Heart of Alchemy

[Pahn]

Lysander hid his surprise at hearing the girl's age. And here he'd thought she'd barely been of age! He rubbed his face, absentmindedly scratching his scar, and studied his new apprentice. Her accent placed her as a local of the capital, close to the docks maybe? Yet she didn't know who he was. It made him wonder if the uneducated masses of the kingdom even knew the name of their sovereign.

"My name is Lysander Blackburn, master alchemist and royal advisor to the council." He cleared his throat. Surely she didn't need to know how old he was? She'd already called him old man. Lysander therefore busied himself with adding her name to the form he was filling out for the castellan.

He paused again.

"Do you know your letters?" he asked, trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible. It would be a pain in the ass to teach his new apprentice how to read and write, but he would do it.

 

[Karo]

"Lysander…" Eryn played with the name on her tongue, considering it. "Sounds stuffy."

Somewhat more at ease now that the subject was no longer on her theft, she began to look around the study, taking note of the jars of ingredients and vials of potions all around it. She couldn't help but wonder what other things he must have locked away, hidden from sight.

"I do," Eryn said with a nod. Her parents had been very proud of their literacy and made sure to pass it on to their children. She wasn't the best at it but could read well enough to get around. Now her writing skills were practically non-existent, but she didn't feel the need to bring that to his attention.

Eyes still sweeping curiously across the room, she shifted her stance. She didn't like all these questions. No one asked questions in her part of the kingdom, especially in her line of business. The less information buyers had the better, especially when dealing with the black market.

"What do you want to know next? My biggest regret? My deepest fear?" Her tone was short.

 

[Pahn]

"Stuffy?" Lysander repeated under his breath, his hackles rising at the affront. It was a perfectly well-balanced name, thank you very much. He pursed his lips though, refraining from antagonising the girl any further.

Of course it would be his luck that his new apprentice was a rude cretin.

Though it was a surprise that she knew her letters. He finished filling in the form for Eryn's apprenticeship and beckoned her with his hand, not lifting his eyes from what he was writing. Deep breaths, he reminded himself.

Lysander was quite proud of himself for ignoring her silly taunting words. His blood was boiling at her rudeness, but whether he liked it or not, he'd entered his professional mode and kept his tone as neutral as possible.

"You must understand, Miss Eryn," he drawled her name, emphasising it so she understood the change in their… relationship. "It is imperative I know as much about you as possible. It is not my wish to be surprised by something that could have been prevented with knowledge." He looked up at her. "You do understand how apprenticeships work, yes? Proper ones."

Lysander tried to keep his tone neutral, but he wasn't sure how successful he was at it. "It would not benefit either of us to work under inaccurate presumptions, hence why I asked about your reading and writing skills. There is a lot of writing and reading involved in alchemy, and I would rather teach you both beforehand rather than have any fatal accident happen in my lab if I simply assumed you knew how to read and count."

 

[Karo]

"I can read and count, I just can't write," Eryn admitted with a sigh.

She understood his reasoning, but the whole process felt so invasive. She felt laid bare in front of the man, subject to his scrutiny and questioning. It also made her feel lesser, her lack of education so starkly contrasted against Lysander's extensive one.

Her arms crossed, she fell back into the settee, sinking into its plush pillows.

Now that she'd admitted her inability to write, she'd have to spend even more time with the man as he taught her how to. She could only hope he was a patient teacher, but somehow, she doubted it.

 

[Pahn]

"Very well." Learning to write wasn't as arduous as learning to read, so Lysander wasn't too worried. He'd give the girl some writing exercises and set her to copywork.

It would take some time before Eryn Lessinger was ready to begin learning alchemy, but it was better than the alternative. At least she hadn't been sent to him by someone else hoping to ingratiate themselves with the royal alchemist. Lysander sighed and stoppered his inkwell.

He was overdue for dinner, and he was ready to bet a pretty coin that his new apprentice hadn't had much to eat today, if she'd had to resort to stealing from him. Lysander got to his feet, carefully forecasting his movements so as to not spook the girl, and went to tug on the pull bell next to the door of his study. It would be a few minutes before his maid responded to his call, so he returned to his desk and beckoned the girl.

"You must sign your name here on the apprenticeship contract. You can take your time to read. It details everything you need to know about your apprenticeship to me."

 

[Karo]

Eryn rose from the settee and approached the desk, arms still, crossed. Slowly but steadily, she parsed through the contract.

This Apprenticeship Agreement is entered into between Lysander Blackburn, the Master, and Eryn Lessinger, the Apprentice. This Agreement shall be upheld for no less than seven years.

Eryn paused before rereading the last sentence again. Seven years under the apprenticeship of this asshole? She took a deep breath and continued reading.

The Apprentice shall receive a monthly compensation of two silver pieces.

The Master shall provide basic accommodations for the Apprentice, including but not limited to food, lodging, and clothing.

Eryn cocked her head at this part, pleasantly surprised. So she would be getting paid after all. At least this apprenticeship wouldn't be slavery under another name. And she had to admit, having all her basic needs provided for was more than she could typically expect. Still, nothing took away the sting of knowing ultimately, Lysander would have control of her life for the next seven years.

