New Resolve (4)

So I needed a few things first.

One, I needed someone skilled in the art of crafting clothing. Two, an alchemist with the ability to extract oils from plant life.

Making cloth water-repellent was a simple enough task. All you really had to do was coat the material in animal fat and cure it to be soft and flexible. One issue, however, was purifying the animal fat and masking it's gamy scent. That's what I needed an alchemist for. If I could produce essential oils, I could fix the problem of it's smell.

But the more I researched the possibility of finding any such person, the further I fell into despair. I hadn't thought of it before, but alchemy was a rather rare practice in a world full of magic. Since people already had the ability to conjure certain elements out of thin air, what would be the purpose of trying to extract them manually?

This product idea was going to end up being more of a headache than I thought.

I was sitting at the desk of my study, which I'd requested immediately after declaring my intentions to become Duke, reading all the books we had on the study of Alchemy. Which was few. I closed one titled 'The Inferior Art of Alchemy in Comparison to Magic', and sighed deeply. Sometimes it felt like I did nothing but sigh these days.

I took a moment to soak in the serenity of my current state. It was mid spring now, and I had one of the windows in the study propped open to let in the cool air. I could hear birds chirping on the branches just outside, and it was a brilliantly sunny day. This was the kind of peacefulness I craved, and it was why I worked so hard now, so that my future days might be filled with nothing but these quiet moments.

But of course, I was interrupted by a knock at the door.

At least this time it wasn't a member of the family I considered to be a nuisance. Bain walked through the door after announcing himself and my little sister Mary, who I had asked Bain to escort to my study so we could have a cup of tea together. As usual, she was wearing some ridiculously frilly dress which I could not seriously believe she had room to breath in, and her head was hung low.

I smiled as she approached and gave a curtsy in front of my desk.

"Hello, brother."

"Hello, dear sister. Go on, take a seat. I'll have one of the maids bring us some tea."

I felt bad serving something so bitter to the little girl, so I asked the maid to bring some sweets as well.

"How have you been Mary?" I asked as I sat down across from her.

"I have been well, brother. And you? Are you keeping in good health?"

I groaned. This wasn't exactly a conversation one might observe between two affectionate siblings. I decided to switch things up some.

"I've been great. But I've been meaning to ask, do you like those dresses you wear?"

Mary nearly jumped out of her seat with surprise. I guess she wasn't expecting a question like that. Just then, the maid came back with the tea and snacks and began placing them around the table in front of us.

Mary's eyes sparkled the way they always did when she was excited about something, as she surveyed the many cakes and biscuits before her.

"Are these for me?" She asked, forgetting my previous question.

I smirked, "Yeah, they are."

I was happy to see her eat so well. She savored each bite slowly, as if she'd never tasted a dessert in her life, and again it made me wonder about her life in this estate.

"You're behaving like this is your first time eating cake!" I calculatingly joked. And she took the bait, because she lowered her head once more.

Had she truly never been given sweets before? She was the daughter of a Duke for crying out loud!

"Mary, does your mother know about our visits together?"

She shook her head vigorously, "Oh no, I could never tell her. She would be so angry. Well, you know… because she dislikes you so much."

She seemed embarrassed to say it, but it didn't bother me. My face remained neutral.

"Then how do you come here without her knowing?"

"Well, to be honest, mother doesn't pay much attention to me. She only seeks me out when she is in need of something, and spends most of her time out with the other noble ladies. Gambling, or shopping."

Mary took another bite of her cookie as she relayed Gillian's schedule to me. I was shocked to hear noble ladies gambled, but I suppose that was just another benefit of a golden spoon.

"In that case, would you do me a favor?" I asked.

Mary seemed hesitant, "What is it?"

I almost laughed aloud, what did she think I was going to ask of her? Then I remembered how her own mother had poisoned her for personal gain, and I understood why she was so wary.

"Next time you come visit me, don't wear such restricting clothes."

"What?"

"You heard me. Next time, I'm going to take you outside the estate, and wearing such an extravagant dress will make things difficult."

"Outside the estate?! Mother and father would never approve!"

"Well, they don't have to know, do they?" I smiled.

Mary contemplated this statement, and I just continued to grin at her. Eventually, she nodded her head in agreement.

"Great! Then it's settled! Next time you come, I want you to dress as a commoner!"

"A commoner?" Mary titled her head like a curious cat.

"Yes. People would recognize us instantly if we went in to town dressed like nobles. I want to enjoy an excursion without being constantly gawked at. Don't you agree?"

"I wouldn't really know. I've never been outside Hessian estate before."

I should have known.

"Well, anyway, just trust your older brother okay? It will be more fun this way!"

Mary smiled and said, "Okay!" Then continued to munch on some cookies.

I was excited at the prospect of seeing the outside world with my little sister, but I had another objective in mind. I needed to go looking for an alchemist. And I think I'd figured the best place to look for one.

We were going to take a little vacation in the slums.