Sugar and Spice

chapter 6

 Many of Peppermint's dreams are spent within the night of the Autumn revelry. In them at the end of the night Redleaf offers to dance privately (perhaps believing Peppermint didn't want to dance out of embarrassment, or lack of skill?). Every time Peppermint wants to say yes, but he still doesn't know Redleaf very well and the proximity makes him flinch away. It had taken so long for Peppermint to be used to receiving hugs and other friendly touches from Honeyglaze. But, also, seeing the frown on Redleaf's face (just the slightest downturn of his lips) when Peppermint had declined weighed on Peppermint and now many of his thoughts were consumed by it, even though it was just a dream. Sometimes he wishes he'd said yes, but even though he has nothing to lose, it's just a dream after all, he never does.

Regardless, winter passes for Peppermint in a wave of gingerbread, hot chocolate, and fingers toasty from cookies eaten straight out the oven. At least the first half does.

Redleaf had been visiting the tea house once or twice a week and usually towards the end of the day when Peppermint could afford to leave the kitchen for a bit. Most of the time Peppermint ended up switching places with one of the serving fairies as not to slack off, but the best times were when he was done with his baking early and could sit and have a bite to eat himself. Sadly, they did not occur often.

Then one week Redleaf stopped showing up. Peppermint, determined not to think anything of it, waited another week, but when Redleaf failed to come for tea again, he got worried. 

Did the minister not like the food anymore? Was it something Peppermint had said? Had he found someone better to spend his time with? Or what if he was hurt? Peppermint knew Redleaf sometimes overworked himself, but it wasn't his season anymore, so he shouldn't have that much to do, that's why he'd been coming by in the first place.

Peppermint's anxieties were getting in the way of his work (he had nearly used salt instead of sugar in cookies yesterday), and he decided he needed to get to the bottom of Redleaf's disappearance from the tea house even if he might not like the reason he got. 

So after another day in the kitchen Peppermint resolutely hung up his apron and hat, and set out. 

The Pixie Dust Tree seemed a good place to check since that's where Queen Clarion meets with the ministers on a fairly regular basis. There he finds the Minister of Winter in discussion with Sunflower and Queen Clarion. He knows he should wait until they were done speaking, it was likely important, but Peppermint was beginning to feel rather urgent about finding Redleaf. He bobs up and down, fluttering his wings in agitation trying to wait his turn. His movements seem to catch Sunflower's attention and she meets his eyes smiling at him, warmly. He offers an apologetic wave back. After another minute or so she breaks away from her conversation and glides over to him.

"Hello Peppermint! Is everything alright? You seem nervous."

"Fly with you, Minister", he nods back, "Everything's fine... I think. I just haven't seen Re- the Minister of Autumn in a while and he's been coming by pretty regularly, so I just wanted to make sure everything was okay..."

"Oh dear!" her frown seems out of place on her warm face, "I'm surprised Red didn't send word, then again he might've had a hard time with it... I'm afraid he's sick. He's been stuck at home for the past week or so, luckily his season is over so he doesn't have much to do."

"That's terrible!" exclaims Peppermint, though he is a bit relieved Redleaf hasn't been avoiding him.

"I'm sure you could go visit him, I've been helping Snowflake with Winter and Hyacinth is busy preparing for Spring a whole season early as usual, so none of us have been able to visit much. I imagine Red would enjoy some company!"