Necromancy - The Sinew Binding Us All

[Jean]

WIP

Tick, tick, tick, tick,
Dong, dong, dong.

The whispers of morning echoed through Landrys Estate, servants shifting through the halls. So began the daily monotony. Tearing away the fetters of sleep, Jean rose, stony of face. He opened his curtains to an azure, early morning, and chose an outfit for the day - the jack of his house - to wield on his way down to the bathing house. Shuffling out of his room, he sought to beat the daily swell and satisfy his introversion. Unlike most in his family, Jean preferred to bathe before the morning meal, and often he skipped over that first meal in any case.

Swinging the hangar through a door, Jean figured the servants were busy tending to the sunrise feast, and yet, there was the heat of a steam billowing from the spa room. Entering into that dusky, tiled place, he could see a large figure lazing about in the far alcoves of the room. “Vacques, catching the chance to bathe before our lesson, I see,” said Jean as he hung his jack upon the hook by the door.

“Ah, I hope I do not intrude,” said the Necrodoctor. “The road was long, and the schedule leaves little for time; your father is allowing me to see patients in these coming weeks as well - within the Briotorium, if necessary - though I may wander about the town on the days of rest, so they say.” The water dribbled as he lifted a hand. “Care to join me, Jean?”

“That is why I am here - to bathe,” Jean stated simply as he dropped his nightgown and folded it twice for the servants to retrieve. There were tags on the collar; the servants would stock his closet with the gown later in the day. Stepping down into the hot, broiling water, Jean could barely tell how hot was too hot anymore; his Pyromancy dulled the heat to tolerable levels in any case.

In truth, the water was borderline boiling.

“So young to possess the Black Sigil,” Vacques remarked of him.

Jean slowly lifted his eyes, expression needling to a point of warning. He should have known better than to bathe with another, let alone a well learned Necromancer from Sil-Elaine.

“Necrodoctors keep many secrets, and yours is safe with me,” he smiled.

Ammunition for blackmail someday, no doubt. All Entente were the same, even the foreigners.

“My father might here you,” said Jean. “I would rather he didn’t know.”

Vacques ran his hand over the steaming water. “I run the bath very hot - I hope that is not a bother.”

Jean shrugged, and looked to the window. “There are topics better broached within the privacy of the Briotorium, are there not?” His eyes fell upon Vacques once more, a hint of warning.

“That there are...” Vacques touched his chin.

Jean realized the man seemed to know everything about him from this strange conversation. The water was not hot to the Necromancer’s comfort, but to test him. “It is a dangerous thing to test theories on mages.”

Vacques rolled his shoulders to shrug. “It comes with the line of work, testing theories on magery.” He began to rise from the spa, reaching for his towel and wrapping it about himself. “I shall meet you within the Briotorium for your next lesson. There is much to learn, and we are just getting started.”

Jean watched the man leave with a puzzled expression, treating his hair with oils and fragrance. He was unnerved beyond words, mind aflame with questions. I should have been more careful. I should not expose the Black Sigil so carelessly... especially not in front of a man from Sil-Elaine, nor any of my family.