Chương 24: XXIV. Dinner Etiquette For Farm Girls

Spring 13th, 1380 ASSETS MINTED: 16G 3S 95C (-61G carrot seeds, -1S Takeout Meal) UNMINTED: 88g DEBTS NO CHANGE TASKS NO CHANGE STOCK 60 [Common] [Carrot Seeds] (15x planted, 0 and 15) 01 [Common] [Lettuce Seeds] IN FIELD 054 POTATOES (Likely Poor - 27, 27) - Spring 16 054 CARROTS (Likely Poor - 27, 27) - Spring 14 135 CARROTS (Likely Poor - 0, 135) - Spring 15 140 GREEN CLOVER (Common, Fixing Soil) - new shoots! Guilly lapped at Mirchie Jr.

, her scratchy tongue attacking a rather aggressive tuft of fur that didn't want to be pushed down. Mirchie sat comfortably, her cute little paws loafed underneath her body, and her ears flattened during the cleaning. Most people think that when a cat grooms something, it implies that the cat thinks she's the dominant one in the relationship. One of my teachers – an elvish [Veterinarian] who had a rather ridiculously long last name, something like Hadhwyn-Ama…

I can't remember it all, but it was H-A-R-X-V so we all called her Mrs. Harvey – explained that most animals are actually allogroomers. They groom each other as a social event and a bonding act, which is what most cats actually do. She said cats, like people and horses, are often switches, which is in contrast with rabbits. Mirchie Jr. butted her floppy ears against Guilly's tongue, and the cat hissed lightly. Nonetheless, Guilly lapped at Mirchie's ears – shoving a paw onto her head to keep the bunny from moving.

"Will you stop moving your head, chérie?! It's bad enough that you lied to me, but going to the [Paladin]'s house?! For dinner?!" She forced my head straight against the mirror, and Jasmine put some powdered substance on my face. It smelled awful, and some of it got in my nose. I sneezed, and the clippers Madeleine was using stopped mid-cut.

"Hey! It's not my fault. Jazzy's putting something weird on my face."

"It's whitener, Ashy," Jasmine said. She applied more of the powder on the applicator, and peppered it against my face.

"Capital Fashion is about lookin' like ya never worked a day in yer life, and never been graced by Amaril himself."

"She could use a wash first, you smell like you've been bathing in river water. This town doesn't even have a proper Thermae where one could chitter and gossip while removing a day's labour." I turned my head away from the mirror again since her reflection would not stop watching me. Madeleine grabbed my head, but I refused to move it back.

"I don' get it, Maddy. Are ya a [Noble] or not?"

"I'm a [Witch], chérie. There are no more [Nobles] in Martivia, at least for now. Les Paysans will eventually make new [Nobles] to rule over them," she said, and stroked my hair. A stray finger touched my neck, and she jerked back.

"Willow's Bark, you are freezing."

"And her hair is goin' white, Madsy!" Jasmine said, grabbing the braided strand she had done for me a few days ago. Madeleine spun the chair around so I was facing her, and in turn, the rest of the basement of The Cat's Cradle.

"So, have you given any thought on what you're doing, [Acolyte]?" Madeleine said, crossing her arms and turning her head to Jasmine. Jasmine shivered and stepped beside her, crossing her arms as well.

"Well, I have a plan to grow about 900 [Blood Crops] a week, which, even if it was poor, would be 2, 700 unmint – " Jasmine squealed, breaking her crossed arms and ran towards me. She slung her arms around my shoulders and pulled me into a hug… and it didn't feel wrong. I slowly raised my hands up and patted her back, even if the barber's cape got in the way.

"An' just as a [Farm Girl]!"" Pipelette," Madeleine said. She grabbed the back of Jasmine's frock and pulled her back.

"It is impressive, yes, but that is a small yield – and it is not laundered." She stepped towards me, and placed her hand on my cheek.

