Dinner Preparations
"I miss going out for dinner." Topaz commented out of the blue once all three children were asleep. "You know, the kind with candles on a table, food on plates, all those delicious smells, ambiance."
Lucien lifted a brow at her. "Where would you like to go?" He had not caught that longing in her thoughts before now.
"I don't know. We don't really have to go anywhere. We have a table, don't we? It can't be all that much trouble to find a table cloth and a candle holder. Do we have dishes and such?" Topaz snuggled into his lap.
"I would expect Andre has all of those things upstairs." He chuckled, "Though I am not certain I would like to ask him to loan them to us, perhaps you are braver than I am?"
"I don't mind asking him. What's the worst he can possibly do besides saying no?" Topaz giggled softly. "Who knows, he might appreciate the opportunity to have all the pretty things used. He should still be awake, we could go ask him now."
"Have you ever seen Andre upset?" Mischief danced in his eyes. "But, if you want a sense of adventure, let us go find him."
"No, I didn't even know he could get upset." The look he gave her made her fall in love with him all over again and made her want that dinner with him even more than when she had first mentioned it. It wasn't so much that she had been longing to have a sit down dinner, though until they had gone to Auriga she rarely had time for more than a nibble on the go. Rather, she wanted to be able to sit down with Lucien at a romantic table. Food, while she still needed the sugars for flight and magic, was beside the point. She giggled as she got up from Lucien's lap and then held out a hand to him. "An adventure, is it? We shall go defeat the mighty Andre and ask him for a loan."
Lucien motioned for her to precede him up the stairs. "To the kitchens my dear, where you may beard the lion in his den!"
"Beard him?" She giggled as she moved up the stairs. The sentient magic picked up those images, adding to Topaz's bemusement. She'd have to reign in those magic bits before they got her into trouble with Andre, though. "Doesn't honey smeared around a beard work better?"
Lucien coughed discreetly, "Honey in a man's beard is not a good idea."
"It's not? We could try that out some time." She grinned to him ever so impishly. "It sounds like great fun to me."
They made a right turn into the kitchen in time to hear Andre shout in French at the kitchen boy, and the chef was brandishing a very large butcher knife.
Lucien paused and glanced at Topaz, "You sure you want to ask him?"
"Of course. He can't possibly guess what brought us into his kitchen." Topaz had seen the knife, of course, but she chose to ignore it, mostly because she could detect no intention from the chef to use the knife on the boy or anyone else. She turned to Andre with a pleading look, but without making use of her Carpathian voice talent. "Bon soir, Andre. S'il vous plait, we need your aid. I'd love to have a candle light dinner with Lucien. Can you help? Please?"
Andre paused in mid-ranting. "Nous sommes tr?s occup?s! Aide? Vous voulez l'aide?"
Lucien tried very hard to prevent a smile from creeping into his features. "I think he wants to know what help you seek because I don't think it registered that candle light dinners and the chef have anything to do with one another."
"Oh, oui! We have a table, that's about it, and chairs. But it also takes linens and candle holders and plates and utensils and bowls and something on the plates. I don't know the first thing of how to get chocolate to wrap itself around fruit or vegetables in thin layers, nor much of anything else about getting food to smell good and be enjoyable in one's mouth. Oh, and cups and coffee and whatever else you might can think of. You see, we do need help." Gestures and pleading looks underlined her words in case Andre was unfamiliar with one or the other.
Andre gave her an incredulous look. "Vous voulez les bougies et le d?ner?" The chef looked between Lucien, Topaz, and the kitchen boy who was inching his way toward the back of the kitchen.
Lucien gave the chef a lazy smile, "Oui, she would like your assistance good chef to put together a romantic table with fine food, and since you are the master of fine food, where else should e look?"
"Merci tres beaucup, Andre." She blew him a kiss for thanks but hugged Lucien, excited and happy that the chef had agreed to help them. He had agreed, had he not?
Lucien gave a velvety laugh, "As much agreement as he ever gives anyone."
The kitchen boy froze when Andre shouted at him, "Show her the linens and such, I have work to do!"
