[Closed Post: Baklava]

[timebethine]

Laertes delights in the many spices of the Mansion's kitchens--he lost several hours one evening just opening every bottle and smelling it, acquainting himself with the differences between cardamom and allspice, sage and bay. Today, he is intent upon celebrating those spices with a baklava recipe he's found, and so he's roped Sagramore into serving as his sous-chef. While Laertes prepares the dough to laminate, he sets Sagramore to chopping nuts up finely. "This recipe saith walnuts," he says, "but another hath pistachios, and a third one walnuts and almonds mixed."

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[sagramore]

Sagramore sketches a bow and retrieves the dishtowel, and then begins to take each thing as Laertes hands it to him.

[timebethine]

"I'm glad thou didst take the risk with me," says Laertes, a little more quietly. "I saw thee weighing it, when we first met. Whether I would welcome thee, or fly at thee."

[sagramore]

"Thou wast worth any risk," mildly.

[timebethine]

"So," says Laertes, "baklava for all of thy lovers, and for Tress and Shen Qingqiu, and for Nina. And what's left, I'll eat from thy hand."

[sagramore]

Which wins a laugh, if it can be called winning for something so easily given. "Aye, it's settled."