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Some of the staff has noticed that the Madame has been in quite the mood lately. They all decide to do the usual procedure. Sending Thall to her room for an unexpected visit.
Thall knocks lightly on her door, his gold accents gleaming in the hallway light. He holds a small bouquet of peculiar flowers. He calls out in his smooth, theatrical voice.
"Madame? May I come in? I hear you could use some...entertainment.“
It's quite. Then some shuffling. Suddenly, he hears her throw something glass at the door that shatters.
”Go away!“
He flinches slightly at the sound of the breaking glass, but maintains his composure. His eyes narrow with concern behind his confident facade. He tries to joke, weakly.
"Now now, don't break the nice door. I just had it repaired...I won't go away that easily, darling. You know that."
He sighs, setting the flowers down carefully on a nearby table in the hall. Slowly, and gathering as much courage as he can, he opens the door. Then moving to lean against the wall across from her, crossing his arms.
"What's got you so riled up today? Did someone steal your roses again? Or is it just the usual gloom and doom?"
His tone is light but there's genuine worry beneath it. Her back is to him as she sits at her desk with papers strewn all about. She huffs.
”Why do you care?“
He steps closer to the desk, peering at the scattered papers. His fingers drum against his arm. He smirks to try and lighten the mood a bit.
"Because I'm here to entertain you, remember? And I can't entertain a miserable Madame who won't even face me...Besides, I'm bored. And you're my only source of entertainment in this dreary mansion."
She growls at him and rolls her one singular exposed eye. Her hands grip a paper hard, wrinkling it in her grasp. They tremble slightly.
”What, the ghosts in the halls aren't enough of and audience for you?“
He chuckles at her growl, unfazed by her eye roll. He gestures dramatically to the empty hallway. Rolling his own eyes as he does.
"The ghosts are fine...in their own way...but they're not as fun to talk to as you are when you're not being a grump."
He picks up a random paper, glancing at it before setting it down again. The words are far too above his pay grade. Not to mention the scribbles give him a headache.
"Though I must say, this mess is quite concerning. Especially for you."
She huffs again. Her shoulders tense as she waves him off. Then adjusts her mask slightly.
“I'm not in the mood for you antics tonight, Thall.”
He raises an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by her dismissal. She's usually excited to see him and his performances. He doesn't move to leave, instead pulling up a chair and sitting down.
"Oh? That's new. You're usually begging for my antics. Something really is wrong then. Spill it, Madame."
She narrows her eye at him and then looks back at her papers. She takes a deep breath. Her voice gets quiter, but it still has an edge to it.
”Go jump off a bridge...“
His playful demeanor shifts to something more serious at her tone. He leans forward in the chair. He drops his voice to match hers a bit.
"Now I know you're joking, but that's not a very nice thing to say to your favorite magician. Seriously, what happened? You're scaring the staff with your mood today. I swear I saw Lox shaking at just the mention of your name today, and you know they don't spook that easy..."
He frowns slightly. His eyes scanning her intently. She scoffs and laughs bitterly.
”Is that why you're here? To try and tame this 'beast' of a madame? Perhaps I'm just in a bad mood. My life has not been very kind to me, in case you didn't know. It wouldn't be the first time I've gotten like this...“
Thall watches the bitter laugh with concern deepening. He runs a hand through his hair. After a moment, he speaks again, choosing his words carefully.
"No one can tame you, love. I'm here because I care...and I know your life has been anything but kind, but you don't have to suffer alone in this room. Let me help, even if it's just by being a nuisance."
She sighs and goes back to working on the papers. He can't see it, but he swears she's smirking under her mask. At least a little.
”Fine. Whatever. Do as you please...“
He stands up and moves beside her, looking over her shoulder at the papers again. He doesn't touch anything, respecting her workspace. He starts humming a tune, a gentle, melodic sound that contrasts with his usual theatrical flair.
"Thank you. I'll be as annoying as possible then...What are you working on that's got you so focused?"
She starts to hum a bit quietly along with him, without realizing. She pauses for a moment and glances back at the paper. She forgot herself at what she was doing in her rage. She answers bluntly.
”Upgrades for Zhar. It keeps me calm.“
His blood freezes at the mention of Zhar. He's well aware of her intimidating assistant. He glances around the room quickly, hoping that her words didn't suddenly summon him. Hephzibah sent him out to grab something in town, and he secretly hopes that he never comes back.
Thall's humming stops abruptly. He swallows hard, remembering the last time he was alone in the Madame's room with her. His wrist still stings from it.
