Martyred Soul

Chapter 10

The first day Simeon and I worked together, it was awkward. To say the least. We both tried very hard to be polite as we scrounged around the castle and courtyards for his needed material.

            That meant none of our usual bickering.

            Simeon called me Miss Seben or Miss Burelle; I called him any form of Prince Highness I could think of.

             The second day was not much better. And the serum did not work. Shocker.

            The third day, I threatened to pull out his voice box with his special little tweezers if he did not stop butting a “Miss” in front of my name. From then on, I was Burelle.

            The fourth day, he threatened to pull out my voice box if I called him anything besides Simeon. From then on, he was Simeon.

            On the fifth day, we dropped the petty politeness and brought back the bountiful bickering. Needless to say, everything went uphill from there.

            Besides the serums, which were lacking in, well, everything.

            Today is the end of the second week of our partnership, and we have gotten nowhere with the serums. Really, it is up to Simeon to make them. If I need someone to tell me the truth, my threats always suffice.

            I usually hand Simeon the tools that he needs, and then try out the serums when he thinks they are finished. Let me tell you, they never are.

            “Maybe if we add more lindon weed…that might make you want to tell the truth more…but it will not break down your mental defense. So then we should add more of the chemicals that do, instead. I don’t know, I feel like we have tried everything. But obviously we haven’t because it still does not work on you! There are just so many variables—ˮ

            I tune him out, trying to enjoy my sit in the window. I do not want to listen to him. I, for once, am in a good mood. With the wind gently blowing my hair around; the sun shining down on my black hair, warming my head; the beautiful view of the grass fields, the city farther away, and the forest passed all that; even my dress.

            I went through all of the dresses besides Marta’s. I made sure that they were torn and dirty and the end of every day so that I would not have to wear them again.

            But that just left Marta’s—the ones I could not ruin.

            And today I am wearing a knee length, light yellow one with matching slippers. I haven’t a clue why I like it…I mean, seriously, I hate dresses, but this one is just so flowy and I can actually move around in it pretty well.

            Scratch out good mood. I’m in a great mood.

            “Burelle?”

            Simeon’s chemistry lab is in another room, the one right across from his bedroom.

            I lean my head back against the side of the window and let my left leg dangle down against the tower. My eyes slip shut.

            “Burelle!”

            It’s so warm and I’m in such a great mood that I just want to go outside and run, and twirl around, and enjoy life.

            I smile at myself.

            Bloody blades, what is this place doing to me?