The wagon came to a stop as it passed over an old, but well maintained, stone bridge. A few elves touched the pillars on their side and the bridge disappeared. Everyone on the other side appeared to be a guard, or something like En'mat. The main difference was most of them had a red or golden fire aura around them. Some had it in a spiral up their robes, others just looked like someone had set them ablaze. Enoki was about to ask what it was until En'mat jumped off the wagon, gaining her own modest flame. Her’s flowed off her black hair, like a feathered cape. 

“Wow. So why isn’t yours as bright?” Ze asked as ze started to wiggle down off the side, feeling rather solid and vulnerable right now.

En'mat gently helped hir down. “Well I’m not a high level member. A Blaze is about midway up. So I am far enough along in my studies and prayers to create some lower level spirits and transport our barrels and wines.”

“Huh that’s—” Enoki paused, seeing someone walking up looking like a golden inferno, about five guards, and a very angry look on their face. “That’s a very angry fire woman. Do I wanna know who she’s mad at?”

“No offense but, I hope, you.” She bit her lip a tad as she sent hir down. “You technically can’t be here.”

“Then why did you bring me?” Enoki’s stomach growled. “Oh right.”

“Lady Blaze En'mat! What in the Great Cycle’s existence were you thinking?!” As the inferno woman stormed up, En'mat stood a bit taller, even keeping her ears up. Though Enoki could see them quivering a bit as the cape flames flickered.

“Great Lady Inferno Ul’ta. I was trying to fulfill my duty as best I could. The barrels are all safe and undamaged. The Bandits have been taken out for now. And we—”

The flames seemed to gain another half a foot on the already horribly tall old woman. “Terrified the locals, used several teleportation runes we could have used for an emergency, and. . . ” Ul’ta only now looked down to see Enoki who was waving nervously. “You brought a human here?”

“I am a human. But I am a very helpful magic using human who did a lot of magic and would like food before I pass out please.” Enoki gave a nervous grin. 

Ul’ta walked up to Enoki, toe to toe, forcing hir to look up. The flames lightly licked hir nose.“And why should we do that?”

“I mean, I was why she could get free. I helped with the first group of bandits and kept them locked up. Then I fought more bandits. Kinda. Had to break the wagon lock admittedly.”

“You WHAT?” And there went another flare up. Enoki wondered how long before the robes really caught fire. “Those are enchanted!”

“It’s not very enchanted then. I broke it with force, not magic.” Enoki paused a moment, thinking. “It just snapped honestly.”

One of the guards spoke up. “Ma’am. If that human is telling the truth, then they are the demon people saw in the streets and the prisoners reported earlier.”

En'mat seemed to finally find her voice again, gently pulling Enoki backwards. “Great Lady. Please. We owe Enoki a debt. And ze is on a holy quest by hir leaders and the gods. I have sworn to help hir as best I can.”

A snarl appeared on Ul’ta’s lips. “I should send you back to learn from the kindling. Allowing you to burn so bright and fast has given you grandiose ideas. My chambers, now.” She paused hearing Enoki’s stomach growl again, looking to En'mat. “Ze truly used that much magic?”

“Ze did, Great Lady.” En'mat bowed a bit. “Please. I know I forget my place but don’t punish Enoki for it. Hir heart burned brightly with the desire to do the right thing.”

“Very well. Guards, escort these two to the private dining room. Except you. Go warn the kitchen we had heavy magic use.” She started walking over to the barrels. “I will join you after making sure none of these were tainted.”

In an instant guards were all going to their tasks, which included marching Enoki and En'mat quickly inside. The eight foot tall elves were taking such long strides that ze had to run along, trying to keep up. “This is a great diet plan. Do magic. Run a stupid long way. Then eat breakfast. You should charge for this.”

She groaned. “Do you ever stop making jokes?”

“I could whine instead but I don’t see any cheese.” Ze grinned at a guard who dared to let out a snort. “I like that one. Anyway, look. It’ll be fine ok? I mean, is she in charge of everything around here?”

“Yes. She has to make sure everything runs smoothly for the temple’s side of things. She is second here only to the local nobility.” En'mat sighed. “Which makes things awkward as I was to rule the local cities, but chose to serve the temple instead.”

Enoki let out a low whistle. “Damn. Well. For now, I think we should focus on eating. You gotta be hungry too. Right? I mean. That is a lot of magic you did.”

As if on cue a much quieter growl came from En’mat. Her cheeks flushed gold, contrasting her own silver eyes. “I could have a meal.”

Once they got inside Enoki looked at the building. Memories of being in old castles and fancy museums as a small child flooded hir mind. The stairs seemed too big and the chairs designed for people far taller that hir. After attempting to hike up the steep steps hirself, the guard from before stopped and squatted down.

“Please climb on my back, Mixter Enoki.” He looked back with a small smile.

Enoki hesitated a moment. On the one hand, a child did piggy back rides. But this would mean getting to breakfast far faster. Ze got on and looked around, wondering how fast they would get there now. Most of the elves were trying to ignore hir existence as the guard walked quickly. 

