The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Hymenea taught her that.
"Cooking is the prime woman's art", she'd said. Though Damiana had diffed on this, saying a woman most importantly should be proficient in 'the bedroom arts'. In any case, the consensus seemed to be that you need to please a man both in the bedroom and the kitchen. And cooking seemed the easiest way to nab a man.
So in these weeks here, she cooked up a storm for her man. Cooked him every fine feast she could think of. Especially ones that witches say have love-spell qualities. Like oysters or tuna stew. Vegetables and tubers from her garden of love in the forest.
She knew all the best spices and herbs to put in. She had her own secret 'recipes'. Learned from other witches, then ameliorated to make them distinctly her own.
She chanted as she cooked, stirring her big, black witch's pot over the fire. She wanted to cook a meal no man could resist. She chanted 'love spells' into her stew, softly chanting them under her breath, so Tomek wouldn't know what she was doing. She smiled to herself. She wanted to put 'herself' into her cooking. To cook with her soul. Soul cooking.
So when Tomek ducked into the forest, she reached into her skirts, slipped off her panties, and dropped them in the pot.
Damiana had taught her that. "The secret ingredient to a love potion is a woman's panties. Don’t let him know, but drop them in the pot, and it'll keep him coming back."
And so she did, stirring her panty around in the stew with her big wooden spoon. For an hour or so, a bewitching hour, as its distinct savour slowly melded with the other ingredients. Then she fished the panties out.
And rang her chimes to call him to the table. He sniffed his bowl, not once, not twice, but quite a few times. What a peculiar scent it had! It attracted him. He picked up his spoon and dug in. As Goldilocks knows, there are some women who are 'too hot' for a man. And there are some women who are 'too cold' for a man. And there are some that are 'just right'.
Venecia watched intently as he ate. He didn't look up until the bowl was empty. "Man!, that was good! I don’t know what was in it, but that was good! Damn!, I think that was the best meal I've ever had…! What the hell did you put in that, girl...?"
"Some things are a girl's 'secrets' she said, "that she can't reveal. Like recipes."
He shrugged. "Okay."
Then: "I'm hungry. I want some more." So she filled his bowl time and time again. The man had an appetite! Leaning back at last with a full stomach, he said: "If you can cook like that… you're a keeper...!"
Oh, it's good to be a witch and know about love potions and secret recipes! A hungry man is an easy 'keep'. She'd nabbed her man!
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