The aides were in full motion the day of the Prince’s ball as they peeled and even helped with some of the dicing and chopping of vegetables under Fin’s watchful eye. The rain let up by late morning, and so they took some of their work outside if only to relieve themselves of the excruciating heat of the kitchen. That being said, they no longer had to be beyond the view of the room as now they all had admitted to their intimate knowledge that the cook was a witch.

None of them asked questions, and after the first hour of fruit and knives whizzing around the room, they no longer flinched in surprise or concern.

The staff was in the middle of carrying in some of the food after they’d peeled them at the end of the garden path, when all items working magically laid down suddenly, and ceased their work.

As the aides looked around themselves in confusion, Fin didn’t have time to explain before Reese Flint threw open the castle door. The Bard leaned against the door frame with an arm above his head, crossed ankles, and his eyes were covered by strange dark glasses that none of them had ever seen before.

“Well well well! The aides are working in the kitchen? It would seem like there’s been some development here.” The Bard sauntered the rest of the way into the room and seated himself at the table with a roguish smile directed at Fin. “Good morning, gorgeous.”

“Reese, today is not a good day for this and- can you even see out of those?” Fin frowned as he tried to judge where the man’s eyes were fixed.

“I can! This handy little number I found lying around while I was paying a visit to the man named Kasim. You know, the one who guards the greenhouse tower.” Reese tapped the side of the glasses once before trying to pick up a sliced strawberry, only to have Hannah slap it out of his hand.

“Kasim is in charge of the greenhouse, he isn’t the guard.”

“Oh sure, and you’re a ‘normal’ cook.” Reese waggled his eyebrows playfully.

Fin snatched the glasses off the man’s face and hastily stored them in his pocket.

“I don’t know why you are fixated on me, but you need to leave. Otherwise we won’t have enough food to feed everyone.” Fin folded his arms and stared disapprovingly down at the Bard.

“Don’t mind me, I can just watch!”

Slapping her hand down on the table’s surface, Reese turned to stare at Hannah whose cheeks were red from the heat of the room and her hair had grown quite frizzy despite being braided from the harried work.

“Look here, if you want to be a pain in the ass, that’s your business, but when you get in the way of us working that’s mine. Get. Out.”

Reese’s face lit up as he grinned at Hannah, completely unperturbed by the young maid’s threatening stance.

“Oh now you saucy little lady I have been hearing about left, right, and center around the barracks. The men of this castle are quite taken with you and your feisty ways.”

There was a beat of silence while Fin’s eyebrows were raised nearly until his hairline. Crossing his arms, he watched and waited to see what the Bard was about to suffer at the hands of the petite blonde woman who looked as though she were envisioning a bloody effigy .

“Fin?” Hannah’s gaze never left Reese’s.

“Yes?”

“Can I hit him?”

“That depends. First, you have to tell him to stop making you uncomfortable, then if he persists, I will take care of him myself.”

Reese straightened in his chair and all levity left his face as he regarded Hannah more seriously.

“My lady, I promise you I did not mean any harm. I will cease this instant if my words make you displeased.”

Hannah looked at Fin helplessly.

“They don’t normally learn that quickly.”

It almost sounded like a complaint coming from her.

“I think you’re becoming a little blood thirsty these days,” Sir Taylor called over warily. “Might want to keep an eye on that.”

Hannah scowled and turned away from the Bard, who turned to Fin with a pleasant smile on his face.

“I never mean harm. All I do is for the sole purpose of music and mutual fun.” He winked charmingly.

The cook shook his head at the man. The Bard really wasn’t like anyone he had ever met. It seemed he was in perfect control of himself and really just was a hedonistic thrill-seeker, but didn’t let his preferences come at the cost of others.

“Listen, we really are busy Reese, as fun as it is insulting you while you shamelessly flirt with anything human, we have a long day ahead of us.”

Sighing, the Bard stood up and strode back to the door.

