Chapter Text
Curiosity is a fickle thing, and this one more fickle than most. It wanted to know why, how--but lately…well, things had been terribly, terribly boring. They'd been fun once, when He was here, the one with too many worries, maker of this place. Curiosity had pestered him once, had asked why the frown, what happened to his hair, did he always mourn so but Curiosity had only gotten one answer and a slow smile. “Ha, stress, little spirit.”
It was, of course, an answer, but it hadn't sated Curiosity. Instead, it wondered more! What kind of stress? Was it of His own making or forced upon him? How did he deal with it? Did all beings such as he lose their hair because of it or was it solely limited to him? Questions upon questions upon questions, all with little to no answers. Truly, vexing.
Once though, Curiosity had seen him in what he'd called the kitchen, staring at a fire. Something had been sizzling - roasting upon a spit. Curiosity had asked questions, and this time, He had answered. "Meat, little spirit. Not much, but enough." Curiosity flickered, then flickered again. What kind of meat? Why is it enough? Have you done anything to it? Why does it sizzle so?
He answered, question upon question. Rabbit. It was just for him. Salt and some oil, nothing more. The heat of the fire, and there, that slight charring? It was where it got too close.
It wasn't often Curiosity would catch him there but each time he did, Curiosity's questions would be answered. Perhaps that's why it lingered so. But soon, His visits died to fewer and fewer, until he wasn't there at all and the hearth sat empty.
It was, Curiosity would note, dreadfully boring.
Time passed–perhaps–and Curiosity did find things to interest it. The light above, the way the fade rippled around it. It did not however get answers. There may have been movement, but there was also stillness.
Until, one day, there wasn’t.
Figures came through, falling onto the ground outside the giant rectangle–Eluvian, He had said–downstairs. They looked very ragged. Curiosity flickered. There were a total of five–two who weren’t moving and then three who were. One was even a spirit such as it, for all it didn’t look it. It was too solid for one. It looked up, tilting its head at Curiosity in acknowledgement before gesturing, moving forward. It said words ‘here, upstairs’, curiosity followed, for a while, but there was just talking and talking. Plenty of questions, but very little answers.
Curiosity could relate, for all it didn’t show itself.
As it watched, Curiosity tucked itself into a corner, interest bright. It flickered at the weird spirit and its too mortal form. ‘There is a kitchen,’ it sent. 'There are answers there.’ ‘No,’ it got back. ‘Not the ones they need.’
Curiosity was dubious. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Later. Not now.’
Curiosity flickered. If the other spirit said so. Then, it continued to watch. At least until it got bored. Sleeping things after all, while interesting for a while, got terribly repetitive.
~*~*~*~
Perhaps the other spirit had told the mortals to enter as soon, two of them did. One tall, but not as tall as Him, and the other much shorter. They talked, voices soft, worried. “Food.” Curiosity heard. “Rations.”
Curiosity flickered, ecstatic. This, it could help with!
It hummed, and then with a pop of essence the ‘stove’ as He called it, hummed to life, something He had called a ‘pot’ appearing atop it. Curiosity summoned other things too, as easy as what mortals called breathing.
The mortals jumped back, just a little. Curiosity didn’t take offense. It was indeed powerful, and surely they were just as excited as it was.
“Did–did you just see what I did? Is that meat? Beans? A….a pumpkin?” The little red one spoke up first.
Curiosity flickered with joy. Yes! Rabbit! Beans! Something very orange He had brought once. With excitement, it summoned something else, just to see how they’d react.
“....that’s a lot of butter.”
They didn’t jump back this time, boring, but just as fun, perhaps if it summoned more? Two more things appeared. Something he had called ‘Onions’ and then something else.
“...turnips now. Hm.”
The two had gotten closer, peering at the ingredients. The dark one didn’t do much but frown, but the red one poked one of the ‘turnips’ and then did something with its shoulders. A shrug? Interesting!
