#
Vairgar made it home just in time for supper. As Helsa saw him approach, she got up from his chair and leaned the bellows against it on the ground.
"Thanks for keeping the fire going dear."
"Of course; did you get anything from my uncle?"
"Yes, I did. I still don't see how it will be able to help, but I did ask him, and he did give me something."
He knew she waited for him to elaborate, but he left it there and walked past her to put the spices away in the tent behind her. He returned with some more wood for the fire, never looking over at Helsa. He didn't have to look to know what she was doing. He knew that she was fidgeting; doing everything she could not to ask him more questions. It was a game they played between each other whenever they were having a bit of a spat. Vairgar laid some fresh cuts of wood across the fire, and then sat reaching for his bellows. He pushed air into the flames and watched them grow. He was waiting for her to give up and ask him. He finally looked over at her. Her face was bright red, and she had placed one hand into the other, shoving them into her lap. She looked like one with ants in her pants, doing her best not to reveal that something tickled beneath her clothes. Vairgar laughed, and it was the last straw. She spoke.
"Oh, you drive me mad sometimes Vairgar, do you know that?"
His laughs eased into speech.
“I'm sorry my dear, I just can't help it sometimes; you get so worked up over the smallest trifles. You say go and ask my uncle for something to help us; honestly what a fool’s errand."
Helsa said nothing, biting her lip to hold back the storm of angry words. She waited again now that she'd been able to say something to him. Vairgar, seeing that he was about to send her into a fit, spoke again.
"I will tell you."
As soon as these words left his mouth, he saw the tension fall away from his wife. Her broad shoulders relaxed, and her face brightened. Vairgar reached into a pocket and produced the small vial filled with black powder; then handed it to her.
"What's this?" she said, turning it over in her hands.
"Well, according to your uncle, that will make the smell of our stew reach out to people for many miles. He says it will bring people to us craving a taste of what they have smelled."
She held it up searching its fine ingredients as if looking for some answers in its random pattern.
"Really?" she said in a dreamy tone.
"Well, that's what your uncle said. He also said that it has healing properties. All we need to do is sprinkle a tiny pinch of it into an entire pot, and it will work; according to your uncle."
"Well what are we waiting for?" Helsa said. She uncorked the vial, and reached her large fingers inside, squeezing a bit of the powder between them. She stood and took a quick step to the pot releasing the fine granuals into it, and then sat back down. It didn't take long for the smell of the stew to grow. It rose out of the pot and flew across the leafy country, searching for nostrils to fill.
Vairgar and Helsa did the only thing they could, sit and wait. As Vairgar wasn't expecting much, he ate some stew and then settled down for a nice long nap, pulling his tall hat down over his eyes. Helsa sat eagerly awaiting their customers. She kept looking to the left and to the right, expecting to see someone coming, with their nose turned up in the air, at any moment. They sat like that for a good hour, and then someone they did not expect came to visit them. It was a messenger from within the castle. As Helsa saw him approaching, she jabbed Vairgar in the side, putting an end to his snoring and his sleep. The young man approached them.
"Excuse me sir, malady, but the king has smelled your stew, somehow, from within the castle walls. He wishes to eat some of it."
"Of course!" Helsa said, standing immediately to grab the ladle and dish him up a bowl. As was her custom, she pried for news while preparing the stew.
"If you don't mind me asking sir, what has been going on in the castle? We've not had customers for nearly a week now as there've been no visitors."
The messenger looked around, and then leaned in speaking in a low tone.
"The king has not been feeling well as of late malady. To be honest with you, I was quite relieved when he ordered me to go and find your stew. They have not been able to get him to eat anything since yester morn. He's just wasting away up there; white as a ghost he is."
"Oh dear," Helsa said as she finished filling a large bowl full of stew. She handed it to him and said, "Take this to him right away then."
"Thank ye. Here is some coin for your trouble."
"Oh, thank you." Helsa said.
The boy handed Helsa a small pouch, nodded to each of them, and then strode off towards the castle.
Vairgar still sat in his chair. Words escaped him.
"So, do you still think my uncle is just a crazy old man claiming to be a wizard? Aren't you glad you went to see him now?"
He didn't answer her, but sat up and reached for the purse.
"Ah, ah, ah; I served the man while you just sat there. I get to count it."
Vairgar sat back, crossing his arms as he waited for her to tally up the coins. She pulled the sack open and looked inside.
"Oh my. Why, we'll be set for over a month with what is in this purse!"
"Is that so?" He looked up from the ground with a smile that put an end to his pouting.
#
The soup had done its work on the king, for within the next day the messenger was back.
"The king would like some more of your stew malady."
"Yes of course."
As she stood and filled another bowl he continued.
"He's made quite the turn around, the king has. It's astonishing really. Why just yesterday, he was pale and motionless. He had not moved from his bed in many days, and now he walks the halls screaming for more stew. Much of his color has returned as well, it's remarkable. What's in that stew anyway?"
"That is wonderful news good sir. As for the ingredients, well that is my little secret. I’m sure you understand."
"I see," said the messenger. He looked down into the bowl, and then back up to Helsa. "I must be getting back, but would you mind if I had a taste? The smell of it has reached the castle, and standing over it here like this is just driving me mad. My mouth has even begun to water. Just a sample if that'd be alright? Oh, and here's more coin for this second bowl."
He handed Helsa another small pouch full of coins. They jingled as they fell into her hand. She threw it into Vairgar’s lap, who was grinning like a court jester.
"Of course you can have some. Here," she reached down into a basket next to the pot of stew," I'll pour some into a cup for you so that you may sip it as you return to the castle.
"Oh, thank you malady."
"Not to worry." She filled the cup and handed it to him. He took a careful sip.
"Oh that is very good. Yes, I must say that is the best stew I've ever had. Thank you very much, I must be going now. Sir. Malady."
He bowed and walked off, taking delicate sips as he balanced the king's bowl in his other hand. Soon many feet would be retracing his steps from the castle, and beyond. As the king regained his strength, he was able to get back to work, receiving visitors and ordering more stew. From then on Helsa never made a batch of her stew without adding a pinch of her uncle's black powder.
THE END
Thanks for reading my short story Helsa’s Secret Ingredient! If you found any mistakes, please
let me know and I’ll upload a new version with the fixes. Here is some extra content for you:
Listen to an audio version of the entire story for free read by the Every Photo Tells podcasters:
https://everyphototells.com/2011/02/episode-57-helsas-secret-ingredient
Visit my website for news on my writing and free audio short stories read by me:
https://writingsofdan.blogspot.com/
All rights reserved – Dan Absalonson
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