clean up after him or find ways to salvage burnt items. His father either ran off or died in his earlier years. This is mentioned in the episode when Dragon and Jane are stuck in a cave-in. Pig – Smithy has a pet female pig called "Pig". She often runs in a wheel that pumps the bellows for his fire, and Smithy says he cares about her just like Jane does Dragon. He describes her as "never gets too tired" and "is always there for me". Verbena "Pepper" Salter (voiced by Sunday Muse, motion-captured by Ban Abdul) – 12-year-old Pepper is the castle cook. Although the same age as Jane, she is not as slim and has developed womanly curves earlier than her. Her parents work at salting herring and they took her to the castle to find better work for her. As a cook, she works long hours in the royal kitchens and is rarely able to go outside, which is why she has a pale complexion. Pepper loves cooking and puts a lot of effort into experimenting with new dishes. She uses many strange expressions, such as "lovely as linen", "top table!" and "clean as a cauliflower", and can be shy, but is always ready to help her friends. She is especially close to Rake, indicating a budding romance between the two. She has hugged Rake after receiving a flower from him. Drake "Rake" Gardener Junior (voiced by Will Seatle Bowes, motion-captured by Nick Blake) – 13-year-old Rake is the royal gardener. He is introverted and deeply devoted to his craft. His gardening talents are displayed in the topiary of the Royal Garden, although he seems to spend more time growing foodstuffs than maintaining ornamental plants. He also has his own compost pile, which he maintains by himself (this helps relieve the castle of Dragon's foul-smelling waste). He plans to make his compost famous throughout the kingdom. He has rarely been outside the castle walls, or even to the higher places within the castle. The only recorded time he has left the castle is to go out with Jane and Dragon to collect herbs and plants from the forest, mostly as a gesture to give Pepper new spices and herbs for her cooking. There is an indication that he is afraid of dark stairs, but he does not show signs of claustrophobia in the castle's kitchens. He may