Chapter 3: Vanishing Smile

“It’s okay, you can pay me later,” the young girl behind the counter said as she ringed up the loaf of bread.

“Thank you Vanilla,” Sai said sheepishly.

Vanilla giggled as she flipped her curly pony tail, “After you told me about your encounter with Mr. Scontroso I think you deserve a free loaf,” She then reached over and pulled out two custard buns and placed them into the bag with the loaf, “A little sweet treat for a not-so-sweet day.” Vanilla was such a sweetheart. She grew up in the same village as Sai. Her mother and father owned the village bakery, and sometimes when Vanilla would come hang out with Sai and the other Enit children, she’d smell of different spices and flour. She’d spend most of her mornings helping her parents knead the dough or decorate the desserts. Since Enit children are not allowed to go to school, Vanilla decided to take over her parent’s bakery when she grows up. Even at such a young age, Enit children begin to work.

The strong smell of apples and cinnamon tickled Sai’s nose as it filled the bakery. A stupendous apple pie baked nicely in oven. Water in a kettle nearby was boiling lightly while Vanilla shuffled around in the cupboard looking for the bottle of tealeaves amongst all the other bottled up spices. Sai admired the artwork that hung on the thick stony walls of the bakery as she sat on one of the stools. Since Enit people were not allowed to learn how to read and write, they told stories through different forms of visual art. Vanilla’s family would hang different pieces of work that poor artists would give so that they can help sell them to the villagers. Vanilla’s bakery was the only one in the village so everyone comes to it for baked goods. It was the perfect way to advertise. Sai gazed up at the different pieces, one was an image of a young girl and boy crouching on a lush green hill and playing with little snowy white mice; the little girl petting one of them on the head and the boy feeding the other a chocolate chip cookie; another a sculpture of a rose, perfectly carved and painted a bloody red, each petal carefully formed; it looked so real that the Sai wanted to reach over and smell the flower; another a painting of the sea with colorful, appearing like a rainbow, floating on it a small boat with a fisherman and his wife cuddling. Each piece was uniquely drawn and had so much effort put into it. It was important that the art told a story without having to use actual words. Sai scanned the walls one more time before locking her attention back to Vanilla who was pouring a teaspoon of leaves into the kettle, “I see that Kales work has been sold once again!” Sai smiled.

“Yep!” Vanilla cooed, closing the kettle lid, “Little Kales is extremely talented, especially at his age. To think that a child can draw better than most of Enitselap’s famous artists proves that he is a legend living amongst us! How does he do it?”

“I don’t know,” Sai said. She thought about how it was so normal for her; sometimes when she was folding the sheets or peeling the beans at the back of her home, she would just see him lying amongst the geese who waddled about on his belly with his pencil and a huge sheet of paper, looking so focused, his enormous chocolate-colored eyes drilling into the paper, tongue sticking out slightly and his small eyebrows furrowed. He would lay there for hours on end, sometimes even when the sun would set, and Sai would have to holler him to come eat dinner. It didn’t seem strange that her little brother did this until the villagers started pointing it out:

“This child is talented!”

“His pieces are absolutely marvelous!”

“The details are so extreme that you can even make out the facial features on this lad!”

“How can a child so young draw better than Pan Suey? Or Rila Opori?”

“That town view drawing is one of the best I’ve ever seen!”

For any other artist, they would have enjoyed the attention, but for Kales, he hated it. He didn’t really like people; especially if they were loud. He was scared of crowds and anytime someone who was a stranger tried to talk to him he would run and hide. Kales preferred being on a quiet field and tending towards animals rather than dealing with people. This would upset many villagers but mother would shush them, “Let my son be,” She would say shutting the door as people would thrust coins and gold at her.

Vanilla giggled, “Next time Kales brings his piece I’m going to buy it first!” Vanilla was probably the only other person that Kale’s didn’t mind being around. She was like another older sister to him since she practically saw him grow up.

Suddenly a light bulb struck her head, “I heard today is your ceremony!” Vanilla grinned, “I’m definitely going to take part in it!”

Sai let out a groan, “Meh! I’m not too excited about it!”