"Ashley, chérie, when Maman was young like you, she too had thought Grand Mother Willow and The-Deer-Which-Walks was just something minor in her life, a hobby while the rest of her life continued." Her hands squeezed my cheek, and the nails dug into my skin.

"Life is not like that, [Acolyte]. It is a desperate game for power and control, played on the backs of those far worse, and far better than you. You see things too small; a singular harvest might be enough for you to be saved from ruin, but that would not last long. Are you seeking an escape from your debt, or your life?" I jerked my head away from her hand but she held on.

"Maddy, what do–""She means that while it's impressive, Ashy, you did that because you're…. An [Acolyte], right?" Jasmine said, turning her head away. She rubbed her arm, and squeezed tightly into her frail bicep.

"I mean farmin' is nice and all, but ye ain' competin' in the open market. If ya was just makin' normal crops, sure ya could get over the Azadin lien, but not the actual land tax." She swallowed, and her blue eyes locked with mine.

"You'd be like every other [Farmer] here, scrapin' by and workin' til they die."

"What does this have to do with Addy?" I said, finally freeing my head from Madeleine's grasp. She just walked behind me, and waved her scissors up. It snipped into my hair, working out the unlayered, strayed knots. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Jasmine turned towards Madeleine, who just hummed as she worked.

"Ashy," Jazzy said.

"Only way [The Hart Stop] is makin' any money on this is if we don' attract attention."

"You have very real concerns about money, Pip– Jasmine, but that isn't what I was concerned about," Madeleine said.

"If you're only in this for the debt, I have 1000 gold coins you can just have. Wipe it all away, and grow your crops as you need to. But then you would be subject to…"

"... Flora, The Empyreans, or even Amaril," I finished for her.

"Oui. Power is Freedom, Ashley, and in Freedom, we find our Liberté. It is only when we are free are we truly capable of Égalité. And you can not do that alone – that is our Sororité."

"I still don't get what this has to do with Adrian," I said. Madeleine turned me back around to the mirror, and my clean hair and dollified face greeted me. I had black eyeshadow, and my eyelashes were curled. The long red hair was washed and cleaned, and tied into a neat braid that hung down to my waist. My face was filling out; I wasn't as boney as before. I reached out to touch the mirror; and frost spread against the glass.

"You are becoming something more, chérie. A [Blood Carrot] is something that can be laundered, yes – but true power is in what you make. The [Bone Wand] you crafted for me is worth a small fortune; 500 unminted gold pieces per my [Appraisal]. And that isn't even touching upon the [Underworld Herbs] and [Poisons] you could grow."

"I… just want to farm," I muttered, but my voice was weak, even to me.

"No, chérie. You want to be free. Pipelette does too, that's why she's your sister, and you are mine. Maman will teach you how to behave for a dinner party, but you must stop acting like a [Farmer]. Maman still bakes, meets cute children, and enjoys her hobbies – but to be a [Witch] is to be something more."

"And to be a [Necromancer] is to be mine," Ma's reflection said; her voice was like ice. Unmoving, Uncaring, and yet so loving. Madeleine gave Jasmine and me a trencher made of bread, though this one was freshly baked and the butter was still dripping. She put a porcelain bowl in the center of the table, and the beef, peas and potatoes bobbed in its jus. The candle flickered, caught in a phantasmal breeze in the basement.

I think the table we were using was for crystal ball divination, but I wasn't going to complain. Madeleine served Jasmine first, pouring the beef stew mixture on top of her trencher. She served me next, and herself last.

"Missy doesn't really cook stews, she's more of a roast and fish type of gal, Madsy," Jasmine said. She kept her hands on her lap, before taking the pewter cup beside her and allowing Madeleine to fill it with some sweet smelling wine. Elderflower, probably, with how white it was.

"I might have to teach you how to behave at dinner, but I will not suffer from Empyrean cooking, Martiv– Ashley!" I stopped tearing at the trencher and Madeleine nodded.

