Chapter Text
It's late afternoon on a normal Sunday.
Dark, ominous clouds gather toward the horizon, threatening to unleash a storm at any moment. The contrast of the intense blue curls of the clouds mixed with the orange and yellow rays of the sun that is about to set gives life to a surreal landscape. The green grass twigs dance to the sound of cold winter winds and the animals gather quickly in their dens aware of the coming storm.
Qifrey is observing it from behind the window of his small and comfortable Atelier.
Judging by the color and the persistent smell of rain in the air he was certain that a storm would definitely arrive that evening.
-What a nuisance… - He thought absently.
It was no secret that Qifrey didn't exactly find rain or water in general pleasant; Everyone, for better or worse, understood it. What they didn't know, however, is that in moments like these there was something else besides worry.
Continuing to look away, Qifrey let one hand slip under his soft white hair and lightly placed two fingers on the scar of his right eye.
Where the soft white skin met with the scarred and wrinkled, a nagging itch had appeared that left him restless. Nothing to worry too much, it was not the first time that the scar bothered him, especially in this last period.
Distant chatter brought him back down to earth. He quickly removed his hand and he temporarily shifted his gaze towards the inside of the Atelier to check that the girls had not noticed his restless state.
All four were sitting at the kitchen table chatting happily about, while waving around pieces of paper with unfinished seals and sharing their discoveries. They didn’t seem to be interested in what Qifrey was doing.
Well, that was a relief. The teacher turned once again to the window and took one last look outside. The sun was about to disappear completely. It was time to move on to some more productive activity. He grabbed the curtain that was dangling on the side of the ledge and pulled it back in one fluid motion.
It was time to prepare dinner. A rather difficult task when you have to feed four apprentices with completely different ideas and tastes. For this special evening Qifrey had a particular dish in mind that could please everyone and at the same time ensure that they received the right nourishment for their growth.
First he took a large bag of flour from the top shelf, then took several bowls from under the workbench and placed them next to the ingredients he needed to make this delicacy.
Hearing the noise of the pots and shelves moving, the girls' attention immediately shifted towards the kitchen. Teita was the first to rush towards her master to investigate.
“What are you doing?” She asked as she approached the workbench.
“I'll make dinner.” Qifrey replied without stopping what he was doing.
"Oh, what will you prepare for us this evening? I want to eat something spicy-"
“Hey!, it's not fair that you decide what to eat tonight.” Ricche abruptly interrupted her by jumping out of his chair and landing in front of Teita with her Sylph shoes.
“I want some bacon” She began, looking in the direction of her teacher
“Then I too… I want french fries!” Coco yelled from her place at the table where she was sitting.
At this point Qifrey was surrounded.
“How childish you are” replied a calm and collected voice that undoubtedly belonged to his most hardworking apprentice.
“This argument makes no sense, everything the master usually prepares is absolutely delicious and never disappoints expectations.” Continuous Agott as she went down the few steps that connected the kitchen to the living room.
The dark curls fell on her face with grace and elegance and her bearing was always so graceful even when they were at home, the only thing that betrayed her were the tips of their fingers dirty with ink.
Qifrey was grateful that she was so dedicated to her work but wondered if this was putting too much stress on her. She was still a child. And children should have fun while they can.
“This is true…. But Ricche definitely wants to eat some bacon.” The girl insisted, pretending to pout.
The girls' screeching voices kept rumbling around the kitchen and Qifrey could feel a growing headache coming from the depths of his mind. To prevent the situation from worsening he decided to reveal his plan to the girls, as they would have found out anyway as soon as he had fired the plate.
“Girls there is no reason to argue between you. Today's dish is a special dish that you can season to your liking"
"Really!?" The four apprentices began in unison, now completely absorbed in what their teacher was doing.
“ Yes, it's called Pizza and it's very popular at the moment especially in western cities. Once the dough has been prepared we can decide how we want it.” Qifrey explained patiently.
“Yes, I like it!” Teita shouted as she skipped around the kitchen.
“Let us help you, it sounds like fun.” The young girl with green hair said.
“Okay but I'll take care of the fire.” Qifrey replied.
With renewed enthusiasm all five set to work preparing a tasty dinner. They rolled out the dough and decorated it with the ingredients they liked best, and finally straight into the oven.
Once cooked, the pizza smelled wonderful and neither the girls nor Qifrey thought they could hold on much longer.
