It was three days before the Beltaine Festival, and the kitchen was as busy as every other nook and cranny of the castle. Foreign diplomats had arrived, vendors had begun setting up their stalls along the road between Austice and the castle, and the sheer volume of food required to feed everyone was staggering.

Fin was running out of room to store his supplies, so he requested the use of the servants dining hall for extra surface area from Ruby. She hadn’t known how to process the inquiry as three to five people were bombarding her every minute of the day. Fin’s voice had been layered in between a maid asking which guest rooms were to be prepared next, a footmen asking whom he could take to help unload a particular noble’s carriage, and a Squire asking for bandages for a wound that had occurred in the training ring.

Knowing that there was little chance of the hectic activity quieting down anytime soon, Fin began sectioning off tables of the room without waiting for a reply, and hoped the Head of Household wouldn’t comment.

As he returned to the kitchens to finish prepping lunch, and then start carrying out some of the supplies to allow his team more space to work, he watched with masked joy at the aides that were lined up to help him.

Sirs Lewis, Andrews, and Taylor stood by the garden door as Hannah handed them heavy buckets filled with silverware and dishes to be washed.

The Knights had been flung to the bottom of the pecking order- even beneath the newest addition of Sirs that had been knighted at the Winter Solstice. Though not as lowly as a Squire, they had fallen far, and would remain buried for the next six months.

The icing on the cake however; they were ordered to serve under Hannah during that time, and therefore, fell under Fin’s command. While the cook had been worried she would be too terrified to accept the role, she had agreed on the condition that she never be left alone with them.

When Fin approached his cooking table, he drew out his chef’s knife in the direction of the five pheasants laid before him. After giving the Knights a flat expression, Sir Andrews and Lewis scowled, and Sir Taylor winced.

The leader of the three had developed a newfound caginess regarding the cook, for reasons he would not share with his lackeys.

Once the Knights had left to lug the heavy buckets down to the river where a massive cauldron of boiling water awaited, the remaining two people turned to him.

Peter and Hannah were his only original aides remaining after the Knights had been assigned to the kitchens; with the other three being relieved of duties much to Ruby’s sincere relief.

“Where should we set up the spits for the lambs and pigs?” Peter asked in his usual quiet manner.

Fin thought about it for a while before directing them to set up in between the dishwashing station by the river along the castle’s west side, and the kitchens. They needed to be close enough for him to check, but far enough that he could use magic to complete the rest of the cookung and baking without being caught.

They nodded, and immediately set out to work.

Peter was a quiet man in his mid forties, with mousey brown hair, and brown eyes. His face was slightly pocked from his youth, but carried himself confidently. He had a stern ‘do not mess around’ manner about him, which was probably the reason Hannah had asked Fin to keep him on with the Knights joining them. The man seemed to only soften around the petite blonde woman, and the cook couldn’t help but wonder in what capacity he cared for her- he would have to talk with Peter and find out subtly.

Fin stopped himself suddenly, and shook his head.

What was wrong with him? More people around him in his space, talking with him…

These were bad things.

He didn’t want to risk any more people finding out he was a witch.

Not wanting to share the secret of his abilities and history, which meant he could never really be honest, or create genuine relationships with people, and he didn’t think it fair for friendships to be so one-sided.

No, Peter was better off keeping his opinion of Hannah to himself.

As the cook began preparing the pheasants, Kraken jumped up onto the chair in front of him, and began sniffing the birds awaiting preparation. The kitten’s velvety black nose twitched and his eyes closed slightly as he took in the delicious scent of fresh meat.

“Do not even think about taking a bite out of one of these birds. You are not to set a single paw on this table, understood?” Fin informed the feline without hesitating in his chopping.

Kraken straightened, and allowed his pupils to fill his eyes, creating the most adorable wide eyed kitten face, that was normally reserved for nightly cuddles.

“…That isn’t fair.”

Fin could feel the pleading coming from his familiar, could almost hear the young voice wanting to barter for just a nibble or five from the food…

“What in the world is that stray doing in here!”

Fin’s eyes bulged as he slowly turned to look at Ruby whom was staring at the kitten with disgust written all over her face. She stepped into the kitchen, and it was clear what her intent was as she began to make a beeline for the animal.

“He’s mine, don’t touch him.” The command was mixed with a tint of desperation as Fin ceased his work.

Ruby turned slowly to face him while glaring.

“I did not authorize an animal in-”

“-In my kitchen?” Fin challenged back drawing the woman’s attention enough for Kraken to make a stealthy escape from her range of reach.

