Part 19 In which things aren’t as bad as they seem

Marlot and Jack were lead to separate rooms for their baths, she had never been so happy to be clean, the towels and robes were far nicer than she had expected. On her way back to their room she almost ran into Jack, he was standing in the middle of the hall, the robe wrapped tightly around him but for some reason he was still dripping wet.

“Oh Jack, you look like you did when you came out of the cauldron.” Marlot pulled the towel off her head, allowing her damp black curly hair to fall down her back as she set to work drying off her golem’s face and hair. “Did you enjoy your bath?”

“It was like being in the cauldron again, very wet, but it was much more comfortable.”

They were laughing when one of the maids found them, “miss, there is someone here to see you, she is waiting for you in your room.”

Marlot adjusted the towel so it covered his hair and forehead and smiled at her giggling golem, “are we ready to face someone else today?” His brown eyes were shinning with delight.

“Miss, the girl says that she knows you.”

“Could it be Lilly, I told her we were coming here today?”

“She said she doesn’t like town, they aren’t very nice to her either,” Jack said grinning at the witch.

“Thank you,” Marlot said to the maid, who curtsied then hurried off down the hall.

“I wonder who that man was Lilly wanted the love potion for?” Marlot pushed open the door to their room to see not to see her friend but the girl from the tailor shop sitting on the bed looking very nervous, next to her was a pile of clothes.

“Miss Marlot, Master Jack, I b-brought you something.” She held up the stake of clothing, “it’s to say s-sorry for the way my brother acted, I wish he hadn’t b-been so cruel.”

Marlot stared in wonder at the clothes which included two full outfits for Jack. “These are beautiful, thank you so much. Oh Jack you will look so handsome in these.” the witch handed him an orange tunic and brown breaches, the linen undershirt was extremely well made and Marlot was sure it would withstand any kind of torture Jack could possibly put it through.

While the golem changed behind a screen in the room the girl scuffed her boot on the floor. “I brought s-something for you too Miss Marlot, I made them myself b-but I’m afraid they aren’t as nice as your robes.” Folded neatly on the bed were a white linen shift, a full black skirt, and a dark violet bodice. “I b-believe that the bodice will match your eyes, I th-thought your eyes were black at first but I n-noticed just a touch of violet while we were picking out Master Jack’s clothes and I instantly thought of th-this.”

“It’s beautiful,” Marlot whispered, her fingers tracing the simple embroidery on the hems, “I can’t accept this.”

“P-please Miss Marlot, we aren’t all li-like my brother, we lived in a different v-village when we were very young and his f-friend was kidnapped by their local witch, that is why he acted the way he did, it-it’s nothing against you personally.”

Marlot put her hands on the stuttering girl’s shoulders, “I’m sorry, that isn’t what I meant. These fabrics, and the clothing is just so beautiful, please let me pay you for them, I don’t blame you for anything that happened today and I don’t want you to get into trouble.”

“I want you to have them, and Master Jack too.” She beamed at the compliment, and her voice had a bit more confidence in it. Just then Jack walked out from behind the screen.

“I can’t figure out these laces Marlot.” His long fingers were tangled in the thick cord strung through the bottom holes of the tunic, and the V of the shirt’s neckline exposed part of his thin tanned chest.

“Well Jack, I know now that black is not your color dear, it just made you looked washed out. You are a handsome golem I must give you that.” The girl on the bed was blushing as Jack flashed his lopsided smile at her. He fidgeted the whole time while Marlot laced up the tunic which was just a little big on him. “There you go my little scarecrow, all set.”

“Thank you Marlot,” Jack strutted around the room, the robes had made him look pale but they had also hidden the fact that he was so thin, something not so easily disguised while wearing breaches and a tunic.

“Remind me to feed you more darling, you’re as thing as a twig.”

Jack giggled then sat on the bed next to their benefactor. Marlot heard him as he whisper a little to loudly in the girl’s ear “she forgets that I am a twig.” His new friend blushed even more if that was possible and giggled.

“Are you really?” the girl asked. Marlot was watching them in the full length mirror on the wall, the girls eyes were huge as she looked at Jack in surprise.

“Yep, and clay.” He grinned at her.

Marlot rolled her eyes then took her own new clothes behind the screen. The shift and skirt were easy enough to manage but the bodice tied on the sides and the back with a thick black ribbon. “L-let me help you with that.” The girl took the ribbons from Marlot and tightly laced her in. “There a perfect fit.” It was Marlot’s turn to blush now. It had been years since she had worn anything other than her robes and fashions had changed a lot in a hundred years. The girl fussed with the shift and skirt for a moment trying to get them to lie properly. Finally she was satisfied and admired her handy work with a grin. Marlot nervously stepped out from behind the screen.

“What do you think Jack.” She blushed, fidgeting in the well fitted clothing.

Jack’s lopsided smile was all for her now. “Marlot?!”

“Don’t sound so surprised, I can look nice too occasionally.”

“I think you should more often.”

Looking in the mirror she noticed that the rest of her face had turned as red as her broken nose while she attempted to do something with her curling black hair. She used a spell to dry it faster as she ran her fingers through it and another to hold the curls in place, it worked far better than pins that would pull and poke her all night but it wouldn’t last for nearly as long. “Will you join us for dinner miss…?”

“Rosalie. Thank you but no, I need to get home. I hope you like your new things and that you come back.” She smiled and curtsied, then shut the door behind her before Marlot or Jack could say thank you, or good bye.

“What a strange girl, but nice. I like her.”

“Me too Marlot, I feel so fancy.”

“You are fancy Jack.” She reached up, trying to do something with the green hair that fell into her golem’s beautiful brown eyes. “Shall we go then?”

Arm in arm the pair made their way down the stairs to the dining room where they were met by a rather unwelcome sight.