To Be A Princess (court life)

21- Step Three: Blacksmith, Black Eyes

Theo's POV

I, Crown Prince Adrian Theobald Francis Adronalite, have learnt to cook.

Well.... Almost.
It turns out that cooking is really quite hard. And by really hard, I mean exceptionally, excruciatingly difficult.

Did you know that the rare Danish pastries I absolutely love actually have to be made through a several hour process of these tasks like kneading, stirring, folding, baking, glazing and frying?! Truly fascinating.

I decided that I wished to learn how to cook Rose' favourite dish. Pancakes.
I remember her telling me about them and her love for the tasty light, fluffy cakes of goodness. So that would be what I needed to learn to make. I thought it would be easy.

I was wrong.

Ilene told me to start by "sifting" 2 cups of flour into a bowl. I had no idea what sifting was, so I asked and she handed me some weird contraption and informed me to turn the handle. I turned the handle and was doing quite well... until I realised I was not sifting it into the bowl, but instead onto the floor.

Then I was told to place in an egg, so I did. I later discovered that you had to crack the egg and tip in the insides, not the shell. In my defence, it was a mistake anybody could make. I then spilt the milk and dropped the butter, as well as smashing a bowl and sneezing in James' face.

I guess you could say I have room for improvement.

I'm to be having a lesson with Ilene tomorrow and the next day, in order to learn and master the arts of cooking. I must say, I admire Ilene and her work a lot more now. I remember Rose always saying how amazing and wonderful her cooking was and what a skill it is to be able to bake. I just assumed that everyone could do such a thing and that peasants were given that job as it was something they could do. I clearly and stupidly assumed wrong.

***

I have another task to complete after my morning with Ilene, and that task is to make Jewellery. I decided that if Rose knew that I actually put effort into something, she would appreciate it a lot more. So, to substitute the sapphire necklace I am to make my own necklace.

I strolled down to the blacksmith stable with a collection of rare jewels in a silk bag. These were to put in the necklace for Rose. I was rather excited to learn how to make jewellery, as I was beginning to enjoy learning how to actually do things for myself.

I entered the blacksmiths stables to see something that took me by quite the surprise.

Rose.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. If any lord or lady would be down in the blacksmith stables, it would be Rose. So I decided to run and hide behind the stable wall until she left. I watched her the whole time and she was so gorgeous i felt truly in love.

Rose' POV

I was bored. B. O. R. E. D.

Catherine was off somewhere with her lover whose name I forget and James and Ilene were downstairs doing God knows what with Theo. My mind stumbled and jumbled in curiosity as to why Theo would be down there with my friends.
After what felt like a lifetime of coming up with possible ideas I decided I shouldn't care as it was none of my business, and besides, I hated Theo.

I pondered the question for some time longer, still not having the will-power or desire to let go of as to why Theo was down in the kitchens. Then... It dawned on me. Theo was after revenge. Was he trying to steal my friends from me? Was this his idea of getting back at me for refusing his gifts?