Bloom

31: The Amateur Teamaker

Mortelline leads Tulip down a long hallway. From a distant hallway Tulip can hear chatter and laughter. Voices they do not recognize. The tall goddess strolls into a large room. It's brightly lit overhead with candles that seem to be floating from the ceiling. Down below are several silver and gold tables for cooking, each holding compartments that have specific ingredients. Tulip takes in the strange space. Scents of spices and herbs flood their nostrils with curiosity.

"Excuse me."

They snap out of it to see Mortelline standing beside a giddy Pepper. She gestures to the table in front, which has stacks of ingredients on one side, and a cauldron filled with boiling water. Everything seems bigger, not just from the room. It's a lot to take in.

"How do you like this room? Splendid, isn't it?" Mortelline huffs out her confidence. She pushes out an arm with a splayed hand to show off the different kinds of tea they have. "This is where I and Pepper make our delectable teas that no other death deity has ever created any better!"

Tulip nods. The expensive atmosphere almost makes them hesitate to walk so as not to tip something over or break it. Pepper motions for them to stand beside them, which they carefully do. Mortelline is searching through some cabinets.

"We have to remember that Torrentus likes his tea steeped both at a lukewarm temperature and with much assortments of lavender and rosemary," she says, "while Mulberria likes dried raspberries, which I have prepared earlier..."

Time ticks its slow hands. Tulip feels the pressure rise. They know next to nothing about preparing tea professionally, and were expecting Pepper to secretly teach them while discussing their plan. Suddenly they feel a tap on their arm. They turn to see Pepper hand them a mortar and trestle.

"Ground this down," Pepper whispers. "It'll make you look busy in the meantime."

They resume stirring the boiling water in the cauldron. Tulip gulps. They look down in the cup. Flakes of dried leaves in different colours are in it. They smell a faint minty aroma. Pepper grabs their attention with a small tap beside their hand, so they get to work. They remember the time Pepper grounded down a medicine, and try to mimic those movements. They swear the voices are getting louder in the next room over. Then suddenly, Mortelline steps beside them. In her grip are glass jars with more ingredients inside.

"Is this for guest number seventy?" Her head looms over.

Tulip's movements freeze up. Seventy? Pepper dashes in with a reassured smile.

"For Blossom, yes."

"Ah, wonderful." Mortelline grins. "Theirs take the longest."

Tulip tries their best to mask the fear, but questions zip this way and that in their mind. What about the mark on my neck? Can Mortelline see that? How many guests are there? Are there more pickier ones? Will this plan even work?

"Oh Miss Mortelline!"

All three turn to where the source of the voice is coming from, which is in the dining room. Mortelline, with a poised posture, guides herself behind the two and walks to the doorway.

"I must excuse myself momentarily," she says with a wave. "Both of you keep working away!"

She disappears, which to Tulip, makes the air settle with relief. Pepper leans over, possibly to make sure that she's gone. Then they gently nudge Tulip.

"Are you alright?"

Tulip meets their eyes. They want to lie in an attempt to shoo the emotions, but their body responds with a head shake and anxious hands. Pepper places their hands over theirs.