The Seahorse and the Spice 🪼🎩✔

12: Stupid Smart

Everything was cold. I couldn't get warm. Nothing was really making sense and nothing would stop spinning. And I couldn't get out of the bed. Someone got me back in it but I was so sick that I couldn't move at all. I was hungry, thirsty, but no one would come. I made Minerva pretty angry but I didn't deserve to starve...

I don't know how long I stayed in bed but at some point in time, I was able to get up. I was weak and my stomach felt bigger but the first thing I wanted was food and a bath. I had sores again and sighed. It wasn't like I could send for Andrew again to help me so I would have to get someone to help me... if they were still here. I waddled my way down the hallway toward the stairs when I heard a cacophony of coughing in one of the rooms. I stopped and pulled back to look in the room. It looked like Bastion and Minerva were in the bed together. I furrowed my eyebrows at that and was about to open the door when I felt someone staring at me.
I turned around and saw Eadric looking at me.
"He's not feeling well and Mum was scared for him. He has a high fever that we can't get down and lots of headaches. She's worried."
"He doesn't sound good."
"He's been coughing like that for a while... Why did you hurt her?"
"Who?"
"Mum."
I sighed. "I didn't mean to hurt her at all. Your mother can be as dense as a brick sometimes. I was mad that she was going to let him do that to her, that strong and independent woman."
"Do you love her?"
I turned and looked back into the room. She moaned, turning over in the bed and I smiled a little.
"I could."
"That doesn't answer the question."
"I honestly don't know, Eadric. I feel like I do but then she just infuriates me so much!"
"She's like that. We have a tough time too." He smiled for the first time I've known him. "I think she likes you or she wouldn't have risked our home for you... uprooted us... She deserves better than what she has."
"I agree." Bastion coughed hard again. "I have something that will help him."
I turned to go to her room to get the herbs for a headache.
"I can give you a clue..." I turned back to Eadric. "You're on the right track for her heart... taking care of Xerxes and all. You reach us, you reach her but um, you're not going to reach me that easily. You can try but I won't let you."
I smiled at him and went to get the herbs. That kid was weird for a twelve year old.

I poured the hot water over the herbs and put the saucer over it to steep it. I decided that I was going to surprise them with something I was going to make. I picked up the mug and took it upstairs to Bastion's room. He was still coughing pretty hard and I shook him awake.
"Here, drink this."
"What is it?"
His voice sounded terrible. He must be ill, not just having a headache. This would help with most but was made for headaches.
"It will help your headaches. It won't taste good but I guarantee it will help."
"Thank you..." he said, shakily reaching out.
I pulled it back. "Never mind, I'll help you. Here... Blow before you drink."
He took a sip and made a face. "That's gross..."
"Yeah, it's not the best... Your mother is beside you."
"She was trying to help my fever break but... it hasn't and I'm not getting any better. I don't think I will."
I stopped helping him drink and looked at him. He looked at me and I could tell he looked so sick.
"Could I wish for you to get better?"
"If you want to. I have to grant it if you ask... I think you should get those sores fixed first..."
"Oh... um... they're not bothering me too much. I'll just ask your mother to help me later. You are the one that needs help. Do I need to write Andrew back so he can come help?"
"No. I'll be fine."
"Bastion, you look like death has a hold of you."
All he did was smile and I sighed.
"Just drink this. I'll make you something to help you get better."
"But you can't cook."
I smiled, putting the rag in the basin of water and rung it out to put it on his forehead.
I went downstairs and went to the kitchen to look for something to cook.

I looked around, waddling and feeling like a big bloated cow walking around and looking for something to cook.
"Why are you in here if you don't know how to cook?"
I turned as Eadric looked at me from the doorway.
"I'll have you know that I do know how."
"That's not what happened two weeks ago."
"It's been that long?" Eadric nodded. "Well, I lied. I know how to cook very well."
"Bullocks! I saw the way you tried to cut vegetables!"
I made a face and pointed. "Find me some flour, meat, potatoes, spices and get some water to boil."
"What are you making?"
"My own version of stew... a little more noble-like."
Eadric made a face at me but found what I was looking for except the meat.
"We don't have any meat."
"Go tell Loredo to get some from the market. My pounds are my bedroom. Get a good amount so that we can have some good meat and also tell him to get a pastry from the shop. I missed out on mine."
"Um... alright..."
I sent him off and looked at the ingredients I had in front of me.
After an hour, Loredo came back and handed me a good cut of meat and set down a small cake.
"'ere you go, milord. Got ye a right good cake there."
"Thank you."
I took the meat and found the cleaver. I chopped it up and got the water boiling as Eadric watched me.
"How do you know how to do this if you didn't know some weeks ago?"
"I've always known. I just didn't show you."
"So... you acted like you didn't know?"
"Yes." I said, chopping up vegetables properly. "Does that bother you?"
"You lied."
I chuckled. "Of course I did."
"Why? If you knew then why?"
"Sometimes acting stupid makes you smarter."
"How is that?"
"Well, if people believe you are educated and sophisticated, higher on the nobility food chain, they don't talk around you as freely. They keep their secrets hidden and their thoughts on the surface. If you act like an imbecile, petty, a rake, perhaps, they feel they can freely speak of the things you do and not have consequences nor get a bad reputation themselves because the person in gossip is already in the know. You hear more things and gain more knowledge by keeping up appearances of stupidity."
"So being stupid is good?"
"No. Acting stupid is good. Those who are truly stupid don't know the difference."
"I see... Then how did you learn to cook? Did you observe us and figure it out?"
"No, as I said, I already knew how to cook."
"Did the cook teach you?"
I threw the meat into the pan along with the onions and looked around for a match.
"There are no matches."
"Here..."
Eadric concentrated on the fireplace and suddenly there was a fire blazing. I blinked and he looked at me.
"I've given you fire, so tell me how you learned to cook."
"My mother taught me."
"Your mother? Isn't she a noble?"
"My stepmother is but my real mother was a common-woman."
"Then that would make you a bastard."
"No; the situation is complicated."
"Tell me then... we have plenty of time. Mum will sleep for a while and I checked on Bastion. The herbs you gave him has made him fall asleep and I also stuck X in the bed with them. Only if they wake up will they hear us."
I sighed and pushed a potato to him.
"How about you peel this potato and help me get the stew ready. While it simmers, I'll tell you my history."
"Fair enough."