"Please wait till everyone is served, chérie. Your public face is very important."

"Everyone is served though," I said, but Jasmine shook her head.

"Ain' ready till prayers are done, and the Master, or Mistress, of the house eats first. That'd be Madsy - or Addy when you go there. Did you bring a present?"

"I have some tulips? Besides, Addy wouldn' wan' me to wai–""Missy would, Ashy," Jasmine interrupted.

"And tulips? Addy still likes them? What did you get for Missy? She likes peonies. Pink ones."

"Of course she would, what a pretenti–" I said.

"Excusez-moi, but what IS your relationship with those two? I had heard talks that you were that boy's sister, but you do not look it. You're much taller, and he's much more… cute?" Madeleine said. Jasmine snickered, which apparently was the cue for Madeleine to begin eating. She tore a small side of the trencher off, and dipped it into the stew. She scooped up a piece of beef and potato and gently brought it to her mouth. Jasmine followed suit, though she was a bit messier. I had no such luck.

My tear was much, much bigger so much that the bread wrapped around the piece of beef three times over. I pushed too hard, and the filling fell down against the cloth of the divination table. Madeleine smiled and waved her wand – the mess disappearing into nothing.

"Addy's family wasn't around much when we were kids, so he'd spend time at my farm with Pa and Ma," I said.

"Demoiselle, small pieces with smaller pieces of food. Gentle nibbles. You don't need to stuff yourself, the point is the conversation and the company, not the meal – but the meal must be the centrepiece," Madeleine said, but then waved her hand for me to continue.

"Was that it? You clung to Addy like shine on silver, Ashy! Torment, everyone thought you two were enga–" Jasmine said, but I had already flung a piece of trencher at her head. It missed, splatting on the floor, and again, Madeleine clicked her tongue.

"It's like teaching my youngest sisters all over again," Maddy said, but waved me forward. This time, I tore a small piece of trencher out, and attempted to scoop some of the stew. It got on my fingers, and I put my hand under the table. I tried to discreetly wipe the mess on the cloth, but Madeleine shook her head again. I frowned, but took a sip of the elderflower wine. Unlike the stuff Nana gave, this was sweet. It had a strong kick to it, and I upturned the drink and swallowed it all in two mouthfuls.

Heat ran through my body, and I stared at Madeleine.

"Nah! Wasn' like that. Addy's a show-off that does everythin' weird. Doesn' even pay attention to what people say. Auntie Laura promised Addy and me five whole silver if we mucked the barn when we was eight," I said, words coming faster than my thoughts.

"So, the pious fuck wakes up early and cleans the entire thing without me – which was dumb, since Auntie Laura paid us both five silver anyway. If he wanted the gold, he should have – ""Awwwh," Jasmine muttered, and Madeleine giggled.

"I wish Nathaniel would do the chores for me too. Ma's getting really sick, an'..." she looked up at me, and her eyes watered. I swallowed, and couldn't hold my gaze. Madeleine softly stroked Jasmine's arm, and the two were discussing something. But you can't even do that much, can ya, Ash? I looked down at the meal. My stomach grumbled angrily, yet, each time I tried to tear at the trencher, I was going to make another mistake. Like every other decision we made. Maybe this time I'd tear off the right amount?

Maybe this time we'd dip our entire hand into the stew too. Or maybe we're supposed to chew with our mouths open? Is it closed? It's definitely closed, but they're still talking. Normal people can talk while having dinner. They have something to say. Something to contribute. But we're here, unable to even eat dinner right. Addy wouldn't care. Missy might. Addy is already mad that we changed our career. Our plan didn't work, Ash. Even Madeleine and Jasmine are more impressed with Her than you.

No one wants a [Farmer], let alone a [Farm Girl]. They want that Ashley. The one who makes marvelous, awful things. The one that should have been a doctor. Not me. Not you. Maybe they all wanted that Ashley. I chewed on my lip, until my teeth pierced and my mouth was flooded with my blood.