri

 

[Livia Quinnick]

"Oh." Came her voice as she rounded the corner to find Thraah and Houri. "I did not expect to find anyone here." Liv wrapped the thin robe around herself and cleared her throat. It was another sleepless night for her, and when she had decided enough was enough and to leave bed to find something to settle her aching stomach, she came to the kitchen.

Looks like the others had a similar thought.

"Please. Do not stop on my account." She scorched past them gracefully, light on her feet as she ducked past Thraah and opened a cabinet door to pull out a jar of sweet biscuits. When some of the staff caught in that Livia liked to wander on her many sleepless nights, they began to leave treats for her which she paid in return with some of the finest edible flowers from the Quinnick Estate.

 

[Houri]

"That sounds-- Kress," Houri hissed as Livia appeared from round the corner. The candles and flame that danced in the hearth flickered with the gust of wind that blew about the room but soon settled as she reined her emotions under control. It had been a long day. All she had wanted was a quiet snack in peace.... she rubbed at her temples and went through the breathing exercises Proctor D'Amour had shown her.

"Is anyone else coming to the Teddy bears Picnic?" Houri half laughed but when her eyes fell on the offered bread she remembered why she had come here. Why they all had, apparently. Well. The Proctors wanted them bonding, what better way to bond than food? She curious watched Livia pick up her apparently left food and raised an eyebrow. "You bribe the cooks?"

Even as she spoke she took some of the offered bread from Thraah and moved over to the large enchanted iced box for where Cook kept the meats and butter.

 

[Thraah]

"WHAHACHA!"
Thraah's expert training and skill kicked into action as she demonstrated a complete lack of poise and control as Livia strolled into the pantry.
Her leg jerked upwards and her arms snapped to an exaggeration or a fighting stance.

"Devils breath Liv... The hell's are you doing he... Oh cookies. I get that-wait a second..."
Cookies, jar, secret box, Liv, oh yeah. It was all coming together as she proclaimed at the same time Houri made her remarks.
"You make cookies with magic!"
Her mistake hit her instantly as she threw a look at Houri that roughly combined with the shrug of her shoulders as *I call it like I see it!*
She munched again on the apple and peeked over Houri's shoulder to inspect. Crunching loudly.
"Oh, Watcha got there?"

Houri Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia could not help but be amused by how spooked Houri and Thraah were with her sudden appearance. She lifted her brows innocently and swapped the jar of biscuits with a small wooden box of flowers that will decorate the desserts served each day. Not having thought she would have company, it did not deter her from offering the jar towards Houri and Thraah with a strange look the latter's way.

"I do not bribe the kitchen staff. We have a fair trade. In fact, one of the cooks used to work for my family when we would host functions, and remembered my late night snack preference. Magic is not something I would resort to so quickly." When they had each taken their biscuit, Livia would place one half way into her mouth before continuing on in the kitchen, setting up a stovetop kettle and produce some cups. She would begin to fill the kettle and dropping in the bundles of clothed tea from the same cabinet the biscuits were found. Once the tea was set to warm, she bit down into her biscuit and rounded back to the others.

"So... is this something you both do often?" Was it not a strange pairing of friendship? It was certainly how Livia would see any friendship with Thraah, the very Initiate she would rather not be alone with. Her olive eyes watched as Houri began to fish through the enchanted box, feeling that cool air slowly fill the air.

Houri Thraah

 

[Houri]

Houri merely shrugged at Livia's explanation; she wasn't convinced that it was the truth of the matter but nor did she truly care. Three was a bad number, Zaire had once told her. It certainly meant there was more risk to being caught but... oddly she didn't find herself upset as she once might have been. Now she found she didn't quite so mind having company. It was a feeling she wasn't sure how to handle in that moment so she focused back on the task at hand. Addressing Thraah's question at last as she began selecting cuts of meat and slices of cheese.

"Salami, smoked cheese, prosciutto..." she let her hands hover over the pickles and then decided she might as well and balanced the jar on top of the ingredients she had listed among other things. She carefully made her way back to the main table and laid it all out.

