[PRP] EZ as making... (Lan and Soren)

[ramenli]

They possibly, just possibly, sold out because a certain someone was hording apples.

So when that certain someone saw someone walking around with some of the fruit he had not been able to purchase? Well, those were apples not going to him.

But they could be going to him.

Putting a smile on his face and trying not to make it too obvious, Soren approached the Conquest mare. "Carrying your purchases?" he put just a hint of surprise into his voice, and wow, he was nailing this performance even better than the last mare he'd had. "Need some help? Looks heavy. What are you going to do with that many?"  

[ramenli]

As he listened he tried to keep himself from grinning. This was perfect, and this was the perfect opportunity. "Cooking with apples is not easy," he mentioned, pausing for a moment to let his words sink in. "I'm practiced in the art." And what an art it was.

"We could use a few now and I could teach you to make apple pie." He stressed that there would be few, and tried to sound off hand about it. "I've got the other ingredients." There, even an offer to supply something. It would be a hard offer for a novice to pass by.  

[ramenli]

Of course he knew how to cook. It was hard to find someone to make the perfect apple pie, so he sometimes made them for himself. Though there were plenty of decent ones he would devour.

If it had apples in it, he had learned how to make it. And he just tried not to think too long about his cooking lessons with Astridr, flour on her nose and trying to put more on him like war paint.

"Come on then." He started walking briskly, not trying to steal her apples, just ready to get started. She'd have to hurry to keep up with his stride.  

[ramenli]

"First you get all the ingredients," he rumbled, bushel of apples on the table. He was clearing a space, and starting to pull things out of cabinets. Sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. He glanced at her, realizing that she'd probably have difficulty even reaching the cabinets, much less know what to get. "Wash the apples. When you're done I'll help you slice them."

This wasn't teaching at all, he had just acquired himself a sous chef.  

[ramenli]

"If you don't peel they get stuck in your teeth," he murmured, already mixing the dry ingredients for the crust. While she fussed over an apron he was cutting in the butter and then quickly rolling out a perfectly sized round of crust to fill the pan he was using. A few pricks with a fork later and the bottom was ready to be filled.

It was probably hard to find someone who could roll out a crust as fast as he could, but this was an area where he had practice. Real practice. He eyed the apples she was washing and decided to help her regardless. "It'll take less time if we both do it," he pointed out, reaching for an already washed one and grabbing a paring knife. Within moments it was peeled, the peel having miraculously already found it's way into his stomach, and glimmers of his plans were already coming into fruition. Yes, this was a great plan indeed. "Don't waste too much apple. Peel them close." Just double-checking her knife skills, that was all.  

[ramenli]

"Mix it together and cut the butter in," he said, shrugging. "Roll it out and plop it in." Yeah, maybe he was missing a few steps.

Then he glowered, simply because...well, he didn't know the answer. "People do it." That was it. That was the answer.

And probably the reason why his pies weren't perfect.

"Aren't you finished yet?" Yes, he probably sounded petulant, but he had a goal in mind, and she was interfering. "I'll finish, you measure half a cup of brown sugar. Pack it in tight."

It was highly probable that he was devouring the cores while he worked.