“Very well, I suppose I will go and try once again to get to know the stunning Lady Jenoure. She’s finally returned from her estate and apparently even brought a guest that she’s hiding in her quarters.” Reese sauntered back to the door unaware of the eight pair of eyes boring into his back.

“I was unaware Lady Jenoure had gone somewhere,” Fin started carefully.

“Well, why would you be? She’s a Viscount-ohhhh!” Reese turned around with his eyes sparkling.

“No. No no no no.” Fin snapped desperately, waving his hand furiously to try and ward Reese off.

It was no use. The Bard was a dog who had found his bone and he was not going to give it up for anything.

“My dear, sweet, limber Cook, do you have a little crush on the famed beauty of Daxaria?” Reese was practically vibrating in his fervor. “Did she smile at you and give you purpose? Did she tell you to be kinder to your aides and no one had dared speak to you like that before?”

Fin was saved having to reply by Sir Taylor who stepped forward, picked the Bard up by the shoulders, and tossed him into the corridor before slamming the door shut.

He turned back to the room shaking his head and sighing.

“Cook you need to be a much better liar if you want to keep any secrets.”

Everyone in the room burst out laughing and slowly resumed their duties as the anticipation for the ball rose with each passing moment.

***

The final course of the banquet was served, and the last servant carried out the last platter of dessert. Night had already fallen around the castle, but the darkness did little to dampen everyone’s bright mood and spirits. There was a hum in the air, the stars were twinkling brightly, and there was even a cool pleasant breeze rustling the forest in the distance. The time had come. Fin only had a few hours before he would be required to send out a final wave of food late in the night for the wine and ale-soaked nobility, but he had until then to talk to Lady Jenoure.

The aides turned their expectant faces to the cook once the door was closed, and in the silence that was burgeoning with anticipation, Fin felt his heart begin to race.

“Well, I guess I better try and disguise myself now.”

The Knights glanced at one another and shared a quick nod before they stepped forward.

“You see Cook, we uh... we kinda guessed a while ago you’d want to go to the ball, so we’ve been... preparing things for you,” Sir Taylor began slowly.

Fin’s jaw dropped.

“Err that’s okay, but thank you. My mother and I have sewn together something that could pass for-”

Words died in Fin’s throat as Hannah reached into a basket that had been hidden behind a crate of onions and drew out a fine black linen tunic, coat, and trousers. The coat was embroidered with gold thread, and looked fit for a member of nobility.

“How did you...” Fin’s words trailed off as he fought back the wave of warm gratitude in his chest. The aides beamed proudly.

“Well, I’m the only one as tall as you, so we tailored one of my coats. Was a little too lean in the shoulders for me anyway.” Sir Taylor explained while giving a single shrug of his tree trunk sized arm.

“It’s a costume ball, so I made you a mask, a cloth to tie around your hair, and a hat.” Hannah nodded to Peter who had gone to another shelf in the kitchen, and drew out a black cloth, a captain’s hat, and a black mask.

“I was unaware sea captains wore masks.” Fin managed to jest weakly even though he was feeling anything but cavalier about the gifts his friends were bestowing upon him.

“Fine, just say you’re a leprous sea captain.” Sir Harris shrugged with his arms firmly crossed over his chest.

“That doesn’t make any sense-” Sir Andrews began indignantly.

“For the love of- everyone up there is drunk! I doubt anyone is going to quiz him about his costume!” Sir Harris snapped back incredulously.

“Well I’ll know. Just say you’re a pirate.” Sir Andrews muttered as he crossed his arms stubbornly.

“Actually, Harris you raise a good point. Fin, what will you do if Lady Jenoure is thoroughly sotted already?” Heather piped up, her wide eyes filled with genuine worry.

“Did you just call me ‘Harris’?”

Fin ignored the Knight’s mock amusement at the timid maid foregoing his title, and addressed her concern.

“I doubt she will be. In a room full of royalty, it wouldn’t be like her to make a scene.”

“Until a short while ago, I would’ve said the same about you,” Peter reminded dryly.

