15 Revelations and Corndogs

"Are you gay?" I asked Zain. He looked at me with a puzzled face, as if he didn't understand the question.

"What is gay?" he asked, tilting his head.

I had almost forgotten that I was in another world.

"Um, do you like men?" I asked, hoping that he would get the idea. Zain's face brightened up and he smiled, blushing a little. He looked so cute that I almost forgot why I was asking him that.

"Well, to tell the truth, me and the prince have already been going out for a year," he said, lowering his voice. I choked on the water and spat it out, splashing the tablecloth and my dress.

"What?!" I exclaimed, coughing. "And your mother and father know it?" I asked, looking at him more seriously. 

"Yes, of course they know it. They are very supportive of us. Why are you talking about it as if relationships between men and men or women and women were forbidden when it's totally free?" he said, handing me a handkerchief to clean myself up.

He had just taught me a few things. So in this world, gay relationships were allowed and accepted, even among royalty. That was incredible. I felt a wave of emotion wash over me, and I had to blink back tears.

In my previous world, things were not so easy. I had faced discrimination and hatred for being bisexual, and I had lost friends and family because of it. I wished I could live in a world like before this, where love was free and celebrated.

But I didn't have time to dwell on that. The banquet was just getting underway, and I could see that a lot of people had dressed up in their finest clothes and jewelry. The music was loud and lively, and the food was delicious and plentiful. They were enjoying what I made.

After the prince had finished greeting some of the nobles and dignitaries, he approached me and Zain. He had a friendly smile on his face, and as soon as his eyes met Zain's, there was love and warmth in them. 

"Well then, Zain, you're cheating on me with this beautiful lady," he said, taking my hand and kissing it gently. I felt a shiver run through me, and I couldn't help wiping my hand afterwards. I didn't like him touching me like that, even if it was just a joke.

"No, Raphael, you know very well that I only have eyes for you," Zain said, taking Raphael's hand and squeezing it.

He looked at me and introduced us. "Leora, this is Raphael, the prince of this kingdom and my boyfriend. Raphael, this is Leora, she's the one who did the buffet."

Raphael looked at me with interest and curiosity. "So you're the one who prepared these delicious dishes. How would you like to come and work in my castle? I'll offer you 1,000 gold coins a week," he said, making me an offer that I couldn't refuse. Zain frowned and shook his head.

"No, I refuse. I found her first, and she's my chef. You can't take her away from me," he said, sounding like a jealous lover. The situation was quite funny, and they were arguing like a real couple. I smiled and decided to leave them alone.

I walked towards the buffet, where Zara was. She seemed to be eating well, and her plate was filled to the brim with various foods.

"Zara, don't worry, if you want some more I'll be happy to prepare it for you," I said, taking the plate from her hand. She tried to fight back, but I was stronger than her.

"Hey, give it back! I'm hungry!" she protested, pouting.

"It's your birthday, so go and enjoy it with your friends. You can't spend the whole night eating," I said, pushing her a little out of the buffet. 

I don't feel like going, but if you promise to have something to eat later, it's fine with me," she said, giving in. 

"Of course I promise. Now go and have fun, it's your special day," I said, letting her go. She smiled and thanked me, before joining the others. I put the plate back on the table, feeling proud of her.

I had barely had time to put the plate down when someone took it and ran off with it. I was stunned by the audacity of the thief, who didn't even bother to look at me or say thank you.

I didn't dwell on the dish that had just disappeared from the table and pretended I hadn't seen anything. I smiled and nodded at the other guests, who were busy chatting and sampling the food. I saw Mrs Flinch gesture to me and I joined her. She looked worried and stressed, her hair slightly disheveled and her glasses sliding down her nose.

"Leora, what you've prepared is a hit, but there's almost no food left and some people haven't even had a chance to eat yet," she said and I nodded for her to continue. "We need help to bring in the food that's left, sorry to bother you with this but we're short-staffed," she said.

"Yes, no worries," I said as I followed Mrs Flinch into the kitchen.

We entered the kitchen and I saw a few cooks and waiters rushing around, trying to keep up with the demand. Mrs Flinch gave them some instructions and then handed me a tray of cheese platters. "Please take these to the buffet table, and then come back for more," she said. "Thank you so much, Leora, you're a lifesaver."

I smiled and took the tray, balancing it carefully as I walked back to the banquet hall. I placed the cheese platters on the table, next to the empty spot.

I returned to the kitchen and within a few minutes we had brought in plenty of food for the buffet. There were salads, sandwiches, pastries, fruits, and desserts. The guests seemed happy and satisfied, and I heard many compliments about the food. I felt proud of my work.

After putting everything away I decided to stay in the kitchen for a while, it occurred to me that I'd hidden one of my new recipes in the kitchen cupboard. I glanced around and saw that no one was paying attention to me. I decided to sneak out and get my corndogs. I had been craving them all day, and I deserved a reward for my hard work.

"I can't wait to try this dish," I said, whispering and rubbing my fingers together. I made no noise and headed for the shed, which was only a few steps away from the kitchen.

It was a small wooden building that was used to store some tools and equipment. I had hidden my corndogs there, wrapped in foil and tucked under a pile of blankets. I went inside without making a sound and locked the door behind me.

My dish was there and it was a plate filled with 10 corndogs and it looked delicious. The cornbread was golden and crispy, and the hot dogs were juicy and tender. It's a shame that there is no ketchup or mustard.

I salivated as I unwrapped the foil and picked up a corndog.

"Wow, I really nailed it," I said, admiring my creation. "Now it's time to eat, bon appetit a moi." I said before taking a bite. It was heavenly, the perfect combination of sweet and savory, soft and crunchy. I moaned in delight and took another bite.

Suddenly, I heard shouts and screams from outside. I had the impression of having heard noises that seemed to come from the room where the banquet was taking place. I wondered what was going on, and if I should check it out.

But then I looked at my corndogs, and decided that they were more important. I had worked hard for them, and I wasn't going to let them go to waste.

"It doesn't matter, and I absolutely have to try my corndogs, it can wait until later," I said, lifting my shoulders. I took the corndog back into my hand and bit into it again. It was so good, I couldn't stop eating. I finished the first one and reached for the second one.

At the same time, the door to the shed opened, revealing two demons. They were tall and muscular, with red skin, horns, fangs, and claws. They had glowing yellow eyes and black wings. They looked terrifying, and they smelled like sulfur. They stared at me with hunger and malice.

"Take this human too, the queen said to take everyone," one of them said, pointing at me.