ALWAYS, ABIDE WITH ME

Chapter 4: The Wedding Feast

This chapter is dedicated to @chocolatewithtea and @ChristinaMoldenhauer.

Controlled chaos. That was the impression HRH and the Chief got as they gingerly skirted the cooking area where the Trio reigned. Madam War, renowned for both her culinary art and her sarcasm, ruled supreme here with an iron ladle.

No soup left untasted. No rice unsalted. No coconut unshredded and no spice unground! No Sirrr! Not on her watch!She was currently overseeing six courses single-handedly. No surprise there. She was bred to lead and born to command.

"Atul and Amaya, that's enough onions; go dunk yourselves, remember to open your eyes underwater!" She had a kind heart.

"Brother DaNi, shellfish sacks to be dumped at the edge of the stream, thank you! Vanita and Velu! Enough giggling. I needed those vegetables cubed yesterday!" Her rising octave brought Matron Beaver over from her own area, the fire pit.

"Here, Anu, my nephews and nieces are almost done catching crabs. I will send ten over."

"You are a Godsend, Gurl!" Madam War tiredly wiped her sweaty brow. Matron Beaver let out a piercing whistle and the volume of chaos went down significantly. She raied one arm and called authoritatively, "Quick, a Coconut Cooler for Madam War."

By this time assorted beavers and otters left their stations and hurried over to her. They all first washed their paws scrupulously clean and assembled around her. "Yes Matron?"

"Nieces and nephews; stations as follows:
- 2 to clean and devein prawns,
- 2 to shuck shellfish,
- 3 to clean and cut assorted vegetables
- 1 to segment chicken
- 2 to roast and pound spices. Go!"

The beavers pranced off eagerly and a tall earthen glass of cool coconut water was thrust into Madam War's hands. "Here Anu," said Matron Beaver kindly, "Stop stressing, you've got this! Remember Prince Chengse's brother's wedding?" Madam War shuddered slightly at the memory, shook herself and hoisted the glass.

As she polished off the dregs, the world seemed an easier and cooler place. With an uplifted brow, she turned to Matron Beaver,

"T, tell me! Whatwasinthatgoddamndrink?"

Matron Beaver giggled and said, "Nothing more than a wee shot of toddy, Anu, I swear!"

"Okay, toddy I can handle," said Madam War and actually smiled!

Teresa turned away, her mind in panic... Anu, smiling?!! Had she added just one shot? Well, now it was too late to worry about it!

She set up groups of beavers and otters with baskets, chopping boards and knives. Each group was given instructions on what material was to be taken to which cauldron.

Her three nieces volunteered to do the shrimp; they had the nimblest fingers, and they got to dangle their feet in the cool water.

Pediya and two of his biggest soldier mates were on stirring duty, moving from cauldron to cauldron, hefting baskets full of rice, vegetables and coconuts.

A hundred coconuts were cracked open. Woodpeckers made short work of shredding the soft white meat. Baskets full of shredded coconut were emptied into a cauldron of boiling water. Pediya stirred the cauldron with a bamboo pole. A few minutes later he and another soldier lifted the cauldron off, leaving the coconut milk to steep.

A short while later, they carefully placed a basket across the mouth of a third vessel and poured the still hot liquid over it. The basket efficiently held back the coconut meat, while a thick fragrant milky liquid filtered down into the vessel. The residue was pressed with mallets to extract all the juice within.