The Cursed Wish | ONC 2024

Ch 2: The Baker of Nene

No one expected to find Elowen, daughter of the Earl of Nene, covered in flour. Still, Elowen preferred to stay busy and far from her stepmother's frivolities if she could help it. Her father expected each of his children to be responsible, and Elowen had taken over coordinating the manor kitchen at seventeen.

The city had nearly forgotten about the earl's daughter. Elowen didn't mind. In fact, she wished she could disappear entirely. She occasionally appeared at her father's masked balls, but she preferred to make sure the kitchen was in working order for each feast.

Elowen figured that her father would marry her to some noble eventually, but until then, she could stay in her happy place, arm-deep in flaky pastry dough.

Tonight's ball was in full swing, with partygoers goggling at all the magical artifacts her family collected. When Elowen stuck her head in the ballroom, she spotted a dozen blonde haired Cyrans looking over a collection of wands and even a few Saharites in their sequined robes whispering about the fairy wings pinned on the wall.

Her father had the largest collection of fairy magic in any kingdom. He'd spent countless hours making purchases to expand the collection. Elowen wasn't sure why, but tonight, she had a strange desire to join the party.

"Milady," Cookie pulled her back into the kitchen. "You cannot go out there like that. What would your father say?"

Cookie wiped at Elowen's face with a clean towel. The old baker had been with the earl's family as long as Elowen could remember. She'd taught Elowen everything she knew about baking and had mothered Elowen after her mother passed.

"Sorry, Cookie," Elowen said. "I was checking the state of the buffet and the appetizers."

"Liar," Cookie waved a finger in her face. "Now go and take Wryn her dinner and get cleaned up if you want to go into the party so badly."

Elowen sighed. She hadn't been to a party in over a month, even though they were bi-weekly affairs. Her brother was supposed to be back from trading in Sahar, and if he were around, he'd hate that she was hiding in the kitchen again.

Cookie handed Elowen a plate of warmed food and opened the servant stairs in the back of the kitchen for her lady. Elowen hated how dim the servant stairs were but was grateful that the lantern in front of the attic door hadn't gone out.

Elowen crouched and slid the plate through a slot at the bottom of the door. She rapped her fingers on the wood and waited a moment.

"El?" A voice on the other side of the door whispered.

"Wryn," Elowen breathed a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?"

"Bored," the girl on the other side of the door said. "I'm coughing a little today, but I'm feeling better. Honest."

Wryn was Elowen's stepmother's youngest daughter. She had a chronic and contagious illness, and the doctor had recommended that she stay isolated so she didn't pass the ailment on to anyone else. The earl had allowed his wife to convert his attic into a healing space for her daughter.

Elowen was one of the only people who visited Wryn frequently. Even Elowen's stepmother seemed to hate the task. If Elowen was forgotten, Wryn was invisible. Most people didn't even know the countess had a third daughter.

"I wish I could leave," Wryn said. "Can you see about bringing me a few books again?"

"Of course," Elowen promised. "I'll see what I can do tomorrow. I wish I could stay, but I must clean up for the party."

"You're going?" Wryn sounded wistful. "Dance with a rich noble for me."

Elowen blushed. She usually stayed on the party's edges or ducked into the gardens. She knew how, but she'd never danced at an official function.