With a little help from an irate innkeeper Fritz managed to clean himself up. His clothes were still wet, yet he didn't care. He trudged upstairs towards their shared room. The sound of a woman crying reached his ears, as he approached the door. His heart sank, as his mind panicked slightly wondering what to do. The sobbing continued. He pressed his ear to the door, confirming it was coming from inside their room.
With his hand on the door handle, he hesitated a moment. Within the room, he could hear Marcelle.
"Gods I am so stupid! I am the biggest fool the world has ever known. What the hells was I thinking? Why? Why? Why? Why did I add the snapdragon hearts! Of course it would muck up the mixture! What the hells is wrong with me! Why? Why couldn't it have worked? Do the gods hate me? Or am I too stupid to understand basic alchemy? Hahaha? What am I even doing? This will never work? Why am I even doing this? I should just find a hole and crawl into it. Hah! That's where I belong. I don't deserve a cauldron anyways. I'm not worthy to be Zola's apprentice. I should just give up! I should find a depressing hovel to waste my days within! Never touch a cauldron again! My hands taint everything I touch! I should cut them off!"
Knocking on the door, Fritz leaned into the wooden frame.
"Marcelle, are you alright?" The sniffling inside stopped immediately. The floorboards creaked, as Marcelle whipped her head towards the door. All went quiet within the room.
"Go away! I'm busy!" Marcelle screeched.
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"Not until you tell me you're fine. I'll stand here till Ada and Neva get back."
"Fine! Stand outside like a sad puppy then!"
Sitting onto the hardwood floor, Fritz let his head rest against the door.
"Fine by me. I'll be here if you need anything." Fritz retorted. Marcelle let fly a flurry of curses towards Fritz.
"Moronic human! Do you ever listen? Are you addled within your head? Can you not listen to your superiors? Has that wolf-bitch hit you while I wasn't looking? Revolting human! Your so weak and pathetic! Like a lost puppy, clinging to others because your incapable!"
On and on it went. Closing his eyes, Fritz let her anger wash over him. Letting his mind clear, Fritz tried to relax. He had survived another day. Whatever challenges awaited him tomorrow could wait. For now, Fritz could savor peace and relaxation, as Marcelle verbally abused him through the door.
Suddenly, the door to their room opened. Fritz fell backwards. Standing above him, Marcelle's tear stained face peaked between her messy long black hair. She looked like an evil spirit out for revenge. Her bloodshot purple eyes regarded Fritz without mercy. Her tail shot out towards Fritz. The purple scales wrapped around Fritz's chest as he was dragged inside the small room.
His feet scraped against the floor as he tried to pull away. He struggled in vain as Marcelle led him closer to her ruined workstation. The remnants of an overflown cauldron, dripping with inky black liquid were before him. Dirty beakers and flasks mixed with smashed vials near the walls of the room.
"Fine! You want to help! I'll try once more!" Marcelle seethed. Her tail moved down towards his legs, wrapping around him and prevented him from scrambling away. Shoving a handful of alchemical supplies into his chest, Marcelle leaned over Fritz. Her black hair fell down over him, as her feverish purple eyes locked onto him. "I need to restock Fritz. Get to work."
Nodding like an idiot, Fritz got started.
"Good minion." Marcelle hissed.