Bonding Over Bread

Writers: Ames, Emma
Date Posted: 26th January 2014

Characters: Cardella, L'ger
Description: The two bond a bit over baking
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 6 of Turn 7

Cardella

"Good morning," Cardella called out cheerily as she entered the
kitchen rooms. Even though she didn't _have_ to spend time helping
with the baking anymore, she couldn't resist. Kneading the dough and
having a chance to bake relaxed her. When she had time away from her
normal riding duties, she liked to offer a helping hand in the
kitchens.

"Morning, Cardella. Have some free time today?" Minata asked with a
smile as the girl dug her own hands into some bread dough. "We're
always glad when you pop in to join us."

"Hi!" Helcoger walked over and flashed the young greenrider a smile as he
came back with his own dough that had already been proved, and floured a
board to tip it out on. "That dragon of yours has let you near real food?"

Cardella laughed, a happy, merry sound. "Well, I _do_ have to eat too,
you know?" She was grinning. "Actually Awenth knows that coming here
makes me feel happy so when we have some time, well, I come down to
get my hands kneading some dough. I miss being able to do this as much
as I used to."

"Well you can help me turn this into rolls if you like. They're for dinner
tonight," he gestured to the dough, now on the board. "I'm making those
little crusty ones."

Cardella beamed. "Oh I _love_ those crusty rolls. They are delicious."
She moved over to the table where he was working and found some space.

"I'd love to help. Tell me what you'd like me to do," she told him,
not wanting to dive in without his direction since this was his task.

Demonstrating as he spoke, Helcoger pulled off a small amount of the dough.
"Take a ball of dough about this big, and roll it into a ball. Once we've
got them all done, we'll need to let them prove again."

"Alright," Cardella replied. She was eager to learn to make these
particular rolls she liked. She dug into the dough, quickly forming
the small balls and placing them on the sheet of metal to prove. "So,
I've seen you at the last few Hatchings on the Sands, but I know you
weren't a candidate with me when I first arrived." She paused
wondering if he would elaborate for she'd seen him around the Weyr
even back then. She was curious why he was a candidate now, but had
not been one before.

"Ah well, us weyrbred, we're lucky in that we have the choice," he
explained, even as he deftly shaped another ball of dough. "I didn't have to
be searched, they told us in the creche that we could choose to craft, or to
stand or both. And I wanted those journeyman knots, they said it would be
hard to get them if I impressed young."

"Oh, I see. That was actually good thinking then. I wish I could have
earned some actual knots, but at the BakerHall we weren't allowed to
'formally' craft. And I haven't really had time to further my studies
since Impressing Awenth. Perhaps someday though, I'll be able to do
more with my studies in between my regular duties." She smiled at
Helcoger.

"I think you should, I bet the Master here would be able to assess your
skill and see where you stand. I'll ask him if you want?"

"Oh that would be great!" Cardella replied, "Thanks! I would like that
very much." She continued shaping the dough into balls until there was
very little of the dough left. "Looks like we're almost done here.
What else do you need help with?"

"Getting them back into the warming oven," he said. "And I meant it, I have
an 'in' with the Master baker here, he's my father."

"He's your father!?" Cardella almost gasped. Then she giggled a bit.
"Lucky you! My father was kind enough to let me study at the
BakerHall, but he didn't really have crafting talents of his own. I
bet it was amazing to grow up beside a Master crafter!"

"A lot to live up to though," commented Helcoger.

"Oh, that's true," Cardella replied, "I really hadn't thought about
that aspect of things."

"If I had a mark, no a quarter mark for every time someone compared me to
him, well I'd probably be as rich as a Lord Holder!"

"Well, then perhaps you are just rich in dough instead?" She grinned
and chuckled a bit as she gazed around the kitchens. "Honestly, I
couldn't ask for anything better some days!"

"Well this is the life..." he teased.

She laughed. "It's surely is!"

Last updated on the February 1st 2014

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Bonding Over Bread