A hidden art (7)
The duke passed away silently. The Old Monk, his trusted healer, agreed upon the fact that death favours no man. There is a end to each of our coils.
The so called “italian merchant” was a perfume maker. A exquisite artisan in the art of smell. Your beauty did not stole his eyes, for he was old and careless in the matters of love of flesh, but your keen sense of smell drew his attention.
You approached this art with both curiosity and promise. Your study was enough distraction from all other matters.
Few days after the death of the duke, Aran came by to see the merchant. He saw you working with the retorts, and he was happy for you as he realised you found great intrest in learning that promiscient art.
Your host made your accomodation easyer, as he took real intrest in your training:
“Smells are emotions.
To forge emotions is a perilous craft.
To master them, is even greater art.
I’ve learned to master this craft, and is time to pass away my secrets to the one who would be curious enough to hear them, and diligent enogh to master them.
Look child… Your youth can bear no grasp of what chemistry lies within that retort. But with mind and knowledge you can forge it. Most mysteries within it will remain hidden, but few more wait to be discovered.
Smell it, touch it, feel it, study it. Desire it.
It has no color and yet no smell. The solvent of desire can imbue most substances. This is what you will look for. The perfume that gives the smell is a mere essence, and can be easily extracted with the proper skills and tools. Yet, what common men call perfume is just the decoy of the solvent of desire! The perfume enchants the senses, but the solvent of desire is that which delivers the blow into one’s heart.
You may want to master this craft. But if you don’t have a heart for this, no secret shall be unfolded to you, and with time, mere teachings will fade, and old recipies will be forgoten. Think ahead.”
Your eyes caught a small detail, which later on will shed a light upon that which happened with the duke. Aran came with a bag and left without it. Probably a huge sum of gold was given to the perfume maker, of which later on you discovered that is far more promiscient in brewing poisons…
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