“I–do you think we can make a stew? I don’t see any salt or spices but–” Salt? Spices? Curiosity could do that! “...never mind. Yes. Um. Stew. I think we can do that.”
“...Stew sounds good. Don’t mention anything else. I think there’s enough as it is.”
Curiosity was tempted to summon more, just to see what would happen but the idea of what the red one could do with the ingredients supplied was more interesting! Later, it could make more. For now, it would watch.
The red one only used some of the butter, hesitating just a little before tossing it into the pot with a sizzle. Curiosity flickered, excited, and hovered above the steam. The meat, bright and pink, was cut apart into smaller pieces, then tossed in. Why, Curiosity wanted to know.
Why cut it? Was it so it would cook faster?
Onions, in tiny, thin slivers, the beans next–small and black. Water, from the pump on top. A handful of salt, and some of the spices. Green, sharp and pungent. Smaller ones too, light and bright.
“I guess…we just let it sit? The beans might need to cook for a while. I would have preferred to soak them but….”
Curiosity flickered. Beans needed to soak! Interesting! Next time, supply the beans in water. How, it wasn’t sure. Maybe in the pitcher next?
A lid went on top of the pot, covering the view. Curiosity flickered, disappointed, but it quickly buoyed again as the red one continued reaching, extending a hand towards the turnips only to be stopped by the dark one.
“Hm. Harding. Do the pumpkin first. Save the turnips for later. We can save them if we need them. We don't know if this place will keep making more.”
Harding, the little red one, nodded. Curiosity flickered, remembering. Neve, the dark haired one was called. It wouldn’t remember for long. Names were fun for a while but there was more fun in learning them again.
“Ah–ok. Sure.”
Soon, the pumpkin was cut into large chunks–Curiosity watched with interest.
“Add it in now or later?”
“Might as well add it in now. We’ll keep an eye on it.” the dark one–Neve–hesitated, “...if you have this, I’ll check on Rook and Lavellan. Meet me at the infirmary when you're done.”
The red one hummed something, and continued chopping before tossing the chunks in.
It searched, looking for something–ah! A spoon! Curiosity obliged. Soon, the stew was stirred.
“Well. At least–at least it smells good. The food felt solid enough too. Hopefully this will help. It…should keep too.”
Curiosity wasn’t sure who the red one was walking to, maybe themselves? It thought of asking, but thought better. It didn’t want to show itself yet. The mortals looked so surprised when things came out of nowhere. Let it have more fun instead, let it see how they reacted!
As it watched, the red one sat down, right in front of the fireplace. Curiosity lit it, flickering with excitement as the red one leaned back before sighing. So fun, this one was really taking things in stride! It hadn’t interacted with many mortals other than him, but it had heard that most mortals screamed.
So far, none of its had. Interesting!
Silence built, the red one occasionally standing to check on the stew before it sat down in front of the fireplace once more, rubbing at its face. Curiosity flickered, intrigued.
The red one, when it cried, was just as quiet as him. Just as tired.
Perhaps it was a shared thing of all mortals then?
Curiosity wondered, and watched, coming to its own conclusions.
Curiosity’s observations and recipes.
His roasted rabbit on a spit
- rabbit, cleaned and gutted.
- butter/fat.
- salt.
Skewer the rabbit on a stick, rub it with butter/fat and salt the meat. Place on hot coals. Rotate and baste, keeping a watchful eye. Take care - if the rabbit gets too close to the fire, it can burn.
the little red one’s rabbit, pumpkin and bean stew.
- rabbit, cut into serving sized pieces
- butter/fat.
- onion, cut into slivers.
- salt.
- dried beans (preferably pre-soaked overnight).
- pumpkin, cut into chunks.
- water.
- thyme.
- rosemary.
In a large pot, melt the butter/fat. Once melted, toss in the meat. Let it brown on either side, and then add in the onions and the beans. Cover with water, and add herbs. More thyme than rosemary. Add the pumpkin to the stew, and let it simmer until everything is tender and meat is falling off the bones. Serve.