One Word Prompts

Build - The Homunculus

"It's working, it's really working!" the Lord Artrell shouted in glee as lightning danced within the binding circle in the center of his laboratory. His exhausted assistant, Mathews, channeled the lightning from the other side, his eyes closed, his lips mouthing the chant.

"Stop there," Artrell ordered, "That's good."

Mathews dropped to his knees, succumbing to his exhaustion, ending the spell. "Did we do it?"

Artrell took a step forward, leaning over the boundary of the circle to inspect their work. A boy lay in the center as if asleep, his naked chest rising and falling slowly.

"It breaths at least," he said. "We'll have to test its other body functions next. Take tissue samples. Measure inherent knowledge absorption."

"How about sleep first?" Mathews asked hopefully.

Artrell glanced at the clock. "Oh my, 7:00 AM? Already?"

"We've been at this all night. We should rest before continuing."

Artrell sighed, "Yes, you're right. You go ahead."

"You should sleep too, sir."

Artrell waved him off. "Shortly. I promise. I want to write down my observations first while they are still fresh."

"Alright, sir," Mathews said, too tired to argue further.

"Oh and tell the cleaning staff--" Artrell looked up, spotting the maid in the doorway. "Oh, you're here already."

"My lord?" the maid, Ellie, said. She'd been standing in the doorway for the past half hour trying to decide what she should do. It was her job to clean up the lab in the morning before the Lord and his assistant came in. Usually she was in and out long before the lord had even risen for breakfast.

"No need to clean up in here again until I order it again, the homunculus is going to be in the binding circle for the foreseeable future," Artrell said.

"As you say, my Lord," Ellie acknowledged the order with a curtsy, an awkward thing when both hands were full of cleaning supplies.

She started to return to the main building above, when a pair of frantic feet came pounding down the stairs.

"My lord!" It was the head butler, a sealed letter in his hands. "Here you are, my lord. This just came for you, from the palace."

Artrell took the letter, opening it immediately.

"Blast it all, he muttered under his breath. "Of all the poorly timed... Forget about sleep for a minute, Mathews."

"Sir?" Mathews groaned.

"We've been summoned by the queen. We leave immediately."

"Sir, surely it can wait an hour?"

"You can sleep in the carriage, Mathews. Prepare our departure immediately."

Mathews let out a defeated sigh. "Yes, sir."

"And you," Artrell said to Ellie, "You are to care for the Homunculus while we are gone."

"How long are we going to be gone, sir?" Mathews asked. "Surely not long enough that--"

"At least a month. Longer, unfortunately, if things go well. Come along, Mathews, there is work to be done."

The lord walked out without another word, poor Mathews trailing behind him.

Mathews stopped on his way out, looking over his shoulder at the boy, the Homunculus, lying on the floor, naked. He sighed and laid his cape over the boy, shaking his head. "Master was going to just leave him like that." To Ellie he said, "Make sure he's fed daily and find him a chamber pot and some clothes. He can't leave this circle, but it should have no effect on you. Master's decided to leave you in charge of him, I'm sorry."