Ensoleiller, ⠀⠀⠀ hisirdoux casperan.

#ㅤㅤ⁰⁵. suaviter in modo, fortiter in re.

𝐂𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗂𝗏𝖾ㅤㅤㅤ───ㅤㅤㅤ𝗌𝗎𝖺𝗏𝗂𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗇 𝗆𝗈𝖽𝗈,
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗇 𝗋𝖾.
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▬▬▬▬▬ㅤ 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒, to say the least.

ㅤㅤㅤSolamon had barely paid any attention to what he was saying to Hisirdoux━ something about expecting him to know better than to wrong him like that as his pupil.

ㅤㅤㅤHisirdoux looked like a sad puppy. It was infuriatingly upseting to Solamon, and although she tried to stay quiet, she just couldn't.

ㅤㅤㅤ"I did it all." she spoke loud enough to be heard over Merlin's rant. Her chin raised high, her fists tightly held behind her back, her eyes bravely ━or at least that's what she hoped her look was conveying━ meeting Merlin's. "I gave the idea, took all the ingredients and forced Hisirdoux into it."

ㅤㅤㅤAs to prove his innocence ━and, by connection, her guilt━ Sol turned her dress' pocket inside-out and bits of remaining sulfur powder sprinkled the ground, somehow making the scene very awkward. Maybe because of how courageous Solamon thought she looked as she played white knight and the silence that followed her action made her realize how underwhelming it was to admit her own mistake.

ㅤㅤㅤ"Hm." Merlin's nonchalant reaction made it even worse. The master wizard turns to his true apprentice and nods towards the door of the workshop. "Out."

ㅤㅤㅤHisirdoux did not waste a second, Solamon did not even see him leave, she only felt a gust of wind and suddenly the space by her side was empty. She couldn't blame him, of course, but damn did she feel angry for being left alone with the beast without hesitation on his part.

ㅤㅤㅤSilence.

ㅤㅤㅤSolamon learned very quickly that when Merlin was silent, a storm was approaching.

ㅤㅤㅤ"You stole from me." he started, quietly at first, "I give you all the protection I can from the king, and this is how you repay me."

ㅤㅤㅤ"...I━"

ㅤㅤㅤ"Did you know that your majesty wanted to behead you the moment you disappeared? For two days I had to argue with my king in order to keep him from killing you." his tone became more aggressive as he pinched his frown. "I fed you, gave you a room, clothes and education on both magic and on the human folk, and in return you steal from me!"

ㅤㅤㅤSolamon felt embarrassed, but somehow this was different than before. When she knew she was to blame for something and just did not wish to admit it, she felt very cold inside, as if her own nature was able to punish her for her wrongdoings. Now she felt as though she was blazing.

ㅤㅤㅤ"You still don't understand━" she didn't let the master wizard finish.

ㅤㅤㅤ"I understand very well!" Sol coughed as smoke came out of her mouth when she spoke, but she refused to stop now. "You come after me, imprison me, force me to stay in your land, then serve me less than basic decency and expect me to obey your every word! You own this land, you own the forest and everything beyond it, I understand! The trees are yours, the water, the living creatures, everything! It is all yours to take. So it is very, very unfair when I, a creature from the land you don't own, take a handful of powder from the great wizard Merlin! May your god punish me today and the days after that for the rest of my impure life!"