The table was set and the girls sat down at the table ready to begin enjoying the efforts of their work. The playful voices of the little girls were floating in the air, warming up the surrounding environment and giving it new life, everything seemed to go for the better.
Suddenly a dazzling light followed by a loud thunder rumbled through the walls of the house. Everyone fell silent and looked out the window. It had started to rain.
Qifrey’s shoulders stiffened for a second but then immediately softened, there was nothing to worry about, it was just a thunderstorm. He could bear it, he had already got used to it.
He looked in the same direction as his apprentices and felt his right eye begin to tingle again.
“I don't like thunder,” Teita said as she covered her ears with both hands.
Qifrey tried to put aside his annoyance and prepared to console her but was beaten about the time by Coco who was sitting next to her.
“Don't worry Teita if you want we can sleep together tonight so you won't be afraid.” She said reassuringly.
Teita looked at her with a look of gratitude and gladly accepted.
-That’s a good idea- Qifrey thought as he watched the scene and thought about when he too was so scared of storms that he couldn’t sleep. Every time it happened, he always ran into Olruggio’s room and hid under the covers with him.
Thinking about it now it was really childish, who knows if Olruggio still remembers it.
And just as he thought about it a tired, dragging voice came from the stairwell.
"Hmm... This perfume is really inviting. How about you leave me a piece for when I’m back." Said Olruggio as he walked down the stairs and wore his cloak.
Qifrey was a little shocked by this last part.
“Are you going out now? In this weather?” He asked doubtfully, and clearly against it.
"Yes, I have an urgent commission to take care of in Kalhn. It will be quick, but I’ll use the Window Way to travel, you can rest assured." Olruggio answered by quickly greeting the girls and giving them a reassuring look. After that he disappeared towards the Window Way.
“Being an adult is really bad,” Ricche said as she bit into the first slice of his Bacon, Sausage and Horned Mushrooms pizza (the mushrooms were a compromise for having the bacon.)
Qifrey gave a nervous laugh at his apprentice's note but didn't deny it, sometimes being an adult was truly terrible. Especially when you are responsible for many things and there is no one to help you.
The evening continued cheerfully even if with some thunder here and there. The pizza was a great success and Qifrey was very satisfied with it.
Now all that was left to do was clean and go to bed. The girls had all returned to their rooms to prepare for the night. This gave him plenty of time to wash the dishes and make sure that the portion of pizza from Olruggio did not become cold.
He picked up the dishes that were on the table and got up to take them to the kitchen and wash them. As soon as he left his seat a strong pang in his head ran down his right side, making him stagger and letting all the plates and cutlery fall to the floor with a loud crash.
Qifrey collapsed to the ground with one hand pressing directly on the scar and the other clutching his tunic tightly.
-What the hell was going on?- He cursed internally
His head felt like it was about to explode. Something throbbed against the lid of his right eye where there should have been nothing. The pain was so sharp that for a moment Qifrey had thought someone had drilled into his skull with some strange magic.
The sound of approaching footsteps was of no help to him. He tried to get up to pretend that nothing had happened but the dizziness was too strong and a feeling of nausea promptly followed, forcing him to stay where he was.
“Master!?” He heard CoCo run towards him and kneel at his side.
"What happens? Are you feeling sick?” She asked in a very worried tone.
She was obviously worried, who wouldn't be worried at the sight of someone slumped on the ground holding their head and trying not to pass out.
“It's nothing my dear... just a little... tiredness here.” Qifrey reassured her as he tried to stand up unsuccessfully.
“You don't have to force yourself. Is there anything I can do?” She asked with an anxious tone.
Qifrey looked at his sideways as he tried to come up with a solution.
“Coco?... Everything is fine? We heard a strange noise..." The voices came from the second floor but seemed to be getting closer. The agitation took over, Qifrey could not, and above all did not want all his apprentices to see him in this deplorable state. He was their teacher, their guardian, he had to protect them.
He tried to get up once again, but the headache got even worse, sending a twinge of pain to his left eye as well. Qifrey groaned in pain and soon after heard Coco's voice next to him.
“Nothing happened. I was just helping the teacher wash the dishes and accidentally dropped one.” The girl shouted back without moving from where she was standing.
