castle runaway. ˡᵉᵉ ᵈᵒⁿᵍʰʸᵘᶜᵏ

SIXTY TWO

Monique's POV

I really have no experience with cooking or baking whatsoever so I was really nervous on actually trying it now with Gretel's help.

She chuckled at how my hands were shaking so much. "Monique, calm down. You are not going to to get anything wrong. I am here," She said and guided my trembling hands to the sink. "Firstly, you have to wash your hands so dirt won't get in the food."

I nodded, breathing in and out. I was slowly calming down. I poured a small amount of soap on my palm and rubbed it. I thoroughly washed my hands and then I was done.

"Good. Now, let us see. What should we make?" She asked and scanned over some cabinets. Gretel opened the last cabinet and there was a thick book inside with the title 'How to'. She put it on the dining table and flipped the pages open.

"Ah!" She suddenly exclaimed, causing for me to flinch. She turned to another page and the food was beignet, Queen Tiana's signature pastry. "How about we make this?" I smiled and nodded. "Sure. I never tasted a beignet before."

Gretel stretched her fingers with a wide smirk. "Well, you are about to after we make it. Come! Let's start." She pulled me softly by my arm and started to instruct me.

She was a sweet talker and is not putting pressure on what I am not good at. I really appreciated her kindness and consideration. She swiftly took an egg from beside the bowl we were using and broke it.

I was always amazed by the little things she does with the flour, eggs and other things to make the pastry. Maybe because I never saw how it was made. I think I'm too overwhelmed so I held myself and copied what she did with breaking the egg.

I almost messed up and nearly included a shell in the mix, but Gretel just laughed it off, saying I can have mistakes the first few tries. She was not bringing me down because of my stupidity and instead encourages me.

For the past few minutes we were making beignets, we got closer to each other. Even though she was way older than me — almost like an aunt, to be honest — she acted like a few years younger than her original age.

We were already finished on frying the beignets and would only have to put powdered sugar on top of it. Gretel tapped the bottom of the upside down container and two beignets were showered with sugar in no time.

"You try." She said and handed me the container. Again, I copied what she did and I think this is the only part I did not mess up. Though it was a little thing, I felt proud of myself. Gretel only instructed and demonstrated and I did the rest, so I guess I made the beignets.

"I shall judge this beignet." Gretel announced and took one from the tray. My hands were trembling again, nervous on what she will say about what I made. She took a bite and chewed slowly. I can't read her facial expressions since it was blank.

She swallowed it, still silent. "So?" She looked at me with a scary gaze, but I was washed with relief when she smiled. "It tastes really good. You should take a bite of what you did." She handed me a beignet and I took a big bite.

My eyes widened. "Woah, did I really make this? This tastes awesome!" Gretel chuckled heartedly and ate another one for herself. "Now you have eaten a beignet. What foods have you heard but not eaten yet? We will make them right now."

"Reolli?" I asked while my mouth is full. She nodded and laughed at me struggling. "Yes, now tell me about it. I know a lot of food to make." She said. I swallowed my beignet and looked up, thinking what food I missed out on.

"Hmm.. Ah! I heard a lot about pretzels, but none of it was available in the palace." Gretel grinned. "It's settled. We're making pretzels for the second round," She said and prepared our materials.