With a scrutinizing eye, Eryn took one final look over the contract. Refusing to look at Lysander, she took the pen from the inkwell and signed– a scribble of a signature that barely resembled her first name. She tensed as she stepped back, taking the entire scene in. She'd just signed away her freedom for seven years to study under a man she hated, a man who'd threatened her and trapped her in this predicament.

She wanted to scream, to tear the paper to shreds, to run out the door and take her chances. But instead, all she did was throw a smug look in Lysander's direction– "how's that, old man?"

 

[Pahn]

"You will show me proper respect, Miss Lessinger," Lysander drawled darkly, taking a step closer to the girl. She was a tiny slip of a thing, and it angered him that she was constantly trying to get under his skin. It shouldn't be so easy for her to tease the cruelty out of him.

Not only was she disrespectful, but she was a liar and thief. Her only worth was in her magical abilities, which Lysander would mould to his preference. It was a precious thing, to have such untamed potential right in the palm of his hand. But he knew he would have to watch his own temper if he wanted the girl to be pliable to his demands. Lysander exhaled loudly and rolled the contract properly.

Just as he opened his mouth to continue, his maid arrived. He threw a glare at the girl to remain where she was, and went to answer the door.

"Sir?" The maid, Anatolia Walls, curtsied.

"Two dinners, please." He offered her a small smile of reassurance when Anatolia looked up in surprise. "I have a guest. It would be best if this were kept between us until you deliver the request to the castellan."

"Of course, sir," Anatolia inclined her head. "After dinner, shall I have your guest's rooms prepared?"

Lysander hummed in acquiescence. "Yes. The apprenticeship quarters."

Anatolia's eyes widened briefly but she quickly schooled her expression when Lysander raised a brow at that. She curtsied again and hurried to fetch their meals. Lysander didn't enjoy dealing with most servants, but he'd had Anatolia as his maid for as long as he could remember, when she'd also been a teenager. They weren't friends, but Anatolia was someone whose presence he could tolerate longer than anyone else's.

He cleared his throat and returned to his desk. "As I was about to say, it will be required of you to demonstrate proper decorum and attitude. I will magnanimously ignore your petty jibes while we are alone, but you will be attending certain functions with me, in your official role of apprentice to the royal alchemist. Any attempts to tarnish my reputation with your childishness will not be tolerated." As he spoke, he kept his eyes fixed in a hard gaze on his new apprentice.

 

[Karo]

Eryn listened to the conversation intently, trying to peer around Lysander's towering form to see the woman's face.

Just the mention of food was enough to cause Eryn's stomach to tighten with hunger. Wanting her whole life, her stomach had long passed the stage of rumbling in vain, its cries rarely heard. Instead, the hunger had reached another stage, one of permanent discomfort and emptiness.

Eryn couldn't help but be excited for the meal, she hadn't eaten in days.

As Lysander closed the door, Eryn straightened and looked at him casually, trying to conceal her eavesdropping.

Eryn refused to shrink away under the alchemist's gaze. Instead, she met his eyes with her own, defiance shining clearly in them. She'd have to get used to taking orders like this from him, something she resented. The idea of putting on some kind of act for a bunch of insufferable royals and rich people disgusted her. Not only that, but deep down inside, she feared she'd easily be sniffed out and identified as an undesirable.

"Whatever you say," she responded, adding "old man" under her breath.

 

[Pahn]

"Brat," Lysander muttered as he shuffled papers around on his desk. If his hair wasn't already white, he was sure she would manage to turn him grey by the end of her apprenticeship.

But he had to be the better man, here. He was her master and teacher, now. Everything he would do or say would reflect on him, as a master alchemist. He had to make sure everything was perfect, that Miss Lessinger was perfect. At least — to an outsider's eye.

"We have a few minutes before Anatolia returns with dinner. Come here." Lysander gestured impatiently for the girl to come forward. From a drawer, he pulled out a measuring tape. "I have to note your measurements for the castellan and the seamstresses who will be making your clothing. It shan't take long if you don't dawdle."

 

[Karo]

Eryn begrudgingly stepped forward towards Lysander, standing up straight so he could take her measurements. Seeing the measuring tape reminded her of when she was a child and her mother would take her measurements with a string to sew her clothes for the year. They were shabby things, made of scraps and whatever fabrics they could afford. She'd always been impatient during these times, fidgeting and sighing as her mother directed her on how to stand and position herself. It was a task she'd always hated.

Still, the prospect of new, fitted clothes was appealing. The garments Eryn wore now were dirty and ill-fitting. She didn't have her mother's gift for sewing, something the poorly sewn patches and mended holes on her clothes made clear.

"Will I get new shoes too?" she asked, looking down at her own worn-out shoes. They were flimsy and falling apart, offering little protection from the elements. She'd given her sturdy boots to her youngest sister after she grew out of her shoes, not wanting the girl to walk around barefoot.

 

[Pahn]

Lysander focused on taking his apprentice's measurements, moving her arms and legs like this and that. With every new measurement, he noted it on a piece of parchment. At her question, he glanced at her shoes — and schooled his expression to avoid betraying his reaction.