Vanilla giggled, “Aww trust me, it will be awesome! I’m going to bake you such a lovely cake, you will have so many pretty clothes, and jewelry, and there will be so many nice boys-“

“Blech!” Sai stuck her tongue out.

Vanilla laughed, “Also, tomorrow is the king’s birthday as well! Isn’t that exciting! I wonder why he decided to come celebrate it down here with the local people?”

“I was wondering that too,” Sai answered.

“My folks and I have been working on a cake for him, we want to make sure it looks absolutely royal by the time it is done,” Vanilla looked right and then left, then whispered, “Would you like a peek at it?”

“Yes!” Sai whispered back with excitement. She walked around the counter and into the kitchen. The kitchen felt warm because of the pie baking. A pool of flour lay open on the wooden cutting board, chocolate chips sprinkled all across the table and icing was left squirted out of a piping bag. “This place is a mess since we’ve been working on it all morning long!” She walked to a door which she took out a silver key from her pocket and pivoted the door knob. A small, closet-sized room was revealed and there sat on a three legged table was an elegant cake on a golden platter. It was made up of about ten layers, the biggest one being at the bottom and the smallest at the top. The cream was made of high quality and shone like the king’s own cream colored robe. The sides of the cake were skillfully decorated with drawings of horses pulling carriages, floral vines stretching out and intertwining into cream flowers, a golden crown carved on each layer with the Learsi symbol on it; a golden star with a tree branching out on the inside, and golden balls made of chocolate circling around each layer. It looked absolutely beautiful, and delicious.

“Oh vanilla it’s stunning! The king would be delighted greatly!” Sai marveled at it, her mouth opened in amaze.

“Guess what flavor it is?” Vanilla said smiling.

“I don’t know, chocolate?”

“Nope, it’s lemon! The king likes his sweets a little on the sour side with an occasional piece of chocolate to nibble on.”

Sai laughed, “Oh that’s great news! Wait until I tell this to Mr. Scontroso!”

“Sai do you think you can help me carry these sack of flour to the front? Father is going to use them to make the loaves for tomorrow,” She pulled out a brown knitted sack and put it over her shoulder. Sai nodded and grabbed another and headed towards the door.

“How’s Joshua doing?”

Sai smiled, “He seems to be a lot better. Ever since we built that tree house his health has improved tremendously!”

“Tremendously…” Vanilla said looking at Sai curiously, “Your vocabulary has gotten very good; using big, long words; you speak almost like a Learsi!”

Sai flushed, “Oh-no-no! I just overheard a couple of Learsi people using this word when they were talking. I have no idea what it really means, “She giggled nervously.

“I see,” was all Vanilla said.

“Poor Joshua’s been cooped up all his life in that enormous house; chained down to a desk all day like a prisoner studying!” Sai grumbled.

“And he’s extremely skinny and pale as a ghost,” Vanilla reached over and dropped the sack on the floor with a loud thud, “I fear that the wind might blow him away and he’d never come back!” She went around the front table and pulled out two ceramic mugs and filled them with tea. She pulled out two chocolate cookies and gave one to Sai.

Sai munched on the cookie, the chocolate chips were nice and gooey and smeared on the tips of Sai’s fingers which she licked off, “I’m trying to fatten him up with your custard buns, but for some reason it doesn’t seem to go anywhere!” She took a sip from the warm tea, smiling at the hint of honey that Vanilla cleverly stirred in.

“It must be his father; that man scares me,” Vanilla said, “For someone who is the son of the general of the Learsi army, there is a lot placed upon his fragile shoulders.”

“Sucks to be an Alon,” Sai said slurping her tea loudly, “Their whole family always has to be at the top! Poop heads.”

“Sai!”

She drank the last of her tea and placed the mug on the wooden counter. Her eyes wavered and brought her gaze to the floor, “I just don’t like seeing Joshua push himself to try to be so “great.” Joshua should be like me, and just have fun. When he’s all grown up and big and tall and hairy then he can be “great.” “

Vanilla sighed then quickly changed it into a soft smile. She went into the kitchen and came out with a large brown paper bag, “Here, when you see Joshua today, give these to him,” She opened it and inside were custard buns.

Sai grinned and took the bag, “Thank you! I will!” and with that she waved goodbye to Vanilla and rushed out the door.

Vanilla’s small smile vanished.