fandomhigh | Cooking 101, Tuesday, Period 1

Karla was absolutely devastated that the first day of classes was devoted to introductions and that she wouldn't be cooking. She'd been planning to get to the school early and whip something up for the class to nibble on while they did introductions, but Cook had kept her late with questions about an upcoming banquet and then Warren had needed her help choosing a suit and then Nyles had pestered her about a trip he wanted to take with her friends and by the time her family was done with her, she was barely making it to class on time to begin with.

Weird that.

Cook, at least, had handed her a basket of nutcakes to hand out, so at least no one had to starve during her class.

"Hello, students," she said as the class filed in. "Welcome to Cooking 101. This being our first week, we're doing introductions as per Fandom custom. Those of you who are new to the island, yes, you will do this every day this week and for every semester you're here. I'm Karla, graduate of FH Class of 2013, and we were doing introductions then, too."

She grinned at them. "So, today, I'm going to ask you the basics: names, grades, favorite foods, anything specific you're looking to learn in class. I've been cooking for years now - got started in the dorms in fact - so I'm pretty sure that we'll be able to handle anything you're looking to learn."

That was very optimistic of you Karla. As was the idea that you could cook in the first place.

"And, in the last half-hour of class, you're gonna make your favorite fast, go-to meal. Whatever you make when you need to eat, but you don't have much time. Eggs, cereal, a sandwich, whatever! But at the end of the class, I want you to have prepared something you can show to the class." She held up her basket. "Feel free to have a nutcake while you make your introductions!"

See, naysayers! One class down and no disasters! She was so good at this!

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Karla smiled and it wasn't a very nice one. "Believe me when I promise you that I'm meaner," she said, before getting serious. "Power derives from a variety of places. Someone could have power over you because they present a physical danger. Or, they could have access to something or someone you care about. Alternately, they could have control over the society you belong to and can enact various punishments against you, like shunning or exile or the like. Or they could make you believe that they have power over you, that they deserve to control you. And, honestly, those are only a few of the types of power people can have."

Her smile gentled. "Your churchmen have no power over me. They couldn't touch me if they tried, they have no access to me and mine, and there's nothing they can say that I've not heard before and said better. So if you ever wanted to stand up against these men who have dictated your life? You let me know and I can show you what real power is."

"But they have access to me and mine," Nell said quietly. "And they've already shown they can be pretty unpleasant to get what they want."

"They don't have access to you here," Karla said softly. "And more than one unpleasant family has tried - and failed - to removed their children from the school before the child was willing to go. It didn't end so well for them." Ice blue eyes held Nell's. "Who else do they have?"

Something twigged at Karla, she couldn't say whether it was mother's intuition or a tendril of Black Widow prophecy. "Sister? Younger sister?"

"Sisters and my mother,"" Nell said. "Not that my mother would ever leave, but they already - well, let's just say she's already suffered. And my sisters... maybe someday, if I was there, I could give them a place to escape to, if they wanted."

It would probably be easier to give them a place outside there, but it was the first week. She'd give Nell some time to settle in before dictating what she should do with her life.

"The best I can suggest to you now is to learn everything you can while you're here," she said gently. "You never know when you'll learn something that can change - or save - your life."

"Learning is something I'm more than excited to do," Nell said. "I can't believe that here I can read and learn anything I want and no one will try to stop me!"

Cooking 101, Tuesday, Period 1

Re: Cook and Present!

Re: Cook and Present!

Re: Cook and Present!

Re: Cook and Present!

Re: Cook and Present!

Re: Cook and Present!