"Upgrades for... Zhar? What kind of upgrades?"
His voice remains steady, but there's a hint of wariness now. He's seen the destruction Zhar can cause when provoked. The Madame chuckles darkly and speaks casually.
”A hotter furnace.“
He lets out a nervous laugh, trying to mask his unease with amusement. His mind flashes to images of a burning inferno taking over the manor. Screams of the damned can be head form inside. He quickly snaps himself out of it.
"Hotter? That thing's already like a walking inferno. What do you need him hotter for? Planning to melt the entire estate?!"
She just shrugs. It's clear she sees no problem in all of this. It's as if she's talking about the weather with how casual she's being.
”I don't really know, I'm just bored and no one else lets me tear them apart and put them back together as willingly as he does. Unless...“
Her one eye darkens as she turns to glance at him. He catches the darkening of her eye and takes a small step back, though he tries to maintain his composure. He raises an eyebrow at the glance.
"Unless what? Don't look at me like that, Madame. I'm not exactly expendable."
She chuckles a bit darkly. Normally he loves the sound of her joy. Yet this seems far more twisted then a simple tickle of the funny bone.
”Oh come on, Thall. It could be fun. You at my mercy on an examination table as I tear your limbs off and put them back on. Exposing your insides to my devious ideas and my grubby hands.“
His face pales slightly, but he forces a smirk. He crosses his arms defensively. Anything to hide his true fear that seems to grow by the minute.
"Your idea of fun is terrifying, and I quite like having my limbs attached to my body, thank you very much. Pick someone else for your experiments. Like that annoying magistrate who did this to you..."
He wants to kick himself for letting his last sentence slip out. He knows how she gets whenever he's mentioned. She growls and look over her papers again. Almost as if she's trying to direct her anger away from him for a moment.
”That man...that monster...someday...“
He sees the rage flash in her eye at the mention of the magistrate. He knows that look well . It's the look of cold revenge.
"Someday what? You'll find him and make him suffer?"
He asks quietly, knowing he's treading on dangerous ground. she chuckles even darker then before. Her voice goes quite.
”Worse.“
A shiver runs down his spine at her chuckle. He leans against the wall again, watching her carefully. He's starting to get more concerned again.
"Worse than suffering? That's saying something. You're really holding a grudge there. Just...don't involve me in your plans for him. I like being alive."
He fidgets with sleeves and bobbles. Trying to avoid the potential gaze of death from her for starting this conversation. She huffs and teases him playfully. It's clear she's slowly starting to come out of her mood.
”Coward.“
He gasps in mock offense, placing a hand over his heart. He can't help but grin. Her breaking out of her anger always fills him with encouragement that he's doing his job well.
"Coward? I prefer the term 'smart and self-preserving.' There's a difference. Besides, I'm your entertainment, not your punching bag. I have standards."
She chuckles, genuinely now. Her eye even gleams a bit at him. Her tone becomes even more playful now.
”Well...then stop yapping and get to entertaining.“
Thall rolls his eyes dramatically, but a genuine smile breaks through. He straightens up and bows theatrically. His own tension from earlier is quickly easing.
"As you wish, Madame. Since you asked so nicely...how about a magic trick? Or shall I just do my usual charming self?"
She scans him over slightly. The gleam in her eye sparkling a bit more. After thinking for a moment, she shrugs and offers him her hand.
”Whatever you prefer.“
He takes her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it with a flourish. His own eyes meet hers with the same type of gleam. All of the anger and worry from earlier is seemingly gone between them. For now.
"The hand of a beautiful woman. Perfect for my tricks."
He winks and begins to conjure small sparkles of light from his other hand, making them dance around her fingers. They tingle her hand slightly, in a good way. She cocks her head slightly, seemingly genuinely intrigued.
"Let's start simple. These lights will tell your fortune."
”Hmm...do go on...“
The sparkles swirl more rapidly. They form soft patterns in the air. He watches her reaction closely, pleased by her interest. His voice becomes softer, almost hypnotic as he guides the lights to form a circle around her head.
"Close your eye and concentrate. Think of a question you want answered. They'll reveal the answer in their movement and I'll translate the answer for you."
She does as he says immediately, and starts to think about what to ask first. A doubting thought creeps into her mind. One she's tries to push away almost every day.
'Could...Would I ever really be ready to kill Obadiah?'
The lights flicker and pulse, changing color from white to a deep crimson. They form a jagged shape, like a dagger. Thall's expression becomes serious as he sees this. He hears a gentle whisper.