"Cook said I could when I first arrived here," they had all been worried about her thinness when she had first arrived dishevelled on their doorstep last year. "She hadn't taken it back yet so I just come whenever I'm hungry... what about you two?"

 

[Thraah]

Wow, money is treated different. Not news but Thraah was told the kitchen/larder were strictly off limits. Forever.
She couldn't help notice neither of the other two were dirt poor from the gutter.
"I'm stealing. Nobody let me or invited me. I take what I want."
She felt herself getting angry. Resentful. Stand offish.
So to quell herself she bit the apple again like it personally wronged her in another life. Juice and saliva spilled onto the top of her already stained nightgown.
"And we've... never talked? That right Stormy?"
She said in answer to Liv's question.

Houri Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

It was hard not to hide suspicion from her eyes as she leaned against the bench of the cooking station, something she definitely had to be shown multiple times by the staff here how to operate, but she did it with such knowledge, it was hard to tell she was no natural at brewing a simple tea.

Houri's doubt was easy to read, but Livia was good at keeping up her pretenses. Of course, there was more to just the edible flours. That box also contained expensive spices her family were responsible for trading, a lot more favourable than just pretty flowers to decorate a dish with.

Liv raised a brow at Thraah, the Initiate she was known not to get along with due to their differing personalities, but she could at least agree that she too barely spoke with Houri Luana unless it was in passing.

"I am still sticking to my answer of a simple trade with the kitchen staff. Biscuits are one of my favourite treats..." Although her stomach let out a hungrier growl that biscuits would not sate. She cleared her throat and checked on the kettle, inspecting the tea before going to pour each of them a cup.

"I will also not say a word of this... unlikely meeting at such a late hour, if you both can promise you never saw me out and about past curfew." Quinnick quirked a brow and offered each of them their tea. "Add your own sugar and milk if that is to your taste."

Houri Thraah

 

[Houri]

Houri's head cocked to one side as she stared at Thraah. Had she ever spoken to the girl before? It had only been in the last few months she had bothered to pay much attention to learning peoples names and that was only at the insistence of the Proctors and her family reassuring her repeatedly that things had changed.

"No," she announced finally with a blink and turned back to making her sandwich. "It's nice to meet you," the phrase sounded rehearsed but there was nothing sarcastic or mocking in her tone. It was more like the girl simply didn't know how else to deal with social situations such as this one and was falling back on a lesson. "Both of you," she glanced up to Livia as the girl brought over a round of tea, eyeing the cup suspiciously. It did smell nice, but what was the angle?

There's not always one, Houri. Sometimes people are just nice.

Minthre's observation made her uncomfortable but she accepted the tea with a nod and then placed the last slice of bread on top of the dangerously tilting stack. She looked from the tea, to the carefully created abomination of a sandwich, then back to the tea. Sometimes people are just nice... Houri took a deep breath--

"Would... would you like some of my sandwich?"

 

[Thraah]

Hands full and mouth still half full of what was by now more sauce than apple Thraah all but spat the words.
"YESH PLEASH! SAMMISH!"
Despite having tea and her half eaten apple in her hands she was perfectly willing to accept the addition of more food. She did finish swallowing before she continued to respond to Houri and liv's talk.
"It's cool Liv. Narking on you means I'd have to explain why I was here and ugh. I ain't gonna do that. Have enough trouble from skipping class. Yo Houri, Big fan of how you took Blondie down a peg at the dance though. Top score, no notes. Fuck House Ur-a-dil."
Drinking the tea she let it mix with the apple coating of her mouth. It was nice.
"Pretty nice Liv, what is this stuff?"

Houri Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Seeing the food fly from Thraah's mouth made her stifle a retch, turning to look down at her steaming tea now in her hands before having to look up and blink her eyes innocently at the fire wielding Initiate.

"Hm? Oh, it's a floral black tea. You are probably smelling the rose petals that were in the bag. I find tea is a calming drink to have given the late hour." Liv declined the sandwich as politely as she could, opting for another biscuit and washing it down with a couple of sips of tea.