"We get to see the linens and rescue the boy from a few minutes of not so nice conversation. It's perfect." Topaz squeezed Lucien's hand gently as the kitchen boy unfroze enough to lead them from the kitchen.
The boy nervously motioned for them to follow, and Lucien let Topaz go ahead of him. He paused as they passed Andre, giving the surly chef a hard look, "You will see to it that the chocolate is the finest, and your best efforts go into her wish." The chef knew better than to challenge the Aurigans in the house. They made him very nervous, and he nodded at Lucien before motioning with the hand that held the butcher knife to follow the boy while he prepared an assortment of foods for their return.
The linen closet was not far. The boy opened both doors and stepped aside to let the fairy choose what she liked. Topaz's gaze was immediately attracted to a pale pink shimmering cloth with little white blooms stitched around the edges.
"This one I think would be perfect, provided it's not an heirloom of Azjah's. Is it?" She asked the rather quiet boy with a curious smile.
The boy shrugged, "I cannot say ma'am. It is not normally used, but the Marchioness is not fond of pink, so it is probably only here because it doesn't fit the decor?"
Lucien touched it briefly, "No, it is not an heirloom, so we will make use of it." He nuzzled Topaz's neck, "What else do you desire?"
"Like I can remember anything when you do that?" She giggled softly as she leaned into his nuzzling fully enjoying the challenge he posed to clear thinking. "Candles and holders for them," She remembered after a moment, and after another moment she added, "utensils."
Lucien glanced at the boy, "Candelabrum and utensils are next. Lead on." He slid his fingertips along the edge of her wings as she turned to follow the boy.
The light touch set the translucent wings to vibrate ever so slightly and sent pleasant shivers through Topaz. Her mind was definitely on something other than candles just then.
"Mhm, sounds good." Topaz held the elegant yet playful tablecloth to her as they walked down the corridor.
The lad opened a locked cabinet where there were various sets of candelabrum. Crystal, silver, golden, stone and lead crystal, they ranged from single candle holder pairs to 7 candle per piece ornate displays. ?How many would you be wanting?? The boy studied Topaz intently.
?I like those stone ones. What do you think, Lucien?? Topaz loved everything Lucien had done with candles so far. It made all the sense in the world to her to let him pick those.
?They are very beautiful, though not as beautiful as you my dear.? Lucien motioned for the boy to take the candelabrum that Topaz had liked. ?And candles for it as well boy.?
He glanced at Topaz, ?Now what do you desire?? Giving her a wink.
?You?re distracting me again.? She chuckled as she leaned against him for a moment and gave his waist a squeeze. Her desire would always be him. Then she turned her thoughts back to the dinner they were trying to organize. ?We should have some shiny utensils to make everything look just right for our candle light dinner and a plate or two, unless Andre will have the food on plates already.?
?Andre is busy even as we tarry here putting something delectable together for you.?
The boy led them to a series of drawers with flatware that ranged from fairly simple shapes and patterns to baroque and very heavy silver with golden accents to solid gold flatware. ?Here are the choices of flatware Lady Topaz.? He gave Lucien a frightened look, hoping he had not overstepped by talking to his mate.
?They are all beautiful.? Topaz thoroughly enjoyed their treasure hunt and all the discoveries they were treated to along the way. For a while she studied each set, admiring the workmanship that had gone into each. She liked the multi colored metal flatware, but she?d not pick anything silver for this occasion. She indicated a set with blooms painted on porcelain that even included some fondue forks. ?Those almost perfectly fit the table cloth. Are there any plates to match??
She turned to Lucien then, with a warm smile. Her eyes sparkled with all the treasures they were finding and, more so, with love and appreciation of Lucien. ?The table will look ever so beautiful. I had no idea what marvels hid behind all these doors.?
Lucien chuckled, ?You have obviously never gone exploring here. And if you like this, you should see the traditional family house.? He looked at the boy, ?China to match??
