Chapter 14 Soup Kitchen

“Rose, pay attention.” Elena scolded while taking out the two pirog cakes and setting them on the sill to cool. She was giving both a language lesson and a cooking lesson. Since time at the shrine was shortened they attempted only saying a prayer there and leaving an offering. That meant the kitchen was fair game for lessons of all kinds. Still Elena was careful to send Nina and Hilda off early to set the tables and then serve the first courses. As expected they took full advantage gabbing and taking their time, all too happy to get out of doing any real work.

Rose had picked up the language part rather quickly in the last couple of days for she found it exciting. The basket weaving with her Grandmother actually helped. After learning the fundamentals she recited the letters and words in her head while she worked on her craft. Grandmother found her silence strange at first while she braided her hair. Hardly able to question peace and quiet, after a while, she simply enjoyed it. The cooking lessons Rose was not so keen on. Her mind wandered while waiting for things to boil or bake as a result things had either been burning or turning to mush.

She had truly vexing matters upon her mind. The traps were not working. She had tested them out in the fields and all had been well. Yet in the garden though they kept being triggered no prize was found within. She had decided to start small at her Father’s suggestion which made sense to her since she suspected smaller animals to really be doing the bulk of the damage. In the mornings her boxes would only hold puddles and her hanging snares would only be dripping with dew.

“I shall have to sneak out earlier in the morning and watch them.” Rose thought to herself. Elena had suggested that perhaps the other children were triggering them by accident. Grandmother of course was convinced it was the bear doing it on purpose. Either way when re-testing her traps in the fields to make sure there was no mistake she found two boxes overturned the next day and though it was apparent she had caught two snakes the signs were clear this time that someone had filched them.

Oh well at least the rabbit snares had worked and tonight they would have rabbit stew.

“Rose! The pot is boiling over!” Elena pointed sternly, her hands juggling a pile of dishes. She quickly set them down when she saw Rose trying to manage the soup and it was too heavy for her. As she reached out to help, hot liquid splashed across her arm. Her Mother gave out a little cry. Rose dropped the pot on the floor. It lost half its contents but still managed to stay upright. “Oh Mother, mother I am sorry.” Rose bit her lip as Elena pressed a cool wet towel to the burn.

“That’s all right, yearling.” Elena pulled her daughter into a hug. “Let us just forget about the soup.” After this moment of disorientation Rose gathered her senses. Since the liquid had lowered she began to drag the pot near the back door to be dumped when she saw a curious thing. A little white hand disappeared from the door frame. When she got there and looked outside, there was no one. Her Father burst through the lodge side door. He looked around eyes narrowed,

“Ivan what is the matter?!” Elena said, shocked by his suspicious expression. She had just about dropped the dishes again.

“I heard you cry out and then I thought I smelled a…” He saw the pirog on the sill. He leaned in closer and sniffed it. He looked around this time less aggressively.

“A fire, did you burn yourself?” He took her hand gently to examine the wound.

“Yes my love.” She kissed his cheek for his concern. “It is nothing Rose and I had a little adventure. We did not set fire to the kitchen.”

Rose took her boot and pushed the pot fully outside the door then kicked the dirt in frustration. She kept her eyes down and her fingers knotted. Elena elbowed Ivan in the ribs while her hand came to her mouth in a sympathetic, “Oh dear.”

Ivan cleared his throat. “Well, must everyone enjoy the company of their family but I? Hilda and Nina are already eagerly eating their meals. Are you through?”

“I believe so.” Rose cheered up as her Father extended his hand to her.

In the great hall as everyone eagerly gorged. Rose pushed the food on her plate around. She was looking at each of the children in turn and there certainly were a lot of them to look at. She was looking for pale milk looking skin like she had seen on the hand in the kitchen. She was certain it was the hand of a child. All of the children looked either dark or rosy from sprawling out and napping under the noon day sun. The fingers on their hands were pudgy and short.

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Rose decided that she was mistaken that perhaps it was a woman’s hand she saw. She looked around at the entire group of pregnant mothers’. They certainly were whiter from staying indoors out of the sun. Still all these hands were larger with more knuckle than what she had seen.

“Sadko?” she looked over to him for he wasn’t sitting that far away. “Does Miller have tiny hands like that of a child?”

“Yes, and somehow he manages to fit all those rings on his fingers.” Sadko laughed and so did many others except for those that had lost their rings to the miller.

Once again Rose was thwarted the hand had no defining trinkets upon it.

