CH 3 – The Chamber of Alchemy and Physic
"Whatever you seem to be doing down here doesn't look exactly legal." Savin looked over a towered wall of various ingredients.
"I assure you it is." He sighed, "but, about this safe passage you require.."
She was expecting this, "what about it?" If she was going to help him, he was going to repay her. One way or another. There would be no cheap way out of this for anyone.
"You see.. The guards are obviously looking for you with every ounce of their energy." Marcellus paused, thinking of every exit from within the Alchemy Chambers.
"The only way you'll be able to get out is through the Palace itself."
Savin sighed, 'oh brilliant... I'm dead. There's no doubt now.' Savin tried to regain herself, suddenly feeling weary of the topic.
"You have access to the palace?" This was the one thing that suddenly hit hard, "who are you, really?"
"I am Marcellus Pye... An alchemist within the castle. The, only alchemist actually."
"An Alchemist? Oh great, this explains everything.." But it didn't, not one bit.
Savin stopped wondering about the chamber they were in, the strange symbols on Marcellus' robe and the potions upon the ground. And at last she spoke her thoughts, "Why would you, an Alchemist of all people, help a Witch?"
"I told you, I may need your help with something. And Alchemists are not picky on how they get things done, or with who for that matter."
Yes, but a Witch usually was, and it took some strength for Savin to agree to helping the Alchemist.
But all that matters is that she did.
"Do we have a deal then?" Savin asked, obviously questioning her safe passage.
"It'll be tricky, but yes.. We have a deal."
Savin took to the next few hours exploring the chambers and their many secrets as she had once done in the forest. She admired the structure of the building, and eventually noticed the strange vibe it gave off, which was quite dominant in particular places. The one thing that startled her most was the presence of a looking glass in a far corner.
She stared into her own reflection (and much to her dismay, her hair was knotted), only now noticing how cold and wet she was from the ice tunnels. Her lips were nearly as blue as her eyes were in fact, and she shivered at the sight.
Marcellus walked up behind her, placing a thick blanket over her shoulders, "I would stay away from that if I were you.." He gestured towards the looking glass and then turned on his heel, walking to the middle of the chamber.
The glass made Savin feel quite nervous, she could not explain the feeling even to herself. But it was not a good one.
So she followed her new host, who hastily handed her a stack of old books.
"It seems we'll be working together for some time, you might want to read through some of these." She surveyed the weight in her hands, it would take weeks to read all these books.
"I wouldn't worry about finishing them all, I can teach you most of the basics of Alchemy over the next week or so."
At the mention of a time frame, Savin suddenly worried that she had promised into something she really didn't know anything about.
Though she thought, 'it's not as if I have anywhere I need to be.. It looks like I'll be safe here, and I won't have to search and steal like before either.'
"So tell me, what will we be working on exactly?"
"A tincture, I shall tell you the specifics once we're ready." Marcellus looked over his temporary companion, her eyes seemed duller somehow and her clothes wrecked by the cold.
He coughed, "I'll go get you something warmer to wear." He returned swiftly with a bundle of black and red in his hands.
"Alchemy robes? What is wrong with my normal attire."
A booming chuckle followed, "Oh, nothing" he said, toying with the cold and saturated material, "but you might get frostbite." He walked away, gesturing Savin to follow him through the winding paths once again until they reached a small room. A lonely bed, accompanied by a tall desk were all that were in sight, "so ill be staying here then?"
He nodded.
"How will I figure out how to get back to the chamber? It's like a maze in here.." Savin entered the room, closing the door behind her.
"Ill show you your way back into the Chamber of Alchemy and Physic in the morning" Marcellus called.
She quickly emerged from the room dressed in her new robes. He laughed with an impeccable nature, "what's so funny?"
"I feel like I have an apprentice again." Marcellus smiled at some fond memory, his eyes glazed over as if it were playing out in front of him. "Not to mention those robes are too big for you."
Swaying in the heavy material, she scowled "does that mean I'm your apprentice now?"
"Don't jump to conclusions just yet." Once again, Marcellus beckoned her through the hallways, stopping only once to ask yet another question, "how old are you Miss Juniper?"
"Don't you know it's rude to ask a Witch her age?" She smirked and received a small chuckle in return, "but to answer your question, nineteen."
Marcellus turned with a small surprised 'hmph' and kept walking, "now I really feel as if I have an apprentice..'