"Well, quite the unusual gathering that is us three. I feel as if we ought to... have some fun. I have always wanted to attempt at baking a cake." If anything, she should sneak back to her room before she was missed, but a strangeness kept Quinnick where she was. She felt compelled to keep all of them here and busy, to sell the story of just needing a midnight bite.

Houri Thraah

 

[Houri]

"Blondie? Oh, yes. Thank you," Houri blinked. Truthfully she had completely forgotten Leander Urahil existed. Her dance with Zaire had wiped the ordeal of the dance from her mind and it had been a good month since she had seen a sliver of platinum hair. With a shrug she cut the sandwich with great care into four pieces. Perhaps she would take the final bit back to her room for a mid morning snack between lessons the next day. She handed a wavering tower of bread, cheese and meat to Livia and another to Thraah.

Houri took a sip of the tea giving an appreciative hum then tucked in to the sandwich as best she could when it was taller than her mouth was wide enough. At the mention of cake she paused mid bite.

"Can it be chocolate?" the girl asked excitedly, almost forgetting the sandwich entirely.

 

[Thraah]

The world stopped.
This might be the greatest... SECOND greatest moment of Thraah's year.
She had wasted no time in biting into the massive sandwich quarter. So it was with her teeth punching into the bread, meat and cheese that she stood stock still as her eyes flickered to Liv at the suggestion of not just cake but *chocolate* cake.
"Ban if?"

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Oh no, now I have to stick around. "Chocolate sounds easy enough... There should be a cookbook somewhere..." She assumed, remembering most cooks employed at the Quinnick Estate often wrote down their venturing dishes. Livia did not lie when she said one of the cooks used to work for her family, and as she looked into every cupboard and cabinet, she let out a triumphant aha! and grabbed a leather bound book with the heading pressed into the cover.

"Desserts and other Sweet Accompaniments. Lo and behold, chocolate cake is indeed noted in here." Oh who was she kidding? There was no real rush back to her room when they had a few hours before anyone were to come to the kitchen and catch them. Chocolate cake had been a treat rarely given out during her childhood as her mother kept a close eye on her diet. Insisting she keep a strict meal plan to stay in shape for her ballet lessons, Livia looked forward to indulging shall their attempt succeed.

"Two eggs... flour... cocoa grounded into a powder... butter..." Liv looked around, a little lost. "What is a whisk?"

Houri Thraah

 

[Houri]

"It's this metal thing you use to beat the eggs," Houri explained with a scrunched up, concentrating look on her face as she tried to remember Jiya's patience instructions when they had cooked her grandmothers honeycake recipe. There had been whisking there too. If she remembered correctly it had been the fun part. Reluctantly setting the half eaten sandwich back on her plate she moved about the room checking the various utensils until she found the odd bulbous looking implement her sister had made her use.

"It's a good workout," she set it down on the table then went back to her sandwich.

 

[Thraah]

Very glad that this was happening Thraah gorged herself on the sandwich and watched the others set about wary of how little she had to offer to this task. Liv was saying cocoa and Thraah had no idea what that was other than it being the part that made the chocolate part of the chocolate cake.
She hadn't eaten cake before the Academy. So it was with much glee she grabbed any opportunity to have it. Once she tried sending some home but apparently rats got at the mail so it was just crumbs and ruined paper by the time it got there. Regardless she was not one bit educated in how to make the stuff.
So when the idea of a workout came she stepped up, because that was something she could do.
"I can beat it all day, eh I mean night." She proclaimed confidently.
Everyone else was helping out so she figured she would do what she could. Learning and manners she lacked but this, she could beat...
Thraah's hand struck her face so hard it clapped.
"Sorry, that sounded... dirty, I just meant like. I'm strong so... ugh, just gimme the eggs and the beaty thing."
She crammed her mouth with more sandwich to once more silence her gob.
It was hard to look at them then. She was beginning to feel like an odd duck among the other two.

Houri Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Amusement lit up her eyes and Livia placed down the book. She opened the pantry that stored the dry goods, and scanned the carefully written labels before pulling out those listed in the cook book.