Now that ze didn’t have to focus on not falling behind, it was obvious how beautiful the place was. Everywhere you looked there were three images worked somewhere into the stone work. One was the hands with stars. Mostly reaching out to hold smaller lifeforms. It sometimes held the second form, of the dear Phoenix. It could be seen as an egg, chick, fledging, and adult depending on the scene around it. The last form was, of course, flames and fire. Where there weren’t images of flames, smokeless torches and candles would line the hallway. 

Before Enoki could ask any questions, they got to the table and put hir in what appeared to be a elf version of a booster seat. “I feel like I’m 5 years old again.”

“Is that a toddler for humans?” The guard asked.

Enoki sighed. “Yes but I’m going to pretend you weren’t saying I look like one.”

“Of course you don’t. Our toddlers can keep up better.” He smiled a bit before walking off, making hir regret all those short jokes ze made to hir siblings over the years.

En'mat cleared her throat. “It might be best to let me start with the talking so you don’t get into any trouble. Hopefully, The Great Lady Inferno will agree that we owe you a great debt and can give you the fruit you need.”

“What about the honey? I’ll need that too.” Ze tried to be careful saying what kind as the food came out. Each of them got a bowl of fruit with cream and nuts piled high, a small cup of an unfamiliar orange wine, some sort of fried meat, boiled pink eggs, and then a huge stack of pancakes with what looked like a fruit compote.

“I’ll find a way but we start with the fruit for now.” She gave a sharp glance as Enoki went to get hir fork. “And we bless our food first.”

Slowly setting the fork down, Enoki put hir hands together. Keeping one eye open since ze was curious what got everyone worked up last time. “To all of creation thank you for the meal we are going to have. Allow it to feed our bodies and thank you to any that lost it’s life so we might continue forward.”

As ze spoke a spark started in the center of the plates and spread outwards, creating a momentary but obvious blue and orange tinged flame. By the time ze fully opened hir eyes and went to grab a fork, Ul’ta’s voice could be heard behind them. “What in the name of creation did you just do, human?”

Enoki was not having it. Ze stabbed one of the eggs with hir fork and took a bite, swallowing it before answering. “I blessed the food like I was told to.” 

“As I mentioned, Great Lady Inferno, ze is on a holy quest. It would be wonderful if you could sit with us while we ate.” En’mat’s own voice wavered, obviously feeling just as nervous. 

Enoki already had a mouth full of the sweet and slightly sour fruit salad. Not wanting to talk more than needed, ze waved for Ul’ta to join them. After a quick swallow ze spoke again. “It’s really good. You should have some.”

“I, yes. I suppose I can.” She sat down and waved for someone to bring her a plate as well. 

Ze was fully aware the older elf was watching hir, the glamor showing some wrinkles and pure white hair. Enoki was too tired to shift again at least, but was still eating far more than anyone could expect for hir size. As it was, the pancakes alone were twice the size of hir head and stacked up four high. Ze wasn’t so hungry to not appreciate the layers of minced fruit, it looked like maybe berries, between each layer of the pancakes. Topped with the sweet and tangy fruit compote on top, Enoki thought that ze’d gone to paradise. 

The question was, now, which would be harder? Getting the recipe from the chef or the honey ze needed. 

Enoki’s bet was on the pancakes.

***

Ah, a recipe we can recognize. A lot of people like fruit syrups but don’t realize how easy a compote is! I encourage you to try this Human Friendly recipe this weekend.

Pancakes and Compote

For the compote you will need:

12 ounces of fresh or frozen berries (recommended equal parts blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries)

1 key lime

3 tablespoons of sugar

For the pancakes you will need:

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 cup buttermilk

2 large chicken eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons melted shortening

For the compote you will put everything into a pot and toss it together.

Put it on high heat and mix until the juice is out and boiling. This will take about five to ten minutes.

Then turn the heat down to medium.  Continue cooking until it’s at about half its original volume. If you want a smoother consistency, mash the fruit.

Allow to cool. If you think it needs more sugar, at a little at a time. If you sort it in a clean container quickly it will last for about a week or so.

For the pancakes, first melt the shortening. While it’s melting, mix together all of the liquid ingredients.
Carefully pour the shortening into the mix while whisking to prevent any unbeaten egg from scrambling.

In another bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. 

Pour the liquid mixture into the dry a bit at a time. Add more once everything has just come together. Remember, overmixing makes tough pancakes.

Once the batter is ready, take your skillet, hit it with cooking spray or oil if needed, and put it on medium low heat.

Each pancake you cook will use about ¼ cup of batter. Pour the batter onto the hot pan.

**Optional step** If you want to add fruit, nuts, cooked bacon, or chocolate into your pancakes THIS is time to do it so you get the perfect amount each time. You could pre mix these in but they tend to sink to the bottom of the bowl.

You know the pancake is ready to flip when the bubbles on the edges of the pancake make a permanent pit. Flip it over and allow it to finish on the other side.

Enjoy as you see fit! They freeze great.

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