Quills: the Rise of the Northern Matriarch-Chapter 48: Northern Refreshments 2

"Haha, you were so reluctant at first. You should have seen your faces." Cerez teased, he felt Nora lightly smack his arm and looked at her with an innocent smile on his face. Cerez picked up a pickled vegetable and chewed it. Finally the end result of the all the work, including making the vinegar, made sense. He had no idea what she was just to by submerging those fruit scraps and diluting cane syrup into the water. Now he understood. She seasoned the vegetables with various spices.

"I get what you mean." Cerez said, looking to Nora with appreciation. It was crunchy, salt, herbaceous and sour. It was so good.

"I told you." Nora said. He observed Nora picking up a slice of shaved roasted Bo, wrapping it around a chunk of cheese and a pickle. Her face ebbed in a wave of satisfaction. Cerez followed suit and understood why. It hit multiple sides of the palette. Everything on the cart seemed to address every taste center. He sipped the iced tea, smacked his lips and ate the dessert bar. He guessed right, it was the perfect palette cleansing drink. He heard her lightly chuckle as he ate.

'These were not hard at all to make. The chocolate was the most complex to make, but he had a handle on it. It would be fairly easy to scale up the process into separate steps for every product. This makes mass production feasible. I am sure it will be successful. You have to ask her. If not, at least you get to eat it, but it would be such a shame.' Cerez thought.

The Halid Clan grew and raised ninety-five percent of the food, owning almost all the agricultural facilities and farms. They also produce ready-to-eat products. He could see the marketability that 'Iced Tea' had. If they could create this with other popular fruits and herbs, they could start an empire. He was certain it would be popular. The gears in his head began to go into overdrive as he envisioned an empire based entirely on these easily made refreshments. He would have to talk it over with Nora first, and engineer an efficient mass production brewing process with Kadir. After that they would need to up their cultivation of Pekoe through farming. He had a feeling that he would be submitting more paperwork later.

"I am glad you like it, it is really simple to make and you only need a few ingredients. I cannot wait for you to try more Northern food. I like this hot with milk and cane," Nora said. The three men had their interest piqued by this new beverage. And the new possibilities. "I am missing what I need. I would have to create a kettle, a tea pot and cups and refine the cane syrup more." Nora explained, drawing curious looks from her spouse. Nora had planned out the designs in her head. She wished she had some physical way to design the old things she missed from 'home'. The ceramics and dining ware in the kitchen were interesting but did not have the charm of a good old-fashioned mug or tea cup.

The history of the plant's use and trade would not be tainted here. However, the art of the tea ceremonies she learned while on exchange in various Asian countries was non-existent. Nora felt she owed it to the world that birthed her to honor its culture. Perhaps she would be able to bring forth some kind of change with certain aspects of the humanity she once knew. Nora decided that she would have to be thoughtful about what she shared due to the consequences. The simplest things could very well provoke negative change or put a target on their backs.

"We can bring half of what we made and save the rest for us? How does that sound?" Nora asked.

"We can make more later. Let's just bring it all." Cerez stated. He did not really want to share it. Picking, rolling, drying and processing the leaves was time-consuming, but it would be best for as many people as possible to try it tonight. Especially his Mother.

"I will know how to make it after we are done mixing in the ice. Enjoy." Cerez smiled while answering for Kadir and Liem. Cerez was enjoying monopolizing Nora. Cerez knew that there was going to be more work in the future with a new beverage company. This would sell very well. He had better enjoy this afternoon in the kitchen before it got too busy for him. When he and Nora spent time together recreating Northern recipes, he would later note down the recipes. He bet Nora, and he would earn more money than those two would. People liked new things and they needed to eat.

"Yes, let's finish up so you know the entire process. We need to put the ice in the coolers and then the mixture." Nora turned to Cerez, her helper this morning. The two of them turned around and went back to the kitchen.

Once they were done, they prepared their afternoon meals. The snack was not enough for her. Cerez wrote out the recipe for 'Uzuza Iced Tea' when they were done and vented out some of the fermentations she was working on in the pantry. After Nora ate, she went to lay down for an afternoon nap while the three worked in the main room. Their meetings about their home life and their schedule usually took place when she was asleep. For now, she was being kept in the dark about certain aspects of their plans. How fast it would accelerate would depend on very important factors.

'Funding, political and business connections and more were available if we as a group took advantage of their relationships with their families. Tonight's banquet is a large one in which each of us will have the opportunity to see our families. The Allari would continue to accommodate them due to Allurai's "love" for Liem and the novelty and prestige that Nora brought to the Clan. Nora was not raised to be a leader by a Matriarch. So she could only catch up so far with lessons. She complains about it constantly' Cerez thought as he cooked.

'The cultural difference between Northerners and the rest of the planet was stark. She does not have the kind of ruthlessness in her that matriarchs usually do. My mother can be frightening when opposed. There is only kindness in her heart. There might be a leader in her, but she was more of a discoverer and dreamer. That is why I need to take the lead tonight. She might hate it. But she will see my plans merits tonight.' Cerez affirmed as he seared the meat.

"I wish that everyone could eat your food, Nora. It makes me feel happy when I eat it. My mother says that food can elicit emotion. I think yours does." Cerez complimented her. She supported their dreams, but their dreams needed immediate funding. She had a lot of great ideas and discussed work with them. She did not change as the lessons went on with Allurai and she better understood the role.

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"Thank you, It is the way to the heart. Since there are three of you, I will have to make lots for you to enjoy, so you know that I love you," Nora said.

"We should pack up some sweets for Vida to take home tonight." Nora said. Cerez was deeply touched by this. He had to turn away. Sometimes she was just too sweet and vulnerable. She was as soft and sensitive as his own Father sometimes. That man was very in touch with his feelings.

"I think she will like the pickles too. It might blow her mind." Cerez said. Nora laughed.

Liem often stressed about her being able to lead in the future. She may get intimidated and bullied for her kindness. Perhaps she would flower into just the right leader that was needed. The problem was the underestimation and the lack of respect. Cerez felt invigorated to show her value to the world. It had already started with Saeri Sedai and Leilanna. He witnessed her little chat with Nora at their ceremony. She just kept her head low and was submissive. Nora needed to learn to hold her head high. Could she learn to do it? She was even more scarred with trauma than they were. For now, he could build her value, so she would get the respect that she deserved.