Cranberry Chaos

A short story by Alex Michael (part 1)

My campfire began to die out as I sat on a log early in the morning. A thick, persistent fog clung to the air and soaked into my dark green traveling cloak. The scent of pine, tree sap and jasmine flowers surrounded me, but it was a dull scent as the rich earth smell diminished into the onset of the coming winter. Yawning, I picked up another log to keep the flames going. With a sigh, I acknowledged the winter solstice was fast approaching, dramatically dropping temperatures. But I still needed to travel one city over. It had the ingredients for the cake I was to bake for the solstice festivities.

This area of my country called Loni was the safest place to travel alone. The only concern I had was not bringing enough provisions, but I made sure to pack enough food for three days. It took that long to travel from my home city, Nesia to the little village of Cobblebrook. Cobblebrook was known for their scrumptious bakeries and their little markets that had the best ingredients around.

Other than food, I brought with me two items: my family’s cookbook and a field guide. The cookbook had been in my family for hundreds of years. The best recipes in the land were held gently between its worn, smooth pages. City officials had given every recipe in this book the first prize in baking contests that were a tradition in Loni. My family members have participated in these competitions and it inspired me to want to take part in one. The other book I brought was my field guide to collecting ingredients found only in the wild. Spices, plants and treasures that would only add succulence and mystery to whatever I baked. I preferred baking to people. As an introvert, baking was my happy place.

With the solstice festivities fast approaching, everyone was gearing up and baking everything they could. Loni was a country that liked to celebrate. This was their way of strengthening community and bringing everyone together with food and drink and merriment. It was lovely. This was my favorite holiday because then I could bake my favorite frosted cranberry layered cake. My family and friends loved it and it never disappointed.

My stomach growled, breaking through my thoughts. I knew I had lazed by the fire long enough. It was time to cook some eggs and tomatoes and be off. After I ate, I threw my rucksack over my shoulder and continued on my way. The leaves had the perfect crunch under my feet and the sun was starting to stream through the light layer of clouds.  

After hours of trekking through the mud from yesterday’s rains, fatigue started to set in. I found another relatively dry log on which to sit and rest. I pulled out an iced gingerbread muffin I made for this journey. It had molasses, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg spices and an eggy cream cheese mixture so it would give me energy for the journey. If it had egg in it, it was considered a health food, right? I laughed to myself.

I finished my muffin and was about to stand when I heard a rustling in the trees. My heart stopped and my palms began to sweat. I dried them off on my dirty cloak. Wait, there shouldn’t be anything threatening in these woods. It was probably just a little bunny or baby fox.

“Lyla Watertons!” a woman said as she came out of the dense trees and revealed herself. Could I trust her?

“Yes. How do you know who I am?” I asked.

“It’s my business to know who everyone is. I have a letter for you,” she said as she came over to me and took an envelope out of her dress pocket. She held it out to me. With a shaking hand, I took it from her.

“Thank you?” I said, not sure what to say.

“Don’t thank me until you read it,” she said. All right. I took my little pocket knife out of my cloak pocket and opened the wax seal with it.

Dear Miss Watertons, we would like to invite you to Loni’s twenty fifth baking competition! If you win, the prize is 50,000 gold coins and you will have free access to our bakery education program which can help you achieve your dreams of becoming a professional baker. We have heard about you and your skills and would love to represent you. We will pay for your travel, overnight expenses and all of your baking ingredients. Give your response to Julie, the kind woman who delivered you this letter and arrive at the palace as soon as possible. There is no time to waste! The competition starts at seven am on Monday morning.

“I have to decide now?” I asked, looking up at her and down at my wrist watch that used sunlight or water droplets from rain to work. It was Saturday midday. It took four days to get to the palace from my current location.  

“That would be wise.”

“It’s not possible for me to get to the palace in time.” She grinned at me.

“I will transport you there,” she said. Well, it looked like my plan to get the ingredients I wanted in Cobblebrook was unexpectedly interrupted. That was more than fine with me because the prize was definitely worth it!

“I’ll go!” I said.

“Excellent!” she said as she walked over to me. “Take my hand.” I took it and we were immediately transported through the air, swirling around and around and around. I thought I might get sick. But we stopped as suddenly as we started. I took a minute to breathe so I wouldn’t throw up and when I opened my eyes I was staring up at the palace.