"Well I for sure will not be doing manual labour for free. You find the whisk, you can do the whisking." Liv quirked a brow at Thraah. It was her way of delegating something she hoped the other could recognise, as there was no way that she herself would know what a whisk looked like.

"Goodness... do we have eggs? I really hope we are not to be expected to brave ourselves against the hens by the kitchen gardens." Or subject their noses to such a stench that often came with a chicken coop. Perhaps her privilege was on full display, but Livia Quinnick paid no mind to how she was looking to either of them standing in just her nightdress and robe, equipped with a cookbook. This was one night of rarity, to never be spoken of again.

Houri Thraah

 

[Houri]

"Goodness," Houri repeated quietly so only Thraah could hear then proceeded to giggle. Livia spoke how she remembered her older brothers used to speak when at Court. She and Ollie had always mocked their older siblings for such silly words. She finished off the last of her sandwich and then stood, brushing off the crumbs.

"I'll go fetch the eggs," she offered with a grin. "I'll be back in a few minutes," and with that she headed for the back door and slipped out into the night, seemingly uncaring that she wore nothing but a silken nightgown and bright pink fluffy slippers.

No doubt in owing partially to the sudden fog that gathered in the grounds outside.

 

[Thraah]

Of course, Thraah let out a giggle as well, covering her mouth so that the sandwich mulch didn't escape.
Like, where did Liv think she was? The Winter Palace of Hector Val Garret?
Wow... did she learn something in class today?
Tonight was weird.
Watching Houri leave she almost tried to stop her.
Being alone with Liv was... not the best.
She was just so, civil. The silence went on just long enough to get awkward before Thraah spoke.
"Soooooo, you and Silas eh? How's that going?"
It was this or ask her about baking and that was only slightly more boring than asking about Silas' love life.

Livia Quinnick Houri

 

[Livia Quinnick]

She was glad for the dim lighting in the kitchen, for her rosy cheeks turned scarlet as Thraah threw that question out there as her attention was to the page listing the ingredients. Livia took in a deep breath before rounding on Thraah and quirking a brow, keeping a scowl in place with ease.

"Silas? I think you are mistaken." She crossed her arms and leaned against the cabinetry. "Why on earth would I be with Silas? It was... one time." The lie was ready on her lips, as if she already had repeated such a thing already in the past. Her feelings were muddled, but she was not going to discuss that with Thraah of all people. Well... there was a very short list of who she would entertain her thoughts and feelings too, and none were those in this Academy.

"And what of you and your googly eyes for one..." Liv dropped her words to a whisper, a hand curling over her mouth as she spoke the next words. "Maseno Luana." The smile she wore was polite, but did so little to mask the wickedness in her tone. "Heard some talk after the dance. I wondered if it holds any merit... so it was best to ask straight to the source."

Houri Thraah

 

[Thraah]

"THAT'S..." Thraah adjusted her volume in case Houri was able to hear.
"That's, going fine actually. Maseno is nice and, I like him and we like spending time together. So bleh!"
She stuck her tongue out at Liv and took another sip of tea before bouncing back with her own question.
"Wait, one time?"
Her face brightened, not it beamed with anticipation that she might be onto something.
"What happened "ONE TIME? You mean... like...."
Thraah made an obscene gesture involving both hands using a hollow fist and her index finger.
She knew people did it, had heard some wild stories about broom closets and some of the more secluded outhouses but she didn't think Liv the type, so proper.
There was a dangerous chance that a begrudging respect might be circling her for the other girl.

Livia Quinnick Houri

 

[Livia Quinnick]

She raised both her brows at the admission, choosing to not say anything else on the matter lest her distaste for the other Luana be known. Livia would not be able to explain the how and why she was a little sour at Maseno without revealing the top secret task force she was part of.

"No need to be so crude, Thraah." She rolled her eyes and lifted herself to sit on the bench top and pick up her cup of tea. "Some of us are not able to fully... satiate ourselves so we... you know... have fun." That was all it was! Fun... with a little hint of butterflies and...

No. She should not get too attached like that, nor would she tell Thraah that one time was possibly still awaiting her return after she said she was only grabbing a snack...

Houri Thraah