He was no cobbler, but even he knew these shoes wouldn't have lasted another season. There is a difference between knowing someone is dirt poor, and seeing the evidence of it in something as mundane as shoes.

"Yes. You will need winter boots and summer loafers." Without waiting for her permission, he lifted her foot and removed her shoe — carefully avoiding damaging it further. "Hold still, now."

Lysander measured her foot and noted it down. "Right, then." He stood and brushed the floor dust off his knees then handed the girl the measuring tape. "Measuring your chest, waist, and hips please. I will note it down."

The last thing Lysander wanted, was for the girl to label him as some sort of pervert.

 

[Karo]

Eryn smiled to herself at the thought of new shoes. She'd long grown tired of feeling the elements through the holes in her shoes and relished the idea of actually having warm, comfortable feet for once.

She took the measuring tape from Lysander and began to take her measurements, reading the numbers aloud so he could write them down. They were small numbers, much smaller than they should have been. It had been a rough season for her family and she'd lost weight she couldn't afford to lose. Hopefully she'd put on some much needed weight during her apprenticeship.

Done with her measurements, she handed back the measuring tape and bent down to replace her shoe. As she secured the buckle, there was a knock at the door. She straightened and looked at it expectantly, her stomach tightening once again in anticipation of food.

 

[Pahn]

"Come in!" Lysander called as he finished noting down Miss Lessinger's measurements. With a flourish, he signed the request form and sealed it with his royal seal in purple wax.

"Dinner, sir." Anatolia quietly delivered their meals, placing them on the small table near the fireplace that had served as Lysander's dining area since he'd become the royal alchemist.

"Before you go, Anatolia." He handed her the sealed form. "Deliver this to the castellan, and make sure it goes to the seamstresses tonight so they can begin working on it tomorrow. There is also a request for the cobbler."

With a curtsy, Anatolia took the paperwork. "Right on it, sir. The apprentice quarters should be ready in about an hour or two."

"Very good." Lysander glanced at the girl and cleared his throat. "Miss Lessinger, this is Anatolia Walls. She is in my service, and the only maid allowed to clean this office. If you ever have a need for something, you may ask her." He vaguely gestured between them before seating himself at the small dining table. Miss Lessinger was a young woman, even if she looked naught a day older than eighteen, and she would likely need personal… items she would perhaps prefer speaking to another woman about.

He disdained her, but he wasn't cruel to the point of completely isolating her either.

 

[Karo]

Eryn was grateful to be introduced to Anatolia. Those who worked in the royal keep were well taken care of, but they were still of a lower class than those they served. It was a relief to know someone closer to Eryn's status– well, her former status, anyway. She was an apprentice now, which meant she was of a higher class now than she once was. It was something she'd have to get used to.

"Nice to meet you," she said with a nod. While it might be a surprise to Lysander, the girl did have manners. She just reserved them for those she liked.

Once Anatolia left, Eryn seated herself across from Lysander at the table. In front of her was a large bowl of some kind of stew. The smell alone was irresistible and Eryn didn't hesitate to pick the bowl up and begin drinking from it, bypassing the spoon entirely.

 

[Pahn]

Lysander wrinkled his nose as the girl slurped the stew instead of using her spoon like a civilised person. He'd have to instil etiquette and manners into her; everything she did now, both here and in public, would reflect on him. While he wished he could simply not care a whit about his reputation in some regards, he had very little choice in the matter. Too many eyes were on him, and he knew that any upstart master alchemist could challenge his position if anyone found him… lacking, for any reason.

He finished his meal in silence, his mind drifting to building lessons for his new apprentice. First he'd have begin with the basics to ascertain her level of education, then he could introduce real alchemy.

Well… they would have to begin with botany and the theory of alchemy first, as well as the origins of magic, but perhaps the girl would surprise him. He doubted it — but he would be damned if he didn't use her to her full potential.

Curious despite himself, Lysander leaned back in his seat with a goblet of wine in one hand. "Tell me, Miss Lessinger. Are either of your parents… perhaps, the bastard offspring of some known lord or another?" Not that plebeians and riff raffs couldn't have inner magic, but the girl's innate abilities were typically not found in such… low-born folks.

 

[Karo]

It didn't take long for Eryn to finish her food, leaving her sitting in silence as she watched Lysander finish his meal. She longed for seconds, but couldn't bring herself to ask.

Seeing Lysander drink from the goblet of wine, she curiously picked up her own. She'd never had wine before, only homemade ale. Trepidatiously, she took a sip. The red liquid was tart and dry, with a hint of sweetness. She took another sip, then a longer drink.

"Not that I know of," she replied, taking another drink from the goblet. "Though, my great-great-grandmother served a lord when she was young. He fired her after she got pregnant with my great-grandmother."

It wasn't uncommon for lords to fool around with their servants, but as far as Eryn knew, her great-great-grandmother had sworn the child was her husband's. The family believed her, despite her daughter being born with green eyes, not brown like either of her parents. The same green eyes Eryn was born with, decades later. Eryn had never questioned the story, but now, she found herself wondering.