The Haunt of Danzig Ruin

North To Danzig

Dr. Leon Stephanotis glared at Petrich in a fury that left him speechless. But then he finally found his voice and used it. Petrich had braced himself, already in solid conviction that Fitz coming along to Danzig Castle would be far more of an asset than a liability.
"You did WHAT?!?!" Leon shouted, starting from his chair in his own private compartment.
Petrich folded his arms and glared back at Leon. "You heard me. I want her to come with us. Her experience in police investigation is astounding. Why not bring her with us?"
"Believe it when I say I have just as much and most likely more experience than she does! Her police investigative experience goes hardly further than Dresgorn. My experience," Leon flung out his arms. "goes world-wide!"
"Yes! We know! Or else we would not have even agreed to this expedition! But extra support couldn't hurt!"
Leon paced, hands on hips, mumbling under his breath, then stopped and turned back to Petrich. "It's all about your little Ellenora, isn't it? She gets told a little ghost story and now she's scared, isn't she? And now what? She wants to go home?? Back to her mother?" Leon began pacing about again. "I should have known better than to contract a scribe with an assistant! I was under the impression that you were truly freelance. No guild. No assistant. The perfect way to be, self-sufficient! It was the very reason I made contact with you!"
Petrich sighed. "Are you quite finished, Doctor?" he asked coolly, refusing to raise his voice.
Leon shook his head, at a loss. "What is it about scribes and these assistants, anyway? The irony is they make you weaker, not stronger! The only person you can possibly depend is yourself! Why even bother with her? Your work is known all over the world! You don't need her. ." Leon stood looking out the train car's window. "You don't need anyone. . ." His voice fell away.
Petrich clenched his teeth throughout the whole rant, but now he relaxed, and his arms fell out of their defensive fold, and he slid his hands into his trouser pockets. 
              He had come to the realization that this was not about Fitz, it was not even about Nora, it was about Leon Stephanotis himself and his own issues.  Petrich was not privy to Leon's personal life, nor his past, but he did know of one very important aspect, his time with Violet Evergarden Baugainvillea.
His distraught manner after being told of Violet's present life was concerning. He seemed a bit angry that she found her true happiness, that she found, married and gave birth to a son with Gilbert Baugainvillea.  Perhaps he had in his mind that he and Violet would meet again, and be together.
There was also the time Violet had told Petrich of her and Leon's manuscript transcription about the scribe who was tortured to death and assistant who committed suicide soon after. Leon had found this to be pure idiocy on their part. His philosophy then, apparently, held up to his philosophy now.  One should not put so much stock in anyone other than one's self. Co-dependence ultimately meant death.
Both of these instances were the real issues at work in this man's misery. Petrich had to call it what it was, or forever be having to defend Nora's worth. But he chose to do it gently as he could. No use in raising one's voice to a hurting child.
"We cannot all be alone and be happy, Leon."  Petrich replied, "If you think I left my guild under my own strength, you'd be wrong. I was broken. Captain Baugainvillea can attest to that. He saw me at my lowest, and had to build me up again."
             Leon made no comment, only sighed.
             "All along, in my time as a freelance scribe, I've had much help from others. I very much depended on them for it. . .even asked for it!"
            Leon shook his head in resignation. "Fine. Bring the police inspector along." he said lowly, "If she is as trained as you say, then she will not have to be my responsibility. Neither will she be compensated from my half of the earnings."
            Petrich made a short bow of acknowledgment. "Thank you, Doctor."
            Leon merely raised his hand without even turning away from the compartment window.

                          *.             *.         *.

The two day northbound journey to the small city of Kush in the foothills of the Kushkin Mountains proved more productive than even Leon cared to admit.
             All four gathered in Petrich and Nora's private car and poured over area maps and layouts of the castle itself.  Leon possessed layouts of the castle from its very beginning when it was a literal fortress built into the side of the mountain, and several depicting its evolution into a grand mountain villa. 
             Fitz brought with her more locally produced hiking maps, one with helpful notations written in by a hiker friend, such as deviations if hiking in heavy rain. These would assist their own hiking journey by cutting their time by nearly a complete day.
              "I feel we've made great strides." Petrich commented, after he and Nora were left alone.
              "We have," Nora agreed, from her overstuffed chair, accepting a cup of herb tea Petrich brought to her.  "I am wondering something."
              "What's that, darling?" Petrich grunted tiredly, settling into his own chair with his own cup of tea.
             "The document itself. It is a tapestry, not painted parchment. Will that make a difference in how it must be handled?"
             "Perhaps. I've studied celestial tapestries of the past. It seems this region was among the last to create them, but only because the pigments for the paints were not readily available.  They are exceptionally rare. No wonder there is a bidding war to procure it."
           Nora shook her head. "I don't know how I feel profiting off a celestial document, to be honest."
           "Understandable. If there was a currently living Danzig family member, I'd support giving it to them. But as it is, being neglected in a ruin is unacceptable."
             Nora nodded. "You never told me how Dr. Stephanotis took to you asking Fitz to come along with us.  He seemed almost tolerable this evening."
              "I think he was able to see how much of an asset she'd be, and she proved it with those hiking maps alone."
               "Her eyes. . .she told me why she had them and alluded to being able to see microscopically. What else can they do?"
              "I know she can see in the dark by way of thermal vision."
               "That is extraordinary."
                "Indeed."
                "And you made it possible." Nora smiled at Petrich lovingly.
                "Well, it was more I put her in the predicament that caused her trouble in the first place."
Nora could see that this still took an emotional toll on him. "She admires you anyway."
Petrich stared into his cup of tea and nodded. "Yes, I believe she does, despite all Dietfried and I put her through."
"I did not expect to like her as much as I do." Nora confessed.
"Oh?" Petrich chuckled, "Why?"
Nora shrugged. "You just talked about her on such a grand scale, and in my mind, I simply thought. . ."
"Thought what?"
Nora then felt embarrassed and looked away. "You referred to her as your 'first assistant' once, and. . . well, it made me feel a certain way about her. I know I sound silly."
              "Ooohh. . .bad choice of words, that." Petrich lamented, sitting his teacup aside. He rose and came to her, sitting on an ottoman at her feet. "I understand how that would have been hurtful. I am sorry. It shall never be said again."
                 Nora gazed down at his face and laid her hand against his cheek. His eyes dropped from her gaze and she felt his face grow warmer under her fingers. 
             Petrich flashed her an embarrassed grin and reached passed her to take away her empty teacup.  Nora gently caught his wrist, and Petrich froze, then relaxed his arm down again.
              They had their unspoken rules of conduct between them. Petrich was her teacher, her mentor, a man 13 years older than herself. Nora was expected to act accordingly, until their binding contract was complete and sealed. That would be in four month's time, then the rules. . .well, there would be no rules.  Nora would forbid rules between them after that. Only privileges.
          But for now. . .
           "Get a good night's rest, Nora." Petrich said rising and offering his hand to her to send her off to her private compartment.  "The next few days will call for it."