“Ah OK, do you need help? If you want-"
“No, don't worry, I'll take care of it…” Coco interrupted her, looking around in search of an excuse. Shortly after she continued "If you want to help me I can ask you to tidy up my room... I don't think I will have time before going to bed."
“Ok ok, but hurry up” Agott finally replied while ordering the other two girls to return to their rooms. The creaking of the doors closing and the voices moving away was a clearer signal that Coco’s plan had worked.
Qifrey slowly opened his eye and looked towards Coco with a look of surprise. She must have guessed what he was thinking, she was such a clever girl.
The pain in his head seemed to be relieved enough to allow him to lift his head, but it still pulsed and Qifrey didn’t trust himself to get up. He looked towards the window where the storm seemed to be getting more and more aggressive, then looked at Coco who had worry on her face.
There weren't many other choices.
“Coco, would you mind helping me just for a moment?... I need some support” He finally asked hesitantly.
"Of course," said Coco, helping him as best she could. Eventually she managed to get him to sit with his back against the stone wall, the cold sensation of the stone against his head was truly pleasant. His hand was still pressed against the scar, it didn't provide any kind of relief but he couldn't remove it for some reason.
Qifrey took a few deep breaths then forced himself to put on a carefree expression for the sake of Coco and her innocence.
“Thank you Coco. Now you can-"
“There's no need to thank me, rather what's wrong, does your head hurt? Did you happen to fall?” She interrupted him and began to question him.
"No no, don't worry, I'm fine..." He tried to lie.
Coco may have been naive but she wasn't stupid at all and judging by the dark look she gave him the next second she seemed to have guessed something.
“Master…” He began “I know it's wrong but can I… Can I see what's wrong under your hand?”
The blood of Qifrey froze in his veins and his whole body stiffened. It wasn't an unreasonable request, anyone would have asked in this kind of situation, it's just that...
“Why do you think this is wrong?” He asked, finally looking her straight in the eyes.
He didn’t want to scare her but at that moment he was probably the most scared of the two. Perhaps he had misunderstood, this headache made him numb and could not think clearly. He was not sure if he could describe the feeling he was having at that moment... maybe it was fear, shame, guilt... He didn’t know.
All this thinking and humility certainly did not do him any good, and the headache came again to hammer against his temples.
It was Coco’s turn to be in awe, What should she have said? He did not want to be intrusive but judging by the way her teacher reacted, he did not seem to want to deal with this. But how could she help him if she didn’t know what was wrong.
After Beldaruit had told her those terrible facts, she always wondered whether this was true or not. She could not really believe that those horrible things had actually happened to the person in front of her.
How can a person so kind and affectionate endure so much. His lips squeezed in a straight line to thought. She really wanted to help him but didn’t know how, she felt powerless and very distant.
Suddenly she realized that she really knew nothing about her teacher.
Qifrey continued to look at her waiting for an answer but before he could say anything another presence entered the room.
“Misery, what horrendous weather” Olruggio appeared from the Window way completely wet, at first he didn't even realize what was happening. He just wanted to take off his wet cloak and take a bath.
He absolutely didn't expect an agitated Coco on the verge of tears to fall on him.
“Master Olruggio!” She called as she clutched onto his cloak.
“Hey, hey… What's going on? Why aren't you in your bed? Qifr-” The words died in his throat as he looked up in the direction the girl was coming from, he saw his best friend slumped against the wall holding his head.
He gently pushed Coco aside and rushed to Qifrey's side.
“Hoi! What the hell is going on? Do you feel bad? Does your head hurt?” Olruggio asked as he attempted to examine his friend.
Qifrei rebelled against the unsolicited touch, driving away Orluggio’s hands and trying to look composed and have everything under control.
"I’m fine! I’m just tired... If I rest I am sure that-" Another tantrum of intense pain stopped him from completing the sentence and he bent his head on his knees in an attempt to hide his face in his robes.
Coco was still watching them and tears threatened to fall at any moment.
Olruggio was still worried but he had now understood that if Coco stayed there he wouldn't be able to have any conversation with Qifrey.
He looked one last time at the man crouching before him.
"Just hold on for a few more minutes," he whispered before getting up from his kneeling spot on the floor and quickly turning to Coco.
