As soon as it's done, I take out the baking beans by lifting the paper, almost burning my fingers in the process. I push the tin back into the oven for another few minutes, returning to the workbench so I can prepare the pastry for the top. I could do something fancy, but I'm not sure I feel like that at the moment, so cut some strips to make a lattice.
When the sand has fallen to the bottom of the hourglass, I pull out the pie case and fill it with the apple and blackberry mix. The smell makes my mouth water. But I have to be patient, it's far from ready yet.
The heat radiates from the tin, and I move carefully to avoid burning my hands as I put the raw strips of pastry over the top of the filling in a lattice. A sprinkle of sugar over the top will make it caramelise perfectly. With that, I slide the pie into the oven, barely getting any attention from Ember this time. She seems to have understood that I'm not opening the oven door for her. It's not really her fault. She was hatched in the oven, it's not surprising that she wants to spend more time in it now.
I clear up the table and set my pans on the side where they'll be taken by one of the pot boys later. The sweet scent of baking pastry and fruit fills the air. I take a deep breath, finding a deep satisfaction in how good it smells.
Footsteps sound, and I look up to see one of the cooks in the doorway.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I didn't realise you were here," she says, bowing to me.
"My pie will be ready in a moment," I say, gesturing to the oven. "Then I can leave you to it."
She nods. "I'll send one of the pot boys in to clear up once you're done."
"Thank you." I don't really want to leave the kitchen. The outside world is a lot more complicated than life in the kitchen. But I can't ignore it forever, and my pie is almost done. It isn't even too late, so maybe I can take it with me and see if any of my siblings are still awake to share it with me.
The cook disappears, leaving me alone in the kitchen. All I need to do is wait for the pie to finish baking and leave it to cool, then Ember and I can leave the staff in peace and head to bed.
Chapter 2
My stomach rumbles as I approach the mountain solar. A maid curtsies to me, while a footman pushes open the door so I can enter the room.
There's a peaceful atmosphere as soon as I step inside, a reminder that the rest of the castle doesn't really come here, it's just a place for me and my siblings to spend our time without anyone else around. Most of the far wall is made of glass, letting in the autumn light and views of the mountain beyond.
My younger sister is already sitting at the breakfast table, and I head over to take my seat.
"What has the kitchen sent today?" I ask.
"Were you not there to ask last night?" Veronica responds.
"I was baking a pie, not breakfast goods."
"That's a shame. The bread you made last week was really good."
"Brioche," I respond.
"What?"
"That's the bread I made."
"Oh, well, it was good," she says. "You haven't made it before."
"Nate sent me the recipe recently," I say.
"Did he now?" She looks at me in a way that I don't think I understand.
I ignore her and pick up the pot of tea, glad that our trade treaty with Shengda has been going well. I don't have a huge opinion on the trade deals that are made on behalf of Falhaven, but I do like the tea that comes from this one. I pour myself a cup and set it down before helping myself to some bread.
It's impossible to ignore Veronica watching me as I cut a small sliver of cheese and try it to make sure it tastes right. I repeat the system with the ham.
"What are you checking for?" my sister asks.
"If it's too salty," I respond. "But it's all right today."
"Why don't you just tell the kitchen that you like it less salty?" she asks.
"I can't do that. It's difficult to control, especially when it depends on how the ham is cured." I cut a bigger slice of cheese and put it on top of my bread, doing the same with the ham.
