Weihnachten 4.: Snowed In pt2

“Well you have supplies right?” she asked.
“Enough for two weeks, split between up to a week unless we ration.” Parvil said.

“It shouldn’t last that long, but we’ll need a few days at least, just to be safe.” Aspen said.

“I’ve got plenty for a few days.” he said, “We’re going to miss The Burning of Der Entführer Effigy.” Parvil said dejectedly.

“I will never get your obsession with that tradition.” she said.

“Really?” Parvil asked, raising an eyebrow, “No idea?”

Apen looked at him for a long moment before realizing. “Oh..oh..right.”

“Call it cathartic I guess,” he said leaning back. “You can look through my supplies and tell me what you’d want for dinner, and pick out something for tomorrow to celebrate,” he said, getting up rifling under the bed coming back with three onyx black cubes with dark red veins of some material running through them, using a metal rod he pushed the one already in the small stove towards the back and put the three new cubes in a long side it. The little red veins are beginning to glow once they were touched together. Making the oven hotter.

Parvil stood and moved over a little opening a cabinet door and taking out a few potatoes. “Do you want more than one?” he asked.

“No one is fine as long as we’re having more than just potatoes.” Aspen said getting up as well. Before she started taking the blanket and sheets off the bed.

“No, I have meat.” Parvil said.

“How?” Aspen asked half turning as she stated to fold the bed dressing.

“Another unique invention.” he said, pulling a metal lined drawer open and light icey vapor wafted out. “Cool box.” he said, “Name to be changed when I come up with something better.”

Aspen spun to look at it, kneeling and pushing her glasses to the edge of her nose. “What…how?”

“Small heat glyph on the top of the container and a large ice glyph at the bottom,” he said. “Heat just enough to keep things from freezing.” he added, peeling the potatoes into a bowl.

Pushing her glasses back up and standing. “You’ve learned a lot in such little time.” she said. “If all the wizards I worked with were able to think outside the box like you, I'd have the best team imaginable.”

Aspen went back to folding the sheets and blanket. “What are you doing?” Parvil asked.

“Switching to your warmer bed dressing.” she said, “The dome I put up is good, but it’ll still be cold in here if the stones go out.”

As Aspen started to check cabinets for the stuff she was looking for Parvil’s foot closed the one she just opened. “Not there.” he said, “Your gift is in there and I don’t want to spoil the surprise.” he said.

“You didn’t have to get me anything.” she said, shaking her head.

“Oh, I know. But I did, and it wasn’t easy to get so I want to see your face when you see it, not being focused on not cutting my finger while making dinner.”

“Fine, where are the sheets and blankets?” she asked.

“Middle shelf back wall.” he said, as he shredded the potatoes and dropped them in a bowl of water.

Aspen pulled open the larger cabinet and inside were three shelves, one having towels, one empty and the bottom shelf had a thick fuzzy blanket, made of Varlandic wool. “I’d have thought you’d buy a better one by now.” she said, running her hand over it.

“Why? You bought it, it’s very warm and still just as fluffy as when you bought it. Seems a waste to just throw it out.” Parvil said as he rang the water out of the potatoes in a cloth.

“Yeah but, you made this place really look like a home. I’d figure you’d want some that matches the decor.” Aspen said taking the wool sheets out first and starting to remake the bed.

“Pffft. Matching Smatching. Sentimental value beats aesthetics.” he said. “Something I bought wouldn’t mean as much, it would have been a waste of your money. Plus I’d worry you’d be uncomfortable with anything I bought since I could sleep on a rock and be fine.” he added with a big shrug.

Parvil didn’t see it but Aspen smiled. Even if he had a weird way of saying it, it meant a lot. As Aspen was putting the finishing touches on the bed, she heard a sizzle and a yelp from Parvil. “Hot hot hot hot.”

“Are you okay?!” she said, turning around in the small space with concern.

Parvil nodded. “Yeah, just let the oil get too hot before I dropped in the Hashbrowns.” he said. “I’ll be fine.”

“Do you want any help?” Aspen asked.

“Stoves a bit small for two but….” he scooted over a little. “Season the fish however you’d like.” he said, popping open a small cabinet full of dried spices, and pulling out a little shelf that was hidden between two cabinets she could work on.

“You really do have everything in here.” she mused looking at all the spices.

“Everything but a bath.” he said. “Not enough room, or I’d have fit something in.” he said.

“Yes that but some of these spices.” she said, “You’d have had to go far to get, like Saffron, star anise, Allspice? You’ve done some traveling.” Aspen kept looking through the spice cabinet but decided to go simple with salt, and pepper, and near the back she could some malt vinegar. “I decided not to go crazy with spices. We are locked in there with eachother till the storm passes, probably don’t want to smell garlic breath for hours and hours.” she said holding the plate out to him.

In a fluid motion he took the plate and handed her the one that now held the hashbrowns. “Salt them please. While they are hot.” he said, over the new sizzle from the fish.

Being white fish it didn’t take long long to finish cooking and Parvil plated one for each of them before taking the cast iron skillet off the stove and quickly wiped it down and reapplied a bit of oil to keep it seasoned properly, and handed Aspen a plate.

“Sorry it couldn’t be something more fancy. Hard to roast a chicken and make creampuffs in my makeshift kitchen. But I promise once this storm passes, first thing we’ll get is a chocolate creampuff.” he said.

“This is perfect.” Aspen said sliding to the center of the bed and sitting cross legged so her plate had somewhere to rest.

“After dinner will be better.” he said.
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