The boy?s face screwed up as he thought, ?Not a perfect match, but these might work.? He opened the cabinets behind him. China stacked on each shelf. He indicated a very pale shell pink porcelain with deep forest green curves and swirls. The plates were not circular, rather a curved free form.
?They are Azjah?s treasures, are they not?? While was certainly curious about everything, she also knew that Azjah needed her privacy. Topaz respected that. Then her gaze fell upon the forest swirls on pink shell. ?How perfect!?
Lucien nodded, ?They belong to her, but has she ever denied anyone use of what belongs to her??
The boy picked up one of the free form plates and offered it to Topaz, ?Pink really is not Her Grace?s favorite you know.?
?No, that she has not. She is very generous, all the more reason for me not to poke me nose into everything.? Topaz smiled to Lucien and then nodded to the boy. ?Yes, she prefers burgundy to pink. I think we have everything now, unless you can think of something we should have. Thank you for helping us find all those treasures.?
The boy brightened, ?There are pink ginger flowers in the orangery, to put in a flower vase.?
Lucien glanced at the boy, ?Bring 7 stems back, quickly.?
The boy swallowed hard and raced off to the orangery for the flowers.
?Well my dear, shall we see what Andre has cooked up for you?? Lucien offered his arm to her.
She laced her arm through his and hugged his arm to her for a moment. ?Yes, let?s go see what he came up with. Pink ginger flowers are a great idea.?
They found Andre in the kitchen muttering in French, but laid out neatly on the counter were three small platters. One with cold appetizers, one with hot appetizers and a dessert tray, including liquid chocolate and fresh fruit.
?Ohlala, Andre. They all look adorable and perfect. I had no idea you were such a magician. Merci, merci, merci. Look, Lucien, little pieces of art.? Topaz was delighted. Andre really knew his stuff. To her mind, Lucien not able to enjoy so much as a crumb made aromas and look that much more important.
Lucien pulled Topaz close as she studied the artistic creations of the chef, ?You are pleased mon ami??
?Very. Thank you, darling.? Topaz wrapped her arms around Lucien and hugged him tight. ?Now all we have to do is to enjoy the results.?
"I miss going out for dinner." Topaz commented out of the blue once all three children were asleep. "You know, the kind with candles on a table, food on plates, all those delicious smells, ambiance."
Lucien lifted a brow at her. "Where would you like to go?" He had not caught that longing in her thoughts before now.
"I don't know. We don't really have to go anywhere. We have a table, don't we? It can't be all that much trouble to find a table cloth and a candle holder. Do we have dishes and such?" Topaz snuggled into his lap.
"I would expect Andre has all of those things upstairs." He chuckled, "Though I am not certain I would like to ask him to loan them to us, perhaps you are braver than I am?"
"I don't mind asking him. What's the worst he can possibly do besides saying no?" Topaz giggled softly. "Who knows, he might appreciate the opportunity to have all the pretty things used. He should still be awake, we could go ask him now."
"Have you ever seen Andre upset?" Mischief danced in his eyes. "But, if you want a sense of adventure, let us go find him."
"No, I didn't even know he could get upset." The look he gave her made her fall in love with him all over again and made her want that dinner with him even more than when she had first mentioned it. It wasn't so much that she had been longing to have a sit down dinner, though until they had gone to Auriga she rarely had time for more than a nibble on the go. Rather, she wanted to be able to sit down with Lucien at a romantic table. Food, while she still needed the sugars for flight and magic, was beside the point. She giggled as she got up from Lucien's lap and then held out a hand to him. "An adventure, is it? We shall go defeat the mighty Andre and ask him for a loan."
Lucien motioned for her to precede him up the stairs. "To the kitchens my dear, where you may beard the lion in his den!"
"Beard him?" She giggled as she moved up the stairs. The sentient magic picked up those images, adding to Topaz's bemusement. She'd have to reign in those magic bits before they got her into trouble with Andre, though. "Doesn't honey smeared around a beard work better?"
Lucien coughed discreetly, "Honey in a man's beard is not a good idea."
"It's not? We could try that out some time." She grinned to him ever so impishly. "It sounds like great fun to me."