“Reorganizing the kitchen, fine. I’ve accepted the change. Limiting the personnel in here I… begrudgingly… admit was a good decision that I hadn’t fully understood at the time. This however is a different matter entirely!” Her face was beginning to deepen in color, and Fin wordlessly cursed the warm weather for ruling out his tea as a calming solution.

“Ruby, cats are excellent at keeping away bugs and rodents. This one showed up on my doorstep, and has been a great help in minimizing the ant invasions.” He tried while grabbing a clean knife and a scone from the pan where he had set them to cool.

“They bury their poop, and then have their paws all over the food!”

“The only food that he has any kind of access to are the potatoes, and they are in bags before they are cooked.”

While Fin was maintaining a calm voice and facial expression, his hands worked swiftly in lathering the scone in clotted cream and jam. Ruby’s eyes darted to his hands, and she narrowed her gaze at him, but the cook saw her swallow.

“They jump up everywhere! I bet you he has already had his paws all over this table.” She pointed her index finger down into the wooden surface, bending her fingertip as she did so.

Fin set the food on a plate, placed it in front of her, then poured her a glass of chilled mint lavender tea that she had failed to notice had levitated an inch off the ground from the cooling hole beneath the small trap door, to then raise up into Fin’s dangling right arm beneath the table’s surface.

He set the ware in front of her, and placed his hands on his hips.

“I am in here twenty four hours of the day, Ruby. He has not set a paw on this table, and if he had during the night, it wouldn’t matter as I scrub this table down before I go to bed, and after I rise every morning.”

Ruby didn’t know when she had picked up the scone, all she new was the burst of flavor in her mouth when she took the first bite. The world melted away as swiftly as the cream melted in her mouth, and when her hands clasped around the pleasantly cool goblet, and she drank, she felt more of her worries fade away.

“You need to remember to save time to eat.” Fin reminded gently.

When Ruby slowly opened her eyes, her coloring had returned to normal, and her heart rate had slowed down. The overwhelming feeling of peace had settled under her bosom, and it took her a few prolonged minutes before remembering what they had been talking about.

“No cats.” She reiterated though her voice had become far softer than it had been before.

Fin sighed. He hadn’t wanted to use his ace card, but he had no choice. There was no way she was taking her familiar from him.

“The prince comes to the kitchens every morning after his lessons and plays with him. He will be sorely upset if the cat is suddenly banished.”

Ruby blinked rapidly as her mouth opened and closed several times. A small blush began returning to her round cheeks.

“He does not.”

“He does. If you weren’t so busy, I would recommend you waiting around to see. He normally comes after his lessons with the mage.”

“Well then he should be down any minute now if what you say is true!” Ruby indignantly seated herself in the chair on the far right of the table as she then tucked in for the rest of her meal.

"Why is it you wanted to see me right now anyway?" Fin tried distracting her further.

"I wanted to ask what was going to be served for lunch, but I see my answer." She sniffed in the direction of the pheasants, and resumed consuming her late breakfast.

The cook slowly picked up his knife again, and thought for the thousandth time since the blasted Beltain malarky had started, how he desperately wanted a pint.

*

Fin had just finished filling the oven with the stuffed pheasants, and was turning to begin making the dinner rolls, all under the narrowed gaze of Ruby. She had finished the scone, and the lavender mint drink, and had been waiting wordlessly for less than thirty minutes. Despite her silence, the woman’s foot continued to quiver under the table endlessly-, most likely thinking how no one knew where she was, and how she was needed in twenty places at once.

“If you want to see the prince play with Kraken after the festival I’m sure-”

“I am fine waiting right here.” Ruby cut him off while folding her arms across her chest stubbornly.

Fin let out a sigh, shook his head, and picked up his knife when the door burst open, and the prince rushed inside.

“Sorry I’m late! The dog wouldn’t stop trying to tell me he was a cat- hi Fin!” The prince waved as he darted around the table, and froze at the sight of Ruby whom looked stunned.

“Oh… hullo Ruby.” The prince mumbled as Ruby stood up immediately and curtsied.

“Eric, it’s okay, Ruby here just wants to know that you are helping me take care of Kraken.” The cook said quietly while picking up fruit from the wooden bowl on his table, and beginning to get the prince’s snack ready.

Ruby’s eyes were wide and unblinking as Eric bent down, and picked up Kraken whom had been smartly hidden under the cooking table by Fin’s feet, until hearing his playmates voice. The kitten immediately rubbed his face into Eric’s cheek, and the little boy responded by nuzzling him back with a big smile before looking shyly back up at Ruby.

