Love Is Never Ugly

Chapter 34

She watched him carefully put on his cloak and got out the castle doors, then spied on him from the windows as he made his way into the forest. She didn't stop until he was completely out of sight and once he was she went back into the kitchen to help Charlotte with the cooking. She didn't have to do much, just tell Charlotte how much spice to put into the food. Occasionally she would leave the kitchen and serve as a look out for when Alastor would return.

"There we go." Charlotte said as she stirred the pot. "I do believe that we're almost done."

"It looks pretty good Charlotte." Anthony said observing her work.

"Would you like a taste?"

"Sure."

She grabbed an unused spoon and used it to scoop up a little of the bourguignon.

"Careful it's hot."

She handed the spoon to Anthony who blew on the contents, then swallowed it.

"Mmm. This is great."

"You think so?"

"Absolutely. Vagatha you gotta try this."

"Anthony I'm an herbivore." The moth woman replied. "I don't eat meat."

"Then you can taste test the tarte I made." Charlotte offered.

"Tarte? You made a tarte?"

"Yes. I was told that it was one of the few desserts Alastor liked."

"Hold on, you mean you made all this for him?"

"Yes."

"A sit down dinner for him?"

"With a tarte for dessert?" Anthony added.

"Mmm-hmm. It's all a surprise for him."

Vagatha and Anthony looked at each other nervously.

"I used his mother's recipe." Charlotte continued while not noticing the anxious looks of the servants. "The filling is made with green apples and strawberries, the crust is salted, and just in case anyone wants to add a something to their slice to make a little sweeter, I whipped up some cream to use as topping."

"Charlotte you really shouldn't have." Vagatha said.

"I know but he's always doing special things for me. I thought maybe I should start doing the same for him."

"That's not what she meant." Anthony said. "Listen Charlotte we're not sure if-"

"My lady he's back!" They heard Niffy say as she came running into the kitchen.

"Oh good." Charlotte said excitedly.

"Wait Charlotte!" But Anthony's words fell deaf to excited ears and Charlotte was long gone before he could explain.

"Uh-oh this could be bad." Vagatha said.

"How so?" Niffty said.

"Niffty you idiot!" Anthony said. "How could you not tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"That Alastor can't exactly eat a sit down dinner if you know what I mean."

"Oh no!" Niffty gasped. "I forgot!"

"We have to stop her!"

"Too late. She's already at the door."

"Oh boy, this is not going to end well." Vagatha said.

...

It had taken Alastor hours to locate and gather enough ginger to make a pot of tea for Charlotte. Ginger wasn't native to the land however some farmers had tried their hand at growing a ginger plantation near the forest years back. The farmers were long gone once they heard the legend of the cannibalistic beast that lived nearby and after they fled the coop the forest blended with their plantation causing the ginger to spread certain areas. This meant Alastor would have to look extra hard to find which area they grew in.