Fin blushed at the reminder of his less than appealing behavior not even a week earlier.

“She is better at maintaining her composure... and better at drinking for that matter.”

At the last description, everyone was in complete agreement.

“Sounds good to me, but quick question...” Sir Lewis, who was normally a quiet observer, spoke up then.

When all eyes turned to him, he gestured over his shoulder at the then closed door.

“What are you going to do about the Troivackian Knight that has been following you around?”

The room fell silent.

They‘d all forgotten that there had been one of Lord Piereva’s men tracking Fin’s every move of every hour of every day.

“You could just stay in here afterwards and sleep in front of the fire like you did before we fixed up your cottage,” Sir Taylor suggested.

“Er... well... you see I would normally, but we’ve been sweating in this kitchen all day, and I was thinking I should maybe bathe.” Fin rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“You do not need to try quite that hard!” Sir Harris exclaimed seriously.

“Oh no, he definitely should do that.” Hannah and Heather were nodding while frowning as the Knights shared confused glances.

“Alright, so how are you going to go back to your cottage, bathe, and then come back in costume without being followed? Not to mention getting into the ball itself.” Peter wondered aloud.

The room was completely quiet for a full minute before a slow smile began to stretch across Sir Harris’ face.

“You know... I’d be curious to see how the Troivackian would respond to a little... romantic interest being thrown his way. It might help persuade him to retire early for the night.”

Hannah and Heather rounded on the auburn-haired Knight with sparks in their eyes.

“Do you know how dangerous that is for us?!” Hannah exploded.

Sir Harris turned to the two women with his hands on his hips.

“Before I say anything else, I’d just like to say that Hannah; we all know that Knight would be in far more danger from you, than you from him if we were all nearby and Fin loaned you his pan.”

Hannah continued to glower darkly up at him.

“-However I wasn’t suggesting that either of you or Heather flirt with the man.”

Everyone’s face morphed into confusion.

“I was wondering how suave our good friend Peter here was.”

The aide’s jaw dropped.

“The man could kill me!” Peter spluttered in disbelief.

“We’d be nearby in the bushes, and if he tried, you know that the King would have grounds to imprison him.”

“I don’t like that you aren’t denying my death as a possibility,” Peter narrowed his eyes at the Knight. “Why don’t you do it?”

“Because of all of us, I am the most likely person to be killed after unintentionally infuriating someone.”

“You mean you don’t do it on purpose?!” Hannah remarked mortified.

Sir Harris ignored her words and clapped Peter on his slender shoulder. “Come on. Where’s the daredevil, the legend of a man who ran naked around the castle.”

Peter said nothing for a moment as he continued to glare at the Knight.

“Who here told this big-mouth about that?” The aide demanded icily. “I learned things myself about everyone that night, you know.”

The rest of the Knights all became fascinated with various spots on the ceiling and floor, and none of them volunteered the answer.

Exasperated, Peter let out an agitated sigh.

“Fine. I’ll do it, but if I’m in trouble, you lot better get in there quickly. I’m just going to try and make him uncomfortable to the point of leaving right?”

Sir Harris smiled brilliantly.

Fin had his mouth covered as he watched the entire scenario play out, but could no longer stop himself from interjecting.

“Peter, I can’t ask you to do this. I’ll figure something else out, I promise.”

The aide held up his hand without looking away from Sir Harris.

“No Fin. Everyone here but me helped get things ready for tonight. This is my role.”

“Why are you all doing this for me?” Fin asked quietly after a moment, unable to fully convey his overwhelming sense of gratitude and awe over their collective efforts.

Everyone looked at the cook blankly, then shared glances amongst themselves before answering.

“You helped everyone who’s ever needed it, of course we’d do the same,” Hannah explained as though it should’ve been obvious.

Fin swallowed with great difficulty.

“Thank you everyone. Truly, no one has ever done anything like this for me before.”

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before Sire Harris cleared his throat.

“Right, well... Peter do you own a tighter tunic by any chance?”