Qifrey forced himself to lift his head a little' to peek at the whole scene from where he was, could not hear what they said, but could see the growing anguish on the face of his student. He felt so pathetic, and had managed to scare to death one of his precious students, what kind of teacher was…
Coco had been standing still watching the scene all this time. Professor Olruggio had arrived at the right time, if he had not been there she really did not know how she would do it. Actually she had a couple of ideas in mind but she would prefer not to give them a voice, she did not want her teacher’s health to deteriorate.
As these thoughts passed through her head she felt that someone had approached her. Orluggio had stopped in front of her, blocking her view of where Qifrey was sitting and talking to her.
“Coco, listen. You don't have to worry now I'm here. I will take care of him… But, I need you to go to your room.” Olruggio told her as he placed his hand on her head in an attempt to comfort her, although he wasn't good at it, he did his best.
Coco shook her head too scared that if she said anything tears would start to flow from her eyes too.
“I know you're worried. I promise you that as soon as he feels better, you'll be the first to know. All right?" Continuous Olruggio as he gently pushed her towards the stairs leading to the second floor.
“"But... but... he’s got something wrong with his right eye, I-"
Coco stammers in frustration.
Orluggio raised an eyebrow and stopped for a short second, then bowed to be at the height of Coco’s demands.
"Who told you about his right eye?" The look was serious but he didn't seem angry. Just surprised.
Coco’s look became guilty and turned her eyes down, uncertain of what to do.
It took a few seconds, then she decided that it was better to tell the truth, so she confessed everything to her second teacher. The frown on the fire witch’s forehead grew ever deeper with every word the apprentice uttered.
-That great son of– Olruggio didn't even want to finish the thought. So much for being irresponsible how could he say all those things to his disciple's apprentice. He doesn't deserve to be one of the wise men, in fact he doesn't deserve to be a teacher at all.
Several evil plans had begun to invade the mind of Olruggio to make that old clown's life hell on earth.He doesn’t really know when it’s time to step back and let people live their lives. But he can take care of this later, now he has bigger problems to solve.
Coco was still staring at the floor and didn't dare look up. Olruggio let a sigh of exasperation leave his mouth and then caressed her head with a reassuring movement. After all, it was certainly not her fault if she had learned of these things.
“Coco, what Beldarui told you it's true...but I'm not the one who has to talk to you about it.”
Finally, Coco’s eyes jumped across the room and landed on Orluggio’s face. Her gaze was incredulous, she tried to move to look in the direction of her master but was stopped by Olruggio with a gesture of the hand.
“Trust me, once he feels better you can talk. But for now you need to go back to your room.”
Coco was reluctant to leave but had now understood that if she wanted to help her professor her presence was more of an obstacle than a help so she said goodnight to Olruggio and ran to her room.
Olruggio waited until the door lock closed and then raised his hand towards his face, pinching his nose bridge.
- This may prove more complicated than expected -Olruggio thought, tired.
Since this issue has been temporarily resolved, it's time to get back to business. Orluggio quickly returned to the side of Qifrey and spoke.
“Okay, Coco is gone. Now tell me what's wrong."
Qifrey shook his head and tried to sound as less pathetic as possible. His head was pounding so much that even formulating a logical thought was difficult. Plus just because Coco was no longer nearby doesn't mean she wouldn't return.
The noises around him were amplifying, he could hear every single drop of water falling slowly on the roof tiles, every single movement of air blowing against the hard stone walls of the Atelier, the creaking of the wooden boards of the floor. All this was driving him crazy.
Qifrey sank his head even deeper on his knees and completely ignored Olruggio. Seeing how stubborn he was, Orluggio had no choice.
He repositioned himself to work more comfortably, then placed one arm under his friend's legs and the other around his back. Qifrey was suddenly lifted and a sound of surprise left his lips.
“Olly? What are you-”
“I'll take you to bed. Sitting like this in the living room won't make you feel better. Stop complaining for a second and let me do it.” The fire witch scolded him as he walked towards his rooms with Qifrey in his arms.
“There's no need… I just need a moment…” Qifrey tried again even though he had already given up.
“Don't talk nonsense. You are clearly in pain. Stop worrying everyone and accept the help you are given.” Olruggio replied in a firm tone.
Olruggio was right, Qifrey knew it but he still didn't like that all this was happening.
It’s not the first time that these migraines hit him, he always managed them well and nobody seemed to have noticed. Why was today different? Not that it made sense to think about it at this point, but there was a bitter aftertaste that lingered in Qifrey’s mind regarding the whole situation.
