#fenixtj

Salma gazes at Rosa in awe. "Senora, whyare roasted vegetables so good?"

"Oh, a little love... you see, people think vegtables are bad OR good. No inbetween, but most vegtables have THREE different flavors. There is the uncooked flavor, the roasted flavor, and then the .." she explains a bit on how different vegies respond to different cooks.

"And butter!" Salma eyes a stick of butter! "And garlic... onions are good on everything. And culantro."

"Si, butter is very magical" Rosa smiles "Maria, she did not scary you with the 'bruja' speech?"

A shake of her head. "Rosa, do you think anyone can be a bruja?"

"Not just anyone, no," She says "But there is a little witch in every woman, just as there is a little princess"

"My Princesca got all the princess." A fond smile. "But if I could learn a little bruja, I could be useful."

"I am just a silly burra, but I remember what I am told on the first time." Her tail switches a bit. "And I work hard. It is only that I am el stupido, so maybe I cannot learn, I just repeat. The dreaming, she should have given me feathers like la lora." Salma smiles, fingers fluttering a little like a bird as she names a parrot.

"Oh little one, I know that you are a pooka and your mouth and your brain do not always agree, but it is a very good brain. Tu no idiota... mmph. But it is good to feel useful. I know."

"If I am useful, and Princesca sends me away... I could stay here, maybe?" She asks, not looking at Rosa. She is carefully ordering slices of zucchini on a tray, making sure they are all in neat lines to go in the oven. "She says she will not, but sometimes... great ladies have great destinies. And they cannot be held back by a silly burra, even if it is her amiga."

Rosa looks down, "oh you poor dear. I am not sure how seriously to take what you say, so let me say this- Maria and I will llook after you. And I would bet my best rolling pin that Countess Jessica will never banish you or send you away as long as you follow the escheat mm? Which is the same for any of us."

"I would never cheat at anything, you have to be clever for that." She says, though her tone is grateful. "When bruja talk in the kitchen, the ovens eat up all of the words, so that they don't worry anyone though, si?"

"mmm.. I think I understand." "But know you are not being sent away when you have done nothing wrong, and even then everyone makes mistakes"

"Also.." She looks at her "We boggan brujah know how people are with each other. Ellie IS your amiga. You are hers. This is as plain as the nose on your face."

She rubs at her nose as though surprised to find it there. "Sometimes you may forget the nose because you can't see it. But it still holds up my glasses."

"mm well, it isn't plain to you, but it's plain to me...and I see it, as I see how much Ellie cares for you."

A somewhat stubborn frown. "We will just need to teach her to be fair then, and share. Because it is not fair if she cares for us but will not let us care back."

"Other nobles know how to be greedy. I do not know how she missed that lesson." A sigh.

"I tell you a secret" she says "no one can stop you from caring"

A nod. "That is a good secret. Not as good as how to make the pots dance, but still good."

"Oh, Maria with her showing off" A smile "maybe you learn taht too"

A grin, and she sprinkles the veggies with salt as shown. "You think the Princesca and Ariel will like these?"

"ih!" tabby declares.

A blink, and she peers under the counter.

"Senora Rosa? Are we having Gatita asada tonight?"

"I think we might I.. aiee.. the kittens keep sneaking in. And this one is the most trouble of all"

"She needs to learn to behave and not sneak around where she is not invited!" Hands on her hips, perhaps blind to resembling that remark. "Should I take her back to gatita jail?"

"Si, put her in gatita jail, we shall visit her later."

Salma dusts off her hands, and gathers up the kitten. "Gracias, Senora Rosa!" And she heads back towards the study.

Salma might spot Ellie ahead, on her hands and knees as she peers under a table in the hallway. "Where did you go?"

"Princesca, look what I found swimming in the stew pot."

Holding out the tabby.

"Oh! Thank you for finding her! She is so sneaky."

"She could get her paws chopped off, or toasted on the stoves." She wags a finger scoldingly at the tabby.

Tux is playing on a table... chasing after a moth.. and forgetting the moth is like two feet away, the edge of the table like 8 inches.

"We'll eat you all up and ask for seconds, but we'll still be hungry because there is not enough of you, little miss thing."

"She is trouble. Like Ramona."

And Tux gives a confused look.. as he follows the moth and discovers he cannot fly.

"Oh!"

"Kitten, you need to be more careful."

Holger comes in.. and swoops to protect the falling Tux... and misses utterly. Tux lands on his paws, and looks over the fallen boy next to him "mrrw?"

"Holger, you came!" She places Tuxie on the fallen troll.

"Sí, pero podría hacerlo mejor."

He sighs, even as the kitten kneads his back

A little eyebrow crease.

"No, you did very well."

"El gatito cayó a su perdición." Agree to disagree

Biscuits being made.

"He's not hurt, he looks happy."

"Yo.." A pause "I am not sure I am a very good thane."