quatre: they will put away the sword

[untamedantinous]

There are a number of kitchens to be found in the mansion, as most people know. Enjolras is in one of them, flour speckling his flannel shirt and black jeans. There is a recipe book open on the counter near him, open to a page on baguettes. The young man in question is currently absorbed in kneading some dough: once again, something new to concentrate on. (Yes, he had known that Combeferre and Courfeyrac were only here for a day, but that does not really make it much better.) So, inspired by Laertes -- and, perhaps, the underwhelming boeuf bourguignon the mansion had provided the other day -- he is attempting a French classic. Perhaps a homemade baguette will taste better than mansion-provided food.

Comments

[untamedantinous]

"Well, it will have to wait until I can put this in the oven and such, I think perhaps it may be almost ready. It should have doubled in size, in theory."

[futaille]

"I wasn't expecting right this second. You'd be surprised at how patient I can be."

[untamedantinous]

"At least one of us can be," with a playful sort of smile, and he leans to check the recipe. "--Ah, I was mistaken anyway, there is another rise after this one."

[futaille]

Grantaire looks incredibly amused. "Ah yes. Sometimes there needs to be several uprisings before the desired results."

[untamedantinous]

"Mm." He lifts an eyebrow. "Would the oven, then, be Louis-Phillipe, in this case?"

[timebethine]

Peering over his shoulder, Laertes grins. "Leftovers from stocking thy café? Or just a new harvest of chairs and tables, waiting to be distributed?"

[futaille]

"That depends on if you see him as a necessary step in the recipe."

[untamedantinous]

"Perhaps a bit of both," he guesses, grinning. "I think the cafe is well-stocked, now, though." Even with any --distractions that had come while he was busy preparing it. "Further down, then?"

[untamedantinous]

"I mean, he did put an end to the uprisings." He taps his chin, looking amused. "I shouldn't like to eat an unbaked baguette. But I also shouldn't like to subject my dough to Louis-Phillipe, so perhaps he is not the oven."

[timebethine]

"Ay, we'll make a thorough search." Laertes crosses the hall and tries a door, which opens onto a traditional sauna with a wood-burning stove. "That might be needful as the days get colder, but it's no printing press."

[untamedantinous]

"It is not, but I cannot say what it is," somewhat dubiously. "Is it a bathhouse, of some sort?"

[timebethine]

"Oh! Ay, it's a sauna," says Laertes. "They hail from north of Denmark--see, the stove heats the rocks atop it, and then thou canst dip up water" he indicates a basin with a little metal dipper hanging near it on a peg "and toss it on the rocks to make steam."

[untamedantinous]

"Ah! I suppose it does get much colder up in the north than it does in Paris or Toulouse. I do wonder how cold it will get here. Hopefully not so bad that we would need a steam room to warm up."

[timebethine]

"Thou wilt not credit this," says Laertes as he shuts the door, "but they go from the warmth of the steam room and into the freezing cold to bathe, then back in, then out again. As though, the heat having lost its savor, they hunger for ice again."

[untamedantinous]

He laughs and shakes his head. "Northerners must be quite mad," with a teasing look at Laertes. "No, thank you, I would as soon stay in the warmth. A good fire is quite preferable to a snowstorm."

[futaille]

He laughs a little. "As kings go..." But he shrugs. "But surely not the fire you'd want for your bread, no."

[timebethine]

"I mind not the cold, but I would happily keep thee company by a fire." Smiling, Laertes opens another door onto a painting gallery. Every single painting depicts a small black cat wearing a ruff.

[untamedantinous]

"You might keep me company whenever you like." He studies the paintings, looking amused. "--I wonder if Grantaire has found this room. I should like to hear his thoughts on it, as an art student."

[untamedantinous]

"No. Apparently baguettes like to be difficult, one must make steam in the oven when putting them in to get them properly crispy."

[futaille]

He laughs, a fond smile blooming. "You do like to make things difficult for yourself sometimes."

[untamedantinous]

“Oh, come, you know you would like a proper baguette as much as I would. Nina would probably like them too.” But he’s returning the smile.

[timebethine]

"As would I--if nothing else, he's a merry fellow; he'd speak some pleasant nonsense in praise of this cat, then liberate the paintings to fill out the gallery in the café."

[untamedantinous]

"Oh, probably. I am surprised Courfeyrac did not carve anything into the wall when they were here, perhaps he did not find time. He did in one of them at home." He moves a few doors down and pokes his head inside to find --a curio cabinet full of fancy spoons. "--Cutlery is in here, apparently."

[timebethine]

"We're coming closer by turns; we've found art, and dozens of pieces of metal meant to work in sets. Surely the next door must be--" He flings it open, eyes winced closed, gesturing Lucien to identify whatever lay behind it.

[untamedantinous]

The mansion spirits must have had some pity on their search, because there, plain as day, is an iron printing press. Enjolras laughs in surprise and shakes Laertes' shoulder to get his attention. "Look! We've found one!"