They made a right turn into the kitchen in time to hear Andre shout in French at the kitchen boy, and the chef was brandishing a very large butcher knife.
Lucien paused and glanced at Topaz, "You sure you want to ask him?"
"Of course. He can't possibly guess what brought us into his kitchen." Topaz had seen the knife, of course, but she chose to ignore it, mostly because she could detect no intention from the chef to use the knife on the boy or anyone else. She turned to Andre with a pleading look, but without making use of her Carpathian voice talent. "Bon soir, Andre. S'il vous plait, we need your aid. I'd love to have a candle light dinner with Lucien. Can you help? Please?"
Andre paused in mid-ranting. "Nous sommes tr?s occup?s! Aide? Vous voulez l'aide?"
Lucien tried very hard to prevent a smile from creeping into his features. "I think he wants to know what help you seek because I don't think it registered that candle light dinners and the chef have anything to do with one another."
"Oh, oui! We have a table, that's about it, and chairs. But it also takes linens and candle holders and plates and utensils and bowls and something on the plates. I don't know the first thing of how to get chocolate to wrap itself around fruit or vegetables in thin layers, nor much of anything else about getting food to smell good and be enjoyable in one's mouth. Oh, and cups and coffee and whatever else you might can think of. You see, we do need help." Gestures and pleading looks underlined her words in case Andre was unfamiliar with one or the other.
Andre gave her an incredulous look. "Vous voulez les bougies et le d?ner?" The chef looked between Lucien, Topaz, and the kitchen boy who was inching his way toward the back of the kitchen.
Lucien gave the chef a lazy smile, "Oui, she would like your assistance good chef to put together a romantic table with fine food, and since you are the master of fine food, where else should e look?"
"Merci tres beaucup, Andre." She blew him a kiss for thanks but hugged Lucien, excited and happy that the chef had agreed to help them. He had agreed, had he not?
Lucien gave a velvety laugh, "As much agreement as he ever gives anyone."
The kitchen boy froze when Andre shouted at him, "Show her the linens and such, I have work to do!"
"We get to see the linens and rescue the boy from a few minutes of not so nice conversation. It's perfect." Topaz squeezed Lucien's hand gently as the kitchen boy unfroze enough to lead them from the kitchen.
The boy nervously motioned for them to follow, and Lucien let Topaz go ahead of him. He paused as they passed Andre, giving the surly chef a hard look, "You will see to it that the chocolate is the finest, and your best efforts go into her wish." The chef knew better than to challenge the Aurigans in the house. They made him very nervous, and he nodded at Lucien before motioning with the hand that held the butcher knife to follow the boy while he prepared an assortment of foods for their return.
The linen closet was not far. The boy opened both doors and stepped aside to let the fairy choose what she liked. Topaz's gaze was immediately attracted to a pale pink shimmering cloth with little white blooms stitched around the edges.
"This one I think would be perfect, provided it's not an heirloom of Azjah's. Is it?" She asked the rather quiet boy with a curious smile.
The boy shrugged, "I cannot say ma'am. It is not normally used, but the Marchioness is not fond of pink, so it is probably only here because it doesn't fit the decor?"
Lucien touched it briefly, "No, it is not an heirloom, so we will make use of it." He nuzzled Topaz's neck, "What else do you desire?"
"Like I can remember anything when you do that?" She giggled softly as she leaned into his nuzzling fully enjoying the challenge he posed to clear thinking. "Candles and holders for them," She remembered after a moment, and after another moment she added, "utensils."
Lucien glanced at the boy, "Candelabrum and utensils are next. Lead on." He slid his fingertips along the edge of her wings as she turned to follow the boy.
The light touch set the translucent wings to vibrate ever so slightly and sent pleasant shivers through Topaz. Her mind was definitely on something other than candles just then.
"Mhm, sounds good." Topaz held the elegant yet playful tablecloth to her as they walked down the corridor.
The lad opened a locked cabinet where there were various sets of candelabrum. Crystal, silver, golden, stone and lead crystal, they ranged from single candle holder pairs to 7 candle per piece ornate displays. ?How many would you be wanting?? The boy studied Topaz intently.