He let his face nestle between Olruggio’s shoulder and neck and he remained there the whole way inhaling the sweet aroma of soot and ink that the other exuded. It was a comforting scent. It reminded him of the old days, when he and Olruggio were still inexperienced and scared children who found comfort in each other's company.
Qifrey heard a door open and within seconds he was placed on a soft mattress surrounded by blankets and pillows. The room was hot and dimly lit, and with a lot of junk scattered everywhere. It must have been Olruggio's room.
Qifrey moved through the tangle of blankets looking for a comfortable position to lie in. In the meantime Olruggio had taken off his wet clothes and changed them into clean, dry ones.
He took a basin and filled it with fresh water, then returned to Qifrey. He slowly climbed the stairs to the loft, put his basin on the bedside table there next to him before sitting down on the edge of the bed.
Qifrey was lying on his stomach with an arm draped over his eyes, trying to take slow, controlled breaths.
The sinking of the mattress recalled Qifrey's consciousness and he finally let go.
“Olly…” He said weakly
“I'm here, everything is fine.” Olruggio said as he dipped a cloth in water and wring it out.
“My head feels like it's going to explode…” The man lying on the bed finally declared.
"I had a feeling... anything else?" He asked while with expert hands that only a craftsman of his caliber could possess, took off Qifrey’s glasses and put them on the nightstand.
"The scar... itches..." That was all Qifrey said before the same hand brushed his tuft of hair behind his ear, leaving it completely uncovered.
He shivered for a second but threw the feeling away fast enough to make sure Olruggio didn’t notice.
He felt something cold resting on his forehead and immediately the sensation made him stiff. He didn’t like people touching him, especially when he wasn’t quite himself. But Orluggio was an exception, if it was him then it was fine, even if he was not used to all these treatments.
Olruggio let the wet rag sink into his friend's forehead and then began to examine the situation. He knew how much Qifrey hated people touching him so he tried to be as unobtrusive as possible. Everything looked fine, the scar was normal and didn't look swollen so it was out of the question that it had gotten infected or something.
Olruggio continued to caress his hair trying to make him comfortable, but it seemed that there would be something more than simple caresses to loosen the bundle of nerves that was Qifrey at that time.
“There doesn't seem to be anything wrong. How about I get you some Tranquilfea to ease the pain” Olruggio proposed shifting the weight from where it was.
The action must have surprised Qifrey somehow because the next second his hand is hooked on the wrist of Olruggio and pulls it back. Olruggio looked at him in confusion, then Qifrey realized what he had done and let go.
“Sorry…I was just… The Tranquilfea is perfect… thank you."
Olruggio didn't seem to be convinced and decided to stay for a few more minutes.
“There's something else wrong…. Right?" He asked in a calm and even tone
Qifrey turned his head to the side in an attempt to ignore him but this only brought him more pain. It was stupid, he didn't want to seem even more pathetic than he already was. He was an adult, by all Wise Men, he should know how to take care of himself. And yet there he was lying on the bed and cared for like a 10 year old child who is afraid of the dark.
Olruggio still hadn't moved and seemed to be expecting some kind of response.
Qifrey’s head was still pulsing, he didn’t have the energy to pretend that everything was fine, even though he knew it would have consequences the next morning. He turned his head very slowly and looked at the skylight above him.
Small drops of rain pattered on the tempered glass of the window as the wind blew gale-force from the southeast. The thunder and lightning accompanied the annoying sound of the rain and the whole thing made the whole atmosphere much darker and colder than it was.
-What a terrible storm,...I hate storms- Qifrey thought as he shivered.
Olruggio followed his gaze and suddenly seemed to get the hint. He took a large blanket and placed it over his friend, then he repositioned themselves on the bed and took his hand and started stroking it with his thumb back and forth.The gesture was thoughtful and helped Qifrey to relax slightly.
“You never change” Olruggio said with a hint of a smile on his lips
Qifrey felt mortified and tried to sink further under the blanket, hiding most of his face. And before he could justify himself in any way Olruggio spoke
“You know, I'm glad you're still the same as you once were…”
At those words, Qifrey's expression changed from embarrassed to confused. Why would Olly think such a thing?
"What do you mean…?" He asked shyly, peeking under the hem of the blanket
Olruggio looked at him with a loving gaze before lifting his hand and leaving a light kiss on his knuckles. Qifrey was getting even more confused, maybe it was the headache that was making him hallucinate.