“I’m sorry we hid Kraken from you, but he’s a really good cat! He’s even a witch!”

Ruby’s face paled, and looked at Fin whom remained looking innocent as he shrugged, then when Ruby had her back to him to stare at the prince, shot the young boy a wink that made him smile brighter.

“If your majesty would like… this animal to… stay... Then, I suppose there is nothing I can-”

Eric rushed over to Ruby, and hugged her around her waist, immediately making Kraken leap down from his arms. The kitten was not a fan of group hugs.

The Head of Household shot Fin a dirty glare while he began humming inconspicuously, and became keenly focused on cutting the tops off of the strawberries.

“If you will pardon me your majesty, I need to return to my duties.” She managed to make her voice sound kind as the prince released her waist, and allowed her to exit the kitchen after shooting Fin another murderous expression.

After letting out a breath of relief, Fin turned, and smiled down at Eric whom was already climbing up into his favorite chair on the far right hand side in front of Fin that Ruby had been formerly occupying.

“Did I do well?” Eric asked with a sly smile.

Fin held up his hand and the little boy slapped his small one against the palm.

“Just like we practiced. I have to hand it to you, you saved Kraken and my butts!”

Eric giggled triumphantly, and immediately began eating the strawberries Fin set out for him.

Then the two proceeded to catch each other up on their days thus far.

*

Fin was in the midst of wiping down his table post dinner hour, when the door flew open, and in rushed Annika, whom hastily closed the door behind herself.

Fin was about to tell her to leave, but then saw her pale expression and wide eyes.

“I’m going to hide here.” She informed him before dashing around his table to the other side of the fireplace, which was the same side where the trap door down to the cool hole was, and the ledge built in the wall began.

“How long will you be here?” Fin questioned while drying his hands with a white towel, and turning to rest his bottom against the table edge.

“That depends. If someone comes in here looking for me, send them to the front gardens. Shortly after that, I will take my leave.”

“I see, and who is it that might be looking for-”

The door banged open again, and in strode the mage with his staff clasped firmly in hand. Gone were the long robes and feeble visage, and instead stood a man that, while gray in his beard and hair, had bulging biceps in a short sleeved red tunic, brown vest, and matching trousers. A crystal hung around his neck that matched his staff, and his wavy hair was partially tied back.

"He looks more like a woodcutting gypsy than a mage. Typical buffoonery trying to hide his true self... " The witch thought to himself scathingly.

“Alright you dirt magic monger, what in the world did you tell the prince?”

“Why mage Lee, what brings you to my kitchen?” Fin’s eyes were wide and his fists clenched as he stared at the man whom was unaware that Lady Jenoure was standing hidden behind the fireplace.

“You’ve been filling a seven year old prince’s head up with nonsense that mage’s only ‘borrow magic’!”

Fin said nothing for a long moment, biding his words carefully while placing the towel in his hands down onto the table.

“Tell me, were you by chance looking for Lady Jenoure just now?”

Lee pointed at Fin, igniting a flame on his fingertip as he glared at the cook.

“You will stop filling that boy’s head with nonsense. If you think you can best me, then prove it!”

Fin reached up, and easily pinched out the flame on the mage’s finger looking strained.

Lee stared startled at the steaming end of his finger.

The mage fire should not have been so easily extinguished…

“I think it’s rude to embarrass the elderly. Let’s put a pin in that as we have comp-”

The mage muttered several guttural words, and ‘thunked’ his staff against the stone floor once. A powerful wind swirled around them as the mage’s eyes glowed milky white.

“I will show you what it means to disparage my-”

Fin stood in the swirling winds looking thoroughly exasperated and annoyed, and so without saying a word, his eyes momentarily flashed a brighter blue. The winds stopped, and the towel he had only just then abandoned on the table snapped itself around the mage’s head, and pulled him towards the door. Fortunately, the mage was still standing out of Lady Jenoure’s eye line by standing on the opposite side of the fireplace, and so she couldn’t see what was happening

“VGHJBJNOIGVKJ- STOP THIS!” Mage Lee finally managed after freeing his mouth and tearing the cloth from his head.

“How dare you-”

“How dare me?! How dare you try to use magic on a helpless commoner in his own kitchen, in the presence of Lady Jenoure.”

Annika took that moment to step away from her hiding place, her eyes round as she dazedly lifted her hand in greeting.

“Hello mage Lee.”

The man found himself bereft of words, and Fin stared disapprovingly down at him.

“Leave it to the mage to throw a tantrum.”