The palace kitchen was a symphony of delightful aromas as Marigold, the head baker, orchestrated the creation of delectable cupcakes. Her nimble hands expertly folded flour into batter as the sweet scent of vanilla filled the air.
Marigold was a lovable woman in her fifties who had been a friend to the KodaCait family for years. All eight of the girls loved her, and the King and Queen respected her. She had dark skin, with short grey hair, warm brown eyes, protected by thick, black round glasses, and a charming smile.
Beside her stood Pander, her grandson, a clumsy yet endearing young man of nineteen who approached baking with a mix of caution and eagerness. He always tried to keep his head down. Pander shared his grandmother's dark skin, brown eyes and smile, and his black hair was styled in dreadlocks.
Marigold whisked a bowl of batter and turned to her grandson, "Now, Pander, gently fold in the raspberries. We don't want them all mushed up."
"Fold, not mush. Got it, Grandma." Pander nervously muttered, doing exactly what his grandmother said.
In the midst of their culinary endeavours, the door creaked open, revealing Odie, Evie, and Posy. Posy was carried on Odie's back and the three had stumbled in, giggling and cracking jokes. The trio were drawn by the irresistible scent wafting through the corridors.
"Hey, Grandma Marigold! We need more of those amazing blueberry muffins. They're the talk of the palace." Odie smiled eagerly, finally putting Posy down.
Marigold chuckled heartily, "Coming right up, my dears. Pander and I are in the middle of cupcakes, but we can multitask."
There was no doubt that Evie loved Grandma Marigold the most out of the girls, as they had been extremely close when Evie was just a toddler. She walked over to give Marigold a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey, Grandma Marigold!"
Pander looked up, his eyes meeting Evie's, sparking a subtle yet palpable connection. Evie then smirked, twirling her hair around her finger and leaning over the table. "Pander, your cupcakes are almost as sweet as you are."
"Oh, um, thanks, Evelina." Pander blushed, wiping his hands on his apron.
Evie winked, moving closer towards the timid man, raising her eyebrows playfully, "You know, Pander, I've always said baking is the way to someone's heart. Maybe you could bake something special just for me?"
"Uh, I-I could try."
Posy nudged Evie teasingly and giggled, "Come on, Evie. Behave yourself! We're not here to steal Grandma Marigold's apprentice!"
At that moment, Odie caught Pander's gaze and offered a knowing smile. The unspoken connection between the two friends hinted at a shared understanding. Caught in the whirlwind of Evie's playful banter, Pander couldn't help but feel a familiar tug at his heartstrings. Unbeknownst to the trio, Pander had harboured feelings for Evie since their childhood days. Yet, his timid nature and the palace gossip mill had sown seeds of doubt in his mind. Evie knew exactly what to say to make a boy's knees go weak.
As the girls hastily left the grand kitchen, Evie turned around and blew a kiss at Pander, causing him to drop the wooden spoon which was once in his hand. Marigold noticed this and smiled.
"Evelina has always been such a beautiful girl, hasn't she? Reminds me of myself when I was her age!" She sighed, turning to Pander, "Well, Pander, it seems like Evelina is sweet on you, and not just for your cupcakes. I still remember the days when you were a child and you used to stare at Evelina all day!"
Pander cringed, covering his face with his hands, "Grandma, don't embarrass me."
Marigold let out another one of her hearty laughs, "Oh, don't be shy, dear. Life is too short. Maybe bake her a cupcake with a little extra sweetness and see where it takes you."
Pander hesitated, the internal conflict evident on his face. It was a well-known rumour within the palace that Evie had a penchant for flirting with every male, and even had multiple secret scandalous rendezvous that went beyond harmless flirting- a reputation that cast a shadow of scepticism over Pander's feelings.
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8 Sisters of KodaCait: The Original
Ficțiune adolescenți"For the first time in the seven years since she first arrived, she began to think the Orphanage was a better place for her. She just hated herself, hated her life, hated everything. " King Augustine and Queen Pandora make a life changing decision t...