“Lately you've seemed… different… More restless and distant than usual. You stopped smiling genuinely and every time something is wrong you hide until everything goes back to normal.” Olruggio replied, moving away from Qifrey to take some of that Tranquilfea powder and dissolve it in a glass of water.
Qifrey seemed to want to counter these accusations but Olruggio did not give him the time or even the space to do so.
“I'm not scolding you for your attitude. I'm just trying to tell you that I can tell when something is wrong and that if you need to talk you know that I will always be there for you." He continued as he handed the glass to Qifrey
Qifrey slowly pushed himself up onto his elbows and sat up with his back against the several pillows that adorned his best friend's bed. He took the glass in his hands and the feeling of the cold glass on his fingers was both pleasant and disturbing. He stared at the glass for a few long seconds then drank it in one gulp, trying to push away the feeling of nausea that was lurking in the pit of his stomach.
Olruggio was always so attentive, he knew that he could not hide anything from him, after all they knew each other since they were children. He was his safe haven, his anchor, and could not afford to lose him or he would have lost himself.
There were things he should not know and for the sake of his friend, Qifrey would swallow that guilt that has been in him for several years now and would protect him no matter what.
Once he finished the contents he turned and placed the glass on the bedside table.
“I didn't want to worry you... that's why I didn't say anything.” He finally said as he looked at where Olruggio sat next to him.
“I know, you always have. But you have to understand that the more you try to hide your discomfort, the more people will worry about you. I worry about you." Olruggio replied
Qifrey nodded but didn't answer. He seemed lost in thought.
Olruggio took his silence as an invitation to start a conversation so he took advantage of it.
“Do you remember… that time when we were young, a strong storm had come to the surface at the assembly and even the seabed had become stormy. Some even said they saw cracks inside the bubble that protected the city from the water… haha how ridiculous.”
Qifrey laughed at the thought. “Yes, I remember. I was still new to the world of magic at the time and I was terrified. I still remember sneaking out of my room that night to come and look for you…I will never forget your shocked face when I showed up at your door.” said the water witch.
“Exactly, and do you remember what I told you then?” Olruggio asked, lifting one side of the blanket and crawling underneath.
Qifrey moved to give him a little more space but was stopped by an arm that wrapped around his waist. His face was so close to Olruggio's, he felt the heat rise to his cheeks and looked away before answering.
“Yes…” He replied in a whisper, too embarrassed to repeat those words out loud.
“I told you, It's okay to be afraid. If you are ever still afraid you can come and visit me as often as you want and I will be ready to help you.” Olruggio whispered as close as possible to the other's ear.
At this point Qifrey was sure he was blushing like an unripe mountain apple.
“We were still little then… and I, you-… Now it's different…” His thoughts were a mess and he couldn't explain what he was trying to say.
Olruggio for his part seemed to be tired of Qifrey's useless resistance, he knew that his best friend could be stubborn sometimes but there was no reason to insist on something like that, so he decided that it was time to make the matter clear.
“Nothing has changed at all.” He started as he tightened his arm around Qifrey's waist and pulled him even closer to him.
Now Qifrey's head was resting on Olruggio's chest and he could hear his heartbeats; they were strong and impetuous but somehow comforting. The sound of the heartbeats drowned out that of the storm outside the Atelier and this greatly relaxed the water witch.
Now defeated, Qifrey let all his defenses dissolve like a sandcastle being swallowed by the sea.
He raised his arms and wrapped them around Olruggio's waist, squeezing tightly. He was so lucky to have a friend like Olly, he didn't deserve it, but still… he was truly grateful that they were friends, if they could still be classified as that.
“Thank you” Qifrey said as he let himself be carried away by the sweet sound of his friend's heartbeat. The headache was now just a faded memory in the corners of Qifrey's mind, that Tranquilfea must have done its job.
Olruggio smiled in response and placed a quick kiss on Qifrey's forehead as he too settled down to sleep. “Now try to get some sleep tomorrow we will have plenty of time to talk, ok?”
Qifrey made a sound of agreement before his consciousness slipped away. That night he didn't have any nightmares. Only warm and wonderful dreams of his adventures with Olruggio and the time he had spent here in the atelier with his apprentices.
He decided that whatever could wait until tomorrow, now he just wanted to sleep and enjoy this moment.