'The answer is...yes, but at a cost.'
He frowns at the dagger shape, knowing the cost mentioned could be her own life or sanity. He gently squeezes her hand, making the lights flicker. He decides to suggest something else quietly, his playful demeanor replaced with concern.
"Perhaps we should try a different question. That one seems...dangerous."
“...Fine. Let's try again.”
She takes a deep breath. After a moment, she nods. Her mind drifting to her own loneliness this time.
'Does...any of the staff here...truly like me?'
He notices her breath and worries slightly as to what the next question is. The lights flicker again, this time showing a heart. His own heart. He blinks, surprised by the heart's appearance. He hadn't expected that. He clears his throat, trying to act casual despite the scene before him.
"Ask something else. Quickly."
She groans. It's clear she's getting annoyed by his antics now. After a huff, she relents.
“Fine, but this is the last time. I'm growing bored of this.”
'I wonder if I'll ever be happy again.'
The lights dim momentarily, then brighten with a soft glow. He watches them intently, trying to ignore whatever happened with the last answer. soon enough, he hears a whisper again.
'Happiness can come, but it requires patience and healing.'
Thall listens to the message, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. He murmurs softly.
"Patience is not your strong suit, is it?"
A huff. Then a soft sigh. She opens her eye again and the magic lights disperse.
”No...not anymore. Not since my disfigurement.“
Thall looks at her eye, understanding the pain behind her words. He moves closer, speaking gently. He brushes his thumb over her knuckles gently.
"You've been through hell, Madame. It's understandable to lose your patience, but healing takes time, even if it feels impossible...And I'm here to help with that healing...if you'll let me."
”...And how would you do that? Your magic can't fix me, or bring the old, naive me back...“
He shakes his head. His eyes flicker with determination for a moment. He gestures to her brain.
"No, it can't bring back the past...but it can help create new memories. Better ones, and it can remind you that you're still valuable, still beautiful in your own way. That brain of yours is brilliant. That's worth something."
He smiles sadly. His eyes softening now. He steps back, giving her slight space again.
"You're not just a madame with a brain. You're Molly Mauve. You're strong, resilient, and you've built an empire basically from scratch. That's incredible, and I'll remind you of that every day if I have to."
The Madame sighs and shrugs. Her eyes shift to the side. She swallow dryly a bit.
”Why do you even care, Thall? You're akin to a hired jester, nothing more.“
His smile fades slightly at er words. He looks hurt, but then his eyes harden with determination. He gently turns her head back to face him.
"Because I see you, Molly. Not just the madame. Not just the inventor. I see the person behind the mask, and that person deserves to be cared for, whether you believe it or not."
He crosses his arms again, stubbornly. A slight smirk twitches at his lips. His eyes slowly starting to shine again.
"...And because I find you fascinating. In a good way."
She goes silent for a moment. Thinking on his words. Suddenly, she laughs loudly and bitterly as she turns back to face her desk.
”Ha! That's hilarious. At least you're a good jester.“
He scowls at her laughter, not amused by being called a jester again. He strides over to her desk and leans on it, blocking her view of the papers. Letting out a huff of his own. His voice is firm and honest.
"I'm not joking. I'm serious. You think I stay here because I'm forced to? I could leave anytime, but I choose to stay because I want to. You're not just a job to me."
She rolls her eye again. Gripping onto a page once again, she huffs back. She only seems slightly annoyed, but there's no real bite to it.
“Then what am I to you?”
He meets your gaze directly, unflinching. Smirking slightly to try and lighten the mood. His voice still has some firmness to it.
"You're...a friend. Someone I care about. Even if you're a pain in the ass sometimes...and you're someone who could use more friends. You tend to push everyone away with that attitude of yours."
”...“
Thall taps his fingers on the desk, studying her expression via her eye. His own eyes narrow slightly behind his own mask. He gestures to her brain again, more gently this time.
"You're doing it again. Closing off. Shutting down. Don't you get tired of being alone in that big head of yours? You've got me. Use me."
Her eye immediately darkens in a way the makes his spine shiver. He regrets his words, but it's too late to take them back. To an extent, he did mean them, but he should of known how she's spin it in her twisted mind.
”Careful. I have many of use for a man like you if you let me have free range with what I can do.“
He swallows hard, but stands his ground. His voice wavers slightly. He forces a cocky grin.
"I know you do. That's why I'm saying it. Because I trust you...mostly. Just don't go too far...I like my limbs intact, remember?"