?I like those stone ones. What do you think, Lucien?? Topaz loved everything Lucien had done with candles so far. It made all the sense in the world to her to let him pick those.
?They are very beautiful, though not as beautiful as you my dear.? Lucien motioned for the boy to take the candelabrum that Topaz had liked. ?And candles for it as well boy.?
He glanced at Topaz, ?Now what do you desire?? Giving her a wink.
?You?re distracting me again.? She chuckled as she leaned against him for a moment and gave his waist a squeeze. Her desire would always be him. Then she turned her thoughts back to the dinner they were trying to organize. ?We should have some shiny utensils to make everything look just right for our candle light dinner and a plate or two, unless Andre will have the food on plates already.?
?Andre is busy even as we tarry here putting something delectable together for you.?
The boy led them to a series of drawers with flatware that ranged from fairly simple shapes and patterns to baroque and very heavy silver with golden accents to solid gold flatware. ?Here are the choices of flatware Lady Topaz.? He gave Lucien a frightened look, hoping he had not overstepped by talking to his mate.
?They are all beautiful.? Topaz thoroughly enjoyed their treasure hunt and all the discoveries they were treated to along the way. For a while she studied each set, admiring the workmanship that had gone into each. She liked the multi colored metal flatware, but she?d not pick anything silver for this occasion. She indicated a set with blooms painted on porcelain that even included some fondue forks. ?Those almost perfectly fit the table cloth. Are there any plates to match??
She turned to Lucien then, with a warm smile. Her eyes sparkled with all the treasures they were finding and, more so, with love and appreciation of Lucien. ?The table will look ever so beautiful. I had no idea what marvels hid behind all these doors.?
Lucien chuckled, ?You have obviously never gone exploring here. And if you like this, you should see the traditional family house.? He looked at the boy, ?China to match??
The boy?s face screwed up as he thought, ?Not a perfect match, but these might work.? He opened the cabinets behind him. China stacked on each shelf. He indicated a very pale shell pink porcelain with deep forest green curves and swirls. The plates were not circular, rather a curved free form.
?They are Azjah?s treasures, are they not?? While was certainly curious about everything, she also knew that Azjah needed her privacy. Topaz respected that. Then her gaze fell upon the forest swirls on pink shell. ?How perfect!?
Lucien nodded, ?They belong to her, but has she ever denied anyone use of what belongs to her??
The boy picked up one of the free form plates and offered it to Topaz, ?Pink really is not Her Grace?s favorite you know.?
?No, that she has not. She is very generous, all the more reason for me not to poke me nose into everything.? Topaz smiled to Lucien and then nodded to the boy. ?Yes, she prefers burgundy to pink. I think we have everything now, unless you can think of something we should have. Thank you for helping us find all those treasures.?
The boy brightened, ?There are pink ginger flowers in the orangery, to put in a flower vase.?
Lucien glanced at the boy, ?Bring 7 stems back, quickly.?
The boy swallowed hard and raced off to the orangery for the flowers.
?Well my dear, shall we see what Andre has cooked up for you?? Lucien offered his arm to her.
She laced her arm through his and hugged his arm to her for a moment. ?Yes, let?s go see what he came up with. Pink ginger flowers are a great idea.?
They found Andre in the kitchen muttering in French, but laid out neatly on the counter were three small platters. One with cold appetizers, one with hot appetizers and a dessert tray, including liquid chocolate and fresh fruit.
?Ohlala, Andre. They all look adorable and perfect. I had no idea you were such a magician. Merci, merci, merci. Look, Lucien, little pieces of art.? Topaz was delighted. Andre really knew his stuff. To her mind, Lucien not able to enjoy so much as a crumb made aromas and look that much more important.
Lucien pulled Topaz close as she studied the artistic creations of the chef, ?You are pleased mon ami??
?Very. Thank you, darling.? Topaz wrapped her arms around Lucien and hugged him tight. ?Now all we have to do is to enjoy the results.?