Fourth Painting: [Action/Voice]

[victorbychance]

[A new sign has gone up at the bakery.

The wood of the bakery’s new sign is slightly stained with leftover coffee, giving it a lovely rich brown color. With the shellac finish, it will be practically weatherproof. Such a luxury would have been expensive beyond belief back in District 12, even for a baker’s family.

The sign could be considered quaint, but falls short of being trite. The border is done with a fine brush in grass greens; a winding vine with yellow flowers. At the bottom, a pile of bread loaves. One is the sort of loaf 12 was famous for back home, a sort of drop biscuit. Another is the seeded loaf of District 11. Accompanying them are two cheese buns, as well as an assortment of cakes, cookies, and tarts, all of which are actually offered inside the bakery. It has a provincial look to it, natural and fresh, as if even on a rainy day one could find the sun and hot bread inside this building.

The word "BAKERY" is in the palest of blues, with a slightly darker blue shading the letters. He stands on a ladder to hang it up in front of the building, a look of intense concentration on his face.

Later, he puts a message out over the journals.]

Thanks to everyone who helped at the bakery while the Kin'corans were here. Actually, I could still use help now that they're gone. There are about three hundred people in the village, and lots of them like fresh bread. If you want work but don't have any experience, I don't mind teaching. I mean, even I started out washing dishes.

So who's up for it?

Comments

[ action ]

[nocorsetsplease]

[She thought it would be best if she visited the baker in person, having not met him before, but his broadcast certainly reminded her of something she and Buffy had talked about to some length.

Some time after his message, she walks to the bakery, smiling at the sign as she enters.]

[ action ]

[victorbychance]

[Peeta glances up from putting a sheet of tarts in the oven and dusts off his hands after closing the door.]

Hey! What can I do for you?

[ action ]

[nocorsetsplease]

Peeta, I presume?

[She smiles. The voice is the same as the one on the journals.]

I was hoping you could help me with something that I wish to commission for the beginning of October. I'm getting married, you see, and there will be need for cake.

[ action ]

[victorbychance]

Wedding cake? Congratulations! I can show you some pictures, if you want. Or just draw something up from scratch. What did you have in mind?

[ action ]

[nocorsetsplease]

Thank you. [Her smile grows brightly, reaching her eyes.] I can't say I'm entirely familiar with the more...modern concepts. Buffy was kind enough to talk about them and they sound lovely. Perhaps you could help me with the design?

[ action ]

[victorbychance]

Well, what do you like? Flowers? Fall leaves?

[He pulls out a notebook and starts sketching.]

[ action ]

[nocorsetsplease]

Both, actually. The colours of them. I lived in the Caribbean so long I grew to miss the colder months and how they would transform England. Things are so lovely in autumn.

We're having the wedding on Cherry Blossom Hill, with all the leaves.

[ action ]

[victorbychance]

That sounds really beautiful. So just...a wedding cake, with fall flowers and leaves? Sugar ones, I mean.

[ action ]

[nocorsetsplease]

Sugar? You mean, they could be eaten? [Her face is alight with childish surprise as she leans toward him with the question. Edible foliage on a cake! What a remarkable secret!]

[ action ]

[victorbychance]

That's the idea, yes.

[ action ]

[nocorsetsplease]

[She straightens up, but every inch of her is giddy with the thought.]

That's wonderful! Yes, then. Made from sugar! I am advised that it should have tiers as well?

[ action ]

[victorbychance]

Right. [He pulls out colored pencils and starts drawing flowers and leaves.] How many tiers?

[ action ]

[nocorsetsplease]

[Ehm.]

Ah...

[Hm. What would Buffy have said? It's not going to be a very large party, though Elizabeth hardly knows how big tiers are, which might make the number aesthetic more than a question of quantity. In which case, aesthetically, what would be pleasing? Is there a number one typically prefers? Perhaps three? Or would three be lavish and two be perfectly good and well?

The pirate is thinking far too much send help please.]

[ action ]

[victorbychance]

[He spots her uncertainty.] How many guests? A lot, or would the standard three tiers feed everyone?

[ action ]

[nocorsetsplease]

[That's a relieving question. Standard three.] It's a small party. We're keeping the affair that way, so there will likely be no more needed than that. Three would be plenty, thank you.

[She looks grateful.]