“Don’t worry, the feeling will pass,” a new voice said. It definitely wasn’t Julie.  

“It’s me. Your palace companion.” A ladybug flew in front of my face and hovered there. Was the ladybug talking to me?

“Yes, that is a ladybug. She will accompany you around the palace,” Julie said. At least I wasn’t scared of ladybugs. The only bug I wasn’t scared of. Ladybug settled herself on my headband that I always wore to keep my long unruly hair out of my face when I was baking.

“I’ll take you to your room,” the ladybug said.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Tia,” she answered.

 We walked up the palace steps and into the grand hall. The pillars were steeped in gold and the floor was glass that reflected the sky outside. How have I never been to the palace before? I never wanted to leave. I was glad I had tomorrow to explore and settle in before I participated in my first ever baking competition!

And that was exactly what I did. After getting some sleep, I woke up on Sunday and wandered around the palace, with Tia giving me a narrated tour. I drank lots of tea and snacked on baked goods from the kitchen. It was the perfect Sunday afternoon. Tomorrow I would use the kitchen in my own bedroom to practice my frosted cranberry layered cake. I could already taste the sweet butter cream mixed in with the tart cranberries and see the pretty sugar sprinkled on top. I couldn’t believe there was a personal kitchen in my bedroom. It was amazing!  

“Well, it’s time to get some sleep for tomorrow. I hope today gave you a good look at palace life,” Tia said as I crawled into bed.

“It did, thank you! I can’t believe I’m here. I never thought I would have the chance to sleep in the palace as a favored guest,” I said, looking up at the ceiling that had the most beautiful night sky painted on it. How was I going to be able to sleep when I could stare at this beautiful sky all night? I put my head further back on the pillow to see more of my ceiling sky when I remembered I still had my headband on. I took it off to sleep, which was the only time I ever took it off.

My headband was special. It was made out of wood and had little whisks, spatulas and cupcakes carved on it. My dad gave it to me to remind me to never give up on my dream of becoming the head baker for the palace.

“Believe it because it’s happening. You earned it,” Tia said.

“Thank you,” I said as I put the soft and thick comforter over me. It was just starting to snow outside. I fell asleep facing the window, watching the forest floor turn white and the world become silent. I dreamed of soft white puffy marshmallows falling gently from the sky.

Night turned into day. I awoke suddenly as the sky started to lighten. It was still snowing so there wasn’t much light from the sun, but it was gorgeous. I had been in bed for about eight hours and all I could think about upon waking was making my frosted cranberry layered cake. It was time to get up and start baking! I would have to bake my cake as quickly as possible today, making it look as good as I could manage because the competition was about who could make the prettiest cake in the shortest amount of time. No pressure. Practicing by myself would help, but it still wouldn’t give me the idea of what it would actually be like to bake when there would be other contestants around me, causing chaos.

“Good morning, Tia,” I said, wondering if I would wake my little ladybug companion friend.

“Good morning! Today is the day!” Tia said.

“How long do I have to bake the cake tomorrow?” I asked.

“An hour and a half. I know you can do it!” Tia said. Wow, it was nice having such a supportive companion.

“Thank you!” I said as I made myself a cup of coffee in my own kitchen. Once I finished my coffee it was time to get to work!

I was nervous and trying not to panic. I only had one day to practice. Tomorrow I would wake up, meet my competition and bake my favorite frosted cranberry layered cake!

Practice had gone well and I knew I was prepared. 

The next morning I headed down to the massive palace kitchens where we waited for instructions. Silently, I thanked Julie for finding me that day in the woods and interrupting my original plans.

The competition was fierce, not to mention messy. Flour and batter went flying, bakers bumped into each other, cake pans clamored about, it was indeed chaos. But, with my family’s cookbook by my side, the wooden headband made by my father placed firmly on my head, with Tia calmly talking in my ear and the faith of the palace propelling me forward, my dream did come true.  My frosted cranberry layered cake won the grand prize. 

Tired but happy, I whispered to Tia, “ I can’t believe it Tia, I won!” Tia softly replied, “You won the day you grabbed Julie’s hand and believed in yourself. That is the day when you truly won my dear!”