Angelic, My Dear

Chapter 8

"Kaiden really gets to you, doesn't he?" Quince mused. All day, he'd let me sook and be miserable. I guess he was as bored as I was.
"Yeah, I don't understand. I wasn't mad at him until he walked in this morning, then it just hit me," I frowned adjusting myself on the couch.
"Interesting thing, attraction, it really sparks reactions," Quince sat opposite me.
"What? Attraction? I hardly think so!" I defended myself, shocked he'd even think that I was attracted to Kai.
"No? We'll see," Quince looked away mysteriously.
I frowned. I did not feel attracted to Kai! Sure, I cared what he thought of me but that didn't mean I liked him.
"What shall we have for tea?" Quince jumped conversations.
I blinked, unsure. He almost seemed to be talking to himself.
"Perhaps potato and leek soup?" Quince looked over at me questioningly.
"Sure," I thought about my empty stomach, some food would be nice right now.
"Do you know how to cook?" Quince surprised me.
"A little. I had to help Serra cook sometimes, but she never really trusted me to do much," I shrugged.
"Come, I'll teach you," Quince led me to the kitchen.
"The leek is in that cupboard and the potatoes are in the crate at the bottom of the cupboard," Quince informed me.
I pulled open the wooden door, feeling a little like I was being tested.
I found the green leeks and pulled out a couple of potatoes.
Quince nodded approvingly.
He handed me a knife and I began chopping the leek up into little circles. Quince washed the potatoes and peeled them carefully.
We worked together, Quince occasionally giving me tips on something, to create a thick and delicious soup.
It was strange, a rich man teaching me to cook. Although he wasn't really a man, and I wasn't really a girl. Everything was strange and odd in this new world, I'd just have to learn to accept that.
After a while, we served up two bowls full and sat at his table to eat. The soup was steaming and thick.
"I know you're a warlock and all, but isn't it a little weird that you don't have any servants?" I asked after a moment. The soup was warm and salty in my mouth.
The corner of Quinces mouth quirked up.
"Marcella said the exact same thing when we first met. Well, I don't exactly invite humans to my house and I have no need for them, as you can see. So what's the point?" Quince explained.
I nodded, I suppose he was right.
"Fair enough," I scraped the rest of the delicious thick soup up and finished it.
"I must say we make a great team," Quince grinned.
I washed the bowls while he cleaned the kitchen.
Afterwards I changed into a violet night dress and shuffled into my makeshift bed on the couch.
Quince frowned for a moment.
"Who knows how long you'll be here so it's hardly fair to make you sleep on a couch," he pronounced and hurried out of the lounge room.
A moment later, he returned with a thick mattress floating behind him.
He placed it down on the ground and we moved my blankets across. A real bed.
It wasn't as soft as my one at Mystic but it was certainly better than my old bed and the couch.
"Do you read?" Quince inquired, settling himself down on the couch.
"Yes, I just finished Pride and Prejudice," I nodded, plaiting my blonde hair back. It was getting shiny and soft so I was determined to care for it.
"Oh? You'll love Jane Eyre then," Quince handed me another book. I read the blurb, eagerly.
"It sounds great," I announced.
"Good," Quince pulled his own book off a decorated and overflowing bookshelf that somehow still looked neat.
We sat there for a while, just reading. It felt nice to be able to just read with someone.
Until my eyes started to droop and I was forced to lay down. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow.

Quince looked at the young girl sleeping on the mattress, just a metre from his feet. The image of her bruised and battered was a mere memory now, not that he would ever forget. No he was not the kind to forget, in all his one thousand and seventy six years of life, he'd never forgotten anything. She was looking healthy again and half normal. He had been curious as to if she actually knew how to cook. She had known more than he had expected, yet there was still much to improve. With a few golden sparks the wood fire in the corner of the room was replenished with wood. As he wandered out of the room, the lights dimmed and vanished.
Tomorrow, he'd find something for her to do. She had wasted today, drowning in her sorrow. Tomorrow she would be bored. He knew from experience that annoyance would come after that. He hoped Kai would sort something out quickly.