“Darling you must not speak of the Miller’s size that way.” Her mother walked around with a basket filled with rolls. On top of this basket was Grandmother’s pirog wrapped in cloth. Elena placed this next to Ivan whose face was like stone as he listened to the tables. Yet as she walked away Rose saw the back of his hand brush her skirt.

“The Miller would give her just as blunt an answer for her curiosity.” Ivan clanked cups with Sadko. Elena was wearing another dress sewn by Grandmother which of course was too tight. Elena never had the heart to tell the old woman they never fit. She always promised to wear it to dinner in the hopes that some night Grandmother might change her mind and stay. Afterwards she made the proper alterations.

“Is there not a fourth course tonight Elena?” One of the other men asked earnestly.

“I was teaching the girls today. I am afraid some parts of the dinner will be skimmed over the course of the month while they learn.” After her mother’s words Rose lowered her head.

“Pour the man more mead darling that ought to fill his belly.” Ivan stabbed at his meat. Great stag antlers hung above his chair. Ivan himself was so tall it seemed sometimes they were his own horns. This image was nothing to laugh at. In fact it quite fit him as the leader of the feast.

Elena smiled to her husband compliantly, all the other men smiled at the pitcher and what was behind it. Needless to say, many glasses needed filling. Sadko, as always, abstained from drink.

Hilda who had been sipping some mead herself went over and giggled loudly to her Father. “Did you know that it is poor little Rose’s fault that tonight we do not have one course.” Nina guffawed with her sister. “That is so. She burned the whole thing!”

Rose stood so fast her chair hit the back wall. “That is a lie you sow! The truth is you both ate it all!”

“Rose!” Ivan slammed down his cup and the whole table jumped involuntarily.

“Darling, you must not say such things!” Elena grabbed her ear. There were many gasps and muttering. Elena continued to scold but in her own mild mannered way which showed more disappointment than anger. “You know they were only lightly making merry. You are speaking hurtful words.” The two sisters looked pale, one with anger and the other with embarrassment.

“First you mock the Tanner, then the Miller and then this. Have her clean the kitchen by herself tonight as punishment.” Ivan’s voice was not loud but deep and rumbling. His mouth curved with a distaste that made Rose choke on her words faster than anything. “You heard your Father.” Elena patted her bottom to send her on her way. Rose hid her hurt at least until the kitchen door. Where she paused to make sure her Father was not really angry with her.

“She is young and her tongue is sharp. A good whacking with a reed will dull it.” Nina’s Father hiccupped.

“It has not done much for your children.” Ivan commented and he tapped his cup with Sadko’s who shared in his brotherly mirth. “Merchant, you must make music for us so we can drown out the noise of our children!”

Sadko obliged heartily and picked up his instrument.

“Wife, away with that frown come dance for me!” Ivan demanded, Elena smiled even more so when her rosy cheeked husband bellowed. “Drink everyone!”

Rose sighed, perhaps later she would not be allowed to go to Grandmother’s as long as her Father was not truly disappointed in her brazenness she could feel better. She had overreacted loudly and openly next time she would war more skillfully. She went into the kitchen and worked as hard as she could, each time she finished more dishes were brought. By the time things were all put away the music had ended and even murmurs became whispers that turned into footsteps dragging home. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw the flicker of a candle outside behind some moving bushes. It was gone when she really gave a hard look. Sadko entered the kitchen. “Rose, you finished? Your Mother and I are waiting. Are you looking for someone?” Sadko asked.

“What of Father?” Rose turned to him rather than sounding tired and nonsensical.

“He left to see your Grandmother hours ago.” Elena came in beside them teetering from drink. She began laughing. “Oh Rose you really should not have. After all it was I who said they could taste the food that reflects poorly on my judgment you see.” She burped.

“Your Mother is right.” Sadko gave Rose a meaningful nod to show that he could translate. “After all, only two more months until they leave Rose. Couldn’t you have waited until then to insult Hilda and Nina?” Rose folded her arms and said nothing.

“Come I shall escort the both of you home.” Sadko took Elena’s hand to steady her.

“I am sure my dear husband shall follow us shortly. He can not have that much to discuss with old Mother. And the little deer does not eat anything.” Elena looked around bewildered.

“Unlike other girls we know.” Sadko winked at Rose. Elena nearly tripped over the pot outside. “Darling you forgot this, put it back in the kitchen.”

Rose hurried to obey afraid her mother might regain her senses and tell her to wash out the burned soup. When she reached down to pick up the tipped over pot she realized it was empty. The bottom was scraped clean and not a drop could be seen on the ground anywhere.